Doddie63

hi First off Joboo YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE. I defy any bandster to tell me that they have not had their ups and downs in their journey to attain their weight goals. You are just at a bad moment right now. If your doctor is true to his profession, he will want to help you not chastise you. If he does find another doctor. Look at your ticker. YOu need to loose 102. Just imagine only 3 lbs and it will be in the 90 range. So say to your self "just for today, I will do something that will burn a few calories". Park your vehicle a bit further away from the building you work in. Try and get into an exercise class. I told my aqua fit instructor before I joined that I was embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit at 303 lbs. She laughed and said "don't worry honey, we are all too worried about our own bodies". Now I have no problem wearing a bathing suit but I still have the problem of getting their consistantly.
As for you bandchick, I will keep you to your word.
If you both want to e mail me to check in feel free. I am retired and on this site most days and check my e mail daily.
If it helps fee free.
Doddie

Glen remember the band is a tool, nothing more nothing less, you can sabatogue it too if you try. However, the band can keep you honest as you learn to eat and make choices that are the best. As for being nervous, try not to be. Dr. Yau is one of the best. I flew from BC to toronto and back within two days. Just take loose fitting clothing, gas X and you should be fine. Without the band, you know you have failed the in past but with the band you more than likely will not. I have had the band 4 years and although I have had my ups and down (recently gained) my overall loss for the year was 7 lbs. I have never in my life lost weight 3 years in a row. I am a slow looser because my choices are not so good at times, but the band can not be faulted. If you post on your clinics website, you find find they have terrific web cam chats and support. Good luck

Hello. NO Quebecers are not lazy. What you have to realize, that the band is an excellent tool for helping in the weight loss goals. You still have to change your lifestyle including exercise, small quantities but first and foremost making the proper choices in food eaten. Following the guidelines of your clinic and you will have success. Not following the rules will end in disaster and failure. The good thing about the band, is that it is reversible. Gastric by-pass is not. The medical profession look upon the gastric by pass as the golden standard, but frankly, there are many patients that have to have the band AFTER the bypass. You can fill the band as tight as you can stand or you can loosen it to allow for more food to pass you can't do that with gastric by pass.
Also, be aware, people posting negative things about the band may have an ax to grind. real or imagined and post to lash out at the band. I lay odds if you analyze these unhappy people, they will have not adjusted their lifestyle. Yes some people do have band erosion and slippage not their fault, but that is rare. Most just don't follow the program. There is of course, many surgeons that do not have proper aftercare and that can cause a patient to be very scared and upset lashing out on line. So if contemplating the band, look very carefully at the aftercare. If they say 3 to 4 years -- ask "Then what". You need aftercare for life, not necessarily the fills, but moral support is very important.

Kerry, I wish you a great journey - luck has nothing to do with it. You made the best decision for you and now you embark on a journey with ups and downs and twists and turns but always success. The surgery for the most part is the easiest, after that, follow the instructions of your clinic to the letter. Don't worry about the panic attacks that you will never eat "normal" again. Because frankly you will be eating normal. Your choices will be more healthy and quantities less, but if you look around what people that do not have a weight problem do you will see they eat slowly (you will be), they eat small quanties (you will be), they eat frequently (you will be) food is not their focus (this also will happen to you). So relax wake up to a great beginning.

Glen remember the band is a tool, nothing more nothing less, you can sabatogue it too if you try. However, the band can keep you honest as you learn to eat and make choices that are the best. As for being nervous, try not to be. Dr. Yau is one of the best. I flew from BC to toronto and back within two days. Just take loose fitting clothing, gas X and you should be fine. Without the band, you know you have failed the in past but with the band you more than likely will not. I have had the band 4 years and although I have had my ups and down (recently gained) my overall loss for the year was 7 lbs. I have never in my life lost weight 3 years in a row. I am a slow looser because my choices are not so good at times, but the band can not be faulted. If you post on your clinics website, you find find they have terrific web cam chats and support. Good luck

maggiehpp it took me from Feb.07 to approx. July 07. My mindset was to continue the same eating ways and the band would save me. LOL. I barfed almost every day until I finally acknowledged I had to retrain myself. I started to weigh and measure my food so that it did not amount to more than 1 cup per meal. I emphasized Protein as instructed by my clinic. I recorded my intake on 'Fitday' every day and still do. Then the weight started to come off. Many people do not like to record their intake as it reminds them too much of 'dieting'. I regretfully have to as I need to know how much I have consumed as I still graze when cooking for my DH. As long as I am truly honest when recording, I stay on the straigh and narrow.
Now I look upon food as something I have to have not something I crave. I no longer crave high fat or salty foods. I guess I barfed so much that I have lost the need for food as a pacifier.
My downfall is that I cannot exercise strenuously as I have arthrititis in my knees, hip and shoulders as well as I am a sedintary person by nature. So I purchased a treadmill and I try to walk as much as I can. My journey has been slow, but I have lost 1/2 lbs per week for over a year now and it is amazing how those little amounts add up. Thank goodness for my band.:thumbup:

Just checking in this site to see if it is still active. will there be a May challenge. I would be interested.

Well done Susansilver: Keep up your spirits. I don't think we would be overweight if part of the problem was not the "emotional" thing. Don't let your mind take over. Keep in charge. You will be fine. C........h.....a.........r.......g..........e! to the finish line. Doddie

or should I say last big day. Either way, this is it. I have my surgery at 1pm. I am pretty calm. I do miss my morning coffee. My mother is pacing back and forth, poor thing, she is more nervous than me.
Thank you for all your kind words and wishes. I was freaking out a bit on Monday nite but I'm good now.
I was a pleasure to meet Jurema and Doddie at the seminar. Doddie you have the most beautiful smile and the warmest heart. Thanks for the big squeeze. Next time you have to come to Toronto you can stay with me.
I'm leaving soon...................I'll see you on the other side:scared:
xoxox