Bea1128

I really want a piece of bread, but I didn't do it. Today was a hard day. B- 1/2 ham and cheese omlette L- Salad w/ baked salmon S- Atkins shake/salad D- tuna salad on lettuce

Good luck on insurance approval. I'm sure you'll get it soon. I'm so addicted to this process. I've really got to stop and get some other things done. It's all I can think about too. Once I decide to do something, I want it done yesterday. :ohmy: I'm ready to get it done so I can stop obsessing. LOL Keep us posted on your progress!

Congratulations Lizalee! 40 pounds off, what a great start. You must be having surgery the week before me. Keep us posted on how you are feeling. I'm so excited to be so close and to be making some progress towards my ultimate goal. Good luck to you. Thanks for the advice Dogluvr! Good luck on your surgery next week. Keep us posted.

I agree. I've noticed the same thing. The more you chew, the more you taste. I'm not sure I'll be able to do salad after the band. Even if I can get it down, it's a texture thing. The more it's chewed, the worse it gets. I'm bummed because I love a good salad. I'm finally getting the hang of chewing and it doesn't seem such a chore now. I do enjoy my food a lot more. What a shame to have spent my whole life wolfing down food and not really tasting it.

Hello all! I've started my pre-op diet today. My surgeon requires a low-carb diet for several weeks or a 7 day liquid diet. For me, it was no-brainer! He wants me to eat protein and veggies. No fried foods, no cereals, pasta, etc, and no starchy veggies. It's been a lot of years since I've done low-carb, so I'm glad this thread is here. I'm in. Refresh my memory, do you eat beans? On the South Beach Diet you can have beans, but not on Atkins. Any thoughts? L- 2 oz baked chicken salad greens w/ low-carb dressing 1 oz cheese D - 6 oz talapia 1/2 c okra 1/2 c black beans S - HB egg

Today I received my marching orders, so to speak. I received a letter from my surgeon's office with my appointment info. It said that today I was to start my pre-op diet which consists of protein and veggies basically. No starches or carbs. It also informed me that today would be my last day to drink carbonated beverages. It also said if I couldn't follow this diet, I would have to do a 7 day liquid diet. So, I'm thinking I can handle three weeks of low-carb. My pre-op appointment isn't until next Monday so I was a little surprised by the start of the diet today, but I'm okay with that. I feel like I'm finally working toward something. Three weeks from tomorrow! Yee-Haw! Maybe I'll loose a few pounds these next few weeks too.

Keep in mind that I have told very few people so far, but in my experience, the most negative people are those who do have a weight problem. Their fear is different. They are afraid they will loose their "fat" friend and that I'll be someone different. I don't really know how to make them feel more secure in the fact that I am their friend, overweight or not. Now, my thin friends like to say to me "why don't you go back to Weight Watchers, it's always worked for you before?". Yeah, it worked so well that each time it worked I gained back more than I lost! How can that be considered a success? I can't do it on my own and I'm tired of feeling bad for that. I haven't even been banded yet and I've never worked so hard at any other diet plan. Yeah, this is the easy way out!!! Puhleeze!!!!

I'm April 16th! I can't wait! I start my pre-op March 31st. A friend had the surgery by the same surgeon and he required her to do a low-carb thing. I'm hoping that is what I do as well. Lisa - I have UHC as well and I didn't have to jump through any hoops at all. I got approval in a little over a week. Good luck!

Hello All! I too have over a 100 pounds to loose, but I don't care about that. Yes, I understand that to be truly healthy, those 100 pounds have to come off and they will. What's important to me is what I can wear and how I feel. I have two closets crammed full of clothes in many different sizes, plus a couple of boxes still unpacked. I've organized my walk-in closet and arranged those clothes in groups according to size. They run from small 12's up to 3X. (Yes, I know I'm crazy for keeping them all, but I new one day I would wear them again!!) My first goal is to get back into my 18's. I figure that's about 20-30 pounds. I plan on having a "shopping session" once a month where I try on clothes in my closets. I'll put the things I want to wear up front where I can see them and they can be an inspiration. All clothes that are too big will go away. The way I figure it, I'm successful when I can get everything, comfortably in one closet. :wub: When there's nothing left, I'm there to maintain for the rest of my life! :frown: I want to feel healthy and run again, I want to be the person I know I am on the inside, but most of all I want to go into my closet knowing that everything in there will fit!!! Good luck to you all.

Gigi - Very cool spreadsheet. I look forward to sharing info and cheering each other on! Good luck all April Avengers!!

Okay, so I've really been concentrating on chewing and taking my time. I'm exhausted! :embaressed_smile: Evidently, I've not been really chewing my whole life because my jaw is actually sore now. Although, it took me longer to eat and maybe for the first time, I really tasted and enjoyed my food. There were moments during the day when I had to stop chewing to rest my jaw. I never would have thought eating could be such work! Amazing!

Thanks so much for all of your advice! I'm not worried about the acutal surgery at all. I know I'm in good hands. It's the chewing that concerns me! :thumbup: That sounds ridiculous, but true!

My surgery is scheduled for April 16th. I've been trying to practice chewing and taking small bites, but it doesn't seem to be working. Before I know it, I'm taking big bites and not chewing as well as I need to with the band. How do you teach yourself to do this? How long did it take to make it automatic? I've been eating this way my whole life. How do your change a habit like this? Any suggestions?

Like everyone else said, it probably depends on your insurance company. If you are paying cash, I hear it can be quicker. My "time table" is listed below. My insurance company approved me in days. It took my a couple of weeks to get in to see the nutritionist and psychotherapist because of their schedule. Go to a free seminar. They can get you going. Good luck!

That's one of my biggest fears about telling people. I've done it before. I've lost large amounts of weight and gotten a lot of attention. Then, as always, I've gained it back. It's so humiliating. I feel confident that the band is right for me, but it won't save me from myself. It will only help me to help myself. I read where Carnie switched addictions after GBP. I think that is a greater fear than actually gaining the weight back. I'm not a big drinker and I've never touched drugs so I'm not sure how it would manifest itself, but I understand my addiction is a driving force. I understand I need to work on my brain, but I do have an addictive personality. I have my psych eval next week and plan on discussing this. Does anyone else have this worry?

Hey All! I'm scheduled for April 16th also. I'm glad to finally be part of the group! :smile2: I start my pre-op stuff on March 31st. I've already started a modified low-carb diet (my surgeon likes a low-carb diet like South Beach prior to surgery) so it won't be quite so "cold turkey". I'm trying to cut back on coffee, etc. Has anyone else started their pre-op diet? Good luck to us April Bandsters!!

Angelface - Like other's have said, only you can make the decision to have this surgery. In the past, when considering WLS, I was like "no way". That was because I wasn't ready to let go of some of those things. I started seriously researching and thinking about this a year ago. I read books, I talked to people who've had it done, I went to a seminar, and I've read post after post here. I've tried to make myself aware of the complications as well. I've tried to look at it from every angle so that later, down the road I can't tell myself I didn't realize certain things could happen. Because at the end of the day, I made the decision. My husband asked me a few weeks ago "you know you might not ever be able to drink a coke again or a beer?". And you know what? I'm okay with that. I've finally decided that those are very small prices to pay to be healthy again. I'm so miserable right now. Yes, I can drink all the sodas and beer I want, but I'm not happy. I'm ready to let go and stop the hold food has on me. The idea seems so freeing. I know it will be hard and there will be days when I'm cussing myself because I'm dying for a Dr. Pepper (or a beer depending on how bad the day was :huh2:), but I'm going to do my best. I've tried all the diets before, but the difference this time is that I'm ready to let go. I feel really good about my choice now. I get to set my surgery date on Friday, but I've already started a modified version of the diet my surgeon requires pre-op so it's not so "cold turkey". I'm excited, scared, nervous, but ready. So, the moral to this long-winded story is that you get to decide for yourself. Do your research, talk to others, but make sure it's right for you. Don't rush into it if you're not sure. Good luck to you. I wish you all the best!

My surgeon only does lap band, nothing else. After a year of research and deep thought, I decided I wanted to pursue this in January and went to a seminar on 2/16/08. Insurance approval wasn't long for me and I will set my surgery date on Friday. I was told by his office that I would be able to be banded within a month if I wanted. So, in the end it will have been about 8-10 weeks. I'm sorry some of you have such a long wait. I know the last month for me has been torture. When I finally decide to do something, I want it done yesterday. Good luck!!

I'm just curious NanaRenan, what kind of complications? Did he actually refuse to anesthetize you? What other requirements did he think you needed? Thanks for sharing.

I'm sorry you encountered this. Just because she is a "nursing student" doesn't mean she knows anything about this. She's giving you her opinion not medical fact. I would be willing to bet anyone looking into the band has researched this more than any medical or nursing student ever could. Some people can never understand what it's like to do diet after diet and not be able to loose the weight. I hope to start nursing school in the fall myself (still waiting on my acceptance letter) and I'm getting the band!! I guess the thousands of people who post here and have had good results are "unhealthy". It's your decision and if it's right for you, then do it. Don't let her make you feel bad. And until she's walked a mile in your shoes, tell her to mind her own business.

ReadySteadyGo - you are so right. I'm also worried about all of the attention I know we'll get. I've lost weight before and it was kind of hard because people were always asking how much weight I'd lost. It was nice in the beginning, but then it was embarrassing. I got tired of being the girl who lost weight. I just wanted to be me. You know?

Thank you both for your post. I'm still amazed at how many similar stories I've read since joining this forum. I've always thought I was so alone. I'm not banded yet either. I will set my date on Friday for the next month or so. I haven't had the panic yet, but I think that's because I haven't set my surgery date. Food is absolutely my addiction too. It always has been. I didn't have the best childhood and food was always there to make me feel better. I'm so tired of it though. I'm so tired of feeling bad and I'm so tired of the hold it has on me. I'm so ready to break free. It would feel so good just to eat because I need it to live. I'm so ready to be able to move and to have energy. I want to do things with my kids and not be afraid that I won't fit in the movie seats or won't be able to run with them. Also, I was very athletic in high school. I'm dying to play a game of basketball again, even if it's just with my kids in the driveway. I'm tired of walking with my head down because I feel so ashamed of how I look. I know there are going to be hard days when I'll want to drown my stress or sadness in a box of twinkies, but I hope I have the strength to find another outlet for those feelings. I hope to be able to run again and use exercise as my outlet. I've been pushing the thought of WLS aside for years because I didn't want to admit that I couldn't do it myself. Well, you know what? I can't and I need this help. Asking for help has been the hardest thing I have ever done. They say you have to hit rock bottom before you are able to get help for yourself. Maybe this is it for me. I know I've never been more miserable or at least I've never been so tired of being so miserable. I'm making the ones I love around me miserable too. I'm done. We can do this. I know we can. And on those hard days when we think we can't go on, we need to turn to each other for support. Good luck to you all. This is going to be the best thing we have ever done for ourselves!! :tongue:

I already have insurance approval, but still have to have a psych eval next week. I can't set my surgery date until I have it. A friend of mine who has the same surgeon, paid out of pocket to see the psychiatrist on site. She had to see her twice and was sort of given the run-around about whether or not she really needed the surgery. Because of insurance, I'm seeing someone off site. I hope it's not an huge deal. I'll post again after the eval. I'm just ready to set my date and get on with it!!

I know what you mean. I was a wreck until I found out. I was so afraid to hope. I had a hard time thinking about what my life might be with the band because I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to do it. Good luck and keep us posted!

Congrats! I was just approved today! I don't have my surgery date yet, but hope it's in the next month or so. And like you, I'm ready to get on with it! Good Luck!