juliegeraci

Welcome to lapband talk forum. I've been banded 10 months and I'm down 52 lbs and 2 sizes. I am considered an average loser at 1 lb a week. Its been a long journey but truthfully the first 50 lb was easy. Now I am having more difficulty taking off the extra 50. I've had to bump up my exercise quite a bit. Julie

I agree with Alexandra. I also think a lot of doctors in the US prefer high BMIs. You can always go to Mexico to have it done otherwise.

2 weeks liquids, 1-2 weeks mushies, then solids. You will be able to eat cornbread dressing on the mushie stage. Hope this helps. Julie

I find it as a tool. Plain and simple. I still need to count calories, drink my water and exercise. Obesity is a disease that while managed through diet and exercise is not curable. Good luck with your decision. I find the lapband to be wonderful. Julie

You're welcome. Keep this in mind when you are eating. There are sensors at the top of your stomach. When the pouch fills up it will send the full signals to your brain. That takes a few minutes. Eating slow is what you want to do. Small bites of meat the size of a pencil eraser is what you want. If you are eating more than 1/2-3/4 cup of food at once you need a fill. I can only eat 1/2. Julie

What a joke. Wonder what her surgeon would say!?

Send in a copy of your 1040. They need it to validate what you owe. Julie

Do you need a fill? I would think you might. Good luck.

Welcome to lapband talk forum. You are still swollen. YOu will be fine in a couple weeks. Hope you enjoy your journey.

Hi Angel, I am 10 months post op and doing really well. I'm down 52 lbs and 2 sizes. I feel great. Welcome to the forum. Julie

I love being banded. I've gone down 2 sizes in 10 months. I'm down 52 lbs so far. The think I like about being banded is I still enjoy all my favorite foods just less of them. I eat about 1k calories a day. I exercise 3x a week at least 20 minutes of cardio. I am considered an average loser at 1 lb per week. It all adds up though. Good luck with your journey. I would do it again in a heart beat. Julie

I was told by my bariatric nurse that you can drink up until the time you eat. Then you want to stir clear after you eat by 30 minutes.

I heard that they don't affect metal detectors. I am flying on Monday as well.

bkwalling, how much is the fill doctor out of pocket? I pay $200 per fill. It will all work out. Don't eat around the stress. You just need a fill. Good luck. Julie

I use GNC's shakes. They run about $40 for the cannister but I believe it is 100 meals so that is 40 cents a meal. They have 25 grams of protein.

The only food I have problems with is if the chicken is too dry. I need to make sure its moist.

Sometimes it takes you about a week to understand how the fill really is. Try and wait a few days. Julie

Sounds like you might be too tight. I would wait a few days and see if the swelling goes down. Sometimes it take a week for a fill to be just right. Julie

Lindsay, I'll never forget my first fill. It really helped take the hunger edge off. Don't be surprised however if you lose your restriction fairly quickly. It typically takes a few fills to get to optimal fill level and good restriction. It took me 5 fills and 8 months to get there. Hang in there. Julie

Yes, you can enjoy those foods again, but once you have restriction you will not be able to eat much of it. I can only eat 1/4 to 1/2 of a small hamburger and a few fries. If I buy a bigger burger like a double cheeseburger I can only take about 3 bites. I am at perfect restriction though. Julie

Marie, I love being banded. You need to know however that the weight loss isn't as fast as bypass. That being said I have lost about 52 lbs since last June. Some lapbanders have lost 70-100 in the same amount of time. I guess it depends on how much you exercise and how much you have to lose. I really like the band because it helps me with restriction. I make healthy food choices and I lose consistently 1 lb per week. Good luck and keep the faith. Julie

Hi Chuck, congrats to the both of you for being banded. If your doctor allows protein shakes I would definitely try and drink a couple a day. I use GNCs protein shakes and they have 25 grams of protein for 250 calories. Hope this helps. Good luck. Julie

Brittany, congtrats on your weight loss to date. Keep up the good work.

Paula, no worries you will be fine. I just went to an amusement park the other day and enjoyed all the rides. My port site didn't matter. I couldn't feel it. One was even upside down! Have fun. Julie

To be honest with you I am totally pissed off at myself on how lazy I have become. Actually I have been this way for a long time. I walked 3 times last week but I gained back what I lost just by eating a little more. Today I woke up so pissed off I went to Curves for the first time since December. I guess the moral to the story is, it just depends on how bad you want it. Julie