StephC

Hey Moderators - how can we combine the 2 december threads? I can't keep up! Everyone is doing great and we'll all get through this pre-op stage and in January we can talk about our PB's LOL Seriously tho don't you think we have the best month? Only because with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays the time will go so much faster for us? And we'll be so much thinner by summer! Woohoo!

good morning my fellow December Bandsters! You're all so sweet and encouraging! This pre-op diet is the worst but I'm hanging in there and I'm relying on my Driver - actually the last diet I did was the Weigh Down - and I feel that it makes the most sense - eat only when hungry and stop when satisfied - not stuffed - God made all these delicious foods not for our torture but for our enjoyment and we just need to use moderation - which is where HE steps in. All of which I believe totally but Lord knows when it comes to food its my downfall. I think the band is the tool that I need for moderation and I also believe that He gave man the wisdom to develop this tool. Enough preaching this beautiful morning - so its 10:30 and I haven't had a shake yet - I'm trying to wait until I really feel hunger. Lets face it 2 shakes and 1 meal isn't a whole lota satisfaction! :hungry: My dr gave me a list of shakes. Optifast Resourse Optisouce Atkins Carb Solutions Resourse shake Boost high Protein Ensure Glucerna SlimFast or I can make my own with whey protein - all are better if mixed 3oz with 1 oz skim milk - less cal. He also gave me a list of sample meals all should be in the 300 -350 cal. range. So even tho I strayed a little last night with the rice cake and doritos I think I was still good. After re-reading my paper he gave me I'm thinking maybe its more like 900 cal/day if thats the case and I may be able to squeeze in a couple rice cakes a day. I think I'll call the dr. Welcome Phyllis & Mary! :welcome: Sweethot - thats too cute! Its good to set goals.

Sweet -hot , I don't understand your signature here - did you start at 240 and you are now 180? It looks as if you've lost 60lbs and only need to lose 40 more. December 4th, 2006:nervous Frankfurt, Germany Dr. Weiner 240/180/140...hopefully I'm sorry to hear about your postponed date - that stinks. I started my pre-op diet today - 2 weeks of it! Ugh! My dr has me on a 300 calorie meal a day with 2 - 200 cal. Protein drinks. Thats 700 calories a day - for 2 weeks!!! Which is better then the liquid only - and worse then the one week to 10 days like I thought I'd be doing. So today I went to work and drank coffee until noon - ran home and had a slimfast shake and shopped all afternoon - at 4:30 I was starved and needed food so I ate my 300 cal. frozen dinner and by 6:00 I was ready to eat again ... but I only had another shake left on the menu. So I whipped that up - since then I've eaten about 5 dorito's and a rice cake. I need prayer - this is really hard for me to do. I have no will power. I have devised this shake - I took slimfast and poured it into an ice tray, froze it all day - then I took half of the cubes and 1 cup skim milk and a scoop of Protein powder and blended it - it was really good, like a milk shake. I froze some strawberry tonight so I'll try that tomorrow. Its not the flavor that I'm having a problem with its the not eating FOOD! I don't have it on my signature but I'm 5'2" and 226. My first goal is 150 - my ultimate goal is 120 but I'm not sure if its realistic.

Well Lisah it looks like you are proving it to them. This is why I haven't told anyone outside of my very closest of family and friends. But my kids and hubby are all for me being banded, I've taken my 16/yr old with to a support meeting and my 20 y/o to a dr visit. I'm now worried hubby will be thinking I should be losing faster ... time will tell.

drink a milkshake before going in

I haven't been banded yet but I understand it's like a mini throw up - maybe someone else can shed some light on the subject

I don't get heartburn or acid reflux but I've been using a tsp of white vinegar for years to cure hiccups. I don't mind the taste, its no worse then eating a pickle and my hiccups are instantly gone.

The first visit I went in and I was 5'3" and 220 -which put me below the 40 BMI but it was the first thing in the morning and I hadn't eaten anything - so they remeasured me and I was 5'2.5" - LOL that half inch did it for me. But yesterday - the day after thanksgiving and with my leg brace on I weighed in at 226. I'm at the 40 bmi and I'm approved. Try drinking a gatorade or shake before you go in and it'll do it.

Hi December bandsters! I had a nice Thanksgiving and I kinda felt the same way as Lap Dancer - I enjoyed my meal, I ate one helping of everything, even a piece of pie but I didn't stuff myself. I went to the doc yesterday (black friday) he has me on my "crash" diet. It isn't as bad as I thought it would be, 2 Protein shakes and one 300 calorie meal - they suggest frozen dinners. I think I can handle that. I'm going to start the diet on Monday which will be 2 weeks before surgery. He was really good about explaining how delicate the liver is and just really put my mind at ease. I've had several surgeries so I'm not afraid of that - my biggest fear was the liquid diet - Today I'm not feeling any fear, just excitement. The doc explained about the getting "stuck" which I just couldn't understand when I read about it here but he brought out the band and showed how if you eat a big bite without chewing it can literally get stuck where the band is so they then will unfill you and it should wash down or worst scenario they would have to go down your throat and pull it out. So I will be chewing my food well. My 20/yr old daughter was with and he had his PA come in and explain the whole concept with her, I think I'm crushing on Dr.Marley. LOL He was just great, relieved all my fears and nerves. I feel very confident that this is the right thing for me. I guess now my fear is that I will be impatient with the rate of losing. He told me that even if its 1 pound a week, thats 50 lbs in a year. Of course in my head I'm hoping on losing 20 lbs the first month and 10/month after that. But as said before time flies by and before we know it we'll all be back on here posting our before and after pics.

I don't think thats a dumb question - I sure don't know. I talked to my dr yesterday about erosion and he said its rare if you are following all the guidelines.

YOU GO GIRL!!! I wish I had that kind of will power! I go in to dr in about 45 minutes and I know I'm going to hear the pre-op liquid diet. I thought he told me 10 days but I was at a support meeting the other night and someone said one week. I know it'll be a struggle but I get more excited everyday! I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I did well, only one helping at dinner 2ish and 1 peice of pie later on then a small helping of turkey and potatoes 8ish - so that wasn't horrible - I thought I'd have the "Last Thanksgiving" brain but I did well.

This has happened to me and I while on the phone I told her that I've been going to this dr for 15 years and I no one has ever spoken to me so rudely - of course she apologized but then when I saw the dr I told him how rude she was and I guess that worked because she was sweet as candy from then on.

My niece emailed this to me and I love it, I added it as my new signature but I wanted to share it with all of you. The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, A loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success. Philippians 4:13 -- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I love the first post of the day when I can see my ticker go down! :clap2: 19 days to surgery!!!! woohoo! :whoo:

:biggrin1: YOU AND ME BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prinmalik - we will have to keep in touch. I go in on black friday to talk to the dr one more time and do whatever they are going to do. Then they said I'll meet with a nurse at the hospital on the Friday before the surgery to get my last minute details done. Can you believe how fast this month has gone? Ok so my month has probably flown a little faster with my accident and all the stuff with the insurance, getting a new car... dr visits...trying to catch up at work - well one day a week .. and now Thanksgiving is here and you know after that you blink your eyes and Christmas is here so the 11th will be here before we know it! Christmas shopping is an issue with me this year - I have the broken knee cap so its hard to get around and I get the brace off about the same time I have the band so I'm hoping I feel good enough after the band to do some rush shopping. I'm getting that kinda out of control feeling. I normally have all my shopping done on or close to black friday - this is the first year I'll have missed black friday shopping. Oh well - I'll grab the reins and get control again after the banding.

welcome to the Dec. bandsters Nathalie!

A couple years ago when I was going through the empty nest thing and crying all the time, gaining weight... menopause... who knows... my gyn prescribed effexor and he told me that it would help with my weight - I didn't lose any weight but I only stayed on it for about 6 months. I lost all sexual desire being on it and that was far worse then the crying. LOL

no can't say that I've ever heard this one. LOL but we do the fortune cookie thing when you read the fortune you add "in bed" after it. It is hilarious!

I'll be staying overnight for my surgery - I really didn't want to but oh well I'm sure I'll appreciate it when I'm there. I would be completely honest with you doc believe it or not they understand all of this and I'm sure he'll work with you. (btw - my band is scheduled 12/11)

Evers123P - my heart breaks for you. I'm sorry I haven't any advice, I just want you to know I care and I will pray for you both. I pray God will give you guidence.

Since I'm not banded yet I guess this will be my last pig-out thanksgiving. I do it all. Turkey, stuffing, mashed taters & gravy, gr bean casserole, sw.taters, rolls, coleslaw, cranberry jelly, deviled eggs, pumpkin and pecan and coconut cream pie. I am also the mom and I'm also the best cook. LOL so they want me to cook. I get my band on Dec 11 so I'm thinking its going to be mushies for Christmas. Christmas eve is our BIG buffet - I make everyones favorites from oyster stew to hot wings - we eat from noon to midnight - play games, open gifts - just have a good time. I chose this day so my kids will all be there and I don't have to compete with everyone else for Christmas day.

I've read all the Jean Aul books (Llan of cavebear) and loved the first 2 or 3 but then the last one wasn't as good. I also just read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, supose to be a classic but I had to push myself through it, and I'm reading a Jane Austin book, can't think of which one. I love all the classics and try to mix them in with the easy reading. Sometimes I just need something light and easy and sometimes I enjoy the deeper books.

kutia - I've read the Princes of Ireland - good reading! My favorite authors are Kathleen O'neal Gear & W.Michael Gear, a husband and wife team, they start with an acheologial dig and then the story evolves around the bones that were found. They are the First North American Series - I've read ALL of them. But I also love historical romance - and a good mystery - and just about any thing. Some of my favorites are the Gracelin O'Malley series by Ann Moore - and Diana Gabaldon has a series, it starts with Outlander. I have so many books piled around my house its terrible. I work at a private golf club and the older ladies who don't golf play bridge and read so we have our own little library right there at work! Its great and we put our initials in them so we know if we've read a book or not. Every year they pull out the old books and replace with new ones. I also do the book in the purse. One of the older ladies told me a few years ago to always carry a book with you and then waiting isn't so bad. One more favorite writer is Nancy Turner she wrote These is My Words and Sarah's Quilt - if any of you are from Oklahoma those are a must read!

As I re-read my post I was thinking wow those last 8 months really have flown by! Just think if I lose 8 lbs a month, just 2 lbs a week I could be 64 lbs less in just 8 months! I can't wait to get my band!!!!