shantra

I would second this and learning to do it more. Unfortunately I ignored one particular one the last few weeks to call my friend, you can imagine how I felt to be told she just died. After that one I am going to make it my mission in life to really listen for that uneasiness and act upon it. Whether it is not to do something or to do it, whether it is to contact that person, or not, whether I say or write something or not.

I found out this morning that a close friend died. I could not stop crying and got sent home from work. On the way home I went through McDonalds and got ice cream and Cookies.. this is my coping mechanism. Obviously I know I need to find another way to cope... how do you cope? What do you do? I haven't had surgery yet and do not want to fail.

Reading these replies I know I am in the right place all through this journey. You guys are amazing. I feel better today.. I cried virtually all day yesterday in fits and starts. Her daughter said to me, you just have to keep moving forward. And I knew her Mom taught her that philosophy, and I am moving forward and taking control of my body. Thank you for all your kind words.

WTG Awesome!!! You are doing great bandster.. look forward to hearing about your journey.

Congratulations.. I look forward to reading all about your journey. I can't wait till it's my turn to announce my date too.

I don't know the details of your case but I know when I called my insurance company it depended upon the contract between my employer and them. My employers had it set that bariatric surgery is a covered benefit.. but he told me that a few other people had called and for most of them it was not in their contract so it wasn't covered. So it wasn't the insurance company denying, it was the employer. I don't know if that is true in your case.. but it truly sucks and I hope you find someone to help you.

Thank you so much. I did find exercise helped me tremendously, then I got an injury, put on another 40lbs and got to the point could not exercise anymore. I will find a way to cope. If anything my friends death strengthened my resolve to do this, get better and live longer for my children and grandchildren.

LOL I haven't seen the surgeon yet but I have already taken care of pre op preparations that I can. Getting a mammogram this Friday, physical at the Doctors August 28 and a colonoscopy October 2nd. I see the surgeon this coming Monday afternoon and I am sure he will have more tests for me to do. I know I have to see the dietician and the psychologist and have a barium x ray. Last night my friend dropped off her three dogs on top of our four for me to take care of while she is away for a week. She told me she is giving me her magic bullet as a gift because I will need it (she had RNY gastric bypass) and told me she will buy me some other gifts that she knows I don't know I need yet. How lovely and lucky to have a friend that understands.

I have told my closest work colleague and my two bosses and a couple of others know from Facebook. When I told two of them face to face I could see from their faces that it was a shock and that they checked themselves before they came out with supportive comments. I think they were holding back the.. can't you do it any other way comments. When some people say this I think it is an expression of concern more than it is a negative statement but it's so sensitive. What I did make sure of is that my one boss (who is a young man) understands about the restrictions and that this is not easy at all. He was like.. oh wow.. give up popcorn? I couldn't do that. Overall they have wished me well and they are rooting for me.. I am very lucky. I think if you feel uneasy follow your gut and don't say anything unless you feel comfortable.

We did the seminar. I liked how honest it was, it wasn't a 'sell' at all, in fact quite the opposite. It made very clear just what kind of restrictions there are on eating and drinking. They seem to have a great team, psychologist, dietician, surgeon, insurance specialist.. it's one of our local hospitals in a very large healthcare system. I found out they insist on certain tests being up to date before surgery, like colonoscopy, mammography, physical and blood tests so I have been busy this morning arranging those to get a head start. A part of me says I am crazy and should just diet, but that is what I have done since I was 6 years old.. and it hasn't worked long term in 50 years soooo....

The seminar was great, only five people there and only three of those were looking to be banded. It wasn't a 'sell' if anything it was the opposite. Very truthful and open. More later.

I am pre-surgery for lap band, I already know well the pitfalls and just how important it is going to be for ME to put the work in. I will keep coming back to your story to help me climb that mountain. AWESOME.

Congratulations! It's wonderful to see someone who has been banded so long and is so successful, inspiring!

Could not agree more Cherie, I am not a big follower of celebrities but this was a huge shock to me when I saw the news. Incredible talent, wonderful man, there are not enough words to express all the things he was or all the things he brought to us.

I can't help you from personal experience. I have a friend who had RNY surgery and although she lost 100 lbs she is still very overweight. From observation her food choices are not very healthy and she admits that she didn't do the exercise she should have done. I think what I would say is go back to basics. What were the instructions you were given? Have you let bad habits creep in and can you change them even one at a time?

I think you make a lot of great points labwalker and one of the things I will be doing on Facebook is sharing the journey and the things we have to go through to get there to show it isn't easy, that the band doesn't do it all for us. To be honest when I first found this out I thought.. well why have the thing then? But I get it now. I am getting really excited, going to the seminar tonight with my husband, we will be there in just over an hour!! I feel like this is the start of the journey. I am prepared for what I hear, I have done a ton of research and reading but I think it is going to come as a surprise or shock to my husband. He isn't the most sympathetic or supportive person in the world but I told him I want him at the seminar. I want him to really understand the process.. ya know?

My sister expressed upset but I wrote to her privately and told her my reasons and how much I weigh now. She sent back a beautiful and supportive note (I live in America, she lives in France) telling me how brave I am, she brought tears to my eyes, wonderful when you read something and know someone that matters to you gets you.

I don't meet with the surgeon for just over a week yet but reading all the material I have a concern. I saw the pre surgery diet and I have seen plenty about the after surgery diet. I also spoke to one of the members here who said she went on the post surgery diet to see if she could cope with it. I thought that was wonderful and I should do that too. But I can't. Every good intention ends up with sugar. Therefore I am worried. If I can't do this now, how am I going to do this when I am 2 weeks out from having the band and after the band? Anyone else have this issue but find it was just fine after all?

Aaawww thank you! Me and my husband are going to the seminar Monday night and I am excited. For me it kind of means I am on my way.

Colleen thank you for that. When I was first researching the band I think my reaction was probably just like many other people's, 'this sounds just like a diet only really strict so why not just stick to a diet?' The thing is that I have.. over and over and over and over. Until I got to the point I have where I just can't anymore, it isn't in me, I am tired of the fight and tired of not winning. I guess I am starting to see the band the way I should, as something that will help me get there and stay there. I know I am capable of changing. There are changes I have already made that years ago I would have told you I could not. I have come to enjoy salads and now eat those at lunch instead of sandwiches and chips. I would never drink just plain Water, but once I found out I was intolerant of maltodextrin I now drink more of it than I do anything else. For decades I would not put on a swimsuit but now I will and go to the pool at the Y. If I can make those long lasting changes then I can make more. My husband says my greatest challenge is my portion sizes, the band will help me with re-education in how much I really need to eat. I have spent so long in such a dark place, miserable because I was going to Weight Watchers and not losing weight.. in fact gaining it. Not being able to exercise. Developing sleep apnea and hypertension and metabolic syndrome. Now it's time for a new phase of life.

OK. I decided I do need to prepare myself so I will give up two things I know won't be a part of my diet for quite some time. Diet soda is one, but it isn't really a difficult one for me. The other will be processed sugar. I probably need to detox and the more I think about having the band as a permanent solution, the more determination I feel. I have hope where there was none at all.. and that is worth any amount of sugar. Bear with me folks.. I am likely to freak out a few times before this is all said and done as I work through my feelings.

Well I am no longer confused. I have been here reading at the forum, I have just started reading my fourth lap band book, I am going to a seminar on Monday evening and the following Monday afternoon I meet with Dr. Shayani. I already called my insurance and I qualify with a BMI somewhere around 52, the only other thing they require is that I am educated on what to expect after the band. I have a friend who had RNY surgery and chatted with her for a while yesterday, it seems there are many similarities between the band and RNY in terms of eating afterwards though I think the band is probably more restrictive on types of food from what I have learned and what she was saying. She is going to be a great addition to my team because she understands what I will be going through. She lost a lot of weight but is overweight but she eats all the wrong things. I have no intention right now of doing that. I want my life. What led me here? I have lost at least 90lbs three times over, always regained and now at 56 years old I am really feeling it. It is like someone threw a switch and something went horribly wrong. I can't lose weight. My tummy has got HUGE when I always had a figure no matter how big I was before. I am at my heaviest weight ever, can't exercise, even daily life is a massive effort, getting dressed has me breathing like I ran a mile. Just the effort of getting dressed and going to work is all I got. Worst of all, I developed a bad Water retention problem worse than ever that along with everything else meant I could not make the trip to my sons wedding in England on Tuesday. I am ready for a massive change. Do I wish it could be different? Yes. But I am determined to be positive about this whole experience and I do feel happier because I have hope where I had none.

I guess I just want to make certain it isn't going to be just another failed and expensive, not to mention invasive diet. My daughter calmed me a lot today telling me about a documentary she saw on it and how well they did, she is VERY supportive of me having it done. So is my son, so is my husband. My personal feeling right now is I need rapid weight loss due to health conditions and this seems to promise that.. I think I would be too scared to eat too much! The weight loss when I haven't lost anything significant for ages due to not being able to exercise at this weight would be a huge reward to me. I will NEVER EVER get this weight again.. I don't care what I have to do. I am attending a seminar next week with my husband and meeting the surgeon on Aug 18. With my insurance and the timeline they say I could be banded in 8 weeks.

First of all an introduction. I am Julie, just about made my mind up to get banded but I am a little confused. It seems I have found out all the things a band does not do, it does not mean you don't have to diet, strictly. It does not restrict your eating. It does not stop you wanting foods you should not eat. It does not stop you feeling hungry. Soooo.. what exactly DOES it do that gives such great results? What is worth it about having the band?

Thank you for your post pattygreen. The abortion topic I will just say that in England originally many years ago it was considered way better than backstreet abortions which women were getting anyway.. in my Grandmothers time or before I think. Interesting that they feel all private will dwindle away under a health system like this, in the UK the opposite happened, with health insurance growing for those who could afford to take advantage so that they could actually plan their surgery around their lives and take advantage of nicer surroundings. There is no force involved to use the National Health system, which is simply that, a Health system for the Nation instead of the few who can afford it. Obviously I am not qualified to comment on the workings of the American government. But I am genuinely tired of the propoganda I have seen since coming here and currently the absolute slew of scaremongering emails being bandied around. I think my message is simply, hey, this system is not the terrible thing that you are being told that it is. It truly isn't. One thing I will add is that I have a friend in the medical supply field and you would not believe the markup on the price of medical supplies that are added and passed on to the patient, it is honestly horrific. I believe those pushing for a plan know this and those who are opposed (in goverment, medical and pharmaceutical fields) are opposed because they know they will not be able to make the money they do now. Give this a chance, it really is a great thing for America.