aeromech

I am getting banded by Dr. Wright tomorrow!

Good luck Sandilee!! About this time tomorrow I will be getting ready to go to the surgery center OMG!!! Feeling kinda anxious and nervous! Wow...

Oyster forks, small plates, put your fork down between bites, try an app called "eat slower" to time between bites or use an old fashioned egg timer. Make sure to chew completely to mush before swallowing. Don't drink during meal time. Be aware of what you are eating and how it "works with the band". These are all things that helped my wife adjust and have minimal stuck episodes.

Yes, me too. Getting banded on Wednesday. This thread is very encouraging!!

Special K protein water

That is awesome!! I had to edit my diet because I found out that I am diabetic recently. That means no carbs, no sugar. I haven't been banded yet, but I have had the opportunity to turn foods down that I would normally inhale. It's a great feeling to be able to turn foods down because your health depends on it. It's crazy to see how food impacts your health even on a daily basis.

You might be the only of your kind... Lol I think there was someone else a few days ago talking about band over bypass though.

How long after being banded or how much weight loss did it take you to get off the diabetes meds? Just curious because I am kinda in the same boat, meds but no insulin. Congratulations on your healthy success!

It's a sad thing, you need to "break up" with food. Look at it as a bad relationship and you have to get rid of the abusive partner. Your LOVE of food is fueling your addiction. It's gotta stop, our view of food needs to change. Notice I said "our"..... We all have these problems.

You shouldn't eat till you are full. The point of the band is for you to feel satisfied before full happens. That is why it is timed intervals between swallows and smaller amount of food compared to what we ate pre-surgery. It will take a bit to really learn to listen to the band. It will tell you what is going on, but you have to pay attention.

Don't mistake hunger for thirst. If you haven't gotten enough water, your stomach will make you think you are hungry. I guess it has to be the connection between eating and drinking during the meal.

Here is a chart that you can look up your 25BMI weight by your height in inches. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm

This was originally intended to be a reply to another topic, but I decided to make my own. I have not been banded yet, March 20th is my day. My wife however has had the surgery for about a year. With that said here is my standpoint. I am a mechanic. I use tools every day. A mechanic is nothing without the proper tools, but is useless without the proper training to use them as well. I feel that the pre-op diet and videos and reading is my training for how to use the lap-band efficiently. I know the post-op period and seeking the "green zone" is going to still be a huge learning curve, but who got good at something first time out without any practice. I know I can't get to a healthy goal weight without the lap-band. As for the discussion of who and if you share your WLS story. I work with about 300 other mechanics, most overweight, some absolutely obese, many with diabetes, high blood pressure, and bad cholesterol problems. We all work too much overtime and have fallen into a viscous energy drink and fast/fatty food lifestyle that is accepted because "everyone" does it. Some are on the healthy side just because they hit the gym a few times a week. If one of us changes from the norm it is highly noticeable. Since I went in about a month ago to start the process of getting medically cleared and finally getting my date, I have been diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and have lost over 14lbs. I have been asked about it many times. I contribute it to being sick and changing my diet (totally eliminating carbs for blood sugar reasons) per the nutritionalist. So far my wife, kids, mother-in-law, good friend at work, and boss knows that I am having WLS. It is going to be a gradual thing for me to tell everyone. I haven't even told my dad or my best buddy that is like a brother to me. I am an open person, but the struggle of obesity throughout my life (age 8 to 35) and ridicule of not sticking to anything and succeeding in winning that battle. I was up to 275 in high school, down to 240 when we got married, up to 335 at my heaviest about 3 years ago and now pre-op at 263. The yo-yo is going to kill me not to mention the diabetes. Frankly it all has me gunshy to the point of not being as open as I want. Guess it's easier here since we are basically anonymous. These are just a few of my thoughts swimming around while I hunger for real food on my pre-op diet.... Only 3 days in... Lol

I'm a self pay as well and just had to get medically cleared by the nutritionalist, so a pulmonary test, EKG, get a few talks, made me watch a video on the Internet about the procedure and post-op life, have a sit down and evaluation with the surgeon. Pretty straightforward since I have diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and hip and knee pain. BMI OF 37 at 277lbs at first appointment. Started process first week of February and getting banded on March 20th.

Have you got your thyroid checked?

I totally agree, staying busy helps deal with the hunger. On my days off I can go through 4 shakes and my allotted 4-6oz lean Protein. My work days I will have 2 maybe 3 shakes and the lean protein. That is going like 6 hours between "meals" on work days. I hate boredom eating and know that's why I got so heavy.

I found this new another board for gastric sleeve, it may help: "I was in Walgreens and I asked why they don't make liquid adult Tylenol anymore. My wise pharmacist replied : " Ahhh... Grasshopper... but they DO. You just need to know where to look!" and she took me to the Cold and Flu Section. "But Dr. Drugimoto! I don't Have a cold!" She sagely responded : "Patience Grasshopper. Read the label on this!" Tylenol.com — TYLENOL® Cold Sore Throat I did. It turns out that liquid Tylenol Cold SORE THROAT variety. Minty blue liquid is nothing but Acetaminophen. That is the other name for Tylenol! It costs $7.95 a bottle in my store and lasts much longer than liquid baby Tylenol. The minty flavor was pretty strong so I poured it into about a cup of Water and it did fine in my five day old tummy!, " Hope that helps you gals out!

Too late to wish mine didn't huh... Lol True Results San Antonio March 20th can't come soon enough!!