Cindy C

You're 48 years old and have well over 30 years surgical experience? Exactly how many years before your 18th birthday did you start??????? I got my ADN in 1980. I went back to school 10 years later and got my BSN. I don't know who you think your snowing but its getting pretty deep!!

How long have you been going to your PCP? I completely bypassed the 6 month diet. I've had the same doctor for many years. I made an appt and told him I needed a letter from him stating I had dieted in the past. I had the letter the next day and surgery the next week.

In what capacity were you in the OR? According to your profile, you work in oncology. What does cancer have to do with bariatrics? I know what my medical background is. Just wondering about yours. So, I think I'll follow njgirl32's advise and....

I had a garage sale this weekend. Started out with 13 boxes of clothes. 1X-4X. Sold a whole 4 pr of size 22 jeans! Fat or thin, I've always been kind of a diva and there are some beautiful clothes out there. Some of them have never even been worn. Unfortunately, every time a car pulled into my driveway, skinny people climbed out! I kept praying "please be a large woman or even a big old drag queen!" But no luck! Anyway, if anybody lives in the Detroit area and wants them, let me know. Otherwise it's all going to the Goodwill box Monday!

You are very early in your journey. You need to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need. At this point the calories will take care of themselves.

Congrats and good luck.

I'm sure you've seen posts in here about people coming off meds after their surgeries. Anti-depressants are no different. You'll find that as the weight comes off and the energy level goes up you won't need them anymore. You have to go into this process understanding you will no longer be eating the foods you have loved all your life. Just remember...those are the foods that got you into this in the first place and nothing tastes as good as being thin feels! It's not that you'll never be able to have pizza, chocolate, french fries...whatever your weakness is...ever again. They will just be an occasional treat which will make you appreciate them even more. Find something non food related to focus on. Being a lifelong sports fan, I have totally submerged myself in my beloved Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. Find something you can be passionate about and focus on that instead of food.

Honestly, I had absolutely no appetite the first month or so after surgery. And I only took 3 days off before returning to work at a high energy job. I don't really recommend that for anyone else, but being in the medical field myself, I was totally prepared both physically and mentally for the surgery and changes I was undertaking.

What a great site. I'm gonna bookmark it. Since the kids moved out it's just me and the dogs....I never cook anymore. This will come in very handy! Thank you. I use Allergan's website for tracking calories in and burned. Lost 8 lbs since I started 2 1/2 weeks ago. https://www.lapband.com register for my lapband journey.

The more I read, the more I think you may be right! I hate the idea of people coming here looking for help and getting misinformation!

I know exactly where your at. I lost 110 lbs the first year. It's been very slow ever since...about a pound a month. I went to lap band support group last month. There was a rep there from allergan. They introduced me to their web site. http://www.lapband.com/en/home/ You can track your intake, exercise etc. I started using it the next day and poof...8 lbs lost in 2 weeks and going strong. 17 lbs to go. Good luck!

Who on earth told you that? Under normal conditions triglycerides (fat) occupy 5% of the liver. However, obesity (along with alcoholism, steroid use, diabetes and a few other conditions) causes that concentration to go up resulting in fatty infiltration of the liver. As much as we believe that the first place we lose weight is in our boobs its simply not true. The first place we lose fat is in the liver. Losing a few pounds pre-op is very important. It makes the surgery much easier for the doctor resulting in fewer complications for you.

Rachel, after a first fill you're not likely to be too tight. If you are you will certainly know it within a couple days. I would go ahead and get the fill. Have a great time on your cruise!

Being the huge baseball fan that I am my first impulse is to say GO TO THE GAME! But after I saw where you lived and checked the schedule, I'm assuming its a Twins/Angels game! With the way the Angels are playing this year and the problems your M and M boys are having, your team is probably going to lose anyway!!! LOL. Seriously though, You should either push your surgery back a week or skip the trip. One week isn't really going to make a difference!

You haven't lost a lot of weight??? Are you kidding? You're over halfway to goal in 8 months!! That's GREAT!!!! Keep up the good work and congrats on getting off the meds!!

Sounds to me like you're too tight. You're probably in the dreaded red zone. You need to get some liquid removed. Green is the key. Eating 600-800 calories a day will help you lose weight for a week or so but after that your body is going to start holding on to every one of them because it thinks its being starved!

You should ask your Vegas doctor to recommend someone.

It's nothing...just an insurance technicality! 30 minutes with a psychologist to make sure you understand what you're doing and that you can handle it!

It'll be fine. I didn't quit before or after.

1. You're probably drinking too fast. 2. As you can tolerate it. 3. A couple weeks maybe. 4. There is still swelling from your surgery. It will pass. 5. There's really no chance of your body rejecting the band. It's not like an organ transplant. Good luck!

To look at me you would think that I'm the most confident person you ever met. But let me tell you, it's just an act. That little fat girl is alive and well and living in the back of my mind every single day. She never lets me forget the 40+ years that she was in control. It's ok though...she keeps me humble and keeps my compassion for others alive.

3 years out and I still get that port area pain if I over eat! It's normal!

Bailey, on those days when you don't know what to do you are more than welcome to come over and clean my house!!!!

Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. If you use it the way it is intended to be used, you will lose all the weight you need!

Hey, Kitten. I'm 51 and was banded almost 3 years ago. 17 lbs to goal!! I'd be glad to help you through. I don't live in New York. I live in Detroit. Drop me an email. Cindy ps....I hope you're not a Yankees fan! lol