karmaandkismet

I'm required to go to 8 support meetings in the first year after my surgery so I'll be with the "chew crew" for a while. Hopefully, the next meeting will run closer to "normal".

Seriously, there were at least 3 people in the group who talked about doing this. I couldn't help think, 'If they are doing this, then are they taking laxatives as well? What else are they doing?" I'm glad my husband wasn't with me at that support group. He's not been exactly on board with me doing this and if he would have heard that, I think it would put him over the edge 'cause it almost put me over the edge!

I am pre bandster and went to a support group last night. One of the nurses leading the group was talking about how when you reach your goal weight, the band really doesn't do anything for you anymore and its just there, that hopefully you have modified your behavior over the weight losing process to where you make good choices. So, once you lose your weight you go back to being hungry all the time but you've just got to deal with it?

I did take my husband with me to a seminar. After the seminar, he pretty much cornered the poor doctor in the corner and gave him the Spanish inquisition. I went to a support group last night and I am so glad I took my son (who has been very supportive since the beginning) instead of my husband. With people talking about throwing up, vitamin deficiencies, etc my husband would have been more against it than he already is. I pretty much don't talk to him about it unless he brings it up. Its the pink elephant in the room. I guess when we get closer to a surgery date, I'll talk to him again about it. I'm one of those eclectically spiritual people who try to infuse positive energy into everything. If the only thing he can bring with him on the date of my surgery is negative energy, resentment, and anger I would rather have somebody take me who is lovingly supportive.

All of my paperwork requirements are (with the exception of going to a support group, which I will be doing on Thursday) and I've been cleared with all my tests. I had a visit with the dietician last week and had lost about 13 pounds. I didn't directly bring it up with my husband because he has been against this since the get go. However, he did call me when I had gotten out of my dietician's appointment and asked me where I had been. When I told him where I was he asked how much I had lost. I told him. His comment was since I had already lost that he didn't see why I couldn't just keep doing it myself. I told him when they were approximating would be and he said he would be home that week (he travels a lot for business). The thing is, I don't know if I want him to take me. I don't know if I want his negative energy there with me before I go in for surgery. I'll be nervous enough and I don't need his attitude. I'm thinking of asking one of my more supportive friends if they will take me instead.

So, for people out there who have lost some weight, I'd like to know what you are doing with your "fat clothes" as they become too big for you? Are you holding on to them? Are you giving them to Goodwill? Are you burning them ceremoniously? Also would like to know how to deal with some guilt feelings. Yesterday I broke down and had a 6 inch chicken teriyaki sub from subway with baked lays and then for supper i had 4 grilled chicken wings and 1/2 cup of mac and cheese. I had been feeling run down and felt I needed some carbs to pick me back up (I'm on a high protein low carb supervised diet). I even lost my mind and had 1 real coke. Now I'm beating myself up saying "You won't be able to do this stuff when you have the band. You need to get it in gear." Mind you, my first month of the supervised diet I was squeaky clean the whole time.

Different doctors and nutritionist have different requirements. Perhaps you could try a different kind of diet to help you get to the 10% goal. I've done weight watchers in the past on my own and it was a slow weight loss. My doctor has me doing high protein/low carbs and the weight this time has come off a little easier. I know that when I did ww on my own, I would stay within my points, but looking back, I made a lot of carb choices with those points. Just saying that maybe your dietician would be open to a "different plan of attack:.

I am still on my 3 month supervised diet, but its interesting the range of emotions I have had just since I've started this process. This is a really big step that is going to change your future. Coming to the forums is a great place for support!

I have noticed that when people lose a significant amount of weight, even though they now have great bodies, they look like they've aged about 10 years. I've seen it in before/after pictures from people from Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and even on this site. What causes this aging effect and does anybody know what can be done to minimize this effect?

I was wondering if anybody out there had done any counseling with a therapist while going through the lap band process. I'm not afraid of the surgery and I'm not afraid of not being able to have some of my "binge foods" anymore, but one of the things I feel I need to work at is how to have that mentality of being a thinner person and not seeing myself as a former fat girl. I thought about trying to find a counselor to start working through these issues BEFORE I have my surgery and then continuing during the weight loss process. I didn't know if there are counselors out there who deal specifically with or specialize in people who have weight issues. Anybody have any suggestions?

Is there a possibility you could find another pcp in the area?

Not needing my cpap, my tummy not touching the steering wheel when I drive, having more energy, being able to buy some cute clothes on 5th Ave when I take my son on his 16th birthday NY trip in 2 years.

I saw my surgeon today because I was wondering if there was a possibility of taking Adipex or something similar in the 3 months of supervised weight loss. He was very much in favor of it. He said that it gives you a good jump start to your weight loss, while helping you curb your hunger and working to change your mentality BEFORE the surgery because you're not always distracted by hunger. I'll be honest, I was surprised. But then again, I was also surprised by my PCP being totally on board about this as well. He did say that the last month he wants me off the meds so that its not in my system for surgery, but I'm just glad I can utilize it at all. Being hungry has been a challenge since I started the supervised diet.

I was absolutely terrified to talk to my pcp about it. She can be a bit intimidating at times and she's one of those tall, thin people who used to dance. I was so nervous that my HR was up. The nurse told me to take some deep breaths and to not be worried. When she walked in, she said I would be an excellent candidate and got my paperwork together to fill out. (Now trying to get the paperwork back from the front office staff was more of a challenge than talking to my doctor. They are not known to be prompt about things.) All that worry for nothing. I think a lot of pcp's are more up to date and educated on wls these days. More so than we give them credit for. If for some reason, your pcp says no, I was told at my lap band seminar to contact the bariatric group and they would hook me up with a pcp was open to the procedure.

I know that the band is a tool to lose the weight. I know that we've all lost weight a zillion time and gained it back. Here's what I want to know. Once we lose the weight, how do you go about being thin? Seriously? Not the eating part. Its the mentality of it. Not the "I feel a void right now but I'm going to go do something else other than eat." I'm talking about, after years of being overweight, how do you think like a thin person? There's a certain invisibility that comes with being overweight. People tend to look through you or avoid you. You think of yourself differently. But how do you hold on to the mentality of a thin, healthy person?

I started my 3 month supervised diet about a week ago. I still drink a cup of coffee in the morning. The dietician and I discussed it. I know that once we have the band that carbonated beverages are a no-no and I've actually made great strides on that one. But nobody said anything about not having anything with caffeine. Did I miss something?

they are supposed to go by your starting BMI for approval purposes. I am a teensy concerned about my total weight loss over the next 3 months. Not that I won't lose any (I've already lost 7 pounds in the first week and I do know it will slow down now) but if I lose more than 20 pounds on the supervised diet, my husband will have the attitude of "well, you just lost 20 pounds on your own. Just keep going on your own until you lose it all."

can they not tell if your liver is too big before they go in?

I think that is an excellent attitude. I have just started my supervised diet and I am viewing at as my time to "practice" some of the new things that will be necessary after the band. I'm chewing everything slower and into tiny tiny bites. I'm working on the not drinking after eating (so far I'm only up to 15 minutes) but I've got three months to get it up to the required hour. I'm using this time to think about my triggers as well and to start mentally preparing myself for being a thinner person instead of thinking of myself as a fat person all the time. I'm also reading a book called Women, Food, and God. The author was on Oprah last week. I'm not a big Oprah watcher, but this woman seemed to have some insight so I went and got the book. So far it does address some of the things about our relationship with food and our feelings when we eat.

I have just started my 3 months of the supervised diet. When the nutritionist went over with me what would be on the liquid diet, things like pudding and applesauce and fruit chillers were included. I'm trying to wean myself off of drinking with meals. I've dieted a thousand times before so even though I'm a little hungrier right now, I've been through it before. Right now my biggest challenge is not drinking when I eat. I'm trying to wean myself from it and right now I can do 15 minutes after I eat until I get a sip of something to drink. In fact, I set the timer. I've got three months to get it up to an hour, but this seems like a more daunting task than anything else.:w00t:

My husband was vehemently opposed to me having the surgery when I first brought up. After a few arguments, I told him that this was something I needed to do for myself. It would mean a lot to me if he were to be supportive, but I was going to do it even if he wasn't. I thought he had started to warm up to the idea. We don't really "discuss" it a lot. He did go to a seminar with me and ended up giving the surgeon the Spanish inquisition. Yesterday when I had my nutrition consult the doctor even said to me "I didn't think he was going to let you do this." Last night I told my husband that I was going to be starting my supervised diet today. He said "Who is supervising you?" but he said it in a very sarcastic tone. When he stopped at the grocery yesterday, he didn't ask if I needed anything for the diet. He knows I've been to my pcp, two seminars, the nutritionist, running all over the metro atlanata area gathering up my papers to support my weight loss attempts and general health history. I am scared that he's going to try to sabotage me. I know I'm the one who makes the decisions about what I put in my mouth, but it makes it that much harder when he asks me why i don't want to go get ice cream or why don't i want to go out and eat pasta.

I have an appointment with my pcp tomorrow so that I can get my letter of medical necessity. I'm nervous because I don't know what her views are on the lap band. If she's not on board with the idea then I'll be scrambling to find a new doctor who IS on board. She can be a little intimidating at times. I used to see just her PA but the PA got married and moved away. She has advertisements for a new type of liposuction in her office so you would think that she wouldn't be opposed to the lap band. Or at least I hope that's how it is.

I was wondering how long people stayed out of work after the procedure. I'm an RN that works busy 12 hour shifts. I want to plan for the appropriate time off afterwards.

Nean, how to you get your dates to automatically show up at the bottom of your posts?

I've told a few people. I thought I would be the poster girl for telling people, getting it out there and educating the public. However, I've encountered some negative feedback from some people and so its put a halt to my telling. At least for now. Once I have the surgery and have lost weight then I may make it public knowledge, but I don't want to hear people's negative opinions right now. When I went to the doctor yesterday (my pcp) the nurses and doctor were all excited for me. I figured the negative stuff would come from them. lol. My husband is still warming up to the idea. He sees that I'm going through with this no matter what he thinks so I think he's trying to get ok with the idea now after being vehemently opposed.