Catherine55

Welcome to Bandster Hell! It's completely different after you get a decent fill (which may take one or more fills). Hang in there and watch what you eat. I gained 5 pounds during Bandster Hell (for me it fell during Thanksgiving 2008). What a difference 15 months with the band has made!! Cut to this morning, and now I only have 5.2 to go. Hang in there! Catherine

Hey there! Welcome! I also was reasonably active before I got the band, and am a lot more so now. It's been a great tool, and I am seriously thrilled to say that . . as of this morning. . . I am only 5.2 pounds from my goal!! WOO-HOO!! The band can be a great tool, and it sounds like you'd have no trouble doing the work to get to goal. Best wishes for your success, Catherine

Welcome, Cookie!! Don't worry too much about the hair loss thing. If it happens to you (and it might not), it probably won't be enough that anyone else will notice. And, after a while, it grows back anyway! Glad to hear you are doing well and major props for all the working out!! :biggrin: Best wishes, Catherine

First of all, you have the cutest poster name -- Bandaide!! :biggrin: I had a lot of concerns about my privacy about being banded, and I have been glad that I decided not to tell everyone. In particular, I avoided telling people who I thought might be judgmental, who might say annoying things (like "Why aren't you losing more weight?!"), or who might get all food-police-y with respect to what I choose to eat. That said, I told the closest people to me because I knew that it would be really helpful for me to have their support. And, it really has been. At this point, I am 15 months post-op and I know what and how to eat in a restaurant to avoid getting stuck. But at the beginning, it was a relief to be able to practice with friends who knew about my surgery. It just took away some of my anxiety about looking weird when eating in public. That said, I almost never get stuck in a restaurant and probably could have gotten away without telling most people. Also, I wrote out a pro/con list before my surgery and then wrote out what I thought about the cons about 7 months after my surgery. Here is a link -- Chronicles from Band Land: Reflections on my Pre-Op Journal. I hope that helps! Best wishes for your success!! Catherine

I went self-pay with Dr. Roberto Rumbaut in Monterrey, Mexico. The whole thing, including my plane ticket and my mother's cost around $8,000. It was a small price to pay to be able to finally stop feeling bad about my weight every single day, to get healthy and to get in the best shape of my life. If you look at the very beginning of my blog, you can see photos of the (gorgeous, new, clean) hospital in Monterrey. I really liked my doctor -- he is banded as well, speaks perfect English, and is well-respected internationally. In fact, he had a relationship with the doctors at NYU, so I was able to set up my post-op care (covered by my insurance) with them before I even got banded. I hope that helps! Best wishes to you! Catherine

It sounds like you've done a good amount of soul-searching and have found good answers for yourself! Don't worry about being around food all day -- you can still enjoy cooking with the band. Just don't make a concerted effort to overeat and you will be fine! You asked "How does everyone explain to people they have not seen in awhile what happened?" I usually just tell them about my crazy boot camp workout and tell them that I've been dieting for 15 months and that what I'm doing boils down to portion control and paying attention to when I am full. Some people I tell about the surgery, but not most. When people how much I've lost, I usually tell them the number (68.8 lbs as of this morning . . 6.2 pounds from goal!!! WOO-HOO!!). :biggrin: This is a great tool, and I am happy for you to have found it and to be thinking out ways to help yourself succeed with your band. One thing I recommend doing is writing down a Post-Op Plan for Success (just a list of things you'll do to help yourself succeed). I wrote one out and posted it in my blog a few months ago -- feel free to take a look if you like! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

I just put my most recent comparison photo in my signature line. . . this is a test to see if it worked & how it looks. Hopefully will show up & not be too distracting! Catherine

Definitely give him reassurance -- and let him know that you're going to be with him LONGER because you'll be healthier! As for dinners and cocktails, I go out for these things all of the time. It's no problem with the band -- you'll just eat less of your meal than you did before. Catherine

I had a number of "last meals" before I got banded. I felt stressed that I'd never be able to eat "normally" again. What I wish someone would have told me in advance is that getting the band isn't the death of being able to eat good food. And that when the band isn't filled, you can pretty much eat how you did before (which is why there is a thing called "Bandster Hell" that happens before you get filled to restriction). I hope that this info takes some of the anxiety out of this for you! My guess is that's why you've been doing so much eating. Anyway, let yourself have a few nice meals before your pre-op diet, but don't go crazy -- you can still eat most things with the band. Best wishes, Catherine

Congratulations -- and welcome!! Take some before pics and take your measurements as soon as the swelling goes down if you didn't already! You will definitely want that info. later on!! Best wishes, Catherine

Oh well -- you know what? You are going to lose the weight regardless of how much they watch your food and figure, and a year from today, you will have come light years. It's all about the baby steps. If I do the math, I've lost slightly less than a pound a week over the last year (mainly b/c my loss has slowed in the past few months). Yet I'm less than 10 pounds from my goal. So, keep that in mind when people say annoying things or look at your food choices. You're going to need to think about how you are going to handle their comments (both thinking up responses and how you will deal with the annoyance internally), but you'll be fine! And, maybe you will find that you have support from unexpected sources. But the bottom line is that this was YOUR news and no one should have taken that away from you. :thumbup: Sorry about the giant photo below. . I was experimenting with including it today and haven't taken it out yet!! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

What he did is ILLEGAL and could subject the school to liability (if you sued). What a JERK!!!!!!!!!!! As someone who has been very glad that she kept her decision private from work people, I am very upset for you. You deserve to be able to have privacy and for your food choices and weight loss rate not to be scrutinized -- and now he has taken that away from you without your consent. That is just so wrong. I am sorry that happened to you. I would absolutely complain about it, whether to him or to his supervisor. You might mention to a colleague who is a bit of a blabbermouth that people lose SLOWLY with the band and don't really start losing until after the healing phase (read: Bandster Hell). Maybe that person will pass it on so that people won't have gastric bypass-loss expectations and say annoying things like "Why aren't you losing more weight?" at the beginning. GRRRRRR!!!!! I am so upset for you!!! Catherine

Um, yeah. . that may be a bit BIG!!! LOL Oh well -- posting it one time is probably enough!! Catherine

Hang in there! It gets better pretty quickly! Here are my answers to your questions: In one week I have lost 10 lbs. Is that average? I think that's great -- it's more than I lost for sure! Which are the best Vitamins to take and what dosage? I take 2 Flintstone vitamins every day (I love the flavor. . so I actually take these, as opposed to other vitamins that might be better but that I'm not going to take regularly! What are the best supplements (calcium citrate or the other, etc) Not sure -- I defer to the other posters. Best chocolate Protein drinks or powder without chalky taste? Not sure about chocolate -- I hated every Protein shake I had -- so gross. Only drink I liked are the Gatoraid-like ISOPURE drinks that GNC sells. My doctor turned me on to them, and once that happened, I never had another shake again. Best tasting clear liquids protein drinks? See above -- Isopure. Any lotions or tricks to prevent saggy skin? Use lotion every single day. Consider buying something for pregnant women that promotes elastin in the skin. When will I feel normal again? Pretty soon. It may take a month to feel 100%, but you'll be at 80 or 90% within a few more days. Any good blogs or website that could be helpful now that I have the band? This site is great. Feel free to check out my blog (link below). I have a bunch of links to other blogs that I like posted in there as well. The blogger community has been a huge source of support for me. Consider setting up a blog for yourself. It's a great way to keep track of your fills, losses, and your whole year of change in general! Any other good tip you think I should know? TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS RIGHT NOW, if you haven't already. You will want to be able to compare stats later on! Best wishes, Catherine

I've had a lot of time to think this one through. I am 15 months post-band and am less than 10 pounds from goal. Truth be told? This was so so so so much easier than trying to lose this weight on my own and keep it off. For me, that would have been an impossible endeavor. But, with the band, my hunger was satisfied, and I have had results that inspired me to keep going. Could I have stayed on a traditional diet for 15 months (including 7 months of a hard core boot camp workout program)? Honestly, it's highly unlikely. I don't think most of my diets pre-band lasted 15 weeks! Do I feel like my band was a miracle cure to a life-long struggle with my weight? You bet your bippie I do. Did I have to put in the time and effort to make my weight loss happen? ABSOLUTELY. I have worked my @$$ off in the gym and have been very good about making the right food choices 99% of the time. Does the band give me some guarantee that I won't gain the weight back, whereas traditional weight loss does not? YES. Statistically speaking, I am not gaining this weight back, whereas if I'd lost it on a diet, I'd -- statistically speaking -- be gaining all of it back and more. If we are all going to be totally honest, the band is EASIER than traditional weight loss. But, it's by no means EASY. All of us work hard for every pound lost, but they do come off, and the band has given me a level of optimism, hope and confidence in my ability to live my life as a thin person that I never had before. I wouldn't worry too much about your friend's perception. Take a look at my before/current photos (link below) that I just posted and let me know if you could deal with a few ignorant haters in exchange for getting your weight under control and feeling good about yourself! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

Here are my suggested questions (none of which I knew to ask before surgery. .): 1. What size band will you have (in other words, how many ccs (cubic centiliters) of saline will it hold? 2. What is your doctor's philosophy on fills -- will s/he give you a decent fill to start, then adjust as needed, or make you suffer through a series of tiny fills . . where you have to pay for each appointment and wait a few months to get to restriction? 3. What surgery technique will s/he use on you? Will you have 5 scars, 2 or another number? 4. What is his/her pre-op diet? 5. How soon after surgery can you get a fill? 6. Does your doctor have a set waiting period between fills? OR, can you come in the next week if the last fill didn't get you to decent restriction? 7. Is there a support group at the doctor's office (if you're interested. . honestly, between this site, my blog and my wonderful therapist, I was fine). 8. Do your doctor's patients do a clothing exchange? 9. What results can you realistically expect during the first year (and beyond)? 10. Where does your doctor plan to place your port (just out of curiosity . . not such a biggie)? I hope that helps!! Best wishes, Catherine

Don't worry . . the post-op pain isn't that bad. . and you'll have painkillers so it really won't be a big deal. You can read my post-op account on my blog if you like (it's at the beginning). A few pointers. . . 1. Take your measurements TODAY if you haven't already! 2. Take a "before" photo or 10 to have later on -- you will want this for sure! 3. Bring lip balm to the hospital (I was so happy I had mine. . was a bit thirsty and had slightly chapped lips after surgery). 4. WALK AROUND AFTER SURGERY. . it gets the gas moving out. 5. Your worst pain after surgery (and it was so nothing compared to what I had expected) is from the gas they use during surgery. My shoulder hurt on and off for a while, but the pain faded quite a bit each day. And, it was nothing compared to the pros of finally -- for the first time ever, getting my weight under control and feeling great about how I look (instead of beating myself up mentally every single day about my weight). Best wishes for your success! Catherine

You'll be fine. . just take it easy at first! And, as you start feeling better and better about your body. . and have less body holding you back, you'll be surprised by how great things can be! Have fun! Best wishes, Catherine

Welcome to Band Land!! The weight loss will start happening in earnest after you get filled to decent restriction. You are going to go through something called "Bandster Hell" before that happens, but don't stress about it! Basically, you'll be able to eat and will be hungry before you get to restriction. I gained 5 lbs during that time. . but cut to today and I'm less than 10 pounds from goal. Those pesky Bandster Hell pounds are loooong gone! Just posted a comparison shot on my blog -- take a look if you want! I have a lot of info on there that might be helpful to you as well! Congratulations on your surgery! Best, Catherine

I'm with the crew who says to just get what you want and enjoy it. Don't buy a big quantity, but you can certainly have a piece of chocolate or two once in a while! No need to feel deprived or have some poor substitute that's not going to do the trick! Enjoy! Catherine

I have had zero problems with spicy foods since being banded. It's just the same as it was before surgery for me. In fact, I had some pretty spicy guacamole earlier today and it was dee-lish! Catherine

Congratulations!!! Here is my advice: 1. TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS NOW, if you haven't already! You are definitely going to want this info later!! 2. TAKE A BUNCH OF BEFORE PHOTOS! You don't have to look at them now if you don't want, but you will for sure want them for comparison's sake later on! 3. Pack lip balm for your hospital stay. You'll probably be thirsty and your lips may feel dry after surgery. 4. Walk after surgery (great advice from the earlier poster) to help move out the gas. 5. If this kind of thing is helpful to you, write out a post-op plan for success (i.e. what you are going to do to make it work). Here is a link to the one I made, in case you're interested! Chronicles from Band Land: Reflections on Pre-op Journal II I hope that helps! You are in for a wonderful year of amazing changes! I hope it goes very well and am sending best wishes for your success! All the best, Catherine

You can take Biotin, which is supposed to help stop hair loss. My hair fell out much more than usual for a while, and it freaked me out. But, it wasn't enough that anyone would notice. If you have reasonably thick hair, it probably won't show at all if you go through a bit of a hair loss phase. I wouldn't worry about it too much. People will be so busy staring at your cuter, smaller bee-hind to notice! Hee hee Best, Catherine

I was afraid of all of those things too. But ultimately, none of them turned out to be a big deal at all. I am very glad that I went forward with my surgery. This past year has been wonderful, and I'm finally done with feeling terrible about myself every day because of my weight. I just posted a before/present comparison shot on my blog. Why not take a look? (Link below.) It's amazing to me how far I've been able to come with my band, and honestly, it hasn't been that hard. Best wishes for your success, Catherine

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