JoannMarie

Hi Muzkluvr, If I'm figuring right you have lost 16 pounds in about 6 weeks. I think that sounds like a pretty good weight loss in 6 wks. You've been working really hard, obviously, with 1-2 hours of exercise a day. (I thought only movie stars did that - tee-hee) Those of us who are a little older do have concerns about losing slowly because of age and personal history, and you didn't tell us if you fall into that category. I think most doctors and patients like to see 1-2 pounds lost a week and you are doing that well now. I bet you will do great... :thumbdown:

Alice, would your doctor at home be willing to refer you to a doctor in your temporary city who may have a more conservative approach similar to the home-town doc? The doctors in a certain type of practice often meet and network. Maybe he could guide you to that person who can be available in an emergency and for advice/treatment when you can't get home and need help.

Welcome Waremock, When were you banded? Have things gone okay for you? I'm in the application process right now. Paperwork completed and being reviewed - hope to have a surgeon consultation soon. Waiting is a bummer, but LBTalk has been a great resource for support and information for me. Most everyone has had to wait patiently for this procedure so their new lifestyle can begin. Guess it's my turn... We're glad you are here!

Long, I think Charlene and Plevy have both been banded this week, or am I thinking of someone else? They better hurry and get on this thread or they will NEVER finish reading up on all they've missed! tee hee. I hope all has gone well with them.:biggrin2:

Hi Toni-Lisa, Try going to the top of the screen and find "HOME". If you click on home it will take you to the first page and you can find the section for introductions, listings of all the forums, etc. Maybe you can find what you need there. There are lots of great forums listed there but it takes a bit of searching to find the places of interest to you. Try many! Welcome...

Great information Doddie63. This is a good picture of how everything works over the long-haul. Tells me we have to be a patient patient and not try to push too hard. It will happen.

Indio - you are in my prayers. I am thankful your medical team is on top of this and taking care of you.

CONGRATULATIONS INDIOGIRL!! You have plenty to brag about, girl! I love your posts because a year from now (substitute my date of surgery not yet announced) I will be standing in your shoes. This is very exciting!

Beckyo, thanks for the COE information. I have found a couple of COEs here along the KS/MO line, and have contacts with both. It's still early in the game for me, as I have not had my surgeon consultation yet. Denise, I am happy to hear the meds information. I hope my doctor is of the same opinion. DH and I were discussing my list of Vitamins and supplements yesterday and will begin the search for chewables, liquids, etc. My main concern has been Celebrex, as it goes a long way toward helping my joints and there is nothing else that works as well for me. It's reassuring to hear from you, Denise. You have done well with your band and continue to make it work for you. Reading your posts makes it easier for me to put up with the wait, and assures me I can do this! Thanks...

The new thread is called "Available LapBand Buddy/I'm Here to Help" Indio is the mentor, and many new and struggling bandsters have gone there to ask her advice. You are right - Indio is a great inspiration and dispenses tough lapband love with the definite emphasis on "love". She has great insight into the problems all of us face with weight issues, and is happy to share everything she has learned about this journey. The fact that she has been so successful makes it hard to ignore or dismiss her advice. Check the homepage and look for the new mentoring threads. You could also find other threads that will help if you are new or struggling with weight loss/banding issues. Please do IndioGirl a favor and read the pages of previous posts so she does not have to cover the same ground over and over. Whatever questions you might have just may have been addressed in previous posts. Thank you, IndioGirl

Sooverit, welcome to this site. You are right about these folks - it is a very supportive and welcoming group of people who post here. I, too, am not yet banded. However, I'm a Medicare patient, so my issues are a little different than yours. I have to work with a "Center of Excellence" - found a couple of those in my area - and I don't anticipate that I will have trouble getting approved - just meeting the requirements of the doctor who does the surgery for me. That is taking a little time, but should not be too bad as long as I play my part. While I'm waiting, I've decided to do something to make me feel a little more proactive. I've signed up on Fit.day.com and have been tracking my food consumption and activity level, trying to keep my intake at a reasonable level. This makes me more aware of portion control primarily - and also makes me accountable for any foods that would be bad for me post banding. I'm not really thinking about losing pounds right now, though that would be a nice benefit. My primary reason for doing this is to get ready for what's coming and easing myself into that mindset. I'm also increasing my activity level. I have a recumbant bike at home and belong to a gym. I'm using the bike and gym to get in the habit of exercising on a regular basis - 4-5 days a week is the eventual plan. You have already established that habit, so you are definitely on the right track. I, too, have been in a state of withdrawal. DD and her baby were visiting from Korea last month, and lots of pictures were taken. I keep wondering who that woman is in those photographs. I know I was there, but that can't be me. It is. It's very disheartening, and I sure understand how you are feeling. Please find something you can do to help you be pro-active while you wait for Cigna. You can't control the insurance company, but there may be something about your current situation that you can control and that will make the wait more tolerable. Everyone here talks about banding our brains in order to change our mindset and habits. There is a lot to that. For me, I think the tracking and exercise now will help me meet that challenge later. I hope that works for you, too. A plug for another thread: Indiogirl is the mentor on one of the new mentoring threads just started a couple of months ago on LBtalk. I found it a couple of days ago - spent an afternoon reading all the old posts - and it is great. I highly recommend it. I meant for this to be a "short" reply - too late. Sorry.

My prayers are with you - both for your baptism and for your banding. It's a big week for you, that's for certain! Good luck and God Bless You.

Wow Beckyo! You had a GREAT day! Save that 500 to start your new wardrobe, you lucky little duck, you. Congratulations!

Charlene, have a great day tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you (just a little bit envious, I'll confess!). You are in my prayers for an excellent surgery and quick recovery. You are on your way, girl!

Hi Joanie, Have you checked on this with your doctor? I'm no longer taking medication for osteopenia because after several years of Fosamax my bone density had improved to the point where I was no longer deficient. I have it checked every year or two to make sure I'm not going the other way. Taking Fosamax and the others is a great benefit to us, but there are risks and you are right in being careful. I would discuss this with both my primary care guy and also my LB surgeon and work something out with them. Since your pouch does not allow the usual fast-track they need to advise you about this medication. This is a very common medication for pre and post menopausal women - so lots of LB patients - docs should be able to help you out here. Good luck.

I agree with Deanna. I think if I had to face an aerobics class 5 times a week, I'd take up running - the other way just as fast as I could! There are other activities out there. Depending on your physical abilities and/or limitations, maybe you could give something else a try. I will be the first to admit exercise on a regular basis will probably be more of an issue with me than the food I can and cannot eat. I have severe arthritis in knees, ankles, and feet, so I will ease into it and hope that as I begin to lose pounds, it will be easier to find the motivation to keep it up. In fact, maybe it would be a good idea to do that starting tomorrow... :confused_smile:

Well, I have spent a good part of the afternoon reading the posts on this thread. I have "met" many of you on the 50's thread, but stumbled on this thread earlier today while just looking around. Wow! Janet, you are a great source of inspiration for all of us. Not only successful, but so willing to share your success in such a caring way. Your tough love approach is great because it is obviously heavy on the love! I'm in the waiting stage, as I have submitted my application, records, and all the other stuff. I'm a Medicare patient, so limited to a Center of Excellence, which is not a bad thing, just a little limiting when it comes to making the choice of doctor/facility. The wheels are turning and I am hoping to be banded this fall (hope EARLY fall!). Apparently I need a sleep study, so I will be scheduling that asap. It's so great to have all this info prior to making this commitment - I know I will do this and be successful! Thank you, Janet - and good luck (or good hard work) to all of you.

File Review? I don't know - that's just what the coordinator said when she called last week to tell me it looked as though all my paperwork, medical records, etc. was in and ready for the docs to review. Next step will be to make appointments with psychologist and dietition, then consultation with the surgeon. I am hoping the wheels just keep rollin' along. I'll get there!

Wow! Good luck to both Karen and Plevy! You must be so excited... I am looking forward to hearing how everything is going for you.

Dianne, where are you having your surgery? Happy to hear you have your date and it's coming up fast. Seems like it takes forever - then suddenly it's right in front of you! I am in the "file review" stage at Shawnee Mission in Overland Park, KS. Hubby and I love the Bennett Springs area. In fact, we are towing our camper to one of the campgrounds west of the springs this weekend and planning to keep it there year-round. It will be much more economical to drive our little Civic for weekends of camping than to tow the camper back and forth to KC area. Hubby loves to fly fish and I bring along whatever quilting project I am working on and a couple of books. Your area is beautiful and we always enjoy it. Good luck with all the pre-op stuff!

Best of luck tomorrow, Orea. You must be getting excited - at least you will be after all the testing tomorrow! I'm feeling just a teensy bit of envy tonight... You're going to do great.

Welcome Elayne, This is a great forum for folks at all stages of the process. I have not yet been banded, but have my paperwork in and it is being reviewed at this point in time. The wait is a bummer, takes patience and persistence, but it will all be worth it. Good luck to you!

Phyl, consider asking your current ortho about one of the artificial cartilage injections in your problem knee. According to my ortho, the injection process does not work for everyone, but it can decrease pain and increase mobility for many months when it does work. It took about 6-8 weeks before I began to feel it was really working, but it is much better. I talked to people who had success for a couple of years, and it can be done more than once. I was a nervous wreck before the first injection -- Wow! that has to HURT! I almost did not do it because I was so worried about that. Imagine how silly I felt when I didn't even feel it! (silly but relieved!) As I said, I am just hoping to "limp" along, get this weight off, and see what needs to be done next.

Vegies and fruit are also carbs - could this be what the dietition was talking about rather than potatoes, rice, etc.? I have never heard that protein turned to sugar, though... Have always heard that of starches but not protein. Any dietitions out there? Phyll, you are an amazing gal! Good luck with those pesky knees. I have the same issues. Left one was replaced 5+ years ago and right one needs it soon. My orthopedic surgeon injected Euflexxa in the right knee in March and it is doing much better, though still not ready for prime time. I have hopes this surgery will help me get the pressure off the rt. knee and postpone the surgery indefinitely. Absolutely don't want the surgery now, as the months of recovery make aerobic exercise very difficult to accomplish. With the surgery on the left knee I gained about 30 pounds in the months following - which left me where I am now. Keep going, Phyll! You are headed for 100% and nobody is going to stop you! ME, TOO! Joann

The doctors in my area are operating on and treating patients into their early 70's. It probably depends on their general health and risks of complications from the surgery. I am 66, and have had no indication I would not be a candidate for surgery and the followup care. One of the centers I contacted had an age limit of 65, but the others (3-4) were more lenient. My center of choice is reviewing my file at this time and I hope to hear this week about appointments with the dietition and psychologist for evaluations and education. My overall health is very good, for which I am thankful. I do have severe arthritis which should be helped considerably by the surgery and weight loss. I do like this site and the support we provide for each other. Best wishes to all of you - we are making huge positive changes in our lives! Joann :redface: