Cappy

I'm so excited for you! Good luck tomorrow! Sending you lots of well wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery!!! Let us know how your feeling!!!

YIPEEEEEE, I'LL BE IN BANDLAND ON NOVEMBER 20TH:party: Anyone joining me? Anyone as nervous, excited, scared and shocked as I am? I'm doing tons of reading on this site and I'm really trying to grasp how much my life is going to change!!!

Just got my date from Liz...November 20th!!! YIPEEEEEEEEE!!!! I am soooo excited!!!! However, there is one little problem...I usually go to my brother's house for Thanksgiving...the only two people that know about this surgery are my husband and my Aunt, I'm not telling anyone else. So what do I say when they see I'm not eating??? Unless I suddenly become sick and tell them I can't make it...nothing else is coming to mind:unsure:...any suggestions? Thanks!

Hi Everyone! Lcubed: No, no surgery date yet....but Liz did leave me a voice mail on my cell today to set me up....I'm SOOOO NERVOUS AND EXCITED! I called back but they were still on lunch break. I'm going to try calling back in a few minutes. I wonder if they are booked through October already. My husband happens to be off the week of October 27th through November 5th. I'm going to see if they can schedule me sometime then. If not, oh well. Susancarole: Sounds like your doing great! Tennis is such great exercise and its great that your husband enjoys it too...something nice to share as a couple! This may sound like a silly question, but do you (Susancarole or anyone else banded) feel like you have something foreign in your body? Are you aware of the band? What about the port? I know its sore in the beginning but I'm wondering, after the soreness wears away, does it bother anyone or does it feel sorta strange...I'm also wondering, once the weight starts coming off in the stomache area, is the port going to be very noticeable? I have small kids and we play around alot, I'm wondering if I have to be extra cautious with the port...just curious. Oh yeah, one more question (sorry, guys...have LOTS)...after surgery, how many days did you need to recover before going back to work? I know everyone is different, I'm just trying to get an "idea" as to how many days off I'll need. I work part-time (3 days) in Manhattan and travel on the LIRR for 4 hours (both ways)...I don't want to push it! I'm thinking I'll need to take all three days off and have the week to recover, but I'm not sure....any thoughts? Thanks for welcoming me everyone! So happy I have you guys to talk and share with...this is really starting to settle in that I could be going for surgery in just a few weeks...YIKES:ohmy::cool2::ohmy:

My gosh, I am sooooo sorry to hear this. I don't even know what to say, it's terrible. I hope you recover quickly, both physically and mentally from this...my thoughts and prayers are with you. Please keep in touch and let us know how your doing! All the best to you...

I guess, in time, I'll get use to it...I'll continue to try until my surgery to not eat/drink! Thanks for all the responses!

I wanted to get feel from those of you who have been banded on how you are handling the whole not eating and drinking at the same time thing. I know this is something we have to do:thumbdown: (I'm not yet banded, waiting for a date:thumbup:) but I'm having a real hard time with this one. I am trying my best to make changes now to better prepare myself...I'm more conscious of my chewing, taking smaller bites and slowing down, but when it comes to drinking and eating, UGGGHHHHHHHH! I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE drinker with meals, always have been! Can anyone feel my pain? How are you coping? Does it get easier? Please say that it does...okay, don't lie, that won't help me:glare: LOL! I know I'll have to eventually make this change and follow the rule, but I'm just not sure HOW I'm going to get through this! Honestly, as crazy as this may sound, this was one of the reasons I contemplated not having the surgery in the past....that and never being able to drink soda again! But I'm over the whole soda thing now! I guess I'll get use to it over time...would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks!

How are you doing? We haven't heard back from you....what is your outcome? I hope there has been a change and your doing better! Your in my thoughts and prayers:smile:

Good Morning All! susancarole: Glad to hear your doing well and not feeling hungry between meals...I can't wait for that! Thanks for your response! I too thought I could get a date without attending the meeting but wasn't sure so I called yesterday and spoke with Jennifer. Now, I've spoken several times to her over the last couple of weeks because I had questions and a couple of times she seemed a bit short with me....I figured, she probably gets tons of calls a day with questions, so I chalked it up to that! Yesterday she told me that she put my file in for review and that by next Wednesday I should get a phone call from someone in the office...I asked if she could give me an idea as to when I "might" get a date but she repeated the same thing about someone calling me next week and seemed to just want to get off the phone. I don't know, maybe she's just overworked! The only person who has NOT sent in my report is the psychiatrist, Willow, which I don't understand because she was the first appointment I had back in the beginning of August. But my file is in for review, so I'm not going to worry about it! I'm hoping the surgery can be done in October but I'm sure that's just wishful thinking...it will probably be more like November. Hi Christine...I will definitely look for you at the meeting! My name is Fran, I have brown hair and brown eyes (not very helpful, I know)...my husband might come with me to the meeting so that might help in knowing who I am! I'll look for the girl in the dress:smile: Look forward to meeting you! Hope everyone is doing great! Fran

Hi Everyone! I live in Lake Grove, wanted to say hello and join the chat! I am being banded by Dr. Geiss but don't have a surgery date as of yet...I just finished all my pre-op testing:lol:the only thing I have left to do is attend the meeting at Dr. Geiss's office (first Tuesday in October)....then I just wait for a date! I hope it doesn't take too long:ohmy:I'm nervous and excited all at the same time! I've been reading as much as I can on this board and really trying to grasp how my life will change after this is over! I look forward to chatting with you guys! Good luck to all!

Hi KJHack: I had mine yesterday as well....not so bad! The only thing that stunk was that the woman who was doing the test had a problem with one position and couldn't get a good x-ray....so the doctor came in, I had to drink the barium for a THIRD time as he watch the barium go down my esophogus on the screen....finally, he could see that my esophogus was working properly! He said I had slight acid reflux but everything else looked good! YIPEEEE! Now, all I have left to do is attend the seminar and wait for approval....WHOOOOAAAA!!!!!! Thanks for responding!

BBK- I just voted...your still in the lead:thumbup: Good luck!!! You look great!!!

Thanks for the responses (you too, kmytime2008)! Now I at least know what to expect! Sounds like its going to be lots of fun:thumbdown: Have a great day all!

Hi All: I have to go for my upper GI series tomorrow. Can anyone tell me about how long this procedure takes? Thanks so much!

So happy for you, Becky....your on your way:thumbup: I'm so jealous!!! Wishing you a speedy recovery...can't wait to join you in band land!

Hey xgrl: I was diagnosed last year with SA. Although I've been snoring for probably about 10 years, my husband noticed that it started getting worse and that I would sometimes choke. The heavier I got the worse my snoring got. Then I noticed that I would wake up and my eyes would be all puffy and swollen and it felt like I didn't sleep at all the night before. At that point, I knew I had SA. So I went for my sleep study and low and behold, I have severe SA...I don't remember exactly but I think I had someting like 120 occurences a minute...YIKES!!! Been using a CPAP for 1 1/2 years and although it took about 2 months to fully get use to it, it truly does help and allows me a good night sleep...no more puffy eyes! Hopefully once the weight comes off, so will my mask! Good luck to you!

I hope surgery went well for you today! Very excited to hear how it went and how you are feeling! When your feeling up to it, let us know how everything went. Your on your way....how exciting :biggrin:!!!!!!!!

So happy to hear your doing okay! Okay, Gas-X, need to put that on my list! LOL! Keep us updated on your progress...all the best to you!!!

I haven't had the surgery yet, but I can totally understand where your coming from. I'm sure everyone who has had or is is considering this surgery has questioned whether or not its the right decision. For me, I finally decided in July that I've had enough of being obese. For a long time I contemplated having the surgery...when I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea in March of 2007 I thought, this is it, I HAVE to loose this weight, my health is at risk. I finally understood why I was SO tired all the time and why I had no energy to work out, I wasn't really sleeping...I was having around 120 epsiodes of interrupted sleep a night. I knew the sleep apnea was due to my weight and thought, what is happening to me? How did I get this heavy? I tried so many diets over the years but gave up each time, I wasn't getting much results and all it did was make me feel worse about myself...I always felt like a failure. I talked myself out of the surgery the last couple of years because I thought, if I really put my mind to it and stick to something I could do it on my own...but I finally admitted to myslef I needed help. After reserching the Band and reading through all the different forums that are out there, I no longer looked at the band as an easy way out. The Band is the tool that I need, the tool that will help me to finally be rid of this extra person I've been carrying around for years. I'm doing whatever I can to prepare myself for the changes that are ahead...and even though there are foods I will probably no longer be able to eat and soda I can no longer have, it will all be worth it in the end because I'll have my health back and my self confidence! Do what feels right for YOU...good luck with whatever you decide! Your not alone, remember that!

Donna and Lisa, good luck to both of you!!! Your on your way to a new you....so exciting! Let us know how your both feeling! Good luck!!

I definitely won't miss: SWEATING SO MUCH!!! I always have to walk around with paper towels and pat myself dry, its embarrassing! Sleep Apnea - wearing a mask to bed isn't very romantic! Shopping in the Women's Department of ANY store My joints hurting Legs rubbing together And, believe it or not, my boobs! I can't wait for them to shrink...just a little! LOL!

Hi Sil...thanks for letting me share your avatar! LOL:tongue: And thanks for welcoming me! RestlessMonkey, behavioral therapy sounds like a great idea. I'm going to look into that. Thanks for your reply. Kiz, you said something that hit home for me...you said you "ate when I wasn't hungry because I was already overweight, I may as well eat when the urge hit me". Well this is something I also struggle with. I'm already fat, what the heck. When you don't have a good self image, its easy to feed the pain. I go as far as zoning out when I eat something. I have the urge for something, it stays with me until I eat it, and then as I'm eating it its like nothing else exists. That little voice inside me that's telling me not to eat it is just being tuned out. Its pretty scary. Kalipso2, I relate to your post so much! I too struggle with the brain vs. the stomache....this is on a daily basis, pretty much. But what you said about feeling happy, the compliments, and especially the part about not being embarrassed about your body, that really made an impact. I have been obese for about 6 years and although I do love myself, I don't love the way I look and feel . You've given me hope that once I start this journey and start losing the weight, those negative feelings will start to turn positive. I am so looking forward to that! Thanks for opening up my eyes! Thanks everyone, I appreciate your thoughts! Best of luck to all!

Hi Everyone! I'm a new member and wanted to take a moment to ask some questions to those who have been banded. I am currently going through the process of being banded. I only have a few more things to finish and then I can get my surgery date. As I read through the different posts and get more information as to what to expect from this surgery, I still have questions about the biggest fears that those of who had surgery faced. I have some, and I am sure alot of you can relate. So maybe you can shed some light? One of my biggest fears concerning this surgery is, will I really feel THAT full that I won't try and eat? One of the biggest things I do is eat when I'm not hungry. I eat when I'm bored, upset, excited...its all about the emotions for me! I've read that for some, the band did help with emotional eaters, but I'm not sure how exactly. Is it because you really just CAN'T eat? I hear people say, "I'm just not hungry". And I'm thinking, well, I'm not always hungry either, but I still eat...if anyone else shares this problem, how did you deal with that? Now, I'm not saying that I never get hungry, because I certainly do...but more often than not I'm eating just to eat. Then, when I am hungry I eat very LARGE portions, which I know the band will obviously help. But what I am not understanding fully is how it will help my brain to realize that I really don't want anymore? Does this make sense? This is a huge concern to me because this is something that I struggle with alot and I cannot process how I will change that. I guess what I'm asking is, how did your band help you with your emotional eating? Is this a matter of will power and common sense? I hope this makes some sense and would love any input...I would be so greatly appreciative! Good luck to you all! :sad: