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Excited to be on this journey! I love all the posts and good info shared here. I hope to contribute as much as I glean.

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Hi, I"m a newbie from Virginia, too. My insurance required me to go through a year with a life coach. That year will be up on Aug. 16th, and I have an appt. with my surgeon on the 17th. I'm hoping I can have the LAP-BAND surgery in September. It's been a long year; and I've been very patient, but now I'm ready to get the ball rolling. Let's go through this thing together. I love this site--so much helpful advice and understanding. Take care. Keep me posted on your journey!

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Hi, I"m a newbie from Virginia, too. My insurance required me to go through a year with a life coach. That year will be up on Aug. 16th, and I have an appt. with my surgeon on the 17th. I'm hoping I can have the LAP-BAND surgery in September. It's been a long year; and I've been very patient, but now I'm ready to get the ball rolling. Let's go through this thing together. I love this site--so much helpful advice and understanding. Take care. Keep me posted on your journey!

Are you in Northern VA? Fortunately, my insurance only requires a 6 month wait. I'm just beginning the process and hope to have my surgery around Christmas time. I'm anxious to hear how your surgery goes and the recovery as well as the months following. Yes, let's stay connected and support each other through on this journey.

Peg

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Are you in Northern VA? Fortunately, my insurance only requires a 6 month wait. I'm just beginning the process and hope to have my surgery around Christmas time. I'm anxious to hear how your surgery goes and the recovery as well as the months following. Yes, let's stay connected and support each other through on this journey.

Peg

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This is too weird. I'm Peg, too! I live in South Central Virginia (about 50 miles from Richmond) and drive to work at Farmville (Longwood University) which is about a 30 minute drive. I'm so excited to be on this journey. Just hope that after my visit with the surgeon on Aug. 17th it won't be much longer. I know I'll have to take a 2-hr. class at the dr's office to go over everything you need to now, get approval from ins. (which should be within 2 wks), and do all the pre-op testing. I really hope I can be banded in September. I have really enjoyed this site. Looking forward to sharing with you throughout!!! Peg

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Hi VA ladies. I am here with you. I am in Northern VA, really King George. I had my surgery done by Dr. Brengman and it went really well. However, I have not been behaving the last year, so I am about to pick up the phone to make the needed appointment. Good luck on your journeys.

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Hi VA ladies. I am here with you. I am in Northern VA, really King George. I had my surgery done by Dr. Brengman and it went really well. However, I have not been behaving the last year, so I am about to pick up the phone to make the needed appointment. Good luck on your journeys.

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Hi Niterun,

Tell me how you liked Dr. Brengman. Does he have good bedside manner? Once you got ins. approval, what did you have to do before surgery? Several of my friends who had been banded love Dr. Brengman and his staff. Hope to hear from you soon.

Peps

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Hi VA ladies. I am here with you. I am in Northern VA, really King George. I had my surgery done by Dr. Brengman and it went really well. However, I have not been behaving the last year, so I am about to pick up the phone to make the needed appointment. Good luck on your journeys.

Wow, this is great! A small online community of Virginian bandsters. We're here to support and encourage one another. Niterun--I hope you're successful getting back on the wagon.

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I went to Brengman because of someone on the site. I really like him and Erin, his nurse. I had the seminar in Nov. and my approval on the first try. Thanksgiving and Christmas caused the "delay" till March. I prepared myself by giving up sweet tea. I swear I used to drink a gallon of the stuff daily. I also started to eat on a smaller plate, no seconds and tried to learn to drink Water. Doc gave me a liver shrink diet for two weeks. I thought it was a ton of food, but by the time of surgery I had lost 18 lbs with the diet and the changes I had been making since Nov. Keep me posted on how you're doing. I was really lucky in that I never felt hungry. So many people seem to have that problem in the beginning.

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Hi Niterun,

Thanks for the info. I've met the staff in the office and liked them as well. Everyone I know who has used them likes everyone just fine. Hope I don't ask too many questions of you. What kind of diet did he put you on the 2 weeks before surgery? My main vice was Diet Cokes. I've weaned myself off of them in June. I was sometimes drinking 6 a day. I loved them. Now, I drink Water with True Lemon, True Lime, True Orange, or True Raspberry Lemonade. They're really good. I also like Diet Citrus Green Tea. Hope you have a wonderful 4th!:patriot:

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From the handbook

Breakfast

1 Slim-Fast Hight Protein Drink

lunch

1 Slim-Fast

1 smal piece of fresh fruit

snack

6-8 oz light yogurt or light yogurt smoothie or

1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese

dinner

Sandwich:

4 oz lean turkey or chicken breast, ham or roast beef

2 slices of lite low cal whole grain bread

Mustard, fat free may, lettuce, Tomato as desired

1 C raw or cooked, non-strachy vegetables or 6-8 oz tomato or V* juice.

or

1 Slim-Fast

2 oz lean turkey or chicken breast, ham or roast bee

1 C vegetables

Snack

10 baby carrots, small cherry tomatoes, cucmber coins or broccoli florets

Be sure to drink at leat 64 ounces of sugar-free/calorie fre breverage!

Happy and safe 4th :Dancing_chief:

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Thanks for the diet, Niterun. I'm slowly cutting back on portions now so it won't be so hard. I've always loved to cook and eat! This will be so new to me when the time comes, but I'm ready for the challenge!

Hope you have a safe 4th too! Talk to you soon!

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I live in Northern Virginia too! Getting banded July 5 at Fair Oaks Hospital by Dr. Moazzez (Bluepoint Surgical Group).

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I'm also a newbie from Virginia, the Richmond area. I'd appreciate any insights on the Richmond area doctors...

THANKS!!biggrin.gif

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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