waitingpatiently

Welcome to the group!! You will find this is a great place to educate yourself on all the pro and cons to the band. This is a great group of people who do a great job of encouraging and guiding each other through this life changing event. Feel free to ask any questions you might have...most of the time you will get multiple replies with all different view points to consider. Goodluck...if you ever need to talk feel free to inbox me.

I'm a newbie too...actually just had my first fill thursday...so I can't answer for the long term but I can eat them now. I'm not sure if you are sticking to a low carb diet, if you are you, might want to consider the Ole Extreme Wellness tortillia . there are a few that are high fiber/low carb. with about 70-75 calories/4-8proteins/ and only about 5net carbs!! good stuff. I found them at kroger and walmart has a couple flavors as well.

Checking in at 201!!! 2 pounds to go....as long as I'm 199 when I step on the cruise ship next friday I'm good with it!!haha NSV----My daughter and I went shopping yesterday for cruise clothes. I grabbed a pair of capris and she met me at the dressing room to "approve" she saw the capris in my hand and said "I just put those back, they were to small for me...you might want a bigger size"....I thought well I will give them a try, just to see how much bigger I needed. BUT THEY FIT!! They actully FIT! they were size 14!! they were slightly (and I mean slightly snug) but nothing 2 or 3 pounds won't take take of!! I don't think my daughter was as excited as me........the shopping trip was now over.---I hated it for her, but I have worked my butt off these last few months!!! But on the other hand, she is very competitive and couldn't stand me being smaller than her.....first thing this morning she was on the treadmill.---I hope she continues....I worry about her so much. I think my enthusiasm is wearing off or her. She sees how much better I feel.

First doctors apptointment Jan.19, Approved for surgery on my burthday Feb.21-(took 1 week), Surgery about a month later on March 19.

I'm extra lucky this time around....it seems like we are all on the same page for once. Everyone is trying to be healthy for reaon or another. My husband is in the Army and has mandatory weigh-ins---he is always boreline line at 170 lb., so he is wanting to loose a few. My oldest daughter is 17 and has been diagnosised with PCOS she has gained 60 pounds over the last year so he wants the weight off asap. So she is working hard too. My 13 year old son has discovered girls so he wants to "buff" up so he has lost 30 pounds and looks great. And well my youngest daughter is the health nut in the family and lost 30 pounds playing soccer and is our cheerleader (all 120 pouns of herself). Between all of us we have lost a whole family member....at least one of the skinney ones.--feels good There is no junck food i the house...nothing. Makes life much easier. And the grocery bill has drooped significating as well!!! We are putting any extra money we are saving into a jar for our family vacation.

had my first fill yesterday too!

You poor soul!! The only way me and fish come together is if it is breaded and deep fried....guess those days are gone.--haha

Yep...I certainly discovered that today as I was swimsuit shopping. Couldnt even think about buying one that had a v front....had to get one that was straight across the front. ON the good side......I was able to buy a size 16 swimsuit ....could have probably gone to size 14 but the boobs wouldn't cooperate. Told hubby I'm claiming the next few income tax return checks to fund my efforts to put everything back where it belongs....before children!!!

This seems to be a hop topic this last week or so. It seems crazy that in todays techno world that we as patients can't get a straight answer from health professionals. I really think it boils down to that every single body is different. And what is the perfect diet for one person maynot work for another. I think its great that we can come together and share all our different ideas, maybe it will help our follow bansters. But just remember, its just suggestions.... Here are few things to consider: *Just like in weight watchers, you will need less calories as you loose weight. *The goal isn't to starve yourself!! I can't tell you what your magic number is, but I KNOW its not 300 or 400 calories!! *If you exercise hard...you need more calories, if you walk alittle, probably not .but it is important to move....even if its small steps at first....establish the routine and make it a part of your new life *This time is about learning what our bodies what from us. For some of us, our bodies don't do well with a lot of carbs....for others they feel great with them. Its about trial and error, it may take you a few attemps to figure out whats best for you.........But whatever you do, accept that it is a learning process and just don't give up because your first, second or even tenth attempt isn't producing the results you want. ---just keep trying. And just because the scale didn't move this week doesn't mean it won't...there are other resons at work that might prevent the scale from moving....hormones or maybe you had more sodium this week. Don;t abondand what seems to be working automatically. And if you have been consistenly loosing weight, and haven't ramped things up a lot with exercise, then you probably don't need more calories....you may need a few less. I have lost 35 pounds since mid- january. I wasn't banded until March 19th and my first fill was yesterday so most of this weight has been lost without the band. So i'm really looking forward hitting 199 by next week. What works for me is: 800-900 calories a day (but I don't do excessive exercising....I walk 2 miles in 30 mins 3 times a week and do the elliptical for 20 mins twice a week)-if I exercise I give myself an extra 100 calories. I personaly have been on a 1200 calorie norm for years and gained about 3/4 a pound a month. I wll not loose unless I'm under 1000 calorie 35 carbs a day---yes I know this is a very low count....but I feel good at this level. NO its not what I will do forever, when I get to where I want to be I will add more healthy carbs back in. I also give myself a day a couple times a month (usually TOM week) to eat a few extra carbs and satisfy any cravings I might have been having.--Or like this week I had a fill and need to do the liquid/puree/mushie thing for a week therefore a low carb diet is out. I make sure to get my 60-70 grams Protein in So this is what works for me....it will be different for you...but maybe something you want to consider

I use the New Whey protein shots and mix half with a crystal light gives me 21 grams of protein. I like to mix the grape with grape, the acai berry with blackberry, and the watermellon with cherry lime-aid

Its always best to listen to the doctor and nutritionist.....but I might question them as to their reasoning. Are they aware of how much you are exercising? My second question would be Are you sure you are tracking your calories correctly? And are you sure you are tracking your exercise calories accurately?

Fab u less-there isn't an easy answer. Best thing to do is speak with the nitritionist. Each nutritionist is different as well as each doctor. I speak to mine all the time because she lives two houses down from me. You may just need to try some different approaches to see what works best for your body. I'm 5'6" and 204 pounds. both doctor and nutritionist say keeping my calories to less than 900 is great (if I can do it, but if I need the other 100 calories, then to use them. I do also have PCOS so that make weight loss a little harder sometimes. How much you are eating now, I think 1000-1200 like Mis73 said is great place to start. If you have had weight loss at that level and don't anymore, and haven't changed your exercise routine drastically....then you might want to cut back a 100 calories and see what happens. If you have never seen great weight loss, and you are only at 1000-1200 calories, then maybe adding an extra 100 might wake your metabolism up. You seem to be exercising a lot, so it could be possible you need more. It maybe a little of trial and error untill you figure out what works best for you.

Just about everyone that is over weight has a low Vitamin D level so don't freak out. My doctor put me on over the counter vitamin D first.....when that didn't work he prescibed it. I took 1 pill a week for a month. My level was 9.....and this was during the end of summer last year and I lived at the lake!!....so any way, now I still take Calcium with vitamin D and then 2000 additional units. I should be getting a blood draw soon. I do feel a lot better now that I had the prescription.

I agree with honk...this far out you shouldn't need to drink for protein and calories. I would suggest you head back to your doctor and see what he thinks....maybe you need a slight unfill.

Armymom2012- I agree with you whole heartedly!! Unless you are a completely seditary person with little or no activity then only eating 500-600 calories a day is probably too low for you. My mother in law thats only activitive is walking from one room to another room in our house, probably only eats about 700 calories a day....and is 5"1 and 240 pounds. Because she does absolutely nothing EVER...she does not need any more calories...infact with a bmi of something like 90 she would need to even eat less or exercise to loose anything.--infact her doctor wanted her to drop her calories to 600 by drinking 3 Protein drinks a day. Funny how most of us didn't have a problem loosing weight during the pre-op phase when most of us were on liquid diets and only getting 500-600 calories a day in....I lost 5 pounds a week during that time.---ummm maybe the next time I hit a slump I will shock my system with a week of liquids....that will teach it a lesson--haha BTY- I hit a slump on april 13. I had been making good progress with 1-2 pouns a week on april 13 (THATS FRIDAY THE 13th) I was at a Sping Ball with my daughter and eventhough I saved all 30 of my carbs for that evening ..I slurged and had 1 brownie...and it ended my ketosis....even though I still had calories left over for the day, I guess the extra influx of carbs was not good,ketosis was over. The last 12 days I kept eating the exact same foods, still exercised and still stayed under my 800 calories....but the scale didn't move. Yesterday I decided to deprive my body of almost all carbs (less than15!!) still kept the calories at 800 and this morning the scale dropped 2 pounds!! So sometimes we just need to show our bodies whose the boss. shake things up. Shock it.-but whatever you do.....just don't give up. 5 more pounds before I hit 199!!! I set a goal to make that my May 4---thats when we leave on our cruise!

feel free to add me as well same username:waitingpatiently

This I can believe....if you aren't eating enough to substain your body...I could see where the body would slow the metabolism down. That is logical. But I guess we can start a new debate on how many calories actually needed to hold off self induced metobolic syndrome (SIMS)---haha..................Its not 2000 calories!!! My guess is it will be different for each person. New question: So if a person has been doing well at a certain calorie intake, and loosing their 1-2 pounds a week, hasn't added any additonal exercise.....when they hit a patch of not loosing.....we should be able to assume that it isn't SIMS right? Afterall, they are loosing weight and then their bodies shouldn't need any additional calories because its not working as hard as it was when you were 5,10,15 heavier. In fact, it might be worth considering that since you have lost weight and your body isn't working as hard as it was that by eating the same amount of calories after loosing a significate amount of weight MIGHT be why you are not loosing anymore. Think about Weight Watchers.....You are allowed so many points if you are 300lbs....but as you loose weight, you aren't allowed to keep eating the same amount when you are 200 lbs, you have got to reduce the points. Now if a person adds additional exercise to their daily routine, then they very well may need to add additional calories. but just because you stop loosing weight, it doesn't mean you should automatically add more calories.

You might to check out the Starvation Mode thread that was started a couple of days ago and is still very active I think you would find some theroies and ideas over there. (not that you won't find them here--hahaha...but they are already over there and you can read them now rather than waiting for replies)

well maybe it just doesn't exsist for me---hahaha When I was a teenager (healthy and fit just average weight) I had to have I massive reconstruction done on my face. My jaws were wired shut for 12 weeks and I had over 300 stictches in my mouth....the only think I could "eat" were thin liquids...could not have any texture what so ever. During that 12 weeks I watched myself dissapear in the mirror. When all was done, I was 5 foot 7 and 95lbs......If my body didn't go into starvation mode then, I better assume that I wasn't built with that feature. I have never required a lot of calories. As a teenager and young adult I ate very little and was very active so I guess I never put much thought into ever being over weight. It wasn't until after children I became less active and had a problem. suddenly eating 1200 calories a day I would be adding pounds every month. I determined for me to loose weight (1-2 pounds a week).....I must be under 900 calories....to maintain I can do about 1000. Those are my magic numbers.....I think everyone has them. We all are made differently so yours may be less.....but are most likely higher than mine. The point is learn your body......sometimes it takes months, if not years, to figure out what our body wants from us. just hang in there, make good food choices,(because even though our brain wants the chips, our bodies have no need for them) and figure out your magical numbers.

I'm not sure if you can reset it, but you can just go to www.tickerfactory.com and make a new one, then copy the computer language on the last page that says bbd (blackboard). then paste it under your signature (located on the settings page) hope that helps

I agree, if you aren't sure ask your doctor. No argument here. I did because this whole band thing is new to me and didn't know what to think about it. BUT the suggestions were great. It was part of the educational process. I think everyone is saying the same thing. I think you are more concerned that some will go out and buy all these OTC drugs and WON'T have all the information they need rather than someone making the actual suggestion---I can see that I think most of make suggestions with the understanding that they have/or will understand what they are taking and assume that if they don't they would ask their doctors. Its kind of like the OTC drug commericals on TV. How they tell you they have the best cold medicaine out there and you should buy it. Well if were a heart patient, I might would want to make sure it wasn't going to raise my blood pressure before I take it, so I would call they doctor. But I'm not a heart patient, (and don't have any other major health issues) so I feel comfortable going and buying cold medicine without consulting my doctor first.---the same is true here. Members are just giving a suggestion for what worked for them......each person needs to make a decisions as to wheather or not they should take it or not. And if you aren't positive check with your doctor. No one would ever suggest "here take this"...........and whatever you do don't call your doctor.

You need to do what is right for you. If eating out is going to sabatage you then you are wise to stay away. If you aren't ready to tell her that you are having surgery, but don't want to leave her hanging, I would suggest maybe you could have dinner at your house.....more work for you, but you get to control the menu and can still spend some time with your friend.

I didn't have a binder, but I did put on a pair of spanx that were to big, the extra pressure did feel nice.

As a newbie on here I GREATLY appreciated all the suggestions that people made. I never new they made gas X in dissolvable strips!!They were a life saver after surgery. Or papaya enzemys may help if/when I get stuck. I made a list of everything people suggested I have on hand before surgery from heating pads to life savers and took it to my doc and asked him there was anything on there he didn't want me to have.....He said nope. And asked if he could make a copy of the list to give to other patients. Most people that have serious health conditions are aware if other medications will interact with OTC medicines and if they don't, they should. Thats being a inform patient. Regradsless if they are taking any advise from this bunch.

mandyluvmylapband-What a great attitude!! We ALL make mistakes but its what we do in the aftermath that makes us a sucess or a failure. You aren't a failure, until you give up. Some might have choose to blame the band and have it removed....Its sometimes hard (at least it is for me) to admit to ourselves that we have messed up....and have no one to blame but ourselves. It sounds like you are back on track, motivated and ready to get down to business and loose that last 45 pounds. Thank you for sharing.....it helps us newbies realize if we get complacent and stop following the rules, we too may face the consquences. Please stay pluged into the site so we can help support you, and you can help guide others that have gotten sidetracked BEFORE they end up with a slip.