Time4Me

It's been quite some time since I have been on here, but figured it was time since I am really not losing. I need ideas for satisfying lunch meals on the go. I seem to be getting very low on energy and I have a 12 hour a day job with no time for low energy. I eat lunch while I am on the run or reading email, etc. so any ideas you have that are easy would be great.

I didn't tell anyone until after I had surgery. I am very open, but didn't want to hear, "why are you doing that?" Once it was done and the weight starting coming off, I didn't care who knew, in fact if anyone asks now...I openly talk about it and encourage anyone to go for it if they have even considered it.

I haven't been here in a while either...101 pounds this morning. Size 20 jeans...whoo hoo!

I drink coffee, but have to admit, my stomach doesn't tolerate it as well as it used to and sometimes it causes me to have horrible heartburn. I have tried to cut back, but my dr. didn't restrict me.

It took a while for mine to come off and my doc said "let it come off on it's own". It will come off when your incisions are healed. If you pick it off it might be too soon and then you will have to go back in to get it sealed back up or you might have a larger, more visible scar.

For me it was a 2 week trip in Disneyworld and the first day my feet swelled up so big I couldn't walk...so, I had to rent a scooter! Talk about EMBARASSING! I got home and had the surgery 1 month later! 10 months later I am down about 95 pounds and feel like a completely different person.

Hi Lisa-I was banded on 9/21/07 and have lost about 95 pounds. I would be happy to answer any questions you have, but in a nutshell...this is the absolute best decision I have ever made in my life and I didn't have any health problems yet!

Good Morning-Hang in there. I was banded on 9/21/07 and fortunately haven't had any of those feelings, except once when I was still recovering in bed and saw a subway commercial of all things! You are at the absolute hardest part of the journey and you will soon be back to eating solid foods. As far as the Protein drinks go...have you tried making your own with the powder? I use GNC whey Protein Powder in vanilla flavor, mix it with about a cup or so of nonfat milk, costco frozen strawberries (about 5) and a banana. I blend it in a blender and honestly can't taste any protein. There isn't a texture to it either, so it just takes like a strawberry banana milkshake. I have to say that I have tried other fruits with it and I don't like it...so you might want to give it a shot if you like strawberries and banana. Good luck and hang in there...it will get better!

Oh Boy! I have had the same problem. It started on June 21st and I have had two attacks since then. I, too, thought I was having a heart attack. I have lost 92 pounds and will be getting my gall bladder out at the end of this month. My dr. said that you try to keep it at bay with eating bland, healthy foods and NOTHING fried. He also said that it can cause you to have emergency surgery where they do a full blown incision instead of laprascopic if you don't get it out before a stone gets stuck. Good luck to you, but I don't think there are alternative options to getting it out.

My rough days, as I said earlier are all self inflicted. 8-). I usually have a rough day when I pick at food all day long and don 't give my body the opportunity to digest it before I put something else in, then I will typically eat dinner and it all comes back up. By the way, none of the foods I am talking about are considered the healthiest for me. On one of these days, i even threw up ice cream! I wouldn't recommend "learning" about your band this way. I would eat 3 small meals a day and maybe a fruit in between as needed and call it good! I have had a fill about every 3-5 weeks since late October through late April. I have lost count of the number. I have a 13 cc band and have 9.2 cc's in currently and was REALLY tight for about 4 weeks after this last fill. (I could eat 2-3 bites and be done) Just as I was ready to go get a bit taken out it started to ease up a bit. It really is easier than anything else I have ever done...and I have done it ALL! You will be fine, I am sorry you had a difficult surgery experience...it really shouldn't have been like that. Here's to a speedy recovery!

I get deathly ill with anesthetic, so I feel your pain. My lapband surgeon was so cautious to make sure I didn't get sick that they gave me several anti nausea medications to insure no throwing up...it was my first surgery that I didn't! I have had my band since September and there are some very rough days, but they are typically self inflicted. There hasn't been one day that I have regretted my decision. I have lost 92 pounds since September 21st and feel GREAT! Keep your chin up and give your band a chance to help you on your journey...hopefully you are over the hard part! Good luck.

I have caffeine daily and it hasn't seemed to slow my weight loss. I agree that it suppresses my appetite! Maybe it's mind over matter. Good luck everyone. This is a great journey!

Hi There Lin2- I had this response completed once and I did something to delete it! A bit of history on me...38 year old female, starting weight 343 pounds, starting size tight 30, 5 feet 2 inches, School District Administrator, surgery on 9/21/07 for $17,000 self pay, current weight 256, current size 22 on my way to 20, no exercise (not proud of this one). I will answer your questions in order. 1. I can't eat any type of bread (a previous bread junkie!), haven't tried soda (they say it can stretch your pouch) {I used to drink 2 diet cokes in the morning before I did anything else}, haven't tried rice, haven't tried steak. 2. I love to eat out. 3. I love dessert and in fact have become more of a sweet addict since the surgery. 4. Discipline isn't an option. You get sick! I have a lot to say on this topic. It's the BEST decision I have ever made in my life. I was on a fast track to death. You might think I was lazy, but the fact of the matter is I have a 12 hour a day job and don't have time to be lazy. Which also means I don't have time to take care of me. I am not going to say it has always been a breeze. If I don't chew well enough, I PB. If I eat too fast, I PB. Sometimes chicken does it to me. I have had NO major issues, other than self inflicted. Good Luck with getting answers to your questions.

Allisarin…23 Amber...39 andrea71…28 Bekiboo26....58lb Bunny...62lbs Caresarn…16 Chocolate_Snaps....52lbs dsmit13…23 eastxnurse....30 lbs EL1…23 flipper64...30 georgia girl…75 Ginger_...30 Gurlygirl....38 lbs Hazeleyegrl1...45.9 lbs. itstime....23 lbs Jennie1976...63 lbs Juliacleone…32 kagoscuba...37 Kellymovingon...53 Kimmie…45 Lapband4me...32 Lapitup…22.5 Linda E......24.5 lbs Lindypie...38 Lucylu...15 Magooz07…11 mandi78…23 Mdicurn…30 Queenp....28lbs Redgirl....33 lbs ScareDcat…58 Sirusman…67 Stacy 73… 60 suzygayle...52 lbs Thinmom…23 time4me...70 Tishamarie…49 Tulipstar...61 wannabthin...42.5 lbs Texrose575......37.5 (forgot to delete my old listing! ) sorry

I don't know how chicken works for everyone else, but I am done with it. I can't get it to go down. This is very frustrating as chicken is my favorite protein and I have really been trying not to eat beef. The last three times I have had chicken (prepared 3 different ways) I have pb'd and I DO NOT LIKE going on liquids! What is everyone else's experience with chicken?

chicken is the only thing that I consistently pb on. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to really get myself to the point of eating slowly and chewing well. I always pay, but I have been doing better, just chicken in the last month. I am not a canned meat fan at all, in fact it makes me gag when I open it up. I might try grinding it up before I put it in recipes.

Stacy 73… 51 TulipStar…22 Mdicurn…30 time4me…65 Magooz07…11 Caresarn…16 georgia girl…65 Lapband4me...32 Sirusman…67 Allisarin…23 Tishamarie…49 EL1…23 Juliacleone…32 Kimmie…45 dsmit13…23 ScareDcat…50 Lapitup…22.5 mandi78…23 andrea71…28 Thinmom…23 Kellymovingon...35 flipper64...30 kagoscuba...37 Lucylu...15 Gurlygirl....27 Amber...39 suzygayle....40 Linda E......24.5 lbs Texrose 575 .....24.0 lbs itstime....23 lbs eastxnurse....30 lbs wannabthin...36.5 lbs Queenp....28lbs Chocolate_Snaps....52lbs Bekiboo26....58lb Jennie1976...49 lbs Hazeleyegrl1...45.9 lbs.

Dr. Neal did my surgery in September. I have had a great experience. All fills free for the life of his practice!

Good Afternoon Everyone! I was banded on 9/21 and have officially lost 60 pounds as of Monday. I have 8 cc's in a 13 cc band and have had 4 fills. Good luck and keep up the great weight loss!

My goals are set up in one month increments with and added half of a month every 3 months. For each of those times I set a goal of 10 pounds. So far, so good! I am a bit ahead of the game, thank goodness...

I had to lose 20 pounds in 3 weeks in order to keep my surgery date scheduled. I went on Medifast. I think it made the transition to the post surgery diet easier. Good luck to you! It's the best decision I have ever made!

How have you all lost so quickly? Mazie...100 pounds in 9 months...Wow! Add me to the 200+ list, as well. I can't wait to say only 100 more to go!

Thanks everyone! I can't believe others don't have nsv's to share. This is one of the best weight loss experiences I have ever had and I can't wait to share my successes! I love to read others' as well.

My NSV's... 1. I can sit in a normal chair with out feeling squeezed in. 2. I have dropped almost 3 sizes. 3. I can buy clothes because I like them, not because they are all that fits. 4. My b..tt doesn't touch my back anymore. (not a pretty picture). 5. My shoes don't kill my feet every day. 6. I have energy to do something other than sleep on Sundays. 7. I can scratch my back. 8. I am not consumed with food every second of the day. 9. I can shave my legs without holding my breathe. 10. I can climb stairs without stopping to catch my breathe. 11. My face is thinning out. 12. I don't crave diet coke anymore. 13. I want to go out and about with my family. I could go on and on. This is the best decision I have ever made.

I have had 2 fills and am calling tomorrow to schedule my 3rd a week earlier. I can eat whatever I want and it doesn't seem that I have any restriction. I would almost think I didn't have it, except that with raw broccoli tonight I didn't chew the first bite well enough and it was rough for a second. I have only lost about 2 pounds since my last fill 2.5 weeks ago and my willpower is waning!