FLORIDAYS

My Dr also subscribes to the no carbonation rule for all the reasons others have stated which for me as a former Diet Coke junkie was a sacrifice... but obviously worth it.... I have two "go to" cocktails if I am in a social setting (or mindset...LOL) which warrents a drink. Many bars are starting to carry the SKINNYGIRL margarita which has no carbonation. You can also get it for 10 bucks in the liquor store. I think there is 50 calories per serving. Also I will have Citron vodka and water with a splash of cranberry juice and a lime in a tall glass. Its refreashing and only about 60 calories. Being someone who could have 4-5 cocktails in an evening and not been on the floor.... oh how things have changed. I now have a drink maybe once a month and have no desire to have any more.....

I didnt eat solid foods for 1 month after being banded so I cannot tell you what it should be feeling like at 6 days.... however now that I am almost 10 months out... and am in the green zone and eat too much 1 or 2 things happens to me. I feel like I have been hit in the chest with a brick for about an hour or the food comes back up... usually not in a violent way but its still comes back up. I have only felt that way a few times and looking back it was more becasue I ate too fast...not too much.

I was banded on a thursday... I went out to dinner with hubby (I had water) on Friday night... I lasted 2 hrs. On day 4 I went out again for a few hours... rested Monday and Tuesday and went to work on Wednesday. This is such an individual thing.... hopefully your friend will be understanding if you just come for a short time. And regarding the post I saw about food being a problem... I had no appetite that first week and had to make myself drink my liquids... I could have cared less about any goodies! LOL

Rest assured....the band and the port in no way have any relationship to intimacy. You most likely will forget its there... until you eat or drink.

I use myfitnesspal.com for my ticker but thats it. I use calorie counter on my phone which interfaces to their website to track my intake but to be honest I use the guidelines my Dr suggests as a guide as opposed to any other guidelines. I stick to about 1000 calories per day. All the charts tell me to eat 1700. I wouldnt have lost 120 plus lbs in 10 months if I did that!

It was very fast....2 weeks or so

Since I have an actual LAPBAND..... My Dr gave me a packet from that manufactor. I sent in the registration card and recieved the card.

Having the band really hasnt been a problem for me. A few minor inconviences in the beginning like having to deal with Dr appointments, liquids, gas, musshie foods etc...but that is short lived in the grand scheme of things. I follow my Drs orders to the letter and am completely committed to make this work. Today I am 9 months post op and have lost 120 lbs. I am 5'9" tall so I am a "big girl". My BMI was 55 on December 9 2010. Today its 37. I am not morbidly obese any more. I am not going to die young! I have 87 to go and expect to be at my goal by March.... 15 short months after being banded. But here is the thing.... I have lost 40, 60, 75 lbs 4 other times in my adult life. And 20-30 lbs more times than I can remember. I have been on Adkins, WW, Jenny Craig, Optifast and everything else you can think of. I always succeed for a few months... then I struggle. I get board with the diet du jour and pat myself on the back and say.... I am SO board with this diet I just need a little break. 2 years goes by and I have regained all of what I lost plus 20! I never changed my habits. I just stuck to a diet. With the band I cannot over eat. Sure I can eat the wrong things now but why would I? I am losing 10 lbs per month! Granted once I am at my goal.... I may induldge every once in a while but my band will not let me eat too much so the damage isnt going to be that great if I get back on track the next day. I call my band a permenant reminder of a temporary feeling. It is such a personal decision. Only you know if you are ready.... and you know what your level of commitment is. I had 207 lbs to lose. That is an overwhelming number. I have 87 lbs left. Thats more then some people need to lose overall.... but I was ready. I was tired of all the issues in life we deal with because we are fat.... seatbelts on airplanes, chairs instead of booths in restaurants, not being able to walk any distance without sweating or being out of breath,,,,eyeing a chair to make sure its wide enough, outweighing my spouse buy 150 lbs, shopping my catalog.... you get the idea. I was ready to do whatever it took to make this fat dissappear and never come back. You need to be at that point or in my opinion the band is just not worth it. Its not an easy fix... its a lifetime commitment. Best f luck to you!

Same for me.... I havent used the card except at the airport after a body scan and I was asked what was in my stomach.... lovely. I usually order salad or Soup if kids meals arent available. Or a regular dinner and ask for a to go box.... I have explained to numerous servers that I have the lap band and can only eat 4-6 ounces and no one questions it or asks for the proof of the card.

I have lost 120 lbs as of this morning.... on my 9 month anniversary.....87 more to go to my original goal. That may be altered by 10 lbs but I cannot bring myself to say I have 97 more to go. LOL

my math skills obviously end after 8pm. LOL

thanks Jess..... Was surprised to see a 2 lb drop this morning to make it a nice even 120 lost on my bandanniversary. I counted wrong.... its only 9 months since banding. I am more psyched now. 87 lbs to go......

Oh yes.... they were my lifesaver. The fruit ones are good too and only 25 calories i think.

thanks! I havent gone to any meetings.... I live in Plant CIty and work in Downtown Tampa so whie the office is close by i leave at 5pm and cannot bring myself to hang around until the meeting starts after a 10 hr day @ work. I know which nurse you are referring to.... i met her on my surgery day and saw her at the office once during a weigh in. She is on this site but I cannot recal the name other than it has "ice" in her screen name. Lovely gal!

Wow...my Dr orders liquids for the first day...mushies the 2nd and back to regular on day 3.

Go back to the basics.....3 oz.of Protein....half cup of veggies and 1/4c of starch....3x per day and you should have a nice loss in the next month.... Also you may consider getting a fill. Best of luck!

Love to see everyone's progress....I have my 10 month anniversary tomorrow....the time has really flown by! Still losing about 2 lbs per week. But like many of you I have had my share of plateaus. But I seem to make up for it the next week....weird but it seems to be working. Just love my band! Congrats to you all. Keep up the good work

I love straws. Always did.... so when my Dr said no straws I was unhappy but followed his advice for the first 6 months. Now I use them in moderation 1-2x per week and make sure to sip and not suck too much air in.

I am just over 1/2 way but losing 118lbs has made a pretty big difference! I love that I dont need a seat belt extender on an air plane. I love the way my hips are slimming down and there is no fat hanging over my bra anymore but most of all I love the definition I have found again in my face. My collar bone is starting to re- surface. Its been in hiding since 1985..... I have 89 lbs to go so I will be seeing her soon.

I was also getting about the same calories you are at that stage of my journey. Make sure you weigh yourself at the same time and with the same clothing... naked first thing in the morning works best for me. But I am a scale addict and I weigh myself at night too.... and there is a 3-4 lbs difference in the 2 numbers. Sometimes I noticed a gain in the first few months but by the next day it was gone. Remember you are still healing now... its takes a few months to fully recover from surgery.

I dont know whats on your list but I ate mostly cottage cheese, tuna, Beans and veggie burgers (no bread) chewed until pulverized. LOL

Dont fret.....I can take about 1/2 a bottle of water at a time and I am 10 months out. However make sure you do limit WHAT TYPE of drink. Many wasted calories are spent on soda and smoothies.... I now only drink water, tea, 1c per day of skim milk, crystal light and the occasional glass of wine.

I appreciate you not wanting anyone to be judgemental and since I dont walk in your shoes I won't be. However I didnt cheat for 6 months post op so you can stop reading if you like. If you are still reading.... I didnt cheat for 2 main reasons. I have gained and lost the same hundreds of pounds over the years and needed to find something which will help me keep off the weight. I believe I found it in the band. Now that the liquids, gas and post op pain is over I am learning to live with the band. I REALLY want this band to work and was / am committed to do whatever I have to do to see that it does. The second reason is that I was scared to death if I cheated I would botch something up and have to go back in the hospital for a removal or to fix something I messed up. But I am not telling you this to be self rightous. I am telling you this to make sure you know that if you eat the right foods at the right time and the correct quantity...you will be successful which I am guessing you want more than anything. SO many people think the band is a license to eat whatever you want... just smaller quanities of it. In theory when you are maintaining I suppose thats true. But I am not there yet. I count every calorie that goes in my mouth (with a phone ap) and know that if I go over 1000-1200 per day I will not lose anything. Recently when I have veared off for a meal or two I havent gained any weight.... I just didnt loose for a few days. I could eat one piece of pizza and be stuffed instead of eating 4! That in itself tells me this band will work once I hit my goal. Best of luck to you!

food still tastes the same to me.... but i cant say I enjoy it like I used to. Its just fuel to me now. Not that its a bad thing mind you... this mind set has lost me 118 lbs as of this morning.

Dr A is the best. I am having stellar results but I am also following his instruction to the letter. The only tip I have to to walk walk walk after surgery. You may not feel like it... but trust me.... you need to do it to begin feeling better. Especially if you have gas in your shoulder like I did. Stock up on broth, clear juices like apple and sugar free popsicles..... Best of luck to you!