FLORIDAYS

my mother died.... and I believe she died because she wasn’t a good candidate for a surgery she needed because of several factors.. age (79), overall health / physical condition and weight (she was 5'4" @ 260). I watched as they had to constantly overcompensate for her weight...larger wheelchairs, bed with a scale in it, even a larger stretcher when she took her last ride to hospice.... It was a 7 month wake up call for me. That was in 2009. At the same time but daughter gave birth to her first child and the baby died in childbirth. That was 3 weeks after my Mother's death. Needless to say it was a rough time. But it also opened my eyes to my own mortality. I was turning 50 the next year so I seriously considered my options but I never did anything about them. Then I flew across country on business in August 2010. Southwest airlines decided I needed two seats. That was the final straw. I came home... started researching WLS, interviewed a couple of surgeons and made the decision in October. I was banded in December.

When were u banded? 12/9/10 How much hve u lost ? 216 pounds Whats your current weight? 161 Measurements Before After Bust 44" 34" Waist 42" 28" Hips 77" 37" BMI 55 23 SIzes Top 2-3x Small Bottom 4 or 5x 8

Lol. Very ambitious....but you know yourself better than anyone, i didnt have any pain but we went away for a weekend about 2 months post op and i was in much better shape than i was five days out. But thats me and I am sure you will make the right decision...

Substitute fruit for Water? Now there is a new one..the average calories in a piece of fruit is around 100...and full of sugar. Granted its the good kind but still. How much fruit would we need to eat if we weren't drinking water?

Ditto.

Check with your NUT or dr... A phone call or email so answer your question. My dr said no dairy until the 2nd wk.

My dr said I could bathe or swim the next day after surgery. I would ask your dr what he suggests. That said... In my opiniom 5 days post up is a bit soon to go on a vacation. You will be on liquids which may be a challenge, you may be weak from the surgery, you may be constipated, have horrible gas and you may just feel like lying in bed. It was 2 weeks before I felt normal.

welcome to the forum... You may want to start a thread so people see your question ....it may get lost in this long thread...just a suggestion. But in any case I would do your research, read everything possible about the band and consult with your medical team to decide if it's a good option for you.

My dr said with the exception of pizza and steak or any thing with a tough texture like nuts." anything is a mushies if you put it in the food processor or chew it 30 times... That said I stuck with the basics..mushed veggies...carrots, peas, and beans.... Mashed potatoes, tuna blended with fat free dressing, hummus, applesauce, fat free pudding, cottage cheese and yogurt.

Mine came out when I was 30.... You will be fine... Recovery similar to the band...maybe a little longer. Best wishes

I am not a dr but it Sounds like the pouch is full. How much chili did you eat?

My dr warned me early on before I was banded that spouses of people who lose a lot of weight often become insecure...worried we are going to leave them after we are looking all hot and skinny or concerned that for some reason the relationship ..not just you will change.. So my advice is to be understanding... And tell him regularly how much you appreciate his support. Go out of your way to reassure him you are doing this for your health so you both can enjoy a long life together. Also...he is scared of the unknown...he isn't really sure what to expect in the days and weeks to come and he maybe lashing out at you because he is nervous. Of he is worried that the focus will all be on you and where does that leave him? Be patient and lovng... I bet he will come around. As for the other naysayers.... Ignore it.

He is just proud of your decision... Don't be mad at him, my husband is average weight but he did the same thing, I told him I just would be comfortable telling a few people and he told everyone we know....lol. It actually worked in my favor. Everyone was super supportive and I found by telling everyone it helped me stay on track because while I was self motivated... Knowing people will be looking for the "loss" made me want to succeed that much more. Also I didn't have to explain why I was on liquids for 2 weeks pre and 3 weeks post op... They already knew. I am down within spitting distance of my goal and the compliments, kudos and accolades are pretty nice to hear. Turns out hubby was just so excited for me... He wanted to tell the world. Now I can be his arm candy and enjoy his attentions.

All the best for a successful surgery!

Super news! Sound like you are making it happen for yourself. Congrats !!

Sounds like you are doing great ! I had my first fill 2 months post op since I had a pretty significant loss the first few months

That is fantastic. Start boxing up the clothes which are too big... No sense keeping them around,...You need to make room for the new stuff!!!!

Life will always get in the way. It's what happens when you are trying to do something. Obviously having the hiccup of the aftermath of a hurricane is incredibly stressful and the inconvenience of no power makes life hard. I am so happy you are ready to put it behind you and start your life as a bandster. Good luck!

You look terrific. Thanks for sharing!

You need to walk as much as possible. Even if you don't feel like going out side walk to and from the couch to the front door as many times as you can. I also took gas x which seems to help.

I didn't exercise during my journey. Well not much to speak of anyway. I started walking in the evenings after the first hundred lbs came off and that's all I have done. However I did try to be more active which wasn't hard since I had a lot of energy. I am forever doi g something in and around my home because I too have a lot of responsibility besides working 50 hrs a week. Going to the gym doesn't thrill me and i dont like to wak alone in the dark so i picked up a used treadmill so I can walk inside. One of the reasons I kept my calorie count at 1000 was because I didn't exercise. I averaged 10 lbs each month for 22 months. So now I am maintaining.... And with the treadmill I should have no excuse not to walk..ie weather, time, responsibility. I am working on it.

Having been around this site for the past couple of years it has proven to be a great source of motivation for me as I have learned to live with my band. As with many public forums it is comprised with many different personalities and people from all walks of life. But we all have one thing in common... we are fat people wanting to be thin and have found a tool which will help us achieve this goal. This forum was a great support for me but I never needed it to lose weight. My Dr told me how to do that and I drew from my own motivation the willpower to make it happen. Some of us are seeking info or just starting out, others are well on their way and many have been successful and want to give back to the band community they way someone gave to them at one time. I fall into the latter catagory. Although I am a pound from my original goal and 11 from my "stretch" goal I am pretty much done with the journey and am now just living my life as a thin person. But I am still here for several reasons... I enjoy seeing all the excitement and energy of new bandsters. I have been successful and I want to help others make this work for them as I have done...even tho I am not one to coddle or spoon feed.... Additionally I too still have questions about different things and its a great place get honest answers. But here is where my concern lies... It seems recently I have seen people struggling with all sorts of topics from pre op cheating, eating solids too soon after surgery or being in need of a fill and embarrassed to go to the Dr because they are up a lb or 2.. So it makes me wonder.... are some of the Doctors out there just sub par? Seriously.... while I used this forum alot... I leaned on my Dr for most of my information and instruction. He is wonderful. His staff is effective but of course I was ultimatly responsible for making it happen. Are most Drs like this or are they just there to give you the band and send you on your way? Or on the other hand is it that people think this is some miracle cure and you will be successful with little or no effort? Then when its doesnt work or they struggle the blame gets placed back on the Dr? I was just curious to hear your take....

I was banded on 12/9/10. I have lost 216 lbs and On 12/18 I am having a tt and breast lift. I have a flat stomach but only in clothes. Out of clothes there is about a 3" flap from hip to hip that I just cannot stand. My belly looks like a shar pei'. My PS said while the tt should take care of it he may do some lipo once he gets in there. Since my belly button now frowns he will fix that as well. Additionally he said he would give the area under the hairline a lift since its a little puffy with extra skin. I am so excited.

Sounds like you are doing everything right, it took me 2 weeks to get my strength back to what I considered normal.

I just saw someone post in another thread her doc has been banded for 10 years.... And I know I have seen people on this site who are 5+ years out. Hopefully they will post in this thread.