JustWatchMe

Trayg, hang in there!

I don't think it really hit me how much work this is until I started doing it, beginning with the 5-day clear liquids pre-op diet. That said, my team stressed over and over and over again that it only works if you follow directions. I feel as if I'm gonna be one of their high maintenance patients! LOL. The reason I say that is because this is definitely a challenge, a learning experience, and not something I can see myself succeeding at without lots of help. Fortunately, they really stress the aftercare aspect of WLS. Good for you for trying again. Hopefully you can get back to losing with some good medical help and support here as well. Keep us posted!

Thanks for the info. I'm getting eager to have my band start working but scared of being away from home if a problem comes up. They plan to fill 4-7 ccs in my 14cc band the first time. I'm leaning towards going ahead with the fill and being very careful on my trip two weeks later. I also read on this site to stick to liquids during the flights. Thanks again!

I was just banded two and a half weeks ago, but I've lost 32 pounds in the last two months preparing for surgery and post surgery. I'm on liquids still and have no restriction. Today a female coworker who's a real sweetheart offered me some gourmet truffles because I've always been the one who brought candy to work for the communal candy bowl. When I politely declined saying I'm staying away from candy for now, she asked if I've lost weight. I said yes, a little. When she asked if I minded saying how much I told her. "HOLY COW!" We both laughed. She started sharing her current struggle of gaining 40 pounds since Thanksgiving. She asked how I'm doing it. Here's what I said. ALL TRUE. I had a medical wakeup call and had to make a change. I'm working with my doctor and a nutritionist. I've raised my Protein and cut carbs. I walk every day on my treadmill and increase my time on it daily, and am building up to two miles, which I should hit on April 9th. My food plan will allow me more choices soon, but it's pretty strict right now. Even though it's only a smallish loss, I already went off of one blood pressure medicine and got off NSAIDs. My goal is to get rid of my cholesterol med next. We talked about arthritis, etc., which we both have. I didn't feel one bit guilty not talking about the band. My band, bless its little silicone heart, isn't even doing anything yet. Diet and exercise and lots of hunger have done this so far. When I finally get to solid foods, then the restriction of the band will start to HELP me diet. I still need to follow these behavioral changes for life. For life. For life. The band won't do the work for me. It will make it easier for me to do the work. LapBand ain't for sissies! And it ain't. Nobody's. Business. But. Mine.

I'm actually being encouraged by my surgeon to get my first fill 17 days before a European vacation. The NP says I can wait until I return if I want. I'm not sure what to do, but I want some restriction when I go on solids on April 28. I fly May 15. In your opinion, is that enough time before my flight to know if I'm good to go?

Good, looking forward to solid food in three weeks! Losing, and feeling great!

Good luck!

I quit on Super Bowl Sunday, 1985. I had a horrible sore throat and it hurt to swallow, much less smoke. I thought, I wonder how long I can stay off cigarettes? The answer is 29 years and counting. It wasn't easy when the sore throat cleared up. Habits were hard to break. Everything I did with a cigarette in my hand had to be relearned. This was back in the day when you could still smoke at your desk at work. Driving, out to dinner, out to a bar, watching tv, you name it. It hits you like a ton of bricks how often you reach for a cigarette. Mine was cold turkey from about two packs a day at age 23. I started in high school. My high school actually had a smoking lounge for students. I had never really tried to cut back or quit before then, but I was getting winded on stairs, etc., and it wasn't all from my weight. Once I quit, it only took a few weeks to begin to see the benefits. My sense of smell came back, things tasted better. I don't recall a big weight gain, but I was already obese. I had dreams occasionally for years that I had sneaked a cigarette. I'd wake up sweating. One thing I know is that quitting cigarettes was a cakewalk compared to quitting overeating. I've done both in my life and the food was much harder. I'm proud of being smoke free and now on a journey to healthy weight as well. You can do it. Think of the years added to your life the moment you quit. You will have a cleaner car, a cleaner home, your coat won't smell. If you can change your eating, you can do this. Good luck.

I was banded on 03/13/2014, and will be on soups and other liquids only until April 28. No scrambled eggs allowed for me. It's hard and although I didn't cry, I was immediately aware of being crabby! It passed though. Now my challenge is to avoid visual food triggers like commercials. I'm okay but when the ads come on, it's hard, so I flip the channel. I'm seeing weight loss and that's keeping me motivated.

Welcome! I was banded 03/13/2014. We can do this!

JosieK, thank you, thank you, thank you for coming back to share long term success. I was just banded in March this year and so need to hear that this can work long term. Can you share approximately how many fill adjustments you had after the first year? Congratulations, and can't wait to see pics!

I didn't even own a working scale until a couple of weeks ago. I weighed at the doctor's office and then immediately upon returning home, and the two weights were only 0.2 pounds different, so I knew I could trust the new scale. That said, I'm 2-1/2 weeks post-op and on liquids, and exercising daily (walking, increasing time each day). This is a hard time to stay on the plan because of the limited food choices and hunger. So for ME, I'm enjoying weighing myself daily because I've started to lose. I had to shed some surgery swelling weight I gained, and it did bum me out for a day. But I now weigh daily after stepping off the treadmill each day. For me, for NOW, it's keeping me motivated. Once I start food, I might not need that validation as often. It's a very personal decision. Weighing daily, I must be prepared for ups and downs, so I'm not depressed if I see a fluctuation that makes no apparent sense. Do what feels right. If you are getting down because of the scale, then weigh only at your doctor's office. Just keep eating right and exercising and it will keep going down. Good luck!

Wow! What a great turn of events! I'm so glad she voiced her support, even if it took a stranger to get her to do it. Isn't it great how a well-timed "HOLY SH*T!!!" can make everything better! This is so good, because now you won't have that hanging in the air and you can thoroughly enjoy being skinneee at her wedding and she can go back to focusing on her bridely self. Yay! Enjoy!

Trayg, that was how I felt on my pre-op diet. The lifestyle change suddenly became a reality. I'm happy to say I embraced it and I'm following directions this time, which is refreshing. I'm gonna do this and so are you! Stick with it and keep your eyes on the prize!

Yep, I lost weight in my twenties and dropped a shoe size. Delivered two babies and went back up one size. Gained 100 pounds and went up another. My feet swell a lot, so I have forever bought wide. Hoping to go down one size with the band.

I met the surgeon two days after the orientation seminar. In those two days, the coordinator checked the insurance and found out their protocol.

Sounds like a Dreamsicle! Oh no, now I want a Dreamsicle...

Glad it went so smoothly. Good luck!

Take good care of yourself! You'll feel a little better every day. Good luck!

Good for you on your success thus far! You've come a long way, baby. And if you remember that slogan, you can thank the cigarette industry. I'm an ex-smoker for 29 years this past January. The hardest part is the habits that go with smoking. Going through all of those without a cigarette. Going to a bar, watching tv, driving your car. But I'm going to tell you, beating the food addiction is so much harder, so you can do this! You'll be so happy when a few months from now you can smell the fresh cut grass and other things that were dulled for so long. Great decision, and good luck!

Every doctor has her/his own protocol. Mine was a pre-op diet of five days clear liquids. If they didn't give you a food list, call the office and ask the doctor or nutritionist. My pre-op diet was intended to shrink the liver before laproscopic surgery. If you're on shakes, it's different from mine. They can advise you. Good luck! It will go by faster than you think!

Regarding the gallbladder suggestions, I know two people who had emergency gallbladder surgery soon after a big weight loss. Apparently this is not uncommon. It always struck me as so unfair that my friends worked so hard to lose weight and still ended up with a stomach problem.

Exactly five. My two supportive daughters and nervous but supportive mother, my supportive best friend, and my WLS skeptic husband, who is watching in wonderment. My advice is under-tell, don't over-tell. I work with mostly men, and they don't notice anything, which is a relief.

Oh, yeah, I also was very glad to have a body pillow to sleep against that first week. And remember a pillow for the car ride home. Bumps in the road hurt!

Protein shakes are hard to like if you don't like protein shakes. Isn't that helpful? Seriously though, Unjury brand protein powder (online) makes a good chocolate that is not bad. I have it for breakfast. Atkins makes a dark chocolate royale flavor that is not too bad.