dljonline1

Hello All, So yesterday was an especailly trying time for me. I had a headache from the time my feet hit the floor, and it seemed like everytime I turned around, I was catching myself falling asleep. Is anyone else this tired? The broth has gotten boring to me so I have just stuck to the coffee (black), water/crystal light, and the shakes. I finally ran out of strawberry, and I'm sitting on the chocolate and vanilla. The banana flavor is blah (nasty), so I figured the more I drink of it, the faster I can rely on my supplyof the good stuff til the end. I also had my pre-op appointment yesterday. Everything went smoothly. As a word of advice, do ALL your pre-registration paperwork online and ahead of time. I got there yesterday, sat down, wrote a check, and within 5 minutes I was off getting my bloowork, urine sample and X-Rays done. Also, arrive early. My appointment was at 3PM, but I got there at 2:15PM and was out by 3:15PM. Majority of the wait came from the X-Ray assistance goofy off and not paying attention to a patient in the waiting room. Also, for those of you who may not know, you may be eligible for a discount if you pay for surgery at the pre-op appointment. The total cost of mine was $13,000. At 80% (Cigna), the remaining balance was $2,600. Might I remind you that this was AFTER I had paid or met my yearly deductible throuhg co-pays, etc... So keep that in mind. Had I not, I believe they would've only paid up to 70%. 10% more makes a lot of difference. Because I offered to pay at the pre-op appointment, I got an additional 25% discount from the hospital as a "good faith" effort for paying in advance. But I will get credit for the whole $2,600 towards my out-of-pocket expenses for they year. How? The although I paid the hospital $1,950 (After a discount of $650 was applied), they will report to the insurance company that I paid $2,600. Cool huh? Also, ask the anesthesiologist for a set of bath sponges that you will use the night before and the morning of the surgery to sterilize your skin of bacteria and infectious diseases. There has been cases of flesh eating diseases in recent months from people who's had surgeries; and chances are they are not going to test you to see if you are a carrier, so C.Y.A and ask and if they don't provide one ask for one. Mine provided me with one. As of this morning, I have lost a total of 30 pounds (pre-op). It hasn't been that bad, but there has been plenty of temptation. I encourage you ALL to follow your diets to the "T". Reason why my doctor has me doing this is not only to shrink my liver, and shed some fat before surgery, but to also help me recover faster. From he's told me and the nurses at the hospital, all his patients have recovered the fastest with little to no complications. I guess I'm happy my doctor is so strick. So "DON'T CHEAT!", it's not worth the longer recovering past what you already have to go through, and you don't want to wake up with no band because your system is still filled with gunk! As always, thank you for all the responses, and I hope that you all haivng a great journey! Have a great weekend! V/r, DeShawn Johnson

Thank you banderama, fostermomma, and ready4animproved me for your words of encouragement and advice. It is well appreciated!

What are these Vitamins that everyone is talking about? Are they something I'm supposed to be taking now or after surgery? And are they supposed to be liquid as well? Does anyone have a recommendation as to what brand they use and where they get it from? DeShawn

Hello All, Sorry for not posting on here yesterday, so I'm going to combine yesterday's news with today. So yesterday I had a pounding headache. I don't understand why because I've been sticking to the diet and drinking a lot of Water. Is there any explanation for this? Maybe caffine withdrawal? Anyhow, I got home and immediately fell into a slumber for majority of the night. Needless to say I felt better when I woke up, but today I'm tired as all cna be as if I didn't get any sleep. Any wonder why? My blood sugars are getting better and better with each day that is going on. Also, I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow adn did you know that if you pay your deductible at the pre-op you could qualify for a discount? I didn't know that until the lady told me that if I paid my portion at the appointment I got a 25% discount. As Charle Sheen would say, "Winning"! LOL! Now to day 6. I'm at work and I am dragging, hungry, and filled with regret and defeat. The fact that it's lunch time and all my co-workers are talking about where they are going for lunch doesn't help at all. But my wife called the doctor this morning and he was happy to hear that I have lost a total of 20 pounds since last friday. I've laid off the broth for a few days because it was starting to get boring and bland to me. Well I hate to leave on short notice, but I'm not getting paid to blog all day, which wouldn't be a bad thing. Until next time! Take care, and don't give up or give in! And as always thank you all who have responded to my posts. V/r, DeShawn

Good Day Fellow Banders, I have made it to day 4 of my liquid diet and I still haven't cheated though I have been tempted to break down. I miss food so much that I had I dream last night that I was eating a nice big juicy burger and steak fries from Red Robin. I woke up feeling guilty until I realized it was a dream! LOL! The power of food and dreams together when you're hungry. It kind of makes me miss the good old days, but I got to leave them where they are, in the past. 2 exciting things happend to me yesterday. I found out that I can chew sugar-free gum, so I asked my brother for a piece of Orbitz spearmint gum and when I popped that thing is my mouth, it was like an intense explosion of flavor. I started chewing that piece of gum like it was about to pop right out of my mouth. I mean, I couldn't get enough of this piece of gum. I eventually hustled my brother for the rest of the pack and threatend everyone within an inch of their life if they even thought about taking a piece. Then I realized it's gum, why am I getting so crazy over gum! Ahh, flavor! The intensity, I've never experienced gum like this before and I've chewed gum since I've had teeth. Call the "5" gum people and tell them to put me into one of those commercials and I will have the world so convinced of the experience, that everyone would want to go on a taste less liquid diet to know what "we all" are going through. What's even more excitng is that I coupled it with a nice cold glass of peach-mango green tea crystal light and I'll leave the details to the reaction I had to your imagination. Pure ecstacy I tell ya! When your hungry, you'll create anything to keep from going crazy. Lastly, I stepped on the scale this monring and in just 3 days, I have lost 13 pounds! I was like DAMN!!! (Excuse my language), but if I had discovered this ages ago, maybe every once in a while I would've done this as a kick start to a diet. I mean it really tests your will power and if you can make through this you should be able to make through any other diet out there! Agree? Not to mention, I'm in a moderate stage of ketosis, minus the bad breath or smell while urinating (sorry to be blunt, but hey we are all going throuhg some form of trial or tribualtion, plus we are all adults here). As always, I hope that you all are having great victories and meeting milestones in your Quest for whatever it is you may be seeking (i.e. health, vanity, or both). Me, I'm more about my health, I'm married so I guess working on my looks doesn't really matter anymore (LMFAO!!!). Don't tell my wife I said that! Have a great day everyone! V/r, DeShawn Johnson

Hello All, So I'm on my 3rd day of my liquid diet, and I have found what works for me to get thru the cravings. I have found taking my shakes at regular meal times, and maybe one in between and/or before bed curves my cravings to the point where I dont even notice that I'm on a liquid diet. I also found that eating vegtable, chicken, and beef bouillon curves my cravimgs too and if you put some hot sauce or jalapeno sauce it actually takes pretty good. Depending on what brand you get, it kind of reminds you of ramen noodles. Also, I've pounding the Water, but to mix it up I use crystal light, or drink another alternative. To my fellow diabetics, I usually took my insulin 3 times a day, but since I've started, over only had to take it once in the morning because my sugars have been between 90 & 100. I'm so excited! Never thought fighting for my health could be exciting at times. Hope you all are doing great ass well. See you tomorrow. Oh and thank you for ask your responses! You know who you are! V/r, DeShawn

Hello All, So I started my 14 day liquid diet with Chike! Meal Replacement shakes and I had a terrible headache all day leading to this morning, but I feel fine now. My doctor tells me that I can only have the shakes, coffee (black), unsweet tea, crystal light, and broth. His aim is for me to enter into ketosis. But my question is, how long will it take, and how has any one dealt with the consipation that comes with it? I'm taking Metamucil before each of my shakes, but I wonder why wouldn't he just put me on a high Protein, no/low carb, vegetable diet? Any advice or insight will help! Thank you, DeShawn Johnson

Banderama, Is the aim for your pre-op diet to get you into ketosis? If so, have you gotten into ketosis? How long did it take you to get into ketosis? DeShawn

Hello LapBand Talk, LapBanders, & Future LapBanders, My name is DeShawn and this is my first post here on LapBand talk! I am 30 years old, married with 3 kids. I'm a veteran of the US Army and now I'm a defense contractor. I've always been a big guy and losing weight has always been a troubling and not so fun task. When I graduated high school and decided to join the military, I was 315 lbs. and climbing. One day I mentioned joining the military to my best friends dad who was in the reserves and needed to drop a few pounds before his next PT test. So the next morning we met and started a year long journey of running 2 to 5 miles daily, along with push-ups, sit-up, jumping jacks, and other various military exercises. About a month into our routine, I saw minimal changes if that. A co-worker of mine mentioned to me that his son had lost a lot of weight by eating tuna fish (right out of the can) with mustard, and spinach (right out of the can), and drinking lots of Water. A month later I had lost an astonishing 20 pounds. By the time I entered the miltiary, I was weighing about 215 lbs. If my career wasn't hard enough dealing with deployments, it was even more stressful being concerned about being kicked out due to being on the "Fat Boy" program everytime I weighed in or took a PT test. I'd pass my tests with flying colors, but I was never able to make the weight of 205 and because of all the diets, diet pills, and working out 4 to 5 times a day, I would measure up for the tape test and would be over my body fat percentage. After deciding to get out after 4 years, when once I wanted to retire, I immediately became a full-time student, single parent of my first child, and working a full-time job. All the working out came to a screeching hault. Toppled with drinking, and eating anything I wanted overtime I eventually went from 225 lbs to my current wieght of 375 lbs. I am 6'2" so I carry it pretty well, but 2 years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and there was my wake-up call. As a contractor, I'm supposed to be able to deploy all over the world, but in order to do so, I have to be able to pass a medical exam, and with diabetes, I can't. So after fighting for two years and getting no where with weight watchers, south beach, or even slim fast, or Atkins, I turned to LapBand after my wife had done some research. It's a pleasure in advance to meet with some of you and I hope to give great advice as well as receive some great advice to/from fellow lapbanders and others on this site. V/r, DeShawn