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You have to stop smoking before surgery.............they are strick about that. They want you to be healthy all the way around.........and they will test your blood for nicotine before suregery. You can do it though!! Just start working on it now!!

I used to think it was a cope out until I realized how hard it is to even get approved for surgery!! This is NOT the easy way out for sure. This is hard and takes alot of energy and commitment...............I was wrong to think that WLS was a cope out I realize that now. I debated alot about getting surgery for over a year. I didn't ask for a referral until I was good and ready to go through with it............I am stubborn that way..........but this is the first time in years I have lost more than 25 pounds ................I like the structure and the guidelines and I am LOVING my band!!!

I say show your husband the site..........we have nothing to hide!! LOL. Nicole: I got stuck on a tiny piece of bread...........it hurt like crazy for a couple of hours. I could feel it going down.........ah I gave in and drank some water but still didn't help!! So sorry but so glad you have restriction. Candy: My first fill is May 28, 2009 6 weeks and 4 days out. I think it is about right!!

Good Luck ladies with orientation!! I had my orientation in December of 2008 and was banded three weeks ago!! Happy with my decision. Make sure to dress "heavy" for your first appointment as this is your starting weight. Don't let Liz scare you off she really is not all that bad!!

Hey Candy You must be feeling a bit better!! Ah your doing great Candy!! I didn't last on 1/4 the second week.......I did 1/3 for awhile. But I think I must be close to 1/2 now. I feel like I can eat anything.......but really if I eat more than a few bites of something I start to feel it..................But I sure can eat more now than in the beginning. Candy when do you go back for a fill??

size 22 ...........ah nope!! LOL. But I did notice Nicole that you wore your jacket most of the day until the very end. I wonder if that is because you still getting used to your new body. With it on you can't see the weight loose as much. When you took it off...........OMG I was shocked on small youv'e gotten!! Take your jacket off girl!!! Show off a little!!! I can't wait to get down 67 pounds............

I am three weeks post op and I would NEVER even consider going to Disneyland at this point!! I am still fatigued and sore........the liquid diet, at least what I am, has tired me out on top of the trauma of surgery. Oh I can't even imagine being at Disneyland at this point!! I am driving and going back to work on MOnday but I am gonna take it slow........... Hmmm..........I agree reschedule the surgery for a week AFTER. I did that I put surgery out a month so I could go to Africa for three weeks than had surgery when I got back.....

Ah the exercise probably increases your muscle mass and muscle weighs more than fat..............so you get smaller but the scale stays the same. Girl last time I saw you you were looking skinny!!

Hey Candy how much did you weigh at surgery? So how much are you down since surgery? I lost 11 really quick. But sadly nothing now for two weeks. I don't know why but I heard 1/4 to 1/2 cup too..........I went to orientation in December of 2008. You know maybe Liz and Robin updated us at my pre op appointment about the change. I rotated between 1/4 and 1/2 depending on how hungry I was. NICOLE: Hmmm.........you know I probably should not be at the gym yet. I am still sore but I am on a plateau and feel like a bit of exercise would fix that. I did eat closer to 900 calories today on purpose to see if that helps. I can't belive only two pounds in two weeks................and I am eating so little and so healthy!!

Oh Nicole I don't want you to move but that's life I guess!! So Dr. Baggs is ok with the excercise? I signed back up today for for the gym around the corner. I feel like I can at least fast walk now..............Would love to do weights again I have that all at home but I am afraid cause the port hurts and looks like it could open back up still. I think the weights might help so I won't get all the loose skin. 5.8 girl that is really good..........you should feel something now!! That is more than half full. Dr. Baggs told me that average was 3cc's so your band had a bit more...........will be interested to see what mine has!! Than another 1cc in 6 weeks...........so up to 6.8.......than .5 every month? six weeks? ...........wow that goes up fast. So you feel the band again now? or just when they filled it up? Funny about him saying it was prefectly placed!! I hope mine is too!! I can feel mine through my skin. My port is still swollen because when I stand sideways only that part of my stomach bulges............way out. WHen I touch it is squishy!!! This group has been a lifesaver for me!! I need to go back to work I have been getting bored the last couple of days!!

Ah the nutrionist at Kaiser Richmond is tiny too and fresh out of college............not alot of life experience that I can tell!! Nicole I wonder what they were saying about Liz!! Oh dear I can just imagine..............Liz has always been ok to me but I just talk back to her the same way she talks to me...........LOL..........firmly and will a loud voice!!! Seriously though she was ok to me.............

My PCP wanted me to go on weight loss medication...........I told her no just fill out the bariatrics referral. I told her "been there and done that" .........I also told her I am 37 years old now I don't have time to play around with my health anymore..........funny this is when I went back for my check up two weeks ago she seemed happy with my weigh loss regardless of how I got there..................took me off my BP meds..........she was shocked I followed through. I am guessing alot of people ask for the referral but don't follow through with it.................. I had to insist on the referral but I am so glad I did!! I can't believe I only got my referral on DEcember 3, 2008.................I have come a long ways since them. Seems like a lifetime ago..............

Oh Zoe if you haven't gone to orientation don't start the 1200 diet yet.................when is your orientation? REGGIE: how long are you taking off to recover?

Zoe. I agree check out the lap band site. In fact I was just on there again last night checking out the post op stuff.............. Kaiser has lap band and RNY. It is good to have an idea what you want before hand. We have people on here doing both. I researched lap band for a year before I asked for the referral. I knew I needed to do something different my BMI was 42 but I was having so many health problems and was missing work alot. I fought the surgery and gave weight watchers one last try last summer.......but by October I knew I was headed to bariatrics. By the time I went to orientation I knew I was going through with it..............I didn't walk into this without alot of debating and researching first. Richmond Bariatrics is great!! I liked everyone and Dr. Baggs is the best!! The psych appointment is a breeze!! Seriously no worries. Worry more about the weigh ins that is the stressful part of the program and sticking to the 1200 diet. I weighed 260 less than 7 months ago. I am so glad Kaiser had me on the 1200 calorie diet................between that and surgery I am feeling so, so, so much better less than a year out..............I know it only get better. For me I am so glad I did this. I would do it again in a minute!! Worth all the time, stress and yep the pain of surgery!! I still have stuff to work on and I worry about my ability to pull it off sometimes...........but I love my band!! AP bands are the BEST!!! So glad Kaiser is using them!!!

Thanks Nicole. So you went at 9:30am and the appointment was at 4:30pm?? Oh dear.........my apointment is scheduled for 2pm but the front desk said to be there at 9am anyway. I hope they have it all figured out by than. Excited to see the new office........... So Dr. Baggs was happy with your weight loss? I have only lost 11 pounds. I hope to add to that a bit but I am hoping they don't expect miracles............. Nicole when you get some time could you tell me how much of a fill you got? And also if you can feel some restriction now? Are you back on liquids for a few days? Ok, ok...........I just like to be prepared before my turn. Zoe my doctor didn't want to refer me. I had to think about it for a month and go back. The second time I had done all my research and had even called and got the criteria from Kaiser as to who qualifies. I just handed it all the my PCP and she looked at me and said your serious and I told her I was and she hesitated but stated she would do it!! That was the end of that. Once I got to bariatrics they were very accepting of me wanting the surgery..............My PCP still doesn't know much about lap band but I am education her!! LOl Reggie: You got a picture posted!!! Yea. Girl you are beautiful just like they said!! I also heard your from Africa we should talk. I just got back from Africa and I am so in love with that it now.............I plan to go back again!! Loved, loved, loved africa.............worth delaying my surgery for a month to go. Candy: I made thick soups, potatoe and broccoli that really filled me up. I had to use the food processer to get them smooth but they saved me. I had to forget the yogurts and puddings and anything cold and............well for me only soup worked to fill me up and it had to be hot for me to feel full. Now I am eating alot of ground up soy veggie meat and tufo stuff and ground up eggs.(gross I know if your not vegetarian).........but I am wanting to go back to soups. I miss those...........I know they are slider food so I am trying to stay away.........I don't really like this stage. I feel like I am ready for mushies and softs now. Weird thing too.........the first week I definetely could feel my band. Didn't hurt but I could feel it...........now I can't feel a thing. I feel the port and I get full pretty quick.........my port aches when I eat to fast...........but I agree with Nicole hard to believe I have a band in there!! LOL Nicole: if your mom moves what will you guys do? Stay in Sacramento or move with her? I guess that depends on Mike and the new job? Hope it all works out!!

Reggie I hear ya girl!! I was so nervous and busy at work before surgery I didn't eat much and lost 5 more pounds!! But now after......that head hunger is a killer that has got to be the most frustrating part of all of this for me!! I think I need to eat when I am not even hungry than have to argue myself out of it!! Tires me out.............LOL!! I know you can do this you are so, so close now!!!

Go to 1/3 cup you will be fine, Candy. I had to do that as well. I know what your saying about the food commercials. That first week I was mad because I couldn't eat. I was mad at myself and the TV........I kept thinking if only you had controlled yourself you would not have needed this band.....I was just sorta mad about the whole thing and feeling sorry for myself I could not eat anymore. Thinking I didn't need to band than yes I do..............Again I didn't like the first week much..........you all know that!! Now almost four weeks out I am fine again. Commercials don't bother me. I realize now that I am on mushies I can eat just not as much......still waiting for my salad though. And darn it I still would like a diet coke................but I feel more positive about the whole thing. I go back to work on Monday and everyone Snacks and eats out. I am wondering how I will fit back it. It will be interesting to see. I haven't told anyone and so I just want to blend back in. I have lost 15 pounds since I was last at work so I figure that might be an issue but hey surgery is stressful right makes you lose weight!! LOL I am stuck now at 217. But like Candy noticed my body is changing shape anyway. So I guess it is all good. Sorry to say but I am getting smaller and smaller on top and not losing on my lower half..........but that is how I gained it bottom to top!! I hope I even out soon!! Nicole tells us what it is like..............:-)

Today is the day Nicole. Let me know how it goes!! Candy I hope today is better for you!!

Ah Candy my stomach is still bloated.............or maybe just fat still!! Seems like it takes awhile for the swelling to go down. My port is really swollen still and sorta puffs out ..............I am trying to drink more water to get rid of the bloat!!

Ah Christine so glad to see you online...........makes sense what Dr. Baggs said about the period. I was a perfect example. So maybe the next time I will be back to normal. I wish I would have known that before I stressed a bit about it!! So many questions I wish I would have asked him beforehand. I was just too loopy from the morphine the day of surgery.............like don't use the heating pad to much I was clueless on alot of things right off!! Thanks to Christine and Nicole who helped me out with all the information...........especially that first "sucky" week!!

WHat Chat Donna............on here? I might join in if I know where. CANDY: Donna is so right the heating pad saved me. I still sleep with it on my port every night. Oh yea gotta try the heating pad it was my security blanket against the pain...........oh well it still is!! Just don't use it to much in the beginning.........doctors orders!! LOL. Same here if you need anything or just to talk call me as well. I emailed me phone number to you. Reggie: Same for you if you need anything before or after surgery let me know!! I can forward my phone number to you!! Nicole: Your going for your fill tomorrow right??

I heard that they will do surgery even if your on your period but that you get to wear your underwear if your having your period otherwise you get to go commando...............LOL. Someone from Kaiser had that happen and they had to explain it to the nurse and surgeon so they could keep their underwear!! Who is your doctor again Reggie? Are you Dr. Baggs too?

No spasms for me...........but I get cramps if I drink to fast on my left side..............or eat to fast. Reggie you will be fine!! The first week is intense but not undoable. I am just so glad I did it and that the surgery part of it is over now!! Reggie how many days now?? ZOE: Welcome stick around this is a great group and a great thread!! Join us!!

Candy so glad to hear from you. I know, I know, I know..........the first week I wasn't sure I wanted a band anymore, but there it was inside of me already!! I didn't enjoy that first week at all. Once I got to full liqiuds things got better faster. I started to feel better. Everyday gets better and better. Hard to see it now but at 3 weeks out I am 1000% better.................everyday was a huge improvement for me. It gets easier and easier!! My period also came early and lasted twice as long. Most painful and annoying period I have had. But it got me thinking about what Liz said about fertility going sky high once you lose some weight..............My period has never been regular and never lasted more than 1 1/2 days...............I had my period for 8 days.............ah no thank you..........that has not happened since I was in my teens. I am sure it has something to do with my weight loss and and surgery...............interesting...(TMI I know, I know but we all know each other pretty well now!!)

Hey Nicole asked someone at work and we decided that wanting constant change all the time is "chaos addiction"!! And than we decided to add shopping addictions or retail therapy to the list..............which I most certainly have!! The thing is when you talk about addictions in an office of addiction workers we can turn anything into an addiction!! So don't take it all to seriously................ People are people. There is no one without issues.........we all have something going on. Even the little skinny girls who might be taking meth to be that way.............oh dear did I just say that?? Of course not all skinnypeople are on drugs..........I know that but sometimes I wonder if that is how the other half lives!!! Ok, ok............where I work most of the skinny girls/clients are on meth and use it .........according them...........as a form of weight management!! And let me tell you it works, problem is it doesn't stop working and most of them end up looking like they are being eaten alive from the inside out!! Formaldyhead and embalming Fluid will to that to ya!! Using meth to get skinny is another whole topic about wanting to be thin in our society..............just I will take surgery anyday over bad teeth and the jitters and skeletal good looks!! LOL. Gotta run ladies...........