June 2007 Bandsters

Suzzzie. · May 19, 2007

my best friend talks about costco ALL the time, but since I'm single there seems to be no point to shop where everything is bulk. I dunno. I've never even been there! Am I truely missing out?

kt_999 · May 19, 2007

KT, Can't you have caffeine-free coffee on your pre-op? I don't have to use any particular brand of Protein Shakes, but they have to be low sugar and high Protein. I have sampled several lately and haven't found anything that I consider to be very tasty. I am allowed to have unlimited amounts of sugar free, fat free, caffeine free, drinks also. Today has been very difficult, but I did start my execise program!!! I'm afraid this is going to be the longest two weeks of my life!

Hi Lisa

Yes, I believe that caffeine free coffee is allowed... I will get some I think as I had such a bad headache today that I had to have a coffee... it was sooooo goood and I was sooooo bad!!

The pre-op is difficult, I agree... I have to cook for my 2 young children and by dinner time it's like hell for me! I hope that it gets easier but if not at least it's only two weeks... although my surgeon would like me to do it for a further 4 weeks post-op too.

Was good with excercise today... 70 mins on treadmill :-)

Hope everyone else has a great weekend

toniteach · May 19, 2007

KT...70 minutes on the treadmill? KUDOS! That's fantastic!!!!! I'm good for about 30, and out!

Suzzzie...Costco is great if you have a friend to share things with that you purchase since you're single. But most things aren't really all that "bulky" Like tennis shoes, batteries, books, etc. And you really do use up the food you buy, and I love the laundry soap, toilet paper, etc. I can't stand buying that stuff every other week! costco just has a great reputation of having quality things. Go sometime with your friends.

Cheers!

Toni (OK, I'll get off my Costco soapbox now!)

hottytoddy · May 19, 2007

Hi!! I am also a June 2007 bandster!!!!

My date is 6/1/07 (like you KT) and I'm just starting to freak out!!!! I don't start liquids til one week before... which is one week from yesterday! I awoke this morning thinking, "last night was my last Friday night big meal!" Reality is starting to creep in!! (In a good way!)

Just a funny for y'all...

I had a "date" with my dad last night. I had not yet told him about the surgery cause I didnt' want him to worry (and worry me!!). Well, over dinner, I decided to tell him about the surgery. He said, "Lap Band? What kind of surgery is that?" I replied, "I am having a band placed around my stomach so I'll eat less." To which he slowing replied, "You mean they're going to put a tight belt around you... like... Santa Clause?" OMG... I have never laughed that hard in my life!! My dad is actually quite intelligent, but he had never heard of the Lap-Band and could just not fathom the procedure! It was priceless!! We also split a dessert and when there were just a few bites left he pushed the bowl my way and said, "Here, you eat it! You won't be able to do this again!" I hope to God more than anything that that is true!!!!!

Hey, one of us needs to figure out how to get a June 2007 calender on this blog with our names posted on the corresponding band date (See the May 2007 bandster blog to view one). It is really cool. I have no idea how to do it unless it's being done in a calender file and then inserted as an attachment???

I am so excited to have found this site!! I can't wait to share my journey with so many people just like me!!!

Nina_S · May 19, 2007

Nina...does Dr. Sweeney require a pre-op diet like Musical Momma and I (and most on the board) are going to do, or do you get to eat normally up until June 5?
Toni

Yes, Dr. Sweeney does require a pre-op diet. The approved shakes are Carnation Instant Breakfast, Slim-Fast Optima or Slim-Fast High Protein. I start my pre-op two weeks prior to my surgery date so I begin on May 22nd - how fun!

Nina

toniteach · May 19, 2007

Hi!! I am also a June 2007 bandster!!!!
My date is 6/1/07 (like you KT) and I'm just starting to freak out!!!! I don't start liquids til one week before... which is one week from yesterday! I awoke this morning thinking, "last night was my last Friday night big meal!" Reality is starting to creep in!! (In a good way!)

Just a funny for y'all...

I had a "date" with my dad last night. I had not yet told him about the surgery cause I didnt' want him to worry (and worry me!!). Well, over dinner, I decided to tell him about the surgery.

I am so excited to have found this site!! I can't wait to share my journey with so many people just like me!!!

Hi Hotty!

Your post had me smiling about the "Santa Claus" but it also brought to mind something I wanted to ask you all about: how do you feel about telling people about the band?

Maybe someday I'll be very comfortable with it, but for now I'm just not ready to broadcast it to all my friends. :embarassed: I think they've seen me struggle with the yo-yoing and I've straight-out failed at all my other attempts to lose weight. I just don't want people to be thinking in the back of their minds, "Wow, what a last-ditch desperate measure. Surely she could've just watched her intake and exercised more?!?"

....and I know I shouldn't care what others think, or wonder what they think. OH, and I'm self-pay and I surely don't want to go around answering questions about how much I paid,:mad: why my insurance didn't,:think etc....

Please don't misunderstand---I couldn't be more excited about getting banded!!!! I just can't wait! I know it's the answer for me and the beginning of my journey to the way I want to live!

So how are you all with this? Are you shouting from the rooftops, mum, or somewhere in-between???

Thanks,

Toni

hottytoddy · May 19, 2007

Hi Toni,

I totally understand how you feel; however, I really didn't have a choice... I am a Registered Nurse in the Recovery Room at the hospital where my surgeon does his work. So basically, I kept it a secret until this past Wednesday when the June schedule was posted and my co-workers (also many of whom I socialize with outside of work) became quite puzzled that I KNEW I was going to be sick the first week of June! LOL.. I had to tell them what was going on... that and the fact that they will be with me when I wake up from surgery!!!

Otherwise, I've told most of my friends (luckily most of them are jealous and have not been judgemental as they too need to shed a few). I have not told my extended family (they are in another state) nor have I told my sister yet. She is the "skinny one" who just can't understand why everybody doesn't naturally eat like a bird! She will find out the night before when I drop my pup off at her house! lol

I am not planning to tell my church folks, extended family or even some of my more casual friends. However, I've been very open with everyone at the hospital because I've found that people gossip about you a little less if you don't have too many secrets. If I'm open about it, they won't think it's as big a deal as if they discovered some big secret! The only thing I've been hesitant about is my "chart" at the hospital. It will remain in my possession until I hand it to my anesthesiologist right before surgery who will hand it to my hand-picked recovery room nurse. This may sound silly, I know. I'm OK with them knowing about the surgery, but that does not mean I'm OK with them flipping through my chart and knowing my weight!

This is a tough one. Believe me... I am so scared of failure! Before I commited to the surgery we would talk about it at work. Several did not support the idea. Although I don't believe they would say it out loud, I know there would be some "I knew she couldn't do it" attitudes.

Sorry, I don't know if I've helped or not. My situation is tricky. If I didn't work in the surgery department, I don't know if I would be so open about it or not! Like I said, I hid it for several weeks and would shoot daggers with my eyes at my surgeon everytime he walked in the recovery room! LOL, he's been a good sport.

I am also a self-pay, and that's made it even harder. Not only do I deal with the fear of failure but also the fear of wasted money...

Just know that I've only been on here a few days but have been very comforted by the fact that we all have the same fears! I finally feel like I'm somewhere where everybody "gets it" and it's not just about putting down the stupid fork! :mad:

Suzzzie. · May 20, 2007

Only my 2 best friends know... and it will stay that way until I am ready.

I have many reasons for not wanting to tell people... A few of my family members have had gastric bypass years and years ago, and have gained all of their weight back. I know that they would all try to talk me out of it. My mom has struggled with her weight since she had her first child (my older brother) and I grew up doing weight watchers and jenny craig and all sorts of diets with her. Surely she'd be supportive? Nope. My mom is a huge old chicken. She would think the risk of death and complications was far too great. I'm perfectly healthy right now... in spite of the fact that I weigh nearly 400 pounds. No diabetes, no hypertension, cholesterol is only 98... But I WILL have these problems later. At this weight I have to expect to develope these things, and they run in my family. Even with all of this, she would much prefer that I just exercise and control portions. But ya know what? I'D prefer those too! I've tried and tried and obviously haven't been able to do it very well.

My co-workers know nothing. I've arranged my consultation and pre-op for my days off. When I have surgery I will try to schedule it on the Friday before my weekend off so that I have 3 days recovery. That will have to be enough. I'm a nurse, but I work Oncology, so I don't have much lifting to do.

Even though it is hard to keep such an EXCITING thing a secret from all the people I care the most about, at this point it is just to keep the drama down. I know that after the surgery, after I star to lose weight there will be questions. I will select who I do and don't tell. I will probably tell my mom within a week after surgery, just cause it is so hard to not share things with her.

Wow...sorry so long winded!

ja9va · May 20, 2007

Welcome Hottie to the Junies!

to tell or not to tell?

I think I spoke of this briefly on a previous post, and I really understand. I was talking to my husband today about this telling him that I don't plan on telling my sister or other siblings. My sister which I am closest to is also thin, out of the 5 of us, she was the lucky one! I wish I could tell her, but I know I would be hit with " are you crazy" just don't eat carbs, etc, etc. I just don't feel like hearing all the negative issues that some people relate to weight loss surgery. Like you are weak or something. I work with a woman who had gbypass and she made me feel good about it saying that when people say that you took the easy way out, that it is not easy, but the hardest decision. you go through the surgery, drastically change your eating habits and make a different committment. I could join weight watchers or the others one more time ( I can't tell you the # of times I have been a new member), but I can't face that again!

I have 4 children, 2 boys( 18 and 21) and 2 step daughters( 15 and 12). I felt I should tell them. The girls say it is like putting a twist tie around the top of your stomach, like a balloon. They really don't say much. My boys feel like I lost weight before, do that again, but they don't understand the rollorcoaster ride it is, up and down.

I told 4 people at work. I am the boss of a department of 36, I really don't want the office to know, but like you said hottie, the gossip is so hard to control! I am sure they will all know before I hit the table!

talk to you later!

Janine

kt_999 · May 20, 2007

Hi everyone

To tell or not to tell... that is the question... I wasn't going to tell anyone except my husband but I ended up telling 2 close friends, my sister and my parents. The friends are great although a little jealous too! Sister is also great about it and mother was soooo jealous that she has decided to have one too... she will be banded 27/08/07.

My main concern about telling people is that I am a lower BMI bandster... and I can't handle the judgement by others who think that I should be able to loose 30kg on my own with diet and excercise. The truth is that I can loose the weight on my own, I've done it 4 times before but I can't seem to keep it off and it is getting harder and harder to loose every time. I am miserable being big, and I feel like this is the solution... take away the hunger and I will eat the right food, follow all the bandster rules, excercise and hopefully loose that 30kgs for the last time. :clap2:

Hottytoddy... can't wait to compare surgery notes!! I have been nervous but am back on track and impatient for it to be done NOW... roll on June 1st!!!

Toni... I don't go very fast on the treadmill!! I try and do 10mins fastwalking and 5mins running for 4 cycles then 10 mins slow walking as a warmdown... it nearly kills me and only burns 250 calories... really makes you look at what you put in your mouth and the amount of work it takes to burn it off!!!

Accountability: 70mins on treadmill and sticking to pre-op Optifast diet (except for 1 coffee this morning :paranoid )

Well, I am off to walk the dogs... hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday.

JackieP12 · May 20, 2007

Hi all,

RCorn, my surgery is June 11 also, so is my husband's. We're doing this together. So much easier with both of us doing it together. Cooking meals is a breeze. I really look up to those of you who have to cook for a family. Don't know if I could do it.

We're on a 1200 calorie/day diet for the time being and then 5 days before surgery we go on full liquids till the surgery. Hope I lose some weight. I already feel a little room in my pants that were skin tight on me only a couple of weeks ago. Just started the 1200 diet this past Monday.

I'm so happy to have found this thread. Like someone else said, we can all help and support each other and share info on foods, recipes, etc.

Anyone on here from Ohio?

Good Luck to all of us:biggrin1:

Jackie

JackieP12 · May 20, 2007

I'm with you on the motivation part. I've never liked to exercise, and I'm supposed to now, but I'm finding excuses to not do it, and I haven't even been banded yet. I'm doing really well on the 1200 calorie diet, but the exercise isn't there. Any suggestions?

hottytoddy · May 20, 2007

KT, I can't wait to compare notes with you either! As far as everyone relaxing and enjoying their Sunday... well, it's still Saturday here in Mississippi! lol... I also noticed your ticker is in kgs instead of lbs... where are you? Whereever you are is a day ahead of me, which means you will have surgery several hours before I do which makes me insanely jealous! I too am ready for it to happen NOW!

Lisa H · May 20, 2007

I have made it through two days of a liquid diet-It has been SO HARD. Please, someone tell me this WILL get easier! Anyone have any suggestions for cooking for your family without going crazy and wanting to eat some of it?

mhuffman · May 20, 2007

Hi Junies! I am scheduled for surgery on June 19th with Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. My insurance does not cover any type of WLS. I am of course self-pay and nervous. I have to lose 20-30 lbs before surgery day and am also having a hard time. I am using the Atkins drinks and they are the best that I have tried so far. I am so excited that I only have one month to go. Go June Bansters:clap2: .