LindaD

I can definitely see the difference!! Keep up the great work!! I lost most of my weight pre-op, and frankly have only lost a couple pounds since the surgery but I'm not worried. I'm still feeling great and I know things will happen eventually. Here I am in February: And here I am on Friday heading to my class reunion (well, I did put shoes on first haha):

No, I wasn't. Oh, I know that risk is always there. I did everything to mitigate it as best I could - chose my surgeon carefully, lost weight prior to surgery, got in as good physical shape I could, etc. And then I trusted. I didn't even tell most people in my life until AFTER the procedure was done. My mom, my friends, they were all worried enough for me. LOL They all knew I was having it done, though. So rather than have them all worked up with anxiety, I just scheduled and did it and called/told them afterwards.

I think you are in the same place as I am - I was banded on 5/29. We have the band in, but it's not yet filled so it's not yet offering the satiety that we're hoping for. Especially if you're doing a lot of liquid or soft foods - they can go right through the band. I don't claim to know much yet, but I'm hopeful that once I start eating more solid food, it will stay in my upper pouch and help me feel more full. And then, of course, getting to the right fill level will help too. Hang in there - keep doing your best to eat right and make sure you're getting in your exercise. I was fighting hunger all day today, I just could not get past it. I came home from work and had 3 scrambled eggs and some cheerios (and that's a lot, I know - it's way more than 2 ounces of food!!) and I'm finally not feeling so desperately hungry. I expect it will get easier, yes. Still hard work, no doubt, but easier when the effect of the band is realized.

This is me too. I'm on soft foods now, able to start regular foods (except no bread) on Friday. I am getting hungry a lot. And when I eat, I do fill up pretty easily but then I'll be hungry again a short time later. I had lost about 50 pounds BEFORE surgery, but none has come off since. I actually went UP but I'm pretty sure that was just my normal cycle increase just before my period. I'm exercising, etc. I can't wait until I can eat some real Protein. I'm doing Protein shakes but those don't make me feel full at all. The soft foods I'm eating now are really lacking in that area, I think. I'm hoping that once I can eat more protein based REAL foods, that will help with the hunger. It is weird to be taking in so few calories and not losing, though. My first fill is scheduled for July 8th. I'm not going to be impatient because I consider this a marathon and not a sprint. Even though I'm on restricted eating, I'm pretty sure I could eat anything and as long as I chew it up well enough, it will go right through.

For those of you further along in your journeys, how did the ol' epidermis bounce back? I know that many get tummy tucks and such. I'm curious -- Have you achieved the lion's share of your weight loss? Did your skin bounce back or do you have 'problem areas'? Does everyone end up with problem areas? Or is it dependent upon age and how much you lost?

Yeah, this process of getting used to how much is a learning experience. I had bisque today too at a restaurant. I ordered a bowl. I guess I figured it was liquid and would go right through, which I suppose it the deal with liquids. But since it's pretty thick, I think it filled the pouch and only SLOWLY moved through. I was very full for quite a while. I ate it at 1PM and now it's nearly 9PM and I STILL feel full. I'm just going to have to start with a very small amount and realize that the fullness still has a bit of a delay. I can always have more later, but if I overeat, then that's not good. I think 2-4 ounce sounds about right. I move onto soft foods on Friday. My first fill is schedule for July 8th.

Donate? Sell on eBay? Garage sale? Other? I have a professional position so I do have a lot of really nice clothing - a whole range of sizes. :frown: I'm not hip on garage sales or eBay. I suppose I could donate it. It's just that I know how hard it is to find nice stuff in larger sizes and I sort of wish I could help someone out. Maybe give it directly to a person in need - someone entering the workforce or something - rather than drop it off at the GoodWill truck. What did you do with your too-big clothing?

I lost 20 pounds in the week before surgery on liquids. And if you're really doing Atkins, you can eat enough to satisfy your hunger, there are no prescribed portion sizes on Atkins, only a prescribed number of carbs (if you're doing induction levels, that's 20 carbs, which means if you're hungry, you can ALWAYS eat something as long as you're under that... eggs, meat, greens... his view is that you eat when you're hungry).

Dr. Wagner did mine exactly 1 week ago. I really could not have been more pleased with him and his staff. They were so kind and supportive throughout the whole way through - diligent in their follow up and never dropped the ball at all. Yes, there was a program fee and I was happy to pay it for the additional attention I got all through the process. I look forward to being under Dr. Wagner's care for the rest of my journey with my band. I highly recommend Dr. Wagner and his wonderful office staff.

I wonder if that's it.... I never thought of that. I had a cup today and even though I was buzzing right after, it didn't last. It's nearly bedtime and I'm TIRED so I'm sure I'll fall right to sleep. Good thinking.... Thanks. :biggrin: That seemed way too extreme (although still sort of does - even if it was a double-batch or something - ALL day???) Maybe some one-time thing....

When I am considering buying something from Amazon, I read the reviews. I read a sampling of the reviews from the HIGH raters to the LOW raters. You need to get a view of what problems people had and then weigh the risk and decide upon your purchase. This surgery was no different for me. Of COURSE I have loved reading all the wonderful success stories, and there are many. But I needed to know the stories of those who regretted it too - those who were un-banded, those who had major problems. I then could look into those problems and try to assess the risk - is it EXTREMELY rare (some are) or uncommon but not rare. What do I think of the possibility of that happening? My port coming out and leaving a gaping hole, my band slipping, being violently ill, PBing at a business dinner, etc. You gotta look at all the warts too in order to judge whether this procedure is right for you. I'm too early to give any meaningful input other than I am so far just giddy with where I am in my journey.

I had my band placed Friday, the 29th. My weekend was uncomfortable, I was sooo tired (pain meds, I guess) and sore (to be expected). I did do my treadmill. I worked from home Mon and Tue and felt fine all day - had stopped taking the pain meds so the grogginess was gone. I'm only slightly sore on the right side where my port is. I went to the office today and it was great. My job is office, very sedentary. My doctor told me I could add in oyster crackers and creamy Soups and that's helped with the hunger. I'm down 5 pounds since surgery. I have my follow up visit on Friday afternoon. All is good. Very good. I feel GREAT, so happy to be here in my journey.

Ideere, sometimes divorce is the best weight loss of all. Good luck with your wide open future... (I lost some dead weight through divorce almost 20 years ago and I've never looked back!)

My doctor let me move on to creamier Soups (still fully liquid, no bits) and oyster crackers yesterday. Today, I made a #2. :confused: I think my body just needed something besides Water and crystal light to make one, ya know?

Yep, my husband was scared too. Even now, a week post surgery (nearly), he's still worried about me. It's sometimes sweet that he treats me like a china doll but so unnecessary, and sometimes not so sweet. :lol Still, his heart is in the right place.

Are there advantages to having the plastic surgery for the excess skin that go beyond cosmetic? Does he help in any other way, physical health, movement, flexibility, etc? Does anyone know?

Oh, trust me, I know how important exercise is. I was doing 5-6 hours a week prior to surgery, and that included about an hour of weights (the rest cardio). I fully intend to resume once I have the all clear (it's been less than a week since surgery). I have been doing my treadmill every day - even the day of surgery (mine was outpatient). I did a full hour yesterday at 2.2MPH. I have hand-weights at my treadmill but haven't added those in yet - I don't want to push too hard. So I will be fastidious about Protein intake and working out. And I know that will help. I also know that upper arms seem almost impossible to fully recover, and I'm sure the same is true for other areas, person by person. Will definitely wait and see. I really don't like the thought of more surgery. I've always had a bit of an objection to cosmetic surgery (and before anyone calls the lapband cosmetic, I swear to goddess that I did not do this for looks, although it's a nice part of the whole package...) We'll see, I suppose.

We generally donate everything. I just don't have the time to sell it. I just wish I could make a more personal impact to someone, help them out. I know donating helps people out and that's what I'll probably do. But I don't feel like I SEE the impact of my donation. I gave all my baby stuff to very pregnant woman whose boyfriend fell from a roof and was laid up with no income and they had no insurance etc. etc. It just felt so good to personally help them. I don't care about the tax write-off as much as the satisfaction. Maybe I'll check craig's list. I can already give away 22s and 24s. Even my 20s are starting to be loose and I can fit into some 18s. :wub:

You helped me not one bit. :welldone2: :frown:

My doctor's office just said I could add creamier Soups and oyster crackers (as long as I let them completely dissolve before swallowing). WOOOOOOT!!!!!

Headaches are carb/sugar withdrawal. Anyone who has gone on a low-carb diet before has experienced them. They will pass.

Is that where your port is sewn? I have 5 incisions, but only one that is sore, and that's where my port is. I think that one takes longer to heal because there is a THING there and it was stitched into place. The other incisions were just for instruments to go in. Of course, I'm new to all this so maybe someone else knows better...

Want to share? :lol We went on a big Disney vacation in February, and it was right after that where I started dropping pounds. So I figure I could find my before picture on those disks. Well, I think I have. It's so.... blobbish. LOL And just for comparison, I'm posting my day-of-surgery pic again too: Can't wait to have another 50 pounds gone so see them all side by side. Share yours, even if it's just a 'before' pic. (The only reason I have 2 is because I really did lose quite a bit before surgery...)

You look adorable, Cyndi. I really wish I had thought to do a full body shot "before". I suppose that one sitting on the beach isn't hiding anything though. LOL Good luck to you!!! I can't wait to see some of our May before/after pics.

I haven't had Protein, though. Well, I mean, chicken broth has 1 gram of protein so maybe I'm getting a few grams a day. I won't get protein until he moves me onto full liquids. I've been on Clear Liquids for over a week now- the pre-op liquid diet was clear liquids too - no Protein shakes, etc. I just don't know how my body could possibly make any solid waste in this situation.... Can it?