btrieger

First off congrats!!! Not odd at all. I think most could do it if they put their minds to it and kept a positive attitude. I've lost 138 pounds since September and didn't even have surgery until March when I was already 95 pounds down. I did not get banded to lose weight. I can do that on my own. I got banded as a failsafe because sooner or later I will slip and I want it there to slow my decent. It looks like yours may be playing the same role.

Mine didn't require me to lose weight but I see many posts here about surgeon wanting patients to lose 5 - 10% of their weight. I had to do a 3 week liquid diet but this is not to lose weight. It is to shrink your liver so it is easier to access your stomach.

Sounds like he is afraid he is going to lose you because you are looking good!

I ws a little skeptical at first thinking you may be too sensitive but it sounds like his people skills are lacking. If he is only going to point out and expand on the negative and ignore the positive; he isn't worth your time. You're going to have to deal with a nutritionist after surgery as well and if he is that much of a jerk you may fore go appointments and that is detrimental. I would talk to your surgeon and ask if you can find your own nutritionist. And remember, you are the customer and they are just a single service provider. There are thousands of bariatric surgeons in Texas.

I do love playing devil's advocate but I was not trying to "stir the pot" on this one. It is important to have your pain prescription filled; pajamas and slippers. These can be overlooked if they get lost in the middle of a huge list of nice-to-haves. After rereading the original post, it does look like she wanted the nice-to-haves as well. My bad. Thanks for setting me straight on this. * This may seem confusing because I am going to delete the post that prompted your reply.

Does the Lane Bryant catalog show fat models? The Casual Male Big and Tall catalog never shows a single fat guy. It only features tall models. I wrote them on at least 3 occasions pointing this out and asking them to explain and only got replies saying, "sorry you feel this way." That is one of the biggest reason I am happy to be done with them.

STOP IT!!! You are doing great but your attitude sucks. You have lost a astounding 37 pounds. That is 14% of your total body weight when you started and more than 40% of your excess weight. It also averages out to about 1 pound a week which is fantastic. Had you not had surgery and started eating right, you may have put 37 pounds on and gone over 300. You probably enjoy playing with your kids more than you did 9 months ago and you've also probably lengthened you lifespan. Keep doing what you're doing but look at all of the positives.

What is he saying to make you cry?

If it's some fly-by-night Lapband group that "deactivated" and denied you; don't fret it. There are thousands of competent surgeons out there that will really care about you and your health. Not just your wallet. Click "Surgeons" on the top of this page and find one in your area. Give them a call and find out if they are in your insurance network.

Congrats!! Isn't getting stuck great? It slowed my eating down.

If the excess junk is not immediately available, you will quit. If candy bars; buy the smallest you can find and only 1. If icecream; by a single serving. If chips; buy the little 7/8 ounce bag. Buying in bulk may save you money but it won't save your life.

I walk and once in a while I'll break into a jog. I do this 45 - 90 minutes a day. Early on I was told to walk at least 150 minutes a week and break it up however I wanted. I was walking 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week and dropping weight at a great rate. So, you have to decide whether the aerobics are equivalent to walking. If so, it sounds like you are getting plenty of exercise.

Great site! Thanks!!

At your age, only time will tell. Us old farts (35+) have no chance of six-pack abs without surgery. Worry about the loose skin and what to do with it when you get close to your goal. As you get older, you will realize that there are much more important things to worry about than a little extra skin. I've lost almost 140 pounds; have about 30 pounds of lose skin hanging around a foot down and I couldn't be happier. It was a lot more uncomfortable and unhealthy when it was packed with fat and sticking out all around.

During the first post-op as Reverie said the surgeon just wants to see your scars and ask how things are going. He may also tell you how to proceed on your post-op diet. Mine let me move to real food after 2 weeks. I wish I was anorexic. I'd rather have to force food down my throat than have to refrain from eating it. I've always had issues sleeping but am actually sleeping better since losing weight. I haven't been able to sleep on my belly for about 15 years and can do so once again. ** PS. those of you that are going to reply about anorexia being an eating disorder and how wrong I am for wishing for it; please save your breath.

Brushing your teeth will curb the cravings also. Who wants to dirty their clean teeth. I haven't had ice cream since February and don't really miss it. A cup of fat free yogurt satisfies me just as much. I do have pudding cups and baked chips (not together) every couple of days.

You got me all excited for nothing Crystl. I am going to start taking pictures of my hurls and posting them. :confused:

Moobs. Men have moobs, not boobs! Mine never were that big. They were proportional to my chest. I used to watch biggest loser and see those poor guys with the saggy moobs and ask my room mate if mine look like that. Just to get reassurance.

And the idiotic puppy dog eyes. I'm not a smiler but I don't make stupid faces either. :confused:

This is definitely something to ask your surgeon about. It kills me every time I see something similar. You need to get 64 ounces of Water a day and if you only drink 1oz every 30 minutes it will take 32 hours to drink 64 ounces. There are only 24 hours in a day. I was guzzling, yes guzzling 10 ounce Protein shakes 2 hours after surgery. This doesn't mean that I am right and Blondi is wrong or vice versa. All surgeon have their specifics. Make sure you know what your surgeon expects and if you aren't sure, ask him.

Great post JR. I have been following this thread since its creation and have had nothing to add because everything I think is already being said. The opening post was great. A little more politically correct than I am but great.

Welcome and congrats on the approval. That is the most nerve-racking part for most. There is really way too much info to give you but if you check out the posts on this site you will have everything you need and then some. The one bit of advice I can give is to listen to your surgeon and if you don't understand something he says, don't be shy about asking him to clarify it for you.

Congrats on the 25 pounds!! I have a Lapband brand as well. They come with 3 cc of Fluid in them. Some gets spilled during installation. Mine had 2cc in it when I went for my first fill. I don't know how air got in yours. I think your PA was telling you not to go out of your way to count calories. It never hurts to check the calorie count in something to judge how much of it you should eat. Normal people don't go around counting every single calorie they put in their mouth and neither should we. We just have to use a little common sense in what we eat and how much.

It's Sunday silly. She is sacrificing a lamb or something somewhere

Relax. Fill you pain medication prescription in case you need it. Have comfortable pajamas and slippers for the trip to the hospital. Really that's all. Really!! It's outpatient surgery. Meaning that you check in, have the band installed and leave. You'll be walking around right after surgery and totally back to your old self in less than a week. You can do any shopping you need the day after surgery.