May 2007 Banders

[Melissa S 1]

fluffy, i'm so sorry to hear that. i'm very hesitant to tell people of my surgery also... i dont want to get all excited then get denied. i HATE thinking that way.. but ya kinda have to prepare yourself. i've always been that way though.. never wanted to jinx myself!!

hopefully everything will get settled soon.

[Fluffy 0]

Thank you Melissa. I know that YOU, all of you here, are the only people who truly understand why I am so bugged by this today. I am honestly sad about it and my husband sort of doesn't get it. So it will be in another week or two or three, or God forbid they make me go for a couple months to meet some other criteria... it's no big deal to him but to me it's putting off this answer that I have found, something that I KNOW is an answer for me, the TOOL that I have finally found to help me get back my health. And I don't want to wait.

Besides that, I am a LEO. We are famous for having no patience.

[Melissa S 1]

right.

My fiance keeps telling me... I'm sure you'll get approved with no problem... I have my doubts though...and I hate to think that way. Like you, I'm just tired of the up and down..the disappointments and struggles.

I'm a Libra and we're supposed to be laid back..?!?!?! Not THIS Libra! HAHA!!!

[NimbleBean 2]

Got word from the Insurance company that they will not cover my pre-admission testing if it is done more than 7 days prior to my surgery date! The surgery is scheduled for May 22, and I was supposed to have the Pre-admission tests on May 1. Left a message for the surgeon, and I guess they will have to reschedule the tests. I really don't want to pay for an EKG, ultrasound and x-ray out-of-pocket when I have insurance coverage that I already pay for! I know this sounds like small potatoes to those of you who are self pay, but it's not really the money, it's the damn principle of it!

Sorry, I'm just annoyed!

[phuber40 0]

That is so ridiculous. I just had my tests done yesterday and my surgery is set for May 7th. I still have to go for my final weigh in on May 1 and get clearance from my Primary Doc before everything is a go.

[Fluffy 0]

For me it would definitely be a money AND principle thing. I can't afford to do any part of this if my insurance doesn't cover it all.

What hoops we have to jump through though!!!

[Wenjea 1]

phuber40 - I agree, if we could lose weight by dieting then why would we need a lap band???? My surgeon has us start Protein loading ASAP then two weeks before surgery we go on a clear liquid diet w/protein shakes. We must have 90g of protein a day plus all our Vitamins that we will take after surgery. If you drink three Protein Shakes a day w/ 1 1/2 scoops per shake then you will get all your 90g. Most people lose a lot of weight on this plus it shrinks your liver which lays on top of your stomach. The protein and Vitamin loading helps you heal better, especially the week following surgery when you can only have Clear Liquids. You can't have your protein or vitamins that week.

You might want to try this if it means your surgeon might move your date.

Fluffy - how frustrating! The 17th is a good day though, that is when I am having mine.

[MPatrizzi 0]

Hi May Bandsters!!!

I am scheduled for May 21st! I see there are several others with the same date.

I only have 3 days of pre-op diet, so I think I'll be ok. Although I told my family to be prepared. They may want to get a hotel for those 3 days. I get a little grouchy when I'm hungry. He!He!

I can't wait to hear how everything goes for the earlier dates in May!

What a great group!

[Wenjea 1]

hey guys - the shrink told me today that all the studies show that 3 years out, people who lost 100lbs or more through diet and exercise, have to run 7-8 miles a day to maintain their weight loss. And that is only 2-3 % of dieters who are successful. On the other hand 70% of gastric surgery patients have lost their excess weight and kept it off at the three year mark. Seems like a no brainer to me!

[Wenjea 1]

phuber - Just talked with another friend who was banded April 4th by my same doctor and she is down 24 pounds already. His pre-op and post-op really work!

[phuber40 0]

Wenjea-

Thank you for the information regarding the Protein loading. I'm wondering when I go in on May 1st for my final weigh in if he will have me do either a protein diet or liquids like everyone else has. I agree about the losing weight part, if we could do it ourselves why would we need the LapBand. What his theory is is that he wants me to "get it" that the band is not an easy fix, that you still have to work on eating properly and if he can get me to do it now, hopefully I will do it after the surgery. He said to me " I have some leverage over you now because you want to be banded" once you have the surgery I have no control over what you do, but I am still responsible for you. He said he doesn't want to see me set myself up for failure. I told him that I know how to lose weight and that I had lost 42lbs on W.W. several years ago only to put it back on again. I need this to help me keep the weight off. I know I can do this! I'm just so anxious I'm eating wrong at times. And the writing everything down is driving me crazy.

 

[phuber40 0]

Oh Wenjea,

What sort of Protein Shakes are you taking?

[Spot 20]

Fluffy, I'm sorry to hear about your date being pushed back. I too had mine pushed back (home refinance not as timely as planned) from the 9th to the 22nd. I'm also a Leo and I didn't know that means we're impatient but it sure explains a whole lot about me, lol!

[Wenjea 1]

phuber40 - I have two different ones that I have been drinking. One I got a while ago at costco called pro-rated (100%whey + amino acids). I was there today and noticed that they are carrying a different one now (GMC I think). I like the vanilla because I like to add strawberries, blueberries, flavorings, etc. to it and get a change. The one the nutritionist recommended was by 'champion nutrition' called pure whey w/ amino acids. I got the powder cocoa-mochaccino. It tastes a lot like a coffee-mocha from starbucks. She said the important things were the protien should be about 22-23 grams/serving and that it need to be pre-digested. She said something about having the amino acids from that. It can't be milk based or have more then 4-6g. of sugar/serving. Your body cannot absorb more then 30g of Protein at a time so try to be as close to that as possible with a total of 90g/day. You also need to drink it with 15-20min. from the time you add Water.< /p>

 

I tasted a bunch at the nutrition place till I found one I liked. It was very thick and smooth when I made it with the bullet. Hope this helps.

[phuber40 0]

Thanks Wenjea I am off today so I will look to see if I can find them.