gowalking

Did your doctor really tell you no potatoes, no bread, no cheese, etc.? If yes, that is not most bandster's experiences. My nutritionist told me to eat 3 oz. Protein, 1/2 cup veggies, 1/4 cup carbs ...which is basically weight watchers. I eat bread, rice, Pasta, and other carbs...just in small portions. I do not drink juices, soda, eat ice cream....but that is my choice as these are empty calories. I deny myself nothing.....and I have lost 70 lbs. in six months of being banded. I'd suggest speaking to a nutritionist...or finding another doctor. I've never heard of all those foods as being off limits.

a few close friends at work know and have not blabbed at my request. My manager only knows I had surgery to help my knee (which was a white lie in that I'll need knee replacement and the weight loss will help....hence my little white lie) I've dropped 70 lbs. so folks are obviously noticing the weight loss but if asked what I'm doing to lose the weight, I just say that I'm calorie counting which again is true. What I leave out of my response is my own business.

Yes. This was an insurance requirement and had nothing to do with anything from a medical perspective. And once I went to the informational session, I contacted my insurance company per their instructions and found out at that time about the three month documentation requirement.

I had to go through all the pre-op appointments with the psychologist, cardiologist, and pcp who had to document three months of supervised visits related to weight loss. I went to the information session a year ago, saw the surgeon in August and had a tentative surgery date in late October or early November. So, it would have been about a four month process but then Hurricane Sandy showed up and the hospital was severely flooded and was closed until early January. I had the surgery on January 14th...and was on sick leave at work for one week, and worked from home the second week. Good luck to you on your weight loss journey.

If you are satisfied on the amount of food you are eating, you might not need a fill. I was banded in January and have not had any fills...and I've lost 70 lbs.

Hi Hopeful. I'm on the other side of the East River from you but have run into plenty of NYC and Long Island posters on this site. Do a search on NYC and NYU and you should find some folks from Queens.

Great mental shift aviva. That's the real secret of the band. Change the way you think, and you will be successful. Good Luck!!

Very good advice from Steph and Maddysgram. Couldn't have said it any better myself. The only snacks I have now are sf pops and sf pudding or jello. It satisfies the sweet tooth with minimal damage. If you go onto myfitnesspal and plug in the calorie count of what you've been eating, it will give you a very good idea of your current daily intake. Don't be surprised if you are consuming in excess of 3,000 calories. I was....and found myself having to lose more than 100 lbs. After you are banded, you should be in the 1,000-1,200 calorie range. That means about 3 ounces of protein per meal, 1/2 cup veggies, and 1/4 cup carbs. I've been following this plan since I was banded in January and I've lost 70 lbs. so far. Believe me, I'm not special, so if I can do it, so can you. Good luck tomorrow!

There's no shame in seeing a professional. It sounds like you have alot on your plate and talking with someone could benefit you. Life is stressful and anything that helps you cope better that's not destructive to you is worth considering.

Have had this problem since being banded as well. Just a week behind you BTW...I was banded on January 14th. I take Dulcolax stool softener and I still have issues...I get all stopped up for a couple of weeks and then I explode. Told my pcp about this last week and she immediately put me on a new drug that treats irritable bowel syndrome and also told me to start taking Mirilax. She said it was very important to get my bowels moving. Have not started the Mirilax yet. The new meds seem to help some. You should talk to your dr. because my dr. said I could develop diverticulitis which is pretty serious. Good luck...make sure to follow up with your dr.

are you on solids? if yes, sure you can have it. just be careful with sugar when it comes to fruit...it can be higher than you realize.

Sorry beanie...I meant once you are eating solids. Agree with you 100%...it's very hard at this stage. I just wanted you to know that you have something to look forward to.

It was my PCP who started me down the road to WLS. She wanted me to get a bypass because I needed to lose more than 100 lbs. She was not happy that I went with the lapband but now, 70 lbs. down in 6 months, she's finally admitting I went the correct route for me. The only other health care folks who know about the surgery is my sports medicine doctor and the physical therapists from the same office. I'm being treated for severe arthritis and of course they are so on board with this because losing weight will help me have a good outcome when I get the knee replaced.

I agree with mrsinto. I don't snack at the movies. Having said that, if not being able to nibble will bother you, bring stuff with you....grapes, almonds, a cheese string....things that do way less damage than regular movie snacks. By the way, the lollipop sounds like a good idea...unless it was more calories than some popcorn. That's why I use myfitnesspal. Oh man...some of the food I used to eat was so laden with calories and fat and I didn't even realize how bad it was. It's empowering to know the calorie counts of things so you can make better choices.

Thanks everyone. Thanks Hazel....I appreciate your wisdom and words of encouragement.

I was on vacation for a few days this week and then when I got home, I ate out a couple of evenings as well. I got on the scale this morning as I do every Sunday and I lost a half pound and I feel great. Not because of the weight loss....a half pound is nothing. I feel great because I feel in control. For the longest time, I gave in to my food desires and overdid at every occasion. Of course, then the guilt comes from not being able to stop. So...this week I truly enjoyed every meal, and paid attention to what I ate and how much I ate and never ate too much...and again..I felt like I was in control...not just of food, but in control of my life. I don't know how else to explain it but I feel like I am in the driver's seat for a change and not allowing this damn food addiction to control me. My only hope is that I can keep this up. I've lost weight before and always slipped back into bad habits. When I read posts from bandsters who have gained all or some of the weight back, it scares me. I want to be a long term success and I'm hoping the band makes the difference this time for me.

Good job Liz. I too was away for a few days and ate out a couple of times when I got home. I still managed to lose a half pound and I feel great....I feel in control. What a change for me.

You can try to plan to go back in five days but know that it might not be enough time for you. I had a pretty good recovery....not lots of pain or gas but no way was I ready to go back to work that soon. I was fortunate in that I was able to work from home. I didn't go back into the office for two weeks.

Just so you know, you can eat out and still be successful. I eat out at least once a week, sometimes more. I look to make good food choices and I usually stick with fish because it goes down easy. Besides which, I've found out how good fish really tastes. No one pays attention to how and what you are eating. That was my big worry but honestly...no one is watching you. I've gone out with plenty of people who are not aware I am banded and no one notices a thing. Oh, and I've lost over 70 lbs. since the beginning of the year so like I said...you can eat out and lose the weight. For me, it's very much a social thing and I refused to give that up...and didn't have to..

70 lbs. down and I went from a 46 D (and should have really been a DD) to a 42C. Problem is....the breasts didn't just get smaller, they deflated just as another poster described. At some point, I'll have to have surgery because they just hang so badly and even a good support bra goes just so far. I have to keep pulling them back in place when I wear a bathing suit.

Spectacular Karen. What a success you are and an inspiration as well..

I'm banded six months and have lost over 70 lbs. If you listen to your band, you will be able to distinguish between hungry and not hungry. You have to eat slow and small bites and that means you can't mindlessly eat anymore. I would wolf down a bowl of Pasta and get a second helping without even thinking about it. You will learn to eat differently and the sadness from not eating to excess will not compare to the pleasure of your successes like getting off meds, or buying smaller size clothes, or getting compliments, or all the non scale victories you will experience like fitting into plane seats, fitting into a booth in a diner, putting on only one gown at the doctor's office..not wearing two to cover everything. The list goes on and on. Good luck on your journey...read these posts, ask questions, and help mentor other newbies once you become a veteran and realize all your fears and worries were just based on the unknown.

Very normal. And if it's going to bother and frustrate you that much, don't weigh yourself daily. As Missy said, if you work the program, you will succeed. Good luck to you!

I had Dr. Ren and was very pleased with her. Welcome Jim and congrats on taking the first step. Sugar is not my vice...carbs are. But eating at night was always an issue for me. Between the band tamping down the hunger and some good old fashioned will power, I do OK at night. FYI, I'm down 70 lbs. since the pre-op diet in early January.

They sure do. I'm not even in the 'lean' category yet....I'm regular overweight and not morbidly obese anymore after losing 70 lbs. What I notice is that no one notices me. I'm not talking about friends, family, co-workers. I'm talking about strangers who don't know me. No one stares..no one looks at me with those fearful eyes pleading silently that I don't sit next to them on the train or bus. Now..as far as folks who do know me...no...they treat me just the same because I'm still the same person I was before the surgery.