sadie11

Hello Nifty fifties! I was banded on March 3rd and feel great. This has been the best thing i've done in years. For the first time in my life i feel like i have control and some help with this stupid weight problem. I get my first fill on April 3rd but have some restriction now. I am eating like i have restriction anyway. I forget to not drink while i'm eating and the food gets stuck a bit. I'm guessing restriction will be a bit like that. Just getting going on some serious exercise- I feel good enough to do it now. I was walking after surgery but it wasn't enough to keep the weight coming off- I need to sweat! I actually like to exercise and have all my life. I am living proof that exercise will not make you thin.:biggrin2: Best to all Sadie

If your band is placed right, it is right over the gland that produces your appetite hormone. This helps supress your appetite at least for a while sometimes forever ( I hope I am supressed forever!). It is a very precise placement. I have very little appetite even though i have no restriction. and tightening the band on your stomach opening during the operation is very tricky too. I have some restriction even though I have no fill yet. This is why it is better to get a doctor with lots of experience. I feel lucky to have Dr Brown in DEnver. It has been a great experience so far and I am soooo relieved to have the band help me get thinner. I watch my calories and have stepped up my exercise. This will help me for the rest of my life! I think there are a lot of hacks out there and they blame us when they do a crappy job and just put the thing in there as quickly as possible and have it too loose. I was in surgery for 1 1/2 hours as was my partner- not quick for sure. My doctor is doing my first fill in 1 1/2 weeks and he puts in 4cc's in a 10 cc band right away and adjusts from there. Very aggressive with fills. Maybe we should make a list of questions to ask doctors so people can judge how aggressive the doc is and how much experience they have placing bands. Maybe people should consult with a doc recommended by folks on this board and see if anything can be done to increase their weight loss. Sadie

Forgot to add that I was very careful with my diet while i wasn't losing. Just about 1000 a day and still stuck. No sugar and low carb. still stuck. the exercise is the only thing I changed. Unstuck.

I was not losing for a week and still dutifully doing my walking exercise 45 min a day. I got a flash and went to the gym and did 3 different cardio machines in 45 min and pushed it. this morning i was down 1.75 lbs. Gee I wonder how i did that. yuk yuk Gotta mix it up and sweat! The gym for me and no more easy walking. The Flash: My body wants to get rid of this weight for me but I gotta help it! It lets go if I make my intentions clear. I'll walk the dog but then I gotta sweat it a bit. Sadie

Hi folks; I love Kellogg's K2O drink mix- has 5 grams of Protein and 4 grams of Fiber and the Pink Lemonade is my favorite. Buy the boxes of 14 servings- cheapest - you get 2 boxes of 14 servings for $14.78- plus you can get free shipping. no brainer. This stuff kills your appetite and helps me stay on my diet. Also gives you good stuff like fiber and protein. there is a $15 off sale on amazon.com for ordering over $39 of K2O. This is the only place I have found K2O and a sale works for me. Follow the directions on the K2O page to get the $15 off. Sadie

Hello all; I'm checking in. Doing very well and I got to eat real food yesterday! I had a one egg omelet with 2 TBS of black Beans, picante sauce and low fat sour cream. Yum! I walked 45 mintes on Sunday and my incisions are hurting today. They haven't hurt for a few days so I laid low today. Watched reruns all day and one bad movie. I am keeping track of my calories and Protein and am doing well -- 65 gr of protein and about 800-900 calories. Weight loss has slowed to about a 1/3 lb per day but I am thrilled with that. I don't get hungry but I do get empty if that makes sense. My stomach growls and I guess I'm hungry but I have control over it unlike before. I guess the band is working. Or I'm working the band- one or the other. Both good! Glad everyone is doing well. I told some friends and they were totally supportive. I have an appointment with my doctor on WEdnesday and my first fill in 2 weeks- can't wait. Best and love to all on your journey Sadie

I see the lapband as a brake. I need to follow the rules to lose my weight then if I screw up I won't be able to eat as much to put it all back on. I do feel really different after having this tool installed in me. I was at the grocery store the other day and somethng smelled really good- really good and I wondered what it was BUT it didn't make me hungry! I just got my few things and left. A miracle in my life! I asked my skinny friend if normal people were like this about food and she said yes. Anita- you should be on solid foods by now! Yikes! I am on them next week and I just got banded on March 3rd. Go to another doctor! Sadie

I gave up Diet Coke with my pre=op fasting and now it has been 2 weeks. I really don't miss it at all. it was a habit to reach for a can, not a true addiction. I used to love it but now i see it was just a bad habit. All the new research says it screws up your system and makes you crave sweets. I am in the mushie phrase and I'm craving a slice of turkey! Not soda. Next week turkey - Yea! Give up the soda -- it'll keep you fat! K2O in Water is wonderful and has 5 grams of Protein and 4 grams of fiber- terrific. Order it on Amazon.com if you can't find at the store by Crystal Light Sadie

And I'm sorry CryBaby Mark is back too. How obnoxious can one guy be! Oh maybe his brother, CryBaby Jay! He'll have trouble winning because he's only 3 lbs away from goal.

I thought this show was the most interesting because Jillian is confronting Allison witht the fact that the show is unfair. No woman can ever beat a 400 lb guy- they lose weight faster and they have more to lose. And the women will never win the challenges either. maybe before the guys were working out for 7 weeks but now the guys are so strong phyiscally, they are unbeatable. They have to face the fact that they need a woman winner and a man winner. Even golf has different tees for goodness sake. If I were on Jillian's tema, I'd be depressed too. Bob really stacked his team with the big guys and it bugs me that they are so smug about their biological advantage. the show is getting boring and predictible- hopefully they will even up the sides somehow.

Hey TerriSioux I was thinking pulling of the stri- strips- now I won't !! Sorry for you though. I'm supposed to wait until they fall off- I guess I will now! I had bad gas all of a sudden 3 days ago and now all of a sudden it's all gone. Yea. I took so many Gas X pills and the left shoulder felt like someone was driving a knife in hard! I feel good though still tired and tomorrow I have to take my SO for her band and wait and wait in the waiting room. I may fall asleep but who cares. I'm glad this week is over- it was hard I think. I'll be glad to get this behind me and start learning how to live and eat with the band. Best to all! Sadie

Another important factor is how is the procedure going to do as you age? I have gone through the parents dying and I can tell you, when you're 84, it's hard to get enough Water and nutrition with a regular stomach. My goal is to live to 95 and at least the band can be loosened if needed so I can get more nutrition. Water is especially difficult with the elderly. I believe it is extremely risky to not consider the aging factor. I have seen too much with my friend's parents and mine to ever consider permantently altering my stomach. Just my humble opinion. Sadie

Hi all; I've lost 14 pounds in a week! Yikes! I'm a little freaked. I'm not complaining but surprised. things are going well except for gas and I just had the worse shoulder pain. It was like a knife was going into my shoulder. Man it hurt.... a little better now. I haven't had much shoulder pain- just a nagging pull. I started taking antacids for the gas and now the shoulder really hurts. I think that may be related. I've had trouble exercising because of the gas pain. It just gets horrible and I limp home. The other thing is that food smells good but I don't seem that interested in eating it. This is a first for me- I hope it continues! Any suggestions for the pain other than Gas X? thanks all - hope you are doing well. Sadie

Andi- I'll let you know if we want to get rid of Unjury although the shipping is usually a lot compared to their $6.00 charge. We can work something out I bet. Sadie

I understand why Mogolian BBQ wouldn't do a child's menu for a full size person- and the other resturants too. I have had success asking if they have 1/2 portions and a lot do but it's not on the menu. Or we share a meal and pay the plate charge. Resturants have to make money and if you are occupying their space, you have to pay. It costs a lot to run a resturant.I am sympathic with them and just take the leftovers home- 2-3 meals for the price of one! Yea I have always hated buffets- poor food at best- and adding to America's obesity problem. Just my humble opinion. I am going for high quality food from now on. I deserve the best. No more junk food- it makes me break out--- IN FAT!:thumbup: Sadie

3rd day and all is well. I have no appetite however and I had my chewable Vitamin which is cherry and just about gagged on the sweetness of them. Yuck! I think sugar is on my yuck list- hope so! I had about 250 calories yesterday and felt stuffed. I guess my stomach is recovering. Unfortunately I ordered a whole lot of the unjury Protein products and hate them. Hopefully my partner will like them. I like Medifast and Medifast only I guess. My nutritionist doesn't want me to use Medifast because there are 13 carbs per drink and she want drinks with only 5 carbs. Too bad- I can't believe that 8 carbs will make a difference. She has us on a very low carb diet after the surgery- like no fruit juice. Is anybody else on low carb from their doctor? Gee they all have their preferences. Dr. Brown is very strict with the diets after surgery. That's it so far- hope you all are recovering and feeling good. Except for the left port site I'm good. Sadie 257/246/155 or so

thanks for all the good wishes everyone. I got my band yesterday March 3rd and had the typical miserable day like any surgery. However last night I felt pretty good. The only pain I have is where the port is and I understand that is typical also. I am thrilled to be drinking Protein shakes after 3 days (count 'em 3 days!) of fasting before surgery! Also had a little vanilla yogurt and it tasted divine! I'm taking the pain meds and feeling pretty good. Did a little work today and realized I am very foggy so I am putting off a bunch of things. I own my business so I have a great boss! I am planning to stick to the very rigid diet my doc gives us (Dr. Brown in Denver). My partner is getting banded on March 10th so we'll do this journey together. 2008 is our health year. We have to improve our health significantly and fortunately losing weight will help all our problems. What a blessing for us! Back to the TV and snoozing- I love naps! Love and best to all with your journey! thanks for all the great info! Sadie start 257/ current 247 / goal 155 or so

Glad you are doing well. I was banded yesterday too and feeling pretty good today. Dr. Tom Brown in Denver did it. I walked around alot yesterday and the gas pains never got very bad. Today my incisions are good except for the left one with the port. That still hurts quite a bit. I am actually surprised that the other incisions don't hurt. My gallbladder removal incisons hurt for weeks. I haven't been very hungry either but had some yogurt and it tasted pretty good. Only could eat less than half a small container. BTW Weight Watchers yogurt is really good and it has 4 grams of Fiber too. A bonus. I am really glad the first day fo surgery is over- that is always the worst. No way around that miserable feeling after anesthisia. Hope all the other March 3rd'ers are doing well too. Sadie

Heather- now this is just what I wanted to hear about! I know I will eat chocolate occasionally and I want the band to slow me down. I am being banded tomorrow-March 3rd and I am so glad I read your post. I know I can lose weight - what I didn't know is how to keep weight off. The band sounds like just the trick to me! Smaller portions of stuff I like is what I wanted to hear about. I'll eat healthy the majority of the time but i want to hear that I could eat a little of my former foods. Thanks! Sadie

I am getting banded on Monday and I am very excited. My doctor however has me on a pre-op diet for 3 days that has no food whatsoever. Just splenda drinks and no sugar popsicles. Yikes- I am very committed but this seems ridiculous. I have never not eaten for 3 days in my life even when I was a hippie in the commune yuk yuk. I'm not sure I can do this and I feel bad. I'm thinking maybe a few Protein shakes. Will I go to Band Hell for defying my doctor? Sadie

Here we go!! Out of the house tomorrow at 4:30am and into surgery at 7:30am. I will be so glad to get this over with. I can't wait to eat something, anything after this 3 day fast! I've followed the instructions to the letter. Something i plan on continuing. Lost 8.5lbs already. And down a BMI too. Very encouraging. BTW be careful eating too many things with Splenda- made me very sick! Luck to all us March 3rd's and hope it goes well for all of you. Let us know how you did. Sadie

Wow- TGirl I am amazed you were on this for 10 days --- that is really rough-- Post -op I have liquids for 1 week- Protein shakes and juice-- I'll be really looking forward to that after this fast! Then after that i have mushies for 2 weeks then real food for 2 weeks then my first adjustment. Sadie

My liquid diet is different than all of yours. sugar free popsicles/ broth/ Crystal light/ sugar free jello/ diet Ocean Spray (not lite) and Water. That's it. It is a 3 day fast. And yes I am doing it but a bit shocked at how severe it is. The after surgery diet is also very severe compared to what i have read on this forum. But I'm okay with it now after getting over the shock. I have to lose weight for my health and I can do anything for 3 days. I lost 3.5 pounds yesterday just thinking about it! yuk yuk (I really did!) Gotta go have some broth. Love to all and your food journey- mine is just beginning. Sadie

Does this work? Okay - got it ---never mind!!

How come my ticker isn't working? Anybody? thanks! Sadie