wisconsin jen

HI Everyone... Well 6 days out and 6 pounds down.. woo hoo.... I am finding that I can eat almost anything I want but in limited portions.. very limited....I am on the mushie stage and pretty much anything I can make mushy I do... I am going to try chicken salad tomorrow.. Now what I have found is that what I ate for one meal just over a week ago, now lasts me ALLL day...how great is that!! I do have one question.. what does PB stand for....? I see it everywhere and can't figure it out.... No laughing anyone:)

Hello Ladies... I am tricare north too... I did get an authorization, however, the letter to the doc stated that no authorization was required so the doc took a deposit, just in case. Tricare states that you do not need an authorization, however, you MUST meet the criteria... now I did everything for a preauthorization and they did go through those motions, showed me approved on tricareonline.com. They also requested three tests prior to getting me that approval, negative h-pylori, negative TSH, lung and heart eval. After getting those to tricare they gave ME and authorization letter... but they gave a letter to my doc that no authorization is needed (and that is the truth)... however, going through the preauth process pretty much ensures that you will know whether or not they will pay for it... My auth did not take long.. less than 10 business days.. and then two days after they got the test results.... Hang in there.. meet the standards and you should HOPEFULLY be fine... Jen

This looks good... I can't wait to be able to make one.. I think this about a month or two away for me though right now:)

Like many of the posts here... it is how you look at it... Do you know that I do not want to look at posts of how everything has failed or how someone got their band removed. Once in a while, like here... I try to give a positive nudge forward..... I never once thought that the band would MAKE me lose weight... it would HELP me lose weight... I set my expectation low....the only reason I wanted the band was to keep the hunger pangs away.... I can stay away from the sliders... maybe once in a while cheat for sanity sake.... but what I wanted is to get fuller faster so that my HUGE plate of spagetti.. could be a SMALL plate of spagetti.... I am still eating the spagetti (or I will when I am allowed).. now, it will be less.....I am changing the way I eat... not what I eat... I take small bites... I eat slower... I chew the food... I don't drink with the meal.... Now... these are all things I should have been doing before, but that insatiable hunger is what made me pile on the spagetti.... now, I find myself looking for something with Protein and substance to fill the pouch.. i.e. creamy Peanut Butter, scrambled eggs.... I am thinking about my choices now because I have time to think about with the smaller pouch.... When I wake up in the morning and I actually FEEL a pound gone.. it is at that very moment that I realize (no pun intended on the REALIZE band:):thumbup: that I made the right decision.... This is lifelong... this is behavior changes....everyones behavior is different and response to change in behavior is different. What I do know... the mind is a powerful thing...when you are feeling down.. don't look at the "how much the band sucks" threads... look at the "wow, I can't believe how much better my life is" threads... Condition your mind.. the body WILL follow....... Hang in there....

Let me guess.. .I big FOG horn burp:) I am a little shocked at the bass tones:):thumbup: Everytime though, I know it is the gas leaving my belly... and every day the stomach swelling goes down... I ALMOST feel normal... I am not hungry at all.. small amounts of food keep me full... I am more eating with my eyes than my stomach and that is my demon to conquer this week...so I decided to do something funny... You know those little tupperwares you get in a box that you never use.... I put my servings of soup or mushies in there, put them on a little saucer and I feel like I am at a buffett:) Very surprised that I am hungry more in the morning than at night... usually the oppposite prior to banding... Good luck with the burping... it does help....my kids are laughing at me

Hi There.. I am retired military... 20 years, female... after retiring with lupus and athritis.. the weight was one battle I couldn't fight... Tricare Standard paid... total out of pocket this year $3000. I told the kids, if they want to get sick, this is the year:thumbup: It is more time consuming.. if you meet the criteria, you get approved....100 pounds "ideal" weight and a comorbidity.... For me.. my "ideal" weight was last seen in 4th grade... so I am going to be OK with losing only 60... the whole kit and kaboodle will be a bonus... The only thing Tricare wanted was a negative H-pylori, heart eval and lung eval, and TSH test for thyroid..... It went well... I was banded last Tuesday.... so, 2 Sep 09 for the seminar to 26 Jan 10 for surgery.... BTW... lost four pounds since Tuesday with no hunger.... it is already worth it.... Jennifer

Is anyone besides me watching Lifetime right now.. the movie "lying to be perfect" there is a woman who is getting lapbanded.. I can't wait to see what happens.. another hour to go.....

Janaey I think I am one of the strongest women on earth.. retired military... single mom.... edumacated....but I HAVE to come on here to get support... because this is a lifelong change... I need to see other people successes... it really does keep me going... I am on every day now... until I feel like I can handle it on my own.. I find that the photos section keeps me motivated.... I look at common problems folks are having... How to recommit every day..... We are learning a new life... Hang in there... Jennifer

Today is day 3 post op and I lost 4 pounds....only because I have NO appetite.... Today the swelling went down a bit (as I sit here with a heating pad on my stomach)... so I did each a bit more of mushies (doc had me clear liquid one day, full liquid two days, pureed for two weeks)... So I am eating mushy stuff... applesauce, tomato soup.. creamy chicken soup... actually still liking the warm chicken broth... One thing I did to satisfy my head need for cravings is that instead of eating a handful of m&m's... I melt one in my mouth... Surprisingly... it satisfies the craving to be naughty.... So.. tomorrow I won't get on the scale.. I will do it every other day I think for the first month... simply out of curiosity and to see how fast this baby can take me...kinda taking it for a test drive I say.....

I agree with KTIMS.... I lost four pounds since I was banded on Tuesday and I am thinking... I HAVE NEVER LOST FOUR POUNDS IN THREE DAYS.... without being hungry... Look at the positives... you lost 12 pounds.. ... in 36 days... that is one pound every three days.....that is AWESOME...... Every metabolism is different...the negative thoughts will make you predetermine your destiny... Don't let someone else define your success.....we all would love to lose a 100 pounds this month....:bored: it won't happen....many bandsters would look at that 12 pounds and be.. "I will take that"..... You are losing... which is wonderful.... now... what are you doing to help yourself...help yourself.... shake it up... use those stairs....go up and down the stairs ten times today....then 15... then 20.....think of ways to shake it up... I bought the Shape Up shoes... LOVE THEM....why... because they are another tool to help me on my journey... they will not walk themselves... I have to move them... Hang in there...fake it til you make it with a positive attitude... you would be surprised how much of a difference that will make... condition the mind, the body will follow..... Jen

Hi Gang... Glad to see everyones experiences here.. I am two days Post Op.. the belly is HUGE!!!!!! when does that go down:) I have zero hunger.. zero.....sipping liquids non stop.. had some Soup today.. I cannot believe how full I got on just a little bit.. I think that may have more to do with the bloating though....as soon as the bloating goes down I will be starting Protein shakes... Question for everyone: when did you first step on the scale..how soon after surgery did you start noticing a pound or two going away.... I think I still have the IV liquids in me or something... Also, major bonus.. have not taken the heartburn medicine once since surgery and hyrnia repair.. I may be CURED!!!!!! Keep posting everyone.. I am finding inspiration in everyone's weightloss.. I have never lost weight too quickly before and I am hoping this is a good kick start...I do find I still have to rest a lot... I walk, rest, walk, rest... Keep posting everyone... Jennifer

Hi everyone... I got banded yesterday... boy am I glad that is OVER... I found that they had to do a liver biopsy.. due to enzyme levels or something and that I had a huge hiatel hyrnia.. not a small one but was told that he fixed it which is great....so far... I have not taken any more protonix... I am going to wait to see if it comes back at all before I take some... maybe this fixed it... I do have the slight shoulder pain from the gas .. my stomach hurts.. it does hurt to walk too much so I do rest periodically... I have to teach a half hour class downtown today but that is it.. bedtime after that... I did take pain medicine all night and the last couple of hours moved to the lazy boy chair... because it hurts to rollllll out of bed:):thumbup: I did take some round tylenol today and the last pill was sslllooww going down but I do not think it got stuck persay... have been on Clear Liquids and am surprisingly full... later today I am going to try some Soup but they said as soon as I tolerate full liquids well I can move to mushies...so that is great... Whew.. the journey begins.......:thumbup: Good thing we are the Jan Band Journeys:):scared2: Thanks for the good words everyone... Jennifer

I can't sleep at all... I just keep looking at the before and after photos and can't wait to post those.... How often are you going to take photos at all.. just to monitor the loss.... I took some before.. and then I think the 26th of everymonth I will do pictures for the during....every month bandesversary.... I am going to force myself off the computer in a minute though... the anesthiolgist called.. so everything is set... 0845 tomorrow I will be a new person.... Thanks for all the great words.... Jen

Keep those updates coming Cherie... I AM SO EXCITED MY SURGERY IS TOMORROW>>>> I cannot believe it is time.. I have to be at the hospital at 0645.. I cannot weight (pun intended!!)... to go:):eek: I am soo hoping to report the same things that you have in two weeks... I have to go shopping now to make sure I have the liquids in the home when I get back tommorrow... YIKES>>>>> I am the tail end of January Lapband folks... WHEW>... I will post tomorrow night when I am home:)

Mine required it thank goodness... they found polyps in my stomach and I had to have them removed surgically last Tuesday before I get the band.. to add to that.. I was told that I have a very swollen esophagus... Why is this a blessing you ask... without the lapband requirement I wouldn't have found out about the polyps, without the removal of the polyps I wouldn't have found out about the swollen esophagus... now I can work with it.. they gave me a different way to take my reflux medicine and cleared me to have the lapband... So... everything happens for a reason...

Thanks Claricey... I can't wait to have this done.. I cannot believe that I am hours away now... I am really starting to get nervous but in a great way.... Thanks again Jennifer

That would be awesome.. I am pretty excited about Tuesday... On Friday the surgeon's office called and I thought it was to cancel the surgery but it was actually just to push it from 0730 to 0930 which isn't too bad... Hang in there.. in 30 days we should start being new people :) Jennifer

Congrats on getting the ten pounds off... just ease into food.. (easy for me to say.. my surgery is Tuesday - wow that sounds good:) I found the pool is good for the joints... my athritis and lupus kicks my butt but I want to move.. and.. get the shape ups... I have lost ten pounds preop and I have not dieted persay... but I have been wearing my Skechers Shape Ups shoes.. I will always have those .. will officially trade them in for regular shoes... they make you walk different... I think that is where my 10 pounds went... Congrats on the initial loss.. keep it up... Jen

I was hoping you would post again soon:) 8 pounds already.. woo hoo... now that may go up a bit once you are eating real food so be ready.. But how exciting....I am so happy for you.....I can't wait to report progress.. I want to lose weight so bad and I realllly hope this works.. Hang in there girl.. keep me posted:) Jen

My Band will be BuddyAid....self explanatory name I think... I figured that if I was going to have this for life, I want to embrace it:)

Hi Fellow Jan Band Journey's... Today I had my stomach procedure.. a week and a half ago I did the preop tests and they found polyps... So my lapband is scheduled for Jan 26....but the doc said the polyps need to be removed... and that was today. The doc took them out (benign thank goodness).. but he said that I have to come back in three months because he is concerned about my esophagus.. it is swollen he said... He gave me directions on how to use my protonix a little better which was nice... that alone may fix it he said. My lapband is still on schedule which is great... By the way.. that procedure that I had today SUCKS....they put you in twilight and put a hose down your throat:):mad: I just remember the tears of pain when I panicked... but I calmed down which is great and now it is just a foggy memory....and my throat really hurts...and I am tired... so tonight I will get a good night sleep. I have to feel blessed though.. because without getting tests done for the lap band I wouldn't have found the polyps. Without having the polyp procedure I wouldn't have found out about my esophagus....everything happens for a reason I say.... I can't beleive it 7 more days and I get the band.. I am so excited to be posting weight loss.... Keep hanging in there Jan Band Journeys!!

I have the SAME feelings of feared failure... But I think everyone has this.. just like posted by Cocoabean... we wouldn't be here if we hadn't tried everything else. This is a lifelong change.. a lifelong tool.. a lifelong thing to be managed... I feel like I will be the only one who gains.. but that is my irrational side... This is condition the mind the body will follow.. you don't want to predispose yourself... you have made the committment intellectually, now you can make it emotionally.... It will work.. but the feelings are normal.... Hang in there...

When I left Recruiting in 2009 it was 42 for the Army... but I will tell you that when recruiting is tough that they sometimes give age waivers.... I have seen much needed specialities TOTALLY waive the age... like doctors and dentists and lawyers.... I had lots and lots of soldiers that just came on active duty that were older than me when I was in command ... Call the recruiter... they will give you today's info.... Jennifer