cynpatt

Mom2girls, My thoughts are with you for a very speedy recovery for your daughter.

I am cold all of the time now too. I wear a sweater all of the time now.

Only down 1 pound this week:cursing: I deffinitly ate too much and exercised too little. A new week awaits:smile:

Hello All, It has been a rough week - I don't yet have restriction, but am also feeling full between meals. I think my biggest issues with the band are recognizing the feeling of fullness early on, and secondly eating loo quickly with too large bites. It is deffinitly a learning curve. This week I am only down 1 pound, but that is better than gaining! We decided to join the town pool this summer after not being a member for a few years. My bathing suit was huge on me :smile2: I think that I will have to purchace a new one before the season is over. I bought goggles and did 12 laps which equaled 1/4 mile in 15 minutes. I was so excited to see that I burned 210 calories. I am going to try to make it a daily swim once the pool hours are longer after June 25TH. The good news is that I am still going to do my daily walk tonight.:thumbup: I know that a lot of you also walk - are you guys finding that your feet ache? I am finding this the limiting factor on how long that I can walk. I hope that everyone is well! Cynthia

It is impossible to meet the protein requirements until you are on a regular diet. Don't worry about it until then. I love my band - almost at my 3 month mark - good luck on your journey!

Week 2 of challange down another 2 to a total of 5 of 16 for this challange. Good Luck All!

Just bought a pedometer. How many steps is considered normal in a day? for weight loss? I keep hearing crazy numbers - how many do you do?

I only walk on the treadmill at the gym - no restrictions there. Good luck on your first fill!

Soft scrambled eggs were ok on mushies and soft as per my MD.

Banded 3/5. No issues with sushi or sashimi:smile2: My favorite!

I am 5'9 - but since I have so much to lose - I am setting my goal to 200. In reality I want to get down to 170, but an even 150 lost sounds awesome to me at this stage!

Hi! I was also banded in March (3/5) and just had my second fill this past Monday. Until Monday, I couls eat and drink whateverI wanted. I felt NO restriction at all. Fortunately, I was aware that this would be the situation from reading so many of the posts on this forum. Since my second fill, I am starting to feel some restriction. Not there fully, but getting there. As they say - we are in Bandster Hell. I have just been keeping my portions small (around 1 cup 3X a day) and walking like a crazy lady - 2-3miles per day. We have a March 2001 forum page - come join us there. Hang in there - you are doing GREAT!!!! Cynthia

Lapband.com It is easy to use - also has a weight counter, an appointment counter and is designed specifically for the lap band patient - and of course - it is free!

Down 3 as of this past Monday! Had my second fill Monday - hoping that it will give me some restriction!!!

Kelsey - You are doing GREAT! I know that you are a little frustrated with your loss, but 18lbs (even if it is only 4lbs post-op) is great! It is SO hard when you hit a standstill. I think part of the reason that I went down so much from my surgery was that I did not have a pre-op diet. The first week on liquids had me loosing half of the total weight that I have lost to date. I think the pre-op diet often lowers the weight that you loose post-op initially. Also it depends on how much total you need to loose. I hope to be down 150-180 by the end of my journey. If you only have half that amount to go, then it will obviously take longer. Anyway - keep on going - you are doing FANTASTiC!!! Makissa - It was't bad at all! I expected a lot worse. I laid down, they felt for the port (I couldn't feel it, but they obviously could), a small pinch, and it was done in less than 20 seconds! They had me drink some water and that was it. I was on water for 24 hours and then mushies. I had my second fill Monday. AFter my forst fill I had no restriction - I didn't believe that the second one would make a difference, but it did! My first 2 meals afterward I ate tuna, and it was fine, but this morning I ate my light english muffin with egg and turkey sausage and I had my first episode. OUCH!!!!! I was driving and thought that I was having a heart attack it hurt so much! Lunch I had plain deli turkey and was only able to eat 5oz - usually that would not have gotten me full. I hope the restriction that I have continues. Good Luck to all!!! Cynthia

Hello My Fellow March Bandsters, It has been 10 and 1/2 weeks since my surgery. I really feel that I am making some real life change, and I am really happy about that. Life is physically getting a lot easier. I nolonger think twice about doing the things things that normal weight people do on an everyday basis such as climbing a flight of stairs, walking longer distances etc. Last night I went to the Yankee Game (YEAH - the Yankees beat the Red Sox), and I fit SO much better in the stadium chairs, and the walk from the lot was nolonger exhausting! I had my second fill yesterday - bringing me up to 5.1cc in a 10cc band. I am on liquids until tonight, so I do not know about restriction, but the PA stated that I should feel a difference. I hope so!!!! I am down 42 pounds - only 9 more pounds until I hit the 200's! I cannot wait! Prior to surgery, I had contacted my insurance (Horizen BCBS) twice and my MD contacted them once. All 3 times it was documented that I do not need pre-approval for this procedure. I also have a copy of my insurance binder stating that it a covered expense. Well - I have now been rejected twice. It is a game they play - now they want a letter of medical necessity (I was 350 pounds, had high BP, was borderline diabetic, taking BP meds and nexium 2X ad day - WTH?!?). Letter was sent in - now waiting again! The odd thing is that they paid the hospital bill - $25,00 (paid a lower contracted amount though), but they did not pay the surgeon ($8,500) or anesthesiologist ($2,500). I have to say though - if I knew that they were possibly not going to cover the procedure prior to surgery, I probably would not have done it. Knowing what I know now - even if I have to pay out of pocket - I am glad I did it - it is a life altering experience. The exercise is going well: 2-3 miles walking the track with my walking buddy. We walk at a rate of 3mph. Not sure if we should increase the milage at this point or increase our pace. What do you all think would be more beneficial? My biggest issue - my feet ALWAYS hurt! Just bought 2 new pairs of sneakers - boy this sneaker buisness is getting expensive! I know my goal for this month is to slow down my rate of eating. I think that it will help me feel fulness better. What are you all eating? Jodi - I love my Sushi too and have not had any stuck moments with it (I have not had any stuck or PB incidents yet - thank goodness!). My nutritionist said that bread, rice and meat are all okay as long as you don't get stuck - I guess you will not know unless you give it a try. Carbs, bread, and sweets were never trigger foods for me at all, so that to have them in my diet are complements to my diet not hinderences. I was a total volume eater - and even without restriction as of yet - I cannot eat even close to what I used to. I hope that everyone has a great week.:thumbup: Cynthia

I was banded 3/5 and had my first fill a few weeks prior. I was also quite nervous, but it was quite easy. My MD did not use a local anesthesia. I did not look at the needle, so I don't know how big it was, but it did not hurt at all. It took him a little bit to get access to the port, but it was done before I even realized it. It was an odd feeling for a minute or two. I drank some water and that was it. I was on clear liquids for 3 meals after the fill - one meal of mushies then onto a regular diet. I wish that I had some restriction post first fill, but it is ok - I am one step closer. Second fill is tomorrow - I cannot wait. Good Luck!

Mikissa, Just re-read your original post and realized that you were just banded a few days ago in May - correct? You are doing great with 9 pounds lost! You cannot compare your loss to those on this specific board - we were all banded in March. Keep up the good work - you will see the pounds come off like the rest of us! Cynthia

Increased my walking by 1/4 mile today to 2.25 miles. :smile2: Also called my MD's office to push up my second fill by 1 week to this Monday and they said yes!

I was TOTALLY addicted - Diet Coke for Breakfast - then at least 6-8 cans a day! I didn't have a pre-op diet, so I had one the night before my surgery and that was it. I went through too much to have this band, and don't want to damage it. I now pack 4-5 bottles to bring with me to work and carry a baggie wath all kinds of crystal light. I have a case of Water in my trunk too. It was much easier to break than I though. they say that a food addiction takes 21 days to change - you will make it through and do great! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Hello all, The time is really flying by. It is softball season so that means that almost every day after I finish work at 6pm - I am first going to watch a softball game until 8. I eat lunch at 12:00, so that by 8:00 I am STARVING ( band or no band). So - I am now packing a greek yogurt to eat just before leaving work to tide me over. I have been grilling right when I get home so that I can make it to the track by 9 to walk with my walking buddy. As far as what foods I eat - I have taken a different path than some others that I have seen posting on the boards. I was never a sweets or desert eater, but rather a huge volume eater. Whenever I was on a diet in the past, I always failed because I was denying my self foods that I found comforting to me. I have spoken with the nutritionist about this and we decided that what was best for me was not to "diet" but to really watch my portions and to slowly make better choices. I don not have restriction as of yet, so that the weight that I am loosing at this point is by sheer willpower and changing of my mindset rather than due to the band. I try to keep my calorie count around 1200 cals. In the morning I typically eat a 100 cal type of bread ( light english muffin, deli flat etc) with 2 oz of tuna salad. Lunch I usually eat out at work (today I had 4 steamed shrimp dumplings sometimes it is half a wrap, other times a lean cuisine meal), dinner is usually a lean protein and a veggie. Tonight I had some sushi. Not the typical lapband diet, but it is working for me, I am satisfied and therefore happy. I record everything I eat at lapband.com. It is a simple website that tracks my calories and exercise. Jodi - I agree with you - it is much harder with family functions and going out for meals. This weekend I had a Bat Mitzvah, dinner plans with my brother and Mothers day. At the Bat Mitzvah I decided to eat only the cocktail hour and forgo the sit down meal. I ate some sushi, lox, and veggies - I really try to watch my volume and keep the food to one cup. I decided to not even have them put the plate in front of me during the meal, otherwise I would have induldged. Dinner that night out, I did grilled shrimp and salad. Mothers day - a beef rib at the barbecue and grilled mushrooms. I have been walking 5 nights a week - 45 minutes each night - it is making me feel SO much better. What is everyone else eating? I hope you all are having a good week. Cynthia

Banded 3/5/10, First Fill 4/15 - since yesterday have had the hiccups at least 5-7 times. They go away quickly - is this band related? Banded 3/5/20 350lb First Fill 4/14/10 2.5cc/10cc band Current 4/21/10 319lb

Hi Allie, Congrats on your weight loss so far. You are doing great! I was also banded in March (3/5) and as they say - we are in bandster hell - no restriction! I am SO looking forward to my second fill on May 24TH. Come join us at the March Bandster support thread. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f22472/spring-into-march-2010-bandsters-108654/index35.html Keep up the great work and if you need some extra support, feel free to contact me. Cynthia

CONGRATS! I cannot wait!