bigtom1948

Edit- - - Sorry Kimmie these comments were intended for originator of thread Well thank goodness for you cause you get to chew something, veggies and the bar. My Dr. is all liquid Optifast which tastes as good as it can but still reminds me of Metrical from the 60's-70's but not as gritty. I just finished the 1st of 5 for today and this is day 1, This is going to be really tough. Two weeks of that and because I plan to stick with it, I don't see how you can help but drop some serious poundage. Good luck to you, stick with it the goal will be worth the pain. My daughter and son in law both went through it last year she lost 125 pounds and he lost 150.

I picked up mine too today starting tomorow with optifast 5 shakes a day. Going to surgery 2/10/11. Only bad part of the day so far is I weighed 4 pounds more than my last visit. I think it's cause I usually go in the PM and today was a mid AM apporintment. Because of that I skipped my 80mg of Lasix or I wouldn't have been able to make it to the doctors office. I feel for the ladies cause Water retention is a real bugger. Took the lasix when I got home and I can see that the 4 pounds could easily have been retention. Well the charting at the doctors will reflect the water loss and I'll look like a champ in 2 weeks when the surgery is done. Just a bit depressing though, I am sure everyone knows what I'm talking about on that issue. Well good luck to you and all the other Fe'bansters looking forward to the new me doen the line.

Just wear what makes you feel comfortable.

Boy I'd love to use the eliptical machine but every time I get on it I get nauseous. I have an inner ear problem that I discovered when I joined the Navy in 1965 4 years in the Navy 3 1/2 years seasick When I got out I weighed 185 pounds Involuntary Bulemia is a great way to get really skinny. For prospective that 185 pounds was on a 6'5" man you could count my ribs and my legs were sticks with bony knobs at the knees. I have been gaining weight ever since I was discharged in 1969 with the usual diet ups and downs we all have been through. At any rate the up and down mixed with the forward and back motion was all too familiar to my inner ears and at every attempt I had to lay on the floor for a while. I gave up on that pretty soon, I'll tell you that. So I have to stick to treadmill and stationary bike as well as walking on off days. Too bad though, cause nothing short of distance swiming burns calories as fast as that machine. Good luck to all of you guys that can use it.

Congrats and good luck

Gee, I hadn't thought of taking a before photo. I have done remodeling in my home and when finished I wished I had taken before photos to see the difference later on. Cause after the change is in place it tends to become like it's always been that way. A set of progress photos would be good reminders of progress made and a warning not to slip back to old bad habits. I'm going to take one clothed and one unclothed, I can share the clothed but I won't shock anyone with the others. It's not that I am a prude (AANR Member) but I am not particularly proud of the look of the current body. So I'll keep the shock value of those photos to myself cause you can't unlook at something. :bolt:

Yep, bought a Health-O-Meter just for this journey. I selected the green slide arrow on the dial and I can't wait for to reach the 200's and then perhaps getting off of these accursed hypertension meds.

United has a RN assigned to each client and also assigns a mental health practicioner when they are aware you are seeking that type of care and they are also there for the pre op lap band counseling oversight. I would suggest that you contact your United HC RN and he/she can put you in contact with the mental health practioner assigned to you. Ask that person about what is needed and if a specific form is required to cover any issues that are required for pre-op lap band evaluation. If one is, then ask if they can supply you a copy of that form for you to give to your mental health clinician. I also have UHC and was sent to a psychiotrist that is in network and all of that was taken care of with the copy of the evaluation notes from my consult. They report highlighted my mindset on the surgery and wether or not I appeared commited to the associated lifestyle changes needed to succeed as a lap-band candidate. I don't know if another form was generated and sent directly to UHC but my surgeon said that the report I mentioned above would meet the criteria required and he submitted it to UHC. < edit I just found out 01/21/2011 that all was approved and surgery date is 02/10/2011 > Sorry to have rambled and hope that this was helpful.

I went from 390 pounds down to 372 and stayed there I'm scheduled for surgery 2/10/2011 and starting the pre op shakes on Wednesday. I am sure that another 5-10 pounds will come off with that. I guess if I could drop with just diet and exercise alone then I wouldn't have needed to consider the surgery at all. I Think that if you are younger (i'm almost 63) more significant pre op weight drops could be expected but i'm not sure of that.

Got the word today and Feb. 10 is my surgery date. Starting the pre op shakes this coming Wednesday. Yipes its getting close now

Hello Ladies, 63 year old male here scheduled for mid February with the exact date still up in the air. My weight has been creeping up for 20+ years to an all time high of 390 pounds. I used to carry my weight well when I was under 300 pounds at 6'5" now i'm just an tall old fat man, gosh that is depressing. The fact is I am misirable physically the list of things I can't do now because of the weight has grown far too long. My daughter and her husband both had this done last year she's lost 70# and he just under 100. The wife never had a weight problem so it came down to me being the only fat one in the immediate family. So I looked into the options and the bypass was just too invasive I spoke to the surgeon and we are going with the lap band. he said we can always do more if this doesn't work for me but the bypass should be considered a permenate proceedure. I have gotten down to 372 and will be starting the pre op shakes soon to shrink my liver and make the proceedure less hazardous. My journey so far has been enlightening and I am confident I can do it. I have seen for myself that it is effective on my daughter so with a change in eating stratagies and upping my exercise there is no reason to expect anything but a good outcome. Good luck to all of you guys and I look forward to being a tall, skinny, somewhat wrinkly old man who can do fun things and perhaps stick around on earth a little longer than I would by remaining fat.

Yep get it from those German ancestors big strong strapping lads and stout women able to pull the plow don't ya know. Saw a photo of my GG Granddad taken in Prussia 1840's 6'6" and almost as round so the fat gene is there too (Darn it). I have already lived longer than he did the poor soul didn't make it to be 50. I hope to hang in for another 15-20 years but I won't make it carrying around the weight of a whole nother person all the time, that's why I am doing this, I want to live and live well for the remainer of my time on earth. I guess thats the goal of all of us here though. It's great that you have a date set, ( down you beastly jealousy, you'll get your time) sorry had to subdue the green eyed monster So, good luck Smokey and I hope we'er two almost skinny people by next year or sooner

Lots of hats that you wear there and I am pulling for you to get your acceptance the insurance. From all that you do, it seems that you give a lot of yourself to others. Retain that, its valuable to the spirit but don't forget to cultivate a small niche of care for yourself You Deserve It, You deserve to feel good about yourself without reservation. Don't beat yourself up on the pre-op ups and downs. From what i've read here that is very common. I am trying to keep my eye on the prize and there will be ups and downs and distractions tears and joy cause that's life (I'm thinking a Frank Sinatra tune right now, sorry couldn't keep it out of my mind like the StaPuf marshmallo man in Ghostbusters ) Anyway I am sure you will do fine especially if your husband is as supportive as my wife is for me. Thats going to be a big help. I really am lloking forward to shopping for clothes in a normal store again even if it does hurt the wallet. I have a slew of when I lose weight I'll be able to wear these again clothes to shrink through first and i'll wear them all except for the Plaid bell bottom polyester slacks - Hold On - Just put those in the goodwill bag so I won't be tempted, I am ever the slave of fashion. Keep up the good work, you've gone a long way and good Luck. Keep us posted on your progress.

I had to literally beg for my records and was told that all records beyond 3 years old are archived at a fee for service archive site. In order to get my records I had to pay this service $1.00 a page for the 1st 10 pages and $0.25 per page for all the rest and they refused to pull just the weight history pages. I had to buy back two years worth of useless crap for 2 peices of paper. The final cost was almost $75.00. Just another little leech hanging on and sucking the blood out of your healthcare dollar. Gets around the hipaa requirements as the records are secure, they are available and after all the company is only charging a print out copy fee so, according to them, you are not really buying back your own documentation. It could still tick me off if I think about it and its now over 5 months ago.

I feel for you. I worked in a hospital x-ray department and there was ALWAYS food and on special occaisons department feasts to rival the food orgies of Baccus (without the wine, of course) You did the only thing you could, distance yourself from the temptation. Good for you...I may have caved in if something I really liked was on the table and just have taken a nibble here and there.

Boy that does seem excessive. Could it be that she is too full of her feeling of self importance. Kinda classic of a small person trying to lord over another person who can't defend themself. My therapist was very frank about the range of approaches some in his profession take and refreshingly candid about the personality type you seem to be dealing with. He called them pocket Napoleans and that putting someone who has made the commitment to take on the complete lifestyle alteration through such scrutiny as unnecessary and cruel. Or maybe...It could be just monitary. After all 4 visits counting the computer eval equals 4 fees paid into the till, the rent's gotta be paid somehow. Anyway don't let it try to cloud the goal you have set for yourself. She is only a small speed bump against your progress and you are driving a steamroller of change.. Good luck

I'm a 62 year old guy whos always fought the waistline expansion. We all know who one that battle. BMI is 44 and I am no longer at my highest weight ever of 390 pounds hung on a 6'5" frame. I'm down to 372 and still droping slowly. I have finished all the insurance hoops and i'm waiting for thier approval so the surgeon can set a date. It looks like early February according to the DR's coordinator but we'll have to wait and see. I am really looking forward to it and getting to be a bit healthier. I really want to get off the High BP meds because of the side effects (Joint and muscle pain and the tendancy to gain weight, isn't that just evil). I'll be setting up 5 or 6 interum weight goals because over 150 pounds is just too big a goal to swallow whole. Yep, I got an overeaters pun in there. I know the first real Whoo Hoo moment will be breaking into the 200's. I'm trying to stay upbeat and looking to a brighter future. Many folks have succeeded and there is no reason I shouldn't as well. Good luck to all of us till my next post, hopefully with a firm surgery date.

That's one of the things I am most concerned about I've been fat for 50 of my 62 years and I don't think the skin will shrink to fit a new me. Don't relish the idea of a flesh apron, ugh! So I have started a special savings account to pay for the almost certain tummy tuck I will need when I reach or am near to my goal, again ugh!

Yeah, those drug salesmen and women all look like mdels from Vouge. The cost of all that super salesmanship and direct marketing is twice what the spend on R&D and really not needed. What a waste,

Hope to be banded this month but it may be early Feb. still havn't heard from insurance for approval or did the opre op shakes to reduce liver size yet. Good luck to all you folks who have done it or are definately schedualed for this month.

Hope to be banded this month but it may be early Feb. still havn't heard from insurance for approval or did the opre op shakes to reduce liver size yet. Good luck to all you folks who have done it or are definately schedualed for this month.

I live in Brandon and hope to be banded within the next 30 days. I'm kinda excied/scared about the whole prospect myself but good luck to you and I hope it goes smoothly for you.

Added the weight tracker ticker, just seeing if I did it right.

Hi all, I am sure you've all been where I am today, waiting for the insurance company to say OK. Right now I am at 372 pounds 12 pounds short of my all time high of 384. I am 62 years old and a 6'5" male. I have and continue to work out in the gym 3+ days a week 1 hour aerobic, 1/2 hour walking and 1/2 hour weight training. The lowest weights I use are 100 pounds for overhead press, In short I am quite muscular under a protective layer of blubber, I have become a human walrus. In was pretty stable at 220-240 pounds until 20 years ago and the weight has been steadily creeping on my frame since then. Now I have hypertension, painful joints and I fear I am pre-diabetic. 10 years ago I got a stint installed in my circumflex artery due to a 95% occlusion. That was bad genetics I have a large family history of that. I reached the end of my tether and couldn't lose wieght for any reasonable time frame by diet and exercise alone. I consulted a lap band specialist in my area and went through a 6 month program I am sure was designed by the insurance company to discourage people from trying to get help. I have jumped through all the hoops and now await the insurance company's pleasure. My doctor said he would have done it within a month of my first visit because I am very motivated. I should know the result in 1-2 weeks. I know you all were where I am now. Just fishing for a little pre-op encouragement. Thanks