ljlsongbird

Hi, I'm lindsay, i had my lap band surgery march of 2008 and now i am currently in my second year of college. I was wondering if there are any other young people out there who have the band. sometimes i don't know whats "normal" and what isn't because i didnt have anyone to talk to about my post surgery issues. I have been dishonest with myself about bending the rules and i regurgitate quite frequently. I didnt realize this was a big issue until i was poking around on this site but now i have scheduled an appointment to have my band loosened and make sure nothing has been damaged. also...i was wondering if anyone has any eating out tips? foods that work, things to avoid, that kind of thing...? thanks!

I'm loving this thread! i feel like we are creating our own little club!! i am only 6 pounds away from my goal weight as of this morning! The idea about order half portions is such a good idea! thanks! i always try to look up restaurants before i go but that half portion thing would be really helpful! are most restaurants pretty accommodating about it? another resource i love it the book "eat this not that" it has sample menus for different types of restaurants giving you tips on what to order and it also had a ton of restaurants in there as well as grocery stopping and stuff. I would recommend it to everyone! and i think those girls that eat whatever they want and are stick thin will always be an annoying part of our lives. but im hoping that our generation can be the ones to figure out the genetic components of why we struggle so much where other people don't. i hate when people say being overweight is just a lack of willpower! have a good one everyone!

Hey! congrats on all the weight loss. It can be super hard with a busy schedule but i find that planning ahead and always having things that sit well in my stomach is always super helpful. as far as sharing your surgery with people, its a really personal thing. it could be nice to share with your brother because everyone i have told has been super supportive and it has created a super trusting relationship. also if you are staying with him he might worry about your eating habits and jump to conclusion that are more severe than what is actually going on. It's totally up to you but i have found it very rewarding to share.

OMG! its so nice to know that im not the only young person out there who has the band! i was feeling like i was the only person facing some of these obstacles, its such a relief! I am super open with people about having the band. obviously i dont wear a nametag or something but it is a huge part of my life and people who are close to me should know about the struggles and successes. first off, MANDA87! how exciting! if you have any questions or anything feel free to ask. I have lost and kept off about 35 pounds since my surgery and it was one of the greatest decisions of my life. However, it is not a magic fix, it has taken me almost 2 years to realize that i actually have to do the work and implement the rules into my life in order to have success. I dont know if anyone else is like this, but i try to eat 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day as opposed to 3 bigger meals. i find that if i sit down for a meal, i get too stressed and eat too much too fast. so i like to pack a lunch in the morning with little Snacks throughout the day. I also try to focus on getting in different food groups. I struggle the most with vegetables...urg they are impossible in college haha. Does anyone have any good tricks for eating out? like how to focus on eating slowly and eating smaller portions?