rockonhan

Congrats!! The preop diet isn't fun, but I think strict adherence really helps your recovery, so you just have to white knuckle through it. I did pure protien shakes from Walmart. For clear liquids it was broth and Jello. I was able to have pudding, which tasted like heaven!! The first 3-4 days were rough for me, but after that, it was fine. My cravings went away and I felt fine. Good luck!!!

Just curious---do you measure your food in ounces or cups?

Sounds like you've done a fantastic job!!!!

I was self-pay and had to meet with a therapist. I also see a therapist regularly on my own. I find that most therapists dont help with the food aspect (groundbreaking suggestions like eating carrots instead of junk food), but it can help a lot with the underlying emotional issues and also learning how to find a new way to cope. My surgeons office has monthly support group meetings which I think are great. I think if you're saying to yourself "I might want to talk to someone," then I think you should. Therapy is usually covered by most insurances, so you might be covered. Congrats on those size 12s!!!!!

Sounds like a great attitude!!! Good luck and keep us posted!

Glad it didn't hurt!!

I learned something new!

I think I had some wine about 2 weeks after and was fine. I am drinking a lot less because I'm just overall more moderate and cautious with everything that goes in my body. Be careful with beer. If its in a can, pour it in a mug. That carbonation hurts!!

I think you should feel the restriction right away. I know it's pricey to get fills, but it's worth it. Getting a band without fills is like getting a car without tires--it's not going to do you much good. I think most people need between 3-6 fills to hit their green zone. Hang in there!

Remember that it's a process to get to the green zone. After my first fill, I felt restriction for a couple days and then it went away. I've had my second fill and can definitely tell I have restriction, but I think I can handle more. Some people are done in 1 fill, others in 10.

You were probably just really swollen from surgery and that decreased your hunger. Once that swelling went away, you were hungry again. I think that's pretty normal!

Well, I have no advice on the belly button thing, but it wasn't really that painful. Just a needle prick. And some people get to their green zone on their first fill, but I certainly did not. It was like not having any fill at all. Good luck!

My advice would be to be absolutely honest with him/her. It does you no favors to lie/say what they want to hear. Their job is to make sure you're mentally prepared and if you're not, then it's not the right time/decision for you. Don't be afraid! Good luck!

mushy phase, not mushy face. LOL!

Every doctor's advice is different, but in my mushy face I was told to eat eggs, cheese, deli meat, and soft veggies. I lived off of Laughing Cow and Roast Beef.

For me, it was the severity of the procedures. I was hesitant enough about WLS, but removing part of my organs was just too much for me. Also, since I'm self-pay, I was FREAKED out complications because my insurance would not cover any complications. Lapband was far less risky, IMHO, and therefore, less of a risk financially. I've been infertile for four years and would like to get pregnant one day, and the fact that you can remove all the liquid from the band and have a normal size stomach again appealed to me in terms of nutritionally providing for a child if I was pregnant. It's different strokes for different folks. I think Gastric Bypass is a fine procedure and is a better fit for some people. I think Lapband was the right fit for me. The best advice I can give is research, research, research! Good luck!

You might need another fill--when do you see your doctor again? The restriction from my first fill wore off in like 3 days and I was starving all the time. Also, are you journaling? If you don't track what's going in your body, you won't be able to know what's causing the scale to go up. Try journaling for one week and see how it goes. I didn't journal for the first 2 weeks after my first fill. I lost 1.4 lbs. In the one week since my 2nd fill (with journaling), I'm down 3 lbs. Journaling is key for me. Take an honest look at what you're doing and be proactive about getting filled to your green zone!

I'm at 5.25ccs/10ccs and I can totally feel restriction. I've had two fills and I feel really tight and restricted right after the fill, and then after about a week it fades some. With my first fill, after a week it was like NOTHING was in my band at all. This second fill, I can tell I've still got restriction and stay pretty full. Hopefully you've hit the magic green zone!

I always prefer "bad food" over "good food." Are you tracking your food? I am using the Lose It app on my iphone and it's really good for me to keep track of my food choices. I don't want to see the calories going up, up, up with bad food. Remember why you started this process. You've done a great job so far. You can refocus and recommit to a healthy lifestyle. I find it's best for me to eat the same thing pretty much every meal every day. Same breakfast, same lunch, etc. This prevents me from having to make too many choices. I don't do well with choices, so it's best if I'm just on autopilot. Get that snack food out of the house too! I've heard it said many times, "I need a band for my brain" and I can relate. But, you can do this, so don't give up!

Hi! I'm new to these parts too. Banded on Jan. 10, 2012. Yay us!

I've enjoyed some wine since surgery, but not nearly as much as before. I haven't noticed a change in my tolerance yet...I think that will affect me more as I lose weight. The hardest part of drinking is the dumb food decisions that I make when I drink too much. So moderation is key so I don't get myself to that place of fuzzy decision making.

Hi! I know it’s frustrating to see the scale moving slowly. I had surgery on Jan. 11, 2012 and sometimes I feel like “man, I’ve ONLY lost 20 lbs” and then I have to remind myself that it’s been almost 8 years since I was able to “ONLY lose 20 lbs” before. That is a victory. Are you keeping a food journal? If not, I highly recommend it. You can cram a lot of calories into 6 ounces if you’re not careful. Also, the fact that you’re losing inches is great. People can’t see the scale—they can see your smaller body. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished so far, and really be honest with yourself about what you’re eating. If you’re sneaking food, overeating, etc, the only person you’re cheating is yourself. Hang in there!