musicfrommyheart

Hey Teresa, Merry Christmas to you, too! How are you? I just had my sleep study last night! Wow, talk about fast moving, I love making Dr's appointments during the holidays. Everytime someone cancels, I get an opening :thumbup:! Then the weight loss clinic just called me and they had an opening two weeks early, so I get to have a visit on January 2nd! I hope all is well with you :eek: Take care and happy holidays... -music

Oh wow, I'm so glad to speak with someone who has had their surgery done there. I think I'm going to go with Dr. Jones, although I haven't met Dr. Schneider yet, I hear that they're both really good. How did you like your fill visit with Dr. Schneider? -music

Woo hoo! I'm so excited, I was just called by BIDMC, they have a cancellation in January so my appointment was moved up to January 2nd!

Hey Sherry! So glad to hear that you are doing well, I wish you a speedy recovery. Have a Happy Holiday if I don't talk with you before then :tongue_smilie:. -music

Sonipez, Thank you for this response! I had started to wonder if other people were even having this problem, too! Yeah I've received feedback both positive and negative. Even this one woman who had been banded HERSELF seemed pretty judgmental on whether or not I would eat my way through the band. They were some harsh words, but I think she was really trying to impress upon me the seriousness of this process. But to me that's the whole point, I want it to be serious. I want to do the work, and I see the band as a permanent reminder of the committment I'm making to myself. I'm so glad your mom was supportive and congrats! on losing the excess weight. Can I ask you a question, do you have the excess skin that so many women are talking about? I wonder what that's going to be like for me. Wow, isn't it amazing to know that you no longer have to deal with diabetes? I mean, you have literally saved yourself from an illness and reversed it. That is so amazing to me and gives me hope about this process of being banded. I wish you the best, I really do. Thanks again and Happy Holidays :laugh: -music

Hey SherryW, not sure if you'll get this but I thought of you today and hope that your surgery goes well. Let us know how you're doing later, if you can. Happy Holiday's Everyone! -music

yeah teresa, lol, I don't know how you do the sub q injections, you're good! I'm excited, I just had an appointment with my doctor and she ok'd it for me to try to set up my sleep study in advance, instead of waiting for my january initial visit. She thought that there was no way I'd get an appointment before January but she referred me. I called them this morning, and they have an open appointment tomorrow for me to get evaluated! I'm hoping that's a good sign. I really don't want to drag this process out and have to get my surgery way into the Spring. Welcome, Ready2win! Good luck on getting your surgery date soon :ohmy:.

Wow, January 20th, that is great! Yeah, I was a phlebotomist for many years, I've seen and smelled gangrene, nothin usually fazes me. But something about watching them put the probes in kinda got to me. -music

Hey Congratulations! I would certainly love to keep in touch and get some support, too. I am hoping to get my surgery date soon but I'm a little earlier in the process , I have my first consult visit on January 12th. Are you excited? Yesterday I watched a video of the surgery being done live and got a little squeamish :shades_smile:. But it certainly won't deter me. I can't wait to get started! Well, good luck to you! -music

Breanne, good luck to you! I have just started the process myself. I'll be going over to Beth Israel and I think I'm going to choose Dr. Jones, based on the experiences I've read from all the Massachusetts bandsters :thumbup:. I have my first appointment on January 12th with the nurse. Are you nervous? I am! But excited, too. I'd love to hear about your progress and have someone to share with. Take care! music

So, I was thinking today, about the conversations I've had with people about my decision to get the Lap Band surgery. And I'm really surprised at the responses I've gotten, even from some of my overweight friends. Several of them have said "oh no, don't get the surgery, let's go walking together". Which is what they all say but never stick to. I can't tell you how many times I have flat out begged my friends for help with motivation, admitting that I'm to the point where I can't do this alone. And several have agreed that they're in the same boat. But when I call to go walk, they don't answer, or when I stop by their desk and say "hey let's go" there's always a reason. Now don't get me wrong. I am well aware that the ONLY reason I am overweight is because I ate this far to get here. The only reason why I am at the weight I am is because somewhere along the line, I gave up believing in myself. I know this. And frankly, admitting that gives me the first measure of hope I've had in a long time. However, I also know that I have become addicted to food. Like a drug. Eating has taken over my body and my life. And it's hard to admit that, but even harder to hear my friends stiff objection to this surgery. How many other options are out there to help people face their addictions? There's the patch to quite smoking, the methadone clinic, and several hundred different alcoholic cessation programs. But when I feel like I've finally found some help, then people are all of a sudden "concerned". As if me being almost 300 pounds doesn't cause concern enough!! At any rate, if you're reading this, thanks for putting up with my rant. I have my first visit with the nurse scheduled on January 12th, 2008! I am really excited and relieved. Finally, I'm starting to DO something, instead of feeling trapped!

Thanks so much, Sherry. Reading about all of your firsthand experiences have helped me so much. I agree with what you said earlier, even the thought of the band slipping or having minor complications won't deter me. I look at having this surgery sort of like having a permanent reminder of why I need help to keep myself healthy and on track. If I can lose even 50% of the excess weight, I know that I would feel so much better. Thanks again. Were you all ever able to meet again after Dez had her baby? I wonder how many of your group members are doing now. Quinn, how do you feel now, having had the surgery? .music

Hi Sherry! I was sorry to hear about your band slipping. I am really new to this site and was so excited to read yours and the other bandsters progress that I read all 46 pages before posting. I have just gone to my first info session, having been really wary of the whole idea of having surgery. After the session, however, I was so relived. And reading all of your posts here has really inspired me. I am hoping that I'm not coming to this posting too late, as many of the original folks seem to not be posting as often anymore. So far, I think I'm going to go with Dr. Jones. I go for the second info session on the 18th. Most of my friends are against me having the surgery. So is my mom and step parents. But all of them are overweight, and they can't provide me with a better alternative besides "just eat better". I have gained about 100 pounds in the last four years and I feel like I'm just drowning in my body. Since I've found out about this surgery, it's all I can think about. A couple of questions I had were: 1. What are the dangers of having the band in for longer than 5 years? Do you know of anyone who's been banded for longer than that? A nurse friend of mine said that she's seen people come in who's bands have simply come open inside them, or loosened on their own. The hopeful part of me thinks that this might be from overeating, but I'm not sure. 2. Why did you all choose the Lap Band over the mini gastric bypass? Hope you don't mind the long post. After getting my nerve up to write, I can think of a million questions I'd like to ask. Take care, looking forward to hearing from you. Is there any one in this post who's in the same boat? Will you be going to the info session on the 18th? Wanna meet up? I'd love to do a support group with folks who live in the Boston area. Thanks, music