BubblyBandit

what??????????????????

My grandmother had my uncle at 43. This was in the 70's and he turned out fine....depending on how you define fine.

Ive been losing 4-7lbs every month since December. I'm down 34!

1. Stay away from food...the smell will get to you I promise! 2. Make sure the optifast is always chilled....there is nothing worse than warm optifast. 3. Vary your optifasts. Add ice and blend for a smoothie. I liked to make Vanilla Chi tea and put a vanilla optifast with some splenda and ice....very good! Also you can try different food extracts to vary the flavor. 4. For something warm you can also have chicken or beaf bullion cubes with warm water...these kept me going! 5. Eat SF popsicles and SF Jello. 6. Make sure to have 1 Optifast every 3 hrs 5 times a day...it really beats the hungeries. 7. Try and go for walks when it really gets to you 8. Remember this is probably the hardest part of the Lapband process. If you can get through this you can get through surgery and post-op life.

I thought that the soda part would be the hardest, but if your a self-pay the thought of paying for another surgery will help you kick the habit. I admit i have like 3 sodas since I was banded in December but I try to let them go flat and I've had a few sips here and there. Beer was a pretty big thing to but I've had exactly two beers. I don't think the occassional carbonated beverage would do significant damage but try and stay away from them.

I was banded 12/17/2008. I have had no problems. I was sore the first few days. It's a pretty easy surgery! Of course I PB sometimes and I'm burpy but nothing really scary...good luck don't talk yourself out of it. It is so worth it!

I would just bypass all that crazy insurance stuff and go the self- pay route. It's expensive but not so much more than buying a car...I'd rather be THIN!

I chose to have the band instead of bypass for a few reasons. 1. It is less invasive than bypass. Healing time is much faster because they don't cut your stomach up. 2. You will not get nauesatied with the band as much so as the bypass 3. It is adjustable so if God forbid you get sick or get pregnant you can eat larger amounts of food. 4. less risk involved if your like me and plan on having a baby. 5. Less costly 6. My mom's friend had gastric bypass for about 10 years now and she throws up every day and has to take so many vitamins and she can't reverse it. However, the doctor did recommend having the band to help with the systems.

To be honest it all depends on how tight you are. The band is a fickle thing sometimes nothing get stuck sometimes I have a problem with foods that are usually fine. The things that have given me problems so far are any type of thick bread (subway bread) muffins, pound cake, Sometimes chinese food, and dry chicken. Those are things that you really shouldn't be eating any ways and I won't again!

Yesterday I had my first fill. I started getting nervous on my way over to the doctors office...I guess because of what I've read on here about it being painful. It was so easy!! i went in and first of all my port is no where near I thought it was lol! He laid me back on the table and used some numbing medication which I didn't feel and than he inserted the needle which I barely felt and sat me and made me sip Water until I felt a tightening in my chest and then he removed some saline until I felt the water go through my stomach. It was so simple! I would say it was about 10x's worse to give blood. I'm not sure what my fill is now but I'm on liquids the rest of today and I'm pretty hungry! I want another fill!

I had my surgery done through Dr. Wilfred Aguilia, and he is amazing!! First of he owns his own practice called Surgical Bariatric Centers. He does his surgeries through Memorial Hospital in Tampa, Fl. I cannot say enought good things about Dr. Aguilia. I am self pay and there is no way I could have afforded the surgery if it were not for him. He charges 15,200 for the surgery and that includes fills for the first year, 3 personel training sessions, a dietician, and psychologist. He is very knowledgable and banding and has a no nonsense approach. His staff treats you like family and hugs you everytime you come in. I would highly recommend him! If anyone wants to know more just message me!

I think that the fist comment is a little insensitive. First they are not banded. It is easy to say you'll follow the rules to a tee when you are not in the game yet. Second you cannot live your whole life with out a few splurges. We are only human and cannot be perfect all the time. A few splurges are not going to hurt your chances of succes but help your sanity. Because lets face it once you banded you are not normal anymore. If you want to enjoy some ice cream with the family once a week that is ok, or some birthday cake on a special occasion. Or maybe there's just one thing that is hard for you to give up because it's your favorite. As long as your making healthy choice in every other area then youll be just fine.

Listen you where just banded less than a month ago. The body can only lose so much so fast. You are probably just adjusting to large weigh loss. Besides and I know you have heard this before it is really bad to lose large amounts of weight so fast. Things can happen when you lose this fast that can accfect your health the rest of your iife and the only way to fix them is to gain weight back. My dad lost around 30lbs in 6 weeks once and all of sudden started to hear himself breathing. He went to the doctor and the doctor said that he had lost fat around the flap in his ear that controled pressure due to rapid weight loss. The only way to correct would be to gain weight back. So my point be proud of your weight loss and don't get down on yourself if one week you don't lose. I had the same problem last week but I weighed myself today and the 2lbs I gained where gone as well as one extra.

I was banded three weeks ago today. I lost 13lbs on the pre-op diet of optifast. After surgery I also lost around 5 more lbs the week after and than another 2lbs the next week. This week I actually gained 2lbs back! I am so upset! I just started eating real foods agian after being on liquids and than mushies for the first 2 weeks. I ate alittle more after christimas but still not anywhere near 1000 cals a day. i had a few days last week that I ate alot somewhere near 1800-2000 cals. I realized this and started to count my points on Sunday. I have been starving but have stayed around 20-25points which is like 1000-1400 cals a day. And I am up 2lbs. What is wrong with me I feel like a failure!

1 egg 2 tbsp grits 1oz pretzels 1 packet sugar free coco 3 oz chicken with HM 1 c noddles with butter 4oz baked catfish 8 baked potato fries with out the skin 1/4 c carrots 1 packet sugar free coco.

I have been on soilds for about a week now and that's pretty normal. The only thing I have had a problem with is bread. Beware though when you start the soilds you might gain weight.