IAmJacksLapBand

Thank you everyone for posting these. I am so happy for all of you. It is now 6 days until I joint to ranks of all you successful bandsters. On my blog months ago I posted my "wish list" of NSVs. I thought I would let the LBT community see what I am aiming for: 1) Walking into a regular clothing store and finding a new outfit for work (Big & Tall clothes are so expensive and they are cheaply made) 2) Traveling in Coach (It is great to fly Business Class but very expensive just because I cannot fit in a coach seat) 3) Riding roller coasters (I love thrill rides but often find myself waiting in line only to not have the restraint not fit my body) 4) Riding a bike (without worry of breaking it or running out of breath) 5) Not fearing the table at a restaurant (I never know if I will fit in the seat or booth. And if I do fit, I have to be careful not to break the chair when I move.) 6) Taking off my shirt when I go to the beach (It takes a long time to dry when you wear a shirt in the Water. And its hard to tan something that is covered up.) 7) A cheaper food bill (Not overindulging means cheaper food bills. When I go out I cannot wait to order from the children's menu and actually be satisfied.) 8) Not being afraid to exercise (As I mentioned above it is rough to put your body through its paces and then have it break because it cannot handle basic cardio and strength training.) 9) Riding a motorcycle (I want to be able to ride my own bike with my partner but most of them have weight limits of 400 lbs.)

I sat in a plastic chair at the patio of a popular mexican restaurant. When I stood up I broke the arms off. I ran away to the car as fast as I could. I cannot wait to be able to sit without worry. I look forward to the day when I can fit in a roller coaster seat again and be able to twist, turn, and flip my way through a theme park screaming til my heart is content!

I have major foot problems. Stress fractures, broken bones, swollen joints, everything possible. This happens just from regular walking. When I go to the gym I love to do steep incline walks. The next day I cannot walk on my feet for a few days. This is one of the health issues I hope clear up with my weight loss. My goal is to get into running a 5K as I drop the pounds. I just hope that I have not injured my feet so much with this weight that I cannot succeed at this goal.

Monkey Mama we are set for the same date! Best wishes to you... can't wait to hear your success stories. I am on a 14 day diet.... and have horrible headaches... but no hunger.

My surgeon recommends a 2 week pre-op diet for the severely obese. I definitely fit that category. His directions are: Week 1: Breakfast - High protein/low carb/low calorie Protein shake lunch - Sensilbe small lunch with lean protein and a vegetable/fruit dinner - High protein/low carb/low calorie Protein Shake Week 2: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner - High protein/low carb/low calorie protein shake Of course he allows all the Water and sugar-free pops and beverages you want. I have chose EAS Myloplex Carb Control and AdvantEDGE products because of they meet the docs requirements. Each shake has between 110-180 calories. I have read so many times how the pre-op diets are very frustrating. Today I have only had about 400 calories and only will get 160 more before bedtime. I am a little sluggish but not hungry at all. Maybe because it took me 45 minutes to finish the shake and lunch at each meal. Do you think I am doing something wrong or possibly getting too many calories for this ramp-up to the surgery?

I am starting at 412. The charts say I should be 192 at the high end. My long term goal is 265 with my first goal to be under 400 by the time of the preocedure in 2.5 weeks. I think your next 10 pounds method is great. All the small victories make for a huge victory at the end.

You have made me feel so much better about this experience. It sounds like I will be treated like a Rock Star by the staff!

I reccomend EAS Carb Control shakes. They come in the regular chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. But they have low carbs, low calories, and high protein. The serving size is pretty good as well at 11 oz. These will become my breakfast and dinner on my pre-op diet next week.

My name is Taylor. I am a 26 year old guy in Chicago, IL. I have been working on gaining insurance approval since February 2009. It has been one headache after another. And in that time I have gained almost 20 lbs. On my birthday this year my mother passed away. My last conversation with her was for her to tell me she bought me a special heavy duty talking scale to help me keep track of my progress. After speaking with my family, we have decided to use the insurance money to pay for the procedure. I will become a Bandster on 27 April. I will be starting the ever-dreaded pre-op diet on Monday, 12 April and hope that in addition to getting the liver ready that I will see some inspirational weight loss leading into surgery. 6 weeks post-op I am scheduled for a Disney vacation and hope to be up to the challenge of regular walking and resisting those tempting treats. My heaviest weight is my current weight at 412 lbs and my goal is 265 lbs. According to the ideal charts, I should be at 192 so I think the 265 is a great goal... for now. Best wishes to everyone being banded this month.

I have been speaking with Andrea at Great Lakes Weight Loss, formerly Michigan Obesity Surgey Specialists. It appears they no longer use BeLiteWeight. I am hoping to work with Dr. Weiner in their self-pay program. My current surgeon wants over $21k here in Chicago and my insurance keeps denying claims for my pre-surgery testing, psych eval, nutrition consult. It has been several hundred dollars so far. I am fed up and just deciding to pay out of pocket. They offer a package for $10,700 currently. I have never had surgery before and do not know what to expect from a teaching hospital. It appears that the surgeons from Great Lakes are all well-experienced. Dr. Weiner is a Lap-Band faculty member assisting in training new surgeons on the procedure. Thank you to everyone on the feedback of surgeons and their staff at Harper.

Hello everyone, I am working with surgeon #2 for my procedure and the frist one was nice but very difficult when it came to his team working with my insurance provider. My current surgeon is wonderful but he has decided not to renew his contract with my insurance provider significantly increasing my financial contribution. I have worked hard to be put back at square one. As an alternative I was considering traveling to Mexico for work there and then using my current surgeon for adjustments. I know many bandsters have had their procedures done in Mexico and I am looking for success or caution stories in traveling there as an alternative to traditional insurance financing. Thank you all!

According to Nancy's signature, she has had another procedure and is now R-N-Y to assist her where the band was not able to do so.

One of my friend's is a patient of Dr. Rosen and LifeWeigh Bariatrics and she speaks very highly of him. I am working with Dr. Shayani and love that he is affiliated with my hopsital and was recommended by my PCP. One of Dr. Rosen's offices is in the Downers Grove area. Speak with Barbie for more info about his schedule and practice.

I am sorry for the reschedule that has happened. It may have been possible to gain weight even if following new eating and activity habits. I initially lost about 10 lbs when I changed up my routine and then gained it all back and more because I became depressed and overly stressed with my work and personal life. There are more factors to how our body deals with weight than just what we are eating. Maybe you have other factors that have contributed to the gain that your surgeon is concerned about? Hang in there.

I have been considering this for a long time and started working on adjusting my eating habits and physcial activity in January of this year. To date I have really not made any progress but my Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, and PCP think I am going in the right direction. My first consultation is next week... and although I have worked so hard to get to this point my insurance company wants 6 official months of diet/exercise therapy so I may have to start all over again. I wish you the best and you know that every step you take, even if other doctors and policies push you back, will be a step to get you to where you want to be. Hang in there!