So as of right now, my surgery is scheduled for May 6, 2013.

I could have it sooner if I chose a different location, but the surgical center closest to where I live ( still an hour away) and the closest center my surgeon will operate at requires my bmi to be lower (in other words i'd have to lose 50 lbs)

I've been put on a crash diet of zero carbs. only meat an veggies.

yet the crash diet is also the way my surgeon suggests to eat for the rest of my life.

getting the surgery done at a different location with no bmi requirements (Tampa- 4hoursaway) will put an extra strain on family members who do not want me to get the surgery done in the first place.

after a 7 lb weight loss I was excited,still motivated and less disheartened by disagreements with family.

This weight loss, however, was after a 4 day liquid diet

I introduced food and wasn't getting enough Fiber.

my regular doctor suggested i eat these fiber Cookies and instead of looking for high fiber vegetables I started eating these wraps that had only 9g of carbs, but 6g of fiber.

My surgeon diet allotted 30g of carbs a day. But no bread, Pasta, rice, sweets, etc.

I ended up binge eating the wraps (making mini pizzas)

This happened, however, only 2 days prior to my weigh in with my surgeon.

It had been 2 weeks since i started eating solid food and I lost 0 pounds.

This infuriated me, disheartened me, made me feel like I was a failure, confused me, etc. etc.

Its been several days since that weigh in and I've gone back to the same eating habits I've always had. Probably have gained the 7 lbs I'd lost from the liquid diet or "carb withdrawal" and then some.

My anger/depression from this situation and lack of weight loss has only increased the unsupportiveness from family.

I know the surgery is only a tool that helps you in your weight loss journey and you have to put in the work.

I feel like I can, I know that I will,

but the pre-op drama is really getting to me and making me second-guess everything.

It would really help if anyone out there could share some words of wisdom.

thanks

Losing weight is all about self control and making good choices. It does not sound like you are fully committed to the Lap Band. You will have to be in order to be successful. It sounds like your "diet" lasted less than 1 week. You might want to search for a counselor to help you with your eating before any surgery.

You know friend, I think if you had followed your doctors diet plan you would have lost some weight and be feeling pretty optimistic about now. There are no words of wisdom I can give you except to say do what your doctor tells you to do. I don't mean to be harsh at all. But until you can follow your docs instructions I don't see how we can offer any tips to help you out. Tips aren't gonna help if you don't have your baseline established. The good thing is you can start over RIGHT NOW and began to make progress. Just tell yourself you are going to do it and go forward. I know you can because I have done so and I was/am weak as hell when it comes to food.

i agree with grammy and m1

i believe in want power....i had to want to have the band work enough to follow the guidelines they laid out...if i dont, it most likely wont..ask yourself, do you really want to do this?

if you truly do, stop (dieting as we all know they dont work)

and do what you have to do and get on with it.

Doing this without full family support is rough but you must remember you're doing this for you, no one else. I also know how hard it is to start with a high BMI (mine was 72!). You just have to take things one day, one step at a time.

I understand if you don't want to do this super low/no carb diet forever. I'm not even going to pretend I could- I couldn't and flat out refuse to. But, you're in the pre-op phase. Patient compliance is so key not only to success with the band but successful healing after surgery. You may not like this no carb diet right now but it's imperative you stick to it regardless.

You may not realize this, but this pre-op diet he has you on has nothing to do with weight loss and everything to do with shrinking your liver. As a very high BMI person, this is particularly important. Obese people also have very fatty, enlarged livers. In order to place your Lap Band your surgeon has to be able to safely manipulate and work around your liver. If it's too big he can't do that. In fact, there's even people who've gone into surgery and come out with all the scars but no band because once the surgeon got into them their liver was too big to continue.

After surgery, you're going to be put on an ever stricter progressive diet. Again, this diet isn't about weight loss. This one will be about allowing your stomach to heal. It is crucial you stick to this diet without cheating or you will put your health and band at risk.

My point is, right now, you have a choice to make. You can do what is necessary, regardless of whether or not you like it, and be successful. Or, you can cheat and risk both your health and failure. The day will come you can sit down with a nutritionist and establish a food plan that's good for you, but for right now, you don't get say in this. Make a commitment to do what you're supposed to do, without cheating, or walk away now because your health isn't worth risks that cheating will bring.

Take a deep breath, remind yourself all this pre-op and post-op stuff is just temporary, and do what needs to be done to be a success.

Best wishes.

I was grateful for a 6 month process before my surgery to work out the kinks mentally, emotionally, spirtually. It wasn't easy to comply wth the pre-op requirements and some days I fought it as well. But I did "do it" and I had to give up what I thought I could do and not do and DO what others said I needed to do to get the surgery. I wanted the surgery enough to follow the rules and get me that band. It took every minute of that 6 months to get me ready for banded life. And I'm glad to have made it through.

Good luck on your journey!

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate it. I do want this and I am ready for it.

I should have gone to my surgeon when I was having medical issues with my diet, but I didn't know the two were related.

All I can say is that I am glad I am not banded just yet.

Tomorrow is a new day and I will be the new me.