Jess55

I'd say one of the large factors, was my sister getting engaged. Yes I had been miserable for a long time and yo yo dieting and stuff. But the thought of having to wear a dress, made me even more depressed. There was NO WAY I was going to be caught dead in a dress at 260 (I think that is about where I was), and unfortunately that wasn't my highest of 308, but still. I think it was a couple of months after my sister got engaged I had my first appointment. I had a 6 month supervised diet I had to go through and I lost only 11lbs. Got banded in December and my sisters wedding was in November, I got down to 180 by that date. I was still self conscious, but I felt I looked decent. The other factors were just that I was miserable with my life, I had no life. Luckily I was fat, but I was healthy, no medical problems at all.

I was really painful the first day, day 2 was so much better, still painful, but I'd rate it out of 10, like a 4 or 5 (I think. Surgery was over a year ago), day 3 was pretty good, maybe a 2 or so. One dose of the vicodan got me through, with maybe one other dose of tyelenol. I mainly took the vicodan on day 3 because I got my period and my cramps on day one had been really bad. After that I was just sore.

They can do any exercise with the band. I've heard P90X is really good.

I just don' understand, if you wanted a "fad diet", why get the band in the first place? I chose lap band as a lifestyle change. Oh and I'm losing the weight with a lifestyle change which doesn't include the band anyways. I do not have restriction and never searched for it once I lost the initial that I had. And I clicked on this link to have a laugh at what people were saying. Btw they even have banned the topic of hcg at mfp because of how stupid and unhealthy the diet is.

Hcg has been or in the process of being banned by the FDA. There is absolutely no proof it works. The only part that does work is the 500 calorie diet you are supposed to follow, which is extremely unhealthy and you gain back after you eat normal again. I'd much rather rev my metabolism than slow it down like that. On that note have fun taking pregnant ladies urine!

For me, not hard at all. I'd been going to the gym for many years prior to the band. Once I got the ok post op from my doc at 9 days for cardio (and about 3-4 weeks for weights) a few days later I started back. I took it slow at first, I was still a teeny bit sore, but within a week or 2 I was back to my old routine, but a little more. 2 months after surgery I started cardio or fitness kickboxing, and I now go 5 days a week taking usually 6-7 classes. Wednesday I go twice and 2 days I usually do 1.5 classes. So once you are cleared, have at it. For me I had a very quick recovery so it was easy. Some people have harder ones.

I would definitely not recommend buying medicine from eBay. That would just freak me out, I don't care if it's sealed. You never know.

In order to TRUELY gain 5 lbs you'd have to eat 17,500 calories OVER your maintenance calories. Did you? Very highly unlikely. So it was not a true gain. It was probably water retention.

I've been through the bossy scanner twice with my band. Both times in Orlando international airport (starting to dislike that airport... LOL). The first time they also patted me down but I think it was due to my necklace having been under my shirt so they saw that. Second time was fine. The scanner does not see through your skin in anyway, it is not an x ray machine. There fore it shouldn't see your band.

Wish it were that easy for me. I've been at the gym since 2 weeks post op, drink s minimum of 1 gallon of water per day. And I've only lost 12 lb since September. I'm thinking of getting a metabolic test done to see what I should really eat. I'm about to go off for a week. No gym, no tracking. I went to Florida last month and didn't track (know I ate more than I should have) and only worked out once, my days were spent sitting in lectures. And I had lost a lb when I came back. I'm just so afraid to do that again though.

MRSA is not a new risk. It always has been a risk in the hospital setting. Anyone can be a carrier and not show any symptoms.

I think I had/have two main goals, the first one being was to get thinner and maybe getting to a normal bmi. The second was being I did this for my mental health, I was severely depressed being how I was. So it was to get out of my severe depression, which I've achieved. I may still be fat but wearing clothes I'm actually pretty happy with the way I look. Of course I will strive for better since I'm still in the obese catogory. I think overweight is under a 30 bmi. Not happy with myself naked but I doubt I'll ever be.

My post op appointment was 9 days post op. I was told to make it between 7-10 days. All that happened was I was weighed and asked how I was doing. They did not even look at my incisions which I found very odd. I mean they could have been infected for all they knew. I guess they figured I would say something if there was a problem.

I used to be fine at night, slept under a blanket fine. For a while now even with its being winter (though a warm one), I sleep with the window open and in a t shirt and pants and under my comforter, I wake up in the middle of the night sweating, and I have to put a fan on. It's weird because during the day I'm chilly.

You talking pre op? I had a week pre op liquid diet and I did not work out that whole week. At the calorie intake I was taking in I didn't think I would be able to make it through. I restarted at the gym like 2 weeks post op, when I was on mushies. Still my caloric intake was pretty low, but I was ok.

I wish I had been late, I got it right on time 3 days post op:(. Though luckily the pain meds stopped the bad cramps I usually get on day one in their tracks. Only reason I took the meds that day.

I don't work 12 hour overnight shifts, but my shifts are 10 hours. I usually can only have the energy to workout in the morning. After work I am to tired. Luckily my shifts are now all swing shifts. So 2 pm- 12 am. I go to kickboxing at 10 am, or to the gym at 10 am. When I used to work morning shifts I was always so tired after work to do anything. Up til a few weeks ago, I was still working one morning shift and I used that day as my off day, since like I said I'm to tired after work to work out. So maybe try before work? Obviously leave enough time to go home and shower and such. Not sure if that's feasible for you.

First thing you have to do is change your mindset. For me and many others this is not a diet. A diet it something you do temporarily. This must be a lifestyle change. Second you ate to much (I won't say you ate bad things because my opinion is to make it a lifestyle there are no foods I will not eat I just moderate it and fit it into my caloric goal). Move past, today is a new day. Also don't say well I screwed up mine as well finish out the rest of the day bad, eat right at the next meal and one day going over your calories IS NOT going to undo your hard work.

I've had my band for 13 months now, and have very little in my band. I recently got TOM, and this time was the first time, I really think my band got quite a bit tighter than ever before (I must have been extremely bloated before because the scale was up 3 lb, and I know that it is not real fat gain) for the first time I feel like I got stuck. Ive had things slow going down before and felt a tightness in my chest, but this time I actually almost vomited, I mean I ran to the bathroom thinking it was going to come up, but luckily it didn't and it just went down. It didn't last to long, so not sure if I was "officially"stuck, but now I'm going to be more careful around TOM.

Personally I think you should postpone your surgery until you're done breast feeding. In the weeks post op you are going to be consuming very little calories. The first week post op I only had like 300 calories per day. Which is barely enough to sustain life let alone feed a baby. Have you discussed this with your doctor? I would be surprised they would recommend the surgery while you are breast feeding.

I've not had braces, but I totally understand your problem. My teeth do not meet in the back at all when I bite normally. I have to chew with my lower jaw forward and my teeth still don't completely meet on the right side, which complicates chewing. I did not think of this problem pre band. I have only had a tiny fill and haven't wanted another, but I've come to realize since its difficult for me to chew well in the first place I don't think it is a good idea to even try for restriction (like I said not that I want it). I haven't been back to my doc in 6 months (was supposed to go back monthly ) but idk. So I never discussed it with him. So like I said I get the unable to chew thing.

I don't like to cook, so when I do, I will make large portions and weigh out portions and stick them in the freezer. When I need food for work, I just pull it out of the freezer and grab whatever else I may need to add to it. i.e. veggies or whatever. Like I LOVE chicken parmagiana. I'll pull a cooked chicken breast 4 oz from the freezer, put some sauce in a tupperware, and put some RF mozzarella cheese in a ziploc and when I get to work and time to eat, throw it together and viola, chicken parm. Oh and I'll bring some veggies on the side.

I have had constipation issues for many years, going once, twice per week if I was lucky, and I drink PLENTY of water, over 100 oz per day. Months before my surgery I mentioned it to my doctor and she recommended miralax, I've been taking it mostly everyday for like 1.5 years and haven't had a problem. I really wish I knew why I can't go normally, it's annoying to take everyday, but luckily dissolves tasteless, so I can easily drink it.

I've been doing ab exercises since about 3 months post op. Sometimes I feel the port pulling a little bit, a little uncomfortable but nothing major.

This. Call your doc! You don't want to end up in the ER because you're dehydrated.