Whey ready

My doc office said 4 hrs NPO before the swallow and that's what the floors say to do too...if u eat before the stomach might be moving or stretched and u won't get the best fill possible. And tell them u don't want the lidocaine...it makes u numb so u don't feel the poke of the fill needle but it burns/hurts so bad and u still feel the needle moving around its not worth it, a big breath and 3 seconds later the needle is in and no burning. Oh, make sure u take a big gulp of it too, I know...its against what they tell us to do...but if u take ltl sips it looks like the band is tight enough but ur really not so they don't give u a big enough fill. Hope that helps

Hey all, looks like most are doing great and everyone is working super hard, keep up the great jobs! Flew for the first time since banding to vaca this weekend, went fine, no problems at all, and it was only 4 days after my second fill (5.5 cc now) so I was worried but no problems so far. Feel tight but not too tight, just enough pressure after eating the right amount to tell me "hey, time to stop!" Let's see if this lasts before I call it my "sweet spot" enjoying vaca and crazy thing...I've lost 4 lbs this week without a lick of exercise! I think its just water wt bc I couldn't bring my water jug on the plane (even empty, the security dude made a huge deal about it and made my boyfriend take it back to the car, jerk!) and doubt I'm getting in enough water now...its like my ltl crutch that darn jug, oh well! Hope everyone else is doing good...what seems to be the going rate? I have been steady at 1 pound a week, wish it was 2 but oh well. Keep up the great work ppl

Our own personal hot tub 3 weeks post op, bc I knew the chemicals in there and ppl...reg pools 6 weeks, just wanted to make sure it wouldn't get infected

Shannan staying the same also...any ideas how to jump start this again?

Does anyone know the reason why cereal is on my list of foods to avoid? I understand liquids and food push it through the band but is there something else?

thanks vicky, and wow 5.4 lbs, go you!!

Thanks, very excited

I would love to join too, would like to be down to 195 by then, 207 now...that's what, 8 weeks? Sure hope I can do it, how do I add my name to the sheet?

Hey all, hope its going well...down .8 to 207 for me, I might be blind, but where is the sheet? Anyone have any tips for having a st paddys day drink without overdoing the cals?

I too brought a letter to my pcp with all my reasons why I wanted/needed the band, all the diets I had tried, my emotional battle with food, and a summary of all I had done to get ready for the band and then only needed the pcp letter of recomendation...he said it was the best thing ever as it made his job so much easier. The upper gi before surgery is a little weird...drinking thin,thick,lots of barrium, being turned, twisted, and flipped but its not that bad and I was even able to raise both arms and use one hand to drink n one to pinch my nose, but now after the stuff you have to drink post op, it was nothing! Hope this helps, I looked for this info on here pre op and couldn't find it :/

First, ur not a failure. That liquid diet is hell, and if we could all just stick to that we wouldn't need bands so ur being hard on urself. 2, every doc is different and as long as ur slip ups weren't big macs ur gonna be fine...the whole point is to shrink the liver so they can do it laproscopically, 3 every docs pre op diet is different...mine was 2 shakes and 1 protein, veggie meal a day so sounds like u did my diet and I would bet u will be fine. 4 u have already proven u have willpower as u quit smoking for this, now just get use to the meal portion sizes/protein requirements and u will be fine and 5 good luck tomorrow, looking forward to seeing u on the post side

I aggree with above that the board can be missleading and u have to do ur own research. I tend to comment in bursts as when I'm having a bad day/week..I.e. gained a pound, seem to be stuck at the same wt, made poor food choices..I tend to stay away bc I don't want to post negative things when this truly has been the best decision I ever made for ME. I knew this was a tool too, and that losing 1-2 lbs a week is considered normal...and I have been, but I think I look at it some days and wish I was 100 lbs down rather then 40 at this point. Only u can make the decision for u, and yes there r risks as there r with any surgery but someone once put it to me like this...if u knew u had to have surgery for a broken organ (appy, pancreas, g. Bladder ect.) U would do it right? Now knowing that the risk for death/infection/surgical complications is 5 times higher for those problems then wls, u won't take the steps towards saving ur life by banding? Idk, that just always stuck with me and I'm happier because of it....tip, don't get into the rhythm of weighing urself daily...when I do that I drive myself nuts, when I do it 2x a week I feel much better about me and my wls

If ur surg was in sep 2010 then ur all healed up right? (No redness, drainage, oozes?) If there are no signs of infection or other openings my doc said go for it...I do planks, crunches, bicycle, leg lifts, use the big bounce balls to lift with legs-crunch-lift w arms, repeat ect. My port is low..maybe 1 inch above my belly button to the right (my left) and doing my upper abs aren't a problem, just the middle..hurts a ltl but my doc thinks once healed its almost physically impossible to "burst ur band" on abd exercises so he said to do it all unless it hurts like stabbing pain...not the burn of working the muscles. But like said above, if there is still too much fat there u can get abs, but they will be under the fat, so no flat midline just firmer until u lose the fat there

Size 0 clothes, and 4 inch heels? U guys are my heros! Just 2 months out and seeing some results, but looking forward to getting to that point, thanks for the positives

Since I do this from a phone I can't copy n paste (or idk how to sorry!) But I will try to get it all in. Thanks lindsey for doing this again..if I was more tech savy I would help u, but sadly that is not the case, and joan for starting it- even when I have a bad week or, gasp, gain a pound or 2 for weigh in this group always has motivating posts and I appreciate it Shannan Starting 207.8 Goal 202 I need to re-start measuring EVERYTHING I eat and not just eye balling bc my eyes r huge! Banded 12-15-10 total wt loss 39.2 ( but I like to say 40 to feel better )

Oops, looks like I missed a week, sorry! Almost made goal..207.8...off by .3, next challenge! I think part of it was me doing the pouch test, anyone else do it? I'm on day 3...not so much starving as realizing how much I I have actually been eating..time to really get back on track and measure out exact portions of food...but that will be my goal for march madness good luck to all and congrats to those who made goal

I work nights too, have for the last 3 yrs and it has caused such havoc on my body...not only did I gain 60lbs in 3 yrs from eating all night to stay awake, but its very hard going from days for school to nights for work 3 days a week and that caused major issues too. I feel that my band is loose in the am when I get home from work and sometimes I do the worst thing possible and eat before bed...but then again I don't eat again till 7pm with sleep and getting ready for work again. I just have to remember to pack my 3 meals and snack when I work the weekends of 4 12hr shifts back to back to help with the extra grazing. Also I found that iced coffee, with splenda and non fat milk helps me feel better to eat when I wake up...I wouldn't think iced would be the way to go but it works for me. Hope u get to a happy place w ur band and eating and working nights

Shannan here down to 213 after a dissappointing first week...tryin for 211 next week, fingers crossed

Ugg, I think the kisses are kicking me arse...no more! Shannan checking in at 215...up .5, maybe it was the 4 wings on Sunday...idk but either way its the first time I've gained and I don't like it...double time at the gym this week

Lindz...if motivation is ur hard point try a class. After paying 30 for a 3x a week month long class I felt like I had to go to get my money worth and it was less expensive then the dvds I bought and tried to motivate myself at home to do. Also you get to know the ppl in a class so it was nice to go and chat with them plus if I didn't go one time when I went back everyone was like "where were u?" it made u come so u didn't have to make up an excuse. I know the money adds up, but if its just for the rain/snow months it should only be a few months a yr then u can go outside n walk instead. Good luck

I use the speak people app, it tracts my fitness, water, and cals and easy to use on the droid...there are some u can scan barcodes for but since surg I'm eating at home and less barcodes available

I am an er nurse so I understand ur problem here, but all I can say is that it is worth it. I too was soooo scared of surgery since I had never had it before and post op complications and is this still too new of a procedure ect. Looking back now I know it was a little silly to be soo scared, and I did all the research I'm sure u will too about complications, death/mortality rates ect...I even looked up my specific mds rates online... like said above, only u can make this choice, the band won't work for u until u work for it, but ur still young and have children u want to be around for...I think after u do ur own research you will make the best decision for you

Hey all, good to see so many continue on with these challenges! So since jan only had a loss of 5.5 I wanna make 7 lbs for feb, so starting weight 214.5 and here's to wishing for 207.5... went to the gym today and found a personal trainer for cheep so goal is to meet with her 2x a week, and not eat too many chocolates ( 3 kisses every other day isn't too bad right? Considering I use to eat a bag in one sitting...head shakes) and to drink more water. Good luck all, here's to a new you!

Shannan here, 214.5 and that's after lunch, oops...not goal but feel good about the 5.5 I did lose. See u all in the sweetheart challenge

What is everyone doing to rev up their exercise routines for this? I tried small jogs on the treadmill....like walk 10 min jog 2 and I feel like I still jiggle too much to jog...any other ideas?