Dreamingof139

Two thoughts here: Personal shopper - some even modestly priced stores have these and if budget is an issue, you can let them know what your limits are. If you can find a great shopper, his/her help would be invaluable. There is no charge for this service. Years ago, I developed a relationship with the manager at my local dress barn - she would set aside things that she thought I would like and I would stop by and take home what I wanted. I am sure it helped her sales numbers and I appreciated the service as I was a busy career person at that point. Thrift store, second hand store... most have a dressing room and you can always donate/sell your larger items as you shrink. Even small towns can have some awesome items. That was the where - the how is another matter. Find someone that you think looks great and ask them for their help or find pictures that you like and carry them with you... Good luck!

Thank you for posting a positive experience! My fill was a breeze even with the white chalk beverage and I wanted to shout from the rooftops. Things can and will happen, but we need to remember that it is very possible that things will go very very well.

Some docs recommend nothing larger than the size of a pencil eraser. I have been working to take small bites and to chew at least 20 to 25 times. When I do that, I am fine. When I do not do that... look out...

Hills or Valley - sorry, I could not resist. Grew up in that general vicinity, but have been far far away for a very long time. Would be willing to be email buds if that would be helpful - I have no plans to be back that way that I know of...

This us a huge life changing decision and you need to learn as much as you can and educate yourself until you are comfortable moving forward. I had my surgery in September and less than 10 people know about it. No one at work, not my husbands family, very few of my friends. I told my family, but they all live thousands of miles away and I told them after the fact. I just told a close friend last week - we were eating lunch and I was careless and starting foaming and had to excuse myself - she looked panicked, so I told her. She was really happy for me, but she is really big and I can predict that our friendship will NOT survive my weight loss. Very sad. Thank goodness you have a supportive husband - that is a great asset to you on your journey. Let me guess, your friend with the opinion is either naturally thin and likes that you are bigger than her or she is also big and scared of what will happen if you lose the weight. Major reason that I did not tell people - I just did not want to hear it. My primary doctor said to go for it, it is completely excluded in my insurance, so I ripped open my retirement and flew to Cancun for a few days. Only my husband knew where I was going. YOU ARE NOT A SLACKER. Trust me, if this was easy, morbid obesity would not be as big an issue as it is right now. Statistically, the risks of staying obese are much worse than the risks of surgery... in my case, I was WAY more likely to die driving to the airport or flying to Cancun than I was during or after the surgery. In the last five days, I have played racquetball for an hour four of the five days... and while I am not great at it - I can run around and hit the ball and laugh for an hour without having to stop every few minutes to avoid fainting (pre op). Has it been all roses, heck no. Would I do it again - in a NY minute. My two biggest regrets are not doing this years ago and not bringing someone with me to Cancun - I had a nurse friend lined up and she was not able to make it. I also realized that I do not want/need an expensive aftercare program - good thing as I live in the middle of no where and I have been kicked out of the closest one (three hours away) for asking them to bill my insurance for a fill - I had to ask six times and it has still not generated an EOB... people... so, they told me to find another doctor. Talk to as many people as you can who have had the surgery - most docs will have info seminars and will have patients there for you to talk to. I was able to email and call a number of people before I had my surgery. For some/most people, a support group and aftercare are crucial - if this is you, be sure that the program that you choose has all of the things that you need. Learn as much as you can and lean on the support that you can find here. Be careful about other groups - some are very negative - this one is wonderful... Good Luck and please remember that you deserve to be happy and healthy.

In TJ? We may have the same surgeon - verboonen? He will do your fills for free, you just have to get there. I searched and searched and finally found a PA that does fills in my area - I am in a VERY rural area. He charges $135, but my surgeon told me to only get filled under fluoro, so I am hoping that I will not need another fill... as I have no clue where to get another fluoro fill, other than in Mexico - I had one fill here and it was $750 - the doctor was a turkey and has since fired me because I will not spend thousands on his aftercare program..l. Good Luck.. the more populated your area, the better your choices.

It is very normal to freak out this close to surgery. This is a big deal and is life changing - it think it would be odd to not have some anxiety about it. Most of the people who have been issue free with their bands are NOT on boards like this. Before my hysterectomy, I made myself nuts reading peoples stories. People tend to write about the bad stuff and it seems that way less of them write about the good. If you could do this on your own, you would have already. I had my surgery on 9/24 and I would do it again in a minute. The little bit of pain has been COMPLETELY worth it. Hang in there - you will be on the other side before you know it. Take Care...

Yes, you have been pumped full of fluids and they need to come out. Completely normal.

My final post on this subject. I received a copy of the insurance billing in the mail, but my insurance company still has no record of it, so I will have to fax or mail them the form to see if I can get this processed this year. There was a form letter from the doctor telling me that he is no longer my doctor. No explanation, he just dumped me. He was the closest to my home at just under three hours away. Here it to hoping that I do not have any complications come up, because I am literally without a doctor to care for me at this point. Sad to think that requesting that your insurance be billed will end up having the doctor refuse to treat you. Shameful.

I also traveled for my surgery alone and wished that I had a lighter bag. I just had a small carry on, but the flight attendant was a real turkey when I asked for help in putting it in the overhead bin. He tried to tell me that I had too many bags because I had my travel pillow and a travel blanket tied to the top of my carry on bag. They also took away my crochet hook on the way home... have been traveling all over before and after 911 and have never had a hook or scissors taken away before. Less is more...

I came across this article recently and it was very helpful to me. It talks about what the band can and cannot do. I hope you will find this info helpful. http://www.drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

I am not sure if it is this post thread, but I am glad that I have the Lap Band as well. I was told that mine was stitched to by abdominal wall, so I do not think that it can move.

I am delighted that your Mom is with you and happy for you! How wonderful for you to have this great support in place. Good Luck on your journey!

Follow up - I emailed the office manager on Monday to follow up on my insurance billing that I have requested many times. I was told that my insurance was billed on 11/16/10 but that it has to go through Idaho BCBS and then will be sent to my home state BCBS. I was told this process generally takes three weeks. When my email on Monday went unanswered, I sent a fax to the office on Wednesday - no response. I just emailed the office manager again and requested that she give me whatever she submitted to BCBS and I will get it pushed through myself. Things should just not be this hard. I should not have to ask five or six times for my insurance to be billed. I can get reimbursed for most of this $$ through work, but I have to have the EOB and time is running out. This entire situation has been VERY frustrating to me and I just want to get this info from them and move on.

I also live in a small town. Unless one lives in one or has lived in one, I would imagine it may be hard to understand what it is like for everyone to know everyone and everything and what they do not know, they make up. Welcome and best of luck to you!

Hang in there everyone - as the others have suggested, walk, walk, walk and sip, sip, sip. It is very easy to get dehydrated without realizing it. Gentle hugs and welcome to the other side. I promise it gets better.

Oh, I had my own room - no one to keep me awake but the nurses who kept checking up on me. I liked that I was being monitored and if something came up I was already there...

How are you feeling? About a week out, I was a combination of excitement and nerves. Everything turned out great and I am positive that you will be the same. Take care and please know that I will be thinking of you on your surgery day!

You could very truthfully say that you are on a medically supervised diet, because you are and will be at that point.

Sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk. Repeat. It will work, I promise. Take care!

I was overnight because that is just what my surgeon does with all of his patients. I could have stayed a second night if I wanted to, but I was ready to head home. It does seem strange in our drive through surgery society to be staying for a relatively simple surgery, but try to enjoy the benefits - you will need to be on IV fluids and they will be able to better manage your pain with an IV. Rest is very important early on - hopefully you will be comfortable and well rested and can get going the next day, feeling well and ready to go home. This may sound silly, but try to trust your doctor if you can... I mean that in a good way, I hope it comes off the page as I intended it. Hugs, Cancun

A word of caution about thinner times - great people, great info, but if you post something that someone finds less than perfect, you will find yourself at the other end of a written warning. it seems way too controlled for me - I left after one of the best and longest posters was flogged for a very neutral comment. I realize that all groups have rules for a good reason (I have moderated and run groups myself) but Thinner Times was in my view over the top and was losing quite a few people when I came over to this group. Just my two cents.

This is also what I tell people who notice my loss and ask what is working for me. It is completely and totally the truth and it is what is working - the band is just a tool, I am the one doing the work....

Apple juice can cause gas in some people, so please be careful.

I am NOT ASHAMED of anything. I am a very private person and live in a town of less than a thousand people. Do you tell your friends how often you have sex or how often you poop? If you do, and that is what works for you, great, but please do not judge those who do not agree with your way of doing things. We each need to find what works best for us - can we please keep the focus here on what worked or works for us? I really think that would be more helpful to the group.