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jacqs

LAP-BAND Patients
  • Content Count

    92
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About jacqs

  • Rank
    Senior Member
  • Birthday April 30

About Me

  • Biography
    midwestern girl living in los angeles
  • Gender
    Female
  • Interests
    theater, film, writing
  • City
    los angeles
  • State
    ca
  1. jacqs

    Surgery Scheduled for March

    I understand where you're at! I've had a lot of stuck episodes lately even though nothing has changed as far as fills or what I'm eating. I find that I'm "tighter" in the morning so I still stick to a Protein shake in the AM but I'll blend it with Peanut Butter to get the extra protein and better flavor. And as long as I don't let myself get too hungry, I'm ok. Just have to eat so darn slow. And over a long period of time, like an hour to finish a salad with grilled chicken. My weight loss has definitely slowed down which feels frustrating until I look at pictures of myself from January and happily don't recognize that fat face! Hang in there March Bandsters!
  2. jacqs

    PCOS getting better?

    Hi Mandi! Congrats on your upcoming surgery. I'm 2 months post-op and very happy with the choice of getting banded. In two months, I've seen some major changes due to the weight loss; i'm now getting (almost) regular periods, my breakouts aren't as bad, and my mood swings have improved too. I think the battle with the facial hair is going to be an ongoing thing, but I do feel like it may be thinning ever so slightly. I'm sure yo've read this other places on the forum, but the band isn't a magic bullet. I didn't expect to have to work so hard every single day but it's such a good tool that it makes the effort worth it. And seeing changes in my body (not just on the scale) is the BEST reward ever! Good luck next week! Stay in touch
  3. jacqs

    March 2013 Bandsters

    I definitely fall into that category, I can only do Protein shakes for breakfast but it's so weird how I'm able to eat a little more by mid-day.
  4. jacqs

    March 2013 Bandsters

    Hey Banded1979 My BIGGEST complant about surgery prep is that no one mentioned the shoulder pain! It was rough for me too, it lasted about 2 weeks after surgery but I got used to it after the first week and it was less sharp but still constant. I've read others who said it lasted longer for them. But I promise, it won't kill you! It just sucks. Also, I still get that shoulder pain. If I drink too much liquid too fast, or fill up my stomach too much, bam! the sharp shoulder pain is back. It only lasts a couple hours and honestly, it's the best signal I have for learning what the right amount of food is for me. Hang in there! You were banded on my birthday, it's obviously a great sign
  5. jacqs

    March 2013 Bandsters

    Hi all! Checking in... Was banded on 3/6; have had too very small fills since then. I do feel the restriction and if I'm not careful, stiff gets stuck. I've learned that it's more the speed at which I eat than what I'm actually eating when it comes to stuck episodes. I still get sharp shoulder pain if I drink liquids too fast or fill up my "pouch" too quickly. It's definitely not fun but a good way to learn when to stop and when to slow down. My weight loss has been slow but relatively steady. I lost 30 lbs on the pre-op diet which I was on for 2 full months. Since banding on 3/6 I've lost another 30 lbs. Of course I wish it was more but my doc says 11 lbs/month is great progress. I'm still struggling to get the motivation to exercise, I know when I get there, I'll see more movement on the scale and more changes in my body. I hope my fellow March bandsters are doing well! Remember, the process if different for everyone so don't beat yourself up, it'll come. The mental changes and the physical ones!
  6. Happy -- Birthday jacqs!

  7. jacqs

    Surgery Scheduled for March

    don't be discouraged if folks aren't commenting on it - for the first 2 months of my journey everyone kept complimenting my hair and i hadn't changed it AT ALL. there's a popular mantra in the weight loss community: it takes 4 weeks for you to see your body changing it takes 8 weeks for close friends and family and it takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world i don't know how scientifically accurate it is but it seems about right and even then you never know if people will feel comfortable commenting on your changing body!
  8. jacqs

    March 2013 Bandsters

    hey aufan! don't beat yourself up about one (or a few) bad choices. i'm learning that this change doesn't happen overnight, and a bad day doesn't defeat all the good we're doing for ourselves. lord knows, i messed up majorly this week, ate the toppings off of several slices of pizza until i made myself feel sick/stuck. i felt so horrible - how am i repeating past behavior?! Here's the thing, the next day I went on a long hike with a friend. I had two meals of high Protein shakes and one small protein + veggie meal and voila! I felt back on track. Progress. We can do this. March Bandsters are awesome.
  9. jacqs

    March 2013 Bandsters

    My first fill went really well, I wouldn't be nervous. Make sure they numb you with cream or lidocaine. And make sure you got to the bathroom before they start the filling process!
  10. jacqs

    Surgery Scheduled for March

    I had my first post-op appt and my first fill this morning. My surgeon was pleased with my progress (-15 lbs since surgery 3/6). However, I have been able to get down much more than 1 c. of food and would feel hunger pangs so I asked for a fill. Fill went fine, my doc uses lidocaine so no pain. They were only able to fill .7 cc before I was choking up water so I probably didn't need the fill as much as I thought I did. It's such a mental challenge y'all! Hang in there.
  11. jacqs

    PCOS getting better?

    I'm 3 weeks post-surgery and I just got my period for the first time since 2011. I think it's a good sign of things to come!
  12. jacqs

    Surgery Scheduled for March

    For those who are struggling with weight loss but eating/consuming very little...it's something to talk to your doctor about. You might not be eating enough to feed your body and then it goes into starvation mode and hangs on to the calories and fat. Also, exercise might kickstart loss. I have SO not been in the mood to walk or exercise but when I do, I see a difference. Heading in tomorrow for my first post-op appt. It's been almost 3 weeks so I'm anxious to talk to my doc.
  13. jacqs

    Protein Shakes!

    more Protein, it's a "healthier" fat and adds additional flavor are the reasons why i use it
  14. jacqs

    Surgery Scheduled for March

    Don't worry, everyone's experience is different. Especially when it comes to weight loss. It really depends on your height and start weight. I dropped weight faster on my pre-op diet than I have since getting banded; it's traumatic for our bodies, we'll catch up. Keep moving, the shoulder pain should ease up. I find now that I only get it when I drink too much liquid in too short of a time period.
  15. jacqs

    Protein Shakes!

    Made the most delicious green smoothie to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day (since I'm still on post-op liquid only!) 1/2 c. Water 1/2 c. peeled & chopped cucumber 3 stalks of kale (pull leaves off the stem) 1/2 c. frozen strawberries (or any other berry) 1/2 frozen banana Put it in a blender, add a little water if it gets too thick! Without adding Protein powder, this recipe makes a 100 cal smoothie with healthy greens! If you add protein to this recipe, I recommend 1/2 a scoop or it'll get gross.

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