joe7777

I don't think i had a last straw, but I think the fact that i'm not even 20, can't shop in 'normal' clothing stores, am 100+ lbs overweight, have not been normal weight since i've been 10-12. I guess, i know this is the only way i can take control i started looking up RNY (i didnt know about LB) and then found LB, it clicked. I then found this site and was SURE i wanted to do this. So then got a consult, and in less than 1 month, my operation!!

I wrote everything that was on the paper for my pre-op diet, cottage cheese sucks so this will be a bad week for me, this diet is in no way a lesser version of the opti-fast, I even talked to the consulter about it. I thought i would do the opti-fast but she recommended this over the opti fast, from what they have seen this works better. now that i read it it is funny that you are allowed salt and spices, but honestly, what would you use them for??? salt in yogurt hahahaha. So ill probably eat a lot of yogurt, maybe try some cottage cheese, drink lots of water and pray for the 10 days to be over.

I am being banded at the tlbc and this is their pre-op diet recommendation, remember...the reason that you do this is not necessarily to lose weight, it is to shrink your liver, you want to make it as easy as possible for the surgeon to have access to your stomach. The TLBC says this diet works best and it's cheap. For me its 10 days *quantities are not specified, you can have as much as you need of the following items. You may also have foods that have negligible caloric or nutritional value such as the following: coffee, tea, diet drinks(crystal light), sugar free jell-o and salt & spices. This is the diet Cottage cheese -choose low fat or non fat varieties Yogurt -Opt for low fat or non fat yogurt. Flavored yogurts are acceptable, as long as they are artificially sweetened Milk -Drink 1% or Skim, flavored or sweetened milk is NOT a recommended option Water -make sure you drink a minimum of 1.5 liters a day. Hope this helps you. Financially, its cheaper. And it works, its time tested on TLBC patients.

Yeah, congratulations!!!!

SO....Whats every may bander's goal here. What is something that you want to do that you arent able to yet!! Then if you ever reach that goal you can always check this site out and see how long ago you posted and such. 1) I want to be able to buy clothes in a normal store 2) Run either a 5K or 10K in a ok time, something decent 3) I want to have a waist measurement in the 30's Goal 1 & 3 kind of go hand in hand...but whatever.

Alright that is cool, yeah, i will be doing lots of weight training, another bonus of weight training is it boosts your resting metabolic rate. And yeah, i dont like weight measurements, or BMI either, i'm more about body fat percentage. Because weight doesnt discriminate fat or muscle and BMI either. I don't care to weigh a lot if its all muscle.

well...it's not something everyone does, but i wanted to, that way i can TRULY know my progress, how well i'm doing as for 5 measurements, chest, arms, waist, hips, calfs. Also, i got a body fat analysis to know what my target weight is, i did it at a goodlife gym. And for the physical, it's to know how well i improve on my blood pressure, blood sugars as well as cholesterol. That way i actually have numbers telling me how i changed things around. And i will try to document the progress well through photos, take some before photos, after the pre-op diet, and at regular intervals.

Yeah, all the 'old-timers' all have amazing results! I even starting talking via MSN to a younger lap bander that i met through this site, his transformation is incredible, and he very much reminds me of myself, it's nice to see someone with whom you can relate to. Although on some level, everyone here relates to eachother.

Right on, by the way, i really appreciate your posts, This is the best forum ever, all the people who have had it done are such an inspiration!! I especially like seing the men on this site (im a guy, that way i can relate) kinda like neal and what he has done. But yeah, EVERYONE is so great. Thanks for everything yoda!

my mom! Her name is lucie cote, if you recognize her or anything, and strike up a conversation i'm sure she'd appreciate it, especially from someone who has had it done! I'll probably the youngest person in there that day (19).

eeeek, yeah the pre-op diet is where i'm scared. I will have to do the yogourt/cottage cheese thing for 10 days....I will stick to it for my health and for my surgery to go better, but DAMMMMNNNNN, i think its probably going to be the hardest thing EVER. If i had ANY control on food i wouldnt be this fat!

12 noon, i had option for 9:30 or something earlier like that, but i chose noon

I don't know how you did it, well...maybe if its paid for you it's worth it (vs. paying 16000$ out of pocket). But i had a consult on april 5th and my surgery is may 4th and it seems like an ETERNITY. I CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm confident in my choice with the TLBC, and after the experience i hope i will still be happy with them (i have a feeling i will). As for the TCC i agree with doddie, they don't seem to par with the others.

great article, nice find!! Being a health science student, I can appreciate a medical journal article. And i love that fact that it has good things to say of the lap-band. It eases my mind for my surgery coming soon.

Today i went to a gym to get a base reference for my progress on the lap band, i got my circumferences taken, body fat% and BP. I also set up a physical for later to get my sugars, cholesterol... But yeah, when I got the results i was NOT surprised, It says that i weigh nearly 200lbs in lean body mass....therefore a good weight for me would be 210-220. My parents always told me that I should be around 160...i KNEW i could never do that, it is ludicrous, i would have to lose bone density and muscle tissue...I am built big and now this report proves it! Obviously being big doesnt account for 100+ extra pounds of fat, but still... CANT WAIT FOR MAY 4th!!!!!!!!!

It's funny To see everyone write 2 clinics in toronto, both clinics...etc. But there are 3!!!! The TCC (toronto cosmetic clinic) offers the lap-band for 1000$ less than the other 2. It was the first place i booked a consult, but ended up cancelling it because 1. Their website had weak information, no pre-op diet, no post op care... etc. 2. No one, NOT ONE PERSON, on this board has been done by them, and very few even know them. 3. I like the fact that TLBC SPECIALIZES in lap band, like yoda's thread (i think) was saying, tcc does cosmetic vagina operations...come on. But yeah, just throwing it out there, there is another option.

May 4th TLBC

I just hope everything goes well...but yeah, you have to know what the worst can be, and if i can prevent the worst from happening, i will try my hardest.

where did you get it done?

Ok, when i was doing my consult, i was asking about complications. Now they tell me that there is erosion, slippage.... They tell me its very low. When I ask what the doctor's rate is, it's almost like they got offended. She told me that it is the PATIENT'S fault if there is slippage and erosion. (I don't want to offend anyone, if you've had it removed and it's not your fault, this statement is probably upsetting). She said that it happens to people who don't follow the post-op diets and such. What do you guys have to say?

May 4 is mine, pretty excited.

yeah, i was talking to nisrene at my consult yesterday, and looks like i'll have to drive everytime i need to get a fill. She told me they were looking to train a nurse to do it in the region...but for the time being, i'd rather see the pros, Plus i guess 4 hrs aint THAT bad...but still....for the first year ill have to go like 5-6 times....so that will not be too fun.

I am also just booked. I am going in May 4th. I have exams and i was looking for anything after the 25th...I guess you are the one who'se in that spot lol. Still....very excited!

Hey, to everyone here (especially gaffer since in his post he said he did it). Where do you get analyzed for body fat and such. I really want to detail my experience, i want the whole 9 yards, I want to know once i do this how many inches i lose, and body fat, and BMI and such... Don't get me wrong, in a case like Me BMI is a good tool for obesity, because i can say i have muscle and all that, but i dont have 150lbs of muscle lol. But i'm not a big fan of weight and BMI. Obviously if i have 180lbs of lean tissue...i could never weigh under 180...so i want a good idea for goal weight and also..i want to know how much FAT i'm losing, not just weight.