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What lovely smiles. at the risk of you thinking i "judge by appearances", you look like you'd be a great friend. I wish you every success on this journey. thanks for sharing your self and your son.

lon chaney. ha

the brand i use is Nature's Bounty. see www.NaturesBounty.com 1-800-433-2990 m-f 9am-7pm et

welcome aboard...you'll learn a lot and have an opportunity to share a lot here. but make sure that you get the "real scoop" from your doctor and his/her office staff. (sometimes we know what we're talking about and sometimes we don't ). i wish you the best of luck from a fellow san antonio-area resident (boerne).

my friend, i wish you would change your screen name. you're worth better. yes, what you've said makes sense. we all have good days and bad days. but, i can sincerely tell you that the good days outnumber the bad for me now that i have the band to help me remember to make good eating decisions. don't mean to impose anything on you, but will be praying for your success and for you to make solid connections with others on this site who can encourage you on your journey. make sure you understand the band "rules" and follow them. your doctor,nutritionist, and their office staff should be educating you on those rules. i tell you that when i follow the rules, i have REAL success--oh, i didn't wake up thin the day after surgery, but i see the weight coming off a heck of a lot faster than it went on!!! i hope the same for you--YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT THIS REQUIRES!!!

hey, orange, nighttime coughing is one of the caution signs that my docs tell me to watch for. you need to make sure your docs know this is happening. it may account for your plateau. please talk to your doc about this.

go to the Y (or thru work or your local city park) and sign up for lessons of some kind. join a team and DIVE IN. i hate "exercising," but love to go out and PLAY. find someone to play tennis with or find a court that offers a tennis ball machine (then you can just PLAY without apologizing for being a begginer or for being slow :frown:). looks like you spend a lot of time on line. maybe you can challenge yourself to spend at LEAST as much time MOVING your whole body as you do wiggling your fingers on the keyboard. Balance is the key to everything. now log off and go PLAY!! :smile:

hey, lunabeane, they have a saying in one of the 12-step programs that goes, "Fake it till you make it." go play. pretend you're where you want to be (the fancy talkers would say, "envision it"). i went out at almost 300 and just kept MOVING. i had a lady to play with sometimes, but most of the time, i used a tennis ball machine that would pitch the balls to me. i'd just hit and hit and walk around picking them up and then do it all over again for the whole court time (our courts are reserved for 1.5 hours). don't let what other people think defeat you! don't let what YOU THINK other people think defeat you!! i've talked to some of the other players who saw me come out last Aug at almost 300 pounds and what they were REALLY thinking astounded me--they told me that they were simply glad that i was there and were HOPING that i would continue. oh, there were some people who were less kind, but i certainly didn't let them rain on my parade. but today, 86 pounds lighter, i may not be winning tennis matches, but i'm winning the battle for my life. Live well--it is the best response.

katie, my heart hurts when i hear folks talk about how they don't lose as much as other people. you aren't competing with anyone else. i know--you already know this...but allow youself to simply CHERISH the 15 pounds that are gone. Celebrate each success, whether it's a pound, a dress size, or the new or re-newed ability to MOVE more easily. comparing one's self to others is almost always a bad thing for us to do when we're trying to lose weight. there are too many reasons for you to be different from me and either of us from anyone else. concentrate your competitive spirit on being BETTER to yourself today than you were yesterday; moving more today than you did yesterday; eating better food today than you did yesterday; being KINDER to yourself today than you were yesterday. in this game, you win when you don't quit. of course, you also lose when you don't quit. it's just too cool :frown:!

i live near san antonio tx, so i get it at my local HEB grocery store. but they carry it at walmart, too...it's also available from any health-food or GNC. make sure you talk to your nutritionist--they should be able to help you figure out whether the diet and vitamin/mineral regimen you're on is really meeting your nutritional needs. there is a nutritionist at my fill-dr's office, so i have email/phone access to her whenever i need it. i hope the same is true for you. if not, be leery of starting over-the-counter supplements without making sure how they interact with your other medications you can always ask the pharmacist where you get your meds (if you have any) prucence is ever amiss...

well, cement in your mind how much your knees, ankles (and pretty much every other joint) hurts now. journal all your aches and pains. because, after a few months, ladies, i am telling you, you will feel 15 years younger and so will your knees. i encourage you to push yourself (not fanatic, now, just push yourself to move 5 more minutes than you think you can each day--you know, the opposite of the bahavior that got most of us in this condition in the first place :frown:) remind your body what it's made for. then, after a few months, go back and read in your journal about all those unplesant things you used to experience so you can have a gratitude moment! for me, it's usually the moment i try to get out of bed. i no longer have to use my hands to get up and balance and wait for all the joints in my hips and legs to loosen up so i can walk. bliss, ladies, i tell you! i'd love to hear about the other "growing younger" experiences people have had. as for me, i'm playing tennis 2-3 days a week and getting up and down from chairs without havin to listen to (or blush at) the creaking symphony played by my knees.

i told very few people initially. after the weight loss became noticable, when people would as me how i was doing it (which i think is a very prying, impolite question in the first place) i don't lie about it. and, truthfully, as some of the other folks have said, it doesn't matter what other people think. if someone were to give me their (unwanted) negative opinion, i would have to say, "well, do you really think it's better for me to weight 300 pounds and meet your expectations about HOW i should lose weight?" most of the lame-brains that express opinions like that have never faced the challenge of having to lose so much weight. i don't think they've "paid the dues" to qualify to have an opinion. (Unless they're just going to be supportive and kind.) i say, be true to yourself. initially, tell people who will BUILD YOU UP--you've got a difficult road ahead and will need support. if you aren't SURE someone will support you, then don't expose yourself to negative people. Set yourself up for success. i wish you well (physically, mentally, emotionally) in making this decision.

i'm a pretty pragmatic person and didn't have any emotional aberrations after the procedure at all. (i was my normal self--as abnormal as i am :frown:.) are you normally "very emotional" with mood swings and such? or are you normally pretty "even-keeled"? you should expect the week or 2 following surgery to be like your normal self, except a little more so. i would tell you to think about all the different reasons you would do this in the first place. is this a commitment to a life-change for you or are you chasing the next "magic cure?" are you pretty good about following a regimen, but just need a little "can't cheat" helper? Because most anyone on these boards who's had their band for any length of time can tell you that it's hard to cheat the band, but it certainly is possible. if you're not ready to make the life-change, then you might expect to be disappointed or depressed with your results. if you're ready to make the commitment and you've chosen to get the band because you are ready to be paroled from the prision of your overweight, then you should expect and strive for a gentle and well-deserved sense of accomplishment after you get your band. rest, let yourself heal, follow the doctor's instructions faithfully and LOSE the baggage! i pray for your motivation and your commitment--

yes-you've got the right idea. the band simply makes the "fillable" part of your stomach smaller. you'll have to change some of your habits. choose to eat Proteins first, vegetables and fruits next (and if you're like most, you won't have room for the breads and sugars). my nutritionist told me i'd be on a "modified atkins" with the band, but i sure don't have to work at it. i just eat the small amount of food i need in the order they told me and there's no hard choices about whether to eat bread and sugar--because there's no room for them. Yes, if you let the band govern the amount you eat (and if you eat "the good stuff" in the first place) and you go out and play (oh, "exercise" if you insist :crying:) then you will have better results. People who continue to eat "junk" and lay on the couch see poor results. if you expect the band to be the "magic elixir" don't waste your money or effort going any further. if you expect it to be a tool to help you stay on track, then, by all means, proceed. just in case it helps you relate, i was successful on a weight watchers plan - as long as i was paying attention. but, life happens, you know? as soon as i stopped paying attention every moment to my WW Plan, i regained the weight. with the band, i can't "lose attention." (no more "diet A.D.D.".) it keeps me aware and that is what i needed. i lost 46 while i was preparing to get the band (i was on atkins) and 41 since banding feb 08. i follow the banding rules, eat my protien first (at least 80% of the time :smile:) eat fruit and veggies, and play tennis 2-3 times a week for 1.5 hrs/time. i feel good, my skin is shrinking long with the fat and my doctor/PA/nutritionist/office staff are VERY pleased with me. I am very pleased with me. that's what i pray for all of the people who have made this choice. don't forget to ask your "trusted advisors" (you know, mom, God, Best friend) for pros-cons so you can research them. that way, you'll be able to have the support you'll need for this life change. as always, take what you like of this and leave the rest.

The Special K2O comes in a Tea and also Pink Lemonade--both are delicious.

hey folks, my nutritionist recommended Biotin (a tiny little tablet) and b-complex (i use a liquid, sublingual) in addition to my chewable multi-Vitamin. (i got them at my local grocery store.) she said that the hair loss WAS due to the significant change in my diet. for me, when i took them regularly, it STOPPED my hair loss. check with your nutritionist...

i strongly recommend a mother or mother-figure (nurturer) to give you TLC (and broth/liquids/medicine) during the few days following your procedure. I'd recommend mine (cause she did a stellar job at it), but she refuses to be "loaned out". :smile2: my doctor said 5 minutes of every hour i needed to get up and MOVE! mom kept the timer and helped me remember what i was supposed to do (took me a little while to get the fog out of my head from the anesthesia). she also walked with me every hour--just around the house at first, but then up and down the driveway (it was nice weather). nothing strenuous, but then neither of us had to worry if i got dizzy (or dizzier than is normal for me, anyway :smile2:) and fell down. and she was great about measuring the broth and juice and all the liquids that i was supposed to ingest every hour or two. (my doc said broth 1 hour, juice the next, and alternate for the first 2 days...but i couldn't remember from 1 hour to the next what i had just had.) anyway, with mom keeping track of all that, i had a text-book recovery. and she enjoyed being able to take care of her (not so little) chick again. (i'm 43--i'm NEVER to old to go home to mom--so thankful she's still with me)

i don't like feeling uncomfortable in places like the gym. i think after going a few times, you start recognizing the "regulars" and then pick someone who looks like they're setting a good example. go make friends, tell them that this is new to you and your working to make a new habit and tell them they seem like they've figured this workout thing out--and you'd appreciate their encouragement. i've done this and have NEVER had a negative response. (if it does happen--just PICK SOMEONE ELSE...) sure, a lot of those people look at us--but i think a lot of times, they might be thinking "gee, i hope that gal (or guy) can stick with it and not just come once or twice and quit" or "gee, if she would just ask me, i could help her or encourage him..." (or like Jack said, so what, let 'em look.) initiate a conversation--a friendship, maybe--and enlist the help of those regulars. they can't exclude you if you include them first...:smile2:

i am grateful that i can't relate to your problem--i have a mother who counseled against weight loss surgery, but when i reviewed everything, went over pros and cons and explained how i felt my strengths and weaknesses would allow me to be successful with the band, she said that although it wouldn't be her choice, she was 100% on MY SIDE and would do whatever she could do to support me in my journey and help me be successful. maybe, if you need positive strokes, you can adopt "another mother" (a mentor or some other mother figure) who will support you... as for your mom, just keep on loving her (and keep you mouth shut about your band, because you can't change her--only yourself, right?:smile2:) and keep to your plan-because losing the weight and becoming healthy is the best response to her comments...

hi, folks. Janine--i resolved my "allergy' to (ugh!) exercise. i don't do it at all. instead, i just do what my mom used to tell me as a kid---i GO OUT AND PLAY!!!! I dont' know why it makes a difference, it's just as much work, but because i've wrapped my head around "Playing" instead of "exercising" or "working" out, it all works for me. Maybe it'll help you to "look at it another way..." (So far it's worked for me to the tune of 87 pounds (46 before band, 41 after...)

yes, what sarah said agrees with what my doc said, specifically that there IS NO WEIGHT LOSS goal for the pre-op diet--it's all about shrinking the liver as much as possible so that it doesn't get in the way during the surgery. the more faithful you are to that pre-op diet, the easier the procedure goes (and the better your recovery!!!) Apparently, when you diet like that, the liver loses weight first

the other things they talked to me about were focused on finding out about my behaviors. there are a lot of things about how i lived that i needed to change in order to be successful with the band. things like what kind of discipline i have--if i've failed at other diets, trying to understand why--so i'd know whether the kind of behavioral changes i needed to make for the band to work would be within my reach. also, my interviewer told me that, if it looked like there were other, psychological issues (overeating because of clinical depreseion, because of past abuse or emotional disorders, etc.) they could make the necessary recommendations for counseling that you can do in conjunction with having the band, for your overall health. this interview is because one's well-being isn't just about one's waistline. they knew i wouldn't be successful with the band if i was sabotaging myself because of some mental or emotional problem.

hi, Officeslave (that moniker evokes all kinds of images that fit where i work too--made me smile.) my surgeon helped me set expectations early-before he agreed to do my surgery, in fact, made sure i understood that weighting myself athome was "bad" and that i should adjust my expectations to 1-2 pounds per week on AVERAGE. he taught me that losing more than that was not healthy for my body, as mhazelrigg said, that the skin and hair and all that needs the time to "slim down" to continue to fit also. i congratulate you on your 37# reduction and hope that you will become more regular in your exercise. i walk every day--even only 20 minutes and not, necessarily "vigorously"--but EVERY day. it MATTERS. i play tennis (well that's what i call it--i'd never be mistaken for Chris Evert) once a week with a tennis ball machine. it keeps me moving and doesn't criticise my swing... :biggrin2: the nice thing about walking and tennis is that they don't require any significant $$ to do them and you don't have to go to the gym... you're really doing well--give yourself a break.

hey, kaytay12, be sure to walk a lot to help relieve both the gas and the swelling. my surgeon said get up and MOVE 5 minues of every hour for the first few days following surgery (more if you can tolerate it). i just walked carefully around the house--definiely not working out, but it helped me immensely with both of those problems. Blessed be.

Hi, i don't know your situation except what you've written here, but i'd like to tell you my experience with the "frustrations" of getting all of the clearances and permissions and approvals. my insurance company required a 6-month dr supervised diet before they'd approve the surgery. while i will admit to (i think) even more frustration that you are describing here, i will also tell you that at the end of that time, when i went into surgery 46 lbs lighter just by following the drs direction before surgery, i had an immense sense of satisfaction. now, i have been on ww and other diets before and have always been able to lose weight--but have NEVER before been able to keep it off. that's why the band has been so good for me. i've always before kind of "lost interest" after a certain period of time. now, the band won't let me forget myself. during the time i spent getting the ducks in a row, so to speak, i was able to see some success "on my own", so when i had the band installed, i was able to Celebrate my success and look forward to "staying the course." i encourage you to look at this time as a chance to get onto an appropriate nutritional plan, exercise, and behavioral modification (like not drinking 15 minutes before or 60 minutes after eating; eating from a small plate; and eating small bites, slowly, chewing well...) . then, when your psych paperwork an all that are ready, you'll have made the life changes you need to allow the band to TRULY work in your favor. anyway, as with all advice, take what works and leave the rest. Blessed be.