My Primary Care Dr. has been asking me to consider this surgery since 2002 and in 2003 we tried to get the Insurance Co approval but were turned down, and then in the same period I heard about someone who works for my employer dying on the table during his lap-band procedure, so I put it out of my mind... pretty much.

This year, instead of the usual staycation, I took a cottage in Cape Cod, it was a tiny cottage, and I could barely fit into the toilet and the shower stall... but the worst part was that I was alone, as far as I could tell, I was the only person on the whole of Cape Cod vacationing alone. You could say I had an epiphany and I decided that the way I was living, the self-isolation, was plain wrong and that I deserve to have a life that includes other people - because at some point in my life as I got heavier I decided that friends and family were a bother, who needed them, I have a good job and home, what more do I need than that. Well, I was wrong.

On Oct 1 I saw my Dr. for my annual and he brought in a printout of my weight over the past 7 years and brought up Lap Band again... when I said yes to getting a referral to a surgeon for a consultation, he practically did somersaults and went skipping down the hall. A month later, I saw the surgeon, Dr. Malcolm Robinson at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. Dr. Robinson said I am a candidate for surgery and needed to lose about 25 lbs before he can operate... well, the Holidays were upon us, and I actually gained a little over 4 lbs during that time... but something that shocked me most was learning, from Dr. Robinson's literature, is that I am not morbidly obese, but actually Super Obese. I am heavily muscled so I think I am probably more borderline. I can still get around pretty well, but this is clearly not healthy and no wonder I am so isolated from everyone. Going to the mall over the Holidays, fully grown adult males would say stuff to me like "mmmm SEXY" ~ so I hope they made their inadequacies go away by putting me down.

Two weeks ago, I decided that I was going to do what it takes and put myself on a strict high Protein mostly liquid diet, basically Dr. Robinson's two-week pre-op diet with the addition of a mid-day salad. I follow this to a T with no slip ups and have lost 6 lbs in a little over a week with 25 more to go. I see the surgeon for a weight check next month and we have a tentative date for mid-March but that can be moved up or back depending...

I just know I am ready by the fact I am sticking to a strict diet, and plan to lose every last lb. he asks of me.

Diet consists of a sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast at 6:30 a.m., 12 pm 4 pm and 8 pm. an apple at 10 a.m and orange at 2 p.m. with a Salad with lowfat dressing midday and a dinner consisting of a grilled piece of boneless skinless chicken breast (not just the 4 oz. prescribed for pre-op) and a salad with a little ranch dressing. Sometimes I have a fat free yogurt with 26 grams of sugar carb in it, or some sugar free Jello.

Edited January 19, 200917 yr by ibelieve

I meant to add that two weeks ago I bought a digital scale. I believe the scale is the key to my current successes and will be a part of my life for the rest of my life...

I need to update this post a little...

about my efforts as pre-op weightloss, I was able to get down as much as 20lbs lighter than the original 287 at my first surgery consult... but I fluctuated, then a weight check with the surgeon, I was at 272 and he okay'd me to proceed to book that date, May 6. I gained another 6 lbs because I was exhausted and began to eat again, all the wrong things in all the wrong quantities...

The reason I am bringing this up is that we should acknowledge when we are not successful, but we should always keep trying, and never give up. I would not need band surgery if I was able to lose weight without diet pills (fen-phen now off the market) and really restrictive diets.

I should add my other issue... AND NO EXERCISE.

I am back on a liquid/restricted monotonous diet, and will change to strict pre-op in a couple more weeks. I am not about to give up, and it is my hope that I will have the self-discipline it takes to be a successful bandster. I have been very aware of where my hunger comes from, and its from some mental habits I have developed. But when I was losing that 20 lbs. I did not think about those things, and when there was temptation within reach, I let it go. So I know I can do this. And anyone else in this situation can too!

It's mental will power, more than hunger. And physical exercise is an absolute necessity.