Hi everyone - I am new to this site. I am supposed to be banded in Calgary on September 25 by Dr. Descoteaux and have been on the Optifast, non-starchy vegetable diet for the last two weeks.

Anyone else out there who can give me some advice? Anyone from the Calgary area?

I think I am one of the lucky ones who is having the surgery paid for by Alberta health care (I am very thankful). Calgary approved the surgery about 1 year ago.

:help:

LOL, in that case I wish I lived in Calgary!!! Congrats on making the decision to get the band!

My advice is to not expect too much of yourself in the way of weight loss. Don't expect to lose a lot in the first month... and when you plateau (I am there right now...) don't get discouraged.

Do not to weight yourself more than once a week. I lost weight relatively quickly and, of course, was very happy about it. I was proud of myself and started weighing myself twice a week. Soon I was obsessing about how much I was losing and started weighing myself every day or two... don't do that!!

Be proud of yourself regardless of how much or how little weight you lose.

If you "cheat" don't beat yourself up about it... we all do it once in a while!! Don't worry about it and get back to the healthy eating afterward. Don't feel guilty about it.

Enjoy every NSV (non-scale victory), even the small, seemingly insignificant ones. I love the fact that I can walk between 2 cars and not brush against either mirror any more!

That's all I can think of at 4 am! Good luck on your banding tomorrow... let us know how it goes!!

JJ,

Congrats on getting one oh the CHR bands. There are not any people here who have had thier bands paid for.

I am from Calgary, & was on the waiting list to get one, but did not want to wait as long due to where I was at in my life. I wa banded by Dr. Coburn in February.

I am not sure what you are looking for advice on, but you have come to a good place because there are plenty of experienced people here. Ask as many questions as you can.

I am interested to hear how your experience went with the CHR. I have a friend who just completed the Weight Management Clinic part of the requirements, and I am interested to hear how long you had to wait after that to get your band.

Andrew

:biggrin1:Thanks L and Gaffer,

I went through the weight management clinic. Took me 6 months from Dr. referral to actually getting into the clinic and about 10 months from there. I heard they got approval to do more surgeries this year, so the wait might not be as long.

One of the things I really like about the wmc is that they have Dr. dieticians and psychologists all attached. I have been seeing a psychologist for about 6 months now and it has been really helpful (much more than the dietician).

I think I am much more prepared for what comes next, maybe not so much about the actual surgery, but for the lifestyle changes that I need to make in order for this to actually work.

My biggest fear is that I won't have the mindset to make this work. I was seeing a dermatologist the other week and he told me "I can so see you at 160 with a tummy tuck" and I asked him to draw me a picture, since I can't visualize myself that way. I think the last time I weighed 160 I was probably 10.

I am sure once I have the surgery and actually know what everything feels like, I will have lots of specific questions and I am really glad that you are out there and I hope to use the board to help me.

I have got a ticker factory slider, but how do I get it onto this board?

Thanks!!!

:biggrin1:Thanks L and Gaffer,

I went through the weight management clinic. Took me 6 months from Dr. referral to actually getting into the clinic and about 10 months from there. I heard they got approval to do more surgeries this year, so the wait might not be as long.

One of the things I really like about the wmc is that they have Dr. dieticians and psychologists all attached. I have been seeing a psychologist for about 6 months now and it has been really helpful (much more than the dietician).

I think I am much more prepared for what comes next, maybe not so much about the actual surgery, but for the lifestyle changes that I need to make in order for this to actually work.

My biggest fear is that I won't have the mindset to make this work. I was seeing a dermatologist the other week and he told me "I can so see you at 160 with a tummy tuck" and I asked him to draw me a picture, since I can't visualize myself that way. I think the last time I weighed 160 I was probably 10.

I am sure once I have the surgery and actually know what everything feels like, I will have lots of specific questions and I am really glad that you are out there and I hope to use the board to help me.

Sounds like you are on the right path. Getting you head around things is the hard part. Really the surgery is the easy part. It is after that is the real work.

I have got a ticker factory slider, but how do I get it onto this board?

Thanks!!!

Go to USERCP located at the top of the page, go to the control panel in the middle of the page and click on "edit signature". Once you are there copy and paste your signature from Ticker Factory or where ever in to the box. Save it and you should be done.

I hope that your surgery goes well tomorow.

Andrew

Thanks so much Andrew (is that the etiquette?) am I supposed to call you Gaffer or Andrew (never been on a talk forum before).

I have to be at the hospital at 6:00 am (surgery scheduled for 7:40) so I better get a good night sleep.

Thanks for the support

Jacquie

Welcome to bandland. Take care of yourself and walk around a bit to help relieve the gas.

Hi JJ, congrats on your surgery!!! I'm so excited for you!!!!!!!

:clap2::clap2::clap2:

I live in Calgary and, like Andrew, I didn't want to wait a year, two or three so I also went to Dr. Cobourn and was banded on May/07.

I think the hardest part for me is the head hunger. Unfortunately, the band doesn't take care of that. It really is alot of hard work but well worth the effort.

Welcome to bandland and feel free to ask any questions you want. Right after surgery you may or may not have an issue with gas pains. Most people feel the gas pains in their left shoulder, I know that sounds weird but it's how the gas presents itself so to speak. I didn't really feel Gas-X helped much, the best thing was walking - it helped pass the gas.

Good luck and come back and visit us as soon as you can.

Thanks so much Andrew (is that the etiquette?) am I supposed to call you Gaffer or Andrew (never been on a talk forum before).

I have to be at the hospital at 6:00 am (surgery scheduled for 7:40) so I better get a good night sleep.

Thanks for the support

Jacquie

Call me what ever you want.

Andrew

Welcome to bandland jjsmiles.Let us know how you are doing.

Looks like today is surgery day, hope all went well!

Whoo-hoo! Now you are one of us.

Lots of great advise and friendship here.. Post often

:clap2:

Thanks everyone,

It is now done - I have actually joined the land of the banded!!:whoo:

Surgery went well, although I apparently have a very large and long, though healthy liver, which made access difficult and for a three hour surgery. They kept me in overnight and then I had a fluroscopy x-ray this morning and got released at noon.

As many of you mentioned I had an excrutiatingly sore left shoulder, but I have been moving a lot which has helped and it seems mostly better.

Haven't been hungry yet - all I've had is Water, tea and 2 popsicles. I figure my "head" hunger should kick in about 3 hours from now.

Thanks for all your support so far. I am looking forward, and with hope, to my journey.

Welcome to the land of the banded!! you will be feelin great soon and watching the scale go down instead of up!!

Hello JJ

Glad your surgery was succussful, and welcome to the band side of life, now for a new and thinner you. Good luck and congratulations.

Maria :rose: