Hello! Looks like I am the first one here. I was supposed to get banded in April, then May, and then we finally figured out that my insurance won't pay for it till I have been specifically and ONLY for weight loss (visits for that topic only) for 6 mos. So that's where I am at. After 6 mos of doctoring for weight loss if I have not lost weight I will be approved for the lapband. So, looks like it will be my Christmas present!!!! Let's hope!!!

Anyone else aiming for December?? :whoo:

Brez, keep up the good work. Your dieting is working and the end of the year will be here soon. Then you, too, can have a surgery date.

I'm scheduled with Dr. Gonzalez in Tijuana for Dec 7th. I'm hoping that will be enough time to recuperate before the holidays. I bounced back really fast from my C-section when I had my son, so I hope that bodes well...

It has been so reassuring reading these boards and hearing everyone's experiences and results! I'm nervous about the liquid diet and since no one but my husband knows, I'm trying to figure out how to eat mushies for Christmas dinner. Any thoughts?

I'm traveling from Philly too. Southwest had great fares for my surgery week - $229 roundtrip!

Can't wait until we're all on the other side.

One suggestion for coping with the holidays is to tell people you are having some stomach issues and doctor prescribed eating only soft and pureed foods for a while.

Greetings, fellow Merriers!

I'm still in pre-approval stage (my surgeon doesn't submit for ins approval until ALL pre-op testing is complete), but I did get a date yesterday when I went for my consult. Dec 31! (can't really push it much farter than that and maintain the 2007 inpatient co-pays - they double on Jan 1 from $240 to $500!).

I told DH today, and he's bummed it's on a holiday, but personally I'm thrilled. I'd do it today if I could, regardless of the upcoming holidays. I know what turkey tastes like already! ha!

I already did my sleep study (no apnea - just hypoxia - apparently that means that they've confirmed I sleep like sh*t but can't give me a CPAP to help. ugh. But at least that test is out of the way. Still have nutritionist, psych (although they're checking if my regular therapist is good enough), GI and the zillion xrays yadda yadda. I'm hopeful we can get all this done and cruise right along.

Got all the blood taken yesterday, too - LOTS of vials. Freaked me out a little!

Aneeway, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to have a date to look forward to - I'm ready to start this new life. Now that I have an "official" weight recorded, I can start working to lose a little prior to surgery and start exercizing as well (I am a low BMI-er and worried about dropping below 35 and getting denied due to that). I'm sure both factors will help my sleeping, too.

I hope you're all doing well - I'm thinking about writiing a little theme song for us to the tune of a carol or something. I'll let you know what I come up with. Right now, all I have is "Lap-band-ers, Lap-band-ers, chewing all the way!" to the tune of jingle bells. I'm SURE we can do better - ha!

Hey all,

I just came from my consult with the surgeon and have my surgery date of Dec. 17!!!!! I'm a STAHM and a student so I'm doing it on my Christmas break also. I'm so frigging excited I'm about to pee my pants!

This has been a quick journey (since Sept really) because my husbands work decided that as of Oct 1, they no longer cover bariatric surgery. I was just getting started jumping through the insurance 6 month diet and exercise, sleep study etc etc..then wham, they shut the door on me!!

I want this so bad I thought, screw it, we are taking out a loan and here I go. I'm doing my surgery here in Nebraska. Its $14000, way more than Mexico but I have 3 little kids and no family support to take care of them so I have to stay close to home. Interesting about Ortiz tho, I have a friend who almost went to him but then decided on another doc here in the States. Good Luck you guys. Keep us posted on your progress! funny, 2008 will be the year I KEEP that NEW YEARS resolution to lose wt!!!

My vote is for the Merry Losers!

congrats to you nytrink and 100lbsforsale,

that is awesome that you have your dates !!!!!! i am soo happy for you. i can't wait. my 6 months is not up till dec 4 then on to the insurance co. my last nutritionist is this week. everything else is done. i am so excited for the both of you. what a good christmas gift...

I have my consultation tomorrow and am soooo excited! I think the waiting list in Australia is only 4 weeks on average and luckily we don't have to go through any insurance approvals because the doctor can tell me what is and isn't covered! so I am hoping to be banded in NOVEMBER, yay!

I am so freakin excited for this band. I am hopping to get mine the week before christmas. It is like the only week I dont have school or some work thing. I am so happy this year I dont have any family arround. I think it will make my healing and eatting so much easier.

I've got my doctor picked out, my surgery date allllmost set, airfare figured out for that day, my RN mom coming with me, and good idea of my aftercare doctor.

This is getting kinda.....real.

I'm scared and nervous, but everytime I look at the before and after photos I think to myself "it could be real, you can really do this".

Another Merry Loser here too.

My surgery is scheduled for December 17th. I start the pre-op diet on November 12th (early, I know.. by my choice)

Here was go!!!! I just hope I don't ruin Christmas for the rest of my fam!

I have my consultation tomorrow and am soooo excited! I think the waiting list in Australia is only 4 weeks on average and luckily we don't have to go through any insurance approvals because the doctor can tell me what is and isn't covered! so I am hoping to be banded in NOVEMBER, yay!

Sorry guys ignore my original post - a friend of mine who had her band done a couple of years ago only had to wait 3 weeks for her band but I had my consultation yesterday and it seems waiting periods have blown out to 4 months now - YIKES!

Looks like I won't be getting banded till the new year..:omg:

So sorry, Jessica. I can only imagine your disappointment.

I officially ended my 21-week Optifast program at the hospital today. I did this on my own - not a requirement for surgery that is. I lost another 3.1 pounds this past week. I am so excited. I still plan on dieting on my own until I go on my cruise on the 24th of November for 8 days. I have my pre-op appointment the day after I get home from the cruise, start my pre-op the next day, and two days later have surgery. I am so glad my doctor only has a 2-day pre-op regimen of Clear liquids. I drank nothing but liquids for 14 weeks - not one bite of food. At least I am expecting my 3 weeks of liquids for post-op will be much easier from those 14 weeks. At least I think I have learned how to separate head hunger from actual hunger.

Welcome aboard, MissSac.

WOW SGHATI!!!!!!!!! If you can do that I can do the month I am going to do... the doc requires two weeks I asked to be on it for 4!

Hi All!

I just went for my full day appointment to get my surgery ball really rolling. I met with the Nut., Psych. and had my physical. the only extra test I need is an EXG which I hope to get soon. I then have to have two more visits with the Nut. that my Dr. requires, even though my Ins. does not. I also need to talk to the Ins. girl to see when she'll be submitting me for approval... I'm hopeful she'll say next week. Then after the Nut. clears me I can get a date... long story longer... hopefully mid-December!

Now, Christmas is MY time of year... I bake and bake and make candies and everyone expects them from me... and I just know if I'm on a liquid diet there is not going to be any motivation for me to do all of this creating and tempting of myself. I think having this Surgery in December will be very trying... but also a good thing as I won't have to deal with the typical extra Christmas weight I tend to gain from Nov-Dec.

I always do a ton of baking/cnady making to send out for Christmas. I figure I will make what I can early and the stuff that I cant make early I will just bear my way thru it.

I dont buy gifts I make mine. So I understand where your comming from. Just make what you can and if you cant people will get over it.