Miss Michelle

I got my approval from my insurance today and was so excited. I immediately called my PCP to have them submit a medical clearance form to my surgeon and was surprised to find out that I have to go in to meet with the doctor. So now I am worried that he will order more tests (I have had two sets of blood work, a physical, ekg, and chest x-rays already) and the results wont be back before the 20th when my surgeon needs them for me to stick to my scheduled surgery date. Anyway, if anyone knows what I should expect at this appointment I'd love to know. I think it would help calm me just knowing what I am up against. Thanks!!!

So, I called NYU today to check on the status of my insurance approval and guess what- they told me it was already approved! Yay! So excited! Now I just have to get medical clearance from my PCP, oh, and get through the next 10 days of this pre-op diet...

Yup. The longest part of the whole process was waiting for my husbands open enrollment through work to add me to his insurance once I made the decision to pursue this (my insurance didn't cover any kind of weight loss surgery). I attended my 1st seminar 1/8, I think, or somewhere near that time. I have started my pre-op diet and have had everything submitted to the insurance for approval. *Fingers crossed* I am hoping to have an answer sometime early next week from them. Wish me luck!!!:wink2:

Hi there! I am scheduled for 5/23 at NYU w/ Dr. Fielding. Good luck to you and I will let you know how it goes!

OK, instead of having your knees facing downwards touching the bed/floor, try squating down onto the on top position, so your knees are bent foreward in an updside down L shape. Your knees will be bent in the way where they do not rest on anything. This way your weight is primarily on your bottom then your knees and your thighs do not get in the way.

I am currently 325, pre-op and can still be on top, but not as comfortably as I used to. I think I was ok with being on top until about 265-275 range and after I gained more weight I had to...(how can I say this without being super graphic...) switch the way I sat on top so that my thighs did not get in the way so much. One good thing about my gain though is it forced us to try new things but I can't weight to lose and try even newer things...:biggrin:

I feel your pain. Ihaven't been banded yet, but I recently had my nutritionist appointment. I was sooo sad to see that I would have a hard time eating seafood other than fish and scallops. I really expected that my main source of protein to be from seafood. Except fish, I hate it, but its apparently great for bandsters. Have you had any issues w/ shrimp at all?

I had my surgical consult this past Wednesday, which was also the day I got my surgery day (YAY!) and the surgical coordinator asked if I'd be interested in using a new version of the band. She said that it was made by a new company, but just like the original and they were looking for people to try it out. I freaked, and told her no way, I wanted to stick to something that I know works well and that has been used over and over. Now that I am thinking about it, I regret not asking more about it before immediately saying no. I mean, why wouldn't I want a newer more improved version if it is available? But I also don't really know if this option is actually a better choice or if it is sort of like a generic? I know I should call my surgeon and discuss this further, but I'd love to hear from experianced and soon to be bandsters. THANX!

Hey! My surgeon, Dr. Fielding co-wrote that book! :biggrin2: He had the band himself years ago in Australia before it was FDA approved for the U.S. He did Khaliahs surgery and its so funny you mention it because I just got my surgery date yesterday and ordered that book online today!

May 23rd for me!!!:crying:

Yay! I finally got a surgery date and I am a May Flower! I am scheduled for May 23rd, and cannot wait!!! My name is Michelle, I am 25, turning 26 in July and live in the Hudson Valley Region of New York. I have a wonderful husband and son who are supporting me through this. Like alot of people I have been fat nearly my enitre life. The only time I was average was three years in highschool when I nearly killed myself taking Phen-Fen. I have tried everything from pills to 500 calorie a day diets, to weight watchers, LA weight loss, atkins, etc. etc always to regain all of my lost weight plus some. At this point in my life I am not looking to be a size 5, I just want to be healthy and happy and able to lead a normal life. Truthfully, the credit for opening my eyes to taking control over my life again through the help of the lap-band, has to be given to my sweet five year old. He said something so honest and unintentionally harsh to me over a year ago that changed my life and made me realize it was time to make an effective change. In speaking with a family member, I was told about the band and I researched for about 9 months before begining my journey. I am going to be banded by Dr. Fielding in NYC, who has himself been banded. I am nervous, excited and scared all at the same time. Overall though, I just can't wait!

I got a date, I got a date, I got a date, hey-hey-hhhheeeyyyy! I had my surgical consult yesterday and am scheduled for testing 5/8 and surgery 5/23, pending insurance approval of course...*fingers crossed*

Wow! You are such an inspiration to me! I can only hope that once I am banded I will do half as great as you. Congrats on your new milestone and keep up the great work!!!:tongue_smilie:

Just wondering if you'd mind sharing what insurance you have, and when you had your surgical consult so I have an idea of what sort of waiting period inbetween I am looking at. I know it depends on insurance approval, but it would be nice to have some sort of idea....

I really believe that the larger the size, the bigger the difference inbetween each next size up. My size 20 jeans (that I bought on sale at Avenue because they were $6.00 a year ago and I am just waiting to fit into) are much much smaller than my 24's. Yes, I know that thats 2 sizes up, but if you look at a pair of 6's and 10's there is no where near a difference in the gap of the waist of the pants as the plus sizes. My friends can lose 7 lbs and go to the next size down while I'd have to lose 20 lbs before going to a smaller size.

Hello World! My name is MIchelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which is quite enough right now, lol) living 1.5 hours north of NYC. I am so excited to be begining this journey, FINALLY! I have been severely overweight almost my entire life, and while I should have realized a million times over, it took an innocent comment made by my five year old son that I had lost control. So this is my story on how I am taking back my life! As a child I was put on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old. Not only was this hard in itself, but my mother told the teacher about this, who in turn told all of the parents of my classmates so that there would not be any cupcakes for me during thier birthday celebrations. Don't get me wrong, I really believe that my mom had only the greatest intentions, but being the fat girl in the class lead to enough merciless taunting that I did not need the extra help she provided. We have always had an odd relationship when it came to weight issues. She is slim, but has always worked to maintain it. I think the mother in her hated to see me want for anything, but then she did not want me being fat either. Our relationship is summed up by this example: She'd say "Here, have a cookie. Then, I'd eat it and she respond with "Don't eat that crap!". She has told me before, "if you really are dieing to eat something,, like chocolate, just put it in your mouth, taste it then spit it out. That is what I do." Okay, I am sorry but if I put anything chocolatey in my mouth you will have to fight me to get me to spit it out.

Hello World! My name is MIchelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which is quite enough right now, lol) living 1.5 hours north of NYC. I am so excited to be begining this journey, FINALLY! I have been severely overweight almost my entire life, and while I should have realized a million times over, it took an innocent comment made by my five year old son that I had lost control. So this is my story on how I am taking back my life! As a child I was put on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old. Not only was this hard in itself, but my mother told the teacher about this, who in turn told all of the parents of my classmates so that there would not be any cupcakes for me during thier birthday celebrations. Don't get me wrong, I really believe that my mom had only the greatest intentions, but being the fat girl in the class lead to enough merciless taunting that I did not need the extra help she provided. We have always had an odd relationship when it came to weight issues. She is slim, but has always worked to maintain it. I think the mother in her hated to see me want for anything, but then she did not want me being fat either. Our relationship is summed up by this example: She'd say "Here, have a cookie. Then, I'd eat it and she respond with "Don't eat that crap!". She has told me before, "if you really are dieing to eat something,, like chocolate, just put it in your mouth, taste it then spit it out. That is what I do." Okay, I am sorry but if I put anything chocolatey in my mouth you will have to fight me to get me to spit it out.

Hello World! I am so excited to be begining this journey, finally! My name is Michelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which at this time is quite enough, lol) living in New York, about a hour and a half north of NYC. My story is pretty standard for most overweight people in many ways. I have been severely overweight nearly my entire life and have fought like hell to just be normal, while always falling just short of success. Everything that I tried has failed in the long term, and after having my son I can say I jsut truly gave up. I focused everything I had on my family and never saw the pounds piling on until it was way too late. As a child, I was on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old, but can remember the doctors comments to my mother well before then about my weight. As if being on a diet and in the second grade was not enough, apparently, my teacher, classmates and their parents also need to know to avoid any cupcake temptaions during school birthday celebrations. Being the only fat girl in class allowed for plenty of merciless taunting, trust me I did not need the assistance of this little fact. One thing I can say is that unlike many obese people, the one thing I do not have against me is heredity. I am the only fat one in a family of truly beautiful people. In fifth grade, when a classmate found out I was related to the gorgeous petite blonde with green eyes in the 8th grade, I was asked something I wll never forget. "You are related to her? What happened to you?" By then I had already heard a million comments and nasty remarks but that one cut me deep. I had realized I was the black sheep in the family when I was little and had to hide in the closet to eat anything around my aunts who always expressed concerns over my ever growing waist line. But to have a stranger point that out in that way hurt. I have been obese for 3/4 of my enitre life and should have realized a million times over that I had lost control. The truth is, it took an innocent comment by my five year old son for me to look in the mirror. I mean, really look. I was laying across my bed, watching tv like I usually am after work, and my son walks into the room and says "ya know, if ya wanna lose weight, all ya gotta do is exercise!" In that moment, my heart sank. Forgetting his age and innocense, I screamed at him "Who told you to tell me that?" Seeing his big beautiful blue eyes staring back at me with concern and confusion, I realized that noone had put him up to that (well, ok that and I may have harassed a few family members about what they knew regarding that comment). He was only telling me what he believed the solution to be. In that moment, I realized that I was not only not living my life to the fullest, but I was causing my son not too either. We have never had a vacation to the beach, I have never been swimming with him in a pool, and the last time my husband finally got me to give in to taking a family photo, he was one. So this is me. And I am taking back my life.

Hello World! I am so excited to be begining this journey, finally! My name is Michelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which at this time is quite enough, lol) living in New York, about a hour and a half north of NYC. My story is pretty standard for most overweight people in many ways. I have been severely overweight nearly my entire life and have fought like hell to just be normal, while always falling just short of success. Everything that I tried has failed in the long term, and after having my son I can say I jsut truly gave up. I focused everything I had on my family and never saw the pounds piling on until it was way too late. As a child, I was on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old, but can remember the doctors comments to my mother well before then about my weight. Unlike many obese people, the one thing I do not have against me is heredity. I am the only fat chick in a family of truly beautiful people. In fifth grade, when a classmate found out I was related to the gorgeous petite blonde with green eyes in the 8th grade, I was asked something I wll never forget. "You are related to her? What happened to you?" By then I had already heard a million comments and nasty remarks but that one cut me deep. I knew I was the odd man out in the family and to have strangers point that out hurt. I have been obese for 3/4 of my enitre life and should have realized a million times over that I had lost control. The truth is, it took an innocent comment by my five year old son for me to look in the mirror. I mean, really look.

Hello World! I am so excited to be begining this journey, finally! My name is Michelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which at this time is quite enough, lol) living in New York, about a hour and a half north of NYC. My story is pretty standard for most overweight people in many ways. I have been severely overweight nearly my entire life and have fought like hell to just be normal, while always falling just short of success. Everything that I tried has failed in the long term, and after having my son I can say I jsut truly gave up. I focused everything I had on my family and never saw the pounds piling on until it was way too late. As a child, I was on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old, but can remember the doctors comments to my mother well before then about my weight. Unlike many obese people, the one thing I do not have against me is heredity. I am the only fat chick in a family of truly beautiful people. In fifth grade, when a classmate found out I was related to the gorgeous petite blonde with green eyes in the 8th grade, I was asked something I wll never forget. "You are related to her? What happened to you?" By then I had already heard a million comments and nasty remarks but that one cut me deep. I knew I was the odd man out in the family and to have strangers point that out hurt. I have been obese for 3/4 of my enitre life and should have realized a million times over that I had lost control. The truth is, it took an innocent comment by my five year old son for me to look in the mirror. I mean, really look.

Hello World! I am so excited to be begining this journey, finally! My name is Michelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which at this time is quite enough, lol) living in New York, about a hour and a half north of NYC. My story is pretty standard for most overweight people in many ways. I have been severely overweight nearly my entire life and have fought like hell to just be normal, while always falling just short of success. Everything that I tried has failed in the long term, and after having my son I can say I jsut truly gave up. I focused everything I had on my family and never saw the pounds piling on until it was way too late. As a child, I was on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old, but can remember the doctors comments to my mother well before then about my weight. As if being on a diet and in the second grade was not enough, apparently, my teacher, classmates and their parents also need to know to avoid any cupcake temptaions during school birthday celebrations. Being the only fat girl in class allowed for plenty of merciless taunting, trust me I did not need the assistance of this little fact. One thing I can say is that unlike many obese people, the one thing I do not have against me is heredity. I am the only fat one in a family of truly beautiful people. In fifth grade, when a classmate found out I was related to the gorgeous petite blonde with green eyes in the 8th grade, I was asked something I wll never forget. "You are related to her? What happened to you?" By then I had already heard a million comments and nasty remarks but that one cut me deep. I had realized I was the black sheep in the family when I was little and had to hide in the closet to eat anything around my aunts who always expressed concerns over my ever growing waist line. But to have a stranger point that out in that way hurt. I have been obese for 3/4 of my enitre life and should have realized a million times over that I had lost control. The truth is, it took an innocent comment by my five year old son for me to look in the mirror. I mean, really look. I was laying across my bed, watching tv like I usually am after work, and my son walks into the room and says "ya know, if ya wanna lose weight, all ya gotta do is exercise!" In that moment, my heart sank. Forgetting his age and innocense, I screamed at him "Who told you to tell me that?" Seeing his big beautiful blue eyes staring back at me with concern and confusion, I realized that noone had put him up to that (well, ok that and I may have harassed a few family members about what they knew regarding that comment). He was only telling me what he believed the solution to be. In that moment, I realized that I was not only not living my life to the fullest, but I was causing my son not too either. We have never had a vacation to the beach, I have never been swimming with him in a pool, and the last time my husband finally got me to give in to taking a family photo, he was one. So this is me. And I am taking back my life.

Hello World! I am so excited to be begining this journey, finally! My name is Michelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which at this time is quite enough, lol) living in New York, about a hour and a half north of NYC. My story is pretty standard for most overweight people in many ways. I have been severely overweight nearly my entire life and have fought like hell to just be normal, while always falling just short of success. Everything that I tried has failed in the long term, and after having my son I can say I jsut truly gave up. I focused everything I had on my family and never saw the pounds piling on until it was way too late. As a child, I was on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old, but can remember the doctors comments to my mother well before then about my weight. Unlike many obese people, the one thing I do not have against me is heredity. I am the only fat chick in a family of truly beautiful people. In fifth grade, when a classmate found out I was related to the gorgeous petite blonde with green eyes in the 8th grade, I was asked something I wll never forget. "You are related to her? What happened to you?" By then I had already heard a million comments and nasty remarks but that one cut me deep. I knew I was the odd man out in the family and to have strangers point that out hurt. I have been obese for 3/4 of my enitre life and should have realized a million times over that I had lost control. The truth is, it took an innocent comment by my five year old son for me to look in the mirror. I mean, really look.

Hello World! I am so excited to be begining this journey, finally! My name is Michelle, and I am a 25 year old wife and mother of one (which at this time is quite enough, lol) living in New York, about a hour and a half north of NYC. My story is pretty standard for most overweight people in many ways. I have been severely overweight nearly my entire life and have fought like hell to just be normal, while always falling just short of success. Everything that I tried has failed in the long term, and after having my son I can say I jsut truly gave up. I focused everything I had on my family and never saw the pounds piling on until it was way too late. As a child, I was on my first medically supervised diet at seven years old, but can remember the doctors comments to my mother well before then about my weight. Unlike many obese people, the one thing I do not have against me is heredity. I am the only fat chick in a family of truly beautiful people. In fifth grade, when a classmate found out I was related to the gorgeous petite blonde with green eyes in the 8th grade, I was asked something I wll never forget. "You are related to her? What happened to you?" By then I had already heard a million comments and nasty remarks but that one cut me deep. I knew I was the odd man out in the family and to have strangers point that out hurt. I have been obese for 3/4 of my enitre life and should have realized a million times over that I had lost control. The truth is, it took an innocent comment by my five year old son for me to look in the mirror. I mean, really look.

This is getting wierder and wierder. I am supposed to use Barbeque Tongs to wipe my butt?!? How bad will it hurt to try and just wipe like normal?