This group is for weight loss support for lower bmi bandsters (of course anyone is welcome!).

For encouragement, tips, accountability.... Give stats, helpful advice, etc.

How much weight you have lost, how long it took. etc.

In some case I have found it takes a lower BMI patient a lot longer to lose the weight.

Introduce yourself and jump on in!!!:welcomeB: :welcome2:

Audree

I am loving this site. I am getting banded Thursday, March 22. My BMI is 34, I am 5'6" and 215. Audrey, you have really pushed me to do some fast research. I called Dr. Ortiz' office only last Wednesday. They had a cancellation for March 22, 2007, and since my BMI was 34, I was able to take the appointment. This has been very last minute to me and I feel I am trying to take in a lot before the surgery. I am scared, but my blood sugars are high and my blood pressure is high. I have dieted all my life only to gain it back. I was at 264 last June. After my father died I decided to do something about my weight. He was always so sweet, telling me I was really pretty and would be more so if I was able to lose the weight. But he was never judgmental. Just sweet and caring. I really miss him, but that is another story. Since he passed, I began having a different relationship with food. I began to eat less and stop binging on ice cream and candy. I have hit a plateau that I cannot seem to break. I have been at this weight since Christmas. It is time to do something to break the yo-yo dieting. I am 57 and I know I need something to help me get to goal and stay there. Gastric Bypass was not an option to me because my father died of stomach cancer and I was told it was because he had part of his stomach removed 40 years ago from ulcers. I became paranoid and decided I didn't want any cutting on my stomach or intestines. I know Gastic is a good solution for many, but for me the last year was too horrible and I didn't want to do that kind of surgery. Thank you all for such invaluable information.

Kathy

I am loving this site. I am getting banded Thursday, March 22. My BMI is 34, I am 5'6" and 215. Audrey, you have really pushed me to do some fast research. I called Dr. Ortiz' office only last Wednesday. They had a cancellation for March 22, 2007, and since my BMI was 34, I was able to take the appointment. This has been very last minute to me and I feel I am trying to take in a lot before the surgery. I am scared, but my blood sugars are high and my blood pressure is high. I have dieted all my life only to gain it back. I was at 264 last June. After my father died I decided to do something about my weight. He was always so sweet, telling me I was really pretty and would be more so if I was able to lose the weight. But he was never judgmental. Just sweet and caring. I really miss him, but that is another story. Since he passed, I began having a different relationship with food. I began to eat less and stop binging on ice cream and candy. I have hit a plateau that I cannot seem to break. I have been at this weight since Christmas. It is time to do something to break the yo-yo dieting. I am 57 and I know I need something to help me get to goal and stay there. Gastric Bypass was not an option to me because my father died of stomach cancer and I was told it was because he had part of his stomach removed 40 years ago from ulcers. I became paranoid and decided I didn't want any cutting on my stomach or intestines. I know Gastic is a good solution for many, but for me the last year was too horrible and I didn't want to do that kind of surgery. Thank you all for such invaluable information.

Kathy

sorry about the double post...my hand slipped

I am loving this site. I am getting banded Thursday, March 22. My BMI is 34, I am 5'6" and 215. Audrey, you have really pushed me to do some fast research. I called Dr. Ortiz' office only last Wednesday. They had a cancellation for March 22, 2007, and since my BMI was 34, I was able to take the appointment. This has been very last minute to me and I feel I am trying to take in a lot before the surgery. I am scared, but my blood sugars are high and my blood pressure is high. I have dieted all my life only to gain it back. I was at 264 last June. After my father died I decided to do something about my weight. He was always so sweet, telling me I was really pretty and would be more so if I was able to lose the weight. But he was never judgmental. Just sweet and caring. I really miss him, but that is another story. Since he passed, I began having a different relationship with food. I began to eat less and stop binging on ice cream and candy. I have hit a plateau that I cannot seem to break. I have been at this weight since Christmas. It is time to do something to break the yo-yo dieting. I am 57 and I know I need something to help me get to goal and stay there. Gastric Bypass was not an option to me because my father died of stomach cancer and I was told it was because he had part of his stomach removed 40 years ago from ulcers. I became paranoid and decided I didn't want any cutting on my stomach or intestines. I know Gastic is a good solution for many, but for me the last year was too horrible and I didn't want to do that kind of surgery. Thank you all for such invaluable information.

Kathy

You will love Dr. Ortiz and his staff!!! They are awesome!!!!

I am loving my band!!!!

Just checkin in!!!

The wedding is over and in laws are gone!

I have not weighed in yet due to premenstrual and period.

I will weigh in on Friday.

Either my fill kicked in or I am tighter due to my period.

But I am eating less.

Hope you are all doing well!!!! Audree

sorry about the double post...my hand slipped

Hi there,

Glad to hear you're joining the "band wagon"

I just wanted to tell you that I am 54 and everyone says that's why I am losing so slowly. I exercise at the gym every day, but I still haven't lost much.

I am hoping that will change when I get my second fill. But those over the age of 50 definitely don't lose as quickly as the younger people. I am not trying to discourage you. I feel I am doing better than I was even though I haven't lost much. I am sure I would have gained more by now.

I couldn't wait until Friday to weigh in and I LOST 2 MORE POUNDS!!!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

BabyGotBack!

I have not read your posts in a couple weeks, and you are NOW more than 1/2 way there, so in other words you are more than 1/2 way to success road. Right on...... Good for you.

Right on! You lost 2 more pounds!!! That is cool!

Are you going to post new pics yet?

What is the difference in your routine to have made you lost 2 pounds? Did you make it back to the gym?

Share the secrets....

So how long ago were you this weight? Years?

Hi all, I am 5'6" and weigh 238 which is an all time high for me...I've been exercising and dieting myself to a bigger person...argh

I really want to get the band and just attended a seminar yesterday, filled out the application while I was there and attached my diet history (as I learned by lurking on this site) and I still haven't heard back (I know it's only been A DAY) but I don't want to wait another day to be fat.

I have two insurances - CIGNA (they cover if BMI is 40 or over and 2 comorbits) and BC/BS of Oregon which i'm really confused about - our booklet date 1/1/07 states they do NOT cover the band, but looking through the website further there's an amendment for 1/2/07 that states they do(for 40+ or 35 with 2 comorbits)...so i'm hoping between the two one of them will approve me, but because i'm a lower BMI, i'm really sweating it. I don't know if they consider PCOS a co-morbidity, but i've been suffering from it for 10 years and it is causing my weight to skyrocket...the doctors advice?...Lose weight to get the PCOS under control, PCOS is making me bigger so can you see my dilemna here? My feet, ankles and knees are really starting to bother me as I get older (37-years young) and I have a 2.5 year old daughter who likes to be carried and my back kills me too as I have DDD sized chest too....I hope once I get banded they go down too. I also put on the application that I have sports induced asthma, although I think that was an inaccurate diagnosis and that I have full-blown asthma, but I don't know that that is considered a co-morbidity..

Any advice you can offer would be GREAT....I have seen my PCP, OB/GYN, Psychologists, Naturopaths, Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists, Hypnotherapists and have undergone rapid eye therapy as well as tapping on "points" on my face, chest, underarms and fingers to help me lose weight and NOTHING works...I just can't give up though as I want to be here to see my daughter's children one day and I have Type II Diabetes on both sides of my family (actually both grandmothers had it and both are passed now <both in early 60's when Passed> from Stroke and Heart attack as a result of their poor health) There are so many things I still want to do in my life and i'm too tired to get out of the house for too many hours at a time (having a 2 year old doesn't help as it's a LOT of work taking her out for extended errons let alone long bike rides and/or hikes)

Thanks for letting me vent and any advice is greatly appreciated.

thx,

Renee :clap2:

Where do you live in Oregon? My insurance didn't cover WLS of any kind. I thought my health was more important than anything so I got a 2nd mortgage on my house. Dr. Tersigni charges $10,000 and I paid it gladly.

I don't know what they charge in Mexico, but Dr. Tersigni is a great dr. and I wouldn't have to travel by air after surgery. A lot of people do go to Mexico and have said they have had great care. If you can't get covered by insurance, think about being self pay.

hey Audree,

Nice to see you back and still losing! Hope the wedding went well and that the in-laws had a nice visit. Way to lose during stress, wedding, relatives, etc.

I think I am down a bit more this week too but I am not going to say anything until Friday! I am planning on getting a fill in mid-April cuz I can still put the calories down, even though it is less than before. I can still eat 2000+ calories a day.

On a more successful note, I am doing good with the exercise so far. I made a pact with myself to do one event a month for all of 2007 and I have done it so far.

Where do you live in Oregon? My insurance didn't cover WLS of any kind. I thought my health was more important than anything so I got a 2nd mortgage on my house. Dr. Tersigni charges $10,000 and I paid it gladly.

I don't know what they charge in Mexico, but Dr. Tersigni is a great dr. and I wouldn't have to travel by air after surgery. A lot of people do go to Mexico and have said they have had great care. If you can't get covered by insurance, think about being self pay.

I'm in Hillsboro. I went to a seminar yesterday at OWLS (affiliated with Legacy Good Sam) and I think they quoted 20k...if I do a self pay they would Not be my first choice, too spendy. 10k sounds reasonable since I wouldn't have to travel by air, where in Oregon are you?

Kathy!

Good luck in the morning!!! You will be banded very soon. Dr. Ortiz is wonderful. You are in good hands. Please let us know how everything goes.

Boo

well i am not losing at all in the last two weeks,but i am restricted

can you say stress?

i am trying quite hard to talk myself into a fill----but i kind of enjoy eating a few things i normally wouldn't (see you are still always fat in your head).

i have got to get my mind right, my motivation in check, and get moving

just had to get that out.

Did you figure out your bmi yourself or did you go to a website and plug in your numbers to figure out your bmi?

I thought this would be a good thread to ask. I know the formula for calculating BMI and mine is 35-36ish with the formula but wouldn't different bodytypes change that? I am apple shape and thinking that this is not accurate. I was wondering if anyone's dr ever used a different method of calculating BMI. I've heard of weighing in Water and by measurments but couldn't find any info anywhere.

Christel