my3sons75

So I'm 50. Ya the big 50! wooohooo... but that's not why I'm here today. Let's talk about menopause! In a nut shell it sucks even without all the major side effects I hear about. I've been pretty lucky in that regard. I thought I was over having my TOM because I haven't had one since May. Well it's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack So why am I posting about this here? Well, it effects my weight. I usually gain 2 to 3 lbs each month and then start the cycle of working off the weight again. It just didn't disappear after my TOM went away each month. Those 2 to 3 lbs would hold on and make me work them off. So each month I would work like a dog to get off 5 lbs only to gain back 2 to 3 every 4 weeks. Felt like the never ending race. So I was a tad bit excited when I skipped a month. Being banded hasn't prevented the 2 to 3 gain each month either but I'm not losing sight of my long term goal here. I will win this race!
On a more positive note... A "unknowing" friend of mine mentioned my weight loss yesterday! Finally! Made me feel all warm and fuzzy. It's amazing how receiving a compliment makes you feel. It was nice.
So today my goals are:
1. Control my cravings! chocolate Cookies are on the top of the list.
2. Be patient and persistent with myself.
3. Give as many compliments as I can to anyone and everyone I can. Share the joy.
just sayin,
j~

My doc wants me to come in once a month regardless if I need a fill or not so they can check in with me. It's time for my next fill and I'm hesitant. I know logically it makes sense since I'm having these issues with being hungry and snacking, but I don't get stuck right now and I can pretty much eat anything I want (I stay away from bread just because I don't want to start that again) but I do get full quickly and can't hold much...it just doesn't last long. If I get another fill I'm worried I'll start getting stuck and having pains and not being able to eat salad and such.
 
If you compare what I was eating for a meal (or the whole day) from 6 months ago to now, it's crazy how different it is. I feel like I'm eating 20-30% (calories and portion size) of what I used to....so why am I not losing? I know my doc will ask about what kinds of foods I'm eating, and I've been fairly good about trying to mostly eat lean Proteins, but I don't want to feel like I'm "dieting"....I just want to have restriction so I'm not eating too much and not too often.
 
I understand how you feel.
 
Talk with your doctor - if you are satisfied with how things are going right now, they should be too. One of the reasons I chose LB was because I felt a slow weight loss was better for me and I was more likely to make a lifelong change if I took it off slowly.
 
I also have the same concerns about getting a fill and then having a stuck episode. I have not had any and hope never to have one!

Two reasons to Celebrate today. . .
 
My daughters 17th birthday and I am down 100 lbs from last August!
70 pre-band and 30 post band.

Hi Ladies,
Great to read your updates! :-) I haven't been on here for a couple weeks now and I've been feeling so bad about my progress I needed to come on and see how everyone is doing and see if it gives me a litle hope. I'm a little relieved to see I'm not the only one struggling, but you all seem to be doing so great!
When I had my surgery on 4-26 I was 229 lbs. (pre surgery diet and preop lost over 30 pounds) The doctor said she put about 4 cc's at the time of surgery. I went in for my first fill on 5-24 and weighed 225 lbs, so only 4 pounds lost in a month!!! She added 1.5 cc's bringing me up to about 5.5.
For the first 2 weeks things went well and I dropped down to about 219, then the next week down to 218 where I have stayed since.
I know what some of my problems are: I'm eating a tiny bit more than I'm supposed to, I'm eating sweets once in a while (usually a mini ice cream cone that has about 150 calories), and I'm eating more often than I'm supposed to because I'm only satisfied for about 3 hours. My days go from about 8am to 2am, so that's a long time to only eat 3 meals...hence snacking or a 4th and sometimes 5th meal.
Excercising - my doctor wants me to walk every day for about 40 minutes, which I love to do and am happy to have energy to excersise, but I've not been good about doing it every day. It's been more like 2-3 times a week, but sometimes I'm walking/running for up to 1 1/2 hours.
My doc wants me to come in once a month regardless if I need a fill or not so they can check in with me. It's time for my next fill and I'm hesitant. I know logically it makes sense since I'm having these issues with being hungry and snacking, but I don't get stuck right now and I can pretty much eat anything I want (I stay away from bread just because I don't want to start that again) but I do get full quickly and can't hold much...it just doesn't last long. If I get another fill I'm worried I'll start getting stuck and having pains and not being able to eat salad and such.
If you compare what I was eating for a meal (or the whole day) from 6 months ago to now, it's crazy how different it is. I feel like I'm eating 20-30% (calories and portion size) of what I used to....so why am I not losing? I know my doc will ask about what kinds of foods I'm eating, and I've been fairly good about trying to mostly eat lean Proteins, but I don't want to feel like I'm "dieting"....I just want to have restriction so I'm not eating too much and not too often.
This is the kind of stuff other people without the band don't think about. They think it's just get the surgery and poof you're skinny. LOL I overheard someone in a dressing room the other day saying to someone else that she had lost 70 pounds. The other person said "wow! How'd you do that?"...the first lady says "I had surgery". It was silent for a second and the other person goes "ohhhh". That was it...no questions, no congratulations on the hard work, no nothing. They don't realize how much this is about choices and will power and hard work. Congrats to all of you for keeping up the hard work!!!!
I was supposed to call the doctors office this week to set up my next appointment and I put it off, so now I have to wait until next week to call. Hopefully they can get me in soon so I'm not in trouble. LOL

chocolate and I have broken up many times but stupidly I have never been able to resist "his" charms. Every time he calls I go crawling back. I tend to do better if I refuse to let him in the house but this must be an incestuous relationship as my DH and kids have something going with him too and they always let him back in. I hate to admit it but sometimes my need for him is so desperate that we have clandestine rendezvous at the supermarket!

I wish I was losing weight like some of you! I'm hovering at around 5 pounds lost since surgery, and I need a fill! I can eat pretty much what ever I want, but slightly less than before the band, which is probably why I haven't gained.
I have a fill scheduled for about 10 days for now, and I can't wait!

Anyone else suddenly able to eat much more? The last two days have been very hard for me.

I didn't set a goal, crazy as it sounds. I got my band, followed band rules and settled in at a weight at the top end of a healthy BMI. If I wanted to work harder I could lose more, but I am not that motivated. My PCP would be happier if I lost 10 more, but my bloodwork is good now, so he isn't pushing too hard.
For me, getting banded was not about dieting, it was about healthy habits that I can live with. I've been maintaining this size/weight now for coming up on 2 1/2 years. I think I've found it!

I think she meant: www.mybodygallery.com
No membership required

The good thing about Toddlers is that you CAN teach them good habits. YOU control what goes in their mouth. They will not starve. They WILL test you, and try and wait for the "good" stuff. It's tough for a couple of days but you can do it. If I put Hummus and veggies in front of my toddler (who likes these things), and also have chicken nuggets in site, or something else, then she holds out for it, or screams, or other typical toddler behavior. I move those out of sight, she gets hungry, and eats healthy. I also found a way to bake chicken nuggets so that they taste fried but are not.
I have no advice for the husband other than to have a talk about respect. I had to have that conversation with mine and fast food is no longer allowed inside unless I'm eating it too. Other than that he gas HORRIBLE manners.

If you're responsible, then it means you get to make the rules!! Just make stuff that you can eat and make them eat it too... White fish is on the mushy-diet list if that's where you still are, so why not make some lemon sole, mash up a couple of potatoes with butter and make some stringbeans? The whole thing will take 1/2 hour to make and cost about $15... It has to be a lot better then smelling Papa Johns! That sounds like total torture to me!!!!

I don't plan on telling anyone. Currently only my husband knows of my June 13th surgery. I will probably end up telling my son and daughter-in-law but they will be sworn to secrecy. Why? I don't want the diet police talking behind my back if I eat something that they think I shouldn't. I am taking vacation for my surgery so no one at my work will know. It's not like I am embarrassed, but we all know there are those out there that will tempt us to eat things we shouldn't. But if I can say I am cutting back, eating the right foods, and exercising more without using the word DIET, they will not make such a big of it. Does this make sense?
Good Luck with your surgery!

I am banded. Staying overnight in the hospital because my blood pressure and O2 Sats are running quite low. I did manage to walk around the floor I am on a few times and I have been up to the bathroom twice. I'm very tired and my tummy is pretty sore when I move. I haven't had any gas pains to speak of yet but my mouth is super dry and my throat is scratchy. The doctor and nurses have been absolutely wonderful today. I did get a clear liquid tray and took a few bites of Jello and it kinda made me nauseous. I'm having an EGD in the morning to see how everything looks and then will be leaving for the 2 hour drive home.

You are probably right there! How are you doing?

I finally got my surgery date today!!! April 26th ~ I saw a few others with that day too.
Most surprising thing about that day???? It's my wedding anniversary!!!! Guess I'll have my wedding anniversary and bandiversary on the same day - it'll be easy to remember.

I finally got my surgery date today!!! April 26th ~ I saw a few others with that day too.
Most surprising thing about that day???? It's my wedding anniversary!!!! Guess I'll have my wedding anniversary and bandiversary on the same day - it'll be easy to remember.

Congrats! We are same-day-approval twins! :-)

Sorry guys having issues posting - just wanted to let you all know that it was only cyst...nothing to worry about!

Personally hated Isopure. If you have access to costco Premier Ready to drink is very good 160 cal for 30 g Protein. You might want to consider watering down the muscle milk if you find it too thick.

I received a call from my surgeon's office this morning at 11:30. I'm approved! It was a lightning fast approval as they just submitted my paperwork yesterday afternoon. Surgery will be on April 30th.

Hi Amanda,
It's encouraging to read your post. We are almost in the same time frames. I started my nutritional phase at the end of January and have my last appointment on Friday April 6th, then waiting to hear back from insurance. Of course after all this NOW I'm getting nervous. :-) My insurance required the 3 months too, and I am sooo happy they did. I don't think I'd have done as well if I just was able to jump right in and get the band. I've lost 25 pounds so far - it was really motivating. We are about the same age and in the same stages, so I added you as a friend - hope that's ok. :-)
Good luck!!! :-)
~Kelly

I haven't had the surgery yet, but since I am covered partially by insurance I have to do the 3 months of supervised dieting. I haven't told anyone but my husband and my other care providers (doctors), who I asked to write letters to the insurance for me to help me with approval. I have been struggling with what to say and who to tell, and then I came to an epiphany - for me at least.
When I first started learning about the lapband and reading how it works I noticed the one word that everyone uses - TOOL. This will be a tool for us in the steps we are taking to make our lives healthier. This is not a magic fix-it band, not a you'll-never-crave-chocolate-doughnuts-again band, not a cure for the I-want-some-icecream-now band. It is merely to reduce the AMOUNT that we are allowed to eat at one time.. Everything else is up to us. It will be hard work, especially at first, and I will be consciously making healthier choices and chosing what I eat (already started in January to get ready). Now, if I tell anyone or everyone that I have this band, any steps I've done or long hard road I've gone down or sacrifices I have made will all be lumped into one phrase: "oh, she has the Lapband, no wonder she lost weight so easliy".
It may be petty or feel like I need attention, but if anyone wants to pay attention to my weight and how much I've lost or how much better I look, then I want it to be about ME and about my choices and the hard work I've done to get there. Maybe if someone is curious about the band, or if I feel like they may understand how much work I still had/have to put in, then I may feel the connection and want to tell them about it. For now, I haven't even told my sister (who is one of my best friends) or my mother (who lives with me and my family) or any of my friends.
I am a talker and constantly give TMI to my friends and family, and this has been hard for me not to say anything and gab on and on about it. But I know once I open that dialog up I can't take it back. So I found this website, and I found a place where I can talk about it and feel like everyone understands.
This is a very personal decision and it's hard to decide what to do. Good luck with your decision.
~Kelly <3

I'm a HUGE Chobani Greek yogurt fan!

Another vote for Hernia! It's nothing major and if your like me (didn't know until after surgery that I had one) it was the cause of my acid reflux. I was eating tums like candy and I haven't touched a tums since it was fixed. Please take care of yourself and be careful, if you need a little help, ask don't over do it because your hiding it and cause yourself any extra pain. I needed help getting out of bed and off the toilet the first couple of days.
As for your friend, you need to heal and don't need to pull stitches by exercising
IF you have acid reflux this can be another part of the excuse for you needing the repair, to help prevent a lifetime of taking meds for it.
I was given liquid vicodin and a sleep aid. I was not allowed to drive! You better believe I was taking it every 4 hours like I was allowed. I don't think it really helped with the sleep or pain much but I didn't want to find out. I also had liquid Tylenol on hand but didn't take it.
Have a heating pad handy as I think it really helped with the gas they fill you with. Taking gas meds don't help since it's not in that track of your body but I walked a lot around the house and when I sat, I had the heating pad handy on my shoulders. You will look SUPER bloated.
Best of luck and congrats on taking this step! Welcome to the Band Family :-)

hernia is all i got. Tell them that the day before or after surgery so they wont have tme to worry.
wendy