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"

Mimin - You aren't the only one I also ate myself silly over the holidays. My mother made my all time favorite lemon bars and I think I ate well over 10 before one of my nephews broke a glass near the plate of cookies and my sister decided to throw all the cookies away rather than risk one of the kids eating a cookie with a piece of glass on it. All of the kids were crying over the loss insisting they would be carefull to watch for any potential glass. I got to tell you it took everything in me not to cry the same plea. Thankfully my MIL's cookies taste terrible so I didn't over eat near as bad there. Her pies are good and I did have about 1/3 slice of both pumpkin and apple and would have gladly ate more, only pie is a bit harder to sneak-in under my husbands ever watchful eyes.

Karey, did you schedule your surgery? Did you go with surgeon 2?

Ghost - I am right there with you. What makes me angry is as I eat the stuff I 'shouldn't' I tell myself I shouldn't and I keep doing it! I need a fill something terrible but I don't want to mess with it until I am over feeling like poo.

Have any of you heard of The 5 day pouch test? (Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test) I started this today with hopes of regaining control over my eating.

Mimin: How do you find things like the 5 Day Pouch Diet? I looked it over and it looks like a good way to refocus. I think I'll try it next week after we get back from seeing my husband's family. Please let me know if you find it helpful?! Thanks. Yes, I have a surgery date. I'll be having a TT and Breast lift on March 4th. I'm going to try and get off as much weight as I can by then. Since I decided that was going to be the plan, I've lost 3 pounds. It sure doesn't come off like it use, so I'm going to work really hard and be satisified with my efforts. I did go with the 2nd doctor. He said that I didn't need to lose 20 more pounds that it wouldn't make that much difference in the results, but that isn't what the other 2 docs said. The third doc said whatever weight you can get off will only make it better. I tend to agree. I choose the 2nd doctor because he treated me respectfully and like I had a brain in my head. The third guy talked down to me and I don't like that. Not sure which one is the better surgeon, but the 2nd doc said the surgery would take 5 hours and the 3rd doc said 8 hours. Also, the 3rd doc does it in an in office surgery suite and his office is pretty far from a hospital. He would hire and nurse to stay with me overnight. I'm not entirely comfortable with that set up and would prefer to go to a surgery center. Those are some of my reasons. Hope I made the right choice. Who really knows for sure!? Also, I really liked the 2nd docs before and after pictures. He just seems competent and he also provided me with a list of references. Well, good luck with your 5 day get in touch with your pouch diet.

Mimin: How do you find things like the 5 Day Pouch Diet? I looked it over and it looks like a good way to refocus. I think I'll try it next week after we get back from seeing my husband's family. Please let me know if you find it helpful?! Thanks. Yes, I have a surgery date. I'll be having a TT and Breast lift on March 4th. I'm going to try and get off as much weight as I can by then. Since I decided that was going to be the plan, I've lost 3 pounds. It sure doesn't come off like it use, so I'm going to work really hard and be satisified with my efforts. I did go with the 2nd doctor. He said that I didn't need to lose 20 more pounds that it wouldn't make that much difference in the results, but that isn't what the other 2 docs said. The third doc said whatever weight you can get off will only make it better. I tend to agree. I choose the 2nd doctor because he treated me respectfully and like I had a brain in my head. The third guy talked down to me and I don't like that. Not sure which one is the better surgeon, but the 2nd doc said the surgery would take 5 hours and the 3rd doc said 8 hours. Also, the 3rd doc does it in an in office surgery suite and his office is pretty far from a hospital. He would hire and nurse to stay with me overnight. I'm not entirely comfortable with that set up and would prefer to go to a surgery center. Those are some of my reasons. Hope I made the right choice. Who really knows for sure!? Also, I really liked the 2nd docs before and after pictures. He just seems competent and he also provided me with a list of references. Well, good luck with your 5 day get in touch with your pouch diet.

March 4th! How exciting! Congrats! Time will fly by. With both of my surgeries I booked a couple months out and before I knew it I was crying over the checks I had to write:)

I had heard something about the pouch test a long while ago and I googled it; Google is my best friend! I haven't been doing so well... My biggest problem right now is I am wide open AND I quit smoking. Usually at this point I would start to smoke again but I'm not giving in! I have needed to quit for a years and now enough is enough. I have registered for the Indianapolis 500 Mini Marathon and I'll never make it as a smoker!

I have a date made with my fill Dr on the 5th, hopefully that will take care of some of this!

Mimin: I'll bet you'll heal better since you quite smoking. Don't give in, you can do it. That being said, my son, got a prescription for Chantix and it really helped him to quit. I know that the fill will help you, alot! I'm not sure if I will get an unfill or a slight unfill before my surgery. I see my band doc on Jan.4th to ask that question and find out about a lower profile port (Did you get one?). Anyway, we are all going to get back on track!

Chantix works wonders and that is what I was using. I am like a month smoke free now and I ran out of pills about a week ago. I have to go into the Dr to get a refill on them (she's stingy) but she's not back until the 5th! By then it will be 2 weeks without so why bother? I just b*tch a lot and eat a ton, lol.

I have a low profile port since the beginning however it was moved and it kind of hurts! I can't remember what it felt like when I was first banded but I don't remember it hurting. I don't know what a regular port looks like, is it big?

I opted to have an unfill because I had so many problems after my BA and the LBL was so much bigger of a surgery. Now I wish I hadn't! I can eat a lot and right now I am lacking control. Jamie is starting the Abs diet tomorrow and I may try jumping on that wagon with him.

Gosh your doctor is stingy! My son's doc gave him a 3 month prescription, said it takes that long to completely get over it. Some doc's think their pretty damn important! I think you have several things going against you-- recent surgery, infection, stress, the Chantix may have increased your appetite and your unfill. Bother on all fronts! Well your getting through it and you will conqueor, I would just cut yourself a little slack and until you get back with your doctors and get filled and a new prescription (don't know their nurse or whoever takes call can't call you in a RX?). Anyway, I think I'd wait until your fill to start a new diet. Just try to make good healthy choices and move as much as your able. Good luck! Next week, I'm starting Nutri-System and beginning the big 20 count down. Tell me I can get close before my surgery!

I KNOW you can drop the 20 you want to by surgery! It's so much easier to buckle down when there is something to work toward (for me anyway) We will keep eachother in check!

Jamie (my boyfriend) was on the nutrisystem plan for the last 3 months and dropped 85lbs (I hate him:) ). I thought about nutrisystem too but he decided the Abs diet was much the same and it was cheaper. I like the convienience of nutrisystem though!

As far as the Chantix I called their "perscription refill line" and asked for a refill to be called in. They called me back and said my Dr did not authorize refills and she wants to see me before refilling the script. So dumb! It really does work but not a good idea to stop taking it before one is ready, I still have cravings for those stinky cancer sticks and it takes everything for me not to go running to the gas station to buy some!

When do y'all want to start the challenge? Jan 1? What kind of parameters do we want? Whatever we can lose by March 4th? I'd like to lose 20...

I have done well today, I restarted the band test AGAIN but I have not cheated today!

I like the March deadline as well. My 15th anniversary is March 9th.

I stopped by a local YMCA today to look at joining. Have to admit I'm a bit intimidated by the $85/mo family fee. There is also a 24 hour fitness center about 15-20 min away that only cost 14/mo for a 4/day per week contract. My husband already goes there. The problem is it doesn't have childcare and it is 15-20 away from any direction I normally go. The Y on the other hand is just blocks from my sons pre-school and I could stop there in the mornings after I dropped him off and before I went to work. ASSUMMING and that is a BIG assumption, that I could get my sorry butt out of bed early enough to go.

Picking a gym can be difficult! I am currently a member of 3, I am *that* indicisive! Lifetime is by far my favorite but it is far from my house so I don't get there as often as I'd like and it's expensive. I'm also a member of my office gym (nominal yearly fee) and a small no frills gym down the street from my house.

For me convienience is key, although I love Lifetime I usually go to the no frills gym but will not cancel lifetime because I do go to classes 1 to 2 times a week and SOMEDAY I will start getting up in the morning and go to the 5:15am spin class:heh:

Diane, I'd go for convience, too and childcare! If it's not user friendly it won't work. Okay, I need a report on how you're feeling. I guess your okay to exercise! Miriam, how are you feeling? I am getting so scared about my TT and BL, that I wake up about 3 or 4:00 am and start worrying. My shoulders and neck are tense! I guess I'm worried that the results won't be all that I hope they'll be and then, of course, I'm worried about the pain and then, I'm worried about having to stop exercising and finding my way back to the gym. You name it and I'm anxious about it. Did either of you worry about all these things? My daughter's wedding is May 17th and of course that is adding to my list. And then I am throwing a 75th birthday party for my mom in Florida on March 1st. I have all kinds of projects for that including a tribute book, memory quilt and getting all the old family slides scanned and into a book. Bother! I think I'm crazy. Those things are keeping me up too. I'm getting tired and cranky and I want to up my exercise program and eat less food! Well, my goal will end on March 4th and I hope to be 20 pounds less. I started Nutri-system today and I'll walk for an hour (or snow shoe) and do weights. Tomorrow sounds like a good day to begin the official countdown!

Let the countdown begin! 20 and counting!:party:

I've already done 30 minutes on the elliptical. I will snowshoe for an hour later this afternoon. I will count my calories and aim for 1200. :hungry: I will succeed! :clap2:

Happy New Year Fellow Bandsters!:whoo:

Happy new year everyone!

I'm starting this challenge off at 179lbs, hope to get back down into the 150s by the end of this!

I am not cleared to exercise yet:( I have been walking my dogs, not a real cardio workout but atleast it's getting me moving again!

Miriam, moving is good and I bet your dog appreciates it!

Karey - on PS - FIGHT for the PAIN PUMP. From what I've read on other threads and experienced myself it really seems to help ease the recovery. If he won't do it don't try to ease off the pain pill too soon. They prescribe them for a reason so use them.

New Years Challenge / Resolution - OK All if I'm going to join in on this I'm going to have to cave and be honest with myself as well as the rest of you. When I had my TT I weight 173 shortly after the TT I managed to hit 163 on the scale but as of this morning with no clothes on I weighed in at 180 even. I realize there may still be some swelling at this point but there is NO WAY that all 17 pounds of that is swelling. I've been desperate for a fill for over a month but can no longer use that as an excuse to eat like a horse.

On a positive note I was able to swap fill appts with another gal her locally so I could get in this week instead of having to wait another 2 weeks. Unfortunately my husband veto'd (sp?) the YMCA as it was a bit pricey for our current budget. So I'm going to check out another gym near my work and see if they might have a better rate. Until then I'm going to go back to the old tried and true Protein, Protein, Protein. And see if I can't knock these pounds back down.

I really want to be down to the 150's by March as well.