New Hope

You need to be healed well and eating hard proteins regularly before you get a fill. I, personally, waited 2 months. I wanted to be sure that I was doing my part first.

Kendra, do you have your aftercare lined up NOW?

KIm, good for you! So glad that you didn't give up and hung in there. You're doing great!

Good for you for getting through a holiday with so many goodies to tempt you! I love your statement that your relationship with life is just beginning!! That is so true! Best of luck to you on your banding! Please let us know how you are doing after your surgery.

Kendra, best of luck to you in regaining your health. How much weight would you like to lose?

Nykee, girl, I'm glad that you're using Fitday. It really does help show you what you're doing. I know today was Easter and there was a lot of junk food around (candies). But this isn't your normal day's diet, is it? Please concentrate on the types of foods that you are eating. Also, eating that much sugar is very dangerous, especially if you have diabetic tendencies. You need to eat hard Proteins (lean, moist meats) first, then vegetables, and finally carbs (if still room left.) These type of foods will stay in your pouch longer, make you feel full longer, and prevent you from eating too much and too often. You will feel better too. A lot of carbs and sugar will make you tired and sluggish feeling. Try preparing your meal on a small salad plate. Take your time, chew well. Stop after 20 minutes and get up and away from the table. Wait one hour to drink liquids after any meals. Then get as much Water in as you can. I'm so glad to see that you're feeling better about yourself! Keep loving and taking care of yourself. Take it one day at a time and try to make wise, healthy food choices. You can do it!

Kaz, you should do a day or two of only liquids following a pb episode. This gives your esophagus time to calm down and quit repeating the trauma. Also, solid food bites should be about the size of the eraser on the end of a pencil (very tiny) and chewed to bits before swallowing. Take your time, little bites, and chew, chew, chew before swallowing. That's a nasty experience, isn't it?

So glad to hear that all went well. Congratulations on getting your band. What type of band did you get? Please keep walking and sipping.

Congratulations! That video taping will be so helpful for people researching the band. Great idea! Please keep sipping and walking.

Wow, Terri! Today's a brand new start! Getting up at 4:30 puts a kink in your day right off the bat. Hope your weekend gives you some time to recoup. And 43 pounds is nothing to sneeze at! Hang in there.

Dell, hope BC covers the band procedure for you. If not, there are self-payers here that can give you advice. How much weight would you like to lose? Best of luck to you!

Karla, best of luck to you! Please do as much research as you can before you are banded to help you know what to expect in life w/your band. How much weight would you like to lose?

I think they're both very qualified band surgeons. Are you being banded in Houston? I used Dr. Spivak and love him and his staff.

Amber, congratulations on your upcoming banding! And a very special congratulations for your 7 month old baby! What type of diet does your dr. have you on right now? Banding is a journey, not a race. Please try to take it just one day at a time and don't concentrate on the whole picture. That can be overwhelming. Just give each day your very best shot ....what you eat, regular exercise, and plenty of Water (but not w/meals or 1 hour afterwards). That weight will come off. The time after your banding (and before your first fill) is to concentrate on healing. Some people do actually gain some weight during this time. Others lose. Are you still nursing your baby? If so, you need to concentrate even more on eating healthy -for you and your sweet little one. Also, your thyroid medication will help you get things back in order. The band is a wonderful tool and we're among the lucky ones that got the chance to use it. Just about any ?? that you have - can be found in the "search" portion of LBT or can be answered by someone here. Best of luck to you and please keep in touch with us.

Deb, best of luck to you! Please keep in touch. We'll be interested in how things go for you.

Monica, how tall are you? If you're following all the Bandster rules and still not losing, it could be that you have a much lower BMI than most of us. Do you know how much fill you have? Best of luck to you! Sometimes it just takes some "fine tuning" to hit the right fill amount for you. When you're getting your daily waterload in, be sure and not drink w/your meals or at least 1 hour afterwards.

Nancy, (((Hugs))) and prayers to you and your family during this trying time. I know you've said your Father is the one who named you "NancySmiles" and I hope you will have some reasons to smile with your Father about. I'm so sorry for the loss of your Mother in Law.

Congratulations, Jennifer! Did your band surgeon give you written instructions of what to eat and what to expect with your band? If you do a "search" (at top of the page),you should be able to find several suggestions of food ideas. But you really need to check w/your dr. for his/her specific rules to be sure. Please "search" for a variety of band issues so you'll have an idea what to expect. Best of luck to you! PB means "productive burp" -- a lot like baby spitup --undigested food that gets trapped and comes back up (like vomiting). It's usually caused from eating too quickly and/or taking too big a bite. A bite should be no larger than the eraser at the end of a pencil. Pbing can also be caused from being filled too tightly (and that is usually relieved by a slight unfill.)

Thanks, Alexis. The plastic surgeon that works w/my band dr. said tt weren't covered by insurance. Thanks for giving us hope! You look great!

Wow, you've lost 25 pounds since March 1st? Great job and congratulations on getting your band. Hello, from Houston.

I haven't, Chris. But just wanted to welcome you to LBT. How much weight would you like to lose? Are you still on steroids?

Feeling bad from the surgery will get better as each day passes. But I didn't have the "dry heaves" after I got home. It possibly could be the pain meds. causing that. Are you able to keep clear liquids down? It's important not to get dehydrated. Sip, sip, sip. Hope you're feeling better soon. Congratulations on getting your band.

Oh, Vera, I am so sorry! I would demand a new band too. You can't keep going through this - financially, physically, or emotionally. Hang in there and get it fixed right. (((Hugs)))

Alice, the most I've ever had was 1.2 and I was pbing on water, down to 1.0. I have been empty and now have 0.5. We're all different in what we need. There's no one size fits all for fills. I hope you are able to eat your hard proteins now and feel better.

Hope you have a wonderful day and bandster size bites of a very good birthday cake!