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gingerjane

LAP-BAND Patients
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Everything posted by gingerjane

  1. Did you add jello sf pudding or just the gelatin? I think the thing that I hate is that I can taste all of the artificial sweetener in everything and I hate sweetener. The good side is that I don't crave sweets AT ALL. I'm actually grossed out by them, now. Three days of this pre-op diet totally did that in. LOL!
  2. Hi Kristi! I'm from Cincinnati, too! I'm actually being banded on the 22nd, so I'm on my pre-op diet right now. Who is your doctor? I see Trace Curry at JourneyLite. I really like his practice. They have support groups, etc. Do you have a nutritionist you can talk to? Since I haven't been banded, I don't have experience, but I know that we're supposed to do the Protein first. Always the protein and watch carbs. Per my nutritionist, we're supposed to have 60-80 gms of protein per day and between 45 and 60 grams of carbs. Would love to have a local banded buddy! :sad: Ginger
  3. gingerjane

    Awaiting Surgery

    I will be completely honest - right now is the hardest part. The 2 week pre-op diet is a KILLER. I did just walk two miles at lunch and came back and had my Soup. But, I promised the girl I was walking with that we could stop at Wendy's. What I would have given for a cheeseburger. But, I will say, this pre-op diet is good for some things. We went past this cupcake place and NONE of them looked good to me. Used to - cupcakes were my favorite thing! So, there is some benefit. We're going to do this! :sad:
  4. gingerjane

    Lost willpower , Please help

    Here is how I look at it. Willpower is a very tricky thing. We think we have all of this willpower but then one day we snap. It's because we deny ourselves so many things. What I hope is that the lapband and the willpower I do have, will allow me to occasionally have SMALL bits of those foods that I love. Not gorge completely on 2 baskets of chips at the mexican restaurant. So, I think that it's two fold. One - maybe you need to allow yourself just a tiny bit of whatever it is you're craving. And think about it for a second. Is it a mental craving or a physical craving? I find that helps me, too. If I want a piece of chocolate (not doing that right now due to the pre-op but this is my theory on it) then I'll have one small piece but that's it. It should satisfy that need real quick. Hopefully that helps. You're human - don't beat yourself up over it. Just take a few deep breaths and realize what your goal is at the end. We can't live the rest of our lives depriving ourselves of everything, we just have to make better choices 99% of the time. Big hugs to you! It's so hard. I know. The other night I cried for a cheeseburger. A CHEESEBURGER. I mean, come on. LOL! (Instead, I drank a bunch of Water and went to bed - it passed)
  5. gingerjane

    Has anyone had......

    My nutritionist told me that it's from the carb-detox. She said the first four days or so, you'll be a BEAR - irritable, headaches (think about it - we're also giving up caffeine), mood swings, etc. I've been trying to keep mine under control with my good friend Celexa (LOL!) but I have the crappy headaches and honestly - I think I'd probably mug a Papa John's driver if I thought nobody would find out. LOL! (Not for the money but for the pie!) Last night I was actually fine, though. No bad cravings. I really think your body is just going through a "WTH!" moment and naturally you're going to be a bit annoyed. We're just human. :sad:
  6. It's funny how everyone's pre-op diet is different. Mine is Medifast whereas it seems most are pretty open. I'd be eating turkey slices like crazy. Turkey and cheese. LOL! My one saving grace is Extra Sugarfree gum. Never thought I'd say that Bob Harper on TBL was right. LOL! Just keep plowing through. We'll get there and then in a few weeks we'll be banded!!!
  7. gingerjane

    Why Tell Anyone?

    The people I work with know and some close friends. I work in a TINY office, so I have to take off of work, etc. One of the girls here had lost a bunch of weight and had lipo, so she was like "I totally support it!" She was very supportive and nice about it. I'm not telling my husband's family. They'll just know that I had a hernia surgery. They're just mean and evil when it comes to my weight and have made their fair share of nasty comments to me, so I felt it was best to leave them out. And I expressed that to my husband. He knows that they're jerks. I was sort of shocked that my brother wasn't more supportive. He is more upset about me "altering" my body but I don't think he gets how the surgery is done. Of course, my friend did ask me "how are you going to explain the weight loss to his parents one day?". I guess that's a bridge I'll cross when I get there.
  8. gingerjane

    Awaiting Surgery

    I am scheduled for 3/22. I remember that WAIT. It seemed like so long and now I'm in day 2 of my pre-op diet. It will go by so much faster than you can imagine. I joined these boards in December thinking that it will NEVER be my time and now, it's coming up! Would love to have a weight loss buddy. I'm looking at losing about 125 lbs.
  9. gingerjane

    Spring into March 2010 Bandsters

    So excited to hear that everyone is doing ok post-banding! I'm on day 2 of my pre-op diet and let's just say that I am definitely going through a carb detox. Some times after I "eat" (or drink in this case) I think my stomach is trying to eat itself. LOL! It cramps and gurgles and eventually calms down. My body is like "WTH???" But, I've managed to fight off wanting to have real food. I ended up going to bed early last night to keep from wanting a snack. Of course, right now I'm battling a nasty cold. I've been coughing like crazy. Hopefully it doesn't affect my surgery date. I have two weeks to get better. I'm SURE it will be gone before that. So, how much did everyone lose on the pre-op? One of my friends was asking me and I was like "I have no idea". I do know I was 6 lbs down from my last appointment. But, I was also sick before yesterday.
  10. gingerjane

    Expectations unrealistic?!?!?!

    I haven't got my band, yet, but am in the midst of my 2 week pre-op diet and I have some expectations but most of those are on myself. Even with this liquid diet, I have to use A LOT of willpower. I think that with the band, it's a matter of changing behaviors. It's not letting the fill out so you can go wild at a party. It's about adapting and changing your life. With the band, it doesn't mean she couldn't enjoy some good things at the party. It just means she can't eat 1/4 of the cake and everything else in site. It's a means of moderating yourself, too. Those are my thoughts. Hopefully, I'm not completely crazy and delusional about it. I think that I've struggled all my life to keep the weight off. I know what I'm supposed to eat. I just need something to hopefully keep me honest. I don't want to ruin that. I've seen people lose a TON of weight with WLS. I think it's all in how you approach it. I'm lucky that my doctor has a full program so there are support meetings, etc. It's not a "band and go" type of program. I have a nutritionist that I can e-mail 24/7, etc. I'm hoping to leverage that to get me through. You'll do great. Tell yourself that you're not her. You are YOU. She is doing what she wants with hers. You can reach the full potential with yours.
  11. I'm on day 2 of my liquid diet and I feel your pain. Last night I cried myself to sleep because I was so hungry but I just kept powering through. Of course, I'm also battling the flu so my energy level isn't what it normally is. What I dread is this weekend because I have TWO parties. And they're both with my husband's family who I am not telling that I'm having the surgery, so they're going to be asking about my not eating. I'm going to tell them I'm having hernia surgery. Today so far, I'm functional. I had the amaretto hot chocolate and am now having the chicken soup. Is anyone else on the medifast pre-op diet? They're both good. The pancake I had last night - NOT so much. LOL!
  12. gingerjane

    Spring into March 2010 Bandsters

    I am SO excited!!! I have my surgery date! They just called me and I was approved through my insurance (Just a few weeks wait!) and now I'm moving forward with this. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am! I've been praying for this for a while. Anyway, here are the deets. Date of Surgery: March 22nd Where Surgery will be: JourneyLite of Cincinnati Doctor/Center: Dr. Trace Curry Seminar date: December, 2009 1st consult date: January 20, 2010 Surgeon-required pre-op tests (EKG, chest x-ray, labs) completed: None required... Insurance-required Nutrition Consult date: March 8, 2010 Insurance-required Psych Eval date: Done Jan 20th How is surgery funded? Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA Concerns? I want this tool to really help me. I know that I need to use all of my willpower, but I really want to stay on track for this. I've done diets before only to give up after 40 lbs or so. I don't ever want to give up again. Reason for banding? Being overweight is the only thing in life I've never really been able to conquer. If I say that I'm going to do XYZ from a career/personal standpoint, I've always done it. Weight has been the one thing that I could never truly tackle all by myself. I was an overweight child, then thinned out during my teen years, then met a wonderful man, got married and 100+ lbs later here I am. I have great kids, a great husband and now I want to have a healthy body. I want to be able to run around with my girls and not be huffing and puffing. I don't want to feel self conscious if I eat dinner out. I want to fit comfortably in seats on a plane and at a game. Height/Weight: I'm 5' 9" and right now weigh in around 285. I'd like to hit approximately 170 (or less!) but at this point in my life, would kill to see Onederland!
  13. gingerjane

    Spring into March 2010 Bandsters

    I'm in the insurance approval phase right now. We're hoping (my doc's office and I) to have the approval back by the end of February so I can be banded in March. :cursing: Hopefully, it happens that quickly. I have BC/BS in Mass and I hear that they're pretty good about covering the surgery. Let's hope I hear back soon. Congrats to all of you with surgery dates! Hope I get to join ya!
  14. gingerjane

    BIG dilemma - HELP!!

    Nosy co-workers are just that...NOSY. I would just say "It's a personal surgery - I'd rather not go into details..." If they keep pushing, tell them you're having hemorrhoid surgery. They won't ask again. LOL! I find nosy people who like to judge often become embarrassed when they realize they overstepped their boundaries.
  15. gingerjane

    Getting Banded in 5 hours!!

    Awesome! Congratulations!!! Can't wait to hear how it went and how you're doing! I am hoping to have mine by the end of March. (Crossing fingers here)
  16. gingerjane

    Spring into March 2010 Bandsters

    I am hoping to be a March 2010 Bandster! I had my consult last night and with insurance approval (I have BCBS Mass, so they don't think I'll have any issues) I might see a surgery date as early as March! I can't wait!!! I did check out the pre-op diet "food" last night and . I bought a few samples so that I can figure out if I'm going for all shakes or what. I'll have to do a 2 week pre-op diet to shrink the liver. Now, it's just the waiting game! (What insurance says, etc.) Hopefully I'll have a date in the next few weeks but was hoping I could "join" your group now. (I know - wishful thinking, right?!) But, I have a feeling that it will move quickly.
  17. I leave in a few hours for my consult and cannot wait. I have researched the surgery, called my insurance, etc. I meet all of their criteria, so now it's the waiting game I think. Plus, the psych eval I guess. I just really want to get started on the next phase of my life. I know that probably sounds silly but I feel like I'm "on deck" or something - that I'm waiting to go up. Did anyone else feel that way once you made the decision to have surgery? How long after your consult did it take to get your surgery scheduled? Were there a lot of pre-op testing? Would love to hear of your experiences. :biggrin:
  18. gingerjane

    Divorce and the band

    I think you should go forward with something for yourself. You know you want the divorce. Look at it as a total cleansing and changing for YOU. This isn't about him, it's about you. You're worth it. I think that this entire process (I am still pre-band, so I'm in that) is emotional and draining no matter what the circumstances. If it's one of those things where you're going to be angry with him as it is, I would cut those ties and get the band. Put your focus on something for yourself.
  19. I would go for the Wendy's chili and maybe a baked potato on the side? Or, a grilled chicken sandwhich. (Breast only?) That way, you're heavier on the Protein?
  20. gingerjane

    Insurance said yes, then no after the procedure.

    I am still in the process and have been researching surgeries, the cost, etc., just in case I'm not covered. What they charged you is flat out price gouging. Unless they used a gold-colored tube, there is no way it should cost that. What I would do is find out if they submitted a higher bill to the insurance company to see what they would pay and if there is a contract where the balance is not the patient's responsibility. I know that in some cases, per contracts, the doctor has to write off the balance. Also, call around to find out what the self-pay cost is. Even have someone call their office to see what the self-pay cost is. The doctor that I chose has a self-pay of $12000. There is NO WAY that you should be paying that much. Get those gloves out, girl, and let them have it! :tt1:
  21. Oh Nebraska - my heart aches for you. I lost my dad at 18 and I agree - he could pretty much say anything to me at this point. But, my dad was always loving and never said anything to me about my weight. I was a chunky kid, bulemic teen (when he died) so my biggest weight came as an adult. Now, my in-laws, totally different story. Let me see... Father-in-law is a big guy. Of course, he lost like 80 lbs about 7 years ago but has since gained it back. Of course, when he was "thin", the comments would fly. One time at a family gathering, we were all sitting there and I was minding my own business. My husband's cousin (who is a larger girl) was swinging with the kids and his dad goes "Hey Ginger - why don't we go get on the swings with Kelly. I'm sure they'll break then." Mind you - there were probably 10 or so people sitting there. I was mortified. I just said "well John - I'm glad you pointed ME out in front of everyone." Hubby's mom made a comment to that effect one time. She was talking about someone and she was like "She's a big girl - sort of like you." Nice. Then, there is his sister. Ms. Size 2 when she was younger but now too big to wear a bikini but still does. When she was getting married, I was forced to be in her wedding. (By hubby and his parents) She had this friend of hers that was going to be in it and she goes "You remind me of my friend, Alice. She's a big girl, too." Needless to say, Alice ended up not being in the wedding and broke off their friendship. She probably told Alice "You remind me of my SIL. She's a big girl, too." Of course, I could go on and on about the fat tauntings and teasings. It's the worst ever. I think that even when I do lose weight after the surgery (my consult is on the 20th), I'll still be the "fat girl" inside. I think that this weight has prevented me from getting more money at jobs, getting the better jobs, etc. I truly do believe that. I don't understand it. It's not acceptable to make fun of anyone based on race, age, sexual orientation, religion, etc. However, fat discrimination is acceptable. It really bothers me.
  22. I have not been banded, yet, but hate the stomach flu with a passion. What I do whenever the kids start getting the yucks is cut out all food and drink for the next 24 - 48 hours. If there is nothing there to vomit, I'm able to fight it off better. You might also want to consider Dramamine. A friend recommended it to me the last time I had it and it sent everything "south". (Sorry for the TMI) Of course, I think nothing is better than anti-nausea meds that the doc could prescribe. LOL!
  23. gingerjane

    100 lbs in 4 months

    That is amazing! You should be so proud! Even though you have more to go, that is an amazing start!!! What an inspiration!
  24. I did the same thing. Switched insurances in December during open enrollment. I made an appointment with my chosen lap band doctor and I know that they'll work with the insurance company to get me covered. I would recommend doing that first. I would let the doctor handle it. It won't happen overnight but you'll be taking all the steps to get you approved. :smile2: My first appointment is on the 20th, so I'm anxious but excited. I have to keep telling myself that it will come in due time.
  25. gingerjane

    Columbus ohio/ Dr. Trace Curry

    I might not be much help because I've chosen Dr. Curry and his office is like 7 minutes from my house, but when I spoke to my PCP who was against any type of gastric surgery, she told me that he was the ONLY doctor in the area (tri-state) that she would even recommend. She said that his staff, his policies and his record are better than anyone else. She is also pro-lap band over any other type of surgery. I go for my consult on January 20th and I cannot wait. I've heard nothing but great things about him and I went to his seminar and felt like he related to his patients. Regarding the trips, I might be wrong but I thought he had a satellite office in Columbus? You might want to check. Good luck and hopefully we'll be 2010 bandsters together. :blushing:

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