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

SAME DATEN AS ME........CANT WAIT BUT NERVOUS TOO......IM 40 IN AUGUST AND DONT WANT TO SPEND MY 40S BEING FAT.......WOULD LOVE TO GO SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES, MAKEUP ETC JUST PUT MYSELF FIRST FOR A CHANGE ....I HAVE 4 SONS AND THEY ARE SO EXCITED FOR ME, SO GOOD LUCK DIXIECHICK AND GOD BLESS, EVERYTHING WILL GO GREAT! XXXXXX

I got my date JULY 11th. I am so excited and also nervous. I have been thinking about this for over 2 years. I was going to have it done last year, but my husband's diabetes got way out of hand. He had lap band on November 23rd,2010. He has done great with the band, and has not gotten sick, slimmed , or stuck one time. He has lost 105 lbs, and no longer takes any medications for diabetes. or high blood pressure.

Now it is my turn. I can't wait. My BMI is 43 , and I need to lose 100 lbs. My goal is to do this by the time I turn 43 next year. My mind is made up and this is the last time I lose 100 lbs.

I am looking forward to my new life and the part that food plays in it. I am looking forward to food not being the focus of my every thougt. I hope that my new obsession, is working my band and exercise.

I am starting a low carb, high Protein diet for then next two weeks, then I start the liquid pre op diet on July 3rd.

July 6th is my surgery day!!! PreOp starts this Wednesday, June 22!!!

I got my date JULY 11th. I am so excited and also nervous. I have been thinking about this for over 2 years. I was going to have it done last year, but my husband's diabetes got way out of hand. He had lap band on November 23rd,2010. He has done great with the band, and has not gotten sick, slimmed , or stuck one time. He has lost 105 lbs, and no longer takes any medications for diabetes. or high blood pressure.

Now it is my turn. I can't wait. My BMI is 43 , and I need to lose 100 lbs. My goal is to do this by the time I turn 43 next year. My mind is made up and this is the last time I lose 100 lbs.

I am looking forward to my new life and the part that food plays in it. I am looking forward to food not being the focus of my every thougt. I hope that my new obsession, is working my band and exercise.

I am starting a low carb, high Protein diet for then next two weeks, then I start the liquid pre op diet on July 3rd.

I'm having mine done July 11th too!

Hi Guys, I too am having surgery July 1st (10 days!!! not that I'm counting, LOL) and I am very excited. I started my pre-op diet on friday and so far so good. The first couple days were the worst, and my stomach growls non stop.

My pre op appointments all went good, except I have a mild case of sleep apnea so I'm hoping the pulmonologist clears me before my surgery date. I go see him on the 29th which is cutting it close but my fingers are crossed.

I have been overweight pretty much my whole life, but since I became a single mother my weight has gotten out of hand the past couple years. I can sit here and say that I just want to be skinny and look great in the clothes I buy, but it's not about that. I just want to be healthy and live a long life with my children. It just kills me that I am not able to do alot of things that they want to do because of my weight.

Best of Luck to all us July Banders!! God Bless!

Hey April, I am looking forward to my success as well. I do have reservations, as everyone who is having a majorprocesudre SHOULD have. It is a major deal, not nesseccarily the procedure itself, but the lifestyle change. I love food, I love eating good food, I only hope that my fretting about everything that I eat or want to eat eases up a bit. Here is to our future!!!

Hey, Lisa! I'm having surgery on July 12 and am also on the self-pay fast track! Looking forward to following your success on this journey along with my own. I'm pretty sure LapBand Talk is going to be my new addiction!

Best to you,

April

Hey, Crash! We have matching surgery and PreOp start dates; I'd love to cheer each other on!

July 6th is my surgery day!!! PreOp starts this Wednesday, June 22!!!

Hey Songbird, I am being banded on the 7th as well. It is my understanding the folks who get reflux or gag, may not chew their food up enough. This precedure is definately a lifestyle change in that even something little like chewing has to be monitored. Over a period of time, your band will be filled or loosened depending on how you are keeping your food down or how full you feel. If it is too full/tight, you can vomit, but if you know these things before going into this, you can be confident in your decision. Hi Guys.

My surgery is July 7th. I am 58 years old married with 2 grown kids. I am really nervous about the surgery. Not the surgery itself, but the complications that so many people seem to have. Apparently many get horrible reflux and vomit alot. I hope I am not one of those people. I was on this other website and people who were unsuccessful with the band were trying to talk me out of it. I'm really freaked out!

Looks like Carmen and I are the only 7/21 Bandsters so far. Can't wait to get to it. Started a list of sorts today stating why I want the surgery, things that I think I'll enjoy more being at a healthy weight.

My pre-op diet is:

Day 1 and 2 - liquids only.

Day 3 to 12 - stay under 1000 calories. Have 2-3 Protein shakes and a lean quisine-type meal of under 300 calories - just stay under 1000 calories.

Days 13 and 14 - liquids only.

Shauna - I love the charm bracelet idea. And get thee to Paris !!

I am being banded July 5 and I start my pre-op diet tomorrow! Mine's 3 protein shakes - 2 lien cuisine meals or equivalents, and up to 2 cups vegetables each day for next 14 days. My fridge and freezer are stocked and i got my chewable vitamins to start tomorrow as well (may as well start getting used to the vitamins). I fear losing diet pop - i'm going water or water and crystal light or equivalent from here on out. I'm a huge diet pop drinker - have been for many many years. I'm 37 with a husband and 5 year old son. I was thin and beautiful until college - and i started gaining weight - about 5-10 pound per year since. I'm looking to lose 10 on the pre-op diet and another 130 after that. WE CAN DO IT JULY BANDSTERS UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Funny story - was at the doc office and noticed that there was a basket of Unjury (protein drink) samples on the bottom shelf. I waited until the doc left, then stuffed six into my purse. LOL! If I'm shelling out $10K+ to this guy, the least I should get are some free samples. LOL. I mentally promised myself that if I don't like them, I'll sneak them back into the basket on my next visit.

Amy

Did you have to do a 6 month diet? If so how long did it take to get your surgery date from your last nutrition class?

I got my date JULY 11th. I am so excited and also nervous. I have been thinking about this for over 2 years. I was going to have it done last year, but my husband's diabetes got way out of hand. He had lap band on November 23rd,2010. He has done great with the band, and has not gotten sick, slimmed , or stuck one time. He has lost 105 lbs, and no longer takes any medications for diabetes. or high blood pressure.

Now it is my turn. I can't wait. My BMI is 43 , and I need to lose 100 lbs. My goal is to do this by the time I turn 43 next year. My mind is made up and this is the last time I lose 100 lbs.

I am looking forward to my new life and the part that food plays in it. I am looking forward to food not being the focus of my every thougt. I hope that my new obsession, is working my band and exercise.

I am starting a low carb, high Protein diet for then next two weeks, then I start the liquid pre op diet on July 3rd.

I love it!!

Funny story - was at the doc office and noticed that there was a basket of unjury (Protein drink) samples on the bottom shelf. I waited until the doc left, then stuffed six into my purse. LOL! If I'm shelling out $10K+ to this guy, the least I should get are some free samples. LOL. I mentally promised myself that if I don't like them, I'll sneak them back into the basket on my next visit.

Amy

Two weeks today! I'm so excited!

One week until I start my pre-op diet.

Oh god that rhymed. Yuck. Lol!

Making a brand new workout playlist to celebrate!

I am also scheduled for surgery in July - the 15th - and can hardly wait. I had originally pursued lap band 2 years ago. I was denied by insurance, after jumping through all their hoops, because they felt my obesity-related medical issues - sleep apnea, reflux, etc. - could be treated in ways other than surgery. I had lost 30 lbs. in preparation of surgery back then, felt a lot better physically & psychologically, so didn't appeal the decision. Unfortunately, since then I have managed to maintain the 30 lb weight loss but haven't lost any more. I, too, am in the 33-34 BMI range and have decided that I am going to do self-pay. Life is short and I refuse to go through the rest of it feeling & looking like I do.

Cheers to the journey ahead!

Welcome to all the new people! I'm jealous of you guys that have your dates set...I'm still waiting for all of my tests to be done.

Did anyone else have and EGD? I'm supposed to get one and not sure what to expect. Thanks!

Shauna