NWgirl

The chest pain is a sign that some foods don't want to go down so well, so be cautious and extremely mindful when eating them.

I have found as my band was tightened that eggs tended to disagree with me, although I can eat them sometimes- something with the consistency doesn't allow me to chew as well as I need to so that they go down properly.

I also found that breads can be iffy. If the bread is toasted or thin, it works better, but super soft breads or thick breads end up gumming together in my pouch and cause unnecessary pains.

Another tip I was told from my nutritionist was to time meals for 20 minutes and when the 20 minutes is up, stop eating.

Have you told your husband firmly to stop buying the crap for you? Sometimes this change can be rough for our partners- they somehow get it in their minds that when we lose the weight, we will suddenly become new people who will move on to bigger and better fish.

Congratulations on being 100% honest with yourself about your current expectations and why you are where you are today.

I would recommend getting to a bariatric nutrititionist and working out a food plan. Don't sabotage your band (or abuse it) because the only person you're hurting is you.

Well, you should be taking a multivitamin. Low energy could be low B vitamins, low iron, or thyroid issues (among many other things, I'm sure). Get together with your Dr and explain how you feel.

If I want potato chips, I get the single serve packets. We are not without faults, and I try to avoid putting too much temptation in front of me.

Like Jean said, use mindful eating practices when you are eating so that you know you are eating to enjoy every aspect the food and not because it is there. Sometimes you will find you don't enjoy the food at all if you really think about it.

Wow, congrats on your journey thus far! I, too, would have been a little taken aback by such a long trip, but it really is worth it!

If you love My Fitness Pal, I would recommend looking into Fitbit. It is this awesome calorie counter/pedometer/activity level/stair flight tracker that is extremely motivating (to me, at least!).

Congratulations! You should be so proud of yourself and your accomplishments!

I also agree with the above folks- I have lost weight successfully many times, but I always gain it back because the diet is not sustainable for long term. I am not against losing weight naturally, as some can be successful at it, but I am against doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. You know yourself best- is this something you can continue doing for life to lose/maintain?

I would recommend getting on the New York specific thread and asking if anyone knows of Dr's who do fills for patients banded elsewhere.

I would recommend pre-making your food or having it easily accessible so there is no excuse not to eat healthier foods.

Welcome to the blogosphere! I'm glad you're doing so well on your pre-op, sometimes they can be pretty difficult to get through.

I've always been interested in taking a cooking class, and I think next year I'll try to find a healthy one. I can prepare meals, but would not say I'm a chef per say, and the healthy meals always seem so bland. I need someone to teach me the ropes

Keep your chin up. I still think about food often, but not nearly as much as before. I have heard some people always struggle with the mental aspect and some forget to even eat!

Good job! Those darn carbs can be so devilish!

Unfortunately, the cost is a risk you took in getting the surgery. Who would pay for the removal if not you?

Most banded folks find that after awhile, the pain of eating certain food outweighs eating the food and they choose not to eat it.

This is sad I'm glad that your surgeon elected to not put the band in, some would have probably done it anyways to get money. I know that hernias can cause the band to slip, so maybe he determined it was too big of a risk?

I hope you find something that works for you. The best of luck to you.

Time will fly and before you know it, you'll be wheeling into the OR

Wow! That's a large first fill I have 4cc in a 10cc band and definitely feel like I'm almost at my sweet spot- another 1cc or so should get me where I want to be.

I would recommend calling them next week and asking if you can move your next fill appointment up because you feel no restriction. I would also recommend portioning out your food at this time.

I bought a pair of jeans from old navy and a pair from Lane bryant at my highest weight and still wear them now. Old navy seems to run a little bigger in size vs lane bryant and I notice that they seem to have a lot more stretch as the day goes on. I can start out my day with the old navy pants kind of loose but still on my butt and end the day tugging them up every minute.

I'd say you should probably invest in a belt soon

YES IT IS NORMAL! Don't get worried, many people experience slight weight gain after the transition because there is actually real food for the body to process/digest. I even remember reading that B52 (who is now at goal) gained some weight the first few months.

Just watch your portion sizes and try to make the best choices possible.

I love your attitude. I knew if my insurance didn't approve me, I would have also found another way. Keep your head up, and I "hope" you have sleep apnea

I've missed one meeting since starting the process, and will continue to go the them. My hospital does the meetings for surgery specific groups, so mine is only Lapband patients.

I like the fact that there is a group of people going through the same thing as me that I can sit down and talk to face to face. Sometimes online just doesn't cut it, but it's still better than nothing at all.

I would also say it was probably the tube down the throat.

if you live with these people, you can't expect them to change their eating habits because you are changing yours. They probably don't know what to say to comfort you right now, and maybe you are feeling low because of the liquid diet and not having food as an emotional crutch.

it will all get better soon, keep your chin up don't take things so personally (much easier said than done).

I would have been fine alone, but some people seem to have a really hard time with it. I bounced back pretty quickly and has minimal pain. I would keep in mind that there is a lifting limit for the first month that you don't want to go over, so someone to help with heavier things is nice.

try to get in with the local support groups. You should be fine alone but do need some support behind you.