LessOfMe0503

I have a surgery date! I'm scheduled for August 3rd. I have felt like I was standing on the edge of anxiety while I have been waiting. As soon as I got the call it was instant nervous... but like nervous on steroids!

@@B-52 The reason you should stay is that you have become the person you used to follow. The student has surpassed the teacher and what not.
I am being banded Aug 4. I am completely comfortable with the decisions I have made and my reasons for doing so, but i still need support. I come to the Lap Band forums but leave when all I find is people putting down the band- that's not what I need. I need to hear how you cope with whatever issue is being discussed. I need to hear your good AND your bad.
So for all of you who are banded, please don't go! I'll even break into the old 80s song if it will help!

@@B-52 The reason you should stay is that you have become the person you used to follow. The student has surpassed the teacher and what not.
I am being banded Aug 4. I am completely comfortable with the decisions I have made and my reasons for doing so, but i still need support. I come to the Lap Band forums but leave when all I find is people putting down the band- that's not what I need. I need to hear how you cope with whatever issue is being discussed. I need to hear your good AND your bad.
So for all of you who are banded, please don't go! I'll even break into the old 80s song if it will help!

His goal for you is probably based on a few things. First, he may need his patients to hit a 50% loss to be considered successful for insurances, and if his program participates as a center of excellence. Second, statistically, gastric sleeve patients lose around 60% of excess weight. Third, he may not have given it much thought.
Doctors are human, and they also have stupid human tricks that include saying things in a way that sound factual but are guesses based on potential or what comes to mind at the minute.
You are in charge of you, and in this case, you do not need to listen to him. This does not qualify for medical advice. You can reach or surpass your goal if you do the work.

Your goal is YOUR goal. Do NOT worry about your doctor's goal for you. You can do anything you want to do. You control what YOU do, he/she does not. Work your plan, plan your work and utilize your tool to the best of your ability.


You can get to your goal, it's totally doable.

Really wanting to be supportive and certainly wish that you could get everything covered. The world I'm living in is one where we have BCBS but my employer specifically excludes anything to do with bariatric surgery, medical treatment or anything whatsoever. So I have made the commitment to self-pay. Unfortunately, everything in life is not fair and we will not always get what we deserve. But I do believe that we can grow and expand what we are truly grateful for in order to attract more of that into our lives. I would say be grateful that you are getting the panni and Tummy Tuck (most plans just cover the panni without the abdominoplasty). And then look into care credit or some other financing to finance what you need to. Encourage your kids to get part-time summer jobs, and apply for their own student loans if need be. Explain to them that you have earned this and that it is something you need to do to take care of yourself. I am facing similar choices such as I was planning to use the money as a down payment toward my first house. I also have an older car that I would like to upgrade. But life is about choices, and I may have to defer buying a home for another year or two and I may have to just make this car last forever, or at least recognize that there will be one less car over the course of my life. Especially deferring the purchase of my first home is a major life decision, but in the end I think it is worth it to invest in myself and my health.

I'm pretty new to this forum as well, but I have SIPS surgery scheduled for August 18th at WakeMed Cary with Dr Tyner of Bariatric Specialists of NC.

Major non scale victory for me today!
I was banded on the 14th. Altogether from starting the pre-op diet to now I have lost about 28 lbs. I have only been really conscious of it due to the scale moving and my clothes becoming baggier. I didn't look in the mirror and feel like I looked any different.
Today I had one of my first NSVs. I noticed my Facebook picture was kind of old and needed updating, so I took a few selfies. This was the first time I was like "wow, nearly 30 pounds does make a difference." Well, I have vacation in a week or so and my husband reminded me to try on my old swimsuit to see if it fit in case I needed to buy another. After trying it on and looking in the mirror I, for the first time, really saw myself. My luck with my selfies inspired me to take a picture, which led to me making the jump and posting the photo to my Facebook page. This may not seem like a big deal to some but I don't even wear shorts in public and feel naked if I leave the house without a cardigan, regardless of the temp outside. I have always felt uncomfortable in my own skin and to post a photo of myself in a swimsuit on social media was MAJOR for me. I was sweating bullets with my finger over the "post" button and was so afraid I would be met with negativity over it but friends have come out of the woodwork to leave positive messages on the photo. It has become my most liked and most commented on photo. I even had a girl friend say "God, I wish I had your legs!" I have NEVER had ANYONE say they wanted a part of their body to look like mine. I was floored.
The point of this lengthy post is that I overcame a major fear today and it came as a result of this weight loss journey. I feel like I have made a step forward with my confidence and self worth today. And it didn't come from the people who commented on my photo, it came from the realization that I am a person of worth and beauty and I deserve to be happy and healthy. I couldn't have made it to this point without having decided I was worth WLS. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to do this and am looking forward to more personal growth and additional NSVs along the way.
Has anyone else had a NSV recently? I would like to hear more uplifting stories, no matter how small or large!

I agree and hormonal changes can cause it, lol, I have my aunt flo visit prior to the surgery but guess what she came and visited right after surgery and stayed for a month.

Maybe you could start heading to the doctors office, or at least call them, so you could start creating a history?

I wasn't doing much by way of exercise before surgery. Now I'm doing c25k, which accounts for 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week. I do circuit training one to two days a week for 30 minutes. I can't ever see myself at a Gym for two hours a day. Doesn't seem liveable to me over the long haul. Once school is back in session for my kidsI 'm not even sure if I'll be able to continue c25k.
My routine had to fit into my life... Not vice versa. Luckily my knees are fine... Scheduling is the challenge.

Stop! We are all different. We all have one thing in common: food and our relationship. I always love to exercise. So walking 2-3 miles right after surgery was a no brainier. I am exactly 4 weeks out and I took a Water aerobics class that had me huffing and puffing before was actually surprisingly easy. So I'm gonna have to bump it up. Don't judge yourself by others' progresses. As one friend says on Fitbit, "Go get it". Get it for you! This is your journey. Increase what you can do at your pace. Don't get discouraged.

@, may I suggest you take swimming lessons? Also, you may want to consider finding a Water aerobics class. You don't really need to know how to swim to take water aerobics but you do need to be comfortable in the water. Water exercise is great for those of us with bad knees.

Trust your doctor. Trust your nutritionist. Trust the process. Never trust a fart. Never.

Well that's an issue they need to work thru it can't be your problem if a relationship is stable it can withstand a lot losing weight to be healthy shouldn't be a threat to anyone

I'm not really sure. I'm rather new to the forum.

Walking it off helped me -- a little further each time, even just across a parking lot and back. This put me in a new space as a walker, even though I was just faking it at the beginning. And it gave me something to step right into after surgery -- as soon as I woke up I grabbed that pole and headed down the hallway and back. Repeated each time I needed to pee. Walk, walk, walk.....and now, today, I look forward to my walk and have to do it.

@@B-52 The reason you should stay is that you have become the person you used to follow. The student has surpassed the teacher and what not.
I am being banded Aug 4. I am completely comfortable with the decisions I have made and my reasons for doing so, but i still need support. I come to the Lap Band forums but leave when all I find is people putting down the band- that's not what I need. I need to hear how you cope with whatever issue is being discussed. I need to hear your good AND your bad.
So for all of you who are banded, please don't go! I'll even break into the old 80s song if it will help!

I chose my surgical center because it's nearby, uses a reputable hospital and had friends who uses it. After attending the initial presentation , I was assigned a surgeon. I had the option to switch surgeons but after meeting with him I decided to keep him. I'm being banded Aug. 4th!

Not yet. The hospital I'm having surgery at has 2 different support groups but I haven't been to any of them yet. One of them is during the day so I doubt I'll make it to any of those but I am going to try to make the evening ones.

My pre op is 3 Protein shakes a day, 2 meals of 3 oz lean Protein and veggies. I can also have sf Jello, sf popscicles, cucumbers and celery. I can have radishes and mushrooms, but I'd rather eat dirt so I don't
I'm doing ok with it, at day 5 I'm a little cranky. I find that if I plan out my meals so I don't get hungry, I'm happier.

Well you may or may not croke on the operating table. It's going to be pretty embarrassing when they carve a chicken wing on your tombstone!!! Ha!! Kidding. I'm sure you'll be fine but cut that crap out! And follow the rules like a good little patient!! :)

I was pregnant with my twins and decided they were more important than the weightloss. I took my Water out. I had a great pregnancy and worried about the weightloss later. Babies come first. I lost my weight with weightwatchers after the twins arrived. Good luck enjoy the rest of your journey!

Will be 5 years soon and still going great.....most days don't even think about it anymore, just live every day like any other day. It all becomes second nature and routine....
I prefer my band tight enough to restrict me from overeating....that was my problem before surgery. Could not control my appetite with no self control or discipline.....in other words I could not follow any prescribed diets.....
Sure there are foods I will never eat again, but in return I am NEVER hungry, and when I do eat my portions are controlled....IMPOSSIBLE to overeat or indulge......It just doesn't get any better! Very Easy!
To me it is about restriction...
Diets are the thing of the past, so is the fear of ever being over weight again.....
(BTW, the foods I will never eat again, were food groups that are good to eat anyway and should be avoided.....pastas, breads, meat, etc....so it's all for the good...)
And I agree...the people who I followed when I first came here, are all gone. There is not much reason to stay, and I often wonder why I still log on.....maybe because it reminds me from where I came and where I am now....my daily NSV I suppose.
Every-time I do log on, I click "New Content" under Lap Band forums, and all the posts in the Lap Band section are comprised of people with the sleeve or types other than Lap Band!!!

Thanks, Julie -- a good reminder about fill level. I may have to have an eensy bit removed. Went for a fill a few weeks ago after months at the same level with a little increase in appetite/portion sizes, but now think it may have to come out again as I am experiencing some early reflux symptoms. Barely, but enough to concern me as I am so conservative. I have to keep reminding myself, even now: the Lapband is not about restriction, the LapBand is not about restriction.......
So many long-term banders have moved on since LapBand Talk merged and banders are such a minority. The few who have major axes to grind keep them honed so sharply -- I don't think they know cutting it is to those of us who elected band and are working it with success. That creates tension unnecessary fear. I don't want to have to defend my choice; I'm here for mutual support. I'm really glad you are here! You are very inspiring in so many ways......