gowalking

Welcome to the forum. good luck with your weight loss journey. I have never for a moment, regretted this decision..and it was not like I wanted to do this....I had no choice as I was out of options and could not seem to keep my eating under control. With the band, I can control my portions and the fact that I don't feel ravenous all the time, lets me make good food choices. Just the other day, I overdid it just a little bit at a work lunch and while I was not sick, I was uncomfortably full. When I thought about how much I ate, it was still a fraction of what I would have eaten pre-band but even so, the amount of food one eats now is so much less than before that you have to remember sometimes not to 'overeat' in the banded sense of the word..and not the rest of the world's idea of overeating.

What a great NSV. Congrats!!

Hi Chloe. At this point of your journey, all you will be thinking about is food. In fact, you will be thinking about food for a long time. As you get more comfortable living with the band, you will stop stressing so much but for now, you will be thinking about food and how to eat with the band and you can't do much about it...it's just part of the process. Check this site alot and ask questions...read threads...but stay away from the complications ones...they will make you crazy...and know that the band will one day be just a part of your life and not the focus. Good luck.

Welcome and good luck. This site has been a godsend to me.

you should ask your doctor about it...see what he/she says.

Missy...sounds like you and Catfish have orthostatic hypotension. Early in my career, I managed hypertensive meds clinical trials for a major pharma company. Orthostatic hypotension was a very common adverse event alot of our subjects experienced. I'm no doctor so I've no idea how it's treated..I just know your symptoms sound very familiar..

So I went to a work luncheon today and sat in a tight corner at the table that 65 lbs. ago, I’d have never been able to fit into. My first reaction when I saw where I was likely headed was oh uh…too tight…sit somewhere else…but then I realized it would probably be OK and it was. I know I’m still overweight and not nearly at goal yet, but these little ‘normalcies’ that so many people take for granted are so uplifting for me and help me to keep my eye on the prize.

David...I can eat rice. I even eat sushi every now and then. Just be aware that I have no fills and that probably has something to do with it. There are a few of us on this site who haven't needed them...I'm one of those lucky few. FYI, I'm down 65 lbs. since the beginning of the year.

I had to have a chemical stress test. I couldn't walk the treadmill because of my arthritis...and because I was so sedentary, they wanted me to have the stress test..

oatmeal and cream of wheat packs, dry cereal, packets of tuna (for lunch) 100 calorie cookie packets for the occasional sweet tooth. Hard peppermint candies when I need to wake up my mouth.

Hey David. Don't have a food funeral so fast. You may be able to eat all the foods you love...just in much smaller portions. Some things you will find not worth eating because they are empty calories and you won't miss them much. Others, you may not have any issue with and will continue to eat and enjoy. Good luck!

I won't sugarcoat it...it's not easy and you will likely be miserable to be around. But as long as you are motivated, you will get through it and before you know it, your surgery date will be upon you. Plus...you will see a nice weight loss before surgery. I lost 17 lbs. during by two week pre-surgical diet.

Me neither. I'd say skip it if it's not that important to you to attend. There will be lots more BBQs over the summer that you'll be better able to deal with. If it is important to you, make some excuse why you can't eat. Tummy ache, toothache, just some kind of excuse to get you through it.

Don't be concerned about people noticing your eating habits. I'm 5 1/2 months out and I can tell you by my own experience, no one pays attention to what you are eating...they are busy thinking about what they are eating. I've gone out to dinner several times with people who are unaware I am banded...and no one says squat about what I'm eating...or not. Besides...you can always say you are not that hungry...you have an upset stomach, you are counting calories..which is not a lie..you will be counting calories....blah blah blah. I promise you, no one will notice if you don't bring attention to it. I'd do what your husband suggests. Sounds like your mom has her own issues and you don't need her crap on top of the stress you will have until you are used to this new banded life. Good luck on your lapband journey.

Don't be sorry you posted the question. You got the answers I suspect you expected. I'm sure it's difficult to come to terms with the fact that your life partner may not be supportive. If this is the case, know that you are not alone. There are plenty of people on this site with little or no family or friends supporting their decision. It was suggested you seek professional help if you will not have the support you need. I think it's a good suggestion. Love yourself...take care of yourself. It's your life and you must come first. Value yourself. We find that such a difficult thing to do...especially if we are not happy with our physical selves but you are worth being healthy regardless of the cost...or difficult reactions from those we expect love us most. Good luck.

It's very possible. I'm one of those people with no fills and am down 65 lbs. in 5 1/2 months. I don't know why this is when most people have to get fills but if this bump in the road you just suffered means that you may not need fills.. then all the better. Good luck!

Oh boy can I relate to that. I live in NYC and go to Broadway and off-Broadway shows alot. Most of the theaters are 100 years old and even though they've been renovated, the seats are very tight. I was at the theater just last Tuesday night in fact and sat down without thinking and slipped into the seat. Then my friend sat down next to me...she and I used to be the same size though not anymore and she made that oofff sound trying to squeeze into the seat and I could see how tough it was. Those are the things I think about when the head hunger starts and it's still so new...these changes in my life, that it's easy right now to walk away from bad food and overeating. I hope those NSVs never get old and can inspire me long after I can take all this for granted.

Nothing hurts more than when a 'loved one' criticizes. I suspect since you haven't told your mother about your surgery, she's not very supportive. I would look to avoid her for a while as she seems to be toxic for you. My sister is also heavy and she is getting pressure from some family members to do what I did and get the lapband. I've never pressured her and try to downplay my focus on eating per the band when I'm with her as it is very important to me that she make that decision herself.

I think most of us have trouble seeing the truth in the mirror...whether it's that we are smaller...or larger. It's almost always in pictures that you see the reality...be it the horror of just how fat we've gotten, or..oh wow...look how much smaller I've gotten. Oh and by the way...I've lost 65 lbs. and have gone down a couple of sizes in my clothes but only one size down in underwear. And even those sizes are dependent on the manufacturer. I try to not pay too much attention to the size as long as it's smaller than it was at the start of my journey. People are giving me lots of compliments because the weight loss is very noticeable now, but I have to remind myself that I'm still fat...just not as fat. I have to lose another 50 lbs. at least. And a picture taken of me last week proves it. I saw the picture and said to myself...easy does it girl...you're still a fat woman and don't you forget it.

I'm five months post banded so long enough to have a bit of experience but not so long that I can't remember when I was a newbie. I have never felt restriction...I've never felt anything to tell me the band is there...except...and this is a big except.....I lose my hunger on a fraction of the amount of food I used to eat. I am never full...that is not the goal. The goal is to be satisfied. I have the same amount of food each time I have dinner...three ounces Protein, half cup veggies, quarter cup carbs. I have been doing this since leaving the mushie stage behind and it's working for me. Breakfast and lunch...less food usually but not always. I never go over though and I use Myfitnesspal to track it all. I've lost 65 lbs. including the pre-surgical diet. I can't give you any insight in terms of fills though...I haven't had one yet but most folks have had several and you can read plenty about those experiences on this forum. Good luck on your journey.

Woo Hoo!! Congratulations...way to go!

Hang in there aviva. I just flew recently after dropping 63 lbs. and the difference was amazing. I fit in the seat no problem, I buckled the belt and even had extra to tighten, the armrest went down...and stayed down instead of riding up my hip and the tray table went down without my having to move my belly out of the way. It was the best plane ride I'd taken in years. You will have that same experience as well and it will be just as exciting for you as it was for me. Good luck!

love to read these NSVs! They're wonderful and inspiring..

I'm a couple of pounds away from being under 200 for the first time in years. I should reach that goal next week or the following. I still have a long way to go..I'd like to lose another 50 lbs. but the thought of getting on the scale at my primary doctor's office and not setting the weight at 200 or even 250 (which I had to do before being banded) truly makes me smile.

that my friend is a very attainable goal. good luck to you!