Knowing how important after-care and an on-going relationship is to the success of the band, I was very eager to meet my surgeon. Yesterday was the big day at last (on my birthday!). The process at the hospital where I will be banded includes a mandatory information session, a meeting with program coordinator, psych evaluation and a nutritionist appointment all before the meeting with the surgeon. A gauntlet! I am happy to report that I really, really like the guy. He is relaxed and professional at the same time, intelligent and definitely has a good sense of humor. I can tell we are going to get along well, which of course is key to the project ahead (we'll be seeing quite a bit of each other over the coming year).

My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday November 5th, just over five weeks from now. This gives me some time to launch into pre-op mode. My BMI was just high enough (40). I was not able to undertake any kind of weight loss until the magic number was submitted to the insurance company, but now I'm going to do what I can to get a headstart before formal pre-op and the surgery. Still mulling this over. Of course we are all professional dieters and in some ways I feel like this is my last one. Once I am banded I do not want to have the dieting mentality. I look forward to letting go of all the over-thinking about food and just having my very small meals every 4-6 hours and exercising as much as possible while my weight drops over time.

Congrats on your surgery date! Thats a great birthday present. You're gonna do wonderful.

So glad to hear you have a date! Exciting time for us!

Belated Happy Birthday!!

I'm so glad you like your surgeon so much. I truly believe a good relationship with your bariatric surgeon is really important because he's going to be a big part of your life, especially the first year. I have a very good relationship with my surgeon and I know he genuinely cares about me as a person. I truly believe it's been that good relationship with him that has played a large part in my success because I've had such good aftercare.

Best wishes!

Wow, finally. I am so happy for you. You are at least prepared for this mentally. You've read the best and worst here. You'll do great. But as you keep reading, it really is still a diet for awhile. At least it has been for me. Thats to get the weight off. I think I have what I need to keep the weight off.

Yay!!! I'm so happy for you!!

I'm glad we will be going through all this together as friends!

Before I had to do the pre-op diet, I really focused on limiting my portions before hand, I started that after my very first appointment on July 2nd. I kind of weened myself into smaller portions, and I think it made everything for me pre-Op diet that much easier! I'm at day 11 of 14 right now and I haven't been tempted too much, haven't worried about cheating at all, and am just enjoying watching the pounds fall off! I felt empowered when I realized that I got myself out of the 300's without the band. My scale currently reads 298, and on July 2nd, I was 336. More importantly though, babying myself out of such large portions was the best thing I think I could do for myself to prepare for my liquid, pre-op diet.

Best wishes, and good luck my friend!! <3 I'm so happy we get to enter this journey together and help each other!! <3

Thanks everyone for the support -- excited to begin!

Wow, finally. I am so happy for you. You are at least prepared for this mentally. You've read the best and worst here. You'll do great. But as you keep reading, it really is still a diet for awhile. At least it has been for me. Thats to get the weight off. I think I have what I need to keep the weight off.

Thanks so much, Sandy! I will do whatever it takes, that's for sure. Just want to be sure I'm not overly-restrictive, as I can tend in that direction. My goal is to make this a lifestyle -- me and my band telling me what to have, which is good Protein and veggies every 4-6 hours. Just don't want to get too wiggy. But like I said, I will do whatever it takes. Best wishes and thanks again -- very excited to have found a forum of people on a similar journey.

Yay!!! I'm so happy for you!!

I'm glad we will be going through all this together as friends!

Before I had to do the pre-op diet, I really focused on limiting my portions before hand, I started that after my very first appointment on July 2nd. I kind of weened myself into smaller portions, and I think it made everything for me pre-Op diet that much easier! I'm at day 11 of 14 right now and I haven't been tempted too much, haven't worried about cheating at all, and am just enjoying watching the pounds fall off! I felt empowered when I realized that I got myself out of the 300's without the band. My scale currently reads 298, and on July 2nd, I was 336. More importantly though, babying myself out of such large portions was the best thing I think I could do for myself to prepare for my liquid, pre-op diet.

Best wishes, and good luck my friend!! <3 I'm so happy we get to enter this journey together and help each other!! <3

DAY 11 -- WAY TO GO, ALLIE! So happy for you -- and out of the threes. That is a great headstart. You are doing beautifully! Since I have five weeks 'til surgery I am planning to do much the same as you -- start eating "clean" and weaning off of trigger foods, lower caffeine, eliminate sugar, etc. Then I'll be ready for whatever pre-op I'm going to do and I hope to have the same kind of success -- getting that initial chunk off before surgery is a great thing to do. First time I will have lost weight that I know for sure won't be coming back again. Hurray for you to have done so well the last couple of weeks! Remind me what kind of shakes you are using or what your pre-op diet consists of......Happy Saturday!

Wow congratulations Bandista , I've been following u so I know this gots to be exciting!! I'll be there one day to and everyone here will be the first to know !!

So happy for you! A great birthday gift, for sure.

Congratulations! On your way

DAY 11 -- WAY TO GO, ALLIE! So happy for you -- and out of the threes. That is a great headstart. You are doing beautifully! Since I have five weeks 'til surgery I am planning to do much the same as you -- start eating "clean" and weaning off of trigger foods, lower caffeine, eliminate sugar, etc. Then I'll be ready for whatever pre-op I'm going to do and I hope to have the same kind of success -- getting that initial chunk off before surgery is a great thing to do. First time I will have lost weight that I know for sure won't be coming back again. Hurray for you to have done so well the last couple of weeks! Remind me what kind of shakes you are using or what your pre-op diet consists of......Happy Saturday!

Thanks!

I'm using a shake called "Total Lean" that you can buy at GNC. I use the ready to drink shakes, they come 4 to a pack, they're loaded with all kinds of good for you stuff, there's very, VERY few carbs, and there's only 170 calories per shake! They also taste great! They're a bit pricey, but GNC gives you every opportunity to save money. Base price is $10.99 for a pack of four. They come in Strawberries and Creme, vanilla Bean, and Swiss chocolate. As a general rule, one has 25g. Protein and 6g. Carbohydrate. They have something like 24 Vitamins and minerals too, but will only give you 40% your daily dose of Potassium, which has been weighing on me (haha, pun intended xP) a bit, and I have had a few, bad leg cramps. Don't worry though, it's only for a short amount of time, and the positives of these shakes definitely outweigh the negatives.

My diet consists of 4, Total Lean Protein Shakes a day (100g. Protein, 24g. Carbohydrate, and 680 Cal.), all the sugar free Jello I want in a day (which isn't much), and 2-3 sugar free popsicles a day (usually I have 1-2, just for that bit of crunch), and all the Water I want. I'm also taking some Vitamin C supplements to keep my immune system healthy before surgery, I take 4 a day. 2 chewable, "Flintstones" vitamins a day, which are much tastier now than they were in the 90's, lol! xP I don't really ever feel hungry anymore, but days 1-4 or 5 are pretty tough, and I felt hungry often then.

Knowing how important after-care and an on-going relationship is to the success of the band' date=' I was very eager to meet my surgeon. Yesterday was the big day at last (on my birthday!). The process at the hospital where I will be banded includes a mandatory information session, a meeting with program coordinator, psych evaluation and a nutritionist appointment all before the meeting with the surgeon. A gauntlet! I am happy to report that I really, really like the guy. He is relaxed and professional at the same time, intelligent and definitely has a good sense of humor. I can tell we are going to get along well, which of course is key to the project ahead (we'll be seeing quite a bit of each other over the coming year).

My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday November 5th, just over five weeks from now. This gives me some time to launch into pre-op mode. My BMI was just high enough (40). I was not able to undertake any kind of weight loss until the magic number was submitted to the insurance company, but now I'm going to do what I can to get a headstart before formal pre-op and the surgery. Still mulling this over. Of course we are all professional dieters and in some ways I feel like this is my last one. Once I am banded I do not want to have the dieting mentality. I look forward to letting go of all the over-thinking about food and just having my very small meals every 4-6 hours and exercising as much as possible while my weight drops over time.[/quote']

Hi Bandista,

I've seen your posts you must be so excited to gave a surgery date! After much back and forth I've decided on Lapband and am super excited...especially since my insurance covers it!! Yay! I have my 2nd nutrition apt and pcp physical Snd bloodwork so I'm looking at a surgery date 1st week of December...can't wait! Hopefully we can stay in touch for this incredible journey! Good luck !

Congratulations Bandista! I know you have been waiting to hear those words, "You have been APPROVED". I'm still going through the process with getting all my evaluations done, although I have a tentative surgery date. Keep us posted with your post op process. Hope to see you on the other side soon...

CONGRATS!!! I am so happy you got your date! 5 weeks will fly by and it sounds like you have a great team to help you out! It's only week 2 for me and I can say that I am already so happy I did this. Happy late birthday by the way ))