BayougirlMrsS

If you have time..... go to Chat after dark.... you will see what i mean. During the day we have nice clean conversations..... At night... it's no holds bar.... i don't go on at night anymore.

Sorry for doubting you... but glad you set it straight. You have to know that we have people that come in here for all the wrong reasons... congrats on the weight loss

You doing great... 6lb's a month.... I understand the meat thing. I can only eat steak if it's cooked Med. Rare or white meat chicken if it very moist. I stick with the dark chicken and I ate a lot of Wendy's Chili in the first few months. For some reason, it always goes down. Walmart has frozen Talapa that are individually packed. One filet cooked with Extra virg. olive oil and some lemon pepper season is great..... or get the low sodium cream Soup and pour some on top of fish..... like cream of mushroom. Slice Cajun turkey from the Deli is great.... have them shave it for you. I do turkey roll ups with pepper jack cheese, have them cut very thin... yummy. If you are having trouble still..... get some liquid Protein and mix in smoothie. I go to Sams and buy the pre-cut, frozen fruit and blend that with some yogurt and protein (no ice, frozen fruit enough cold). Protein is important, i didn't listen at first and lost a lot of hair in the process. Have you started exercising? Some type of movement is necessary for optimal weight loss. It took me a few months to get that thru my thick head.... So i started doing Zumba 2-3 x week..., treadmill and the elliptical (aka the devil).... Started slow and them add more time... YOU CAN DO THIS..... Don't get down on your self.... and don't compare yourself to others. Every bandster is different. You just do YOU.....

Not sure.... go to your profile, Edit my profile, under my setting there is a blue line, click on photo, creat a new album.

Cazzy is right..... I have the Lap-band AP system. At least that's what my card says....

hey Mis73.... i had my TT 19 weeks ago and my experience was great. I too was expecting the worse and chose not to have the Breast reduction at the same time because i heard it was so painful. But it turn out not to be the case for me. I equated it with my 2 c-sections. Mine was from hip to hip and dips down into my pubic area. I didn't want a scar straight across my stomach.... my dr listened and i am sooooo happy. I was back at my desk job in 12 days. The worse part for me was the compression garment. I had to pay out of pocket for mine, but it was the best $8800 i ever spent. and would do it again in a heart beat.

Girl, you nailed that one.... goood job.

I wish i would have taken better before pictures.... and continued taking them in the same outfit. Most of us "fluffy" people avoid camera. My husband is a part-time photographer.... and every time he would take one i would make him delete it..... Now i'm glad he kept a few. I remember after i got approved.... i ate every thing i could....lol..... it was another version of the good the bad and the ugly....hehe. I will chat with you later.... have a great weekend

Congrats to all of you on your weight-loss...... My three year is in November.... can't be leave it's been that long already. I started at 223... got down to 139.....then back up to 149....143 now gained a few back after my Tummy tuck.... because they removed all my fill and went 8 weeks with an empty band got 5cc, then at 17 week i got another 4cc... so i'm back at 9 in my 14cc band. i'm so great-full for my band. My Tummy it the only thing i have had fix .... so far. I would love to have a reduction and lift, but i have to wait. My insurance would not cover my TT, so i had to pay for it. I work a few job and im able to use some of that "extra" to pay for my TT. I was going to get a personal loan but opted for a Chase Slate care at 0% interest for 15 months. Hope to have it paid by then, but if not i will transfer the balance to another 0% int. card until i have it paid. Total for everything was $8800. It was the best $8800 dollars i have ever spent.... i would do it again tomorrow if i had too. The pain for me was very minimal and i was back at work in 12 days. My stomach i now flat-as-a-fritter (as my friend says) and i can see straight down ... after i move the boobs out the way.... lol. i have now replaced my addiction of food with VS panties.....lol

that's wonderful news...

Hey Jim, Call your insurance carrier and have them help you find a new doctor. That's what you pay them for after all. We had gotten a letter that our old insurance was going to stop covering our local hospital.... i was so scarred, but they worked something out and signed back on... but i lost my job and got different insur that doesn't cover WLS at all so now all my fills are out of pocket. Hope everything works out for you.

OMG..... Sharon... i am so happy for you.... i'm glad you never gave up. I feel your joy.

congrats on taking the steps to changing your life. Few things you didn't mention: your height, your weight, have you had kids? natural or c-section? Theses are my reasons: I find that the taller people that don't have a huge amount that have not had kids do better with the skin issue. I on the other hand am 5'2" weight 223 had two kids via c-section. I have lost 80lbs ... give or take a few. I exercised and lost weight slower than most. My underarms, legs (inner and outer thighs) have no issues, no problems with the neck either...... But, my stomach was different. Even though i worked out i still had the stomach apron, mostly due to the two c-sections. So at two year and three months out i went and had a tummy tuck. :) I'm so happy....for the first time in 20+ years i can wear a bikini in public. Like the rest, i would rather have the loose skin then be back at 223lbs again. Others are right, every person is different with the band and so is every person's insurance. I started my process in Aug. 09 and was having surg. nov. 09. I had the seminar, visit with nutritionist, heart dr., swallow test, sleep study, I didn't have to do any diet as i was right at 40.8 with no co-morbid s..... in fact i purposefully gained 10 lbs to meet insurance of 40 BMI. I'm not ashamed of that and would do it over again. At one point i was at 230 and dieted with WW and got down to 213. But could not go below that.... so when i started research and found out i had to be at 40 i gained 10lbs back... Gain 10 to lose 80... hell yes and i would do it again. My PCP sent in a paper with my medical history and so did my GYN... to show my progressive weight gain over the years. that was it... approved first letter. I wish you all the luck....

Kim, So sorry to hear about your lose. Cancer is a evil thing. Most of the people in my life that passed, did so from Cancer. My grand ma and aunt had breast, but has beaten it twice. Having grown kids is so much fun. I have two 28 and 21, a daughter in law and two wonderful grandkids logan 6 and elizabeth 4. Don't ever fill guilty about having this surgery, it's what you deserve and i'm sure your husband would have wanted you to be happy and healthy. Telling people is a personal choice. You want to tell the ones that will support you and not be your "food" monitors. Going to the gym is hard for me right now. After taking off 6 weeks for the Tummy tuck, i just can't seem to get motivated again. But i will and i need to start tanning again.... bought two new bikini's .... so excited to be able to wear them after 20+ years. Like i said.... some people replace food with drinking, partying.... i replaced mine with underwear......lol. Also, if you don't already have one, buy a Mini Blender, i bought the Hamilton beach 5110. wonderful for your pre surg liq. diet and after to get in all your Protein. I went to Sams and bought the precut, frozen fruit and made smoothies and added my protein in that for morning drink. Are you can do it before your workouts.

wow good catch

I agree.... Ms. Jean is my favorite Guru..... on the lapband. She also has a wonderful newsletter that she writes. Local support groups are another great place to go. I was lucky to have a very great friend be my mentor. She had the surg a year before me. I would still be 223lb or more if not for her. I have had a great experience with my band so far. I was 223lb 5'2", banded 11/10/09. My doctor implanted the 14cc band. Stayed over night in hospital. Was up and walking within hours. Gas was about the worse part. But with experience from multiple surg before (2 c-sections, gallbladder, hysterectomy) i knew that the faster you get up and moving the better you are. liquids that week and mush the next which was Thanksgiving... ... But i made it through. In my opinion the first few month after the band was the worse for me. Little to no fill and i was starving all the time. And i could eat anything. This, i think, is when your self discipline will come in. You will have to say no and stick to the amount your doctor says to eat.... I bought a small kids plate, you know the cute ones with cartoons on them. Well they have the portion sections... i put only my amount of food and nothing more. Ate my Protein, then veggie, then starch. Most of the time i could eat the starch... No tv, reading, talking...etc while eating. No distraction from concentrating on chewing and chewing and more chewing. Take one bite, put the fork/spoon down. I would close my eyes and think about what i was eating and how good it taste. Did i cheat at anytime.... yes. But, as time goes by the things you thought you could never live with out, you find out you can. Bread was my biggest thing.... i LOVVEEE bread. But the first time you get stuck on bread you will never want to touch it again. Over the next 6 months i learned i could no longer eat.... Bread, pizza, rice, grits, anything over cooked (steak, chicken, pork) it had to be cook med. rare or med. I really started to fill restriction around 7cc in my band...... This is also when my husband said.... stop complaining about not losing enough weight. You have to start exercising more than twice a week.... so i got my lazy butt up and starting doing zumba 3x a week and weights 2x a week and i walk everyday. And he was right... i hated to admit it, but he was. When i weighed in May 6 i was at 177..... at one year i was 160, two years 146... today i weighed in at 143. couple other things i did that helped me.... i stopped ordering buffets, if we went to a buffet, i asked to order off menu. If not, i left. Also when eating out, as much as possible i ask if i could get a Half order, if not as asked for the waitress/waiter to bring a go box when the meal was brought out. I portioned out my meal and put the rest in the box.... closed it and gave it to my husband so i would not be tempted to go back in.... Never never never order anything to drink.... not even Water.... at this point the waitress will look at you like your an alien..... she will say... are you sure, not even water.... no, not even water. Until you can control you and your band... not even water. Out of habit you will take a bite and not even thinking... you will pick up the glass and drink.... and you will be sorry. My worse stick were from doing that very thing. Now you have to get up and run to the bathroom and .... well get rid of your meal you just ate. The only time i order drink before a meal is coffee at Breakfast.... I found that i never noticed my weight loss, but others did. You will need to be prepared to answer question like, how are you losing the weight.... what are you doing? To tell or not to tell... that's the question.... its a personal choice. I chose not to tell at first. Only my husband, two boy, daughter in law and My mentor Paula... knew. I didn't tell my mom and other family until my mom thought i was dieing because of the weight loss.....lol.. but true. I would tell people.. im watching what i eat and exercise... which was true. About 9 months into it i started telling people and got the "oh you had WLS" look..... the "you took the easy way out" look. Be prepared for that if you chose to tell. Also, be prepared for men to start really taking notice of you again and your husband (if you have one) to get jealous...... We also had a significant increase in "private time". Men will start to notice you and you will feel empowered and sometimes the increase in attention from other men tend to make some people stray.... Lots of divorce in couple that had WLS... 19 weeks ago i had my first plastic surgery..... a Tummy Tuck.... OMG. This was the second best thing i ever did for myself. I can now shave "down below" with out lifting a fat roll...... i can see straight down....lol. I have now changed my addiction from food to panties..lol... i know, i can't go shopping with out buying them. Threw out all the granny panties and replaced them with VS. Can't buy the bras yet..... but maybe in a year from now i'll have a reduction. We shall see. Take lots of pictures.... i wish i would have done that. More progress pictures in the same outfit. I hope this helped a little.... But know that EVERY bandster is different and my experience and yours will not be the same Good luck

Cazzy... i was wondering the same thing... Frett... What did you have done? when? and how much have you lost.... what ever it is..... Congrats...

Mine did based on how long i stayed full. He asked how long you can go with out feeling hungry.... i said about an hour or so..... FILL.... Even though i was losing... it was only a few pounds a month. I was a slow loser. Before my TT i had 10.5.... then the removed it all for the surgery. Went 8 weeks with nothing... got 5cc and then 9 weeks later i got another 4cc.... so i'm back up to 9, but i feel like this is a good place for me right now. I can still eat, but it's stopping me from eating the bad stuff again... bread, rice, pizza.... etc. Maybe tell him how starving you are and that your afraid of over eating. Heck .. it worth the try. Stand your ground.... tell him even though he's the Doctor, this is your band and your life. Good luck

all the best..... congrats and Happy birthday..... today is the birth of the NEW YOU....

a "fun program" for crack heads... what is this world coming too. And in the meantime kids are going hungry because their mom/dad is selling it to pay for drugs.... I thought Louisiana was crazy. My son is an RN and daughter in law is an LPN. We have a charity hospital here that if you have low or no income, your care is free. It's people like you described that would give me high blood pressure if i did your job.... bless you bless you bless you.

trust in knowing, i do complain to my government and i take my vote very very serious. And i really don't think i belittled anyone. If i didn't I apologize....