Hello!

I am new to this group and just wanted to say hello. I haven't been scheduled for surgery yet, still doing all the pre-op visits to the specialists, but I am hoping to be "banded" at the end of June. You all seem so friendly and supportive of each other, that I feel very lucky to have found this site. I'll be checking it daily, so if anyone has words of wisdom or advice, please send it my way! Thanks, and God bless all of you for your courage and strength!

welcome Robin! I wish nothing but health and happiness for you! Hugs, Heather

Hi Robin, I'm also Robin, in Ewing NJ. Feel free to hang out with me anytime. Email me privately if you want to exchange phone#s and get together for coffee or something. Robin

Hi Robin Welcome. I am just finishing up all the pre-op hoopla and am scheduled for my surgery on June 8th. Same Dr as you I think. Feel free to email if you have any questions, I know it can get very overwhelming sometimes. If it wasn't for some of the members here talking me down off the ledge a few times I wouldn't have made it this far. Heather

Hi heather, I too am new to this site. I am scheduled for surgery June 1st with Dr. Fares - RNY. I had a very similiar experience as yours with the surgeon. I'm just curious, what have you been drinking & eating? I've been having alot of veggies and protein, it's very difficult. Not looking forward to the holiday weekend!!!! Dina

Hey and Welcome. Were you also scheduled with Dr.J-B? Crazy stuff huh? Anyway lets see.... I am eating 3-4 protein shakes and veggies with a few SF popcicles thrown in. I am also trying to taper my coffee. I don't want a caffein headache on top of post-op pain. I am getting nervous and excieted all at the same time!!! How are you holding up? Keep in touch

Hello Girls! My name is Michelle and I live in Brick, NJ. I am also pre-op :) I am going to Dr. Trivedi in Hackensack. I haven't been approved for surgery yet, but I have done all of the visits that I needed to do to get approved. I went to the psychiatrist, nutritionist and primary care. I got letters from all of them, approving me for the surgery. I see that someone asked about the nutritionist meeting. I went to a great nutritionist, in Toms River, her name is Laura Robbins. What the nutritionist does is mostly educational for after surgery eating. She also went over the diets that I have tried and what I lost with each of them. Laura was excellent, I can't wait to meet with her after my surgery. She only takes patients who are diabetic OR gastric bypass candidates, so it's her specialty I would say. She gave me literature and some samples of protein drinks for after surgery. I would also highly suggest that you come to a support group before surgery, I am going to go to as many as I can. I went to the group at Community Medical Center this past Friday night and it was great! I met 2 sisters who went to the same surgeon as I am going to, they were especially helpful for me. You will meet people from all "stages" of surgery, people considering it, people that have a date set already, and people anywhere from a couple of weeks after surgery to many years post op. I can't suggest this enough, come to a meeting! The next one near me is at Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood, I am not sure of the date, but I am sure someone will post it on the boards. Good luck and Godspeed to us all. I am meeting with my surgeon this Tuesday, June 6, and I hope to get a surgery date then. Michelle

Hi! I am also new to all this. And want to say hello. I am scheduled for July 21st but have to get all the nonsense done first... I am planning to have the lap band. I am confused about one thing and was wondering if anyone could help explain it to me... did eveyone have to have a nutritionist eval before their surgery and anyone know of a good one? I was looking under BC/BS and there wasn't one under the plan at all so i guess i have to go out of network. Which really isn't a big deal . But what is the purpose of that anyway?? Yeah obviously I don't eat right...and obviously I need to lose weight>>> lol I don't know.. anyone have a clue? Thanks Clueless in Jersey

Hi Ashley.. welcome to the New Jersey Board ! I am Timmy Ray, 42 years old, proud hubby of Sandi J, just celebrated my one year anniversary May 16th, down in Orlando at Walt Disney World, and I am 18 months out from Surgery as of May 22nd. I have lost 210 pounds, my wife Sandi is also a post surgery RNY person, having lost 150 pounds and is at goal weight 2 years out from her surgery (March, 2004). I am not a NJ native, I grew up in Oregon, but lived and had surgery in Iowa. I was in Iowa for six years, then met my wife to be via the Singles Board here on Obesity Help last year, moved here... got married 16 days later (weeee : ) and well here it is a year later and here I am : ) We have two (2) really supportive groups, basically the same group of enthusiastic and friendly people that meet in Toms 'River, and Lakewood , respectively, at 7pm two nights a month. Toms River is at 7pm the First Friday, at Community Hospital on Route 37. and Lakewood is at 7pm the Third Thursday, on the grounds of Kimball Medical Ctr off Route 9. We have folks that are from 2 years out, to a few weeks out, to folks that have not yet had their surgery. We (our group) is made up of people that are very enthusiastic about sharing what we have learned, and encouraging folks, I hope that you live close enough to come visit and check us out on one or the other nights that we meet. We also have a group that meets in Manalapan NJ, but it is smaller and not as well known. If anyone is interested in that group... email me or call me, it meets the 2nd weds of every month at 7pm, about a 1/2 mile off Route 9 in Manalapan. You are very cordially invited to come check out one or both of our support groups, its a great group of really genuine people : ) Anyhow.. Welcome to the New Jersey Board ! I used to post a lot, pages and pages, but then between graduate school ( I wanna be a teacher doncha know) substitute teaching at Hope Academy in Asbury park, married life and general urgency of cir****tances, my "posting" has been t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e. This will improve : ) Nice to meet you, I hope your preparation for surgery goes swiftly and smoothly, and I hope you have a super day : ) Take care Timmy Ray