patsal

Good luck Tweety and Chincilla! Glad it went well LapNYC! I'm at Day 6 of the liquid pre-op and I so relate to Northern Mist--every time I prepare stuff for the family I am trying hard to be "on top of things" so I don't accidentally grab a little bite of something that would make for a deviation. After cooking great meals for them all for the past 6 nights I am giving myself a break and picking up subway for them on the way home tonight. Wednesdays are hectic for us so this will be a nice break! I will enjoy not having to prepare for one night! Have a great day everyone!

Aww Tweety, I am sorry that happened to you. I would just give the Dr. a quick call and then jump right back into your pre-op. Should you have the shakes though--the idea is to build up your protien intake as well as to shrink your liver--that popcorn chicken is lots of breading (carbs) so maybe you should still have your shakes?

Thanks, I am glad I will be able to use in the future if not so much this week and next. I am going to try your suggestion of making the shakes ahead and getting them colder. I tried a bit of ice yesterday and that seemed to work well. I'm becoming partial to the chocolate!

Ok, today I gagged on my Unjury--tried the chicken flavor, mixed it with milk then heated it in a bowl, it was a bit salty which was actually a good change, but by the end I was gagging it down...this was not good! I ordered more Unjury on Friday, and I am glad I left out the chicken flavor!

Oh, I hope not. Have you just given a quick call to the Dr. I was supposed to be January and when I called, they misfiled my folder and never requested approval from my insurance. They fast tracked me as soon as I spoke to them and I had an answer and a date in 48 hours. Just wanted to add that I too have a wicked headache and am finding it difficult to concentrate (my HS kids should have a great day tomorrow, fortunately I did all the planning and set up for the week on Friday before I left!). I keep looking at the big picture though and know this is only for a short time.

Good to know. I am on day two, but thought today was better than yesterday. I will have to take it day to day, I am trying to space things out better today than yesterday, and so far it has helped.

Another thing to try is "doubleing" your milk, add a serving of non-fat dry milk powder to your skim milk and you add 8 more grams of protien..remember you are not adding the water it calls for in the directions just adding it to your milk for the extra protien (80 calories, 8 grams of protien)

So far the Unjury is my favorite, not too high in sugar and enough protien to hold me.

Totally done with all pre testing and nutrition/exercise class and got clearance from my PCP yesterday as well. Started the liver reduction diet today. So far not starving...

Well, I am a bit closer now and things are really seeming to feel real for me. It has been such a long journey to this point and today I had the last of my pre-op testing at the hospital--bloodwork, urinanalysis, EKG and chest X-Ray. Tomorrow to the Dr's for a nutrition and exercise class. Then Friday begins the pre-op diet. The countdown begins!

I get Chobani at BJ's or Sam's club for $12.99 for a 12 pack--blueberry, strawberry and peach. I get Oikos at Wegmans--when a coupon comes out int he paper it is for $1.00 off one, I go to ebay and buy up coupons so they end up .69 cents each.

Same here, it is a lifestyle change. My Doc. said to try it before banding to get the family on board with healthy eating and to see what life after the band would be like. DH lost all of his excess weight in 6 months, DD lost about half of what she needs to lose--I give her more dairy since she is 14, plus I don't know what she eats when she is not home! I lost too, but have a much better handle on what is good and what is not so much! Tons of great chicken and veggie recipes.

I use Unjury, 20 grams of protien per scoop, 27 when mixed with milk. Pre-op and Post op rec. from Nutritionist and surgeon. My cost was about $78 for 4 big containers. I will have to place another order soon for the post op. I like it because it mixes completely with no lumps and the strawberry can be mixed with water so I get a kool-aid consistency.

14 days of

I know what you mean, Carmen, I begin my pr-op diet on Friday and for the first time ever Friday doesn't seem all that far away! I purchased all my pre-op food and they are in two little bags on the dining room floor. On Thursday I will move one to the kitchen counter, with specific rules for everyone to leave it alone. DS who has been underweight for 17 of his 18 years will be the only one I am worried about--he loves sugarfree vanilla pudding, no sugar added apple sauce and yoplait yogurt! I picked up some yoplait on shopping day and thought I "sheltered" it well in the fridge--not so he keeps telling me how great they taste!:cursing: It will be ok and go by quickly, at least we have one another around here to really understand what we are going through and keep us encouraged!

Dr. Pham at Synergy

I just wanted to share that I too am doing something similiar. I was in "Last Supper" hell as soon as I got approved--finally just gave in and ate that whole damn cheeseburger at Red Robin and got it out of my system. This week I went back to South Beach Phase 1, from there I will back it down next week to a shake in place of breakfast, then to the pre-op diet the nutritionist gave me. I have not been as good about the exercise though--I am getting in about a half hour daily. I was thinking like you did, to go from what I currently consume to the pre-op seemed really drastic, so maybe training my body to do more with less seemed reasonable to me! I am using Unjury looks like $78 for the two weeks plus the other items I am allowed (unsweetened applesauce, cream of wheat, sugar free pudding, and canned cream soups)

Just another part of this journey, I guess. My Mother is full of hte "alls you hafta do is..." advice. I am obese, have been obese for an eternity, seriously would I go this drastic if I didn't needmore help and have not failed at everythign else! No one who knows believes that I am as heavy as I am, which is both good and bad. I have pointed out that two Drs and the insurance feel comfotable with it and have approved it. I think in a way for my Mom it was her own insecurities--everything has to be about her so she thought I ws going to get all nuts on her about how unwell she fed us as kids. I am a believer that all do the best they can with what they know at the time. I now know much more about nutrition and behavior than I did a year ago and I certainly can't blame my mother for what I have eaten in the last 20 years! I am opting to keep it within the walls of my home. I do not need permission from anyone else nor do I feel the need to justify what I need anymore. Eventually everyone will find out and I will swear that they got a last minute cancellation and could fit me in so I didn't want to bother anyone after 9pm! lol:tongue_smilie: Not nice I know, but the best way for me to deal with it and let this be about me and what I need not my mother or how she feels about it.

I drink about 4 cups per day, and this week I have cut it to two with 32 oz of water between cups. Am I going to have to cut it even more--I want to be prepared so I don't get that horrid headache!

:thumbup:Finally I have a pre-op testing date. I am only concerned that it is like 24 hours before I am supposed to get clearance from my regular Dr. I am calling tomorrow to let them know when the pre-op testing is so they can reschedule me if that will be a problem. My guess is with fax machienes and such there shouldn't be an issue, but I don't want to take any chances!

Waiting sucks! This whole process has been a hurry up and wait cycle for me. I am now waiting for the hospital to call me to set up the last pre-op testing. I am going crazy--I have a very narrow window of opportunity to get the testing as I have two required days I MUST be at work next week--I have been patient since last Thursday (1-14) but I am losing it! If I have to have someone else administer the test the kids are not going to do as well since they are used to me, special ed. and very accustomed to routine. So back to the old cycle take care of everyone else and if there is time take care of me, or take care of me and then mop up the mess later:confused:. Hang in there Me3, the time will go by reasonably quickly!

I went to my regular doctor in July. I told him I was tired of the rollar coaster ride with weight loss and regain and asked if he thought I might be a good candidate for a lap band. Got referral from him. Called Specialist--in my case the Dr. won't see you until you complete a test on the internet, get a psych eval, see the nutritionist, finally the Dr. will meet with you, then after the exam and a very long discussion surgery is scheduled. My time frame looks like this July PC July call bariatric center July take internet test August psych eval September nutitionist November see surgeon January Pre-op testing at hospital Jan 26th pre-op testing Jan 27th Regualr Dr. For clearance Jan. 28th begin pre-op diet February 12th surgery Feb 23rd Post op appt. I believe each dr. is different in their approach. I think that around here, this center is the busiest and they kind of make you jump through hoops to be sure you really are interested. There is another dr. in the area that requires different things. This was just the one I wanted to go to. For me insurance was not submitted to until after the meeting with the psych and nutritionist as well as the initial consult with the dr.

The one that was successful basically had her head in the game. She followed the diet given to her from her surgeon, exercised and was willing to invest in the process of losing weight and giving up the things that she knew got her to her high weight in the first place. She was fine with giving up carbonated beverages and with giving up foods she thought she couldn't live without. Once the weight was off, she still stays clear of carbonated beverages becasue she doen't want to stretch her stomach, knows that no food is bad for you in and of itself, but that all things that led to her high weight need to be used in moderation now that she is at goal--a few bites of chocolate cake not the whole piece or whole cake. Her surgery is her tool to keep healthy. The one that was not successful believed it would be the magic thing that made her thin. She refused to give up her favorite things and drinks a lot of carbonated beverages. She is not willing to work extra activity into her busy schedule and will eat that whole piece of cake. She stretched her stomach back out and is not restricted to help her feel full anymore. As a result she has put on weight after her initial weight loss. The reason the doctor had me talk to both of them is because he wanted me to know that it doesn't always work if you are not invested in your own outcome.

Thank you all so much for your replies. It is reassuring to know others have been concerned about the same thing, but that the lapband will work. I am aware of the "cookies" and ate them very consciously knowing that I would not be doing that in the future. On New year's day they were thrown out--something I have never done with food before, so I am making changes. Since I have been following South Beach Christmas to New Year's day is the only time I spent off of it, and the whole house has been transformed. Very little junk food is in the house--I have teenagers so that is why there is some. DH is now at goal weight from following the plan, DD is down 20 pounds--she isn't as restricted and I give her more dairy and fruit since she is 14. DS is 18 and does his own thing. I have no intention of dealing with Cookies after being banded until I reach goal--though I amy jsut forego them completely since I know compulsive eating is what has gotten me where I am today. At the Dr. Office when I asked about the band, he made me talk to two people who work in his office, one who was successful and one who was not though both had the regular bypass surgery, talking with them both was very helpful in my decision. I really appreciate you all!

Ok now I am freaking myself out--maybe it is because I finally get to officially say bye-bye to Jenny Craig--three years and no real weight loss, just lose/gain/gain more/lose a bit....Now they want to know what I am doing to have lost 25 and kept it off--told them South Beach, they still keep pestering me to come in... Anyway, what if I get banded and I still do not lose weight? What if I eat these tiny portions and nothing happens, or worse, what if I get it done and still gain weight? I mean could this happen if I follow it to the letter? I have been following South Beach--dr. recomended--and except for a holiday deviation (damn me for succumbing to the cookies) I have been on a nice downward move, so I know I can follow what I am told. I am just worried, I guess....