yvonne74

Some places will charge you less or give half portions instead of full plate meals.. I've never used mine (yet) since the only times I have gone out are with people who do not know I am banded.

LOL @ Elephant penis (I'm close to losing that) I've lost a 5000 BTU air conditioner and a rack of baby back ribs

I was having a lot of health issues and got diagnosed with diabetes in October (previously diagnosed with high blood pressure). I couldn't walk around work without getting dizzy and almost passing out. I couldn't play with my kids like they wanted. I was always sitting and watching the family have fun without me. Flying was out of the question (we flew to Vegas a couple years ago and I needed an seat belt extender then and I was smaller at that time). It hit me that IF I wanted to be around to see my kids grow up then I needed to do something. At the rate I was going, I wouldn't have seen my kids graduate high school. I just was tired with the quality of life I was living. I deserved more, my husband and kids needed me to be around for longer. I was only 36 (in October). I was dying a slow death. I made the right decision for me. I am no longer on blood pressure meds or diabete meds. (Had surgery March 9th). I am able to do a lot more than I could before.

Oh, I could have written this post. I am going out of town next week with co-workers (conference for work) and no one knows that I had the surgery. We met up last night to discuss the trip and someone brought pizza.. I nibbled on it and one of the ladies got full of questions.. I just passed it off as low carb dieting and after several funny looks, she changed the subject.. I'm worried about spending a whole week with them (and like your group, they like to drink, eat everything and are skinny).. I'm hoping that they will just leave it alone since they've noticed the weightloss and will comment how good I look.

My Dr and nutritionist disagree about what we should/should not eat. He is very low carb and she says eat whatever you want as long as it is a smaller portion than before surgery. Its very confusing to me b/c she will tell me one thing and then when I go to see him, he tells me the opposite. For example, she stressed how we should eat oatmeal for breakfast (add almonds, etc for protein) and he told me to stay away from them. I try to stay around 60g -70g of carbs (but that doesn't always happen).

My band is tighter when I am stressed!

Good Luck with your decision!

My Dr allows them. However, he says to watch the carbs in them b/c some have way too many carbs so basically you would be eating a candy bar!

I will be in Houston later in the month.. If you still have them around that time. I'll send you a PM..

Mine didn't mention it either but knew from reading posts here on LBT... I used the strips as well.. Keep walking.

Thanks! one suggested I do bypass and the other suggested sleeve.. Both said that someone my size wouldn't lose enough weight to make the surgery worth having.. They told me that research shows that anyone over a BMI of 50 would not benefit from lapband. So glad I didn't listen to them and did my own research.

My Dr doesn't do fills under fluoroscopy so guess it depends on your Dr.. I pay co-pay b/c I went out of the area.. None of the Drs in this area would do the band for me. They said my BMI was too high to be successful so I found someone who would but I have to drive a ways.

I just pay the $12 co-pay for a fill and my follow-ups where added to the surgery referral.. My Dr just feels for the port and sticks the needle.

I thought I would too but I've noticed since getting banded, I am a lot more thirsty(? don't know why, maybe b/c I am not allowed to eat/drink at the same time?) and could only eat a few at a time due to them making me thirsty..

Each Dr is different and will require different things.. I went to see three Drs and the third is the only one who would band me.. But IF I qualified with Dr #2, he required a pap smear (Mammogram if over 40), clearance from my cancer Dr (I have/had skin cancer), cardio, tons of blood work, EKG, sleep study and psych.. (not sure what else but required tons of things).. The Dr that did my surgery required bloodwork, EKG, EGD, nutritionist and psych.

My Dr suggested pork rinds to replace chips.. He said a small bag should last a week or longer so only eat a few at a time. I miss that crunch as well. I like the pickle idea someone mentioned above, I might try that tonight. Thanks!

I wasn't told to stop taking the pill before surgery. My period started the morning of surgery and they wouldn't let me wear underwear/pad during surgery. They told me they would put a pad down there for me but when I woke up I didn't have anything under me.

Welcome back! Glad you had a nice time and congrats on the weightloss! I am stuck at one weight.. I keep bouncing back and forth between 3 pounds.. Up 3, down three, up 2, down 1... I have an appt on the 5th and hope to get some answers!

I'll have to let you know after hubby gets home in December!

I don't have the PBing issue but for about the past week, I have one day where I feel like I could eat anything and everything (b/c I am so hungry). Then a couple days later, I can barely get in 800-1000 calories. I have an appt next week.

I got a surprise bill in the mail for almost $5 thousand after I was told I only had my co-pay. Come to find out my referral didn't get placed in the right hands. So *knock on wood* I haven't gotten another bill from them.. Hope yours is an easy fix.

When I was first banded, I expressed my concerns to the dietitican about how hungry I was and all, she said there is no way he would give me a fill so early. I was even more frustrated at the thought of going so hungry. Thankfully, my appt with my surgeon was later in the afternoon and he did give me a fill. So definitely talk to your surgeon and just let him know whats going on, the worst he can say is no fill.

Congratulations!! Such great news!

I am a yankee transplant as well and love it here! I only miss the snow and color changes in the fall.

I hate looking at pictures of myself! There are very few pictures of me b/c I hate how I look in them. Its evidence of how I didn't take care of myself. Even now with what bit I have lost, I still don't like looking in the mirror or pictures. I can't see a big difference between then and now but my husband (who is in Kosovo and skype with every day) says that he can see it. But I think he is just saying it to be kind.. I have a long road ahead of me.