vinny09

Happy 31st Birthday vinny09!

2 years has passed since you registered at LapBandTalk! Happy 2nd Anniversary vinny09!

Hi Vannessa,

Thanks for all your kind words, I am so happy to have you as a friend here on LB. We will stay the course and be victors in the end. I can't wait to see the pics of us all when we reach our goals! Keep in touch and good luck on your journey to be slim!

Hello Janet how are you doing? received your message and I would be glad to share my experience/journey with you. I did have my surgery on 7-29 and have lost a total of 29 lbs. I excercise often and limit my high caloric food intake. Not to say I never have a little treat but its not often or its one day a week. Well hope to keep in touch with you. hope you have a better evening. As for the pic instead of the question mark I was just wondering the same thing I am going to try and figure it out and will let you know if I do.

Hi Vanessa, You and I had our surgery on the same day! I would love to chat with you!

Hello Jenny, thanks for the add. I look foward to chatting with you. If you should have any questions for me please feel free to send me a message. p.s. try not to think too much about the insurance approval it will happen for you.... I was a wreck waiting for the approval..

Thanks Angela for the info as it is very helpful. I always want to get as much info and am willing to share as well. I weighed myself yesterday and have gone down an additional 5 so I was super stoked. I have noticed that I have been loosing hair slowly I do need to buy biotin where can I get it ? and did it help you? I have been eating plenty of protein and also do 30 on the elliptical and arm weights. I didnt get stitches, but all my wounds healed pretty quickly. I dealt with bad gas pains for the 1st 6-7 days but feel good as new. I do feel that I need that fill already because I get hungry often but have been trying to limit my caloric intake to 1000-1200 cals a day. I will see the doctor in about 1 week 1/2 so am hoping that it helps with the hunger... thanks again ttyl

-Start excercising right away...it helps with weight loss, gas pain, etc.

-Really chew slowly...if you get stuck on solids, it will hurt

-You are not alone....I haven't shared my surgery with many people and often felt very alone....go on here...it will help!

-Your hair might fall out at alarming rates. My doctor told me that this only happens to bypass patients....so not true! Make sure to get your protein, buy biotin, and remember that it will stop, and will grow back. Mine started 4 months out, and still falls out (less though), but it is growing back in everywhere too!

As far as workouts, I usually do 30 minutes on the elliptical or 30 minutes jogging and power walking. I also do abs and arm weights.

Keep up the good work, and please feel free to write back if you have any more questions...we are all here for each other

Vanessa.... wow....only a week and half and 10 pounds down! That is great news How are you feeling? I remember being sore until about 2 weeks out, and then randomly after that (while the stitches were healing). I had to wait about 6 weeks for my first fill, and by that time, I felt like a really needed one. The first fill doesn't always do the trick, but be persistant with your doctor if you don't think you are tight enough. Don't go too fas though, 'cause I have heard being too tight is really, really uncomfortable.

I am certainly not an expert, but here are a few things that I wish I had know while going through this process (and I had no one to ask....wasn't on the boards).

Thank you so much for your response. Its good to hear that you have lost some more weight. I am currently 40 lbs. lighter than the largest weight I remember being. I was banded a week and a half ago and have so far lost 10 lbs. I am both excited and nervous in getting my 1st fill which will be on 8-26-09. How long do you exercise for and what exercises do you do? You have come along way with everything that you have gone thru...

(continued)...For me, excercise is key. If I do not excercise regularly, it is almost impossible for me to lose weight (I think I have a really slow metabolism). My husband and I have been working out almost every single mornign for the past three weeks, and I am down 6 pounds. I have an appointment for a fill on Friday. I haven't had a fill since February (which is way too long). Hopefully the fill will help me to get back on track too!

Have you had your surgery yet? You, like I are very, very fortunate. We are still really young, and are lives are going to be so much more fulfilling since we are making the choice to take action over our bodies at a young age. I wish you the best of luck, and keep in touch. I have only been on this board a couple of weeks, but it has helped! Talk to you soon! ~ Angela

Vanessa,

Hey there! This whole process has certainly not been easy for me (to say the least), but I am really happy with the progress that I have made. I have been overweight majority of my life. When I was younger, I played sports and so I wasn't really "obese", just heavier. In college, that all changed. I had a much more sedentary lifestyle, ate more, drank more...the usual.

I still have an addiction to ice cream and other sweet stuff, and do splurge on those periodically. I was banded almost a year ago, and in that year I bought my first house, moved offices (I am the office manager so I coordinated everything), got married and gained two step children, went on a honeymoon and turned 30! There have been a lot of moments or stress and a lot of occasions where I have induldged in things that I shouldn't have. (continued in next message)