simone

I weighed in today at home and in 10 weeks I'm down 30 pounds. :thumbup:Who would have believed it? I'm just a smidge from Onederland. I haven't weighed this little in 20 years. Hardly recognize myself in the mirror. Simone Can someone tell me how to edit my tracker? Thanks

I had my 1st fill last week and also feel restriction some times and not others. Some days I can eat almost like preband and other days not so. I have 2 weeks to go before my next appt when I hope to get another fill. I've actually started gaining weight back and it scares me. :cool2: I've put on 2 pounds again. At 1st I thought it was just water weight or something strange like that but it's not budging, after 5 days. I don't want to think I went through all of this for nothing. Not sure what to do. I'm still following the rules and exercising. Guess I just need encouragement. Simone (formerly Simon)

My doc said okay as long as I don't over do it. I take a Celebrex capsule every day just to function. So far no problems. I've been taking it for about 8 years, of course that was preband. I guess it's a matter of individual tolerance. Simone (changed my name, previously Simon:rolleyes2:)

I'm wondering if Amy voted the way she did tonight out of fear of retaliation from Heba & Ed or was she just voting team lines so as to not disappoint Bob. I tend to think it was team lines because no way was Colleen as much a threat to Amy as Vicki is. And she is such a vindictive person I would have thought Amy would want to get rid of her. It did make good viewing tonight. And those last chance workouts. I can't imagine doing one!!! Colleen looked really great though. I hope she comes back and wins the $100,000. Simon

Can someone help me figure out how to keep my food warm while I'm eating. Now that I have to slow down I find that my food gets cold and unappetizing while I eat. I use a candle warmer when I use a bowl but eating off of a plate I find the candle warmer is not big enough to do any good. I had a fill on Tuesday (now have 6cc in a 10cc band) and now I finally can feel how the band is supposed to work. I understood it mentally before, but now my body tells me when to stop eating and I stay full on such a small amount of food that it's amazing. Hopefully it will start my weight loss again. I had not lost anything for a bit more than 2 weeks. Simon

If the total is pre-op diet I've lost 23lbs. :thumbdown: Simon

KIND OF A DELICATE SUBJECT Ever since I have been back on regular food I have had a lot of gas. I can belch like a 13 year old boy who thinks it's funny and I also have a lot of farting (sorry couldn't think of anyother way to say it). Does anyone else have problems with this? I'm wondering if it is from chewing my food so well that I'm swallowing air or if it comes from the higher protein levels of my food. I've always had my share of air but it's gotten so much worse since surgery. I work in a busy office and it can get embarrasing. HELP!!!!! Simon

Good Morning fellow Samurai's. Got my 1st fill yesterday. Have to admit I was a bit anxious but I didn't feel a thing. Found out that I have a 10cc band and the doc had put in 4cc at surgery. Got another 2cc yesterday. I can definetly feel restriction today. Breakfast filled me up faster and fuller. Hope it lasts. According to the doc I have lost 20#. I like my 23 better but am no longer morbidly obese but now just obese. My BMI has gone from a 43 to a 39. Woo Hoo!!!! I'm on my way! Keep up the chatter, I learn so much from reading these posts. Thanks Simon

Thanks JRWN - I've tried several protein shakes and really don't like them. Strawberry has always been a favorite of mine. I just got caught away from home and had a weak moment when I bought a fast food shake. I really like to make the shake I learned to make in WW years ago. Maybe I can add some protein powder to that. Probably everyone knows but it goes 8oz cold skim milk, 1 cut frozen strawberries, artificial sweetner and 1 tsp vanilla, blend. Very good. I'll have to buy some strawberries and try it again. Hopefully my fill tomorrow will help. Simon

Hi Everyone I haven't checked in here for awhile. I've been keeping up with how everyone is doing by reading posts tho. I'm doing well, since pre-op diet started I've lost 23 lbs (by my scale). I did my BMI on Friday and am now actually just obese instead of morbidly so. My goal is Onederland by Christmas and I only have 9 lbs to go. I have my 6 week check up with my surgeon on Tuesday and really hope to get my 1st fill then as I'm hungry a lot. My tummy keeps growling at me. :rolleyes2: I find that I can eat a lot more than I think I should and almost everything I want. I cannot eat Pasta though, it just doesn't go down and hurts a lot. I'm determined to make this work this time though. As I told the psychologist at my pre op work ups, this is a "last resort" for me. I've been trying really hard to stick to a good food plan. Slipped yesterday though and had a strawberry shake, that really wasn't all that good. I'm actually learning to crave Water. :cool2: Who'd a thunk it??? I'm finding a lot of support from the people I've told about my band. Several family members and friends I still will not tell because of what I'm sure they would say. I tried to keep it quiet at work but when I got back from my week off, everyone knew. I guess working in a medical clinic it's almost impossible to keep anything like this quiet. Good luck to everyone. It really helps to read all the posts and hear how everyone is doing. Simon

Thanks Bluezbandit. I do eat a lot of protein. I'm sure that my weight loss is not permanently stuck, just on a plateau to let my body catch up to this new way of eating. I do work out 3-4 times a week but I'm trying to up the amount/time of the work outs. Have a great day and hope you feel better soon. Simon

Hi All!! Sounds like you are doing great. I've lost 19 lbs since surgery (including 7 pre-op) but now I've hit a plateau and haven't lost anything in a week. :thumbup: I'm always hungry too! Waiting for my 1st fill on November 11. I'm hoping that will help the hunger. I also still have problems with port pain. Basically everytime I bend over on the left side where my band is, it feels like I'm getting stabbed by a knife, and then I feel bruised for several days after. My doc says it's because I'm so short (5'1/2") that there isn't much room in my abdomen for the hardware and it may be 6 months before I don't feel the stabbing anymore. It's going to be a long 5 more months. Aside from that I feel great, have lost a pants size and my asthma is better along with joint pain. I'm still very happy with my decision to get the band. Simon

Hi - Just checking in also. Haven't been on LBT since a day or 2 after surgery. I feel great, have lost 19 lbs. (and 1 pants size :eek:) and am eating a lot of different foods now as long as they are soft. I did already find that I can't eat macaroni. My soft food list included mac & cheese as long as it was soupy, but Oh My! the Pain! :w00t: It just did not want to go through. I remembered reading somewhere here on the forum that pineapple juice would help, so drank some and it did seem to. I didn't PB but I'm not about to try macaroni again for a good long time. Haven't tried bread yet. I work for a medical center, so have access to the cardio/pulmonary exercise area and my doctor's program required me to be up working out on the 10th day. I walk on the treadmill, use the crosstrainer and ride the bicycle. Not allowed to do anything that will pull on the band yet. I'm being monitored that I exercise at least 3-4 times per week. I did find that eating slowly though my food gets cold and unappealing so I dug out an old candle warmer I had in a drawer and it works great to put a bowl on. I can eat about a cup of food at a time and am still amazed that I'm really full on such a small amount of food. My son is seriously considering getting his own lapband but he can't yet wrap his mind around such small bits of food. He has always, from the time he was an infant, had an enormous appetite. I really hope he does decide to join me because he needs the band more than I did. Sorry this is so long but I'm glad everyone seems to be doing well. Simon

ShamrockGirl60 and all of us other sugar addicts. The thing I've done for years for Halloween treats is to NOT buy candy but to give out nickels and dimes to the trick or treaters. They love it and I can't eat the left overs, plus it almost is less expensive. Simon

I would be very surprised if many of the people on this site aren't addicts. I know I am. I've done everyone of those things that you talk about. I'm a closet eater, a sugar addict, love breads, pastas, pancakes, anything sweet. I've always been willing to be the person who cleans up after a meal, just to sneak in a few last bites of something I felt I wanted so bad, hoping no one else would get it first! I'm hoping this band will help me rein it in (banded less than a week). It was all I could do to not stop for a LAST XL ice cream cone the day before my surgery when I was alone in my car running last minute errands. Thank goodness I didn't! I know I'm going to run into some issues I have to deal with. I have no idea where my addictions came from, I had a great childhood with plenty to eat. Was always overweight though. I'm determined to make this band work! Good luck. Simon

Hope you're feeling better today JWRN and they find out the problem. I'm doing better every day. Still have pain on my port side and found out yesterday that I have to take it easy for another couple of days. Tried to do too much and ended up having to take pain meds again and rest. I guess it's just a learning curve. Had some thin cream of wheat this morning with no problems but 4 oz of instant breakfast a while ago isn't sitting well with me. I would think the cereal would be harder to get through the band. God bless all of you. Simon

I wasn't sure where to post but I am happy to annouche that I am officially a Bandster as of September 30. Surgery went well except that being I'm such a short person, the surgeon had a hard time manuevering in my belly. I'm starting to feel better today, day 4, off pain meds and getting Hungry. Drinking the water is hard for me because I have never been much of a drinker except for diet Coke, which I know I can't have any more. Congratulations to all the rest of you September Samurai's. Simon

Hi - just wanted to check in and say I've done it!! I'm banded as of Sept. 30. The doctor said I was of such short stature that it wasn't easy to band me and I'm really sore yet, full of gas and getting HUNGRY:thumbdown:. I've got 1 more day on clears and then can start on full liquids on Saturday, can't wait. I have to admit to wondering what I did to myself yesterday but today I have a better attitude and can again believe that I did the right thing. Congrats to everyone else who has just been banded also! Simon

Hi Chris - Tomorrow is my big day too! I'm getting nervous, not so much of the surgery but about what this means for the rest of my life. I'm sure I'm ready but I think it's probably just normal to have second thoughts at this moment. I don't want to back out; I would just like to be about 6 weeks out and working the band. Good luck to both of us. Simon

I just had my pre-op meeting with the surgeon and the exercise therapist and the nutritionist and I'm cleared to go ahead in 2 weeks. I seriously decided to do this in May but due to work have had to put my surgery off until now. I was shaking like a leaf when I went to my meetings today but now I'm relaxed, but still nervous, and ready to go. I start my pre-op liquids on Sunday. YUM!!! but I've decided to look at it with a positive attitude and know it's for my own good. Wish me luck Simon

MacPa90 - I have to admit I am getting very nervous about the surgery and what it will mean to my lifestyle. I have my meeting with the doctor, exercise trainer and nutritionist today. I am not looking forward to the next 2 weeks on the liquid diet stage but I know it's necessary. I too have spent a lot of time researching lapband to know as much as I can before I do this. I'm having it done by Dr. Marc Erickson, of Fort Atkinson. Good luck on your journey. Simon

Hello Macpa - I'm not yet an official bandster, 2 weeks to go, but I'm from SE Wisconsin. Fort Atkinson, near Janesville. Would love to hear more from you. Simon

Yes, good luck! Please share how it goes. I'm scheduled for September 30 :sad: and find out next Tuesday what kind of a pre-op diet I have to follow. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Not many people know I'm doing this, mostly my immediate family, so I hope for as good a recovery as many I've seen here. I love this site, I've learned so much. Thanks to everyone for sharing so much.

Hi - I know just what you are going through. Ever since I got my date for surgery, September 30, I've been eating like it's my last meal. I've put on 9 pounds since June. It's almost like I'm mourning the food I'll not be able to eat the rest of my life. I've been surfing this forum looking for tips on what to do about this. My surgeon said he would like to see me down in weight before he sees me again on September 16. I sure would appreciate any words of wisdom from all of you experienced bandsters out there.

Congratulations on the loss! Could be that they are not saying anything if you are at all like me. I lose and I gain it all back and more. Maybe they think it's all going to come back, especially if they aren't aware you had surgery. It feels so great to lose all that weight that we want the whole world to know. I think you look great even though we can't see you!