DetChatt

I am so shocked at the attitude of your surgeon! Mine was the complete opposite. He talked to me extensively and agreed the band was the right fit for me, my personality and lifestyle. That said, if you've chosen the band, you've obviously done your research and soul searched and know it's right for you. Take that knowledge and have faith that it's the best tool for you. Having the right (positive) attitude is half the battle, but you can do it. It's a life changer.

Have plenty of everything on hand, because everyone is different as far as what they tolerate. I could barely get ANYthing down except for popcicles for the first 2 days. Call the nurse hotline if you are worried during your recovery or don't feel right. They'll help you through.

I promise it gets easier. The first few days are the worst. My best advice is to drink plenty of calorie-free liquids in between shakes to try to fool your body into thinking it's full. That and keep busy and stay away from your routine eating habits (like in front of the TV or whatever). It gets easier as the pounds come off and you get more excited. Good luck !!

I'm all about P90X too (and the new 10-minute trainer series). I mix that with my elliptical.

I have the card in my wallet but worry they wouldn't find it quickly enough since you'd be tubed pretty quickly if it was that serious and not conscious to tell them. I think an ID bracelet would be a good idea and am thinking of getting one.

I've been stressing about this lately too. Not that I've been on a date in YEARS (sad right?), but the thought has crossed my mind that it wouldn't kill me. LOL But I agree with the advice to deal with the topic when the time is right. Now hopefully I can remember this for myself (eventually).

Those plateaus are the worst. I hit one every few months like clockwork. Glad you broke through yours and yay on the new clothes !!

Oh my. A few more fills, and you may be done with french toast and grilled cheese. I've had no bread at all since being banded (mostly out of fear).

I agree that taking it with the protein shakes would be best. Most antibiotics definitely need to be taken with food.

Agreed. You won't know it's there until the first fill. I had no clue which incision was for my port. After losing quite a bit of weight, however, I can now definitely feel my port (no biggie).

Congratulations! That's just awesome. You've earned all the bragging rights.

Not a man, but I use good old Flintstones chewables and supplement with a hair/nail formula for more mineral coverage. If you use protein powder, you'll get a lot in there too.

Everyone loses at a different rate, too. I'm a slow loser and really have to push through plateaus. Try not to compare your progress with others and just focus on continuing to lose and follow your diet and exercise plan. It'll happen for you !!

I'm about a year out from my surgery, and I felt the same way when I started out. Luckily, my process went very quickly so I didn't have a lot of time to freak out. LOL I've never had any regrets and this has been a life changer for me. Just follow your doctor's orders and get a good support system going. You'll do great and it'll be over in no time.

Just take it easy and don't overdo it. My secret is to do the exercises you DO like and focus on those. If you do things you hate, you won't have any motivation. It does get easier with time, so hang in there. Good luck to you !!

I agree it's from the nerve problem. I had it for a while after one particular fill, but it went away completely after the next fill. It was very painful there for a while. Hope yours goes away soon !!

I think it does get better, but patience and adherence is the key. I had my band near when you did (mine on 03/30) and my first fill this past week. I lost a lot with the presurgical diet and the weeks after but felt like I was gaining when I started on solids even though I was following the diet to a T. Since the fill I don't feel as hungry as the week prior and I've really followed my eating plan. I sometimes almost forget to eat actually which is bad too. I've been eating a small piece of grilled fish or chicken and then follow with some cooked carrots or other veggie if I have room, but I'm usually feeling full after the protein. The key for me is to EAT SLOW and CHEW CHEW CHEW. This has taken a lot of effort for me to break old bad habits, but it really works for me. I'm down 32 pounds from my presurgical weight but it really just started coming off again after a plateau for about 2 weeks. It's going to be different for every person. I know that. So I have to do what's right for me and only share my successes and failures, but if what you're doing isn't working then perhaps you need to change it up. It's going to be a bit before you get the right "fit" with your fills (and me too), so in the meantime it's up to us to pull whatever tricks we have in our bag to get through the tough time. If I feel hungry in between meals, I'll have a small protein drink (the good kind from the doctor... not the high carbohydrate/sugar crap from the store) and those really hold me over, plus they give me the protein I feel like I'm lacking. Also veggies are also a good between meal fill-up. Please hang in there and don't get discouraged. WE CAN DO THIS !!!