FLORIDAYS

I was also a self pay. My dr put me thru the same steps as a insurance pay. I question why the rules would be different.

I could have written this. I ate fast food for lunch daily... Now I don't even crave it

It is completely a personal decision depending on how you feel. For me it was 3 days befor ei ventured out. I was back to work 5 days out for 1/2 days then full time on day 7.

Psst......Creamy Soup isn't a clear liquid. The clear liquid goes quickly..I know it's hard but maybe try the Popsicles.... The saved my live and I am not a Popsicle person either.

My dr said no to alka seltzer when I asked him once

I wasn't made to quit so I didn't..I am not a heavy smoker which may be the reason my dr didn't tell me to quit.. I had a successful surgery and excellent recovery. However make sure you disclose this to your anesthesiologist. It's very important he or she knows. Of course your dr might make you quit and actually refuse surgery if you don't. My suggestion is to speak to him about it. Quitting is next on my list.....

These are wonderful accomplishments! I love reading the comparisons.

My dr made me promise to avoid carbonation at all costs. No exceptions....so no I haven't enjoyed my beloved diet coke in 2 years. However he did say I could drink flat soda... Which I tried and it was awful in my opinion. Others may disagree.

Thought it woul be fun to compare our losses to something other that lbs so it seems more real. For example a gallon of Water weighs about 8 lbs. my golden retriever weighs 70 lbs. my 18 month old granddaughter is 24 lbs.... So what have you lost? I weighed as much or more then most NFL players...that said I have lost 215 lbs.... the average weight of a Professional quarterback! How about you?

I do it all the time. On my avatar the black dress was 205. The green top was 377. On my profile is a pic of 162.... And I still have a hard time seeing the difference. I think it's pretty normal especially when you have a lot of weight to lose. BTW.,,, I see a difference in you tummy, face and thighs ! Congrats

I have been stuck... But I never felt like I was going to die. That was my only point. I cannot measure others pain or trauma. I was merely pointing out I didn't think you could die from it.

interesting stats on the BMI....My dr said the band will do 70% of the work. He told me I had to do the other 30% by eating proper portions and making smart food choices. I personally do not think the band works on its own until we are in the green zone. And then you will only lose if you kick in the 30% effort.

I too tossed out the heartburn meds.... Unless its a coincidence... It tells me heartburn is a direct result of eating fatty foods. Congratulations

Somehow I don't think this thread is about the band.... There are much deeper issues here. Best wishes for a successful recovery.

Welcome... I hope you find this forum a source of help and motivation as you enjoy your lap and journey.

I ate 1000 calories a day for 22 months and didn't starve. At my first appointment my NUT said 1500 was the number I should be at. I thought that was too high for my personal situation so discussed it with my dr and he said I just couldn't go below 1000. I do also take a gummy Vitamin. I am healthy, have no vitamin deficiency and have lost in a reasonable amout of time. On my calorie tracker it said 1800 was my number.... Which is crazy but you can manually adjust it on your tracker.

My dr suggest my portions for every meal be as follows... 3 oz Protein 1/2 c veggies 1/4 c startch That is a little over a cup but most of the time I cannot eat it all... I also limited myself to 1000 calories per day for maximum results but check with your dr on what is right for you.

I am sorry you had this experience but I don't believe you can die from getting stuck. It doesn't block the air flow I don't think. Of course I am not a dr. I would hate for new bandsters thinking about getting banded to get scared off by the dramatic scenario you portray. That said I would be more focused on eating 3 balanced meals so you aren't so hungry in the middle if the night you resort to rummaging thru the fridge for food. You may want to speak to your dr about getting in the green zone.

Congrt on your success. I respect your point of view but some people need to be more strict with themselves in the losing stage. I cheated 5 times during my losing stage of 22 months... Because i needed to stay focused or I would back peddle. I know myself. Lol So while it's great to enjoy life and splurge every once in awhile ...for people like me it might be best to be stricter during the losing part of the journey. Just wanted to share that point of view.

I love hot tea..... But be careful with gum. Swallowed gum can wreck havoc for bandsters.

Just wait... Time flies when you are losing!!! The last 2 years really flew by!!

well I weighed 377 and now I weigh 162. I have lost more than 50% but it is because I tracked every morsel, weighed out my portions and counted every calorie I ate and learned how to live with my banded. Maybe in his experience people just don't put forth the effort.

I wouldn't take a laxative. You might add fiber supplement to your liquid a day or 2 before. It's tasteless and incomes in individual packets like crystal light. I don't understand why no preop. It as well all know doctors differ on that topic.

My dr doesn't advocate Protein shakes after the liquid phase is over 3 weeks post op. he says he would ather see me get my nutrition from real food. And the question about 8 oz or 1 actual cup..... It's one actual Measuring cup.

I am not sure what you mean by normal. You are different now. Thankfully you have an amazing tool to help you lose weight...so you aren't ever going to feel like you did before , if you are talking about the post op surgery recovery... It takes a few weeks for the gas to totally escape and the healing to be finished. So you will feel more like yourself but I haven't felt like I did pre banding so far. And don't get me wrong...it's a great thing.