horsegirl315

Meredith!!! yaaaay!!! mine came in today!! If you go to the "products" tab, then go to "app gallery" then click on "my fitness pal"--> learn more-->pink "get started" button...that should help you from there! ALSO: here is my user info, so you can go to that link and add me as a friend!! http://www.fitbit.com/user/22KWYH

i was told by my dr that men carry their fat around their organs, while women do not, more under the skin. so when they put a band on a man, they usually put a larger one, because most of the time, there is a lot of fat around the stomach. if that is the case, the more weight the person loses, the more they would have to go for adjustments, since the space between the stomach and the band, which is essentially fat, is constantly shrinking

sooooo true. not looking forward to my first fill for that reason--2 days liquid, 2 days mushies to follow! waaah!

can someone tell me, does all the food info carry over from myfitnesspal, or just the calories? does that make sense?

i sent you a friend invite!! so excited!

wow, my mushy stage was def more strict! laughing cow cheese is amazing!

really? if i were you, i would get that idea of your mind! i have not had pasta since surgery and i dont miss it at all! i have shed 19 lbs in 3 weeks. mushy stage is def welcome after liquids for a week. things i ate during mushy stage were: unsweetened applesauce, fat free refried beans with plain greek yogurt (that was the most filling for me, tasted like eating a burrito, without the meat)...cottage cheese, sugar free pudding, mashed potatoes (sparingly). anything that wasnt a puree, i put in the blender. i was instructed to eat everything at baby food consistency. it sucked, but its over and im on to real food, but still healthy food!

sounds like you may be too tight. bandsters often gain weight or get stuck unintentionally after being filled too tight by eating things that are comfortable to eat, and those things are often the things that dont hold up in the pouch. it can be a slippery slope, from what i have heard. if you cant keep down your protein, you need to chew more or get a very very small unfill!

while it may be considered a soft cheese, it has no nutritional value, and pasta should def be a food you stay away from at this point. you should check out unjury.com they have a protein cheese sauce, and maybe you should have it on a baked potato, mashed up really good. we can't eat a lot, esp in mushy stage, so you really need to think about food as fuel for your body. hard, i know, but i will get easier!

just ordered my fitbit today, should be here by tomorrow, i am also having a hard time deciding which calorie counting program/app to use! im sooo picky!

awesome! mushies were amazing!

Just make sure if you get the childrens, you get sugar free. The sugar kind tastes great, but its loaded with sugar, and you only get a few doses per bottle!

I'm three wks post op too, and I can feel, but not see, my port. If it was me, I'd contact my surgeon. Let is know how you make out, I have heard getting it flipped back is a really short procedure and they don't have to put you under. Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

I was terrified of going under anesthesia. Terrified!!! But let me tell you, they set me up in my bed with my iv and I got to watch tv while I waited for the surgeon. While I waited, I was given warm blankets, and then met the anesthesiaologist. They gave me something in my iv and I felt like I drank a bottle of wine. They wheeled me in to the OR, and I got myself on the operating table, all while feeling quite calm. They told me they would take good care of me, and thats all I remember. Then I woke up, in recovery, and it was the most comfortable I have ever been!!! I went in and out of sleep, and was even able to get up and go to the bathroom after a few hrs of being in recovery, with some help from the nurses, who were wonderful. I had heard a few people here say, you just have to give yourself to the nurses the day of surgery, and dont stress just relax. I never thought I could do it, and i was a mess the day before thinking I was going to die from some horrible complications...but the day of surgery, a calm came over me and I felt so ready. I did like everyone said and just let the nurses care for me...it was actually enjoyable!

That's soooo funny Meredith, when I woke up in the hospital the morning after surgery, Brazilian Butt Lift was on my tv!!!!

Congrats!

Kathy I sooooo feel for you. I was so excited about surgery, but the closer it got, the more it felt like doomsday. And I know why. I didn't have a preop diet, so I got to eat the way I wanted up til surgery. The countdown to surgery was like a countdown to the unknown. What foods will I never be able to eat again? Will I ever reach restriction? What if I have a complication? What if it doesn't WORK for me, just like everything else I have ever tried? But I had to ask myself...ok, so you can't have soda again...do you like soda more than you like to be thin? Do you like bread and pasta more than you like to NOT be afraid to see an old friend cause you've gained more weight since the last time you've seen them? And most importantly, do you like to EAT more than you like to LIVE? Food is fuel, and it is so temporary. Do I enjoy it? Of course I do, and I always will. I enjoy food shopping, farmers markets, the food network, and cooking. Having a lapband is not a death sentence for your tastebuds. It is a new life! I truly wish you all the success in the world, take back your life, Kathy, one step at a day, one day at a time.

Ohhhhh mags that's wonderful!!!! I'm so happy for you! I had a similar experience after surgery, being on the liquids allowed me to lose 15 lbs in a week. i hope that by the time i get my fill on march 13, I will be as sucessful as you! After years and years of watching the scale go up, we can watch the scale go down!!

I understand this is a huge step and you want to have no regrets. I totally get that, as I too, am an admitted over thinker. I did wonder which band my Dr used, and at my preop appt with him, he actually asked me if I had a preference in brand of band. I asked him what HIS preference was, because, what the heck do I know. His answer was pretty simple. He used to like the realize band, until he started having a few ppl with problems post op, and actually had to remove a few. He now only uses the lap band, but does leave it up to the patient if they are adamant about the realize band. Mind you, my surgeon has 15 yrs experience in weight loss surgery, and my surgery was done at a Center of Excellence. I do feel that I made the best choice in choosing the lap band, for all the reasons my friends listed above. For over thinkers like us, it is best to give yourself to your dr and his staff and let them take care of you. It's the only way I didn't crack up from nerves. Lol. Good luck!

Had surgery Jan 30. Post op appt was one week later. NP removed steri strips, gave me more pain meds, and set up my fill appt for 5 weeks. Meeting with my dietician this tues to discuss transition from puree to real food, thank God. My surgery was done at a Center of Excellence, which I believe is why they really keep on top of you with the pre surgery patient education and post op care.

You are a third of the way there! You are doing great! Please don't get discouraged! You can do it!!!

This is my fear as well, I am 25. Just banded Jan 30. I have made up my mind that I have gone through with this surgery to be healthy, but if it means plastic surgery to make me FEEL good, I'm doing it! Guess i should start saving now. Good luck to you, you're doing the right thing by consistent gym going, dont get discouraged!

The liver is one of the first places to either gain or lose weight, so just keep doing what you're doing. I didn't have a preop diet, just clear liquids the day before...my surgery went great. Good luck!

I agree with Holly. 2000 calories sounds like way too high for weight loss, or even maintenance. Do you have a dietician helping you through this process? It would be better to ask this person what your caloric needs should be, rather than a program that doesn't know the whole story. Good luck!