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Hey Crabcake!

I was banded by Dr. Schmitt on December 18. I cannot say enough about Dr. Schmitt. He has been wonderful. I live about 40min. from Birmingham in St. Clair County. It too am self-pay. The benefit of self pay is that you get surgery faster. I am so glad I had this done. This has changed my life. The day of your surgery they will give you a 5 page print out of things to eat and things to avoid and when you can do what. This will be a big help for you. I have lost 25 Lbs. and I go in Tuesday for my 3rd fill. Good luck and I hope you get banded soon.

Losinit07

Thanks for the encouragement! I hope I do as well as you have. :)

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I have changed doctors, I'm not going to go with Dr. Freeman in Anniston,AL. Anyone have any experience with him?

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How'd I miss this thread? Howdy, neighbors!

I had my surgery (self-pay) on September 5, 2006, by Dr. Miles at MCE. He's my hero! I've lost 87 lbs, and feel awesome.

We have a lap band support group meeting every 3rd Saturday, at 11am, on the third floor, Bldg 46, at Medical Center East. Although most of the participants are patients of Drs. Miles & Schmitt, others are welcome, too. I think it might be the only lap band-specific weight loss support group in the area. Ya'll come on down!

Tami

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on the second floor at Medical Center East
Tami, at the banders4life website, it says the 3rd floor. Which is it? Isn't this the same group?

I'll be there this Saturday.

Thanks.

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I'm glad to see some activity on this board. I was beginning to think I was the only one in Bama! Congratulations on your date crabcake! Good luck!

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Thanks, it hasn't quite sunk in yet...I keep thinking they're going to call me back and cancel! :hungry:

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Congrats, Crabcake! That's right around the corner!

Tami

It is isn't it? I guess I'll get nervous closer to the time, but right now I'm really excited! This forum has been a huge help in my decision.

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hello!

I am Diann and I went to Mexico 4/11/07 and had the surgery. I live in

Chilton County, AL and would love to discuss lap band and all that goes

with it.

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Hi Diann! Congrats on your surgery. If you have any questions, ask away!

Also, I spoke to Veronica, the Bariatric Coordinator at Medical Center East, and they are switching the time and location for the lap band support group meetings. There was a meeting today, so there won't be another one for a month, but I thought I'd let ya'll know, so you can mark your calendars.

The monthly lap band support group meeting is held every 3rd Saturday, at 10:30am, on the Second floor, Main Bldg, Seminar Rooms 1-4, at Medical Center East. This is where the meetings used to be held. They tried a smaller room to make it more cozy, but the group just kept getting bigger! Although most of the participants are patients of Drs. Miles & Schmitt, others are welcome, too. So, the next meeting is May 19. Hope to see some of ya'll there!

Tami

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Hi,

I'm new here. I just got my surgery date, May 24, with Dr. Richard Stahl at Shelby Baptist. I am so excited and terrified at the same time! I would like to join the Birmingham support group, if you'll have me :rolleyes: and look forward to meeting my fellow bandmates. I also would love any tips or advice anyone wants to pass along. Thanks!

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In case anyone ever comes across this that knows of a lap-band support group in the Northern Alabama area, please PM me!! All I've been able to find is gastric bypass, and while it's better than nothing, I'd still rather have a lap-band support.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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