Pix

When I was younger and single I did it all the time. Well actually I do it now too, but its rather planned this go. I had no qualms about picking up and moving to a different city, but I always ALWAYS made damned sure I had at least 6months living expenses money in the bank. I say go for it tbh, save up some money average out your bills for 6months, save that much (rent groceries car note etc) and just boogy on out. But ahh that is just me.

For me the choice was easy. I just can't fathom them rearranging my insides and doing something that is just so permanent. I mean God forbid something go wrong, with bypass you are hosed. It is NOT reversible, but with the band if something should go wrong its a quick procedure to remove the band/port and you are done. I just can't do the bypass with out fear of something going wrong and them not being able to do anything about it. That and the side affects of bypass are just to much and to many for my peace of mind.

Well its not a meal, but its one of my pre op add ins ... fresh/frozen/dried figs. I don't know why but I am totally addicted to them now. I eat them for Snacks, dice em up in oatmeal .. Meals though, I would have to say the bbq chicken slow cooker style .. it is totally fab! I had to tweak the recipe to make it more health conscious (original recipe is whole skin on roasting bird) but in the end it only has 8g fat per serving ... its totally DELISH! It will make a great blended "smoothy" for the solid liquid stage... LOL

I think all in all you have to go with your first initial (pardon the pun) gut instinct upon meeting with the doctor. If insurance wasn't an option for me I would definetly look into a getting it done out of country (read as Mexico, canada etc) but if my instincts tell me to run, not walk but run away fast I would be out of there. If the option is there for you to go down and meet with the staff and the doctor then do it, if you feel comfortable then go for it, if not look into other options (financing etc). It all comes down to how the doctor and his staff make you feel.

Go out with your friends! Get the soup and salad and just sit back and enjoy the great company!! You will prolly be talking and laughing to much to even care what is infront of you or anyone else. Just go and enjoy!!

One thing that makes me sad is people are making assumptions on her husband. We don't know what kind of person he is or how he acts to her. He is most likely scared out of his wits he might loose his wife. Cut the fella a bit of slack, he is most likely scared and isn't trying to control her but in his own masculine way trying to keep her safe. Now granted I am not saying he ISN'T that controlling ass, I am saying don't' assume something you don't know. It truly does cause more harm then good, cause if he isn't that controlling arse then you would be insulting ally by that assumption, or putting that seed of doubt in her relationship that had no problems but a husband that was dealing with inner demons about his wife having MAJOR surgery and changing her life forever. Try to think from both sides of that particular box, don't jump to conclusions that could potentially harm a couple. ****** disclaimer***** Now if it turns out you all assumed right then I will say "I was wrong" but please, thing about all sides before making leaping assumptions

Honey like all bad things, this to shall pass. My DH has never wanted me to get this done, but he is behind me 100% cause he knows I need to do this for me. He was up front with why he doesn't want me to get it done. I do admit I laughed at his reasons (he doesn't want some quack cutting up his wife... he loves me the way I am etc ... etc ) But he knows I am doing this for me, not him, not the kids but ME. I NEED this done for me. You could always use the clincher I used with my DH "but baby, just imagine the positions we can get into after I am thin" He stopped, thought about it .. and well ... needless to say, he is still against it but he knows why and is supporting me in every way. He is honestly just scared something will happen to me, and the fact he is half a world away isn't helping things. But this is just a road bump in a 10yr marriage that will last a life time if I can help it.

Ok, what about those of us who gag on the consistency of cottage/ricotta cheese? It doesn't matter what it is in, or how it is made it makes me want to chuck it all up. I know it will be a god send when I am on the "solid liquid" stage moving to mushy then solid foods again.. but umm yeah .. I can't deal with the consistency it really makes me want to throw up. Any tips?

Ok, I have searched and searched and I just can't find this web site. Something bariatric and its food, drinks and stuff for pre and post op diets. Its driving me nuts, I did a search for 'bariatric' .. oh what a mistake .. after 20 minutes my eyes crossed and I gave up. ROFL Anyone have it? Or can you link me to the thread with it? I am this >< much closer to my hopeful surgery date so I want some stuff on hand JUST IN CASE I forgot to get something from the store. help... LOL

ahh yes THAT is is .. Thank you both for that .. hehe I knew I knew the web site... I was just drawing a serious blank on it, it was driving me loopy .. of course .. can't get any crazier then I already am LOL

I think everyone has second thoughts for this kind of surgery. Whether you take the bypass route or the band route, I think everyone will have second thoughts. The thing is, you have to have that inner dialog with yourself. I can't tell you what questions to ask yourself or not to ask. You have to figure it out from where you are in life at the moment. I am always having second thoughts. But I know this is the right decision for me. I have tried every diet and diet pill under the sun, and probably some that shouldn't have been under the sun. I exercise regularly, have lost a few lbs (mandatory to loose 5-10 pre op) and I know KNOW that if I don't have this surgery my weight will go even more out of control then it is now. Well, ok I am sure if I pushed the envelope further then I ever have before I could loose it all and maintain it. Then again, I can do it also with the Band, and chances are I would come out healthier and more able to maintain it then if I did it solo with out surgical help. Does any of that make sense?

I would love to be able to afford that stuff ... it looks great .. but yeah ... from the website 36 a pop... no way a mere mortal could afford it ... on a regular basis that is ..... LOL

So, today I am in the store with my 7yo (he stayed home "sick") picking up a few things when I get a call from my best friend. She knew I had an appt the other day and wanted an update. I was telling her what a joke it was etc etc ... Then we were making jokes about this and that, then got serious for a moment or two about the Lap Band. She told me she understood why, and supported me 500% but she was scared for me etc. I was calming her down when this obnoxious twig of a twit buts in and tells me "You don't need gastric surgery, you are to small, and it is such a waste of military resources" ... I just looked at her and went back to my conversation with my best friend when this moron grabs my arm stands in front of me and tries to lecture me on diets. At first I just smiled at her, and went to move around her, hoping my temper wont blow up infront of my son while this rabid twit is trying to lecture me. I told my friend to hang on a second and then let her have it after she tried to PHYSICALLY restrain me from walking around her. Oh man I totally unloaded on her, I told her "you don't know me, you don't know what my medical history is, all you heard was a one sided conversation that was NONE of your business. I understand I am in a public place and everyone can hear me if they are close enough, I don't give a damn, but no one else is retarded enough to say anything to someone. You should take the cue, and not be a nosy nelly and mind your own damned business." Now by this time my son is "mommy lets go lets go, I don't like her" So once again I go to move around her and she GRABS MY ARM AGAIN by this time I had had enough, I smacked her hand away from me, and told her that if she touch's me again not only would she go up on assault charges but I would make damned sure she never touched anyone else again. She went to grab my arm again and I said "don't" nothing else, just don't. She let her hand hover a moment then her one smart brain cell kicked over and she started crying and telling me she would pray for my mortal soul. Now being the smart ass I am all I could say was "Lady, you should try to pray for your own before you start giving away your prayers, you need the help more then I". As I am walking away I tell my best friend I have a boy to calm down and I will call her back, she is in shock that someone would actually do what that woman did. But we hang up and I start calming my son down and he is near to tears cause he was scared for me cause the "crazy lady" (his words not mine, I swear) wouldn't leave me alone. GRRRRRRR :regular_smile: what makes people think they can just do that stuff to other people? I mean REALLY, what person thinks that is ok??????????:confused2:

Ok, so I have been sitting here pondering what my first NSV will be. My DH pipped up, well your pants could fall off (this is via email as he is deployed). I was like, well they do that already if I don't have a belt. I am cursed with a obnoxiously small waist and a HUGE bottom half (read as over a 20in difference). So with out my belt or a tailor I could literally slide my pants on and off with out unzipping them (it actually sucks). So that one is out for a first NSV. Then I started thinking about the things I liked doing when I was a kid that I don't do anymore. Running, I think I am going to work my first NSV to try and be a 9min mile again. I used to love running, then my knees went out (no lasting damage, just enough to take me off the track for a long time) and the weight started piling on. Or, or getting back in the pool and trying to beat my old swim records. Nothing like Olympic times, just beating my old personal bests from swim meets and such. So, if you could plan your first NSV what would it be??

Hurry up and wait is the slogan of all medical profession patients .. hehe I have learned along time ago, bring a good book, and have call waiting/forwarding. LOL

That is eerily what I go through with my youngest son. Out of the blue he gets lethargic and blah .. with massively high fevers. No one can give me good answers as to why. One says "growing pains", another things allergies, another something else. It has been going on since he was born, no one has a clue. So I just dose him with tylonal and hope I don't have to go to the ER cause it got to high. I really hope they figure out what is causing yours, I really do. As a mom I know how scary it is.

I got this lil tib bit from This Web site

Well sadly I don't have that luxury... I am a military spouse and we get which ever surgeon is on duty at the time. Granted we will meet all of them at one point, and there is only really ONE that does the band, but there is a chance another will do it if the main guy was up all night and busy with trauma surgeries. I met the main guy already one time, he is a nice guy, seems like he genuinely cares about the patients, he is trying to get involved with more and more lap band studies. But, we shall see. So far so good though. Oh yeah, forgot to add, he is also trying to expand into plastics also. He said this summer he will be away for multiple seminars on plastic surgery types. Tucks, lifts etc, but his main study this summer will be the thigh and leg lift plastics. He said he really wants to be there, all there for his patients so from start to finish they are with him. He said the only thing stopping him right now is the higher ups giving him the dead on thumbs up. But he said there is always a work around for everything and he will get done what he can.

They often over prescribe b-12 to make sure you have proper liver funciton and unlike Vit A or E you wont become toxic if you have to much. B-12 if your body is at peak with it is Water... you body wont absorb what you don't need. I am on tripled the dose of a normal person cause of some medications I had when I was younger, even though its been 9-10 years I can STILL have after affects to my liver. I will be on B-12 for the rest of my life cause of the long term affects of that medication.

The place you are getting it done at should have a listing of places they deal with on a normal basis for financing. You might also see if they can do an in-house financing.

Hey if I can grow my hair out so can you! I have been grinding my teeth about cutting it for ages now. But I have managed to not cut it. My hubby really likes my hair longer, although he says "its your hair, if you want it cut cut it" but I know he is thinking "gawd she is gonna cut it and I wont have the long hair anymore". I love LOVE my hair short, but its never been long in 10 years of marriage so I am giving over to his desires this time :smile2:

While, I am not a weinie about pain, I can tell you in all honesty it will improve. It just takes time hun, don't rush yourself and don't push yourself to much to fast.

for the surgery and it dawned on me that I am truly a 100% pure old fashioned smart ass. As I am looking at the class titles all I can think is a more fitting title for how these people treat those of us in the class. Now, for the most part they are definetly supportive, but they are also condescending. I don't do condescending well at all, I tend to get pissy with people that treat me with that particular attitude. Here are some of my smart ass titles (along with the original) Original is bolded, mine is italicized. Weight Management 1 Weight control for dummies part 1 Weight Management 2 just in case you didn't get it the first time PreOp GBP Nutrition Clinic We still don't think you got it Support Group (now this is the mandatory one I made comment of before) Listen to me talk down to you cause you are still fat (serious, that is how it went, pissed me off with this waste of time) Occupational Therapy Clinic This is a leg lift, this is a bicep curl... do these Ok, so maybe they are funny to me and no one else, but I got a chuckle out of my frustrated translations... and trust me, I am very VERY frustrated with the process at this hospital. *sigh* Oh well, I am jumping the hoops, doing what needs to get done, and hopefully in 3 weeks (might be a month) I will have my date. Cross your fingers I don't kick someone where it counts. :)

LOL that reminds me of one of my Literature class's I took. We had our final exam, 3 pages long. Six if you counted both sides. Only 8 of us in a class of 37 finished all six pages. Needless to say, the other 29 petitioned to retake, and unfortunately they won the chance. Made no sense to me, I mean hell if your dumb enough to miss the other side, what makes you think you will actually pass it the second time?????????

But in the end, I mean really if I do wind up disqualifying myself is that really a reason to BM&G?? I would still be loosing the weight, (and by gawd it wont come back this time EVER) I just wont have that extra kick the band will give me to do it ya know? (I try to not get worked up over stuff that is just not worth it)