faithmd

I'm at 44 lbs down and I am also still wearing the SAME jeans! They are getting a little baggier, but DAMN! I would love to think I've truly lost a size...

What worked for me (I had to be 335 to qualify) for that last push was to drink a couple of LOW CARB Slimfast a day, and have one or two really good-sized salads as well. Of course you have to watch what kind of dressing you put on the salad, but that worked for me (I think I lost 12 lbs that last week or 10 days). I mention LOW CARB SlimFast because it has great Protein in it, and is the best tasting of the drinks I tried. Sure Atkins and EASAdvantage are a bit lower in calories, but they also are not nearly as tasty. The SF Low Carb is thick and rich and fills me up. I found it at Walmart or Krogers. There is only vanilla or chocolate available, but I also found some flavored sipping straws at Walgreens that come in Cookies and Cream, strawberry, banana, Vanilla or Chocolate and they are 15 calories each and last for up to 16oz of Fluid. You just use them to sip whatever you want to flavor, rather than mix in a flavor. They are quite good and are about $2 for 10 of them.

Finally the scale moved...only by a pound, though. But it is a movement! I am noticing that my clothes are feeling looser, so I would guess I'm losing inches, too. I haven't done my meaurements yet, I should have done them at the beginning of this journey, but I told myself I'd do them the day I go to get banded. That way I have pre-band inch numbers. I also finally started taking pictures monthly, we'll have to see how that goes. As long as no one finds them! July 4th Challenge Week 6 Name...................Starting…...…..Current….…......Goal….......To Go losingjusme............317....................305 ..................295.............10 tann.......................257.................... 239...................232.............07 juliegeraci...............232................... 232...................220.............12 Josette...................340................... 329...................315.............14 Inner_me................306....................298 ..................280.............18 Elisabethsew..........281....................273 ..................260.............13 Waterlily1072........ 278................ ....277 ..................252.............25 Libra..................... .230................. ..222...................205.............17 Lapbandit……… .… 208………....…...206……..…..... .185…… ..….21 RidinMyHDDream.. .281....................274 ..................256..............18 FaithMD................ 341.5.................327...................310.. ...........17 Oh yes, and my name is Faith

That's the problem with RNY bashers, I just don't think they get understand, here's my theory: Just because RNY isn't right for me at this time, doesn't mean it isn't right for someone else. I am certain that you are the type of person who has done her research and is very comfortable with her decision. That is the key. I do wish you all the luck in the world, I am very interested to hear how it all goes and how you do down the road, I'm sure you will do GREAT! Good luck!!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I haven't yet been banded, but I have been trying to lost weight on my own while on the journey to becoming a bandster. I have been at this same weight for almost a month now! I am frustrated!

Robbie, take some time and look around the board, there are some sticky threads here about large amounts of weight either lost or to be lost. One is about bandsters with a BMI over 50, and one is about those who have lost over 100lbs. It is certainly possible to lose that with the band. I would not consider RNY either, for sooooo many reasons. I figure if I have 160lbs to lose, and I lose 100 of it and keep it off, then I'm that much farther ahead of the game. RNy is great for fast loss, but the reality is that four years or so out, RNY and Lapband begins to equal out. And with bypass (RNY) your body eventually learns how to get past the malabsorption and the weight starts coming back on.

Hello and WELCOME!!!! I am from Michigan (near A2) and am being banded June 20th at Hurley in Flint. I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Krause and the Beaumont Weight Loss Center. As a side note, I was just talking with MCare about the Beaumont Group and she cautioned me that they charge some significant fees for either their "after-care" program or their "support group" she couldn't remember which. Make sure to ask lots of good questions about any "hidden costs" or food costs if they require a liquid diet.

I won't be able to weigh in until tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I'm still at my plateau or perhaps I've gained.

So far I've lost a little over 40lbs since late January, I'm not being banded until June 20th. I log every single bite on fitday.com, I have given up simple sugars (enriched flours, white potatoes, white breads, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, etc...) and I try to limit my intake of artificial sweeteners. I do not count calories intentionally (I mean I don't aim for a certain target), and I do not take any supplements (other than Vitamins and Calcium, of course). I take tiny bites and do not drink with my food (or at least I try not to). I have been fairly successful with very little pain.

Actually lapbandsystem.com is Dr. Joya's website from Mexico, so it might be another site that you mean.

First, are you self-pay or are you using insurance? If you are using insurance, then the very first call should be to your insurance company to see who THEY will pay for. Then of those doctors, CALL THEIR OFFICE. Only a very very few surgeons have true updated data about how many bands they've placed anywhere online. the number should be constantly changing. In one month, a doc may have placed another 20 bands. I looked up my docs on OH and read as many patient reviews as possble about them, then I called the office and asked how many bands each had placed. Then I went to information sessions that each held to help me make my final decision. I took the list of questions with me that you can find here in the FAQ and reference forum. I also asked what the hidden costs are. Are there "support group" fees? Are there any post-op care fees? How about required diet fees? That's the one that got me. I didn't ask about required diet and they of course never mentioned it in my info session, nor did they mention it in my pre-op consultation. I complanied about that and hopefully they'll start mentioning it. It wasn't that expensive, but it was the principle of the thing. Good Luck!

I agree that many are misinformed and that is part of why they say the things they do. This is EXACTLY why I've told only four people, my parents (and so far my mom's keeping her mouth shut), my DH and a friend who was also thinking of the band. I have had to have my date changed, and I may not tell her about the updated date. Though she checks in here from time to time, so she may see it (if so, hello!). I plan on not ever telling people. If I am successful and lose weight with the band as I plan to be, then I will merely say it's been a combination of exercise and portion control that has helped me to lost weight. I've been fortunate that I've jumpstarted my weight loss and have lost a little over 40# already before being banded, so if I continue to lose, no one will say anything.

Hello Brandychick, there are tons of threads around here about this subject, try doing a search for any one of these: Carbonated Soda Pop Carbonation Some docs say it's okay after the band is well-seated about 6 months to a year, but most docs it seems say either nope, never again, or drink the soda flat. I'm not yet banded, but I gave up the carbonation in January because I didn't want to be faced with it at the same time as surgery, too stressful for me. But if you are putting your mixed drink over ice and letting it sit for a while, I would think you'd be okay, as long as you aren't very recently banded. It might be painful going down.

Farmer's Branch? Basically Dallas? Wow, kewl! I LOOOOOVE Dallas. Hmmmm....

Oh yes, and I've been at the same weight for about three weeks now! Grrrrrrr!!!

Well my winding road continues to grow a few curves (as I continue to lose them). I am no longer being banded May 31st... I have been rescheduled for June 20th. I want the AP band and my doctor's office is reluctant to get the go ahead for an early release band (even though I did the legwork). Which I suppose I understand to a degree, but who wouldn't appreciate the learning opportunity to place it on a patient who is very willing to be the first to get the AP band in that practice? While it isn't completely different, there is a learning curve to placing it that's a bit different from the standard Allergan bands. In any case, the manager doesn't feel comfortable without getting the Allergan rep, the surgeon and herself all in the same room to pow wow about it. And that won't be until after they go to the ASBS conference in San Diego June 11-17th. They should learn lots more about the AP and perhaps some about how to place it at that conference, at the close of the conference is when the AP will be released to the US market. So here I sit and wait again...........

That's WONDERFUL! Schedule that July 4th BBQ a bit early this year How very exciting!!!

I cannot even begin to hazard a guess. There are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many things that can make an EKG come up as "abnormal" and require no interventions at all. There are very few things that I can think of that could make your EKG abnormal that would require some treatment right away that would have been a condition you didn't know was going on. Did that make sense? I mean that if you were having some severe cardiac issues, you'd probably know it. You'd feel palpitations, weakness, dizziness, fluttering, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath that is abnormal, any number of things. If you've been doing good cardio without many problems and haven't had issues like those I listed, it is probably something fairly small. That having been said, there could be something to it, but I really honestly would not freak (if you can stop yourself, that's the hard part) until you know more, or have another EKG. A slightly elevated WBC count can come from any number of things. And elevated in my lab might be considered normal numbers in your lab. For example one lab might say 11,000 is the high end of normal, my lab might say 12,000 is the high end of normal, someone else's lab might say 10,500 is high normal. Keep us posted!

Hello Cyndi! I guess you haven't been around here very long or you'd know that you are TOTALLY normal! (Please don't that that the wrong way, you are most welcome to post about this, we are all here to support one another.) Yep, I've read many, many, many posts like yours, I've not had surgery yet, but came within 8 days of it before having it rescheduled and I'll admit that I was starting to question a few things. It's completely normal to flip out a bit, after all not only are you having a surgical procedure done, you are essentially changing how you eat for the rest of your life. But it's a GOOD thing. It'll be VERY good. And it really will be okay. Good Luck!! (Are you paying $20K out of pocket? WOW!)

I have been known to mow my lawn with the yard lights on and head lights on on the mower at 2 and 3am. I work nights, and people mowing and weed whacking in the middle of the day KILLS me. My neighbors know what days I've worked and when I'm off. So I return the favor. I don't do it often, only occasionally, but I do get my point across.

Pffffft, "I told you so" is soooo cathartic! Laurend, vent on baby! I hear ya loud and clear. If I were you I'd be asking the same questions and venting everywhere I felt comfortable. I understand that you are not coming here and posting about this to get advice about what to do or not to do, you just wanted to tell your story and have people hear you. Do I agree (given my limited knowledge of the situation) that this is probably a HUGE mistake? Yep, youbetcha! And if I were in your position, I don't know that I'd physically say, "I told you so" when it all falls into the crapper, but I know I'd be gloating like a son-of-a-gun on the inside. May I ask how old your brother is? I have a personal theory (and I KNOW I'll get totally lambasted on this one, but it's MY theory) that folks have NO business getting married before a bare minimum of 25, preferably 30-35 and kids shouldn't even be considered until married a minimum of three years. That's just my thought. You have to take time to get to know one another. And you have to be old enough and responsible enough to take care of yourself and your own bills and needs before you take on a partner, and certainly before you bring another life into this trashed out Godforsaken world. Okay, that's my rant...

Yes, heparin in an IV is perfectly safe.

That's AWESOME Alexandra! Will you still be getting the AP band? It isn't in wide-release in the US until after the ASBS conference June 11th and 12th. I'm guessing your surgeon is one of the 50 or so who is putting in AP's in the early release group. How VERY exciting!!!

I'm sorry but I think you have to call them and ask them if it is covered for your policy.

I am not yet banded, but have been researching supplements and have purchased OneSource Active Kids from Walmart, they are almost the exact same as Centrum Chewable (even though they are technically a kids' vitamin!) which is what my surgeon's nutritionist suggests. They actually have a little bit more of a few minerals in them, and they have choline which Centrum does not. They do not have Vitamin K which Centrum does, but in Centrum it is a small amount. They are in a big bright pink bottle and were $5.27 for 120. This is a price that cannot be beat. They taste GREAT!