hallelujah.girl

TxAmy, I so know what you mean, and what a great analogy! Yesterday at Easter dinner with my family I was thinking I could have stopped eating half way through my 1st plate. But did I? No, I kept going, and not only did I keep going, I went back for seconds! After I was done I was so miserable. I kept trying to justify my actions by saying this is my "last supper" with family. But it is really scary because I know I will have to stop when I have the band or I could do some serious damage to myself if I don't. I really enjoy the taste of food (hmm maybe that's how i got where I am today??) anyway it scares me because I am always telling my self to stop when I know I should, but I listen to the little devil on my shoulder that says "but it's soooo good!" and it makes me wonder how I will suceed. Anyone else wonder about this as well?

Meem, congrats on your date! I have to admit I am quite anxious myself. I think we probably all are. I don't think that means were not ready, it just means we're normal. Think about it, this is a life changing event, and it should not be taken lightly. I don't know how many times I have asked myself if I should go through with this. Then I just ask myself why I even considered it in the first place. That alone helps me realize I am making the right decission. Then I start getting impatient because I just want to get on with the surgery so I can start the journey on becoming the me I have always wanted to be. It is good though to have this time to really make sure you are ready. If your surgery date gets closer and you are still having doubts, just postpone your surgery until you feel that you personally are making the right decission for you. I have read so many stories on here of people getting the surgery and regretting it right away, but then after a few weeks they think it's the best thing they have ever done and wouldn't change a thing. I think the scariest thing about this whole ordeal is fear of the unknown. I think if we could look into the future and see our final results and even every up and down it took to get there, we would say no problem it was all worth it.

Hey Sassy, great idea about making up days pre-surgery I would have never thought of that! Isn't this forum awesome!

39 Lbs in 3 weeks! Congratulations. I am going to be banded ind May. I've been researching and reading post for quite some time and I know that is not typical, but one can hope. I would think it would be easy to stay motivated with results like that. Best wishes on your weight loss journey!

Bmaz- I am wondering about how soon to go back to work as well. I am a cosmetologist and stand on my feet all day. I am have surgery on a Wednesday and happen to have Thurs and Fri off but am scheduled to work all day Saturday and Sunday. The owners of the salon are real slave drivers. For every day I take off I have to make up those days on scheduled days off. So if I take 4 days off I would go 2 weeks in a row with out a day off. We pretty much have decided on a group name. Mayo BANDitos. Very clever with the a-may-zing name. Maybe we could change our names to the a-May-zing Mayo Banditos. Anyone?

Welcome Mary! Congrats on having a date. I've added you to our dates only thread. Check it out to see if there are any others with your band date. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18163/mayo-banditos-dates-only-91909/#post1197829 Are you from Missouri? I live about 20 miles North of Down Town Kansas City MO

Welcome Sailor! Let us know when you get a date. Hope you get a date sooner than later.

I am going to be banded by Dr. Hoehn with SMMC on May 6th. I have heard great things about Dr. Malley. I don't think you could go wrong with either Dr. I have been researching the band since 05 and was going to go with Malley but my insurance wouldn't cover the band at that time. I think if you go to obesityhelp.com and so a search you can find testamonials for both doc's.

Hey all you BANDitos. I took our dates and put them in one place for easy reference. Please leave only your date in this link it will make it easier to follow when we get new banditos. We can update when we get more banditos. Sorry if I missed somebody. May 1st - Bliss0320, DougNC May 4th - Meandmyweightloss, May 5th - sbush70, BetterL8 May 6th - Cingulus, TxAmy07, Laya, hallelujah.girl, Xavier, Ibelieve, Maclynn, kookaburra64, May 7th - SpideyMom, Bempowered May 8th - Ckoon73, Chubby Traveller May 11th - John337, Danimal, Nkwt2005, Bmaz May 14th - rachieroo, Mary of MO May 15th - Foxxy May 21st - Minxz, SassySara May 25th - Mercedes77 May 27th - Rguay May 28th - Siouxhockeyfan

Congratulations Don... It feels great to finally have a date doesn't it. I started my journey back in October and thought I would be banded by Feb at the latest. I keep thinking the Dr.'s office is going to call and say "I'm sorry we gave you the wrong date...."

Thanks SpidyMom!

Oh man Mexican food is my favorite! Maybe I should call my surgeon and reschedule. Just kidding. I do like the idea of putting our shakes in a margarita glass. I wonder if anybody makes tequila flavored shakes? Is salt on the glass okay? Xavier and Maclynn congratulations on your dates! There seems to be quite a few May 6thers yeah!!! We will have to keep in touch with each other I'm 5'1" I would love to lose 100 lbs but would be happy with 60.

I have noticed that Dr's pre-op diets do differ quite a bit. My Dr. just wants me to do 2 days liquid diet pre-op. I asked my Dr. why this was and he said it has a lot to do with how much weight you have to lose and where you carry your weight. If you carry your weight mostly in the middle then there is a lot more fat near your liver and other organs and they want to get as much of that as the way as possible. I carry most of my weight in my hips thighs and booty. I always thought this was a curse, but in this case I'm glad this baby's got back! I would like to hear from everyone who has to and who does not have to do a pre-op diet if this is the case with them or if my Dr. is more leaneant than other doc's. I am planning on trying to lose as much weight as I can. I want to do this for me and get a head start on this weight loss journey.

Hello fellow mayo bandito's! I just received my date today! May 6th! Yeah!!! It's amazing how real having a date makes it. I look forward to sharing the journey with everyone. I too have been practicing chewing and have a difficult time doing so. I decided that starting out with a smaller than average bite helps. Another thing that scares me is sipping water. I like to chug water. Especially when it's hot and I'm really thirsty I've been practicing and I'll tell myself just to sip, but it is so refreshing that I can't help but chug it.

I just received my date today. I am having surgery May 6th too! The count down begins. I like the shrinko de mayo's as well, and I have given some thought to names as well and had thought about may flowers or daisy Mays, May Maidens, Mighty Mays, May Masterpieces, May minimizers, may mini me's but I agree that the men might not like some of those names. Just some thoughts, I would like to hear what others May come up with.

I have not been banded yet, but will be getting my date on the 7th. There are 3 girls at my work who are doing a "spring detox liquid diet" seems everyone is doing it these days and most detox diets last only a week.

Angel, I haven't been banded yet, but I know what it is like to deal with depression and get down on ourselves. It really is a mind thing. If you dwell on the negatives you will feel much more depressed than if you try to think positive. Part of being depressed in our attitude. I'm always like "life sucks and then you die" then I hear someone else's story and it is ten times worse than mine and they are all happy go lucky and I'm like "wow" how can they be so positive with all that is going on with them. It really is the power of positive thinking. There was a reason you chose the band over bypass surgery. Remember what those are. 1. you will never have to worry about dumping. 2. this is a tool that can help you the rest of your life. 3. you may lose slower, but you will keep it off forever. Bypass patients can lose really quick for a year. Then they plateau, and even start gaining their weight back.(I have a friend who had bypass surgery lost tuns of weight really quickly looked great for about 2 years and now is slowly gaining her weight back. She is now looking into the lap band.) 4.The slower you lose the better your skin will look. 5. No malabsorption problems. There are so many reasons you made the right decision don't let your mom get you down and focus on why you made the choice in the first place. Life gets tough and it's easy to get down and off track, but just try to focus on the big picture and not just the here and now. Just take 1 day at I time. If you fall down, pick your self up, dust yourself off and try again. I don't like working out in front of others either, so I usually just walk or work out to videos on tv. If you have cable there you may have an exercise on demand channel that have all types of different workouts, and don't cost anything. 40+ lbs since January is awesome, and it is gone forever. You will continue to lose, you will continue to succeed and you will start feeling great. Good luck on your journey!

Alabubba - congratulations on finally getting banded. You are doing great! I wish you much success! Swishbc- my birthday is April 6th the same day as your band day. I'll be thinking of you. I don't have to do a pre-op diet, but I have been trying to lose weight. I am pretty much cutting out bread and potatoes for now. Trying to wean myself from them. TSB - good luck with the insurance approval, and hope your sleep study goes the way you want it.

I had to go to a seminar even though I had been to others. It was a requirement. My surgeons office it it very clear we were not to call them to schedule appointments, but they would call us. They send us post cards telling us where we are on the journey. I received a post card on Fed 9th saying paper work is being submitted to the insurance company. After not hearing anything for a month, I then called my insurance company. That is when I was told it had not been submitted yet. When it was finally submitted it only took 4 days. They called me saying they received approval but I am in the process of waiting to see my surgeion on April 13th another month of waiting just to see the surgeon. I know every office will be different, just wanting to hear from others how it has gone for them. Thank you for sharing!

I have heard that you can bake using protein powder in some baking recipes. Is there a certain type you have to use, or is in whey protein powder usable?

I was wondering how long the surgery process has been for some of you. From seminar to surgery. I have seen some really quick turn over times. example Went to seminar 1st of Feb, have a surgery date end of March. Are those of you who are getting in quick self payers? The reason I am asking is because I went to a seminar in Oct of 08. I was thinking surgery would maybe be in February at the latest. I personally handed in all my medical records within days of the seminar. After that it was January before my 1st appointment. Was approved by the Dr. who did my psych eval on Feb 2nd (at this time they were supposed to submit to my insurance for approval) Called my insurance company on March 9 and paper work had not been submitted. Called the Dr. office to let them know, the girl pulled my file and my paper work had not been submitted yet. So she said she would take care of it that day. She called back on March 13th and said they received insurance approval and scheduled an appointment with the surgeon on April 13th. They said from there It expect it to be 4-6 weeks for my surgery. So it will probably be the end of May before I have surgery. I have not had to jump through any hoops except for getting appointments scheduled. This process will have taken 7 months from start to finish. I'd like to hear how this process has gone for others. Thanks for sharing!

Congratulations! I've been waiting for a date since October when I stated this process. I go to see the surgeon on April 7th to find out my date. That's when things get real. Good luck on your journey!

I started this process in 2005 and my insurance would cover RNY-gastric bypass but not the lap band. I have 2 friends that both had weight loss surgery. One had the lap band and the other had RNY-gastric bypass. The one that had bypass lost weight very quickly but after a year she stopped losing and is now gaining it back and looking into getting the lap band. She has malabsorbsion problems, her hair is very thin. (She had really beautiful hair) and she has to get iron transfusions every few months. She has had several cosmetic surgeries for sagging skin. The one that had the lap band lost more slowly and reached her goal weight and is still keeping it off. She does not have any health problems and did not have to have cosmetic surgery. I was really desperate to lose weight and thought I would do anything to achieve that goal, but after researching both I decided to wait until my insurance covered lap band surgery. I will be getting the lap band in May.

I am going to have the same problem, in fact not knowing about your post I had a similar question, but I have not had the band yet. What do you do? If you are at a desk can you keep Snacks there? If you had this job before the band would you still have had the surgery? I noticed you have lost 50lbs! Congrats!!!

I am 41 and I do hair at a salon and spa. I am about 6 weeks away from getting the band, and am starting to get a bit nervous. I have been very excited about getting the band, but the excitement is diminishing and fear taking ove. I sometimes have appointments back to back all day long and sometimes it is difficult for me to take even a few minutes to grab a quick bite. As it is now, when I do have 5 minutes I’ll go to the back and wolf down my food. This is worrying me because with the band I know I will have to eat very slowly and chew, chew, chew and chew some more. I am not allowed to have anything to drink (not even water) at my station. I have thought about keeping high protein shakes and soups around so that I don’t have to worry about chewing, but then I worry that I will be hungry all the time. Any advice is greatly appreciated.