xavier

I survived...its really weird to read the threads and blogs of people complaining about being hungry when I cant even stand to see food on the TV! I just feel all puffed up and burpy/watery! I know it wont last... Cali

Well today was preop day and tomorrow is my date! There were6 other people doing the preop visit at the office. All of them were at least 100 pounds heavier than me. It made me feel lucky but also a little self conscious. I hope no one thinks I am taking away an insurance approval from someone who needs it more than me. My insurance doesnt even conider you unless your BMI is 40 so I am a self pay at BMI 35. The other thing I thought as I was sitting there is if we could all be right back there in a year or two it really wouldnt matter at what weight we all started! I am so excited, if I could I woud drive over there now and maybe sleep in the doorway!!! I have to be there at six am I cant believe I am first!!! Good luck to all! Cali

You really said it all. I did recently read a blog of someone who was a year or two out and they said exactly what you are hoping to say. They said the best thing is that food just isnt important anymore. Thats the thing that people who arent like us can never understand. I am always anticipating what I am going to eat or feeling guilty about what I did eat...its would be laughable if it werent so sad! We are on our way girl!!! P

Sorry I wont see you but you are right on about the whole thing! Iam excited but its not to 'get it started' as people have said, its really just to keep going. I have done great on my diet and I feel like in a way it doesnt matter when the date is. The band isnt going to make me lose weight. I know I can do that on my own but hopefully it will help me keep from gaining it back (and more!) so exactly when its placed isnt that big of a deal. Keep bloggig, I can tell there are a lot of others like me who really get some 'aha' moments from your words!!! Maybe I'll se you at a support group meeting sometime. PS I was thining of getting some of your words from the food divorce blog put on a sofa pillow for inspiration...now maybe i'll use 'failure is not an option!' You rock, keep being you!!! Diane

Fantastic...I wish you all the best! Sounds like a good choice for a surgeon! Trauma means he can handle qanything that comes along so your surgery will be nice and boring for him! I'll be thinking of you on the 21st!! Cali

Well good luck, its pretty bad for two days with hunger and a headache and then youre in the groove. Also on liquids, you lose weight fast so you feel like youre on a roll! Good luck! Cali

I saw that Ali book when I typed in lap band on Amazon. She is Layla's sister and Mohammad's daughter. Maybe its too late but do you have a dog? Can you borrow one? There's no better way to pretend youre eating when youre not when you have a dog under the table! Eventually my Dad caught on to why it was only on liver nite that dear old Garcon wanted to lay under the table! We were totally busted! He was a 130 pound german shepherd so it wasnt like you didnt notice him under there...but my minidaschund will be perfect!! If you sat outside you could even take her out to lunch!!! D

dear Curley, All you have to do is highlite the logo and then hit copy or control C and then go to User CP (top at the left) and go to my signature and just put the cursor in the box and click paste or control v! Give it a try! Cali

Off with her head, you ARE the queen!!!

A few gals have said they ended up looking like two tennis (or even golf!) balls hanging down in tub socks! I'm scared of that too...when you're overweight, they are your best feature, I think! I hate to go to tube socks, but I guess it will be worth it...start saving my pennies for some PS!

I know what you mean about the TV! Cingulus (also a mayo bandito) calls it the food porn! I am trying to retrain myself to think that all that greasy cheesy stuff is disgusting. Sometimes I believe it (those Carls Junior commercials are disgusting!) but sometimes I just want it!!! Onr nite I was watching Biggest Loser and there was a McDonalds commercial which was a two-for-one deal and the last line said of the two Big Macs, "Give one to a friend or have it yourself, we wont tell!" I thought how sad is that and of course they are targeting people like me who watch BL and dream of being thin! GOOd luck, I'll be thinking of you, mine is May 6th!!! Cali

Yeah, I have aetna and it was an"absolutely not' if you dont have a BMI of 40 no matter what other comorbs you have! I just didnt feel I had the psychological reserve to gain that much weight and I guess I'm very lucky that I could self-pay...the good thing about self pay is it goes very fast! John, I will really be thinking of you on that Monday as I will be loafing around postop!!! Best of Luck!! Cali

Congrats! You are now Mayo Banditos! Put that in the search term for threads and you'll see all our stuffplus you can get entered on the calendar! The liquid preop diet was only bad the first two days (headache, hungry) then it was easy! I think every day on it I know I get closer to my date (May 6th) so I am really getting into it plus losing wieght!! Good Luck! Looking forward to the couples banding stories!!! Cali

Yeah, I know what you mean, I'm rural also. The closest doc that took my insurance was in LA which is 3 hours by Mapquest but double when theres traffic! Even though I am self pay I thought I want a relationship with a doc in my HMO because if theres trouble later, you know the insurance co would only want you to go to one of their guys! I am lucky I can afford to self pay but just the driving is really getting on my nerves.I wish you the best. Cali

I am guessing a lot of those 'biggest losers' gain it all back. At least a lot greater percent than banders. But I have also had that thought...my preop diet is going well, I can do this, wait, I HAVE done this but always gained it back and more! Good luck to al, cant wait till the stories start rolling in! Cali

John, Fantastic...what a relief for you! Good luck with the preop diet...mine was bad for two days (headache, hungry) but now I am really in the groove! Cali

What did you mean by, "I'm still on liquids today." ? Is that becuase of your fill and if so is it standard procedure or just what you knew you had to do after the fill.You are an inspiration, thanks for your blog. Cali

Well I'll tell you why I dont think so. When a doc puts a needle anywhere, they pull back to see where they are...if youre aiming for a vein for a blood draw you pull back a little to see if youre in a vein. Now, I've never seen the procedure for the fill but am betting they pull back to check for saline return for the same reason...to confirm that theyre in the right place and to rule out being in a wrong place like a vein or artery...Time to get that bullseye tattoo on your port either way!!! Good luck, Cali

If this wasnt so real for so many people it sounds like some kind of bizarre catch-22 type of not funny joke! Its almost like the system is set up to keep us 'scammers of healthcare' out! Ridiculous, who would do this if they didnt desperately NEED it!? I really feel for you...I'm self pay which suck but at least it goes faster...my ins co only covers BMI 40 and I'm around 35! I just cant gain weight on purpose, I might go off the deep end! Good luck, girl! Cali

Why do people at the gym always have to get on the machine (when theres a whole row empty) next to me?! I had a guy on the treadmill going so hard and intermittently shaking his sweaty hair all over me I wanted to barf but I just switched to a different machine! Well I will hopefully be back home when you are getting your band friday so I will be thinking of you and I'll send you a note saying how I'm doing...if its good! LOL! Cali

The body keeps fluid to protect areas that have been damaged...its just inflammation, not fat and when you have healed it will go away just like that! Luck to all!!! Cali

Looks like how the surgeon words what he wants to do is the key...most docs are very accomodating...they want to get paid, they want to do the procedure, and they want you happy, because for stuff like this, youre the customer! Good luck!! Cali

Look at it this way..this is your toughest month (no fill) but in a year will it really matter whether youve lost 70 or 80 pounds? No, you'll be a whole new person no matter what happens in this Hell month! Give yourself a break...nobody's perfect!!! Good Luck! Cali

On the subject of Slim Fast, my doc said only get the low carb which can be hard to find. The other kind are in every grocery store but loaded with sugar...the low carbs were at walmart but they only come in vanilla and choc...if you have a jones for the strawb...there a specialK one in little bottles in a four pack (also Walmart) that's ptretty good! Good Luck! Cali

I think the more you know, and the more appointments you go to, the less nervous you'll be. Good luck, Cali