Latinred71

What a relief! I am so glad to hear that there are others out there like me. I thought I may be the record holder for biggest person to get banded! LOL Thanks to the band, this is the first year since Biggest Loser started that there was actually someone bigger than me on that show. BTW I have lost (I think, cuz I can't weigh myself everyday) around 60 pounds since I started my journey. I am still trying to find my way "nutritionally". Thanks for the replies and if anyone would like to email me directly, my email address is Latinred71@yahoo.com. Take care, I wish you many blessings and much success!

OH YEAH! I completely forgot about Soda! I have not had it since October of 2008. I mean like REALLY had it. A big gulp of it. I have had a sip of it every now n then. But, I do not get any enjoyment out of it anymore. The gas is very painful and makes me want to throw up. I have heard stories of people still drinking it but after they leave it open and the fizz is gone. Why would you do that? What is the point? LOL

My starting weight was 482, my goal weight is 222. I am 5'11" tall and I don't want to lose my curves..:smile:. My question is: How many of you weighed near 500 pounds before LapBand/RealizeBand surgery? I always get the question, "Why didn't you just have gastric bypass, you have so much weight to lose?". My answer was simple. I wanted to lose it slowly to avoid pounds and pounds of hideous baggy skin. However, I have never seen anyone my size with a band always gastric bypass. So, am I the only one? Please let me know as I would like to talk to you. 260 pounds to lose is quite overwhelming. Thanks!

I had my surgery in February of this year. I have lost about 60 pounds. At first I was able to eat pretty much anything, but now, after 4 fills, I have more restriction. Potatoes are off limits unless mashed. Bread is complicated. Toast works, dry toasted breads for sandwiches, dry crumbly biscuits. If the bread is bulky and soft, it will make you puke no matter how much you chew it. Fries are a thing of the past....:smile:. meats are also complicated. In this case, the drier they are, the more difficult it is to eat. I have become the queen of ordering hamburger steaks...LOL. Basically, ordering hamburgers in restaurants with no bun or veggies on it. (Ruby Tuesday is my favorite because their mashed potatoes are easily tolerated). Speaking of Ruby Tuesday, I have not found anything on their salad bar that is difficult to eat. The key is to take small bites, chew everything to oblivion, and DO NOT DRINK WITH MEALS. In fact, if you come across a food that is not going through the band, your natural instinct is to drink something to help it go down. This is very bad! It will cause more pain and discomfort. I am glad I got the surgery and it has helped me to put things into perspective. I used to be a mindless eater...now I am a mindful eater. This was worth it and I recommend the surgery for anyone who is at least 100 pounds overweight.

I got my date set for Feb 4th and I have to start my liquid diet tomorrow (Jan 15). I am wayyyy overweight so I understand the request. However, I am having anxiety issues because of the length. I was told 60 grs. of protein a day, Crystal light, Low sodium broths, Sugar Free Jello, Sugar Free popcicles, Sugar Free Carnation Instant Breakfast with some blended banana, Protein shakes.

I am new to this site. I have my approval from my insurance company, had my nutritional eval, psych eval and an upper GI. Everything is a go except for the Nutritionist and Psychiatrist are "counseling" me to get my eating habits under control before surgery. They are holding it up, basically. They want me to lose 45 pounds before surgery. Kind of an oxymoron. :cool: I weigh 475 pounds and I am 5' 11" tall. I would like to know if anyone else is as big as I am. I have a goal weight of 250 (realistic). Do you think that this is feasible? Any words of advice will be appreciated. Thank you.