bromo

I was in Belk's department store this morning shopping for a present for my daughter. You have to walk through the regular size clothes to get to the plus sizes and on my way back through I stopped to look at a clearance rack. I wear a 22/3x right now and got rid of anything that is under a 20/2x when I moved to my apartment from my house last year. Anyway, I was looking in the XLs and found some fantastic bargin prices on some tops. I bought 5! and spent less than $25. Is it crazy to do this, or am I just being smart by collecting up a few things for a great price when I actually reach that size? Have any of you done this?

I really did not mean to offend anyone. I was just curious. Different things work for different people and I am always open to hearing opinions other than my own. I hope that I did not offend anyone, as that truly was not my purpose in that post and if I did I apologize. Dawn, yes, I think the plication probably has a lot to do with my not having much hunger between meals and feeling sated on a cup or less of food. Although since I that is the only experience I have, I base that off other's posts. But I still struggle in learning how to eat right and not giving in to eating things I know that are not good for me right now. I would love to have a juicy hamburger or something else but I know in this stage of my journey it is important for me to not have that if I wish to learn good habits, get healthier and continue to lose weight. I guess what I am saying is I do not want to sabotage myself with what I have going on, but it is not easy even without the gnawing hunger. The head hunger is what got me to this weight in the first place, and my giving into it, so it is something I am still battling each day. I was just curious if some people who were not as fortunate as I was with the wealth of information I got from my surgeon were disappointed when they learned how hard it is in the beginning after getting the band. I was thinking that perhaps they were not informed of the "bandster hell" period and had hopes that more of the work would be done by the band. That is all I was thinking. Perhaps I could have worded it better.

For those of you that aren't changing your eating habits, what are and were your expectations from lapband surgery? For myself I look at this at the chance to lose weight and keep it off once and for all, so I am willing to go through whatever it takes to make it happen. I expect the band to be a tool to help me in the long haul of this journey but do not expect it to do all the work. I am learning to eat healthier and am beginning to enjoy it. I think it just takes some time to adjust to eating healthier. I am not making judgements, please do not think that. I am just curious if you thought the band would do all or most of the work?

I think I would see my doctor. Have you changed anything in your diet or medicine regime lately? Hope you get some resolution soon.

Absolutely not! This is a tool to help me get healthier. We use tools in all aspects of our life, why should I feel bad about using one that will improve the quality of my life? No one has yet said to me that I am cheating or taking the easy way out, and if they do they will get an earful. LOL

I could have full liquids 2 days after surgery, so creamy, thin soups like cream of chicken or beefy mushroom strained were good,

It is definitely a personal decision. You will find good and bad on both surgeries. I decided on the lap band with plication as I get the advantages of the sleeve in the beginning with the support of the band now and in the future. I am very happy with my choice. I have lost weight for consistantly for the four weeks since my surgery and am not suffering through hunger between meals before having a fill.

Peg! I was wondering where you were. Glad to hear that things went well and you are on the mend and recovered from the bug without having to go back into the hospital. Congrats on your first post being a bandster!

Excellent news. Hope Britney's is the same.

I have an awareness at times of my band, but it is not painful. I am 4 weeks out from surgery. Perhaps you should contact your doctor and ask about this.

I really hate to read about what a hard time you are having, TexasBandit. When I read what you post it certainly makes your frustration understandable as it seems you really should be losing weight. You probably have had this done, but just asking, what about your thyroid? Just trying to figure out why in the world you are not losing weight since you seem to be doing all the right things. I hope you have good luck at the doctor with your fill and it ends up being the place you need to be to lose weight.

I was asked about it on my initial questionaire. My daughter contracted MRSA from who knows where and has flair ups occasionally. I would hate to think that someone would expect her not to have any surgerys from something that was needed due to something that was contracted without her control. Good luck to those of you who have it and I hope that it does not interfere with your ability to have the lapband surgery.

I take a number of pills everyday and have no problem with them. The largest pills I break into but the larger capsules seem to do fine as I think they disentergrate quickly. I suffer from chronic depression and have been on medication for it for probably 15 years. It did not hinder me from getting the surgery. Good luck to you.

I think Humming Bird hit it on the head for me. Since I am in the beginning of the rest of my life of hopefully healty eating and better overall health, it is important for me to learn to make major changes in my dietary habits that brought me to this place. By tracking what I eat, learning which foods are healthier and holding myself accountable by using myfitnesspal to track my food, I am learning a new way of eating and hopefully one day later in the journey I will no longer have to do this as it will be a natural habit for me to make better choices. By viewing this as a lifestyle change, I need help and guidance and some practice to make it happen.

I am eating under 60 carbs on the advice of my nutritionist. I also keep my fats under 28 grams and I am steadily loosing at 4 weeks after surgery without hunger. I am staying in moderate ketosis.

I haven't really found it difficult yet to not eat while drinking and I have always had a diet pepsi or two or a couple of glasses of iced tea with my meals. I want to be successful at this and know that it is a big no no, so I just figure it is what I should do.

Diva, you asked about the plication. After reading about bandster hell I think I am really thankful I had it. I am almost 4 weeks out from surgery and have yet to actually be very hungry. My weight loss is steady, I have lost 16 pounds since banding on 9/14 and the only slow down I had was when I was drinking too much boullion and the sodium was affecting my loss. Once I stopped that, it has been steady again. I eat three meals a day and sometimes a snack in the late afternoon if dinner is going to be a later one. I usually have one shake per day, my calories are running around 800/900, carbs under 60 and fats under 28. I am satisfied on a cup of food or less and think the plication is the reason for my satisfaction. All in all, I am happy with the band and the plication and they way they work together and the way I am able to work with them.

Carol, you have to take this into your own hands. If you really want to lose the weight then you have to do your part. Most all of us here love food and love to eat all the things that caused us to be the size we have become. We all have to make the choice each day. It is a conscious choice every time you choose to eat whatever and do not use the tool you have been blessed with. We each have to decide what is more important, using the band or satisfying that thing in our head that says "Eat the pizza, the whopper, the huge slice of cake and bowl of ice cream." In just the month and few days that I have not had any of those things and have started eating more healthy and in proper portions I can honestly say that my desire for the other things seems to have dissappated to almost nothing. I bought my grandson who is spending the night some chocolate cupcakes and could care less that they are over on the table. I love this feeling. Perhaps you need to go see you doctor and talk to them about this possibly getting some fill to help you curb your appetite. And are you suffering possibly from chronic depression? I really think you need to see your doctor. This is not always an easy journey but one that is worth every stuggle to see it through.

I found the transition easy, but still could only eat a few spoonfuls of anything at one time, so I had several small meals each day. Now that I am about to go on to solids and able to eat anything, my meals are larger but I am still not hungry and only eat 3 meals a day and 1 snack late afternoon to hold me til dinner. I guess I am one of the lucky ones as I have consistantly lost since my surgery. I had about three days of a stall once, but I think it was from too much sodium, chicken boullion, and I quickly went back to losing when I stopped drinking it. I was banded on Sept 14, three and half weeks ago and have lost about 16 pounds in that time not including my weight loss on the preop.

Oh, my. It is absolutely beautiful and I would image a fantastic place to live. Down here in Alabama I am just happy we are done with the 90+ degree days finally and have settled in the 80s. I think I would love to visit you and see the wonderful scenery and experience the snow, but just for a bit. lol Hope your new car does well.

They know you have the band? Then they should understand that you need to possibly make your own meals separate from theirs. If not, I would make a quick shopping trip for some ready to drink protein shakes, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, etc that are easy to prepare but will keep you on the right track for most meals even if you do eat off your plan for others. Good luck.

Congrats to both of you. My small NSV is the fact that after only 26 pounds I can put my thumb and middle finger all the way around my wrist and touch. I haven't been able to do that in a long time.

I, too, take the Centrum Adult Chewables for my vitamin. I take Vivactiv chewable in caramel for my calcium.

Yeah, everyone's journey is their own and what works for one does not necessarily work for another. I do track my calories, carbs, proteins and fats. I think later on down the road I will not be as obsessive about it, but as a new bandster this is what I need to do for me. I asked my nutrionist about the above and she gave me a set of guidelines that work for me right now in this phase of my weight loss. 1000 calories, 60g carbs, 65g protein, and 28g fat. I find it fairly easy to eat a variety of foods and be satisfied and stay within the guidelines. If I occasionally go over I am not worrying about it as I figure it all balances out in the end, as some days I am under. Good luck to you.

Sorry you have been sick and having a hard time. Glad your doctor is seeing you today. You may very well be dehydrated and that is causing the severe weight loss. Having vomiting and diarheah can easily cause that. Especially if you have not been able to replinish your water loss. Hope you feel better soon.