YIPEEEEEE, I'LL BE IN BANDLAND ON NOVEMBER 20TH:party:

Anyone joining me? Anyone as nervous, excited, scared and shocked as I am? I'm doing tons of reading on this site and I'm really trying to grasp how much my life is going to change!!!

I met my surgeon today. LOVE him. Love his staff. He changed my pre-op diet...he doesn't want me to do two weeks of liquids only. Shake for breakfast, shake for lunch, low calorie/low carb dinner. Full liquids two days before surgery and clear liquid only the day before. I am so glad..whew! lol

I'm scheduled for Nov. 20th. After 2 denials (because my surgeons coordinator didn't send everything they asked for twice, finally I did it myself and was approved within 2 weeks). I can't wait.

hi, mine is on the 19th as well in Belgium.. Brugges with Dr Dillemans, wheres yours

Hi everyone. I am being banded on Nov. 19th in SC by Dr. James Givens:thumbup:. I am so excited. I go tomorrow for pre-op at the hospital. Good Luck To all the November bandsters! :smile2:

Hi everyone! I will be an official bandster on November 17, 2008!!! I start my Pre-op diet on Nov 7th...10 days of low carb slimfast and clear liquids. My family is just as ecstatic as me, we had Thanksgiving dinner the weekend of Halloween, since I will still be in my post-op diet. Like everyone else, I am a rollercoaster of emotions...as silly as it sounds it's almost like I am losing a friend. Food as been such a part of my life when I was happy, sad, mad.....fortunately I have real friends that don't make my butt bigger when I'm emotional...:laugh:Good luck to all the November bandsters!!!

It took me over a year to get approved by my insurance. Things took so long, my insurance changed and I had to go thru the whole process again. Finally in June, I got banded. I wouldnt recommend it to my worst enemy. After several adjustments, I lose from 2 to 4 lb a month only. And either I am puking up EVERYTHING I eat, and unable to eat at all until evening time, or they take more out, and I am miserably hungry. If it works at all, even tho I try the 30 chew per bite (actualy I do 60) The first 10 or 20 bites I take, have to be puked up, no matter what it is. Unless its soup. I cannot eat with friends or family -- as I have to have a puke cup right alongside me. I am sore from the puking. And they drain out some fluid, and now I am just hungry 24 X 7. I hate this. It was supposed to help. They never told me that I would never again be able to eat in public, or that I would puke the rest of my life, and that I would only loose 2 lb a month, or 4 on a good month. At this rate, I will be dead of old age before I loose this weight, and living in misery besides. I have been on this forum, and cant figure out how to do a new post, so I am replying to a post -- just to make myself HEARD -- that anyone who has not done a band, DONT DO IT DONT DO IT. Like me, it might not work for you, and your life is completely RUINED. TBYRD.

I have read your thread about all that you have going on in your life at the moment and and for that you have my sympathy, BUT, all of the positive outcomes in this forum outweigh your bad outcome. I researched the pros and cons of lap-band surgery before ever comitting to it, as I am sure most others have. I know going into this, it is not a given that I will lose all the weight I want to, but really what in life is a given anyway? I am confident in the choice I have made.

Hi Everyone, I am going to have my surgery also on the 19th. Seems like the 19th is a big day for a lot of us. I am also trying to get as much information as I can. I am praying this is the answer for me. I have tried everything and this is my last hope. I too would love to take a vacation and be able to enjoy it. I get so tired and can't seem to keep up.

It is scary to think about the surgery and how muy life will change. Food has been a comfort to me. Both my parents passed away and this last year I lost my last grandparent. I have let food control me and now I am ready to take control.

I want to be healthy and I think this will get me there. This site is so fantastic. We can all lift each other up. I live in Katy,TX. Anyone live close? Are there any good support meetings?

I can't wait to hear about how all of your surgeries go.:smile2:

Hi everyone! I had my surgery almost 9hrs ago. I feel fantastic!! I've had very little pain, and I've been walking around the hotel a little each hour since I got back. And I was back to the hotel only 5hrs after surgery!

So I just wanted to let everyone know, I'm thrilled that I got this done. No regrets whatsoever. I'm feeling better with every hour that passes. :smile2:

Yay Jmegirl! I am thrilled for you!

Yay for you, Jaime!

Hi and welcome to Supergirl and all the other new November bandsters...here's hoping you find all the info you need on this site - I think it's great!

Twyladawn - I'm sorry your experience has been so negative, but I have to agree with Supergirl - the positives I've seen on this site far outweigh the negatives. I find it really difficult to read and understand why someone would say that their bad experience means that NO ONE should get the band. Saying "Don't do it" may just be enough to dissuade someone else from investigating a procedure that could literally save their life.

I don't think anyone would dissuade you from expressing yourself, but as I've learned from my time on these boards, the lap band experience is one of the most individual experiences anyone can have. No two people seem to react the same - we don't all lose weight at the same pace, we don't all have problems with the same foods, etc.

I know that this will be a process - and I'm very willing to go through the process for me and for me alone. I'm willing to share my experiences - both positive and negative - to help someone else, but I'm NOT going to tell anyone else to avoid something that is so individualized based on my experience.

I hope that you are advocating for yourself and your health with your doctor - don't give up on talking to them and asking for help. From what I've read, it sounds as if you needed a slight unfill, maybe not a total unfill. Understand that it's a process and it may be a bit "fiddly" until you reach your sweet spot, but DON'T GIVE UP! Keep working with your doctor, keep getting small fills, keep asking questions and demanding answers until you get the result you started this process for.

Don't give up - a healthier life CAN be yours - I believe that wholeheartedly.

It took me over a year to get approved by my insurance. Things took so long, my insurance changed and I had to go thru the whole process again. Finally in June, I got banded. I wouldnt recommend it to my worst enemy. After several adjustments, I lose from 2 to 4 lb a month only. And either I am puking up EVERYTHING I eat, and unable to eat at all until evening time, or they take more out, and I am miserably hungry. If it works at all, even tho I try the 30 chew per bite (actualy I do 60) The first 10 or 20 bites I take, have to be puked up, no matter what it is. Unless its soup. I cannot eat with friends or family -- as I have to have a puke cup right alongside me. I am sore from the puking. And they drain out some fluid, and now I am just hungry 24 X 7. I hate this. It was supposed to help. They never told me that I would never again be able to eat in public, or that I would puke the rest of my life, and that I would only loose 2 lb a month, or 4 on a good month. At this rate, I will be dead of old age before I loose this weight, and living in misery besides. I have been on this forum, and cant figure out how to do a new post, so I am replying to a post -- just to make myself HEARD -- that anyone who has not done a band, DONT DO IT DONT DO IT. Like me, it might not work for you, and your life is completely RUINED. TBYRD.

You are most definitely in a very tiny minority of patients. I have five people in my life offline who have had the band who are doing fantastic and all the research shows it is a benefit to the vast majority of people who undergo the surgery.

I am so sorry that yours is not working for you, but I have to speak up to encourage those who would be dissuaded by your very unusual situation and your generalizing in advising against it for everyone based on your situation. You are not the norm. I hate that for you and I am sure it is hard to hear. I hope you find a way to be happier and healthier and I am sure you mean to wish everyone here well.

Just got my date... as happy as I am about everything moving along, (in my case, very fast from what I've read-5 weeks start to surgery date) I have to admit that I'm scared!!!!! The reality is really kicking in. I can't even pinpoint one thing that I'm anxious/ scared about, but one of my biggest fears has to do with the surgery itself - !

Hi everyone! I had my surgery almost 9hrs ago. I feel fantastic!! I've had very little pain, and I've been walking around the hotel a little each hour since I got back. And I was back to the hotel only 5hrs after surgery!

So I just wanted to let everyone know, I'm thrilled that I got this done. No regrets whatsoever. I'm feeling better with every hour that passes.

I'm soooo happy for you! Glad to see your out and about already and feeling good! Wishing you all the best on your new journey!

Jmegirl You ROCK.. I hope I can recover as quickly as that.. I'm a cake baker and I have a cake I need to assemble 4 days after Surgery so keep me posted on your progress!! I love the positivity from this site... this process is emotional enough with out the negativity!!!

So Everyone keep up the good work and lets keep on trucking on !!!! :thumbup::rolleyes2::tt1:

Jmegirl You ROCK.. I hope I can recover as quickly as that.. I'm a cake baker and I have a cake I need to assemble 4 days after Surgery so keep me posted on your progress!! I love the positivity from this site... this process is emotional enough with out the negativity!!!

So Everyone keep up the good work and lets keep on trucking on !!!! :thumbup::rolleyes2::tt1:

Hey!! I'm still feeling better than I expected, although the gas pains started last night so that made it a little worse. My mom is about to run out and get me some Gas-X strips, and it's time for pain meds again. I swear that the pain meds are helping the gas. I need to do a few more laps around the hotel now. I'll keep you updated on my progress and how much pain I'm in!