Here's a list of January Bandsters. Let us know if we've missed anybody!

Txpeaches - 1/02/07

1721Summ - 1/02/07

Jenslapband - 1/02/07

Irishamerican - 1/02/07

Angyl2314 (Jen) - 1/03/07

Kellie Reachell (Kellie) - 1/03/07

Skmsu (Susan) - 1/03/07

Cricket - 1/04/07

Babygotback (Audree) 1/05/07

Fiyagirl (Sherry) - 1/05/07

Tinabartlett - 1/05/07

Maillady2 - 1/05/07

Susantunanoodle (Susan) - 1/08/07

Eldonh - 1/08/07

Honeylin - 1/08/07

Tulip - 1/8/07

Girlinnyc - 1/08/07

SeattleEbeth - 1/09/07

Moog24 (Michelle - 1/09/07

PinkyBandito - 1/09/07

Bhamguy31 - 1/09/07

Cdgmom (Amy) - 1/09/07

Travelbug - 1/09/07

Zevesther - 1/09/07

Klo (Kathy) - 1/10/07

Wph74 (Whitney) - 1/10/07

Angelburch - 1/10/07

Mindful (Paige) - 1/10/07

Mikeomando -1/10/07

Roses733 (Rose) - 1/11/07

Loridee (Lori) - 1/11/07

Sheilamj1fan (Sheila) - 1/11/07

Justine717 - 1/11/07

Patp98465 - 1/11/07

Mommi-hammi - 1/12/07

Rms78645 - 1/12/07

Inner_me (Chris) - 1/12/07

Cjkerr (Carole) - 1/12/07

InTheBreeze13 - 1/12/07

Saraincincy (Sara) - 1/13/07

Lala - 1/15/07

Happylady - 1/15/07

Patsygrn - 1/15/07

Andrea1973 - 1/15/07

Sula - 1/15/07

Smilliegal - 1/15/07

Peacej - 1/15/07

Slate2633 1/15/07

Pinky12202 (Linda) - 1/16/07

Marjon9 - 1/16/07

Sula (Shawn) - 1/16/07

Reesh - 1/16/07

Soon2bthin.com - 1/16/07

Bandqueen - 1/16/07

Chunky Monkey - 1/16/07

Muttman - 1/16/07

Enterprise01 - 1/17/07

Revolution - 1/17/07

Prissever - 1/17/07

Sunshine2 (Tonya) - 1/18/07

5jacks - 1/18/07

Imsusie0929 - 1/18/07

Stephanee - 1/18/07

Shellyfromohio (shelly) - 1/18/07

Ddcokk85 (Lisa) - 1/18/07

Phlyinphebee (Rene') - 1/19/07

Nicknack34461 - 1/19/07

Shayne9927 (Shayne) - 1/19/07

Lap - 1/19/07

Deb-Texas - 1/19/07

Mammaw - 1/19/07

Cinward2001 (Cindy) - 1/19/06***

Jun0610 (Maria) - 1/22/07

Rsbell - 1/22/07

Purposedriven4 - 1/22/07

Ds5001ds - 1/22/07

Nursiepooh - 1/22/07

Kilopitre - 1/23/07

RidinmyHDdream (Carol) - 1/23/07

Zuzu - 1/23/07

Nella337 - 1/23/07

Redstart - 1/24/07

Nomophat - 1/24/07

Lauriann - 1/24/07

Shesha - 1/25/07

Edieday (Edie) - 1/25/07

Huberslave - 1/25/07

Rockergirl - 1/25/07

A.Isabella - 1/25/07

Donnalynncrain - 1/25/06***

Shues138 (Andrea) - 1/26/07

Jeanettej505 - 1/26/07

Bandida - 1/26/07

Susanjuneau - 1/26/07

Stacyrh - 1/29/07

Charlottesweb91 - 1/29/07

Trishd - 1/29/07

Mom of 3 - 1/29/07

Monsoleil98 - 1/29/07

Nurseratchett (Joanne) - 1/29/07

Sherilynn - 1/30/07

Texasbighair - 1/30/07

Gig8 (gigi) - 1/30/07

Cchristys - 1/30/07

Ladyleo868 (Christine) - 1/30/07

Kima - 1/30/07

Rsbg1 (Ted) - 1/31/07

TracyV - 1/31/07

Callieanna - 1/31/07

Sportsscribe - 1/31/07

Your247realtor - 1/31/07

1bunni4me - 1/31/07

Thatgirl - 1/31/07

Mfw1941 - 1/31/07

Brew2000 - 1/31/07

Lapbandhopeful - 2/02/07

I think the "freezing" of this forum is because the amount of posts is so lengthy. I've been to the other forums and have experienced no problem - but it does freeze up on me a lot with this thread. Anything we can do about this, moderator? Happy New Year, everyone!

"I want to get to know my new January Band friends, so everyone chime in and give a little bio on yourself. I'll start -

I am 43 years old and live in College Station Texas. I have been battling my weight for all of my life losing and gaining myself up to a high of 310. I have 3 children who are 16, 14, and 8 and I married one of the sweetest men in the world in April of 2005 after being a Single Mom for 6 years. I have a lot of energy in my head and heart and want my body to be able to keep up! I can't wait to share the journey with everyone as we take this big step to healthier lives.

Can't wait to learn about everyone else - "

Welcome Amy!!!

I am also starting my pre op diet today! My surgery is on Jan.5 and I only require 1 week of preop.

My name is Audree (BabyGotBack). I am 33 years old and live in Rancho Cucamonga,CA. I am a stay at home mom, hoping to go back to school and finish my BA in psychology. Goal is to get my MA in Licensed Clinical Social Work. I am married to one of the sweetest men in the world too! We have been married for almost 12 years. He has loved me and thought I was the most beautiful woman through all my weight struggles topping at 240 a couple of times. He does not have a weight problem. He is one of those very thin people who had to try to gain weight. He is now very muscular and filled out!

We have two little girls, 5 and 7. I have also raised my two step daughters ages 15 and 19.

I have struggled with yo yo dieting since I was 12 years old. My weight problems began with my step dad teasing me about being fat when I started to develop. That is when my dieting began.

I can lose weight but have never been able to maintain it for longer than a few weeks.

I love big portions of food. I don't really eat out of emotional issues. I just love food!!!

Audree

Good Morning!!!

Today is my first day of pre op!!!! YYYYYYIIIIIIIPPPPPPPEEEEEE

I wanted to ask how you put the link on the bottom of your signature for the link to your journal and our jan thead?

Thanks and I hope you are having a great day!!!

Mindful, i think you're right about the reason the site freezes up. I deleted all the "January Bandster Lists" that i posted and i figured maybe somebody (Tonya hopefully) could kind of keep a Master List. That way we might take up a lot less space, thus speeding up the site. Just a thought.

Hi,

My name is Edie and my surgery is 01/25/07. Like many of you I have been eating more this month. I always do that during the holidays but this year it's a little worse. I'm glad I logged on and saw the email but enlarging your liver. It didn't occur to me.

Now for my bio: I'm 55 years old. I live in Sacramento, CA. I have a son, two daughters, and a step-daughter. I retired 6 months ago and getting my surgery after my retirement was part of my plan. A new start on a new life. I too have a very helpful husband. However, he is wondering what our life will be like after surgery. I think his main concern is that I will not be able to eat some foods and he doesn't know whether he should eat them in front of me.

Hi Edieday!

Welcome to the group!!

Audree

I think it will be in January....was hoping for December but didn't get approved by Aetna until the 19th of December. SO I was thinking January, then the surgeon said February 1, a few days later they called back and had an opening for January 18......I'm not gonna know who I am by the time this is over!!!! So as for now I'm January 18 by Dr. Malley in Kansas City. Good luck to all!!

January for me also been trying to get approved since august and finaly got my aproval today 12/29/06 so I hope within a month I can join the band wagon, all I have to do is an upper gi have bloodwork done and an ekg, then a 2 week pre op liquid diet.

I've decided to jump aboard this January Bandster Train! I am so excited and ready to begin this journey! I had planned to have the surgery done in December but it had to be delayed due to my coming down with a horrible case of the flu that turned in to pneumonia. I'll share a little about myself: I'm 34 years old, married to a good ole Southern boy, and have a 13 step-daughter and a 4 year old daughter. I have a Master's Degree in Nursing and currently work as a Manager of a home health branch office. As I've gotten older as less active in athletics I've struggled more and more with my weight. I'm usually successful in losing the weight, but I have not had much luck with keeping the weight off and am hoping that the lapband will be the perfect tool to help me win this battle once and for all! I'm unable to participate in too strenuous an exercise program after having my second back surgery (this one a fusion with metal rods and screws inserted!), but do plan on beginning a serious walking routine soon! Since my insurance has a written exclusion I will be using funds from my 401K to pay for my surgery and am hoping that this investment in myself will be worth it! I hope to have a new surgery day soon and am excited to join Y'all as we begin this new year in our new lives!

I feel really desperate right now. I can't explain how I feel, I am trying to sort it our as I feel it. My husband wants to take me out dancing. I don't want to go. He wants to go out and celebrate my banding next week. He is being careful to eat before we go, not in front of me and is not going to eat at the restaurant where the dancing is.

I feel like if I can't eat, it's not worth going. Today is day 1 of my pre op and I am not going to blow it. My husband won't let me either. Why do I feel this way? Like if I can't eat, it's not worth going out and having a good time with my husband?????

It makes me realize how food centered everything is. My mom also wants to go out to eat breakfast with my daughters and I. I told her I couldn't eat because I am doing my pre op diet. She said "what does that mean, you can't go out and eat with me ever again?" I told her that just because I can't eat, doesn't mean she and my daughters couldn't and that soon, I could eat something lite or soup.

I feel soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hungry, like my stomach is a black hole. I know I am going to go through some emotions and it makes me feel better coming here and talking about it. I want to have fun, my husband wants to go have fun. Why am I mourning the food part of it? I think I screwed up and opened up my appetite by overeating and eating what ever I wanted. My first pre op diet wasn't like this. I didn't feel like this. I am also in that first week before my period, and I feel extra funky and hungry because of that. :help:

Well, at least I will definitely get my exercise in today. We are going salsa and merengue dancing. It takes a lot of energy to do that. I am feeling better venting. I was venting to my husband too, but he just doesn't understand how I feel. He is trying to be very supportive and is really excited about my surgery for me. He listens, but he doesn't understand. I can tell he feels sorry for me.

Man, I think I need those Quick Slim 30. My stomach aches. Has anyone else felt like this????????

Audree

hey...I am getting my band jan 31..I am five four and weigh one ninety six~ I have been so unhappy and bloated and disgusting for so long.. I have an off the track thoroughbred who I feel suffers every time big big ol butt gets on his back...and am counting the days to my surgery...my doctor only recommends two days of clear liquids, then soft creamy things on day three...I noticed alot of you had to be on liquids for weeks! I am going to remember to treat my new tummy size like a newborn baby's, and hopefully I wont have too many side effects, I plan on returning to work five days later...so anyway..heres to a new life that doesnt revolve around my next meals~ see ya..:kiss2:

Hey Audree, i hope you feel better soon, it's probably just the pre-period hormones that are making you feel so blue, hopefully it'll pass soon.

Audree, I think that what you're feeling is very normal. Much of our lives ARE centered around food. And when you're on a pre-op diet, and hungry, then your thoughts go back to food *even more*. Try not to let this time worry you...do the best that you can, and tell yourself that help is coming very SOON.

Once you're banded, it does take time to shift those thoughts of food to something else, but the band really does help. For example, my mom and I have a "date" after our workouts on Monday nights. She looks forward to someplace like O'Charleys so that she can have the bread, salad, steak, etc. I have grilled salmon and some steamed veggies. I might only eat 1/4 of it, but I savor the flavor, get to spend time with my mom, and it's great!

So reassure your family, too. You can (and will) still enjoy eating out with family and friends...it's just that your choices and quantities will change. But it's *worth* it!

Cindy

Hi there, January bandsters! I'm scheduled to be banded Jan 10 here in Chicago, and I start the pre-op liquid diet Jan 1. Meanwhile, I like champagne, and I know I'll have to give it up, so I think that New Year's eve is going to include a farewell tour. I've been nervous and excited all month, and I have been exhibiting what the dieticians call "last supper syndrome", and what I call 'holiday nervous eating'.

I do like the timing of starting the new year with the liquid diet, and getting banded. GO JANUARY BANDSTERS!

mikeomando

4 more days for me. I am on vacation in Florida, with my overweight brother and his overweight girlfriend. Needless to say my eating habits have been a little subpar...lol. I read a lot on the December Bandsters forum to see how the recently banded people are doing. I am absolutely freaked out for the first week post op with all the adjustments. I forsee a week or so of an emotional mess. Thank God I have the time off from work so I can try to deal with this stuff on my own. I don't want to get my family involved because I am scared of the "I told you so" stuff. I am hoping that after the surgery my mom's anxiety completely disapates and she can breathe easy again. She is so crabby about me going through elective surgery, and I feel awful, but hey, what can I do? Anyway, there goes my venting for the day. Hope everone else is doing well and getting ready! (By the way, I am not allowed to say the word surgery all day...my brother said I'm driving him crazy lol)