PrettyThick1

I'm so glad that there are others who could quickly answer this question for you. More than that, I wanted to wish you the best of luck and a big hug for your decision. It's never too late to start feeling better or to add more years to your life. You sound like a gem and I hope the process goes quickly and with as little stress as possible. Please do keep us posted!

Yes. I used it when I could. After the preop diet I'd had just about all I could stand of Protein shakes by the time post-op rolled around. I opted for protein shots so that I could get it over with quickly or use them to make a protein fortified fruit drink. Nice and light, hydrating and gets the grams in. Yummmm.

Congrats on your recent surgery! I hope your recovery went well and you're starting to feel more like yourself again.

Congratulations and welcome to the world Hudson! It became a better place when you arrived.

Welcome to the other side and congratulations! I have no doubt that you will be singing the band's praises in no time, too!

Butterflies begin from having been another As a child is born from being in a mother's womb Yet how many times have you wished you were some other Than someone you really were Yet who's to say if all were uncovered You'd like what you'd see You can only be you As I can only be me Flowers cannot bloom until it is their season As we would not be here unless it was our destiny But how many times have you wished to be in places Time spaces than what you were Yet who's to say that unfamiliar places You could anymore be Loving you that you see You can only be you As I can only be me I can only be me. Stevie Wonder Skool Daze (Spike Lee, 1988)

You hit the nail on the head. I think the biggest problem is that they can't handle seeing me change, especially when they are afraid to make their own bold moves to improve their lives. I hope you know in your heart that whatever the impact your weightloss has on your marriage, it will be for the best. Prolonged unhappiness is a serious thief of time, which we are learning is more and more precious as we get older. Good luck and continued success!!!

I'm so glad I'm not alone...I figured this might be common and I'd love to read more stories like yours on this post. Congratulations on your success and keep up the good work!

Bluebell's No Sugar Added ice cream (any flavor) tastes like regular ice cream. I don't know how they do it. No added sugar, no fat, 90 calories and 8 or 9 grams of Protein per serving. The dutch chocolate (tastes like creamy milk chocolate) and the strawberries and cream are to die for!!!!

Preach!

So why are you eating out of a box? With the same effort and a hell of a lot less money, you should preplan your meals. It's the same thing they are doing, except they are charging you more and it doesn't taste as good as if you'd made it yourself. It's not that hard. Make a full amount of whatever dish, then label, date and freeze it. Be your own JC and learn to manage your weight the proper way. I don't see the rationale in having the band and still needing another control method. If it's for convenience, that's one thing, but there are far too many resources for easy recipes - without the carbs, preservatives and sodium found in prepackaged foods.

I've seen quite a few posts asking what slider foods are. While we can all give a list of things that fall in that category for us or all bandsters, one point that goes overlooked is that you can make any food a slider if you drink with your meals - even doughy breads, sticky rice and potatoes. There are two main reasons not to eat with your meals: it flushes the food through your system faster and you can cause the liquid to take up space where an extra bite or two of lean Protein would be better suited. That being said, I understand what a chore it is to chew long enough make your food consumable but there is a reason for it and quite important in the grand scheme of things.

The longer you wait to drink, the longer you stay full = more rapid weight loss. Just something to think about. If you can make it an hour, by all means do so. My doctor says you have to wait hour before and hour after! This seems over kill!

I wish I could unlearn what I've learned, but I know how to "cheat" my band and eat more than I should. I'm going to talk to a counselor and maybe get an adjustment next week. I can't start this foolishness. Please don't ask how it's done. I will not share this information with anyone because I care that much about your success.

If I ever am tempted to listen to the voice in my head that says "I don't see a difference", I'll take a look at these and thank Miss Pearlie (my band) for all she had done to make this happen. I'm not at my goal and these pics are 15lbs heavier than I am today, but they are my faves because they were the first evidence that I was no longer afraid to take pictures.

Hugs Bandista...you are a delightful person and I love reading your thoughtful, caring replies to other bandsters. You rock!

After my stomach flu scare a few days ago, I was certain that I had damaged my band - especially since I was a rather frequent PB'er. To my relief, my band is in good shape in spite of me experiencing two very real, very serious vomiting episodes. As a preventative measure, I asked to have .5cc's removed to allow more of an "escape route" just in case it wasn't over. What a huge difference! My food goes down way too easy now, but in this, I realize how much difficulty I was having with 5.0cc's. I've come to the conclusion that 4.5 isn't enough and 5.0 is too much...when I go back to get another fill in two weeks, I'm going to request .25cc's instead of the full .5 that has been taken out. I think that's going to be perfect and I can't wait to see if that .25 will bring me to a "true green" - I don't think I was really in the green, simply because eating was a bit tricky to manage. Now, it almost feels like I don't have a band and even more than that, a couple of weird pains I had are suddenly gone. What a difference a tiny bit of Fluid can make!

Whether it be spouse, parent, best friend...anyone who has considered WLS has had someone in their life - some more than others that were against them having the procedure. It's one of the first steps you deal with on this journey, welcome aboard! He obviously loves you or he wouldn't be concerned, so consider yourself a lucky woman in that respect. Without knowing your specific situation (how many WL attempts, how long overweight, any comorbids or risks) it's hard to help you with a more detailed "reasons to have the surgery" list, but here is my two cents: 1. Yo-yo dieting is more dangerous than never having lost weight. 2. You can lose the weight on your own, but are you able to maintain it? 3. There are more risks to staying overweight than in having WLS. 4. People who have deadly diseases have been "cured" through WLS. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in February 2013. Six months after my surgery, I am happy to say that my blood glucose levels are normal without medication. I was diagnosed with Severe Obstructive sleep Apnea only after my band surgeon required a sleep study prior to my surgery. I have likely had it for years and it could have killed me, quickly...it certainly reduced my quality of life. Six months after my surgery, I no longer need my CPAP, I don't snore and I get the best sleep I've had in my life. I also need a lot less sleep than I did before. My blood pressure was starting to fluctuate in crazy numbers. After I lost 20lbs. my blood pressure stabilized and is back to 120/80 or less each time I check it. 5. Being overweight affects your psyche. Your self esteem, outlook on life, drive and ambition climb with each pound lost. 6. Being smaller feels good. 7. Being smaller looks good. I thought I was the cutest thing walking the earth at my highest weight but I didn't do it for vanity. 8. It will increase your chances at living a longer and better quality life. 9. He will benefit in many ways: better nutrition, a happier wife and better sex (trust me on that) to name a few. 10. You want it. You go out of your way to make sure your loved ones have what they need as long as it is in your control. You should do the same thing for yourself. No one else can or will ever live in your body, therefore the decision is ultimately yours to make. Good luck in whatever you decide. I'm very happy with my decision, I don't miss anything (I can eat whatever I choose to) but have gained so much...things that I didn't anticipate. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner.

The EXACT same thing happened to me. I was .7 from my goal and guess what? I gained 7 whole pounds!!!!

I'd like to share a little bit of advice to my long-time single bandsters: don't be in such a hurry to be in a relationship that you settle for the first person that shows you the attention you've been looking for. I've learned that my confidence, appearance, judgement and outlook on life changes a little bit with each passing day with my new body. Enjoy the compliments, flattery and going out on dates but don't be in a hurry to be tied down. Your dance card is going to start filling up quickly, you have choices so make them wisely when it comes to choosing someone to share your future with.

That was really nice.

Breathe. It's not that serious, you haven't done anything that will prevent or hinder your surgery. Just be good from here on out, you're almost there!

...and as Bandista mentioned, this is the exciting part. As much as I hated being on pins and needles, once I got the call for my pre-op appointment it all became real and I can't tell you the emotions I went through that day! LOL

If you're expected to be there all day, I would safely say this is your pre-op appointment. You've done everything else, gotten your approval, there isn't anything left to do now but schedule your surgery. Good luck!

I was told no Advil (ibuprophen), Tylenol (acetaminophen) or aspirin. You can use Aleve or call your doctor for a liquid prescription pain med. My headaches seem to go away much faster now and they are fewer than before I was banded and I have only had to use something once (BC Headache Powders) I'm not sure what medication is in them, but I needed something and knew that this would go down easilly. It helped almost immediately.