Allison0927

THAT IS ONE-DERFUL!!!!! I PLAN TO BE THERE BY CHRISTMAS - WHICH WILL MAKE IT MERRY INDEED!!!!!

good to hear that juice worked- how have things been going today?

EXCELLENT WORK!!!!!!

Hi Allyson! growing up i always wanted my name spelled with a "Y" lol! anyway - on an extra large pizza - like pizza hut cut into triangles - i can usually just do one slice - maybe 1.5 - on a square pizza cut into squares (thick crust large - just cheese or xtra cheese) i can usually do 2 pieces - sometimes only 1.5. I think after my next fill beginning of november i likely will either not be able to eat thick crust at all or even if i can will only get down 1 slice. We will see. Best of luck to you!

It depends how much saline you have in your band - how tight you are. I don't have much restriction (5.5 ccs in 14 cc band) and can still eat pizza with no problems (even thick crust). I do eat way less than i used to - depending on the pizza i can comfortably have 1 slice, sometimes 2 (some times 1.5 slice) - it all depends. I used to eat a whole half of a large pizza so i'm doing a heck of a lot better these days. I've been losing great - and maybe have pizza on average 2-3 times a month.

i have it - the plans vary but BASICALLY unless the employer opted not to have bariatric surgery covered - you need a 35+ BMI with at least 1 co-morbid condition or a 40+ BMI on record for last 5 years (no need for a co-morbid condition). On record means with your dr's office. They let the 5 years slide sometimes especially for otherwise healthy people that may not have weighed in at a dr.'s office every year for past 5 years - ALSO and this varies by plan - you may be required to go through a 6 month dr. supervised diet first - i did not but again it varies by plan. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!! one warning - i do not know if this is true AT ALL but i saw or heard a rumor that UH is doing away with bariatric surgery coverage beginning in 2012. I tend not to believe this rumor -but if i were you i'd get going on everything quickly just in case.

lol congrats on both the weight loss as well as the "gain"! From your ticker it looks like you will end up gaining a few more inches before you are through - always a good thing! Congrats again!

FANTASTIC JOB!!!!!!

Great job!!! Question - you mentioned hitting your sweet spot - how many cc's was that in how big of a band? Just curious - have had 3 fills (5.5 ccs in 14 cc band) and have not hit it yet.

BEST THREAD ON THIS FORUM!!!!

Great job and thanks for being honest about the exercise! I am down 55 and have not exercised at all either. I am leaving exercise as that thing i'll have to do when i hit a plateau LOL - I know, I know - wrong on a thousand levels.

I'm 38 - no health conditions, banded July 5. My husband was the same exact way - but i took him to the first meeting with the surgeon and asked him point blank - how many of these surgeries have you done and how many have died during or immediately following surgery. He said he had done hundreds of lap bands and gastric bypasses and knock on wood NONE had died during surgery or right after. I figured he had operated on many people that were older, more overweight, and that had many more medical issues going into it. That made us BOTH feel MUCH better. I encourage you to do the same. The odds are very much in your favor that you will be just fine. I'm 3+ months out and have had no complications. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!

my nutritionist told me about a guy that did a "farewell tour" of all his favorite restaurants - including several goodbye stops at Golden Coral buffet - and gained 30 pounds in the month before surgery.... so just forget about the A&W - tomorrow is a new day. Just don't do a farewell tour and you will be ok!!! LOL

There's lots of disagreement out there and on this site about whether carbonation stretches the pouch or not. My insurer - United Healthcare - has the barriatric folks call me monthly to check in and they are adament that it stretches the pouch despite the hole, despite the liquid going down into the large part of the stomach - etc. In fact, my one contact at United Healthcare tells me that world champion eating contest participants actually drink a lot of diet pop right before a competition in order to stretch their stomachs before a contest. I am not a dr. but anything that MIGHT stretch the stomach or pouch - i'm going to steer clear of - it's not worth the risk. There are people on here that still drink beer and other carbonation - it's up to you - just like the rest on this journey.

it's not really the calories that make beer a no no (although obviously calories are always an issue) it's the carbonation. the bubbles stretch your pouch - so no carbonated drinks unless you want to stretch your pouch and ruin the benefits of the surgery. Trust me, breaking up with diet pop and lite beer about killed me but i did it - haven't had either in 4+ months. I've switched to flavored water (o calories) and on weekends - a shot of absolute in a water glass filled with ice and water - and i add crystal lite for a low cal drink. 3-4 of those and i'm feeling good without tons of calories. I've been steadily losing doing that - a huge calorie saver over the 8 lite beers i'd have every weekend before surgery. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!

YES - keep it up and you will make the "onderland" goal - that's my goal too - i'm at 222 and i'd LOVE to be in onderland by Christmas - if not before. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!

you will do well with the band - my only problem was portion control at meals too and this band is proving to be the perfect solution for me. Keep in mind it takes several fills in most cases to feel any restriction - so the first few months of this is will power - as long as you are mentally prepared for that you will do really well! BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!!

Sounds like you have a really good support system around you - that will spell success for you. Keep up the great work - one day at a time!

EXCELLENT POST!!! i can relate to everything you are saying! i'm down 53 pounds since banding july 5 (you are doing very well by the way - way ahead of the weight loss curve for only being out 8 weeks!!). I have to stand in front of groups as part of my job too and i always hated it - but it's getting easier as the weight comes off. I too am looking forward to shopping in normal stores and wondered if i would start really spending there (never a problem in the past since i hated shopping and only bought the bare minimum i needed to get by). Thanks for this motivating post - and have a wonderful time with your daughter - i just have a 5 year old son so no shopping buddy for me at home LOL - but my mom and sister in law could shop every day for sport - so i'm sure i'll have a buddy when the time is right. LOL - BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!!

the insurers require a 35 min. BMI with at least 1 co-morbid condition - since you are self pay i would think you could find a doc to do it for you- i've heard of people gaining a few pounds to hit the minimum BMI for insurancee coverage - you should check with your insurance before going the self-pay route - covereage may be easier than you think - if you call them i would just tell them you think your BMI is "around 35". BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!

totally normal - you usually do not feel restriction until the 3-5th fill - so right now you are in "bandster hell" where you are on low calories but feel you have a normal stomach. You can make it through - this is the time you really need will power!!! Best of luck to all of us on our journeys!!!!!

i am the same exact way - been really excited to see a new middle number - about once every 3 weeks or so - been GREAT and really motivating to see a new number. Sometimes though it does bounce back up to the old middle number before it settles back down into the new "decade" - just normal day to day fluxuations. Best of luck to all of us on our journeys!!!!

good luck tomorrow - you will do great!!!

I'm so sorry you are having such a rough time. I know you've been very positive and encouraging to others on here too. I really don't have any advice for you on this one - all your decisions and everything you said/did made total sense to me. I think for WHATEVER UNKNOWN REASON many doctors get super defensive when an intelligent, assertive person has the gall to ask questions, politely demand info, or raises potential problems that can be easily addressed (i.e., how freaking hard is it to remove Fluid, measure it, then add fluid back in). The whole "fill" process takes all of 2 minutes - can they really tell me they cannot take 3 minutes to resolve your concerns instead of 2???? Drives me nuts. I've not had push back from my surgeon on anything so far - but i'm dreading the day it happens. I wish you all the best - and keep us all posted on this whole thing - i want to know what they say/do on your 6 month check in!

So, I started out at 277 three months ago before surgery and right before 2 week pre-op diet began. I stepped on the scale this morning and for the first time in YEARS (maybe even a decade) I saw a "2" after the first 2. Just barely but it was there (229.8 to be exact). I just had to shout it out - I was really really excited to see that little old 2. Hitting a new "decade" of numbers has been my short term goal and has kept me motivated. If I think of the 90 pounds I still want to lose it seems overwhelming. I'll stick to my mini-goals and I'd encourage all my fellow bandsters to do the same. NSVs are wonderful - but for me I only "trust" the hard cold numbers on the scale. They will always tell me the truth LOL! Best of luck to all of us on our journey - I'm so happy I got the band!!!!