atgoalgal

I'm in my 4th year, and loving banded living. You can find my surgery day story at Recovering #001: The Morning After Lap-Band® Surgery – the First Day of the Rest of My Life, August 17, 2006 Hopefully you'll find lots of other useful information on my blog, including things to stock up on before surgery. Let me know if you find it helpful.

In my 4 years in the banded living community, I've seen different advice and doctors orders. I'd just have a protein drink and then make sure you understand your doctor's preference at the office visit. ALSO IMPORTANT, you probably will be on liquids today, so make sure you have protein drinks and soup available. Let me know how it goes.

I'm really glad you found inspiration in my site. This is hard work, but it works and IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE DIETS we've been on. If you haven't already, you can sign up to received email updates from my blog - hopefully a little hoensty and inspiration delivered to your email, when you need it most:smile:

I'm in my 4th year and love banded living. Getting my band was one of the best decision I ever made! Lots of great info here. Check out the success stories. When you read about complications, and yes there can be complications although they are mostly minor, be sure you consider the alternative - the risks of obesity, the number 2 preventable cause of death in the US. I also started a blog, a retropective view of my lapband journey that you may find helpful atGloria's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story. When you check out my blog, you can downloand and interview the 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Lap-Band surgery. Lots of people have found it useful Good luck. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

Welcome to Banded Living! Like you I gained and lost many times before, but I AM MAINTAINING A NORMAL WEIGHT. That is something I never did before. You can learn to use to this tool to keep the weight off. I'm in my fourth year, and started a blog as way of paying it forward. If you haven't seen it already, yoyu might want to download the 7 Thing I Wish Some Told Me Before Lap-Band surgery at http://www.gloriasbandedliving.com/7-things/. Let me know I can help.

In my fouth year, and maintaining a normal weight, I recently did an interview "The 7 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Lap-Band Surgery." This comes from the persective of looking back, 4 years after the fact. I've posted about it before but wanted to share the list. Here goes: 1. With a band, everything we have always known about how to lose weight finally works. 2. Finding the right surgeon is even more important than I realized. 3. Don’t underestimate the adjustable nature of the band. 4. You can eat a wide variety of the foods you love with a band. 5. This life-changing decision really impacts spouses, partners, and those close to you. 6. Learn from others who have bands and who have been successful. 7. If you do decide to have a band, prepare for surgery. If you are interested in the full interview, go to Gloria's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story and sign up for the audio or video download located on the right-hand side of the page, just below my before and after. Please let me know if you find it useful.

It sounds like he is being really supportive, and his concerns are real. It's great that he is participating in the process with you. I think the journey was harder on my husband than I realized at the time, but he is enjoying his "new" wife. Let me know if I can help.

I never felt it, but you just had surgery around your stomach...Don't be afraid to check in with your doctors office if you are concerned. In the months to come, I would be really surprised if you feel your band...you may however feel your port, as that area heals. Just in case you're not sure which is which (and I've had more than one person I've been mentoring ask), band is located up behind your breast bone, port is probably just below your largerst incision (but different docs place the port in different places)

Congrats. Welcome to Banded Living (almost). In my fourth year, this was one of the best decisions I ever made. Please feel free to ask away. I learned that it really helps to rely on others who have this amazing tool to learn how to get the most of out it.:thumbdown:

Firstly, his fears are common, and I don;t know that we talk about this enough. Glad you asked! My husband was supportive and worried; but it was coming from a place of love and concern. I found that the more data he had, the better. This is a very low risk surgery, but he still may be concerned about the surgical risks. Have you brought him to your doctor's appointments? Can you bring him to any pre-op classes or support groups? That may help. He may also be worried about the recovery period and extra responsibilities that will fall to him during your recovery. Keep in mind also that the food in your whole household may change, so that can be another concern. And then there's "I love you the way you are... "and worries about you changing and what that may mean. You may want to go to my blog and sign up to download the video, AND go through it with him - here's the link again Gloria's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story. (sign up for the download is below my before and afte rpix) That can help open the dialogue, and acknowledge his fears. Please let me know how it goes.

I had seriousley cold feet as I was making my decision. It really helped me to find other successful patients to learn from and share my fears with. Glad you found us! Loving Banded Living!!!!

In my fouth year, and maintaining a normal weight, I recently did an interview "The 7 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Lap-Band Surgery." This comes from the persective of looking back, 4 years after the fact. I've posted about it before but wanted to share the list. Here goes: 1. With a band, everything we have always known about how to lose weight finally works. 2. Finding the right surgeon is even more important than I realized. 3. Don’t underestimate the adjustable nature of the band. 4. You can eat a wide variety of the foods you love with a band. 5. This life-changing decision really impacts spouses, partners, and those close to you. 6. Learn from others who have bands and who have been successful. 7. If you do decide to have a band, prepare for surgery. If you are interested in the full interview, go to http://www.gloriasbandedliving.com and sign up for the audio or video download located on the right-hand side of the page, just below my before and after. Please let me know if you find it useful.

For those of you who got something out of my success story, I wanted to let you know that I recently did an interview "The 7 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Lap-Band Surgery." This comes from the persective of looking back, 4 years after the fact. I've posted about it before but wanted to share the list. Here goes: 1. With a band, everything we have always known about how to lose weight finally works. 2. Finding the right surgeon is even more important than I realized. 3. Don’t underestimate the adjustable nature of the band. 4. You can eat a wide variety of the foods you love with a band. 5. This life-changing decision really impacts spouses, partners, and those close to you. 6. Learn from others who have bands and who have been successful. 7. If you do decide to have a band, prepare for surgery. If you are interested in the full interview, go to http://www.gloriasbandedliving.com and sign up for the audio or video download located on the right-hand side of the page, just below my before and after. Please let me know if you find it useful.

My mentor and friend Sandi and I recently started blogging about our experiences as long-term successful Lap-Band® patients. Sandi who has been maintaining a 250 lb weight loss with the help of her Lap-Band®, (yes, you read that correctly, 250 lbs lost, and maintaining) is writing about her experiences with plastic surgery. These are her tips for anyone considering plastic surgery after weight loss surgery. 1. Interview several doctors. You have to know what the possibilities are before you can make a selection that works for you. 2. Access is important - you will need follow up care for drain removal, etc. so you need to know before surgery how you will handle your follow up. 3. Experience with Weight Loss Surgery Patients is important. We come with our own unique challenges to plastic surgeons so the more surgery after weight loss your selected surgeon has done, the more familiar with our population your surgeon will be. 4. You must be totally comfortable with this doctor. You want someone who is compassionate, skilled and available. You are entrusting your life to this person as well as your emotional well being. If you want to learn more about her experiences, here’s the link to her first post about plastic surgery after WLS: Maintaining #002: Plastic Surgery After Gastric Banding Or……. To Nip And Tuck Or Not To Nip And Tuck

What I've always heard is to wait 4-6 weeks after your surgery. For me the time between getting my band, and getting good restriction was the hardest part. I felt "unbanded" although I wasn't feeling that way as early as you are. You are not missing an opportunity. It's really important to follow your doctor's insructions so that you heal corrrectly. I was self-pay too (although what I paid incuded all my fills, and visits - my doctor is super-committed to aftercare). I can tell you that I am not a patient person, and I hated the period of time waiting to get to good restriction. You also need to understand that it may not come with your first fill. That being said, I'm here to tell you that I'm in my 4th year, and maintaining a size 4. I love my band. You may want to check out my blog at: Gloria's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story . It's my way of paying it forward to the people who helped me out. Lots of people are telling me that it really helps to read my story and understand what I went through. Let me know how I can help.

Pretty cool; love the kid stories. It seems like a few of us following this thread have 8 year olds. It was definitely a wow moment, when my son (sho is now 8 of course - LOL, said he could wrap his legs all the way around me when I picked him up! NO REGETS!!! Kids are proud when I volunteer in school.

I'm reaching out on this pre-op board to see if I can help. You may have seen me on some of the other boards, if you are looking around like I did when I was exploring surgery. I've started a blog to pay it forward. My blog includes a list of grocery items to stock up on before surgery that my mentor and I put together. Here's the link: http://www.gloriasbandedliving.com/preparing-001-things-to-stock-up-on-before-the-day-of-gastric-banding-surgery/ If you do go to my blog, you can also check out the 7 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Lap-band Surgery. :thumbup:My goal is to help others by sharing my story and my personal experiences. My deepest personal hope is that other people will find something in my journey that is useful. If you do check out my blog, please let me know if you find it helpful.

OMG, getting my band was one of the best decision I ever made. I'm in my fourth year, maintaining a healthy weight for over 2 years. What you need to understand is that this is a tool, and you need to learn how to work it. You need people to help guide the way, your surgeon's practice (especially their aftercare program), others who have bands and have been successful, support groups...I'm blogging about my journey, so is my mentor. The link is in my signature. I hope it helps.

BTW, I responded but didn't respond to you poll, I really think you need to answer some of the questions in my last post and talk with your doctor aobut your answers. That's where this decision needs to be made (based on my experience asking myself these question DOZENS of times). I hope my last post helps.

You GO GIRL! Based on your ticker, single digits are coming your way....

Firstly - you are doing GREAT - congrats I feel like I am the queen of fills after 3 1/2 yeras, so I have to answer your post. Sorry if it's long, lot's of info Tight in the am is common. You are losing weight, so you may want to hold off, if its easy enough to get back into your doctor if you feel you need to. that being said, here are some things to try to make sure you are being totally honest with yourself. 1) lunchtime or at dinner, try eating, 1/2 cup of plain (no food lube) chicken If you have a hard time eating it, you probably can wait. If it goes down easily, I would definitely consider a fill 2)What are you eating for dinner, have you eased up on follwing the rules of your band - i.e. food lube, liquids with food, Soup for dinner...; If so, it's probably not the fill, it's probably your choices. If you are following the band rules closely and are getting hungry early - make sure your doctor understands thiis specifically - (I was in the situation) 3)Head hunger vs. physical hunger. Soul searching required here. Has the excitement of the band, like the last diet you were on worn off? Can u distinguish physical hunger from head hunger. 4)Does your feeling of tightness fluctuate with your period; mine does, and it also seems to fluctuate randomly 5)Think really hard if another fill would make you too tight - been there, done that, NOT fun, but I needed to learn 6) Be super-honest when you talk with your doc; he/She needs all the facts to five you the best advice. Let me know if can help. Interested in hearing how this plays out... I think I'm going to blog about this topic... I have so lived this

Hey Guys, My opinion is that men have been under-served by the Banded community (I don't mean on this board, I mean in general - like you guys have to listen to women's issues at support groups..). That's the feedback I get from guys I've helped mentor. I need your help. I am in my fourth year since getting my band; been at goal for over 2 years, and my mentor and I want to share what we've learned. I'm doing a retrospective blog, beginning with when I first started explroing surgery. Here is the link to my blog Gloria's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story This is what I need a guys perspective on: 1. Is this site useful to you? 2. How can I make it a better experience for you? 3. Please go to the 7 Things I Wish I Someone Told Me Before I had Lap-Band surgery - Is This Useful to You; Am I Missing Anything That is Important to You? I really appreciate your input on this. Keep the feedback coming, brutal honesty please.

I love your honesty. I don't know if I was as honest with myself when I started my journey. What I can tell you now in my fourth year since surgery, and maintaining a normal BMI for more than 2 years, is that this tool can change your life, if you are willing to be honest with yourself, and really learn how to use this tool, and surround yourself with other people who are learning or have learned how to use the tool. I stayed "in the closet" about my surgery but decided that I needed to put my story out there, especially for folks like you on this thread, who need to know that there are successful people out there, who can help make the journey easier to navigate. Please check out my blog (it documents my journey from the time I first started thinking about WLS, exploring the options ( I was scared and confused), preparing for surgery, recovering,transforming and finally maintaining). I just started to post, so you can follow the journey. Please check out my blog at: http://www.gloriasbandedliving.com. Make sure to sign up for the download - 7 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Lap-Band® surgery. There is also a list of grocery items to have on hand before LAP-BAND® surgery. I'd really appreciate if you guys would give me feedback on my blog - Is it helpful to you? This is a labor of love. Hey February folks - Good Luck on this phase in your journey! Just think, by valentines day next year, you'll be looking in disbelief at your before photos!

great question, great answers from everyone here. I'm in my 4th year since surgery and took a hard look back to answer this question, based on what I had learned over the years. Thought it was so important that my mentor and I actually did an interview on this topic. Follow this link to my blog to find it http://www.gloriasbandedliving.com/7-things/. I hope it's useful.