Florida Pete

Just thought I would take a look and on Walmarts website you can find the Magic Bullet for $55. Really that is pretty reasonable in my opinion.

Is this really that much better then using a regular blender? Really I had never thought about getting the bullet or a blender like that until I read this thread about them. I could see how it would be really handy to take to work vs buying another blender to have at work.

Well today I booked my flights for my surgery. In a couple more weeks I will start my pre-op diet. In the mean time I have already started doing a liquid shake at Breakfast to help prepare myself for the pre-op diet. I haven't been nervous at all about my surgery. A lot of people have asked if I am scared or anything like that and I just am not. I get some friends who will express concerns about my choice to go to Mexico for the surgery and I understand their concerns but I have full confidence in this surgeon and the facility there. My biggest concern over everything is making sure I get the exercise that I need. I would hate to go through all this and then not exercise and not lose weight because of my lazy bum. All in all one step closer and I am ready!

Well all need all the support we can get. To me the support really enforces the knowledge that we are doing the right thing. Plus then when we do have our weak moments we can be open about it with our support groups and get some of that support we need.

Congrats on getting your surgery schedule! I have mine set for December 5th! I have already received the order from my surgeon for a 3 week liver shrinking diet. Basically I am on a protien shake diet for two meals of the day with the third meal being a low fat and low carb meal. Like RestlessMonkey already said each surgeon has their own ideas and opinions as what they want you to do. So make sure you follow through with whatever your surgeon expects from you.

Congratulations! That is exciting for you to be approved and now to move forward with this process! Best of Luck in your surgery and with the change in your life!!!

socalfosh really says it all. It does take time and you do need to be patient. If insurance is paying for it then it will take longer then if your self pay. But remember this is your health your looking at changing. You can already be working to help yourself in preparing for the operation and the change in your life. Start cutting down the soda in your diet since once you have the operation it is highly suggested if not mandated to never have soda again. Start lowering your sugars and fats in your diet to help shrink your liver before the surgery. Many people are put on liver shrinking diets before surgery because it is a very large organ in your body and right next to the stomack. Shrinking your liver helps the operation go easier and be a success. Not to mention the other health benefits you will gain by eating better. If you are not exercising start by simply taking a walk several times a week. There is no need to wait for the surgery to make changes in your health and your life. Remember the lapband is only a tool to help you. It is not the cure. So be patient with when the surgery come and do what you can to help yourself along in the mean time.

From everything I have read and heard Madison you should give it another day maybe two at the most before deciding if it is too restrictive. If you can't keep anything down at all then you should contact your doctor right away.

Congrats on getting your date set! I too am excited for my surgery and look forward to a new change in life. Sure there is always a nervousness with getting any surgery done. That's why I try not to worry about it to much. Plus I have a great wife that is very supportive of the changes that I have to do with this.

This will be hard for sure. I first kicked drinking Pepsi a couple of years ago. It was very hard for sure but I knew I needed to stop the caffine intake that I was consuming. For me I had switched to drinking Sprite, water, and iced tea. Yes I know iced tea has some caffine in it but not at the high amounts that Coke does. Later on I finally kicked soda all together out of my home and my work life. I have still allowed myself on ocassion when going out to have a coke but that's it. I have gotten used to drinking water at work and then I will have sugar free drinks at home. I am lucking in that my wife was willing to stop having soda in the house with me. That was a major part in me kicking the habbit was to not even have it around. At work the soda machine is on another floor of our building so that has kept me away from it. Good luck to you with kick the Coke addiction.

Did anyone have troubles getting scheduled so far out in December? I originally wanted to do the surgery in the beginning of November but due to scheduling conflicts I needed to wait until December. My surgeon didn't have his schedule set until the beginning of October so I had to wait about a month before I could finalize my surgery date. Thankfully I did get the December date that I was asking for.

Welcome TQuad! Looks like you just about there. Good luck to you! Hopefully you can get a good date set for your surgery. Let us know how it goes.

This is a personal choice of yours. If you want the gastric band procedure tell the surgeon that. Fact is that the bypass surgery is a higher costing surgery then the gastric band surgery is. I am a person that needs to lose more then double my body weight. I have a bmi of about 58. I will have to lose well over 200lbs. I have chosen the lapband because it is a tool to help me lose the weight. Not the miracle cure that I often times get the feelings that surgeons try to pass off the RNY as. Fact is you will lose weight with any WLS surgery if you do what you are suppose to do. It's still on you to follow through. At least with the gastric band you are not hacking up your body to do it and it is something that can be adjusted until you hit that sweet spot unlike the RNY being toted as the one size fits all miracle cure.

Well what are the actual chances for slippage? That is a question I ask myself. I am self pay also so I do understand your concern.

Welcome Tammy! Yeah that is my thing is looking at this as a new way of living. I can still enjoy the holidays without all the food.

First thing I would do is find you explanation of benefits booklet. In there specifically look under exclusions to see if WLS is excluded or not. If it is excluded then the plan you have with Kaiser does not pay for it. Even though many insurance companies will pay for WLS does not mean that you have a plan with them that includes it. For example I am with BCBS of Florida. They do pay for WLS surgery. BMI 35 to 40 with 2 comorbities. But the plan that my work holds with them has WLS excluded. So it is not covered for me. So good luck with this and I hope the best for you.

That sounds like a great way to bring in the new year.

I hadn't even thought about that. My son just turned 1 a week ago too and is 22lbs also. I have to be able to hold and cuddle him.

LOL I think I would have to agree with that. Christmas shopping, decorating, crowded malls, family visits, etc etc... I am a lot more calm and prepared for this surgery then I am for the holidays!

I know it seems like December is a ways off but really it's just less then two months away. I finalized my surgery date yesterday for Dec. 5th with Dr. Kuri. So are there any others out there with December dates looking for support and help?

I can totally understand how he got their phone number. I am sure you filled out a form with either nearest living realtive that does not live with you. But like others have already said this is a direct violation of the HIPAA if you did not sign any form giving the doctor permission to talk to them. If you did not then I would look at taking legal action against your doctor. Laws are only as good as people that are willing to pursue those that break them.

I am having my surgery done in Mexico by Dr. Kuri at Hospital Angeles in Tijuana on Dec. 5th. I have heard a lot of good about him and the staff at Hospital Angeles. I have an aunt who had the lapband surgery performed by him 4 years ago who lives in Seattle and she gets her fills done locally in Seattle. My surgery coordinator sent me a list of fill centers here in Florida with one that is only about 45 minutes away from my location. I am confident that I will have good service and well experience surgeon and staff performing my operation. I am a self pay as well which ultimately is why I made the decision to not have my surgery done locally.

Yes, Dr. Kuri wants me to do that Liver Shrinking Diet for 3 weeks prior to my surgery. It's a combination of liquid shake meals for 2 meals of the day with the 3rd meal basically being a low fat diet.

I haven't been banded yet but my aunt, who was banded 3 years ago and is a Seattle Bandster, swears by the unjury shakes. She's sending me a sample and I should be getting those in the next day or two. I am really picky about taste so I'll give you my opinion after I try them out. On a side note everyones tastes are different. What you may like may not taste good to me at all. So I think the best way to find what your going to like is to try the different shakes and figure out for yourself what you do like. :biggrin:

Thanks all for the support. I am moving forward and still working on finalizing a date but I am almost there and so look forward to getting the band and life after the band. Oh and I will most certainly have to check out the Florida Bandsters! Woot!