Stacy1980

I think I would say the same as you - working out and eating right. You are not lying - you are just not saying everything. But the truth is that the band doesn't make you loose weight - you loose it BECAUSE you are eating right and excersing. From my experience, a lot of people ask you that just because they want to hear some kind of a new and exciting weight loss program. When they hear "diet and excercise" they loose interest really fast lol.

Just found out that I am going to be banded on the 27th!!! :thumbup:

The office called to day and told me that my surgery is in 18 days! They scheduled me for 10/27/2009. However, they just sent the insurance stuff to Tricare and tricare has 72 business hours to respond. I am afraid to get all excited and Tricare denying my claim. I already let my manager know that I will be out for 2 weeks and filed all my paper work for short term disability - just one thing left....insurance. UGGHHH. So I am going to pray to whoever will listen that I really really really want this and need this so pretty pretty pretty please approve it! thanks :thumbup:

Hi :thumbup: I am glad you are home and you are ok. I just wanted to wish you speedy recovery and strength and lots of and luck :sad: Stacy

Hi there. I am sorry you are going through such a hard time. I have Tricare and i am in the middle of the approval process but I have done a lot of research wtih Tricare and according to their stardards..you do qualify. Have you seen the paper work that they received? Is it possible that the height, weight BMI is incorrect?? I would not loose hope. I have met a lot of people on this website as well as on the gastric bypass site that had to appeal few times and they got it at the end. I hope that it works out for you and don't take "no" for an answer.

I have completed all my requirements and the only thing that is keeping the paper work from goign to the insurance company is the letter from my primary. Everytime I speak to her she says "Yes, I will have this done and faxed ASAP"...it has been 2 months. The good news is that if i get approved, my doctor has available dates in october and in november. Its a little frustrating but it is also giving me more time to work on my pre-op diet and get used to eating healthy. ok, i am done venting

Hi :mad: I am not banded yet...however I think one of the major side benefits for me is my self-esteem no longer hurting when I fly. first time in 29 years I had to ask for a belt extender when I flew to Cali last week. ouch.

Sue, great idea about stopping drinking soda now. I am actually drinking much less soda now just because it upsets my stomach now - but once in a while I just get this craving for something bubbly. I am going on a girls vacation to California next week for 7 days so I decided to enjoy the vacation, enjoy the food, enjoy the drinks but the second I land...its strict healthy eating. during the trip - I will work on water intake and I will substitute one meal with a protein shake however for dinners - I will enjoy all the wonderful foods especially the fish tacos. yum. My doctor hasn't said anything about the liver shrinking diet as of yet, but I thought i would give it a headstart as of 9/23/09.

I love everbody's positive attitudes and drives. I believe that all of you will reach your goal and stay there for the rest of your lives because nobody wants to go back to to the unhappiness. My surgeon said that I will only loose like 50% and be at 200 lbs. he said that is fine because that will reduce the risk of heart failure..etc etc. I refuse to go through this and still be so overweight!. He said that its impossible to loose 100% of your extra body fat...but I have seen plenty of people on this site alone who have done that. I know I can do it..there is no reason not to. Good luck with your goals..i know you can do it!!!

I believe that you can get an unfill before the procedure. Also, I read that if you tell them that you have a band or GBS they should be able to order you a different kind of prep. its a different contant and comes in a much smaller bottle. Also, if you do have to drink the big bottle, start earlier in the day - not at 6 or 7 pm.

Hey Guys :thumbup: That totally sucks abut starting over. Granted - this process is kind of going fast for me but I think I would probably scream because I had to pay cash for nut and psych appoitments. So i am so glad that you already have set dates for November - its right around the corner. So what have you all being doing in preparation?

Hello, According to my Nut's instructions: I can have - low sodium Vegetable juice such as V8 - IN THE FULL liquid DIET 3-14 days after the surgery. - in the next mushi phase: soft-cooked Carrots, squash, green Beans, broccoli, cauliflower - all other vegetables should be pureed.

Hi, I have been practicing taking smaller bites and chewing each bite at least 30 times (per my nut's instructions). What really helped is using my baby's spoons/forks. They are tiny so you can't pick up a big amount anyways. Also, I am not eating in front of the TV. I am actually sitting down at the table and paying attention to every single bite - on how many times i chew before swallowing- made a HUGE difference. i know how you feel about the speedy eating. Sometimes thats all you have time for but for the sake of the band..we must slow down and actually enjoy the food :thumbup: good luck!!

Happy Birthday :w00t: I am not banded yet - but this year on my birthday, I specifically wanted to stay away from the typical "food" celebration. So i told my family I want to spend the day at the beach. We played ball, we played in the water, we just spend time relaxing. I didn't have a cake, no 1000 calorie dishes and I honestly had the best time. What do you like to do? Start from there. Maybe go to a fair (we have Renaissance fair here and that was fun).

Hi there :w00t: If everything goes according to plan..I will be banded in November!!!! I just have to do one more test and once thats completed, my documents will be submitted for insurance approval. My insurance has to respond in 24-48 hours. I also told my surgeon that I have to have it done before end of November because year end at my work lasts from December to March and nobody is allowed to take off unless you are on your deathbed and even then..they will make you work from home lol. they said that most likely i will have the surgery in November so i don't have to deal with my demanding job and recovery.

Good job!!!! :w00t:

When I first started with the process - I told a lot of people and now kicking myself in the ass for that. Some people (especially the ones who are closed minded) do NOT need to know. If they ask me how its going - I just brush it off and say "i decided to hold off on it". My closest friends who truelly know me and my struggle with the weight know. My wonderful supportive family knows. My ex-husband...definetly doesnt know. I will tell my manager once I get the approval and the surgery date. Thats pretty much it ...oh yeah!!! and this entire forum knows :mad:

thanks for the info! I was so scared that I will be awake for this procedure. I had this done when I was 10...back in russia and I was fully awake for the entire procedure and they just numb my throat a little bit. I still remember the feeling after 19 years! Question - how long did the procedure last?

esesophagogastroduodenoscopy aka gastroscopy or upper GI They stick a tube through your throat to check out your upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.

that is sooooo awesome!!! It must be the best feeling to say "Here..you can have these, they are too big on me.!

Oh I have plenty. I come from a Russian family that doesn't have a filter on their mouth. When I was younger: My mom's Russian Friends told me "you have such a pretty face but you won't ever find a husband if you stay this fat". I had random guys make comments about my weight and those comments hurt but I got over them fast. I think the one that hurt me the most is my now ex-husband used to say. Into 1st year of our relationship - he told me that he didn't want to go to his family reunion with me because I was overweight and that he was embarrassed. Either it was my very low self-esteem or the way he said it, i was upset about it but forgave him. He would make comments like that through out the 9 years of being together. He justified it by saying "I care more about you being healthy not being skinny". Then when I gave birth to our beautiful daughter and gained 30 lbs because of pregnancy and because I was in the hospital by her beside for 6 months...he said he wants a divorce because he is no longer attracted to me and he can't brag to his friends about me. So he left me for a girl who looks exactly like me ..but skinny. yeah...i think thinks that was probably the most hurtful experience I had to deal with when it came to my weight.

Hi Debbie I am soo happy for you! Good luck and wish you speedy recovery :w00t: Stacy

YOU JUST MADE MY DAY EVEN BETTER!!! thank you

Today I had my initial surgeon consult, nut and phsyc eval. Surgeon, Dr. Bertha said that since I have to loose 135 lbs he would recommand Gastric bypass - but i told him that I want to try the band. I will put all my efforts into it and if the weightlloos doesn't happen even if I follow the instructions 100% i will think about the gastric. He was very supportive about it. He also said that he is not going to make me go to 1000 doctors since my health is pretty good, except for back and joint pains. I just have to get my blood test done on Friday and have a gastro appoitment sometime in the next 2 weeks and they will send my paperwork to the ins. The ins coordinator said that when they called Tricare, they didn't say anything about the 6 months diet. So i am praying becuase I have been on the diet since I was 7 and I am just ready. I also made monthly appoitments with the nut because she has given me instructions on several things i should start on such as: drinking 64 oz, eating slowly, getting protein first, and walking. things i looking good! I might be getting a lapband by november. eyeyeyey!!!

I second that! I have used it for a month my skin looked amazing (plus the Water of course). I went about 2 weeks without it and you can play connect the dots on my face. After 3 days of being back - its cleard. and the Spot Treatment is awesome! totaly works.