changing4me

I also drink the EAS carbsmart shakes. TO get that extra packed Protein Shake in,One thing I started doing for the mornings is taking one cup of frozen strawberries, 1 half banana, and 1 container of greek yogurt and pour in 1 whole Eas Protein shake, and 2packets of splenda! .I blend it together until smooth and it is DELICIOUS!!! Its extra creamy and reminds me of a milk shake! the first one I made I used strawberry bannana greek yogurt and a strawberry protein shake. but the second one I used the Plain Greek yogurt (which by itself really is like a sour cream substance! lol) and the frozen strawberries and banana and a vanilla shake! both were REALLY Good!! I had to keep recalculating the nutrional info bc I was convinced that something that tasted that good had to be not so good for you! well I did a rough estimate and it has about 32g of protein,22g carbs (6 from yogurt 3 from the protein shake and 13 from the half of banana) and roughly 260 calories. It isnt the Greatest nutrution wise, but its not the absolute worst either. I think I will work on making it a bit healthier. Maybe using banana extract instead of a real bannana since thats where a lot of the calories and carbs are coming from. or maybe add in sugar free banana pudding mix! that will bring it to about 31g protein about 9g carbs and 210 calories.either way it is a delicious way to get fruit servings,protein and the benefits of yogurt! and it is SUPER satisfying! I stay full for hours! and bc it tastes like a milk shake,I feel like IM cheating but im not :-)

I am 35 days POST OP. I have lost 22lbs so far! I was banded on August 12 with a starting weight of 252lb I am currently 230lb. This is the lowest I've weighed in about 5years! they say during bandster hell , a lot of ppl gain weight, but that was not my experience. I actually Lost 2lbs!I just got my first fill on Wed and I am still feeling very positive about my decision! any other questions you have just let me know!

Your doin better then me! Ill be five weeks out on Thursday. I've lost 13 so far, 8 before surgery, and nothing in like 2 weeks. I feel no restriction whatsoever. Since I'm finally back on regular food I'm doing the pre op diet again so that I won't gain. I'm not planning any hard core loss until I get a fill and hit that green zone. Until then I'm hoping to maintain!

Congrats! your still doing great!! from what I understand, the Doctors dont even expect weight loss at this point. Not until your first fill! so dont worry!..

Wow, you're doing great! Congratulations. I've only lost 10 lbs in 4 1/2 weeks including the 2 weeks pre-op. Come over to the A11 thread and tell us how the fill went. Keep up the good work.

Blessings,

GG

thanks so much!! Congrats on your loss as well!! your doing great!! remember..every bit counts!! I will Def come visit and tell how it went! Thanks again

HELLO MY NAME IS KEV I JUST PASSED MY 6 WEEKS AND MY WEIGHT STARTED AT 375LB AND NOW AM DOWN TO 322 LB. I SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING GREAT WITH YOUR WEIGHT LOST AM HAPPY FOR YOU. CONTINUE AT WAT YOU ARE DOING ) . I HAD MY SURGERY ON JULY 28, OF THIS YEAR . I'M NOT SURE OF WAT KIND OF food I SHOULD BE EATING BECAUSE FOR THE FOR TE LAST 2 WEEKS I BEEN CRAB LEGS CRAZY AND LOVE TO EAT THEM AND IT SEEM TO WORK FOR ME. WAS YOU DRINKING THE chicken BOTH BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE THE SMELL. IF YOU CAN GIVE ME IDEALS OF food THAT MAY WORK FOR ME.

Mmm crab legs sound delicious!! I have been eating a lot of Lean Ground turkey. Its pretty soft not really a rough food at all! I have done all types of things with it. Some days I mix in spaghetti sauce and a little parmesean cheese for some noodle-less spaghetti (or meat sauce if you'd like to call it that). Some days I have a little bit of ketchup and mustard to dip it in..(almost like eating a burger lol) at a family BBQ I brought some ground turkey and mixed in a little BBQ Sauce and ate a little bit of (mashed potatoe salad (just like reg potato salad just cook the potatoes softer) made w/light mayo of course! other days took a little bit and put it over mashed potatoes and poured a little bit of low calorie vegetable Soup over it...almost like shepards pie :-) I also eat Crab Salad (again made with light mayo), chicken salad (canned chicken). and actually just yesterday I made me a new meal. I took 2 slices of the thin shaved roasted turkey breast, spread on 1/2 wedge of the laughing cow LIGHT cheese, and 3 turkey pepperonis and rolled it up..OMG it was the best think I've eaten in a while lol! its so good I limit myself to 2 rolls which calorie wise is only about 75 calories per roll and its VERY filling not to mention DELICIOUS!! everyday for Breakfast I have a pack of Quaker Weight Control instant oatmeal. it has 7g of Protein which isnt too bad. I also just became a fan of Greek Yogurt! Im not a huge yogurt fan but it actually tastes pretty good! I am still exploring and learning my foods though But I hope I gave you at least one Idea to use! Congrats ON your weight loss!! that is great!! I know your excited!! btw... I had my Surgery August 12

23 pounds the first month? That's 2 pounds shy of 10% of your total body weight! You are doing exceptionally well. Congrats!

WOW! your right I didnt think about it that way!! Thanks so much for your well wishes!

Hey everyone! Today makes a month since surgery and I am feeling great! I am down 23 pounds (including my 7day preop diet). Is this an ok number? do most people lose more? Or am I pretty average?I started at 251 and I am down to 228..I haven't seen anything under 240 In about 5-6years!! this has me feeling pretty optimistic! Overall It has been going good so far! I have been doing pretty well with eating the right things even though Im technically in "Bandster Hell" The worst I have done is suck on a few pieces of hard candy ...I know its not the best but Hey Im human! lol...

I go for my first Fill on Wednesday and Im a little nervous! I don't really know what to expect afterwards. Also I think Im nervous because My weight loss will "officially" start once I am filled! But all is Well..at this point I am Feeling really good that this was the best decision I could have ever made for myself! Thanks to everyone here for being supportive!

Im shante Im from upstate ny. IM 23 (will be 24 in december) I was banded on August 12th. my weight on day of pre op visit on August 4th was 251. 20 days later on August 24 I weight 231. 20lbs lost!!! I havent seen anything under 240s in a longggg time!! superr happy! Im single no children!

OMG I am being banded august 12 and im on day 4 of liquid pre op diet and I have been doing very well!! haven't cheated at all..(well maybe except for having about 1.5-2cups of veggies at night instead of 1cup) but other than that I have been good! but TODAY?? OMG Today has been hard!!!! I feel soo hungry!! I am determined not to cheat at all,but I am so hungry!! I had 2cups of broth and a popsicle..but my stomach is talking very loud ughh!! 3 more days of this! I need encouragement please! I am having a weak moment right now and I dont want to cheat but I am soo hungry!! I really can use some positive words/advice

had to post here, as I am having my last supper tomorrow!! I am going to a buffet for all you can eat grab legs...(which aren't actually bad for you...except the butter) but I dont plain on over doing it at all. I don't want it to be a Complete shocker to my body on Friday when I start my liquid diet bc I had just ate so much food the night before. I plan on enjoying my meal moderately tomorrow!!

GOOD NEWS!! I had my pre op appointment yesterday and I must say I feel 1000 times better!! WHEW!!! I really was a nervous reck! before they took my bp I was like warning my stomach has been doing flips and my heart has been racing so the reading you are about to get please dont hold it against me, i am superr worked up! the nurse laughed and then was like umm yea your right you are kind of high. I knew my bp would be up since I was stressing out so much! anyway the appointment went great..the Nurse practitioner told me that it is completely normal for me to feel the way I do and that if I had come in and said I feel absolutely fine, then she would have been worried! I start my pre op diet on Friday so umm yea tomorrow will def be "the last supper" lol but oddly enough,for some reason these past few weeks my stomach has not been able to tolerate really greasy or heavy foods. so I actually have been eating decently. but tomorrow let me just say that I am going to enjoy eating a nice meal..I wont over do it tho I promise!! Im sooo ready to start my life over!!

I've been to the road to being banned since April. It took me a while to decide on a surgeon that i felt had my best interest at heart. The past few months I've been running around getting all the necessary paper work. In June i was FINALLY ready to submit my paperwork and wait on approval... Only to have the PA call me to tell me that i don't have insurance SAY WHAT?!?!?

I immediately called my healthfirst and found out that i had what you called a lapse case. Even though i submitted my renewal forms in February, my case worker had not "gotten around" to approving my renewal so i was in a grey area waiting until the paperwork was filed. So here i am BEYOND pissed, I could practically feel the steam flowing out of my ears... For the next couple of weeks i had to play the cat and mouse game with my insurance company. Speaking to supervisor after supervisor try to expedite my case.

Here's the good part =) My insurance was reinstated on the 1st of August, I called my surgeon's office on the second to submit the paperwork and i was APPROVED today!!! Less then 24 hours to approve my surgery how freaking awesome is that. I am so ecstatic that i am practical bouncing in my chair while typing this post... I know the excitement will die down when i see my surgeon and get the liquid diet but for now ill bask in the glow of happiness for a little while longer

Cheers to all the August Bandsters I will be a part of the club

CONGRATS ON YOUR APPROVAL! I GOT APPROVED ON JULY 2ND AFTER A DENIAL FOR BEING 2LBS SHORT OF MY REQUIRED WEIGHT LOSS. I HAVE SURGERY SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 12! I AM SUPER NERVOUS!! WHAT DAY IS YOUR SURGERY? I JUST DID MY PRE OP APPOINTMENT YESTERDAY AND I MUST SAY I FEEL MUCH BETTER. I START MY liquid diet ON FRIDAY (MY DOC ONLY REQUIRES 1 WEEK OF liquid DIET.WHEW!! LOL)

We have made it through this long wait as we thought the month would never come! I wish all my fellow August banders much luck before during and after surgery! :welldoneclap:

thanks so much!!! I needed that! August 12th surgery date and pre op testing this morning August 2nd

Well you have made one here! We can go through this together. The day is getting closer and closer. I go see the Nutritionist tomorrow, then on Thursday I start my Preopt diet which is just a NO carb diet.

How about you?

I am going for my pre op testing today (August 2nd) I will start liquid diet tomorrow. mine consist of liquids for Breakfast and lunch and for dinner a small piece of lean Protein and veggies. no carbs no sweets....my nerves are shot this morning im superrrr nervous!!

OK so here it is the night before (well early morning of..) my pre op testing!! to be 100% honest, I am a Nervous wreck!! I have literally made myself sick in the last 48 hours. I could not figure out why all of sudden my stomach is nauseous and I had diarrhea..(sorry for the tmi)...but I just figured out..its my NERVES!! I am a nervous wreck and didn't even realize it. I just got off the phone with my best friend who had to remind me to breath bc I was beginning to have what I THINK is an anxiety attack! I know I have made the right decision to get banded, after a lot of time and research,but now as I lay in bed the night before Pre Op testing,I am having second thoughts !I know deep down its the best decision but right now Its not so clear!! I was always a "strong" person,so right now I am surprised at how much In freaking out on the inside! I know a lot of people start feeling like this a few days before surgery,but I still have 10 whole days! Im not scheduled until August 12th. is this too soon for me to be freaking out? has anyone else experienced these feelings this far away from surgery day??

my stomach is bubbling,I feel like I have a lump in my throat, my chest is heavy and overall I think I might just sh*t my pants before surgery day arrives!! LOL MY NERVES are SHOT!!! I only told a handful of people about my surgery plans,so I think the fact that there are ppl close to me whose shoulder Im used to leaning on when I need support,that dont even have a clue as to what Im in the process of doing is also playing a role in my Pre surgery Jitters.(they dont know bc I dont think they'd be as supportive as I'd need them to be) So pretty Much this site is my NUMBER 1 person (people) to turn to! SO I NEED ALL OF YOUR HELP!! PLEASE tell me about your pre op jitters stories. I would like to hear from any and everyone. any advice,tips,stories etc are greatly appreciated!! Also I would REALLY LOVE to befriend other August banders..ESPECIALLY those of you with the same surgery day of August 12th!! Also anyone else who is pre or post op that would like to be band buddies I would love that too! I need as much support as possible!!

August 12th for me! Good luck to all of you!

Heyyy me and you are also being banded on the same day!! I have been searching and searching for someone who has the same exact day as me! it seemed like everyone had the 11 or 15 lol Im so happy to find someone who is going to be going through the same EXACT thing as me at the same exact time!! I love this site so much! hopefully we can be band friends and keep up with eachothers progress!!

Hello all!! my name is Jodie...my date is August 12!! can't wait...me and my best friend are getting banded on the same day.....talk about support!! Love to read all your stories...thank you so much for sharing

HEy We are being banded on the same day!! I have been searching and searching for someone who has the same exact day as me! it seemed like everyone had the 11 or 15 lol Im so happy to find someone who is going to be going through the same EXACT thing as me at the same exact time!! I love this site so much! hopefully we can be band friends and keep up with eachothers progress!!

I have a surgery date of Aug. 11th. I'm so nervous. I'm mostly scared of having to retrain myself on eating differantly, smaller bites, not drinking while eating etc. I hope I can make these changes easily.

mine is August 12 Im going through the same thoughts!

I will be getting banded on Aug. 11th as well. Let's all keep in touch and check on each other. I know I'm gonna need all the help begining 7-28 when I start my pre opt diet. I'm excited & nervous as well. Good luck!!

Yes I agree!! I am getting banded the day after you on August 12! I need lots of help from all of you too!! I am anxious to make "band friends"

August 15th here! I'm so excited!!! :willy_nilly:

Congrats!!!! my Surgery date is August 12!! our dates are very close to eachother! I am looking to interact with people having the surgery done around the same time as me. So I can feel like I have someone going through it with me lol (I know that sounds crazy) lol but I swear this forum is going to be my lifesaver!! well actually the band will be..but this will be runner up!! lol

Finally Got my surgery date!! this has been a longgg journey! but finally I am getting what I want! I started this process back in late November. I got denied by the insurance company once because I was about 1.5lbs short of the 12lbs I needed to lose! YES! 1 and a half pounds!! I was very upset! luckily for me I was able to lose the weight by the next week and was able to resubmit to the insurance company! I finally got my approval letter on July 2nd! I have pre op testing on August 2nd and Then Finally after about 20 years of Obesity I am scheduled to have surgery on AUGUST 12 2011!!!!! I am super excited!! I am also very nervous. I am filled with all types of emotions, depending on what day it is! I am one of the people who choose not to tell many people. I decided this early on because I am not the type of person who can handle peoples slick comments or funny looks and any negativity right now! So here I am less than a month away from surgery. I cant say I will miss the body that I abused for so many years,but It will def take me some time to get used to not having it. because at this point,its all I know! I am ready to let my body as I have always knew it GO...for a much leaner,healthier one!

who else is scheduled for surgery in AUGUST?? Anyone have the same date August 12 2011?? I would LOVE to talk to someone going through this on the same exact day!!

I havent been very active on here in the last few months, but that is also about to change! this site offers me support that I feel I cant get anywhere else! being able to talk to people who are going through the same thing Im going through is a sigh of relief!! I am ready to commit myself to my new life and with the help and support of everyone here I know I can do it!!

I do have a few questions though...

1.) Where can I get the weight loss tracker thingy from? I would like for you all to see my progress once I have my surgery. I see people with all type of different trackers and info about their start weight and surgery date etc and I wanna join the club!

2.) I am still confused as to which Protein to buy and suggestions on this would be great! (not much of a plain vanilla person)

3.) I was told I will probably be able to go home the same day. Well I have a problem with that, I think I would rather stay in the hospital and let them monitor me. I would feel MUCH more comfortable knowing there is doctors watching over me. has anyone else felt like this? if so did you get to stay? or did they make you leave?

4.) when you get to the hospital,what do they do to prepare you for the surgery?

5.) the Most debatable question...LAPBAND VS REALIZE BAND???

6.) how much weight did you lose on the pre op diet?

7.) if you could do it all over again..would you??

Any advice, opinions, motivation ANYTHING is Welcome! I am like a sponge right now trying to soak up as much last minute info as I possibly can! I

I am so happy for you!! I have my surgery scheduled for August 12th 2011! I got my approval letter on July 2nd, I have Pre op testing on August 2nd and then im ready to go! I am superr excited! but like most of you I am superrr nervous! I have never had surgery before!!. we are all about to embark on an exciting, new journey. Im sure it is about to get very interesting!! LOL I havent used this site much in the last few months but I know one thing, I plan on becoming SUPER active here! I need all the support I can get!! Good luck to all of us August Bandsters!! August 2011..the month we got a new lease on life!!

I had my first set of testing done today. Lab work,EKG, Swallowing test,chest xrays,gull bladder sono..all the beginning stuff. well it was one heck of a morning!! First off I laid on the table getting my EKG done, I looked up at the ceiling and I begin to tear up. I was suddenly ambushed by so many different emotions. I wanted to cry. not because I was in pain, but because today for the first time ever I was ASHAMED! I wanted to cry because I couldn't believe I had let my weight get so out of control that i had to turn to surgery. I cried because i was fat. I cried because Im scared of what they future may hold. But I also cried because without the Lap Band, I may NOT have a future!!.. Today, I cried because I felt helpless! I didn't let any tears fall though because I didn't want anyone to see. I sucked all the emotions in and continued on with the testing. the rest of the day was kind of humiliating.I could only do 4 and a half minutes on the treadmill and the doctor told me that at my age I should be able to do 9minutes. ("well if I could do 9minutes I wouldn't need to be here would I?") then after doing my swallowing test the woman who did the testing left me in the waiting room for 40 minutes because she forgot I was there. when I walked out of the office and got into my car I cried! I cried ALL THE WAY HOME! I cried like a baby..i didn't try to wipe the tears or make myself stop either! it felt good. at first I cried because I was obese and because I was uncomfortable and because I was unhealthy but then I begin to cry for a whole new reason. I cried because for the first time EVER, I finally felt like I was gaining control. I feel like my weight has dominated my life in EVERY aspect since Forever, and I feel like I finally have the will power,and self control to do what needs to be done to lose weight. I cried for so long that I think I ran out of reasons to cry. either way it felt good! until this point I didn't really know what everyone meant by this is a Very emotional process. I can defiantly see how this is not an easy lifestyle change. going in I felt like oh im a strong person, this stuff wont faze me...BOY WAS I WRONG! somewhere in between crying and blowing my nose I told myself that I could back out of it right now if i want to..leave the Dr. Office and never return or I could finally conquer what has been haunting me all my life. In an instant my mind was made up. I have to do this. For me, for my family, for my future children,...I know in my heart that I am making the right decision. I know this wont be an easy process,but I will deal with everything as it comes& Pray for my strength and support from my loved ones.

I know im not the only one who has had a weak moment. anyone care to share their moment or moments of weakness and how you overcame it? I would really love to hear from others. Also only my parents,my grandmother and my brother know my plan to get banded so I feel like I really need to make some banded friends that I can share my experiences with. because although they are supportive, they just cant relate like all of you can.

Yes! I agree!! I think they just are scared that you will now have the potential to be smaller then them, thus in their minds,look better then them. Some people use other people's dilemma's to uplift themselves. this may be the case with the Nay Sayers of WLS. i think your right though i will probably just tell them I changed the way I eat and what i eat.and change the subject! It really wouldn't be a lie!

Hi everyone. My name is Shante. I am so happy to have found a site like this. I feel that finding this site and being able to communicate with all of you will make my weight Loss with the Lap Band Journey that much easier. A little about me. I am only 23 years old. I have been overweight all my life. I look back at pictures from when I was only 1 years old and I was even kind of chunky then. I have ALWAYS been the biggest person in class etc. As the years have went on, i have tried numerous diets, Atkins, weight watchers, etc and joined many gyms..but still the weight keeps coming and coming. In 2006 i was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. and borderline Hypertension. just recently i was diagnosed with Borderline High Cholesterol. I am sick and tired of Being Unhealthy! it seems like nothing I do works for very long, and I end up bigger then I started. i have been researching Lap Band for a while now, but it has just recently became realistic. I was a student in college, but I have decided to put school aside for a little while and get a full time job with insurance, so I can get my health in check!! I am still in the very beginning stages of what I understand to be a VERY LONG process! SO far I have went to a seminar, gotten a Referral from my PCP, and Last Wednesday I had my first appointment with the surgeon. at the appointment they took my vitals and talked to me about the surgery and the process, and what steps are next. I got a chance to meet and talk with the surgeon, who by the way told me that he thinks I'm making a great choice and he thinks I am a perfect candidate for Lap Band. (this made me feel really good) but anyway, The surgeon and the Nurse Practitioner told me that my insurance requires me to lose a certain percentage of my weight before the surgery. they calculated this and told me i need to lose 12lbs. This is going to be hard,but I am going to try and give it my all. They also told me that the next step would be to get all my testing done. Blood work, x-rays, sleep test,nutritionist,psych eval etc. they said If I can get all of these things done before my next appointment with the surgeon in the middle of January then that would really speed up my whole process. I am currently waiting to schedule these appointments, but I am hoping and Praying that I can get it all done in time for the next appointment. I asked about how long does this whole process take, and I was told it really depends on how fast i get my testing done, my insurance, and how quick I can lose the required weight..I know that my insurance requires me to be on a 6month supervised diet. My PCP started me on one in early October, which would put me being "qualified" for surgery no sooner then mid March 2011. I am fine with the process as long as I know its going to happen. I have never had this many mixed emotions in my life. I am scared, I'm happy, I'm nervous, I'm anxious, I'm excited, I'm sad sooo many different feelings all at once. This is the beginning of a whole new life for me. I am not sure how to deal with everything that I am feeling, but I am confident that I will be just fine! Also I see a lot of posts about support. As far as my support system I have my mother in my corner 100% i haven't really talked to many other people about it yet. i have a cousin whom is like a best friend,(who is also very much overweight) and she was not very supportive. she didn't understand why I couldn't just lose the weight on my own and she thinks I'm being lazy and taking the easy way out. I talked to her about the lap band that one time, and told myself to never mention it to her again. I don't think I will EVER bring it up again to her because I feel like If I'm going to be making such a major change in my life I only need to be surrounded by people who are there supporting my decision even if they don't agree with it.! I feel this is such a sensitive subject that there really isn't much room for Negativity. So throughout my process i plan to ONLY acknowledge the positive. Because someone so close to me had such a negative opinion, I'm not really sure if i will share this with ANYONE else. Has anyone else ran into something similar? where someone you were close to, and thought you could depend on as a support system, made it very clear that they were against it and had a negative attitude?? Please let me know. Thanks