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I started this journey in October 2012 and now its June 2013 and I am down 100 lbs.... It wasn't easy either I have made a lot of mistakes somewhere daily but I kept my focus worked out, even when I made bad choices I didn't let them affect me the rest of the day like I have done in the past. I have done weight watchers, counting calories and nutri system and have never lost much or stuck to something so hard. At first I felt like this was wrong because I was dropping weight fast and that I couldn't do it on my own before. Well I couldn't do it on my own I needed help and I found it and I will never look back on those 100 lbs or bring them with me to future. This is the best choice that I have ever made and I would do again if I had too... This has changed my life and I can’t wait to lose the next 75 lbs! :wub:

Today is day 3 of being banded. I am eating jello, popsicles, broth, water, and I have some sugar free apple juice. Oh and ice, LOTS of ice. I am so gassy its miserable, I bought the gas-x strips extra strength and they are doing no good. I dont know if its gas, or if its the band that is hurting but its a sharp stabbing pain right in the center of my back where my bra strap would sit. My incisions are itchy and sore but IDK what they look like, they are still bandaged up. If I lay down to take a nap and actually get some sleep when I wake up I feel awesome, then I move and that sharp pain comes right back. It's not there continuously it comes and goes. Hubby says its all the gas they filled me with. Ugh I cant stand it. I stayed over night in the hospital after my surgery, there was no way in hell I could have gotten in a car and drove home. NO WAY. I was in some serious pain!! But it seems to get a little better each day. I go outside and walk my back yard in laps. My back yard is about 1/10 of a mile all the way around. And I walk it at least 3 times. Someone else can do the math, I am not in the mood.. but I know its enough to make me have a small sweat (no, couldnt be the 100% humidity) and I come back in and I feel better. My daughter and I took my measurements today, and I need to take my ''fat'' picture. I'm not a religious person, and I am known to ramble but here is my prayer; Lord, please help this gas pass out of my body, let this band be the tool that I need to get my life back, please help me when I am falling and help me find the strength to overcome this and get through to the other side. - Amen.

I think I have split personalities, I'm not quite two weeks out, but one part of me expects that I should be 50 pounds lighter or something. While the other side knows better. On one hand I am already rethinking my decision, while on the other hand I am happy it has finally came. I am fighting with myself that I have only just begun this journey, and it has not even been 2 weeks. So, I am going back and forth with this junk in my head. I know I need time to heal and then time to get the right fill possibly,but the other side of me is like I'm not eating so I should be dropping weight right?. My husband says my face looks thinner even though the scales not moved. I think a part of me unconsciously expected to much, I think i secretly thought I'd wake up from surgery and be thinner and drop weight as I walked., a pound a day type thing. Consciously and reasonably I know that is not realistic by any means, but i still struggle with that other "personality" in me. I'm still fighting with that part of me that has helped keep me big all this time and has helped me fail in every aspect of losing this extra person I carry around. Maybe that's it, It is like a second person I carry around one that does not want to be pushed away or put aside. But I'm so done with that relationship. I want the thin me to be the only one I carry around. So, to do that I'm going to have to win this fight between my two egos and literally beat the fat out of the fat person in me. So with the help of this group, my Doc's team of professionals, and the thin person in me I will prevail. I have to do this, I have to be successful this time it's the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs, and I up to bat with 2 strikes and 3 balls and this girls not walking or striking out it is a hit I'm going for so I'm going to swing and with help of my new bat (band) I will hit a home run. ~~~Stephanie

I don't mean to scare you but the color of your urine does not sound good. Can you call your surgeon? Do they have an after hours number? It could be nothing, but if you still have it i would check to be sure. It's the pinkish color that worry's me. ~~~Stephanie

Stephanie - you are in the most difficult part of the journey. The only way I can describe that part (for me), was a roller coaster ride, unlike any other. But I have to tell you.....now 11 weeks out, and back to most foods, it totally changes. No, the weight doesn't fall off (yeah, I wish it would, too), but it's coming off consistently, and now I look back on the last 11 weeks, and I'm 26 pounds lighter. Would this have happened without the band? NO - it wouldn't have! When the negative ego rears its ugly face, try & remove yourself from it; listen to its unreasonable voice, but stay neutral. You can't really stop it from talking to you.....it's been with you forEVER. The "real you" knows what's best for Stephanie, and that is the voice that needs to intervene between all "head conversations". I refer to these as "the committee". The real you is the one in control. I love the analogy of the baseball game! Hold on to that..... THAT Stephanie is the captain of the ship. You can and you WILL do this!! It was a good decision, and I believe that you will know that clearly in the weeks to come :-)

Congratualtions on being banded. Use a heating pad for the gas pains, it does help. The gas pains lasted about 3-4 days with me. Good luck with your new journey.

Texflea, congrats on being banded. It sounds just like gas pains. Each day you should feel better. It took me a least a week or more to stop having the back pain, so what you're going through is normal. Use your pain meds as needed, but as Stept04 said, if your pain becomes worse, call your doctor. Best of luck. In no time the pain will be just a memory.

My NUT (love calling her that) said that my weight loss would look like stair steps on a chart. From what you have described this is happening to you as well. I eat between 600-800 calories a day and exercise about four times a week (elliptical, mowing grass, cleaning house, walking etc). You may need to experiment by eating a few more calories to give you extra energy to be able to workout more. I found that changing (not necessarily making it harder, just changing) my exercise routine helped when I felt stuck. Our bodies are very adapt at wanting to store energy and by changing your exercise routine you can jump start your weight loss. Drinking more water will help, as well. Good luck!

If you can do a liquid diet with hunger in your stomach, think how nice it will be to do it post op without the hunger? I am 6 days post op and we had a bbq last night, I enjoyed waching my family eat good while I hade a small bowl of delicious tomato soup. Life is good!