Jessica Kelly

Oh my gosh! So I just got approved through insurance and am about to schedule my first actually appointment!! Here's to a long, successful journey!!

Oh my gosh! So I just got approved through insurance and am about to schedule my first actually appointment!! Here's to a long, successful journey!!

I am to be banded next Wed ( Jan 4 ) and I looked at my paperwork and it was that same week a year ago that I had my first seminar hosted by my surgeon. Things just take longer sometimes. I had to go through 6 months documented visits with a dietician, they found out I have a hietal hernia which I had to go have a endoscopic exam. I had to have a psych evaluation. A stress test. Then my pulmonologist was very frustrating. All breathing tests came back great, but he wouldnt sign off because he didnt think I used my CPAP machine enough. So, I had to go for a whole month wearing it all night, every night. Then the results sat on his desk for another month before he would sign off. I really dont understand his holdup. One of the whole ideas is to get off that machine anyway and you sure dont wear it during surgery..??? But then the whole package had to be submitted to my insurance. Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Luckily , I was approved on the first attempt. It went pretty fast though. I am starting my liquid diet today. Good Luck !!!

I have been at this for 6 months, and my surgery is scheduled for Jan 30, which would make 7 months. Good luck with your journey, and if you need us, we are here for support!

@@Jessica Kelly -- You're fine. Anyone who says otherwise has to answer to me.

This is a great suggestion! I love learning all of the little tricks and tips from others. Thank you for all of the wonderful knowledge!

OK, so I am not yet "banded" but am looking into it as an option for weightloss. I am reading all of your stories, and trying to become a part of the community, but there are few things I am currently unfamiliar with. Like the term "fill?" I saw a spot while creating my profile that asked, "First fill, second fill, third fill?" WHAT IS THAT?
-Confused newbie bander

Well in your statement you have tried JC before and lost 30lbs but put it back on seems a bit over the top. Those diets never worked for us in the past and the reason it wont work no is because you can't be on it forever. Why pay all that money when your band will work if you learn how to use it. There are many ways you can have food readily available like cooking on your days off from work, freezing it and then you just have containers to take out that are already prepared and just heat and eat. I would not rely on anymore diet programs that never cured me of obesity before. I don't see the sense in it. Why not have things on hand that are healthier then prepackaged food. Prepackaged food from JC or any other weight loss center is filled with chemicals that your body does not need. Learn to eat with your band healthy foods and you don't need JC to do that. Spend what you are spending on them at the grocery store. What is wrong with making chicken salad, tuna salad, cottage cheese with some fruit. Certainly these are a no brainer to make. I refuse to let those kind of people take my money again when it never helped to begin with. Just my opinion for what it is worth.

Thanks, everyone, for your responses!
B-52 - I am indeed not banded yet. And no worries, I'm not easily offended As for my expectations... It's hard to say because I've never done anything like this before. With dieting in general, I always expect to feel miserable and hungry. I WAS miserable and hungry when I had gestational diabetes and was forced to give up sugar and carbs. It was easier, though, knowing my child's health was dependent on what I ate. That's a huge motivation to stick to a diet. Incidentally, I lost 30 pounds when I was pregnant. It's unfortunate that I cannot get myself to care as much about my own health as I do about my baby's but there you go.
Anyway, my expectation for the lap band is that it'll force me to eat slower and more intentionally, and I expect it to temper my appetite. Once my stress levels are back to baseline I expect it to work well. I'm just worried my desire to eat when not hungry won't go away. Does that make sense? That's why I'm asking on this forum if others had this experience. If the band stopped them from emotional eating or if they had to figure out other ways to deal with it or sabotage the band's effectiveness.