rdk211

Tova - nice to "meet" you. You are exactly one year ahead of me - I was banded 7/1/08 75 lbs - wow! If I lost 75 lbs, I would weigh 140 - that's a weight I haven't been on since before my oldest daughter was born. Meanwhile, I'm just dreaming of seeing the 170's. Rdk

So exciting to talk to another frum bandster lady:tongue2: I definitely also had to avoid challah and honey this year (which was hard cuz I love it) My Rav paskened that I'm not fulfilling my chiyuv on shabbos if I don't wash. So I eat WW matzah which isn't my favorite food. but it does go down easy. My problem is my MD only does fill on Mondays and Fridays, and it's a real hassle for me to not be at work on Monday mornings. BUT, my Rav says no fill on Friday cuz then I can't eat challah - my MD says clear liquids for 3 days after a fill. How do you handle Shabbos mornings? I am usually pretty tight in the morning, so most days I drink a protein shake for breakfast. But shabbos morning, the first time I get a chance to eat is at the meal -and I end up getting stuck. Any ideas for me? I don't want to drink a protein shake at the meal because I haven't told anyone about the surgery except my dh. So, what's your verdict? Are you happy that you're banded? I'm only banded 3 months but I'm thrilled. rdk

Is there a forum for graduate student bandsters? I'd love to join one if there is.

Hi, Amy and everyone else I think we really need a for Orthodox Jews forum where all of us who will talk about being banded can support each other. Although, to be fair, I try to keep my "bandster identity" confidential outside of web support. In terms of fasting and the band, I find that fast days are SO much easier since being banded. I do tend to do most of my PB'ing on Yom Tov when I try to eat things like Challah. sigh. you'd think the classical conditioning would work, but not totally yet. If anyone out there is Orthodox and needs advice on things like kosher protein drinks, vitamins, managing a halachic lifestyle when banded, I've been living it for 5 months and did a TON of research pre-surgery, and would be glad to share what I've learned. rdk

YES! I take protein supplements daily. I use Myoplex from EAS - available at my local Target, Walmart, GNC etc. It's OU-D. the Slimfast shakes are kosher as well.

Hey, Gwen Yes, Succos being over is a relief. My weight loss definitely slowed over the chagim Personally, I use whole wheat matzah on shabbos and I find it's fine. the crunchy-ness lets it go down easy. BUT I have to eat a drop - then i have my chicken soup, THEN my fish and enough Matzah to let me "bentsch." There are a lot of special considerations to being an Orthodox Bandster, I find. Do you find that as well?

Jachut- You really lost big! Do you feel that getting "into" excercise is what helped you do that? My problem is that I am a tiny woman - barely five feet, and the weight just comes off so slow, I want to speed it up. The excercise I do is my elliptical. I do interval training. I don't do weight lifting yet (I am scheduled with a trainer for December, I'm scared to lift without her, even though I own a state of the art weight stack) Right now, I lose an avg. of 3/4 lb a week. I think I am replacing the "high" I get from food with a "high" from excercise. It also helps that I made a rule - No electronic media (read, DVDs etc.) without being on the elliptical. Do you think the extra hour of excercise is just wasted time? (Like the extra vitamins you take are just colored urine....) rdk

Hi, Skhopp just saw your post about Alli. You had said you will ask your MD if you can take it with the band and post the response. What ever happened? I am getting such conflicting info from different places - I am a slow loser, trying really hard, and I want to try Alli to see if it will speed things up. My MD just gives me a lecture on food choices when I've asked, which doesn't answer the question - CAN ALLI HARM MY BAND! well, if you have any info, please post it or reply. Thanks rdk:ohmy:

Hi, my surgery was 7/1/08 and I am down 16 lbs.! Just had my first fill, so I'm on full liquids again. Can't wait to continue the loss! rdk211

Hi, All I wonder if anyone else wants to talk about what led you down this path, to be banded? I'll start. I was a skinny kid - in fact, my mother used to buy me "Rollo" candies cuz she was scared I was so underweight. Being a quiet, bookish 'nerd' kid - I used to read a lot as a kid, not play sports or anything. Slowly but surely, I gained weight. In high school, I joined a popular local diet and excercise center and lost weight successfully. Kept it off till my mid twenties. When I got married, and had my first baby, I gained a LOT of weight. I found I could not lose it. Tried every diet in the book - could not lose. Would go down like 25 lbs and stick. IN between all of this I got pregnant again - gained weight again - tried to lose again - lost 25 again - so now I'm 50 lb up over the two pregnancies. Got pregnant 3 years later - it's TWINS (actually, it's triplets but the third one didn't make it.) VERY complicated pg - bedrest, steroids, U name it. Gained 100 lbs!!!!!!!!! Could not lose it despite TANDEM NURSING and weight watchers, plus daily hour long work outs. Once again, lost about 35 lb and could not go down further. Meanwhile, graduate school and work led me to continue to gain again. This year, I had the straw that breaks the camel's back. A senior doctor at my hospital came over to me and asked if I was pregnant. Feeling worse for her than for me, I said "No, easy mistake to make though!" instead of apologizing and shutting up, she said "Well, u look pregnant. No need to lie about it." I said "Well, I"m not." SO she says "If you are, you don't have to hide it." At that point, I'm ready to deck her. I just walk away, proud of my self control. Later, I hear her talking about it to a nurse. Funny how despite asthma, arthritis and sleep apnea, it's this story that made me decide to "take the plunge" follow my MD's advice, and start the surgery process. It's like when you're obese, you are not a person, entitled to the same rights and self-respect of everyone else. rdk

Hi, all. I'm scheduled for July 1. So nervous, so excited. Does anyone have a shopping list of stuff that are "Must Buys" before the surgery? Anyone know a link to that info? Rdk

Hi! I saw all the new whey flavors at Vitamin Shoppe. They also had the isopure singles. THEY ARE IN THE FRIDGE CASE, that's why you couldn't find them on the shelves. I know I looked for a long time B4 I thought to ask the saleslady.THe saleslady said th Melon somthing or other was the only one she could stomach. I got the New Whey but haven't tasted it. Some suggestions I heard: :smile:Buy a sno-cone maker and add it as the flavoring (add half the bullet at any given time) :smile:put half the bullet over a LOT of ice and sip slowly :smile:add one of the crystal lite flavoring mix packets to it, cut with at least 2 cups water, sip throughout the day. :smile:add to SF jello (though not while it's hot, my friend says it's nasty if heated) My surgery is this Tuesday! Kind of regretting my decision to go to work tomorrow, cuz I'm nervous, but I guess it's a good distraction. DH is driving me to work (he sez more to put his own mind at rest - me + anxiety + driving = danger) That's sweet of him, though! Good luck to us all! /

Dtobe wrote: p.s. we are all important...we just need to remember that fact and celebrate ourselves more often! I agree, Dtobe. I think that having the surgery is our first step towards taking ourselves seriously in terms of providing the "love and care" for ourselves that we do for everyone else in our lives. I love my family, love my dh, love my mom, love my kids, even love the very difficult kids where I work. But I'm tired of putting all of them before me. :biggrin: It's time to take care of me first, so that I can be available for them. :thumbs_up: July 1 is my surgery, and I mean that date to be my own personal Independence day. Time to take care of myself!!!!!!!!!

Hey Penny Love the banner! How can I get it as part of my signature?:thumbup:

Hi! my surgery is July 1, so i'll let u know what to expect. I feel the same way - very excited, very nervous! Rdk

Can someone add me to teh july list? My date is July 1. Rdk211:thumbup:

Where did you find the list of things to buy?

Hi! I'm on July 1 - my ticker even has a "july butterfly" on it! Someone, please add me to the list. Rdk:thumbup:

Hi! You said you get your fills with Dr. Nussbaum in a different location than his office. Where do you get the fills? Is it near Dr. Nussbaum's office. Rdk

Hi, all I hope this is the correct way to join this group. I've been lurking with the June 08 bandsters cuz I am having my surgery on July 1st. Very, very anxious, and I wish it was over. Question: What is the (are the) single most important factors leading you to undergo this surgery? I have a straw that breaks the camel's back story - do you? Rdk

Hi! Thanks for all the info, Reesh. My surgery with Dr. Nussbaum is set for July 1 so I will keep you all posted. Couple of questions for those of you out there who used Dr. Nussbaum. How much do the fills cost? The insurance I am on will end at the end of August, and I don't know what insurance I will have next, so I need a sense of an amount #2 Can anyone recommend a nutritionist that works with his practice? Anyone try the St. Barnabas nutritionist staff? Rdk

:confused:chrislical and Kristi with an I - who was your surgeon? WHat does he or she say to do about the pain? I'm scheduled for surgery 7/1/08 and a little scared about the post-surgery pain. Also scheduled to do it in NJ.

Hi, Libra I'm using dr. nussbaum on July 1. SO SCARED but his rep sounds great. Question for you - whom did you use as a nutritionist? I'm the type who is scared, takes things seriously, and will do EXACTLY as told, provided I am clearly told what to do. Any ideas for me?

Anyone reading this who uses him - what was your hospital experience like? Like you say, met dr. nussbaum - heard great things about him. my surgery is scheduled for 7/1/08, but I'm not happy with his office staff. You'd think they'd have more patience for ppl who are making a huge, life altering decision and paying them the great compliment of literally putting their life in their hands. Dr. Nussbaum himself, though, was really nice, really patient, and has a reallly good rep.

Who was your surgeon?