Hi!! Is anyone getting banded in August? I'm getting banded August 1st. Maybe we can share our stories & successes and be there for each other if needed. Thanks!! Good luck to all!!

I have also started having little freak outs. I was thinking yesterday about how I will never be able to have a big Thanksgiving dinner again (I know, that isn't a bad idea) but it just made me think of all kinds of things. I have been waiting for this surgery for 3 months and now I am down to 10 days and I can't help but freak out. Especially when all my friends question me about it all the time. My problem is a fear of the unknown. I am sure everything will be perfectly fine and I will adapt well to the new lifestyle.

Jenbug: Telling people is purely your own decision. I personally need the support of friends and family but you seem to already know they would have a negative reaction. Thing is if you tell them afterwards they can't really say anything cause it's already done :tt2:

I just received the ok from BCBS of MN yesterday. My surgery is scheduled for 8/21. I can't wait to become a smaller person. I had to do the 6 month supervised diet for my insurance and now I am ready.

Ok all my "AUGUST ALL-STARS" SISTERS. I know everyone is into the blue but since I am a BREAST CANCER SURVIOR I just had to go with the pink. Hope that is fine with all of you fine ladies and gents.:tt1::tt2::thumbup::thumbup:

congrats on the surgery hope everything is fine and you are doing well. you have my vote just be july bander but an 'AUGUST ALL-STAR" IN HEART.

I think it is totally normal to have these freak outs...it is a HUGE decision and will involve changes but I we have all reached that moment when we say enough is enough, we don't want to be like this anymore (the moment that usually comes before going on diets which invariably fail in the long term). It is what I keep telling myself when apprehension and doubts come into my mind. And I think about what life will be like as a thinner person and that is what I focus on. I know it will be hard and i am expecting that but I am determined.

As for telling people, my family all know. Luckily my family is very supportive but I know not everyone has that and I figure you will know who you feel comfortable in telling. The one suprise I got was from my cousin who has a BMI of 31 and she would have liked to get this done but is too small so she began saying negative things about it to my face but I think deep down this stemmed from jealousy. I KNOW she'll come around but i was kinda shocked that she who should understand what being overweight is like couldn't be supportive. My workmates won't know except for probably 2 colleagues who I know are caring and supportive and I am pretty certain will be good about this (i've told one so far and she was good about it). I just want someone at work to know so I can have a buddy to back me if there is a need. I have also told a group of my friends, one who I know wants the surgery and another who's had it, and another whose mother has had gastric bypass so I figured they would all have positive reactions and I was right.

But everyone reacts differently some will suprise you some not but if you want to tell people trust your gut instinct.

On a side note, I have decided post surgery and maybe pre to begin eating with a little spoon :tt2: I figure it will slow me down and ensure smaller amounts of food are going into my gut and hey it is appropriate for the mushy 'baby food' stage!

I am very excited. I will be banded 8/5/08, by Dr. Micheal Baptista, Jacksonville, Florida.

I'm getting my band on August 4th....Starting to get a little nervous, but more excited... Good luck everyone!!

Oh good on the "freak outs" my family says I'm acting a bit crazy LOL. I have one week to go, and tomorrow I meet the surgeon for the first time and I am so very nervous. Been eating very little solid food and drinking lots of water to flush myself out and my protein shakes. Want to make sure I am OK for the surgery, my scale here at home sucks. A new one is on my to do list next week. But have to watch the pennies since retired. I have stocked up on what I can have after the surgery.

I think it's OK to be scared any surgery is scary. We have to change so much of our past eating habits, which got us to this point in our lives where the food was ruling us and not the way it should be, we rule the food.

It's like saying we are failures. Hard to admit to this but for me it's true. I was having no control over my appetite. It is like that big lion on the TV ad for Lap Band Surgery. And making it a little kittie is a good thing.

So all you August All stars....it's only going to get better....and we are going to get thinner.

Edited July 27, 200818 yr by Shamrockgirl60

Shamrockgirl and All You other August All Stars who are freaking out,

I noticed that you are 60 years old and I am 61. I am nervous about my age, but think I need to get control and live the rest of my life in a healthier state. My surgery is August 15th and my prop diet starts August 1. I don't know if I am more nervous about the surgery or the pr-op diet. This is such a tremendous change for us. I too am embarrassed by the fact that I have gotten so out of control and made the decision not to tell many people, but I did tell me family. They are very supportive.

I thought about telling people that I am on a new liquid diet when they ask why I am not eating. If they ask any further questions, which I don't think people will, I will then decide what to answer. None of your business is ok for a response.

I am anxious to hear how the surgery goes for those of you who are having it at the beginning of August. I will pray for the success of all the August All Stars. Donna

Thanks, Carolyn, I am here!

I am getting banded on August 6th in Asheville, NC, and I am now on day 5 of my 2 week fluids diet. My doctor told me that I needed to do this because I have a "fatty liver," which means an enlarged liver - something that is common in obese patients. The banding procedure takes place behind the liver, so shrinking it helps the procedure go smoothly. I also had to lose 5% of my beginning weight before surgery. I lost 8 pounds on my own, and this fluid diet is taking off a lot more than what I needed. That's a good thing!

I know how you feel. I, too, worried about the judgements and looks I will face.

Being a nurse has made it difficult to keep quiet. I finally decided that I am not doing this for anyone but me. I finally decided that the looks and judgement don't matter to me.

You'll talk to your family when you are ready and if you don't want to discuss it during your vacation, DON'T.

Thanks, Carolyn, I am here!

I am getting banded on August 6th in Asheville, NC, and I am now on day 5 of my 2 week fluids diet. My doctor told me that I needed to do this because I have a "fatty liver," which means an enlarged liver - something that is common in obese patients. The banding procedure takes place behind the liver, so shrinking it helps the procedure go smoothly. I also had to lose 5% of my beginning weight before surgery. I lost 8 pounds on my own, and this fluid diet is taking off a lot more than what I needed. That's a good thing!

Welcome MaryD, I live in Florence,SC and will have my surgery in Conway,SC, I have to go on a 5 day liquid diet, they said it would shrink my liver and it would let them see before surgery if I can stay on such a rigid diet. I'm a tuff old broad so I think I can do it:lol::teeth_smile:

If I can do 14 days, you can do 5!

Shamrockgirl and All You other August All Stars who are freaking out,

I noticed that you are 60 years old and I am 61. I am nervous about my age, but think I need to get control and live the rest of my life in a healthier state. My surgery is August 15th and my prop diet starts August 1. I don't know if I am more nervous about the surgery or the pr-op diet. This is such a tremendous change for us. I too am embarrassed by the fact that I have gotten so out of control and made the decision not to tell many people, but I did tell me family. They are very supportive.

I thought about telling people that I am on a new liquid diet when they ask why I am not eating. If they ask any further questions, which I don't think people will, I will then decide what to answer. None of your business is ok for a response.

I am anxious to hear how the surgery goes for those of you who are having it at the beginning of August. I will pray for the success of all the August All Stars. Donna

Hi, yes one of the oldsters here. I am retired so that is a bit of a help. Only my family and a few close friends know about this. At this point I say what the heck LOL. Good time to get healthy and happy.

I'm seeing my surgeon for the first time...today and excited and scared. One more week till surgery. It will go fast I am sure. I will surely post all my progress and how the surgery goes.

take care

Pati

hi everyone,, hope ur all doing well. Im back from a wks holidays and i ate everything in site cause i had to start pre-op diet on friday gone, i put on 4 lbs in that wk. The diet is so hard - im on liquid diet (slim fast) with 5 portions of fruit a day. All i want to do is have a propper meal, even a salad, im not craving fast food i realy want propper food veg curry or salad. Not what i thought id be looking for. I dont know how people do it for longer than the wk, fair play too u if u do u have great determination. OMG my opp is friday i have 4 full days left - nerves kicking in big time. Before this wk i was looking foreward to it thinking this is it no more feeling shit bout my self. Now its around the cornor reality has hit hard, i cant belive im going ahead with it, this is real surgery.....

I havent been telling many people, non of my family know, my mother and brother died within the last yr so i dont want to give my dad anything else to worry bout. my partner knows and is totaly behind my, he says im so unhappy with myself that it worth the money, i agree. my sis in law is getting banded with my so my partners family know. i dont want others to know and watching every move i make.

anyway i fly out to belguim on wed get pre op test on thurs and then "D day" is friday.... HELP...