kbliss78

I keep reading these posts
Saying 15 days out and 16 lbs down or 10 days out 9 lbs down and that you are unhappy with it? That is a lb a day! It is great! Be proud. I have also been told that amy weight loss before the second fill is really all you with little help from the band. Great job everyone!

This is my first post and I am new to the site. I am also set for May 22, 2012. I am self pay and had to come up with a down payment and needed time to do so. Also I have a work training obligation that goes through until first of May. I am hating this wait. I am so excited to get started and see results. I have already tried to make major eating changes to get ready. However, I just cannot wait.
Here are some of my initial goals:
-Cut up my Lane Bryant Credit Card
-Buy my first pair of jeans in a regular store
-run a whole lap around the track without stopping! I want to have a year goal of running a 5k
-6 month goal of buying a pair of shorts!
I just wish my journey can start now. I am glad I have found this site. I will be spending some time here. I have also watched a ton of You Tube Lap Band journeys which help prove to me that I can do it too!
Anyone else out there that has to wait until May?
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Congratulations! There is no better feeling than putting bags of too-big clothes in the donation bins! I would keep one pair of pants to try on when you reach goal, or even when you're feeling down during a plateau or something. It'll remind you how great you're doing and how far you've come. Keep up the great work!

Hi! Hope everyone is doing well. I realized I never really took the time to introduce myself to the group.
My name is Jaime, and I am 33 years old. I am a pediatric ICU nurse in NYC. I have struggled with my weight for years, and finally came to the decision to be banded back in December. It was a big step for me, as I had always been fiercely opposed to surgical intervention. But, I came to accept that it didn't mean that I was a failure (weight loss being the only thing in life that I have ever truly struggled with, not to mention failed at multiple times), it just meant that I needed extra help.
My co-worker took me to lunch one day, and "delicately" steered the conversation toward losing weight. During the conversation, she shared with me that she had been banded 10 years ago, at the tail end of the clinical trials phase. She and I have similar personalities, and listening to her story of what brought her to get her band was like listening to a tape recording of the thoughts in my own head. I attended my seminar a couple of weeks later.
I had a few big things going on in my world for December and January. I made appointments with my primary care doctor, and all of my surgical consultations for the end of February. I started my pre-op diet on March 5, 2012, weighing in at 349.7 pounds that morning on my scale at home. I was banded last Monday, March 19th. It was a very quick process, and I am so thankful for that. I think I may have chickened out if I would have had to wait. My insurance didn't require additional months of monitored weight loss. I was really afraid I would have to wait until July or August to get this done, and I'm POSITIVE I would have bailed if that had been the case. Start to finish was 3 1/2 weeks.
My post-op course has been really uneventful. I haven't had any problems. The first 3 days were horrible (to me, but they probably weren't so bad), but it got better after that. I am so thankful that things went so well. I went for my first esophagram today, and things look good. Because I am doing so well, I was given permission to advance my diet 2 days early! Yay! I was prescribed thin liquids for 10 days, mushies for 10 days, and then to solids. But, I get to start mushies 2 days early, which I'm super happy about. I weighed in today at 328. That's 20 pounds in 3 weeks! So cool!
I'm really glad I found this site. Pre-op, I hadn't really found anything helpful or useful. I'm not sure how this just showed up out of nowhere, but I'm glad it did. My friend recommended www.obesityhelp.org, but I found that to be more for people who wanted sleeves or bypass. It seemed to be a lot of band bashing, which wasn't very helpful to me. Today, while I was at the surgeon, I saw a printed ad for Obesity Help, which I thought was funny, since my surgeon's practice does 80% bands. I will have to pass this resource along at my first support group meeting in April.
Anyway, that's me and that's how I got here! Looking forward to making this journey with everyone!

I was banded Jan 30, 2012 so I am aproximately 45 days out. I had my first Dr. visit on Feb 20th, check up and first fill. My dr is Dr Charles Morton, Nashville Tn. I found out at this visit that 4cc was put into my 10cc band at surgery. As I could feel some restriction already he added 1.4 cc more for a total of 5.4. This is a good time to talk to your Dr. and ask questions about anything. My Dr was very good about answering any and all questions. I had had no stuck episodes at this point. Was able to eat almost anything I wanted but appetite had lessened a lot.
I returned on March 12th for follow up and this time met with Dr assistant Heather. She is fantastic, has been with Dr. Morton 19 years and just a sweet heart. We discussed how this is a learning time with the band. How to relearn about bites, chewing, drinking, needing to continue with Protein Drinks and to take Vitamins everyday. Listen to your body, measure food and wait for that feeling of OK I have eaten enough. She also told me that I could only go aproximately 4 hours without eating again. Very pleased with this visit. We talked about adding more to band and decided to add small amount. aprox 6cc more. This brought me up to 6cc. I deank Water while she added to band and was fine with swallowing at this time.
Headed home, approxiately hour drive and had good rest of day and night. She told me only full liquids rest of day and for next 24 hours then progress to reg diet.
Welllllllllllllllllll !!!!! on Tues night I could tell that I was very tight and Wednesday had trouble even drinking Protein drinks, coffee which usually relaxes band if a little tight. By Wednesday night I knew I had to go back to have some taken out. On Thursday morn I called office and they told me to come in. Heather was so sorry that I had to go through this and assured me that it was OK to have some taken out. Tighter is not better. She said she took out 3 cc but it felt so much better instantly. I was able to drink a half bottle of water. She said that this happens sometime in the beginning, that we have some swelling when the band has solution added and that it just gets too tight. She also told me to never wait if this happens again that someone will meet me at the office and take care of any problem. How about that????
It has been almost 8 hours since I had this done and I have had a Protein Drink and lots of liquid today. I have just had dinner, chicken and green veggy with no problems.
It is a learning time and not so much a weight loss time. So far I have lost 16 lbs. in the 45 days since surgery. I know some lose a lot more but you must be happy with what is. I feel so blessed that this is available for me to experience and for all the others who will take this journey to better health through weight loss surgery. Don't be afraid, be excited and keep reading these forums they have very good advice about what to expect and personal experience that is so valuable to you.
Good luck on your journey

That is the perfect way for me to look at it. I would not hesitate to pay $10,000 over and over again to help my family's health or anything. So thanks for that angle!

My feeling is that after a year when he sees the new beautiful you, he will not give the money spent a second thought. You may even have to hold him back from showering you with gifts. Good luck on your journey. Enjoy it.

I had a coworker who spent 10,000 on surgery for a rescue dog. Do you feel you have as much value? At 39 I had a stroke. I had no health issues or warnings. As someone who lost a parent when I was 10 the idea that for 10,000 I could haved still had a parent is heartbreaking. I clearly spend less money on food. Preband I would go to Dunkin Donuts buy a Breakfast sandwhich, coffee and maybe a cookie (yes for breakfast) and spend 7 bucks. Now for breakfast I have a Greek yogurt with some Protein Powder and Cereal added; so maybe $1.50.

I am a self payer. I had mine done in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz for the 4995k. Which is a great price. The surgeons are great. Some of the best in the world on weight loss surgeries. The surgical hospital was super nice, very clean, and everyone is so friendly. It was a great experiance. The problem is that now that I need a fill no one in my area will touch a band done in Mexico. (they act like we had it sdone in the back alley or something) Anyways, I will be traveling 3 hours to the next state to have my fills. I will be staying overnight in case I need some removed or something. So in the long run I may be paying as much or more for my surgery than the people in the states. Thanks Idaho for not doing my fill. Anyways explore your options and good luck to you. I do not regret my choice however. It has already changed my life, and I only had it done in Feb.

Change jobs with better insurance lol No worries like stephyanders said, "it is only money" comes and goes, the money you save on food will actually go towards fills, but another way to look at it, you are building your credit and...when it is paid off in two years (time does fly) you can renew it and take that well deserved Disney cruise with your family and your hott healthy sexy new self! guilt can ruin any good thing, enjoy anything and everything that makes life better!!!!!

I was a self pay (insurance ended up paying for a little bit). I had some guilt at the beginning just because it is a big chunck of money. But I never had second thoughts at all. I would do it all over in a heart beat and probably rob a bank if I had to. lol
You save on food money and health if you are on several meds. The only things is new clothes. Which is not totally a bad thing if u ask me.

I paid for 1/2 with my income tax return, and financed the rest ( it was $10,000 total) for 2 years. I will be paying about $130 a month for 2 years:) not bad if u ask me!!

I went through exactly what your talking about. I sat down and figured out that I would be saving around $250 or more per month in food which means that it will be paid off in 3 years. I looked at it as an investment. I paid off all of my debt before I payed out of pocket for this. It's the first debt that I have ever had that will actually mean something (Besides school loans.) I do feel more motivated to do it right because the $10000 actually means something now. I know I will get a return on my investment.

If it makes you feel better, I have never had longterm success either! I don't think I've ever stuck to a "diet" for more than a couple of weeks. I've been looking at this as a lifestyle change this time around, and have been successful. I don't feel miserable and my choices make me happy. I'm pretty confident, given your mind frame, that you will be successful as well! Best of luck!

My patient advocate said that any weight I lost before my first fill was "all me", it is not till the first and second fill that the band begins to work well for you. If you begin to think you are a failure you will continue to fail. Change your mindset to the fact that you are early in the process and need a fill at this time. Which appears to be totally the case. No worries, just be honest with your Dr and he can adjust you accordingly. From what I have heard, where your at is totally normal.

Thank you so much for posting. I have read so many failure posts that I sometimes get scared. I am scheduled to have surgery on 5/22/12. I am very excited and ready to make changes in my life. I really feel a strong desire to fully commit to all the rules and having foods that I may never be able to eat again does not scare me. However, I have never had long term success with weight loss so I fear messing up with the band as well. It is great to read someone else's story that struggled also and then is now doing very well. 60 LB is just amazing in that amount of time. Please continue to post your progress for everyone to see. It is exactly what I needed and wanted to read.
starting 270
surgery scheduled 5/22/12
goal 165 or less and size 10 pants!

Good luck with your surgery.
Take it one day at a time.
I recommend you take a before picture and your measurements.
Tom, Toronto
Banded July 6 06
Wt. Loss: 140 lbs

good luck to you. If you follow the rules and don't cheat. YOU WILL SUCEED.

You can do it, friend! I had all the same wishes and I still cant believe how my life has changed! Since you are new and if you have time take a look at the blog The sweet Spot
http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/2008/11/11708-secret-word-knows.html
I recommend reading it from the first day. This lady is a normal Mom who lost 100 pounds in a year and never dieted or exercised...she will have you laughing to tears and prepare you for every little thing you are going to experience....best of luck, you will get lots of support here (try to disregard the unhappy few)...Diane

I remember my first bite of real food, it was eggs mashed up and cottage cheese...oh delicious...I am losing weight quite fast as well, I just figured it was because of the diet they have me on and the fact that I have cut my calorie intake over half of what I used to eat....am I wrong? These first few weeks how much should I be losing? So glad to hear you are doing so well.