Zoe

Andrea, I lean toward Tricia's answer. Talk to the doctor, not a nurse. (Sorry, nurses.) And call Dr. R if you still have questions. The vomiting and excess restriction are not normal. Driving to NYC might suck, but it's nothing compared to medical complications.

1:05 walking the dog, fast. . . I am so ready for this, I really need extra motivation over the holidays. Last year I gained 10 lbs. in the last six weeks of the year. I'd love to LOSE 10 lbs., but I'd be happy if I simply didn't gain anything this time around. I'm starting weight-training today, just a little bit at a time, hoping to lose my bingo arms by next summer. Greg, at the rate you're going, it won't be long before you'll be able to hide behind a birch tree, grandchild and all. DeLarla, we Upper Midwesterners do not want to hear how cold 42 degrees is. In November, that's warm to us. And by the end of the challenge in January, it will seem absolutely tropical. Put on a sweater and suck it up!

I think Bright had her surgery in Belgium and, as I recall, was less than thrilled with her doctor, although the price was right. The ILOST surgical team has branches in Italy and Switzerland, but they're more expensive than the price Tracey quoted. Funny how the price varies so much from country to country. I'm another American who had the surgery in Mexico; I'll be paying off the $11,000 for a long time, but it has been worth it.

Steve's (NY) mention of his nephew's bar mitzvah reminded me that many societies around the world have rituals to mark a child's coming of age and joining the community. Some of these practices involve scarification. Maybe, Ryan, those scars you see in the mirror are marking your initiation into a group: not just the group of the banded, but the group of people who've voluntarily stepped forward to say, "I'm reclaiming my body." Our laparascopic incisions may never make the cover of National Geographic, but we can wear them with pride.

Great posts, Ryan! "I think Santa's overdue for a friggin' Lap Band!" -- yeah, maybe he's tired of pretending to be jolly all the time while people are making jokes about his belly shaking like a bowlful of jelly. These last weeks of the year can be magical but they can also be kitschy, commercial, and crazed. Not to mention fraught with peril for anyone trying to lose weight, or just eat like a sane person. Let's do what we can to remind each other of the things worth celebrating, and to hell with anyone who wants to ruin the party.

Good luck, Legally. Travel light, and bring nonrestrictive clothes without waistbands. I second the suggestion about the flip-flops; it's hard to fasten shoes immediately after the surgery. You may feel uncomfortable when you wake up from the procedure and for a few days thereafter, but it does get better, and you'll feel a little stronger every day. Let us know about your experience when you feel ready -- we're rooting for you.

Hmm... what's that in the air? chocolate? Someone tie me to the mast, please! I bought three boxes of different types of diet fudgsicles to help take the edge off. Now, Alex, I think you're being too hard on yourself. Your husband baked Cookies and you had only four or five?! Come on now -- what would your pre-band total have been? (If you're anything like me, half the batch would be down the hatch before the dough was chilled, and the rest soon to follow.) And you were strong enough to share the box o' temptation with your co-workers. Give yourself some credit! Anyone who's feeling the holiday food demons at his/her back, come join us on the holiday exercise challenge. It might not keep the pumpkin pie at bay, but it may help keep you focused during this calorie-packed season -- and, if nothing else, you'll have some wise-ass company on the band journey for a few weeks. We start Monday, Nov. 22, and -- Becky and Greg, take note -- I intend to kick ass! After I have a few of my mother's incomparable Mexican Wedding Cakes, of course.

Here's a summary, as far as I understand it. Greg and Becky, you may have different ideas. Anyone interested will weigh in on Monday, Nov. 22, & send a PM to Greg. Then we just start exercising like fiends. Check in on the thread on Mondays if you can & report your exercise for the last week. The challenge runs through Monday, Jan. 3, when we'll report our final weights, and also tell how we're feeling and any NSVs (inches lost, muscle gained, blood pressure down, construction workers whistling, etc.). I don't know if the winner should be chosen based on most exercise, most weight lost, or best description of Greg in his thong Speedo; I leave that up to wiser heads.

Look out, Penni's headed our way. . . and Jodie, please join in. We're not sticklers for form here, so just let us know how you're doing with the challenge whenever you get a chance. You have an advantage over us Yanks: no Thanksgiving food orgies next week! I'll check your suggested web site to try to keep the thread manageable. Thanks. (Just came back from a 1.5-hr. walk in the park on my day off. I only planned to walk 45 minutes, but the dog went nuts chasing squirrels and wouldn't come back when I was ready to leave. She's had an exercise energy boost too!)

She gives new meaning to the word "shrink." I'm happy for you -- you've cleared another hurdle. Hope all goes well with the insurance company.

What wonderful news! Give your dad an extra slice of pumpkin pie for all of us bandsters who were rooting for him.

Hi TMan -- check the "doctors" threads to see if someone else has used your surgeon. You also might want to read Chantal's "THE moment" thread -- lots and lots of interesting stories about when people realized it was time to get the band. See http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3530 . Also, Jack started a thread asking if people would get banded again if they had to do it over again: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3600. It's worth reading because it contains a wide range of opinions -- mostly "YES!" but a few NOs too. And a lot of older posts have great discussions on what you can expect post-surgery. December 8 is coming up soon. Hope you can find answers to any questions you have about the band. Congratulations on your decision!

I agree, no money required -- but, Greg, go ahead and post that Speedo picture! OK, everyone, get ready for Monday.

Most of us lose a lot of Water weight during the first couple of weeks. Then, as our bodies heal and we start eating more normally, some of the water returns. We're losing fat, but gaining water, so the scale might not show a change -- but you might look different. Don't get discouraged. What you're experiencing is completely normal. So is the hunger!

Great news! How are you feeling?

In my case, that ain't gonna happen without the aid of pulleys or duct tape.

DeLarla, I suppose you can have an exemption from the challenge while your wound heals (sigh). Greg, I'll PM my Monday weight -- and thank you for offering to keep track of us. Anyone else, jump in on Monday and be prepared to face some serious exercise over the holidays. (Yes, chopping down pine trees counts, as long as you use an axe and not a chainsaw; lifting heavy pieces of fruitcake from your plate to your mouth does not.) OK, Greg and Becky, just four more days until showtime. Bring it on!

Greg, you've gotta stop! You don't want to be responsible for making DeLarla's wound open while she's ROFLHAO!

Melanie, I'm glad you were able to work out an arrangement for help with the kids. You might be feeling up to all your old activities in just two weeks or so after surgery -- there's no way to tell until you're there. And a lot of us enjoy a big energy surge that hits sometime during that first post-band month. I did not have counseling after the lapband. Once every three months I check in with my shrink for med management; I spoke to him two days ago (first time since banding) and told him how I was feeling, what I was eating, how much I'd lost, etc. Turns out that he has several banded patients, and he said I seemed to have the right mindset for the band. With a few bandsters and RNY clients, he's had to educate himself on the procedures: not only their effects on the emotional lives of people, but how they affect absorption of psychoactive drugs. He's overweight himself, so he has more than a theoretical interest in the subject! We're all starting at different places in our weight-loss, mental-health, and life journeys (sorry if that sounds pseudo-Buddha), and lots of people have found that counseling is a big help before and/or after the big change that banding represents. I've been to that rodeo before, however, and I'm feeling great right now, so I'm not one of them -- but I won't hesitate to get help if my situation changes. If the medical center performing your surgery offers free counseling as part of a Lap-Band package deal, it's probably worth checking out. They may have group sessions where you can meet other people going through the same thing, or at the very least, counselors who have a lot of experience with weight-loss issues. Whatever you decide, you're less than two weeks away from Bandland! Congratulations.

After eating a big serving of ice cream (at a friend's house, because I can't keep the stuff in my own refrigerator), I'm feeling philosophical. Last weekend I ran into a woman who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. She is highly intelligent, but doesn't have a clue about how to relate to people; a therapist shows her diagrams of facial expressions and what they usually mean, and coaches her on tone of voice and the most basic parts of social interaction because they don't come naturally to her. She has to concentrate on deciphering things that seem obvious to most of us. I've been thinking about her the last few days. . . and I realized that I've been suffering something similar with food. Maybe some of you are, too. All those food signals that come naturally to most of the world somehow didn't make it into my wiring. You know what I mean: Eat only when you're hungry; you don't have to eat everything on your plate (as Allan Sherman once said, "They're still starving in China, and I got fat"); have just a taste of rich food; save Desserts for special occasions instead of three meals a day; one day (or weekend, or month) of overeating does not mean you are a failure, because you can start fresh the next day. These supposedly obvious suggestions are utterly foreign to my consciousness, as novel as my Asperger's acquaintance finds the idea of frowning equaling displeasure. I might know the basic theory, but I'm just starting to learn the practice. Does this ring a bell with anyone? And does it get easier?

Everything sounds good to me. Lisa G, we'll let you play even if you are a young whippersnapper! Let's check in about once a week -- Monday or Tuesday or whatever works for you -- and report on the last seven days' activities, so we don't wind up with an incredibly long thread. Anyone is free to report special daily victories or challenges. If you want your challenge more structured or more free-form, do whatever works for you. No excuses!

Band obsession is normal, but you might want to keep that to yourself when you're talking to the shrink. Good luck -- you're almost there! PS: Love your vegetarian quote.

So glad you're back, Ryan, and that everything went well. Please write again when you feel up to it, and let us know the details. Congratulations!

I couldn't find the lyrics, but if anyone wants a sample of Willie's tune, go to http://www.lonestarmusic.com/album.asp?aid='2833' and click "Big Booty." Blossom's right -- it's a hoot.

Betty, all I do is walk, too. (Unless you count hanging on to the 80-lb. dog's leash while she's chasing after squirrels; thanks to the critter, my arms have more muscle tone than you'd expect from someone whose usual upper-body workout consists of pushing a computer mouse around.) This challenge is for anyone, anywhere, any kind of exercise. I'll match you mile for mile!