Need a buddy, 9/29/08 date

[okiechick 0]

I am 53, female and will be having my lap-band on the 29th of August. I am so excited, but scared at the same time. Would love to have a buddy to help. :thumbup:

[Luv2scuba 0]

Hi, I'm not banded yet, going for my initial consultation on 11/20. Starting my supervised diet on the next couple of weeks with my pcp.I am doing a 3 month supervised, so will almost finished when i have my consult. My appts with the nutritionist and psychiatrist will be made at the time of my consult.

My daughter will be doing this me, so i have some support here at home. Do you have support?

I'm looking for a band buddy too. You can PM me or IM me if you want. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Pat

[okiechick 0]

Hi Luv2scuba:

I would love to be your band buddy. I don't know if I can be much help, but I will definitely try. I have mine in about two weeks. It is getting real and I am getting nervious. I have been thinking about this for two years, but never follow through. Now I am.

I am a high school teacher in Oklahoma, I have 2 children of my own and 2 step children, and 7 grandchildren. When my grand daughter Gracie said I was her "Big Nana", that just about did it. I don't want to be know as a Big Nana.... My husband is my support and he has supported me no matter what I do.

[Luv2scuba 0]

Hi,

Sorry, I didn't get back to the boards last evening. We can support each other regardless of where we are in the process. Maybe we can find someone who is already banded to help us too!

I have 2 grown children who are still at home. They both work 3-11 at the same place. I work 9 - 4:30. I'm a disaster specialist, sit at a desk most of the day, paperwork and computer work.

I'm a widow, so i don't have to "worry" about that type of support. My daughter is also looking to be banded, so i have her as a support but we really only see each other weekends. My son doesn't know yet. I'm not planning on telling him until i know for sure, probably after i get a date, if i get a date.

Here is my biggest fear so far, that my BMI is going to fall below 40 while i'm doing my supervised diet and i won't qualify.

Hope you have a great day.

[okiechick 0]

Good Morning:

I believe we can help each other. My BMI is not 40 at this time, not far from it, but not yet. I stand 5ft 6in and weight 245 lbs. I know this is not much for some, but it is for me. I think you will be okay. I am not having the banding in the states, I will be going to Juarez, Mexico. I know several people who have had it done there and they loved it and are still doing very good.

I am not telling my son's either. They don't understand, because they are not over weight and probably never will be. The only people in my family that knows are my hubby, sister, and new daughter-in-law (which she is keeping the secret for me), and my boss.

I am scared a little, afraid I won's be able to stay in the clear liquid diet, but I am desperate at this time.

I will write more later today. I am at school now and need to get busy.

Pam:thumbup:

[Luv2scuba 0]

Hi Pam,

My BMI is around 42 right now. I'm 5'4" and 245 lbs. I'm about 115 lbs over my ideal weight. I can only lose about 12 lbs, before my BMI drops below 40. And at this time, i don't know that i have any comorbidities. My insurance won't cover it if i fall below a BMI of 40 unless they discover some comorbidities. So I'll drink a whole lot of Water before i go to my first appt with my PCP, and try to lose about a lb a week, and i'll be ok, i think.

I've chosen the Hamot bariatric center in Erie, Pa, which is almost 3 hours from my home. My surgeon is Dr. Ali. He comes very highly recommended too. We don't have any surgeons in our area, there is one closer, about 2 hours away but its not a center of excellence. My daughter has to go to a COE for her insurance.

Are you going alone to Mexico? Do you have to do a pre-op diet? The Clear liquids are only for short time after surgery aren't they?

What age and subject matter do you teach?

Hope your evening is pleasant.

Pat

[okiechick 0]

Hi Pat:

It sounds like you have the bases covered. I hope you can get your banding and not lose your coverage if you fall below the 40 bmi. I may have not figured mine our correctly, it looks like we are about the same except for a couple of inches in height.

I am going to Mexico, because my insurance will not cover anything to do with any kind of weight loss procedure. I think that is sad, because if I don't get the banding I am facing more back surgery and am now having knee problems. But still the insurance will not help our, so I am having to go to Mexico where I can afford the procedures. I have done some extensive research about the doctors and hospital where I am having it done and it is first class place. The closes place here in Oklahoma is approximately 2 to 3 hours away too. My husband is going with me and I am so glad. He is really supportive about the process. I think he also wants his skinny wife back.:tongue2:

I do not have a pre-op diet, except for the usual no food or drink for night before surgery. Buy for two weeks after the surgery I will have to stay on Clear Liquids and graduate to liquids, etc... The clear liquid for two weeks has me worried though.

At the present I teach all the social studies subject in a medium populated high school. Next year I will hopefully be offered a job as principal or maybe superintendent. I have taken all the classes and passed all my state test, except the superintendent and I will take it in September.:cool2:

Hope you have a good evening and looking forward to hearing from you again. I have attached a picture for let you know what I look like, at least from the middle-up.

Pam

[Luv2scuba 0]

Morning Pam,

I did a quick ckeck in a BMI calculator and it puts me at 42.05 and you at 39.5., those 2 inches really change things. I was sort of hoping that they measure me a little shorter 5'3" would give me another 10 lbs breathing room....:cool2:

I think you are very brave going to mexico! I don't know if i could do that. I know what you mean about the insurance, i had been fighting with mine to pay for a dietician or nutritionist to help me lose weight. No way would they, but they will pay for bariatric surgery, i will have a co-pay of $150. But anyway, both my parents have been diagnosed with diabetes, my dad, a younger brother have heart problems. Almost all my dad's sisters have died of strokes when they were not much older than myself. So i'm scared now that i've hit that 50 + mark.:thumbup: Why insurances don't pay for some preventative measures is beyond me!:thumbup:

I'm glad you have your husbands support! And that he is going with you. He will have his skinny wife back! :sneaky:

Two weeks of a Clear Liquids would be trying. Do you have a plan? Have you tried any of those Protein bullets?

We have been trying different Protein drinks and have found the slim fast low carb stuff to be the best tasting and easily accessible. Not only do we not have many drs in this area, we are food store challenged as well. It's an hour drive to the "city" to find any nutrition stores or any large chains. So i'm limited to wallmart and a small bi-lo. We have to do drink 6 carnation instant Breakfast packets a day for 1 week before surgery. After surgery, clear liquids for 48 hours, then full liquids for 2 -3 weeks, the mushies for 2 weeks, then soft foods for 2 weeks, then regular food. They say they do a fill 4 weeks out.

Will you go to Mexico for your fills?

I admire you teaching! That is cool that you will be Principal or Superintendent next year!

Didntn see a photo, but then i'm still getting used to this site. I tried to attach one for you. This was taken a few months ago, I needed to submit a photo for work, and had to take in the restroom.... but that's me!

Have a great day! Pat

[interpretasl 0]

Good Luck with your surgery. I've been banded since November 2007. I know the benefits after are great. It's still an unending battle, but I couldn't have asked for a better surgery.

I'd be glad to address any concerns. My wife and I both are banded. My wife was a month after me.

[okiechick 0]

Good evening Pat:

Not much going on, just the usual being on my feet all day, and coming home.

However, I did take my mock trial team to see a jury trial. they thought it was so cool.

Pat, I will be getting my fills here in Oklahoma. There are several places where I can get that done. However, i didn't realize they could be so expensive. But I guess they could be worse. They ranged from $200 to 400.00 and some does say at all, just to call them for prices. I think I am supposed to get my first fill at 6 weeks post.

How do people react to the fact that you are going to or thinking about getting banded? I have stopped mentioned it to anyone, because I get a lot of negative feed back. I really loved the statement "you are not FAT".:thumbup: I almost laugh, because I just want to say "Then what am I"? Or the statement I get you are just healthy.... I really love that one. Therefore, I have told very few people about the fact that I am getting banded.

I had better close for now, it is getting late and I have another fully day facing kids.

However, I find your job interesting. What part of disaster planning do you do? We have a disaster plan at school for everything they can think of, but you know how that works. The plan works if everyone does what they are supposed to do and everyone is on the same page.

Have a good night and a great morning.

Pam

[Luv2scuba 0]

Good morning,

It's a cool morning here in NW Pa. in the mid 40's! It's going to be in the high 70's today and sunny.

Yesterday was a hectic day for me, as i finished up a big report that was due by Friday and got it submitted. I was worried about presenting it to my boss and asked to meet with her yesterday morning, thinking that i would have today to make changes she would want and still submit by Friday. I gave her a copy and she asked if we met the same criteria as last year. I told her yes we had. She asked what we were deficient in. I explained that our mutual aid agreements could be more specific in outling what is expected of both parties. She said to make that a goal for this year and to go ahead and submit it. I wasn't even with her for 5 minutes! I was surprised that she didn't even look at the report.

Now on to my next project of writing a grant to help support the military families in our area. There is no support for the National Guard families as they are not close to a base. So we are trying to set up on-line support groups (much like this) that will allow video conferencing too. I imagine I'll be buried in research today and tomorrow.

A mock trial team - that would be cool! I remember how excited my kids were when they got to attend something like that.

Fills have me a bit worried. I'm not sure if they are covered in insurance or not yet. I have another list of questions to get answered and that is one of them. I'd hate to have to drive the 3 hours and have to pay 400 but I guess in the long run, it would be worth it! Sometimes the logisics of this scare me!

I haven't told very many people that i'm considering it. My daughter knows of course cause she is also contemplating it. I told my best friend cause it's going to impact her life as well. As we go out to eat a lot and it's going to have to change for a while anyway. She was very supportive as she has a nephew who has had the surgery and has lost a great amount of weight, off his diabetes and high blood pressure meds now. I'd like her to attend some support group meetings with me, as I'm trying to educate her on the post-op diet and stuff but it doesn't seem to be sinking in. I've got a few months to keep at her tho. I've also told our summer intern at work. We talk alot about dieting and she thinks i'm so good with my diet now. So i told her i'm considering it and she told me she was too. I haven't shared with her how far i've gone and when we talk about it, i keep it general.

I've decided that i'm not going to tell anyone else unless i have too. I don't want the negative feedback, people telling me i don't need it, or all the horror stories they know about it. I also don't want people watching everything i put in my mouth and asking "can you eat that?" Or asking why i haven't lost 100 lbs in 6 weeks. I think it's a very personal decision. The people at work know that i'm eating healthy now so i hope that that will continue after surgery. I eat at my desk so i don't think anyone will notice the liquid diet. And I'm hoping that i can have my surgery done on a thursday or friday and that i can go back to work the following monday or tuesday, so i'm just taking a long weekend.

As far as my family goes, i'm not telling them. I have a sister who has had by-pass. She has had to have multiple follow up surgeries for complications. She originally lost over 100 lbs and regained 60 of it. She is battling depression and she can't sleep now. Plus her bariatric dr. is telling her to lose the 60 lbs. She has no idea how to do it. His suggestion cut the carbs.

I'm making some other changes too...letting my hair grow out, have been getting my nails done and dressing differently. People say they don't recognize me now...:tongue:. Just wait until i've lost 100 lbs!

My job is ever changing. I do all aspects of disaster planning for 2 counties for our organization. I write the plans, help people prepare, assist during disasters and work on mitigation afterwards. I also have the responsibility of assisting military families with emergency communications and notifications. We are looking to expand our involvement with them as DoD is granting a huge amount of money for community involvement at least under the current President, who knows what will happen next.

I can also be deployed to assist others anywhere in the country in times of major disasters.

Yes i agree with you, the best written plan doesn't do any good unless everyone know what it says (has their own copy) and it is practised. I help our schools practise and drill. The kids are much better prepared than the adults....

Wow, i guess i've rambled quite a bit! :thumbup:

Hope you have a great day!

Pat

PS...like the pic, love being able to put a face with the name.

[Luv2scuba 0]

Good Luck with your surgery. I've been banded since November 2007. I know the benefits after are great. It's still an unending battle, but I couldn't have asked for a better surgery.

I'd be glad to address any concerns. My wife and I both are banded. My wife was a month after me.

Congratulations to you and your wife on being banded! I can't wait! Thanks for your offer to help us out!

My daugher and i are hoping to be banded like you and your wife. Ours will most likely be a couple of months apart tho. We live together and will be each other's main supports.

Were there any pitfalls with being banded closely like that? I know we will have to be careful not to compared the others weight loss to our own. I'm only seeing positives.

Pat

[katweedy 0]

Hi...I would love to be your buddy!

I am 55, just got banded 2 days ago on 8/19/08.

Kathleen in Monterey, California.

Already lost 7 lbs.

Wow

I was scared too....but more scared about what would happen if I didn't get the help of a lap band.

Keep in touch. All is going well with me...I survived the surgery, a little sore, liquid diet is going ok...walking more a little every day.

I have 100 lbs. to lose...on my way!

Kathleen

[Luv2scuba 0]

Hi...I would love to be your buddy!

I am 55, just got banded 2 days ago on 8/19/08.

Kathleen in Monterey, California.

Already lost 7 lbs.

Wow

I was scared too....but more scared about what would happen if I didn't get the help of a lap band.

Keep in touch. All is going well with me...I survived the surgery, a little sore, liquid diet is going ok...walking more a little every day.

I have 100 lbs. to lose...on my way!

Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,

Congratulations on your band! I'm glad things went well for you! Looking forward to hearing about your journey and getting to know you.

Pat

[interpretasl 0]

Hey Pat,

I don't believe there were any pitfalls being banded so close. We had our surgeries about 3 weeks apart. Even more interestingly, we had our surgeries done by two different doctors. I had mine first. What has been interesting is the personal experiences with post-surgery, like the new activities and capabilities. I think my wife gets a little bummed sometimes because I lost a lot of weight quickly. I noticed the more I move around (walking and bicycling), the quicker it comes off.

Talk to ya later

-Mike-