thatgirl

thank you so much, so many of you are doing so much that I feel a bit silly:phanvan , but this is about progress... not perfection :nervous (I keep chanting to myself).

You can do it, Sunshine! That cruise is a total motivator What is carbellos? do they have cute suits? will you PM me the website? :bananajump:

I know Slimfast has a lot of sugar but that is what I did post op, and they worked great. I pretty much hated everything liquid by 3-4 days out, so I wasn't exactly overindulging in them.

28 pounds is awesome- I was banded the week after you and I was down 20 but have put about 5-6 back on (I am such a hungry hungry caterpillar... I can't wait to get a fill next week. Anyhow, you have lost lots- be proud of that. You'll read on this board a lot about how any loss before the 3 month mark is a bonus, that at 3 months you start to really lose. (I keep repeating that to myself to keep my head above water). Here are a couple ideas: get recipes and make your own soups or casseroles so they are healthier but are still things you can eat eggs- I like eggs. some don't, but I love them in egg salad (esp. deviled egg salad :hungry: go to the recipe forum here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/recipes-new-forum-f82.html for loads of good ideas. I like yogurt (there are loads of healthy brands with less sugar and such). Fish is great- soft and often doesn't cause problems and millions of ways to do it. I am like you, I lean towards processed, packaged things but one thing that helps me is to make food on the weekend and put it into containers or baggies (baggies are more disposable) so I can access it just like I would convenience foods. Lots of stuff freezes well also. Don't forget when you do indulge in vienna sausages to get a bit more Water in to compensate for that sodium. As I said, I like the same types of foods but understand the need for variety (I also understand other's telling us to eat more healthy:D ).

I had steri strips with band aids over them and only took baths until after my post op when he removed the steri strips. I wanted to shower super bad but have had enough surgeries to know that it is hard to shower and keep those steri strips and stuff on, so I washed around them and just did baths. I had someone wash my hair in a sink.

:bananajump:breath mints! breath mints!:bananajump::bananajump: I try to keep them with me (I hate gum) because I know what you are talking about and when I feel that way I definitely don't want to smell that way. I used to have a friend I adored but couldn't stand that her breath was always terrible and never did figure out how to tell her ... hang in there, I do think this will pass when your eating gets more normal

Hmmm- doesn't sound right to me... and you are chewing everything a whole lot? That sounds horrible, I am so sorry. Have you tried getting some liquid with your food, maybe that would help it pass?

Okay, I am going slow- my goal is to do at least 30 minutes of cardio 3 times per week. I have not exercised regularly in years, so this is a big step for me....:Bunny

Thank you so much, Wheetin for that advice- I did not realize that. Sometimes as I read posts here I think that everyone has a different band experience, so that is why some can eat certain foods. My inner fattie was super happy with that theory, assuming that I would be 'lucky' and while my portions may be reduced, I would still get to eat foods that were off limits to many bandsters. But alas, my inner skinny healthy chic is glad that once I get the fill I will feel more restriction and even (hopefully) have foods I can't eat because of my new tool (the band). Right now I have next to no restriction. I have not had a fill yet, I am on solid foods and I can eat pizza, etc. I am trying not to- I am making better choices than before surgery, but it is a journey.

Interesting, so after the fill not only will the amount I can eat change, but what I can eat as well? I get my first fill in a week and a half and I am doing so well on solids, I figured after the 1st fill, I'd just eat less... sounds like you REALLY become a bandster once you start with the fills. I guess I had heard that but never registered it. Am I accurate?

Biker Girl and Tea Time, I am so excited for you! Take it easy and relax- it is the first day of the rest of your life, a healthy one at that.

I am BMI 35 and blue cross/premera approved me on one BP medication. I also have high cholesterol but am not taking medication for it. One thing I heard pushes it past BC is to get the sleep apnea test, if you have that I heard you can get approved. I didn;t have to have it but have a friend who did (who also has BC insurance). goodluck

I know the feeling, the week before my surgery I couldn't focus on anything BUT the surgery. I am so excited for you!

Fiber hasn't worked for me, prune juice (I like baby food juice, Gerber apple prune) has helped dramatically. No more marbles! Try it :mad:

:clap2: hooray :clap2: I felt great my first day and much worse the second day, so take it easy. welcome to being a bandster.

I went there, too. :mad: They have a very nice facility, they are organized and really top knotch. The staff is awesome and my surgeon, Dr. Montgomery, is really terrific. www.thelapband.com is their website. The book they have there is *awesome* as well. They are quite a ways from me but I chose them over any other place because I knew someone else who went there and loved them. Now one of my best pals is going there tomorrow for the seminar. Good luck!

I have a gel seat, still not happy (hurts too much) but I did get a dorky padded sheepskin cover for it (trust my kids, it is *not* cool! ) that is awesome- totally much more comfortable. I don't care what people think anymore anyhow... comfy matters!

I totally think we should start a January Bandsters Exercise Challenge thread... of course, I say that hating exercise and having not done too well about it since surgery but hey- maybe this challenge is just what I need to make exercise a more regular part of my life. Does anyone know how to set one up?

You are totally in my thoughts and prayers, I think some of us will be a bit slower but that's okay. As my buddy who had gastric bypass reminded me, "keep your eyes on the prize, sister!" so I am trying to do that... I keep trying to remind myself, I have the tool I need now, just heal and keep working at it and give yourself until the 3 month mark to get too caught up in numbers. (I am not always good at that) but you have all of us, and you will probably find after a couple fills that you are going to make it:girl_hug: hugs!

Gigi- awesome , so glad to hear you are doing so well :clap2:

thanks so much, Emerald- what was funny was when I called last week (not at even 3 weeks yet ) trying to get a fill (I know, I know) the lady who answered told me that at 2 weeks she had called and yelled at the person who told her she had to wait 6 weeks, so I didn't feel so bad. Sula- I am going to look in to appetite surpressants, I think. I am also going to call this week and see if maybe my surgeon thinks I can have a fill at 5 weeks. Tulip, I am trying to think that way too- anything else before the 3 month mark is a bonus.. (I am going to need to write that on my scale). I just read about people banded at the same time as me with all this weight loss already and I am thinking- good grief, I think by the time I get my first fill I won't even be down any. :cry nurseratchet, you always crack me up. :laugh Yeah, it is a good thing I don't have to pay for my fills, or I would definitely have to wait. It's one of those months (paycheck to paycheck!) I haven't had laughing cow in a long time, I have to get some of that. :love: Thanks, everyone- I cannot tell you how much all your ideas and support are helping me. :love:

Good idea, Sunshine! I might also reccomend advising this person that you have weight related health issues and you are waiting on these records and the procedure you are having will greatly reduce your health risks. In other words, lean on them in a way that says they are slowing your process down- this could either get a bit of guilt going (if they are human) or (better yet) concern them that there are liabilities to them failing to perform records requests in a timely fashion. I am sure somewhere out there is a law regarding medical records and I am certain a month is too long for them to wait. I worked at a doctor's office and we filled those requests immediately because we always worried that someone needing medical records wouldn't get the treatment/procedure that they needed the records for, and we'd be liable for any bad results of them having to wait. Good luck

hey, welcome! I was banded Jan 31 :biggrin1: this is a great place to learn and get support.

good for you- I wish I had. :mad: I got a little nutty the month before surgery, and put on a few pounds and made some very bad food choices. I did a last ditch effort about 2 days before surgery not to go nuts. (BTW my surgeon did not have me on a pre-op diet) and when they did my surgery, they put in the tool to hold my liver up and instead of lifting it, it sliced right into my liver because it was so fatty- the doctor said it was almost twice the size it should be for someone my size. Anyhow, I survived and am happy to be banded, and those meals tasted great but between the holidays and Jan. being my "last month to eat" I was really hard on my body. If I had to do it over, I would choose a couple of meals out and probably try to choose stuff that might be hard to eat with the band (breads and such) but not overdo it. :hungry: of course, whatever you do is your decision and I surely won't judge you.... I really went nuts! BTW- the liver is healing well and doc says it will get much smaller and healthier as I shrink. I had surgery 1/31 and have not had my first fill.

I don't know about that brand/type, but if you are having... ummmm... any constipation or that type of problems what has worked great for me is drinking 1-2 little jars of baby juice, apple prune flavor every day. Usually 1 is fine for me.. anyhow, that keeps things going. As for just adding fiber to the diet, I am looking forward to hearing what people like best. I do need to add more fiber to my diet. I wonder if chewable is okay...veterans? :mad: