SkinnyMiniMe

THANKS!!! I am hoping so. My huband started this lapband journey in 2008! I talked him out of it. We both hit the gym and lost a lot of weight. He lost the most of course. It all crept up slowly and here we are. Last year I said if I can't lose it, I am getting the surgery. This September I rejoined the gym and realized I need the lapband. I do not want to lose another year. Once I made my mind up, I asked him and he was on board. We already went to our consult. He is off on Wednesdays so while the kids are in school we have every Wednesday booked with doctor appointments until 11/16. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and we will be able to get banded in December. I realize that he will probably lose quicker than me but the journey should be easier because we will both understand what we are going through.

My tentative date is 12/19. I think it may change but I am hoping it will still be in the month of December. Seems like it will not come quick enough. My husband is also getting banded in December (12/5). His birthday is in January and he already mentioned going out for his Birthday dinner in November. LOL Funny thing is I have no place that I want to go before the surgery HMMMMM except my couch with a pint of Haagen Daz

Lobster I guess I should have some before the surgery then

You mean frozen meals or leftovers? Why is that? too dry? BTW your weight loss is really inspiring!

So I am aware that I must cut my caffeine to one cup of coffee a day. Carbonated drinks are not allowed. Then the surgeon told me certain foods are not tolerable after the Lap-Band, such as rice. The first food addict thought that came to my mind at that moment was, "No Sushi ever again?" He told me not everyone has that problem with rice. I have been reading the forums and it seems some people don't have any food problems but then last night I am eating corn and I start thinking, "will I be able to eat this after the surgery?" So, I started this forum because I want to know, what food or foods (if any) have you had to give up because of the Lap-band?

Dirty Lap-Band & Needles??? HMMMM sounds like a malpratice to me! Also my surgeon did mention to me that some insurances only cover 1 of these weight loss surgeries in a lifetime. So check with your insurance because if you want something more premanent then you may want to go with the sleeve. For me the lapband is what I am comfortable with, IF it doesn't work and my insurance doesn't cover another procedure I am OK with that. I picked a surgeon from a Center of Excellence and head of the Bariatric department at the hospital. He also told me that there are a lot of clinics that perform these surgeries and then surgeons like himself have to fix their problems. So if you are getting the sleeve and cutting out your stomach make sure its with a great surgeon. Hard to fix something that has been cut out of you.

Wayne, really??? My doctor said no more carbonated drinks Diet soda is my favorite and beer I enjoy socially. In fact I am in the process of weining off of it. Not sure if I could do it but Tuesday or Wednesday, I should have all the Diet Soda out of my house. Did you doctor tell you only to enjoy once in a while? Or any rules with drinking it?

Hey BANANA! I went to my consult on Wednesday too. I was there for 4 hours! I was going to do with Dr. Holover too but instead went with Dr. Vohra. I loved him and his staff. My only complaint so far is that I didn't feel that the nutrionist really cared about giving any pointers but she is included with the office visit so I am not complaining. They also told me that I could have the surgery as fast as 10 weeks or less. I already made all my appointments yesterday and the last appointment I have is on 11/22. Hopefully everything goes well. I may even move that appointment up sooner. My tentative date is 12/19 we will see. I called the office manager and she was able to tell me that my insurance would cover my procedure. You can call them yourself too to find out. There is a require if you are under 40 bmi you need to have another condition like sleep apnea but if your bmi is 40 or over you don't need anything else. They will tell you what you need. Also I am pretty sure that Dr. Holover will make you stay overnight at the hospital as does my doctor. Its called a 23 hour its not consider a full day to your insurance company. I don't mind having the extra support at night and the pain meds and also the observation to make sure everything is right. FYI I like to work out too and my doctor said that with working out and the band its a great combination for me. Lastly from what I see on the forums, some people don't even need fills, so it goes according to how restricted you are and how much weight you are losing if they decide to add fill or not. GOOD LUCK & keep us posted on your progress!

Yes-- Diet Soda & Haagen Daz & I, need to break up and go our separate ways. As far as food we have to have an amicable divorce. LOL Thanks for the positive feedback everyone...keep it coming because I still have 2 months of this back and forth.

ROSE--Let us know how you do & GOOD LUCK!!!

So went to consult and my tentative surgery date is 12/19 and I have all my pre-op required appointments made. I should be done with everything by the middle of next month. I decided the band is the way to go because the sleeve seems too drastic for me. In the past I would work out, lose some of the weight but could never keep it off. Also a bit of a Yo-Yo dieter. I have been having anxiety about failing because a lot of posts on this forum is about not losing weight or gaining weight back. But last night I was wrapping my head around the fact that, I am actually going to have a band put around my stomach because I can not control my eating. I am struggling with myself. I keep thinking "I can do it on my own, this is crazy" and then I think "you haven't been able to do this, do want to live like this forever"....OMG all I want is to wake up next year and say it was the best thing I ever did. I have recently seen posts of people who have lost 100lbs in the year and love it too. I need encouraging thoughts, words, stories. Of those who lost the weight and are loving it, was it with diet alone, band and exercise? Did you find it to be extremely hard to do? I could use some "this was the best thing I ever did" stories. THANKS! PS I will return the favor in a year to the newbies when I wake up and say "this is the best thing I ever did" (trying to stay positive)

Well I was at my consult yesterday. It seemed the staff really liked the promise of the sleeve. You lose quicker. My surgeon (who I LOVED) saw it in me that I was hesitant about getting rid (or as he said "it in the bucket") of my stomach. I am pretty confident that the LAPBAND it will be for me. I am willing to put in the work with the eating and gym. It may take longer but I just want to get to my goal and keep it off once and for all and that is most important to me. If you are not sure don't do it.

I am not expert but maybe you should add some Protein shakes to your daily diet and continue to workout maybe even add weights. You may not be getting enough in order to sustain your working out and muscle recovery etc., If you build more muscle your will burn more fat.

LMAO --thanks for the laugh!

I know there will be ups and downs but I don't want to regain all my weight as though I never had the surgery. Also I am looking for positive reinforcement instead of being chastised. That must be so frustrating and upsetting. Hopefully I will get a positive vibe from the surgeon and his staff.

I can not edit my patient information. I want to add my surgeon. I get to my profile and I click on edit and it doesn't do anything.

CONGRATS!!!! Only better to come...I am so excited to see good outcomes. Can't wait to be doing the happy dance in the dressing rooms of the malls too

Honestly that is great. I don't mind losing a pound a week. I just don't want to gain. That is my biggest fear.

WOW!!! This statement will help me tremendously. I have to break up with food I know this and it will be hard. I will remember this statement when I am going through it to remind me that its normal to feel this way.

That's it!! I have lost it and never been able to keep it off. I spent hours at the gym so working at is something I know I could do it. Since I have lost and gained many times, I do not want to be a failure this time. When I read posts of people who are struggling I start to panic.

This is eaxactly where I am right now. Just scary because its not an easy to reserve this. I don't even want to tell people because I don't want to seem like a failure if I don't succeed. I need to change my mind set & believe that I will and can succeed.

I just want to say I am ALL for support and I am sure that I will need some to through this journey. I would like to hear some positive outcomes. I am want to make sure I AM making the right choice. BTW congrats on your banding & Good Luck!

I am going for my consult tomorrow YEAH! I have made my mind up to get the lapband. I have been reading and participating in the forums and I love all the information that I have learned so far. Good & Bad....BUT I am afraid of failing with the band. Lately I have noticed a lot of frustrated lapbanders because they are not losing or have gained weight. I am getting nervous. I don't want to take this big step and then not succeed. I understand its a tool but I need to know that its worth it at the end. I need positive stories before I change my mind. THANKS!

Just curious, why is it called a pouch "test". Besides kicking starting your weight loss, does it let you see if your stomach needs a fill or something?

I am curious to know how the surgery went for the topic starter and her reaction or "things she wished she would have known before banding" (if any)