Dragonwillow

Well I starting loosing again...its about 1/2 a lb a day. I noticed last week when I worked out and worked both that I didn't loose and then lost like a 1 and 1/2 at once. I'm kinda of curious to see if it repeats itself this week....as I seem to be called in often. (I'm a sub teacher at the Y) I'm working more than I anticipated. Melissa

To be honest I haven't been very religious about not drinking with meals. Since when I'm working its not a possibility of my cheating...since I eat when the kids eat and that it....I don't worry too much about drinking with meals, at this point I still don't get hungry much. I have to use the clock to tell me when to eat. Melissa

Well I get food...yeah...something to chew. so far today I've had baked Beans, string cheese and hummus with crackers. YUM! It looks like turkey will be added to my meal plan just in time for Thanksgiving...but no veggies yet. The hardest thing now is just waiting an hour to drink after eating. Melissa

Good luck! You are almost there. Melissa

I'm pretty newly banded, so can't anwser all of your questions...but maybe some. I don't think either band is better...the vanguard band I believe is a bit bigger and is sometimes needed for men. I'd go with what the doctor recomends as he is the expert hopefully at this. I dont' know about most...but I know someone just posted their 6 month sucess of 101lbs. Thats AWESOME. I think most people average 1-2lbs a month. Some people just loose slower based on their body's chemistry I think. Some medications and some medical promblems can make it harder to loose. I think the main trick is following the band rules. It's real easy to eat some foods that might not be the best choices. Try to always get enough protien in...don't drink with meals, and move. Those are the most important rules I've seen stressed over and over by other bandsters. For me, besides the waiting for a surgery date was the 2nd week of liquid diet. I was getting enough protien in...so I wasn't really hungry. But I was bored to tears with protien shakes. I'm of a limited selection of soft foods now and enjoying it VERY much. I found that when I drank 2 oz of protien every hour instead of trying to drink it all at once I was less cranky. I didn't experience alot of pain after surgery, I recomend walking as MUCH as possible before and after surgery. I really believe it helps. I'm sure others will chime in soon with more knowledgeable anwsers.....Good luck on your big day. Melissa

Going to call my bi-lo friend and see if she wants to come on Saturday too. I was hoping she would sign up here, but havent' seen her yet. She is just getting started on her journey and we could probally anwser lots of questions for her. I'll let you know Kim if she is coming so you can include her in the head count. Melissa

I'll be there, had my first non "plan" food today...it went down so easy it scarey.....NO MORE. It was at the church halloween party today..and I had a piece of brownie. It wasnt' even that good. Melissa

Tommorowsdream....I have been one of the lucky ones myself...not alot of pain, bounced back pretty quickly. I can't say I've been hungry yet...but I have gotten bored by the limited choices (on the 2 weeks of liquids for example). Rubina...Like the others said, don't be so hard on yourself. The thing witht he band is...it can be tweaked. You just need a little tweaking for your tool to work right for you. Instead of punishing yourself....just practice following the band rules and make sure you are getting enough protien right now. I'm sure it will be easier once you have a fill. Hang in there. Everyone is different you will be fine. Melissa

I was up and about pretty quick...so count myself lucky. But I found the best thing for the bloated feeling was to get up and walk around for about 10 minutes every hour or two. It really helped relive the gas I think...because I never really got the "pain" associated with it. Though I did look pregnant for about 3 days LOL. My favorite protien drink during the two weeks liquids was this: Scoop of Pro performance carmel chocolate (found at gnc) 6oz carbcountdown fat free milk 1 teaspoon decaf instant coffee 3 ice cubes (made with vanilla protien shake) I thought this tasted like a carmel mocha frappachino. The whole thing had like 33 grams of protien. I ususally made two of these a day during the liquid phase, drinking like 2 oz every hour. I didn't get hungery really, but I did get bored around day 10 of liquids. I bought gum then so I could chew. Good luck...you guys are doing great...and it gets better every day. Melissa

Glad to hear that...looks like he is going to treat ya good. Just waiting on insurance now? Melissa

Where are ya Star? Hope to see you on the 5th. Melissa

I'm glad to hear curtis is home and feeling much his normal self. Will be thinking of you and curtis and hope for a sucessful surgery in the upcoming weeks. Melissa

I have to agree with what I think mocha wendy said. I don't think people who gain back neccesarialy gain back based on the surgery they had. I think people gain back because they stop following the rules of their surgery. Maybe the lapband has an advantage there...as the weight comes off slower, so takes longer to loose it. So maybe the brain kicks in since it has longer to practice? If that makes any sense. My mother might have been okay if she had of changed her eating habits....but she didn't. She didn't even switch to diet soda until way after she developed diabettes. I know people that have had rny surgery and have had tremedous sucess. I personally just wasn't ready for that step, and probally because of my mothers life. For those that do choose RNY, or DS...it is THEIR choice. Just like lapband was for most of us here. Some of us here have been really sucessful with it, while some of us have struggled. If you look at the gastric bypass boards it is much the same. One of the differences is they are FORCED to eat different at least for the first year. While lapbanders have an easier adjustment I think. I mean, we give up alot, but we can still have sugar and fat and not get ill. While this feature allows easier adjustment...it also allows for mistakes in food choices, that can hinder the weight loss. But regardless of what surgery we have, if we do NOT learn to eat smaller quanities and healthier...we will all regain our weight. NO surgery will guarantee you NEVER regain your weight...thats up to each of us. Melissa

My mom had a type of gastric bypass surgery in the 70's. It is NOT the RNY but her stomach was cut and a large portion of her intenstines wer bypassed. She lost probally from looking at her pictures about 75% of her excess body weight, but never changed her eating habits. So over the course of my childhood she regained all the weight she had loss and more. She developed diabettes..and because of the mal nutrition from the intensitnal bypass developed serious of the liver. She had many other complications, the last 8 years of her life were spent in and out of the hospital. She eventually underwent an operation to reconnect the intestines..and gained more weight, and it only seemed to incress the numerous complications. She died severl years ago...at the age of 55 weighing in excess of 300 lbs, having spent the entirety of her last year of life in and out of the hospital and having daily nursing care at home. I'm not saying that the current weight loss surgerys are the same, they have vastly improved them over the years. They have also gotten alot more serious about patient education. But this is the sole reason I couldn't do RNY or DS. I had to know that it was reversable without causing any more possible damage is something went wrong. I believe the gastric bypass is great for some and they do well on it. But I still believe that least invasive option should always be tried first. This is also why I've spent 22 years of my life dieting in the first place. I trueslly feel that if this does NOT work for me, that I will not go an farther with more drastic measures. I had NO co morbilities before I had surgery...my doctor even said I was the healthiest fat person he knew. melissa

That's awesome Diane....I'm not sure I could have stuck to the plan with all the cruise food around...you did GREAT! Melissa

Angie...girl didn't take it wrong. Goodness knows I'm a dieting professional now...know better than to get on the scale every day....doesn't stop me from doing it though. I didn't take offense...I appreciate the advice. Diane...good luck with your appointment....I forgot and picked up the 5 year old today...but not hurting so hopefully no harm done. Melissa

I know I shouldn't be weighing every day...but it was exciting when the weight was falling away...lol. Now I'm sick ...I don't want another protien shake...but broth doesn't have much protien. I wish i had of bought some time of non flavored protien powder to add to broth. Right now as long as I keep a throat lozenger in my mouth my throat doesn't hurt. Thank goodness tomorrow is Thursday and my nutrition appointment, cause I'm one grouchy bear right now. Melissa

I packed on about 10lbs from april to Sept from the stress alone. Wear heavier clothing for weigh in, don't take your shoes off (hiking boots can weight about 1lb.) Eat before you go...and eat lots of asian food in days before. You might be able to manage 5-8 just from Water weight and clothing choices LOL. Melissa

I think its just to make sure your incessions are healed good first. Melissa

I was recently banded, not yet 2 weeks out...and I've been working out since the one week mark at the gym. I'm back up to 60 to 70 minutes of cardio now. I too drink alot of Water. I can still drink it pretty fast, and defiently more than a thimble amount. Exercising and water were two of the things that worried me most before banding. The only restrictions I have as far as exercise is no pools like someone else said, no adomidal work until 6 weeks, and don't lift over 20lbs for six weeks. Maybe later when I have a fill it will be harder to drink the water like I do now. I don't use a sport lid now...maybe I'll get one of those to use as the water leaves the bottle much slower than with a open lid. It's great that you are exercising before surgery....it will defiently help you bounce back after surgery. Melissa

Could it have been the pain medicine mixed with the wine? Since we are eating less, I think alcohol can make us feel fuzzier easier. I hope you are feeling better now...Let us know. Melissa

Ah how clover has grown. I work out at the Y on 49 at 485. And starting tomorrow I also work there . I have a metro membership...but I'm pretty sure clovers isn't a part of that membership. I may be able to use the "away" feature to use clovers facilities occassionally...don't know..will have to check. Melissa

Okay I'm officially BORED on liquids. Yesterday I only got in 380 calories, but 50 grams of protien. But I'm officially tired of shakes. Its not even that I'm hungry. Thats what everyone at the gym keeps asking "Aren't ya starving, I'd be starving?!?" But I'm not really hungry either. I'm guess the protien is doing that. I am at the point I"m having to say...okay need to take in more protien drink. I also think I over did it this morning at the gym. Took the salsa class, it was alot of fun....but too much hips and my lower stomach area is KILLING me now. I did 45 minutes in the class and left when they were doing cool down ball exercises (ball exercises almost always mean AB work) and went and cool down 15 minutes on the treadmill. Gotta go force down another protien drink...and should I be trying to do less protien per shake and more calories? Courtney or Angie, do you know? I'm starting to worry about how little calories I'm taking in...isn't that a hoot LOL. I think preband I was eating as many calories in a day as I now eat in like 4-5 days! Melissa

Last night at Girl Scouts I was hidding out in the kitchen, because I couldn't eat....that sounds weird...but basically volunteered to help serve because I couldn't eat...any way.... Was talking about the lapband and another lady there said she was a former patient of Dr. V and was seeing the doctor he refered her to...oh can't remember the name. But anyhow...just goes to show...its a small darn world. I told her about lapband talk and about our group, don't know if she will join us, but I hope so. Melissa

I'm newly banded, but I would do it again even if I only lost 50lbs. Especially if I was able to keep that 50 off! Every pound I loose now I say goodbye to...don't plan on visiting them again. If this band does anything other than help me keep off the weight I manage to loose I'll be grateful and think of it as a sucess.