Laura1014

Hello everyone! I will be putting together a day and location for fun meet and greet, in the next coming months once Fall arrives. The more that get to network the more success stories and encouragement we can do! Read my profile to understand my journey and who I am. best regards! Laura Schaefer ARNP

Hello everyone! I will be putting together a day and location for fun meet and greet, in the next coming months once Fall arrives. The more that get to network the more success stories and encouragement we can do! Read my profile to understand my journey and who I am. best regards! Laura Schaefer ARNP EyE

Buy Tofu cheese, it's tasteless really, and packs a real big punch on protein. I have an excellent choice for you....Buy Fage Greek yoghurt total 0 (pronounced Fa-yeioo) and with one cup it has 23 grams of protein. It tastes "very greeky" bland but add vanilla or caramel cofee syrups, sugar free and its very graceful masquerading the bland taste, it will increase your protein thru the roof!! Hope it helps

Do it!! Do it, and not look back, food is intended to sustain us, but you will find much more pleasure in so many other new things, a new body, and different outlook! Go go go! Forget the food thoughts!! When you are slimmer and agile and start having a different outlook on fashion and outside fun , believe me food is the last thing you will b worried about. Do it for yourself, your marriage, self image, HEALTHY, and sooo many other great outcomes with weightloss. Been there...done that. Had a Lap band after being g the size of a fridge, then lost 170 pounds, had tummy tuck, breast implants...and lots of exercise...I was so much better!! After a decade the band failed n slippage occurred. Had it removed and in one year... "started eating my life away again and packed on 70 pounds, I was terribly overweight again, so I did the sleeve in Tijuana Mexico with a great team and very cost effective result. I'm angry at myself for going back to the food addiction and pleasures it gave me, it did nothing but ruin my body again. Did the sleeve and already planning next year's body reconstruction. Bought a new cruiser bike in Wal-Mart and ready to ride 3 miles daily and get my self back in the saddle and in control of my life, don't give it another middle thought.....go for the surgery and give it all you got! I'm here to support u in any way I can. Mother of two, RN. Orlando FL. Laura

Pray...Pray...Pray. Pray for comfort, acceptance and for the Lord to take away your pain. He will. Call upon him every morning as soon as you wake. Lift your spirit in prayer and up lifting songs. Your circumstances are incomprehensible to us that have never lost a child, but many supporters here cheering for you. Laura in Orlando, FL.

I would hold off on the pool. Your scars are susceptible still to bacterial infection, my sleeve surgery was also on July 1st. Pools and chlorine right now not really ideal, Beach yes. My weightloss is at 14 pounds. You are doing great. Increase more protein. I'm in -taking 70+ grams of protein, buy Tofu cheese, it will be good for you, and try 3 shakes w Tofu cheese, lentil soup or Split Pea, for drinks Gatorade, Sparkling Ice, or 0 calorie Fruitpunch Cristal light. I bought the Wal-Mart jug of Pure Protein whey 1 scoop has 26grams and I mix it with 2%8oz milk. 3 of those with 2-3 oz of tofu, seem to be ideal protein. The cravings will now begin; watch yourself; it gets tricky now.... Don't taste or sip carbohydrates or sweet stuff..no-no! I have a close friend 6 weeks sleeved forward and she is experiencing different things. Consume lots of Water and take care of your hair good, use hair masks like Argan Oil intensive hydration, take Biotin and B complex Vitamins, Tec. My friends hair started getting a little dry and breakage, so I don't want my blonde hair fried!! Laura

I am 24 days post 'll sleeve. At night around 9:45-11pm I have to fight with myself to not have anything, soda is destructive choice, if u must; then buy the water with bubbly flavours with 0 calories, like Sparkling Ice, or Perrier lemon. Your brain triggers all these carbs because of prior consumption. I understand you, I am struggling daily, my weightloss has been slow. Started at 186 pre-Op, now 172 15 pound weightloss..very slow weightloss. Hang in there!

I understand clearly how you feel. Ultimately it is my desicion to handle my life in a style that suits me, and keeps me healthy. I was a Lapband self-pay recipient 10 yrs ago at 219 and was 29 yrs old, in Ormond Beach Florida. Went down sucessfully to 127 and maintained the weight. My family is obese and all have cardiac problems, thyroid, BP out of control diabetes...etc. Years later had a baby girl and put on 60 pounds with the band unfilled during pregnancy. then 4 months after baby girl born (she is 6 now- and no more children, I have an 18 yr old in college now) I was able to loose all the wieight again when the band was adjusted and filled. went down to 130lb for about 5 years...THEN BAND GOT SLIPPED!!. The band had slipped way loooow. Last year I started eating..and eating.. as there was no restriction anymore and in 1 year 6 months I have balloned up too nearly 190 pounds currently. I resemble nothing of what I used to 2 yrs ago. Now my feet are swoolen unable to walk much, again the bordeline out of control sugars-diabetic,heart is pounding with this heat, in Florida...breathing like a fish out of water...snoring....my knees are painful to move ...and the list is long...needless to say that i look at my pictures and at 40 yrs old... if I dont do something quick and fix the problem and put my self in a regimen of dieting and exercising I will have MEGA problems, I have to loose weight ASAP. i HAVE STRUGGLED WITH DIETING ALL MY LIFE.. The bottom line is I have realised that although my BMI is low in comparison to patients on this site, I have to control my life to noT spin into a heavy obese patient with medical problems for my family TO DEAL WITH. For me Gastric sleeve is the answer. After speaking with physicians and surgeons...it is my viable option to control the weight, and live a healthier life. It dosent matter what anyone else says....you know your own heart and willingness to diet and exercise. THe bariatric surgery is a serious matter to consider. I am self pay (saving all I can to leave soon to Tijuana, to see Dr. Ponce d Leon in Tijuana, surgery at INT. I am going to change my odds. It is up to you.

Teetering between Ortiz or Ponce De Leon/Dr. Verboonen. Anyone had sleeve surgery with any of these 3 surgeons?, good outcomes? I am in Orlando and I bet the flight will be a killer coming back!! my band slipped last year. I had great results with Labband for 10 years but band slipped mid last year, and I started packing on the pounds rapidly. Had band taken out . now ready for sleeve... contemplating sleeve in Tijuana! Best advice??

I am a 10 year Lap Bander. I had it removed last month. now will have sleeve or plication hopefully in the next 3 months or sooneer. I read you had Lap Band. I did really great for a decade, but last 5 years no real fills...and it slipped...low..way low. Not I have packed on 30-40 pounds and i am running to Tijuana and back and to the moon if I have to ...just to get a sleeve or Plication. I had an Abdominaplasty done In Dom. Republic 3 years ago (fantastic surgeon), along with Breast implants (get under muscle..never above) I had such hard time and plenty of crap from my insurance here in Florida. I am a Consultant for Physicians in the State and they all told me to just save and do my surgeries cash. Insurance just gave me such headaches. I gave up.I travel now from Orlando to Miami every week due to my job, and after I loose my weight again, I wont bother with my insurance. I hope you have a good carrier and understanding people. Your insurance carrier should pay for extra skin removal, and anything that is excess skin. If they don't....there is other alternatives if you can save a little at a time and have them done by areas, Laura in Orlando.

@@batntab I had Lap Band surgery 10 years ago. (and 6 years ago had a child). I had great sucess with my band loosing the weight, but did experience during that decade, vomiting (not severe) sometimes food wouldnt go down, bloating, Acid reflux...but over all I would do it again in a heart Beat. I was never one to really exercise. my last band fill was 5 years ago after the birth of my child. After, I never again had a fill and most likely since I went back to my normal weight of 130, never consulted the Doc again. Last year started gaining weight...30 pound packed on..Had Endoscopy which revealed Band Way..way low slippage. So now the band is out/./its been a month, creaping up on weight again. Getting Sleeve or Plication is my next way to go... Any one had Either Plication or Sleeve after Band? Im considering going to Tijuana from Orlando.