NJDad

I know it isn't what you intended when you wrote this, but thanks for the warning to the rest of us. My nutritionist said that hot dogs were off the table once I had the surgery, exactly for reasons like this. Well, I go to a lot of pro football and baseball games. Having a hot dog and a soda were a big part of the "ballpark experience". I had been thinking to myself, "What if I chew one real well and really slow, maybe that'll make it ok" After reading your experience, I think I'll stick to other foods at the game. Thanks for the reminder. Ron

Yes, it does make me feel good.

I had a good week this week. 1. I noticed I am down another notch on my belt. One more notch and it is time to buy another smaller belt. That will be my third belt since April. 2. My daughter's teacher, who had not seen me since May, told me I look great. (Side note, any 46 year old man loves to hear a 20 something woman notices them, let alone says they look good). 3. A guy in my office stopped me and asked me how much weight I lost. (Second side note - Guys don't mention weight loss to other guys unless they lost a body part or something) 4. My wife gave me a hug this morning and locked her hands behind my back. She said she hasn't been able to do that since high school. Sure, it might seem like silly little things to some, but these are the small victories I am taking away from this process. I still have a ways to go before I am back to the weight I want to reach, but it takes time. I took 25 years to get this way, it doesn't go away overnight. I weigh myself every morning before Breakfast. Sure, some days it stays the same or rises a little bit. But most days it is going down, even if by 2/10ths of a pound. Each of those mornings it is a good way to put a smile on my face. It isn't the big things, it is the small things I am concentrating on right now. I saw someone that posted they are happy when they see a 1 at the beginning of their weight. I didn't understand it until I got under 300 and saw that 2 in 299. Now, I see it every morning and smile knowing I am on the right path. Have a nice weekend! Ron

Perhaps it isn't that they are getting any bigger, but the rest of you is getting smaller? Then they look bigger on your body? Hey, it happens to some guys in a different part of the body....

In college, I was a size 11 shoe. As I grew older, I figured that shoes were getting like "pounds" of coffee.....same price, less material in the package. Over the next 20 years I went to an 11.5 and on to a 12. Well, 3 months out and those size 12 shoes are falling off me. I guess it was me

ROTFLMAO Thanks for the laugh!

First, see what your doctor says, he is the ultimate decision maker here. I have not visited an amusement park since my surgery, but I do have some experience with moving aroud since my banding in April. I design and program heavy machinery for the tape industry. Occasionally, I have to climb into, over or under some equipment to make an adjustment. Since my surgery, I find I can fit in smaller places....however, like Achilles, I now have a weak spot. If I push or press too hard on my port site, it hurts. I find if I lean over certain things and press into my port, it still is tender. I don't know where your port is, but think about some of the faster rides you might want to go on. If the safety rails or harnesses press on your port or incision sites, it might make for an uncomfortable ride. My advice would be to stick with the Teacups, Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World. Avoid the Rock 'N Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest this trip.

I am so happy that I am not the only one with confusion over the "Goal weight". When I first saw my doctor, I was over 350. The weird thing is not many people realized how big I had become (It must be that new stealth technolgy). I am 6'4" tall, and built like a linebacker.....which was a good thing, since that was what I was in college. My doctor looked at a chart, and said that with my height, I should be shooting for 183 pounds. 183? You have to be kidding me. My boss, who is an avid cycler. I don't mean he rides a bike here and there. He rides 80 mile races. He went for a cardiac stress test for insurance purposes and no matter how high they put the treadmill, he couldn't reach the target heartrate they were looking for. He is all muscle. He is 2 inches shorter tan I, and he weighs in at 185. My goal, as it has been since last year is to get to 234. "Why is he coming up with such an exact number?" you might ask..... Well, that was the weight that I played football at in college. If I can get back to the weight I was when I was in the best shape of my life, I will be very happy. One more thing.....I am with CarolinaGirl. I use my clothes more as a guide than the scale. For me, I see a difference in my belt quicker than I do in the scale.

Thanks for the comments folks. Now I have to add a fifth item to my list...... 5. A blind man told me that he can tell I am losing weight. (C'mon, when a blind man says he can tell you are making progress, you pay attention. ) I know this needs a litte explanation.......A good friend of mine is a sportswriter, and he covers the New York Yankees. He has been covering the local NY sports scene for nearly 50 years. Oh, one more thing, he has been blind since he was 12 years old. A few times a month, I serve as his guide at Yankee games. My daughter tells me I am the world's biggest seeing eye dog. As I guide him in the various places a sportswriter goes, he holds on to my right arm. He knew I had the surgery a few months ago, but said he really didn't notice my size before......but he mentioned yesterday that my arm is definitely shrinking. Now that is progress......

I have Oxford Insurance, which seems to be the low rent division of United Healthcare. I had to follow a six month regimen of meeting a nutritionist once a month. Plus I had to get approvals from a psychologist, a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and a gastroenterologist. Dr. Strom and his team were familiar with all the requirements of dealing with my insurance, had a list of doctors that they knew took my insurance, and stepped me through everything. Once we got all the paperwork together about a month before my surgery date, they submitted everything and got approval the first time within a week.

My PCP didn't agree with me getting LapBand surgery. It wasn't just me, he is against anyone having it. My insurance company didn't require a letter from my PCP, just a "doctor", so my surgeon wrote the letter. I saw my PCP doctor a few weeks ago, and 50 pounds lighter. He said he was impressed, but would have been more impressed if I did it without surgery. However, after he said that, he said that he was happy it is working for me, and that we now had to keep me on the straight and narrow. "And no more Pepsi.....ever". Yes, he knows me quite well.

The place I notice it most of all is in the airplane.....all the seats on those planes sure are getting larger lately :-) Ohhh, you meant on me.........My wife says she notices it most in my face and neck. I notice it in my belt. I had to keep closing it one more notch each week, to the point where I had to buy a new smaller belt. Now that new belt is one notch away from being too big too.

My wife and daughter own a Weimariner named Leno (He may live in the same house as I, but he is not my dog). Weims are full of energy and love to walk and run. Leno has ensured that I get out daily for a long walk. He takes me lots of places and we visit lots of other dogs on the block. He is my own Jiminy Cricket, making sure I do my full walk....shortcuts are not allowed.

I am one of those idiots that went back to work less than a week after my surgery. I say idiot, because that is what I was. I was exhausted that first day back, and tired the rest of the week. I went back to work because I was bored at home......I am one of "those" personalities that have difficulty sitting around. I am sitting on two more weeks of vacation and another week of sick time. I should have taken more time off....maybe an extra 1-3 days. All that being said, everyone has their own speed of recovery, and the amount of tolerance they have to discomfort. You should not compare your recovery to anyone else. You are the best judge of how you feel.

I got one of those breathing thingies too......the days after my surgery,my wife would hand it to me, and use the same tone of voice I used when she was in labor, "Breathe!"

As with cars, your mileage may vary. I am a picky eater, and I tried many Protein powders before I bit the bullet and ordered unjury. Yes, it is a pain in the butt not being able to get it in the stores....but in my eyes, it is worth it. To me, the chocolate splendor with 8-10 oz of low fat or skim milk tastes like Yoo-Hoo. The strawberry with milk tastes like strawberry Quik. I tried the same strawberry with the lemonade as they recommended, and I didn't like that. I also use the unflavored with a variety of fruit juices my wife gets me. 4 oz of the juice, 4-6 oz of Water and one scoop of the unflavored is my normal 11:00 am shake. We all just need to try different ones until we find what works for us and tastes best to us. Reading posts like all these is great because you get new ideas of what to try. Ron

I didn't drive for five days after my surgery.....but I slept on our waterbed the day after surgery. I just needed some help getting up that first night. After that, all was good.

I was 340 the week before my surgery. I was 330 the day of my surgery in 4/24/13. This morning I weighed in at 292....38 pounds lost since the surgery.

Add me to the list of Dr. Strom fans.....he did mine in April. His team has been great for me. I'd recommend in his to anyone. Ron

JP, Welcome fellow Jersey Boy. I am from Essex county, and had my surgery in Mountainside Hospital. I, like you, had no idea what to expect......but the team at my doctors office prepared me well. Whatever you do, don't rush. Make sure you have all,your answers and feel comfortable with everything that is going to be done. I saw my nutritionists for about eight months before I had my surgery......I just wish I found this site sooner. Everyone here is so positive and helpful. If you have a question, chances are someone has already experienced what you are asking about and will answer. Good luck, Ron

Kim, I think I did pretty well. No major issues, I was on a liquid diet the rest of that day. The next morning my wife made me my normal scrambled egg and half a piece of toast for Breakfast. I couldn't finish either of those.....and I felt too full. I reduced my food intake and all is well. I am down 4.2 pounds since the morning of my fill.....that was 5 days ago. How was your fill on Friday? Ron

I had my first fill today. I don't like needles, so the idea of getting a needle in my belly really freaked me out before I got there. My doctor always does the first fill in the radiology department of the hospital in front of the fluroscope....he puts a little in, I drink the shake, he checks out how it flows. Not enough, here's a little more. Drink some more, another check of the fluroscope, looks good. You are finished. "Ah, doc, you going to take that needle out of my gut now?" "Relax there buddy, I'm getting you a Band-Aid" After he was done, I asked how much saline he put in. His answer was simple, "enough" When I asked him again, he told me that I am losing weight just fine, the amount we put in doesn't really matter......you are progressing just perfectly. Everyone is different, we cannot compare your fill to another person's fill. But if you must know, 4cc. I think his answer was just right. We each have our own body type, and we trust the doctor to know better than us. He did the easy part, a little stick of a needle today, the rest is up to me for the next 40 years.

I flew for the first time last week and didn't notice anything with my stomach in either direction.....I even managed to lose weight on my journey too, something that really concerned me, as it was my first trip since my surgery.

When I look in the mirror, the only place I see the weight loss (42 pounds since 4/24) is in my face and neck. However, there are lots of places you lose weright that you don't notice until you start looking. I don't often wear a watch lately, but I put mine on last week. It spins around freely where it used to be snug. My clothes are fitting loosely now, to the point where I am starting to buy new pants and belts. I am getting close to having an outie after 40+ years of an innie. And yes, my shoes are not fitting any more :-) Yet, when I look in the mirror I see the same gut and same old body. It is going to take some time to change the way I see myself.