foodfriend

On one of the pre-band posts, the person said they were afraid to loose their love of food. Two weeks post band, I am happy to say that while my hunger is gone, I have a new freedom to express my love of food. Before my love of food was over shadowed by my love of eating (two entirely different things. Now, with only eating a 1/2 cup with meals, I am making sure that 1/2 cup is the best it possibly can be. In fact, my wife has complained, that what I am eating tastes better, than what the family is being served so I took pity on her and I currently have a large crock pot of Chili Verde that has been simmering all afternoon, my family will eat it over rice, I will eat it alone.
Two often, I believe that we confuse quantity with quality.

This is my first post, but here goes. My first meeting with my Dr was in November 2011, I did everything they wanted..all the testing, scopes, mental evals etc. I went to my last Dr visit before surgery in early April, I was sooo excited!! I would be setting my surgery date on my next visit for pre op!! Then on April 29 my family & I were t-boned coming home from a birthday party. Thankfully my daughter & husband walked away with minor injuries, my son was hurt horribly..air lifted away from us all, but is doing super now!! Myself, well I broke all my ribs on my left side & a few other breaks, cuts etc. when I came to in the hospital a day or two later all I could do was think about "what about my surgery!".. & of couse my son!! I cried a lot!! I called my Drs office & let them know that it would be on hold for a bit, my nurse actually cried with me on the phone that day. Fast forward 8 months...we are all healed up & I got my surgery date!!! January 29th!!!! I can't wait, I'm so ready for this! This site was a real help to me while healing from our accident it kept me hopeful & I can't wait to see what the future holds!! Oh..& go NOTRE DAME!!!!

I was a stuff and swallow person too, that was my biggest challenge. I was also someone who drank a lot of fluids at meals... so I get this. It is like a zen meditation! I was told to sing the ABCs in my head while I chewed, totally helped!

This is day 2 of my pre-op diet and I'm hungry..not gonna lie about that. I'm also dealing with very bad arthritis in my right knee and not allowed to take any more anti-inflammatory meds because they thin the blood. So...I'm hungry and am in pretty bad pain...not a good combo. But...I did this to myself by letting the weight pile on and make my situation that much worse. My primary goal is not to look better, but to be more mobile and in less pain. I will still need a knee replacement but at least after weight loss, I should have a better outcome. My orthopedist told me in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't do well without losing weight first. I want to be able to walk without a cane again and to make it more than a block before having to stop and sit. I'm only 54 but I feel like I'm 90. I want to travel again, to sit on the floor with my granddaughter and play with her...or to ride a bike with her...all the things people take for granted unless they can't do them. That's what I'm trying to focus on instead of not being able to eat a half a box of Pasta at a single sitting.... Anyone on this thread in the NYC area? I'm having my surgery at NYU...I was supposed to do this in November, but Hurricane Sandy closed the hospital for all this time and I wanted to wait until it was back up and running.

Best wishes to you too, Onamission and all the rest of you as well! My date is Jan15. I started my two week liquid diet today. I have been trying to get my insurance approval for a year so I understand what you mean about patience! Been kinda hungry today--- just trying to hold on to the thought that two weeks from today my surgery will be over by now! I'm anxious to hear all about all of your journeys.

I'm January 24th I'm excited nervous and anxious. Good luck everyone.

I am scheduled for Jan 31. I have been approve since Oct but wanted to wait until after the holidays as I did some traveling and have two small girls and a lot of Santa responsibilities!

Yay January 2013! My journey started in October so this actually seems like a whirlwind for me. Luckily had been thinking about it for a long time before. My date is January 9, and I'm super excited and nervous. I hadn't really thought about all the steps of this journey until recently: pre-op, op, post-op, fills, losing, and, finally, maintenance. It all seemed so impossible--I kept wondering if I could even lose weight, or if there was no way I could ever be thinner (just paranoia I know). But now, on day 7 of my pre-op diet I'm down 8.8 pounds, which seems like a miracle. And now I know I can do it because I am. And that certainty in myself a bigger gift than the weight loss. Being able to believe myself is what will get me through all the ups and downs this journey will have.
Good luck to us all. 2013 is our year!

My surgery date is 1/11. I'm getting excited, but also a little nervous...2013 is going to be a great year for all of us!!

My surgery date is 1/14. I'm nervous and wishing it was all over. Good luck to all of us...hope everyone's surgery goes well.

Hello folks........Heading in on Thursday - Jan 3rd - for the lap band......mixture of emotions at this point but overall, I am excited at the prospect of a skinnier me!
Wishing you all the very best not only for 2013 but also in your weight loss journey!

My surgery date is Jan 9/13 . Today is the first day of my pre-op diet. Best wishes to everyone else!

Hello,
I have also read many many threads on this site, I have gathered so much info its incredible.
I am scheduled for Jan the 29th, 2013. When I get nervous, I come here for support.
Everyone of you have helped in one way or another.
I hope that evryone has a safe and happy new year.
Daron

Happy New Year from Germany! To those like me who have January 2013 dates to be banded...my prayers to you for a successful surgery and a new YOU!
For those waiting on approvals or just to make up your mind...YOU WILL GET THERE...JUST HOLD ON. I have patience, but truly learned patience waiting on those little green people at the insurance company to say YES!
Speak positive, stay positive, be positive. If you know God...PRAY. He will see each of you thru this journey. I've read many posts and I have laughed, cried, gotten mad, sympatized and rejoiced with many of you through your expressions on LBT. And you have encouraged me to continue to move forward toward my goal.
Success in 2013 to each of you.
:-)

Very inspiring! I hope to brag someday.

I have very fine hair but eniugh of it,,,,and although I was 50 at the time of surgery I didn't experience e any loss. I did however take Biotin for the first year so I dont know if it was the Biotin or genetics that let me keep my hair.< /p>
As for the sags... I just had my Tummy Tuck and breast aug/lift a about 11 days ago... Something. I never thought I would do.... So far loving the results!!!

Best of luck on your surgery. I had my surgery two years ago and and have never regretted it. The amazing part of my journey is my how I feel about food and eating now. Before I totally loved eating and the comfort I received from it. Now, eating is not a joy anymore, because it can be very uncomfortable with my band restrictions.
Now I eat because I have to, not just for the joy of it. To be a " normal" size and healthy is worth it. I am off of bp meds and 70 lbs less. I love it!!!

Hi. So happy to see forum for women in fifties. I am 55, will be banded tomorrow. Am pretty nervous, but desperate to use band as tool to restart second half of my life. Have 95 lbs to lose (my goal, not my doctor's) so I stop feeling like an old woman, and have more confidence in my life. I too have an incredible husband, so lucky there. I just cannot imagine how I will fill the space food has taken up in my life, but am determined to try. Would love to hear positive stories from other 50+ women.
Best wishes!

Twenty years ago i was on a liquid diet where I lost a crazy amout of weight in like 8 months... Well over 100 lbs. Then my gall bladder went into overdrive and started producing toxic something or other and I had to have emergency surgery to remove it. The dr said he is 100% sure it was my rapid weight loss which induced the problem... So I would think it would make sense that if people lose weight quickly with the band or other WLS the gall bladder might be a problem. But of course it may not happen to everyone.

A nutritionist.

I know I need to discuss this with my surgeons office, but I was wondering if you guys had an idea....
I've had bad Migraines my entire life, and artificial sweeteners are big triggers for me. No Crystal Light, no sugar free Popsicles, etc. How will I make the Pre-op diet work?

I had both procedures done last Friday. So far so good for me!

I had both surgeries at the same time. My surgeon is both a bariatric and genral- so he does both surgeries. My surgeon explaned what they did to me and basically he fixed the hernia where it will not redevelop and the way he sews the lapband in that should not be a problem either.
Most people who are obese have a hiatal hernia- very common.