I'm seriously considering this (newbie)...

[saffy 0]

:hungry: i HAVE ACTUALLY GAINED 1ST SINCE BANDED 2 YEARS AGO AND FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A WASTE OF MONEY... I CAN STILL EAT LOTS OF chocolate AND OTHER SATURATED FATS AND I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE HAD IT PUT IN IF i HAD KNOWN IT WOULD NOT REDUCE MY CRAVING FOR THE SATURATED FATS:help:

[kimkimmie 0]

:hungry: i HAVE ACTUALLY GAINED 1ST SINCE BANDED 2 YEARS AGO AND FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A WASTE OF MONEY... I CAN STILL EAT LOTS OF chocolate AND OTHER SATURATED FATS AND I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE HAD IT PUT IN IF i HAD KNOWN IT WOULD NOT REDUCE MY CRAVING FOR THE SATURATED FATS:help:

Thanks for your input, I know it must be difficult and frustrating. I really think that I can limit the chocolate/icecream and other sweets and high calorie drinks. I'm more into restaurant food and fast food, which luckily if I opt to eat that sometimes I will get full fast and stop since it isn't a soft food. I eat lots of restaurant food right now pretty much daily - and not salads or veggie dishes, and geez if I cut that into a third I would lose weight. Maybe make a rule that you will only eat soft foods like chocolate on the weekend, and then reduce it to 1 day and then eliminate except for your birthday or something. Maybe try FF chocolate pudding, or buy the dip and dip apples or strawberries in a tiny amount so you will become full. I would talk to a dietician too. Also, don't drink anything with calories period...that has been my rule for a long time.

Good luck, maybe this year we can lose the weight together!

~Kim

[kimkimmie 0]

Just a quick update... I have attended a seminar and had a consltation. I bought a magic bullet blender contraption and today I'm trying the Protein drink called muscle milk in the ready to drink form. I am going to begin to mentaly prepare so that if I follow through with this that I will be prepared and ready for what I have to eat/drink following surgery.

Thanks for your help everyone.

[Bettina 0]

:hungry: i HAVE ACTUALLY GAINED 1ST SINCE BANDED 2 YEARS AGO AND FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A WASTE OF MONEY... I CAN STILL EAT LOTS OF chocolate AND OTHER SATURATED FATS AND I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE HAD IT PUT IN IF i HAD KNOWN IT WOULD NOT REDUCE MY CRAVING FOR THE SATURATED FATS:help:

Hi Saffy,

Who did your surgery? Didn't they make you have the Psych Eval? Sounds like your Doc didn't do so hot of a job....there is no way a band can stop cravings...there is no medicine in it, it just restricts how much your stomach can hold at one time. Why on earth didn't they tell you this?? Also..didn't they make you go to a registered dietician? I have to do that and attend Boot Camp as well! LOL You might want to ask your Doc for meds to control your cravings to give you a "jump start" on cutting back.

I had to go thru a battery of tests before they even consider surgery. Done my tests now, just waiting for my surgery date....can't wait!

Take care and best wishes to you!

[Bettina 0]

Just a quick update... I have attended a seminar and had a consltation. I bought a magic bullet blender contraption and today I'm trying the Protein drink called muscle milk in the ready to drink form. I am going to begin to mentaly prepare so that if I follow through with this that I will be prepared and ready for what I have to eat/drink following surgery.

Thanks for your help everyone.

Hi be really careful with the Muscle Milk.....its half sugar and very fatty.

348 calories--->162 cal of fat...12 grams Carbs--->6 grams of sugar (so there is the proof its half sugar) it does have lots of Protein (32 grams), which is good, but yikes that is really high in calories!!!

[kimkimmie 0]

Thanks!! Luckily I just tasted them and they weren't all that great anyway; I offered them to my hubby who is a weigh lifting fanatic, and he wouldn't drink it because of all of the calories since he is trying to lose some "lb's" to brinig out his ab muscles more.

Do you have any reccommendations for the shakes? I want to start taste testing now before I make all of my appointments.

Thanks for your help!!

[BPM 0]

Isopure is pretty good or Body Fortress available at Wal Mart. I drink the Body Fortress and it actually tastes pretty good mixed with skim milk in a blender with some ice.

1 serving mixed with 8 ounces of skim milk is less than 200 calories.

[tetesnchz 0]

Kim,

Im not banded but my sister is, she got banded like 4 months ago, shes doing very good. She was alsoskeptical about it but then suddenly she said she was positive she had to do it. She said she was tired of non working diets and the see saw weight. so she did it and she says the only thing she regrets about th surgery is that seh didn't do it sooner. Her heallth is better and shes a totally new person both inside and out.

If you are worried about the price, have you shopped around?

Remember sometimes its good to splurge on us a bit and pamper ourselves especially if its for health reasons, dont you think?

[Dody 0]

Just a quick update... I have attended a seminar and had a consltation. I bought a magic bullet blender contraption and today I'm trying the Protein drink called muscle milk in the ready to drink form. I am going to begin to mentaly prepare so that if I follow through with this that I will be prepared and ready for what I have to eat/drink following surgery.

Thanks for your help everyone.

I was on Carnation Instant Breakfast for the 2 weeks before my surgery. I also bought the Magic Bullet and absolutely love it. There is a lot of Protein in the Carnation Instant Breakfast. You might want to give it a try.

[Dody 0]

:hungry: i HAVE ACTUALLY GAINED 1ST SINCE BANDED 2 YEARS AGO AND FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A WASTE OF MONEY... I CAN STILL EAT LOTS OF chocolate AND OTHER SATURATED FATS AND I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE HAD IT PUT IN IF i HAD KNOWN IT WOULD NOT REDUCE MY CRAVING FOR THE SATURATED FATS:help:

So very simple and unhealthy to eat around the band with chocolate, ice cream, etc. They go down very easily as do the expensive drinks like latte. What you need to learn is not to eat these things that cheat the band. You have to follow a guideline and teach yourself along the way what to eat and what to stay away from. You are getting a bunch of calories from junk, and you need to change your way of thinking and follow your bandster diet.

[kimkimmie 0]

Thanks, I think I will try Carnation Instant Breakfast. Thanks for the help!

[roadrunner 0]

Not sure just where to start here but the first thing I need to know is much more about the Lap Band. I read about "fills" and don't know what that means. I understand the concept of the lap band and the thing that sounds good to me is the fact that it's not as intrusive as other methods.

I have checked with our insurance and they said I'd have to pay 1,000. dollars I think and the rest would be covered. I'll have to check that again. I saw one post quoting 15,000 dollars is that the cost?

I'm wanting to loose at least 100 lbs I'm 5foot three and weight 255. I have battled fat for a while now and I was rasied in a home where food was strickly monitered by a mother who finally found a diet that helped her loose weight. I think in some ways as a adult I eat things just becasue they are there and I can:hungry: .

I would appreciate it if you all could give me information on the pro's and con's of what you have done....Thanks