sash

I used Gas-X strips for a few months after surgery. It really does help!:cool2: It took a few months for my body to adjust to the changes and this really helped! I still carry them in my purse! Just in case!

I love it when people who have no "experience" give advice! Many people just don't understand. Not everyone is going to be supportive of your life change. So stick to those who are until you can deal emotionally with those who are not. Wait for those who are not to see the good changes that come in your life. I made the choice to have the lapband because I felt that was the best option for me. I wouldn't change having the surgey if I had it to do all over again. It has changed my life in so many ways. I am proud of the hard work I've done to ge there. Some in my family have not been so supportive and have said things like if just changing how I eat and how much I eat was all I needed to do to loose weight I could do that without having surgery. That family member is @325 lbs herself! So I just don't talk to her about my surgery or lifestyle change. When she says something to me I just remember the 50 pounds I've lost and revel that I can do things I couldn't do before. I can wear clothes I couldn't wear before I had the surgery. Don't let others rain on your parade!:cool2: Keep your chin up and keep moving!

I buy chewable iron from the Vitamin Shoppe! They have Vitamin C in them for batter absorbtion!

Congratulations!:biggrin: That is awesome! I hope to get there!

I'm an insurance agent I sell auto insurance. My favorite thing is being mom!:redface:

I thought we were not supposed to be doing crunches? Are there other exercises that can be done to tone the abdominals that are safe for us Lapbanders? I have been wondering this since being banded. I have wanted to get one of these but I don't want to do anything to cause any problems with my port.

My Dr's PA said when you experience problems after a fill you should come back in as soon as possible. Problems like this usually do not get better according to him.

Just a note on the measurement of your food... I bought a small set of plastic bowels at Marshalls. They are really for measuring for cooking but they are labeled 1/8,1/4,1/2,1 cup. I use these at home daily. This takes the guessing out of how much I'm eating. It has really helped me because it is really hard to judge otherwise. I put the amount I am eating in my bowel and that is all I eat. If I go on a trip I put my one cup bowel in a ziploc bag and in my purse it goes! It's light weight and makes everything easy as pie. (ummmm!) I don't pull it out at restaurants but it helps give me a visual of how much I should be eating at any one time if I need it.

This looks like a good story. I think sometimes in our zeal for "peace" we forget that the people who are "serving us", who usually believe in what they are doing "for us", get lost in the middle. I think it is so important to always remember their service and sacrifice "for us"! We cannot let what happened to the Vietman Veterans ever happen again! The men and women who fight for our country should be respected and honored. Regardless of how we feel about the war itself. Whatever war that may be at the time. I feel very strongly about that!

I was visiting a cousin who had been told that I had had the lapband done. She asked how I was doing. She said she had a friend who had it done and she failed to loose weight. I told her I was doing really well I had lost 40 lbs since I had my surgery 3 1/2 months earlier. She said "You mean you weighed more than you do now?" More stupid than rude but it's up there!

I was so worried my surgery was scheduled for my TOM and it was no big deal. I worried for nothing. I just wore an nighttime pad; they gave me some net panties (woohoo sexy!) and everything was fine. Don't worry! It'll be alright!

Try 5 dried apricots each morning. This will keep you regular. Just make sure and chew the heck out of them! They are tasty and do the job naturally! There is a thread somewhere on here and they really do work. I do this faithfully! They work!

Count me in for a goal of 15 lbs! I think I can do this! Thanks for the motovation! Sash

I have eaten popcorn since being banded. I only eat it when I go to the movies (I don't go that often) and I always order the kiddie bag. I can't ever finish it though. I see it as a treat.:thumbup: It is my absolute favorite snack of all time. I used to eat a whole microwave bag by myself before banding. I do not eat it at home anymore; it's just too much temptation for me to eat the whole thing.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Having the band was kind of a relief. I had my first fill last wednesday so I was concerned I wouldn't be able to eat anything! I knew I would not be able to eat much so I made my mind up ahead of time I would have a Tbs of everything and I did. I was able to eat everything and I was not stuffed like I usually am. While everyone else was stuffed to the gills I was quite content! I even had some pumpkin pie with cool whip on top! Ummmmmmmm! I really enjoyed myself this year!

Well I had my first fill! Everything went well. NO PAIN! It felt really weird though like someone squeezing my tummy inside. DUH! But I am okay! The Lidocain stung just a smidgin but other than that it was not bad. I felt the PA digging around a little so we'll see if I'm sore tomorrow. Back to liquids for two days and then mushies for two more. Then starting the regular foods a little at a time. I've lost 5.6 lbs since last month. YEAH!:thumbup: That makes a total of 24 lbs gone so far! WOO HOO! guess I better update my ticker!

I had pain for @3-4 weeks. When I tried to lay down it felt like my incisions we ripping inside. I tried not to take the Lortab unless really needed it. My Dr's office assured me this was okay and that I could/should take the Lortab as long as I was having pain. I would take it at night so I could sleep. I really tried to tough it out but that really didn't help me at all so I gave in. After a 4 weeks it got better! I hope this helps. Hang in there. Sash

I feel like I have to share my surgery story with you! I have wanted to have the Lapband for a long time and I was so excited when I found out my insurance would cover it. I was scared from the moment I decided to really do it! But I was excited too. I have been on the yo-yo band wagon for years and the one thing I kept thinking about was that what weight came off each time came back plus some! The morning I went for surgery I was so nervous I was crying even as I was talking to the Dr before the surgery. I kept telling my husband maybe I should not have the surgery done. It is so scarry to make a life change. My DH assured me that this was the right thing to do. So I trusted him! The first week was the hardest but it gets easier. 8 weeks out I am so happy I did it. I know now I have the help I need to accomplish my goal. I always have my support with me (my band). My DH helps me when I need someone with real skin on as does this board. I did the same reading of the "scare threads" and that can do a mental number on your head so I stopped! I don't go there anymore. I too have a friend who only lost 30 lbs and gained it all back. She does not eat like she should but that is her choice. She has fills and unfills at will. I choose to use this tool as it is intended; to make a life style change. When she my friend saw me loosing weight she said she was tired of being a Lapband failure and has gotten back on track. It is not a "quick fix" by any stretch of the imagination! I think you will be happy once you get past the fear! Hang in there! Sash

I go for my first fill today. I'm a little nervous; no I'm alot nervous! I think I've lost a few more pounds. I'm waiting for my appt to weigh as my scale is not very accurate. (Does anyone have a recommendation on a good scale?) I need to buy a new one! terilynn112 did you feel the port when it flipped or did you have any indication this had happened (i.e. soreness or anything like that?)? I'm sorry this has happened to your port!:rolleyes2: Hang in there!

I remember having a feeling like this after surgery. I thought it was the swelling in my abdomen pushing on my diaphram. The one thing that seemed to help was walking. I walked as much as I could. It seemed to relieve the pressure on my lungs. I'm not sure if this is the feeling you have but it is certainly worth a try.

I get my first fill on 11/19 so we'll just have to see how it goes. I have been able to eat almost everything so far as long as it is not too dry. If I can I am hoping to have a tsp of everything maybe a little more turkey. If not I'll just have a shake! I keep trying to remind myself to focus on people not food but that is hard as Thanksgiving has been about the food. I like to tweek Suze Ormans saying People First then Food. That's my new moto for Thanksgiving!:tongue2:

I've lost 15 lbs so far! :thumbup:

Thanks! I am hanging in here trying to stay on course. I have not gone to a physical therapist but I was seeing a podiatrist. I have orthotics but they are not as helpful as I hoped they would be. I am wearing the fitflops as much as possible which helps tremendously! I was having trouble with my left foot (it's okay now) but now it's the right foot. I do exercises but my left foot still hurts. ouch!:thumbup: I think I need to go back to the podiatrist. I know I am probably being impatient on the weight loss I have such high expectations. This board is such a life saver! I am so thankful to have a great resource and group of people who are so willing to share! Ya'll are great!

I was wrong! You are right it is more like 17 grams of Protein not 22! Sorry!

I too use the rubbermaid 1/2 cup containers. They help take the guess work out of how much I should be eating. I take my breakfast and lunch to work so I use two a day. I purchased 2 packages which contains 4 containers each. I think they were @2.50 per package.