Hey all....................

I am pre lapband but am scheduled for May 13th. I am glad I found this support group. I have tons of questions and I'm sure I'll tons more after the surgery too. Can't wait to make some new friends and hope this jouney changes my life for the good. Tired of being a spectator. I want to get in and play.

Hi Debbie, Welcome to the club I am pretty new at this also, but I have found the greatest support on this site, its just great! I have gone through all my pre-tests and now I'm just waiting for my consultation with the surgeon. I'm pretty excited as I'm sure you are too. I totally agree this is going to be a great journey to a new life. I have met alot of new friends, even though its through the internet write now, they have all been wonderful with responding back when I have any questions or concerns, its been a great help for me as I begin my journey. Anyway keep on postin. Good luck. Kim B.

Hi Kim, I was happy to get such nice responses and so quickly. It's very comforting. I have been trying to do this for so many years and it's almost as if I'm dreaming. As the day draws nearer I get more nervous and then all these self doubts start. That's why I am so glad I found this site. I know I'm going to spend a lot of time here and I really want to get to know all of you and do this together. Here we gooooooooooooo............... Debbie

Hi Debbie...welcome! I would definitely recommend check out the May 2007 forum. My November forum has been a God send since we are all going through the same stuff at the same time. We all still talk constantly. Good luck! Corinna Q

HI Corrina, Thanks so much for your suggestion. I will do that and I am really happy I got responses so quickly. I feel really good about this group, kind of a safety net so to speak. I look forward to getting to know all of you and sharing our journies. See you soon, Debbie

Hi! Don't forget to go to the lap band forum, too. And I have to say that the surgery date forum isn't the best idea for a lap bander. I found myself getting really depressed after surgery when all of the RNYrs and others were posting that they were at goal and I hadn't even lost 25 pounds... Slow and steady is the way I want to go and what I chose to do but, still, I found myself comparing and that was a very bad thing to do (because it makes you think you're a failure then you run out and get the milkshake anyway). Anyway, for lap band-specific questions you'll get much better responses if you post your questions there. Obviously there are universal questions that can be asked here or on the main board. Lori

Hi Lori, Thanks for the suggestion, I haven't really checked the site out too much but I knew finding people who were going through it would be the best folks to go to. I am so the kind of person who will look at the other people's weight loss and start in on myself so I'm glad you pointed it out that losing is the objective, not the speed. Maybe that will be my mantra......................lol. How long have you been post op? Do you struggle with remaining positive? I sort of worry about that and I think my family is too. I think they fear some food monster is slumbering just beneath the surface. I look forward to sharing more with you, and thanks. Debbie

Oh, Debbie. I don't know if I should tell you... I'm not completely the best person to encourage you in the weight loss process! I was banded on Oct. 7, 2005 (I was around 427 pounds). I lost 30 pounds pretty quickly. Then it stopped. I actually continued to get fills during this time (decreasing how much I was eating -- I always ate pretty healthy but the quantity decreased) and started actually exercising (I'd been pretty-much confined to my recliner at home) -- I started physical and pool therapy three times a week. No change. Then my weight started to increase. In October (12 months, almost 13 months out) I had my sixth fill. I was back up to 407 pounds through December. For some odd reason that fill actually kicked in in January (it is not unusual for fills to kick in two weeks out -- even though docs don't always think so) after my friend got me involved in an emotional experience when we had to put her kitty to sleep. Now I'm around 377 -- that's the lowest I've been in over two years. So, I've managed to lose about 50 pounds but lose it very slowly. I went 9 months were I would lose and regain over and over again. I AM NOT NORMAL. There are countless others who've lost more than 75 or 100 pounds in the same time period (obviously it depends on how much someone has to lose). I also have had fairly conservative fills. I've got the larger band -- determined by your surgeon at the time of surgery based on your anatomy -- and I have 6.5cc in my band. Someone recently posted that she just got her first fill and it was 6.0cc! That's huge (at least in my opinion)! So, for me, I'm just thrilled I'm not gaining so I'll take any loss I can get... Now, aren't you glad you asked? Lots of people who had other surgeries when I did have gone on to have plastics or have completely left the board. Depressing to read, I tell you, depressing! Lori

Hi Lori, You know what? I really appreciate your honesty. I know going into this that the procedure is so different for every individual so I am trying really hard not to sabotage myself by having unreal expectations. I think the fact that you have stuck with it for all this time and have the where with all to realize that any loss is positive is really very encouraging. Is it frustrating? Yes, but so is not having any change or even a glimmer of hope. I am 5'2" and 304 pounds. I can't breathe, can't walk for more then a few minutes around the house most days, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, very high blood sugar, arthritus in my knees which I had a series of shots for and I am sick to death of sitting in my recliner and watching life pass and me being a spectator. I will take any loss I can get and you inspire me. I have been to doctors who with all their education and definite lack of compassion have told me that I am eating too much. I don't, and would tell them what my diet consisted of. There is no one in my family that eats as little as I do and that includes my small grandson. Some of us are blessed with a genetic make up that is excellent at storing fat. One Dr. told me to eat 600 calories a day. I researched that and found an article that said the concentration camp prisoners had more calories a day than that. How very reasonable of him to think I could live with that kind of a diet for the rest of my life. People like us have continued to fight despite these types of prejudice and ignorance and you are the perfect example of this. I am glad to have met you and I'm glad that I can go through this with someone like you. Talk to you later, Debbie

Lori what exactly is RNY and is it associated with the lap band or is it a totally seperate kind of surgery.