Holly Dolly

I have been pretty good from the beginning measuring and weighing what my meal should be. I finish it all almost every time. Sometimes I feel I can eat more but I choose not too. I was like you before surgery, I would eat dinner til I was stuffed! Just didn't seem right if I didn't. It was a hard thing to grasp to eat a meal and not feel full. A week ago I went out for dinner and had more rice than I should have. I had about 1/2 cup and normally I would have 1/4. Well, as soon as I got into the car I was stuffed! It may be the first time I really felt full since having the surgery. It was nice to see that I do not miss that feeling at all. Like Brown said above, it is a learning process!

Honestly, I have had the faith from day 1 that this IS my last diet. I am one year out and had my 9th fill last week. I finally feel restriction and for the first time today have gone over 4 hours before I got hungry. I am having some soup now and totally content after just a few bites. I may be a tad tight right now, but I am going to wait to decide if I want a little out on my next visit the first week of March. Good luck to you, it will get better! I waited a year to get here and I swear I feel like pinching myself to make sure I am not dreaming!

at first when I saw it I would have been mad if it was mine! But you know what, when you lose the weight it would more than likely show anyways. So there prob isn't much fat on top of it that you would be losing later. Hopefully it wont get any more noticeable than that.

I ate pretty much the same thing everyday for Breakfast and lunch. I would switch it up every few months. My dinner depends on what I am making for the family. breakfast- 2 egg whites, 1 oz chedder cheese. or I would do 1/2 oz cheese and have half an OroWheat thin toast with the eggs. Now I am having a yogurt with 1/2 c Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal with a couple of strawberries chopped up. Lunch- 2 or 3 ounces lunch meat, 1 oz sliced chedder, veggies and a few grapes. or canned chicken with 1/2 T mayo and veggies. NOw I have been having some Lean Cuisines. My dinner just depends. But I usually have 3 ounces Protein, veggies and 1/4 mashed potatoes or a small baked potato. It has been easy for me because this is what I would have normally ate for the meals before. Except I do miss not having toast for breakfast now. It is prob the only thing I really miss! Sometimes eating the same things gets boring but it is easy to plan and I know where I am at caloriewise. I also really like these carmelized onion chicken patties from costco. Add a little teriyaki and it is so good! Anyways, all this talking about food, I am ready for lunch!

My dr put me on phentermine back in October. I took it for 3 months. She gave it to a few of my friends in the office also. My hunger was still out of control and she thought I was already on the high end of my band being filled. I was at 6.5 in a 10cc band. I got another fill last week and this one is doing it for me. I am finally able to go longer than 2 to 2.5 hours without getting hungry! It's a first! I have dealt with the hunger for a year now, told her I wanted the band to control my hunger not the pills. I like how phentermine works. It controlled my hunger well. But I paid $14 k for surgery and don't want to rely on a pill. In retrospect, I wish the fills were done using xray so we could tell when my band was in the sweet spot. It was a long time coming to get to this point! If you feel good restriction and are still feeling hungry, I would ask for them.

woo hoo, look at you!!! Amazing inspiration there CincyUdy!

Life is TOO short to NOT enjoy chocolate! I log my food intake, so I am accoutable for the calories. Takes the guilt away!

that's a whole lotta "sick and tireds" that will be a thing of the past! Good luck to you, you are now less than a week away!

u4leigh, I was a slow loser in the beginning and look where I am at now. Everyone is different with their weightloss. I know how it is though, I am very impatient! First to admit it, but amazed really how fast my first year went. No regrets!

Cazzy, I was thinking the same thing too. Get your bf on board, research this out together and maybe he will decide it may be a good decision for himself to have it done. Nothing better than having someone to go through it with. And better yet, you live together! What more could you ask for?!

I was out of work for 1 week. My brother had it done and went back to work the next day, but he is crazy like that! Most definitly it will be a gateway for better things. Like not being tired, being comfortable in your own skin, not having body pain. All those things you mentioned that you already have. Besides being able to walk into a store and buy some really cute clothes, being able to tie your shoes with no problem, walking up stairs without huffing and a puffing, liking what you see in the mirror and not avoiding the mirror! All those things are miinor though in comparison to just being overall a much healthier person. Invest in yourself, you are worth it!

well, you have come to the right place for answers! Why does your bf think it's a bad idea? Most people have no clue really what the lapband entails. That includes some people who get the lap band thinking it's a cure all. Well, it isn't. It's a tool that will help you lose the weight, but it still takes work on your part. You are only 20, you are so young and fortunate to have this available to you. I wish it was around when I was 20! Fast forward 26 years and I couldn't be happier than I am now. I would of and never could have imagined myself only being 9 pounds away from a normal BMI. But I am and I am so thankful for my band! I wish the best for you. And remember it is for you, it's your decision. The bottom line is that it's your health and your happiness that you have to look out for.

Hey, I completely understand! I haven't told my hub's family that I had the surgery over a year ago. I saw my mother in law last week and after 3 hours she asks me, "How much have you lost now?" I tell her 81 pounds and she says ,"You don't want to get too skinny"....no congrats, wow you look great or anything! Now I know why they are the only ones I haven't told! Good luck to you too!

Good luck. I can tell you it is so worth the investment. It's a huge commitment for you and a huge financial commintment for your parents. I am fortunate that my mom offered and paid for my surgery. You just have to realize this is a tool and it requires a lot of work on your part. I am thankful for my mom in believing in me enough to give me this greatest gift.

I have a hard time with any steak other than filet mignon. Also, I can't eat snow peas anymore, even though I try to get the string off completely. I also don't eat raw carrots anymore. When I have grapes, I spit out the skin because I am afraid of that getting stuck, though it never has.

Good for you Califdreamer! Must be nice to have a huge wardrobe now to choose from! Keep up the good work!

Shakey, you have done amazing! 103 pounds down and you never needed an addiional fill? Lucky you! I just had my 8 or 9th fill, I have lost track now! Good for you and congrats on your success. And the skin on your legs I am sure is not because of something you did wrong. If you have worked out every other place, I am sure your upper legs were getting something out of it too. Don't be hard on yourself!

You must be doing pretty good if you are already back on here! Thanks for letting us know how it went. Good luck during the next couple of weeks! It will prob be the hardest part and hopefully smooth sailing thereafter!!

sounds like you are headed on the right track! Good luck to you!

Woot, woot! Good job there!

great entry! Sounds like you had an amazing time, wish I could have been there! But I have 20+ years on those 20 yr olds and hard for me to make it past 10 pm!! Congrats on your hard work, it sure does pay off!

If you have made it through 3 weeks of liquids I am sure you will do just fine! I couldn't have made it that long. Just take your time chewing and wait in between bites.

Good for you for checking it out. If I were you, I would call your insurance and ask if they cover it, and what do you need to get preauthorized. Hopefully you wont have to do the 6 months of a supervised diet.

Slimfast Low carb is 20 grams per can and they taste fine.

I would trust what you found on the internet over what the dr received. I deal with dental insurance and I see so many things denied, saying it isn't a covered benefit. I then have to call and have them reprocess the claim. Hopefully this will be the case with you too. Good luck!