jbflorida

I once heard Dr. Phil say to a guest--When did you decide you would just settle for being the fat girl? Hit me between the eyes.

Opinion #2 Do NOT have the diet pepsi! Think how proud you will feel knowing that you followed what was the healthy thing for you to do. The pepsi is not the treat for you; making the right decision IS THE TREAT! Also, we need to change our mindset that food is a reward of some kind. One pepsi for being good on the preop leads to 2 Hershey kisses for doing well in surgery to 3 cookies for blah, blah, blah....we ALL know the rest of the story. You did well on the preop? Great! Get a manicure! Buy a shirt that will fit soon! Treat yourself to a magazine subscription! Food is not a reward; food is nutrition. True, some nutrition tastes better than others--haha! Suffering on the preop diet? Suffering on the postop diet (I was banded 3 days ago) WEREN"T WE ALREADY SUFFERING ENOUGH?? Don't use willpower. MAKE THE DECISION TO CHANGE! (I submit this knowing that I am not a physician and this is only an opinion and other opinions have every right to be here too!) Judy

I just think about pants size 8---you are our cheerleader! (Clean the patio??? I don't think so!!)

Day 3--What are these gurgly sounds???? (I am not hungry, but I make sure I am getting liquids in..) So nice to hear from all of you...no regrets with my decision! The abdomen is stiff and sore. Duh! When does that go away?

Hi--doing okay! Glad I stayed overnight in the hospital. Not hungry at all. Home now and feeling like I was sucker punched in the stomach a few million times, but other than that....able to walk the dogs at bit and get in and out of bed--sloooowly. I am on Clear liquids for 2 weeks. To all of those whose surgery is comin' up--relax. It really is more discomfort than pain. I'm glad it's done and now--on to this new chapter of life. And I have had no moment of "what did I do?" Nice to have friends here. You're all special. Judy

If you go to the first message of this thread, you will see ME as the author. Well, I conquered the confusion and anxiety as-- I just got home from the hospital! day 2 and I feel like I did 9495448 situps. More to come. Judy who is now in The Band! (I want to name my band and so far, all I can think of is Phillip----fill up?)

I have to leave for the hospital in an hour!! ACKKKKKK!!!

Tomorrow is my day too! I don't have to be at the hospital until 1:30 and surgery isn't until later afternoon.....I will be starved since I can't eat (drink, duh! preop diet of liquids for the past 2 weeks) anything after midnight. Wish it was earlier! It's still not real! I guess when I wake up from surgery with holes in my body, it will be real! Good luck everyone! I'll be back on Wednesday. Stay close....I will need your friendship and support! (I use a lot of exclamation points, don't I?) Judy....!

Hairband--whenever I have felt lonely, I do some volunteer work. It makes you feel good about yourself AND you are doing a service. I volunteer in dog rescue and with hospice and the rewards are wonderful. Find something you would like to do and help out. And the counseling is also a good idea. Meanwhile-We're here for you.

My good friend was interested in getting the band until she found out that her insurance does not cover it. She cannot pay for it herself nor borrow the money, so it's a no go. She has excused herself out of it by telling me that she is more social than I am and that it would diminish her activities of going out with others to eat. I know this is an excuse to make her feel better. I love her anyway. And I'm damn social!! hahaha-after all, I made a BUNCH of friends right here on line! (and I am grateful) Tuesday is the day!!! (down 13 from preop) Wish me luck!

Mely--congrats on your band! We're sending lots of positive thoughts about the biopsy. My philosophy is--don't worry until you have to--'cause you just may NOT have to! What do you mean by "you decided against the filter?" What is the filter?

Congrats to both of you! Tell us how you are feeling. I go in May 13--3 days! I will have 2 weeks Clear Liquids, 2 weeks full and then 2 weeks mushies. I am on Day 12 of Optifast. I keep telling myself how easy it is to prepare my "meals." Otherwise, I would need to hit someone.

Diane, Barb and Nicole--thanks so much for the support I needed! It helps sooo much when someone has walked (is walking!) in your shoes! You're right...it's the keeping off that is so hard. I NEVER thought I'd get to 200. Here I am! (and some) If I do not take charge--300 is around the corner as well as diabetes, maybe a stroke, more meds and more PAIN --medical, physical, EMOTIONAL--than I have now. I am praying for the day that I spend 24 hours without a "weight" thought. And I pray for everyone here. Hugs.

I wrote the above post and noticed that 13 people have viewed it, but no one responded to the support I need. Did I write something that offended others? Please let me know if I wrote something wrong or hurtful. I try to be sensitive. I will be needing this message board to "survive" what I am about to go through on Tuesday and the thought of being "ostracized" scares me! Judy

I just wrote about this in the 50's thread...I needed to hear your words! I am on Day 10 of Optifast and have lost 11.5. I was able to get comfortable in a size 16 pants. So I am thinking--why??? For 60 lbs?? Why spend all this money (self pay) and have SURGERY (for goodness sakes!) if I can lose it?? But just like I thought I'd never let myself get to 200 lbs, I'm there and I know that 300 is a possibility/probability. At my age--not good. I live in an active adult community where people are aged 55 and up. To be honest, there are VERY few very obese people past age 70. Surgery is May 13....I am confused and second guessing myself! Judy

I am getting cold feet. My surgery is this coming Tuesday. I am on Day 10 of Preop and have lost 11.5 lbs. Today I was able to fit into a pair of size 16 pants and a 1x shirt that I haven't worn for awhile. I feel I look "chubby," rather than obese which I felt 2 weeks ago. So now I am thinking WHY AM I DOING THIS? :biggrin: Should I go through all of this (self pay) to lose 60 lbs? I KNOW I can do it myself--I've done it before! That is the only thing that I am hanging on to! That I HAVE done it before and back it came--with its friends (more lbs). I guess I am not feeling the food addiction that I KNOW I have. The Optifast was only bad on days 4-6. Now I am not hungry and have no cravings...not one cheat in 10 days. But I can't live on Optifast! Some advice or support would be so appreciated....I think the surgery in 5 days and the size 16 pants have me confused and worried about my decision.:thumbup: Judy

I asked my surgeon which band he would recommend if his wife was having surgery...he said the LapBand. I also thought the LapBand seemed "stronger" that the Realize band--had more substance. Other than that, the doc said reports of the two have been the same as far as success goes. Realize has an involved website, but LapBand is going to have one too--competition, you know.

I go in next Tuesday, May 13. It's not real yet. Anyone have that feeling? When I talk about it, I feel like I'm talking about someone else.

Thanks, KristyK--love the little silly pictures on your posts! It is not discipline and it certainly is not willpower. It is CHOICE. I find that if I have to rely on discipline and willpower, I eventually lose....and I don't mean weight! It has to be a choice that I am making. Then there is no struggle. In fact, nothing at the party (and there WERE goodies) tempted me because I chose to do this. Mindset. Unfortunately, in the past, after I lost the weight and the choice to diet was over and I was "cute"--I got cocky and well, y'all know the rest. Today is day 8 of preop and I am more bored of it than anything...

Hi Erica--I'm a May 13 bander too! Hungry, but determined. I'm on 800 calories of Optifast. Boring. I just went to a birthday party--ate nothing. Yay me! Yay you!

Today is day 6 of 14 days of preop liquid diet. I am not a happy camper! Days 1-3 were not bad. Days 4-6 are a diffferent story. I thought it would be the other way around! I am very hungry and it's getting worse. The Optifast ain't cutting it! Cheating is NOT an option. What's going to happen after surgery when there is even LESS to have than now? I have to be on liquids for a month after surgery. Bandster hell for sure. Tell me it is worth it.

Any one who sees me naked has to buy me dinner first!!!

A big hello from Sun City Center, FL--between Tampa and Sarasota. Come on over; we can go swimming. 86 degrees today. Surgery set for May 13...Dr. Rehnke in St. Petersburg

Today was day 3 of 14 days of preop diet--Optifast and Clear liquids. I have lost 8 lbs. Today was the worst as far as hunger goes. I was told that my body gets used to it and I will be not be hungry soon. And yet, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I am in this 100% and will not eat anything except what I am supposed to eat, uh..drink. I want this to work! So who else is feeling preop hunger? Does it get better?

Jilligan--sending you thoughts of good health and a fast and full recovery. Take a day at a time, do what you have to do, and remember that you have friends here that care.... Judy