Jim1967

I cannot wait for these holidays to pass by...I am in the middle of a 6 month monitored diet to attain insurance approval and the holidays are hanging me up a bit. I am trying so hard to keep myself on the plan but it is tough. I question myself if the band is really for me as I cannot seem to keep my head on straight during the holidays. I was lucky enough to make it through Thanksgiving showing a weight loss and not a gain but the sweets around Chrismas making it challenging. I have also caught myself making excuses such as "Oh this is the last real holiday season food-wise that I can enjoy because once that band is put in its all new rules" "I have a 6 month monitored diet and i already hit the goal the surgeon asked for so I can bounce through the remaining months" I dunno I am really struggling. I do OK during the week for the most part but the weekends I've been tripping myself up a bit. Anyone else having a problem?

Best wishes to you during this difficult period. Cancer does not care who you are or where you come from or how old you are. It is a nasty horrible disease and it attacks when and where it wants with no limit to its destruction of the human body.

Hi Mike, I saw your post in an earlier thread and I just wanted to say that your doing awesome man!!

6 months here I have Cigna Care Link.

Just curious is this Doc a non Bariatric Doc? My PCP is encouraging me to do this but my Orthapedic Doc has made similar comments that coincide with your Doc. I ended up telling him that it is not the lapbands job to take my weight off. Thats my job. Lapband's job is to help me keep it off.

I don't have much to offer as the rest have stated it already but one thing I would like to mention is if your doctor is not part of a center of excellence then I recommend finding one. You find that the center of excellence providers offer support groups and they don't cost anything. You don't have to switch doctors or anything to visit those groups. I believe not only will the gym thing help but also a group support system where you can vent and have an outlet to release the stress.

Hi All, I had my appointment this morning and it couldn't have gone any better. Surgeon basically told me if he had it his way we would set a surgery date today. Only thing holding things up is the mandatory 6 month monitored diet. He is very impressed with my progress and current weight loss. He told me I was very healthy for 460 pounds and that he is anxious to help me on my way to a healthy BMI. Bonus...I stepped on the scale and down another 2lbs. I am shooting for 400 by surgery date. thank you all for the encouragement and support!!!

Well tomorrow is the day I meet with my surgeon one on one for the first time. I met him at the seminar I went to in September but only since have met with his team. I've seen the Nutritionist, Psychologist and Nurse Practitioner. I have reached their required 5% weight loss goal and continue to lose since I must complete a 6 month monitored diet. So far everyone on his staff that I met has offered me much encouragement and guidance. I just hope when we meet tomorrow my high BMI doesn't shy him away from taking the surgery on. I understand if he does shy away it just means he is looking out for me. But I just hope after all this wait I don't come out of there with bad news. Monday after Thanksgiving I went in for upper GI, cardiac echo, chest xray, ekg, ultra sound of the liver and blood work. They already told me I was Vitamin D deficient and have given me a prescription to get those levels up. I guess tomorrow the Doctor will go over the rest of the tests. I also attended two nutritionist sessions/classes and had my psych session.

Yes, you need to let your Doc know and they can schedule you for a sleep study. Sleep study is quite painless and I compare it to simply going for an over night stay in a hotel. Only difference is they hook monitors up to you and connect about 12-20 leads all over you. They also record everything audio and video. Like I said it is really painless. You have your own private room and bathroom. You just sleep and they collect all the data. After the data is collected and analyzed and they determine you do have apnea then they schedule a second round which is completely the same as the first only this time they fit you with a CPAP machine that blows air up your nose or mouth (depending on your needs). As you sleep throughout the night the Technician will take readings and adjust your air flow as the night goes until they find the right setting you need to achieve maximum REM cycle. After they determine your needs for a CPAP machine the doctor will typically write up a perscription for a machine from a supplier. Supplier will then arrange delivery of the machine and train you how to use it and clean it. I have had severe sleep apnea for years and finally did something about it and I am glad I did. I sleep so much better now that I actually have dreams again something I hadn't done since I was a teenager. I refuse to sleep without my CPAP. I feel so much better and I don't fall asleep during the day anymore and the work day is no longer a struggle to stay awake. Hope this info was helpful. If you have any questions let me know and I would be more then happy to answer if I can. - Jim

Hi Erik, Sounds like you are making fantastic progress. My surgery is still a little ways down the road but they are stresing me to train myself now to eat very slow and eat without drinking. It is tough going but if I can get it down now it will just help me more once I am banded. I look forward to following your progress. Jim

Hi Lisha, You are doing a great job from the looks of it. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Weight will come off in time and while it might take some time to come off it did not go on over night and at least your doing something about it now and not 10 years from now. I lost 174 pounds between 2003 and 2004 and gained it all back plus 80 additional pounds. I went through months of depression/anger after packing it all on. It took a lot of strength to get through but I have turned that anger into motivation and drive to get back down to the 219 pounds I was at on Christmas of 2004. I know I can lose the weight and have the will power to do it. It is my hope the lapband will help me keep it off by adding that restriction. I look forward to going back and doing things I was doing in 2004 that I cannot do today. Simple things like going to dinner and being able to sit in a booth or attending a sporting event or concert without the fear of not fitting in the seats. More importantly taking a walk with my wife without having to find a place to sit down every 10 minutes because my arthritic knees scream from the stress i am putting on them. I could go on and on.... I am not banded but I have lost a lot of weight before. My advice it to enjoy the journey while it's happening. Celebrate the movement on the scale, celebrate the size change of the clothes you fit into. Make mini goals and celebrate them as you hit them. If you do that it will make the journey not seem so long and at the same time when you hit the ultimate goal it will make it all that more memorable and rewarding. Best wishes...Jim

Cazzy, I just noticed your signature indicates you were banded this year!! WOW that is some insane weight loss. Got any advice or tips? thanks, Jim

Congratulations Cazzy!! You are truly an inspiration to me. As you can see from my stats I have a substantial amount to lose myself and reading your post only gives me more confidence that with the lapband and will power it is possible.

Hello I started out my journey at 484 pounds. I am going through a center of excellence and the people I have spoken to so far has not even blinked at my weight. I see my surgeon next Tuesday but his staff of nutritionist, nurses assistants, psychologists have made no comments regarding my weight. I was required to lose minimum 5% of my weight as a program requirement but that is their requirement across the board for all who enroll. From my understanding most insurance companies and surgeons will ask you to lose some weight prior to surgery. 1. It shows you are commited to making a life change and 2. You need to shrink your liver as much as possible for the surgery. I agree with what Elizabeth says. Issue is not so much the weight but whether or not you are healthy enough to be put under the stress of the surgery. Good luck to you....

Hi, I have Cigna and I am in the middle of the 6 month monitored diet at this time. Even at 484 pounds they would not make an exception. If you google "cigna bariatric requirements" you should be able to find the pdf doc with the entire coverage requirements and prerequisites. I would have linked you directly but I cannot get to cigna.com at this moment. Jim

I meet with my Surgeon for the first time on Tuesday 13th. I was told yesterday by the Nutritionist that this particular Surgeon generally asks patients to lose a little more then the 5% weight they ask you tolose when you enter the program. I have to do a 6 month monitored diet for insurance so I still have plenty of time. I already hit the 5% goal.

Wow sorry to hear all the troubles your having. This thread makes me think though. I didn't think about the possibilty of having to pay the difference up front before the surgery. My insurance covers 90% and I thought I would just be able to make the 10% in payments over time. I guess I better do some more research. - Jim

Congratulations Tracie!! Your hard work is certainly paying off. I hope to some day have that success.

Thanks all for your posts. I have my appointment on Thursday.

Hi Kellysue, I've been told my Grandparents used to ask my parents "Aren't you feeding this kid?". I was apparently skinny little bag of bones when I was very young. Since I had my tonsils removed all hell broke loose. I am 44 and have been overweight since I was about 10 years old. I can remember being weighed in phys ed class in 5th or 6th grade and got teased because I weighed in at 150lbs. I have very vivid memories of this because I was also teased because of my man boobs or back then boy boobs. I would definitely say yes to being over weight my whole life. In 2003 I tried Atkins diet. I weighed in at 394 and I went on to lose 174 pounds in 19 months. With all diets though I got to comfortable in my new skin and started enjoying food again and all the weight and then some went back on. I weighed in yesterday at 463. I still sometimes get angry with myself for not being stronger and more disciplined for allowing myself to pack it all back on. I have not been banded yet but I am hoping to some day and hope that the restriction from the band will help keep my weight in check for the rest of my life. I am utilizing support groups as well and plan to do that long term. Losing for me is not so much the battle its keeping it off.

Hi Rocky, I am going to echo what the others have said. It is perfectly normal to have reservations and fears. Best way to over come that is research and then evaluate for yourself what is the best course of action. Don't rush into anything. Seek out advice and opinions from your Doctors who know you best. What about your support at home? Have you shared your thoughts on this with anyone? My situation is pretty is clear to me. I am going to die if I don't take this weight off period. I am a walking time bomb. I started a 6 month supervised diet on Oct 12 tipping in at 486. I am 44 years old, I have had nightmares about dying and I have even had nightmares about dying on the operating table. Regardless of these nightmares I am pushing forward with this surgery as I believe it is really my only option to have a shot at a healthly life. I have a lot of faith in my doctors and I know they'll do a good job. My wife is 100% behind me on this and she is well aware of the risks but we feel its a risk that must be taken. I am not trying to scare you more Rocky. I am trying to encourage you and tell you do not let weight or fear dictate the terms of your life. You only get one go round in life. You need to research and make the best decision you can for yourself. We are all here for you to listen and offer up some friendly advice but at the end of the day you have to live with the decisions you make. Good Luck,, Jim

Thanks abqann that makes me feel better. They have me all lined up for loads of testing and labs the Monday after Thanksgiving and this is one of them.

They do it through the nose? Oh so not looking forward to that...

Hi Diona and welcome to the board. I started recently myself and must also do the 6month diet for insurance requirements. I have Cigna. Weightloss facility I am using requires a 3 month diet as well and would like you to lose 5% of your weight before they will sign off on a surgery date. good luck, Jim

HI Joyce and welcome to the forums. I am sorry to hear you are struggling as much as you are. I have not been banded yet so I cannot speak from experience but what I have been told and have read carbonated drinks is really not good for the band. It can actually stretch the pouch and cause more harm then good. I just saw my Nutritionist last week who told me this. For the gas pains I recommend Gas X. I find your Surgeon's advice to be a bit alarming and it does sound like he/she is moving you along very fast. I would seek out another opinion on this. It's your health and your life and you have to live with this. Sorry I could not be more helpful. Good Luck, Jim