abbypoo

You're going to be just fine! It's natural to afraid of failing, but the statistics are WITH you this time. Think about it, the chances of losing weight with the surgery are so much more in your favor than diet and exercise alone. So hang in there!

Why do you want to wait until you lose weight to get a tattoo? Worried about your skin shrinking in weird ways, or do you want to get like a commemorative tat? Oh, put Victoria's Secret on my list too! I have never owned any of their cute little overpriced bras!

So I wanted to start a thread where everyone writes 10 things they want to do after they lose weight. Here are mine: 1. Wear knee-high boots 2. Wear shorts (without having to worry about them riding up) 3. Shop for clothing by what I like and not by what will fit me 4. Sit comfortably in an airplane seat 5. Be picked up by my boyfriend 6. Cross my legs without having to reposition my whole body 7. Never have to worry about "weight limits" again 8. Like the way I look in pictures 9. Feel comfortable in my own skin 10. Have cuter feet

Oh I have lots of stories like this! I still have two weeks before my surgery, but I can't wait until I don't have to worry about the size of my body interfering with my life! I wouldn't say my moments are so much embarrassing to me, but they all cause me anxiety! 1. Broke our toilet seat 2. Barely fit into the rides at Universal Studios (It was a struggle, and very uncomfortable) 3. Broke one of my mom's metal patio chairs... it was pretty rusted, in my defense 4. Threw my boyfriend onto the bed and then jumped on after him... then one of the legs broke off... 5. Barely fit into plane seats (I have to let the slack all the way out) 7. Lived in Denmark for six months, and barely fit into the LARGEST clothing size I could find in my town. 8. Could not find a pair of winter boots while I was in Denmark because my calves were too big for all of them. 9. Had to ask my boyfriend to let me wear his boxer-briefs while we were walking to a concert because I was chafing so badly in the dress I was wearing. 10. Broke off the heel on one of my favorite pairs of shoes.

If you want a big and accurate database for counting your calories and nutritional information, I suggest going to Calorie Counter Database - Free Online Diet Program If that link doesn't work, just google "calorie count" and it will come right up. This is BY FAR the best and most accurate database I have seen, and it's free! I even took a course in Nutrition last semester and the software I had to purchase for the class was not even half as good as this website!

I used to use Lose It when I was into calorie-counting, but I haven't used it in quite a few months. I think I will start using it again after my surgery!

My surgeon requires a one week pre-op diet for those with a BMI under 50 and a two week diet for those with a BMI of 50 or over. Basically it's two protein shakes a day (you can choose from several different brands), and a small meal each night of protein and veggies. I haven't started it yet, but I think I'll be able to manage just fine. I feel sorry for you ladies whose doctors are making you stick to a liquid diet before surgery! I couldn't do it.

Hey everyone! I guess it's my turn to introduce myself. My name's Abby and I'm 22 years old. I've been overweight my entire life, usually around 230 with severe dieting. However this last year was really rough for me and I started to eat whatever I wanted. My weight quickly skyrocketed to my current 270. I decided that being obese for over half of my life was long enough and began researching lap-band surgery. So here I am, about to be banded on August 12th! To get here I had to quit smoking and commit to a monthly payment that rivals my car payment! Oh well, I didn't think twice about buying my car, and this is WAY better!

Okie dokie, here we go! This is not the most recent (from Jan) or complimentary photo, but I think it is a pretty good representation of how I look on average.

Abby - August 12th!

Hey cheese-heads! Just moved to the area from FL. I'm going to be banded Aug. 12th... can't wait!

I too am getting banded August 12th! Hooray!

Hey, I just wanted to put my own two cents on this. I too, am self-pay and initially I considered getting my surgery in Mexico. However, after doing a lot of research I discovered that it was in my best interest to go somewhere closer. I'm not saying that the doctors in Mexico are worse than the ones in the U.S., I have read a lot of material that implies that they are actually more experienced because they've been doing it longer. That being said, there are just too many stories for my comfort of people who had their surgeries in Mexico who had complications. It is definitely a small risk, but I'm not willing to take the risk with my health or my bank account. There are also a lot of stories of people on here that have had a lot of trouble finding after-care near them or for a reasonable price. I finally decided to have my surgery here in the states. There is a group of Dr.'s in Detroit who do the surgery for 10,700 and another Dr. in Denver who does it for $9,950. Also, both of those Dr.'s offer financing options where you can finance your surgery just like a car with a low monthly interest. I'm just saying weigh your options before making any decisions. When I first started researching this whole thing back in May I was positive that I was going to have my surgery in Mexico, now I'm being banded here in the states in a couple weeks.

I feel very similar to you. I am a bit embarrassed that I need this surgery in the first place, so I am hesitant to discuss it with others. The only people I've told are my boyfriend and my mother, and I doubt that I will be telling anyone else. At least not until it's blatantly obvious, anyway.

knewme: Don't be too hard on yourself. First of all, it is no one's business but your own. If you feel bad about lying to people, just don't tell them anything at all. I'm not banded yet, but that's my plan. The only people who know are my boyfriend and my mother, no one else even knows I'm going in for surgery! My reasons are less because I'm embarrassed and more because my family and friends will start with the, "but you can just lose weight by diet and exercise" speeches. I figure that some people will figure it out on their own, but by then I really won't care. As far as a noticeable change in eating goes, if anyone asks I'll just say I'm "watching my weight." Good luck, and don't sweat the small stuff!

Hey Erin, I know exactly how you are feeling, but the Lap-Band is not a cure-all. My boyfriend has had to remind me of this on more than one occasion. When we lose weight, we're going to lose weight. It's not going to fix everything we hate about our bodies or solve all of our problems. So don't wait until you drop the weight to live your life, start now! p.s. if you need someone to talk to that's close to your age you can PM me any time.

Is everyone getting excited? August is just around the corner! I'm starting my protein-shakes twice a day next week, anyone else?

I am so happy for you! You achieved your goal so fast! The time it took you to lose weight is often the time many people wait just to have the surgery! You have also gained some valuable exercise and eating skills that will do nothing but benefit you after this surgery! I'm getting banded on the 12th, so we're bandster buddies!

August 12th!

Debbie:Yes, it is a big financial commitment, but I have heard so many people say that it was well worth it. I have even heard people who later had complications say that it was still worth it for the time they had it. As for losing weight without the band, if you think you can do it there is no risk in seriously trying to lose weight on your own before considering Lap Band Surgery. Also, there are a few doctors that do the surgery for much cheaper than the price you stated. Dr. Kirshenbaum in Colorado is the cheapest I know of, I think he charges under $10,000. There are also doctors in Michigan and Texas for around $11,000. I've also heard many success stories from people who got banded in Mexico, which usually costs between 7 and 9 thousand for the whole ordeal. No matter what you do, don't give up!

Hey everyone! I've been lurking around this site for a while, but this is my first post ever! I'm getting banded June 24th by Dr. Webber at Great Lakes Weight Loss in Detroit! I am supposed to follow a 7-day VLCD before the surgery consisting mostly of Protein shakes and one sensible meal a day. I am not too worried about sticking to it, because I have done low calorie dieting in the past. I think I might even start the VLCD sooner to jump start my weight loss. For those of you who are wondering why doctors want you on a diet before the surgery: The purpose is to lose weight in order to shrink the size of your liver. When you are overweight you often have a fatty liver which gets in the way of the stomach during surgery. Youtube the Lap Band surgery and you can see a video of the surgery. Anyway, losing weight helps shrink the liver and reduces the chances of complications during surgery. Even if your doctor doesn't advise you to try to lose weight before surgery, it is definitely not a bad idea. Also, many doctors will refuse to do the surgery at all if a patient gains weight before the surgery, so this might be another reason to stick to a weight loss plan ahead of time. Just my $0.02