missbinda

Well done and congrats on your loss! I'm a recent 50 pounder, too (I did half of it pre-surgery) and it's incredible what a difference it makes on your general health and happiness. Roll on for 100, huh?!

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing I've given up is the offer of a seat belt extender on planes, thighs that chafe in the heat, the nudges of other diners when I walk into a buffet restaurant, an inability to make my body move the way I need it to and the possible prospect of losing years off my life. So as hard as it can be at times to make this change work, I am not going back and I WILL make this work so that my exterior finally reflects everything that I am inside.

I was supposed to have a fill today... but my doctor wouldn't do it, as he claims that I am doing well enough without any liquid in the band. I'm frustrated- I've literally worked my butt off to lose even small amounts during 'Bandster Hell', hoping that once I got my first fill, my weight loss would accelerate even more. I've limited my portion sizes and dealt with hunger pains that have been so bad, they've even woken me up. I am looking at 2 more weeks of this, and quite frankly, I am NOT happy right now. *sigh*

I went shopping today, and was thrilled to fit into a size 16. I haven't been that size anytime this millenium! Of course I was so excited that out came the credit card and I emerged victoriously with a few bags of new clothes...whoops! :thumbup:

I just mentioned on another thread how helpful a few cups a day of black coffee were with this problem, (if your doctor allows you to have it, of course!) Once I started mushies, I found that an old wives remedy, a small piece of soft liquorice (licorice in the USA!), helped to move things along nicely on that front. I had the non fat, organic variety, but I have heard you can drink it as a tea or take the pills as well.

My doctor has no problem with his patients drinking coffee. In fact I had a black coffee a few hours after surgery, with no problems at all. I found it great in those first few days as it helped to, er, unclog the pipes. I think because caffeine acts as an appetite stimulant, some physicians frown on it. I assume energy drinks are also verboten because of the carbonation...not to mention the empty calories they contain!

I'm so very sorry for your family's loss, Leeann. ((HUG)) Hang in there. Well, at 219 lbs I'm finally under 100kg, having lost 800g (1.7lbs) despite living in Bandster Hell and having my doctor move back my first fill to next week. Hooray for WLS!

Please step away from the tanning bed, as you'll be doing your skin and scars permanent, irreversible damage. Find yourself a good beautician and get a spray tan instead. Done properly (and not tandoori-style), they take very little time and can look utterly fabulous.

It really is up to you how much of the liquid diet weight loss sticks with you. If you chose to sit on your butt and 'test' the band, of course you'll gain back. (Not to be harsh, and this is not aimed at you, but too many people expect the band to be a 'quick fix'. I'm certain they think they'll waltz out of the surgery as a skinny person who never has to diet ever again!) But if you follow your doctor's instructions, keep your calorie intake low (but not drastically so) and exercise regularly you'll do well. It just may take a while to show. (Any Mayo Bandito can attest to this!) And even despite your best efforts, you may still gain. If so, don't beat yourself up as your main focus in the month following the surgery should be on healing your body. Stick to the plan and you WILL get results. Eventually...

Down another 600 grams (1.3 pounds) this week, but boy have I had to work for it! I have been working out, sticking to Protein drinks twice a day and eating a tiny dinner in order to avoid/minimise Bandster Hell. This time next week I'll have had a fill and hope to have reached my first mini goal- double digits on the scales (in kilograms, of course!)

I was banded 4 weeks ago and have lost right on 15 pounds since the actual day of surgery. I'm so happy- I'm down 2 dress sizes and have to stop myself from buying new clothes as I know I'm going to lose a whole lot more! I am really looking forward to my first fill in 5 days, mainly as I have been going all out at the gym in the past week and I can't wait to compare my muscle and fat percentages with what they were 4 weeks ago.

I had surgery on a Friday and went back to work the next Thursday. I teach and am on my feet most of the day, which was fine, but I was VERY tired my first 2 days back at work and had to take a nap when I got home. In hindsight, I'd have stayed out for the rest of the week and returned to work on Monday, but you live and learn!

The very day I met with my surgeon and made the decision to have LB surgery was the day I started my diet. I weighed in at 122kgs and I'd just had enough of being a lardarse. My doc had told me I was a good candidate but warned me that he had just that morning refused to operate on a patient who had gained 15 kgs in the weeks prior to the surgery. The thought that the same thing could happen to me was a huge motivator. So I went shopping on the way home and started doing Protein shakes (Optifast) for breakfast and lunch and having a Lean Cuisine for dinner. I dropped 12 kgs before I even started the pre op diet- and since my surgery 3 weeks ago I am down about another 10kgs. I think that once you make that decision to get banded and change your lifestyle, you have a responsibility to yourself to commit to it 110% So, good luck with your pre-op diet- it's nice to see another Aussie on here!

I'm 3 weeks out from surgery and have lost 4 and a half pounds this week. I'm quite pleased as I started on mushies a week ago and have really been enjoying my eggs and cheese...albeit in tiny quantities. I am determined to get under 100kg by dropping at least another 1.2kg (2.6 pounds) before my first fill on 6/25. Watch out treadmill- here I come!

I'm only 3 weeks out and maybe it's something I'll have to deal with in the future, but I have found the few people I've told to be overwhelmingly positive and supportive. I think you have to look at people's motivations for asking you about your diet- is it A- Mere curiosity? B- Concern for your wellbeing? C- Are they just being nosy and annoying? Once you know WHY they're asking, you can respond accordingly. A- Thanks, this is on my physician's allowed list of foods and if you'd like to know more about the lap band, just ask. B- Thanks for your concern but I've had this before and have had no problems. I'll be fine! C- Thanks for your input, I may be overweight but I'm losing more everyday, rudeness like YOU have just shown, on the other hand, can never be lost.

I was knicker free as well (I trusted that if the surgical staff wanted to check out anyone, it wouldn't be the fatty boombah that was me!) but was allowed to wear a wire-free crop top style bra. It really made it easier post surgery, as I didn't have to struggle to keep my boobs away from the surgical scars and could slip my PJ's straight on.

On the pre and post op diets, my doctor actually has a provision for patients to have 100ml of wine a day. I think just because it was there, I didn't feel compelled to have any! Like anything in this banding journey, though, I guess the key is moderation.

This is an awesome tip! I'm travelling to the US in July and wasn't really looking forward to having to be all fussy and pedantic about portion sizes when eating out. (Mind you, I'm travelling with a 12 year old boy so I was planning to order an adult meal and swap him for his kid's meal, anyway!) Can we maybe start a master list of restaurants that accept the card? Sarah R, I'm in Australia too and I still got one of the LapBand ID cards and a tracking number. My surgeon said I must carry it with me at all times in case of emergency- you should ask your doctor for one.

I was banded exactly two weeks ago and I'm well and truly entering 'Bandster Hell'! I've continued to drop weight this week (only 2 pounds) but even that's taken an hour of walking per day and having to be really strict about sticking to a liquid diet. I'm constantly hungry and my tummy growls all day long. Still, I've bounced back from surgery and have no discomfort whatsoever, so I guess things aren't ALL bad!

My 'porthole' is WAY lower than that- it's about 2 inches North East of my belly button. (Or South West, if I'm looking down at it!) It's cool- a little too high to worry about waistbands pressing on it, but easy to get access to once my fills start.

I was banded a week ago (to the very hour!) and as much as I was looking forward to some mushies after 2 straight weeks of Optifast Protein shakes and soups, I've been told to spend yet another week on them. I'm really craving eggs, for some reason, but I'll deal. However I'm going out to dinner with work colleagues tonight- so I've rung the restaurant and they're making me a special chicken broth soup! That'll be my version of a 'treat'!

I agree- thank you all the Mayo Banditos for your support! The last thing we all need to be doing is turning on each other- making the decision to undergo surgery in order to change your eating habits forever is not one that we have all taken lightly. On the other hand- nor is a lapband a magic wand. It took years of bad habits to get myself into this pickle, and I expect it to take years of GOOD habits to get myself out of it! And I agree, in a year or two we should totally have a meet up- given our name, it needs to be somewhere Tex-Mex-y! Cruise? (Hey- we can all stand around the buffet and NOT eat!)

So sorry to hear what happened to your nephew and sister. My nephew was also assaulted earlier this year, and it was an awful, awful time. What my (6 days in now) band has shown me is that the human body has such an amazing capacity for healing. Try to focus on the positives (one bite of pizza is not that bad, as opposed to the WHOLE one you probably would have eaten if this had happened pre band.) Hang in there!

It's funny because not only did my Doc say 'OK' to coffee, but both my pre and post op diet states I can have 100ml of wine per day! I think that because I AM allowed to have that kind of stuff, I don't actually feel a need to have any!

Poor you! If you really are in a position to go home, then do so. If not, just take it easy and try not to overdo things. I had my op the day after you (though given the time difference it probably was on the same day!) and even though I could comfortably have gone back to work, I'm home until Thursday. Rememeber everyone heals at different rates. Your priority, at least for the next week, needs to be on YOU. Give yourself time to heal before throwing yourself back into things!