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"

I did have tumescent lipo and I would be a liar if I said it didn't hurt. It hurt like h#!! Friday but the pain is decreasing as time goes by. I had a lot removed from my thighs and that is what hurts the most. I have drains in my thighs and that is adding to the irritation. I thought I could go back to work on Tuesday but right now I'm not so sure although I am moving a lot better today.

I would really like to get married somewhere in the caribbean but when it was mentioned to family we got a lot of negative feedback. What we need to do is just plan it, tell everybody where it's at and be done with it but I have a hard time doing something I know is going to upset the masses so instead I do nothing.

July 1st it is! Anyone else interested in joining in?

Congrats to your fiance joining the "band" and goodluck on the wedding plans. July 1st sounds good to me as well. I'd also like to drop around 20 then call it goal.

Oh, the pain of self-improvement! Your family will jump on board once you decide that you really want a destination wedding. Just know that some people won't be able to come because of money. If your parents and grandparents can come and close friends and it is a possiblity for them, then go for it.

I'm wondering if we want to start a new thread in the close to goals section and maybe get a little more support and a few others to join? I'm very serious about this last push. I'm recovered, have been eating too much and want to get to goal on or near our two year band anniversay! Yup, it's coming up! Ghost glad you decided to join us!

Karey I think that is a great idea, the more support the better! I too am very serious, I was at goal at one point but I've really fallen off the wagon and need to get back on track. I don't want to hit my 2 year mark and still be 20lbs over weight (especially after all this dang surgery!) I need a big ol' kick in the pants!

Okay, I will start a thread on July 1st and send you both the links! It's going to be tough, there is the 4th of July and my birthday in July, but oh well. It's time!

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late... for a very important date!!! July 1st. Hey girls, count me in!!

I need to get this last 20 to 25 lbs. off too. If I can actually get the first 20 off, I won't mind taking a little longer for the last 5. So my near term goal for this challenge is 20 lbs.!!! I'm thrilled to be back with some of my September bandsters!

MinMi: You should honestly figure out what you really, really want to do and then make a plan. Maybe you can have a real heart to heart with your mom and let her know how really much you want your wedding to be in the Caribbean and ask her if there is any way she could pull off getting there. A little begging when it is that important to you can't hurt, can it?

My friends were appalled that my daughter didn't want a big wedding. She didn't even want them to give her any showers. They still don't understand, but she would have been very uncomfortable with all that. As it was, we only had 100 guests (and that was PLENTY) at an extremely beautiful golf course and the whole wedding party and the guests and everyone still rave about the wedding being the most beautiful they've ever seen and the party as being the best, get-down rockin' blast they've ever had at a wedding. Stick to your guns. It's your wedding and they'll be your memories forever! Of course if having more people there is more important, that may mean you'll need to compromise, but I'm sure there's a reasonable answer for everyone. If not, you and your fiancee should win!

P.S. My son and DIL didn't want a big wedding so they got married at the Little Brown Church (where Nancy and Ronnie Reagan got married) with no family or friends present. Just them and the preacher and some music.

They said they thought it was just going to be like a Vegas wedding, wham bam, thank you mam, but it was very sweet, very romantic and it meant a whole lot to them. A month later we and her mom and dad gave them a fantastic party at our house. Had it catered by a fabulous Orlando Asian caterer and we stayed up all night drinking champagne with Plum wine and orchids and eating from a buffet table with 8 woks and a huge Lion's head costume in the center. Asian lanterns hanging all over the place, etc.

Just think about what you want and start getting ideas and make it your own.

Karey thanks for offering to start the July thread. Its time for me as well. Thanks for stepping up on this one.

Bjean: I'm so excited to have you join us. I always love your insights! I will add you to the thread and send a link, so be watching!

September Bandsters: I am considering a very radical diet. I see a doctor (or quack) on Monday. It is the HCG diet. You get an injection of the HCG hormone every day and only eat 500 calories a day (all organic). I don't know a lot more about it until after I meet with the doctor on Monday. I kow that MD Diet is also promoting this diet. At first I thought, well anyone could loose one pound a day (that is the diet's claim) if they only eat 500 calories a day. Supposedly the HCG hormone does 2 things, curbs your appetite and burns Type 3 fat. Type 3 fat is the fat of obesity. The fat that enlarges and stays on the stomach, buttocks, hips and thighs. Type 1 fat is the fat around the body organs and Type 2 fat is a small store of fat that the body uses for instant energy. I had heard about the diet a while ago, but then I read about it in David Hurwitz's book, The Total Body Lift. He is a pioneer in bariatric surgery and body lifts. He said that he uses this diet in his clinic to get rapid weight loss for patients before lipo and some other procedures. Dr. Hurwitz said that the rapid weight loss and the targeting of the Type 3 fat helps to have less loose skin. The loose skin in weight loss is caused by a break down of the collagen and elastin and that this diet prevents that. I'm not sure if I can stick to this diet, they only let you do it for 30 to 45 day cycle and then maintance and then you can do another cycle. I'm going to find out more on Monday. Do you think I'm crazy to consider this? I won't stop exercising and I called and asked the doctor's nurse if I could still do this and do weight training, etc. She said I could. Anyway, I'll let you know what I decide. I talked to my son who is in his last year of medical school. He did some research on it and concluded that it is probably safe, but not sure if I have enough Type 3 fat anymore. He didn't think I should be on it longer than one round. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Not much longer and the weight loss challenge will begin!

Thanks, karey. I'm glad to be joining in the fun (and productivity).

As for the HCG thing, is that akin to the Human Growth Hormone stuff? I've heard a little about that but nothing about HCG injections.

I did Medifast for 6 weeks quite a while back. It restricts you to 600 calories a day and you drink what I thought was a vile concoction of their powder and your water, ice and flavorings. It was tough. I believe that they have improved their powder since then. But I have also heard talk that it is being frowned upon except in cases of extreme obesity where somene's life is in imminent danger. Now that's just hearsay - I do not know that as a fact. But your son may have heard something about it. I went to an medical endocrinologist at the time.

I honestly believe that my body became more efficient at storing fat after I did Optifast. After a couple of years, I went into perimenopause and began gaining weight. I was never able to get back to metabolizing fat like I did before the 600 calorie a day fast. Back then I could still run and even that didn't do much to help me lose like it always had in the past. Now I'm no doctor or biochemistry expert, and the drastic change in metabolism that I had to deal with may have been simply due to the perimenopause thing, who knows.

I know you are anxious to get where you want to be. You've done so well and you're looking so great that it is inspiring you to be the best you can be. I don't blame you one bit for wanting to get it off fast and be done with it. The only reason I told you about my experience is because 500 calories a day is even less than the 600 I did for six weeks and that makes me worry a little. If you have found a reputable doctor who believes in taking this course of action, knowing what you've recently been through, then of course I'm behind you 100%.

HCG is a pregnancy hormone. I talked with my internist (not the weight loss doctor), who is very conservative and he didn't think it would hurt me for such a short time. I'm not sure I'm going to do it, but I am going to learn more and be evaluated. They figure out what percent fat you are, etc. We'll see. I'll do it the good old fashioned way if I get the hebegeebees at the meeting. I'll keep you posted. I just talked to my trainer and of course, he wasn't to keen on it. Said it wouldn't be enough calories for working out. I'll bring all this up at the meeting on Monday.

Okay, I've started a new thread on the At or Near Goal section. Here is the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/kareyquilts-mimin-ghost-bjean-final-push-67785/#post899279. On Monday, I'm going to start a new ticker with a weight loss countdown of some sort on it. I think we should all devise some sort of plan on how we plan on accomplishing our goals! I'm very excited about this. Looking in the mirror has me convinced that this what needs to happen. I'm tired of being so close!

I'll definitely be interested in what you find out. It's something new to me and I wonder how much damage one can actually do in such a short time. You wouldn't think you could do anything irreversible.

I'll check out the site on Monday and sign in.

I thought I'd sent my date in before...maybe I didn't. LOL!! Anyway, my date is 9-13-06 -I am "twiceblessed1014"s sister. We had our bands done on the same date.

Can you please add me to your list?

Thanks!!

Humnbirdnut

Yup! How are you going? Our 2 year band anniversary is coming right up!