dreamhappy07

Hi Greg, No, I don't know why. I thought that was rather high myself and it's alot. Right now, I am keeping the weight off, but it is getting harder to stick to that diet because of working at a computer all day and always wanting to snack on something. Man, I wish I had the band already because that would be nice not to be hungry and want to snack in between meals...lol I am snacking on fruit and veggies, but already sick of certain veggies and finding out one of my fave fruits is cantaloupe which started to make me feel bloated and retain water. My body is so strange. Anyways, I know I probably will not lose that much in the next few weeks, but should come close enough to it. Thanks for the reply, Judy

I thought I would just go ahead and ask if anyone is scheduled for surgery May 21st and arriving on May 20th. I haven't seen anyone post about these dates on either this board or lapbandtalk.com, so either there aren't any or it's too early to say for some. Peace, Judy

Hello all, I just wanted to write to just say I am feeling so bummed. I have been so good on the pre-op diet and have lost 17lbs so far after just a couple days past a week(9days). I am supposed to lose as close to 36lbs as possible by my surgery date on May 21st. This sucks! To be blunt. I know, I know...it will be worth it in the end, but it is so rough at times. I am sick of eating stuff like certain fruits and veggies that I normally don't like or eat anyway. The lean cuisines are good, but I want more variety. To make matters worse, my brother called and invited to Chinese food on him. One of my favorite foods, of course. Is it normal to be so bummed about dieting? Don't get me wrong. I am really happy and proud about the weight loss. I enjoy the protein shakes I am drinking and the meals. I have given up pop and drink alot more water. Yay for me! I guess I feel it is unfair for me to have to lose so much in so long before my surgery. Thanks for letting me vent and tell my sob story. ( Peace, Judy

Thanks Lisa! That does help alot, but you aren't required to have a passport right? You only need US id's and/or birth certificates? My mom has a passport and I have my oregon drivers license and birth cert. I will surely keep you posted and post my experience as well. Not sure why more haven't. Take care Lisa, Judy

Whew! Thanks so much everyone. I feel so much more relieved. My mom can stop stressing, now that we don't have to walk out into a field and board up the butt of the plane...LOL Peace, Judy

Well, my mom and I just got our plane tickets and it says we are flying to San Diego - Lindbergh Field. Is that the right airport? This is making me all kinds of stressed because it doesn't sound like the right airport that we need to be at. Please someone clarify this for me and put my mind at rest. Peace, Judy

Yeah, I hear that. It has been tough with little support on my end, but I have actually gotten used to the diet now. I am so happy to have the uplifting support from you. It helps alot and keeps me in going. Well, I am happy to let you know that after weighing myself this morning 3 times(don't trust my scale), I have lost 15 lbs. Woohoo! I gave up on the granola because it does have sugar in it, but have munched on dry cheerios here and there. The weekend was a bit rough, but I survived as long as I snacked on fruit or drank alot of water. My brother had me taste a chicken eggroll and after just one nasty bite, it wasn't too long after that I ended up in the bathroom...lol My tummy was shocked at that nasty, greasy food. Thanks again my friend Judy

Hi Donna, I am so excited for my experience that I will of course share also. Reading yours was a total inspiration of everything I have read on this forum. I was wondering if you are going to have your first fill around the time I have my surgery. It would be great to meet you and maybe go shopping also. My surgery is scheduled for May 21st, but arriving on May 20th. Best of luck with continued success with your band. Peace, Judy

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone here has arrived in San Diego early on a Sunday morning and scheduled to have their pre-op tests and surgery on Monday? That is my concern right now. I am scheduled to arrive on Sunday, May 20th and have pre-ops and surgery on Monday May 21st. My flight will arrive in San Diego at around 9:30am on Sunday. Is that too early? What will I do with the day? Will I need to spend some extra time at the airport to be picked up? Has anyone else arrived really early before or are going to in the near future? Thanks for all replies. Judy

Thank you so much Lisa for you play by play or step by step journey to being banded. =D> I am also arriving on a Sunday and having pre-op tests and surgery on Monday. I am concerned though that my DM and I are arriving rather early on Sunday morning. The only flights available from Portland, OR to San Diego were either early in the morning or late in the evening unless you wanted to pay much more for mid-day flights. What time did you arrive on Sunday? I know you were coming from the east coast, but was curious. Will they pick you up and check you into the hotel that early, or should my DM and I browse around the airport for awhile? LOL My surgery is scheduled for May 21st, but arriving on May 20th. So you had to walk across the border even after you just had surgery? That is different from what I have read from others. Thanks for any help you can offer. Judy

Thanks Kim. It's so nice to know that I have uplifting support. I have been having serious hunger problems the last couple days and starting to make myself thing, "if it's not sugar or soda, it's ok to have a little". Last night I did that and had three frito scoops dipped in nacho cheese. I am drinking alot more water though and trying to be good. I know I am good but not eating sugar or pop anymore. I got more fruits and veggies, but I also got some organic healthy granola to snack on. Also, some dry cheerios. That's not a good thing right? I shouldn't think it's healthy just because it says so, right? The granola has flax seed and omega 3 and 6 oils in it, but I think it is still a bad food for me to eat. It is very low in sugar and has pumpkin seeds in it. I should just hunker down and get some metamucil capsules or the chromium picolinate capsules to satisfy my hunger pangs like the paperwork said. Dr. Miranda never mentioned that I could take those for the extra hunger. Congrats on your weight loss too! That is so great! I hope by this time next week, I will be there too.

=D> Yay for me! I weighed myself out of curiosity yesterday and lost 7lbs.! woohoo! This is working so far. No sugars, no soda, protein shakes, lean cuisine, veggies and fruit, and of course, lots of water and juice.

Whew! I am getting excited and nervous also. The pre-op diet I am on is a bit rough, but I am doing ok. I hope there will be others on the van along with my mom and I so my mom has someone to walk through with. Did you do any shopping in TJ? My mom and I are kinda looking forward to shopping. Can you pay with US money at the stands and such? Really would like to know all I can before we go even though it is over a month away...lol Judy

Thanks so much Donna. So do you think we shouldn't bother bringing our birth certificates? How was is going over the border before surgery? That is nice that they let you stay in the van on the way back if you had surgery. There must have been quite a few of you. Judy

Thanks Katie. That is what makes me nervous about needing both your US ID cards and a birth certificate. Even though my Mom and I were born in Germany, we are American citizens. How would that flow with the border guards? :-? I hope our US Id's is all we would need. Peace, Judy

You go girlfriend! LOL You are an inspiration. Are you drinking the protein shakes too? I was afraid of eating certain fruits because some of them turn to sugar in your body, but maybe it's the good kind? I know we or you for sure can do this. Thanks, Judy

Hello all, I am sorry about asking this again. I think I did once before or maybe it was on another board. Those of you that recently have been banded, did you cross the border with just your US ID's or did you take a passport? My Mom is going with me and she paid for our plane tickets today and we have outdated passports, but have valid US ID cards. I am a worry wart. I know that I have been told and also read up about passports not being needed unless you are flying into the country. But I just want to be sure because it's a bit late if we need a passport...lol I am concerned about having to bring my birth certificate too because I was born in Germany, but am a US citizen. My Mom also. Thanks for any replies in advance! Peace, Judy

Hi Kim, Thanks for the boost! I really need it. I have cut out sugars and now am going to give up my diet coke w/lime. I will be able to do it if I just get some diet juices. Wow! 9 lbs in 2 days? How did you do that? I am not a big water drinker, but need to start. I started at 375, but won't weight myself until the weekend. Dr. Miranda wants me to lose as close to 36lbs as possible in the next 5 weeks. Not fair! What kind of fruits can I eat? Can I have SF vanilla ice cream with unsweetened strawberries? I can't handle the strawberries alone. The veggies so far that I have tried to snack on at work are cukes and carrots...yuck! The cukes I can probably handle here and there, and I love carrots, but not raw. I need to steam them or something. Not much to choose from since alot aren't in season and/or are very expensive still. I love cantaloupes and watermelon, but still pretty spendy. If you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to give them. Thanks Kim, Judy

Well, today is the first day of my pre-op diet and my surgery is 5 weeks away...yikes! I hope I am doing this right. I am drinking a little coffee(gotta have my coffee, starbuck or other), with sugar free flavor, a muscle milk chocolate drink for breakfast, lean cuisine for lunch, and a muscle milk drink for dinner. Plus all the veggies I want. yummy...lol I wasn't told about fruit? Can I have strawberries-unsweetened? Bananas? Anyway, if anyone has some input, please give me some tips or advice on this. I am not craving any other food so far. I know my body needs to adjust to this. If I could just drop alot of water weight from my lymphedema swelling, I should be good to go! Thanks, Judy

You are so very welcome! Good luck. I just got my Lean Cuisine meals with a coupon 6/$10 and they a really big variety. I didn't realize they were high in protein as well. I also got some Wishbone Italian Spritzer to spray on my veggies since I can't have dressing on a salad. I have cucumbers(peeled) and some baby carrots to snack on while at work since I work on a computer all day. You can do it. I am determined to do it too. Peace, Judy

Hi Kim, If they want you to lose that much weight to lower your bmi for surgery, then they should have had you see or talk to a nutritionist and for them to tell you how to lose the weight. The nutritionist at Dr. Ortiz office told me to lose as close to 36 lbs. as possible in the 5 weeks before my surgery, and she told me to start drinking a protein shake for breakfast(Glucerna), and dinner and a Lean Cuisine meal with meat for lunch. Also, I could have up to four pounds of veggies a day. I went to Costco and found Muscle Milk which is the same thing, but has lower sugar and higher protein in it. It is going to be hard, but I am sure I can do it. I hope. lol Good luck, Judy

Ok...so I went to Costco today hoping to find a good deal on the Glucerna shakes for my pre-op diet and the Lean cuisines for my lunches. No go on the Lean cuisines...they didn't have them. I got Muscle milk protein shakes instead because they have more than twice the protein, and 2 grams less sugar than the Glucerna. They were also $6.00 cheaper. There was less cans of them, but they were bigger than the Glucerna. I got some veggies to snack on too. Is this ok for a pre-op diet? I'm am thinking I made it better. Has anyone had the muscle milk before? How is the taste? I haven't tried one yet. I got the chocolate of course...lol What about the South Beach diet meals instead of the Lean Cuisine? Are they allowed instead? Haven't priced those yet. I hope I can lose what they want me to. It's gonna be tough, but I know it will be worth it. Peace, Judy

What do you mean you got rid of the pesos in time? Are you not supposed to take any to the US? I hope when I have surgery, then I can go shopping, but it depends on if someone is there with me like other bandsters.

Welcome back angelav! So happy you posted. How was your trip and experience? Did you shop? If so, did you use US money or pesos? Take care! Judy

Thanks Lori! I promise I will follow the instructions to a T. I get very strict with myself when I start any diet. I know for a fact that just cutting out all sugars will help me lose pretty good. It has once before, but it took about 2 months to lose 22 lbs. Have to be alot more struct this time. That's great that that you can still eat other things once in awhile. But, for me, I would be terrified of getting one taste and boom, I overdo it...lol I look forward to talking with Dr. Miranda tomorrow morning. Could you please have her call me between 10:00 and 10:15am? I will be on break then and can talk. Otherwise, I will be really busy and won't be able to. Thanks again, Judy