JaGo

The good thing about this site is that you find people like yourself who are going through the same thing. I too have lost 45lbs and am just now beginning to see significant changes in my wardrobe. Some things have become way too big, others just a little, and others not at all. I do know that clothing makers don't all use the samemeasurement to size, and a 20 could come in varying sizes. I finally got into a pair of jeans that I have had for over 10 years. I didn't wear them long way back then so they still look new. I am so excited! I need to work on tightening up my stomach muscles - I'm sure you all know how things can start hanging - making your belly look bigger in clothes. Sit-ups...here I come?!!!

19 pounds and counting before I hit "onederland." That seems so far away, but that is an obtainable goal that I look forward to. I should have been under 214 to date, but I too had some setbacks with life. I gave myself an goal of being at my halfway mark by May 22, then June 22 (won't quite make that either). I pushed it back again to my birthday on July 3 to be at least 214. I need to stay on target with my goals so that I will have lost 100 pounds by my surgery anniversary date of Nov 22. I will report back here when I reach ONDERLAND!!!

Hi! I was banded Nov 22, 2010. I am so impressed with your weight loss in 2 years!! That is so amazing!! I'd love to be a part of a Chicago support group. You are correct about trying to talk about it with those (though supportive) who don't really understand what you're dealing with. I've been at plateau for a few weeks because I recently had some major changes in my life and I've been more focused on that. I want to get back on track and a supportive boost would be helpful. How do we do this?

I've had 2 fills and 2 different experiences. I was nervous about my first one and had seen them demonstrated on You Tube. Each doctor did it differently; some with and without anesthetic. Mine was done without anesthetic and was virtually painless! I was so surprised. Her technique made all the difference in the world. However, when I had my second one, she was rushing because she had a full schedule and squeezed me in; resulting in her technique being less than perfect and it hurt a bit. I will make sure she takes her time next time. As far as what you should wear, it's not like when you had surgery and had to wear loose clothing to not irritate the incisions. Just wear something easily accessible to get to the port - probably a top and bottom rather than a one-piece dress, that's all. You should be fine!!

Honk, I appreciate the sentiment however, I think that sometimes people honestly don't know what to say or do when they see their friends struggling with weight. I've put my foot in my mouth all too often myself! My friend truly is a very dear friend, and she probably just thought that that was okay. She doesn't have a malicious bone in her body; however, she obviously didn't know how to handle talking with me about such a personal matter and thought I might welcome the DVD's. As disasterous as that was for me, she meant well.

Okay, I'd love to e-chat for support in Chicago as well. Had my surgery at Mercy Hospital and must say, that my experience was very positive! I've been working with the dietian to help build up the monthly support group meetings. I just started attending in January and attendance has been low. If you are interested in helping to build this group up, the next meeting is on the 1st Tuesday in March @ 6p in the Doctor's Office Center - Auditorium. Okay, now that we've all expressed our hearty ethusiasm to connect here... LET'S DO IT!! Ready...? Set...? Post...!!!

You are to be congratulated on your successful weight loss and lifestyle changes! You have and ARE accomplishing a major personal goal and no one can take that away from you! As I read the different responses and experiences posted here, it made me realize that although we are determined to meet our goals come what may, unfortunately, our loved ones and friends may not be up to hearing about it for varying reasons. We have made a decision to commit to this lifestyle change, and others are not there yet. Look how long it may have taken us to come to this decision. My sister and I live together as caregivers for my elderly mom. My sister is very overweight too. Every now and then, she will comment on my weight loss, but as she watches me measure my foods and choose healthily, she comments, "I just can't be doing that." I know she isn't ready mentally to make a change, so I don't share with her - she see's my progress and jokingly makes comments about her own weight. There was a time (not too long ago) that I wasn't ready either. For these very reasons is why for the most part, I keep my successes to myself or share here with other Bandsters. Unfortunately, the ones closest to you may not support you - not necessarily because they just don't want to, but because they can't deal with their own overweight demons. That's the reality. Until they are ready to talk about it, for myself, I let "sleeping dogs lie." There was a time I wasn't ready to talk about my own weight. One year, I had a slim friend who for Christmas gave me a set of weight loss DVD's to "Walk off the Pounds." She never knew it, but I was so offended by that, and cried my heart out for days. She meant well, but I wasn't ready for that; especially since we had never discussed the subject together. Needless to say, I never used them and recently donated them to GoodWill (it still pains me when I think about it).

Your post is an inspiration and something for many of us who are a distance from it can look forward to. Everytime I lose 2 pounds within a week, I feel just like you do!! I can't imagine how much more enthusiastic I will be when I reach onderland!!!

I must confess,occassionally I have given in to my hunger at night and added unexpectedly to my planned food intake. The good news is that I keep healthy choices in the house that are low carb so the damage to my calorie budget is minimal. If I get in enough protein, veggies, and fruits during the day, I stand a better chance of not going overboard at nite too much. If and when I do go over the limits that I've set for myself based on my doctor's recommendations, then I'm that much more careful immediately the next morning. Every day is full of challenges and the opportunity to exercise discipline - which many times takes practice...and as they say, practice makes perfect! I'm learning to be kind and patient with myself and trust that the weight will come off. Since I didn't pack it on all at once, I cannot be in an unrealistic state of mind to think that this weight will melt off all at once. To quote: "Let patience have her perfect work." Be encouraged; we all need it!

Janet, I have tossed foods as well. Quick way to get it out of the house! You are an inspiration and a proven success story that being focused pays off. Thanks for sharing your positive experiences that this thing works. I'm getting there.

IndioGirl, your responses were very well put and full of wisdom; you are truly an inspiration to me! My name is Janet too! I could relate to everything you were saying. I am just now really getting into a good niche of discipline. I agree that many times our "hunger" is in our heads. If we eating properly and let it settle, our stomachs will tell us that we are satisfied. Many times I too have food struggles late at night. The first I do to combat this - since I know it occurs - is to keep healthy choices in the house. I don't live alone, so that's not always convenient, but I am using my best weapon... DISCIPLINE! Yes, there are occasions where I have eaten what I shouldn't have, but like you, I got a wake up call and had to tell myself that I didn't come this far to fail now! It's an uphill battle for sure, and one of the hardest things I've had to do, yet I tell myself that I'm worth it!! My goal is to be healthy, and at 59 years old (60 in July) - if not now, when? I look forward to being active again and wearing form-fitting clothes and not cover ups. No more plus size and maybe at some point, I'll work up the nerve to get back into a bathing suit (that may be going a bit far)! To all of us who are on this journey...struggling or not... CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK - IT WILL PAY OFF SOON ENOUGH!!

Hi Brenda, it's a pleasure to meet you too! I'm from Chicago and was banded 11/22/10. It really is great that you have your hubby as a partner who is in this with you and that you all are working out together. Support is a wonderful thing. I have a little support around me but it's not strong enough for my needs, but I am thankful for every little bit I can get! To Liese, have you spoken to your doctor's office about the painfulness? Did they instruct you how consuming clear fluids for a couple of days? You should really follow-up with them. To Jen, congratulations on losing the 20 pounds. Don't be too hard on yourself. That's what folks tell me too! For me, I started very slowing too (and still think it's slow), but I noticed when I would exercise (mostly the treadmill x 30 mins) and drank plenty of Water, the weight seemed to come off easier. As of now, I've lost 30 pounds and am watching and measuring, and logging everything I eat and do. Believe it or not, that makes a difference too. When you see what you've consumed it helps what and how much you decide to eat. Hang in there and keep us posted!! Lastly, I've had one fill so far - on Jan 13 - 2.5cc in a 10c band. The procedure was painless!! JaGo

I am so glad that I found this thread because I had been keeping a manual food intake log, and sometimes it can get quite time-consuming to log your food intake properly. I record amounts, calories, carbs, protein, and sodium. When you see the results in black and white, it makes a big difference in how you make your food choices. This past week, I had been got a bit slack in logging my intake and missed a few days. This thread has encouraged me to get back to it! My log also tracks my water intake, whether or not I took my vitamin, exercise type and duration, and gives an at glance grand total of the areas that I'm tracking. Since I don't have a phone with apps, I'm wondering if it would be easier to track it online rather than manually. I will check that out!! Needless to say, this is a disciplined life, and I'm realizing that if I want to see good results, then I have to put in the time and effort!

Lyssa1972, You mentioned that you had a fill on Jan 17 and seemed to be struggling, well how are things going now, has the fill made a difference for you? Are you eating properly and is it better for you yet? JaGo

I'm from Chicago and had my surgery at Mercy Hospital. I believe they do take Medicaid. Try contacting their Lapband Clinic on 2600 S. Michigan (312) 567-2263. Sometimes it takes them a while to answer the phone or get back to you, but keep trying.

I had my first 2.5cc fill (10c band) on Jan 13 and yes, being on the liquids made me hungrier than ever too, but it is settling down a bit more. I am making sure that I get my Protein in first, then a good amount of veggies second. After about 20-30 minutes, I drink Water and the full feeling arrives and lasts a few hours. I'm still learning this way and some days are trial and error. I find myself going back to my original instructions from the nutritionist about what to eat and how much, and it helps. Protein is the first priority. Be patient with yourself and get past the liquid phase and hopefully, you'll be on the road to a fuller feeling soon. Just make sure you're eating and doing the right things. I'm always being told not to be so hard on myself. Check back in a couple of days and let us know how things are going with you, okay? We're in this together.

I initially started out being quiet about it because I wanted it to be a personal quest and didn't want to be scrunitized or folks watching to see if I'm eating what they think are the proper things. I also didn't want a lot of questions, especially on the job. I'm friendly with folks, but my personal business is just that...personal. However, the news got out on the job, mixed with untruths so I explained the band in an email. My son works for another part of our organization and he took off work to be with me the day of surgery. When he told his boss why he wanted off, his boss mentioned to my boss that I was in the hospital, which made her worry that I had a stroke or something. After asking several of my coworkers if they knew I was in the hospital, I felt the need to set the record straight as to why. I even invited their questions. I told my children and sisters only a week before surgery. If I had it all to do over, I still wouldn't have share it at work. I guess I'm just a very private person. 2 weeks ago, I had a bad case of the flu, and found out later that some folks were speculating that I was sick due to the band - incidents like this validate my reasons for not wanting people to know because they jump to conclusions. Though people mean well, I now have a coworker making suggestions to me of what she thinks I should be keeping a record of. This is precisely why I wanted it to be private. I don't regret the band, I only regret folks knowing about it. If these folks were real supporters it would be different. I am very proud of my decision and 2 close friends that are supporting me!

Does anyone know of a good support group in Chicago? One of the selling points that helped me with my final decision to have the surgery was the promise of ongoing support which is very important to me. I went to my first meeting on Tuesday, Jan 4, and was so disappointed. First of all, only one other person showed up, and secondly, it was boring and unengaging. I made sure that I participated in the conversations to help liven things up, but it didn't get better.

Hi Joan, This may be just the motivation I need! Here's my info: Name: JaGo Age: 59 Weight on January 3rd: 242 (was 240, but gained 2lbs) Goal weight for January 31st: 237 Exercise goal for January: Treadmill / walking at least 3 times weekly x 30 minutes Dietary goals for January: Watch sodium content in foods,continue low carbs. Increase Water intake Personal goals for January: Attend in-person support group; talk with psychologist Date Banded: November 22, 2010 Total weight loss since Banding: 10lbs Looking forward to the challenge! JaGo

Cangel, I was excited to hear that you are under the 200 mark!! I can't tell you how many years it's been for me that I was under 200lbs. 199lbs sounds so much smaller than 200lbs!! I too look forward to the day when I am out of plus sizes. Pre-surgery, I was wearing 22/24. I haven't REALLY done any clothes shopping yet, so I don't know if I've gone down any yet. I still look the same to myself except my face looks smaller. When I feel my waist, I can tell the difference - it feels smaller, but these big old hips need a lot of work!! I periodically walk the treamill and took a walk outdoors the other day and was amazed at the stamina that I didn't have before. After walking only a block, I would get such pain in my legs and lower back (spinal arthritis). The more I walk, the better it will get. So far, that is my ony form of excercise - but it's the best form of exercise!! Meet you on the other side of 200lbs!!

Hey DRP, It's good to know that we're in this thing together!! Your post was an encouragement. I know that we've taken these very drastic measures because we were looking for better results. The results will come as we stay focused and on track. I needed your comments - thanks again!! JaGo

Hey all, I've kinda lost track of the Nov 22, 2010 bandsters and feel a little lost (especially since they changed the forum format). I've been out of touch on the forum for a number of reasons and haven't been back here for several weeks. I was banded on Nov 22 and did everything right, until about 2 and 1/2 weeks ago, then came the holidays. I also feel like I have no restriction and have NEVER detoured from this path until now. I am disappointed in myself and working on re-movtivation. I go back to the doctor on Jan 13 and am concerned about a couple of things. Sometimes when I eat, the area around my port get's very sore, which baffles me, then it goes away, but not completely. Could it be because of eating the wrong things? Also, I may need a fill since I feel very lttle restrictions, if any. Today I went grocery shopping and bought healthy foods and will begin again. How are other Nov 22 bandsters doing? JaGo

Elcee and others, Oh please don’t think that I was trying to make anyone feel inadequate or judged. I am so sorry if that’s the way I came across and I do apologize! I’m still trying to understand “fills” and have read a lot of conflicting information on the forum and just wanted to get to the bottom of it with accuracy. I have read some posts that talk about wanting a fill and its only been a couple of days post-op. That concerned me because I am a recent post-op and I thought our first responsibility was to allow ourselves to heal. That process has been a daily adventure for me to do all the right things. Reading here how others have positively come through it has helped me. It bothered me to think that I should be thinking about a fill NOW. I’m still trying to just get through today on pureed foods. The long and short, I just wanted to know what the community thought about the idea of some people who are fixated on wanting fills prematurely or even knowing that they have not followed instructions properly. Is all forgiven?? J

Wow Kassie_360!! Look at all the loving support you got as a response to your post!!! There is nothing much more I could add. As long as you keep reaching out there is hope. It may also be good to reach out to your doctor's office. Do they provide support or is there a support group associated with your hospital? If not, look online at Lapband.com for the nearest support group to you. Keep coming back here too - we're all in this together!!

I hear you Bunny106, and this is why I posed the question, because there are so many descrepancies that come from the varying doctors. Information I was given dictated that fills are not to keep you from feeling hungry, but to assist you with that feeling of satiety (full sensation) and that the band was not created to do the work for us, but to be used as a tool to help us. I've been told (professionally) that we still must exercise discipline - the band won't do it for us. I just don't want to have a false view of what fills are for and then rely on that information that the fills will do the work that I should be doing. Yes, we may not have been disciplined in the past and felt like we couldn't - thus the decision for banding, but at some point it seems we must take some responsible and be willing to put in the necessary work ourselves to help the band work with us not for us. Not preaching, but just wanting to understand that this is not a cure-all without our input...or is it? Community?