Bandista

Congratulations! I am full on so little now, not trying to stop myself from getting more to eat. So happy!

How about calling your doctor -- maybe you need a slight unfill if you've had several since May?

I can't wait to be able to get a nice coat -- in a woman's size. Have been wearing men's parkas for a while for sleeve length and belly room. Won't it be nice to have some winter-wear that fits!

My doctor indicated he often finds a hiatal hernia but they didn't perform any tests or procedures beforehand. Sure enough, there was a hiatal hernia. Glad to have that fixed as I think it was causing some difficulties, including some referred pain in my left chest/breast area. I don't think it changed my recovery in any way -- doing great here on day ten. Best wishes!

Yippee! Getting off BP meds is on my goal list as well. Congratulations!

Ninety pounds, wow! You are amazing. You'll be taking those new hips walking and be into whatever new clothes you have waiting before you know it. I really like this idea, too. Right now I am two days into in a smaller size jeans -- one size down from what I've been in for a long time. Have been thinking about getting the next pair lined up as incentive. This cinches it!

Happy Birthday! And what a great gift to yourself -- health and happiness! You look amazing. Congratulations on all the hard work that brought you to this place. So happy for you!

Over the past few months I noticed posts about people not liking the same shakes post-surgery as they had for pre-op, etc. Well, now that's me. I just don't seem to want one. My husband made them for me a few days running when I came home from the hospital and they ended up sitting in the fridge until we tossed them. I feel like I should start worrying about protein at some point but for now I'm just learning how to listen to my body. I'm on day ten -- full liquids and smooth foods going into mushy-ville.....not really hungry much at all and when I am I am satisfied with a small amount. I did find myself sort of going after cottage cheese one day.

I am down one jean size! Broke into the little stack of 16 Lee longs in my bottom drawer. I have been in 18 Lees for a long, long time. Yippee! They are a little snug but I'm wearing them anyway. Considering going out to find the next size down to have on-hand -- an incentive.....

11/15 Friday weigh-in: 231 Have a great weekend everyone!

Hi Ruth, thanks so much. The surgery went beautifully -- I am just finding your thread again as the website overhaul has me pretty lost. Getting into some kind of exercise program ahead of time really helped me, even though I had to talk myself into it each and every time. Since getting banded I look forward to it (who is this person?). Good luck with your process. I am feeling like this is the best thing I've done in I don't know how long. Best wishes!

Hi Annette, best wishes for a speedy recovery and relief!

Hi Micki, that's great news! Congratulations on that. Hope you're having a nice restful week....best wishes!

Hi J, hope you're patting yourself on the back for being 23 pounds down! That is a milestone -- breaking that two hundred threshold. And of course the closer to goal weight the slower the loss can be. Are you feeling toned from working out? That's another thing, you may be losing inches right now, not pounds. Just know it is coming off -- the scale is headed in right direction and it's all happening. You mention you are eating too much -- are you feeling hunger or is it just habit, etc.? Maybe there is something you can identify in this area -- a time and place when you're turning to food and could be doing something else. So glad you're going in to see your doctor November 20 so you can talk it through. Best wishes -- you're doing great!

Yippee! You're getting there, step by step.....

Hi Jamie, you can do a little dance of joy for not having a pre-op diet! Lots of people don't -- it just depends on the surgeon and what she/he prescribes for the individual patient. No external port. I didn't even really have bandaids coming home the next morning -- just the glue that the laporascopic incisions had on them. Congratulations on the 25# loss. I lost a little pre-op and feel for the first time that this weight I will never ever see again. Will be thinking of you on the 11/21!

The brand of steevia I've been using lately is called SweetLeaf. It comes in little packets. My main drink is a 32 ounce glass juice bottle filled up almost all the way with Water then topped off with a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice. I've also used black cherry, lemonade, grapefruit juice, etc. When I'm craving a bit of sweet I just add in a little Steevia and it changes it up completely, without doing anything to my blood sugar levels or adding any calories, etc. When I go somewhere I grab one of these bottles out of the fridge -- "red juice" my family calls it. And by getting two in per day I know I'm hitting my 64 ounces. Save a ton of money this way and I like drinking out of glass rather than plastic. By the way, Truvia was developed by Coca-Cola and Cargill so they know which way the wind is turning. And Pepsi has one, too. Important to check ingredients in whatever you get so you are purchasing 100% natural Steevia.

Oh my goodness, you look so happy and healthy -- gorgeous! Thanks for the inspiration. The exercise really shows as you are not only much smaller but beautifully toned as well. That is my goal. Best wishes for continued success!

Hi there, welcome to the forum! I'm a November Bandit, too -- eleven days out. This website is in the middle of being overhauled so it's a little hard to find our way around, but there is a group of November people and a couple of threads -- one called "Who here is being banded in November" that you might enjoy. Sounds like you're recovering well. Best wishes.....

Hi there, after putting off the colonoscopy for two years decided I'd better go do it before I got the band. That was sort of like a pre-pre-op diet! And now I don't have to go back for ten more years. Phew. In a way it calmed my anxiety about having a hospital procedure so when I went in for the band just over two weeks later I felt like I knew my way around a bit. Hope it all goes well -- no fun, but early detection blah, blah, blah. And the three more pounds to go....um, going, going, gone!

Good luck to you both today -- best wishes for smooth sailing and a speedy recovery. The walking really, really helped me -- I did all I could and think it made a huge difference. Plus now I am a walker. That is not the old me, that's the banded me!

The Band has turned me into a walker -- I am so happy about that! My regular workout pre-band is four days a week recumbent bike, treadmill and BowFlex. I'm day 9 post-op and have not gone back to that yet -- my surgeon said treadmill is fine but wait six weeks on the other. I also do some strengthening exercises -- core work, etc. Was really missing that (helps my neck) so I tried an amended version with just upper body. Next day my belly really hurt so I guess I was working the abs without realizing it. So for me I am just going to do the walk, walk, walking for six weeks and not rush anything else.

Hi M, maybe they will use fluoroscopy to see exactly what the angle is for ease of future fills...... I'm not exactly ready for a bikini either -- actually I don't think I ever wore one as an adult! But I look forward next summer to a couple of pretty sundresses. That's something to hold on to as a goal through these cold winter months while I'm working my a** off, literally. Not to mention working the belly off. The Winnie-the-Pooh look just does not work on me!

Hi Hayley and welcome -- so glad you found this site! I started my LB process in June and am newly-banded. This is such a great place for information and support. I learned far more here than in the materials provided by the hospital or my office visits, etc. There are some very knowledgable people willing to share their individual experiences. I was not able to consider a permanent surgery to my stomach -- that was too drastic for me. I like the idea that all my organs are still intact and should it ever become necessary the band can be removed easily. I like it that the band is adjustable, that the tightness can be increased and decreased to find just the right place for my optimal weight loss. I will be seeing my surgeon weekly to assess whether I need a fill, and although that is a little time-consuming I like it that I have this partnership. The accountability. I believe that many hospitals and surgeons prefer other surgeries because this followup time with the surgeon is reduced, and thus the expense. I'm so happy my surgeon is in this not just for performing surgery but my for my long-term weight loss. I am 52 and have struggled with weight issues for 22+ years. I have been hovering in the 240s for a long time and had to hit 250 to qualify for the surgery (a BMI of 40 was my insurance company's only requirement and even though I have high BP and sleep apnea they would not consider co-morbidities). The day of surgery I was 243 (lost some on a pre-op diet) and this morning I am 232. I expect it is going to take quite a bit of time to get down to my goal weight but I am committed to a healthy weight loss. When I started my process I began a journal. First I listed all the things I want to be able to do -- all my reasons for getting surgery. It's been helpful for me to have one place to record office visit info, my own thoughts, research tidbits, guidelines, etc. Also I got a therapist. Over the summer it was helpful to meet with some one to talk over the process and help me make sure I was ready. Even though I've done so much work around my food issues and dieting, self-image, etc., I got a lot out of this because the emphasis was different. I was ready to let go of personal failure. Being unsuccessful at so many attempts to lose weight over the years is so disheartening. I feel like the band is just the aid I need to fight off the hunger and help me get back in sync with my body. Wishing you the very best. What's important is that you have decided to take charge of your health and your future. You are choosing yourself.