azmensan

Mine is something I call mexican egg salad. I made it up - 4 hard boiled eggs (only 1 whole, the other three whites only), cut up some onions, them some green bell peppers. Then add salsa and tapatio picante and mix it up with a fork. LOVE IT!!

You're too tight!!!!

I'm looking for "like" female six-figure + executive professionals (like me) who have been banded. To share storeis, insights, decisions on who to tell/not tell, buying new suits, handling those lunch meetings with ever-present food, the stresses or high-powered jobs that, when held by women, are typically held by athletic and fit women who look great in a business suit, etc. etc.. Anyone else out there? :clap2:

Being able to bend over and tie my shoes.

I was fat because I ate more calories than my body burned. That simple. But in all honesty, it all started with a brain tumor (on my pituitary gland) which basically wreaked havoc on my hormones and adrenal functions. But once that got treated I still found it difficult to lose because I'd developed all kinds of bad habits when going throguh the terrible depressing 200+ pound weight gain in a 6-month period from the tumor. Anyway, that's behind me. It's up to me to lose the rest and, with the band, I know I can!

Thank you so much to those of you who have responded and understand the point I was trying to make about the kinds of difficulties I/we face as plus size women in professional environments then changing patterns, changing size, fitting in... I haven't yet found anyone in my local area (that I know of) who has this type of situation. Partially I think it's because, like me, they are attempting to keep it a secret (I live in the Metro DC area, I KNOW they must exist). It seems everyone else I know personally (well, personally as in they go to the support group meetings my doctor's office holds) who has been banded are stay-at-home moms or school teachers or secretaries and I don't really have a lot in common with outside of sharing the journey of the band. Some of that, I think, is perhaps the stigma obese women face in the workplace - let's be serious, you gotta be REALLY good at what you do and have the kind of personality that makes people look past your fat in order to get ahead when you're obese. And then of course the lack of self-confidence to go after the high-power roles. So, personally, I guess I consider it a huge accomplishment to have gotten past that stigma. But now I'm freaked out about how I'll be perceived as the weight continues to come off. I am personally making sure that I lose the weight as slowly as possible (and inconspicuously). I liked some of the ideas some of you came up with for the lunches, though. I actually changed jobs a month after getting banded because I didn't want the folks at my old job to know (they think I just got a hiatal hernia repaired - but there WAS a rumor that I was getting gastric bypass, so I was ticked off about that - yet another reason I'm trying to force the weight loss to go slowly). Changing jobs was probably a tad extreme, but hey it was also another good step up the ladder so at least it wasn't foolish. Anyway, thanks again to all of you, and further ideas from those of you who understand the "fitting in" issues of women in the workplace, keep 'em coming! Lisa

eggs for sure, i have them nearly every morning. beer for sure NOT - i had to stop entirely because i can't handle the hops -the fizzies

Don't worry! I have only lost 8 pounds since my surgery 3-1/2 months ago. I am not worried. at least I haven't gained back ANY Of the weight i lost from all the liquid diets and stuff, so I am very happy. You should be, too! not gaining it back is a wonderful thing, too! give your body time to adjust and it will allow you to start losing again!

Cookie Lover, you're 33. By now you've probably learned how to really pick your friends and who is truly a friend and who's just a buddy for whom you fill esome kind of purpose. You already know if your heart who's going to desert you and who won't.

just make sure you chew! chew! chew! and lettuce shouldn't be a big deal. but chew! chew! chew! trust me on that one!

i'm 3-1/2 months post op and i can't "do" soda at all - not flat, because the sugaryness SUCKS. not carbonated, because the bubbles cause stretching and actually hurts.

I had similar pain, but it wased after about a month. I'm now 3-1/2 months post op and I still have pain if I touch that area. But I can live with it.

Been there, done that! I was a total hog before I had to do the two weeks of liquids prior to surgery. I gained like 6 pounds because of it. It's definitely "last meal" syndrome!

This totally happened to me, too. but once i started experimenting and finding out what i could eat, i started enjoying food again. i kinda miss not liking food now, to be honest with you!

HI! Had a hiatal hernia repaired during my lap band procedure, too. DIdn't even know I had one, they didn't see it during my endoscope a few months before, but alas there it was large as life. A bad one, too. Anyway, it definitely affected my recovery time. Keep that in mind. But it has truly been a blessing!

I was feeling SO discouraged and now I see that what I'm going through is COMNMON! I had my surgery Aril 18th - and have lost TWO POUNDS. Here I am 2 months later. I had lost 32 pounds prior to tu the surgery because being on all liquids. NOTHING. BUT before the band I would have gained back the 32 pounds by now and then some, so I am not comletely discouraged!@ And feel even better now!!:kiss2: I'm not a LOSER!!! (although in this instance I wanna be!!)

1. Was your procedure outpatient or did you stay overnight? Outpatient - Surgery at 9am, out about 4pm 2. Did you have complications related to surgery? No, none 3. What you were given for at home pain? How many days did you take it? Some pain killer I can't recall now, but I took it for about 4 days 4. Pain after surgery for how many days? Various degrees of pain for 2 weeks - but I also had a hiatal hernia repaired, and it's been explained to me that was the bulk of my pain 5. Degree of pain...10 being your arm was cut off and 1 being a paper cut? 7 at the worst point 6. Doctor and state where surgery was done? The wonderful Barry Greene, Rockville,MD

Losing weight with the band is much like losing the weight with any diet - you WILL HIT PLATEAUs - you need to let you body get used to it's new weight - for some people that takes 2 months to 6 months. But you just stick to it and eventually you'll see the weight start dropping again. Those plateaus are what screwed us ALL over when we tried regular diets before. We'd get all frustrated and give up. The band is to help us get THROUGH those plateaus and not sabotage ourselves and re-gain all the weight we lost and then some more! Stick to it!

2 weeks pre op - clear liquids only and protein drinks 2 weeks post op - clear liquids only and protein drinks 3rd week - start adding tuna, eggs, tofu, cheese and mushy foods 4th week - have at it.

Hey there! I am 9 days post-op. I was about 113 pounds overweight. BEtween the pre-surgery process and now post-surgery restriction, I have already lost 33 pounds. I am still dealing emotionally with the fact that I have permanently altered my body - basically because I was powerless over food. It's hard to own it, but I'm getting there. I vascillate between scared to death that I've made a mistake and being excited about my potential new future. Pain, pain, pain - that's the worst part of being fat. NOt being able to exercise. Now, there's pain post-surgery. From anesthesia, whatever. But that is short-lived and when I weight that against the future of pain reduction from weight reduction, I am feeling hopeful for the first time in many, many years. Give yourself help. Disregard your PCP, they are obviously one of those who just don't get it. Same with your mother. Don't keep toxic people around you who won't support you. I wonder if your mother is overweight, too, and perhaps is worried she won't have co-miserable company? Or she's thin and doesn't understand what you're going through. Anyway, follow your heart, find another PCP. If your insurance will cover it, find a support system - a physical support system - someone who can drive you to/from the surgery and stay with you for a couple of days. Best wishes to you!

BAnded 4/18 - Surgery started at 9:30am. Woke up around noon. I also had hiatal hernia repaired, so perhaps reason for length. Pain was pretty darn bad, but was told that was because of the hernia repair. The pain in the shoulder/left side of chest was awful - but was because of the gas. I got out of the hospital at about 5pm, mostly because of some delays and miscommunication between some of the nurses.

I lost 20 pounds on my pre-op two week all-liquids diet and did not cheat - although I did accidentally swallow a piece of gum once

walk walk walk, sip sip sip. I know you don't feel like walking. I'm a week post-op and I STILL don't want to do it, but know I have to. SUCKS. But this too shall pass!

Two words: Anesthesia SUCKS. Sorry. But work very hard to get it out of your system as soon as possible!

My guess would be because of nuts' high fat content. Yeah, good on protein, but high in fat. Just a guess, though.