tiggergramma

The counselor I met with was well-informed on the surgery and just wanted to make sure that I understood what would be involved and that it is completely reversible if I couldn't live with it. Good luck!

My understanding is that slower weight loss is the key to successfully shrinking the skin, so 2 pounds/week or so, along with exercise, should help keep you young folks tony. Now, for us older folks...I just have my fingers crossed and am learning Pilates!

I is smart, I is beautiful, and I is loved! *The Help I went through an agonizing divorce after putting up with the bastard cheating on me with my cousin for 2 years. Was I hiding inside this fat woman? Hell yes. I also have several very ugly issues with my mother (how stereotypical is THAT?) and probably hid that hurt in the pizza and Pasta as well. However! I found a man who loves me for me, regardless of the hurt and the hate and the fat...it finally occurred to me that he has created a safe zone in my life and I will be just fine if I lose the sad girl who weighed 110 pounds! So, when I talked to a friend who had the surgery, and saw how successful she was losing, I felt like I had been given a gift...here was something I could do for myself and get back to living life the way I want to live it, not the way that sad, pathetic waif thought was okay. I was killing myself with food. I chose life and I intend to make it happy and healthy for a very long time to come!

When I am feeling dismayed at slowing the loss down, I stroll through either the sugar or rice aisle at the grocery store and look at all the 5 pound bags I used to carry around. Makes me feel great and not care one bit that other people haven't noticed yet! (I felt bad enough being where I was, I can't spend any more time doing that, now I try not to spend too much time feeling bad about where I am today!)

hmmm...my doctor is really down-to-earth and honest with me about my responsibility to making this work. He is not strict, but is happy to give guidelines. At least 3 of his staff are also banded and I find them to be even more helpful than he is when I have questions about actually working with the band...after all, he is not banded and hasn't actually lived it! I have sometimes wondered if it is the doctors people are going to, or if people don't like what they hear... Good topic!

Our local TJs actually has decent pricing, and they have a lot of brands that are Earth-friendly or organic. However, since they refused to work with the public to get the government to require GMO food labeling, I won't be going back to shop with them.

I get that message almost daily. As long as I am eating balanced, I'm not worried about it. I average about 1050-1100 calories, some days 975, some days 1200. I have been at a plateau for almost 2 weeks, but now seem to be moving again. No clue what started or stopped it! It does seem to make a little bit of difference what my extra calories are though...if those higher calories are mashed potatoes or chocolate or wine, I will gain. If the extra calories are proteins or veggies, I will maintain or lose. (this is very early in my journey, so I have no idea if this will remain true, but it seems right instinctively.)

I'm guessing it is. I had my first fill at 4 weeks post-op because I was suddenly starving and couldn't seem to get full. It's been 3 weeks since my fill and I haven't had the starving problem again yet, but I am having trouble with portion control again, so I am going in next week for another fill, unless I can figure out how to drink enough fluids to resolve this. (I am still struggling with fluid intake, and have been chronically dehydrated for years!)

I spent 18 years as a veterinary nurse/technician/hospital manager; the first 17 of which I absolutely loved! Now I am a medical transcriptionist. I work at home in my sweats, which is much nicer than commuting!

A nutritionist I saw years ago was trying to teach me to eat breakfast and her recommendation was to put a chicken dinner in the crockpot overnight...by morning I had been smelling it for hours and was hungry. The protein was the best thing to eat to keep me satisfied until lunchtime. I will sometimes have oatmeal in the morning, but more often than not, I will have whatever meat and veg I have leftover from dinner the night before. Good luck with whatever you end up trying!

Wow! 58 pounds is great! I am only down 23 since the end of Sept. and seem to be stuck already. Maybe it's time for another fill here too!

2 weeks??? I would surely have slit my own throat if my surgeon had told me to do that! I was on thin liquids for 48 hours, then full liquids (thick Soups, etc. no bumps) for 3 days, then mushies, then soft foods by the time I had my 1-week checkup. I know every surgeon is different, but boy howdy, I feel for you!

Missy, That is good to know! Thank you. I have had skin fold dermatitis for a couple of years. I generally treat it with hydrogen peroxide followed by alcohol to dry it. Stings like crazy, but keeps it clean and helps it heal. I am way too early to check into skin removal, but if I can get THAT part of this journey covered by insurance, that will be SWEET!

I get them a lot, not terribly strong ones, and they don't last too long, but if I eat too fast or don't chew enough...I'm sure it is normal, since we are putting pressure on the diaphragm we didn't used to put there.

I am almost 7 weeks out and all of a sudden yesterday my port site felt inflamed and a little tender. Not exercise associated. The only thing different was that I had battled a migraine the day before. It is still a little sore this morning, but not as puffy feeling, so I am going to keep an eye on it. If it is bothering me next week, I'll get in to see the doctor.

hmmm...my very first fill was 4 cc in a 10-cc band. That was at 4 weeks postop. 2 days before my fill, I was ravenous! Could NOT get full! Since the fill, no real hunger...at least not yet. I know that when I feel that hunger again, back I go for another fill. Can you talk to your doctor about getting another fill now?

You can also try one of the teas on the market, they can be a little more gentle than laxative pills. The worst part of pushing too hard is that you may develop hemorrhoids, and those are miserable!

I gained 3 pounds waiting for my first fill also! I was filled on Thursday last week, and after the 48 hours back on liquids had lost those 3 again. Unfortunately, back to where I was before the fill after the first day of solids. I have not weighed in 3 days now, and won't for another 4, so ... we'll see, I guess. I definitely feel the restriction now...more like when it was swollen after surgery, so I hope that is a good thing.

My surgeon asked me to wait 6 weeks. I have had thoracic back pain since surgery, and am waiting very impatiently to see my chiropractor...about 2 more weeks now. The back pain really gets to me when I am working, so I can hardly wait to see him!

Why are you afraid to eat stuff you like? You cannot eat too much of it if you stick to chewing as if your life depends on it and spending 20-25 minutes only at a meal. If you have the luxury of eating alone, that helped me...sometimes I couldn't follow the 20 minute rule if someone was talking to me and expecting conversation. Part of the reason the band works is that deprivation is not a big part of it. Sure, you shouldn't be eating all carbs, but a couple of bites is good. And milkshakes, potato chips, greasy foods...not good for you anyway, so now is a great time to cut those out and concentrate on healthy foods. When I moved to soft foods, I had rotisserie chicken, steamed veggies, and a couple of bites of baked potato the first night. That was pure heaven after liquids and mushies! You're going to do great! Trust yourself.

I will look into the Biotin...As for protein, I am averaging about 70-80 grams/day, so I don't think that is a problem. My hair is good, not brittle or dry. Just my nails seem to be suffering so far. Thanks!

I am not good about getting enough dairy, but it seems to me like I've read that isn't necessarily the problem when you have brittle nails...or maybe I'm making that up, I really don't remember. Anyway, the past couple of weeks my nails have been snapping off like dried twigs if I bump into anything harder than jello. Any ideas of what I am missing, lacking, need to supplement?

Not sure why you would, unless you are going to someone other than your surgeon for the fills?

Can you call your insurance and ask if the fills are covered as part of the procedure? (I think this is what you are asking?)

If you are having day surgery and going home within a few hours, it really helped me to have a travel neck pillow. I dozed all the way home, which is about an hour drive, and didn't have to worry about my head falling and jerking me awake.