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Ckiki, You are going to make it! You have done so well in those first 6 months. If I do that well when I get banded, I will feel successful. I wanted to let you know, in case you don't already, that you can save some money by getting a passport CARD rather than the passort BOOK. The passport card is $45 and gets you into Mexico and Canada and a couple of other places whereas the book is for international travel, like to Europe. The book is $100. So maybe you could save yourself some money and go with just the passport card for now! Here is the link: http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html

That was a great post! Made me laugh. I will be banded on the 21st and read the forum all the time. I get panicky sometimes that I'm not going to lose weight, but then I read something like this and it brings me back to sanity Cant wait to get a size 0 bikini.. * Muah ha ha* Ok well lets just say i cant wait for a towel to wrap around my waist lol.. start small.. baby steps Had to share this with you That's Awsome!! I love reading stories like this. They really give me confidence that my surgery will go well and I too will find my sweet spot!!

That was all good information...thank you for that. I am driving down to TJ next Monday, the 20th, for my pre-op tests and surgery will be the 21st. Gosh, I am getting obsessed with searching out information to prepare myself and it is to the point I am dreaming at night that I am eating and forgetting to chew and then I panic! OMG, I think I'm wigging out on all this stuff! I just want the day to arrive and have it be over so I can stop thinking about it! I've not been able to sleep very well the last 2 nights. Geez! Now I'm getting worried my passport won't arrive in time. I'm a mess. (

You said in your post you knew why you were having the pain in your shoulder. What is the cause?

Hi CanadaMama, How did those 21 days go? Was it a easier or harder than you thought it would be?

WOW! I am so glad I asked! Thank you all for explaining that and Dan, maybe I jinxed you by having you talk about it ! All I know is it sounds really awful if you eat too much but that is EXACTLY what I need to keep me in line. Thanks everyone!

Hi all, I am mentally preparing for my banding at the OCC on the 21st. Everyday I go into the forum and absorb as much as I can so that there won't be any surprises post surgery. Something that is frequently mentioned on this forum is sliming. I get puking, but I don't know what sliming or PBing is. Would someone be kind enough to explain these so I know what to expect? Thanks guys! :lb12:

I can't give any advice but I can give you congratulations. It warms my heart when someone gets pregnant after thinking they can't. I have a friend who has tried for years to get pregnant but just can't. There is no medical reason why she can't; it just doesn't happen. So, I'm very happy for you and know you will be able to handle losing whateve weight you gain.

Happy anniversary Christy. Gosh, I'm jealous! You are soooo beautiful!

Bah Humbug on her This is why we must do this for ourselves and not for our spouses, friends or family. It is our journey, not theirs. You hang in there and take pride in what you've done. You've done something very wonderful for yourself!

Are You adjusting ok now that you are at day 4? Hope so!

Irene, Here is a link to a discussion on Protein Shakes that was on the forum in June. Hope it helps! http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?show...=protein+shakes

Happy Band Day! Hope you are well. Be sure to report back your experience!

Thanks Dana...I understand your frustration. If you think that you have exhausted all other possibilities and think that the injections (just like a lot of people that do B12 self injections) will get you over your hurdle, then you ultimately must do what you feel is best, as long as it isn't harmful. Believe me, with PhenFen, before they outlawed it, I wasn't minutely interested in eating. That is HUGE for me because I have a big appetite. But I gained all the weight back and on top of it, had to have tests to make sure my heart wasn't damaged. I was lucky that it wasn't. Just be careful and make wise choices. Thanks for the support!

:-? Wow, a really good string of discussion here. I really feel for obese children. I was one and now I'm an obese adult who will be banded on July 21st by Dr. Ortiz. I became fat at age 5 and by age 12 I was 180 lbs. I go by my nickname "Red" now, or my given name "Patricia", but as a child, it wasn't uncommon to be called "fatty Patty". That has bothered me my whole life and obesity is more mentally painful when you are a child than when you are an adult, because you don't feel like you have any control over anything. You feel like you are on the outside of life's bubble, looking in. Obesity kept me from participating in anything in High School that interested me (except choir, which I loved), because I was embarrassed of my body. I feel like this body kept me from a happy childhood, and if something like the lap band would have been available back then (I'm 51 now, menopausal and have Hypothyroidism, which doesn't help) and offered to me by my parents, I would have taken them up on the offer. But the lap band is a permanent object in your body and the decision shouldn't be made lightly. But I think that children vary in their degrees of maturity and each case should be looked at independently. Having a supportive family is the first step in the right direction. Thanks for letting me share.

Three cheers for us girls of German heritage, big bones and apple cheeks! When I was at my thinnest, 130 lbs., I was a size 8 for the most part. I’m 5’6”. So yes, everyone is different. I just wanted to get my 2 cents in on the HCG topic. I will be getting banded on July 21st and the reason I want to do this is because I’m tired of chasing the “miracles” out there. I’ve tried them all, like PhenFen, appetite suppressants and a multitude of products that promise to be “the one”. Yes, they work for awhile, but not long term. For once I just want to lose the weight by eating right and exercising. For me the lap band is part of that triangle. Lap band/nutrition/exercise. I don’t want to try anymore temporary products. I do like the idea suggested of posting what you’ve been eating for the last 5 days (as Lindsay suggested) to see if anyone can give some sound advice on what to change that may be beneficial. That will be very helpful when I hit my first plateau, which I’m sure I’ will hit at some point after being banded. This site has really helped me prepare mentally for what is going to be happening to me over the next several months. Thank you all who participate. It really is so informative.

Ha Ha Roblynn! I thought that too! That is a good idea, take some sample pieces of old favorite clothes and make a quilt. My sister, who owns a quilt shop, made a quilt for a cousin of mine out of old t-shirts my cousin has had over the years, but didn't want to get rid of even though she never wore them anymore. It turned out sooooo cute!

Carrie, That is AWESOME!!! =D>

> We're with you SimSim! I know you'll make it to your goal. Just get back on that horse and ride!!!

> This is why I LOVE this forum. Everyone is so helpful and just so wonderful. I am driving 2 hours to the border alone, and back alone. I'm not worried. I'm not scared. I have had so much great input from everyone that I just can't wait to go and get it done. I hope I meet some of you there! My hubby was so funny today. He said the real reason I'm doing this is so I can get from the 13's to the 12's in drag racing! #-o

Hi July new bandsters and fills :-h I am 'heading down Mexico way' on July 20th for pre-op, surgery on the 21st and heading home on the 23rd. I'll be staying at the Marriott, so if anyone out there is going to be at the OCC that week, let me know so we can meet! I'm so excited, aren't you? I've been following this forum so that I will be mentally prepared for anything that may come my way the next few months. I am confident that I have chosen the best surgeon, and will be successful at winning the battle of the bulge. Obesity will NOT win. I will live the second half of my life, thinner, healthier and happier! All the best...

Hi CJen, I get banded in 3 weeks. I have told only my husband and 2 friends who battle weight like me. I will tell my family, but only after the surgery because I know they will be concerned about it being done in Mexico. There is a stigma, unfortunately. I have done my research and am confident with my decision so I don't want to get bombarded with questions from them until afterward. I understand that a lot of people don't seem to have this sense of having to keep lapband or bypass surgery a secret. That's a personal decision and you shouldn't feel guilty if you don't want others to know. But for me, I think it is such a wonderful technology and I plan to tell anyone who asks me when they see me losing weight because I know many of them will want to learn from my experience and will possibly want to have it done as well. I will be able to help answer their questions, just as people do on this forum, and that will be a wonderful thing. There is no shame in getting lapband surgery. It takes committment and hard work and it takes a strong person to make the decision to do it. Be proud of that and hold your head up. Think of the band as another tool, just like nutritous food, the gym or whatever else. You aren't embarrassed to tell people about those things, so why be emarrassed about the band? I congratulate you on your weight loss and you keep up the good work! =D> PS..I weighed 180 in the 8th grade, so getting the band at 27 is no big deal!

Hi there: This is a good explanation by Dr. Ortiz on You Tube. Hope it helps!

Shelby, Thank you! I've received that packet, filled it all out, and faxed it back. I'm driving down from Yucaipa to San Ysidro on Monday, July 20th and will have my pre-ops that day; surgery on the 21st. Carolyn from OCC said I would be there until Friday the 24th, but I think it must be Thursday. I don't think anyone's spent a whole 5 days there, from what I read. Tomorrow I'm going to the Post Office to try to get an expedited passport mucho fasto and will hope I can get it within 3 weeks. That would not rock my world if I ended up having to postpone my surgery due to lack of passport. ( Anyway, whew....things are on the move and boy am I ready!!!!!!!!!

Ha Ha, an assembly line! That's how it was when I had a colonoscopy a few months ago. While one patient is in getting the procedure, they have the next one ready on the gurney in the hallway right outside the door! What a crack up! (no pun intended).