sweetbean70

Hello. I believe that I have decided on having my lap band procedure performed by Dr. Curry at JourneyLite in Cincinnati. I have been to the seminars at Mt Carmel West and OSU. I am going to the JourneyLite seminar in Columbus on May 7th and have my surgeon consult/dietician meeting/psych eval in Cincy on May 27th. I am having to pay for this procedure out of my own pocket and Dr. Curry offers the best package. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO HAS HAD THEIR LAP BAND PROCEDURE PERFORMED BY DR. CURRY! :smile:

Congratulations on your 100lbs loss! I, too, have just recently added that "jewel" to my crown. It took me nearly 23 months to do it and I still have 40 more pounds to go, but it has been an awesome journey!

I just got back from a mini vacation at my childhood best friend's house. She lives just outside Cincinnati and you can see King's Island's Eiffel Tower from the end of her street. I haven't seen her and her family since they came home (Columbus) for Christmas. At that time, I'd lost about 55-60 pounds. Now, I've lost 80-85 pounds. At Christmas, her 9 y/o son kept bragging about how he can and will ride any and all roller coasters at King's Island. He threw me a challenge and I accepted. I have to admit that I was extremely nervous about getting back on a roller coaster because the last time I tried to ride a roller coaster (2004), I couldn't fit in the seat and had to leave the loading area in front of EVERYONE. Needless to say, that was VERY embarrassing! Well, I am extremely proud to report that I FIT ON EVERY RIDE WITH ROOM TO SPARE! :puke: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: We rode the Diamondback, Invertigo, Italian Job, and Adventure Express coasters and a few other rides. We went to the park after 5pm and the lines were really short. I had a blast!

From my fill in July to my fill in September, I only lost 1.6lbs. I truly thought it would be waaaay more because my ring (even with a guard) spins around freely and I went down nearly 2 sizes in clothing. Even my surgeon was surprised at the little amount of weight I had lost. He asked me about my eating habits and my exercise regimen and said that I was "right on track." He told me that he firmly believes that the body goes through phases where you lose inches instead of pounds. He went from a size 38 to a size 34 and only lost 10 pounds. His wife went from a size 14 to a size 10 and the scale didn't budge! They are both banded, so I know he is speaking from experience. He suggested that I take measurements every month, so I don't get discouraged when the scale doesn't move. After my fill, I decided to really track my Protein grams and found that I wasn't getting as much protein as I thought I was. If the body isn't getting enough protein, it will go into starvation mode and hold onto every calorie. I really amped up my protein intake and, low and behold, I lost 2.5lbs last week!

OMG!!! I completely forgot to mention that when I donated blood this past week, the nurse was able to use a normal-sized bp cuff on me without any trouble. No more POPEYE ARM BP CUFF for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :thumbup:

I'm just going to list my NSVs that I've had since school started the middle of last month! I bought some new school clothes at the end of July in a smaller size and they were a little too snug for my comfort. After a week of wearing the new clothes to school, I had several colleagues tell me that I needed to go shopping for some new clothes because the clothes I was wearing were JUST TOO BIG. :thumbup: I had to put my wedding rings in the jewelry box because I was afraid they were going to fall off at the end of last year. I decided that I wanted to wait until goal to have them resized, so I bought a pretty (fake) set to wear. At the beginning of the summer, I had a ring guard put on the fake set. That set now spins around at will, guard and all. I had several colleagues tell me that they were looking forward to the start of the new school year to "see how great I am looking." :scared2: I loooove these NSV posts. I was feeling a bit down because I only lost 1.6lbs from July 12-Sept 10. I have been watching what I eat and exercising, but the scale wasn't budging! I asked my doctor about it when I went for a fill on 9/10. He told me that although you probably wont read about it medical journals, he truly believes that there is a phase where you don't lose on the scale but lose inches. He went from a size 38 to a size 34 and only lost 10lbs. His wife went from a size 14 to a size 10 and didnt lose a single pound. FYI~ I lost 2.5lbs in one week since my fill! :thumbup:

I, too, have been having a real issue with constipation or when I do finally go it is so hard it hurts (sorry...gross). I was afraid that all of that straining could lead to "roids" (ick). So, I have been taking a stool softener every night before going to bed for the past 2 weeks. It has made a huge difference! If you are going to try this approach, be sure to take a stool softener, not a stimulant laxative. :thumbup:

I looooove oatmeal! I make plain oatmeal on the stove (not instant) using skim milk instead of water. Once it is done, I add no-calorie sweetener and pecans. I've also sprinkled in a 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder in with the oatmeal for another way to sweeten it up.

Hello! I am in desperate need of advice from any and all of you here on this forum that have had your upper arms (bat wings) surgically taken care of. So far, I have lost nearly 90 pounds and would like to lose another 50-60 pounds. My upper arms are disgusting with a huge bulge of fat hanging from the upper/inner part of each of them. The bulge is so big that i have a crease about 2" above each elbow that looks like a butt crack. My upper arms are still jiggling 5 minutes AFTER I stop waving to someone! I have to wear a size larger shirt just to fit my upper arms and my hands go numb quite often if I have my arms in certain positions. Did your insurance cover the cost of your surgery? If so, what steps did you have to take to get it approved? How close to goal were you or how long were you at your goal before you had your surgery? How did you go about finding a surgeon?

I completely understand the struggle with seeing oneself as "fat" even when s/he has lost a significant amount of weight. As I am approaching my 14 month BANDiversary and down nearly 90 pounds, I still have difficulty realizing that I actually DO fit into an XL shirt. When I see the XL shirt hanging on the rack, I think to myself that there is NO WAY that puny bit of material will cover my big, old body. But, low and behold, the XL shirt fits me just fine! Another struggle I have is accepting compliments from others about my weightloss. When someone tells me how great I look, I just smile and say thank you, but my brain is telling me that they are "just being kind." As for other's food choices, I completely agree with the posters in this thread. I, too, notice what other people have in their grocery carts at the store, order at restaurants, and eat for lunch. Two years ago, I would have been the one with a cart overloaded with junk food, ordering an appetizer+main course+dessert at a restaurant, and chowing down on a monsterous lunch. I thank God everyday for my band!

Hello! In my Quest to add more Protein to my daily diet, I decided to try adding a daily Protein shake. Right after my surgery, I tried several different Protein shakes and found them to be disgusting. I have, however, just recently discovered a protein shake that I find quite tasty. BODY FORTRESS SUPER ADVANCED whey PROTEIN chocolate, 32oz canister $15 @ WalMart 52g of protein/2 scoops 7g of carbohydrates/2 scoops 270 calories/2 scoops I usually mix up a shake in the morning w/ 6-8 ounces of skim milk and drink it throughout the day. :cursing:

LOL! I think someone had me in mind when they started this thread. :scared2: I, too, have become somewhat lazy when it comes to getting enough protein in my daily diet. My surgeon told me that if I do not consume a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day, my body will go in to starvation mode and hold on to every calorie. I know that I've been eating way too much fresh fruit and vegetables. Although that food is good for you in may ways, they are not a good source of protein. So, I have started drinking a protein shake (20g) for either breakfast or with my nighttime meds, eating a protein bar (20g) throughout the day, and making sure the majority of my lunch, dinner, and snack consists of protein (eggs, cheese, tofu, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, nuts, etc.) I am curious to see what the scale will read next Friday after 2 weeks of my new-and-improved-protein diet

When I first told my hubby that I was going to be banded, he was reluctant. His fear was that I would follow the same path as me ex-SIL (key word being EX). She went from 232lbs to 91lbs via gastric bypass about 8-9 years ago. After losing all the weight, she decided that she didn't love my brother anymore, was tired of being a mother, and walked out on her family to be with another man. She currently looks like a "crack ho." Due to not following the required dietary requirements associated w/ the GP, she has had to have all of her teeth pulled and wears dentures, her hair is so thin she looks almost bald, she looks like she has aged about 20 years, and worst of all, she is now having seizures. I told my hubby that I love him. I did NOT "settle" for him because I felt too fat to "get" anyone else. I told him that my main reason for being banded was for my health. I had just been diagnosed with insulin resistance (a precursor to Type 2 diabetes) and with my bad kidneys, I didn't want to end up like my mother (kidney transplant in 2004) or my grandmother (died of kidney failure in 2004). He certainly understood my concerns about the health issues and decided to research the LAP-BAND® procedure. After truly understanding what the procedure is about and feeling secure about my feelings for him, he became my biggest supporter. :scared2:

surgery date: 6/8/09 weight loss: 87 pounds (as of 7/16/09) exercise: walking 2 miles, 4x per week (under 30 minutes) + resistance bands past diet: ate fairly healthy, just way toooooo much current diet: 2 small meals per day, 60+ grams of Protein (protein bar/20g, protein shake/20g, + low fat meat, cheese, eggs/20g) I absolutely love my band! I have gone from a tight 28W to a comfy 18W. I must admit that I have become addicted to all of the compliments I've been getting. I can't wait to return to school (I'm a teacher.) to see what my colleagues and the students have to say. :tt2:

I just had a fill this past Friday. My doctor and I decided to put in a full cc of Fluid. During my past fills, the most we've ever put in has been .6cc. I believe that this last fill put me around 6.5-7.0ccs in a 10cc band. After a fill, my doctor has me drink some Water to make sure that it goes down alright. I could feel restriction and the water went down fine. I stayed on liquids for the rest of the day and mushies for the rest of the weekend. Unfortunately, I have thrown up 2x and have had chronic, mild heartburn since Saturday. :thumbup: I can only eat about 3 bites of anything solid and then I feel very full for hours and hours. Normally, that would be a good thing, but I can't eat enough to maintain a normal blood sugar level and I keep bottoming out. I am going to call my doctor first thing Monday morning and go in to have .1-.2ccs removed. :thumbup:

My go to foods are string cheese and roasted vanilla bean almonds. If I am able to sit down and chill for a few, I like to snack on Laughing Cow Light Cheese and Triscuits.

I just asked my nutritionist this very question a few days ago!! :cursing: I told her that 3-4 days before my period starts, I want to (and can) eat anything and everything. :scared2: She told me that the hunger is due to a release of hormones right before the start of your period that triggers an immense craving for carbs and the lack of feeling satiated. I have also noticed that the day I start, my band is unusually tight...WTH!!! So, now I have the crazy hunger to fight as well as dealing with the bloating, sore boobs, fatigue, and cramps. AINT BEING A WOMAN GRAND?!? :confused:

Howdy! I, too, have had conflicting reports about the benefits of soup. I absolutely love a cup of a filling, homemade, hearty soup! My 2 favorite soups are white chicken chili and egg drop soup w/ tofu. I love the smell of a crock pot of soup simmering all day. I package up the soup into cup size containers and put them in the freezer, That way, I always have a tasty meal ready for me to eat.

Howdy! I spent last week in Nags Head, NC with my parents, adopted sister (house #1), brother, SIL, 6 nieces/nephews (house #2), and another group of 8 that included 3 children under the age of 2 (house #3). As you are reading this post, I'm sure that you are re-reading the title of this post to verify that I did, indeed, have a great vacation. :yikes: We went dolphin watching, climbed a lighthouse, shopped, swam, dined out, etc., etc. Even though the temps were at least 92 degrees or higher with a heat index of 105+ everyday, I was able to keep up without any problems! I actually was not the largest person on the beach (or even in my group). It was a great feeling looking at the pics of my vacation and not being completely disgusted with my appearance. PS~ I even lost 3 pounds while on my trip.

Howdy! My 1 yr BANDIVERSARY was on June 8. So far, I have lost nearly 85lbs and 50+ inches. I have gone from a snug size 28W to a comfy size 18W, my bra size has gone from a 44DD to a 40D, and I have lost 1/2 a shoe size. All of my rings are falling off. I am able to briskly walk 2.5 miles in just over 30 minutes. Best of all, I am off my diabetes and cholesterol meds and my BP meds have been cut in half! Please try not to compare yourself to others who have been banded. Being banded is a VERY individualized journey!!!!

Hello! I was banded on June 8. So far (knock on wood), I have felt absolutely wonderful since the evening of my surgery. The only way I know that I've had my surgery are my "bullet holes," some wild burping (no pain, just loud and loooong), and my post op diet. I went out today and bought a PowerSpin bike and some resistance bands to start working out with. I have been very careful to take small bites and chew, chew, chew. I've not had any bouts of vomitting, PBing, or sliming. I know I'm sounding like I'm bragging here, but I'm sooo paranoid that I could still be doing something to stretch my pouch and/or cause my band to slip. I do NOT want to go in for my 1st fill (July 7) and have the fluoroscope show that something is wrong! :thumbup:

I was never one who sweated all the time, but I sure wasn't the one complaining about being cold all the time. It was always a joke that if I said I was cold, HELL had indeed frozen over! I did, however, notice that as I got fatter (and older) I couldn't tolerate extremely hot or bitterly cold temperatures. Now that I've lost 80+ pounds, the heat doesn't bother me nearly as much. Nor do I get winded after only 10-15 minutes of chores. Other things that I'm not going to miss... 1) swollen fingers/ankles/feet 2) a FAT face 3) doing the 7 basic ballet movements to shave my legs 4) not being able to "complete my paperwork" in the bathroom 5) feeling guilty about every bite I put in my mouth 6) having poor balance 7) always having to pick out the largest size and hoping it fits 8) my 2nd ( and 3rd) chin 9) having "swamp a$$" 10) huffing/puffing just to bend over to pick up something off the floor

Thanks SpideyMom & Mamadot for the congrats! I leave next Friday evening for a week long vacation with my family to Nags Head, NC. I am sooooo looking forward to getting up with the sun and talking a nice long walk on the beach every day. I am even looking forward to wearing this really cute swim dress I bought out in public. Mamadot~ I hope that when I return from my vacation, I, too, am a couple of pounds down!

As of today, I have been banded for a whole year and I have to say it has been probably the best year of my life!!! I am down 80lbs and have gone from a snug 28W to a comfortable 18W. I am completely off my cholesterol and diabetes meds and have lowered my BP meds from 20mg to 5 mg. I am able to walk for hours without pain or becoming so tired that I have to rest. I no longer have to come home from work and take a nap. My house has never been cleaner and my laundry is always caught up. :smile: I went to several graduation parties this past weekend and saw people that I haven't seen since before or shortly after my surgery. It was a fabulous feeling seeing the looks on people's faces when they realized who I was!!! I feel more confident about myself than I ever have. I actually bought myself a mid-thigh/black plaid wool skirt, black tights, a black sweater, and a pair of black leather/knee-high boots to wear to an annual Christmas party that I go to every year. I can't wait to walk into the room wearing my "dream" outfit!:thumbup: I know to a "normal-sized" person, this outfit might sound silly, but I AM SOOOO GONNA ROCK IT!!!

salad SOOOOO ROCKS! My favorite salad does NOT contain any lettuce however. I have found that if I have lettuce in my salad, I tend to take too big of a bite and it hurts. MY FAVORITE SALAD: grilled chicken (plain or buffalo), grilled shrimp, or tuna thinly sliced cucumbers diced tomatoes chopped egg shredded cheese toasted sunflower seed or sliced almonds dressing on the side This salad is really loaded with protein! Its also very easy to prepare a large quantity ahead of time and store the ingredients in separate containers. That way, I always have a delicious/nutritious meal ready! The only draw back is that when I order a salad WITHOUT lettuce at a restaurant, I tend to get quite a few funny looks and double-takes!