kareyquilts

Thanks for the book advise. I have the Eating Well book, but had not heard of the book by Jesse Ahroni. I will check it out. I'm finding a lot a different ideas about how much to eat and what to eat to acheive maximun results.

Telly: Thanks for the advice. Are you using the treadmill now right after your TT? Aren't there restrictions for that? Also, did they give you blood thinners after your surgery and any advise on exercise, etc. You've inspired me to get going on an exercise bike as well. Keep healing and good luck!

Lisanjason: I hope that you'll keep us informed about how everything goes! I wish you best! You're going to be so happy with the results!

It's great that you got your weight and your life back in control at such a young age. I was like you, I gained a lot of weight with my pregnacies, except that I had 4 children. I would loose 40 pounds afterwards, but I usually gained 50-80 pounds. At one point I lost 80 pounds, but then I had a hysterectomy and my oviaries removed. The doctor assured me that he would be able to moderate by hormones, but of course he couldn't and I put all the weight back on plus some. Anyway, I wish I would have been able to have this surgery 10 years ago. So much time wasted. Thanks for the inspiration and answers to my questions!

Telly: Thanks for answering all my questions. I guess I need to copy and paste this to a word document, so I can remember everything when I get closer to needing a TT. My doctor said to wait 2 years before you have plastic surgery to give your skin a chance to make adjustments. That seems like a long time when you have lost so much and come so far. I noticed that you had yours a lot sooner. Did you get any medical advise about when to have the TT?

Telly: When you have your surgery in Mexico, who takes out the drains and does your aftercare?

Telly: I was just reading your profile. I can't believe you lost so much weight so quickly. My doctor said I had to wait another month before I could do anything but walk, but I am determined to do whatever it takes to get back to a normal body. I don't know why I waited this long. I guess I was always putting everyone else first. I am definetly going to get a personal trainer. When did you start exercising so hard? Was it from the beginning or did you get some weight off first?

Telly: The pictures were awesome, I especially liked the before and after shots of your belly button. I am really inspired! I hope you'll let us know how everything goes in the months to come. Thanks for sharing and being so brave.

Wow Telly, you look fantastic. I'm looking forward to more pictures and reports. Are you in a lot of pain? Keep us posted, cause we all want to do what you did!

I was banded on 9-6-06. I am walking 2 miles a day and doing a 20 minutes exercise video with a power band. When you start exercising as much as some of you are doing, do you increase your calorie intake or is that self-deafeating?

I'm not sure about the thermogentics. My doctor says absolutely no caffiene. It's bad for the heart and can be stressful on the body. I would think that the exercise and weights and diet changes would be enough. What does everyone else think?

LIz: Thanks for the input. I think you might be right. My doctor does both gastric bypass and lapband and he seems to treat both groups the same. He even made me sign a release in the hopsital with my take home instructions, stating that I understood that I would only be able to eat 1/2 cup of food at a time for the rest of my life (I was a little shocked and starting crying, but that's another story). Anyway, I'm eating 1/2 cup at a time 6 times a day. It looks like you started out at the same weight as me. I hope that I'm doing as well as you are in 6 months! I'm am getting hungry, but I haven't even had a fill yet. Not for another month. Well life's an adventure isn't it!?

Thanks for the info. I will try and find the book. I have found other books that they are really written for gastric bypass patients. It's nice that there is at least one book written exclusively for lap banders.

I don't know if anyone else had this experience, but when I was in the hospital the nurses kept comparing my lap band with the gatric bypass. My pain wasn't as great. I would be able to eat real food sooner, etc. Who cares? My pain was still my pain! My hunger was still real. I felt dis-counted at every turn. It's like telling a patient who only has 1 breast removed that there a lot luckier than the patient in the other room who had a complete masectomy. The topper happened when it was time for the take home directions and I had to sign a paper stating that I understood that I would only be able to eat 1/2 cup for the rest of my life and that I understood that my weight loss would only be 1 to 2 pounds a week AND then the nurse added, "You would have lost more weight with a bypass!" It made me so angry that I started to cry. When it's all said and done, I made my decision and I didn't need some nurse adding her 2 cents worth! It's a big decision and shouldn't be taken lightly, but over all. I think that science will show that the lap band is the safest way to long term weight loss. (Until they come up with some new procedure).

I don't know if anyone else had this experience, but when I was in the hospital the nurses kept comparing my lap band with the gatric bypass. My pain wasn't as great. I would be able to eat real food sooner, etc. Who cares? My pain was still my pain! My hunger was still real. I felt dis-counted at every turn. It's like telling a patient who only has 1 breast removed that there a lot luckier than the patient in the other room who had a complete masectomy. The topper happened when it was time for the take home directions and I had to sign a paper stating that I understood that I would only be able to eat 1/2 cup for the rest of my life and that I understood that my weight loss would only be 1 to 2 pounds a week AND then the nurse added, "You would have lost more weight with a bypass!" It made me so angry that I started to cry. When it's all said and done, I made my decision and I didn't need some nurse adding her 2 cents worth!

I was banded in Salt Lake City, UT on Sept. 6, 2006. I was self-pay and my doctor charged $12,900 which includes follow ups and fills for a year. The surgeon was Hanafy M. Hanafy. Good luck!

It's great to hear what other's are doing. I talked to a gal at Bariatric Support International who said that alot of lapband doctors don't give good advice about diet and calorie intake and that it is left to the invidual to figure out. I've had some general guidelines like eat protien first and then vegetable. Never eat over 1/2 cup. I would just like to maximize what I am doing to get the best results. Any one know of a book on this just for lap banders?

It's great to hear what other's are doing. I talked to a gal at Bariatric Support International who said that alot of lapband doctors don't give good advice about diet and calorie intake and that it is left to the invidual to figure out. I've had some general guidelines like eat protien first and then vegetable. Never eat over 1/2 cup. I would just like to maximize what I am doing to get the best results. Any one know of a book on this just for lap banders?

You might be able to do it, but it's going to be hard. You might be a little painful and very tired. You'll also have to pack protien powder and baby food or whatever your doc says you can have. It's probably good to get back into the swing of things ASAP, but that seems alittle too soon to me.

Congratulations! I was banded in September also. It's nice to have a forum to find out if what your experiencing is normal! Good luck!

The night before I was banded, my best friend and her husband came over to wish me luck, etc. However, they also said, you know, Karey, you look nice just the way you are. People don't want you to change, because they are worried that your personality will change. Maybe you won't like them as much if you lose weight or they will feel heavier around you, etc. Everyone wishes that they could lose weight without surgery. I am frustrated about some things about the band, but it is a proven and safe way to lose weight. It is hope when everything feels hopeless. I only wish I would of done this years ago.

Best Memory: This is hard, since I was just banded 3 weeks ago. I guess the respect that my husband and Mom had for my decision to take control. Worst Memory: When I woke up in the recovering room, the first word I heard was "obese." The nurses were talking about me! I felt vulnerable and hurt. It wasn't a good way to start my hospital visit.

This was an interesting thread. I have been posting my calories on a little software program called, "Diet Power." It's a great little program, I can track water, calories and exercise. I am usually getting around 900 calories. I walk several miles a day which subtracts around 220 calories for a net of 680 calories. I am only losing about 2 pounds a week on this amount. It is very frustrating! I'm wondering if I should be eating a little more? (The computer program says I'm not eating enough). I don't feel like I'm getting much support from the doctor. Oh well!

Thanks for the encouraging words. I needed them!

I was banded on Sept. 6th. I have only lost 13 lbs. I am hungry all the time. I am walking 2 miles a day. I know I shouldn't feel discouraged, but I do. I haven't felt the sensation of fullness at all. I hope that I will when I have a fill. Do you think that filling full is only pschological? If it is, then I don't know if I can do this.