Melody2006

:wink_smile: This is a perfect idea. I don't like the idea of a gooey cap. Also, I don't want to order online because the shipping is the price of the bottle! You'd have to order a lot of flavors to justify the shipping. Anyone know any other places that carry sugar free syrups with lots of variety's of flavors, or a great price? (I'm dying to find the sugar free Peanut Butter one and not have to order it online to get it) I'm definitely going to check out old world market here in town. I can get the pouring spouts there too.

Congrats! Thats so awesome.

Congrats, tflynn! :thumbup: Tomorrow I'm 3 weeks post-opt too. I was banded on 7/15/08 Do you count calories or keep a food journal? You'd be suprised at how much that helps. What are you doing for exercize? I'm currently eating between 800-1200 calories a day and keeping track on thedailyplate.com For exercize I do 12,000 steps a day (at least 30 minutes of those being continous to raise my heart rate) and keep a pedometer in my pocket at all times. My surgeon says when I hit the 6 week mark I can do weights. I bought some home exercize stuff at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for great prices and can't wait to try it all out at the 6 week mark. Even treated myself to new balance walking shoes ($33 at tjmaxx)

I had to update this thread in hopes to help someone else from a sleepless worried night like I just went through. I see 100 members read it and not one response! Talk about a scare I barley slept 4 hours last night. I can't be the only lapbander this happened to. (Tomorrow I'm 3 weeks post - opt.) Ok, I just got back from seeing my surgeons partner. He looked at it and said the left end of the cut never closed up because on the inside of your stomach they do dissolving stitches and then tie the ends. The end of the cut was not able to close because my body didn't tolerate where he tied the knot. The knot came loose and it unraveled. The doctor was going to cut it off, but held it with the tweezers and it came right out. He said everything was fine now and this was normal and everything looked good.

My surgeon said it's completely fine and no need for me to even cut my pills in half unless I can't tolerate them. I've been taking my pills whole since I was banded on 7/15/08 and I had a check up today and I'm fine.

Oh my gosh, what a difference. You look so great!

Congrats to you for choosing to go this journey. And so sweet of you to mention how proud you are of your wifes weight loss. Keep us posted!

When I had the meeting with the surgeon he said this time next year you could honestly be over 300 pounds. I was 258. It hit me like a ton of bricks he was right. Theirs no time like now! Your young and this surgery is only going to get more expensive as more people look into it. Go right back to the seminar of the surgeon you know your insurance will pay for and walk right in. Don't be ashamed. Only be ashamed if you don't.

I to use thedailyplate.com. I was intimidated by the site at first, but then I gave it an honest try and now it's super easy. This is the eating habits I stick to: - 800 to 1200 calories a day - 60 grams of Protein a day minimum - 64 oz. of Water a day minimum - no non-natural sugar - no more than 20 grams of fat a day - no more than 100 grams of carbs a day - no white carbs (sugar, flour, rice, bread and potatoes) - no chewing gum - no caffiene - no carbonation - no using straws with drinks - no alcoholic drinks - no sugar alcohols (like sugar free candy, etc) I promise, it's easier than it sounds!

I am also on Cymbalta and I was wondering how I'd be able to swallow this when I get more restriction. I'm doing fine with one pill at a time right now, any type of pill. I know when I get a fill or a few fills thats going to change.

I started my journey towards lapband on 6/24/08 at a start weight of 258. I work at a hospital as a CNA and unit clerk, and I'm on their insurance. We have a baractric center inside and I never paid much attention. Many times I passed the posters in the hall and looked at the huge wheelchair near the entrance, and I even work on the unit that takes care of people after their weight loss surgery but I never gave it much thought. A nurse I work with told me the reason we take care of so many of our co-workers after surgery is because they are all getting banded because our insurance only charges $250. I couldn't believe my ears. I asked her for more details. She said how you only have to have a BMI of 40 or even less if you had co-morbidity's and I'd be shocked if I knew how many co-workers I worked with had it done. Everything clicked. It was like God was telling me what I needed to hear. I talked to another co-worker that night who I knew had the gastric bypass at my job and asked her if the info I got was true and she confirmed it and told me all I had to do was go to an info session and they were having another one in 2 days. I went. I knew right that night of the info session I was doing this. I promised myself January 2007 that my goal was to finally loose the weight. But I say that every year. The last time I really lost weight was 2006 (hence the screen name) where I got down to 221 on Weight Watchers. I got so much praise from family and friends then. Of course I gained it all back. It seemed like I sped right along thru the program. I did their 1 month of one night a week classes and weekly weigh in. Thats where you learn all the bandster rules and how to eat better, exercize, etc. I met the psych doctor twice, meet the dietitian twice, and had my surgical appointment, and gave up my 8 can a day diet coke obsession. I'm glad I did that early in the process. I did suffer from a few days of headaches. I broke it to my family and everyone was sorta shocked. But no one gave me any real flack and my Mom who lost a lot of weight about 15 years ago from doing speed and crash dieting (and told me never to do it that way) and kept her weight off was super happy for me. She said this was going to completely change my life. The two week liquid only diet was hell. Towards the end anyway. I had to take the night before surgery off at my job because I knew I wouldn't be able to do the work. I was that worn down. Before I took my leave at work I did tell a few co-workers I was having the surgery done. I even bought a really great pedometer that syncs to your home computer and decided for now that was the exercise for me. Now 2 weeks post opt my goal is 12,000 steps a day. I'm just a little over 2 weeks post opt. I'm taking a month off of work because I do lift heavy patients at my job and don't want to take any risks. I have to say I've learned a lot about myself these past few weeks. I needed this last month of summer off to do this for myself. With out this I wouldn't have lost any weight this year. In a way I wish I didn't tell as many co-workers I was having the surgery done because I'm afraid when I go back to work they won't notice a big difference because right now I'm only 23 pounds down and they might think I'm some sort of failure. I secretly feel pressure inside because I told to many people. Now I'm getting to the point I know I'm going back to my job in 2 weeks (which was a lot of physical labor taking care of patients for 8 solid hours walking and lifting all night) and have no clue how I did the job being that huge. Looking back now I realize it was complete hell doing that job that heavy. I'm also taking 2 fall classes at the community college starting in 2 weeks. After I finish those classes I will be able to start my Respiratory Therapy clinicals. My whole life is about to change. I'm finally making strides to getting away from a job I'm completely unsatisfied with and finishing college. I've been working part time to also chug along slowly in school, and driving my paid off 99 Chevy Cavalier with a dent in the back side because its what I can afford on this pay. And working only part time because I really don't like my job, but I'm stuck at it which is an hour drive each way from my home to the good pay and good benefits, and free school. I live with my boyfriend who is handicap and in a wheelchair, and his mom. They each own half of the house we live in. I've been here 4 years now and have made no real great progress in my life the last 4 years. But I'm finally getting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to be in ONEDERLAND (199 or less) by christmas. Can't wait to buy a new winter coat for the first time in years. :redface:

I started my journey towards lapband on 6/24/08 at a start weight of 258. I work at a hospital as a CNA and unit clerk, and I'm on their insurance. We have a baractric center inside and I never paid much attention. Many times I passed the posters in the hall and looked at the huge wheelchair near the entrance, and I even work on the unit that takes care of people after their weight loss surgery but I never gave it much thought. A nurse I work with told me the reason we take care of so many of our co-workers after surgery is because they are all getting banded because our insurance only charges $250. I couldn't believe my ears. I asked her for more details. She said how you only have to have a BMI of 40 or even less if you had co-morbidity's and I'd be shocked if I knew how many co-workers I worked with had it done. Everything clicked. It was like God was telling me what I needed to hear. I talked to another co-worker that night who I knew had the gastric bypass at my job and asked her if the info I got was true and she confirmed it and told me all I had to do was go to an info session and they were having another one in 2 days. I went. I knew right that night of the info session I was doing this. I promised myself January 2007 that my goal was to finally loose the weight. But I say that every year. The last time I really lost weight was 2006 (hence the screen name) where I got down to 221 on Weight Watchers. I got so much praise from family and friends then. Of course I gained it all back. It seemed like I sped right along thru the program. I did their 1 month of one night a week classes and weekly weigh in. Thats where you learn all the bandster rules and how to eat better, exercize, etc. I met the psych doctor twice, meet the dietitian twice, and had my surgical appointment, and gave up my 8 can a day diet coke obsession. I'm glad I did that early in the process. I did suffer from a few days of headaches. I broke it to my family and everyone was sorta shocked. But no one gave me any real flack and my Mom who lost a lot of weight about 15 years ago from doing speed and crash dieting (and told me never to do it that way) and kept her weight off was super happy for me. She said this was going to completely change my life. The two week liquid only diet was hell. Towards the end anyway. I had to take the night before surgery off at my job because I knew I wouldn't be able to do the work. I was that worn down. Before I took my leave at work I did tell a few co-workers I was having the surgery done. I even bought a really great pedometer that syncs to your home computer and decided for now that was the exercise for me. Now 2 weeks post opt my goal is 12,000 steps a day. I'm just a little over 2 weeks post opt. I'm taking a month off of work because I do lift heavy patients at my job and don't want to take any risks. I have to say I've learned a lot about myself these past few weeks. I needed this last month of summer off to do this for myself. With out this I wouldn't have lost any weight this year. In a way I wish I didn't tell as many co-workers I was having the surgery done because I'm afraid when I go back to work they won't notice a big difference because right now I'm only 23 pounds down and they might think I'm some sort of failure. I secretly feel pressure inside because I told to many people. Now I'm getting to the point I know I'm going back to my job in 2 weeks (which was a lot of physical labor taking care of patients for 8 solid hours walking and lifting all night) and have no clue how I did the job being that huge. Looking back now I realize it was complete hell doing that job that heavy. I'm also taking 2 fall classes at the community college starting in 2 weeks. After I finish those classes I will be able to start my Respiratory Therapy clinicals. My whole life is about to change. I'm finally making strides to getting away from a job I'm completely unsatisfied with and finishing college. I've been working part time to also chug along slowly in school, and driving my paid off 99 Chevy Cavalier with a dent in the back side because its what I can afford on this pay. And working only part time because I really don't like my job, but I'm stuck at it which is an hour drive each way from my home to the good pay and good benefits, and free school. I live with my boyfriend who is handicap and in a wheelchair, and his mom. They each own half of the house we live in. I've been here 4 years now and have made no real great progress in my life the last 4 years. But I'm finally getting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to be in ONEDERLAND (199 or less) by christmas. Can't wait to buy a new winter coat for the first time in years.

Reading the post above I must say I personally do like the new whey chocolate & vanilla body fortress protein powder that is sold at Walmart. $14, you can't beat the price. I know she listed a different type she used that wasn't offered at Walmart.

Can you tell us why your friend said to never have it done? I'm wondering what type of problems she has had. Also, do you have money saved in a 401k? I here of people here who borrow money from their 401ks to have the surgery done. Just one option. I'm sure there is more.

I upped my protein and avoid carbs now and I'm really loosing. I am also curious if you can over do it on protein. I was told by a doctor that your body can only metabolize 25g of protein at a time.

Yes I would do it all over again. When my surgeon said this time next year I could be 300+ , it hit me he was right. And only 7% loose the weight and keep it off threw diet and exercise alone. I did a lot of research and don't regret my choice.

I know how you feel. I'm going to work in 2 weeks after being banded on 7/15/08 and I'm afraid now that I've told some co-workers when I go back the change might not be enough. I guess I shouldn't care. I really freaked out when I first went to real food again. That week I didn't loose at all. But I'm doing way more Protein and sticking to the rules and the weight is coming off again. I think a big key is not only daily exercise you enjoy, but cutting out white carbs (bread, rice, Pasta, etc.) It's not my favorite thing to do, but it works!

I just knew I wouldn't stick to the gym with the added monthly membership cost, the gas costs to get to the gym, etc. I also can't afford to spring for a treadmill right now and the family keeps arguing about where the exercise bike we have should be in the house, so I can never stay motivated to use it. I had to find something I could stick to and would stay motivated to do no matter what the situation. I bought an Omron HJ-720ITC pedometer that syncs to your home computer. It's the best pedometer out there hands down! and do a minimum of 10,000 steps a day.I also bought some basic home exercise equipment (weights, exercise ball, yoga mat, jump rope, etc.) for great prices at TJ Maxx & Marshalls. I put it all in a plastic tote in my room. I also got a subscription to fitness magazine to motivate me. I tear out the exercise pages that show simple exercises with home equipment and started a binder with page covers. I did splurge on a pair of new balance shoes at marshalls yesterday for $33. I can now say I look forward to exercising daily. I've been doing great and have lost weight! America's Walking: The 20% Boost Program: Fit Walking into Your Life