jingleboob

Thanks guys! Feeling a bit better. Thinning is sure different from what I was picturing! I've got pretty thick hair as it is and always have my hairdresser "thin" it out with the texturizing scissors because it gets so poofy and hot. Maybe it will be a good thing?! :-)

I Love the "fluffy" quote. :-) LOVE IT:thumbup:

Next tuesday is my 2nd Nutritionist appointment and next Thursday I see the surgeon. As long as I've lost my last 5 pounds (that the dr requires) they will submit paperwork to insurance!!! They told me it usually takes about 1-2 weeks for my insurance to approve, and then another 4 or so to get on the surgery schedule! Fingers crossed!!! As of this morning on my bathroom scale (which is NEVER the same as the dr so I could be way off) I was down 8 lbs since my last appointment. So... hopefully in the next couple of weeks it will all come together!!! Mid August will be perfect for surgery... with my job I can only take time off in Summer and Winter so if I can't have surgery before 9/15 it will have to wait until December. So I've been really kicking my butt to get those 5lbs off!

I'm not banded yet so this may not be any help, but... Barilla Plus is (wholegrains...) a multi-grain Pasta that has 10g protein/serving... it's lighter and less thick and sticky than whole wheat, actually, when cooked it looks and tastes like what "regular" pasta does. I'm a fan of the penne with either sauce or pesto... we have it once or twice a week because it's one of the few healthier dinners I can get everyone to eat without complaint!

Where can I get chewable Calcium (NOT tums or viactive- nutritionist was adamant about that- wrong kind of calcium...) I need chewable calcium citrate. The ones I take now are huge pills and I know I won't be able to take them after surgery... Thanks!!!

When I make chicken or tuna salad I use ff cottage cheese and just a tiny bit (a teaspoon per can) of mayo for taste. The cottage cheese doesn't really add flavor, just moisture, and I do like the mayo flavor so I use just a little bit. I also love adding a chopped apple and celery to either, or even a spoonful of sweet relish (the kind with splenda) to the tuna! yuummmmmm

I love this post!!! I hate lazy spelling. There, their, they're. Than and then. I cringe when I see things like "definately" and "tomarrow". Affect or effect. There are a hundred examples! ALSO- I and Me and Myself. Don't say "my husband and myself went to dinner"... it's my husband and I. And you don't use "I" every time it's you and someone else... don't you remember the rule... from 4th grade... break the sentence up: "The dog belongs to my brother and I"... NO... My brother and me. Would you say "The dog belongs to I"? No... you would say "me". "My mom and I love to see George Clooney movies". YES. "I love to see George Clooney movies." It's not hard. Our 5th grader is horrible with this stuff and I drive her nuts but I do not want her sounding like an idiot for the rest of her life.

Oh no!!! Call your Dr ASAP!!! Maybe they can push it back just long enough for you to get well, or maybe it's not that bad and they can do the surgery. I'd be bumming too. This makes me seriously consider being a hand sanitizing freak in a mask for the couple weeks before surgery... kids bring home everything and I usually get it! Let us know how it goes!!! Fingers crossed for you

I had been drinking a soy Protein shake for Breakfast daily but at my last appointment they told me to use whey protein. I didn't question, just figured that was their prefered... however they whey isn't agreeing with my stomach, having to run to the bathroom at work is not fun. I've got another appointment on July 1 and will bring it up then and ask if soy protein is OK. Has anyone else had this issue and what did you do to treat it? thanks shannon

my nutritionist said the gummy vitamins are a thorn in her side! She gets so mad about them because they don't have any iron in them or other things and she won't give them to her kids. Flintstones chewable all the way. Also, she said the viactive and tums are the wrong kind of calcium... calcium carbonate- which neutralizes stomach acid- but you need stomach acid to properly break down and absorb the calcium so better than not taking them, but you're not getting the benefits you think from them . She said to get the calcium citrate...

Haven't been banded yet... BUT have been doing research. I was pleased to see several Cookbooks specifically for post-weight loss surgery... Amazon.com: Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat High-Protein recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months and Years After Surgery (9781569244531): Patt Levine, Michele Bontmpo-Saray, William B. Inabnet, Meredith Urban-Skuros: B Eating Well AFter Weight Loss Surgery Amazon.com: Recipes for Life After Weight-Loss Surgery: Delicious Dishes for Nourishing the New You (Healthy Living Recipes For Life After Weight Loss Surgery Amazon.com: Before & After, Revised Edition: Living and Eating Well After Weight-Loss Surgery (9780061242854): Susan Maria Leach: books Before and After Living and eating well after Loss Surgery Amazon.com: The Everything Post Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook: All you need to meet and maintain your weight loss goals The EVERYTHING Post Weight Surgery Cookbook (Coming out soon) Amazon.com: Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook For Dummies (9780470640180): Brian K. Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies (Coming out soon) Amazon.com: Cooking For Weight Loss Surgery Patients (9780925838148): Dick Stucki; "The Ultimate Gourmet", Bonneville Publishing, Bonneville Productions: Books Cooking for WLS Patients There are more... check ebay too for good prices... Hope this helps!

I'm a picker and boredom eater too. If you're going to do the band it just has to stop. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that I will be banded in about 2 months... but I'm already following the diet the dr and nutritionist gave me, and it was hard at first. No drinking with meals. 3 small sensible meals a day (no white foods- whole grains only and paying attention to serving size. Lots of calorie free fluids (not soda though) and no snacking. I'm not perfect yet, but I am confident that by surgery I will be close! The first week was awful. This past week I've only snacked 3 times... and only 1 of those times was "bad"... the others were carrots and dill pickles. Basically, from what I've learned, having this surgery is life changing. You must change your lifestyle and habbits for it to work.

I LOVE cooking and cookbooks! I've been kind of down thinking about all the things I haven't cooked yet or love to cook because I won't be cooking as much after surgery. I can't believe how stupid I feel right now!!! I must need that book!.. I truly hadn't even thought of looking for a WLS book, or a cookbook just for life after the surgery. I can't believe I didn't think to look. (I've got more cookbooks than can fit in 1 cupboard!) Anyone know of any other cookbooks that are good?!

Hoping for August 2010 here too! Have 3#s left to lose for pre-op diet, my next appointment is July 1 and they told me if I have lost the weight we can submit paperwork to insurance. Was told it should take a week or so for insurance approval with my ins., and then about a month to get into the surgery schedule which would make it about the 2nd week of August! Very excited and dedicated to lose a few extra pounds before july 1st just in case! I'm 31, a (future)stepmom to 2 super energetic little girls (6 and 11) and we would love to have a baby... or two... after we get married next summer. :-) but not until it's safer for me. I've also got a rotten back and have spent months of the past couple of years battling 3 herniated discs that are so painful. Lose weight. That's what all the docs say will help my back. So I'm finally ready. For my health, for my present and hopefully future children who I want to be able to play with more... I'm at 302 now and am 5'7" and would love to be a size 10! So whatever weight that is is where I want to be. (My mom was a 10 when I was younger and she looked amazing... we're practically clones so I'm thinking that will be my happy weight too) fingers crossed all goes as planned for all of us:thumbup:!

I'm starting to feel like it's going to happen! My next office visit is July 1 and if I can lose 5 lbs by then we can submit insurance paperwork... they said about 1-2 weeks on average for approval... and then about 3-4 weeks to get on the surgery schedule... so in 10 weeks I could have my band!!! Also did some calling to insurance and the hospital and have figured my part of the bill after insurance should be around $1500... which is SO MUCH LESS than I was imagining! I was wondering if I'd have to take out a 401k loan (which was supposed to be for our wedding next summer- so I had already in my mind toned down the wedding... I may keep it toned down and save the cash...) So I'm starting to feel excited!!! :Dancing_biggrin:

I haven't had that problem yet... although the people in my life who I have shared the info with have all seen me lose and gain and lose and gain over the years. I am having a problem with my boyfriend, who completely supports the surgery in theory. I think he doesn't realize how hard this could be for him- so much of what we do revolves around food- going out to eat, getting sundaes- me making brownies or cookies- ordering pizza etc. Last night he asked me to order a pizza and I didn't want to- I said he could order it if he felt like it but I didn't want any part in ordering one of my favorite foods and not having any. His response was "you can have some" and I told him no, I wasn't sure enough yet of my self control and 1 piece of my favorite pizza wuoldn't be the end- then he said "Well, why don't you order ice cream with it and you can have that". He just didn't get it. It turned into a huge crying fight and I'm miserable today. He didn't want to talk about it. I ordered his damn pizza and told him not to ask me again to do it. He's my enabler and needs to stop. I can't do it if he keeps putting pizza and ice cream under my nose!

from what I understand coverage varies by policy... by employer... by anything. I have UHC and my policy covers 80% of weight loss surgery... I've seen people on here who have 100% coverage with UHC and others who aren't covered. I guess your employer can opt out of certain coverages to reduce their cost... if they don't approve you I'd go to your HR person at work and make your case... they could OK it.

I use soy protein. Love it. It's great for women- soy has natural estrogen so it really helps with my monthly cycle in making it more normal too. Heart benefits of soy can be found all over the internet... only thing- if you've had breast cancer or another "estrogen receptive" cancer you should avoid. My mom is a bc survivor and her doc told her no soy because of the natural estrogen...

My doc says I have to pick... and he has no preference... so which band did you pick and why... Lapband orRealize?

Healthy Trim. Anyone taking this or anything else? It's an all herbal supplement that I had my pcp look at and she said there was nothing harmful in it. Wondered if anyone was using to lose their pre-surgery weight... Not sure I'll do it because I don't want to mess anything up. But if you are using it or something else please letme know and let me know what your surgeon thinks! Thanks

:crying:I'm wondering how you've handled this issue... I've got a wonderful guy and 2 beautiful step daughters... He has been so supportive through this (haven't had surgery yet) but he doesn't understand my trouble with food... mainly my trouble NOT eating Cookies and ice cream and chips if they're in the house. I don't think asking to not have these in the house while I am going through this is a lot to ask. They can all eat junk food other places to get their fix. If he was recovering from a heart attack (God forbid) and we had to restrict fats and sodium, we would. We wouldn't be eating big macs and french fries and ice cream in front of him, nor would we ask him to stop at the store on the way home and get the restricted food for us... so why can't they understand that I NEED to not have it around for a while, and I can not be the one buying it. I need to NOT touch it at all until I know I can resist... and at this time I know I can't. So how do I explain this? How do you tell someone who really believes "you just have to not eat it" will work?

Hi all! I am in Syracuse, NY and have United HealthCare... insurance covers 80% for me. I went to my info meeting in March... First appointment last month. I've had most of my tests done and meet with the nutritionist and psych in 2 weeks. Dr said late summer is a reasonable guess for surgery... so... What was the cost of your surgery (especially if you have UHC) and how much did you have to pay before and after surgery? I haven't done all of the paperwork yet and know I will have my answers then, but I'm anxious to save enough for the surgery. Fiance and I are cutting back everywhere to make sure we can get the surgery in (so we can start a family in the next couple of years...). ALSO- I have to choose between the LapBand and the Realize band... the dr doesn't seem to have a preference and said we could flip a coin if I liked because he didn't prefer one over the other. I've got about 150 to lose to get to "normal". Thanks for any thoughts, answers, advice, or whatever you have to offer!!!

I've got UHC and they're covering 80%... anyone else have the same coverage? How much did you end up having to pay out of pocket? How much was due before surgery and how much after?

:w00t:I'm having a hard time with this too! I'm on the radio and share almost all aspects of my life with my listeners. I've told my co-host about it off the air, my family and fiance also are in on it. I think that AFTER surgery, once the weight loss becomes obvious I will have to address it to our audience... just not sure how. Do I talk about it, blog about it, open up the phones for questions, have my dr on the air with us? I don't have a surgery date yet so I've got time to figure these things out!!! good luck to you and hope you get all of the support you need!