*susan*

Hi there and welcome to LBT! How are you doing on the pre-op diet? I know it can be tough at times, but it is so worth it in the end. Let us know if you have any questions and how you are doing.

Hi there and welcome to LBT! I am a fellow Floridian from Jacksonville. We look forward to getting to know you!

Hi Tina, I just wanted to pop in and welcome you to LBT.

Hello and welcome. You sound like you are doing very well so far. I remember being terrified prior to my first fill, I had myself so worked up it was ridiculous. Then, after I had it done I realized it was not that big of a deal and laughed at myself for stressing so much about it. As for losing the 2 pounds a week, that is pretty close, the band is designed for us to lose 1-2 pounds a week. Some lose more, some lose less. Just don't be disappointed if you do not do that right away. It is important to remember the band is designed to work by getting it filled. Until you reach proper restriction, it is possible that you may not lose, or even gain a bit. But, if that happens, don't get discouraged, once you reach your sweet spot, the weight will start coming off. Best of luck to you.

Hi Craig, and welcome. Yep, I read your whole post, because I am always interested in hearing a fellow bandster's experiences. Wow, you have lost an amazing amount of weight! I agree with your wife and daughters, you have so much to be thankful for. Just the health benefits you have derived alone are wonderful. I think we all go through ups and downs with the band. It is a constant learning process, and a battle to fight those old habits that keep rearing their ugly heads. I am currently on an "up" time with my band and hope to stay there for awhile. Thank you for sharing your journey thus far with us, we look forward to getting to know you better.

I had to laugh when I read your post, so you are expecting the "view" to be quite nice then, lol. Anyways, congratulations on your decision to get the band. Best of luck on your pre-op diet and remember, we are here to support you whenever you need it. If you have any questions, please ask and we will do our best to help you.

Hi Amanda, we are so glad you found us and invited your friend as well. My employer also had an exclusion on our insurance plan for weight loss surgery, so I had to go self-pay as well. We refinanced our house and it only increased our monthly payment by a small amount. When looking for a doctor, make sure you ask exactly what your fee covers. For instance, mine covered all fills and any complications, etc. for one full year after the surgery. That is important, especially when self-pay. Please let us know if you have any other questions, we are glad to help in any way we can.

Hi and welcome to LBT! This is a great site for doing some research and learning about the band. Let us know if you have any questions.

Hi Deanna and welcome to LBT. The "muscle pain" you are feeling is probably from the port. That tends to be where everyone is the sorest for the first week or so. It will get better. I found putting a heating pad on it really helped me a lot. Congrats on getting the band, we look forward to getting to know you.

For some reason, it is now located underneath the last post in the thread.

I am also very, very tight during TOM, so nope, I am not hungry at all. In fact, it is one of the only benefits of TOM that I can think of right now.

Jachut, that is great news! He sure will have great support and inspiration with you and the success you have had at his side. Does this mean Mr. Jachut will be joining us on LBT? And, congratulations to you, you look awesome!

Actually, I think most of those are based on you and your bands ability to tolerate it. I eat steak all the time. In fact, I am eating it now. It just has to be a good, tender cut or I cannot chew it up well enough and it gets stuck. I also have no problem with Pasta or nuts. As far as bread goes, I can't eat soft, doughy bread because it swells up and gets stuck after I eat. However, as long as I am not too restricted, I can get down crusty breads, such as garlic bread without a problem. So, as I said, unless your doctor has specifically told you not to eat these foods, it will be on a trial and error basis to see what works with your band and what doesn't.

Hi Amber, and welcome to LBT! It sounds like things are going well for you. Keep us posted on your journey and let us know if you have any questions.

Hi and welcome. For me, I think I had tried every diet known to mankind. Some of them even worked, for a time. Then, I would end up gaining everything back plus a few extra pounds. I was not getting any younger, but I was definitely getting fatter. I was miserable, had no energy and very low self-esteem. The final straw was when my doctor announced that I was pre-diabetic. There is a strong history of diabetes and heart disease in my family, so that opened up my eyes. I want to be here to see my children graduate, get married, have children of their own, etc. So, that is when I made up my mind to get the band. If there is any way we can help you with your decision, or if you have any questions, let us know. The most important thing you can do is research, research, research and research some more.

Hi Mom! I am so glad you decided to join! Sometimes the waiting can be so frustrating, but it is worth it in the end when you finally get your band. Let us know if we can help you in any way, we are all here to support and help one another.

Hello and welcome. Definitely post your pictures on the before and after threads. It is so inspirational to be able to look back and see where you were and how much you have lost. The band is an awesome tool, let us know if you have any questions.

Hi Kitty! Wow, 66 pounds down, you are doing great! I would love to answer your question about "fizzy juice", but I have no idea what that is???

Hi Jean, and welcome. It sounds like you are doing great with the band. We look forward to getting to know you, as well.

Hi and welcome. Congratulations on your decision to get the band, only a little over a month to go and you will be an official "bandster". As far as advice, I guess I would need a bit more specific questions, as there are so many areas to talk about. Check out the "stickies" at the top of the forums, as they offer tons of great advice.

Hi Carroll, welcome to LBT! You have definitely come to the right place for research, advice and support. Every person is different on what they are or are not able to eat after they are banded. I have no problem with any type of meat so long as it is a good cut and not tough. I cannot eat doughy bread, but I can eat crusty breads, such as garlic bread as long as I am not too restricted. I was worried about all the things I thought I might have to give up pre-banding as well. I guess you just have to weigh out what is most important to you. For me, having a longer life with my husband and children was far more important than giving up a few foods.

Hi Nykee, you look absolutely amazing, what a beautiful lady you are! That is fantastic news about being able to walk, makes the band all worth it. Congratulations to you!

The President/CEO of the company I work for has a rule that he lives by, "five minutes early is on time".

:cheers2::ohmy: Oh my, rude or not...Can I use that?? It is hysterical!! Seriously though, I think I would just explain that I am trying to watch my weight and prefer to have something healthy as opposed to chocolate right now.

Hi Monda and welcome to LBT! This is a great site to gain tons of information on the band. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask, that is why we are here.