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Kindafamiliar.... here is a list to broaden your boob vocabulary. .. lol 1) Breast 2) Teat 3) Tit 4) Mammary 5) Boob 6) Hooters 7) Yabbos 8) Golden Bozos 9) Milksacks 10) Titties 11) Yumyum Bags 12) Grab Bags 13) Fun Mountain 14) Winnebagos 15) Airbags 16) Norks 17) Lady Pillows 18) Bristols 19) Jubblies 20) Ta-tas 21) Knockers 22) Puppies 23) Dugs 24) Möpse (pl. of "Mops", German for "pug dog") 25) Balcony 26) Chest 27) Bust 28) Bumpers 29) busters 30) sweater puppies 31) the twins 32) rack 33) sweater kittens 34) sweater meat 35) weasels fighting in a gunny sack (refers to sweater clad woman jogging) 36) Bewbd 37) Jugs 38) Knobs

Hi guys. Surgery on 10/27. Would love a buddy.

my doctor recomended pre op diet was only 2 weeks long, shakes x 3 a day and 1 small meal, had to stay under 800 calories a day. three days before surgery was full liquids.... but I had to loose before they would do surgery 10% of my body weight... so that was 30 lbs.... so I started cutting back 2 weeks before my pre op to make sure I was down 30 lbs before surgery. I lost 30 lbs before surgery. gained 15 yes 15 lbs during surgery. ( they pumped tons of water into me due to not being able to use the bathroom on my own .... took over a week after surgery to loose all the water they pumped into me... ) surgery was 3.5 months ago and I am down 80 lbs

2 day preop diet of full liquids (anything liquid) My surgeon didn't require only suggested to loose the 10% Lost 12lbs post op 21 lbs total haven't weighed myself in 4days Surgery date 12/11/12

I started the process in July 10, 2012 and was banded October 10, 2012. I went in with a starting weight of 280 lbs and was told that I would be able to lose over 100 lbs sucessfully. It depends on how well you lose the band. Again there have been people on this forum that have lost HUNDREDS of pounds; so your doctor saying less than that is giving you the worst case senario. Since starting my pre-op diet until today, I have lost over 30 lbs. I can also admit that I was starting to have second thoughts before the surgery; and it was based on the fear of never eating Pasta and things like that again. However, as I continued to think about it, I thought to myself, "Is my health and future pregnancies really worth less than bread and pasta?!?!" I can even admit too that right as I was being brought into the recovery room I thought to myself, "WHAT HAVE I DONE!??!" (I think that was the pain meds and all the other meds though). I have been banded for about 2 weeks and could not be happier! I know that I am going to be so much healither; and that is what matters the most. As for the scary divorce statistic; I don't believe that one bit. Maybe people think that if one spouse is overweight so is the other; and then the surgery would result in jealousy and conflct, but I don't think so. My husband is very lean and weighs about 147 lbs. (as you can see from my picture) and is so supportive of this process. As long as you love each other and support each other it won't be a problem. I think the myth that once people lose weight that they stray is also a bunch of crap. Yeah we gain more confidence but that does not mean we are going to do things that are dangerous to our relationships; but that does not go for everyone.

Walking into the OR is empowering because it is you clearly taking the situation by the horns and handling business. I did not know they generally knock you out on valium or some form of sedative before they wheel you into the OR for this surgery or my first plastics procedure, but my last two plastics surgeries I insisted on being fully non-drugged when they put me to sleep. Generally they don't make you walk because they have to have the bed with you and roll your IV, EKG leads, and monitor with you and it's more hassle than it's worth, but I say enjoy the experience. You know how you walked down the aisle at your wedding? Ready for a whole new life? Look at this situation exactly like this. Get your head up, march your butt into that OR, and own it. Also, the drugs they give you to knock you out are about 10 seconds of the best high ever. This way you get to enjoy that too.

I've actually found compliance over the first 7.5 months post-op to be quite easy. I don't really understand the thought process for people who are non-compliant right out of the gate. I'm not judging, I really just lack an ability to understand where they are in their life/thought process that allows them to do that. That being said, I worry a ton about maintenance. Being non-compliant there i can TOTALLY get my head around. I think everyone of us who had this surgery had dieted over and over and over. We probably all had some level success, but we pretty much all failed at maintenance - that's why we are here. So, to me, it's the old demons. I always failed in the past, why will this be any different? I am almost almost 30 lbs below my original goal weight and if I'm honest with myself, part of why is that I am so worried about transitioning into maintenance (and partly because I can, so hey, why not). As a last thought, I also wonder if you ever get to a point that you feel "safe". If you maintain for 5 years, will you start to believe you will not regain? 7 years? 10 years?

Headed to the doc's this weekend to get one more "Fill". This will be my 4th, maybe a 1.5 cc which added to my already 6 cc's will give me a 7.5 cc in a 10 cc band. This will help me maintain as I head to the states, for some training and a short vacation. Down to 105.8 kg from 121.1kg since Jan 10. Pant's size now is 48, down from 54. Shirt size down from 3x to 1x, all at the 7 month point after my surgery. Feeling great, always happy, lots of energy, enjoy work, fishing, gardening, and my dogs all six. Once heard in a movie, "Stuff is Getting Better" and that it is, I'm Loosing these unwanted #s. It's gradual like 1.68#s per week, but that is ok. Sometimes the weight lingers and holds on for a long while, but then out of the blue, it begins to drop. I have not routinely exercised, but will do so beginning tonight. Going to ride my stationary bike for 40 min to 1 hr. Time to get moving as my anniversary is approacing, 4 Jan 2011. I want to be at 100 kg. This is my GOAL for one year. My next goal will be to shed the #s to be at 170 #s. Ultimately I will try to reach 165 or even 160, then it's well, NEW CLOTHES for the NEW ME. One more goal will be to go to the pool and swim-my ultimate dream. Goals are reachable. To all bandsters, stay positive, be patient, and relax and enjoy the ride, it's fantastic, and unbelievable. God Bless.

welcome Keith I am from Texas also. Glad to meet ya. Ginny 4/19/04 299/269/130 Dr. Spiegel

I was banded on March 19 of this year and have lost about 25 lbs so far but I am eating way too much lately. I have NO fill and desperately need one now. However, I can't afford to spend a lot of money and I don't have insurance, and since I had surgery in Mexico, I don't have a surgeon here to do my fill. I have a Fill Center of the USA here but the only price listed on their website is an $85 office visit and it doesn't mention how much an adjustment is. Can anyone please tell me what doctors you have used recently in Houston for a fill and what their current pricing looks like? Also, I have a 10cc band... what's a good starting point for a first fill considering I can't really afford to keep going back and forth getting fills all the time? (I'm starting to think I should have gotten the verticle sleeve instead but oh well). Thanks! :redface:

Im over a year now and I have lost 50 lbs. I just now hit the plateau but Im at a size 10- 180 lbs. Im strong and fit. Id love to lose another 10 lbs. You need to start lifting heavy weights and eat clean. You will see changes with that!!!

I had to go to the gym today due to the snow we had yesterday. It seems kind of unreal. I can't believe that we have snow in October. It definately was one for the record book. Back to this journey.....I am 15 months out from my surgery. Around 10 months, I hit a plateau. I really couldn't afford to go in to get another fill at that time. Therefore, I tried all kinds of strategies to get pass this plateau. However, I was stuck within the same 2 pound. Before the lapband, I would have given up very easily. However, I did not do it this time. I stayed the course and kept working at moving toward my goal. If you are beginning your life with a lapband, just remember to keep focused and stay the course. I know that I was so frustrated at the beginning (first 6 weeks). I felt that my weight loss was not ever going to get started. I made up my mind at that point that I would always think of this as a life time journey. If I ever felt that I was losing focus, I would strive to get myself back on board. I would keep at it. I am not near my goal. I have loss 68 lbs so far. I want to lose another 60 lbs. and I will do it. I was relieved to get back on track. I was able to get a fill at the end of September. It was too tight. I had to go back in and have a small amount removed. I am back on my way. I have been going into the gym faithfully for the past 6 weeks. This has been a great adventure. I use to always put off doing exercise. I just don't like it. This time I am treating it as my job. I make no excuses not to show up for my job. If I missed it, I must make it up. My attitude toward exercise is slowly......... changing. I can go in totally stressed. After exercising, I come out with my "happy" hormones released. We have made it into a family adventure. My son an d daughter both have started to go with my husband and me. I am blessed that my husband is a wonderful fitness expert so I feel like I have my own personal trainer. I had a wow moment today after leaving the gym. My husband and I went to the grocery store. Wow...my grocery cart looks so different these days. My husband and I are making a conscience effort to not eat processed food. I can't say that we are done with it all. However, the only thing in my cart today was all fresh foods except for a bag of sweet potato fries. Again, this has been a gradual change. It is not something that I did after getting my lapband. I mean seriously...I work about 50 hours average a week and have to run my children to their activities. So, it has taken me some time to make these changes. I am having fun cooking from scratch. I have turned it into an adventure...finding healthy recipes that are healthy, taste great, and my family will enjoy them. Good luck to all of you just beginning your journey!

Velvet I have no idea what it was like for you growing up, but I can smell some sour grapes over this whole ordeal. Your mom wouldn't offer to help you at all if she thought you were a burden or an inconvenience. I think that's low self-esteem talking. I bet if you brought it up your mother would think you were out of your mind for thinking that. You're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Taking money from family members makes you their indentured servant. Maybe it's worth it. But if it were me, I'd find any other possible way in the world to pay for the surgery. How long would it take you to rebuild your credit? Do you have a nicer car you could trade in for a cheaper car for a down payment (always makes the banks look twice)? If you already are resentful toward your mother and stepfather, taking the money's going to make things 10 times worse. It's a tricky decision to make, and contrary to what it seems like most here seems to be rooting for, I'd probably wait until I could pay for the band myself before borrowing the money. It's your health, but it's also a fragile relationship that you obviously value or you wouldn't be having this dilemma in the first place.

The big difference is here I bet is that his stomach is longer than yours by sheer anatomy rules. If he's taller than you by 3-6 inches, I bet this where the difference is. At the 10-12 week post-op mark, I was still stuck eating no more than 3oz of dense Protein, and I had zero room for anything else at that point. If y'all are both satisfied on your portions, not hungry, not stuffed then everything is on par. That's just my 2 cents chickee ! ! !

Hey everyone. First and foremost let me just say all of you are wonderful and reading your post everyday keeps me going. Anywho im a 21 year old college student. Im currently 5'2 300 pounds. How did I gain so much weight? It all started when I was 4 years old. I was molested by my step uncle. Then when I was 6 I started being molested by my step father, then at 11 by my step cousin. Yes all these people in the same family. About the age of 10 I was tired of being molested and I felt if I made myself a fat & ugly person that it would turn them off. So I started gaining weight rapidly. So now at 21 years old looking in the mirror is a constant reminder of my past and what happened to me!!!! And im ready to change it!!! AS 0F Right now I do believe im a very beautiful girl with a pretty face (picture below) but with a horrible body. I started my lap band surgery in january or 2008. Then I found out my insurance didn't cover it. So I gave up. Then in may of 2009 I inquired again with my new insurance. I now have blue cross blue shield of minnesota. They required a 6 month medically suprivised diet. I was so in a rush that I was upset that I would have to wait 6 more months. I just got a call about 5 mins ago. IM APPROVED!!!!!!!! My surgery date is N0VEMBER 13, 2009. I feel like im finally making a step towards progress. http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f80/ladybigtizz/IMG0026.jpg

I made the decision not to tell anyone in my family about the surgery for several reasons. My husband of course knows because bless his soul, he handed me the cash to have it done, since I don't work any longer. Anyway, I felt like I had put a certain amount of pressure on myself to succeed with the band since my husband worked so hard to give this to me, if it isn't going to work, it can't be because I gave up or didn't try. My daughters would actually be very supportive but live 1700 miles away with my grandkids and this was something I didn't want them worrying about right now. They can't be here physcially for me and I know they would want to. I also didn't want the other people I know back there and here wondering, did I lose weight, how much, etc etc,, I don't want it to be a consuming thing. I recently told a newbie, learn to "live" with your band, not be "consumed" by it, which I think could very easily happen, especially in the beginning when we are just learning how to live with it. I also truly beleived before I got the band, it was just what they said, a "tool" and I was going to have to work my butt off even with the band. So as I lose weight if people ask me how I am doing it I am going to simply say, I am eating better, living better, taking better care of myself, because you know what I am. My husband and I discussed this, and he really thought I should tell my girls, but we didn't, later I found out he forgot we decided to tell no one at all, and I walked into his office several weeks after surgery to "how do you feel?",, "you look good",and didn't understand why, he has 10 women who work for him,,, turns out he told them about my surgery,, It upset me he told them, it has made me not want to go back into his office because I dont want them to look and wonder, etc,, you know what I mean. It is an odd feeling, and I know these girls,, they are nice,, but it seems strange now. anyway,, that was my way to handle it.. Maybe later I will change my mind, who knows only time will tell. So far I was banded on March 28, had my first fill on April 24 and am doing great, I have lost steadily since day one, and am happy. I work out 3-4x week and have had no negatives yet. I eat well, food I like and feel no restriction but am losing.

I had my first fill. It went great. My doctor puts in enough until you have resctriction, then pulls back .10 cc. He mad a few adjustments to get to the point where water would go down without restriction. With .10 cc more it would hesitate before running through. What a wierd feeling when he put in too much and the water just sat in my pouch! That was a horrible feeling. That must be something like what it feels like to get something stuck! Yuck. I was able to eat soft food and then a chicken breast with small mindful bites it wasn't a problem. I can't believe with just a few drops more I would be too tight!:thumbup: First Fill 2.8cc

I had my first fill last week. It was a breeze although I thought the doctor should have filled me up a little more. He only injected 1.5cc and I go back for second fill 14 days after and 3rd fill in another 14 days. I was told to eat breakfast and lunch before my fill and then clear liquids for dinner. Then full liquids for the day after the fill and finally back to "regular" diet 2 days post fill. I don't know how I ever got through 3 weeks of liquids in the beginning. The day and a half post fill was a flash back I could have done without. Banded 10/31/2008 and have lost 28.7# to date.

I guess I forgot to mention that I bike 10 hours a week as well... scale is still not budging, thought pilates would help...

banded 12/28/05. preband weight 245 surgery date 224 1st post op Dr appt. 1/10 212 have not had first fill yet. Am on mushies:hungry:

I have had something since 1-22-09, It's weird - no fever, does not feel like it's in lungs (confirmed with chest xray 2-10-09), no congestion just coughing and drainage. First trip to GP got z pack and cough meds with coedine, Next trip 5 days later getting worse worried about band gave me inhaler and a different antibiotic, Last weekend started coughing fits and started like dry heaves in middle of cough and it felt like airway collapsed takes me some time to get inhale/exhale stablized (scary) Called GP again couldn't get me in until Tuesday. Called my surgeon about concern of dry heaves during cough...gave technical medical name (sorry reception gave me this message and said it was something very young children sometimes get and occassionally adults can get it) Asked if anything comes up when coughing? (No) Asked if food and liquid staying down? (Yes) Said to get with GP ask for cough med with coedine. Did and got a refill. At Tuesdays appointment was put on Prednisone for 10 days ....continue inhaler, antibiotics, cough meds. Called surgeon he said okay for 10 days but add 2 pepcid with Prednisone and 2 pepcid at bedtime. Yesterday had less coughing fits but today it is worse again - drainage thicker and more - more fits. Still no fever. I'm calling surgeon tomorrow to see if he can recommend another doctor for 2nd opinion or see me himself. I'm so concerned over my lapband? Surgeon said he would not be able to tell until after cough has stopped whether there was any problems with band. This all started 4 days after 1st fill...I don't think I had any problems keeping everything down and never hungry. Really concerned and frustrated .... any ideas?

WARNING: might be TMI for some...read at your own risk. So, in an effort to gage how my abscess is healing, I made my fiance' while changing my packing, stick the q-tip down as far as it would go....ok, so I knew that the CT scan showed that it was like 3.5" deep. (ok, lemme take a step back and breathe a sec) So its been 10 days since the drainage. The q-tip went in half way!!!! I almost started crying!! I was thinking it should be so much further on in the healing process! All this packing, this open gash...its just so ughhhhhhhhh!!!! OK, sorry for the mini meltdown, I'm feeling better but this is keeping me from exercising, from doing anything really strenuous...gah! And I'm scared of getting an infection (yeah, I'm a germ-a-phobe at times) So, I sit and wait....tick tock tick tock...till my body heals....talk about a lesson in patience!!! :thumbup:

Date night is hard for Hubby and I. The last 10 years we had ALWAYS gone out to dinner, or something surrounding food. Now we are trying to do things that do not revolve around food, walking, bowling, even watching a movie!

Today was my only day on clear liquids for pre op - then a week following. I was good until now - I'm starving , but I'm going to sleep. I hope - 10 hours until I'm banded! PSYCHE!!!