Renee1003

I found three Protein shakes that I really like. All whey isolate. 1. Iso 100 vanilla by Dymatize 2. Isopure dutch chocolate @ GNC 3. Isoflex 100 by Allmax "peanut butter chocolate" <---- tastes like the REAL thing!!! What are your faves?

Is that one an Isolate....?

I forgot to answer - I'm from South Jersey (right over the Walt Whitman Bridge in South Philly) Where in PA are you from?

My one week pre op diet consists of the following: 4 Protein shakes per day (whey ISOLATE) 2 must be taken with skim milk - the other two could be or with Water. at LEAST 6-8 servings of the following: 1 cup tomato or V-8 juice 1/2 cup cream of wheat or oatmeal 6 oz sugar free/fat free greek yogurt - smooth - no fruit or chunks 1/2 cup applesauce - unsweetened 1 cup fat free raw veggies 1/2 cup sugar free pudding 1/2 sugar free jello-O 64 oz of water chicken broth Fat free salad dressing or dip

what kinds of oatmeal and cream of wheat are we allowed to eat on pre op? Plain or can it be flavored?

My surgery is January 18th - I start pre op diet tomorrow - (i'm so going to dinner tonight, not to GORGE but to eat something that I am sure will be difficult to eat AL (after lap-band). I've decided to take the full three weeks of NJ temporary disability. I've spoken with several people that said one week wasn't enough and since the swelling lasts several weeks - wth i'm doing it! I also found two amazing proteins! ISO 100 (Vanilla) and Isopure (Chocolate) I'm nervous too - some of you here have already had your surgery, one even went this morning - the rest within the next couple weeks --- it's an exciting and scary time (lots of anxiety) but if we work this new lifestyle the way it SHOULD be worked - we'll all be here this time next year feeling great and looking amazing! I look forward to staying in touch with all of you January 2011 Bandsters - I'm glad I started this thread - it's been awesome reading all of your posts and you've helped me a lot even if I didn't always post !!! CHEERS! to us!

I start my pre op diet tomorrow So NOT excited about that ...lol

I'm not the 17th but I'm the 18th! Can not WAIT to get this over with!!!

I love it!!!! very cool!! 1-11-11 @ 11 for 1 lol

My surgery is January 18th

I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT!!! i was approved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just found out today and I'm just shocked!!!!!! i was so surprised cause although i Have comorbidities and I just don't usually have anything come easily, everything is always a fight and a battle so I was preparing for yet another fight. I start my pre-op diet Tuesday and I'm just beside myself - so happy!! 2011 will be my year - I'm bound and determined!

so get this...................ugghhhhh!!!!!! so frustrated! I only have a 3 month wait so I hurried and got all my appointments on the calendar within the first week after meeting the surgeon. The Pulmonologist was the one that told me that I had sleep apnea (18 apneas per hour) and would recommend the cpap - i said "let's wait till after the surgery to see if I've lost weight and if not then we'll get it. My surgeon's office got the pulmonologists letter of clearance but it really wasn't clearing me - it was more or less protecting him because I had refused cpap - i get why he wrote it that way - i just wish he would have told me that he was going to Soooo.................in November I went back to the sleep lab and did another study WITH the cpap and agreed to get it - they brought it to me on 12/14 and i've been using it MOST nights - i think i fell asleep about 4 nights without it. My boyfriend is at the COPD lab right this second getting the smart chip print out from the cpap so i could run it over to the pulmonologist so that they can get me ANOTHER appt this week but the doc is booked till jan 17th and my surgery is jan 18th!!! can you believe this?!?!? Insurance doesn't really need this but the anastegiology dept does and they won't do the surgery unless they have clearance ---- the other kink i run into is - i might not have been on the cpap long enough --- I did everything right and early and here we are in the final days running around and by the way - INSURANCE STILL HASN'T APPROVED IT because they cant submit the package to my ins co until after my last nutritionist class which is tomorrow night. (oh! and to top it off! I gained weight!) Words of encouragement anyone?!?!? ! !

My doctor didn't say anything to me about it and on the guidelines on the Aetna website, it doesn't say a word about it - BUT - did anyone HAVE or HAVING to lose weight before surgery (that HAS Aetna.....?)

Did they mention anything about delayed emptying? And I also agree with the post above. This all can only help you succeed in getting approved and weight loss may not CURE but it will definitely without a doubt HELP u!!!! Keep us informed.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

Hi all, I'm scheduled to be banded on 1/18/10 - my insurance is only a 3 month wait. At my 2nd nutritionist class I lost 2 pounds but the very next day (12/8) I left for Jamaica for one week (an all inclusive) and after that we flew right into the holidays - got weighed today and I'm up 10 POUNDS!!!! I always gain weight around the holidays and usually lose it right after new years BUT my third and final nutritionist class/weigh in is on Jan 4th - that's not enough time to lose that much. I'll admit, I enjoyed Jamaica quite a bit - an all inclusive with everyone serving us delicious drinks and awesome food all day and night - did I mention the drinks!?!?!? haha Anyway - question is .........Will my insurance company throw me out into the denial pile for a weight gain....? even one that isn't SO big - maybe I could lose 5 by next Monday but not sure about 10. Did anyone that's been banded have this problem....?

Thank you for your quick response They definitely base it on that and also the weights from 2008 & 2009 but I heard that if you gain too much, the insurance company does not look favorably upon that. Little nervous!

Getting nervous guys ....uggghhh My last nutritionist appointment is January 4th -- the worst time of the year to be weighed!! in addition to the holidays and all the parties - i was also at an all inclusive in Jamaica for one week a couple weeks back - i've gained some weight and I'm afraid that the weight gain will make my insurance deny me - I can't stop freaking over this ---- anyone know anything regarding this? After my last nutritionist appt they will submit all my paperwork and we'll go from there

I'm a January 18th bandster! (fingers crossed) hopefully everything goes well and I get approved!!! GOod luck and keep in touch

I'm scheduled to be banded in mid January (if approved of course) but I have to admit - I'm worried about the past abdominal surgeries I've had and the scar tissue that's there now..... Has anyone had any complications due to this....? or what i'd LOVE to hear is that you've had NO PROBLEMS with the lap band surgery after going thru other ab surgeries. I had a hysterectomy in 2006 and a tummy tuck at the same time..... I just had to put this out there - I'd love to hear back from you regarding this. Thanks!!!

Well.....my sleep study showed 18 apneas per hour. 89% sleep rate! Not sooooo bad but bad enough for a cpap to be highly recommended by dr. I refused and asked if we could just go forward in this journey, allow me to lose some weight and retake the study again 5-6 months after surgery. Doc agreed but was very careful in how he wrote his clearance letter to surgeon. Surgery coordinator and I spoke yesterday and she said that anestegeology may not clear me now and she needs another consent stating that it would be ok to have surgery with cpap however, not before If they say no I'm done! I've tried to wear that thing. It freaks me out. Like I'm having anxiety attacks!! And ok ok....what if I get it but don't wear it and they request the memory chip. I have aetna. I have 80 pounds to get to goal. Just HALF of that and I'll probably be close to an apnea free life Anyone ??? Can you offer some help or insight? Or feel free to bitch along with me. ~~~Renee

At first I went into this with the intention of just pleasing everyone and getting the cpap so I could get the surgery but I have to admit that after I took the cpap sleep study last week - I think I could do it - I hate the feeling the waking up in the morning and having my fiance tell me how bad i was snoring (lol) He says it with concern, he's not teasing (well....not ALL the time) but I hate it ---- and since I've gained the last 20-30 pounds it's gotten soooo much worse!!! the cpap equipment company called me yesterday and said that they would be calling later this week to schedule a time to come to the house to set it up.... I guess it's going to have to wait till after Jamaica cause their call and my trip are kinda going to be around the same time so I won't even have this machine until mid December and surgery is mid January (if all gets approved) Thank you for your concern and advice. Thanks everyone!!

Thank you --- so you went into this lap band surgery with a pretty flat stomach as well....? My doc told me that he'll have to use a low port on me because it's so flat (but it's NOT flat! lol! actually it's not funny - i've put a lot of weight on and most of it went right there but I guess we're our own worst critics!) anyway.......my question is....I feel a large lump that sometimes hurts underneath the area of where my belly button is too. (hurt might not be the right word, discomfort definitely is) ....is that all the scar tissue??? He didn't seemed too concerned and didn't mention getting any pre-surgeries done before the band surgery --- but I can't remember if he said that he would want an xray or ultra sound before the surgery .... hmmmm....... He did mention that he would cut thru if he has to but if it were soooo bad they wouldn't be able to do the surgery - ugghhhh How are you doing now? you're one year post op! congrats!!

I had my 2nd sleep study last night and i Took your advice and asked to start out with the Nasal Pillow Mask and I really didn't have any problems at all. I got a good nights sleep - not great, but good and didn't wake up with any anxiety attacks - now I only have 18 apneas per hour so maybe that made it easier. This isn't going to be as hard as I thought.....I leave for Jamaica on 12/8 so I don't plan on having them set up the equipment until after I get back. I gotta tell ya - i'm NOT lookin' forward to seeing my fiance's face when I put this on! haha!!! not ONE bit!!!!