crzytchr

I haven't had a protein shake since I started mushies over a year ago! I hated them, so I don't incorporate them into my daily eating. If you like them, use them if you need the extra protein, if not, once you are off of liquids post op, kiss them goodbye! Good luck tomorrow!

I am serious when I say, "they may not leave!" My previous post said my actual breasts are the same size. My band size went down from the weight loss, but the cup size went up. Started at a 44DDD went to 42DDD, 40F(still had spill over) and two weeks ago, a 40G. I have lost 80 lbs and they haven't shrunk yet. I will be looking into a reduction/lift when I begin looking into tummy tucks next year.

I have BCBS LA, but it really depends more on your employer/group plan than the actual insurance company. Mine required weight history and some co-morbities and that was it. I think approval from them took 1 day. It also helps if you have an experienced person in the surgeon's office working your file.

If you aren't required to do anything physical, you will probably be fine. Many people return to work within a few days. I wouldn't have been ready for at least a week. If you normally recover easily, then you should be good to go, again, as long as you don't do anything physically that you arent' supposed to do.

From my first phone call to the surgeon to set up my consultation until the day of surgery was about 3 weeks. It was really quick and luckily, my surgeon didn't require me to do a preop diet. Actually, they could've done my surgery on July 3rd instead of the 14th, but I coudn't do my preop for it, because I was teaching summer school. It seems it all depends on your insurance, really. If you don't have to jump through hoops, and have a short or no preop diet, then it can be really quick. Good luck!

What is the name of the book? I would like to read it.

Oh, and I hate when the fat gene is combined with the heart disease and arthritis gene, like we have. And THAT is why I got my band. I want to be able to give my body the CHANCE to walk. It just isn't fair to expect my poor knees, ankles, and feet to support 300lb. That must have really sucked for them. I am happy to say that I haven't woke up in pain in almost 9 months. Prior to losing this weight, I woke up, every single day, in so much pain I was almost in tears. I just couldn't do that anymore. Thankfully, now, I don't have to.:juggle:

My understanding is that it causes swelling and can cause you too be too tight. Also, there is a chance of nausea which is bad when you are banded. From experience, I had a hysterectomy in December. I was told I DIDN'T need an unfill, because the surgeon wouldn't really be near my band. I WISH I wouldn't have listened. I was too tight for a month after the surgery and didn't want to get an unfill, because I had 4 new incisions and one is near my port. It is best to get unfilled for the surgery and just get a fill as soon as you are allowed. It can help prevent a lot of problems. Also, is your plastic surgeon going to move your port or will he/she be able to work around it? Oh, and I have seen your progress pics and you look amazing. I need to get off my lazy butt and exercise!

Congratulations on you amazing results!!!

My mom has a bad cholesterol gene also. Hers has been over 600 before! She is now in the upper 200s due to being on years of meds. Her family doesn't live long... her dad died at 36, mom at 57 and younger sister at 42, all from heart attacks. I, luckily, did not apparently inherit that from her, but instead health-wise took after my dad. Unfortunately, I also inherited his family's ugly legs and aching joints too! I'm serious, those two people should have never procreated. The running morbid joke between my brothers and I is, if we live long enough to turn 60, we won't be able to walk! :biggrin:

Congratulations! It sounds like you are doing well. I didn't have to do the swallow thing, either. Thankfully, because I can assure you, the one I had to do for preop tests really did me in. I was the biggest baby and kept gagging. Jeez. For the next few days, walk around as much as you can to try to get the gas to move out of your body. Luckily, I didn't have any real problems at all with this, but I hear many people say it is the worst part.

Wow, I can eat a slice of thin crust pizza, with no problem. Only now, I eat 1 slice from a medium instead of 3 or 4. Weirdly enough, though, I also can NOT do scrambled eggs very often. I really don't understand that at all. The amounts of food I eat now amaze me. I really was in denial prior to banding. I didn't think I ate way too much, I guess because those around me eat just as much, but they have higher metabolisms. Ex: we ate at IHOP last weekend and I had 1 pancake and half of a egg and cheese omelet. A year ago I would have devoured an entire order of 3eggs/3pancakes with a side of toast. The next day we went to Cracker Barrel and I ate 1 biscuit, 1 egg and about 1/4 c of mashed potatoes. Before I would have eaten at least 3 of the biscuits BEFORE my meal even arrived. My weight loss is almost non-existent for now, and will continue to stall, I am sure, until I begin exercising. That is no one's fault but my own. I guess when I am ready to get off my lazy butt and move, I will begin losing again. I also need to begin journaling my food again. I haven't done it in about 3 weeks and I am very disappointed in myself for it. It is one of the reasons I was able to lose the 80+ lbs I have so far. On that note, I will leave and go login to my fitday account. Time to get back to doing what worked for me. Goodnight, butterflies

Do you journal your food intake daily? Sometimes people don't eat enough calories, especially if they exercise. If you are near or below 1000 per day, try adding a few hundred calories at least twice a week (maybe daily intake of 1300-1500 total) to see if that stimulates your weight loss again.

Well, I am a little past my 1 year mark and have lost 81 lbs. I wanted to be at 100lbs lost, but I am happy with what I have accomplished. I hope to begin exercising so I will begin to lose again. I haven't lost anything in a while, but I don't need a fill, I just need to get the lead out of my A--!:thumbup:

Alyssa, good luck with the fill and nutritionist visit. Starting over can be rough, but if you keep visiting your doctor you should be able to make your band work for you again.:thumbup:

If you are embarrassed, you may not want to tell many people, especially at first. Me? I didn't care who knew. I figured it was easier to tell people myself, than to have them find out later from someone else, because you KNOW people will talk. If you are worried about people watching you for weight loss, explain that this is a way to slowly lose weight, but it should make it easier to KEEP it off. That way, they don't expect you to lose weight too fast.

To answer your question: restriction for me, is being satisfied (full, really) with about 1/3 or less of what I ate pre-banding. Example: we went to Cracker Barrel and I ate 1 biscuit, an egg, and maybe 1/4 c of mashed potatoes. I promise before being banded I ate a minimum of 3 of those yummy biscuits before my meal even arrived. Then I would eat most of my meal. Last night we went to I HOP and I had 1 pancake and half of a 2 egg and cheese omelet. I used to order the 3 eggs, 3 pancake meal with a side of toast and finish it. I take smaller bites, but not really tiny ones, and I chew well before swallowing. This means I don't really like people to talk while I am eating, because then I tend to swallow to answer them before I am really finished chewing. I eat most foods that I love, including pizza. I even eat ice cream when I feel like it, which is around once a week. I was banded a year ago and I have lost 80lbs. I have only had two fills and each one was only 1cc. It sounds like when you got your third fill you became too tight. Please consider going to have a little taken out if you aren't able to eat healthy foods without getting sick.

I just found this thread and I love watching movies, so... Gloucester, have you seen Hangover yet? I laughed so hard. If you are offended by nudity, don't watch the credits. 4/5 I have seen HP twice, including at midnight opening night. It is really good and quite entertaining, especially for those who don't read the books, but it leaves a LOT out. 4.5/5 Proposal, predictable, but dangit, Ryan Reynalds is so cute in it, and much applause to Sandra Bullock for her banging bod in her 40s. 3.5/5 Up- made me cry, so I felt really dumb. 4.5/5

You are so right, mich. I did forget it is supposed to be a 3 year journey. That really does put things into perspective! Thanks! It makes us realize we are doing a great job so far.

I had a hysterectomy in December and I asked my gyn and she called my band surgeon. Neither thought I needed and unfill (I only had 2ccs), so I didn't get one. I wish I wouldn't have listened. I became too tight and didn't want to get the unfill after, because I had 4 new incisions and didn't want to get poked on. If I have any further surgeries, ANYWHERE on my torso, I will definitely get unfilled.

As an elementary teacher, I often have the urge to correct spelling. I do, however, realize that being able to spell isn't a sign of intelligence. Just yesterday I received an email from my principal with a typo in it. It happens. Also, some people just don't spell well at all. My husband is dyslexic and can't spell, but he is a very intelligent person. If he tried to post on here, it would probably make us break out into hives. I can't count the number of calls I get from him asking me how to spell words.