DivaStyleCoach

Hey Ladies, This topic was very helpful - my psych eval is next week, and I was wondering what to expect...seems like it'll be okay - I'll report back if my experience is different from the rest of you.

YOU GO GIRL!!!! Congrats on breaking the 300 mark - keep on going, and 199 will be there before you know it... I'm not banded yet, but I can't wait to get into the under-200 crowd!

LiveLoveLaugh - I applaud you for your restraint...I don't know that I could have been as kind as you were. That said, the next time she wants to "treat" you, make a loud announcement that she needs to stop. Embarass the heck out of her and if she doesn't like it, so what! She may very well be jealous - and sabotaging you, ever so slightly, is her way of dealing with it without referring to it directly. If she can get you to cheat, she can say that the procedure wouldn't help her, because after all, if virtuous you can't be good, how will she ever make it? Don't let her do it to you! You could, alternatively, try telling her one more time that she should NOT bring you any such thing, but after that, get loud and ugly and make it plain enough for ER'BODY to hear!:tongue2: Good luck - and you're doing phenominally well - keep up the good work!

CurvesinCali, Best wishes, mountains of blessings, and I'll be thinking of you - when you feel up to it, let us know how you are doing...:tongue2:

Hey Ladies, Lemme see...Talbots ('cause I ain't paying their retail for clothes that I'm going to have to toss after I get my band), Saks, Neiman Marcus, someplace that has FIERCE leather clothing (I have a killer red and black leather dress I'm gonna hate to give up, but oh well), Spiegel (catalog, online), Frederick's (cause I need to show hubby some love too), Nordstroms... I also love shoes and accessories, so when I hit my goal, I'm trading all my costume jewelry in for the real stuff - I love white gold and sterling silver! I'm also planning for a new car - something curvy, fast and sexy - like I'm gonna be! :tongue2:

Hey Ladies! Been on the boards for just a minute - here are my stats: Born and raised in Detroit, Mi, now residing in Norwich, CT Married 18 years to the love of my life, retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Three kids - 25 yr old son, 24 yr old son (just made me a grandma), almost-18-year-old daughter who is a H.S. Senior and driving mama crazy!!! One dog - Sisko (Bull Mastiff - pound puppy), a bunch of fish Living in an 1850's vintage Greek Revival home which I truly Currently at 260, looking to get to 140 - 160 range at 5' 11" tall Lifelong history of weight struggles - starting at age 12! Family history of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure Very supportive hubby - he wants to see me healthy. He's a little concerned about me getting too thin (he likes my big legs and my generous bustline) but wants me off the meds more. Offered to pay for "enhancement" surgery if I need it :tongue2: Nice to meet the rest of y'all - I hope to be banded before Halloween - we'll see what's in the cards for me...

Congratulations Nigel! You look awesome, and I'm sure life has so much more to offer now that you are much healthier. Great picture!:tongue2:

Wow Ladies... I am feeling so blessed right now. I have a very good friend at work who has done the bypass, and her husband is recently bypassed. She has just gotten back on the stick, so to speak, and lost another 15 pounds (her total loss is something over 100). Her hubby has lost nearly 65 by now and is doing very well. She's been so supportive of my decision to have WLS, and we talked endlessly about both options. I decided on the band, and she's been 100% supportive. I do have another "friend" (in quotes because she is sometimey) who I KNOW will not be happy about the surgery. She struggles with her weight as well, but since she's 6' 3" tall, it doesn't show as much on her! I just know that when I'm doing well, she's not as happy for me as I think she should be. She's happiest when she's doing 'better' in our internal competition. I don't understand it at all - why would you NOT be happy for a friend that was getting healthier, especially when you KNOW they've been struggling? I hope I don't have to deal with that...since I don't have a LOT of close friends, I would hate to lose any of them...not everyone earns the title of Friend with me - most people are 'friendly acquaintances' and I leave them where they are. My 17 year old has a favorite song, part of the lyrics are "You see me...Hi Hater!" Jill Scott also has an awesome song titled "Hate on me Hater" that fits the situation perfectly. Hang in there ladies! :thumbup:

Mornin' TamaraJ, Look at this as just one more stepping stone to a healthier you! You are worth the sacrifice - the pre-op diet is just to prepare your body for the surgery. You can do this - you HAVE to do this - you've made the biggest step - the commitment to be a healthier you...don't go back now! Keep telling yourself out loud "I can do it". Your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between the truth and a lie, and so everything you speak out loud goes into your subconscious and sets about making it happen. Keep saying positive things out loud to yourself - at first, it may sound crazy, or you might think "I don't really believe this" but if you keep going, you'll begin to believe. I don't know your basis in Faith, but for me, I believe this world was spoken into being and that our spoken words have a LOT of power. Speak yourself into a new, positive reality, my sista-in-the-struggle, and enjoy the journey! Just think - you'll be soon posting your fantastic recovery from the surgery and all your great results from the band. I'm a little jealous - I haven't been approved yet, but everything looks good so far. I wish I were farther along on the process so I could get started with the rest of my life... :thumbup:

Hey Ladies, I have been the Tricare route - my hubby is retired Military and I simply don't use them because I have other options. See if you can do an inquiry to find out if they have a support group. Get in contact with them and talk to someone who has been through it - maybe they can help you decide how to frame your discussion (note - this does not mean LIE) and perhaps they can also help ease your anxiety around approval. Just a thought...sometimes it's all in how you say something, and talking to someone who has been-there-done-that might help...:thumbup:

BBK - I am absolutely transfixed by your story and all the great info you have posted. I'm sure I speak for some others when I say I am absolutely honored to have been let into such a personal journey. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing so much of yourself. I pray that everything works out fine for you...I have yet to be scheduled for my band surgery - I have my psych appt and nutritionist appt next week. I'm hoping that I will be scheduled for my band before Christmas. You are an inspiration - I LOVE your pinup girl photos! You look amazing - fantastic! I find so much to relate to in your story...I need to lose 120 lbs - currently at 260. I am also full-busted - currently wearing a 40JJ, so I feel your pain on that one. I also understand and relate to NOT wanting the "girls" not to be too small...I LOVE being full-busted! :cool2: I'll continue to check in on you as you post to this thread, and I'm praying for your full recovery from all surgery and that you will continue to fly high and prosper. Bless you, darlin' for all those you have helped (and continue to help, like me)!!

Thank you so much, everyone, for sharing your scar stages, photos and stories, plus the product recommendations.:cool2: I have not been scheduled for surgery yet - doing my psych appt and nutritionist next week - but I definately am concerned. I have a severe tendency to keloid - those raised, puffy scars. I had an intestinal blockage about a year and a half ago and a cesearean before that (way before - my daughter is now 17). The cesearan scar has faded somewhat but is still a little puffy. The abdominal surgery scar is straight up and down the center of my tummy - dark brown (I'm African-American), puffy-looking and firm, almost hard. It's also sensitive to the touch (at times) and itches occasionally. You'd think after more than a year the darn thing wouldn't itch so much, but I digress... I'm a little concerned about what will happen after surgery, and hoping some of the ideas I've gotten from this thread will help me to prepare before the surgery. I've gone on EBay and gotten some of the Kelo-Cote scar gel (thanks for that tip, by the way...saved me some $$) and I'm going to try that before I'm even scheduled. If it works on my "old" keloid, I hope it will help me NOT to keloid with my surgery scars (thinking positively).:w00t: If anyone else has anything that has worked for them, on their keloid scars, please let me know. I may not ever wear a bikini, but I want that to be a personal decision and not a "I have to" decision because of the stupid scars!

Hey Everyone, I realize this is a semi-old thread, but I just went to a support group meeting last night and ran into the same issues others did. I was the only non-bypass person there - I haven't had the surgery yet, and there were others who haven't either, but they are decided on the bypass. A few of the people there were uninformed about the band and made negative comments. It's really too bad - I know more about the process (thanks to this website and my own research) than they do, and they weren't about to shake my confidence in my decision. I have decided that the drastic restructuring of my digestive tract is NOT for me, and will continue on my path to be a Bandster. Thanks to all who post good information on this site - about all of their experiences - I feel I'm going to be a good, informed and empowered patient - and to me that means I'll be successful!

Hey Ladies, I KNOW I'm going to have to rein myself in...I'm already a heavy-duty shopper, and once I'm banded and lose some of the excess weight, I'm going to need serious help! :cool2: Not really - I have lots of other priorities, but I love the idea of setting up a special savings account for clothing purchases. I'm going to do that next week when I get paid again, and put it into a different bank than my normal so I won't think about it too much. If I put $50 away every payday, soon I'll have quite the little shopping nest egg... I'll buy a few things as I change sizes (and in styles that can move through a few sizes - wrap dresses, belted things, elastic waist that can be altered by me at home, etc) and save the majority for the new wardrobe I'll need when I reach my goal. I have to find a clothes swap though - or at least discipline myself to post my things on EBay...I have a killer leather dress in black and red that I'm going to HATE to give up, but just think of the hot one I'll get when I reach goal...:w00t:

Hi Fanny, I love this thread! I have noticed the same thing...though I'm not banded yet, I have been actively watching what I eat and walking more in preparation for my (hopefully) surgery. I have read so many posts in which patients had to lose a certain amount prior to surgery, so I'm hoping to head off that requirement and not have it slow me down. I have recently had to drop down a size in my shoes! I used to wear a 12 wide (I'm 5' 11" tall) and now I'm back down to an 11 wide. Some shoes I'm able to wear a 11M! :cool2: While I don't think I'll get back down to the size 10 of my high school days, I'm happy not to be at the severe upper end of the retail shoe scale. It's really hard to find cute shoes at my former shoe size - though if you visit the sites for Crossdressers on EBay you can find sexy shoes up to a size 15 or more! I'm already loving this journey, and I'm not even banded yet!

Dear Snapdragon, I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes...your hubby sounds so special! It wasn't until just now that I realized that my DH of 18 years often says very similar things to me...why was I not hearing him? Tell your hubby thanks for me and I'm sure for all the others who will read your post and smile. The last thing my DH said to me this morning was "Have fun - I love you!" Many of us don't think about having "fun" during our days because we have to "work"...but I promised myself I would concentrate on having fun today. And I found an opportunity to smile at a young child on the train today, to pat an inquisitive puppy on my walk from the bus stop to my building, and to say a hearty "Good morning" to the friendly security guard in my building who always has a cheerful lilt in her voice. Thank you for another reminder of how wonderful our lives can be...Thank you!

Hi Ladies, I'm not banded yet, but this thread is very interesting...I know I'll face some of this, so first, let me thank you all for sharing. I'll be ready with my quips and comebacks when the questions come! Regarding wardrobe challenges - I completely understand. I am a clothes horse - if I had enough money and enough rooms in my house, I could fill them all up! I love clothes, shoes, accessories and all of it! :cool2: There's a concept called capsule wardrobing - you purchase 5 - 10 pieces of clothing and then mix and match the garments to create many more outfits. I have worked as an Image Consultant, and this is one of the concepts I used to teach my clients. If you use consignment shops and sales to build your capsules at significant points in your band journey, you will continue to look your best at each stage. Self-esteem is SO important - please, please don't wait until you have lost all the weight you want to lose to dress your new (and evolving) body. I've already started virtual shopping for the new wardrobe I KNOW I'm going to need once I'm banded - and I can't wait to make some of my virtual picks a reality. Realize that you will WANT to wear different colors, fabrics and styles than you did when you started your journey - bring attention to the beautiful parts of you while your work-in-progress continues! I'll always wear shorter skirts because I LOVE my legs. I'll always wear v-necks and wrap dresses because they highlight my beautifully bountiful bustline and I pray I don't lose that while I'm losing the excess weight! Love yourselves, my sisters-in-the-struggle, and dress like the gorgeous women you are!

Hey Ladies, I'm not banded yet - hopefully soon - but I sympathize with all of your struggles and successes. I get up every morning at 5 am and walk with my family and the dog. It's only a mile, but it's something. The dog needs the walk and we go rain, shine, snow, ice, no matter what!:thumbup: If it's not raining at work, I also go for a walk at lunchtime. Prevention magazine's website has a great walking route mapping function that lets you map out your walks (work, home, 'round the neighborhood, etc) and tells you your distance. You can save walks, see walks other people have entered, etc. I love it because now I KNOW how far I'm walking! My regular lunchtime walks are just over a mile as well. I drive and take the commuter train to work, so working out is a challenge. I leave my house at 6:30, get on the train around 7, get to work around 8:30. Same in reverse when I leave work - get out at 5, get on the train at 5:30 (the express) get to the station at 6:00 ish. There is a gym at my train station so I joined there - I leave my gym clothes in the car, and when I get off the train, I grab my gym bag, leave my work bag and my purse in the car, and off I go. The struggle for me is to not stop at the fast food places on the way home! By then it's 7 pm or after, and I'm hungry...I've gotta pack something for after my workout. I may go back to getting Protein shakes - I love those, and after I'm banded, I can use them to keep my protein level up. Then I could plan a small meal when I get home, since I know the shake won't actually "fill" me up... Hang in there, ladies - we all know the exercise is good for us and we just have to make the decision, then make it right every single day!:party:

Hey Neighbors! I am new to the forum, still doing the prelim work for my (hopefully) lap band. I have been recommended for the surgery by my primary care doc and have my nutritionists' and psych appts in the next 10 days. I'm looking to lose 120 lbs and am currently dealing with type II diabetes and high blood pressure and a family history of heart disease. I am very excited about the possibility for me, and I really want to lose this weight. I will be doing my band appts in New Haven as well.

Hi Ladies! I'm just starting the process - looking forward to an approval (hopefully) and getting banded before Christmas. I would love to start my 47th birthday in February much lighter than I am right now. Like some of you, I just became a Grandma, and my 4 month old grandson is a big part of the reason I want to lose this weight. I want to be able to chase him around and play with him! Looking forward to the process, and nice to meet everyone!

Hey Pete, Keep us informed of your progress - my best wishes to you and your family, and I look forward to hearing about your great results. I know you'll be great and you can encourage your wife as well..

Hello Everyone! Yvonne, I am in almost the same place as you...I was referred by my primary care physician (PCP) in mid-July after I found out about bariatric surgery from a girlfriend at work. Her hubby just had the full bypass done about 2 months ago, and he's doing very well. I asked my PCP about it, and he thought I would be a good candidate. I started researching the bypass, but the surgery and the aftereffects scared me, so I investigated the lap band, and here I am! I've been scheduled for the psych consult and nutritionist in the next 10 days, and since I am a type II diabetic with a family history of heart disease and high blood pressure, so I think I'm a good candidate...:thumbup: I walk a couple of miles a day - in the morning with my dog, and at lunchtime at work. I also work out at a gym near my train station (I have a long commute) since it's convenient. I'm praying that I am approved. I want to lose 120 lbs and extend my life, increase my quality of life, and be around to play with my new 4-month-old grandson... I'm going to a support group meeting tonight to see what they are about - I've heard such good things about them on this site that I'm curious. I hope I am eventually approved by the bariatric surgical group here and that I'll get a surgery date sooner rather than later. I'd love to be banded before Halloween, but definately before Christmas. :tt2:

Hey Pete, I just read your blog entries and your entries on the website, and I am aghast. Why would any insurance company deny you this?!?!? I am offended on your behalf! I hope your family is able to come through for you and help you get the surgery. I am waiting for my nutritionist's and psych evals - my primary care doc has already approved the process. The next steps for me are to go through with the evals and then wait to hear if I am approved by the bariatric surgeon. You'll be in my prayers - I hope you are able to make it.

Congratulations! Keep us informed of your progress, your surgery date, etc...I've been approved by my PCP, have my nutritionists' and psych appts in about 10 days. Hopefully things will move fast for me - I pray that I am approved also... I'm going to a support group meeting tonight to check the lay of the land, so to speak...will report back!:tt2:

Hey CurvesinCali, My PCP was the one who recommended me for the process - he had to write a letter on my behalf. Does that mean I'm further along in the process than I think I am? It would be terrific if I could be banded before Christmas - by the schedule you reported (I know individual results may vary...LOL) I might be on the same kind of schedule. I think the fact that I'm >100 lbs overweight, plus a type II diabetic and on medication for high blood pressure, along with my family history of heart disease and diabetes :thumbup: might make me a prime candidate for the surgery. I pray that's true...I'd like to start my 47th year a whole lot smaller and in better health than I am now. My birthday is in February - I hope I'm banded before then!:tt2: