lucysmom

Hi I'm wondering if there are other Maryland bandsters out there these days. I live in Westminster and work in Baltimore (Woodlawn). I was banded on 12/6/07 and I'm doing well. I love reading the posts on this forum; I learn a lot from others and crave the support offered here. I just wanted to know if there were others in my area on the forum. Lucysmom (Cynthia) 299/285/258/150 highest/surgery/now/goal banded 12/6/07 GBMC :biggrin:

I drink up to the time I eat and then wait 30 minutes after a meal. It is one of the hardest parts of this process for me, as I was so programmed to drink water while eating.

You are not alone. I have avoided bread, pasta and rice since my surgery in December, but I do allow myself limited portions of sugar. I haven't gone totally Atkins - I just try to eat healthy food in reasonable quantities. I work at portion control every day; some days I'm better than others, but have been able to eliminate my two blood pressure medications, which was one of my goals going into this. It sounds as though things are going well for you; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I, too, have nuts as a snack. I mostly eat unsalted ones and mix them with dried fruit as a small snack. As with everything, portion control is the key. IMHO, small amounts of nuts are a great source of Protein and are great for carrying me over between meals. :smile::rolleyes2:

I can't express how happy I was to see your post. It's a subject near and dear to my heart these days and I haven't taken the steps to put it out here on a thread. I had my surgery on 12/06. I have been losing, but the last few weeks I've struggled more and more with what I'm eating and I fear that my monthly visit/weigh in in two days will be a devastating experience. A little history: I was a smoker for 37 years. My overall personal transformation began 27 months ago when I quit smoking. I had struggled with working a food program/quitting smoking over the last 5 years - I could do one at a time, but was never successful tackling both simutaneously. After being smoke free for a year, I began exploring WLS and decided on the lap band. I had the surgery last December and was doing fine UNTIL I found a new addiction. As a child, I loved chocolate. As an adult, I detested it. You could put a mountain of chocolate next to me all day and I would have had no desire to touch it. That has now changed. I'm assuming that's because I'm no longer smoking and it tastes good to me now. Eeeks! I am battling the desire to eat chocolate - plain milk chocolate bars - all day long. My meals are 'band friendly', I'm exercising 5 days a week, but I eat WAY too much chocolate. I'm working on the mental side of this and have had a better time of it the last two days, but it's a battle that I didn't expect to have to wage. I know that this process isn't something that I'll master overnight and that I have to work at it every day. I was just glad to read a post from someone else who is also struggling with eating around their band. THANK-YOU for sharing so honestly and opening the door for me. I know I have to work on this; it is just good to know that I have a kindred spirit(s) out there with whom I can be completely, honestly, me. Please keep up your posts and I will do the same if you find this as helpful as I do. Cynthia:redface:

Had my first fill today and it was a breeze. No pain - went quickly. Liquids for 2 days, then mushies. Glad it's done and I look forward to seeing the difference in what I'm able to eat (or not eat, as it were).

I, too, struggle daily with loving myself enough to avoid crap. I do my best to remember that 1. I am taking in a lot less food that I did before surgery. 2. I am exercising 3. I need to work at this one day at a time 4. Some days are better than others. 5. having a 'bad' day doesn't make me a 'bad' person 6. I'm learning and this won't come overnight. I have a great support system with people who help me have a realistic picture of what I'm doing right and what I need to look at. I'm recovering from other addictions and know that the recovery process for those took time and many baby steps put back to back. I didin't make a giant leap forward with those addictions and I need to be kind to myself about being new at this. It's been just over 90 days that I've been banded and when I compare my thinking, eating, exercising with what it was 4-5 months ago, I see that I've made great progress, actually. I just have to watch out for that part of me that is uncomfortable with success - she feeds me toxic messages sometimes. I appreciate your openess and willingness to admit that the committment isn't there every day. My guess is that you'll find that you are making progress, however slight it might feel. 12/6/07 299/285/255/? High/surgery/now/goal

Besides being able to wear clothes that I haven't worn in years (or ones hanging in my closet with the original tags still on them!), I was able to free style swim the length of the olympic style pool where I exercise. I do most all my exercising in a pool and do a variety of workouts and strokes, but have never been able to 'swim' a full length. This was a major victory for me and I almost cried when I finally did it! Cynthia 12/6/07 299/285/257/? No fills yet

Thanks. I have my appt. at his new office on the 20th. From the letter sent to me, I see that a lot of the familiar faces make the move with him. I knew that some of his staff was transferring with him, but he couldn't tell me which ones during my last visit. Good to know there will be familiar faces! I'm especially happy about the planned move to Geipe Rd in the future, as it is very close to where I work. Our surgeries were close in dates - have you had a fill yet? I haven't and I'm thinking maybe this visit will be my first fill visit. Cynthia 12/6/07 299/285/257/?

Here's my experience: 1. I was not on a liquid diet for 2 weeks prior. I find that this varies by doctor/program, so once you start investigating a doc, you will want to ask how their program handles pre-op. 2. Once I reached the solid food stage (3 weeks post op), there are only three things my doc's program restricts: rice, Pasta and bread. I avoid potatoes just because of their carb content. Otherwise, I can have most anything - what I'm learning is to prioritize what I eat - most important is Protein, then veggies and fruits. As others have said on this forum - think protein and produce. When I have other items, portions are very small. 3. I'm only 90 days post op, so I can only relay my weight loss, but reading through the posts on this web site, I don't find that to be true. My doc reports that over a period of 2-3 years, people who have been banded and those having gastric bypass reach the same amount of weight loss. It is just a slower proces with the lap bad. I chose the band for several reasons: the surgery is less traumatic to my system, it's not a permanant reconfigure of my digestive system, it doesn't involve the malabsorption issues that bypass does, I didn't NEED a quick weight loss. What I wanted to was to be healthier, get off some of the meds I was taking and to learn to have a healthier relationship with food. Each person needs to hear about all WLS options and make the decision that is right for them. I'm happy I had the surgery. I am still learning and working on developing that healthy relationship with food. It's a daily process, but as I've learned in recovery from other addictions, I'm best off working at it one day at a time. Good luck to you in whatever you decide. This forum is a wealth of information, so take whatever time you can to investigate the different areas out here. Cynthia 299/285/257/? highes/surgery/now/goal Banded 12/6/07

I was banded on 12/6 and have not yet had a fill. I have been losing - albeit slowly - so my doc has not recommended a fill yet. I go back next week; maybe I'll get my first fill then. I understand your fears, as I share them as well. First, I'm a weanie when it comes to needles, so I'm not looking forward to the actual procedure. I'm sure I'll live through it (drama queen sigh inserted here). I am also concerned about PB'ing and sliming. I've had very little problem with anything getting stuck. I'm religious about not having bread, rice or Pasta, and rarely have mased potatoes, but worry that there are other things I have been eating that I won't be able to once I have more restriction. I know that I will make it once I've had a fill; I'm guessing that my fears will prove to be worse that the actual process. That's the case for a lot of my fears. Anyway, good luck to you and I'm happy to discuss the subject with you, since I am in a very similar place. Cynthia 299/285/257/? Banded 12/6/07

I'm a patient of Dr. Von Rueden's and I'm transferring with him to St. Agnes. I was banded 12/6/07. Cynthia 299/285/257/?

I've had lettuce, several kinds: iceberg, romaine, butter, spring mix, etc. w/o problems. I was banded in 12/07 and have not yet had a fill. My doc okayed my eating lettuce after one month check-up. Cynthia 285/258/? 12/6/07

Hi fellow Marylanders! I work in Baltimore and live in Westminster. I would love a get togther somewhere around the Baltimore area! I was banded 12/6/07 by Dr. Von Rueden at GBMC. He is moving over to St. Agnes at the beginning of March. I hope I can move with him; he is checking on insurance coverages to see which patients can move with him. I've been working with him and his staff for over a year, so I'd like to stay with him. Right now, there a monthly support group meeting; I'd like to suppliment that with additional support meetings, so I'm interested in meeting others in the area who are banded. Cynthia 12/6/07 299/285/258/150? Highest/surgery/now/goal

Iwas completely naked, for my lab band as well as for 2 other outpatient surgeries I had (D&C and gall bladder). I had 2 gowns on, one opening in the back and the other in the front, but no clothes on underneath. Cynthia 12/6/07 Banded

Each Dr's program can vary; mine said to make sure that I drink protein drinks only as a meal substitute, not as a snack. I use mine as breakfast, as I have an hour commute, so I drink 8 oz. over the course of my trip. On the weekends, I have Kashi cereal for breakfast instead. I think there are two issues that some programs have with protein drinks. One is that they can be very high in calories and the second is that liquids pass through the band more quickly than solids, so we feel full for a shorter amount of time after having a liquid as a meal. There are many ways to get protein other than eating meat as well. Cheese, small amounts of nuts, small amounts of peanut butter, beans, cottage cheese, yogurt, Kashi cereals (Go Lean is a good source)... I went online and found a listing of foods that have high amounts of protein and use it to find alternatives to eating meat. I don't have meat for every meal, usually just once a day. I find other ways of getting my protein grams.

do pancakes fall into the bread category? Has anyone been successful eating pancakes? I was banded on 12/6/07 and haven't tried any type of bread, pasta or rice, but wondered about pancakes. My brother's church is hosting a pancake supper this week and I would like to go, but pancakes are one of my favorite foods, so if there is a possibility that they will get stuck, I'll stay home. I don't want to be around something so tempting; at the same time, I have yet to have anything get stuck or come back up and I'm not looking to have that happen anytime soon. Thanks to everyone - I really enjoy reading the posts out here. Cynthia 12/6/07 299/285/257/? :smile:

Hi! I have been banded since 12/6 and also thought that I was able to eat a lot. I saw my surgeon the other day and I'm down 8 lbs in the last 4 weeks, so it is working. His nurse asked me to compare what I eat now to what I ate before surgery, I realized that what I eat now, even on a day where I feel as though I'm eating a lot, is no where near what I used to be able to eat in a day. I agree with other posters - I started keeping a journal for a few days, tracking protein grams, calories, etc. just to have a visual way of seeing what I was eating. I was staying under 1000 calories. I still felt as though I was getting a lot of food - it's amazing how quickly I became accustomed to smaller portions and less snacking. I want to offer my support - I am certainly in the baby stages of learning to understand what my feelings of hunger are really all about. Most times I'm wanting to stuff a feeling or I'm anxious. It's a learing experience and a journey that is exciting one day and frustrating the next. Take care!

Hi! I'm in Maryland and was banded on 12/6/07. I'm just starting to explore the various areas of this talk forum and found the GLBT forum. My partner and I have been together 6 years. She was opposed to my having surgery at first; it took her quite some time to warm up to the idea. She has been very supportive and loves that I'm taking better care of myself. I'm doing well - I haven't weighed myself for over a week as my weight loss slowed considerably after I moved to solid foods. I'm still losing and I'm getting into clothes that I haven't been able to wear for years; I just had to get over the sadness of not dropping the weight as quickly as I did while on liquids. I feel so much better already and my blood pressure has been down to 110/60 consistenly for over 3 weeks. I went to a women's BB game last weekend and was amazed at how comfortable I felt in the auditorium seat. I'm used to being squeezed in like a sardine and feeling like I'm overflowing. I was very comfortable through the whole game. Hurray!! I love the support this forum has to offer and look forward to reading the posts in this section. Lucysmom (Cynthia) 299/285/265/? Banded 12/6/07

I was banded 12/6/07 and wondered this same thing myself. I started charting everything I eat, just to make sure that I wasn't fooling myself about how much I was eating, but I'm staying under 1000 calories. I have lost lbs, but I'm noticing more that clothes fit differently. I'm down a size already, even though I've lost just 19 lbs. Here's my theory - I am losing fat but gaining muscle, since I now focus on Proteins and veggies instead of the mega-carbs and sugar that made up a large portion of my diet for so many years. I'm also exercising and moving more, so I've decided to worry less about what the scale says and relish the fact that I'm already wearing smaller clothes. I already look different, so I rarely get on the scales and just look at myself in the mirror each day. Lucysmom 299/285/265/? 12/06/07 :clap2:

Hi! I was banded on 12/6 and I know how boring the first few weeks can be. I assume you are what my Dr. calls the full liquid stage. I drank Protein shakes (found Syntha-6 to be the tastiest), but also had Soups (I had good luck with organic soups from Safeway, as they didn't require any straining, so they were very convenient. There was Broccoli, Corn, Carrot and Squash). I could have yogurt,so I had yogurt and yogurt smoothies. I also had pudding. Not being a fan of chocolate, I found lots of new flavors in the sugar free instant pudding category - white chocolate, cheesecake, etc. I also like the sugar free carmel puddings from Hunt's. As always, follow whatever your surgeon and nutritionist recommend - every program can be different. Congrats on making this step and my best to you! Lucysmom 285/265/?

I'm in the same place as you - I was banded on 12/6 and hope to have my first fill on 1/21. I'm experiencing fullness when I eat, but have been able to have all types of meat and veggies with no problem. Haven't had any bread, pasta or rice and potatoes just a couple of times. Things are going well; hope all goes just as smoothly once I have my first fill. Glad you are doing well and hope to hear from you again!

I'm another one who was up and around quickly after surgery and didn't take any pain meds. I did have some trouble with a herniated disk that was aggrevated during surgery, so wound up taking pain meds for that about days 5-7, but otherwise, I didn't have much pain at all. I did take naps, but was on a conference call for a meeting at work the morning after band surgery. Everyone is different.

I'm in Westminster - I had my surgery at GBMC in Baltimore, Dr. Von Rueden. Looking forward to the support available here!

Hi, all! I was banded 12/6/07 and have lost 17 lbs. I am relating to those in the thread about band-hell, as I lost most of the weight in the first two weeks and haven't lost much since. It is so good to hear from those who have gone before me and to know that I should just keep on my bandster program and wait for my first fill. I have an appt on the 21st with the surgeon, maybe I'll get a fill at that time. I was very depressed for the last week; grieving the loss of the foods I no longer eat and feeling the rebellion I feel when I realize that I'm no longer binging. I'm eating slowly, trying to savor each bite, which drives a part of me nuts - I derived such pleasure in shoveling it in as fast as possible at times. Sad but true. The part of me that took pleasure in this is mad at the part of me who is trying her darndest to do this differently. I don't want all that I went through the last year preparing for surgery to be for naught. Anyway, I'm glad to read the postings; having a support group really makes this doable. Cynthia 299/284/267/? Highest/surgery/now/goal