klariade

Oh I've been there too! (Honestly, is there a bandster who hasn't?) It can be very painful and scary. I've slimed in coffee cups, lunch bags, plastic bags, the side of the road...ugh. I have an hour commute each way and I'm not open enough to eat before I leave for work, so I've started having my coffee in the car to open me up, maybe a protein bar if I'm open enough, and then I eat yogurt or cottage cheese when I get to work. I was running late one morning and tried to eat a sandwich in the car...IN THE MORNING! What the heck was I thinking!?!? That was not one of my finer moments.

You can order your card off the website. You have to fill in a bunch of info and they'll even let you print out a temporary card. I never had to give a serial number. I have it but I've never used it. I order off the regular menu at restaurants and take the rest home for leftovers the next day, or I just order an appetizer or side salad. In any case, it's still a good idea to have one. If there's ever an emergency where you are unconscious, EMTs will go through your wallet to find ID and if you keep your lap band card right near your driver's license or ID they will know that you are a lap band patient and take the necessary precautions (unless of course it is life-threatening then they will do what is necessary to save you! Better to lose your band than your life!).

Amen to what Junior Guru said! Focus on family and friends and everything about the holidays that is NOT about food. I remember my very first Thanksgiving after lap band surgery (I was banded in August 09). It was the first Thanksgiving I ever remember not being so uncomfortably full that I couldn't do anything the rest of the day. I ate more than I normally would and yes I was full, but I didn't need to pass out and take a nap! No turkey coma here! It was wonderful. I enjoyed the rest of the day and even did a little shopping that night. Christmas was the same...indulged a bit but still felt great. I'll never go back to gorging myself at holiday meals. It's just not worth it! And you CAN still enjoy the foods you love, just in smaller doses! It's OK to have a Christmas cookie now and then, or your mom's stuffing (that's one food I couldn't get through the holidays without! LOL!). I also look at how people pile on their plates and it makes me want to puke. How do they even get that much in their stomach?!? You'll find that your mindset will change too. ENJOY the holidays, and take time to remember it's not all about the food!

Ride on girl! One of my biggest victories was being able to fit in a roller coaster again, and I LOVED IT!!! No worries!

I would say hold off until you get back. Right before I got married, my doctor specifically told me to wait until I got back from our honeymoon to get a fill. He didn't want to risk me being too tight or having complications while on vacation. A month being a little loose is by far better than a month of being too tight and all the complications that can go with it.

Oh good Lord, I never stopped drinking coffee! I drink 2 cups of coffee every day...I seriously wouldn't be able to function without it. Haha. Caffeine is fine in moderation. I did cut back a little bit. But as long as you don't over do it go ahead and get your caffeine fix!

It's my favorite time of year!!! I absolutely LOVE the Christmas! The decorating and the parties and the shopping and the gift-giving and the music and...the FOOD! Oh good Lord I love the food! Cookies and pies and egg nog and candy canes and so many delicious treats filled with more calories than Michael Phelps' Olympic training diet! AHHHHHHH!!! So, what are some of your tips and tricks for getting through the Holidays without eating yourself into oblivion? Let's come up with a good list of holiday eating strategies that we can all use. Together, we'll make it to 2012 without having to get our "fat pants" back out of the closet! Here are some of mine: - At holiday dinners, skip over the stuff you can eat on an everyday basis, saving room for the unusual dishes (ie: skip the mashed potatoes so you can have some stuffing). - take a healthy dish to that holiday potluck (ie: veggie tray) - If you're a baker like me, choose only a couple kinds of your favorite cookies to bake...and give most of them away as gifts! - Eat a meal before heading out to holiday parties so you're already full and won't binge at the party. - Keep healthy Snacks on hand at the office. If your office is anything like mine, there are always holiday treats lying around. - And above all remember: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION! It's OK to allow yourself a few holiday treats, but don't overdo it! Ok everyone, your turn!

Hang in there, it will get better I promise! It usually takes a few fills to feel restriction. Until then, unfortunately you have to learn to deal with being hungry all the time. Sucks I know! Try supplementing with protein shakes or bars, and keep some low-cal healthy snacks on hand like veggies and fruit (cut them up when you buy them so they're ready right out of the fridge). And drink lots of WATER! It will help you feel fuller longer. Good luck!

I've always been tighter around that time of the month. It sucks!

I didn't think I was too tight either when I was having bad reflux. I could eat normally, but was having food come up hours after eating. Not normal! If you're taking rolaids like candy (just like I was), you need to 1. get on prescription acid reflux meds and 2. get a small unfill. Even .2 cc's can make a world of difference! You shouldn't have to endure horrible reflux!

Absolutely you can do it! I'm very close to hitting 170 pounds lost myself...never thought it was possible but with a little determination, exercise, and good food choices you'll be $5,000 richer and 170 pounds lighter before you know it!

I battled night time reflux for two months before sucking it up and going back to the doctor. I was so tight that when he stuck the needle in he didn't have to draw any liquid out because the pressure on my band forced it out. Yowsers! My doc put me on acid reflux meds and I've been fine ever since. You're probably a little tight, which is aggravating your stomach and in turn aggravating the reflux even more, and making you all sorts of swollen and irritated. Do a day or two of liquids only to calm your stomach, and get some OTC prilosec to hold you over until your next appointment.

Also, think about how much money you're saving on the food you're not eating...there's your clothing money!

As for bras, I've had a lot of success at JC Penney. They have everything from your basic blah bra to cute (but appropriate) bras to even a few risque ones. Reasonably priced, and they're always having some type of bra sale. Last time I bra shopped they had a buy one get one, so I bought 4 that fit and then a couple a band size down. I am currently a 38D. My mom is a DD and has had success at JC Penney too. Clothes shopping when you're in your super weight-loss phase is tough! At one point I was going down a size every month! I bought my clothes snug and wore them until they were practically falling off. The real key for me is I bought every other size. So, I would buy say 22's and then wait until I fit into 18's to buy again. Also, buying L/XL instead of number sizes gives you more wiggle room. Elastic bands give you more wiggle room too (although I'm not a fan so I don't take my own advice there! LOL!) Right now, I have 3 pairs of pants for work...I bought them on sale (NEVER NEVER buy anything that's not on sale during this phase...or ever really!). I wear the same pants 2-3 times a week and rotate shirts. Walmart and Target have really nice plain shirts that are often less than $15. I have tons of them and no one knows they aren't designer shirts! Black Friday is a week away and there are bound to be good sales! I shop the clearance racks and places like TJ Maxx and Ross and other consignment stores. I also found that Old Navy jeans fit me best, so I will watch for sales and when there's a really good deal I will buy the next size down, even if I'm not there yet because it saves me money and is GREAT motivation having those jeans hanging in your closet! Right now I have 2 pairs of size 14's staring me down that I am determined to get into by New Year's. So if you know that a certain style of pants or other clothing fits you well, watch for sales and grab them when they're cheap! I'm also a big fan of New York & Co, and if you get on their email list they send you offers like every other day and you can combine coupons and sales and get some real killer deals. There is no reason that you can't look FABULOUS while you're losing weight!

I think the key is to allow yourself small indulgences. A trick someone told me that works for me at Thanksgiving dinner is to choose foods that you don't get to eat normally and pass on the stuff that you have every day (ie: eat the stuffing but pass on the mashed potatoes). Eat your dinner on a lunch-sized plate rather than a large dinner plate (it will appear that you are eating more than you really are). I know drinking right before eating is a big lap band no-no, but filling up on a glass of water right before you eat will help you to get full earlier and not over eat. Also eat breakfast like you normally would so you're not starving at dinner. And remember, no one loses weight over the holidays so you are not alone!! Even my doctor says his expectations for his patients is to simply maintain their weight over the holidays, and if you gain 2 or 3 pounds no big deal. It's only one month out of the year, so enjoy it but don't overdo it. Focus on being with friends and family, which is where the real magic of the holidays lies!