PrettyThick1

Hey...not so glum chum! You can get back on the bandwagon and win this time! Find a good support group in your area and do the things you did before you started this journey - educate, educate, educate and go to a seminar if you need to, they aren't restricted just to people who haven't gotten the band yet. All you need is a bit of motivation, support and a few hugs. You can do this girl, think positive and make friends on this site. We are here for each other - near or far!

I love the way you phrased it: the band isn't turned on yet. You have made me feel so much better already!!!!

I am so very sorry dear heart! This is devastating and something that I worried about in the back of my mind during the entire ordeal. My job is "safe" but you just never know. Wow. I'm going to pray that he gets an even better job, with more benefits quickly - I don't know if you and your family are religious, but I do know that the God I serve doesn't close a door without having a greater on for you to enter. Yes, this is a setback and my heart breaks for you but please try to keep in mind that everything in life happens for a reason. We don't understand it and yes, it is hard to accept when things don't go our way but I have faith that your dad will get new job and you will get your band soon. Is there anyway to pay for COBRA for the next 30 days, just to get the procedure covered? You can worry about fills later, but for now see if COBRA is an option and if your band is covered under that policy, chances are it is. Keep us posted.

Yes, that's normal. It gets better.

Finally on the other side and I'm so very happy to be here. Although I felt like I'd made a mistake the first couple of days, I now realize my band is going to be my very best friend. I love not being hungry and seeing such rapid progress when I thought I would be one of the handful of people that the band won't help - I was wrong and so happy to say that I was. I love my band and I am already very happy I made this decision.

Good morning Bandsters! I really enjoy reading your posts and have one tiny request - I like to try to guage how much people have lost and how long it took them to lose it. There is no perfect science to this, but if you could all add your surgery ticker and update your weight loss/BMI tickers regularly that would be awesome! Thanks and keep up the good work...it would be nice to know how much we have all lost as a group. TONS UPON TONS I'm sure . Gwen

Tomorrow is the big day for me! Where did the time go? Surgery day advice, please! Thanks everyone!!

Awesome! It will be nice to keep in touch with you, we can offer each other encouragement...well, this site is famous for that anyway.

I have gotten 90% positive reactions when I tell people about my decision to get the band. Yes, some people are just nosey and I see no harm in telling them. Besides that, True Results has "hired" me as a part-time employee to "recruit" other bandsters. I have to be honest, the money involved is GGGGRRRREEEEEAAAAATTTTT!!! So if you tell you story and the person goes through with it - you could be $500 - $1,000 richer per person. Just a thought. Most of the overweight people I tell usually respond "wow...I want to do that, too..."

You could blame it on your thyroid or galbladder, but my mother always warned us against telling "white lies" regarding our health and that of our family members. I would suggest just saying it's a personal health matter that requires diligence and attention. If they question how you seem to be melting away, let them know that your current health situation required you to make drastic changes in terms of eating and exercise. Don't say it's something that it's not...karma is a mofo and you don't want the thing you blame it on to manifest and actually become an issue.

I'm down to the wire and wondering if I should take the day off tomorrow, just to get myself together for my surgery on Wednesday. Did you work a full day the day before your surgery?

I have huge arms that have plagued me my entire life. I'm worried that not even the band is going to get rid of them. Where did you start to lose your weight first? If you had huge arms, how long did it take for them to start to decrease? Are they a normal size now? Date you were banded: Weight before: Current Weight: My surgery is in 2 days and I'm trying to think of all of the questions I haven't asked already or have been able to find the answers to in this forum already. Thanks in advance! GG

Way to go!!!! Thanks for the morning inspiration...I hope I feel the same way you all do and am motivated to exercise soon.

All you have left to do now is schedule your surgery, attend your preop appointment and one last set of blood work. Unless they do you like me and require a sleep study - but isn't going to delay my procedure. I'm scheduled for next Wednesday...time really flies!!! GG

You will meet your surgeon and he will explain how the band works (we all know that by now) and things to do and things you should avoid. It's basically a meet and greet so you will be familiar with him or her and their staff. Blood work is drawn and you will probably meet with a counselor. The total time spent on my preop meeting was about 1.5 hours.

SF Jello is my life saver! Love the stuff, it satisfies my late night snacking habit and it's filling.

My surgeon is smokin' hot, too - and funny!

Wow...I finally figured out how to post a picture to my profile. Gawd, that was simple and I feel kinda silly now because it took me so long to figure it out. LOL

Wow...I've been on my preop diet for a week, I've only had 2 minor slips during that time but I still haven't lost any weight. I'm worried my surgeon will cancel my surgery. Who else has been in this boat and what was the outcome? Thanks, Gwen

This is a great thread! I love seeing how little it takes to fill up! I'm not a big eater, which is part of the reason I am overweight - I'm always in starvation mode. But if I can just manage to do these little things over the course of the day I should be okay. Its just weird that I don't eat much now, but I'm keeping the weight on. This worries me a bit, because if I can't change the frequency of when I eat the band isn't going to help me. Sigh...

I like browsing before and after pics and have one tiny request of you...please include a date and if possible the weight you were in your photos. I am a fan of seeing progress and this would be great if everyone would do it.