eyespy

I live in Pensacola and will be banded next month by Dr. Lord. It's nice to see so many local people on this website.

I seem to recall Dr. Lord mentioning at his seminar that he would not do fills for people who were banded in Mexico. Pensacola also has Baptist Hospital, which does WLS. In Santa Rosa County, which about 30-45 min east of Pensacola, there is a hospital there that does WLS--Santa Rosa Medical Center, I believe. You might call either of those places to ask about it.

I am just wondering how many of you out there no longer have acid reflux? I have been taking medicine for reflux since I was 24, and I am hopeful I can finally ditch the meds.

I find it interesting how different all the doctors are in their post-op diets. I will be on clear liquids for two weeks post-op. I can have two protein shakes/day beginning on day three. My surgeon counts apple, grape, or fruit juices as clear liquids. The nutritionist said that I could mix the protein shakes with soy milk. What I don't understand is that his gatric bypass students can begin introdcuing mushy foods on day three. Lucky bastards! Even if other doctors allow patients to begin with the mushy food sooner than mine, I plan to follow his to the "T". I am going through this major change, and I am going to make the most of it. I saw on previous threads--but too lazy too look back though old messages--that there is a protein powder you can mix with juice or broth and you can't taste it. Have any of you tried that? Also, I am curious about everyone else's supplement instructions. We are supposed to take chewable or liquid calcium citrate 4x/day for a total of 2000 mg/day. I am having trouble locating a source that isn't so expensice. We also are supposed to take chewable multivitamins 2x/day, 3000mcg of b-12/week, and vitamin C after the 2nd month. What about everyone else?

This is a good thread. I'm getting banded on July 16. I know it will be here soon, but it feels like so far away. How long is it before you can take a shower? Any good suggestions for Protein shakes? I have tried a few and they are really gross!

I'm very sorry for your loss. I started my 6 month weight loss plan last May and my father passed away the next month. This June will be one year, and I will be having my surgery in July. I think I probably gained weight, too, although I really didn't pay much attention. It was all I could do to just attend the sessions. I wasn’t in the mindset put for any effort. I just attended the appointment and that's about it, especially the first few months after my dad died. In fact, I kept going, but had decided not to have the surgery because my dad died unexpectedly from complications of open heart surgery, and I was very scared to go through surgery. He had his surgery at the same hospital where I will be having mine. I knew I might change my mind, so I kept going, and I did change my mind. That's why I'm having my surgery in July instead of June—a little superstitious. I thought I was going to be denied, not because of the results. In fact, just to give you a little encouragement, I asked my insurance people at the surgeon’s office if you could be denied based on the results, and they said no. What happened to me was that my August session was around the 28th. My next appointment was on October 1, which was a Monday. When the insurance people at the surgeon's office received my paperwork, they told me I would have to do the entire 6 months over because September's appt. was missing. They said that it had to be 30 days and that is was just a game with insurance people to make people give up. I was devastated. I don't work in the summer, so that is the perfect time for my surgery. I started my 6 month appts. over with a different doctor. My surgeon has a doctor that just does the weight loss programs. I called to find out if I would be able to complete the 6 months and get the paperwork in on time for a Dec. surgery and I spoke to a different insurance person in the office who told me she actually holding my approval letter in her hand!! She decided to send in my paperwork and see. The other person didn't want to because she said if you get a rejection, it's even harder to get it approved the next time. So, except for the stress of it all, it worked out. I think as long as you meet all of the criteria, everything will be fine. (I have BCBS FL.) Good luck with everything, and again, I am so sorry about your dad. Alysa

Hi all. It's been about a year since I've been on the boards. My dad had open heart suregery and died from a complication last June. I had just started my 6 months weight loss program the month before. I just needed time away for a while. Glad to see some familiar names still around. I just got my surgery date scheduled today for July 16. It has been a roller coaster until this point. They told me I was going to have to do my entire 6 months study again because of a technicality with the date of one of my doctor visits. Fortunately, they went ahead and sent the paperwork to my insurance company and it was approved! It's hard to get back in the mind set of having the surgery. When I was orginally scheduled for the summer, I had been mentally preparing for it, but when I thought it was going to be in December instead, I wasn't as focused on it. Now I am back to examining the foods I am eating now and wondering if they will be good choices after the band and practicing chewing everything really well. I think the hardest thing is going to be eating without drinking anything! Any advice for how to prepare for the first few weeks after surgery? I look forward to being back on this board. Alysa

Well, Gang. I need to ask for your prayers. My father went in today for a heart cath. after a stress test. He had been to the ER last week, and everything--3 EKG's, cardiac blood tests--came back normal. The stress test was to rule out any heart issues. They thought it was his acid reflux. Well, they found that he had 60-90% blockage in all three major arteries and in additional blood vessels. They are doing bypass surgery on him tomorrow. I asked how many, and the doctor stated counting, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5 . . . We won't really know until we get in there." It is a miracle that he hasn't had a heart attack. The doctor said that his heart is strong, and that is the best prognosis going into the surgery. I am doing amazingly well. I get really calm in stressful situations, so I am not freaking out or anything. I know they do these surgeries all the time with great success. I will update tomorrow or the next days. Just please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers. Alysa

Has anyone had a c-section after getting the lap-band. It is possible? Is the port at all in the way? (I haven't been banded yet, so I only have a general idea of where the port would be located.) Just curious.

I know I should be exercising. In fact, I'm not one of those who hates exercise. When I get in the grove, I like it. I'm in that weird place where I have low energy and I feel too tired to exercise. I know that I would feel better and have more energy if I did, but I can't seem to make myself do it. Of course if we all did what we know we should instead what feels better, none of us would need the surgery! I asked my mom to start walking with me when she gets over her bronchitis. I was doing a little yoga. Maybe this will motivate me. I would like to take a belly dancing class, but I'm not sure if there are any around here. I hear that belly dancing makes you feel sensual and gives you a good body image. I like dancing, but not in public. I'd be okay in a room full of women, though. I guess I'll check out my local parks department and see what's available. Has anyone ever joined a book club? A friend of my mom's does scrapbooking once/month. I think that would be a group of ladies a lot older than me, but I guess it would give me something to do. See, everything I like is girlie! JC, you do see a lot of "likes to travel and wine tasting" on those sites. I wonder how many responses I would get if I said, "I like to sit on the couch and watch tv, never leave my house, and binge on junk food." I think I also need to volunteer somewhere. Anybody do volunteering? My fantasy volunteer job would be working with overweight kids. I think that would help me get on the straight and narrow if I wanted to be an example. I don't think there are any programs here, but I've seen programs on news shows about those kind of programs. (Did I mention I like to watch tv?) Maybe I'll call the health department and see if they know of any programs around here.

JC, I agree. I am glad this thread is so active. Even when it's not, there's always another interesting thread to read somewhere. My question is this: What do you guys do for fun, aka, get a life? I am so boring. :bored I just mostly stay at home, garden, or watch tv. I feel like I'm wasting my singleness by not doing stuff, but I don't really have any idea of things to do. I'd like to get out there to maybe meet some guys, but all of the activities I could think of to do would only have gay guys!! (taking a stained glass class, for example) The other issue I am haivng is that I feel so fat that I am not comfortable going places. Nothing fits, and even when it does, I feel ugly. I've even stopped going to church lately. I have started my insurance required 6 months doctor supervised weight loss program (unsuccessfully), but if I can get started on that, I can lose some weight before my surgery, which will hopefully be in December right after Christmas. My only options on timing due to work travel is December or next summer. I don't think I could wait that long! If I go in December, I will have to tell my supervisor because I will probably not be able to travel at all in January. The surgeon said about a month. My suitcases can be heavy, and even though they're on wheels, I still have to lift them in and out of the car. Plus, a lot of the flights I take, we get off on the tarmack and sometimes you have to climb stairs. I could do that just fine, just not with the suitcases, probably. WHat do you think? Based on your healing experiences, do you think 2 or 3 weeks would be enough or do you think a whole month? The only healing is the incisions from the laproscopic equipment, right? Anyway, I got off topic, but what do you do to have a life? Alysa

Well, Denise, now we know why he was in the shadow in his picture! That is why I posted several pictures of myself. I want to give an accurate portrayal of myself so that there are no suprises! I think you can develop an attraction to somebody you didn't find attractive to begin with, but not really in a dating situation. I think if you see a guy on a regular basis like at work or church or something, you might change, but dating is just a weird thing in general. I met this guy that a friend wanted to set me up with. I told her to make sure she told him I was fat. I wasn't trying to be down on myself, but I am fat, and I couldn't bare to see a schoceked look on someone's face who was expecting someone thin. (For future set ups, I've decided giving someone my picture ahead of time is a better thing than announcing I am fat!) Anyway, we talked on the phone for hours at a time, and he wanted to go out right away. I wanted to wait a while--notice a pattern of my being overly cautious! After a couple of weeks, I agreed to go out with him because it was my birthday. Well, let me just say, there was ANTI-chemistry! It's not that he was an ugly guy. I mean, no one would look at him and think, "What and ugly guy." But, no one would probably notice him at all. I was not attracted to him. In fact, even though he was only 5 or 6 years older than me, he looked way older. I felt like people thought I was with an uncle. He was 34 and an aquaintance from my mom's church saw us out and told my mom I was on a date with a 49 year old guy! (I was 29 at the time. I don't think so!) Ayway to make this oh so long story short, I could not imagine kissing him. In fact, I thought, "don't even accidently touch me!" He must have felt the anti-chemistry too because he didn't ask me out again. I probably would have gone out with him one more time, but that would have been it. A dating situation is just too hard to wait and see if you'll change your mind. (But it was nice to have a date for my birthday!) Alysa

I used to be a teacher of the visually impaired. Now I am a researcher working for a univeristy. I go all around Florida working with visually impaired students to train them to use low vision devices. I worry about eating when I travel. I don't usually have time time to stop for food because I'm usually going to three schools each day. I am also usually in a different county each day, so I don't have access to refrigerated food. I'm am not banded yet. When I travel, I usually eat fast food or nothing until one big meal around 3:00pm. I know that will not work with the band. I'll probably eat a lot of Protein bars or find some healthier meat choices at fast food places. Any ideas? K@t, Haines City is in Polk Co., correct? I have lots of students in Polk county. What school will you be working at? I'm planning to be banded right after Christmas because I won't have to do any traveling for a few weeks. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until next summer. I'm typically gone 1-2 weeks/month during the school year. If I didn't have to do the 6 months supervised diet for my insurance, I would do it this summer. I have thought about doing it the week after Thanksgiving, but I don't think I would be able to eat any real food for CHristmas. I think that would be too hard!

I understand why you are not supposed to drink with meals, but what is the reason for refraining from drinking 30 minutes before meals? Doesn't Water go right on through? Also, I was wondering about drinking. How much water can you drink at one time? (not banded yet) I actually have no problem getting 8-10 glasses of water a day. I like water. I drink about 1-2 glasses at a time usually. If I am not eating, how much water can I drink at once? I am worried about getting enough water in post surgery. Thanks, Alysa

I went to a seminar the other night. I guess i had in mind that the first consulation with the surgeon or his staff was just like an office visit with normal copays. It turns out that the surgeon I want to use--he has awesome credentials and no mortalities, and great data supporting regarding his patients--charges a $425.00 adminstrative fee to get the process rolling. This is not covered by insurance. It does cover the nutritionist and psychologists consultations. Somehow, I don't really think this is the norm. I wanted to walk into this slowly and meet with the team first to get all of the facts. I especially wanted to meet with the psychologist to make sure I am ready to make this commitment. I feel like there is no middle ground this way. If I proceed and decide I am not ready or want to wait, I'm out $425. It just seems to me that you odn't get enough information at the seminar to make an informed decision, but you shouldn't have to pay an exorbitant amount of $$ to begin the process. This is a really scary process, and I wanted to get there nice and slow. I worry that I might be a cheater even with the band. I have heard a lot of people on this site who still complain about hunger. I'm also in denial that maybe I can do this without the band. I'm just wondering how the beginning process/first consultations worked for others. Any words of encouragment would be helpful.

Chrispy: I had a similar thing happen. This guy friend of mine that I was interested in was in town about a year and a half ago. He was here to see his mom and met up with a group of his. He was leaving for reserves for two weeks and said he'd come by after he was back. Didn't hear back from him until two weeks ago. He e-mailed and said I should change his e-mail address bc I probably have his old. I thought, *Dude, I totally deleted you completely!* I mean a year and a half. Sorry. No thanks. Good for us for deleting the no good ones! Denise: I did send an unsolicited smile to one guy! Then there's the smile I sent on accident. Hoestly, I haven't really found one I think I'd like to chat with. Plus, I'm a big chicken. I'm just enjoying the smiles for now. It's like going to the mall and getting winked at by lots of men! I really like the fact that my picture is out there for them to see before any contat is made. That way they up front what I look like and there is no ceasing of communication once they see the picture. I have a lot friends that did e-harmony, and the same thing happened to them. They would go through the various levels of communication, and when they got to the part where you could see photgraphs, they didn't hear back from the guys. On another note, I attended the seminar tonight. I was really surprised that to procede any further, you have to pay an administrative fee of 425.00 that insurance does not cover. It covers the nutritionist consultation and the psychologist evaluation, but still! You either jump in all at once or nothing! I expected to meet with the nutritionist and psycholgists, etc. and just pay for office visits to see if I wanted to further proceed. How did it work for the rest of you? By the way, if you ever visit BBWdatefinder, I'm girlieblueeyes. In my case, I guess SSBBW is *Super Shy.* Or *scared - - - -'less!*

Ok. So I know what a BBW is, but what is an SSBBW?

LOL, I just went to POF, and came across my friend's brothers post. I about died laughing! That is a very good reason for me not to want to list there because it is too local for me! I would be worried that people I know would see my post! I'm such a coward!! Plus, since it's for the "general public" and not overweight woman, I don't feel as comfortable. In fact, one of the posts said, "No Fat, Materialistic Women." Missy: I have heard rumors that there are men out there that don't care about weight, but I have never had the good fotune to meet any. Apparently, they don't live in Florida. I am really discouraged about my weight and dating. I have a great personality--I'm friendly and funny and smart. When I was younger and thin, I always had a boyfriend. Now that I am fat, not so much. You do the math. I have been told that I am too independent and that men need feel like they have something to offer you. I don't get the connection. Just because I am independent doesn't mean I don't need someone. At any rate, I'll take being rejected for being too independent of being too fat any day! So, I don't have someone in my life because I am too independent. I would love to hear an answer to your question from the men out there. Although, as far as I can tell, we only have one! JC--can you speak for *your people*? Good luck with your search. I am enjoying BBW Datefinder. I am not finding any dates, but I am enjoying all the *smiles* I have been getting. That's fast enough for me right now!

I haven't heard anything about an aspirator before. Why do you need that?

This is my favorite thread, too! Denise, where did you get your resting metabolic rate measured, and how did they do it? I have always been curious about that. I think I probably have a normal metabolism, but I've always wondered. A nutritionist asked if my weight has gone up and down and up and down. I told her, "No. Just up!" I have never really been a yo-yo dieter. I have a done a few things, but always in a healthy way. I really for the most part just sat back and ate and didn't want to think about dieting. I go Thursday for my seminar. Thanks goodness. I missed the last two because I was out of town for work, and I was very frustrated. Even though I had been to a seminar at another hospital and had been doing research, I couldn't make an appointment with the doctor. I don't see what's so magic about the seminars that you can't get past the *gate keeper* without attending. The one I attended at the other hospital was mostly a waste of time. If I didn't know anything about WLS, it would have been helpful, I guess. My GP took bloodwork last week to measure my thyroid and other hormones, so at least that part has been taken care of. I would assume that after the seminar it may take quite a while to get a consultation scheduled. If I would have thought of this ahead of time, I would have asked my mother to attend and say she was me! At the other seminar, they just checked off your name. I know everybody probably felt/feels this way, but I am ready to get this started now. I think I will probably have to wait until next summer, though. If I plan to do it in the fall, I will have to tell my supervisor, and I don't really want her to know. She is into organic food, never eats read meat, exercises religiously, and complains about being overweight when she looks good. She is doing WW and I think she has lost too much weight. Maybe according to the charts she is overweight, but her face has started to sag. At least I will not be someone who gets hung up on #'s. I don't really care about getting down to a certain weight. That's not to say I don't have a magic number floating around in my head, but my primary goal is to look good, be able to shop in the regular clothes section, a feel good about myself. Oh yeah--and be healthy and energetic. You see which I value more! When I lost 30 pounds, I was still obsese, but I felt so good about myself and could see the beautiful things about my body. I am trying to do that at my current weight, but it's hard. Wow, got off on a major tangent. Anyway--LOVE THIS THREAD!

:welcome: Welcome Sharon and Dotofoz. I think you will find that everyone here is very supportive and full of great ideas and information. You don’t have to worry about anyone being * too cruel!* Denise: Congratulations on meeting a possible someone. I hope you have a wonderful time. Chrispy: I wish I could help you out with suggestions, but since I haven’t had a date in about 12 bras sizes, I don’t really have much to add! :welldoneclap:

Janiee: That's the way I feel about ALL canned drinks. GROSS! I wish I liked them because it would be perfect for when I travel for work. I wouldn't have to refrigerate them. I am in different hotels almost everynight, and I don't always have a refrigerator. Maybe someone will mention a canned Protein drink that is good, but I will still be skeptical. :welldoneclap: Everyone: Thanks for this great info. I am copying it into a word file so I will have it as I make this journey. I have another file about ideas for the liquid diet. I guess I should purchase a magic bullet. (Shame on me, but every time I hear that name I think it sounds like some kind of adult *toy!*) :embarassed: (This is the smiley face for embarassed, but it doesn't really look embarassed to me. I, on the other hand, do!)

You guys are a plethera of information! :myscared:

Thanks. Amy, I have heard several people on this website talk about unjury, but I have never heard of it. Where do you get it? What is the consistency? Is is thick or thin? A lot of shakes I have tried are about the consistency of milk. I don't care for that. Stephanie, That's a good idea. If I mix it with something else, that will cut the overall % of sugar. How lond did you have to wait before having Protein shakes? I guess that's the stage after Clear liquids.

(I don't know how to insert the quotes like every body else, so I put it in red.) Second question is about the pre-op diet. I am on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks post op. How am I supposed to get my Protein? I saw this on another thread and thought it be helpful to you. Then the best discovery was this bouillon stuff my daughter found called BETTER THAN BOUILLON. It has 42 grams of protein per serving (vs. the 5 in those cubes). I've been adding a spoon of the BTB to other foods to get the extra protein (and flavor).