rena

Thanks Jayme! I need to hear that. I am sure I will need the support. Just like an alcoholic, we must take one day at a time!

I don't have the dreaded apnea. thank god, I think I would have pummeled the poor sleep tech if he had come near me with a mask once I finally fell asleep. I won't get the results back (meaning the dr. office wont' get the results back for 10 days). then they can send in all the info for final approval. I was thinking about the weight loss and how easy it was to take off when I knew there was a end in sight, and thought about "just changing my life style" to lose weight. Then I got into the rice krispy treats and fresh Cookies someone brought into work, then it was all downhill from there. I realize the band is only an addition to changing your life style, but god, something has got to stop me from binging on all the freakin food at one time. I can't wait to have the surgery now, I think I am ready. I was not ready even a few weeks ago. I was scared at the loss of a good friend (food). I have now come to realize over the past week, that I am in fact a food addict, and that in combination with the band and some OA I might change my life for the best. I am looking forward to it and found this website with all the support and great stories the most beneficial pre-op and can't wait to share my successes with all of you as I begin my journey to a new healthier me. Thanks to you all!

Had the sleep study last night. My final step before insurance approval. What a nightmare that was, how do they expect anyone to sleep with all of those wires stuck to your head and everywhere else? I started my "own" pre-op diet, I have to lose 14 pounds before surgery (there diet didn't seem all that appealing). I have worked out everyday except yesterday (worked 13 hours then went to the sleep lab), so far I have lost 9 pounds. If only it were this easy to lose weight all the time. hmmm. something to ponder.

I am in the final step to get insurance approval. i have my sleep study tonight, then as soon as they get my results from that, then they send the info to insurance company, then I go see the surgeon. I can't wait. I have to lose 14 pounds before surgery, I had lost 5 this week already, but gained 2 last night. Was thinking maybe I didn't need surgery, then I realized that I am a compulsive binge eater. Ate 2 rice krispy treats, then 2 grandma's choc chip Cookies. didn't work out and gained 2 pounds. aaggghhhh!!! Can't wait to hear how your surgery goes. Keep us all posted.

I can't wait to buy clothes and not just shoes. Fat girls love their shoes, don't they? I've got more clogs than Nordstroms carries. It's ridiculous! I can totally relate to the haircut dilemma. The year I became a nurse 1995, I got a really short cute haircut. My mom told me I looked like a linebacker on a football team. I never did that again!

Heather, That is awesome! You should be able to find a great house in Hillsboro with all that cash. Just to warn you, the traffic sucks out that way, I suppose living in San Diego it won't seem so bad here, nevermind! Let me know when you get up here, we should find a lap band group to go to. I asked at the dr. office today and they said that they have a group that meets once a month, I will get more info when I go in for my pre-op class, hopefully that will be soon. I have my sleep study done Saturday night, then it takes 2 weeks for the idiots to read the study and dictate... (ridiculous!) then when the office finally gets the results they will sign my up for the pre-op class and refer my over to the surgeons office to meet and make my surgery date. I am really hoping to do this in early June. Will keep you posted. Worked out today to burn my minimum 300 calories a day, they said I have to lose 14 pounds before surgery or they won't do it. I suppose I should serious about the watching what I eat... sucks. Oh well, gotta do what you gotta do. Rena

I am in the pre-op phase, I just finished all of the work-up today except my sleep study, which I do on Saturday night. Woo-hoo! I was told today to lose 5% of my weight before surgery, I was also told work out and burn 300 calories a day. Sooooo, I pigged out today, then I went to 24 hr fitness (yes, I have a membership that I never use) and burned 350 calories on the eliptical. The dietician gave me a simple diet plan to follow to lose weight, shrink the liver, and informed me that they will NOT do surgery if I haven't lost 14 pounds by surgery date and we are shooting for the first of June!!! Cross your fingers, I have a bachelorette party for my best friend in Vegas at the end of July, so I want to be feeling good by then! I am in her wedding September 4th, I am hoping for some serious adjustments to be made in the bridemaid dress come August. The dietician gave me a name of some protein drink that you can order off the internet, but I can't find the piece of paper now, 4 hour appt. today, I seem to have forgotten everything except "lose 14 pounds and work out everyday." Typical of a fat person, only hear the worst! Good luck with the liquids. Let me know if you find a good a good drink, I will need them soon! Rena

My favorite is when the neighbor kid says as I am riding a bike down the road, "Rena, it looks like the tires are going to blow!" Restaurant tables: I thought they were making the tables bigger, I didn't realize until just know that I am fatter and that is why I have a hard time sliding into a booth. I wondered why everyone else has room between them and the table and my boobs were sitting on the table! Now I get it. The fatty shoe laces: I go out of my way to only wear clogs!!!!

aileenaI can't wait to get rid of my fat clothes! I hope to have the surgery sooner rather than later. Maybe I will know more after todays appt. thanks, Rena

What does pb mean? I keep seeing it in various places.

you so just cracked me up!!!! I am envisioning the scuba gear and the horrified look from onlookers. Its fantastic, like me in hawaii last june in a fricken bakini!!! Tan fat looks better than white fat, thats always been my motto! Rena

alatinaOMG! you are so right, that was said so perfect. You know that skinny hand with the veins you can see, that is what I am looking forward to seeing. Crossing the legs would be great too. I am also excited to not be afraid to ride a ride at Disney land for fear it will break and I will die and take one of my kids with me!!! Rena

I am going to see if I have the ticker right?

How do I get one of those tickers at the bottom of my page? I love that. How do I find before and after pictures? Thanks, Rena

Thank you so much for your reply. I am now in my first pair of size 22's. I am so glad to hear your story. I can't wait to get there! I just had to be sized for my best friends wedding and would you believe that with these big boobs and huge waist I had to order a size 26... uggghhhh! The wedding is in september, I don't have a date yet for the band, but I am hoping we have to do some serious size adjustments to the dress. (wouldn't that be nice?) Rena

Hi everyone, I am in the process of starting the lap band procedure. I had my first appt today. I have a BMI of 41. I managed to work my way up from a BMI of 36 without even trying over the last year, so I decided I had better do something about it before it gets worse. The process to get insurance approval is way stream lined now. 2 appts 4 hours each and a sleep study. Thats it!! Nice, huh? I waivered and waivered on whether to do bypass or banding. Banding seems so much safer. I am a nurse and I have seen people die from bypass; its not pretty. But then I did research on banding today and totally freaked out, what if I don't lose the weight? Then I found you guys, thank god I did! I needed to hear real stories from real people, you know what I mean. I have my second appt tomorrow and the sleep study Saturday night, then I get to see a surgeon, so I will keep you updated! Thanks for being here. Rena

How do I get to the introduction page? I feel like such a goof ball. I swear I am not that computer illiterate! Rena

you look great. I have hope now that I am doing the right thing. I must remember to take pictures before huh? That is fantastic. Rena

everyone keeps talking about how good so and so looks in the pictures... how do I view pictures. I am so confused on this web site. Thanks, Rena

I am reading post here and I had no idea it was that miserable of an experience after gastric banding. I just went for my first 4 hour appt today, psych eval, labs and ekg today, tomorrow I go for the other 4 hour appt; NP, PT, dietician and psych eval follow up, I go saturday for my sleep study, then I go to a surgeon. I had decided last month to do this, and decided on the band because it seems safer. But I just read all these research articles that say the weight loss is not that good and the re-op's are high. So here I am searching for real people with real stories. I am torn... I need to lose ~120lbs to be back to my high school weight of 150. Is this possible with the band? Or do I need bypass? I hope I can figure out this web site, I don't know How I got here or how to get back. If you don't hear from me I got lost in the shuffle. email me with any advise. rapon2@comcast.net Rena