Karlzmom

I can relate, but have been pleasantly surprised at how much I've been able to shift my focus to the company while simply modifying my food choices to still join my friends for lunch everyday. I'm still pre-op, but started to modify my diet before starting the preop diet....so, instead of ordering my burrito on Mexi day, I switched to Ceviche. Now, I'm on liquids and just order Soup....same friends, same laughter, different lunch. I don't feel cheated at all. :thumbup:

Good Luck!

One more week....had a wedding today that I was given permission to eat a bit [still being a week out + weight lost pre-preop diet = 1 meal splurge :tongue:] It was strange to be eating again...after a week of nothing but liquids. Meal was good, but I had no trouble pushing the plate away after a bit of steak, completely skipped the potatos. My down fall was the dinner roll and butter - yum! I was disappointed with the cake, as I had helped out at the cake tasting, so I knew what the cake was "supposed" to be, but my table was served a sheet cake of a different flavor [don't get me going on that whole idea....:confused:. Had a couple small tastes and then done! I walked away with cake on the plate!! Unheard of!!!! So back home and back to broth tonight....I think it would be a real kick to be down 20 by surgery. I remember from my old WW days [one of the multiple retreads] that 10% off the bod = visible difference in appearance, so 20 pre-op should line me up to get to 10% fairly shortly after my return to the office. Oh, I was able wear a dress that had been sidelined in the closet, too....all around a pretty nice day. Oh, and the wedding was beautiful also.:thumbup:

Thanks Sashay and Catherine!

Nice to know I'm not alone....one day down.....

Not really sure how I feel....resigned? Certainly not thrilled...Had a passing thought about how it was my "last meal" and dinner and almost cried at the thought it was leftovers....but then it somehow seems to be perfectly in keeping with the notion that my current lifestyle is not something I should miss going forward....I don't know....anyway...just wanted to share.

Sending warm thoughts and support today! Hang in there.....:bored:

Hi! I'm still a pre-op and completely relate. Obviously, all of us have tried and failed to get to this point. We all are optimistic for the future, as we need to be, but I suspect you and I are not alone in having the little naysaying voice. How many times have you started the latest program, sure that its the fix, ready to take on the world and still here you are? I know for me its hundreds of times. I don't think its a weakness or failing to have lingering questions and doubts...I think its human and normal.

I will also be continuing therapy post-op, so it seems we have both already taken steps towards coping with our new reality. I draw inspiration from the others here who have gone down this path...each equally beaten down and discouraged who have come out the other end healthier and more satified with their quality of life. I try not to think in terms of success or failure, but in terms of progress. Will it get better? I believe it will. Someday I may be able to think in terms of a hard goal, but for me its the repetitive frustration of not acheiving the "ultimate' that morphs into self sabotage...

Talk candidly with your doctor and therapist. In who's eyes are you afraid of failing? Yours, or someone elses? Work through whichever answer it is with your support system and believe that tomorrow will be better than today. Give yourself permission to not always be at your "Best", but to keep on the journey. Let us know how it goes tomorrow.....

Had my marathon morning of testing....blood, echocardiogram, Barium drink, etc....now just waiting for my appointment for surgical clearance!

Thanks for the feedback.....I think I'm over the shock now...just moving forward, one step at a time.

Thanks for the encouragement about the hair loss....

I know, its vanity...but it is one of the few "positives" I've had for a long time...KWIM?

Its good to hear the "no beef" rule is not gospel, but may be unique to my surgeon....maybe its something I can discuss with him....

:thumbup:Congratulations!

Had my nutritionist meeting today and got a couple more new things to wrap my head around...didn't know about predicted hair loss with lap band..and no beef for a year! What's up with that? I mean, if you can eat it after a year, what is magical about 365 days? Anyone? Anyone?

What does anyone know about Hair loss? Is a little? Will I be bald? HELP!

I just became an April BB, having been able to move my surgery date up from late May to April 19th! I'm so excited!!! Now the race to get all the preop stuff done....:-)

In addition to my medical file, that did include multiple conversations with my PCP, prescription meds for weight loss, etc. I also went through my files and came up with all my credit card statements with WW dues, Jenny Craig meals, gym memberships, etc. My coordinator said she had never seen a person so organized....:laugh: Seriously, My "packet" was over 70 pages total and clearly demonstrated a long term, active attempt to lose and maintain my weight. When all was said and done, the coordinator said that she had never seem my carrier approve a request as quickly! Unfortunately, now the hold up is my calendar.....:biggrin:

I read this too quickly at first and thought, you are on trial and getting a band!! Dang, your priorities are all messed up! :eek:

Sheesh! (silly me!) :wink2:

I had a bad stuck episode while doing jury service. Way fun sliming in the front row of the jury box!

(Sending thoughts to your defendant) you KNOW you did it! Buck up and take the heat!

hee hee hee!!!

Best wishes!

Too funny! Thanks for the chuckle...:laugh:

I can honestly say that I've never seen a juror slime....or anyone else for that matter....I really hope I don't up being "the one" to introduce it at our court house.

Congratulations!

I got the call today...I'm approved!!! :cursing:

Now, its just a matter of getting my calendar in order. I'm so ready to do this, and to have to wait until late May to accomodate my job is really a downer. So, I am currently scheduled for May 24th, but will move it up if my trial schedule opens up.....someone cross their fingers my defendant pleas! :crying:

After much angst, I was called and told I passed the psych eval. He wants me to do some follow up after surgery, so my packet is officially ready to go to the insurance carrier.. and the wait for approval starts! Thanks so much for all the support over the last week...it was a tough one.:smile2:

When I have to deal with a period of unpleasant, that I know will come to an end at a defined point, I break it into small time intervals. For instance, I joined the Army and had to get through Basic Training...the 8 weeks ahead seemed forever, particularly when drill sgts were yelling everytime you turned around. I mentally found land marks that were safe harbors....sleep time, mail call, etc. and broke the day into smaller time periods..."I only have 3 hours until X"....then "there are 2 hours until Y"....made the whole thing managable, as you can just about bleed your eyes out for short periods of time.

Can you find fun landmarks in the day? Times you don't associate with food? Don't look at the full 2 weeks...simply get to the next day/hour/etc.....? Best of luck to you.

Good Luck!

I disagree. Insurers are, but doctors, for the most part, really aren't.

LOL! If only this were true, then I wouldn't have a desk covered in files to investigate doctors for committing fraud! BTW, its frightening how many of the cases are valid.....the reality is, there are greedy people in all walks of life...some happen to choose medicine as the means to wealth or they start out honest and decide to "up the margin" a bit b/c "they deserve it", "isurance doesn't pay well enough", etc, etc, etc....at the end of the day they are still stealing.

The inside joke in the industry is that anyone in the field of psychology or psychiatry is a loony toon themself and that's why they went into the field to begin with...to understand their own problems.

Now, that's not true of me. I went into clinical psychology in order to understand my whacko family. :thumbup:

.

LOL! Thanks for the chuckle....

Yep, I can relate totally. To be honest, I was not totally honest with the shrink. I knew exactly where they were going with some of their questions and deliberately lied because I knew I'd be flagged even though my honest answers *should not* have been a cause for concern since some of the events/feelings/etc. were more than 30 years ago.

I do know that if this psych eval comes back in a negative way, you can get a second evaluation and dump the first one. Although if insurance is paying for it, you may have to pay for the second one. I did.

/.

I didn't realize that I could get a 2d opinion on the psych! :smile2:You've given me some hope! Thanks. Its nice to know that I'm not alone.....

Sorry for the negativity. 1st, let me say that I understand the need to make sure we are on this path for the right reasons. I really do. That having been said, there is something that seems perverse at demanding we lay ourselves out mentally for some perfect stranger to "judge" us....and that's what they do..."judge" if we are ready, worthy, etc.

I am not a dumb woman and could see on the psych forms what sorts of issues that they were digging at, but b/c I'm determined to be honest with myself in this process, and to do everything I can to be sucessful I told the truth, rather than give the "right" answer to a question about events long, long ago. Now I'm "flagged" for the shrink to look at harder. The funny part is the tech pointed out that my life is really quite normal, on track, etc. except for my weight. But...that's not enough. Then he has the nerve to tell me that the quizzing is more about protecting the surgeon than to really "fix" what's wrong with me....silly me, I thought this was health CARE...not $$ for the doc and making sure his failure rate stays low....

Sorry again for the negativity...I'm angry..at them, at me, at the world...and sad that I had to go to an unhappy place in my mind only to have it again rob part of my life from me....I'll have to wait until next week to see what the final verdict it....Can anyone relate?

Had to know there was something up with that bunch....I've never seen an ad campaign for any product or service. The sea of billboards actually made me more skeptical of the whole procedure...I mean, if something is medically necessary why do I need to see an ad for it every 100 yrds down the highway? Shouldn't a doctor be telling you that its a viable option? Anyway, I certainly hope that no one gets hurt by those guys....

I think there is a difference between the "need" for a PCP clearance for insurance purposes, and whether your doctor provides care for you - the person- as you undertake this life changing event. Case in point, I had a hysterectomy. My PCP was *not involved* as my Gyn handled all of it. However, my PCP asked me if I had any questions he could answer, visited me at the hospital *and did not charge me for a consult*, inquired how it went at my 1st appointment after the procedure, etc. All part of "taking care" of me.

I, personally, would not go to a PCP who only looks at my care in terms of is the insurance reimbursing them for a signature on a form....but that's just me.