Cortney75

Most are done laproscopic, but I know my surgeon and I think most surgeons reserve the right if they feel they can not do it that way the day of surgery they can do it open as well. where you are cut open.

Bonanza - I know how you feel with starving. I am on pure liquids, started on Friday and yesterday was the worst. I drank about 64 oz of brooth yesterday just to try and help. And had a slice of cheese last night. Going from food to no food is really hard and dinner time is the worst for me too. Maybe check with your doctor what else they would approve you to eat so when your family is eating that you have a glass of brooth. My doctor approves of any sugar free jello, popsicles, hard candy, gum and then brooth (has to be made from bouillion cubes though) and herbal teas, diet soda, coffee. Chewing the sugar free gum has really helped when my family is eating also the brooth really helped me yesterday make it through the day. Today is day 4 pre op diet and I woke up to a talking stomach saying feed me...but I am drinking my water and it is calming down. That is the other big think I am working on, getting my gallon of water in a day. So far on just pure water I am getting in 3/4's of a gallon which I think is pretty good. I also told my husband to keep remembering me what I am doing this for and to tell me NO when I am going for something to eat which also has been a big help. That I can do this and to be strong. Stay positive...you can do this... just remember everytime you look at food that you have been setting this up for a year and NOW is your time. I say things like that to me and it has helped. :biggrin:

I am on day 3 of the liquid (Optifast) diet. I FEEL your pain. I did the same thing and pigged out too. The first day I did cheat in the am because I did not have the Optifast yet and had McDonalds Breakfast. So the first day after McDonalds I had 2 optifasts, 2 sugar free jellos, 1 cup of chicken brooth, and several sugar free hard candies as well as some sugar free gum. I did cheat that night and ate one slice of cheese. Yesterday I was good all day and did my 5 optifast, I have them spaced out every 3 hours. (9, 12, 3, 6, & 9) I got two boxes of Vanialla and one chocolate, so I start with vanilla and then go to chocolate... Along with the Optifast I had 2 sugar free jellos, 3 cups of chicken brooth and several hard candies and gum. And a piece of a sliced up mushroom. Today is day 3 and has been a really big challenge. My hubby may grilled ham and cheese sandwhiches and mac n cheese for lunch. OMG I was salivating...I was about to attack like a mad dog that just got loose. I just sipped my Water and then had 2 cups of chicken brooth to help try and calm me down. I am so hungry today it is not funny. I am hoping like you that it gets easier after a few days. We just need to keep telling ourselves we are doing this for a very good reason and the outcome with be worth it. But I feel you and what you are going through as I am going through it right now with you as well. As I type this it is time for my feeding...I feel like a zoo animal saying that. LOL and as I keep telling my husband I need to get my drink on. Since we are going through this at the same time lets try to keep each other pumped and motivated. I am guessing your surgery is 09/03/09? Okay stay strong...WE CAN DO THIS!!!

WTG Stacy!!! Your reasons for the band sound just like mine and how I feel about the loss as well. Well at first I was like I don't want to wait to lose but then I thought about it and was the same way with losing a steady amount each month. That is great!!! Also to set the right example for your daughter. I have a 6 year old step son and I am hoping that on our visits it will help him learn to appreciate food better as well and not just live on Fast Food. It is say how much fast food gets eaten these days. Last weekend we had fast food and we asked him which one he wanted, his reply was Burger King because of the kids toy was GI Joe. They ended up not having them... so his response to that was we should have gone to McDonalds then because they have the coolest Lego toys now. Just to hear that and realize he eats fast food so much that he knows where the toys are and basing it off of the toys and not health. Which really no fast food is healthy...but he eats it so much is the sad part. So we decided to change that every time we have him no more fast food. Home cooking. (Which we do cook a lot when we have him, fast food has been pretty much cut out of our house for several months now) Just amazes me how easy it is to just forget about our waist lines even for our children too sometimes. I am glad you are making the right desicions for you and your family. Sorry to ramble on...I tend to do that sometimes... :thumbup: Welcome to the board!!!

Congrats Cookie...that sounds great and you are losing a good amount. Glad you stuck to your guns too. You have to do what is best for you!!! Again congrats and welcome to the board...I am pretty new here myself and will be getting banded in September and can't wait!!

LOL Boo, I try and keep my humor, helps keep my positive and joke it off. I know the feeling on wanting to go out and be normal. Have a drink or two. I think or hope that after we start losing we see the big benifit and I think if we still go out here or there that we have the mindset to watch it and we will still have a good time since we are out with friends. I know we all need that break for our sanity. :thumbup: Welcome Last, Beach and TicTac. Beach and Tic I go in right around the same time as both of you on the 4th. (I hope) I can't wait. My process took me about 5 months. March 21st - Seminar April 6 - Lapband Orientation April 23 - one on one with Surgeon July 27 - approved July 30 - rejected (because the office will no longer be accepting the 3rd party biller my ins company uses) August 4 - re-approved August 5 - scheduled surgery for 09/04/09! So it took me 4 months to get approved. Took me awhile to get the 5 years worth of medical history. I have seen a few different doctors in this time. I think I had all my paperwork submitted to them around July 6th and was submitted a few days later. Took my insurance then a few weeks to approve me. I am so happy to be on this journey. Today is my second day of the pre op diet and so far so good. I have been spacing my drinks out every 3 hours and only had to have a few hard candys to suck on (sugar free of course) Tonight though will be the challenge. Night time eating is my big thing and tonight now my husband is getting one of his brothers and well....they are making spagetti...OH BOY!!! Really interesting to see how that goes. If you hear on the news about a family being trampled or attacted for food that will be me. My husband at least said that he won't do garlic bread... If fairness I did tell my husband to do it because it will be a test to my will power to stay away from it. I might nibble on a piece of cheese again or just lock myself up in the bedroom. I am thinking maybe I need some handcuffs to lock me down so I don't go raving mad after thier food. I was looking at my cat food today going I hope I don't get so hungry that when i am feeding the animals I just go wild and dig in with them. LMAO It really just has made me realize how much food does run my life and how crazy I am for it. I really could go most of the day without eating but when the night falls I eat everything in site and more then I should which is one of the reasons I am so glad to be getting this band to help restrict the amount of food I can fit in my stomach...again hearing Fat Bastard telling Mini Me to get in my belly... How is everyone else doing on their pre op diet? For those that don't have one are you trying to lose weight? One of the reasons my doctor says he does the preop liquid only diet is to help reduce the size of the liver so that it shrinks some to make it easier. I am glad I have this strict diet...granted I realized I will be on it for 4 weeks (2 weeks pre and post op) Guess it is time to stock up on the clear liquids.... Happy Saturday Everyone

Wow 3 weeks...makes me really glad I am only having to do 2 (hopefully) My suregon does the Optifast program, pure liquids for the 2 weeks. 5 - 8 oz drinks. Like you I can have sugar free stuff in-between meals (hard candy, Jello, popsicles) Also allowed are herbal teas, diet soda, coffee. And brooth...well they want me to make it with a bouillon cubes and really Water it down. I can do either beef or chicken and they want a 1/4 of the cube to 8 oz of water. So basically 4 cups of water to 1 cube which is 32 oz. I would say if you maybe did it that way by really watering it down that it would be okay. Because you do need some sodium intake with what you are doing or you will get really dizzy and lightheaded. I would check with the surgeon though to be sure. But I have found that what ever Clear Liquids are approved post op for the 2 weeks are what you should be doing pre op with something of major Protein (Optifast, etc...)

Stay strong...yes my first thought was also to find a new doctor that will go to bat for you...but like you said it is all about being comfortable. I kinda know how it feels. I was approved and two days later the doctor denied me becuase they won't be taking the 3rd party biller that my insurance carrier uses. I was so upset and crying so I know how you feel. I really did not want to go about and find a new doctor as I am very comfortable with the surgeon I will be using. Well in the long run they worked it out with my ins carrier and I go in 09/04/09. Just stay strong and hopefully it will all work out for you soon and you will get the surgery. Let us know how it goes. Hoping for a fast appeal and approval for you!!!

Thanks Boo & Soco... I refuse to give up. It took me 5 almost 6 months to get to this point and there is no turning back. I hope it is nothing serious and agree better to know now then later. On a side note...man for those that are doing Optifast or something like that which is the strict liquid only...I hope it gets easier. This is only day one for me and I am playing games online and the fake food it make my eyes light up. My stomach is like eat the computer eat it. I feel like Fat Bastard from Austin Powers saying get in my belly...I am higher on the food chain...man what I would not give for a nice big steak right now. LOL. I did have a single slice of cheese just now to try and calm it down just a bit. My husband has been very supportive tonight and is pushing me to keep away from the food. (Earlier I was surfing the web and say a picture of lettuce and started drooling. LMAO) On drinking my Surgeon told me once I am out a few months that drinking soda and alcohol would be okay if just sipping and can control it. That if we can give it up great but otherwise just to sip and take it slow. Happy Friday Night :biggrin:

Well I just wanted to touch base with everyone here. The past 48 hours has just been a roller coaster for me. My PCP called and told me my pre op EKG came back abnormal and before he can clear me I need to see a cardiologist and get cleared from them. I was in the hospital in May and had a stress test, echo and EKG done and so I called the cardiologist that over saw me while I was there. Only problem I can't get in till 08/31/09, which is 4 days before my scheduled surgery. So my next call was to the Surgeons office and let them know. They said to keep everything as it is. If I need to change they will push it to the next week or two, but they feel with my age that the cardiologist will just clear it. So I have two appointments set for the 31st. One with the cardiologist and one with my PCP, hoping and praying that the cardiologist will clear me so I can be cleared by my PCP. Also the timing just sucks because my current PCP is closing his office mid September so I am also in the process of establishing with a new PCP so that post op will be all set and ready. I can't imagine having to deal with two PCP's at the same time. (How dare my doctor not think of me before deciding to close up shop...LOL kidding..kidding) So the Thursday before my surgery I am set to meet my new PCP, have the pre surgery appointment with my Surgeon and have my annual OBGYN appointment (figured might as well...plus I want to go on B.C. to avoid having any little ones till I lose some weight) So I will have a busy week my surgery week...but I am really looking forward to it. Today I started Optifast...I did not think it would be too bad but I am so hungry. I did cheat for breakfast and had McDonalds because I did not have the Optifast and by the time we got it and it would be cold was just too late. But since I am working on drink #2, had a few sugar free hard candies and one sugar free jello and for lunch since the Optifast was not cold had chicken brooth. Also sugar free gum really helped tonight when the family was eating and I was drooling...who knew that hot dogs could make me feel like a rabid animal about to strike. LOL So I am trying to stay positive. That all will work out. Like everyone I am getting excited. It will be nice to see how the Optifast works. I thought I would only be doing 3 a day, but I am to drink 5 a day so I have it broken down by getting my drink on at 9 am 12 pm 3 pm 6 pm and 9 pm. I think that will space them out nice and then in-between I have the sugar free stuff to help out with. My husband tonight said he knew he would not be able to do this. It was nice to hear that and if he keeps telling me that he would be weak it will help keep me strong. Sorry to ramble on so long just want to post what was going on here. Also I do have a blog, I blog over here - Cortney's Journey... I am like most, my family really does not know I am doing this. I want to see the faces when they see me after I have lost. Also just don't want to hear the doubt or me talked out of it. I have told very few people. It is always easier to talk about this with people who know where you are coming from. People that won't gasp when they see your weight and it just really lets me talk about stuff. I tried Vlogging after one of my cousins turned me on to it but don't know what to do with my hands and where to look and I love writting so decided to keep with blogging. I might move to a blogspot blog or something but don't know. I like writing and if people read it or not at least I am getting it out and that is what feels good to me. I hope everyone has a great weekend and hope everyone is hanging strong!!! TGIF!!!

If the surgery is covered by the insurance the follow up visits and fills should be as well. Something I read recently is as long as you don't change insurance carriers then you should not have a problem. I was approved for surgery then two days later denied by the surgeon because the 3rd party billers contract with them is ending and won't be renewed. Thankful they were able to work out something with my insurance so that I can still use them. (I really did not want to have to start all over again) I hope if all works out for you. I start my pre op diet Friday. I am getting so excited and nervous...I can't wait for the band and to start losing weight. If will be fun to hear about all of are loses together and help motivate each other. :w00t:

I would love to be part of the group too. But I get banded 09.04.09. Sending you a friend request. :biggrin: Looking forward to losing with all of you :w00t:

to loserville!!! WOOO HOOO...I can hear the train getting closer and closer... I have a blog that I do on another site. But I love this board...now that I just found it so I am going to copy and paste some of my blogs from over there. I will start blogging here with my next one and then copy that to my other one. :thumbup: I look forward to getting to know all my other banders! Happy Hump Day!!! 2 days and I start Optifast... I am getting so excited and nervous as the same time. I can't wait to start this journey to a healthier me! So it is going to be a busy few days. My husband does home dialysis. He was dx in kidney failure 2 months after we were married and 4 months later started dialysis. (So much for a honeymoon year) With doing home dialysis the clinic needs to do home visits to make sure he is doing everything right...which I have no idea why on him it has to be done when he labs are great and they tell him all the time that he could be the poster child for home hemo dialysis. So that means I have to really clean up around the house and get everything in order for the visit which is on this Friday...same day I start Optifast. Also have my PCP visit on Friday to get the medical clearance from him. It is going to a busy time the next few days. But it will help the time go by faster. Hubby & I got into it yesterday because he keeps thinking I can eat these two weeks. He said he was going to pick up some food at the store we can both eat. Salad. I was just like WTF you know with all my talkings I am on pure liquids the next 4 weeks. Just really bothered me that it appears he has not been listening to a word I say about my diet coming up. So last night he tried to get it all down and we went over it and over it again. Just gets me sometimes that it comes across like he does not care what I am doing. Or put enough effort into something that interests me to get to know more about it etc, since when it comes to his likes and desires I give in to make him happy. The phrase I keep hearing in my head is from Bill Engvall saying "I'm just a guy..." as in what do you really expect from me. Guys have it so easy that they can have things blown off so easy with that simple mentality that I am just a guy... wonders if that will ever change with men??? Okay sorry about the guy rant just on my chest and needed to get it off. I love my husband very much just needed to vent. Back on track...still need to go to the store and get some more stuff for the liquid portion starting so that I can try and curb and hunger pains. Which will be really hard to start over the weekend here because we have my step-son so him and my husband will be eating and from what I have heard is the first few days of Optifast are the hardest... So if I can survive this weekend without cheating then it will make me that much stronger. And I will have much more success I am hoping!!! I brought up the idea to my husband of us starting to do the couch to 5k workout plan. His first comments were I can't I dialyze in the evenings. I then explained it is only 3 days a week and you have off dialysis 2 days and then there is the weekend that we can do it before or after (if he runs early) But I would really like to see him and I do this together as he has a few pounds he could lose as well. (He has been told that if he goes over a certain weight that he will not longer be eligible for a transplant so he was evening thinking of getting lap band too) Now I have Spongebob's "I'm Ready... I'm Ready" in my head...guess that means it is time to get moving for the day... 4 days and counting... Till I start Optifast. I have a feeling I am going to be cranky for a few days. But I have gotten a few of the foods or liquids that I can also have to help. Sugar free Jello and made some sugar free popsicles. Thinking it might be easier to buy them next time. LOL. I have gone through all my notes again on the surgery and the foods that I will be able to eat and when post op so that we can start to get ready. Start to stock up now. : ) The next few weeks I hope fly by. It is going to be really hard seeing my husband and step son eat food and me not be able to but it will be well worth it in the end. This weekend I was bad, last night for dinner I had my hubby get a pizza saying I won't be able to eat it after this week. So I am trying to eat some of all my favorite foods which is crazy. I thought about the pizza today and I can still have it. Will just have to scrap it off the bread and be careful about the sauce but the toppings and cheese will be a great source of protein. One thing I am not looking forward to giving up is pasta. I could eat pasta noodles all day and night. Little olive oil, garlic salt, orgeno, and parm chesse mixed up and ooooooh so good. I know I have read it is easier once you go without for awhile. So we will see. Well Friday will be a busy day for me. Have to go to my PCP to get the results of the pre surgery tests and get his medical clearence form. Then go to the surgeons office to get the official start of optifast weigh in and get my drinks on. Then it will really sink in that I am doing this. I can't wait to see the weight start to come off. I will be posting on here my official weigh in weight and all my measurements for the start of the Optifast. I really want to see how much I am losing. My goal this week is to start exercising. At least 15 minutes a day to start. Our living room in a sunken one so I have my own stairs I can start working as my stairmaster. Two steps up and down...just hope my knees can take it! Starting to hear the train whistle getting closer as it approaches to take me to loserville!!! Eating everything I can to get rid of it... I know that does not sound like a good idea, but I hate wasting stuff. Growing up I always had to eat everything on my plate...then to top it off if there was food left I normally was forced to eat that as well. No wonder I have weight issues and over eat. I just want the junk food out of the house. Next week I start optifast for the lap band. I spent today going through and making notes what the next 9 weeks are going to be like. Betweek the 2 weeks of optifast, surgery then the 6 weeks that follow till I get the first fill. My hubby is getting so excited. He has seen some photos of me from high school recently, when I thought I was fat and huge at 180 to 190 and he says I look like I was anorexia. (He wears some funny glasses) I must say though looking back at them I did look thin. I would love to be at that weight again…and I know I will be…and I hope I can get to the goal weight I desire. Hubby says he won’t be able to keep his hands off me…which he can’t right now…which at times drives me crazy…I don’t know what I will do when I start to lose…cut off his hands? Get some cuffs and just lock him up at night? LOL I am really looking forward to start this process and lose this weight that has been hanging on me for so long. Time to say bye-bye to all these extra pounds once and for all!

to loserville!!! WOOO HOOO...I can hear the train getting closer and closer... I have a blog that I do on another site. But I love this board...now that I just found it so I am going to copy and paste some of my blogs from over there. I will start blogging here with my next one and then copy that to my other one. I look forward to getting to know all my other banders! Happy Hump Day!!! 2 days and I start Optifast... I am getting so excited and nervous as the same time. I can't wait to start this journey to a healthier me! So it is going to be a busy few days. My husband does home dialysis. He was dx in kidney failure 2 months after we were married and 4 months later started dialysis. (So much for a honeymoon year) With doing home dialysis the clinic needs to do home visits to make sure he is doing everything right...which I have no idea why on him it has to be done when he labs are great and they tell him all the time that he could be the poster child for home hemo dialysis. So that means I have to really clean up around the house and get everything in order for the visit which is on this Friday...same day I start Optifast. Also have my PCP visit on Friday to get the medical clearance from him. It is going to a busy time the next few days. But it will help the time go by faster. Hubby & I got into it yesterday because he keeps thinking I can eat these two weeks. He said he was going to pick up some food at the store we can both eat. Salad. I was just like WTF you know with all my talkings I am on pure liquids the next 4 weeks. Just really bothered me that it appears he has not been listening to a word I say about my diet coming up. So last night he tried to get it all down and we went over it and over it again. Just gets me sometimes that it comes across like he does not care what I am doing. Or put enough effort into something that interests me to get to know more about it etc, since when it comes to his likes and desires I give in to make him happy. The phrase I keep hearing in my head is from Bill Engvall saying "I'm just a guy..." as in what do you really expect from me. Guys have it so easy that they can have things blown off so easy with that simple mentality that I am just a guy... wonders if that will ever change with men??? Okay sorry about the guy rant just on my chest and needed to get it off. I love my husband very much just needed to vent. Back on track...still need to go to the store and get some more stuff for the liquid portion starting so that I can try and curb and hunger pains. Which will be really hard to start over the weekend here because we have my step-son so him and my husband will be eating and from what I have heard is the first few days of Optifast are the hardest... So if I can survive this weekend without cheating then it will make me that much stronger. And I will have much more success I am hoping!!! I brought up the idea to my husband of us starting to do the couch to 5k workout plan. His first comments were I can't I dialyze in the evenings. I then explained it is only 3 days a week and you have off dialysis 2 days and then there is the weekend that we can do it before or after (if he runs early) But I would really like to see him and I do this together as he has a few pounds he could lose as well. (He has been told that if he goes over a certain weight that he will not longer be eligible for a transplant so he was evening thinking of getting lap band too) Now I have Spongebob's "I'm Ready... I'm Ready" in my head...guess that means it is time to get moving for the day... 4 days and counting... Till I start Optifast. I have a feeling I am going to be cranky for a few days. But I have gotten a few of the foods or liquids that I can also have to help. Sugar free Jello and made some sugar free popsicles. Thinking it might be easier to buy them next time. LOL. I have gone through all my notes again on the surgery and the foods that I will be able to eat and when post op so that we can start to get ready. Start to stock up now. : ) The next few weeks I hope fly by. It is going to be really hard seeing my husband and step son eat food and me not be able to but it will be well worth it in the end. This weekend I was bad, last night for dinner I had my hubby get a pizza saying I won't be able to eat it after this week. So I am trying to eat some of all my favorite foods which is crazy. I thought about the pizza today and I can still have it. Will just have to scrap it off the bread and be careful about the sauce but the toppings and cheese will be a great source of protein. One thing I am not looking forward to giving up is pasta. I could eat pasta noodles all day and night. Little olive oil, garlic salt, orgeno, and parm chesse mixed up and ooooooh so good. I know I have read it is easier once you go without for awhile. So we will see. Well Friday will be a busy day for me. Have to go to my PCP to get the results of the pre surgery tests and get his medical clearence form. Then go to the surgeons office to get the official start of optifast weigh in and get my drinks on. Then it will really sink in that I am doing this. I can't wait to see the weight start to come off. I will be posting on here my official weigh in weight and all my measurements for the start of the Optifast. I really want to see how much I am losing. My goal this week is to start exercising. At least 15 minutes a day to start. Our living room in a sunken one so I have my own stairs I can start working as my stairmaster. Two steps up and down...just hope my knees can take it! Starting to hear the train whistle getting closer as it approaches to take me to loserville!!! Eating everything I can to get rid of it... I know that does not sound like a good idea, but I hate wasting stuff. Growing up I always had to eat everything on my plate...then to top it off if there was food left I normally was forced to eat that as well. No wonder I have weight issues and over eat. I just want the junk food out of the house. Next week I start optifast for the lap band. I spent today going through and making notes what the next 9 weeks are going to be like. Betweek the 2 weeks of optifast, surgery then the 6 weeks that follow till I get the first fill. My hubby is getting so excited. He has seen some photos of me from high school recently, when I thought I was fat and huge at 180 to 190 and he says I look like I was anorexia. (He wears some funny glasses) I must say though looking back at them I did look thin. I would love to be at that weight again…and I know I will be…and I hope I can get to the goal weight I desire. Hubby says he won’t be able to keep his hands off me…which he can’t right now…which at times drives me crazy…I don’t know what I will do when I start to lose…cut off his hands? Get some cuffs and just lock him up at night? LOL I am really looking forward to start this process and lose this weight that has been hanging on me for so long. Time to say bye-bye to all these extra pounds once and for all!

Add me to the list of Septmeber bandsters too. I go in on Friday September 4th. I can't wait. I start my pre op diet this Friday the 21st. Also go to my PCP on Friday to get my medical clearance for the surgery. I can't wait!!! I just found this board last night...this is my first post and I look forward to getting to know all of you as we go through this journey together. Happy Hump Day to you all!!!