6 month PCP monitored diet.....what am I gonna do while waiting???

Ok, I have gone to the seminar, I have talked to my insurance company BCBS-AL and now I have started my 6 month Physician monitored diet. I want to lose 20-30 lbs before the surgery. However, I am obsessed with having my Lapband ASAP. I can just imagine how great I will look in a year, and I dont want to waste six months preparing. I guess I am just anxious. How did you guys deal with the 6 months of waiting??

During the six months you can begin practicing chewing your food and also sipping.  I thought the same thing when I had to go through the six months but by the time it was over I was pleased that I had the time to "practice" being a member of the band.  Your nut will also help guide you through issues that must be addressed before the banding.  Join a support group to get the insiders info; by doing so you will be ahead of the pack.  You are changing your life and the perfect time to begin is now!  Good Luck!

Thanks, I will. I have not met with a nutritionist yet so I am interested as to what they have to say. I have been on this site and youtube like crazy the last few weeks. There is so much helful information on these boards.

Believe me, the six months will fly by.  There is a LOT of information you need to familiarize yourself with, so you will need this time.  I was anxious too, but between all the doctors' visits and research, the time went fast.

Do you belong to a gym?  I really bumped up my workouts during the 6 months, which helped me lose 30lbs pre-surgery.  

This is an exciting time and you're going to do great.  It'll be worth the wait.

~ Barbara 

I do not belong to a gym, but I have a treadmill. My activity level is reallylow right now. But I started Weigh****chers as part of my 6 month PCP monitored diet and I am starting a walking program this week. Thanks for the enouragement.

A walking program is perfect for building up your cardio.

I went into my 2nd surgery in a very weakened state, which made it so much harder to bounce back from. The next time I had a surgical procedure, I made sure that I was physically stronger and it made a world of difference in the recovery process.

If your surgeon's program is similar to mine, you will meet monthly with your Nutritionist and there will be a battery of tests that need to be done as well prior to surgery.  I had to wait 6 months and I'll tell you, not only did it go really fast, I learned a ton!  I attribute much of my WL success to the education I received prior to surgery.  I learned a lot about nutrition, what's healthy, what's not.  I learned about what to expect once I had my band...which foods work and which may not.  I learned about portion size, how important it is to chew food very well, not to drink while eating, and many other tips on how to succeed. 

There were a lot of tests.  Blood work, an endoscopy, a psch evaluation and a sleep study.  Every surgeon is different, but there's a lot to be done and the 6 months will fly.

Use the time to your best advantage.  The more prepared you are, the more practice you have, the better set up you'll be to succeed with the band. 

Best~
Lisa O.

I have been to the seminar, but I have not scheduled my appointment with the bariatric surgeon yet. I am actually still shopping for the right DOC for me. I live in an area with lots of hospitals and options so I want to go to several seminars before I make a final decision. I plan to schedule a consultation around the 4th month after my PCP monitored diet. I don't think they can really file the insurance claim until the end of the six months, but I may be mistaken. I have never had surgery and this process is a bit much. THanks for the advice, I plan to learn as much as I possibly can over the next 6 months.

Start working out so that you can build up your strength. It really helps you to heal faster.

You are absolutely RIGHT. I really plan to start my walking program this week, actually before dinner I plan to get in a walk on my treadmill. I know I will have to start slow, but eventually I will build up my stamina.