BandedCandace

1 year ago my heart was broken because my insurance decided to fight me on surgery. I damn near gave up. Luckily I am too stubborn for that. Feb 14th I had lap band surgery..I lost 12 lbs during my pre op diet. Fast forward to today. I was a little up and down in the beginning, but on the day of surgery I weighed 405 lbs. Today I weigh 374. so total weight loss from Pre Op (Jan 31st) is 43 lbs! I have only had one fill and it was 2 ccs..Definitely no restriction yet...but I am losing about 1lb a week right now...Im losing..thats beautiful!!! I am down from a size 28 to a size 24 pants..I went from a 3x-4x shirt to a 2x in all shirts...spanks are the BEST invention ever because I def have some loose skin going on. I have lost a total of 41 inches..I feel AMAZING..I wish the number on the scale was smaller, but I know that will come with time..My calves are like rocks so I know I am gaining muscle..I just turned 30 years old on Sunday the 28th. I just havent posted anything in a while and thought I would let everyone know where I am. I do have a question though.Are there any good work outs I can do to tone my arms up some..Skin there is ugly in a tank top!

So My doctor put me back on clear liquids for 2 days, full liquids for 2 days, then mushies slowly going back to regular food. I am STRUGGLING today..My stomach is growling and my head hurts..Ugh I feel like I am in bandster hell again. Keeping postive..probably just grumpy

Thanks y'all! I survived

Heading to my 6 wk post op visit and i should get a fill..Im nervous...not sure why.

I bought Premier Protein from Sam's. It has 30G of protein and 4 carbs. They have chocolate and vanilla..both are good. I also tried Whey Protein from Wal-mart...It's in a big jar like thing..the chocolate is AMAZING...I think it has 26g of protein. They ALSO make protein shots at wal-mart that are good to flavor water with.

Just keep sipping!! I got dehydrated too and my doctor was ready to put me in the hospital but I started sipping the heck out of water and was better.. As far as sleeping goes..the recliner was my best friend for the first 4 days. I didnt have pain, but I was uncomfortable so I took the pain meds as directed for the first 3 days..The port site bothered me..Take that pain meds..thats what you have it for! Dont be miserable, because you shouldnt be...and keep sipping..It will get better..I PROMISE! (if you sip it will get better!)

I have my first fill a week from today. I will be 5 weeks post op tomorrow and am down 32 lbs since surgery. and 23 total inches...Makes me excited!! I am starting to feel myself getting hungry faster, but I am sticking to my 4 oz of food per meal and watching my calories. I average between 800 and 950 depending on what I eat and always at least 50g of protein. My biggest issue is getting my fluids in. I have never been one to sit around and just drink. I have always been the type to drink more with my meal than any other time. Not drinking with meals isnt bothering me...I thought it would, but it doesnt at all. I do pretty good on some days and then other days I can tell I havent gotten enough fluid in because I have zero amount of energy. Like today! I am dragging and I know its because I didnt get enough water yesterday. I am saying all of this just because but I do have a question...Since I have lost more weight I feel like my port is above my incision now instead of below it like it was. Is that normal? It sounds like a stupid question, but you read all of the horror stories of slipped bands and flipped ports and I am like EEK!! If I go in next week and he says my band has slipped or my port has flipped I will probably lose it. I am unable to work out, only walking and I try to not lift anything too heavy because I dont want to mess anything up. I hope to get released to work out when I go back..but is it possible that from losing weight and inches in my stomach my port hasnt really moved, but my muscles have just gotten smaller or something? I am not TOO concerned because I am in no pain and everything seems to be working the same way it has been since surgery...just a little more hunger which comes with no fills and my stomach not being swollen. If I was in pain I would for sure call my doctor, I have him and his nurse's direct cell phone numbers...He is the type of doctor that will answer his phone during a surgery if he knows its a patient, so I know I can contact him, but Just wanted some other opinions from my fellow bandsters. I am at work so I am not even going to proofread..if it doesnt make sense then I'm sorry..My brain is kinda scattered today...I hope it makes a little sense

My doc told me to take tylenol and i too live in a small town so i have children tylenol as well..i have pain meds from surgery but i can't take them at work..Im home now and took some...feeling much better now...hate being a girl lol

so i am cramping so bad!!! It's my TOM and all i can take is tylenol..well my cramps laugh at tylenol and it doesnt help at all..i am miserable and just want to cry. I have PCOS and take metformin for that. It helps a little but i still usually take midol also. My dr has me off of my metformin for now due to my body adjusting from surgery and I cant take midol because of the anti inflammatory in it..UGH FML!!!! I am so happy to be banded but something has to give on this TOM stuff..i cant do this every month..i am just miserable...Sorry needed to vent..no one here understands. on a happy note..tomorrow is 1 month post op and i am down 25 lbs.

I had surgery on 2/14/13. I guess I am one of the lucky ones (this far) because I have had zero nausea and no complications. I got a little dehydrated, but I pushed more water and fixed that. I have yet to be hungry. I eat at 8, 1pm, and 6, and then a snack if I can. I am on my mushie diet until next Thursday. I lost 15 lbs the first week and I am down 4 more lbs since last Thursday. I am so excited to be on the other side. I have my first fill one month from today. i am running out of ideas for Mushie food. I dont like tuna, but I choked some down last night..GROSS!!!!!! I am doing protein shakes to get my protein in, but was just wondering if anyone had any good mushie phase suggestions. Thanks ahead of time!

Im feeling ok. I get full but i get hungry within an hour unless i eat or drink something high in protein. I had a tough time getting all of my water in the first 4 days so i got dehydrated so Im battling that also but all in all i feel good...not much energy but good

Went to the Dr yesterday and i have lost 15 lbs since surgery on Feb. 14th. I start mushies / blended today..any good meal ideas? I have what the nutritionist gave me just looking for personal preferences.

Sitting at the hospital waiting. can't wait to be on the other side!

I have to be at the hospital at 7:30am in the morning for surgery. I was a bundle of nerves yesterday when I pre registered. I was nervous because I havent lost much on my pre op diet. I only have lost 7 lbs but 8 inches also. I spoke with my surgeon yesterday and he told me not to worry about it because I had done a 6 month diet that I lost 15 lbs on and have been doing weight watchers so I dont have any "water weight" to lose, so mine was just weight coming off. I am nervous because I dont know what the outcome will be after surgery. I feel like I am mentally prepared, but I just am nervous! I am ready to be on the other side! Bring it on!!

My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow as well. cant wait to be on the other side!

I am headed for lab work and ekg. all day of appointments. I'm sure everything will come out ok but it of course makes me nervous that it's something were wrong it would affect my surgery... surgery is scheduled for 1 week from today...fingers crossed

I started my pre op today..i ate at 6 am and still feel full as hell...high protein is the kicker I guess..anyway.can someone invite me to the Feb bandsters? when i click join it doesnt do anything...Feb 14th is my surgery date. 2 weeks!

Hey y'all!! I start my pre op diet on Thursday, It is a high protein (at least 80mg) a day diet. It's called Nutrimed. My doctor sells the product in his office. It's shakes, bars, pancakes, cereal, stuff like that. i also can eat sugar free jello, pudding and popsicles. looks like I am a lucky one that doesnt have to do liquid only pre op. Not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing since week 1 post op is liquid only. i am so very excited and I am counting down the days. i started my exercise routine yesterday and will keep it up through pre op and when i am able post op. I am being banded on Feb 14th. happy valentine's day to me!! I have my doctor on speed dial for post op questions. I love seeing the people that have been banded tell their stories, both good and bad, and i see a lot of "CALL YOUR DOCTOR" so..I am ready incase I need to!!! #17 days!!

Im scheduled for Feb 14th. Im excited but very nervous..i have been overweight my whole life and losing the weight and not getting it thru my brain is what worries me

So I went to the dr yesterday and my surgery is officially scheduled for 2/14/13. I have to have an upper GI done and they are supposed to call me to schedule that today. just to know that I actually have a scheduled date is a huge sigh of relief...4 weeks!!!!!!

I rememer that feeling all too well!!! It's great isnt it! I go to the dr today and will schedule my surgery date then...congrats!!!

My dr appt is tomorrow and we will schedule my surgery and all of my pre admission testing. It has been pure excitement up to this point, but now i am a bundle of nerves. i know everything will be fine and this is a great thing happening, but I am now nervous as hell...totally normal right?

Keep your head up! i had everything done in March or so I thought and then the insurance changed their mind on my weight watchers being acceptable and made me do 6 month dr supervised diet. To say i was pissed and my heart was broken is an understatement. i literally gave up..Decided to not let them beat me and did my 6 months..finished Nov. 29th and my surgery was approved 12/12/12. I go see my surgeon 1/16 and hope to set a date then..long story short..it flies by!..Jumping through the hurdles make the end result that much sweeter

I need knee surgery, but am having lap band surgery first. i have no cartilidge in my knee so when i walk it is simply bone on bone. i can walk, granted it hurts like hell to work out, but i do because i know the more weight I loss the better my knee will be..the more weight i get off the easier recovery from knee surgery will be. Crutches are no fun, but they are definitely horrible when you are over weight. Good luck in your decision!

Congrats girl! mine will be in Feb also! Hounding them always works