Calling all upcoming bandsters...

I just wanted to start a thread where everyone can post their surgery dates and we can start to compare notes.

I am scheduled for 9/12. I have ALL my pre-op stuff next Wed & Thurs, including psych eval, sleep consult, lab work, 4 hr nutrition class, and pre-op appt with surgeon. It is going to be a couple of very full days.

My parents are coming for a visit the following week, and I don't plan on telling them about the surgery, so I am rushing to get through all of that before they get here.

How is everyone else doing getting their pre-op stuff scheduled?

Here is the list of September Bandsters: I'll try to keep it updated for everyone.

9/1 okiegirl

9/1 TexasBr@t

9/1 TruBlueSue

9/1 finallyonmyway

9/1 ashley

9/4 JamesA

9/4 SLHarrison

9/5 Em1125

9/5 kittylover54

9/5 mcw12985

9/5 chabutter

9/5 BigBZ

9/5 TamifromAL

9/6 Ashlee

9/6 Cole

9/6 Kathy S

9/6 r2ht4u

9/6 Gjdf52

9/6 babyjessica

9/6 P McDonald

9/6 harlito

9/6 kareyquilts

9/6 LindaN

9/7 bibytz

9/7 kristyinusa

9/7 sunnshyne411

9/7 MICHELLE43

9/7 cassandra

9/7 green

9/7 happykat

9/8 dovie6523

9/8 valgal1968

9/8 PattyMartin

9/9 mary9

9/9 msgoat4949

9/11 cindyn

9/11 BJean

9/11 SheryBery

9/11 SherryA

9/11 RHCPgirl

9/11 lamamama

9/11 PHAT TX

9/11 drcollier

9/11 fraleyk

9/11 Dana Kwt

9/12 want2lose

9/12 ItsGottaGo!

9/12 TxAngel

9/12 HopeWorks

9/12 kattiegirl

9/12 brendab

9/13 katt

9/13 jewel

9/13 avasa

9/13 whlatimer

9/13 twiceblessed

9/13 suleehci@yahoo.

9/14 gonnabethin

9/14 mom of many

9/14 spike6

9/15 swanny

9/15 fugnick

9/15 coryW

9/15 ericergoman

9/15 melissa0915

9/18 Linstadt

9/18 tayvia99

9/18 April

9/18 Turmoil

9/18 LovinColorado

9/19 vv0710

9/19 susoue

9/19 Elaine53

9/19 reredc

9/19 missSD

9/19 sweet31eve

9/19 lisalee

9/20 mariecarmen

9/20 wantlapband

9/20 samos

9/20 labradoodle

9/20 ErinS

9/20 beechpad

9/20 lifelongband

9/20 mejomojogolow

9/21 jgandg

9/21 WandaKay

9/21 Dallasmist

9/21 JewelsInLove

9/21 YellowRoseKnows

9/22 diane5467

9/22 kellieatkins30

9/22 Lila

9/22 shell04937

9/22 venetiaann

9/22 butterfly1973

9/22 teachmath

9/23 tgjones

9/25 buzz321

9/25 sandranoelle

9/26 marie noone

9/26 christy

9/26 Lin

9/26 The Woman

9/27 Bettina

9/27 tommygirl

9/27 GettinThinMan

9/27 MimIN

9/28 Tracicat

9/28 jumbojet

9/28 "D"-n-OK

9/28 rbabcock61

9/28 Lisa99

9/29 Lapoli7

9/29 ratgirl

9/29 sweetsue

9/29 chattanoogabrat

9/29 phw72

9/29 JessyInSD

9/29 Chrissy "O"

TAMI WE LOVE YOU! You're an inspriration to all of us. Plus you are so upbeat and do such a good job of staying on the exercise wagon.

My doc and my dietician both emphasized my getting a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day or I definitely would lose my hair. They both observed that I can't spare a strand! They also told me that if I do start losing my hair, up the protein and not to worry. It WILL come back! Hang in there, you've got the best of both worlds - quick weight loss and luscious hair. You rat.

Yes, Tami, please put your ticker back on. Gives me something to strive for.

I had my last fill 2 1/2 weeks ago and was feeling VERY tight. I think it has finally loosened up a little. Haven't PBd in a few days. Able to actually eat food and not just liquids. Don't think I want it that tight again. He put 2cc in. That was a big jump from 1.7cc the time before.

We'll see how it goes for the next 3 weeks when I am due to go back and see the doctor. Sometimes I get frustrated it is only a 1 pound a week, but then the doc says he is very pleased and I feel better knowing I lost instead of gained. I'm glad to be on this thread too. I feel like we are all

going thru some of the same things together at the same time.

I also am going thru a period of hair loss. But I don't have much to lose.

My hair is thin and fine to start with. But I have been trying to push the proteins.

Keep up the good work!!!!

Linda

251/212/150

banded 6 Sep 06

I saw my regular doctor this week for a non-banding issue. He said in the past month he's had to hospitalize 2 banded patients for dehydration. One was vomiting several times daily (for over a week!) and didn't notify her surgeon. The other had severe stomach pains and had stopped eating/drinking for fear of vomiting. Both were hydrated and sent to their surgeons for band adjustments.

Just passing on a little warning and reminder--keep drinking and call your surgeon at the FIRST sign of a problem.

Tami: I am also losing quite a bit of hair but it has slowed down thankfully, if it kept up at the rate it was I would have been bald in no time. I too went to my PCP and she sent my to a dermatologist the dermatologist took a look and confirmed there was nothing wrong with my hair or scalp and sent me to a nutritionist. Long story short it was lack of protien and proper vitamins. The nutritionist gave me a new diet tailored to my specific needs (75-80g of protien a day) and a list of vitamins I was to start taking. That was about 2 months ago and although I still shed it's 1/3 of what it was and my hair is growing back. As annoying as the whispy little hairs are I am happy to see them!

Hi ya'll! It's been busy around here. I'm working on some redecorating, and organization projects. With the possibility of going back to work, I keep thinking about all the stuff that I won't have time to do with a full-time job. But, I have more energy and stamina than I've had for years, so it's all good. I swear, I feel ten years younger. Of course, it was ten years ago that I was at this weight, so it figures!

You guys have been so sweet about the ticker thing. Maybe I'll put one back on when I do my weigh in tomorrow. At least one for the challenge, anyway!

Val, it's great to "see" you (the avatar pic)! I wish more of you would post pics! It's nice to put a face to the name, and helps me remember who's who.

Val, thanks for the smoothie idea. I'll try that. I picked up some protein powder from GNC, and so far I've just had it in coffee. I picked that idea up from another board. You mix vanilla protein powder with cold water, add it to your coffee (or expresso), and then nuke it. It's not bad. Hopefully, that will slow the hair loss. BJean, if you want, I'll be glad to share my thick hair...I'll just scoop it up off the bathroom floor, and send it your way! :confused: Mim, I'm glad to hear that your's is growing back already. I'm definitely making an appt. with the nut this week. I want to get her to check my BMR, too.

I've got a "small world" story to share. I'm also a member at ObesityHelp, and post there occasionally. I'd run into this other woman who had surgery by the same surgeon as me a month after mine. So, we chatted a couple of times, but never got into our specific location until yesterday. Turns out she's in my neighborhood. How weird is that?

Mariecarmen, thanks for the tip about drinking our water. I am fanatic about drinking H2O ever since I heard that eating a high protein diet combined with low water intake can lead to kidney stones. Kidney stones scare the crap outta me!

I'll be checking in tomorrow, but I can tell already that it's a GOOD week. I've dropped a pound a day since my fill, and I SWEAR I'm eating!

Tami

About kidney stones: be afraid, be very afraid! I've had them twice in my life. You do not want to take any chances. Both times I had been dieting - although not on high protein diets. I was not drinking water like I do now. I also lived on the desert in Arizona, which the doctor said makes you more prone to kidney stones if you don't stay hydrated.

You are smart to keep the water coming... and going, of course!

-2 for me and 4 exercise

Posting for Monday weigh in - FINALLY!!!! I have lost 1.5 pounds this past week. Gosh, I've onlt lost 1.5 pounds THIS MONTH!! Think I'll be able to convince my doc to FINALLY give me a darn fill??? LOL

Not sure how this happened but showing a loss of -4lbs. Maybe making up for last week...

Sue, if you need it, you should *insist* on it! I think it's ridiculous when doctors hold to some arbitrary weight loss figure to determine whether or not you need a fill. He should be asking you questions like, "Are you able to eat solid proteins?", "Do you PB frequently?", "How long after eating do you get hungry again?", "Do you have acid reflux?" The answers to those questions more accurately tell whether or not you need a fill. I don't want to be over-filled, but to make the band do it's job, we need to have *enough* fill!

Do any of you follow the comic strip "Cathy"? Lately, it's been about "portion control" as the new diet buzz word. I love it! We are on that band wagon, for sure! Here's today's comic:

http://www.gocomics.com/cathy

I'm down 5 lbs. this week. That brings me to -12 for the challenge. I exercised every day last week except yesterday, which brings me to 19 so far for the exercise portion of the challenge. I'm trying to progress with my exercise, and am up to 45"/day on the elliptical.

Tami

Congratulations to everyones progress this week.

Tami....I also wish you would put your ticker back. I don't think as many people are discouraged by it as people that are inspired by it. You are a success and work hard to be. Be Proud! We are of you.

Now I have put off my discouraging news long enough. I am UP 2 pounds this week. I have exercised 5 days this week, but OH WELL. I am going to get a fill tomorrow, maybe that will help.

Hey everyone, I thought I'd post my monthly update.

Everything is still going well for me. I was able to lose 10lbs this month by far my slowest month yet but I probably closer to the rate I should be losing anyway. I've fallen off the exercise wagon a little with school and work starting back up this month. I did get up and walk this morning so I should be back to exercising this week.

I had my first "issue" this week. I ate a spicy bowl of turkey chili for dinner one night and ended staying up all night with horrible abdominal and back pain. I determined it was a lot of gas pains. I had similar but not as severe pains about 4 days later when I ate something with jalepenos on it.

Other than those 2 days this has been the best thing I've ever done for myself. It's amazing to feel how much better I fit into the desks at school since losing weight. I had not realized how much weight I had gained until I looked at a before picture the other day and saw how bloated my head/face had gotten.

Good Morning everyone. I am down 1 lb. for the week with 2 one-hour exercise sessions. I had a fill last week but I think that he just put back what he took out. I feel practically the same except I am not quite as hungry as I was before the fill. I am pretty disappointed that I am not more restricted. I do not particularly enjoy having holes poked in my tummy. I am paying this guy to take care of me though and I'm going to trust his judgement a while longer. I finally hit the sevens (even though just barely) and I must say that I am very excited about that!

Cory, you're amazing! I'm glad to read your story for this week!

Cory, if you continue to have those attacks, you might want to get your gallbladder checked. Here's a website with info on gallstones:

http://www.nym.org/healthinfo/docs/010/doc10prevention.html

Hope you've seen the last of 'em, but if not, see the doc!

Tami