GREATFUL

I have read the replys to your post. I was not sure wheather I should post or not. But here goes..... Everyday I have 3 choice that I make. What I will eat , I will drink my Water and I will exercise. I have to plan all my meals out, sometimes the night before, and have them ready before my day starts. The reason I do this is to stay a step ahead of the "inner child" that lives in this body and wants to take control. If I get hungry and do not have something planned that "inner child" will say "I want ice cream, or chocolate" and I will give in because I was not prepared. You are at the start of this journey. I am just a year in myself. You will learn alot, believe me. I hear a lot of people say, "Dont worry girl, your band will be there when you are ready" Sorry, I just dont feel that way. You let someone cut you open to put this tool inside of you. But it is up to you to use it......

Hello Everyone I am one to the aMAYzing bansters. I was banded on May 2, 2007, one year tomorrow. I just wanted to pop in here and tell each and everyone of you GOOD LUCK!!! you have a unique year ahead of you. I would just like to say that if you need encouragement, help or anything you can drop in our May 2007 area and I know that any of use would be more than happy to respond. GOOD LUCK ALL Laura

Click on this to go to the ticker website.

2BtinyinTN - it has been a wonderful year. I was banded at MTMC, by Dr. Eckles. Love him and his staff. (little know fact, he has the band himself) The only regret is I did not get this done sooner. I have learned alot about myself this past year, met my food deamons face to face, still deal with head hunger now and then, and had a short love affair with ice-cream, committed to exercising 3 times a week.......busy year. As for the ticker,hhhhh there are instructions here on this site somewhere....... I will have to get back to you on that one. Savedbygrace - I am from Murfreesboro, there is a support group that meets last Thursday of the month. I have been detailed with my job out of town so I have not been able to go lately. But if you are interested I can call and get the details for you. Nice to meet all of yall........ Laura

Hey 2BtinyinTN - I am from around Murfreesboro, I had my surgery almost a year ago - May 2. Good luck on the journey ahead of you.

I look at my band as a tool to help me loose weight. I choose not to tell many people. If I choose to get an IUD as a tool to help me not to get pregnant, I sure would not think it was anyones business.

Mike, First of all, congratulations for putting your self first. Second, you know you are really ready for this surgery and you are doing it for the right reasons when it does not matter what anyone else things or says. You are the one who will have to do the work so it has to be for you and your health. Not that you doing it for your family is not important and it is very important for your spouse to be in your courner. My DH is my biggest cheerleader. When I was at the point you are at now, I hated the questions so much that I decided to only tell a few members of my family and I made them promise to not tell anyone else. I did'nt even tell anyone at work about the surgery. I have not regretted that at all, I figure it is none of their business. Good luck and God speed with your journey. Laura

Thanks Plum, do you know how often they meet? I can't go tonight. Thanks

Hey Plum, I am from Murfreesboro and I stay in Covington during the week, Job related travel. I have missed my support meetings so much since I have started this job in October. Does Dr. Woodman have a support group? I would love to find one around Covington. Thanks, Laura

Hey Brooke, I was banded by Dr. Eckles, 05/02/2007. It has been a great experience for me. Good Luck Laura

I just have to say "Thank You" for this thread. I am just past my 6 month mark. I have been feeling like a real looser, and not in a good way. My head hunger is out of control. I have fairly good restriction and could be doing alot better if I could get my head screwed back on straight. I realise that it is time to face my demons. The wonderful "Food Demons" that have been stalking me all of my life. Ice Cream is one of them, junk food is its twin. I thought it would be like you said "set it and forget it", no such luck. I think about food alot, have great restriction in the AM and very loose in the PM. So, I still have to face the things that made me fat and deal with them. Like they told me.............the band is just a tool, not a magic wand.

A few weeks ago we went to visit my FIL and his wife. They do not know anything about my surgery, only my DH. I have lost around 45 pounds, droped 6 sizes in my clothes, and they dont even say a word about it. My DH knows I dont like making a big deal about it so he didnt say anythig to them about it. A few days after we got back home we get a phone call from my SIL and she is talking to my DH and tell him "Dad told me that Laura has lost alot of weight and just looks great", now why couldnt he say something to me about it. OH well I do like the fact that he bragged to my SIL about it anyway...........LOL. I he thought I looked great then, just wait till they see me at Christmas. Motivation Baby, Motivation!!

Debbi, I can relate to almost everything you are going through. I remember when I was making up my mind to have this surgery. One day I was all pumped up, I was going to have this done, then the next day is was "OH my God what am I thinging about doing". food was my friend, my security, my comforter, etc. What whould I do without it. I can never have pizza again, or hamburgers, steaks, bread, etc. I had been fat for so long, My husband loves me just the way I am, why change. I read on this forum for about 3 months. I studied, I prayed, I looked at what I wanted for the REST of my life. And I took the leap of faith. I have faith in me, that I will try to do my very best. Will I alway be perfect, HECK NO. Since the surgery I have not alway stayed on the perfect eating life style, but I get up every day and try again. And yes you can have the food you love again, just not as much. Is it easy, NO, is it worth it...... that is something you have to decide for yourself. Because, you are the one who has to live with the band, not anyone else, YOU. Your are not WARPED, the way I see it is you are very normal. Give yourself a break, only worry about today, you can take care tomorrow when you get there. You only have one life, there are no dress rehersals, So live it the very bes you can. Take care of yourself and let us know it we can help. Someone was here for us when we were wigging out, you are normal. Laura

Hey Debbie, Nice to hear from you. Good luck with your surgery and your new life. It is a heck of a trip. I am approx. 4 months out and I just love my band. I live outside of Murfreesboro, had my surgery here and just love my Doc. The support group is good and that helps. If you need support this is a wonderful place. Just give out a shout and we will all chime in. Take care..............Laura

For me the surgery was a very personal thing. I did all of my research and educated myself about the band. The few family members I did tell were full of questions, it was like I had to sell them on it in order for them to be supportive of me. I had hernia repair at the same time I had the band. I choose not to tell anyone at work about it. So if they asked about me having surgery I could tell them, without lying, that I had hernia surgery. I have found that not telling was the best decision I made. I just didnt have the patients to educate anyone else about what I was going through. I do not have the on lookers at every meal and the questions about what I can and cannot eat. I may feel diffrent about it later, or I might feel that my process could help someone else down the road. But now I am happy about my decision. Just remember, once you tell, you cannot take it back. So be ready.............. Just my opinion.

Hello, It has been a little over 3 months since I got banded. I was like you, worried about the drinking during meals. When eating at home I just don't have a glass on the table, when eating out I order Water. I sip on it up unit I order my meal, then set it to the side. It is there in case I choke or something. At home I find it helps to eat a SF popsicle after I finish eating, helps if I am thirsty. Good luck......

I am taking wellbutrin. I take it at night right before I go to bed. Like you, the Pharmacist told me not to crush them because they are time release. Mine are white, about the size of a baby asprin. I have had one fill and I have had no problem with them at all. Good luck.

Hi, I'm Laura, from the Murfreesobor area. My surgen was Dr. Eckles,( Murfreesboro Surgical Specialists) great guy. I am a little past 2 months since being banded. I had my first fill 7 weeks out. I have a appointment for my second fill on July 16th. Good to see so many from TN.

Just like you I am a big emotional eater - happy, sad, bored etc. What helped me was my Doc. required a six week pre-op diet that included 2 weeks of liquids. Talk about having to face your snacking deamons, that will make you do it. I have found out that my biggest snacking problem is when watching TV. So I plan ahead. Stay busy with my hands, fold laundry,knit, chewing gum, drink water. Or just get up and do something diffrent. You will learn your triggers when you are faced with them, some will be harder than others. You will stumble a few times, but the band will limit the amount of junk you can stuff in your face. When it gets bad, come here, read, chat. Good luck..........

Are we starting this now, or on July 1st?

Count me in. I have been walking each day after work for about 45 min. and doing some free weights for my upper body. I am looking into joing a place here called "1,2,3 FIT". Has anyone heard of them? I think it is something like Curves. I manage to get my Water in most days, but need to work on it. This is great, I need all the motivation I can get.

I have a friend who had gastric a little over a year ago, she lost 100 lbs real fast. Now, she has stretched her stomach out and is gaining. She is looking into getting the lapband now. She tells me that I made the right decision with the band and not gastric, she wishes that is what she had done to start with.

Murfreesboro Surgical Specialists - 615-867-1940 - I dont know how much, I was covered by my insurance. Good Luck!

I Second THAT!!! I am from Middle TN also. Dr. Eckles banded me on May 2nd. He is great and I just love his staff. They went to bat for me with the insurance company, followed-up and stayed on top of it until I got my approval. Just cant say enough good things about them.