ldeere2005

Congratulations on how great you're doing. I'm having surgery on April 8th... just a few days away. I'll be getting the Realize-C band. Which band did you get, if you don't mind me asking. I'm using Dr. John Baker in Little Rock.

Hello Fellow Arkansans!!! I am being banded on April 8th by Dr. John W. Baker in Little Rock, AR. I live in Pleasant Plains, AR. I'm excited about the surgery. The pre-op liquid diet has been difficult but I'm getting through it. Looking forward to hearing from you all! Any of you banded by Dr. Baker?

I'm starting day 5 of the pre-opt diet... waiting for it to get easier... not really "physically" hungry, just mostly head-hunger and that is an evil one to fight! But I'm doing it. Lost 11 pds the first two days... gonna weigh again today and see how it's going!!! Good luck to you all!!!

Hi all! I'm on day 3 of my liquid diet. Started on Monday..I get 5 shakes a day... can have broth, pickles, and 1/4 cup of fruit with my shakes if I want it. That's it! I'm determined to do it exactly like my surgeon requires... the head hunger is the worst at times. I'm not really physically hungry though, they keep me full for a while. I ate what I wanted to over the weekend, and gained 3 pounds. But I weighed first thing Monday morning for my pre-liquid weight... and I weighed this morning to see if I'd lost anything. I'd lost 11 pounds in 2 days!!!! That made it easier to stick to it today!!! It's not easy but I've read that each day gets easier. It'll be worth it!!!!

I understand the "Last Supper" mindset... had mine last weekend. Tried to be careful but I allowed myself some things I haven't had in a while due to I was starting my liquid diet on Monday... oh the many Monday diets I have started and failed on... oh well, that's the past. I weighed this past Monday morning and had gained 3 pds. But I started my shakes faithfully and have stuck strickly to what I'm suppose to have on this liquid diet. No cheating and I won't cheat... surgery April 8th and I want my liver to be slim and trim! I did weigh first thing this morning and SURPRISE! I've lost 11 pds in 2 days on the liquid diet!!! So don't sweat it too badly, you'll lose big time on your pre-op diet!!! And that will help get us ready for post op too! Good luck!!!

You made a lot of good points...babygrl1234. Don't get the one about most baptists being "cult-like"... I'm not baptist... but I don't agree with that statement. And to all the "atheists, agnostics, etc"... not trying to "convince" you of anything... just speaking the truth and what you do with it, if anything, is your choice. If you really want the truth.... you'll find it. And apparently you're not completely satisfied with your decisions that there isn't a God, or you don't know if there is a God... otherwise, why would you spend so much time trying to convince Christians that they are wrong. Must be a personal thing....are you trying to convince yourself? I hope that you'll search for truth... cause if I'm "wrong" I have nothing to lose, but if you're wrong and the Bible is right... well, you know...

I was also very worried about the excess skin being a problem after I lose weight. I have a load to lose... and because of my age, even with exercise, I'm sure that I'll have to have some removed. But so what???!!!! This is my one chance in life to finally get healthy and be able to do the things I want to do! I want to feel good....go on walks, be active without my feet and legs killing me for a week afterward. Walk from my house to my mail box without being out of breath! And if I have to have another surgery in 2 or 3 years to take care of excess skin, I've come to terms with it. I'll get through that too and I'll feel even better! No need to worry about the things we haven't had to face yet... ready to get healthy now!!!

I'm on day 2 of my liquid diet. Yesterday wasn't too bad... the shakes the doctor has me using are really good. I drink 5 a day, so I didn't get very hungry. By last night, I was feeling kinda weak and tired. But this is so very do-able and so worth it. We will get through this time and it will make the post-op diet easier to follow too. I've read a lot of posts that say after days 3-5, the hunger leaves. I'm not there yet, but I hope this is true!!! If not, I'll keep on going and drinking those shakes....got 14 days to go till surgery, April 8th!

Okkkk, started my liquid diet today! Not to bad so far... of course, it's only 10:25 am too, ha! The first shake filled me up pretty good. Been sipping on some broth that is ok... but nothing I'd crave for sure! Almost time for another shake... the offical countdown has started.... 15 more days till surgery!!!!

Is God real? What a great question. Or, how do I know He is real? Good one too. We can see Him in His creation. We can feel Him when we say His name. When we consider how wonderfuly we are made.... when we hear a heartbeat of a baby.... when I see my sister's sonogram of her unborn baby.... when I look into the eyes of another human being...seeing all the different faces out there.... all different and unique... when I looked at a sunrise or sunset... when I look into the dark, night sky and stare at the stars glistening...or look into the clouds or at a beautiful rainbow.... yes, He is real... He is as close as the mention of His name.... His arms surround us, His Love is beyond explanation... For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...John 3:16.... God loves you all whether you believe in Him or not... He surely believes in you!

I start my liquid diet tomorrow. Kinda dreading it and kinda ready cause it's really the "official" countdown to surgery!!! I'm so ready to get the surgery over with. I've been put to sleep 3 times for previous surgeries. There are risks with anything....but with my previous surgeries, I was asleep and awake before I knew it. Felt like I'd only been asleep for a few minutes. I remember after my gallbladder surgery, they were waking me up in recovery, and I didn't even think that they had done the surgery yet...didn't realize I had been asleep for a while. You'll be fine. Don't worry... in a couple months, we'll be so glad we did this and we'll be well on our way to our new lives!!!!

Hi Sita, Welcome to LBT! Congratulations on your weightloss!!! You've done an awesome job! My surgeon also "tried" to stir me towards bypass... and I had done my research on both surgeries and knew that Lapband is my way to go too. I will be banded on April 9th and my BMI is 67 so I have a lot to lose. My doctor's ins person tried to tell me I wouldn't lose as much with lapband... I told her "yes I will... just more slowly but in the end, I can lose just as much and have a better chance of keeping it off"... they didn't try and convince me further and he agreed to do lapband on me. My best friend had lapband surgery 3 years ago and started around 340 pds... 3 years later, she is maintaining at 145 pds and doing great! So there is no real limit on how much you can lose over time. So that blows that theory!!! You go girl!!!!

Wow! I haven't been banded yet...date is April 8th... but I can't imagine having to make myself eat... it's gotta be frustrating though... cause you need your vitamins and your proteins. My best friend was banded 3 years ago and she had the same problem. She would go and get a milkshake and drink it because she needed the calories and she lost 150+ pounds the first year... really too fast for her but that's just the way the band effected her. I don't have any "words of wisdom"... but I'm sure some post op people will be on here to give you some good advice! Take care and keep on trying to get enough of what you need in to keep you healthly!!!

Congratulations on your weight loss!!! I look forwards to being in the 200's myself! I'll feel great just getting there! :tongue_smilie:

I start my pre-surgery diet this Monday. I'll be on it for 15 days then the day before surgery, I have to be on clear liquids. One of my doctors patient's, that was in the office the same day as me, was going to be on the liquid diet for 6 weeks. I'll take my 15 days!

I think the pre-surgery liquid diet is pretty standard for most surgeons... or a lot of them anyway. I start mine this Monday for 15 days before surgery.... with only clear liquids the day before surgery. I'm being banded on April 8th.

I guess getting those jitters are normal, especially when you know this is a "life-changing" event!!! Thanks so much for your input and support! I'm feeling much better now....nerves have calmed down and I'm acutally ready for my liquid diet on Monday. I'll be in my "official" countdown till surgery! Best to you all!

Originally, I was to have had surgery on March 25th, but my doctor is going out of town so it was re-scheduled for April 8th! And I'm just as excited to be a part of the Bunnies!!! I start my liquid diet on Monday! I'm so ready for my new life!!!

I can understand where you're coming from, in a sense... kinda like going to college... some pay their own way which many times makes you work harder.... and some get scholarships or the parents pay their way... and they party more then they do their work... but, on the other hand.. this is a journey that is going to be different for each one of us. We've all had/have our struggles with our weight and even those who have only lost a few pounds, have still lost! If it's only 1 pound, that's a loss and not a gain like many of us would normally have. I have very good insurance...no dedc't, and it pays 90% of my allowable... I'm blessed to have this insurance due to it would be impossible for me to come up with the payment any other way. But I had to fight tooth and nail to get their approval... and the copay I had to pay up front was $1200.00 and I had to come up with it quick... that was like coming up with $13000.00 for me... but Praise God, I had it the day I needed it and I will be having surgery April 8th!!! I think most people have their concerns that the band won't "work" for them... I've had the same worries... but I've had to change my life and my thinking about food. I have a huge amt to lose... approx 250 pds... and I feel in my heart this is my last chance at life. I not only want to make the best of it, I HAVE to make the best of it! And I started making those changes several months before I had a surgery date.... down 19 pds and I'll start my liquid diet next Monday. We've just all gotta remember that we are worth this!!! We are worth whatever we have to put into this whether financial, physical, or mental! And we can do it! Congrats on your weight loss!! That is so awesome!!! You just keep going and remember that whether you pay $300.00 a month or not, this is for you and you are worth it!!!

My date is April 8th too! I start my liquid diet this coming Monday... have you started yours yet?

I start my liquid diet next Monday, March 23rd... and then my surgery is April 8th. I'm so excited/nervous about this new life I'm walking towards. I've been very hiped up about it... but the last few days, I've been a bit nervous too. This is really happening and my time is really coming. When you've been dependent on food most of your life, it can be a bit scary knowing things are changing. And I don't look forward to having surgery either. But yet, when I think of the possibilities... how good I'm going to feel.... how much more I'm going to be able to do... it almost seems like a dream. Just wondering... the feelings I'm having... did most of you experience the same stuff before you started your liquid diet and had your surgery???? Thanks!

P.S.... I'll have 5 shakes a day... with 1/2 cup fruit with my shakes, and I can have broth.... and if I have to "chew" something... I can have dill pickles.... that's pretty much it for the liquid diet... and I've heard the first 3 days are the hardest and not so bad after that. I also have vitamin supplements I have to take during that time.

My surgeon has me on a protein shake diet 15 days before surgery.... I'll start March 23rh and surgery is scheduled for April 8th. I've read some posts where some docs only have patient's go on liquids for 3 days before surgery.... guess it's according to the surgeon. My understanding is the reason for doing this is so the liver will shrink and it will be easier to get the band around the top of the stomach. My surgeon has been known to put people on the shakes for 4 weeks prior to surgery.... but only 15 days for me and I've got 250 pds to lose. Good luck!

:cursing: I'm excited too! I was suppose to have been banded on March 25th, but doc is going out of town so they've postponed me till April 8th! I was upset at first, but I went for my consultation today and had a great visit with the surgeon. I've lost 18 pds so far!!!! And then went to the hospital to do my preadmission and prelab testing.... that went great too. So it was a good day and I'll have my lapband in just over a month! Again, I'm excited!!!!

Congratulations!!! I'm going to see my surgeon this Thursday. Which band did you get? My surgery was scheduled for March 25th and was changed to April 8 due to the doctor going out of town.... made me sad but I'm still on my way!!!!