JudiM

Hey all....Our group is growing and growing! Can't wait until we are all shrinking and shrinking together!!! It IS going to happen!!! So wonderful to "meet" all of my fellow Crazy Ates! I'm headed to the beach in the morning.....our 18th trip to the Outer Banks. As I think about it...I realize that I've sat on that very same beach for 18 years....and each time I was a different size!!! Just another reason *WHY* this surgery makes sense! I'm taking my laptop along....I may need some major support when I start the liquid pre-op on August 1. I'm counting on you all to get me through it.....get those encouraging words ready!!! Before that, I'm not sure if I'll be checking in....I may be busy taking advantage of the days that I'm eating and drinking like the rest of our vacation group. And, most importantly---I wanted to send out a BIG "GOOD LUCK" to all those Crazy Ates who will be banded while I am gone (coming home August 5). I'll be thinking of you and sending good wishes across the sand, the surf, the sun, the stars, the highways and the biways! We're in the home stretch partners.....we're headed to the place were we belong.....BIKINI LAND.....LOL!!!! This year, I may let someone actually take a pix of me in my bathing suit....what a great BEFORE picture that would make! Any picture after that would make for a great AFTER picture!!! Best of luck to everyone....pre-op, during the op and post-op!!! We're all in this together.....! Last fat vacation....here I come!!!:car::eek::car: Judi

bump BUMP BUMP BUMPThanks!!!

Yep, I hear ya......! No biggie! I am just a natural born idea person with creative energy that oozes sometimes! So, I throw out a lot of ideas. Realistically, I don't expect that any or all of them are even worth a second thought!!! In fact, statistically speaking, probably only 25% of my ideas ever turn into realities. But, when I look around, *my* 25% accounts for 90% of the ideas that are in use in my home and my office. Even if they just inspire someone or make someone laugh or spark another idea, that's my contribution to making the world spin just a little faster that day!!! Great ideas have to come from somewhere...right??? Maybe it's a sickness. But, I just can't enter a room or join group without my mind starting to think of things! So, even if my ideas do not move past the idea stage in it's original form, I like the notion that maybe it meant something to someone somewhere. In addition to my obsession with idea-sharing, I just love to organize everything (except for my drawers and my purse)......LOL!!! Put it all together and I guess I can make someone's head hurt!!!! Hope you're feeling better now....!!! No need to commit to anything but staying well and smiling......!!!

Thanks all for taking the time to respond! Honestly, when I started thinking about this....I was feeling very guilty! Here I am getting a lap band put on and I'm wondering if I can take diet pills too!! But, after I got the courage to bring it up here and didn't get browbeaten over it or lectured about it (instead, I got responses from like-minded people), I brought it up to 2 colleague/ friends that I was having dinner with this evening just to see if I got an *ARE YOU CRAZY?" response. One of them is a holistic practitioner and massage therapist who has a very successful practice in a very trendy section of town. The other is currently a drug and alcohol counselor in a clinical setting but has over 20 years experience working with individuals with eating disorders on a college campus. I thought they would be a good audience to discuss it with. When I explained the 2 week liquid pre-op diet, both of them said that they would *expect* the doctor to suggest options to help us "get through" that period. And, they would *expect* that one of the options presented would be medication that they would prescribe (instead of OTC meds). Naturally, my holistic practitioner friend had many other ideas of things I should try first....things like acupuncture, hypnosis, some kind of 'energy point' therapy, etc. She would never recommend medications as a first route anyhow! But, both of them said that their expectation is that the dr would offer options/suggestions to help patients like us who have had issues with food/eating/control to get through these liquid phases. And, further, they both had a strong feeling that a high percentage of Lap Banders do use some type of "intervention" to help them during at least the pre-op stage. Since I have never seen any discussions about this on the board here (my main source of interactions with other banders), I am not so sure this is true. But, I can't say for sure. Now, both of these women admit that they have no experience whatsoever with lap banders and in fact, I am the first lap bander that they know of. But, based on their professional backgrounds and knowledge, this is what they believe. It was a very enlightening discussion and also gave me a little more courage to bring it up when I have my pre-op appt on Tuesday. Naturally, I would not insult the dr and say "other professionals I talked to said that you should offer me some kind of help with this". But, I am now thinking it's not such a bad thing to say..."hey, I might really need some help here..." I mean if sheer willpower were enough...I wouldn't be sitting there talking to that doctor...right???? What do you think? Is there anyone else out there who did/does use prescription appetite suppressants either pre or post lap band??? Is it bold for me to expect people to admit to it? Or, is it just so rare that no one ever does it?? Or maybe people are embarrassed to admit it? Or, is it dangerous and I just don't know that? Just wondering.....

Hi all!!!I'm so glad I'm not the only one with this thought!!! Hopefully, we'll have a few more people like Marion who have used the appetite suppresants with success and can share their experiences (good and bad). This would be so helpful. Marion--congrats on your great success!!! I'm interested to know what appetite suppressants you use....OTC or prescription? If they are prescription, is your WLS dr giving you the presecrip? If they are OTC....is there a particular one that is working for you? Also, does your WLS know about it and okay with it? From what I recall, the meds I was on really did boost my energy!!! Never vaccumed at 4 am but I know I would stay up pretty late......! I hope to see this thread continue!!! Thanks all!!! Judi

Hey Crazy Ates...... It's time to jump start our activity calendar! Please sign up for the activity that you would like to lead.....first one to sign up gets the job! And, each leader can set up the rules, the times, the deadlines, the process. In other words....they will run the show! Instead of replying to this post...just start a thread with the heading of the activity you plan to head up! I'll try to keep us all on task....with a gentle hand and the knowledge that we all have lives......!!!!! Also, I volunteer to do a newsletter for our group to keep everyone updated on what's up with the Crazy Ates. Sunday Night "Drinking Sessions"---a chance for all of us to consume our liquids together, to salute our team mates that will be banded that week and to give strength and support to those of us on liquid diets! Sessions begin as soon as the leader decides! Idea--maybe a chat session....leader can decide. Facebook (or other social networking site) Chair--set up a page for our group to post pictures, leave messages, post announcements or whatever else we can do there......! Sunshiners---announce who will be banded that week and be sure to check in with them via private messages. Birthday Wishing--Collect team mate birthdays and offer opportunities to Celebrate their day.....even if it's listing them each month! Calendar Keeper--send out announcements on what activities are happening with the dates, times, etc. Exercise Challenges--come up with the challenges, the goals, etc. and keep keep tabs on progress, etc. WLS Joke Book--solicit jokes, funny stories and other not-so-serious aspects of WLS and share them periodically Membership Chair--find new members who may not have found us! Welcome Wagon--Welcome new members Recipe Book---collect recipes/share recipes, maybe put together a monthly/bi monthly recipe collection Award Chair--come up with the award categories and decide how the awards will be awarded Social Chair--decide on and coordinate social events...online or in regions or however you want! Maybe we can have a mixer with another group. Oh, hey...a Lap Dance might be fun.....:eyebrows: Life Expansion Chair--expand the horizons of your team mates...suggest web sites, books, vacation spots, magazines, TV shows..... Get to Know You Chair--post questions designed to get to know others in our group (not looking for real personal info....maybe things like....what's your Astrological Sign? what's your favorite color? ....) AWOL Finder Chair--hunt down team members that may have gone AWOL. What have I forgot???? Feel free to come up with your own and appoint yourself the leader!!!!

Not from the Eastern part of the state.....from Pittsburgh. Good luck to all PA Lap Banders!!! You've got a friend in Pennsylvania (with a LapBand)!!!!!

JudiM August 10, 2007

:drum:Hey August Banders.....become a Crazy Ate! Come join us in the monthly groups! We're waiting for you. There's no initiation and we don't even require shoes and a shirt!!!! :clap2: Join in the fun and sharing as we make our way to August! It's a place where you can be yourself, be someone else or maybe even *become* someone else! Heck, you can even bring your old Aunt Betsy if you want! Come to think of it, Uncle Fred is more than welcome too!!! :hippie: Be sure to bring along your smile, your sense of humor and please wear a *CRAZY HAT* when you come so we can recognize that you're ONE OF US!!!! :peace: We're making lots of plans so don't miss the fun!!! :clap2:

Pickle....check the next post "....banner"....I have directions there. I hate to send you somewhere else but the reason why I can't tell you here is that I forgot how to do it!!! So, no need to apologize for being slow! It appears I have a limited capacity to retain information!!!! Hope it works for you....!

Hi all.... I haven't seen this topic discussed. If so, forgive the redundancy....I must have missed it. Being less than a month away from banding, I find myself concerned as I read all of the posts about the real hunger that people are dealing with during the liquid stages....pre-op and post-op. It got me to thinking about the prescription "diet"/appetite suppressant pills I was taking while on a medically supervised diet. (Being the " big time dieter" that I am....LOL!) I believe they were Ionamin (sp?). They really did suppress my appetite and kept my mind off of food. I did loose a great deal of weight on the program....only to regain it plus quite a bit more once I stopped (story of our lives, I know!). In my case, the expense of the program and the cost of the meds and the constant appointments required during the week (work hours) made it prohibitive to continue. These were prescription drugs that I got through the doctor. But, I know that there are many OTC meds that tout themselves as appetite suppressants as well. In the past, I had tried several (not sure if any of the ones I used are still on the market). But, I never really did any one of them long enough to champion a particular one. In any case, during the pre-op stage when you are not banded and during the post-op stage when you are not restricted, appetite suppressants may be very helpful to get through those really rough Patches. There may be the issue to taking the pills (swallowing) once the band is on....not sure if they can be crushed or if they would be as effective crushed. Never heard of a liquid diet drug. But, who knows. Anyway, on one hand, I can understand why doctors would not suggest it. On the other hand, I wonder if it's ever an option. Maybe even suggesting it to a WLS surgeon would be cause to kick us out of his/her office...dont' know! Anyone have any thoughts/experiences with this? It would be interesting to hear..... Thanks! Judi

Tulips (and anyone else plauged with uncertainty and wrestling with their decision)...... There is NOTHING wrong with what you are feeling or the questions in your mind! All of us know the anxiety and the uncertainty associated with big decisions in life....lapbanding being one of them! And, sadly, we know all too well the misery of failure.....or, more aptly...*ANOTHER DIET FAILURE*!!! :phanvan I wish I could ease some of that for you and tell you exactly what you need to hear to bring you some peace with whatever decision you make. For some people, there is that "magic moment" that speaks to them and guides them to a decision. For others, their decision was made for them (which can happen in a variety of ways) or they found themselves faced with a crossroad in their lives and needed to make a choice. And, there are others who could not explain what brought them to their decision yet could tell you that it was the right one! As for me, the only things I can share with you is what I believe to be true and the feelings that I have. :decision: As I see it..... what we all have in common is that somewhere in all of this, we had an opportunity. Just like all of the opportunities we are presented with in life....we can take it or not. Opportuniteis come with no guarantees. No 100% certainties. No get out of jail free cards. This surgery is just that.....an opportunity to find a new and possibly better and more long lasting way to overcome our challenges with food so that we could live the happier, healthier lives we deserve. And, it comes with no promises that it will be easy or painless! For me...what it came down to is this...I had to find a way to put food in it's proper place in my life. It's not my enemy, it's not my best friend and it's certainly not worth all of the feelings and anguish that it has caused in my life! Putting myself in control of food has always been the goal that alluded me. A smart, educated girl like me....I couldn't fight a bowl of Pasta and meatballs to save my life!!!!:hungry::faint: Even when I'm on a "diet"....food controls me! If that education taught me anything, I knew that once I could stop food from controlling me......the benefits of better health, higher self esteem will follow. Simple! Right??? NOT SO FAST!!! Facing the fact that the only way for *ME* to control food was to restrict my consumption of it in a physical way was the path that took me to considering this surgery. It's like this...common sense tells us that the larger the glass...the more Water it will take to fill it. So, the key is to get a smaller glass. A whole new way of thinking about it! Once I began to think of it that way....it was a no brainer.:violin: That's my "song" and I'm sticking to it....LOL!!!! Sometimes it just takes another way of looking at things. Sometimes it just takes a little more time. Whatever you choose Tulips.....good luck! We'd love for you to stay with us Crazy Ates!!! You are among friends and kindred spirits....! :cheer2: Judi

Hi Faith..... I've been trying to reduce the size....not having lots of luck yet. And, I will work on my signature to reduce it as well. Although I work at a university that is considered the Mecca of Technology and my son is getting his PhD in Human Computer Interaction, I have not "absorbed" (the only way I'd learn it all!) much more than the very basic computer skills! I'll keep trying..... Thanks!!!!

It's NOT gorgeous but it works......!

Well, it's NOT the most beautiful but it works!!! Here's what you do.....copy the link in the first post then go to the "User Control Panel" to edit your signature....you choose "insert link" and copy the URL into the pop up (Control "V").....you may need to play around with the size and your sig line if it goes over 10 lines. If anyone wants to edit the banner....feel free. I was less concerned about the look of it and more concerned about figuring it out. There ya go......

Okay.....looks like I figured it out....choose "insert a link"....copy and paste the above link into that....it should go in your signature I'm thinking....I'm going to try that now....

<">http://[url="http://www.123glitter.com/"][/url] <

Nope, that doesn't work.....gotta try again......

<a href="http://www.123glitter.com"><img src="http://www.123glitter.com/free-glitter/freeglitter6/1941916506205522100707.gif" width="470" height="85" border="0" alt="Myspace Graphics"></a><br><

Oh, I hope you don't have to move to September....now that you're here, we feel like you belong to our group Pickle!!! I'm in a similiar boat as you.....going on vacation July19-August 5 and being banded on August 10! (I'm also 48!) Because I work in higher education, I can't move my date unless I go to December....after all of this...NO WAY. I was hoping for a late June or early July date but that didn't work out. (even though it would have worked out great for my schedule, I wouldn't have had the great gift of being with all the wonderful August banders in this group!) So, I guess it's going to be a full liquid vacation....at least the second week of it! And, I don't think that means a full week of drinks with little umbrellas in them!!! :cocktail: Hmmm....maybe if I add some Protein.....ha!ha! Oh, and since one of the purposes of the full liquids is to get your liver in shape....I'm pretty sure they would be off limits.....:think! In any case....I was one of the posters who said that I NEVER thought I would have WLS...! Never even entered into my life plan....! Just goes to show that you never know what's around the next corner!!! :omg: By the way....if you're in Hampton VA.....I'll be waving at you as I pass by on my way to the Outer Banks on July 19. Been going there for 18 years....love that place! And, my bestest friend in the world lives in Hampton, VA (well, actually Chesapeake...close enough). Good luck to us all!!! I hope you stay in our group, Picklebritches!

Well, not that I am the OFFICIAL DECISION MAKER here.......LOL!!!! But, just like my regular life persona.....I'll appoint myself! :yo:And, considering that I started the group (did the first post).....I'll dub myself the "Founding Mother"........! :rolleyes:rolleyes Hmmmm.......what do they say...if the shoe fits, wear it? As for the banner.....I love that idea! But, not sure how they do that! That will be my mission for today (in addition to my regular job...where I appointed myself "QUEEN"....) Judi

I'm sooooo thrilled to have so many fun, creative, energetic and beautiful people to share this life changing time with! Wow! Who knew that August 2007 would be THE MONTH that we would find new friends and begin a new life....all because of a little band that we are all having placed on our tummy????? It's just one of life's pleasant surprises! I like all of the name suggestions for our group.......they are all great! The other day I was thinking about August being "8" and got a kick out of the fact that it could also be "ATE".....as in "I ate too much"...... ...I guess you had to be there....

Hi August Band Buddies! I'm so happy we have *this place* to come and "discuss" how we are feeling and what's going on. In as much as I can't wait to start sharing success stories, I think that sharing our feelings (with people who understand and who are going through the very same steps) during these days and weeks leading up to having the procedure are critical! Just knowing that others are having similar feelings is so comforting and reassuring! Up until now, the time and energy that I devoted to this journey was so much about getting through each step so that I could be approved and scheduled. For months, I had a very clear mission! My focus never strayed from it. Now that I accomplished that goal (thank GOD!), there's time to think. As much as I want to have this surgery, I do have "are you crazy Judi?" moments. Soon, they spiral into panic-anxiety terror attacks! Now, I don't have a lot of them. But, sometimes they just creep up on me. And, when they do....I feel like I can't be thinking about ME. It's like I am watching a movie about someone else! Having this surgery is not something I would have ever suspected I would do. Even as recent as 2 years ago, if anyone would have asked me if I would EVER have weight loss surgery, I would have looked at them like they were CRAZY. And, even now, sometimes I get this weird feeling that I am not really going to do it. Probably because it feels so foreign to me. But then I pop back into the real world and realize that "yes, I am doing this". Between now and August 10 (my band date!), I have to get through several social events and our annual 2 week beach vacation. As my weight has increased, my desire to just stay home has increased as well! And, I am a very social person! Just goes to show how incredibly life altering weight can be! The thought of figuring out what to wear on a daily basis is bad enough! But, coming up with an outfit that doesn't scream "trying to hide my stomach" for social events is a little too much! And, of course, that's just a small piece of the problem! There's the BIG problem of the pre-op liquid diet.....starting the 2nd week I am on vacation! Yes, I know that gin and wine are liquids. And, of course, margaritas and all umbrella topped beach drinks fit that category. But, we all know what I am talking about....THE PRE-OP LIQUID DIET!!!! With that issue lurking in my brain, the problem of my bathing suit being the size of a beach umbrella gets shoved to the back burner! Of course, I suppose I could look at the liquid diet as a blessing....I won't have to worry about what I'll wear each night to a restaurant! I can just stay back at our beach house in my moo-moo and watch the waves hit the sand while I sip on a Protein laced margarita.....:eek: But, then, I guess I will have to think about how much fun I will have and how absolutely stunning I will look in my tent-like bathing suit as I lower my body into my beach chair......:faint: Keep the faith August Band buddies! I'm counting on *YOU* to help me keep mine!!!!

Hi August Band Gang.....:clap2: OOOH, the days are really going fast. Sometimes it's not fast enough! But, I try *NOT* to wish away time.... How wonderful to see everyone here!!!! How great! We are banding together! My date is August 10. My surgeon is Dr. Carol McCarthy, Magee Womens' Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA. SOOOO....what are everyone's plans between now and their Band-Day???

I will be banded in August....I started a thread for August banders on the Monthly Band board....it would be great to see everyone there! The more the merrier...right?