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[greeneyez 3]

Hi Gwen,

Today I feel awesome! Soreness all but gone (just a little in my port side). I went shopping and I went to the GP - my incisions will be lucky to even have a scar! I'm so happy.

Jen

[Robin Bird 0]

Hi everyone. I am 37 and live in a small town in northeast Wisconsin. I am married (13 years) and have 2 daughters, ages 8 and 11. We have a dog, 2 cats, 2 gerbils and a turtle (and a partridge in a pear tree!). I was banded on my birthday (Nov. 2). Total weight lost (including pre-op liquid diet) is around 45 pounds. I am happy I got the band, although will be happier when I get some restriction. I will have my 2nd fill on Feb. 5th. Hopefully that will help. Best of luck to all, whether you've been banded or are waiting to be banded!

Robin :rolleyes2:

[kiah12 0]

Hi everybody. My name is Mikki and I have just found this forum. I am 35 ( I think I am still in shock about that) and was banded 1/4/08. Doing well, awaiting my first fill. Im married with two kids a girl 3 and a boy 10 months. So far my journey has been good so far. My DH is absolutely wonderful and I have a supportive family. Im glad to be on pureed foods thats for sure! Good luck to everyone on their journeys!

[parksonrocks 0]

Hi Tawnya, I am also self pay. Its not really covered in Canada. I've decided to go with Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. Apparently he doesn't have the greatest bedside manner, But he's a master at what he does. Its going to cost me half of what it would have in Canada. The biggest thing is to make sure you have a fill Dr. or clinic that will take out of country patients. Good luck.

Hi Anngie, I was also looking into Dr. Ortiz. I have heard lots of good things about his surgical experience. I have decided to go with Dr. Aceves. I still don't have a date, I have talking with the patient coordinator and am doing my research to find a fill doctor who will see me. There are a few in my area. :rolleyes2:

[gkeyt 0]

Hi Gwen,

Today I feel awesome! Soreness all but gone (just a little in my port side). I went shopping and I went to the GP - my incisions will be lucky to even have a scar! I'm so happy.

Jen

Yay Jen!

You've already lost almost 8kg--that's terrific! At almost a year out, I do have visible scars, but they aren't bad at all, and they are definitely better to look at than my fat belly was! :frown: Glad to hear you are doing so well. Keep up the great work.

Gwen

[mamato3 1]

I guess I am a little slow saying hello, but now that I am post op, I feel like I am going to need all the support I can get. I'm 36 years old and pretty much my whole life revolves around my 3 beautiful daugthers. I have a 14 yr old, 22 month old and a 7 month old. Not much time for anything else but caring for these little sweeties. The main reason I had lap band surgery was to better my chances of being around a long time to watch my girls grow up. This message board has been my only real outlet. I currently am living near Richmond, Virginia, but home for me is Colorado. Most of my family is there and I am quite homesick as I have very few friends and even less family here. After the girls go to bed at night I hop on here and read and read and it helps me from feeling as lonely. Anyways... this is getting long and it definately was not meant to be a sob story. I am just so glad you all are here for support through this journey. Thankyou!!

[Candle 11]

I'm Jen. 32. I live in Long Island NY and was banded 8/27/07.

Doing FABULOUS so far

[KathrynRose 0]

Hi. I am 31, I have been married for 11 years and we have a 2 year old son whom we adopted. I have been overweight since I hit puberty. I am getting the surgery for two reasons (well two that helped me decide to get the surgery rather than lose weight without the surgery).

1) I would like to have a baby, I have only been pregnant once, and that resulted in an ectopic pregnancy. This pregnancy may have destroyed one or both of my tubes because my tubes are now blocked. This means that I have to have IVF. The doctors won't do an IVF unless my BMI is under 40, I would prefer to have a BMI under 30 because then the risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced.

2) My mother (only 55) has had 6 heart attacks, 2 strokes, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and end-stage renal failure. All of this started because of her weight. She now has a defribulator implanted in her heart. I have got to stop doing the same things to myself.

I have been working on losing weight during the waiting period by trying to eat as if I am already banded (following general rules from this forum - Protein first, 60 grams of protein per day, no liquids with meals or for 1/2 hour after meals.) I am also exercising every day. So far I have lost 6 lbs.

[travelchick 5]

Hi everybody. I'm in Atlanta. I'm 34, never married, no kids. I do have a Jack Russell named Elwood.

I'm not banded yet. I'm meeting several doctors in the next couple of weeks, searching for the perfect one for me. I'm self pay, so I'm hoping to have the surgery in the next month or so.

Saturday I crossed a big hurdle when I called my dad and asked him to help me pay for this. I was concerned because my weight has been a sensitive issue between us my entire life. He's heavy, too, but is a firm believer in the double standard. I was afraid he'd say this was the "easy way out." Shockingly, he was supportive and agreed to help me pay for it. (If he hadn't agreed, I still would've paid for it by myself.) Now there's nothing in my way to starting a whole new life!

[ugagirl 0]

That's awesome travelchick! My experience is very similar to yours, my weight has been an issue with me and my dad for too long.

I am less than a week away from surgery. I went to all my pre-op and pre-admit appointments yesterday and all I can say is I'm so ready to get this journey started. I don't know if my nerves can take anymore!

[Jess30 1]

Hi everyone My name is Jessica, I am 30 years old, married with 2 children. I have been obese most of my life...It took me three years to try and figure out how I could have lap band surgery, and finally in August of 2007, I found the way. My insurance wouldn't approve, so I am a self pay. I am a full time respiratory therapy student, finishing up my first year in the program. At my highest weight I was 349. Since having the surgery I am down to 259 lbs. I haven't seen these numbers in years..I have a very long road still yet to go. My life is so much fuller now...I am so happy I have the band. It has changed my life for the best. Welcome everyone to the thirties thread. I look forward to seeing all of you on the thread...

[YIKES! 0]

I am 11 days post surgery, and feel great. I can finally sleep on my side again... that is the best. I cannot wait to get to the mushy phase this Friday, but have been doing pretty well on the liquids. I need to focus on getting enough calories and Protein - it is just so boring to not have variety, or enough creativity to create variety. The crazy part is the fact that I have the trouble consuming enough. Does that happen?

I realize now that I need to change my screen name from YIKES! to something like, 'No Problem'... It's almost as if this band has always been there.

Good luck to those of you getting close to surgery!

[wombat712 2]

Congratulations Yikes! :thumbup:

Love the name - that's one of my favorite words to use!

Sometimes it is a struggle to get enough in - especially Protein. Sure, I can get in some calories if I surround it with a milkshake but protein is tougher!

Sounds like you are doing really well with the liquid part. Mushies will be more satisfying and easier for you. I still had trouble getting enough protein but I felt better getting to have starches :eek:

You are on your way!!

wombat

[Maurdan 2]

Hey all. I'm single, never married, no kids. I'm on my way to being the crazy cat lady!!!

Nice to be here.

[potatie 5]

Hi Everyone, I am 31. I am married with 2 cats, no kids. I have been over weight my entire life. So I am really excited about starting my life over with surgery on March 27, 2008. I know it is going to be a lot of hard work and dedication. I am so glad to find a group of people that will be able to understand what I am going through and how I feel. I am finding that some think that I am taking the easy road, but I know deep down that this journey is far from easy.