gowalking

I had several 'last meals' before the preop diet. So much so that I actually was sick the night before and had nothing to eat. Just know that you will eventually get to the point where it won't matter. You'll be able to eat some of the foods you eat now, but you'll find that looking and feeling good will be more important than the food. I promise...it will happen and you won't feel the loss of your comfort foods like you are now. Good luck!!

We had such a nice time that we're going to try to do this every quarter. We're thinking the next one will be in May. We actually got interest from folks not in the NYC area. I think having Alex join us made an impact. He's such a nice guy and brought several of his big lapband books to give to us. I'm working with LisaCaron to set up the next one and once we have a date/location, we'll work with Alex to send some sort of blast email so folks will know about it. You can also read the Bandsters 3 thread in the 100+ support forum. It's a semi-private thread many of us use. There are pictures from Saturday on there.

Oh I'm so glad this post resonated with so many of you vets and newbies alike. I'm really coming to understand that it's a continuing journey with ups and downs even if we've met our weight goals. I also think it's good to have realistic expectations...which doesn't mean they are any less important than wanting to look like a Victoria's Secret model. Most of us will never look that way, but it doesn't mean we aren't beautiful in our own individual ways.

I was suffering from hair loss and the doctor told me I needed to up my Protein. I bought the individual packets from Unury. It's just easier for me than scooping it out of a large container. The two chocolates they offer and the vanilla are OK, the strawberry is horribly sweet. I also take Biotin again for hair loss. My hair was terribly thin at about 7 months post op and now, six months later, my hair is absolutely better. I keep it pretty short these days....it just looks better that way. Alot of hair has grown back in and it's very hard for me to notice the real thin spots where my scalp was showing through.

OK, that was funny. BTW, take a look at the comments on the Bandsters 3 thread. Several folks are saying they would like to come to NY if we did another one of these. Arlene, Jim and even Joanne said they were interested. We should def makes plans for a spring meet and greet and talk to Alex about a location and maybe even having speakers like we were discussing yesterday.

Went for a massage this afternoon and the lady at the desk asked me what size robe I would like and I said, whichever one fits. She glanced at me and said, 'I'll give you a small...that will fit you fine.' I got a little nervous it would be too tight so I said I'd take a medium because I like them roomy. Well...I was swimming in the medium. Next week, I'll take the robe in a small. Imagine that...me in a small. Wow...

OK, I'm so sorry because I'm sure Angela is not feeling well, but this is the funniest post I've seen in a long time. Angela...all kidding aside...are you all right?

ahhh...you're right. I wasn't thinking in terms of usual and customary charges.

I'm the curly haired brunette in the blue print shirt. Tracy is wearing the red blouse with the scarf. Lisa is the blonde and her hubby Ken is next to her. Alex is wearing the white shirt. He really does look just like his picture...LOL.

I've posted before about this, but with new folks on the forum all the time, I thought I'd mention it again. I'm not thin...I'm not slender. I wear a size 12/14 pant and mostly L (sometimes XL or M) tops. I'm still overweight per my BMI. But...what I am and how I feel is summed up in one word. NORMAL. I'm normal. I look like everyone else...I'm invisible but now in a good way. This is still new for me and I'm always amazed by the things so many people totally take for granted. I not only had all the room in the world sitting in an airplane seat recently, I even crossed my legs. OMG! I crossed my legs in an airplane seat. Amazing. People sit next to me now on the bus or train because they can. I don't spill over into the next seat. Heck...one day I even said to a woman standing in front of me to sit down...I knew it would be tight but I also knew it would be OK...and it was. I still have the cane...for support while I continue to heal from the hip surgery but people are kinder now. I wish that wasn't so but it is. They don't think I did this to myself because I'm overweight...they think I'm recuperating from surgery or maybe have something congenital. And truthfully...I'm not ashamed to use the cane any more for those very reasons. I can't wait to get rid of it though... I don't have to shop in Avenue or Lane Bryant. I can go anywhere as long as they have a misses department. I forgot how much prettier smaller sized clothes are. I'm not self conscious when I eat out. I know that no one is judging me..looking at me...and wondering or even knowing if I'm aware that the crap and amount of crap on my plate is the reason I'm fat. Now I still have a ways to go in that my head has not always caught up to my body. I still feel like the biggest person in the room. I still think I won't fit into the restaurant booth or that awful gown you have to wear when you're at the doctor for a checkup. I still say sorry when I think I'm invading someone else's space...another hold over I guess. Anyway...this post is long enough. I just want people to know even if they are not there yet...this too can be your story one day. Have a great Sunday everyone!

How wonderful. Your post made me smile.

My surgeon charged $10,000. I'm in NYC and I suspect based on what Carmen wrote, the fees may be more depending on where you live. I'm not sure how much the fills are...I haven't had any yet. Oh, and don't forget the hospital fees...which are separate from the surgery fees. I have no idea what that cost but my out of pocket I remember...it was $800+.

Hi all: Just wanted to post some pics from our NYC meet and greet. I hope this encourages some of you to do the same in your areas. Thanks to all who attended...and a special thanks to Alex...it was such a pleasure to meet you and to thank you in person for creating this site. Liz

pulled pork....yummmm....

awww...nice pictures. If you don't mind, I'm going to post them on a new thread so Va and others can see them, OK?

The cafe is closed. I'm standing here waiting for folks to show. Not sure what to do...

Chances are good that you won't lose weight right away. As RJ says there is alot of swelling and Fluid retention and it takes a while for that to go away. I've had two surgeries since having the lapband and both times I gained weight and it took a while for it to come off....but it did and it will for you as well. And yes...call your doctor to ask what to do about the constipation.

Gee Mandy...I wish I could give you something specific to do or follow to change your perception but I can't. What I can do is tell you that when I had the surgery, I was not in the right place psychologically. I loved to eat and didn't want to stop. I had to because I was risking my mobility...I was heading to being wheelchair bound because of my joint disease. I needed knee and hip replacement surgery and the doctor said without losing weight, the surgery would not be successful. So...I had no idea if this would work or not since my head was not where it needed to be. What clicked for me was some success. Really...that's all it was. I lost almost 20 lbs. fairly quickly and that helped me to see that I might actually be able to do this. I made sure to keep trigger foods out of the house, and focused on how good it felt to eat less and eat better. The sense of control for me is so much better than the fleeting good feeling of eating that piece of cake, or bowl of spaghetti. It doesn't mean I don't struggle just as hard as you. I do and have to battle every day to maintain the successes. Also...try to change up your routine. Don't sit and watch TV. It makes you want to eat. Read a book, or take a bath, or do a puzzle, or knit. Join a gym or go for a walk...just get out of the house. There's really no magic here..it's just like they say AA is about....one day at a time...one good choice at a time. Good luck and come here as often as you need to for support. Oh and by the way, I got the hip surgery in October and am more mobile than I've been in years. Alot less pain as well...so much so that I'm able to put off the knee replacement for now....which is such a relief. So when people say the lapband surgery changed their lives...they're not kidding and I'm a perfect example of that.

oh...ok thanks for explaining. good luck on the surgery. one of these days, I'd like to get some work done. I need it....

Same here Manda. Once I understood I could live with the band, and incorporate it into my life, the weight loss was easy. No...not easy...do-able is probably the better word. But like many of us, this is not the first time I've lost alot of weight. The real success is to maintain this. I have a cousin who was heavy as a kid and she lost alot of weight when she was a young woman. FF 35 years and she's still slender and no one really remembers the fat Michelle. I would like to attain that same thing...to not have anyone recall the fat me. Same for my son. He was a very big boy and he's kept the bulk of his weight off for more than five years. I saw a picture of him the other day when he was much heavier and I truly forgot how large he used to be. That is my new goal I think. To be smaller long enough for folks to forget how big I was. Yes...I think that's a good goal to shoot for.

I'm close to goal and have been thinking alot about the maintenance phase of my journey as the weight loss phase been successful so far. I took my first baby steps towards this being a lifelong lifestyle change by not tracking everything in myfitnesspal anymore. It was invaluable to me in terms of what I was consuming but at this point, I'm well aware of the calories/sodium/sugar/protein of most of the foods I eat regularly and I'm trying to be less obsessive. I'm still weighing out my food as that gives me a sense of comfort and control but I hope to stop doing that as well one day. I just don't want to be thinking about food all the time...even if it's not thinking about eating it, but thinking about how much I can eat and what I can eat. It's actually a little scary but necessary I think for me and my journey.

Sorry you didn't feel well. It's a tough way to be reminded that your band is there. What binder did you have to loosen?

...and they call us the weaker sex. Puhleeze. Congrats to a strong and beautiful lady. Condolences on the loss of your dad and so sorry about the troubles with your husband. I'm really jealous of you doing a 5K. I'm still working on that..but doing what I can till the hips and back are in better shape.

Terrific! Loved your leather clad bod. Nice shot of you, the ole man and kabo the doberman going for a walk...LOL!