WendyDawnn

I'm sorry, I don't know of any. I am in the mid-cities area, and have just uncovered my own doctor's support group meetings in Colleyville (I'd heard they existed, but no one had mentioned where or when during any of my appointments). If you don't hear of one on LBT, may I suggest you look up a local lap-band surgeon in south Arlington, and ask his office staff if they have one? Good luck!

I, personally, am a "MapQuest Hater". It has given me wrong or absolutely dumb directions on more than one occasion. For example, I was on a business trip to Bloomington, IN. My boss, who was from there, said "You can't get lost in Bloomington." Thanks to MapQuest I was lost - twice. One of those was when I was at an intersection - the building I was looking for was beside me on the right (I had never been there so I didn't know), and MapQuest told me to turn left. Blindly, I did, and ended up WAY lost. Once I finally found the office, I was STUNNED to see that it was at the intersection where I had been sitting about 20 minutes previously. Another example? My sister and I recently headed to a ceremony honoring our mom for being an organ donor when she suddenly passed away last year. We were running late, and didn't have time to waste in getting there. My sister ran a MapQuest, having it take us on a highway to avoid the Dallas Cowboys stadium, as it was a game day. As we were driving along, following directions - I KID YOU NOT - the silly MapQuest map had us LEAVE the road we were on to wind around a ghetto neighborhood in south Dallas, before instructing us to get BACK ON the SAME road we had been on previously, only about 2 blocks down from where we left it. It was the craziest thing I've ever seen! Yahoo maps, Google maps, GPS Navigator on my cell phone, or clerk at a convenience store... I will use any of them before I trust MapQuest.

I have heard from more than one person (they both, incidentally, had gastric bypass, rather than lapband) that when they hit a plateau on the scale, they have found they are losing inches - even though the scale is steady. Good luck on your journey...

You sound like a "tough old bird" like me - I had my gallbladder out when I was 23 - Had surgery Tuesday, got out of the hospital on Sunday, and went back to work on Monday. With the band, I had surgery Monday afternoon (Dec 1), and went back to work Wednesday (Dec 3). I have a desk job, and had no problems - I was just a little slower that particular day when I was up and around. Because my doctor prescribed codeine for the pain, but I was not allowed to drive while taking it, I went to work with no pain meds. It's really a personal decision, but you know your body and what you can "push through" comfortably. You'll probably want to limit your lifting and any strenuous bending or such for a couple of days, no matter when you decide to go back. Good luck!

Nurse Kathy... I was banded by Dr Kim on Dec 1, 2008, and am wondering about the support group for his patients? Do you know of one, and if so, when/where do they meet? Thanks!

I had surgery Dec 1 2008 with Dr David Kim (at North Hills Hosp in NRH). I've had my follow up appointment with his PA, but didn't ask any of my questions (duh me), so I know nothing of his bandster's support groups (allegedly there is one meeting every week or month?) - does anyone know of these support groups? Thanks!

Hello again... I'm now working for Union Standard Ins Group in Las Colinas - I left GW to start up a transportation unit for USIG, and really enjoy it. Things were getting "hairy" at GW, and I was ticked off about the lack of "fanfare" for my 10th anniversary. I was gone 6 weeks later. The boys... are grown up! If you have a FaceBook - look me up! I have a few pics out there of them, silly boys. Peyton is 19 now, graduated high school last May, and is now going to TCC. Zachary is 16 and in high school. (I *think* I emailed you my Christmas letter on Chef_Jayme...?) Banding went well on Dec 1 - I was back at work on Dec 3. (Only a few gals in my close "circle" at work knew I was having surgery). I've no restriction to speak of at this point, so I'm looking forward to my first fill. I worked so hard to lose 70 lbs prior to surgery, so my 10-15 lb fluctuation now is frustrating. Anyway, would love to get together and catch up!

It's so interesting to read this post... when my sister was banded in 2005, ALL the family would ask for her to appear at any family gathering... everyone wanted to SEE her and how she looked after losing weight. Me, on the other hand, I would go to NO family events, because I hated the looks they gave me after seeing her success. The sad thing is, now that I'm finally banded, there are very few left in my family - Mom passed away in May, so she doesn't even know I finally made it! So, in my situation, while I do get support from my sisters - the one who lives nearby frequently tells me she can see how much I've lost (prior to surgery) - and my boyfriend "liked me the way I was"... so he NEVER says anything (and he would notice, as I don't get to see him very often - he still lives in my hometown and I only see him a couple of times a month right now), and my boys see me day in and day out, so they don't "really" notice (teenage boys - I don't expect much from them anyway) --- SO... this is something I have done for ME. Always was. My goal is to get healthy.. to be able to do the physical activities I always loved... to fly across the country WITHOUT a seatbelt extender (done, Dec 20 and 23)... and to buy clothes at Target or Walmart (done! Sitting here in Walmart jammies!!). I agree with what has been said - look to yourself for validation. YOU are the one who knows the difference in you... in your clothing size... in the numbers on the scale... in your level of activity. I am the one to set my goals, and I'll be the one doing the happy dance, feeling empowered, finally being proud of me, and lifting the veil of low self-esteem - one achievement at a time! Go ME! Now how shallow does that sound?? LOL!!!

Wow, ya'll hit my insecurity on the head with this post! I have not yet been able to break my dependency on ice Water before, during, and after meals... and I'm nervous for my first fill, when I think this addiction will become more noticeable. I was banded on 12/1/08, and have very little restriction at this point. In my post-op appt with the PA, I told him of my concerns (I had also stopped taking Adipex the day of surgery, so suddenly I had an appetite again after 8 months without)... he said that until my first fill (scheduled for 1/21), I would pretty much be "normal", so I should "Enjoy the holidays". UGH - I've done that for many years... which is why I'm now banded!! (He said I could stay on Adipex until my fill, if I wanted to continue to take it.) My sisters are banded, and both have said that drinking after eating is bad news, they both can guarantee this will cause vomiting almost immediately. I would almost rather drink ice water than eat!

Jayme, it's Wendy... yes, one of your former most dedicated PC shoppers. :cursing: I am being banded tomorrow (yay), but saw your thread here and wanted to invite you to join me for Water aerobics! I won't be going back until January due to surgery, but I've been going off and on for a couple of years now. We meet at Trinity High School Natatorium (not far from my house), though Bev's group has other mid-cities locations (www.differentstrokesswimschool.com) on Mon, Tues, and Thurs night for 50 minutes of fun but hard work-outs. I'm not sure how that will fit into your schedule, especially with those kiddos (Nancy told me about your second son, maybe she also showed me your wedding pics before I left GW? Congrats!!! By the way, I thought your hair was absolutely BEAUTIFUL in your wedding photos!) (sorry, sidetracked), but it's fun (the water at Trinity is COLD though), and the teachers are great (as are the other students). Just a thought. Would be great to catch up with you... :blushing:

My sister had no pre-op diet before her band back in April '04, and had no immediate complications at surgery time. Eventually, her doctor did have to go in and fix her port, as it had flipped over, but that had nothing to do with the initial surgery. She said she "drank diet coke right up until her midnight 'stop eating/drinking' surgery deadline."

I've been reading this website for more than three years, and have never posted (sad, huh?). Both of my sisters are banded, and I am finally joining the banding world this coming Monday, Dec 1. I am thrilled.. and a little ready to be off the pre-op Optifast diet. (Happy Thanksgiving to me LOL) It's been a LONG journey getting here - my oldest sister couldn't get insurance to cover her band, so she borrowed the money and had it done in April of 2005. She got down to a size 4 - and was not so healthy looking, she was too thin. She has gained back about, I don't know, 20? 30? pounds now, and really looks a lot better. Her overall loss was 104 lbs, I believe. My middle sister really didn't need LapBand for weight loss, but for medical reasons - she had a problem with liver enzymes, her doctor recommended it, she could not get insurance due to her health problems, and had it done in Mexico around the same time as my oldest sister. She is thin as a rail, and admits to being anorexic for some time. Of the three of us, I am the one who has always needed the LapBand the most. However, I had to prove to myself that I could do it, that I could use the band as the TOOL that it is, and not use it to boost my self esteem, or as I have seen on other posts here, expect it to change my life for me, and ultimately achieve failure. I began my serious journey on March 28, 2008, beginning the 6-month doctor monitored weight loss program through TLC Edge, to appease Cigna's guidelines (though I knew they still "exclude" bariatric surgery, but there was a loophole I was targeting). Through that program, I lost 65 pounds, and proved to myself I could do it. After completing the six-month period, I started my search for how to jump through the loophole - long story short, some well received advice from a co-worker, and Dr. David Kim's office staff's expertise, Cigna did not hesitate to approve my surgery, and I'm on the schedule for Monday. Though I have a feeling any success I have with LapBand will, in fact, further my boost in self-esteem, the loss I have achieved so far has really done a lot for me. But it's not my ultimate goal: my goals are simple - to get healthy (I love bike riding, yet my bike sits in the garage with flat tires from lack of use), and to be able to walk through Target or Walmart (aka any store that is NOT super expensive and only for "voluptuous" women) and buy clothing off the rack there - not spending SO much money on silly clothes! (I bet I have more than $3,000 hanging in my closet, and almost nothing I want to wear.) Anyway, I'm looking forward to being one of the Banded... Good luck to all on your own personal journey! Wendy

I couldn't bear to cheat on my pre-op! I've come SO FAR to finally get to have this surgery... been wanting it for, I don't know, 4 years... when my doctor said Optifast only, that's all I do. Then again, to satisfy insurance, (and to prove to myself I could do it), I have worked my hiney off since beginning this journey on March 28, 2008, to lose what I have so far. I LOVE to cook, and this Thanksgiving holiday was no exception - I cooked for folks at the office, and I spent today cooking and entertaining out-of-town guests. Not once have I even licked my finger... though, rest assured, the temptations were there! My sister, who is banded, and her boyfriend, who had gastic bypass, both told me I should eat turkey, dressing, etc., on Thanksgiving because this was my last opportunity to do so. However, they are not my doctor. Call me anal, but I am a rule follower, and, like I said, I've worked too hard for this for anything to get in the way. (And I have plans for the rest of the month, so I don't have time to reschedule my surgery, and Cigna was very particular about the date range for my approval). The demons we battle (and face it, we all have them or we would never have known about this website) will always be there, and this "tool" will not conquer them alone... Think about it. Would you go to "battle", face your enemy, and hold your sword out in front of you, throw it at them, or lay it down, expecting that to be what it takes to win the war? Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize - a thinner, healthier you - you can do it! We all can! :thumbup:

Dr Kim is still doing surgeries for TLC Edge, and TLC Edge is running their special again for $9,990. Check out their website - tlcedge.com. They are great people. Dr Kim will be doing my surgery, but not through TLC (my insurance stepped up, but I had to go directly through him, go figure). TLC, however, along with their Surgical Weight Loss side, has a Medical Weight Loss side, which is where I began my journey, and had MUCH success. Good luck!

Okay, wow. Dobson is now doing LapBand stuff? He did tumescent liposuction and abdominoplasty on me in 1999, and I ended up SO SICK from the procedure.... (though he was really pretty reasonable as a cash pay patient, I was thinking about seeing if he was still in the business after I lose weight with the band, to have him take up some excess skin for me!). Sorry, side-tracked. My banding doc will be Dr David Kim (as mentioned above, now in Colleyville), and I know TLC Edge has a program, and is considering allowing fills from other doctors. They have multiple locations around the metroplex. Good luck.

I am 37, Surgery set for Dec 1 (4 days to go!), currently 287 (started at high of 357 on 3/28/08), in DFW, TX.

Here! Hallelujah I'm being banded on Dec 1 - been on the pre-op Optifast only diet since Nov 17, so I didn't even bother fixing the traditional Thanksgiving meal for my teenaged boys, I made spaghetti for them.

I have to say I "tried" to have one last hurrah with food when I learned I had one weekend left before I started the two-week Optifast diet for surgery, but I couldn't think of what I wanted! I did have "real" Mexican food (an absolute favorite of mine that I had been specially preparing for myself during my 6-month diet), but it didn't sit well with me; I had biscuits and gravy (now that was DELICIOUS), and I had Italian food... but my appetite was so lax from dieting for so long, it was all I could do. Oh, and I allowed myself to have sodas for the last time in my life (and for the first time in months - not diet), and they were gross. I'm not missing anything.