allie4908

It's so hard for me to believe that I have lost all of the weight because it happened so fast. Granted, I did hire a personal trainer for the first 3 months after surgery and was VERY strict with my diet (I always ate a minimum of 60grams of protein everyday and kept a journal). I now run over 3 miles every day and bike to work, the gym, and friend's houses. I am extremely active, but in my mind I am still overweight- it is crazy! I don't think I'm fat when I look in the mirror, but when I think about myself in my mind I just can't see anyone but who I was for so long. I was too scared to wear a bikini at the beach a week ago (where my current pic was taken) even though I probably could have. I am thinking that in time I will start to really look at myself as thin, that for now I will just have to keep telling myself that I look amazing and I AM a healthy weighted individual- for once! It's just so hard for me to believe- i must be crazy!

thank you everyone for your kind words I wish all of you the best!!

It's most likely because its cheaper to use CO2 for the surgeons, which makes their cost less as well as ours/insurances. However, I'm not sure where this rumor started that the gasses used cause the shoulder pain that SOME (not all) individuals feel. It is not true at all. Actually, the reason we have shoulder pain is because when we have the lap band surgery (or any abdominal area/reproductive area surgery) performed, our stomach swells which irritates our diaphram. Our diaphram also swells somewhat from the irritation and pressure, which causes it to contract and expand. When it does this, it pinches a nerve that directly effects one or both shoulders. There really is no cure for it, if your pain goes away it is becuase your diaphram has relaxed. You can TRY to take deep, slow breaths to prevent your diaphram from contracting and expanding so much, but theres no guarantee it will help. I was banded on the 25th of this month and I had REALLY bad shoulder pains in my right shoulder. It sucked!! But you just have to deal with it.. :wink2:

Hey guys I'm getting banding tomorrow morning!! Exciting, but I'm starting to have major doubts... but I think its just anxiety about having surgery.. I've never had any surgery or anasthesia before. Anyways, I'm really freaking out over eating habits. I'm worried that after this surgery I'm going to eat less, but still eat CRAP all the time. I'm a college student and I really don't know how to cook, but I am very aware of what is healthy and what is not. How do you guys get over cravings?? How do you cook at first? What do you puree thats healthy and won't sabatoge you in the mushy phase? How do you restrict your carbs?! I'm a complete carb addict and I'm worried that even if I cook my own foods, if I have carbs all the time I will yet again be a failure at weight loss. Any tips, references, or books to get my mind prepared to not sabatoge myself?

Thanks for your advice! I too have my own shelf (for the pre-op liquid diet I got tons of 0 cal 0 carb drinks). I think you are also right about planning... maybe once I get to the mushy phase and real food phase I will just cook my food ahead of time and have it in the fridge for a few days... My doctors are telling me I will be eating 80-100grams of Protein everyday for the rest of my life... so basically protein at every meal. They said to have one 4 oz serving of protein and one 4 oz serving of veggies. OR one 4 oz serving of protein, and one 2 oz serving of veggies and 2 oz of starch (and they consider fruit a starch). for everyyyyy meal. It seems easy and straightforward, but when it comes to applying it and cooking I become overwhelmed... and I'm just thinking about it! I will have to take it one day at a time I guess and get a recipe book I'm worried I will get bored with the structure of my meals... hardliy any carbs, ever. But I guess thats life! You gotta suck it up and do it to be successful, right?

That sounds yummy! Just be careful with slimfast! My nutritionist is very against it and won't let me near it because of the high carbs and sugars (compared to other protein shakes).

I am on a very strict pre-op diet for my lap band. It consists of 500-700 calories a day of 5 Protein shakes and 2 cups of chicken broth. My Protein Shakes must be the muscle building kind and I cannot go over 20g of carbs a day... for 2 WEEKS. So I've been doing this pure liquid diet for 6 days now... I've been moody, mean, angry, irritated, etc. and I just feel horrible for my boyfriend (who really hates me right now)! Anyways, my BMI is 40.. I'm definiately overweight but before this pre-op diet I ate healthy... just my portions were too big. I would eat 2 salads a day, never ordered food or got fast food, etc. Anyways, i CHEATED tonight because I went crazy and felt like I was going to die if I didn't eat anything... Now I'm freaking out that I'm going to go into surgery and my liver will be too fatty and they won't be able to band me! I'm self pay so I CAN'T afford for this to happen!!! Any advice?! I feel like such a failure! What are you supposed to do when you are ravaging after 6 days of 500 calories??

Hi guys I have a question. I have not yet been banded, but I am in the very beginning steps of the process. I have been spending countless hours reading and researching about the lap band and realize band and am attending my seminar next Wednesday. I have an appointment to see a surgeon the week after. Anyways, I have a question regarding past depression. A year ago, I was suffering from a severe major depressive episode. I have always had small depression bouts that would last a month and go away, but this was serious. I dropped out of school (I'm a college student), I didn't have a job, I stopped hanging out with my friends, and I basically shut myself out from society entirely because of my depression. I made it worse by shutting myself out though and deciding to take a semester off. In January, I had a suicide attempt that landed me in the ICU for a week and the hospital for another week. Immediately following the incident, I realized how many people in my life care about me immensely and how clouded my mind was for not seeking out help and just talking to friends and family. It was a rough few months recovering, but my parents were extremely supportive and my friends had missed me so much and loved having me back in their life again. I saw a pychiatrist for awhile, who got me back on my feet. I started working out everyday to release endorphins and naturally get my brain feeling better. I take St. John's Wort because antidepressants gave me bad side effects- and it works amaingly, to my initial disbelief! I started eating healthier and immediately realized how much healthy foods can affect your mental health- no matter what your weight! I currently have a personal trainer and am still working out everyday and running 2 miles every night. I feel so much better and it is amazing how much transformation can occur in such a short period of time (8 months seems like nothing to me!). However, I am struggling with weight loss and my BMI is 41. I have tried doctor prescribed (weight loss doctor in Washington DC) Protein, liquid diets. I have been doing personal training for 6 months now. I started eating solids again (I am completely vegan, except for egg whites and only get my carbs from fruits, veggies, and one pieceo of whole wheat toast in the morning) and limited my portions to only an amount that can fit in the palm of my hand... with no luck. So, I have begun the process to figure out if the lapband is for me! My main concern though is that although I am emotionally stable now, my surgeon or the psychiatrist I have to see will not agree. I did go through something very serious and I am worried they will think this is too soon or too much to go through. The reason I am stressing out is because I just turned 23 years old and will be kicked off my parent's insurance this December. (For those of you who are wondering that is too soon to set up surgery from now anyways- apparently, my surgeon's office said I will be able to get all of my doctor, endocrinologist, psychologist, and nutritionist appointments in on time and will be able to have my surgery before the end of the year). Once my mom's insurance runs out, I will be out of luck. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Am I overanalyzing this or do I have a valid reason to be stressing?