wstorms

I try to eat 3 meals and two Snacks a day. I do not always get in my snacks though. I eat pretty much anything I want, just in smaller quantities :confused:. Today: Breakfast: one scrambled egg with salsa Snack: half an apple with Peanut Butter Lunch: one cup of redbeans and rice Snack: Some popcorn Dinner: Half a porkchop and 3/4 cup of mashed potatoes with brown gravy.

1. Being healthier 2. Not having to worry if I will fit in amusement park rides 3. Not having to ask for seat belt extension on a plane 4. Not having to worry where I sit at a restaurant (some booths are too small) 5. Looking forward to seeing how much money I can save. I go out to eat many times a week, and now I order childs meals or split something with someone...which saves a ton of money :thumbdown:.

I have no problem telling someone I have the band. I figure if that scares someone off good riddance!!! I did not get the band to be skinnier so I could date. I date/have dated while being overweight. I got the band to be healthier for me. So I guess it just does not bother me. Though I know everyone is different.

I can eat bread. I don't very often, but I still can. I have a piece of toast from time to time. On occasion I have bread at a restaurant, but very small piece. I don't eat much because I don't want to fill up on bread, I want food :scared2:.

I would do it again in a minute. No doubt about it!

I have not yet had a fill so I can eat anything. I think the key being small bites, chewing a lot, and eating slowly. I do not plan on getting a fill until I stop losing weight. When I was first banded I lost pretty fast, once I started mushies my weight loss slowed down quite a bit. I am now losing 1-2 lbs a week. I can eat a lot more than I thought I would be able to, but it is still only 1/4 maybe of what I used to eat.

I actually can eat anywhere, though I will admit I have not attempted a hamburger. I just make sure I make better choices and I chew chew and chew some more! I go out to eat a lot, that is my social thing with friends. I usually order something off of the children's menu (chicken most of the time), but again all that chewing is how I get it down!

I had no idea there was even such a thing!!

I have been wondering if alcohol would effect us differently now, kind of sounds like it will. Thanks for the info. I did fall of the wagon a bit at Christmas, but I am NOT one bit guilty! It was Christmas! My downfall was eating between meals, Snacks (cookies, pies, etc). Now in saying that I had not even a fourth of what I used to eat, so I still consider that a success! My theory is that I still have to live my life, and at certain times I am going to have a cookie in between meals. As long as I have one cookie on occasion, and not the entire bag I consider that a success! I only lost 1/2 lb Christmas week, but that is still a loss :tongue2:! I hope 2009 has been great for everyone so far!

I am one month post-op as of tomorrow, and I still have a few scabs. I had dissolvable stitches and until this morning I could feel them in the corners of my incisions, all gone now though....just some scabs left. I have been told that healing was going to be slow because of the small amount of food/protein I was eating.

Hello Shonia, Happy New Year! I was banded at the beginning of December and it was the best decision I have ever made! I would say before you do anything do LOTS and LOTS of research. This is a great place to start. Just start reading posts and start doing research. I think being informed is the best way to make any decision! Good luck, and have a great day!

All of your lists are great. The one thing I would add is a sippy cup. Playtex has one that looks like a travel coffee mug that I got at Wal-Mart. Pre surgery I drank a lot of liquids and would take big gulps. I took a too big of drink after surgery and it caused severe pain!!! I started using the sippy cup after that. I used it about a week and it really taught me to take small sips instead of big gulps like I was used to! Best thing I had after surgery! Good luck and Happy New Year!

I was banded 12/3 and I wanted to share what I needed the most after surgery. All of the things you have listed where on my list as well. Before I was banded I drank a lot of liquids, and I drank them fast. I read somewhere that after surgery someone used a sippy cup....OMG that helped so much!!! Playtex has a sippy cup that looks a lot like a travel coffee mug that I got at Wal-Mart. This was my best investment by far!! I used that cup for about a week, and it really taught me to take small sips instead of big gulps of liquid. My first day post-op I did not use the cup, and I ended up taking too big of a drink and this caused severe pain. After that I started using the cup and it helped so much! Good luck with your surgeries! Getting banded was the best decision I have ever made!

Happy holidays Contemplating! There are many reasons I decided to get lapband. The first and biggest reason is that I just recently got diagnosed with high blood pressure, all due to my weight. I have been overweight all of my life. I have tried every diet from Atkins to Weight Watchers and had only been able to lose 50 lbs on my own. I just needed help! Lapband is not the cure all, but it sure is a tool that has proven to be very successful for many! I personally feel that I would have greater risks to my health being obese than losing the weight now. So to me the surgery was SOOO worth the risk. My family and friends have been nothing but supportive of me, they understand the struggles that come along with being overweight and have seen the years of truly trying to do something about it. I was banded in Mexico. I have insurance, but my insurance company has any bariatric procedure written out of their policy. So I am a selfpay and just could not afford the surgery here in the states. I had my surgery done in Juarez across the border from El Paso. Being that I live in Texas, I felt this was the best bet for me. I used a company, Medical Tourism Corportation to set up all of the details of my surgery. Everything went exactly as they said it would, and I was very pleased with everything. I would go to Mexico again in a heart beat. I know Mexico is not for everyone, but I would recommend any of my friends or family to go there.

I figure ANY weight loss is good weight loss :thumbup:!!! Like many have already said, everyone loses weight differently. The band effects everyone differently, but it is hard not to compare your weight loss to others that were banded at the same time you were.

I was to start my pre-op diet on Thanksgiving day! My pre-op diet was basically Clear Liquids for seven days, needless to say due to Thanksgiving mine was only 6 days. IF I could not stand just liquids I could eat a very lean Protein source to help me get through. I basically did my own liquid diet, and had protein (hard boiled egg or tuna) every day. All went well, I was banded on my scheduled day without any problems.

I took five days off of work. I was banded in Mexico so I had to add some travel time. I work at a University, so I sit behind a desk most of the day. The first two days I went back I only worked half a day, sitting up straight bothered my port sight and I got tired pretty easily. Luckily I have a job that I can leave when I need to. I was never in extreme pain, just uncomfortable when getting up and down. I only took two pain pills after surgery, though I did stay one night in the hospital and there I got pain meds through my IV. If I had a job where I were on my feet a lot, I would have taken more time off.

The heavier you are the chances that you will lose weight faster are pretty good. I had a one week pre-op liquid diet. So my weight loss is calculated since my pre-op diet. I think the thing I keep telling myself the most is that everyone reacts differently to the band. It is hard when you see people banded on your same date, or close to your date not to compare though! My thougths, for me personally, are as long as I am losing weight I am happy! I can't compare what my body does to everyone elses. Happy Holidays everyone!

I am new banster, but I just wanted to tell you how I handle meals and Snacks. As you know EVERYONE is different and everyone has different doctor recommendations. I have three meals a day, and try to have two snacks. Most of the time I only have one snack a day though. Eating five times a day is what my doctor recommended, I dont need the snacks though. I try to use the snacks, when I have one, to add in more Protein to my diet. I am always trying to get more protein. Tomorrow I am three weeks post-op, and I do not feel hunger like I used to. So I do not have a problem with wanting to raid the pantry :thumbup:. Breakfast- 7:00 Snack- 9:00 (usually skip this one) Lunch- 11:30 Snack- 3:00 Dinner- 5:30 or 6:00 Good luck with all you do! Happy holidays!

Wednesday I will be three weeks post op, and I am doing great. No problems what so ever! So far I LOVE LOVE LOVE my band....I have steadily been losing weight and that is my goal. I have not had any problems with foods so far, and I hope that it stays that way! I can eat a lot more than I thought I could eat, but it is still not even a fourth of what I used to eat. So all is good!!! Have a great holiday, and keep staying positive :smile:!!!

I think the thing to remember, as many people have already said, that every doctor has different post-op instructions. I was banded at the beginning of December and was only put on liquids for two days. After that my Doctor said I could have mushies for a week and then soft solids the week after that. I am almost three weeks post-op and have had chicken and shrimp. Now is saying that, I cut the pieces I am going to eat into the size of about a fourth of a dime and chew the heck out of it. All has gone down just fine, and I have not vomited ever. I also find it strange how every surgeon has a different pre-op diet. My doctor had a very strict 7 day pre-op diet, and I have read on here that many bandsters had no pre-op diet. Go figure....just proof again that all doctors are different.

I was banded at the beginning of December. I have not been on any roller coasters since being banded so I can't help you there. However I can tell you how a straw effects me. Before banding I ALWAYS drank with a straw. Now I RARELY use one! I used one the first few days after being banded, and it was not for me! I would take too big of drinks and then would feel pain and would have to burp. Once I burped I felt better. So to help me learn to take smaller drinks I used a sippy cup the first week after surgery. Playtex has one that looks like a travel coffee mug that I bought at Wal-Mart. When I go out to eat now, I don's use a straw. I tend to take too big of drinks with a straw, plus I was so accustom to using a straw that I would revert back to how I used to drink. So now taking out the straw and drinking straight out of the cup helps me remember to take small drinks. Hope that helps you a little :smile:.

Good luck with your surgery!!! I was banded almost three weeks ago, and it is the best decision I have ever made! Happy Holidays!

Hello Tracie! I am doing great. I do not feel restriction either, at least I don't think I do. Along with that I need to add that I also do not feel hunger the way I used to, not sure if it is the placement of the band or what. I feel a bunch of grumbling and gurgling at times that I feel I should eat. I can eat much more than I thought I would be able to, but in saying that I eat MAYBE 1/4 of what I used to eat. So to me it is all good. I eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food per meal....which is not much at all. Somedays I can get in a little more, somedays a little less....it all depends on what I am eating. Since my preop diet I am 22 lbs down, I know that is not as much as some, but it makes me happy. I have lost something each week, and that is my goal. My next thing I am trying to tackle is exercise! I need to start but am still sore in my port area, and still have a few stitches on the edge of my incisions. I still have not scheduled my first fill, I feel I need to wait on that because I am not completely healed yet. Plus I am doing OK with the weight loss right now. How are things going for you?