aliciab

To those of you who say you don't have time for exercise or you don't like to...I'm sorry but to me all I hear is excuses excuses. Yeah you may have a busy lifestyle but after getting the lapband put into your body to make a "lifestyle change" how can you do that without getting some exercise in? What is an hour out of your entire day? You have 23 hours to do everything else you need to do..and if you know you will tone your body and loose even more weight from it why wouldn't you take advantage of that? I think you guys need to step it up and quit making so many excuses...I have a life too...a job, family, boyfriend, pets, house to take care of, appts to go to in between everything else..and every single night I come home and get my exercise in. I have lymophdema in my legs and as much as it hurts to be on my feet and my ankles are so big it looks unhuman but I do not miss it...because I didn't get this lap band put in me to just sit back and watch the weight fall off...I'm working my ass off and don't understand why you can't either!!!
Do you want to end up like the people on here who are making a post in 1 or 2 years saying they only lost 30 pounds? If not, you need to make the change now...and if you don't want to..then I really don't understand why you got the band in the first place.

Welcome! Set realistic goals for yourself. I also tend to carry a lot if muscle but it would take an insane amount of working out and diet for me to lose weight. I finally got my band in January of this year and after a month or so I have steadily lost about a pound a week. I'm down 25lbs at this point and because I was on the lighter side of people who normally get the surgery at 232lbs the 25 lbs has made a huge difference. Also, I rarely feel hungry now which is just beyond freaking amazing to me. Just be prepared that if you have less to lose than a lot of the people on this site and you are some what muscular already you might be a slow loser like me. Also when you start to seriously work out again (I work out 5 times a week) the scale may not move for a couple of weeks. Just try to be patient, it will start moving again : ).

Welcome! Set realistic goals for yourself. I also tend to carry a lot if muscle but it would take an insane amount of working out and diet for me to lose weight. I finally got my band in January of this year and after a month or so I have steadily lost about a pound a week. I'm down 25lbs at this point and because I was on the lighter side of people who normally get the surgery at 232lbs the 25 lbs has made a huge difference. Also, I rarely feel hungry now which is just beyond freaking amazing to me. Just be prepared that if you have less to lose than a lot of the people on this site and you are some what muscular already you might be a slow loser like me. Also when you start to seriously work out again (I work out 5 times a week) the scale may not move for a couple of weeks. Just try to be patient, it will start moving again : ).

I think mine was just over $200 so $185 sounds about right.

I had the same exact concern.I talked to my Dr.about it pre band.he said because this is a support site u will get more extremes than the norm.most of the "normal" folks are just living with the band. I've seen is a lot of posts from people that have had the band for a yr or more and have just join the site when they have a problem. Also I actually see a lot from folks who have done way better than normal.
For me I was banded 4/6/12 lost 34 lbs so far including 2 week pre op from 3/23.my starting weight 339 today 305 my goal is 180.

My name is Trina I'm 30 years old 5'4 255 lbs. Although some of that weight is muscle because I do weight lifting, I am still not happy with my stomach area.
I have been struggling with my weight for some time now, and after losing 40 lbs on my own by working out twice a day 5 days a week, and then gaining it back after an accident, I decided that not only was my work out routine not realistic, but that I needed a tool! So I decided to go with the band, and am in the program now running tests before my date is scheduled.
Just a little bit on ME

I met my fiance after I posted a personal ad on Craigslist. I had to weed out a lot of pervs and creepers but I finally found my prince :-)

At the gym, YMCA, dance class, Community Education courses (hmmm...pick a class...same interests...), walk your dog or walk yourself in a busy park, when at Walmart make sure to make a walk through the hardware dept with a perplexed look on your face....so many options other than the bar. Annd if all else fails, go to the bar once in awhile with some friends and enjoy ! Good luck!

I am now able to walk 2 miles without passing out. It took me 38 minutes with the average speed of 3.3. My goal is to walk 2 miles in 30 minutes.

You are building muscle but don't forget about the inches

I'm doing something similar and although I haven't lost any weight in the last 10 days, I noticed my pants and a few shirts fit better or are looser. You're building muscle and that's a good thing but I know it's frustrating when the scale doesn't move.
tmf

I concur.

Try the Avenue. Plus Size Cloudwalkers Shoes, Boots at Avenue.com and JessicaLondon.com

I love Power 90 by Tony Horton. I'm not quite ready for P90X but Power 90 is challenging for me without causing me to want to die.

I highly recommend "Dream Fields Pasta" for a carb fix. It tastes wonderful and is 5 net carbs per serving. They have a website and is easily found in most grocery stores. My family loves it!
Melonie

I've been reading a lot about the difficulties people experience with certain foods. While it is easy to see that each person is very different, there are some patterns that emerge. Seems like a fair number of people have problems with red meat, grilled chicken, shrimp, etc.
I'm interested in which foods people have the most success with. What are some of those "go to" foods when you are eating out or entertaining, or at a business dinner where you really don't want to be running back and forth to the bathroom because of gastric difficulties. I know that one key is chew chew chew....but which foods top your list of easy to eat without producing difficulties.
Thanks!

All of us can loose weight, we just can't keep it off. It's not as simple as others seem to think. You'll find support here and the best thing you can do is show them how much this changes you for the better .

I have only told my husband, parents and 1 friend, Im not ashamed I just don't want to hear other people's opinion, I live in a area where no one has a lap band. I'm actually typing this in the airport waiting for my flight, my surgery is on Friday!!!

Lately I have been doing some deep thinking about how my life is going to change after I get banded. And while yes, I want to get banded and become healthier for my family, for my children, for my future grandchildren...I want to become healthy for myself.
For years...so many years I have put myself of the back burner. I think a lot mothers tend to do that. My children come first...my family comes first...everyone's needs come first. And I am not saying it as if I am some sort of awesome selfless person or anything, it's just the way I think.
Everything changed when I found out 6 years ago that my oldest son was autistic. Everything. I used his diagnosis as a crutch for years. With the help of therapy I can say that I today I am ok w/ his autism. When we were going thru the process of getting my son's autism diagnosis I was also pregnant with my youngest son....hmmm...any wonder I gained 75 #s with that one. After we got the diagnosis of autism I immediately began to try to "fix" him. I sacrificed everything for it...my sanity, my health, my finances. Everything. I devoted HOURS upon HOURS researching. I spent the initial couple of years after his diagnosis consumed in another world. At the end of the day I was mentally and physically exhausted. I was too tired to plan a meal for myself, too tired to plan my lunch for the next day, too tired to exercise. Yet, here I was, counting every morsel of food that entered my child's mouth...making sure it had no food coloring, no gluten, all organic...meanwhile I would shove complete crap in my mouth.
These past few months, perhaps even a year I have realized that I have to take control of myself. I have to be selfish. I have to let go. I can't control autism, but I can control what I do and how I react to this. I do think (as does my therapist) that I used autism as a crutch and ate as the easy way out. My world was spinning out of control and I had to take control...and I did just that but in an unhealthy way for myself. I couldn't control my child sitting in the floor screaming in a raging fit...but I could control the twinkie entering my mouth....so much comfort in that (at the time). Just as if someone that is anorexic is in need of control I am/was the same way only I would binge and eat unhealthy junk just because I could. It seems that as time passes my eyes and mind become clearer.
I am so happy to be selfish. My life is depending on it.
Thanks for letting me share.
J

Brandon,
I was one of the lucky ones. After surgery I had absolutely no gas pain and just a bit of soreness where the biggest incision was on my stomach. I never took any pain medication after surgery except 1 dose of liquid vicoden right before I left the hospital.
I started at 415 pounds. On May 9th I started my pre-surgery liquid diet, I had surgery on May 23 and as of Monday 7-25-2011 I have lost 51 pounds. I do not have any fill in my band so I can pretty much eat anything I want as long as I chew really well. I do have to be careful with bread. I stick to a strict diet. I eat about 1200 calories a day, focusing mostly on Protein and trying to eat low carb. I drink 10-12 glasses of Water a day. The great thing is that they want you to eat a lot of Protein, so eating steak is not out of the question. You just need to chew carefully.
Like you I have a very difficult time exercising. I cannot walk any significant distance. I have started slowly riding a recumbent stationary bike. (People all weights and sizes can do that) I also swim. I have a small circular 12 foot above ground pool that is 3.5 feel deep. It was $99 bucks at Walmart and came with a pump and filter. I hang on the side and kick my legs, 500 sets on my back, 500 sets on my stomach. I swim "laps" using only my arms. Granted they are really very small laps, but I'll do 10 one way, switch direction and do 10 the other and go back and forth.
Good luck with your research. I will tell you...everyone is different. Dont let any 1 experience color your opinion. I hope you find the information you are looking for so you can make an informed decision.

This is very common about 3 months after surgery. This article explains the reason why.
Everyone experiences hair loss on a daily basis. Normal hair loss is barely noticeable, amounting to less than 100 hairs per day. However, the stress of a major surgery can cause Hair loss to accelerate up to three times as much in both men and women. It's the body's way of reacting to the trauma of the operation.

The Facts
During a normal Hair growth cycle, hair grows, then enters into a resting or "telogen" period and eventually sheds. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, "telogen effluvium" is a term used to describe hair that has been rushed into the resting state after the body suffers a shock due to major surgery. As resources are redirected to help heal the affected surgical area, the body temporarily shuts down hair production because it is not necessary for survival.
Identification

Telogen effluvium related to surgery can be distinguished from other forms of hair loss in several ways. Individuals typically begin to notice the increasing hair loss two to three months after the surgery. Hair loss after surgery is uniform, noticeable on the scalp but never excessive enough to cause a patchy appearance or complete baldness. In addition, the shed hairs all exhibit a specific pattern at the root, which resembles a white bulb.
Time Frame

Hair usually resides in the telogen phase for a period of two to four months before growth resumes. Individuals don't begin to notice the increase in hair loss when showering or brushing the hair until about three months post-surgery. Although the resting hair is being pushed out of the scalp by new hair that is already growing, it can take anywhere from about six months to a year for the hair to return to its normal fullness.
Gastric Bypass Surgery

Individuals who have undergone gastric bypass or other operations of the digestive tract designed to reduce obesity are more prone to hair loss post-surgery. This is due to the reduced intake of food in the weeks and months immediately following these procedures. The body needs an adequate amount of Proteins and Vitamins to maintain hair production. Protein-enhanced shakes are often recommended for these patients as a substitute until solid food can be better tolerated.
Proper Diet

Hair loss related to surgery typically reverses itself without any medicinal intervention or the need for over-the-counter hair loss tonics or treatments. However, maintaining a diet rich in Protein and Iron is believed to help promote and speed up healthy hair growth. Suggested foods include salmon, Beans, eggs, spinach, broccoli, nuts and whole-grain cereals. Avoid foods that can inhibit hair growth, such as those that contain high levels of caffeine and fat.

I make a motion for a national slap~a~doctor day!

I was banded on 6/10/08. I am on a bipap which I expect to go away very soon. My blood pressure was extremely high but I expect to be off the medication by the first of Aug. Some of my other issues were high cholesterol and high lipids. I am totally off the medication for both but the biggest thing is the insulin once a day and byetta twice a day. I have not had to take any shots since the day of my surgery. My A1C is down to 5.2 from 11.5. I cannot believe how good I feel. I love my band.
Anne

Well, I just found out yesterday I'm pregnant (about 4 weeks now). Yay!

I have my doctor's cell number, I also have his email address - he answers both within a very reasonable amount of time and never more than a couple of hours. He is a center of excellence as well and he conducts himself as such. He is only in the office I frequent 1 day a week but he has other locations that he visits that are in my area as well so if I had to see him I have a few days a week to do so. You're doc sounds unprofessional and lazy. I understamd you cant be everywhere at once but in this line of work you really have to be dedicated to your parients. I would find a different doc.