daniela531

Connorsmom, Being in the medical profession myself (I'm a nurse) I can tell you that your doctor doesn't care about your weight loss as much as you think he does. When he goes home at night has a life of his own...and his first thought is not you. Even if he is a little judgemental at the time of your visit.....remembr it's his job to be that way! Who cares what he thinks anyway......Go to him because doing so will benefit YOU in the long run.

When I had my psych eval the doc told me something I still think about that makes sense........ He said...the human being doesn't like to sit around in discomfort so they turn to binging on food, nail biting, cigarette smoking,drugs, alcohol, etc...... However if we didn't do those particular things the same will result....we won't die or get sick......we will just be uncomfortable........and sometimes life or the things that happen in life are uncomfortable......for me that's a new feeling. You said you have anxiety....I do too....instead of doing something self destructive why don'y you try something constructive...just once and see how you feel. Go for a long walk, play a game, talk to a neighbor. For me the best thing is to know that your anxiety is trying to take control ---embrace it, let it ride, let it take its course, and it will be over....in the meantime....try something constructive that way when it's over your not feeling depressed because of your guilt over doing something destructive when you were anxious. Then let the positive feelings lead into more positive feelings, rather than the negative.

Jack, You are 100% right. I have been eating whatever I want for years. I just need to do this.....and I am...but no one said it was going to be easy. If it was I would have done it already. I'm just feeling a little weak today.....needed to complain. Needed to know I'm not alone......... Congrats on your NSV and your Scale Victories for that matter....you and so many others are so inspiring........maybe one day you won't need any insulin at all!!! I wish my mother had the opportunity to have this band......She's only 65.....and for 20 years a diabetic, heart disease, bypasses, MI x 5, and now end stage renal disease on dialysis. To mention a few..... Tomorrow is another day.......

ok...i broke....i had egg whites.....with onion....and I must say they were the best $%@ egg whites i've ever had...LOL. Seriously...they helped. I figured if i was going to cheat let it al least be a small cheat. 5 more days til surgery. I hope it gets better after...even though I feel like it might not for a while. Thanks you guys.....your responses are great....At least I don't feel alone in this.

LOL......so basically 5 out of 6 of you are telling me to screw it and just eat something!!!!! I really want to stick with it though because I am aware of the surgery being easier...that, and if I get a head start on the weight loss I'll be that much closer to my goal. But it's just so hard. By the way - does it get easier after surgery????? I have to continue the liquids for 2 more weeks after surgery too. This is going to be a verrrry long month.

Hi Everyone, I am scheduled for the band on Sept 9th. My doc requires a 2 week high Protein liquid diet to "de-fat" the liver which I have been on since last Friday......however - today it's really getting to me and I am just about ready to break. I am hungry 24hrs/day. That and I'm so moody. Did your doc's require the same. If so how did you get through it? Thanks for the support.

Heather Feather, I had the same questions and felt the same way. I too am in the low BMI zone - somewhere around 70 - 80 lbs overweight. I decided to have the band done because if I don't take control now who knows where I'll wind up. I already have some health problems related to my weight and I don't even have kids yet. If I gain more weight I'm in real trouble. It took over a year to make this decision - many long nights thinking, thinking thinking (my poor husband ) and needless to say many failed diets. I think because the criteria for insurance companies says you have to be 100lbs overweight, 70 - 80 doesn't seem that much. But think about it - 70 pounds overweight is alot and can pose so many health risks. Not only that but how many people do you know lost 70 lbs and kept it off? I don't mean to sound grim but it's the truth. I am finally at peace with my decision - finally. Hope you will be able to be at peace with yours too - whatever it is.I am scheduled for surgery on Sept 9th. Wish me luck and good luck to you. I will keep you all posted after - let you know how it goes.

I am a Nurse - Case Manager at a HomeCare Agency.

Congratualtions!!!! I am paying for my surgery too and my surgery date is right near yours - 9/9/05. I know exactly how you feel. I am so excited but nervous too!!!! Started my liquid diet today...Well anyway -- good luck to you!!!!

Hi everyone, I'm not sure everyone knows me yet but i've been browsing these boards for a few weeks now and posted a few messages also. I can't say it enough but you guys are all so inspiring!! I am Daniela from NY and will be banded on 9/9/05. Up until today I have been so excited and optimistic about. Today though out of no where the enormity hit me like a ton of bricks. Now I'm having some doubts. Examples of my doubts: maybe i should go to therapy and uncover the reasons for my struggle and then maybe i can go it alone. maybe this is too drastic. i'm not that obese am i? what if something happens during surgery? I'm a nurse so you can imagine what else i think of like: what if the surgeon nics my liver. what if i throw a blood clot. my luck i'll be the one whose band slips, etc, etc, etc... I know I will go through with the surgery but I keep thinking negative thoughts (which, by the way, I feel a little foolish about since just the other day I replied to showboatgirl with so much confidence when she had her doubts). I would like to hear from those of you that have already had the surgery. And even those of you who had some problems - would u still do it again?? Did you have the same kind of doubts?I have between 70 - 80 lbs to lose, have been struggling my whole life but in the past few years it's just getting worse. Also what doubts did you have and how do u feel now? I would really appreciate your responses - Thanks... Looking at the calandar and it's just 1 month away...I start liquid Protein on the 26th. Can't wait till this passes and I hope I have no regrets.

what is unjury??

Thanks for the info. I think he should choose Healthnet during open enrollment - I heard they are the easiest. I am having my surgery with Dr. Christine Ren at NYU. Depending on his insurance my husband would like to go with Ren or Feilding also (they are partners) , or Macura (not sure of spelling). We are from Brooklyn, NY. I don't want to go through the appeals process if we can avoid it. Thanks again.

Hi Burnsun, Congratulations on your victory!!! I'm not banded yet but will be 9/9/05. You as well as so many others are an inspiration to me. I beleive your excess body weight is the amount of pounds you have over you ideal body weight. So for example according to the NIH a woman at 5 feet 4 inches should weigh 131 pounds. To figure out how much overweight you are minus your ideal weight from you weight when you started. In this example it would be 199lbs. If you lose 199 pounds you lost 100% of your excess body weight. If you lost 99.5lbs you would have lost 50% of your excess weight. It depends on how tall u are.

Hi Everyone, I am going to be banded on 9/9/05. (nervous wreck). Anyway I am paying a discounted rate because I am entering a clinical trial for those who have a BMI below 40 and do not have "significant" comorbidities. My husband, however, does have a BMI of 40 and moderate HTN. He however has GHI through the NYC Sanitation Dept which excludes the Lap band but covers the bypass (according to the physicians office he is going to). Has anyone ever appealed and had success with GHI where it excluded lap band surgery. He does not want to do the bypass. I would appreciate any input anyone has. He has the option to chose another insurance during open enrollment in Sept. His choices are Aetna HMO or QPOS, CIGNA, Empire EPO or HMO NY, GHI HMO, HealthNEt, HIP Prime HMO or POS, MetroPlus, or Vytra. He currently has GHI CBP/Empire BC/BS for hosp,which, like I said, excludes the Lap Band. Anyone know which is the best for the Lap Band??? We had decided to pay for his too which would leave us pretty broke but what's money in comparison to health right? I'd rather get it covered if possible. Again thanks in advance for any support you can give. I would be so happy if we could do this together.

Hi Showboatgirl, I know how you feel. My BMI is around 36 - 37 and my husband's is 39. I have 70 - 80lbs to lose. I decided to get the lap band because my weight is starting to affect my health and becasue I just want to feel better about myself. I will be banded on 9/9/05. My husband is going to do it too, a month ot two later though. Like you we appear heavy but "not heavy enough for surgery." After getting that response from a couple of people I decided to confide in only those who can be supportive. Eventually I may tell more people but I think this is a very personal decision and if you are not educated about the whole process and in this situation it may be too difficult for others to understand. I am sooooo scared and nervous too. The unknown freaks me out. But I keep reminding myself of the reasons I decided to do this. That and I keep researching about it. I find most people are happy with it and do pretty well. So i'm giving it a shot. What can I lose? A few pounds and some money? Worst case scenario I have it taken out. Best case scenario - it'll turn out to be the best thing I ever did for myself. People who have lower BMIs (35-40) or who are 50-100lbs overweight have to deal with this injustice of "not qualifying for surgery." Because of that my mind keeps playing tricks on me - I keep thinkiing maybe I can do it on my own or maybe this is the easy way out. ( I can go on and on with all my doubts). But then realty sets in. When did losing 50 - 100lbs become easy?? What are the odds I will lose all that weight and keep it off. Who do you know who has? Don't listen to anyone else. Do what your heart tells you to do. Remember opinions are like a$$holes .....everyone has one.

congrats on your date. i will be banded exactly one month after you on 9/9/05. i have been reading these posts for weeks and doing a lot of research. i obviously can't speak from experience but i can tell you that it seems most people don't regret it. so that must mean something. right?? good luck to you!!!!

I quit smoking on February 21st - almost 5 months. Wooohooo!!!! It gets easier as time passes. Just remind yourself of that. I stopped drinking coffee for the first couple of months also as they went hand in hand for me. I also keep a list of the reasons why I quit with me. That helps sometimes. Sometimes it doesn't. It just stinks to have to sit and wait for the urge to pass. I used the mint flavored nicotine gum in the beginning. It really tastes like gum - not like those other types that taste gross. That helped a lot. I'm a nurse. While I was in school a few years ago I observed a hernia repair operation (relatively minor surgery) on a man who was a heavy smoker.During his surgery his oxygen level dropped and the surgery was stopped until he was stable. They gave him high concentration of oxygen via the respirator and he was fine but it was quite scarey to watch. It was then that i realized how important it is to stop smoking before surgery. I don't mean to scare you but they tell you for a reason. Think of that the next time you want a cig. More power to ya!! You can do it!! BTW as for the bitch part. Don't worry about it - I was too. My poor husband!! That passes too!! Hope to Be Banded Soon...Daniela

hi parvathi, I am new and this is my first message on this board. I often think of that question also. I have not been banded yet but am in the process of joining a clinical trial for those with a BMI between 35 - 40 who do not qualify under insurance for the band. I have been reading a lot of these posts to see what i will be in store for once I do get banded. This topic truly interests me because when i weighed so much less years ago I always saw myself as very heavy. When I look at pictures now I wonder why I was not happy with myself and so regret not feeling better and enjoying myslef more. I've been thinking about going to therapy after the band so that maybe I can figure out why even at a healthy weight I feel fat. funny thing is I recently spoke to someone about this same topic and he said "blame the american media." It's so true. When you are subconciously comparing yourself to Jennifer Aniston or Demi Moore of course a size 14 seems obese (when in fact it's the average size of an American woman). I hope that if there is a next time for me - I realize what I have when I have it. hope you find that peace within, Daniela