Kime-lou

That is a HUGE Victory!!! Making it through this time the way you are you are sure to be a HUGE success on this journey!!!!

Protein is very important. Try Protein shakes, soft tuna or other fish, shreadded chicken, ect to increase it and that might get you out of your plateau. I hit plateaus all the time, mine last anywhere from a week to a month to a month and a half then I start going again. My doc says this is normal just don't give up and stop following the plan.

Yes! While I am not diabetic (A1c was checked) I do have trouble getting lows. Before I realize that I am hungry I will get dizzy, nauseated and be "out of my head". I have to keep something in my bag to make sure this doesn't happen or when I feel it begin eat something until I can get my meal.

I agree with you. I know I could eat more than that cup of food, maybe even as much as I use to at times, but I don't because that isn't why I had this surgery. I may not get the totally full stuffed feeling from a cup, but it satisfys my hunger and keeps me from getting hungry for 4 hours and that is great. Some people just have false expectations of what the band does and can do.

For some people emotions won't set them back, but for me I believe the answer would be yes. I am on Paxil for an anxiety disorder. Before I started getting treated I felt like I had to be in control of everything or I was going to bust. I would eaisly get frustrated and irritated. I wasn't happy with that life. I spoke to my doctor about it and he suggested Paxil. I wasn't thrilled with taking meds, but I tried it because I was sick of living like that. My life has gotten so much better, I am happy and can let things roll off my back and I don't get so worked up over things. While yes, SSRI's can cause you to gain weight the reason is mostly because it increases your hunger. I haven't had much trouble with it, I have lost 50 lbs in 7 months. (starting at 244).

I have always dreamed of being the thin pretty girl that I have never been. Before I started school I was trim and cute, but then I started school and packed on the pounds. No idea what started this, but I am guessing emotional eating. My weight only balloned each year. I was always jealous of the pretty girls and just wished I could be like them. However, I am pretty happy with the woman I grew in to. I am compasionate, caring, loving, and pretty nonjudgemental. If I had been a skinny girl I may not be who I am now, but now that I am an adult I am ready to bring the outside up to par with the inside. I don't believe I am a told dog, but I am not Jennifer Aniston by any means. As I lose weight and develop curves, my dimples can be seen, I am losing the extra chins, I feel people can start to see the real me. I am less worried about how people preceive my outside and my inside more easily shine though. I am fairly certain I will never be a size 2, and honestly I don't want to me. I size 10/12 would be just fine for me. I want to live realisticly, I want to enjoy food, I want to enjoy activity, I don't want to be hindered by my weight any longer. For years I just ate whatever I wanted and over time I was able to eat more and more. Now I still want to eat yummy foods, but I am learning I can eat less and still be satisfied. I am learning that food doesn't need to be the center of my life. While I won't be Jennifer Aniston (looks) or Marian Jones (athlectic), I just want to be me in a healthy form. In a form that allow my inside to shine through so people can see the real me.

I had to talk to the insurance lady to get the exact price, which I had to request, but I wasn't self pay. Be sure to ask lots of question- anything you feel you need to know. The doctor is always the best person to get advice from. Make sure you get an overview of what to expect pre and post op- this way you know what you must have on hand. Some docs require a pre diet others don't. See if their is a question or help line/email. My doctor has an email address you can send questions to and he will respond in 24 hours- this has been a HUGE help to me. Good Luck- Congrats on the start of the wonderful journey.

I was always told I could eat normally before a fill, but after a fill liquids.

Many people have different experiences. Mine was great. I am in NC, and close to Duke Hospital so I choose to go there. I found a great doctor who I had full confidence in. I went to his seminar and decided at that point I was going for it. I think attending seminars are the best thing you can do. At most of them they discuss the different options. It gives you some good information. Some of the info you find online isn't exactly true. The seminar was able to answer a lot of mine and my husbands questions and then my 1st consult with the surgeon further answer my questions. Just be sure that before you go into this you are committed to doing what you must do to keep your band healthy and get you healthy. If you are not committed to making a life change then don't do it.

I met my wonderful amazing husband 5 years ago and married him 3.5 years ago. He is my biggest fan and support. Once he went to the seminar on WLS he was fully supportive of me having the band. Over the next couple of months I hemed and hawed about would I be, could I be successful on this journey. He kept telling me that ofcourse I would, I just needed to commit to him as I did him. Soooo....... I am in a committed relationship with my band. My band is 100% behind me losing weight. While my band can't prevent me from eating more than I should or eating things that are unhealthy for me; it can help me stay satisfied longer on less, that is if I allow it to. When I think about my band from this perspective- I think about I would never cheat on my husband why would I want to cheat on my band. Ruining my marriage would be painful, but ruining my band and having to have another surgery wouldn't be a walk in the park either. Just like with a marriage you have to work at it, I have to work at my band life. Some days it will be easy and other days it won't, but I don't give up on my marriage just because of one road bump and I won't give up on my band either. Just like I want my marriage to last forever, I want my band life to last to. So with this being said.... ( I am calling my band George) I promise to love, honor, and cherish George forever!! Are you in a committed relationship with your band?

I do tend to look up menu's before going to a resturant. My hubs and I went to Ruby Tuesday's the other night- they have a menu that list items and their calorie counts. On this outing I got BBQ chicken breast and grilled zuchinni- it was yummy. The chicken was tender I ate only about 3/4 and half the zucchini, but it was very tasty. Some places have great fish options- grilled not fried. If we go Italian I always remember that cream sauces are loaded with calories so I avoid those. It is all about looking over the menu and making the best choice out of what you have. You don't have to eat all of it, you can always get a doggy bag.

I have only lost 50 lbs in 7 months, but you know what, I lost what I committed to lose. I could have lost more if I would have followed 100%, that doesn't mean my band failed nor me, it is what it is. You get out what you put in. People just don't get that. While I am not 100% perfect band patient I take full resposibility for that.

Okay I feel sure I am likely going to offend someone here, so if you are easily offended stop reading now! I don't often get on my "high horses" but I am today. I have heard people complain and moan and groan about surgery being a waste of money and time. Well my first questions is.... Did you follow you doctor's orders? Did you listen and follow what the nutritionist said? Did you go in to see the doctor and discuss issues? If the answer to any of those are no then you wasted your own money! I work hard to make a living and I am not going to give my money away for nothing. I am paying my surgeon and my nutritionist a prime rate and honey you better bet I am going to listen to their orders. If I feel like something they told me is unfounded then I am going to discuss it with them and see if we can come up with a plan- for example multivitamins make me sick. For some reason multivitamins make me very ill, for a first couple of months I took individual vitamins throuhgout the day to prevent getting sick. After that I ask my doctor to test my levels and everything was great. The doctor gave me clearence to stop taking most of the vitamins only if I had my levels checked monthly. I have and everything is fine. I still take B vitamins since those have always been low. I didn't just do my own thing and ignore his advice. We made a plan and I followed through. My opinion, again this is MY OPINION, if you are not going to follow doctors orders then don't spend the money and waste the time to have surgery. If you are not willing to commit totally to what it takes to be successful with WLS don't do it. It may be that you aren't ready right now, but in time you will be.

Heard that one before. Even a lady I work with who has had lapband told me that after I had lost 30 lbs in 2 months. Ticked me off. Why do people only think you lose water weight? I mean do we look at fat people and say oh, they are retaining water - no they say oh that person is fat.

I heard that one several times and I told them that was a matter of opinion. I felt and my surgeon felt that lapband would help me shed pounds and become healthier and that was enough for me.

I was wondering the same thing. I haven't drank since surgery, but I really want to enjoy a glass of wine or a margarita on vacation.

You will find this is a touchy subject on here. I, personally, did not have a pre-op diet. My doctor told me it would be a good idea to attempt to lose before surgery or at the least try not to gain. If your doctor told you to follow a specific diet it would be best to do so. If you get to your surgery day and the doctor has to close you up with no band because you liver is to big you will be pissed at yourself for not following orders. You can make it, just take it day by day.

6 fills and I am just really getting where I only want 3 meals a day- no Snacks. Each person is different and it also depends on how quick or slow weight loss is and how much the doctor adds at each fill. I have gotten any where from .4 cc to 1cc at a fill (done with Floro).

Embarrishment never felt so good!! Great Job.

Starting BMI 42, I had no pre-op diet. I was told the day before do liquids other than that nada. Now, like Missy, I eat realistically. For me this mean I do eat carbs, but just less and healthy ones. I eat about 1200 calories a day and do cardio (elliptical/jog/walk).

My surgeon told me that I could lose as much as I WANTED to. That means I could lose as much as I put forth the effort to lose, so if I put forth minimal effort I would lose minimal weight, if great effort was put forth I could reach my lofty goal of being 135. I have spoken to many bansters some very succesful some only mildly. But what I see is what you put in to it you get out of it. However, that being said it may take years. One friend it has taken her 3 years to finally reach goal. So I believe that is the most important thing- just keep on living the band life and moving forward and you can reach goal.

I got a fill last Tuesday of .5 cc to give me a total of aroud 7cc. Last week was normal didn't really feel much extra restriction. This week- wowser! Yesterday the restriction kicked in and I think I had the best band day ever (food wise) day started with 20 oz of water 1 cup of coffee (black) 1 cup of Special K with 1/2 cup 2% milk (breakfast) Smart Ones Four Cheese Pizza (lunch) 3oz chop steak 1/2 cup scalloped potatos (didn't eat it all) No snacks!!! I stayed satisfied all day long with no snacks. Yesterday was the hubs B-day and he requested seasoned chopsteak and homemade scalloped potatos, so this was what we had. The chop steaks are 3 oz each. Preband I would eat 2 plus 2 sides and still have room, not now! I eat about 3 bites of steak and 2 bites of potatos and full! I thought WTH, wow, I am full on no more than that!! So I pack the remainder in a tupperware bowl for lunch today. I didn't get hungery later in the evening, I just felt good. I am loving this new found freedom from food. I like getting my fill on so much less- it's rush.