suzbuni

Today I was at post office puck up mail I had held from vacation. The postmaster was staring at me for a good ten minutes while I waited on the long line. When it was my turn , I asked for my mail and she was amazed. She said, I thought that was you but you look like a total different person. She is heavy set and asked in front if very long line of people what I was did. If the i other ten or so people weren't all listening I would have given her more details maybe . but I just said, it was time for a change so I made a comitment to myself and made the change happen. It not easy but I'm worth it. -So not a lie but not the whole story.

I cooked things they liked that I really didn't so much. Also I drank my protein shake well I was cooking, I was full. I also made stuff before hand and froze it. I had my friends take turns making dinner when I was just home from surgery for the first week. Kids enjoy it, friend lived to be useful and to help in someway. I won't let any of my favorite foods in house during liquid phase. Good luck. You can all do it as a family.

You don't have to overload in the "feel good" foods. They can still be your friend. Only after your banded you will see them differently too. A bite or two of french bread crust. Not the whole basket will be enough. A small portion of pulled pork, well chewed. You can still have them in your life if you want. Some foods will be hard because of te texture or dryness, chewness. You will see what works for you, and what foods don't agree with you. I did the last supper dinner deal the week before my surgery. A few times to be really honest. But you outlook changes after surgery. I just got to Atlantic city for a week long trip with my mother,aunt and my three kids. My mom took us the the hotels All you can eat seafood/ prime rib buffet. as I watch person after person pass me by with plate loads of food, it kinds of turned my stomach. My kids had some crab legs which I busied myself at opening , cleaning them for them, a cup of Soup and then moved on to dessert table. All mini size Desserts. They tried a few Bites of each and shared them. I had about two single crab legs, 2 shrimp and a couple bites of veggies, and two bites of dessert peach cobbler, rice pudding. My mom and my aunt had two plates full of crab leg clusters each and about a pound of shrimp, some fish, and a salad. It was odd, because u could and would have done same thing a year ago. ( wait - I did - we were here last June ) today I was happy with my small portion. it didn't bother me that I wasnt getting the most for my money. ( ok if I was paying I wouldn't have chosen the buffet restaurant at $26 per person when I was only going to eat a half a fist full size of food. - it would have bugged me a little more then. Anyway you can still enjoy but in smaller doses. Good luck.

You got lots of friends here.

Wow. We had fried hot jalopeno pepper chips/ slices at lunch. I only had a couple, first must have been milder, but the second one gave one hell of an after bite. I couldn't drink anything to cool down my mouth. Didn't think of that before I ate them. still they were tasty.

Or you can add sugar free jam to Greek yogurt.

I usually just have coffee or tea early6 or 7am. . Then eat about 9-10am. So that make sense.

Welcome. Rest while you can. Good luck.

The biggest issue I seen with band in the office I go to is, if you don't use it as the tool it is, you won't lose the weight or can gain back. You still have to be responsible and have more choices. You need to be able to make the right ones. Saw a few patient that came back for gastric bypass because their band " didn't work". When I asked them about it as I was still preop and making up my mind. They said it didn't stop them from cheating. They could eat ice cream and candy and weren't losing weight. You need to be able and willing to eat right and try to beat the band. The band works if you use it right. Good luck again.

I choose lapband because I have three young kids and could not be "off" for the recovery period needed for gastric. I also didn't have any co morbidities. I didn't want to change my body permently. However gastric bypass has some advantages too. My sister had gastric bypass 3 months before my surgery date. She had more to lose then I did. Her kids are older and she was able to take month off after surgery. There are is no real long term follow up needed with gastric by pass( as compare to lapband)Once done, it's done. - again that was also part of my reason for choice lapband. Could be good or bad. Had seen people i knew who had gastric years ago that looked sick from mal nuturtion. With band you need to do regular follow up, adjustments fills, unfills and still watch what you eat, chew chew chew. Things can get stuck more then with by pass. My sister has to get monthly B12 injections, and Needs to make sure she takes all her vitimans everyday because of malabsorption. She cant really eat any sugar or has dumping syndrome. But she has less hunger then me. She fills full faster- full in band terms is different. Different feeling then being satisfied. My sister lost weight faster 120 lbs in 9 months. In beginning she had a really hard time getting enough to eat - what she need because she just could eat enough. I'm down 65 in almost 8 months. Both of us had issues with hair loss at around 3-4 months post op. if I had to do over again. I would make same choice. Band works for me. Either way your life is changed forever and you need to take care of yourself and your new lifestyle. There is also the sleeve which is another option. Good luck hope that helped.

They took my weight watchers info fine. Yes I line the practice. Are you going to mapke lawn or the other office. Tina- manger/ insurance preop nurse- is really helpful. Have seen both doctors for fills. Both nice. Surgery was at St Agnes hospital. - Great staff and super supportive nurses. Everyone on floor was for WLS. First went in office in August 2011 had surgery 12/19/11. Started at weight watchers in June 2011. Lost 65 pounds so far. Bmi was 43 I think. Now 32. Good luck.

I was never told anything special before a fill. By Friday you should be good. Don't try anything too big or hard to chew on your trip. I would pack a few protein shakes just in case. I went overnight weekend camping after my second fill ( fill ob wednesday- canping on saturday) with my daughters brownies troop. I packed a few premade shakes and some protein powder. I drink them if I thought I might have trouble with the camping meal. I also had a cooler with Greek yogurt and hummus. I did ok. It was easier for my to stick to liquids and soft foods then worry about getting stuck in the woods. I made it thru weekends no problem. No one even realized I was having my protein shakes in my sports bottle. Good luck. Just be prepared and you will be fine.

Good luck.

Hey girlfriend works at Victoria secrets. I went and was fitted- now I can fit in their bras- anyway she worked with me on find right bra for the underarm area. We went lithium a wider side that helped smooth and hide a lot if it. The smaller width sidebands didn't look right. Plus victoria secret will let you return and exchange bras you bought there if you change sizes. So save you receipts and bring them back when you lose some more weight. That something I never knew til my friend told me. Good luck!!

Ok I post this else where once Di sorry if repeat. My friend works at Victoria Secerts. When I started I was 42DDD and couldn't shop there. Now I' in a 38DD, but it's loose too. She had me come in and measure every few weeks after I lost my first fifty. Then told to wait til the next week for there semi annual sale. I hot 5 bras at 1/2 off I was crazy cause my three kids were with me and was only gonna but two but, shopping with kids is not the best- so I grab the five and left. I called my friend and tod her I was panicked since I just spent $125 dollars on bras that would most likely be too big in a few months. SHE TOLD ME AN AMAZING THING: Victoria Secerts will exchange your bras for the new size if you gain or lose weight and need need size. just bring back your bras and your recipt- get fitted for new ones. ( I put my receipt in my dresser with bras so I have it- she said they would probably do without receipt - but easier with it). So make your girls happy and buy a new bra. They are very good at fitting and picking bra that has right coverage. I wanted one with more side coverage for my loose skin under arms. Just ask. They were very helpful. It was also fun to go in every few weeks and see the change. Good luck.

Will your insurance accept weight watchers for 6 months. Mine did. I did go to my doctor get physical and then showed up at weight watch every week for 6 months. I missed a week or two so sometimes was 10 day between stickers, I just did and extra 2 weeks at end while I was getting all the other pre op done to make sure. . To be honest, I didn't do weight watchers - program-I just weighed in.( had done multiple times in past ) Had my documentation gave to my lapband doctor they copied and sent in to insurance -and was approved. You could try with her nutritionist too. That also would have counted meet once a month for six months. Good luck to her.

I agree. Sometimes easier to vent to " strangers" then to your spouse. Sometimes, having thT support and getting you thoughts together first helps you to be more understand and support to each other. I know you love you husband and hopefully you guys can work on something together. I think you need to see where it coming from. He may just be insecure and need reenforcement of your feeling for him. Couples therapy is good idea. My husband and I went a few years back and it helped get things out in open and understand we had a comuncation problem. Good luck.

Your weight can change depending on a number of factors, water intake, elimination, stress, cycle. Yesturday for an experiment I weighted my self almost hourly. I started day with 197.3- had coffee used bathroom-196.5,litter later up to 198, before lunch it was 194,after it was195.4 Afternoon-3pm it was 190.5( I took a photo of scale for that one!) which was really weird usually less in morning -by bedtime it was 196.5, this morning 194. That was 24 hours and the change range was 8 pounds! Don't stress. Overall today's weight is 5 pounds lower than last Thrusday weight in . So I lost 5. Even though I saw 190 briefly - which would have ment 10 pounds. It didn't stick. Now I crazy cause I saw it and want it back!! Ii put the scale away this morning( in my car) so I won't be tempted to pull out of closet. I sure I will meet by friend 190 again probably in another week. Usually the low numbers that I see and then go get my husband to show him - they are gone on when I next step on scale. - come back within a week to stay. Good luck. FYI I went up and down with in 4 pounds the last month- just got fill last week so we are going down again. Hang in there. Don't stress -

I had to add protein shake to get in all my needed protein.

I didn't tell my mom at first for same reason. I waited til I was almost done with ore- op stuff my sister told her I was think of it. She had GAstric BYPass and my mom kept trying to talk her out of it. In the end she was there holding my sister's hand on surgery day, and three months later holding mine too. Actually seeing how well and what a change my sister went thru turned my mom around and she was on board and even told me she was proud of me for doing it. She just gave me $300 dollars to go buy new clothes! So hopefully if he comes and see others and doctor may help him adjust. With my mom- it was just the idea of me having surgery. She freaks about any surgery. Just scared for me. That's all.

Can only get click on line i think click.com or on amazon, drugstore.com. That's my caffeine for day.

I drink Click protein in morning. Vanilla latte or mocha. Has espresso in it and 15 grams protein. Love it. Just came out with decaf now. I drink cold like blended frapicino or hot. If heating up protein. Mix in sharker bottle or blender - then heat 30 sec, stir up, then 15 seconds, stir, add 15 sec til hot enough for you. That way doesn't clump up or denature protein.

Banded 12/19/11. Had a fill a week ago and I now starting to see scale go down again. It stalled for a couple months. Starting weight was 256 lbs. I was stuck between 197-203 from May til last week. Now have 8cc in my band. Started feeling real restriction for first time. Scale read 190.5 yesturday- briefly. I took a picture of it so pleased. Read 194 today- this is why we need to hide the scale. Started with 22/24 Lane Bryant jeans- now in a 12! too small for Lane Bryant. Took my smaller butt to Victoria Secerts last month- down from 42 DDD to 38DD, which isa bit big now. keep up the good work evveryone!

RahRahRah, hey threre. Hang in there. Sometimes they do things that are stupid but don't realize they are being stupid. I just make sure I have other options for food avaliable. My biggest problem was with my best friend not my husband. She kept trying to get me to eat things i wasn't suppose to talk me out of surgery. Turn out she was jealous and worried. Worried I lose all this weight and she won't. Now that I weight less than her( took me 60 pounds) she is get agitated again. She is depressed and not sure what to do with this role reversal. She had alway been lighter. Small stuff like, buying me starbucks- but switching a sugar-free skim latte for a sugar full one with whole milk. ( I gagged on first sip-it was so sweet and rich) She said I didn't realize but I gotten same coffee for years- she buys one time I buy the next. Or ordering takeout, my favorite foods at chinese resturant and with dessert, when we come over for movie night. I started just showing up with my protein shake or a bottle of water- so won't be tempted. ( sorry can't eat and drink same time). I tell her she killing me here, and she apologizes, or says, I hope this won't bother you, or offers me some.Yesturday she tell me she really need to lose weight, but can't seem to make it work. I told her I would help her and we could work together. We set up a gym schedule for fall, when kids are back in school. So hopefully we can get by this and help each other. Good luck with you husband. Hopefully he will realize how much this all means to you and him as a couple and work with you. Take care