Hey There,

Just looking for any July 2011 banders. I just started my process, but as that I am "self-pay", I am on a fast track to surgery. Although, not terribly obese (bmi 34), I am using lap band surgery as a tool for continued success after loosing weight. I have always been able to join a program(diet or exercise or prescription) and loose weight.....I've done it several times with several different programs (not a good thing), but I always gain the weight back and more. Now that I am in my 40s, it is harder to loose and faster to come back. No more, I say! I want to be heathy in my future - family history/genetics dictates that I will/can be using a walker or wheel chair from degenerative bones and joints, heart disease, diabetes. I am trying to steer clear of that but still keep seeing myself heading in that direction, so now is the time for further action. Although apprehensive about going under, I am reading all the good things about the lap band procedure and am hoping that it is just a little more than the tubiligation and endemetrial ablasion that I had done last year. At least, I am thinking of it that way, so as to not scare myself too badly!

Lisa B - Northern Virginia

Hi Lisa (that's my sister's name!)

Wow, we should stick together. I am also self pay and expecting surgery sometime in July. I have a BMI of 33 and have also lost hundreds and gained them back over the last 25 years. I am 39, so we are close in age too!

I am nervous as all heck. I'm not so much afraid of going under as I am of post-surgical pain and the lovely "stucks" and "PBs", possibly vomiting. I've been reading the LBT forums and they go from helping me to making me more nervous. I just hope I am doing the right thing. Please email me at potukmail@gmail.com if you want to chat.

I'm scheduled for July 1. I am getting really excited now. I was nervous in the beginning, now the nerves have calmed down but I'm sure they will start up again soon!!!

Hello!

My name is Aly and I'm getting banded on July 5th (20 days!) and I too have a BMI of 33/34.

I'm 18 years old, I know that I'm young to be undergoing this surgery, but I have lost and gained weight a thousand times since about the age of 12 and have a family history of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. I'm really excited about it but at the same time I'm nervous because I know how difficult it is (my mum had a lapband in 2008). I'm finding the weeks leading up to it difficult because I want to talk to my friends and boyfriend about it but they don't really get it... It would be great to have people to talk to who are in the same situation!

Aly - Hunter Valley, Australia

Welcome Jenjaw and Aly! Aly, I think it is GREAT you are doing this at a young age....I spent my 20s and 30s either overweight or obese and it was such a waste!

My nerves have calmed down now and I'm sure I'm doing the right thing. Giving up my beloved Diet Pepsi today...hopefully it will help me get used to giving up things that I love that are bad for me!

Shauna

Hello Everyone!

I am also being banded July 5th! So excited and anxious at the same time! I am 29 years old, I live in Massachusetts, married and have 2 great kids.

I wanted to say that I agree with Shauna! Aly, don't feel bad about being young! I think its wonderful that you are doing something now and being proactive...Good for you! If I had known about the Lap Band when I was your age I could have saved myself years of tears and frustration and yo-yo dieting.

I have been preparing since December and can't wait to start my new healthy life! My husband is great and has been so very supportive in the process, he's nervous about the anesthesia but then again so am I. I'm glad you guys started a July Banders Topic. Now we can all encourage and uplift one another.

I'm being banded July 5 too!!!!! I'm not nervous - but I think about it all the time (and giving up diet pop I think will be the hardest thing)! Good luck to all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im getting banded sometime in July as well! My insurance required a 3 month pre-op diet period and my last appt for that will be June 23rd... she said all I have to wait on then is the insurance approval so it should be in July!! Ive been on a low-card diet for the past 3 months and lost 17 lbs..but I havent been exercising like I should. I'm actually glad my insurance made me wait 3 months and try the diet because I dont think I could have quit my carbs, soda and sugar cold turkey along with eating healthy. The first month I thought I was going to die without my bread, but now its soooo much easier to deal with. I still have my cravings everynow and then but I can take a few bites now, instead of wanting to eat the whole pan of macaroni! Its a work in progress, and I just joined the gym, so my new goal is my exercise!! I read some things on here and it makes me nervous and I start second guessing my decision...but I think some of these horror stories are from personal choices that are made. Even without a band, decreasing consumption size, eating healthy and increasing exercise will produce results. I'm 100% commited, so I am praying that I do well! This is my last option seriously. Good Luck guys!!

Hi! I'm also a self pay so my surgery was fast tracked. I go in on Friday for my protein shakes and nutrionist visit and will have the surgery on July 1st!! I'm 39 yrs old and weigh 336lbs. I am so excited but also cautious. What I can't wait for is for the water retention to go away!

Congrats on your decision to get banded. I am also a July bander. I do not have a surgery date yet. I am going through private insurance so I had to do a 6 month medically supervised diet. July 6th will be my 6 month mark. I am hoping to have surgery either July 13th or July 20th. I am insulin resistant with chronic back pain. I also have a family history of diabtes and all the bad stuff. I am hoping to stop the history and reverse the bad. I had a partial hysterictomy romval of one tube and ovary due to PCOS. Hopefully this surgery will help with some of the complications due to PCOS ( Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). Do you know when you will get your surgery date? I am also doing a vlog on youtube. You can find me by typing in blackberrry princess. Good luck and keep us updated!

Hey There,

Just looking for any July 2011 banders. I just started my process, but as that I am "self-pay", I am on a fast track to surgery. Although, not terribly obese (bmi 34), I am using lap band surgery as a tool for continued success after loosing weight. I have always been able to join a program(diet or exercise or prescription) and loose weight.....I've done it several times with several different programs (not a good thing), but I always gain the weight back and more. Now that I am in my 40s, it is harder to loose and faster to come back. No more, I say! I want to be heathy in my future - family history/genetics dictates that I will/can be using a walker or wheel chair from degenerative bones and joints, heart disease, diabetes. I am trying to steer clear of that but still keep seeing myself heading in that direction, so now is the time for further action. Although apprehensive about going under, I am reading all the good things about the lap band procedure and am hoping that it is just a little more than the tubiligation and endemetrial ablasion that I had done last year. At least, I am thinking of it that way, so as to not scare myself too badly!

Lisa B - Northern Virginia

Anyone else dreading the preop liquid diet?

I just got my surgery date today! July 1st! I am so excited, and a little worried... Although most of my concerns were reassured today at the office a whole different ball park of anxiety "slipping". The girls at the office really stressed on the importance of being super careful. I wirk at a job which requires lifting... Their protocol 6 weeks!! I can not take off work for 6 weeks I will loose my job..... So I have decided to take 1 week off, and then light duty the second week and wear a binder to get my muscles in place.. At my appointment today I had a scan to see if there were any blood clots in my legs, I was given a lot of helpful paperwork, and quiz to take online. A few days before my surgery I will go in and get a EKG, lung x ray, blood work and then meet with my nutritionist (which is a free service offered). Tonight I went and had a nice Mexican dinner and 2morrow I go for my last steak dinner and Saturday morning I start my pre op diet!! This is happening so fast....

July Banders we are at the beginning of our new life journey lets be successful together!

Hi all 7/11 bandsters.....I have a date of July 25th. Excited and nervous. I'm much older than most on this site and have researched this for over a year and think it will help me with my blood pressure and knee problems and back issues too. Hope so. A little nervous reading some complications on this site about auto-immune disease after being banded but my doctor assured me there is no connection with the two. Also emailed Allergan who makes the band and will read all the stats. I think I'm over thinking this band ..... I hope I can just relax and enjoy it. Good Luck to all.

Hi Aly,

I'm nervous about the pre-op diet too, but I am SOOOO lucky because my doc allows a few solids...just NO carbs (other than what is in a low carb Protein shake) and I'm a carb person. Cool thing is my co-worker (who had gastric bypass and has kinda stalled out on his weight loss) and my best friend are going to do it with me. They might slightly modify it to add some fruits and veggies but otherwise we will be going through carb withdrawal together! Are you on a strict liquid diet? What does everyone else pre-op diet look like?

Shauna

I was just approved for July 7th surgery. I have been lurking the boards for about a month now but never wanted to post until I was sure I was approved. I start pre-op diet on the 23rd, so I have been easing into it by trying a variety of protein shakes. Think I have found a few favorites, although I like savory foods more than sweets, and all these shakes are sweet...so I think I'll have to be creative with the broths and add unflavored whey protein. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I am also a lower BMI of 36 but have co-morb. of High BP and sleep apnea. I'm in my early 40's like some of you as well, and the yo- yo dieting just had to stop. So thats my story...Hope all of us have the very best of outcomes with the band. Looking forward to having a "band" of buddies going forward with our journeys. I think the support of others going through the same things makes all the difference in the world.:thumbup:

I seriously think that I am the only one on here who doesnt have to do the pre-op diet. I keep reading about how much everyone one is dreading their pre-op instructions and thought maybe I was doing something wrong. I called and spoke with my surgeon's office today and asked if I should be starting soon, and they said no, just Protein shakes the day before surgery and nothing after midnight the night before. Is anyone else's doctor saying the same thing? Why do you think he is so relaxed about this?

Thoughts?...