Fallbride

See you all there!

Honestly, I attribute my success so far to a few things...

• Following my surgeons advice/rules (I hit a wall for three weeks and realized that I wasn't following some of the rules). As soon as I began to follow them more closely, I started losing again.
  
• I will not do anything that I think contributed to me getting to 426lbs. If eating in the car did that, then I don't. If going to a party thinking I'll find something healthy, I prepare.
  
• Excellent support from others on sites like this one and on youtube. There is no greater expert than someone who has been there through all of it before you.
  
• Try not to make excuses. If I gain it's because I didn't do what I was supposed to. If I'm honest with myself I can figure out what I did wrong and not blame the scale. my period. the universe, etc.
  

Hi, everyone! Just checking in.. banded on 10/12/12 and down a total of 98lbs since I first saw the surgeon in July so 53lbs since the surgery. Doing well and due for my third fill later in January,. Hope everyone else is losing and grooving!

I've always been a fast loser but thanks for the kind thoughts! It's not about how fast but whether I can keep it up and keep it off if you know what I mean. Started exercising for the first time since the banding and I am getting up at 5:30am to go to the gym pool. I do 40 minutes of laps and then go to work. People ask me all the time how I have lost so much so quickly and the truth is, I follow the doctor's orders pretty carefully. I really have it in my head that this is my new life and anything I did before including the negative thinking got me to be 426lbs at 40 years old. I am changing everything including my internal thoughts. It's hard but its working!

I also see a mental health counselor to help me work through my feelings. I'm finding myself telling people what I really think (because I am not stuffing my feelings down with food). It's very new for me and I sometimes get amotional about it. It's like I am breaking up with a long time love and it you have to relearn how to live differently.

Just wanted to stop in and say hello to my fellow October bandsters. I was banded 10/12/12 and I'm down 84 pounds (20 from when I saw the surgeon in July to the pre-op diet and 25 on the pre-op diet).

Feeling pretty good and looking forward to my second fill on Dec 20th. I still get hungry between meals so hoping the second one does the trick!

If you are only two days post op, you will need to practically have the cup in your hand all day. This is because the swelling from your surgery is preventing the liquid from going down. This happend to me for about four days and it began to ease as the swelling went down and I was able to drink more at a time. Just keep trying and it will happen!

Newly banded Oct.12. Lost about 13 pounds rather quickly, but then discovered I could eat more, and I have. I haven't eaten anything I wasn't supposed to, but I have had every sugar-free popsicle in a four state area. I have gained back 3 pounds and I'm nervous. My first fill is scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving. Since I increased my intake, I feel more comfortable, but I want to lose weight! Anybody else actually gained before a fill? Otherwise, no surgical complications and no vomiting at all.

The nutritionist at my center said it isn't unusual for people to gain a bit before the first fill. Just keep watching your diet that they prescribed to you.

Hello everyone,

I was banded on 10/12 and I am down 66 pounds so far. 20 were on my own between my first visit with the surgeon in July to the beginning of the pre-surg diet and 25 were from the pre-surg diet so I'm down 21lbs in the month since my surgery.

Feeling terrific and was given permission to start exercising and swimming. Normally I'd have my first fill after 6 weeks but it falls on Thanksgiving. The surg said I could have it one week early. So happy about this since I am really starving each day but sticking to my soft food diet. Even did well with no power for 8 days due to Hurricane Sandy. Power's back and I'm feeling great!

I did have my first "got stuck feeling" this morning. I was eating scrambled eggs and working on the computer. I was not paying attention to how fast I was eating and all of a sudden I got this tight feeling in my chest.. not fun! Not eager for that to happen again so I know I need to be more careful.

Preop diet complete. 12 lbs in two weeks. sitting here dressed and ready to go for a 7:00am operation. Slept great last night. I must be ready.

Good Luck today!

Saw some friends last night who have not seen me in a while and they all oohed and ahhed over my weight loss. I was excited since those that see me every day have been asking me if I got a haircut or telling me that I look rested.

Scars are really starting to heal and I can finally sleep comfortably on my stomach so I am sleeping better! YAY!

Hope you all have a good day!

In hosp in very much pain. I really need support.

The first night was the toughest for me but don't be afraid to ask for more pain meds. sleep is so healing so if you can get comfortable, do it. I will keep you in my prayers tonight.

I cannot believe that people make the decision to have this surgery, and don't take it seriously.

I'm only 6 days into my pre-op diet, but I would never even consider cheating. I did not come by this decision lightly, and plan to do everything in my control to make sure this works!

I don't know that anyone does not take surgery seriously. I just beleive that some people have completly mentally prepared for a full and permanent lifestyle change. Others think they have and the struggle. Did they do all the research, are they willing to be uncomfortable? Do they have the support system in place? I don't know if I will be successful because I can't see the future. All I know is that I tried to make every possible preparation I can to make sure that I am successful. I have been seeing a mental health counselor for three years, I have a wellness coach online, I have spoken to four friends who have had the surgery, I have prepared my family for what is to come (as best as I know) how, I've cleaned out the house of bad food, purchased the food I know I need, watched videos of other bandsters for hours, and on and on. I may fail but it won't be for lack of trying. And if I stumble, I will pick myself up and try again. I can't ever say that I've had this particular mindset about losing weight ever before.

It's kind of like a Weight Watchers meeting. Everyone comes in all gung ho but after a while you see people start to cheat. They start talking about how they were able to eat their daily points in brownies and still lost that week. They game the system for a while and you know what, they drop out soon after. How do I know this? I was one of them.

The alternative to doing what I need to do to shed this weight is death. Sorry to be

so dramatic but that's how I truly feel. I remember a man on Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition saying that the next step after 518lbs (his highest weight) was death and I totally understand what he means. I want life and I want to LIVE it not just exist or survive.

This is a radical change from where I've been but I need radical change!

So, I have a bunch of friends on another app that I use and I'm starting to see a pattern in a few of them. It's almost every day they post "today wasn't good, tomorrow will be better", well, yeah, that works here and there and we ALL have bad days, but for most of us - tomorrow actually comes. It's not my concern or my business, really, but they post this, like I said, almost every day! I'm not sure if I want friends like that. Is that wrong of me? They're sweet people, but posting that over and over makes me want to speak up and question why they even got a band to begin with. Eating that much and that poorly sure can't be good on the band either! I'm in no way perfect and I expect to have hiccups here and there, but ugh, just had to vent. Is it wrong of me to want to delete them? They constantly get positive feedback from others, and I wish I could keep giving my support to them, but you can only help someone so much, right?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using LapBandTalk

Fallon,

I can TOTALLY relate to this. I find it difficult to listen when people talk about how the doctor told them to do A but they are going to do B because they don't like A. I just want to follow doctor's orders. Why? Because every single successful bandster I know in person and online has said they followed doctor's orders. I want to be the poster child for my surgeon's next powerpoint presentation to newbies!

I also think that some people (YouTube is full of them) did not take the time to really think about how this decision would change their life. I had a friend recently try to convince me not to have the surgery because her band 'didn't' work. Through our conversation, it turns out that she went on a cruise and convinced her surgeon to take all the Fluid out of her band so she could "enjoy' her vacation. After gaining 10 pounds back over the week, she felt embarrassed about going back and continued to regain her weight. That isn't the BAND not working! She was so negative about banding that I couldn't continue to talk to her. I think you need to do what's best for you and put your needs first. You are not here to support anyone but yourself. And if you are having a particularly good day and can help someone else. awesome! Each person's journey is their own.

Opinions are like noses, everyone has one and I'd like to surround myself with those who are trying to stay positive and work toward a wonderful goal together.

Glad to be your bandster sista!

Hi Everyone, I had surgery on Wednesday afternoon, it's now Friday morning and I've had shoulder tip pain since I woke up from the op.

Just wondered how long did other people find their shoulder pain lasting? because mine is almost as bad as my tummy pain

I know it's getting better every day but i'm still super uncomfortable! I find it very difficult to get up after I've sat down, I think I was more comfortable in hospital as I could adjust the bed so I was sitting up right.

How long til most people started feeling back to normal?

I was banded on Friday, started feeling the gas./shoulder pain on Sunday and it didn't fully dissipate until Thursday. Walking and heating pads helped.

I was banded on wed, I'm having trouble getting all my Protein in and Water?

I had trouble the first few days too but it got easier and easier as the swelling goes down.

Hi all!

I was banded on 10/11/12, so I'm still on clears. I'm feeling good but having a hard time getting any Protein in. The shakes make me nauseated and I haven't found anything I can stomach for protein yet. (I only got down about 10 gm yesterday and I know that's nowhere near what I need.) I've ordered the Unjury stuff cause I hear it's *pretty good*.

Happy to be here! Can't wait for mushies....

I find unjury to be pretty tasty especially compared to the Optifast I was on years ago!

Hi! I didn't need anything beyond my Protein (Unjury) shakes for the first week. I could also have sugar free Jello and sugar free ice pops. My doc asked me to get three shakes a day in along with 64oz of Water. Maybe check to see what doc wants you to be eating?

Wow! Kudos to those who went home same day or worked so soon after surgery. I was in no shape to work so soon after surgery. In fact, I was banded on Friday and returned to work on Wed and had to go home early because I was so tired!

When I asked about beginning to walk and swim, Doc told me not to do any strenuous exercise for at least four weeks. I can stroll but nothing more. Might be because they repaired a hiatal hernia too?

Hi!

I went for my one week post op visit last night and everything looks good. I am being advanced to the "puree" diet for two weeks and will go back to the doc then. Everything I have has to be pureed to the consistency of applesauce and I get three meals a day in addition to three Protein Shakes a day. The puree meal will be 3oz (the size of three ice cubes). Again, it's not about the taste or the consistency but about the end results. Puree brings me down the road that much farther!

They also corrected me on my start weight back in July which was actually 426 not 425 so I am down 56 pounds since my first visit with them and 35 pounds of that was since I started the two week pre-surg diet three weeks ago.

I already have a project for the weekend... getting rid of my largest size clothes which are all too baggy on me! Moving on the the next size in my closet already! Woo hoo!

Getting banded today! Yay! Have to be there at 1245 surgery is at 145. Im very excited for this new journey to begin!

Good luck to you!

Hi Everyone... went back to work yesterday (desk job) after being banded on Friday 10/12. Surgical sites didn't bother me much the first few days but by Monday, the gas began to give me some shoulder pain and pain under my rib cage. Glad I knew what to expect. It finally gave way last night in the usual manner and I am WAY more comfortable now! Will have my one week post op appt tonight (a day early!).

I lost 25 pounds on the two week pre-op diet and now another 8 since surgery. One thing that is consistent with every bandster I know (friends, support group, online)... those who are successful follow doctor's orders to a T. They get in the mindset of knowing that the docs know what works and gaming the system is how we (I) got here in the first place. Do I love shakes and Soups every day with no chewing? Not particularly but they are medicine and I am sick with a disease called obesity. I wouldn't consider not taking heart medication or cancer meds. I just keep focusing on the end result, a healthier me! Hope all goes well for those waiting to be banded!

Fallon,

I'm in pain too. Was better in the hospital with the morphine drip. Kinda sore at home with the Tylenol with codene. Trying not to take it all the time because it makes me sleep but definitely more pain than I expected. Worth it but pretty uncomfortable right now. Better each day! Feel better soon!

Fallbride

so I'm still in the hospital 24 hours later as expected still nothing to eat but I'm not hungry ...pain is pretty good except gas pain starting to be stronger in my left shoulder... walking a bit to leave that... need to go down for the xray to make sure the band is in place and then I can go home if all is well..

Gas pain I'm my left shoulder and last side of back... Not fun but not awful...glad you are ok Fallon!

Good luck to everyone getting banded today

Did great thie morning..surgeon 6 to hiatal hernia while he was in there so surgery took longer... pain isn't too bad.... hubby is awesome....