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I find it hard to believe that so many lap band patients do not follow their doctors instructions. You are given post op instructions of liquids and upgrading your diet slowly for a reason. You band is stitched to the stomach and eating before you are supposed to YES CAN BE HARMFUL. When you eat the stomach has to work and churn and move and if you are filling it with food before you are supposed to then you are not giving your surgery sites time to heal. Its not just about your incisions but about the band placement too. Why risk it because you are hungry? Why take matters in to your own hands and eat what you want when you want then down the road you will be the first person complaining the band failed me. Any doctor gives you instructions for your health. Do you not take your routine medications like they were prescribed? Would you not take insulin or high blood pressure medication just because you didnt feel like it? Heck no you wouldn't. So why take a chance with the band? A month out of your life is not going to kill you to be hungry. Just do what you are told to do then you won't have to be asking did I do something to hurt my band.

Leslie...excellent point! My husband too is very, very nervous for me and so are the kids. I have acknowledged his fears and understand his concerns. But in the past, I would feel selfish for "putting him" through any discomfort and feel guilty that my kids are nervous about surgery. The truth is, he does not have a weight issue.....and with clear, honest amd sometimes assertive words....I laid out that if I "caved" into his worries and concerns...again....I would be fat and unhealthy forever. There is a way to make this journey OUR OWN and ease the fears of the people in our lives by doing well and forging on.

Make room for me on that wagon, I didn't realize how scared my husband had been for me until 8 months later, when visiting some friends. The wife told me he had been so scared for me, but because it was something I wanted so badly he supported me. I had talked to him before about it, but he said he was fine with it.. make sure everyone knows whats going on and validate their feelings. Yes ultimately the decision is ours but we have to think about them as well. I didn't tell my family not to tell anyone, it was a private issue. It was a private issue, until I was told that someone was commenting how good I looked and another so-called" friend, comments oh she didn't do it on her own, she had the lapband done and proceeds to put her own pictures of herself how she had lost weight on her own.Since I don't follow this persons comments I was unaware. I confronted this person and asked her to remove her comments , that it was a private problem and I didn't appreciate what she did. Not that I was embarrassed but it wasn't her place to tell people. She never said a word.. We are all doing this for our health, so we can be around longer for our loved ones and I know I said this to my family.I want to enjoy the rest of my life, living in the real world not sitting on the couch in front of the tv. good luck to all of us!

You are doing the right thing. Accountability is everything. You owned up to your mess you were in and now you will not only lose those pounds but a ton more. Congrats to your journey.

Everyone goes bat crazy here when they are hungry but I love feeling hungry. Yes you may think I am crazy but this is why I love feeling hungry. All of my life I was obese and I consumed probably about 4 to 5 thousand calories a day and never gave my stomach a chance to ever be empty. I would even get up in the middle of the night and eat cookies, cereal, peanut butter and jelly or what ever darn thing I could find to stuff in my face. The very first time I felt hungry after lap band surgery I was pissed off but then I thought "I have never felt hungry before in my life". When I am hungry it means it really is time to nourish my body. The days following the post op diet of liquids only were not pleasant but from that time I welcomed hunger. I realized I was not going to die due to no food for a few weeks because I could drink as much as I wanted. I was not starved to death because that only happens when people can not afford to purchase food or live in a country that has no food or if someone is anorexic and refuses to eat. I was not in any way going to starve to death. I love feeling hungry, hearing my stomach actually growl once in a while. I know I won't die because of it. So when you are feeling hungry if it is true stomach growling hunger enjoy it because I guarentee you have never really felt hungry while you were obese. You are not going to die from being hungry but maybe just uncomfortable. If you are just head hungry then don't complain about it because our heads made us obese unhealthy people. The preop and post op is only a small portion of your life that goes quickly. Welcome hunger and know that it really is a signal to nourish your body with healthy food.

Leslie.. what a great post.. first blog too!? You are a natural! Keep it up, looking forward to reading more from you and your journey! You post is very motivating!! you have come along way and you're taking your life back! Having the support of your husband/loved ones makes such a difference, happy you have that!! Much success to you <3!

Weigh in day! WOOT! HW: 273 SW: 250 LW: 237.2 CW: 233.6!!!! Woot! A 3.6lb drop this week bringing my post surgery loss to 16.4lbs and my total loss to 39.4lbs. This week’s loss comes at a great time because I was a little mopey thinking I might not hit 20 lbs my first month.. NOT because I am trying to hit a magical number but because if this is the ‘best loss’ I’ll have before it starts to slow down, imagine what life will be like the further I get out. I spent $12K when I add up travel and all that good stuff having VSG surgery. It has to work and be worth it. This week showed me that everything is fine so I can just calm my impatient ass down.