MiniMandy

I live in NW Houston and would love to meet you all next time you get together!

:clap2: May Band Crew September Challenge!!!!!!!!!! Current Weight: 250 lbs Goal Weight by 9/13: 220 (-30 pounds to make it an even -50)!

I am 26 and a school teacher, never married, no kids...not as active as I would like to be. I have been big pretty much since I was about 10 or 11, before that I was a normal-sized kid. I was about 230 when I graduated high school in 1998. Went up and down throughout college between 200-225. Got down as low as 165 back in 2002, but that was after some really bad things happened in my life and my health was not a priority...looked hot though , but I would never do those things to myself again. Graduated college at 222 and went to Italy looking decent, but fat. Since I started teaching 3 years ago I have steadily gained and grown more and more unhappy with my body...I was starting to feel physically uncomfortable and getting depressed. I started trying to get approved for my band in Janunary 2005 and began the insurance paperwork nightmare...never got anywhere...apparently 270 lbs on a 5'2" frame isn't obese enough :eek: . So I decided to take charge and self-pay and it was the best decision of my life. I got my band on May 31st...so far I have lost exactly 15 lbs. since surgery and 5 lbs. pre-op for a total of 20. I was looking back at my doctor records that I collected when I was trying to get my insurance to pay (yeah right !! ) and I realized something...I am now back to my weight from a year ago...I have erased an entire year in 3 1/2 weeks!! I am very motivated by the stories here on LBT..even the horror stories give me new fuel. I know that I could be doing even better if I could get my exercise and Water intake up where it should be...even so, I know this was the right thing to do and I can already see results. Thank you to the original poster for starting this thread!!! Congratulations and good luck to all of us!!! :clap2:

I am really really frustrated right now. It has been a little over two weeks since my surgery and physically I am feeling good. I have even lost about 10 pounds since surgery and my clothes fit great...but I checked in with my doctor's office and I feel like I just got chastised for what I have been doing so far. Dr. Spivak recommends liquids for only 2 days and then straight to soft and semi-solid foods (cooked veggies, fish, etc...). But I have noticed that almost everyone else here is on liquids for several weeks and honestly, that is what I am comfortable with right now...I guess this leads into my phobia -- I think I am scared to eat solids. I don't really know why. I have not PB'd yet, but I know I eventually will so I don't think that is it. I definitelt don't want to PB in public so I try new things at home. I have eaten a little bit of fish two or three times, but I would much rather have my Soups and Protein shakes so that is what I have been doing. Basically my doctor's office said this: get off the liquids, no soups or mashed potatoes or Beans or any of the stuff I have been eating. They want me on cooked veggies and fish ONLY with the exception that I can still drink a shake for Breakfast since I have never been able to eat in the mornings. They said try 1/4 cup of veggies at a time and 1oz. fish at a time. Oh, and they jumped on me about calories because they said I am not getting enough. I was told that I need at least 800 calories a day in order to lose weight and I have been getting significantly less than that...not on purpose, it's just all I can eat right now. I HATE counting calories and I thought I wouldn't have to with my band...but now I am having to count calories from the opposite end to make sure I am getting enough...and I have to make sure I am eating often enough....I really don't feel hungry yet so if I am having a busy day I can easily forget to eat for 6-7 hours at a time and essentially end up skipping meals. What do I do now? I paid way too much money and have wanted this for way too long to screw it up. I don't want to have to set timers for myself to remmber to eat, but if I have to I will. And I am bad at counting the calories, but I have heard several of you mention a website that tracks calories for you...I think it was fitday.com...and I can try that. As for my phobia of transitioning from liquids to solids...and advice? Do I really have to make the switch this soon? When did you make the switcth...or when are you planning to? I am scheduled for my first fill on July 10th. :help:

I was banded on May 31st and about 3 days after surgery the gas pain in my shoulder set in...it started on a Saturday...the pain was pretty bad for about 48 hours and then started gradually subsiding. It also felt like it was moving higher up my shoulder toward my neck as each day passed. By the next Tuesday morning I could still feel it in my shoulder and it hurt a little, but I was functional and could do pretty much anything. All in all the painful part lasted about 3-4 days straight and then it just kept fading away until it was gone and I didn't notice it anymore. The gas-x had no effect on it. I didn't try a heating pad but I hear that works. Walking and rotating your arm helped me some, but mostly just laying flat on my back w/out a pillow relieved the pressure enough so I could sleep. I hope this helps...hang in there!!

Kabeerah - Congratulations on your fantastic success. Your story is inspiring!! :clap2:

Diane - I am sorry to hear that you are still in pain. You are in my prayers...it will get better soon.

I posted this over on the old thread, but then I realized that we had moved so I am posting it here just in case...sorry to be repetitive, but I made myself look stupid and I felt the need to clear it up. Again, THANK YOU for all the support!! Mandy Quote: Originally Posted by MiniMandy I am drinking the Atkin's Protein shakes for Breakfast (1/2 a shake at a time) and trying to have a Soup or "full-solid" for lunch each day...usually about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time. For dinner last night I had some mashed potatoes and that felt really good. When should I quit with the shakes and Soups? If I am OK with mushies now, isn't that better for me? Any advice? After reading the replies I realized that I made a typo...I meant "full-liquid"...like solid-colored liquid, soups, liquidy potatoes, etc...which is exactly what my doc said I should be doing. I guess it must have sounded pretty crazy to say solids...what can I say? If my biggest mistake 5 days after surgery is a typo then I must be in good shape. I asked Dr. Spivak about my instructions several times because I noticed that they were very different than what I was reading on here, but he assured me that this is the plan he wants me on...other Spivak patients can chime in and back me up... Dr. Spivak said to only do "liquids" for 2 or 3 days at the most and then move on to "soft" foods. For Dr. Spivak, a soft/mushy diet is recommended for 4 weeks and then a transition to a regulated diet of 3 solid meals a day. For soft foods, he recommended mashed potatoes, cooked soft vegetables, baked fish, etc... I don't think I am ready for meat yet, but the cooked mushy foods feel fine and I have not had any trouble. I was mainly concerned that I am still drinking liquid meals for breakfast and was wondering if I should try to get off the liquids completely. This is because I am not a big breakfast eater and I am usually not hungry in the mornings...so it is easier to drink a shake. At any rate, I talked to them yesterday and they suggested that I try to eat a small scrambled egg this morning and chew it very well...which I did about 2 1/2 hours ago and I feel a lot better this morning than I have previous mornings. Anyhow, thanks for the concern and the advice...It was just a typo and I promise I am nowhere near ready to try any real solids yet...just trying to figure out what degree of mushiness I need.

After reading the replies I realized that I made a typo...I meant "full-liquid"...like solid-colored liquid, soups, liquidy potatoes, etc...which is exactly what my doc said I should be doing. I guess it must have sounded pretty crazy to say solids...what can I say? If my biggest mistake 5 days after surgery is a typo then I must be in good shape. I asked Dr. Spivak about my instructions several times because I noticed that they were very different than what I was reading on here, but he assured me that this is the plan he wants me on...other Spivak patients can chime in and back me up... Dr. Spivak said to only do "liquids" for 2 or 3 days at the most and then move on to "soft" foods. For Dr. Spivak, a soft/mushy diet is recommended for 4 weeks and then a transition to a regulated diet of 3 solid meals a day. For soft foods, he recommended mashed potatoes, cooked soft vegetables, baked fish, etc... I don't think I am ready for meat yet, but the cooked mushy foods feel fine and I have not had any trouble. I was mainly concerned that I am still drinking liquid meals for breakfast and was wondering if I should try to get off the liquids completely. This is because I am not a big breakfast eater and I am usually not hungry in the mornings...so it is easier to drink a shake. At any rate, I talked to them yesterday and they suggested that I try to eat a small scrambled egg this morning and chew it very well...which I did about 2 1/2 hours ago and I feel a lot better this morning than I have previous mornings. Anyhow, thanks for the concern and the advice...It was just a typo and I promise I am nowhere near ready to try any real solids yet...just trying to figure out what degree of mushiness I need.

Well it has been 3 days since surgery and I think I am starting to feel pretty good. This morning I was only a little bit sore and it did not hurt to get up out of bed. I am still a little stiff, but it is improving. I can feel the gas in my left shoulder every now and then, but the gas-x works. I have 5 incisions. Two under my left breast that don't hurt at all, one under my right breast that just barely hurts a little bit, one in the lower center of my belly that is somewhat sore but improving, and the last one is slightly higher in the middle of my belly (pretty sure that's my port) that is still very sore and sensitive to touch. All in all, I think I am healing the way I am supposed to. Y'all let me know if something doesn't sound right. I am drinking the Atkin's protein shakes for breakfast (1/2 a shake at a time) and trying to have a soup or "full-solid" for lunch each day...usually about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time. For dinner last night I had some mashed potatoes and that felt really good. When should I quit with the shakes and soups? If I am OK with mushies now, isn't that better for me? Any advice? This is defionitely a new experience for me, but I feel really good about what I am doing and so far hunger has not been an issue. Thank you for all of the great advice and support that I have found on this thread!!!

Hey everyone! Well I got my band yesterday. I am pretty sore, but not too much gas trouble so far. I think I slept on my side a little bit last night and that made me sore, but I will be sure to sleep on my back tonight. I can't believe I finally did it...now comes the fun part!:clap2:

I'm new here. I am getting banded on May 31st so I guess I am just barely a part of the May 2006 group. I am getting nervous/excited..surgery is only 3 days away!!!

Hi, my name is Mandy and I will be getting banded by Dr. Spivak in Houston on May 31, 2006. I have been trying to get approved through BCBS for quite some time with no luck so now I am doing self-pay. I have been reading lots of great advice and stories and I just wanted to say hello to everyone.