jnbwilds

It's so hard, this support thing. I'm sorry. Hopefully, if your surgeon is close, there is a local support group. If not, there are always local Overeaters Anonymous meetings, or Eating Disorder church groups. Find a group where you can be around people who can understand. And this forum has hundreds of friends. For your friends and family, here are some ideas. *Be patient - when your results begin to show, the support will grow. My dad was skeptical until the weight started falling off. *Often when your overweight friends criticize your decision, they are jealous, because you're escaping from the "fat girl's club" *Remind your family that you're not doing this to get "skinny", but to get "healthy". *Put your arms around your family members, hug them, and say, "You can't believe how much I need your support right now, could you please not say hurtful things?" *Remember that sometimes family members are just misinformed - they may think this is dangerous (have them watch the Emmi's or read the literature) or they may mistake the band for GB surgery. Good luck,

I think that the most effective argument against this (which worked even on me, when I was questioning my OWN decision) was the statistic my doctor showed me - I think Allergan released this one. I may not get this exactly right, but I think it was that fewer than 2% of people who are obese will be able to lose 10% of their body weight through traditional diet, exercise and medicines and keep it off for a minimum of 5 years. I remember how many times my PCP had said, "just eat less and exercise more". My lap band surgeon said to me - basically you've gotten advise that works less than 2% of the time. If a doctor prescribed you a medication and then told you it worked less than 2% of the time, would you be likely to take it? For the first time, what I knew to be true, was proven - that diet and exercise (which I've done lots of) does not work long term. The "Natural Way" does not work. If it did, we would not have an obesity epidemic in America.

I don't feel the band at all - but I can absolutely feel the port! If I bend over, I can really feel it. With my fingers, I can actually feel around the edge of it. I told my husband he could touch it, but he was not so up for that! He was so freaked out when I was pregnant, that it was weird for him to even feel kicks or elbows sticking out! So he has no desire to feel the port.

I've had a lot of this! I haven't seen many posts on it, so I was waiting to talk with my doctor later this week. I'm almost 4 weeks out, so I don't think its gas anymore. It's in the middle - lower part of my back and it is especially bad if I am really hungry. Weird!!

I haven't started taking one yet - I'm doing the Viactiv for multi-vitamens, but here's my question... I think I am LIVING on cottage cheese, yogurt, tuna, spinach, and eggs. I feel like I'm on a calcium overdose! Anyone able to share why we're supposed to supplement calcium?

There have been a lot of threads on this forum about the "honesty" factor that have really, really surprised me. From this one - "did you tell your kids?" to "Does your spouse know how much you weigh?" and "What do you say when people notice you're losing?" and "Did you tell your friends & co-workers?", etc. I've been surprised by how many people quite comfortably decieve and outright lie to their spouses, kids, co-workers, family, etc. I guess I can understand chosing to "not" tell someone based on it being inappropriate (for instance, not telling one's 3 year old...I didn't because he's too young to understand) or not telling someone because it's none of their business (like my neighbors, or other acquantainces who wouldn't really care anyway). But what are we afraid of, or ashamed of, that we cannot be honest with our own loved ones? Yep, my husband knows how much I weigh (he wasn't shocked, he'd kind of guessed I was overweight, him seeing me in the buff from time to time). And yep, I told my 8 year old son I was having WLS because it led to a great conversation about eating and health and consequences (he is glad I had the surgery and checks how I'm doing every day by hugging me and seeing how far his arms can get around me). And furthermore, I told my friends, family and close co-workers. They've been interested, curious, supportive, prayerful, and generous to me. If any of them had been ugly or non-supportive, I guess that might be a sign of some lack of health in that relationship! And I have absolutely never lied to someone who said, "Gosh, you look like you're losing weight! How are you doing it?" I say, "Thank you, I recently had lap band surgery and it is helping me do a much better job with healthy eating." I don't want to perpetuate the myth that "eating less and exercising more" will fix the seriously obese. Let's be honest - we all tried that before and either failed, or succeeded and then gained it back. So, forgive my soap box, but let's surround each other with the courage to be honest. I wonder if we are all so used to society "shaming" us for being overweight, that we don't trust those around us not to "shame" us for seeking help!!

I'm 3 weeks out and still haing problems. I'm going but it's pretty rare, and...(upcoming TMI warning) it's kind of like what you'd find at the bottom of a rabbit cage. So, I'm doing Colace daily, eating Activia yogurt, and drinking something hot every morning (tea or decaf). The most effective thing so far is the hot drink. Good luck - it's no fun.

I'm with you girls. I'm 3 weeks out, the swelling is down, the restriction is not very strong, and it is taking all my willpower to stay on plan. I'm definately able to eat more. My doc has suggested having an Atkins shake in between meals so that I will not be as hungry and will not cheat. It does work - makes it much easier. Try to stay under 1000 calories a day! I know that is so hard (I've had a few days where I was definately over) but I just keep: * Staying on this forum where I stay motivated * Thinking about the $15,000 check I wrote * Thinking about the new clothes I want to buy for summer * Taking a bath or painting my nails when I really want to eat * Chugging Water Hang in there to all others in bandster hell! It will pass!

I am staying on plan today because i stayed on plan yesterday and lost a pound. 1 more sad little pound to go to 250!

Banded 2/6. Total loss so far - 36 lbs. 27 on pre-op diet, 9 post-op.

I'm just moving out of the pureed stage into my soft / regular diet. So here are a few things that were easy and fast and tasty for me. Sorry if I'm repeating recipes that are here somewhere - I know a few of them were ideas I modified from other places on this forum! Pretend Lasagna - put 1/4 cup of ricotta in a bowl, pour a little spaghetti sauce on it and sprinkle some parm. or moz. cheese on top. Microwave it for a minute, and YUM. My calculation brought it to a little over 200 calories and 16 grams of Protein. Rotisserie chicken - throw 2 ounces of instant mashed potatoes in a food processor with a few strips of rotisserie chicken. Pour in a splash of chicken broth and puree. I didn't calculate the calories on this one. It looks gross, but tastes really good. Tuna Casserole - drop a 3oz can of tuna (in water) in a bowl, add a smidge of lite mayo, a spoonful of sweet pickle relish and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Microwave it for about 30 seconds. This one was about 180 calories and 12 grams of protein. Salmon "Mousse" - my favorite one - buy frozen salmon pinwheels (you can get these at SuperTarget in the frozen fish area and they are surprisingly inexpensive). I like the ones with a salmon fillet wrapped around crab florentine. Bake it for 30 minutes and then drop it in the food processor with a pat of butter and squeeze of lemon, then puree. You get a creamy, buttery tasting mousse (I've had it for supper 3 nights in a row). It's heavy on calories - 330 if you eat the whole thing (which I did once and would not recommend) but has a whopping 26 grams of protein. And - for the old standbys that get boring.... add some Natural applesauce to cottage cheese to bump the flavor. Put a little canned spinach and feta cheese in with scrambled eggs for extra taste. Put a vanilla Protein shake and half a banana in the blender. Good luck to those entering the "mushies"!

Ok, ok...I'll join you - but since I haven't started anything at all, I'm going with an easier goal for this first month. User name.....................# of minutes...................# of days per week 4jin....................................30............................ .......5...................... patticNJ..............................20.............................. ......5.................... becca.................................20.....................................3....................

Ok, now this survey got me worked up so I have to comment! Of course my husband knows my weight! We try to have a very authentic relationship in every area. It's not like he couldn't tell I was fat until he knew my weight! What's nice about him knowing is that he can participate in my weight related wins. ("Yay, honey, I'm almost under 250") or ("Babe, if I get to 240, that'll be what I weighed right before I was pregnant with [our second kid]") I think the more open we are - the healthier our relationship is and the better he can support me. Plus he loves lurking on this site to see the before and after pics and learn more about the band - he would totally see the ticker anyway! It allows him to come to Dr. appointments without me being nervous that it would slip! So I say - Tell them, tell them! It is so freeing to have it out!

Laura - that's wonderful! Gosh - I don't think I've EVER been a size 10! I shared this NSV in another thread with my February 2008 friends, but it was so encouraging, I'm gonna share it here. Last November, I had to fly to Dallas, and on the plane, the belt was so tight, my tummy hung over the top and I had to cover it with my magazie so the flight attendent wouldn't make me wear a belt extender in front of my work friends! Yikes! I was so embarassed it was one of the reasons I decided to take the LB plunge. Anyway, I flew to DC last week, and the belt was actually loose - with about 4 inches of slack! And my butt didn't make the arm rest pop up in between me and my seat mate. I loved every minute of the flight.

I am staying on plan today because I am 2 lbs away from 250, and I'd love to make it there by Monday.

Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I found this thread! I had my surgery 2/6 and after the swelling went down, I felt like I could eat anything. I'm trying to stick to under 1000 calories / day on just willpower until I get my first fill next week. I was so worried that I had stretched the pouch or caused a band slippage or something because I was definately eating more than 1/2 cup. I feel much better and at the very least, like I am in good company. Luckily, the weight is still coming off, although more slowly. Thanks to the veteran bandsters who come on the forum and give us newbies some peace of mind!!

I'm really interested in the differences from doc to do also! I think that since everyone's anatomy is different, people react differently to the band - even when it isn't filled yet. Also, the swelling goes down at different times for everyone. So, I'm guessing some doctors take a very safe approach and have people stay on the pureed foods longer and some take a more relaxed approach. I had surgery on Feb 6, and honestly - I'm on soft foods now and haven't had any problems. I had e-mailed my nutritionist a little over a week ago complaining of being hungry, and they recommended starting scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, deli turkey, and tuna. If I tolerated those things, I could start incorporating more normal foods as long as I chew well. Right now I'm eating soft scrambled eggs or oatmeal for Breakfast every morning. I try do do a Protein shake for lunch to save up calories for my rough time of day (4pm-9pm) Notice I'm on-line during that time to distract me from eating. dinner is usually tuna, salmon, or chicken and some steamed veggies. I have some cottage cheese or yogurt as a snack after work. I'm trying to drink only Water and stay under 1000 calories a day. But I'm really hungry! I have to admit that a few times I've eaten as much as 6 or 7 ounces at a time because I'm hungry and it goes down without any problem. I'm still losing weight (more slowly) but now I've been doing it on just willpower for 2 months. I'm eager to have the band take a little of the heat off of me actually!! Eager to hear what others at this stage are eating!

Hello all! I have been out of town for the last week and just got back. I was so eager to get back on-line and see how my Victorious Valentine friends are doing. So here's my update. The bad news: I'm hungry! I'm a week away from my first fill, and feel no restriction at all. I can eat as much as I want (but I'm not) and haven't felt overfull since my swelling went down. Staying under 1000 cal. when you're hungry stinks!! I suppose this is band hell? But no weight gain, thankfully - just a pitiful pound a week loss for the last 2 weeks. While I was out of town visiting my sister, it was so hard not to indulge! Besides an unfortunate incident involving ice cream at a movie theater, I managed to stay partially on track. The good news: Last time I flew on an airplane, I just barely got the belt fastened. I knew I was a few lbs away from a belt extender - my worst nightmare. The thing was so tight that my belly was almost hanging completely over the belt and I had to hold my magazine just right so the flight attendant wouldn't notice I was being cut in half by the belt!! This week I flew, and guess what - 4 beautiful inches of spare belt hanging out AFTER I buckled it!! And, for the first time in years, my butt stayed nicely on my side of the seat, and did not pooch out under the armrest and steal space from my seat mate. Now, that is an NSV to celebrate! Whew...it is good to be back! Please tell me some of you are experiencing bandster hell also??

My husband keeps bugging me to do a sports bra and shorts "before" picture, but I'm scared! But looking through the Before & After picture section of the forum - there are certainly those out there who are showing us the full monte! :cursing: Wow. I appreciate their bravery!

Becca..................................March 6th JaxBandster.........................March 11th Sadie .................................March 13th Marathinner..........................March 13th BUT, I'm not guaranteed a fill - I have to present my COMPLETED food journal for review and discussion. Anyone else have that requirement?

Angie, you are a blast! That made my day. Seriously - I was grouchy today about this whole eating cottage cheese and Soup crap (will it ever end!) and I saw your post and laughed so hard I peed my pants! I took some before pictures, but wasn't brave enough to take one of my belly button - now, I'm seriously tempted!

Actually, today I'm looking forward to the restriction! It seems like 3 weeks is SO far away. I had my first "oops" today. I've been so hungry eating just a few ounces. Tonight I made a recipe I saw here somewhere with ricotta cheese and spaghetti sauce & parmesan. It tasted like lasagna without the noodles. I made a full cup of it, planning to eat half and save the other half for tomorrow. Well, guess what....I ate the whole thing. And even though I don't have restriction - I feel like I just ate a whole Thanksgiving dinner. I'm hoping it will stay down. I know its a far cry from the kind of overeating I did before the band - but I still feel very naughty. Uggg. I think I'd better go and lay down!!

Leather - Congratulations, and welcome home! Glad to know you are feeling better - I remember that day 4 was the time I felt like myself again! Gibson - Don't be nervous! I think it's different for everyone - I wasn't very sore at all. If you get gas pains - here's my trick. Lay on your left side with a pillow under your belly and incline your bed a little (if you're in a hospital bed). This helped me SO MUCH. It should help the air bubble through your band and out. And make friends with your ice pack! Good luck!

So when I first met with the nutritionist 4 weeks before surgery, the hardest news was that I would have to give up my coffee for at least the 4 weeks prior, and 2 weeks post surgery, and should probably give it up permanently. :wink2: Yikes...any other Starbucks junkies out there who cried at that news too? Anyway, I gave it up for over a month. Well this morning (I'm 10 days after banding) I decided to try to get my fix in a healthier way. I put a half packet of Carnation instant Breakfast in a mug, poured in some mild half caffinated coffee, a splash of fat free creamer and a splash of skim milk. Here's the count - about 140 calories, and 4 grams of Protein. It tasted wonderful and I wasn't hungry until noon. :wink_smile: I doubt my nutritionist would be thrilled with me, but I'm thinking it's a fair compromise!! Open to other yummy and healthy ways to get a little coffee fix! (oh, 2 other favorites for mushy stagers - Cozy Shack sugar free tapioca pudding - made with Splenda - you can't even tell its artificial sweetner. And second, toss a little rotisserie chicken, instant mashed potatoes, parm cheese & chicken stock in the food processor and blend like crazy....looks gross - tastes awesome!)

You might also have irritated your esophagus if you've been vomiting, and that would make you even get sick more often. Try going back to liquids until your appointment. I was banded the day after you and haven't had any PBing yet, and I've been eating most of the Protein mushies you mentioned. Can you keep down Soup? There are lots of cream Soups with high protein counts also. Hang in there! We're all here feeling for you and hoping things get better for you soon!