serenity55

Rosetta, I'm sorry about the urinary tract infection. When is your surgery? Hang in there and hopefully you'll look back on this time and say, "Glad I got through that!" Debbie

Babe, those are five pounds you won't see again, and no matter how small the weight loss seems, it's still a victory! So good for you! I haven't lost as much as I'd hoped too, either, because like you, I haven't always made the best food choices. But you know what? I'm still glad I have this band; it's the best thing I could have done for myself. Besides, there are always those nonscale victories. Debbie

Carmen, I'm glad you liked it! Thank you! Debbie

Hello fabulous February bandsters! I know you're out there, so let's here from you! How are things as we Celebrate our bandiversaries? Remember what it was like? What's it like now? Any regrets? Glad you did it? I am! Looking forward to hearing from you all, Debbie :confused: :celebrate:

Thank you outside*looking*in, and good luck. I hope everything goes well for you. Please let us know. Debbie

Hello Willy, and welcome to LBT! I was fortunate to have my insurance pay for everything, but not before the medical group I was with denied me several times. It took almost a year for me to get surgery, and I have several comorbidities. I'm glad insurance did pay; there would have been no way I could afford to pay out of pocket. Good luck to you, and please let us know when you get a date. Debbie

Hello, February will mark a year that I've been banded, and I just wanted to wish all of you the best of luck. I'm remembering what it was like for me, and I will be thinking of each of you as you begin a new and wonderful journey. I wrote a poem, which I want to share with you all, but it's for anyone of any month who can relate. Again, the best of luck! 'twas the day before surgery I was kind of scared. , I wanted to be sure that I was prepared. Two weeks of full liquids, last two days, clear ones; My newfound lap band friends, coworkers and dear ones. I attended support groups, and drank Protein shakes. I hoped that I hadn't made any mistakes. All my pre op testing had finally been done, And now the countdown to band day had begun. I went to work, trying to keep busy all day; I wanted to keep all my worries at bay. I've lost weight, that's great; but did my liver shrink? What if, post op, I don't get enough to drink? Will I wake up in pain? Will I wake up at all? Will I be anxious to walk round the halls? Once the band is inside, will I know that it's there As we become partners and this journey share? Now all systems are go, everything is in place. I'm nearing the finish line, at the end of the race. I'll visit my friends on the lap band web site, And hope I won't be overtaken by fright. It's hard to believe that the day's finally here! The hoops I've jumped through, the frustration, the fear. At the end of this journey, there's a golden light With hope for the future growing ever more bright. Debbie.

A few years ago I visited some friends in Colorado who tried to get me to watch something on global warming, which they believed was taking place. I'll have to send them the links to some of these articles. Again, thank you Jack. Debbie

Hey Bunnygirl650, Congratulations on being approved! Do you have a surgery date yet? I'll never forget how excited I was when I got my approval, so I can imagine how you must feel. Good luck, and let us know when you get a date. Debbie

Welcome Fij! I was banded last February too. I haven't lost as much as I'd like, but I know why, and I also believe this is the best thing I could have done for myself. Good luck, and please keep us posted on how things are going for you. Debbie

I understand the feeling of being left out, and I'm always afraid that I jinx people's threads when no one else responds. As the previous poster said, there is a listing of monthly bandsters, for people who have had or are having their surgeries the same month. It's a great way to get support. There are other interest groups, and off topic things as well. Do you have any special interests? Hobbies? There are also groups for bandsters in each state. Please keep posting and if I can be of any help I'll be happy to answer any questions, or just chat. Be sure to let us know how things are going with your band. . Debbie PS: The sun is out here today, thank goodness. It was out yesterday, too, but we're supposed to get more rain next week. We need it, but there are lots of people who have to deal with mud slides. Maybe we could just skip the rain and ask for Water from other states that can spare it! LOL!

Hi and welcome to lap band talk! This has indeed been an interesting journey for me, but one I wouldn't trade for anything. There are lots of knowledgeable people with plenty of encouragement and support to share. So hang on, and in no time you'll be steering others aboard this boat! :cursing: Debbie

My best friend said I should name my band Larry for the Sit'n'sleep commercials. If anything ever gets stuck, or I hurt for any reason, I can say, "You're killing me Larry!" (Fortunately, he's been a good boy!) So I gave him a wife, Patty. My port. Debbie

Mine is pretty simple. Serenity is from the Serenity Prayer and 55 is the year I was born. (I also hope that serenity will remind me that's what I need to strive for! Yeah, right!) LOL Great thread! Debbie!

I had a liquid pre op diet, consisting of Protein shakes, fruit juices, cream soups, sugar free fudgecicles and puddings, Water, Crystal Lite. Two days before surgery I could only have Clear Liquids. I was taking blood pressure meds and an antidepressant. I lost 22 pounds on the pre op diet. There was one day when I was really depressed about not being able to eat, but the next morning I got on the scale and found out how much I'd lost, and that made everything all right! Debbie

Tealeaves, be sure to keep us posted. Your surgery is coming up pretty fast, so I'll be looking forward to finding out how you're doing. I know you have lots of support from family and your best friend, and that is fantastic! So did I. But if you ever need to talk to another bandster, please don't hesitate. By the way, I've lived in Van Nuys for quite some time, and I like where I'm living now. We could have been neighbors! :w00t: Debbie

You are by no means a failure. Isn't that what the majority of dieters do? Lose weight only to gain it all, plus more? The band is a tool that has helped me keep off the weight I've lost. It's a silent partner; we work as a team. I think you're doing a good thing for your body in that you will no longer be losing and regaining weight, And you will have this partner with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, unlike anyone you could meet and work out with at a gym. There's nothing like feeling the difference when the weight starts coming off, and you know the scale can continue to go down. You're definitely no failure, though you can become a big loser! :hug: Debbie

It's only natural to be scared I think. I'm extremely needle phobic, but I came through with flying colors, and I'd do it all over again. Follow your doctors' instructions and use this web site. It kept me sane! LOL! Good luck to you both! Debbie

Hey there! good luck to you, and I hope everything goes well and you get your band date fast! It's the best thing I've ever done, and I was denied several times, almost gave up. Keep posting, and be sure to let us know when you get your surgery date! And welcome to lap band talk! Debbie

Hi all, Well, I made it through the holidays without going crazy, which is amazing considering all the things I could have eaten. Today one of my coworkers said she had to do a double take. "You're really shrinking!" she said, which made me feel great. I haven't weighed myself, so I guess the real test will come when I go for my next fill. But my clothes tell me I'm headed in the right direction, and there's much less of me--I actually fit comfortably in the back of a cab with two other people! Debbie

Hi, There is a woman in my support group who was rebanded. She had her band removed in July of 2009 and it was replaced in November, I think. The reason it took so much time was, like your surgeon, our surgeon wanted to give her time to heal, and then she had to wait for approval from her insurance. The time lapse might not be so long for you. I forget how much of her wait was due to insurance, but she's doing great! Good luck! Debbie.

Hi Kate, This is a great place to learn as much as you can about the lap band. There are lots of wonderfully supportive people here with an abundance of information. When I went for my initial consultation I felt that I already knew quite a lot because I'd been reading this board. So read and ask away! It's what I did! Welcome to lap band talk! Debbie

Hi Dag, Welcome to lap band talk. There are a lot of differences between surgeons, but, yes, after surgery, you may be on liquids for anywhere from two to four weeks, based on what I've read here. I was on liquids for two, then introduced mushies--soft foods like mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, tuna--anything soft. After having those for a while I was allowed to go back to regular food. As for medication, some things can be had in liquid form, other pills can be crushed. Depending on the size, some may just be swallowed whole, but you say yours are rather large. Check with your doctor as the time gets closer and they will certainly tell you what to do. Good luck and keep posting, and reading! Debbie

We're not doing too badly here in sunny southern California! I didn't wear a jacket to work today! I have a cousin who used to live in Chicago, and when I told her I'd love to spend some time in the winter with her, she said, "No you wouldn't." :thumbup: Debbie

Hello, and welcome to the forum! There are lots of wonderful people here, with lots of support and encouragement, so be sure to keep in touch, and let us know how you and your husband are doing!