AnneGG

Welcome to the thread, Jacki! I so celebrate your boyfriend choice (read about it on another thread):smilielol5:, and if there's anything we can do to help you stay strong, just holler! Elfie, my husband broke his ankle just before Thanksgiving because of wearing crocs and them sticking to the floor, so maybe I better pass on your tangerine ones. Got any moccasins I can walk a mile in? Christie, hope Steve starts behaving himself! Did my walking today- most begrudgingly, but did it!

Great work, Ginger! And amen to doing what you need to do for yourself!

Thanks for your suggestion! I'll try it.

I think all of us have that little and sometimes loud voice of fear of failure- I know I do. I try to switch the channel in my head and think of how successful I'm going to be, now that I finally have such a useful tool. Good luck and courage tomorrow! Courage isn't lack of fear, it's keeping your feet moving anyway!

This has been a good thread for me, I think dealing with the tough issues of self-esteem and feeling betrayed and powerless, the issues that get me overeating in the first place. The times when I'm upset are good opportunities to practice taking charge for myself, which I know I must if I'm going to be successful at this weight loss task long term. I must channel the feeling energy into something more workable for myself, and that is the hardest part of this journey for me. Great advice up-thread about not letting others grind you down- thanks!

My surgeon does lap-band because they have a longer track record with research and revisions. I'm sure they are both excellent. I've heard on this site that the Realize port is flatter in the tummy.

I'm nuts about the skin issue, too. At my age I'm probably going to be a droopy skin bag over bones. It will take rolls and rolls of duct tape! But mostly I'm doing this for my health. My surgeon does include a free tummy tuck about eighteen months after banding! Not bad!

Hi, Sheila, I'm still waiting for approval, having been at the process for seven months now. Good luck to both of us on our journeys!

I'm at the same point in my journey as you are on yours, hopefully with surgery in May, and I have a roller coaster of emotions, too. Mostly impatience to get the surgery behind me at this point. I like the lap-band because it isn't permanently changing my insides, and as someone else said on this board, you can change your mind right up until surgery! Good luck to both of us! This takes courage!

I'm waiting for suggestions, too! I ordered sample kits form both unjury.com and bariatriceating.com but have yet to try them. Prostat Protein shots taste vile but pack a ton of protein into a few ounces. Oh Yeah Protein Bars are amazing good.

I thank people for sharing, and then say it's my life and my body, there's no one who knows me better than me, and I'm being responsible for my own well-being. Besides which, only pay attention to the voices with experience. The rest is just noise!

Hi, Trish, I have that little voice in my head, too, sometimes not so little nor quiet. It's the voice of self-sabotage, which I'm sure most, if not all, of us have. I try to thank it for sharing and tell it to get lost, to switch the channels in my head. I get myself busy with something else. It's the only way I know how to deal with it, to not give it power. I like listening to the voices of experience on this board- they give me hope that if they can do it, so can I. I also have never had a tool other than willpower in my weight battles before. This is different. Good luck tomorrow! Courage!

You mean like, some people have to make themselves taller by standing on someone else's head?

I feel so blessed comfortable with you all, and I know you but don't know you! You all, and your stories of trials and tribulations :w00t: and slimes and PBs give me the warm fuzzies (goes good with tangerine crocs)! Thanks for giving me hope for being plain ol' human, baggy panties and all. Can't wait 'til I'm to baggy panties:tongue2:! Oh, and with tangerine crocs! And I thought I would look better! Ha!

Welcome to the board and to the journey! Lucky kids!

In other words, don't take it personally! As one of my teachers said, it's important to remember we're just bit players on someone else's stage. And if it was me, I'd have to get rid of whatever ASAP!!!

Sandi, thanks for your inspiration! Lots of perspiration, too- what do they say, "10% inspiration, 90% perspiration"? I'm up to walking two miles a day, which is enough for now. Next will be joining a gym.

You're welcome, Lisa- and thanks for starting a great thread!

OHHH, I'm jealous!!! I'm still waiting but being patient (ha!) with the practicing. Doggone surgeon decided to switch doggone medical practices so I'm still WAITING:mad:! Good luck, and I wish you courage!

Oh, man, I don't support self-care in the sense of being your own expert! Not with something like the band. I do support self-responsibility, and that means working with an expert. 'Nuff said.

I'm at different place in my process- haven't had surgery yet because it keeps getting put off for very good reasons like having to take care of breast cancer (early stage) and my surgeon switching medical practices- but I'm through the uncertainty and now am practicing changing behaviors to make it easier for myself post surgery. I'm tired of the yo-yoing, and am looking forward to the help of the band. I do know it takes work, but where it is most helpful is supporting long-term weight maintenance. I like what Bob said about going through the pre-op process knowing you can change your mind anytime up to the surgery. Gloria, you and your blog are inspiring!

Hi Synthia, Welcome to a very helpful board! I haven't had surgery yet, but all my pre-op tests are complete. I had a cardiology consult, a stress EKG, a pulmonary consult with a breathing test, a sleep study, a colonoscopy, an endoscopy, an upper GI, a mammogram, an abdominal ultrasound, 2 nutritionist consults, 6 months of physician supervised diet, and a psychiatric consult. Oh, and two info sessions. My man is thorough! Thankfully, all of it was covered by my insurance. I agree with Betsy, though, that it would make sense for you to work closely with your doctor in terms of what you might need to manage pre-surgery. What I've found out from these forums is that the lap-band® takes a lot of work making it work, so I'm trying my level best to get myself in shape before surgery. Hope this is helpful...

Hey, all, again can we be a little kinder with each other? This is reminding me of the school yard, and myself often being at the receiving end, I would request that we not indulge in name calling and scapegoating for whatever reason. Spartan, it might help if you were a bit less abrasive- your often excellent points get lost in people's reactions. The OP (quoted above) has worked it out with her doctor- can we with each other? One last point- I think successful weight loss means growing ourselves up on the inside as well as getting thin on the outside; otherwise it will be back to the same old tricks...

I've learned from being on this forum for a little while now that it takes a lot of work to be successful with the lap-band®- as people have said, it is a wonderful tool, but you need to use it. So while waiting for my surgery, I've been practicing with being careful what I eat, getting regular exercise, and eating small bites and CHEW CHEW CHEW. Not drinking during meals is very difficult for me. I'm glad I realized the work it will take before my surgery- the info seminar I went to made it seem like the band did all the work. ETA- I posted this elsewhere, but thought it appropriate for your thread. I can't wait to get the support of the band for myself!