melmarlem

I have only been banded for 9 weeks, but I'm 5'4" and my goal weight that was set by my surgeon and myself is 130lbs. You didn't say how tall you are though?? I think it just depends on your height. For me, I don't want to be a pound over 145lbs because then I'm still considered overweight!:blushing:

Believe me, I know it's not professional behavior to flirt with patients. I'm in my senior year of nursing school and I've already been warned by my nursing instructors, "I better not catch you batting your eyelashes at those physicians!!" He's drop dead gorgeous...I can't help it! He makes me week in the knees! :closedeyes:...AND he's not MY patient!! hehe

My mom is a retired ARMY recruiter and the answer is absolutely not! And I'm pretty sure that goes for all branches of the military...

Best wishes!

You are too cute!! I'm guessing that if he is taking month long vaca's with you...that he is thinking what you are thinking!! Tell him already!! :thumbup: Life is too short!

Yay! Congratulations! I can't wait for the scale to get below 200 (17.8 lbs to go!). Keep up the good work!! :thumbup:

I agree. Most insurance companies have at least some type of hoop that you have to jump through to get approved. But I think it's a good thing. I had to do a 3 month program with Aetna and I'm glad I did. I felt better prepared for my surgery. Look on the bright side-at least your insurance covers the surgery!:thumbup: Good luck!

Actually, we're triplets :crying: hmarko is right there with us!! :thumbup:

What a wonderful idea! I'm game!

Just thought I'd share with everyone a new drink that I found. Minute Maid has a LIGHT lemonade with 0 grams of sugar and only 5 caloris per can. It is delicious! sugar-free Koolaid is another one of my favorites! The cherry or grape is the best! :tongue2:

If I had to choose between Adipex or being fat, I would hands-down choose being FAT! And I did for 4 years before my lap-band surgery 7 weeks ago! I finally had ENOUGH and told my doc enough is enough :sad: It's not worth it for 25 lbs!!! For me, I was able to lose 34 lbs on Adipex. Hopefully your physician is sending you for cardiac work-ups...Adipex can do some serious damage to the heart valves, especially after 2 years??? It is intended for short-term use ONLY! I'm a nursing student and I don't know much, but I know just enough to know that Adipex is no good! Have you tried Weight-Watchers? I found that WW had a wonderful, healthy program that really worked for me to lose the weight. I just couldn't keep it off long-term :thumbup: Just a suggestion to help you think about healthier choices :w00t:

On another note, about the phentermine. Would that be 37.5 mg of Adipex that you are taking? I understand EXACTLY what you are saying about those diet pills being unhealthy. I took them as prescribed by my physician and they were horrible. I only slept about 4 hours a night, my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest, and I felt irritable and excited all the time. I believe that Adipex is only FDA approved for use for 3 months at a time. My physician would have me on Adipex for 3 months and then off of it and on Meridia for 3 months and vice versa. Adipex= no fun!! If I had to chose between Adipex and lap-band, it would be hands-down lap-band!! I know that just contradicts my previous post though....:thumbup:

Here goes! If I were in your shoes, I would NOT have this surgery...for a couple of reasons. Yes, you are obese...but just barely! If you lose just ONE POUND you are in the overweight category. Also, can you elaborate on your struggles with weight? For the past ten years what has your average weight been? I personally do not believe that this surgery is a good option for someone who does not have at least 100 lbs or more to lose. It worries me that you are taking diet pills, and skipping meals. Additionally, if you are sick of a low-carb diet now, I honestly do not believe that you would be successful if you chose to go through with the surgery as many surgeons, including mine, suggest a low-carb diet. I am afraid that you think this will be a "fix it all" solution. It most definitely is NOT! It is a MAJOR lifestyle change. It worries me that you have NO support. I believe that people with support systems in place do much, much better. Additionally what kind of research have you done? Being a self-pay patient would you be required to undergo a psychological evaluation? I sure hope so. Not meaning to offend you, but I am just not convinced that you understand what you may be getting yourself into. With that said, I wish you the best of luck either way you decide. If you decide to go through with surgery there are many great people on this forum to give you support and direction :thumbup:

Hang in there. It's never too late to start over with your eating habits. I think Sue gave some great advice. I would suggest limiting your sugar intake to 5-7 grams of sugar per serving. Also try to get in 50-60 grams of protein a day and try to follow a low carb diet. I measure everything in 1/2 cup servings and eat 3 meals a day, no snacks except for a no sugar added fudge bar after dinner. Lastly, try to stay hydrated with sugar-free drinks. Be sure to get in your 64 oz. daily. I'm a newbie and have only been banded for 7 weeks so maybe someone else can offer more advice.

I'm sorry this happened to you. I really have no words of advice as I've only been banded for 7 weeks. Thankfully I've not been sick once. I sincerely hope you find the cause of your pain. Hopefully someone here on this site will be able to offer some advice. Hang in there!

Remember that misery loves company. Maybe some people will be judgemental but they are the ones you probably don't need in your life anyway. Don't care about what they have to say. I've told pretty much everyone that I had surgery. Some people seemed shocked but mostly supportive. I've answered 101 questions but I'm glad to do it. I think the more people become educated, the more they are open to the idea of surgery. What really matters is what you WANT and what you KNOW is right for you. It's your health and your life. To hell with everyone else who doesn't want to be supportive :thumbup:. Just my .02.

I forgot to mention that you should follow the advice of your nutritionist. Everything I listed was based on what I was allowed to have. Every surgeon is different!

Protein is important. Aim for at least 50-60 grams of protein a day. It will be hard to get that much protein while you are on the liquid phase but still try. For the liquid phase I recommend thinned cream of wheat, skim or 1% milk to drink, sugar-free puddings, sugar-free jellow, cream Soups made with skim or 1% milk and strained, broths, sugar-free popsicles, etc. Remember to stay hydrated as well even though it will be hard. For me the liquid phase was the hardest. I'm 6 weeks post-op and feel great. Stay focused! It is worth it!! P.S. For the pain I suggest getting up and walking. I know it hurts, but I think I felt better the more I walked rather than lying in bed.

I will be 6 weeks post-op this coming Tuesday and I just tried whole grain speghetti noodles tonight. I was under the impression that bread, Pasta, rice, etc. would never be tolerated but my nutritionist said otherwise. She told me that I could try thin crust pizza with pineapple and chicken. She said brown rice would be okay too. I feel like my surgeon and my nutritionist are saying two different things. It can be frustrating!!!

I have the new Realize band which is a 10 cc band. I had 5 cc's added during my first fill a week and a half ago.

What about sugar intake? My nutritionist says to not consume any food with more than 5-7 grams of sugar per serving (watch those sugar alcohols too). And absolutely no sugary drinks. Just my .02. :tongue2:

I just had my first fill on Tuesday the 15th of September and the area near my port is bruised. I got stuck twice and both needle sticks are obvious. I do NOT have any pain near my port though. :biggrin:

Jennibells- Just curious if you have had any side effects from taking the Adipex. I took it for a while, 3 months on it, 3 months off it...and it was horrible for me! I could NEVER sleep more than 4 hours at a time, my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest, and I couldn't sit still not for 5 minutes! I did lose weight on it, but in the end I couldn't live with the side effects :biggrin: