trina4ufl

Hi, I"m 29, single, in Florida and just got approved for surgery. I'm waiting on a date, but hoping Nov or Dec. I am also looking forward to wearing cute clothes again!

That sounds great!

Hi, I'm pretty much at the same point you are. I just got my insurance approval today and am waiting on a surgery date. I'm hoping on having it before the end of the year. Good luck!

It sounds like you have a lot of life changing events going on. I am pre-band, but I know that it is impossible for me to lose weight when there is chaos going on. Sometimes you have to get through the bad times and then let things calm down and get back to working on your goals.

I hope the best for you through these challenging times. In the meantime, don't heap any more blame on yourself. Try to do some nice things for yourself and remember that the number on the scale doesn't define your worth.

My PCP told me to quit and I wanted to anyways. I've been on Wellbutrin for a little over 2 weeks. My stop date was Monday, Sept. 15th. I have not had a cigarette for 5 days. I was smoking 1 to 1 1/2 packs per day before Monday. I have been pretty miserable. I chew gum, keep busy, and take Xanax when I get in a really awful mood. I also go to bed early and didn't do any trigger things the first few days (computer, friends that smoke, porch, etc). It's Friday night and I usually have a drink and smoke and now I really don't know what to do with myself.

I also think, so what do the nonsmokers do with their time and their hands? I miss my buddy, but I also realize that he'll kill me if I let him...

I'm trying to take it one day at a time. I have a goal right now of Tuesday, as that is when I see my PCP again and she said I have to quit or she won't approve me for surgery. Once I hit Tuesday, I'm hoping the cravings won't be as bad and then I'll stretch my goal out to when I meet with my surgeon, etc. and then I'm hoping after my surgery, I"ll have pretty much kicked the habit.

But for now,...day 5 and counting...

So I guess I'm an August All Star as well. I turned 30 this March and it really did a number to me. I realized I was never happy with myself in my 20s and I'll never get that back. So... here I am. I started my journey March 1 and I've finally got my date for August 5 in Columbia, MO. I've lost 20 pounds on my own and will be on the 2 week liquid diet prior. I started out a size 24 and down to a 22. I'm not sure of my goal weight but my goal size is about a 12. I'm 5'10" so I don't need to be super skinny.

I've been reading post after post on this site for weeks. I'm so amazed at the progress many have had. Oddly I feel like I know many people on here in a weird stalkish kinda way (totally a joke, I'm not a stalker) . I can't wait for it to be our turn to start posting before and after pics. By the way, remember to take all kinds of photos during your journey. I'm planning on doing a monthly photo shoot for my brag book.

For those of you going on cruises, I'm quite jealous. I have to go on a business trip for 4 days DURING my liquid diet. I'm going to be a bear. Tonight I have been packing for a weekend trip to Branson. I'll just pretend it's a cruise or some place exotic.

Good luck to everybody.

How did it go? I am getting all the prerequisites done for my surgery now. I'm almost done with the psych, (takes 3 appts!), PCP-did one, one left, blood work done, doing chest x ray this week. I'll have the final meeting with the PCP on Sept. 23rd and then hopefully on to the surgeon and insurance approval. Not to sound stalkerish either, but I'm turning 30 this coming March, I'm also 5'10" and we wear about the same size (I wear a 20 or 22 in pants and 22/24 in shirts). I also feel like I've missed all the excitement of my 20s mainly because of my weight. I love to hear how it goes for you. I'm nervous!!!

Dr. Shulman--

I am planning on having the lap band surgery this year. I have extremely large breasts and always have--it runs in my genes. My insurance will cover breast reduction surgery, but only if I need a minimum amount taken out. I've read before that sometimes people should get breast reduction before they have finished losing the weight so that they will qualify for the insurance to pay for it. My breasts already sag now, so I'm sure when I lose the 100 pounds I plan to lose on the lap band, they will be to the floor! Any suggestions on how soon after the lap band or how far down in my weight loss to check on breast reduction surgery? I don't want to get it too early and then end up losing more breast weight and then being saggy even after PS, but I also don't want to miss the opportunity for my insurance to pay for it! Your help is appreciated!

Thanks!

That's awesome!! Congratulations!

Thanks! How's it going so far?

How was the psych consult? How's everything going?

Good luck and let me know how it goes! Thanks for the support!

I think he does prefer the RNY over the Band and he has done over a thousand of them and somewhere around 500 or so of the Lap Band surgeries. But as far as a bariatric surgeon, from what I have read and believe me I have done a lot of it, Dr. Jawad is rated #3 in the nation. Either way I think you would be in good hands.

But if you found a WLS that you are happy with then you have made the best choice for you and that is what is the most important thing.

Where are you in your process? Do you have a surgery date yet? I go to Dr. Jawad for my consult on 08/29. I have almost all of my pre surgery testing done. Last thing is my last weigh in on Sept 8th and my final psych visit 09/02. Then it off to the ins for approval. Whew! It's been a long 6 months!

I have completed my visit with my PCP, who ordered thyroid/blood tests (done) and an chest x-ray. She referred me to a psychologist who called today and wanted me to come tomorrow as they had an opening, but I can't due to being out of town for work this week. I have not had a surgery consult though. I'm pretty sure I've already completed the diet requirement. It seems to be moving along pretty quickly since I went to my PCP. She is really knowledgeable about everything, and her office is right across the hall from the surgeon's office. I'm planning on using Dr. Brient at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville I've also been going back and forth about which procedure to use, but I feel that lap band is right for me. I just hope that it works. My PCP mentioned that she'd had two patients fail on it because they ate around the band. She has seen success as well though. I think the worst would be getting the surgery and not losing weight or getting it and gaining it all back.

I've also heard that Dr. Jawad is one of the best surgeons around. It just works out better for me that Dr. Brient is in the town where I live.

Congratulations and I hope your insurance approves quickly and everything goes well!!

I'm in Gainesville and in the process of getting it approved by my insurance. Did you find a surgeon that you like?

Just wanted to say hi to all the FL bandsters. I'm hoping to get surgery before the end of the year (maybe in the next month or 2?) I'm working on all the paperwork/process now. I'm a single professional and I've been researching this a lot. I'd love to hear the good and the bad. Please feel free to message me if you'd like to share your experiences.

Thanks!!

Hi,

I'm a 29 year old single professional in Gainesville, FL. I am in the process of getting approved for lap band surgery. My primary care doctor has made all the referrals and I am waiting on my psych appointment and my surgery consult. I am fairly certain my insurance will be covering it. I have been overweight almost all of my life and currently weigh 305 pounds at 5'10". I think that 160-175 would be a reasonable goal. I am very excited about the surgery, but I could use a mentor to help. Also, I'd like to utilize all the things on this site, but I guess I need help with that as well.

Thanks!!!

I went to a seminar of his and he was really pro RNY. I got the impression he didn't like Lap Band very much. I have since picked out a surgeon in Gainesville. He is listed on the lap band website as having done the most lap band surgies in the area though.

Hi, I'm a 29 year old single professional who is in the process of trying to get approval (insurance) for lap band surgery. Please feel free to check out my profile for more info. I look forward to posting and learning information and tips from everyone and sharing my own experience.