betrthnever

GreenChrysallis, I have to agree with you again. One of the ways I've been trying to deal with head hunger is to "divert" my attention to something else. Sometimes is just walking & I've also been rediscovering things that use to make me happy (like sewing). But the real hunger is there, too...no doubt about that! And also about everyone eating in front of me. Suppose for me its just a fact of life with 2 kids - also making food for them, too. Saturday I made the Breakfast thing for them -pancakes, bacon & fruit and I didn't cheat. I drew the line at baking Cookies LOL! Sometimes I can eat with everyone but when it gets bad I take my food into another room but I'm sure that sooner or later when I can eat more normal foods it will get better. Thanks for your support!!

I tend to agree - its part real hunger and part head hunger. Having to make food for my family when I can't eat it, or watch tv and see all of the food commercials, or go shopping and see all of those things that I use to eat - it is enough to drive anyone bananas. Notice the desire but don't act on it and it will pass. Then remind yourself why you got the band and it gets a little easier. Old habits are killers to break

About 5 days for me. I was the one who couldn't wait. Its a great way to forget the fact that we can't eat. Just don't go too wild!:biggrin:

Hi Skyblu79, you have nothing keeping you from going, just that you're not sure where you want to move to. Make a checklist of things you want and don't want in a new place and then research the different parts of the country (if you hate snow and cold winters then Alaska would be out of the question! LOL). If you're going to do it this is the time! Trust me...I'd really like to try out Alaska but DH has NO desire to even think about it ;-(

The nurse said I was talking about pizza while on meds LOL I find it really funny since Pizza isn't a trigger food for me. Yes, I, too, am hungry (was banded 2/19) and had vivid food dreams that night in the hospital. And as the swelling in the stomach goes down the hunger might return even greater. The head hunger is the worse, tho - the desire to eat what everyone else is. About 3 more weeks before my 1st fill. And as far as the BM goes I didn't have one until about 9 days post op. Wasn't allowed to eat until 4 days post op so it really was only like 5 days. I was worried 'cause a friend who had bypass a month before ended up having bad internal hemroids (sp?) and I wanted to make sure that didn't happen to me. I took some natural Fiber 'cause they have me on a soft Protein diet for a week. Now I'm MUCH better and everything is leaving as it should :-).

Hi All, I initially had to do a 6 month Dr supervised weight loss program and a bunch of other hoops. Started jumping through the hoops in September but in December they called me and told me that BCBS no longer required all of that. Just had surgery on Feb 19, feeling fine. Today was the 1st day that I could eat soft proftens and I didn't follow everything like I should. But tomorrow is a new day! I'm happy that I did this!

Yeah! I was banded 2 days ago on 2/19! It went great and is going great. I miss food, though...I'll be able to start on soft protein on Sunday, 4 days post op. Right now it just the clear liquids

Hi Maya314, I just got banded on Tuesday, 2/19. Who's your doc? Mine is Dr Blackstone with the Scottsdale Bariatric Center. She's great.

Hi All! I use to be an avid coffee drinker but only with tons of sugar and cream. Would have a cup before going to work, would then go to Starbucks every day while at work and order a vente americano, then come home in the pm and drink more (I think Starbucks superpumps-up their drinks with caffine). Started to have reactions to all that coffee, like uncontrolable runs, bladder spasms & rashes. Personally, I think caffine is a drug and should be looked at as such. We don't even allow our children to drink it. And all the foods that caffine is in, too - like peppermint! I, too, have given up coffee for months at a time and have felt better so it wasn't too difficult for me to give it up for surgery. I plan on never going back to it. Coffee's always been a weight loss killer for me. Being banded on Tuesday 12/19 (the light is at the end of the tunnel)

Hi Sue40, My Dr required a loss of 9% of the weight to be lost (for example, if you are 200 pounds and they want you to be 135 that would be 9% of 65 pounds). Sorry if I'm not coming across clearly I might be half asleep here. She even indicated that if we didn't lose the weight that the surgery might be canceled. I didn't lose the weight (in fact, i gained 7 pounds!) and I'm still on for this tuesday the 19th. My weight gain wasn't even mentioned at the PreOp meeting!

I've told almost everyone and I'm not even banded yet! This Tuesday, 2/19 is my date. Actually, I started off telling everyone that I was going to get banded because I was thrilled and then I came to regret it if only because it seems people want explanations. They ask lots of questions...of course we don't have to tell them anything beyond what we want to but by telling it opens up the box. And then they tell you how they feel about gastric surgery. I don't CARE how they feel about it. I suppose there are people out there who are banded and/or have the RNY and (like Star Jones) don't talk about how they are losing weight. So now there are people out there who know and are judging me, sizing me up and wondering if I'm going to fail. Sounds paranoid, I know. Most that I know are really supporting me. But the stigma is there - I've had the "going about it the easy way" comments that are just blah. If you don't have that relationship with your in-laws then don't tell them. Its really about what you are comfortable with. :-)

If I feel like I do now in the am I will def see if I can see my dr (or go for urgent care). Seems like Drs these days (except for pediatricians) don't have the time to see us sick people. I'm feeling more flu-like now. I'll call in the morning to see if this is going to be an issue. I still have a week so it might be ok. But I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your help!

Thanks, travelgirl. I was going to wait until Wed before starting my calls. Pretty yucky cold. My co-workers said I talked myself into being sick. Perhaps I did

It's happended...what I've feared the most. I'm SICK! I'm to be banded on Tuesday, 2/19 and I started to feel the cold come on Thursday, 2/7...Cold w/a mild cough (but a cough). I'm afraid to call the Dr's because I fear they will cancel or postpone me. Thinking that in a week I'll feel better. Been taking the vitamins, etc...:crying:Any suggestions?

To tell the truth I'd think twice about going to a dr who won't do either surgery laproscopically anymore. Is he trustworthy? My Dr does both like this (laproscopic). If you are cut opened you are subjected to more potential problems, major scarring being one of them. Sounds like he'll make more $$$ from the RNY. Band vs RNY - my dr told me the major difference in the weight loss is the time and not the amount. It will take longer to lose with the band but after a couple of years the outcome will be the same. I hope she's right.

I, too, lost and regain a lot on WW but all in all its a good program. I've been thinking about rejoining just to "keep me on track". I'm to be banded 2/19 (think I'm fighting a cold right now so I hope I won't get pushed back). The support is great with WW but I've only been able to take (stand) attending for about 6 months max on it before I'm bored out of my skull. The meetings repeat themselves. That old adage - the longer your're around the more things stay the same or something like that is true with WW. But it might be good to help "jump start" me. Good luck!

Congrats on getting to goal. The effects of the 1st Alli pill lasted 2 days and I refused to take more. I suggest wearing large pads.

Met the Dr today and was worried 'cause I've gained a few points (was told that I wasn't suppose to gain at all) but she didn't say a word about it. The surgery is a go for the 19th!! Two weeks. Yes!!!

There's always going to be different outcomes for different people. I've done so much research on the lapband and I wanted to know both the potential negatives and the potential positives. Wanted to know what might happen and where the challenges might lie. Is there anything in life that guarantees success, happiness, weath, longevity, etc.? I wish to believe I will be a success story. Don't let other people's experiences completely define your own. I'll put my soap box away! LOL

So sorry to hear about what you've been going through. I more then understand. Something to consider, from my experience as well as many others: The person who accuses the other of having affairs is often the one who is having the affairs. Also, it sounds like your husband might have a psychological problem (is he really up in the clouds and then upset/depressed? These cycles can happen over the course of a couple of days or much quicker then that). And emotional abuse is abuse. Sometimes things aren't meant to work out.

HI leenerbups and all, I know this is an old thread, and by now you've had the surgery and I was just wondering...what happened with your extra weight gain? Did they push the surgery back? Did they do it anyway? I, too, have gained weight and was told the same thing - that I can't gain any weight. I sure hope you are still on the board! Can anyone help?:biggrin::ohmy::eek::ohmy: Thanks so much!

Hi yellowroseaz, I'm in Phoenix. Where are you being banded? Or are you already banded? I'm going through Dr Blackstone

HI mrsgriffin2u, I, too, started off on a 6 month weight loss program and found out 2 months into it that BCBS dropped the requirements. THe Dr I used for my 6 month program (through the Bariatric Center) said that there is only an issue with weight loss if you are a 40 BMI. If you have a higher BMI then don't worry about it. Good luck!

Hi, I've heard of it too and it wasn't an option for me where I'm at. I think the band is prefered over the sleeve in general

As far as not seeing the dr before the approval - that's common, or at least that's what they do at Scottsdale Bariatrics in Arizona. Now she did give the info presentation but I haven't seen her since then. And like many others I didn't want my insides scrambled, either. Good luck!