Randi L

Becky, Unlike some of the others, I have a different opinion. Yes, I do believe you can do it. But if we could "do it" - we wouldn't need to get a band. We'd be able to do it. I know I couldn't do it. I had a hard time doing the pre-op diet. I'm having a hard time now, having the band for 3+ weeks I struggle every day - and hate myself for letting food win over what I always think I want, which is not to be fat. I walk my dog 3 times a day, and have for 2 years now, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference in my weight, but it did help my breathing, and overall strength. Honestly, if I could have done this by will power, or won't power, I wouldn't have put myself thru any of this. I yell at myself, so - you're not alone in how you feel about it. I hope you'll "get it" that you're going to "do it" and that it will work for you. We all know you can, now you have to decide - you will! Best of luck!

Wow - Jamie - 100 pounds! CONGRATS! I would think when a body has made that many changes it is much easier for it to accept alcohol. I was a diet rootbeeraholic, and haven't missed it. But have a hard time drinking 64 ounces of Water. But it's only been 3 weeks, I have time.

POPCORN??????? Oh man, I'm scared of that!!!!!!!!! popcorn and a frosty diet root beer is one of my favs....

After reading everyones posts, and additional new posts about other topics, the one thread that is common - is our on-going obsession with food. I'm a food addict. I knew the band would not remove the obsession. While it may have been a decision I made in hopes of it being some kind of fix/tool, this isn't a miracle cure. Gastric bypass works faster with much quicker results, as far as weight loss, but I didn't choose that. The band promised 2 pounds a week - if I did everything else right. Since when do I do things right? However, I do feel like only doing fluids, and soft foods - there should be a bigger loss. Now I'll keep my fingers crossed about fills. How many, how often, how well it restricts. Hope is there, that I will be on the losing side of the ticker tape, and the weight will drop off. But, the reality is, it won't happen without hard work, and lots of effort on my part. Frustration. Last night I was watching the Discovery Channel, there were 3 programs about people who started out at over 600 pounds. Two women had lost 400 pounds each. Imagine that. Made my journey seem small. Then I watched a plastic surgery show, with a tummy tuck, breast lift, arm lift, body lift... and I kept thinking ... I'm 55 years old, I doubt I will really want to go thru all that surgery, all that pain. So the simple truth for me is I waited too long. I'm looking back at life, and the chances that I had in my 30's and 40's is gone. Now, I'm just hoping for a safe amount of healthy weight, and to curb the obvious issues that come with age. Life as a fat person is hard. Life is hard for everyone. I hope someday it will be easier - I know if I wasn't lugging around this extra 100 pounds, it wouldn't be this hard.

I used to gulp ice Water. I worried about not being able to drink it during meals. At this point - 3 weeks in to this, I have to force myself to drink, just to get as much as I can in. I'm aware that it's best to drink 64 ounces a day, and I try - but I doubt I've actually hit it. Not drinking during meals to get the "I'm full" feeling? Wow! I still don't feel full. Ever. Hope I will after a fill.

Congrats!!!!! How did you lose the 50 pounds already??? I think we're all excited and scared.... it's all new, and scary!!! Start drinking tons of Water now, and be good to yourself.

Does your Doctor advise WW? I've been told, it's Protein first - then vegetables, etc. I'm 55, and I don't expect to see the kind of weight loss that a 30 year old will experience. I think too, because I've been at one weight for years, my body will want to hold on to that number. Do you exercise? Do you drink lots of Water? I haven't had my first fill yet, and I slip in and out of depression all the time! :scared: I do think tho, if you're having PB's all the time, your stomach can't handle what you are eating. Better to go back to liquids for a few days, let your tummy heal. I wish you luck on your journey... it's a long and winding road.

Josephine.... How did you lose all your weight with no fills? I'm so totally confused by everything now - pain or no pain pb's or no pb's fills or no fills? And here I am, banded on June 20th, and pushing myself around today, eating soft stuff just to see if I feel anything - and l don't think I've lost more than 10 pounds. I'm feeling nutty tonite for sure.

In the secret place, that is the privacy of being in your home, the practice of doing stupid things is anonymous. Now, with this thread ever growing, people use it as a confessional of sorts. So here's mine. I think I'm trying to prove I have a band. Instead of accepting it's there, and behaving, I keep trying in different ways to see my limits. Thus far, I have none. Today I had a small serving of Pasta. Cottage cheese. All soft, right? Tonight, I just had baby shrimp on avocado. While I don't want anything bad to happen, I think I should cut way back, and go back to liquids before I do harm. I go back to the Dr on the 19th, but it's just to check me, not <according to the nurse> for a fill. So, I simply have to pull my brain out, and while it might be soft, it doesn't mean I'm supposed to eat it. I hate this.

I wish we could all explain things, and all understand things. Each thing I read is different from me, and I find myself more confused each day. I thought it would be hard to drink - but my protein shake, v-8, water, diet snapple all goes down with no problem. Soups are no problem. Eggs were no problem. Refried beans, no problem. I think it's because I haven't had a fill? After reading about PB's, sliming, pain, etc - I've been scared the entire time. But so far, I'm pain free - and wondering how this all works! I'm not hungry, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about food. I'm not full, but I'm not empty. My stomach makes noises, and I keep hoping that's the sound of "hungry". It's all confusing, and I wish we could all explain/understand - but I think it's one day at a time? One moment at a time? and it will be different for you than it's been for me?

Solids??! I'm doing protein shakes, soups, v-8's. I have tried eggs, and some refried beans twice. The rest of the time I'm drinking - or sipping. I know I'm not getting enough water in, so that's my goal now, to drink lots more water. I keep thinking I'm getting enough from diet snapple, etc - but I need to drink just the water. I'm calling tomorrow to get a fill appointment, which will also be my first appointment since the band. I'm hoping for around the 20th - so it will be one month.

"I am ready for the fill. I don't even think I have a band" Barbara - that's EXACTLY how I feel. While I am drinking more than eating, when I do eat <eggs, cottage cheese, beans> I don't feel full, I feel "MORE!" Once again, I'm going to just be thankful I had such little pain, and that I am healing - and that I'm 2 weeks in to this. At 55, it feels like this is my last chance to have any kind of a normal weight in my life - so ... one day at a time. Giving Thanks for the day.

60 pounds in 3 months! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! How'd you do it? What's your daily intake like? WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I read peoples weight loss, I always feel a twinge of jealousy. I know that everyone has their own journey, and that it is mixed with such Joy for everyone - I just want to be able to jump up and down for me too! A day at a time. and suddenly it's 2 weeks since my band. and I am thankful for feeling so well. btw, I don't want to get on a scale yet - not till my first fill. Happy 4th!

cupcakes and ice cream and donuts. oh my. I'm only 2 weeks out, and reading this stuff gets me crazy. how do you still lose weight and eat that stuff? perhaps, when I start to really lose weight I'll figure it out. I just realized, I don't get this band thing at all. Nothing is what I thought it would be. I'm not like I thought I'd be. and the way I thought I'd eat - isn't. I think I'm getting depressed.

This is my first Fourth - alone. My sons and their families both live in Texas. My mom passed away 10 months ago. My brother and his family are on a motor home trip for a month. My friends are working, and busy. Doesn't feel much like a holiday to me. I guess the older we get, the less it does. I'm 2 weeks out tomorrow. I tested some limits yesterday -to find I didn't feel any. Today I'm going back to liquids - it feels safer. In my eating days, nothing felt safe. Eating like I did felt sneaky and out of control. Not to eat feels safe. I'm in no physical pain, but this morning, after a wild dream during the night, I am feeling some emotional pain. I simply don't want to eat, and hope my brain won't push me to it.

While I appreciate my date is correct, my name is Randi - with an i. A fight I've been having my entire life - lol. Randi with an i - is a girl. Randy with a y is normally a boy. While - I'm sure there are both out there, I'm an "i" girl! I don't feel banded. I've been drinking for the past12 days. Today - I had an egg, refried beans - felt nothing... could have had more. Tonite - I had a chicken fajita soup. No problems. I'm sure when I get my first fill I'll feel something - but for now -I'm thankful not to have had any pain, that my incisions are healing so quick, and that I feel like my normal self. I know I've lost - but I don't know how much - as I don't want to get on a scale till the fill date. To all the June Banders, YAY!!!! We did it!!!!!!!!!

I too was banded on the 20th. Don't know how much weight I've lost, but I know some is gone, not hungry but thinking about food all the time. Trying to continue to just drink Protein, v-8, diet Jello, diet snapple, and Water. I think my port is above my belly button. I haven't felt any pain, past the first day of getting in and out of bed. Sharon, we're all scared. It's like that mythical carrot on the carosel. We are trying to grab it once again, but this time you're having surgery, not getting some pill, box of food, box of shakes, etc. I'm not sure how it will all work out, but I'm on the ride now, and I feel good.

I told my family. My best friend. I didn't want the pressure of letting everyone elses expectations for me - get in my way. It's too hard to have everyone watching your weight - your every move - and I thought, it would be much nicer to just let them see me go down, and feel good for me, instead of worry about the decision I made. Which to many people is too extreme. I wanted my better health to speak volumes about the weight I lose.

I'm 1 week out now. I don't have too much pain - until I try to walk too much, then I feel the incisions. I drove yesterday - so I feel normal in many ways. I continue to just drink. Diet Jello. I'm going to do that for a few more weeks - knowing the rest will follow soon enough. If I start to think about "what will I eat" and "what will make me slime" I get tense... so, it's easier for me to just drink, for now. I don't think I'm hungry - until I watch tv, and everything looks so good. I'm encouraged to read all the boards, gives me a better perspective of what to expect, what not to worry about, what do look for at the stores. I think - just as we were required to go to support group meetings, this board should be mandatory prior to surgery too! JuneBandRocks!

It's odd that we all get different information from our Doctors. Mine told me to drink liquids, v-8, Protein shakes, Water - and to do that for 4 weeks, until the first fill. I'm not feeling hungry, but my tummy is sure making noises. I need to ask - given the fact that we could gain 5 pounds in a good day of binge eating, why is it some of you are torturing yourselves with watching a scale now, forgetting that any other time, losing 2 lbs is so hard? I don't want to get on a scale till the fill. Matter of fact, I don't want to know, "the number" I just want my pants to fall off. The blouse that was tight to be too big. I want the physical limitations to leave me. I'm not sure if I ever heard it's ok to eat what we used to. To act like we used to. To try and push the limits of what the band can do. I'm one week banded tomorrow. My incisions are itchy. I still get tired. and, I went out long before surgery to get all the liquid things I was told to have - so that I wouldn't go to a store now and think "hmm, that'll be ok to try" Fear is the motivator. I don't want to do anything to wreck this, as I don't want to do any more time at a hospital - for me, that's the worst part of it. No ticker tape - no fills - no idea what the weight loss is - just breathing, healing, and taking care of me.

Susan - I think you're trying to eat too much too soon. First of all, did you go to a mushy phase? I am not going to try to do meat for months, and will go easy on every other thing - till I figure out what will work, and what won't. I was told it's important to let yourself heal, and to eat things that will feed the need, not your head. I doubt eating things that are hard to digest - would be easy on anyone after surgery, and I think it's important to listen to your body now more than ever. cheese Nips? I wouldn't be that brave. Stop, start over. liquids, soft things, and PROTEIN! Just not in the hard to digest bite size that seems to be hard for you,,, Good Luck!

Da Band. I'm a member of Da Band ..... I've had a few moments of being burpy - I walked them off. I have been wondering what all the sounds are coming from my stomach. I'm not hungry, but I have been able to eat 3 protein shakes, 3 diet jello's, 1 broth, and 1 V8. Diet Snapple. When the pain of the incisions hurt, I take the meds, and they work. I feel so uninformed - even tho I know a tiny bit about what to expect, had it not been for this forum - I'd have been lost. I Rest, drink water, eat protein, heal. There is more than Plenty of time to think of fills, and PBs and all the other stuff waiting for us Junesters - I'm trying to think of what a wonderful Independence Day I will have, knowing I am free from looking like I did on the last one.

Am I odd? I haven't thought about fills, or eating, or anything. I just keep trying to get the liquids down, walk, and rest. Not drinking enough water yet. I'm so thankful not to be in pain, and not to be anxious.... One day at a time :eek:

If you buy it, you will eat it. If you don't, you won't. I hate the fact that it's in my mind either way, but I know for me, if I bought it, I ate it. DO NOT BUY THE STUFF YOU WANT MOST. <I'm saying to myself> and that would be, hmmmm - just about everything.