leatha_g

Pizza, two weeks after surgery? This is pretty scary. Did someone tell you that you need to follow a diet of liquids, then mushies for the first 4-6weeks? This is so that your band can heal in place to help prevent slippage later. I would definitely forego the pizza or any other heavy solids for at least a while. And, well.. I hate to tell you (cause I'm sure you know) but Pizza is not really very band/weight loss friendly food.

October 5th is only just over 2 weeks ago. Sheesh! The average weight loss for the lapband is 5-10 lbs per month. You are well within that range. The RNY would have gone very much faster, and you'd be a heck of a lot less healthy too. You're right on target!

Welcome to the board, CissyLea!! Please do read all you can. There are some great posts both here and other places online. The one bit of advice I can give you is please do not only seek the cheapest and whatever you do, have your follow up care ready and waiting BEFORE you are banded. This is so important. Do not wait, hoping you can find someone later. I wish you great success on your journey!

I too have been a slow loser. 55 was my 1 yr weight loss too, but that is 55 I sure wouldn't have lost without this band. Megan, I am so proud of you! You are such a beautiful spirit and it just shines right through! I am so blessed to have met you in person and saw firsthand that beautiful smile and flashing eyes that say so much about who you have become. Isn't it wonderful to be glad you're among the living? :cool: Thank you for sharing such personal thoughts with us. Congratulations on an awesome year!

Michelle, I'm so sorry to hear your son is sick. :cool: It brings tears to my eyes just to think of how your heart must be so heavy worrying about him. I can do nothing but send my prayers up and ask for his health to remain steady. Just know that I absolutely loved who you are and that I truly do care and wished I could take those fears away. Please do let us know how he is doing and if there is one single thing we can do. We are all here for you. I hope you know that. (((((((((michelle))))))))))) Leatha

Please, please, please, please have your aftercare in place BEFORE being banded. I cannot stress to you enough how very important this is. There are people on this board who have absolutely NO care and serious situations. Please do not set yourself up for this. Things can and do happen with the band. Albeit even the worst things aren't as bad as the other surgeries, it is still very important to you when it happens. Make certain you have follow up care, perhaps your banding doc can introduce you to someone he has proctored in the states? Sincerely, Leatha

Sounds like you lead a very interesting life! Yes. I have had the scale be totally stubborn then suddenly lose 5lbs at once. I think it's called compacting. :cool: Good luck to you!

Welcome Kim! I think we're neighbors! Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I hope you have a smooth and uneventful experience and quick recovery!

First, your pic has to be 50x50 pixels, which is teeny. Then, you have to save it to your hard drive, then you have to go to the top of the page and click on 'User CP'(Control Panel), to the left you will see an option to edit avatar. If you have a photo with a clear faceshot and need some help in resizing it, some of us here will be glad to help!

Well. I'm wagering there is no erosion, as Lisa still has some restriction. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the major sign of erosion is losing all restriction. So, we're gonna hope for something far less devestating. :cool: I think with proper aftercare, Lisa will get it all fixed up and continue on her road to weight loss.

Bright!! What a great job you're doing! Congrats on a great NSV! It's always so nice to hear from you!

Those are really great photos, Karen! You're right. It looks like 2 totally different people. You really are a pretty lady and I feel blessed to have met you. Congratulations to you for reclaiming your life!

Are you just now in the research phase or have you already started your journey, including picking a surgeon? Tell us a bit more about yourself. :cool:

No carbonation is definitely one of the rules of banding, however, there are different schools of thought on this. I'd try to stick with what my doctor says. Alcohol, besides being high in empty calories and known to be a stomach irritant, there is nothing that says you can't enjoy a cocktail now and then. Anything in excess could be setting yourself up for esophageal problems, band erosion and of course slower weight loss.

YAY!!! Yes. That's a NSV! These are among the first: fitting into seats at the movie, not needing an extender on a plane, sliding into booths without having to move the table, buckling your seatbelt in the car and having room between you and the steering wheel! Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life! :cool: Congrats!

Welcome to Lapbandtalk! It sounds like you're doing wonderfully! Congratulations on such a great loss so far! Feel free to browse through all the threads. There is a wealth of information and experience there for the taking. Keep coming back!

(sigh) Is it just me or is Fall always the season of change for you all too? Somehow, when the leaves begin to change and suddenly are covering the ground, I take note of the fact that just as Autumn is moving in, so is my life moving on into something new. I've always said spring and summer are my favorite seasons, but I do find it interesting how I feel the change in my very being when Fall begins to make itself known. As usual, Ryan, you take my breath away with the beauty of your words and the sentiment behind them. :cool:

I love my band! I've even had some complications and I'd do it again!

Yep.. This is text book lapband recovery. You'll find it over and over again on all lapband boards. Once the body starts to heal, the appetite returns and the new bandster suffers anxiety cause someone forgot to mention that you're still basically the same until you have a fill or two or three. Feel free to browse the forum as their are many threads with this type of experience in it. During this interim, it is even possible to gain some of the pre-op weight loss back. I did, many do. It's hard to make good choices with liquids and mushies, but if you are set on losing, now would be the time to begin implementing the bandster rules of eating: Protein first, drink Water up until you eat, DO NOT drink while you eat or up to an hour afterwards (it washes your food through) and exercise, exercise, exercise! It is kind of 'white knuckle' during this time, but it is to be expected. In fact, the first 6 weeks is meant solely for healing, any weight loss at this point is considered BONUS! Good luck!

Sounds perfect! What kind of cobbler are you making? lol:D

Tanya, I have heard great things about this insurance, as far as band approval goes. Try not to get too discouraged. Have you called them? Sometimes, if you call them, they'll give you a contact number and a case# to check back on. This helps you to feel at least a bit more empowered. I would definitely call and just tell them you wanted to make sure it has been received. They'll usually tell you where it is at the moment. Good luck!

Great job!!! :banana :banana :banana :banana You go girl!

Welcome neighbor! The psych eval is basically to make sure that the patient does indeed understand the scope of the surgery, what type of changes one will have to make as far as eating behaviors and I suppose to declare them competent enough to make the decision as it is a lifestyle changing surgery. In some cases, the Dr tells you who to use specifically and they utilize a battery of questions and tests to make this determination. In my case, I was allowed to contact a counselor of my choosing and basically, I educated him on the band vs gastric bypass and why I felt I needed the surgery. We discussed my weight issues and my emotional issues from the past and had a good discussion regarding the possibility this surgery has to offer and what a positive impact it could make on my life. He wrote a summary of his estimations based on that visit and it was sent in with my insurance requests for surgery. Mostly, they are looking to see if you are competent to make this decision, dedicated enough to follow through once you've had it and not too depressed or emotionally unstable to understand the consequences of having the surgery. Some folks have had to take MMPI tests which take hours. I would opt for locating my own counselor if you have the choice to do so. Good luck to you!

woohoo, it's gonna be a hoedown!!

I'm crossing my fingers here that it's nothing more serious than maybe a round of antibiotics.