Band_Groupie

Go to page 9, post 128 on this thread and follow the more detailed instructions. If you're still having trouble, let me know! -BG

OK, some updates for anyone who cares… TRACK: From my whinefest yesterday: Just as I was pulling on my long-johns yesterday for the 4 hour freezefest I got a call from DS2 saying it was cancelled as the other track team felt it was too cold (OK, someone agreed with me). Apparently it was NOT too cold for our team. Our coaches made the kids practice outside for 2 hours anyway and then they scheduled an impromptu away meet today. OK, I had already rescheduled Monday’s guitar lesson to Tuesday (and paid for it)…you know, from the day OF the meet to the day of NO meet. He’s not going to the meet (and he’s fine with it…half the kids won’t be there as they have a chorus event)…apparently I wasn’t done whining yet. PIPES: Cover your ears NOW if you don’t want to hear about my pipes/dia-pee issues. I’m living on the edge over here. I ‘borrowed’ some of DD’s thin little girlie almost-thong-sized mini-pads. I feel like a man who’s been surgically castrated…there’s something missing between my legs. I’m thinking my new trial pack of drugs might be working pretty well. If this keeps up I’m going back downtown to my dealer for a refill. These pads are so thin you can see through them, but I’m a risk taker (and I have nowhere to go today…oh yeah, the guitar lesson). I’ve just started measuring my water intake and pushing fluids for post-op (I’m the queen of good timing). We may have a repeat of the ‘big flood’ of ’05. That’s when I had to call (from the bathroom) for DS2 (he was the only one home) to run and bring me some towels and a pad…that’s when I scheduled my bladder surgery and took out stock in Poise…and when DS2 dubbed pads ‘dia-pees’. Yes, I continue to scar my kids for life…and what was I saying yesterday about parents embarrassing their teens? Actually we were both laughing hysterically at the time, and every once in awhile he still loves to tease me about it and laughingly whisper to me that he’s going to tell everyone (so don’t tell him I’ve already told the world…shh, it’s our little secret). That’s when I pull out my tube top threat or bribe him with treats…we have a wonderful relationship…it’s all based on secrets, threats and bribery…I’m a good mom that way. So far, so good, LAP-BAND: I still can’t get the ‘Insurance Specialist’ at my surgeon’s office to call me back. Love the woman when I talk to her, but if she's that busy (which I'm guessing is true) they need to get her an assistant. I started calling her last Monday (8 days ago) and every day since then. I left a fourth message on her voicemail today asking for a 5 min. meeting with her on Wednesday morning so I can bring my last papers in and GET A TENTATIVE DATE (and I told her I was going to call the surgeon’s Admin. Asst., Susan). I just called Susan and nicely asked if Patti’s been out…nope, so I told her my issues and asked if I could just come down tomorrow, nope, no welcome-mat, I have to talk to the ins. gal. OK, HOW can I do that? She apologized and took a message for me. I’ve now risked pissing off the ONLY person who can help me get approved or not, which I certainly didn’t want to do, but that shows you how much pressure I’m getting to set a date (I'm sure my ears will be burning/ringing soon). I think the world will probably implode if I don’t get this done on Wednesday…so if you hear the BIG BANG, run for cover. Here comes the ‘yadda-yadda-yadda’ *just keep saying this in your mind as you scan the rest of this as quickly as possible until you get to WHEW while I release a quick (well, that depends on how fast you can scan) bit of pressure off the cooker*…I’m not telling anyone but DH, so I don’t want to be on the pre-op diet and traveling to my family for Easter. I’ve been avoiding calling my Mom (who had foot surgery last week and I haven’t talked to since…it’s killing me) because she’s been bugging me to come there (Ohio) for Easter and she needs to get the house ready, Easter baskets ready (yes, I always tell her I’ll do them, she won’t have that) and did I mention she just had surgery? DD calls me daily to see if we’re going for Easter because she wants to bring the BF and he needs to plan and she needs to ask off work and talk to his Mom about leaving…I’m all out of excuses. DH is getting big pressure from work (in the throes of layoffs there) to schedule several more work trips in April (he just called me a min. ago to ask AGAIN "Do you think you'll get a date tomorrow?", and DS1 still hasn’t taken Easter weekend off work yet, so who knows if he’ll be able to at this point. We’ve also got several kid doctors’ appts. scheduled that Friday that will need to be rescheduled, but within a few days as they’re time sensitive visits…the closer we get the less likely I’ll be able to do this. I’m being pressured from EVERYONE! *WHEW* So, I’ll either be back here ranting or doing the happy dance tomorrow…coin toss now! I’m really not impatient to get surgery ASAP...I really don't care if it's in May at this point; I just need to know WHEN it might be!

OK, some updates for anyone who cares… TRACK: From my whinefest yesterday: Just as I was pulling on my long-johns yesterday for the 4 hour freezefest I got a call from DS2 saying it was cancelled as the other track team felt it was too cold (OK, someone agreed with me). Apparently it was NOT too cold for our team. Our coaches made the kids practice outside for 2 hours anyway and then they scheduled an impromptu away meet today. OK, I had already rescheduled Monday’s guitar lesson to Tuesday (and paid for it)…you know, from the day OF the meet to the day of NO meet. He’s not going to the meet (and he’s fine with it…half the kids won’t be there as they have a chorus event)…apparently I wasn’t done whining yet. PIPES: Cover your ears NOW if you don’t want to hear about my pipes/dia-pee issues. I’m living on the edge over here. I ‘borrowed’ some of DD’s thin little girlie almost-thong-sized mini-pads. I feel like a man who’s been surgically castrated…there’s something missing between my legs. I’m thinking my new trial pack of drugs might be working pretty well. If this keeps up I’m going back downtown to my dealer for a refill. These pads are so thin you can see through them, but I’m a risk taker (and I have nowhere to go today…oh yeah, the guitar lesson). I’ve just started measuring my water intake and pushing fluids for post-op (I’m the queen of good timing). We may have a repeat of the ‘big flood’ of ’05. That’s when I had to call (from the bathroom) for DS2 (he was the only one home) to run and bring me some towels and a pad…that’s when I scheduled my bladder surgery and took out stock in Poise…and when DS2 dubbed pads ‘dia-pees’. Yes, I continue to scar my kids for life…and what was I saying yesterday about parents embarrassing their teens? Actually we were both laughing hysterically at the time, and every once in awhile he still loves to tease me about it and laughingly whisper to me that he’s going to tell everyone (so don’t tell him I’ve already told the world…shh, it’s our little secret). That’s when I pull out my tube top threat or bribe him with treats…we have a wonderful relationship…it’s all based on secrets, threats and bribery…I’m a good mom that way. So far, so good, LAP-BAND: I still can’t get the ‘Insurance Specialist’ at my surgeon’s office to call me back. Love the woman when I talk to her, but if she's that busy (which I'm guessing is true) they need to get her an assistant. I started calling her last Monday (8 days ago) and every day since then. I left a fourth message on her voicemail today asking for a 5 min. meeting with her on Wednesday morning so I can bring my last papers in and GET A TENTATIVE DATE (and I told her I was going to call the surgeon’s Admin. Asst., Susan). I just called Susan and nicely asked if Patti’s been out…nope, so I told her my issues and asked if I could just come down tomorrow, nope, no welcome-mat, I have to talk to the ins. gal. OK, HOW can I do that? She apologized and took a message for me. I’ve now risked pissing off the ONLY person who can help me get approved or not, which I certainly didn’t want to do, but that shows you how much pressure I’m getting to set a date (I'm sure my ears will be burning/ringing soon). I think the world will probably implode if I don’t get this done on Wednesday…so if you hear the BIG BANG, run for cover. Here comes the ‘yadda-yadda-yadda’ *just keep saying this in your mind as you scan the rest of this as quickly as possible until you get to WHEW while I release a quick (well, that depends on how fast you can scan) bit of pressure off the cooker*…I’m not telling anyone but DH, so I don’t want to be on the pre-op diet and traveling to my family for Easter. I’ve been avoiding calling my Mom (who had foot surgery last week and I haven’t talked to since…it’s killing me) because she’s been bugging me to come there (Ohio) for Easter and she needs to get the house ready, Easter baskets ready (yes, I always tell her I’ll do them, she won’t have that) and did I mention she just had surgery? DD calls me daily to see if we’re going for Easter because she wants to bring the BF and he needs to plan and she needs to ask off work and talk to his Mom about leaving…I’m all out of excuses. DH is getting big pressure from work (in the throes of layoffs there) to schedule several more work trips in April (he just called me a min. ago to ask AGAIN "Do you think you'll get a date tomorrow?", and DS1 still hasn’t taken Easter weekend off work yet, so who knows if he’ll be able to at this point. We’ve also got several kid doctors’ appts. scheduled that Friday that will need to be rescheduled, but within a few days as they’re time sensitive visits…the closer we get the less likely I’ll be able to do this. I’m being pressured from EVERYONE! *WHEW* So, I’ll either be back here ranting or doing the happy dance tomorrow…coin toss now! I’m really not impatient to get surgery ASAP...I really don't care if it's in May at this point; I just need to know WHEN it might be!

Hey there. I'm still pre-band, but I hear many on LBT say that getting up and down is one of the things that sticks around the longest. Good luck at the doc tomorrow! -BG

I'm pre-band (few weeks), but wanted to say thanks for the post. I eat reg. oatmeal every day, usually with a handful of frozen berries thrown in. I just bought Cream of Wheat because I was afraid the oatmeal would be too gummy to go down. Good to know I'll be able to have it...now with new recipes!

Did you just get a fill last week? If so, I'm confused because I thought people said it can take up to 4 weeks for fills to 'kick in'...not sure why that would be, but I keep reading that here (so that's why fills are supposed to be about 4 weeks apart)?

LOL, yeah me too (laxative). I still adore some of the SF chocolates with Sugar Alcohols...they're still lower in calories than real chocolate even when counting all the carbs, but if I eat more than one or two in a day......instant colon cleanse.

I have my mom's baby set-silver. My son has a set of our flatware someone gave him in a baby set (but it's packed away so I can't borrow it). If you want to spend a little more I would check some of the major flatware stainless/silver companies. Here's a link to the Oneida set he received (I don't have an idea for a travel case...hard eyeglasses case?). Click HERE Good luck DB with the doc appt. More than you probably want to know but I do count these, and I'm no expert. Sugar alcohols are not sugars or alcohols but are carbohydrates called polyols. They don't impact blood sugar significantly "in most people", so most diebetics can tolerate these. As far as how they should be counted...When products started arriving with these in them low carb dieters were told by many diet plans that they could deduct these off the carb total (when Atkins started making their own products they changed from not allowing these to allowing them). The urban ledgend when I was on Atkins (several successful times) was that these just passed through your body. Not true, they are metabolized just like other carbs, well not exactly as once absorbed they are converted to energy by processes that require little or no insulin. Some of the sugar alcohol is not absorbed into the blood but passes through the small intestine and are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine (so they are metabolized). Overconsumption may produce abdominal gas and a laxative effect. Just because they don't effect blood sugar doesn't mean they shouldn't count like other carbs that have little effect on blood sugar like green vegetables. There's been a lot of controversy lately on whether or not these should be counted as carbs or not, but most agree they should have a limited use and are mainly a benefit for diabetics needing to control blood sugars. The commonly used sugar alcohols include sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, lactitol, erythritol, isomalt and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. Their calorie content ranges from zero to three calories per gram compared to four calories per gram for sucrose or other sugars (most have a little over half the calories per gram as sugar). Most sugar alcohols are less sweet than sucrose; maltitol and xylitol are about as sweet as sucrose. So the pros are they contain less calories than sugar, but beware that these are not 'free' foods and they usually contain a lot of carbs. There is a big misconception that these carbs shouldn't count. They are not the same as zero calorie sugar substitues like saccharine.

I hope you're having a very mundane, drab and boring day. Good job! -BG

OK, I realize it’s not quite the end of March but come on!!! Snow??!!! I’m in Pittsburgh, not flippin’ Fargo!!! (Ooops, sorry Fargo, I just heard on the news you’re having flooding, best wishes to Fargo). There’s snow flurries coming down and the wind is howling so fast that the wind chill is Frickincoldashell. I’m officially on strike until Spring shows up…I’m hibernating inside until it gets warmer…I’m so DONE with you Winter! Winter has forced me into being a bad mother. Let me preface this by saying we’re good parents, we go to everything the kids want us to. I was even Homeroom Mom (and full-time bulletin board/teacher’s helper) every year for all three of my kids until it ended at Middle School. Hey I was an Art Teacher and we did awesome fun stuff…the teachers were fighting over getting my kids into their class the next year…my kids were proud…until they became teens, at which point parents are embarrassing. We even go to most of the things the kids don’t want us to…that’s when we get.. ‘But nobody else’s parents are coming!’…OK, I listened when it came to the Middle School Dance chaperones…I let some other mom (who wants to be ‘friends’ with her teen) embarrass their teen (bet she hit the dance floor!). My standard response now when they say I’ve embarrassed them over something little is ‘Embarrassed?!! You’d better watch it or I’m going to show up at one of your dances in my sequin tube top!...that always gets them. There’s a point in High School though where you become less embarrassing again, either that or they learn to tolerate the embarrassment…DS1, age 18, now doesn’t whine when I chat with his friends as long as I don’t hang out long, don’t show naked baby photos, and I’m feeding them well as they’re over playing poker, Guitar Hero, or video games…they actually started playing the board game Risk lately (how old school!). DS2 has another (weekly) Track Meet tonight and I asked him if he cared if I just came to pick him up at the end…he grumbled OK, but I think he cared. I really think he was picturing that he might be the last kid picked up…no kid likes that, I was one of 5 kids with a busy Mom, so I remember the feeling and I try really hard to avoid that. The problem is it’s hard to predict when athletic events like this are going to end…I might as well be predicting the stock market…yes, I loaned him my cell phone, but will he call me in time to get there (the school is a ½ hour away)….no chance! There’s always ‘We can’t take a phone on the field so it was up in the bleachers and the coach wanted me to stay down there between events to warm up, so I couldn’t call you, but WHY were you late?!!!” Who does he think I am, Carmac the Magician? I don’t think he’s ever been the last kid picked up. And doesn’t he remember that I’m the same Mom who got one of two speeding tickets in my life because both boys were playing soccer games in two different locations and his soccer game ran overtime? Heck, he was in the car as the lights were flashing behind us and I didn’t pull right over, but made the police car follow me the extra thousand feet into the park where I pulled up right in front of the coach and DS1’s soccer team…TEAM you hear me?!...I was still one of the first Mom’s there! OK, so it turned out to be the school DARE officer (nice lady who wrote down less mph than I really was going, thank you) so all the kids knew her and DS1 will never let me forget how badly I embarrassed him…but if you’re a Mom who’s ever been late and you get that panicked/heart in your throat feeling as you’re driving and don't know if your kid is safe, then you know what I mean (you younger moms probably buy your tots cell phones so you’ll never have this problem). Now I wonder why teens say parents are embarrassing? Why is it that teens sometimes don’t want you to show up at anything, sometimes want you not even to exist if they're with friends? I swear there’s moments they’d like me to be invisible when I’m driving them and their friends places….and God help me if I talk too much in the car to their friends…I’ll hear about it later!...Mom! Why do you always have to laugh and talk to my friends so much?!...and yet if it involves sitting in the cold to watch them run for 1, 2, and 5 min. (events) out of a THREE-FOUR HOUR Track Meet, yes, then they want you there. I may go to the last hour since two of his events (they can only be in three) are always at the end…I’ll see how cold it is then. I’m a bad Mother, I know! Sitting in those elevated bleachers so the wind smacks you in the face as it whips across the field while your fat butt, that you thought was oh-so-very-insulated goes numb from sitting on those cold metal benches, for any longer than I have to does not sound fun today. And hey, I may be going to my pre-op class this week (toes crossed) and these weak asthmatic lungs don’t need bronchitis or pneumonia for the seventh time right before surgery…….you’re not buying my plea for sympathy are you? But it’s SO COLD! I'm sounding like a whining teen aren't I? Nuff said.

OK, I realize it’s not quite the end of March but come on!!! Snow??!!! I’m in Pittsburgh, not flippin’ Fargo!!! (Ooops, sorry Fargo, I just heard on the news you’re having flooding, best wishes to Fargo). There’s snow flurries coming down and the wind is howling so fast that the wind chill is Frickincoldashell. I’m officially on strike until Spring shows up…I’m hibernating inside until it gets warmer…I’m so DONE with you Winter! Winter has forced me into being a bad mother. Let me preface this by saying we’re good parents, we go to everything the kids want us to. I was even Homeroom Mom (and full-time bulletin board/teacher’s helper) every year for all three of my kids until it ended at Middle School. Hey I was an Art Teacher and we did awesome fun stuff…the teachers were fighting over getting my kids into their class the next year…my kids were proud…until they became teens, at which point parents are embarrassing. We even go to most of the things the kids don’t want us to…that’s when we get.. ‘But nobody else’s parents are coming!’…OK, I listened when it came to the Middle School Dance chaperones…I let some other mom (who wants to be ‘friends’ with her teen) embarrass their teen (bet she hit the dance floor!). My standard response now when they say I’ve embarrassed them over something little is ‘Embarrassed?!! You’d better watch it or I’m going to show up at one of your dances in my sequin tube top!...that always gets them. There’s a point in High School though where you become less embarrassing again, either that or they learn to tolerate the embarrassment…DS1, age 18, now doesn’t whine when I chat with his friends as long as I don’t hang out long, don’t show naked baby photos, and I’m feeding them well as they’re over playing poker, Guitar Hero, or video games…they actually started playing the board game Risk lately (how old school!). DS2 has another (weekly) Track Meet tonight and I asked him if he cared if I just came to pick him up at the end…he grumbled OK, but I think he cared. I really think he was picturing that he might be the last kid picked up…no kid likes that, I was one of 5 kids with a busy Mom, so I remember the feeling and I try really hard to avoid that. The problem is it’s hard to predict when athletic events like this are going to end…I might as well be predicting the stock market…yes, I loaned him my cell phone, but will he call me in time to get there (the school is a ½ hour away)….no chance! There’s always ‘We can’t take a phone on the field so it was up in the bleachers and the coach wanted me to stay down there between events to warm up, so I couldn’t call you, but WHY were you late?!!!” Who does he think I am, Carmac the Magician? I don’t think he’s ever been the last kid picked up. And doesn’t he remember that I’m the same Mom who got one of two speeding tickets in my life because both boys were playing soccer games in two different locations and his soccer game ran overtime? Heck, he was in the car as the lights were flashing behind us and I didn’t pull right over, but made the police car follow me the extra thousand feet into the park where I pulled up right in front of the coach and DS1’s soccer team…TEAM you hear me?!...I was still one of the first Mom’s there! OK, so it turned out to be the school DARE officer (nice lady who wrote down less mph than I really was going, thank you) so all the kids knew her and DS1 will never let me forget how badly I embarrassed him…but if you’re a Mom who’s ever been late and you get that panicked/heart in your throat feeling as you’re driving and don't know if your kid is safe, then you know what I mean (you younger moms probably buy your tots cell phones so you’ll never have this problem). Now I wonder why teens say parents are embarrassing? Why is it that teens sometimes don’t want you to show up at anything, sometimes want you not even to exist if they're with friends? I swear there’s moments they’d like me to be invisible when I’m driving them and their friends places….and God help me if I talk too much in the car to their friends…I’ll hear about it later!...Mom! Why do you always have to laugh and talk to my friends so much?!...and yet if it involves sitting in the cold to watch them run for 1, 2, and 5 min. (events) out of a THREE-FOUR HOUR Track Meet, yes, then they want you there. I may go to the last hour since two of his events (they can only be in three) are always at the end…I’ll see how cold it is then. I’m a bad Mother, I know! Sitting in those elevated bleachers so the wind smacks you in the face as it whips across the field while your fat butt, that you thought was oh-so-very-insulated goes numb from sitting on those cold metal benches, for any longer than I have to does not sound fun today. And hey, I may be going to my pre-op class this week (toes crossed) and these weak asthmatic lungs don’t need bronchitis or pneumonia for the seventh time right before surgery…….you’re not buying my plea for sympathy are you? But it’s SO COLD! I'm sounding like a whining teen aren't I? Nuff said.

The BMI normal range is a pretty good target start. I'm 5'8.5" and the top of my normal range would be 166#. I was down to 160 (again) about 8 years ago and I still had 10-20 pounds before getting super skinny/too thin. I set a range for myself (I'm all about the 'healthy' thing too). I put 148 at the low end as that's my 100# mark, but if I get back around 160 it will be great. I'll know it when I get there. I think the other thing to ask yourself is are you a person who likes to set their goals high as it motivates you, but you're OK if you never reach it; or do you get more motivated by always reaching your goals? Good luck!

Searching through WLS information I've run across several procedures I'd never heard of (VSG, DS). I'm sure you've heard that they are already doing single incision LB procedures (in through the belly button). Recently, I've heard of some new trials and have run in to people online who are participating in them; like TOGA. The procedure is incisionless and is done by going down the throat with a tool that opens like a book (that has staples sticking out of the pages), vacuums stomach tissue into the crease of the book and then closes, this is repeated several times to create several 'folds' that make a pouch near the entrance to the stomach. See article and video HERE. Just this week on the news there were two stories on WL trials. The first is taking place at the hospital I'm going to in Pittsburgh, Allegheny General. The first woman in the trial previously had RNY surgery and it didn't work for her. The new procedure that she had is deep brain stimulation. They use a similar procedure already approved for controlling Parkinson's disease, turrets, seizure disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and Dystonia. The procedure is safer than the RNY surgery she already had. They insert electrode wires into the brain, which stimulates metabolism and decreases appetite. Small stimulators (similar to pacemakers) are placed under the skin and the doctor can continue to adjust it with a remote. She's now losing 2 pounds a week. You can watch the short news clip HERE. This week the Today Show had a piece on three new prescription weight loss drugs that are in the final phases of FDA approval. The FDA has tightened their requirements since Phen-fen was taken off the market, and these three drugs have been in prolonged human clinical trials. All three new drugs work on the brain to decrease appetite and increase metabolism, and all show good promise. They are combinations of drugs that are already on the market to treat other things; Wellbutrin (anti-depressant), Topomax (seizures), and part of the Phen-fen drug that is still on the market. If you want to view the Today Show piece click HERE. I'm certainly not waiting for these to come on the market, but I find these stories interesting. There's another good thing about the LB; it can be unfilled or removed if a miracle cure comes along. Keep dreaming!

Searching through WLS information I've run across several procedures I'd never heard of (VSG, DS). I'm sure you've heard that they are already doing single incision LB procedures (in through the belly button). Recently, I've heard of some new trials and have run in to people online who are participating in them; like TOGA. The procedure is incisionless and is done by going down the throat with a tool that opens like a book (that has staples sticking out of the pages), vacuums stomach tissue into the crease of the book and then closes, this is repeated several times to create several 'folds' that make a pouch near the entrance to the stomach. See article and video HERE. Just this week on the news there were two stories on WL trials. The first is taking place at the hospital I'm going to in Pittsburgh, Allegheny General. The first woman in the trial previously had RNY surgery and it didn't work for her. The new procedure that she had is deep brain stimulation. They use a similar procedure already approved for controlling Parkinson's disease, turrets, seizure disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and Dystonia. The procedure is safer than the RNY surgery she already had. They insert electrode wires into the brain, which stimulates metabolism and decreases appetite. Small stimulators (similar to pacemakers) are placed under the skin and the doctor can continue to adjust it with a remote. She's now losing 2 pounds a week. You can watch the short news clip HERE. This week the Today Show had a piece on three new prescription weight loss drugs that are in the final phases of FDA approval. The FDA has tightened their requirements since Phen-fen was taken off the market, and these three drugs have been in prolonged human clinical trials. All three new drugs work on the brain to decrease appetite and increase metabolism, and all show good promise. They are combinations of drugs that are already on the market to treat other things; Wellbutrin (anti-depressant), Topomax (seizures), and part of the Phen-fen drug that is still on the market. If you want to view the Today Show piece click HERE. I'm certainly not waiting for these to come on the market, but I find these stories interesting. There's another good thing about the LB; it can be unfilled or removed if a miracle cure comes along. Keep dreaming!

Hey WELCOME to LBT! I just realized it was your first blob, lots of great people here. There's a March '09 group in the forum (top) and then go down to support groups 2009. They should be in the same spot you are. You're in the period commonly call 'bandster hell' where you have no restriction yet and it's all up to you, and MANY gain weight...it's normal. Keep us posted and let me know if you need help! -BG

Go to page #9 here post #128 and you can make a banner.

OK, this struck a cord...my last job before moving and becoming a stay-at-hom-mom I was known as a 'change agent' (at a Fortune 500)...cliche, but some things never change (OK, 'never change'...that's just wrong!). LOL...I can SO be a change agent again! Thanks -BG

I'm 4 days from submitting to insurance...after almost a year of research and 6 mo. + of pre-op requirements...let me tell you INSURANCE IS EVIL!!!! PURE EVIL!!! That's all. -BG P.S. I won't get a 'tentative' date until everything is submitted Wednesday.

Hey gals...Come to the April '09 Forum and post your band dates and ask to be put on the April Bunny list Click HERE This is the Pre-Op forum here (this thread) and we've all moved over to our very own April '09 forum. Please join us there. (Sorry if I'm shouting, but I'm trying to get everyone together in the same place...love ya bunnies!).

This is more a problem with your doctors office than anything (I think you get that). It is hard to get to just the right 'sweet spot' and when your close sometimes a tiny difference (fill or unfill) makes a big change. You should NEVER be consistently vomiting and you should ALWAYS be able to get water down. I don't get how your doc originally said water down was the test, but later when you couldn't get water down for days they wouldn't see you??!! Makes no sense (most docs have you drink water at the office after a fill to test it). Remember, you'll usually get a little swelling after any fill or unfill, so as long as your able to drink fine, give it a few days and see if the swelling goes down. If you're ever vomiting for days or can't keep water down, call the doc and insist like you did before that they see you. Vomiting over a long period can cause slippage and even erosion sometimes, and obviously if you can't drink you're getting dehydrated which can be serious. Good luck to you!-BG

GREAT blog! -BG

Hey Knew/Others, 'Bunny Bandsters' was already settled on the beginning of March maybe earlier, I'm not sure how (if there was a vote or poll?) as I joined the group mid-March and it was a done deal by then. But you don't have to use the Bunny banner, it's up to you. The group moved from here on the 'Pre-Op' Forum (which we won't be for long) to our own 'April 09 Bandsters' Forum (LBT has monthly forums pre-set under Support Groups). So we can all keep in touch in one place. Join up with us over at our April '09 Forum HERE.

Hey! I think you'll find all ends of the spectrum here, so don't let it scare you off. Sure there's those that 3-more years out are still weighing their food and counting every calorie. You'll even find some that still drink 2 or more Protein shakes a day many years out. Personally I/my doc says I NEVER have to/actually they don't want me to drink protein as it slides right through and you might as well have gone on a liquid Protein diet than get the band. I'm pre-band, but after I get to the point where I'm back on solids I will be eating normal healthy food, just a lot less of it, and that's exactly the normal diet my NUT has given me. No Protein Shakes, no counting every calorie or measuring food (I will do this for a while until I get comfortable with the portion sizes/calorie levels, but I've dieted so long this shouldn't be hard), just 4-6 oz. of lean protein first, the veggies and fruit up to a total of 1- 1 1/2 C and try to keep it 1000-1200 cal. I look at it as you've got to know yourself and what kind of control you'll need. I think those that need long term (obssesive as you put it) control and are having problem are more likely to hang around here than those who are doing well and are now out living life. I'm getting my band in a few weeks, but have been in this process for almost a year and have spent a lot of time researching. I'm a 'good' dieter and I've been a normal-thin weight many times...I also always feel like I'm starving and when I get to goal I slowly put it all back on plus more. I was very thin through childhood and up until my first child at age 28, and I, like you was into exercise, even taught classes. I'm trying to share all this because if I had had the opportunity to do this 20 years ago I would have. As you get older it gets harder and harder to lose the weight and keep it off and you start to get other things (ie. I have osteoarthritis in my back/neck) that are just part of age and wear/tear on your body, which make it harder to exercise so it's a vicious cycle and suddenly you find yourself obese. I wish I could have avoided all those years of going up and down and how I felt like a 'diet failure'. Could you lose weight through diet and exercise? Sure, I did! Would you like to lose weight through smaller portions and exercise and have the help of a tool that will help you not feel like you're starving the entire time and will help you KEEP IT OFF? Either way, you'll be doing the real work. Good luck with your decision, and I'm sure your Mom has shared her process with you and she sound like she's now got a normal relationship with food. -BG

Just a note on hair Loss: Lap Band patients typically get the kind of hair loss that any major surgery will cause and it shows up about three months post-op (I had it after childbirth and other surgery, but it grows back). In my travels here on LBT it's just as predicted, in new LB'ers. I also frequent other sites that include more RNY'ers and they have more hair loss long term because of malnutrition (which is possible to counteract if you're proactive). Sure LB'ers can have malnutrition if they don't watch it, but with the malabsorbtion of RNY you have to be way more proactive on getting all the necessary nutrients. Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia: Loss of hair after sedation or general anesthesia is probably much more common than is realized. The medical term for this is telogen effluvium. Briefly, due to a specific event, hair follicles prematurely terminate the anagen phase and enter the resting or telogen phase. The hair follicle is not damaged or diseased, but has simply had its biological clock reset. Resting hairs remain on the scalp for about 100 days, so hair loss occurs about 3 months after the event that caused the biological clock to be reset. Hair loss is diffuse and up to 50% of the body's hair can be affected. There are many types of events that can cause this to occur. They include acute blood loss, childbirth, high fever (commonly seen in children), and physical and/or psychological stress. Hair dressers, when they see patients who have had surgery, commonly blame this problem on the anesthesia. They are wrong-it's the surgery, because of the associated physical and/or psychological stress. Anesthesia itself does not cause this to occur.

Murph- poem is too cute! Smile- WELCOME!!! It does seem to take FOREVER (still waiting here). Hey April 27??!!! I don't know...that's a pretty gloomy day...are you sure...we may have an eclipse or something equally as scary that day....well, I guess after all that waiting...if you must... ...that's my *gulp* 50th birthday:lol: (I'm still getting used to the idea).