Hello

[vjstewart07 0]

Hello to everyone in lapband world. My name is Valerie and I am new to this site. I reside in Va beach. I am the mother of 2 girls. I am going through the process of being banded. I haven't recieved my surgery date yet, I am excited though. I am going through the NORFOLK SURGICAL GROUP. They are a good group, I am happy so far. I search this site for many exciting stories and before and after pics. My current weight is 267 and I'm 5'2. My ideal weight is 115 but I don't see myself at that weight:confused2:. Maybe 140 or something. Feel free to send me messages and you can also email me vjstewart07@aol.com.

[annabella 7]

Hi Valerie, welcome. I have been browsing myself for 2 yrs and only a member for a few months. I just got approved on monday through my insurance and Iam expecting my call tomorrow to schedule my surgery. I can't wait to get banded! Iam just about 5'7 and 220. My goal is 135 so that leaves me 85 lbs to lose. I have been heavy since my first pregnancy 22 yrs ago. I have 2 boys 21 and 12 next month. My husband has lost 60 of 80 lbs he needed to lose on his own. Iam anxious to catch up, lol

Good luck with all your appts. Keep us posted.

[vjstewart07 0]

Hi Annabelle thanks for the welcome. I will keep you posted. Keep me posted also. I am excited. Good luck.

[Iluvharleys 15]

Welcome to LBT! Glad to have you aboard!

[Beader 1]

Hello, I'm also new to this site. I went to a seminar a couple weeks ago and I'm still in the research stage. My first consultation appointment is July 7th so I have some time to ask questions and check out things. I know this is so insignificant and I should be more concerned with other things, but one of my main thoughts after physical problems are that after surgery and healing, I'll look like a freak only eating a tablespoon of food for the rest of my life and I'll be battling peoples comments right and left making me feel guilty about not being able to do this myself. My husband enjoys going out to dinner a few times a month so it will affect that too. I really want to have this done because I think it's the only way for me. I've been overweight for the past 10 years only getting bigger and bigger as the years go by. I'm post menopausal and that really did it for me. I'm 5' 3", 225 and would like to be a minimum of 160 but 140 would be ideal. If anyone shares my concerns, please share with me. Anyone welcome to comment. :biggrin2:

[annabella 7]

Hi Valerie, I finally got my call. I go on the 25th for pre-op testing and my surgery is July 2nd. I can hardly wait!!

Gottaluvme, My husband and I talked about this very subject b/c we too enjoy eating out. We have friends that we meet at a local restaurant every single friday!!! When your past your 6 wks post-op and you are eating normal foods this is what we have planned. We will order 1 meal that we enjoy together and I will take my portion from his plate. He feels he will benefit from this as it will help him control his portions. Since I will have to chew chew chew my eating is slower and we will be eating "together". If anyone asks how come your not eating much or not ordering a full meal yourself just say "I had a sandwich not long ago and Iam still a bit full". You don't have to explain anything you don't want too. If the portions are small at a restaurant and or we are not in the mood for the same meal then I will just order a normal meal and leave the rest or take what I can't eat home for my kids or the dogs. I intend to make it work. YOU can too.

I have decided its best to NOT tell any of my family members as they are too judgmental. If Iam there for a dinner I will fill my plate as usual and just eat what I can. No one really pays attn to what or how much your eating anyways. If I take normal portions, then no questions!! Now with all this said I just hope it works out. LOLOL

Good luck

[Beader 1]

Hi Annabelle,

Thanks so much for the advice. It's sounds good to me. It's a good idea to fill your plate somewhat and just eat a little. I'm VERY curious to hear from you on this thread as you progress. You're so lucky that your surgery is already scheduled. Yes I do want it to work. As I said, I just don't want to stand out and have everyone ask questions. I have one of those Italian mothers that thinks I'm going to get sick if I don't eat everything on the table. She usually has 5-6 things! Can you imagine? I'm 56 years old and she's still at it. The sad thing about it is that she's thinner than me!!! LOL Good luck on the 2nd and keep us posted.

[annabella 7]

Your welcome on the advice. I can sorta relate to your mother and all her sides at dinner. My parents are from Ky and VERY southern as you can imagine. My parents fed us kids quite a spread for Breakfast and dinner AND it was all fried.

You'll get your surgery scheduled soon! I went to my seminar on March 24 and July 2nd is my surgery date so it took some time but it went by fast. You said you went to the seminar, are you still considering the surgery or have you decided to do it?

[vjstewart07 0]

Thank you for the welcome.

[vjstewart07 0]

Hi welcome to the site we will keep you encouraged.

[Beader 1]

Thanks Annabelle! So you DO understand. Well, you'll have to let me know how you manage eating with your family when the time comes and if your filling the plate but only eating a little works without anyone noticing. lol I just got nervous when you said I should be scheduled for surgery soon. I was thinking it would be a couple months. I'm a whimp! It might take that long though because my consultation appointment is for July 10th. I had to wait a whole month just to get that! Maybe I need that much time to decide but as of right now, I'm on the positive side.

I need more info also from someone who has actually had it done and is a year or so in.

Can you or anyone else share what tests they've gone through before the surgery date and what you have to do until then?

Did anyone have to have a test that had to do with their asophagus? I was reading other things about that somewhere.

One more thing...how do you paste the ticker info on here??? I did mine on the Ticker Factory site but couldn't get it to copy on this.

Thanks!

[annabella 7]

When it comes to attaching the ticker or anything else Iam not the gal for advice. LOL I have to learn that myself.

I went to my seminar on March 24th. They discussed what you needed to have done. If you suffer from sleep apnea you had to have a sleep test done. I don't have that so I didn't have to do that. I had to fill out the paper work that was in my folder from the seminar. It was asking me what diets have I attempted over the yrs. I had NO idea of the exact dates so I made those up but all the diets I tried I did tell them about. I did have a psych evaluation done. My appt was April 10th and I was there for 3 hrs. I had to take a 600 question test and speak with the Dr. I got a phone call from the hospital where my surgery is being done saying my evaluation was there and everything was fine. In the meantime I had made appts with my pcp and nephrologist (I have hereditary kidney disease). My pcp (family dr) talked with me about the procedure and did her own pre-op testing and wrote a letter stating she thought I would benefit from the surgery. My pcp also had to send over records from 2003, 04, 05,06, and 2007 stating my weight. It was to prove I have been overweight for at least 5 yrs. My nephrologist also sent over a letter stating I would benefit from weight loss. I also was required to see a nutritionist. I made that appt and she too sent a letter on my behalf after talking with me. I had everything done by early May and after that it was simply waiting on the hospital to hear from my insurance company about my approval? They got the approval sometime last wk and that's when they called me to set up the appt. So all in all it was a lot of leg work and phone calls. I have read some people have to do a 6 month supervised diet, 1 and 2 wk liquid diets before surgery, etc... I guess it all depends on your insurance and their requirements.

I say take YOUR time. I considered the surgery 2 yrs ago, only seriously the past 1 yr and in Jan decided it was what I wanted. I called in feb to make an appt for the seminar and got the March date.

I stumbled on this website back when the surgery was only a consideration. I only joined a few months ago but I have been a loyal browser for a long time. I read the good, bad and the ugly. I remember a gal on here who said she was at the mall and got a soft pretzel stuck and spent an hr in the ladies room salvitating or sliming. I was like OMG, that COULD happen. Read it all and take your time. But be warned, when you decide its what you want, you can hardly wait!

I have also been practicing on chewing food till you just can't chew it anymore. I also broke myself of diet pepsi. I was so addicted that without it I had Migraines. I gave it up little by little and Iam now 2 months clean. LOL

Now my surgery is 14 days away!!!

Edited June 18, 2008 by annabella

[hazelbwneyes 0]

Hello everyone my name is Delane and I am in Anderson, South Carolina. I am new to the site but have found so much information and just excited to be here. I will be getting banded on June 24 time of surgery is suppose to be 8 am my dr is Dr. Rowtiz and he is awesome. I figured I would be scare out of my mind as my date gets closer but I seem to get more excited. Looking forward for the journey ahead I hope I don't seem crazed but I am just ready for this change that I am about to face.

<a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wGUlGJu/">

<img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wGUlGJu/weight.png"></a>

[annabella 7]

Welcome Delane. Congrats, you will be banded soon!!! Iam with you on the excitement. The few people that I have told ask if Iam getting nervous, Iam like NO way Iam so excited I can't stand myself. LOL

Let us know how it goes next wk!

Keep us posted.

Annabella

[Beader 1]

Hello Delane, Welcome to this great site! I do believe Annabelle in that you will be totally excited as the time gets closer and closer. Once I make my decision, I will want to just get it done and get on with my new life. I can't wait to get my date. Sounds like I've already made my decision but I still need more info from my insurance company. Keep us posted on your progress.