Annie1976

I can see both sides here...I was banded 12-18 and have been stuck at 15 pounds since January. It is frustrating to hear other posts from people that had the surgery and then, after becoming g obese from food addiction, etc....then had the surgery and somehow did what I am struggling to do (losing weight consistently) and that is following all the rules despite cravings, emotions, weak mindedness, food issues. All if a sudden the successful have been able to get success through "want power" yet i am struggling even though I promise u I want to lose more for many many reasons. It's hard to see many posts from people that lost 30 lbs in first month. I'm jealous and I feel like a failure even though most days I'm on target with the plan...but to lose weight for me almost all days have to be on point. I'm 5'8 and 196 and run every day, I'm self pay. I can see both sides and am happy for everyone's success but I wish I could plant the chip that exists in others' brains into mine to get more "willpower", "want power" or whatever you want to call it. I wish I coul go to a lap and camp for 6 months to help learn everything internally...maybe that's what Betsy meant???

Hi all, I am 5 weeks post op and started working out. I was a runner before surgery. When I run I feel this tugging in my stomach (assuming where incisions are) when my foot impacts ground. Has anyone else experiences this? Should I wait longer to run? I switched to elliptical but I hate it. Any thoughts??

I was banded 12-18 and I'm down 12. I am frustrated too but I am struggling with always wanting to eat. I am staying within1200 cals and figure slow and steady wins the race...

Ok reading all these posts was actually educational for me bein a new band patient. I found OH in the Internet and noticed it was very neg towards the lap band but that was the only surgery I was willing to consider. Now I appreciate the posters here defending newly banded patients...I get it now and see the history....

I agree with what everyone said but also I'm on Mushies week 3 and love tofu and Greek yogurt...maybe this will work for u as a protein source?

Hi all, I can't figure out how to post to Newbie's post on here so it's probably going to go at the last post of this thread.About working out, my Dr. told me not to work out other than walking for at least 4 weeks...i actually ran for 10 feet today and I felt soreness where my scars were. just thought i would mention that because it looks like you were banded on 12-21. I know we all have different dr's with different rules

i had this problem too during the first 2 weeks...I still don't sleep much 3rd week out but its getting better. It's weird too because I am in Alaska and it's dark all winter = mostly all I wanna do is sleep

Reprogramming the way I eat is hard!!!! I'm still on liquids but I find myself pounding sugar free Jello like its going out of style. I also took 2 bites of my son's fish...guilty conscience. I guess this is where I need to focus on why I'm eatin the way I am...

Glad I'm not alone for the most part. I ate the fish because I was weak minded, which is why I decided to get the band in the first place. I have poor self control, which I am trying to work on. I know I should not...just like I know I should not eat that chocolate cake, etc before the band. BTW I found this awesome low carb yogurt that is only 60 calories for 6 ounces and 1.5 grams of fat. 1 net carb. I think carbs always have been and always will be my downfall and if I can manage that I will do better rather than worse. I am at the 2 week mark and down 10 pounds though

I just had surg in Mexico and dr kuri mentioned he sutures the port somewhere and also the band to the diaphragm so that it doesn't flip or slip. Maybe I imagined that but I'm pretty sure this is what he said????

For me I have not had a diet coke since day before surgery....this is literally a miracle because I was addicted like a crackhead I don't want to erode the band and they say carbonation of any form does that...beer i might have to cheat every once in a while but rarely...

I am 10 days post op and have same issue. Thanks to this site I am not worried. It's sore too.

Responding to most recent "bullying" comments and "get thicker skin" comments, I have to say I hear your points but for me personally I am new to the journey just being banded last week. This is a hard journey emotionally and physically and I probably have read almost all the posts and sometimes I have felt a judgmental tone in some of them (not most). I guess maybe if people tried to remember how it was in the beginning, that this is changing WHO YOU ARE because for me personally I have been heavy for too long...kindness is best??? Am I wrong? A very SENSITIVE JOURNEY fir me so far anyways. I am thinner in the last week than ive been in a decade and i am feeling guilty that i wasted a lot of my life poisoning my body. Some comments (ie. the 3.00 comment...or if I read another lecture on how weight watchers worked I'm gonna puke I joined them 7 times before I got the band...obviously not for me but glad its for you:). We are all doing the best we can...I am grateful for this sight and this thread.

My nurse explained that when u eat solids/textured foods your stomach twists and turns more during digestion which is why liquids are recommended for so long. This helped me a little .

I am glad there are people on here like you who post their true feelings...what miss most is my friend called food I find myself bored because I can't eat... Hang in there it will get easier for both of us

I hope I am replying correctly u just installed this website as an app on my phone. I had surg in Mexico on the 18th and posted about it. I am going to try to figure out how to post a pic so I can show u all the incision scars/marks. I don't cover them with bandages anymore because they are healing good and the bandages were irritating my skin. My port area is sore but that is it... All other areas feel good. I also majorly screwed up on Christmas and ate the filling of pumpkin pie...NOT GOOD.

Hi all, wanted to update everyone about my surgery in Mexico with Dr. Kuri. I should have done this earlier but I had no computer in Mexico. So I traveled to San Diego and as soon as we arrived I called Dr. Kuri's office and a guy named Carlos was at the airport within 10 minutes. We crossed the border with no issues. He dropped us off at the hotel because we were a day earlier. The next day, Carlos picked us up and I had labs, EKG and met with Internist Dr. Peterson to make sure I was healthy enough for surgery. Also met with Dr. Kuri. It wasn't a very long meeting with either but I also didn't ask a lot of questions. The hospital Angeles was very clean and I found out it is a private hospital in Tijuana. I spent the night in the hospital that night (night before surgery) and the nursing staff seemed great except for only a couple spoke English. The next day, I went in for surgery. I wasn't that nervous amazingly enough! They give you an adavan each night to sleep, BTW. All I remember is being wheeled in to the surg waiting room and then they gave me something in my IV and I must have feel asleep. Woke up to being banded and sleeping mostly for the next 12 hours. I walked when I could and peed when I needed to, wasn't in that much pain. Spent that night in the hospital as well, and the next day woke up early and walked. The next day they did some sort of barium xray to make sure the band was placed correctly. It was, and they gave me a prescription for pain meds. We filled it upon dischare and drove back to San Diego to board a flight at 2:30pm. I really was not in that much pain and didn't take any pain meds MAINLY because I think I lost them somehow along the trip It's been 5 days no and I am feeling good, get tired around 1pm or so, and am sore but am resting as needed and keeping incisions clean and bandaged. The first 2 days I didn't lose any weight but now I am 5 pounds down. I am sure it's water but still I'm happy. Also I was the only one there that day having surgery but I did meet a Canadian man who had it the day before me and he had no complaints; looked great and said he was not in much pain. Also one other thing, I think the incisions are very small and will heal nicely. I am bruised pretty bad where they are but after having 2 c-sections this surgery seemed a lot easier. All in all I felt very safe and comfortable with the decision to go to Tijuana with Dr. Kuri, looking back it was a good choice for me although I realize it's not for everyone. Oh I have been having problems sleeping at night, and it's not pain related. I am not sure why but I have a hard time falling asleep and then I wake up at 4 or 5 am. Dealing with it I made it through clear liquids for 3 days and am now on all liquids. Yesterday had tomato soup and protien shakes and also had greek yogurt. I know the yogurt is probably a no no?? If anyone every has any questions just private message me. The total cost was $5500 and Dr. Kuri said if I ever want to have the band removed, it's $1200. Fills are free if you go to him except for cost of using floro machine??? (I think he said $95). Good luck everyone

Hello all, Not been posting much but been reading every day. I am headed to Dr. Kuri in Mexico to get banded...flight leaves 1am tonight. I am very very nervous but so ready, my decision is made and I am at peace with it. I will post everything when it's all over...Tuesday is surgery date, and will be in hospital Mon through Wed. I have this really weird fear that while under anestheisia I will be able to feel everything pain wise but I won't be able to move or wake up. I know it's totally irrational...but I think that is what I am dreading the most-actually going under. Anyways, I'll let you guys know how it all goes

AJtexas, that is awesome. what i can't wrap my mind around is HOW did you get wantpower? I am being banded on 12/18 and don't have to do preop diet but I am going to start on sunday anyways. How do you make that happen if you struggle with willpower/food as it is? (hence why I need the band)? Does the surgery do something to you to make it easier in the mind? I am so worried/confused about this. I have to give up so many addictions for this and i want to be successful so bad, but an example is diet coke. I am a carbonation/diet coke addict. Does that craving go away a little when you are banded? Anyways you are awesome for posting this!

that is too funny! I have been thinking I don't want to tell my coworkers because I DONT want to be judged (it is human nature after all) but then again why not share a secret or personal decision. Sounds like you handled it brilliantly !

Hi all, I am not on a pre-op diet because my BMI is lower...I am self pay. Here is my worry, I lack will power when it comes to food in general (which is why I think lap band will help) but the delima in my mind is if I am so weak minded now that I couldn't lose weight on my own, how will I do it when I have the lap band? Im being banded 12-18 and have bought books on emotional eating, etc. but I do worry about it a lot. The one thing i have going for me is I work out a lot which in turn burns some of the calories I eat. I've made the decision in my mind to do this I just do have this worry that I will fail. Am I the only one worried about this? Thank you

well said how do I become a Banded B? I'm going to have surgery on the 18th

Dec 18th in Mexico, super excited...trying to do everythign right

I found a fill Dr in AK willing to do Mexico fills, I made an apt tomorrow to get his opinion, etc. I am worried about emergencies, though, like if something goes wrong and I have to have the band out, etc....not sure who would be willing to do that because the AK Docs that do lap bands don't want to treat patients from Mexico. The local surgeons are not an option for me (as far as the lap band goes) as far as I know.

Hi everyone, I am trying to find locals in Alaska that have had the lap band...I am planning on getting one in Mexico soon, and it's been very hard to find someone in a similar situation locally...I would appreciate it if anyone out there wanted to meet up or talk? Thanks:) Annie