New Here - This board anyways

I am new to this board getting the Realize band on 1/20 YAY! Pre-Op diet day 3 not too bad yet . I would like to make some realize friends because peer-support is AWESOME!   Little about me:    I think I should get and award or rather a punishment for being the most indecisive patient. I started looking 4 years ago at the lap band and then lost over 100lbs on my own so I no longer qualified and was doing great! Then I gained 75 ish lbs back but it has been a lot harder to try and lose it this time. Weight loss surgery take 2 this time initially I wanted the lap band but was advised at my first surgeon office I was too LARGE for anything but the RNY. I wanted the sleeve after the session but the RNY ended up being encouraged so much I went for that route. I never fully felt comfortable, I was constantly stressed and just wanted to want it like I should. After talking to some people I realized I was not too LARGE for other options and decided to try for the sleeve as it was the most aggressive approach I feel comfortable with and got denied. A few lap band friends and a very positive new surgeon advised that I could in fact be successful with the realize band. So as I sit here writing this I am sipping on my strawberry unjury mixed with crystal light lemonade and feel at peace and comfortable with where I am an what I am doing for the first time in months. I think this peace alone and the journey to get here is going to make this process much better for me than if I would have just gone straight here.

 Well first off WELCOME! 

Second - you sound a lot like me.  I too researched the band for over a year and was initially told I should go the bypass route. Didn't want to too that drastic a surgery so lost 50 lbs on a doctor supervised liquid diet and of course gained it all back.  Went and found another surgeon and was approved for the realize band and had it done 11/12/09.   

Congratulations on your fortitude to not listen to anyone else but yourself!  

Thank you so MUCH! Congratulations to you as well on your surgery and the one of your choosing! I never realized how pushing doctors could be about stuff! Your doing great!

Welcome to the board.  Only you can decide was WLS is best for you.  Good luck and hope you get approved. 

Welcome to the board and soon to be band life!!!  Your story sounds very similar to mine in regards to initially thinking you'd go another route.  I was the same way, it just never felt comfortable and never felt right.  I finally allowed myself to "LISTEN" to the band seminar and it was like a light went off in my head, along with HOPE.  I thought wait, I can do this.  I can use this tool and do it.  I felt happy, excited and ready...something I did not feel with any other procedure.  So, this was right for me and here I am.  I am 70 pounds down from when I began the process, 38 since surgery in September.  I am so ready to get my 2nd half of the weight off. 

You will do great!!  Good luck on the liquids, when it get s hard just keep telling yourself you CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN do it and you REALLY CAN.  Just remember it will pass, it will be over, you will be banded and you will be back to regular foods and when you get there you will be so proud of yourself and that is a great way to start this new journey to a healthy new life. 

Oh, and I love the strawberry unjury.  I buy the lemon propel water and mix it with that.  It's very yummy!!!  Right now I have been on the chicken soup one because I love to sip it, all nice and warm at night.  It's good too.  You should try a sample packet if you have not all ready.  Plus, it will be great for you right after surgery when your drinking tons of chicken broth and need to get your protein in too. 

Keep us posted on your progress!!!

Boo

Just want to welcome you to OH!  I hope you use your band as a tool to get it off and keep it off. Thats my goal and so far its going well. Let me know if you have any questions. I work with surgeons all day and I had the surgery myself so I try to use all my resources.