CallMeStacy

On April 24th I turned 42 ... My husband's birthday is the 22nd and I made a big deal out of it because he turned 40 ... I made his favorite foods for dinner and even made him a homemade pineapple upside down cake (his fav), we stayed busy all day and played with the kids ... We have 3 young children; 10, 8 and 4. They had a very hard time understanding why on my birthday there would be no cake and no special meal. I was very good on my hubby's birthday and was not going to blow it on my birthday !!! It was still a very special day and for the 1st time in my life I was able to celebrate something without making it about the food !!! I know that doesn't seem like a very big deal to some people, but those of us that have struggled with our weight, know how difficult that can be. Even with all of my hard work I did not reach my goal of losing 10lbs this month but I came very close, losing 8lbs. I have started shaking things up a little in my work outs in hope that it will help me reach my 10lb goal for May and maybe even give my that extra 2lbs I didn't get in April ... My husband told me a few weeks ago that he didn't realize that losing weight would be this much work for me after having wls ... I must admit I didn't really know what I was getting myself into either, but I refuse to have gone through all of this and not lose the weight !!! Getting banded was the best thing I ever did for myself and my family. My husband even bought me a pink and white beach cruiser for my birthday so we can start riding along the beach with the kids this summer !!! Before I was banded I would have returned the bike and spent the money on bills or even going out for a nice dinner but now I can't wait for the kids to be out on summer break so we can start riding !!! I am very blessed to live at the beach in SoCal where the wether is usually beautiful but I never took advantage of it until now and it feels great =0)

Congrats and good luck to you =0)

You should order the book Bandwagon by Jean McMillan ... you can also find her on this support group. Order the book and read it, it is very informational and has helped me so much. This is not going to be easy but it is going to be worth it as long as you work hard. I was banded 1/16/12 and I have had my moments of regret but overall I am so thankful for my band. It helps to keep me on track. You can do this as long as you remember that your band is a tool and not a 'fix all'. It takes a total life make over to lose the weight, so make sure you have a good support system in place and know that you can do this !!! Just stick with it and do what your dr tells you and you will be fine. If you are feeling nervous just know that we have all felt that way before and after banding. Good luck to you on your journey =0)

I have heard of this being done ... I think a lot of people went through wls w/o getting the help they needed for their 'food issues' afterwards ... I think if it will help you to get back on track then you should go for it ... Just remember that it can be taken out if it isn't working for you ... Stay strong and try finding a dr that can help you find a good support group =0)

I have bc/bs NJ and they said I had to wait 6mo before submitting for approval ... But my consultant went ahead and submitted my paperwork in 3mos because I have sleep apnea, high BMI and was starting to have issues with my blood pressure. Within a week I received my approval letter ... I never even had to deal with them. I had my surgery from an out of network dr and the only time I hear from bc/bs is when they send me checks to send to my dr. Good luck and I hope you hear something soon =0)

My surgery was Jan 16 and I'm only down 6 bags of sugar ... I guess I need to kick it up a little LOL

It took about a month before I could sleep on my tummy after being banded. The 1st month if I rolled over in my sleep I would wake up in terrible pain. I used pillows to help position myself to prevent rolling over. But when the swelling went down I was able to get a good nights sleep on my tummy. Just like everything else after major surgery, it all takes time to heal. Good luck to you =0)

I asked my dr about that a few weeks ago and he said to just ignore it. The food hasn't traveled to your lower stomach is all. My kids think its funny when my tummy talks to them LOL. Good luck to you =0)

I am a grazer as well ... I try to avoid the kitchen as much as possible these days. I have stopped buying my trigger foods like chips and pretzels. If the urge hits me now I will drink a little flavored water (crytal light) over ice or grab a sugar free popcycle. It helps, it isn't fool proof but it does help. Good luck to you and remember to listen to your body. Take a few sips of water and decide if you are hungry or just bored and go for a little walk or start a new hobby.

Thank you for your words of incouragement ... I lost 11lbs pre-op and 13lbs since being banded on 1/16. I guess I will just keep plugging almong and not stress as much. This site and the amazing people on it are a God Send !!! Good luck to you =0)

I was told that sipping on pineapple juice helps when you are stuck. I haven't tried that yet. When I get stuck I usually get up and walk around. That seems to work for me.

Good for you !!! I know from my short experience with being banded that this is about ME and no one else. Being a mom makes it very difficult to put yourself 1st. You can do this, you deserve it =0) Good luck to you and cheers !!!

Thanks .. I sure hope I see something this week ... I go to the dr Sat for my 1st fill and I want to see that scale move !!!