josephine

Beth, You need to sign onto lapbandrapband.com in Yahoo (groups). My doctors office had stopped support group meetings but will begin again in May. I had Robert Snow and the original nurse that used to have them left him and now there is a new nurse that will begin them again. I don't mind letting you know when they happen as they allow everyone in the meetings. Josephine I am here if you need me Beth, truly I am.

MoonBeam, Although everyone is different as well as the doctors, it should be okay to try to eat like the baby food consistancy. You are probably lacking energy and still only being 5 days out you may still have the gas in your system. Don't be afraid of eating as long as it isn't anything that can possibly go down your esophagus then stomach to scratch it the way down if you haven't been practicing the chewing that is a must. You do need to allow your stomach to heal and this is why you want very very mushy food, something that you don't have to chew. Josephine

Beth, I am not starting over but it seems like you really need to go way back to the beginning of why you got the band in the first place. I can only assume like everyone else that you are unable to accomplish weight loss on your own and this is the reason why you needed the bands help. I know this is why I got the band. During the time of losing my weight I was able to rethink about my food choices and how important it was to become healthy. Anyone would be willing to help but you need to begin to help yourself. Do you have it in you do accomplish this? It must begin with you first. Josephine

Susan, I live in Arlington and my surgeon was Robert Snow. He is actually in Hurst. I had my surgery Nov. of 2005 and I couldn't recommend a better doctor. He actually travels to other locations as well to approve other doctors to do the surgery. Look up lonestarbands.com and you can see him. Josephine

What? Anyway from a full C to an almost A(smaller). I had a lift as they looked like Cow Udders and one was longer than the other. I didn't increase though as they fit my body size so as for the Saints Crying?, I cried and was happy to get a lift. Josephine

Jim, Thankfully the hair grew back of course and I have been maintaining my weight loss for almost 3 years now. I still have to make myself eat meals though so I guess my band went exactly the way everyone would dream it to. Much luck and success on your new life. Josephine

BSG, As they said you are still swollen and it will eventually come. It is most important to get the Protein in if you can before anything else. If you aren't hungry then you should stay away from the Water which has no nutritional value and drink liquid soup and Liquid Protein. I too wasn't hungry at all after surgery and that caused me to lose 32 lbs. my first month but the hair was going as well due to lack of protein. Once your body begins to get back to normal you should then begin drinking your water. There is no doubt that the water helps you stay full so take it easy with that for right now. Josephine

Luchay, It is hard for me to believe that you or anyone else thinks that the band is the total answer. It is just a piece of plastic around your stomach that when fills are necessary they will help you eat less. The band doesn't have a brain. It is so important that we learn on a daily basis how important the food choices that we make. The doctors will not help you with this process and that is why if a person who cannot help themselves, needs to go to a nutritionist. You need to sit down and think about what made you the way you are today and take control of it. I conquored my food demon and have abstained from it since the end of 2005. It is all possible but you truly need to do this for yourself if it is medically necessary. It isn't easy and that is for sure but if you want to live a longer and healthier life than you need to make adjustments. I would suggest first to STOP calling it a diet. We all need to change our lifestyles to be a success. This website and even if you would like to email me can help you greatly. In the beginning stay away from all negativity. We are all here to help one another. You have given up barely before you have begun. As far as needing the fills, most people do not feel restriction until the third fill so I have read. I was one that didn't need any fills so I don't know what that is like. Give us all a chance here to help you. Josephine

MsLittle, There are many restaurants that allow you to eat off the childrens menu but may upcharge you $1.00. You may show your banded card to Sweet Tomatoes and they will charge you the children's price which is $4.95. The Keg Restaurant, Denny's, Chili's, Outback Steak House, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, Applebees, and Golden Corral. All of these allow you to eat off of the the childrens menu or will just upcharge you just a bit. Just remember though not to get angry in case they don't only because it is our choice how much we newly began to start eating. You can even ask if they have half orders too. With my husband I won't share a meal with him but sometimes I ask him to ask for an add on of something and I will get a side of something else. Josephine

You may have that pain up to 6 weeks until you are recovered. You will be fine, trust me. Any time you need to get up from sitting or laying down, hold your stomach and then get up. That helps alot. You will be fine. Josephine

People can possibly have two types of pain. 1. Gas pain which is from the anesthesia and some do not get rid of it for a good week. 2. You may have port pain in which mine lasted 6 weeks as it was needing the time to heal and scar tissue to form. It all is temporary so there shouldn't be anything else to worry about. Josephine

Sandra, In the beginning of weight loss it is very important to do cardio which is the treadmill. I didn't even start to exercise until I lost 60 pounds, which was stupid because I lost whatever muscle that I did have and had to begin all over again. I am still slow on the cardio but I love going to the gym and lift weights. I go to LA Fitness in Arlington. I don't know if you belong to a gym but it is also so much easier when you have a partner. I will still always do it myself though as I now geet depressed if I don't. Cardio is excellent when losing weight and do a bit of an incline for your calves and quads. I also heard that if you stay at a constant fast pace and I call it a power walk without the incline that is just as good. Josephine

Tummy, I do have a question for you though. Do you like to drink the Water? To be honest I didn't until I put Walmart flavoring in it, like Crystal Light but Walmart brand has no calories. Once I began drinking water like that I was able to down 72 ounces. Yes, I have to get up and go to the bathroom alot but it is all worth it. Also, once you begin to exercise if you haven't already your body will need the water to replenish what you have lost. Josephine

Hi Maclynn, Welcome to your new upcoming life! Help to relearn how to eat and healthy is an everyday learning experience. I, a former cheese head myself loved all the fatty foods from Milwaukee. That is probably where I learned all about Adkins and thinking it was okay to eat all that fat and not learning how to eat healthy carbs. When you are on the road or not you should know exactly what healthy foods are. If you are serious in losing weight and permanently not only you, but everyone should learn how to eat everything that they never ate before because I am sure that is what would help everyone to lose it and keep it off. Three years ago I began to eat healthy food and being serious about my health in which this helped me in losing over 100 lbs and have kept it off since July of 2006. You have to really want this to succeed and for the most part it won't be easy until you truly accept the change that you need to make in your life to become healthy. My down fall was fried foods like an addiction to alcohol I had to stay away from this food. Are you actually from Milwaukee or a suburb of Milwaukee? I used to live on N. Lake Drive near St. Mary's Hospital. I haven't been there since 1990 since I have been married. I now reside in Texas. I do wish you all the luck in the world on your new venture. I am here to help................. Josephine

Wish you alot of luck with your journey. If you have questions or need help with physician let me know. I live in Arlington so I will be happy to be just around the corner for you. Josephine

I have never felt funny to tell people that I had the band. My whole life people have seen my weight go up and down up and down. Finally I have maintained my weight loss for 2 1/2 years and that is what I am proud of myslef for. I have never cared what people said about me while losing weight but I alwas had a problem with myself seeing people and them looking at me like, yet again, she loses and gains the weight. Now people are very proud of me and my accomplishment. I thank God on my knees that I finally am healthy and will always tell my story as long as someone wants to hear about it. I am here to help people like me. The people who have been thin all there life will never understand what we have gone through and are still going through. I feel for them as much as much as they have felt for me. Even though it really doesn't amount to much I know I am going to be around alot longer than I ever could have been 3 years ago. Josephine

I would think that the band has nothing to do with endometriosis. I wouldn't even make sense to me since it has to do with a tissue inside of you. Endometriosis is caused from the endometrium that is supposed to leave a woman's body when she has her cycle. It will flow back inside a woman and attach to her organs. This is what happened to me and my tubes were completely blocked like a cobwebs everywhere inside, all over my organs. I was never able to have children and was also told that if a condom wasn't used I would be taking a chance that I could have a tubile pregnancy if I could get pregnant at all. I am very aware that an obese person is told to lose weight before getting pregnant as that is very dangerous for both yourself and the child and that will also have problems with infertility. I believe you have asked a good question and maybe a doctor or nurse on this website will have an answer. Josephine

Let your band work for you............................... You should not be calling this a diet because isn't this where we have always failed? This is a new way of life for us and we HAVE TO relearn how to eat, take our time in eating, do not drink while you are eating, don't wait until you get sick before you stop eating.........you could be starting to become Bulemic and have another disorder. In my experience I have never been specifically told by my doctor what to eat. I was always told though by everyone that you do not have to change what you are eating but you will have no choice but to limit the amount that you eat. Over 3 years ago I chose to change my menu and it has worked for me. I was in control of my band and I made the changes necessary to change my life. I have yet to use my band as others have had to but I do know that it is there if I still need it. It could be that I never needed the band but my PAST HISTORY tells me different. I just found a new respect for food and its purpose and exercise as well. You have got to try to do this sensibly and with the upmost care and respect for your band. You don't want to throw up and whatever other negativity that you have as you will sabotage your new way of life and quite possibly harm the band. How badly do you want to change your life, live your life. The band isn't a quick fix for some, for most. You need to help guide it along. You have to begin with changing yourself and your thinking. If you need some pointers then email me. I would always love to help someone in need but only as long as they are truthful to themselves and open for suggestions. Josephine

Tara, I know where you are coming from with the exercise. In fact I don't think that I even went on a tread mill until I lost my first 60lbs. The thought of me exercising was like death be upon me. I joined LA Fitness and stayed with a trainer for 1 year. Within 3 weeks that man made me love exercising. I never thought it would ever happen but now if I don't go I first get crabby and then I get depressed. Once you begin to notice the differences in your clothes and the way you look and but doubt, the way you feel, you would begin to love it. It is something that is for you, internally. Try not to think of it as a necessity for weight loss. Your brain begins to need it and there is no turning back. You can do this Tara. Don't think that you can't. We have had to have a change in our minds and in the long run you are going to feel absolutely FANTASTIC! Josephine

I jumped the gun as always...................... I read about RA and then meds and thanks. Josephine

Okay then..................... Thanks for the info but what would RA have anything to do with the Band? Josephine

I am 3 years out and I still get severe gas pains avery so often. I had an EGD and my doc gave me a scrip for a bit of acid that he saw stuck on my esophagus(sp.). It helped me a lot. He said it is very common with one who is banded. Of course it is also what you are eating too. I get terrible trapped gas and that is caused from Beans, broccoli, and cauliflower. It is very hard for me to stay away from any beans. I never had a problem until I was banded. Josephine

What is RA?

Your doctor must have given you a certain diet for up to 6 wks post op. I don't think anyone in their right mind could give you a proper answer with what your doctor said you could have on your pre op diet. Josephine

:tongue2::thumbup::thumbup::cursing::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::tt2::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Just wanted to post an update... I'm now almost 6 weeks post-op and doing SO MUCH BETTER. Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I'm down 30lbs too! WOOHOO!!! GREAT !!!! Have faith in yourself because now you know YOU CAN DO THIS...................... Josephine