Snapdragon

I don't agree with the "Tips and Tricks" post. The measures and guidelines are in place for a reason. We may not always agree with them, but unfortunately, we don't make the rules - the insurance companies do. The height, weight, psych eval's, etc. are all monitored and set in place for very specific reasons. I hope anyone reading this discussion thread will take into consideration the guidelines that must be met. I realize it can be quite difficult having gone through this insurance approval process myself, but I can't for the life of me imagine trying to trick my insurance company or my doctor, for that matter. I guess what it all boils down to is whether you feel you're being ethical or not. If you can live with yourself cheating the system then that's your issue. Personally, stuff like this always comes back to bite me in the butt so I try to keep myself above-board. But...that's just me.

I try to stay around 1200 calories per day. Anything less than that I don't lose weight. I don't gain either, I just stay put. I walk 30 minutes every day and try to do my aerobics at home (gotta love Richard Simmons!) 2-3 times per week.

I did the dance of joy yesterday! My husband and I are going on a 14-day Caribbean cruise in February and I ordered two sundresses online the other day. I tried to guesstimate what size I'd be in Februrary, but it's so hard to do! Before surgery I was a 30/32 on top. I ordered the sundresses NOW because everything summery is on sale (vacation costs really add up!). I ordered myself a 2X - from Old Navy! I couldn't believe I was actually ordering from Old Navy...somewhere other than The Avenue, Lane Bryant, etc. Granted, it's from the Women's Plus section of Old Navy, but who cares. Anyway, the dresses arrived yesterday. They're actually a little TOO big! I can't believe it! I was so excited I was dancing around my husband's shop (he's a mechanic). The scale still says I weigh A LOT, but I don't care. I've always weighed heavy (I'm big boned), so I'm just going with my dress size and how I look and feel! I don't even care that these dresses may be too big in February. Whoop whoop!

These were the words my husband said to me today during our carpool ride. I was driving and he had just complimented me on how "awesome" I looked (Wearing a size 18 dress today - down from a 30/32!). I thanked him and moments later starting saying, "Look at my legs? There are so many scars. So many scratches from the cat." And then I added, "I shouldn't wear short sleeves, look at my fat arms - they're so....gross." I really wasn't looking for a response from him, since this is my usual routine - to tear myself apart and tear myself down. Those negative tapes, sigh, they've been playing for so long. Then, out of nowhere, my husband says, "You're so beautiful, Erica. Just be beautiful. That's all you have to do." My devoted, handsome, awesome husband. So wise. What he said was so simple and yet it was so earnest. It was almost like he was pleading with me to just believe in myself, to see what he sees, to like myself. I sat there at the red light stunned. After a moment I turned to him and just said, "Okay. I can do that." and he smiled and off we went. Today I'm turning off the negative tapes. I can do that for myself. I can do that for him. So ladies (and gents), in the wise words of my husband, "Just be beautiful" today. Make it a great one!

About 10 years ago I lost 100 lbs. Not only did I go down from a size 10 shoe to a 8.5-9, but I lost inches from my height. I used to be 5'5" and I went down to 5'3". My doctor said it was from having fat feet. Niiiiiice. It's rather hilarious. I'm down about 52 lbs now and my shoes are starting to fall off of me again. I had to go get some of those heel things - the kind that you stick to the inside of your heel so your shoes don't flop off. That will have to do until I'm really needing new shoes. Losing weight is so expensive! Thank God for Ross!

Well, at my heaviest I was 320 lbs...or so....:eek: Maybe 325 lbs. Not quite sure because at that point my scale was my enemy and I was really so large that I couldn't see the numbers on the scale and there was no way in hell I was going to ask my husband to come into the bathroom and read the numbers for me. Gasp. Horror. Anyway, my goal is 170 pounds. I want to weigh 170 lbs. That's what is on my drivers license and by God, that's my goal! I haven't weighed that since I was 16 years old! Always needing to lose more than a 100 lbs was just a fact for me. Those three numbers that always seemed to be there. This morning, however, I got on the scale and could it be? I weigh 270 lbs?! I looked down, read the number and shrugged. 275 lbs. Pushed the shower curtain back and something in my head went, "I think you read that wrong, sistah!" so I got back on, rubbed my eyes and sure enough, 270 lbs! I was tempted to lean on the towel bar or rock back on my heels so it would go down one more pound and I'd finally be in the double digits of having weight to lose! LOL Anyway, I'm so close! What a victory! Oh and a non-scale victory - I felt my wrists and forearms today - I can feel bone! What's that!? I have bones under this skin! Wahoooo! Before you know it, my collarbone will be making a showing! Ha ha ha

I eat peanut butter like crazy now that I've been banded. I have it every day and I'm still losing weight. I put it in my shakes and blend it all up so there is extra protein in there. Yummmmm!!! Maybe it's because our diets are low in fat, low in salt, low in protein and low in sugar. Peanut butter satisfies all of my cravings, that's for sure!

I was banded May 13th. I have lost 50 lbs so far, including the 25 lbs I lost pre-banded. I've had two fills and I'm up to 7.25 cc's in a 14 cc band. I feel awesome and my body is really changing. I'm fitting into old/new clothes (those clothes you've had for years, but still have the tags on them - you know the ones!) and I've given away the clothes I've grown out of and bought some cute new tops and dresses at Ross (hello - losing weight is expensive!). Now that I'm wearing clothes that FIT me instead of my baggy clothes (umm, they didn't used to be baggy - I was pushing the limits of a 30/32 blouse - yikes!) - I'm in a 3x, sometimes 2x, people are really starting to notice. From the women at work - mostly glares and I get looked up and down a lot from the guys saying, "Wow. You look nice today!" and "Why so dressed up?!" (my response is - it's just a dress and I actually have legs. LOL) it's been the shot in the arm I needed to continue plugging away at this lapband lifestyle. I've gone from a 30/32 top and 18/20 bottom to 18/20-22/24 (depends on the top) and 14 bottom. I'm feeling better than I have in years! My collarbone is even making an appearance. :thumbup: LOL

Okay. I'm feeling as though I'm between a rock and a hard place right now and I'm not sure what to do so I thought I'd come here and get some advice. This has the potential of being really long-winded so I'll do my best to keep it down to the nuts and bolts. I was married in March 2006. My husband and I had a quickie marriage with just my parents and sister and brother-in-law in attendance because, well, we just wanted to. We planned a bigger wedding for May 2006, but I didn't want to live together before marriage and we were moving into a new, bigger place so we just decided, what the heck, let's get married. We wore jeans, had a blast and took the fam out to dinner afterwards. I had a cousin living in town at the time and my dad's mom and mom's dad living about four hours away. We didn't invite them because we didn't want this to be the primary focus. Our wedding was planned for May and that was the day we considered "the day". This March wedding was just for us. We called everyone that night (we were married in the evening) and told them what we did, but that our May date was the day we wanted to Celebrate with family and friends. All hell broke loose. My cousin, who I used to be extremely close to, flipped out. In turn, her mom and her two sisters got so mad that in the end, my three cousins refused to attend my May wedding and my grandma and Aunt did attend, but not before they did everything they could to ruin it. To see them in the photos, you'd think they were on the way to the gas chamber. I wish they hadn't even shown up. My aunt refused to attend the rehearsal dinner and made a big scene in my sister's driveway. My grandma didn't want to attend because she, as always, chooses sides and always sides with my three cousins. She only has the five grandchildren, but the three sisters are her pride and joy even though they treat her like crap. Anyway, I digress. The day before my wedding my cousin who lives a couple of states away emails me and tells me what she thinks of me and what I did to her sister. She insulted me and laid into me about not inviting her sister to the wedding. She said I was selfish because I made my "wedding" all about me. I told her we eloped, but they refuse to accept it as an elopement. We were married and our May wedding was, "just for show". I called my cousin and begged and pleaded that she please attend the May wedding and I must have asked for forgiveness about 20 times. Her only response, "It is what it is" and she refused to attend. By the way, she did drop off her mom and our grandma to my wedding. So she made sure she was seen. Ever since all of this happened, the family doesn't talk. I should note that before all of this in April 2005 my cousin pulled me aside and told me that she, her sisters, her mom and grandma all think I'm the family bitch. She went on and on and needless to say, our evening out that night resulted in me walking out of the restaurant in tears and I wandered home. We didn't speak for awhile after that, but our other grandma had died and I had to pull it together for the funeral, etc. I didn't tell my sister and mom because I didn't want to cause the family stress, especially when my mom's mom had just died. Eventually my mom and sister figured out something was wrong in September 2005 and pulled it out of me. My cousin proceeded to go visit my parents and tell them how awful she thought I was and that I needed psych help. There has been a lifetime of issues, but it's always things we overlook, smooth over or just wait out. This time, I didn't overlook it. I didn't smooth it over and I walked away. The family is freaking out. No one has apologized for any of their venomous words, however they want to go on like nothing has happened. We all used to be very close and maybe that's what the problem really is. Sometimes familiarity breeds animosity. Anyway, my grandma's 80th birthday is this September. The family that lives a few states away wants to have a big party for her. They just announced it will be in the same city I live in. My husband literally hates my cousin and considers her his enemy. My grandma has always had snide comments to say about my husband and therefore he's not too keen on seeing her again. My parents want me to attend because it's my dad's mom, but I just don't think I can go through it. When my grandpa died in August, we flew home for the funeral (where most of them live) and the tension was just awful. If it hadn't been for the extended family and grandpa's friends there, I don't think we could have made it through. It's so bad, we flew to the funeral and back the same day. And the flight is 3 1/2 hours each way. That's how bad it is. Anyway, do my husband and I have to attend this birthday party for my grandma? Or do I have to attend? My sister and brother-in-law are considering going, but my sister is so mad at our cousins, aunt and grandma that she doesn't want to be around them. She said if she goes it will be for our parents, even though that side of the family has raked each of us over the coals for every infraction - real or imagined - these past 40 odd years. Thoughts?

A BIG thank you to all of you for responding. I have read each and every response and my heart is touched. Thank you for the sound advice, wisdom and for sharing your experiences. It really struck a chord with me when some of you ladies wrote about considering my husband's feelings in all this. He doesn't want to go and I'm going to respect his wishes. I will send a card and my love and we will go away for the weekend. Excellent idea! I was going to go to the birthday party, out of respect for my grandma and my dad (his mom), but after much thought, it's only going to make me uncomfortable and sick to my stomach and it will just detract from the celebration if there is tension in the room. I love my extended family - I just don't like them much. You all are correct - family is what you make it and I've created a family with my husband and that should and will come first. Thank you once again for the sound advice, the listening ear and the compassion. You have lightened my burden. I appreciate each of you.

Thanks to everyone for the congrats! I'm so excited. I'm smiling so much my face hurts. LOL Anyway, here is what I follow (or try to at least): Breakfast (varies): 1 piece WW toast Laughing Cow Lite cheese (35 calories!) 1 egg (put it in a bowl and microwave it for 1 minute - comes out like an Egg McMuffin egg!) OR Slim Fast Protein shake (vanilla or chocolate) Small banana 2 tbsp Peanut Butter Ice Blend together - yummy!! lunch (varies): 1 package Buddig turkey or chicken meat 2 triangles Laughing Cow Lite cheese Sometimes I have 1/2 of a WW English muffin (toasted) OR A can of Soup OR A chicken salad (I have regular dressing - I can't stand low fat dressing - blech) Dinner: Last night was taco salads. Lean ground beef Salsa Shredded cheese Lite sour cream Diced tomatoes Shredded lettuce OR Tonight is stir fry. BBQ pork Brown rice Water chesnuts Chinese veggies Cottage cheese OR Oftentimes I eat salad. Butter lettuce Sliced almonds Tomatoes Goat cheese or shredded cheddar Raisins Some chopped up Buddig meat Ranch dressing or whatever I feel like having Snacks/desserts: LF/SF pudding and Jell-O SF popsicles Very rarely, but for a special treat, I'll have a Weight Watchers dessert - the kind you heat up for about 20 seconds in the microwave. Something with fudge and a brownie - yummm. I'm finding that I can really eat whatever I want as long as my portions are small. I've not felt deprived once. Sometimes my head hunger and my eyes want MORE of what I'm eating, but the band doesn't allow it. The band is an awesome tool I'm finding. I'm very grateful for it.

Wow. You had a fill a month after surgery? Lucky duck. I had to wait seven weeks!! I'm losing at a rate of 1.3 pounds per week. I don't know about you, but I was told time and again before surgery that the weight will come off slowly with LapBand. If I wanted to see rapid weight loss, then I should go with Gastric Bypass. If you weren't told that the weight would come off slowly, then you definitely were not educated in the ways of LapBand. I'm sorry for that. But if you were told, then this is just the process of losing weight with the band. Hang in there. If you have a bad day of eating, move on to the next day. I'm assuming your weight didn't appear overnight. It's not going to come off that fast either. Plus even if it did, you wouldn't be able to maintain that way for long. Slower is better. We need this time to relearn how to eat. What to eat. What our body is craving and what our body needs. You've lost five pounds! If you don't think that's a lot, next time you're at the grocery store try holding five packages of butter. That's a lot of weight. You lost that! Celebrate that victory and keep your eyes on the prize.

My nutritionist would say you're drinking your meals far too often. I got into trouble with my nutritionist for having my Slim Fast shakes. She wanted me to eat a piece of whole wheat toast with an egg on it in the morning and a piece of chicken with a small salad for dinner. At first I PB'd a lot, but I HAD to learn how to cut my food up in small pieces and chew chew chew. I still can't eat an entire piece of toast or an entire egg, but that's not the point. I'm getting more substance and giving my body something to work with. I've steadily lost at 1.3 pounds per week since changing my eating from shakes to solid food. I sometimes have a Slim Fast shake, but I add a banana and two tablespoonds of Peanut Butter to it. Add a little ice and blend. Yummm, plus it's more filling. I can't say if you're not losing enough weight or fast enough, but I know when I eat more calories I lose more weight. My body just doesn't respond well to starvation. My advice, for what it's worth - you should eat more.

After my second fill last week I've PB'd quite a bit. It's so painful - I laughed at your chicken remark cause I know exactly what that looks like. Question - you said you drank two cups of Coke. I've been told to stay away from sodas. Are you finding that you can drink them? Did your doctor warn you about drinking them? Just curious.

I was banded on May 13th with a 14cc band. I've had two fills and am up to 8 1/4 cc's. I feel restriction big time. It's to the point now where I don't ever feel hungry. Looking at the clock or going by my emotions tells me it's time to eat. Saturday I was so crabby and didn't know why. I realized that I should eat something, but I wasn't hungry, per se. I had something to eat and realized I was starving, I just didn't FEEL it. Weird.

I wouldn't schedule anything for the day after surgery. I was able to walk around and stuff, but I didn't do all that much. You're still too punchy from the drugs, etc. I never took any pain medication and was able to sleep no problem. Even with how great I felt, I still felt I needed to kick it into low gear for a couple of days. Give yourself time to heal. This is how people hurt themselves or the band.

Both of my fills have been by my doctor's nurse. She is a doll and is the sweetest thing. My fills consist of my telling her how I've been eating, can I keep food down, etc. Once she determines that I'm not too tight and can handle a fill she has me lie down on the table. She swabs my port incision with alcohol first. Then she has me push my stomach out and she feels around with her finger until she finds the port. She then inserts the needle and withdraws what's in there to make sure there aren't any leaks, etc. She then puts it back and add's in the fill amount. Bandaid goes on and I'm out the door stopping by reception to make my next appointment. I've never had to drink barium, have a fluro or anything else. Not even a Dixie cup of Water. I also don't have to raise my legs. Yesterday I had them bent at the knees because it's easier on my back and the nurse asked me to lay them flat so she could reach the port easier. It's so different for everyone! Sometimes it seems too easy. I'm sorry to hear about the problems some have. I consider myself very fortunate. I've yet to see my doctor at a fill appointment. I couldn't be happier with my nurse or the University of Washington. They rock!

Please don't give up hope. This is just an obstacle. First of all, let's count your blessings. Having two co-morbidities myself, please rejoice in the fact that you don't have any. Oh what I wouldn't give to not have to take high blood pressure medications. I've been taking them now for 15 years! I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes last June and since I've been banded I'm off my meds, but I'll always have diabetes. You probably don't want to hear this, but maybe the LapBand isn't what's meant for you. Stand back and ask yourself, "Why is this happening and why is it happening now?" Probably one of the best things I ever heard my pastor preach on. Use this time effectively. If you haven't already started, continue with your weightloss. Keep exercising, keep eating right. Work with your doctor, do as he says and let him be your advocate. Consider writing a letter to your insurance company appealing their decision. Write how your weight challenges you in your daily life, send photos of yourself....tell them your hopes for the future and being obese prohibits you from a future. Sometimes insurance companies just say "no" right off the bat. I've heard of many times people going back and challenging a decision and they get approved. Don't lose hope!

I had my second fill yesterday. She put 1cc in my 14cc band for a total of 8 1/4 cc's. I'm anticipating the "delayed restriction" again. I was on liquids after my fill yesterday afternoon (liquid shake for dinner) and liquids all day today. Then two days of soft foods. I was the last patient of the day and she said I was the "queen" of the day. LOL Of all the patients she filled that day I was the one who'd lost the most and most consistently. What a shot in the arm!! Not literally, of course. Anyway, I've lost 4 pounds since my last fill. That's 1.3 pounds per week. Not huge, but consistent and I'll take that! The best thing is - I never feel hungry. I'm really enjoying that!

I have a 14cc band. I was banded on May 13th. I had my first fill on June 26th. The PA checked my fluid level and I was banded with 5cc's in the band. The PA added 2 1/4cc's to the band at that appointment. I have really good restriction right now. I would push for more restriction if I were you.

I know this may sound stupid, but if I were you I'd be mowing the lawns of the empty houses. It's exercise, right? I know the empty homes aren't your responsibility, but if you kept the yards up it may keep out the bad element because people wouldn't know that the houses were abandoned. Just a thought.

When I went in for my first and only fill so far I asked the nurse who did the procedure how much Fluid I had in my band. She took it all out and said I had 5cc's in a 14cc band. She then put the 5cc's back in and added 2 1/4cc's. It's your body. Your health. Demand answers. Also on the "loosing" the fluid during a fill, I could see that happening when they take out what you have and they might not put it all back in. I've heard they take it out before a fill so they can make sure you're not leaking. You said something that caught my attention. You feel as though you're at your sweet spot. Just like the scale, don't let the number of cc's you have in your band dictate how restricted you feel. If you've found a great spot to be at after two fills - rock on with your badself!!

I hear you! I feel the same way! And I do the exact same thing! But...are your clothes fitting better? Do you look better? I know I do. My trust gauge right now is my bra. I'm on the last row of hooks - time for new bras! My scale has almost met its demise quite a few times, but I just shove it against the wall and leave the bathroom telling myself that I don't care what that wicked little thing says, I feel better and look better. So there.

You are so right on! This is exactly what I do! I remove all tempting foods from the house. I have such healthy, boring foods to snack on now! LOL But it's working. I'm losing weight and I'm not tempted. Excellent advice!

When I want to falter and cheat I tell myself this, "You had major surgery because you're obese." That usually does the trick for my brain. It's an effort to follow our diets but if we want to succeed we have to stop sabotaging ourselves.