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No problem re the questions. Here goes! Well it all started for me in April of 2007 when my blood work inched over into diabetic from prediabetic -- by one point! Suddenly it got serious for me. I was determined to to everything I could to stop the direction things were going. I went into a big poor me funk for a week or two. Then something happened that completely turned me around. The massacre occurred at Va Tech. My son was there, two buildings away. I could have lost him that day. Suddenly I realized that my husband and kids are alive and well and nothing else mattered. I could handle my health challenges! They didn't matter compared to that. Somehow it put steel in my spine, and I've never looked back since. It's kind of odd that something so terrible and tragic could give me a gift, but there you have it. I've never felt sorry for myself since. I know I'm darn lucky and I am going to make the most of what I have. I hadn't even heard of the band at that point. I started by doing Suzanne Somers' diet which means no "funky foods" -- no sugar, no white flour, etc. She doesn't even allow carrots! It was really hard at first, I had major cravings and hunger. I let myself eat whatever I needed to that wasn't on that list as long as I needed to, which was at least a month. I cooked with heavy cream and cream cheese and snacked on Proteins and more cheese. Just to keep sane. And I ate lots of vegetables, too. Butter and oil were legal, so I had big salads and buttered my veggies. Anything to keep myself off of those bad carbs. When things got better, I cut back on that stuff, but I needed to do it for a while. My fasting blood sugar dropped every time I had it rechecked until last time I was within a point of absolutely normal. I may well be there by now. I lost 28 pounds Somersizing and put back all but 11 by the end of the year. By this time I had heard about the band, and researched it thoroughly. I joined SmartBandsters at Yahoogroups and saw that the bandster way of eating was pretty much what I had been doing: Protein and produce, and high Fiber carbs. So I stuck with it. There I also started learning new ways to think about food and dieting, much of which is based on The Beck Diet Solution. (Check it out, this really is effective!) I started seeing food as fuel for my body, not something recreational. I started thinking in terms of lovingly giving my body the best possible fuel instead of what my taste buds were in the mood for. After the New Year, I started in again. I realized that while I wanted my band yesterday, I could still lose 1-2 pounds a week while I waited, just as if I were banded, and be that many weeks closer to my goal. I lost about 13 pounds and stalled by early March when I saw the hospital dietician as part of my 3 month intensive for Aetna. She helped me tweak what I was doing. I started weighing and measuring and cut way back on my fats. I switched to fat free mayo, for example. With time, I picked up some of the Smartbandster mottoes and made them mine: It's not how much you can eat, but how little you can get by on. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the answer. Am I trading what I really want, for what I want right now? Do I like that food enough to want to wear it? I also joined CalorieKing.com and started journaling everything I ate. Wow! Was I in for some shocks. There were a lot of foods that had a lot more calories than I realized! The first couple of weeks were punctuated with my screams of horror when I looked things up. My favorite Panera sandwich had over 1100 calories! Not including the chips and lemonade I usually ordered. I kept saying, "No wonder I'm so fat!" :cool2: We all know that journaling is one of the most powerful tools for successful weight loss, but Calorieking took it to a whole new level for me by showing me the breakdown as my day progressed of protein, fat, fiber, Calcium, etc. By the end of every day I knew how many calories I had left and if I had enough room in my fat allowance to put butter on my popcorn. The other thing that the dietician said, that really stuck with me, was, "Look for easy ways to cut 100 calories." I eventually went from counting out my serving of 6 Triscuits (one of my mainstays) to thinking, "Do I really need all 6? Will 3 do?" You get the drift. Oh, and once I identify a food I I lose control over, it is out of here! Goodbye to Wheat Thins and Domino's Pizza! I don't know what they put in that pizza, but not only did I scarf half of one for dinner, I was also extra hungry for two weeks afterward! NOT worth it! Once the weight started coming off again, I was even more motivated. I set my goals 2-3 pounds apart so I wouldn't get discouraged or overwhelmed. Right now I am panting to get below 330! You wouldn't believe how good I've been this weekend, no junk, lower sodium, no eating out even though I want to. I want this more. Hope this helps! I'm absolutely amazed to have made it this far. I lose, then stall, then lose again. You've just got to stick with it through the hard parts knowing that the eventual thrill of a lower number on the scale (and your pride in yourself) is worth it. Orea

We weigh about the same and we are about the same age. Trust me on this: As you can see below, I've been a good bit heavier. You don't want to go there!!!! I can't begin to tell you how awful it is 50 pounds ahead. We need to take the pounds off and we need to do it NOW. Don't feel guilty about needing a tool to help you. If our hunger turned off when and as it should, we wouldn't be needing this kind of help. But mine doesn't, it hasn't for years, and I bet yours doesn't either. We need the band. We deserve the chance the band will give us. Take your time and learn all you can. Start now to improve your eating habits. You still have time to change your mind, but I hope you won't. Just think, if you follow most of the rules most of the time, you can lose most of the weight! Won't that feel incredible? And you can take off 50 to 100 pounds in the first year. Maybe more, since, like me, you have a high BMI. I'm directing this pep talk as much at myself as at you. :-) Orea P.S. The mortality rate for this surgery is extremely low! Or I wouldn't be doing it.

Congratulations!!!! :-D Isn't it a great feeling? Orea

Yeah, I still have over 3 weeks to go and I am stressing about my testing this week, and the Optifast diet, and then there is the whole other issue of what will my gynecologist say about a completely different problem... and, oh, you name it. I am SO ready to get several months past this! But one day at a time is how we have to play it. Let's all take a few deep breaths and try to relax a bit. Lots of other people have done this and we can, too. Orea

I'm glad to hear things are going well and getting better for you. I'm a stomach and side sleeper, too, and I am not looking forward to sleeping on my back. Or sitting up. But I've done it before and I can do it again. This, too, shall pass. Orea

Best of luck for smooth travel and easy surgery, and quick recovery, Caybachman! If you follow most of the rules, most of the time, you will lose 50-100 pounds in the coming year. Hold that thought! Orea

The shoulder pain is referred pain from your diaphragm. It gets stretched during surgery and is irritated. The nerve endings for it are near the nerves for your shoulder, so your brain gets confused and thinks it is your shoulder hurting! Anesthesia has nothing to do with it. Orea

Dazzle, your body has been through a lot. It has every right to be tired! Go ahead and rest, you probably need it. Hugs, Orea

That's great! Thank you for checking in and letting us know how you are. :-) Orea

As far as I know, insomnia would not disqualify you. Orea

Altoona, I think we all go through this. I worry about uncovering a health problem, too. As for the psych evaluation, all they need to find out is if you are rational, know what you are doing in terms of getting into this, can you follow directions, etc. Nothing more than that. Don't worry! I think because this surgery can mean so much in terms of our quality of life, because it is the kind of answer we prayed for...well, speaking for myself, it's scary to get my hopes up about this just in case they are dashed yet again. Most of my preop testing is next week, so that will be another hurdle I'll be glad to get past. Orea

Be sure to let us know how it goes! Good luck! Orea

At least it's not Thanksgiving! (Trying hard to get a good attitude here.) Orea

I have no idea what you packet is, either, but shame on that rude employee! You are paying her salary, in effect, and she should remember that. :thumbup: Orea

I have Aetna Open Access HMO. My surgeon's office told me that Aetna usually responds within 2-3 weeks and that was exactly how long it took for my approval. The waiting was the hardest part. If you have any questions about what they require and what they will accept, call Aetna and ask. I did that when I needed to have the psych assessment. I needed to know exactly what kind of provider to make an appointment with. (A clinical psychologist) Orea

Wow, that is soon! Congratulations! Orea

Special greetings to our first flight of July Butterflies! Sending up a prayer for you all for smooth surgery and a quick recovery. Blessings on your new journey, and happy trails! Let us know how you are doing. We care. From one of the last July Butterflies, Orea

Actually I live in Vienna, which is at about 9 o'clock on the Capital Beltway. :-) Feeling better today? Orea

Hi, Mich! We'll be band sisters, then! :wink_smile: I'll be thinking of you and all of the others who are getting their bands on our special day. Orea

My highest weight was in April of last year. I hadn't even heard of the band then, but I got diagnosed with diabetes and that really scared me. I was one point over the edge from pre-diabetes to diabetes. I started doing Somersizing, which involves food combining and choosing good carbs when you have them. That took off about 28 pounds, but then I stalled, and gained 17 pounds back. I started really trying again in January. learned from the smartbandsters list about eating Protein and produce and a few high Fiber carbs. This was close to what I was doing, but it gave me a better direction. I cut back on fats and oils (which I hadn't been restricting) at the advice of the dietician I saw as part of the hoop jumping I had to do to qualify. That was this past March, and I was down to 364 when I saw her. Another thing she said that really got me thinking in the right direction was, "Look for easy ways to save 100 calories." I also joined Calorieking.com a few days later and started logging everything I ate. Wow! I was in for a shock. Some of the things I was eating were far worse than I realized. My favorite Panera sandwich had over 1000 calories, and that didn't include the chips or the lemonade! So, this gave me the info I needed to tweak some more. I keep Yoplait light on hand, Triscuits (a serving is six and I count them out each time) and Kashi chewy granola bars. They work well for me as Snacks or part of a meal. I make pots of ground turkey chili chock full of veggies and Beans. A cup is very satisfying and has somewhere between 200 and 250 calories depending what I put into that batch. I switched to fat free mayo and high fiber whole grain low cal bread, when I have bread. I make big chef salads with lean Proteins and maybe a little cheese. I measure the oil I dress it with, most of the time. :thumbs_up: I have made this my top priority. I still run across foods I can't handle. Wheat thins and Domino's pizza come to mind. (Don't ask!) LOL If I can't handle them, they are out of my life. That's what I mean by top priority. I couldn't get my surgery as nearly as quickly as I would have liked, but then I realized I could still lose 1-2 pounds a week while I waited, just as if I had a band, and my goal weight would be that much closer. Admittedly I was also hoping my surgeon would be so impressed that he would let me skip the preop diet, but no such luck. :biggrin: So, bottom line, I gave up most sugars and white carbs last year. I had nasty cravings for about a month, but I let myself eat things like cheese instead of caving. I try to eat lean protein, lots of veggies, fruits with protein so I don't get a blood sugar spike and plummet. I Like the Kashi high fiber high protein cereals. I enjoy popcorn, and if Calorieking says I am low on fat for the day, I put some butter on it! I occasionally have a potato now, but it isn't often. Steamfresh veggies are a great convenience food. We eat a lot of them every week as easy side dishes. We usually use Molly McButter now instead of real butter. (sigh) Oh yes, and I an trying to find more ways to add beans and lentils and the like to my diet. Fiber is my friend! And I don't drink liquids with calories except for my low fat milk. I have to say that eating this way, I am feeling better than I have in many years. I don't lose steadily every week, but if I hang on through the stalls, there is a good loss week coming my way eventually. I still eat out sometimes, but I am learning to order more wisely and to do things like ask for vegetables in place of the french fries. It really is a mind game. Here are some of the mottos I learned at Smartbandsters that serve me well: It's not how much you can eat, it's how little you can get by on. Am I trading what I really want, for what I want right now? Do I like that food enough to wear it? If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the answer. Hope this helps. (I'm pretty amazed at how well I am doing, myself!) Orea

Sorry things have been so tough for you. Keep us posted! Orea

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Laparoscopic-Adjustable-Gastric-Banding-Achieving/dp/0595311148/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214787553&sr=8-1]Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery[/ame] by Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D. A. R. N. P. Jessie is active on the Smartbandsters list on Yahoogroups. She was banded over 9 years ago and has been at her goal weight for over 8 years. She is also a fill nurse in the Seattle area. So obviously she knows about this firsthand. I consider her to be my mentor and I've learned an incredible amount from her. Orea

It's perfectly normal to have these doubts and second thoughts. I have researched thoroughly, too. I know intellectually this is the absolute right thing to do. And yet, I am having moments where I just freak out thinking about the surgery and everything I have to do. As you will see below, we are right on schedule! I'm not sure who wrote this, and I wish I could give attribution, but I offer this for your consideration: Stages of Banding Discovering the Band Wondering if this is for me Investigation Doing serious research Joining a support group Getting hopeful Finding a doctor Shock at the price Deciding to do it Making the arrangement Wondering if you made the right decision Getting nervous Going ahead with it Waking up and wondering what the hell you did to yourself Post-op discomfort Month of liquids- not being able to strictly adhere Wondering if you've been scammed again Seeing a little success Getting your first fill Changing your eating habits Seeing more success Getting second fill Really losing Seriously changing your eating habits Being totally euphoric about your weight loss Changing your thinking about eating Wanting to tell every fat person you meet about the band Realizing you really can't eat Worrying about nutrition Learning to eat healthy and wise Finding other ways to meet your emotional needs Realizing it takes a long time to lose 100lbs Trudging along My clothes are too big Buying new clothes Oops, I bought too much too soon...now these are too big Buying more clothes Getting near goal Enjoying all the compliments Feeling successful Getting aggressive Not taking crap from anybody Realizing you can be assertive without steam rolling everybody Finding balance Wondering what comes next **There are other stages and everybody does not go through them in the same order or even go through all the stages. Some people might have stages to add....and there is some looping back and forth. But these are common stages that Bandsters go through.

My surgeon said the same thing -- at my weight, he recommends the bypass. When I said that for me, it was band or nothing, he said that the reason he recommends the bypass is that people get impatient with the slower weight loss. I told him I am perfectly wiling to be patient and spend a few years doing it as necessary. No way am I getting my insides rearranged! He said fine, he is okay with giving me the band instead. It's up to me to make it work as well as possible! Orea

Hi, I live in Northern VA and my date is July 30. Good luck! Orea