Hi, I really would like to be able to keep in touch with all of you waiting for

December surgery and as we progress on our way to success. Maybe start with Date of surgery, Where banded, Present weight and goal weight. Of course, add anything else that is helpful to others or if you need some words of encouragement hopefully someone here will step up and help us.

I will be banded 12/12/06

Banded in Wisconsin

Starting Weight 266

Goal 140

I figured out this morning that I need to look at my food/eating just like a smoking addiction. They are the same kind of thing. I think the over eating is MUCH harder to break. I never thought about my eating like that... but if you think that everytime you sit and eat something unhealthy, it is like lighting up a cigarette. There is a pattern, ya know.

Even if you've never smoke and just work with people who do. They wait so long and then have to get a fix (smoke break). Same with food. You kind of plan your day around it. It fills some type of craving that our body has. It is social. People get together and eat...

Food has even become a companion to me. It is there with me when i watch movies. It is there when I'm bored and need something to do.

It is a security blanket. When you don't fit it, what do all people have in common? For me... eating! Everyone else is going it.

10 more days for me.... Steph!! hope your doing well young lady!

chubster808 -- We will be thinking about you tomorrow :-)

bandiva -- the surgery, i've seen three or four other videos and none were quite that messy. this one posted here did not flow nearly as smoothly as i've seen the other. They didnt worry me at all. This one made me kind of queesy. I think the surgeon was having a bad day, OR had not done as many as some other docs...

mystique32 -- get on that Vitamin C girl!! I doubt they will operate if you ill :-) thats just for your own saftey. Good luck hope your son gets feelin better soon.

Hi everyone!!!!

I am now 6 days before surgery! aaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!! I am freaking out!!!!

I actually enjoyed watching that surgery that BabyGotBack posted. I thought it demystified the whole thing for me. I am not as nervous as I was before. Still freaking about it though. Am I really doing this???????

I guess I am.

Nathalie-I hope you find a new daycare place soon. I can only imagine how stressful that is on top of everything else. I swear everything happens for a reason and something good will come of this. You are a strong woman (big or small-hehe) and you will be fine. Having kids is disruptive-your house will not be clean for a while! But who cares. Nothing beats the unconditional love that emanates from an "I love you Mommy" that makes it all worth it. But why can't you just hop on a plane to help get that ex through a parenting urge! Geesh-they have some nerve sometimes, huh? You do what is best for you and your little man-and treat your little guy how a woman should be treated. What an awesome challenge!!!! I sometimes wish I had a little fella to teach those lessons to. My girls are learning how to be strong and self reliant-things it took me some time to learn on my own.

Mystique-how is your little one feeling? I have mine homw sick from school and I am washing my hands like crazy since I don't want to be sick either! Best wishes.

Carol-I love hearing from you. Sounds like you are doing great and I am so happy for that!

Beversman-I love what you said about your friend food. I am right there with you girl! I think there will be a mourning period those first weeks after surgery but I am ready to let that friend go and make new friends with "shopping" and "living life" again. Are you with me?

Good luck Eva, Kathy & Chubster-I think your surgeries are next. best wishes and be sure to impart your wisdom on the rest of us when you get back!

Bandiva-congrats on the 11 pounds! WTG.

I am down 18 as of today. Yay. I would love to hit 20 down by my surgery on Monday. I think I can I think I can.

I am up to 50 minutes/6 days on the elliptical and weights 3 times a week. I hope I can get right back to the gym ASAP after surgery at least to walk the treadmill. I will be bummed to undo all the stamina I have built up these past 2 months!!!

Have a good day. i am home today so I am sure I will be pooping in.

Kay. (like how I abbreviated your name?) I put a . instead of typing Dot. (made me laugh...) Thanks. I am feeling SO much better this afternoon. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. And yes, I am going to teach my little one how to treat a woman. And how NOT to treat a woman. He's going to be big and handsome (one thing his daddy got "right") and he needs to know certain things. I wanted a girl, but wouldn't trade him for anything.

beversman, may I call you bman? LOL I was going to call you BM but I didn't think you'd appreciate it. I hear you about food. I have had to realize that anything I want to eat, I've already eaten it. I know what it tastes like. But yeah, food - good, comforting, loving, nurturing, non-judgmental, dependable food has been my companion. Well, we're breaking up. Screw off, food! You've mistreated me, enabled me, betrayed me. If we were really friends, you wouldn't have made me unhealthy and lazy, ya dirty bitch. My friend says "You want a brownie? Lick your thigh. You want some meaty cheesy? Bite your belly." (She says it to herself) Cracks me up, like she can really taste the food she wants because it's in her stuffins.

My BIGGEST news is that I am cleared for surgery. TWO DAYS! TWO DAYS TWO DAYS! I went to see the surgeon (PA) today and he said he can tell I'm going to be successful since I have followed my pre-op plan to the T. He even excused my nuggets & mac/cheese faux pas. He said I can start exercising the day after surgery (no waiting period) and my body will tell me if I overdo it. I have to be at the hospital at 5am on Thursday. My surgery is at 7:30. I told him I wanted to stay the night and he said "No problem." My stomach is in knots with anxiety and excitement. I listened to my "theme song" again this morning and got teary eyed. This is it, ladies. THIS IS IT! I'm on my way to having a brand new life where I am in control of food. And I'm already 10.5 pounds thinner! That pre-op diet is the SHIZZ! I bet I'm 12 pounds down by surgery day. And in case you didn't know it? I ROCK!

Hello Ladies!

I'M BACK!!!! I feel good - I spent the night in the hospital, which I really needed. I was scheduled for 12:30 and they didnt' take me until after 2!! My DH stuck around until 8 and I sent him home, I was so doped up. I slept good and probably could have gone home around 4 by the way I felt then. But doc didn't come in until 8ish and did the xray thingy, they make you drink something like sandpaper and watch it go down. Kinda cool. Then I was able to drink Water and hot tea, ate some broth for lunch and they sent me home. I'm not in any pain, just the little cuts are sore but not unbearable. I read someone has nausa, doc said wait 15 minutes before taking another drink, let it settle. I don't feel nausa at all. And someone else wrote about the catheter - don't worry about it, everyone gets one AFTER you are asleep and its out before you wake up. The only thing that pissed me off was the tube in my throat, they woke me up with it still in, just for a few seconds but I was mad. The first thing I said was why did you wake me up when that was still in my throat? They kinda laughed but it wasn't funny to me. Don't get me wrong and get scared, it wasn't the worst thing in the world but it was a little freaky, anyway I got over it. I don't even have a sore throat like some get. I thought because I was so thirsty and dry I would but I don't.

I miss you all and Nat - I am so sorry to read about the daycare - that really sucks. I'll be praying for you.

And my liver was shrunk! LOL So even me with the cheating stomach still did ok. My doc said it only takes about 10 lbs to see a difference in the liver so you'll do it.

I'll talk to you all later - thanks for thinking of me.

StephC! Right on girlfriend! I wish I could just hug you right now. I'm so proud of you. And yes, you had a right to be mad at them for keeping that tube down your throat after they woke you up. Are you hungry at all? Do you know what kind of port you got? Is it low profile? Are your scars atrocious?

Two days! Two days! Two days!

P.S. Thanks about the daycare. I'm sure it'll all work out. One way or another.

It's good to hear there are other videos that looked better than that one. It seemed like they were not very experienced!!!! DAMN

I am glad my doctor has like almost 3000 or something like that under his belt. These doctors looked like it was there first time.

Can you send me the link to the other surgery? This one left me feeling queezy too. I am the type of person that wants to know exactly how it is done, somehow that makes me feel a little more in control than if I wouldn't have any idea.

3rd day pre op diet and I feel WEIRD! My stomach feels sick and hungry at the same time. Major hunger pangs! I HAVE to take the appetite suppresant or else I get a desperate feeling. THe ones I am taking are too big and solid. I don't think I would be able to get it down unless I crushed it.

My mom is going with me and I know she is just going because if she doesn't,she knows I will go alone. She is not being supportive, just quite and like she wishes she didn't have to go. My husband has to stay with the kids and took the whole week off to take care of me when I get home on Tuesday. I asked my mom to see it like a little vacation and time together, but she just doens't say anything. I think she thinks I am crazy or something. It kinda bumms me out. She knows how much I have struggled all my life!!!! A part of me thinks she is scared of me being skinny. Do you think people get jealous when you get skinny? Have any of you dealt with friends or relatives changing toward you because you are no longer their fat, yo you diet partner? She tells me I look fine just the way I am. But every time I gain she tells me my butt is getting bigger. I look forward to the day that I don't have to spread my cheeks just to go to the bathroom or fart!!! (sorry so graphic but it is very sadly true)

Audree

Hope everyone is doing well!

Here is a link to another online lap band surgery. My doctor is shown here preforming it. http://www.or-live.com/BrighamandWomens/1372/ It's very informative.

Oh goodness this is happening fast!

I had the initial consultation appointments last Friday, and they said "Oh, we have an opening on the 14th. Do you want that?" I wanted to try to overlap my Christmas break as much as possible, and my surgeon's next opening isn't until January 4th, so I took it.

Goodness, that's in two days!

I'm panicking right now...

Annie (soon to be banded!)

(((Annie))))-OMG that is so fast! Are you ready? If you believe you are, then go for it. I know all about school break. If I couldn't do it by next week, it wasn't happening until Spring Break. So I am excited to be going in on Monday. You will be great.

Ariel-Hi! I haven't seen you on here in a bit-maybe I am just missing it. I think the link you gave is the same one we watched. It was BWH surgery and had a female MD and a Dr. Lautz? I think that was the name. Let me know if it is different.

Nat- since you dropped me to Kay, I am dropping you to Nat-hahaha. Or else I am going to call you "Miss love My Stuffins" because I like when you refer to your parts that way--cracks my big butt up! I am getting a visual of people biting their bellies when they the hankering for some cheese. hahaha Hang in there girl- TWO DAYS!!!!!!!!!!! I am so psyched for you.

(((((STEPH))))))))) I am glad you are back and doing well. Freaking tube down your throat when you woke up??? WTF! That is crazy. I know it must not be the worst thing in the world but I would freak a bit! I am glad the catheter thing wasn't so bad. I have had them before (pregnancy) and performed them on others so that doesn't scare me too much. I am so glad you are not feeling badly and that you are just a bit sore. Are you on full liquids? Curious! On to smaller and better things!

BabyGotBack-Ok, I need a shorter nickname for you! Hang in there. We are down to days left and you will get through it. I am joining the pre-op diet brigade tomorrow and doing Protein shakes for b'fast & lunch and light dinner even though my surgeon does not require it. I just want to give myself the best chance. So maybe I will be in agreement about the hunger issues with you!!! We'll see.

Hang in there girls!

~Kay

I had my lap band surgery yesterday. I got to the hospital at 5:30 AM and the surgery started at 7:30 AM. The procedure took around 45 mins to an hour. It took me about an hour to come out of the anethisia. The most painful thing was the gas. It feels like a weight of 300 pounds just hanging on you. I had a little naseau. I had to stay in the recovery room until I urinated. I tried two times with no success. Third times a charm, I've never been so happy to tinkle in my life We finally left the hospital around 1:30 PM.

As of today, most of the gas pain has gone away. Thanks to the gas-x dissolveable strips! I have a headache and some dizzyness. Getting up and down is uncomfortable, but not to bad. I had knee surgery almost 4 weeks ago and it seemed easier than the lap band.

I'm on day two of liquids. Its going well and food doesn't sound good at all. Well, I'm going back to rest.

Good luck to everyone getting their's in the next few weeks.

You could call me BabyGB? Or by my name, Audree if you'd like. I just love the name, plus it goes with my theme song "Baby Got Back". Wherever I am and with whoever, if that song comes on, everyone looks at me. I just went to a Christmas party and the song came on. Instantly everyone looked at me to see if I was going to go dance,so I did! They were all like "go Audree, go Audree, go Audree" and I don't know hardly anyone there!

My friend also made a theme song up, to my butt. It gets noticed, hence the name. Just imagine Jennifer Lopez butt times, let's see, like 5 or more!!!!!

Audree

oops guys I thought you watched a different video. I just looked at the URL not the actual video. Baby why do you think they look like they don't know what they are doing. I thought they looked very experienced.

Kay. i haven't been online in a while i have been studying for finals, 3 down 2 to go. Goodluck with yours.

I went for my pre-op testing today

I can not believe surgery is next monday

hey all you december bandster that have already had surgery yall hungry yet

Ariel:

It just freaked me out that they kept on saying "I am going to try to not hit the artery" TRY! And then they had to keep going to that guy to answer questions because they couldn't get the stiching. Maybe I am wrong. I am just curious to know how many lapbands they had done up to that point.

I am sure they are great doctors and I am not trying to say anything about them. Just them saying "trying not to hit the blood vessel" freaked me out!!!!

:update: :spit: I may have to reschedule my surgery!!! I am very sad. My loan may not fund in time. I will know for sure Friday afternoon. I contacted the Dr. office. I needed to be honest and tell them it is a 50/50 chance. And my husband already took the week off vacation!

I dont know how to feel and just feel like EATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I asked them if they have a cancelation, maybe do my surgery during the week instead of Monday? If not, I guess I have to battle the holidays and do the surgery in January!!!!

Audree