SpideyMom

Hola, fellow BANDitos! :sneaky: I just got my "target" surgery date today: May 7, one month from today! Yay! It still has to be approved by insurance, though, so I'm still holding my breath and crossing my fingers and toes. :thumbdown: I've struggled with my weight since childhood. I've been successful several times at losing large amounts but I'm even more successful at putting it back on! :confused: Now I've got a BMI of 40.5 and have several comorbidities: PCOS w/insulin resistance, fibromyalgia, arthritis, CFS, GERD, IBS, and history of cancer. I take 10 pills in the morning and 12-14 at night just to function... and I can't stand it! I'm really ready to make a big change in my life, get this weight off and keep it off! And hopefully I won't have to take all those pills anymore! Also, for once, I'm going to address my sugar addiction. I'm so addicted to sugar, it's pathetic. So, I'm weaning myself off now and will go low carb w/no refined sugars once I'm banded. Anyone doing that? I have a one-week pre-op diet (all Slim-Fast) that I have to do, followed by 2 weeks of liquids, then 2 weeks of pureed food (ugh). I have tried chewing everything 30 times, and it is a chore! But it's not as hard as not drinking with a meal and not drinking for an hour afterward. Has anyone tried that yet? The best solution I've found for that is to end the meal with something very moist (orange slice, yogurt, etc.) so it's not torture. Then get up and go do something to keep your mind off of the water. Anyone else have tips for enduring the no water rule?? Looking forward to getting to know you all!

Thanks, Jodi! I hope my insurance will cover some of that charge. You have done so well!! You are really an inspiration. :eek:

I had no idea! :scared2: I haven't been banded yet-- waiting for approval, and I just found out this news about the cost of a fill! Does anyone know if CareFirst Blue Choice pays for fills? On average, in your first year after banding, how many fills have you had? Thanks for your help!

Yes, I've been reading a lot of the complications, and it can get a bit overwhelming. Thanks for your insight. I will definitely talk to the surgeon about this at my next appointment! :smile2:

Brighterdays, thank you for posting this. I have been reading a lot of the complaints lately and it's been scaring me, also. I'm glad to hear that so many people are not having problems!

Same here! I haven't finished my supply of Diet Coke yet, but once it's gone, it's gone. I have reallly cut back on my DC consumption/addiction, knowing that I will have to give it up once I get banded. I agree with everyone else, this is an exciting journey, and knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel is just wonderful!

Thanks, Amy! That gives me hope... and reminds me that I need to make an appointment with my gastroenterologist! Congratulations on your banding!

AMEN! :eek: Glad to hear you're all doing so well. Congrats on all the weight loss TamTam and Lili! :smile: I bought two small cases of Slim Fast this weekend, in prep for when I have to go on the pre-op diet (whenever that will be). Tastes okay -- like a creamy chocolate milk. Don't know how I'll feel about drinking 6 of them a day and nothing else. How did you all manage? I guess we must keep thinking about that light at the end of the tunnel! Tamara, I had also heard that sometimes that referred shoulder pain comes from acid reflux. Are you having any of that? If so, talk to your surgeon about it. Apparently it is extremely common after banding. That really dismayed me because I have had GERD for 15 years now, and I was hoping that the LB would help get rid of that problem!! Have a great day everyone! Chins up and look at the sun -- it's shining for all of us! Cheers! :thumbup:

Thanks, everyone! My surgeon said nothing about repairing the hernia during surgery. I think I need to have another talk with him. I am really hoping that the surgery will make my medical conditions better -- not worse! :tongue_smilie:

I've heard others talk about this Walmart powder. I may have to check it out! Thanks.

Hi! I haven't gotten a surgery date yet, and I've just stumbled upon this very interesting section of LBT. I have suffered from GERD for 15 years and I have a small hiatal hernia. Will this get worse with LB surgery? From a lot of the posts I've read, one of the main problems with the LB is reflux. I'm very scared now and wondering why my surgeon would think this is a good idea for me. Thanks in advance! :crying:

Ky, I'm new here, so I don't have any advice, but I did want to say I'm so sorry for what you went through. My heart goes out to you. :crying:

You crack me up, Rachel! :crying: I just tried my first Muscle Milk today, and although it didn't taste like sweat socks and bile to me, I did get an immediate stomachache and headache. Don't want to try that one again. unjury sells single-serving powder samples on their website for $1.75 each. I just bought vanilla, chocolate, unflavored, and chicken Soup. I've only tried vanilla, and it was okay. I've heard the chocolate is very good. My dietitian highly recommended that brand, so I figured I'd test them out. She said stay far, far away from the strawberry, though. Oh, and I got the order in the mail the very next day! (Found out they are in Virginia.)

Hello, ladies! Wanted to post quickly before I head off for a busy weekend. Kiwi, hello! Congrats on losing 11 kgs! That is amazing. I just hope once I get banded I can do as well as you gals. Lili, I loved the photos! You made me hungry for Burger King today. haha I tried a different Protein drink today (Muscle Milk) and although it didn't taste too bad, it gave me a terrible stomachache and headache immediately after drinking. Perhaps there is something in some of these drinks that can cause headaches? Sare, congratulations on the job and on the healing process. I'm sure those antibiotics will have you well in no time. TamTam, Good for you going out and buying jewelry and having your nails done! I was thinking the same thing! I've never done acrylic nails either. I did just buy myself a new ring at a silver party last week, and it came in the mail yesterday. I call it my promise ring -- a promise to myself to really work this plan and get healthy! Happy weekend to you all! :crying:

Hi, Tamara, Sare, and Lili! I haven't been online for awhile. It's good to know that you all seem to be doing fairly well, despite a few bumps in the road. TamTam, I cannot believe you have lost 10kg already! I had to look that up to see how much that was in pounds and I was astonished -- 22 lbs. in two weeks? Or was that three? Either way, that is amazing! Congratulations! Veal, I hope you will check in and let us know how you are! :w00t: Lili, I thought Hungry Jacks would have been pancake place, because we have a pancake mix in the U.S. called Hungry Jack. Good for you for starting the Optifast early. I just tried a shake myself today for the first time, but I tried unjury vanilla. Yeah, smelled like play-doh. Not so hot. Looking forward to the chocolate flavor. And this company sells chicken Soup flavor also, which I'm hoping is decent. My pre-op diet has to be SlimFast for some reason. Each doctor is so different! I've gone to all the appointments I was required to attend, but I'm still waiting to get all my letters in from all those people. Then the surgeon's office will send the "evidence" to the insurance company for review. I'm hoping it won't take long for approval. In the meantime, I've made a ticker. Thanks for your help with that, Lili. Oh! BTW, Lili, I can't see the picture you posted for some reason. Take care, gals. I wish you all well!

Veal, I'm glad to hear you are doing well! I've been told I can't have any juice until the second week. Guess every physician is different. Hope you continue to make a speedy recovery! PharmaGirl, thanks for the scoop on the ticker. I had been wondering about that! I don't have a surgery date yet (taking longer than expected to get necessary paperwork for insurance) but I could do a ticker for my BMI. :tt2: Have a great day everyone!

Hi, PharmaGirl! You took the words right out of my mouth (above in bold). I had to laugh about the half a cake, because that would be me. I would slice off little by little, thinking no one would notice, that I was just "straightening" the cake, until finally half the cake was gone! Sounds like you and your partner have a great plan about getting the wrong foods out of the house. I was just talking with hubby tonight about having to change the types of food we eat, and he's all for it. I see the dietitian tomorrow morning, and I'm hoping she'll give me plenty of things to bring home for dh to read. We have a 4-year-old son who could also benefit from not having so many sweets about the house! He already takes after me, craving sugar. No, I don't have a surgery date yet. I'm still jumping through all the hoops, going to appointments and getting approval letters from doctors right now. Then we will submit all that to the insurance company. It will probably be in May, I'm guessing. Good luck to you and your partner. I hope to hear updates from you! :scared2:

Hi! Sorry, I don't have any info on Tricare, but I'm sure if you ask at the seminar, they should be able to help you. I asked about my insurance at the seminar I attended (in Arlington) and they were very helpful. Good luck to you!

Hi, Bren! I'm so sorry to hear that you are having such a tough week. From what I've heard, it seems like the beginning is the worst. Hang in there -- hold onto your faith, your children, your family, and you will get through. Even if you have to just focus on one hour at a time. You gave me such a great idea of keeping a journal! That cookbook you got sounds fantastic. I go to see the dietician tomorrow, and I hope I get something like that! I don't cook much -- my husband does -- and we definitely need some healthier recipes! Hang in there, and keep us updated on your progress. :scared2:

Hi, Kelly! :seeya:Thanks for your words of wisdom. It is nice to know there is a group of people out there and we are all in this together. That really helps relieve my fears!

Hi, Hockeyson! Thanks for your reply. You have given me a lot of encouragement because I have been on Metformin for PCOS/insulin resistance for 8+ years now. I would love to get off of it and many of the other meds I have to take just to function every day! I'm glad to hear you are doing so well with the band. I really appreciate you sharing part of your story!

Hi, niterun! And congratulations on your surgery last week! I hope you are doing well and feeling fine. Peace, Ann

Hi, Rachel. Thanks for replying! I laughed when you said you can smell sugar a mile away. I am the same way! Congratulations on how much you have lost -- and how much insight and self control you have gained! You are certainly an inspiration for me. You are so right -- I have to trust myself. Thanks so much for your kind words of wisdom. Peace, Ann

Wow, I'm glad to hear this about not craving carbs as much after the band. I'm the same way -- the more carbs I eat, the more I crave them. So, thanks for this post! You've given me some hope! Ann

Hi, I'm new here also, but I wanted to say I have heard that Kaiser does do Lap Band. Don't know about Fremont, though, as I live on the East Coast! But I'm sure if you give them a call or look on their website you can probably find out pretty quickly. Also wanted to say congratulations on being a breast cancer survivor. I also am a survivor -- 5 1/2 years now. That's one reason I am having WLS -- to minimize the risk of a recurrence. I wish you a lot of luck with your journey! Peace, Ann