Kitt3000

So, I start my pre-op diet tomorrow at least it's not just liquids, i can have veggies and meat too. Countdown is on, only 22 sleeps til surgery day April 10th. I took my before pics tonight, can't wait for the after pics. So excited for this and everyone else with upcoming surgeries.

I will meet my Dr. for the first time tomorrow and will start my pre-op diet the next day. 16 days to go before banded.
I told my DH I'm getting butterflies and he told me to enjoy it cause other than liquids that all I'll have in my stomach for a while. haha!
we have to have a sense of humor, and although i keep hearing alot about bandster hell and know we're all about to go through it, I'm excited....excitement and a sense of humor will get all of us through it!!!
April, I cant wait

Nutri bullet...almost like magic bullet but has bigger motor and can break down anything you put in it. I make green smoothies that taste amazing. 2 handfuls of baby spinach, frozen mangoes,water, Protein powder, some berries, ..very good. U can add seeds nuts etc.

Hi Hannaband! I am going in on the 10th @ 9:30. We will have to give gg the scoop!

Welcome to your new family you will absolutely love this site an ask all the questions you need to an they will be answered. I was banded today! Good luck many wishes on your new journey

You look Fabulous!

Congratulations! You are such an inspiration!!!!!! Job well done!

Congratulations!!! When you see such drastic changes in your health so quickly you can't help but be proud of yourself! The numbers you seen today mean so much more than how quickly the numbers change on the scale! Health is the number one goal and you are definitely on the right path! Congratulations also on your great weight loss!

Went to my primary doctor today he is very proud of my dedication and my blood panel. My fasting A1c shows I am headed on the right path to remove my Pre-diabetic (insulin resistance) status! AND the very best thing is he reduced my blood pressure meds to the lowest possible dose! I am so excited these very things scared the hell out of me, hence the reason I actually did something about my weight.
Doc states he will fully take me off my BP meds if I continue to report lower levels THIS IS HUGE TO ME. I hate taking pills and my poor heart having to work so hard for so long. I have been on BP meds for years.
This is me excited: Shaking my booty............
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Creekwood, that was awesome of you to help with site instructions! Kind.

Using your iPad to reply to a topic you click on the arrow pointing to the right in the top right hand corner, then click reply to thread. Then all of your questions/answers will be on the same thread. I love the iPad/iPhone app (with a few small exceptions). I use the app at least 90% of the time.
If you wish to view the full version but still use the iPad open lapbandtalk.com on safari and login. This will take you to the desktop version vs the mobile. Then you will be able to view people's profiles etc.. Good luck with your upcoming surgery!!

You are experiencing what many call "bandster hell". The swelling from surgery has gone down; you haven't had any fills and your appetite is back with a vengeance. This is where YOU have to do the work by following the bandster rules: Protein first, eat slow, chew well, and stop eating when you are satisfied. You can get through this!!

ok. so i was kinda nervous about going to my moms house for Easter lunch. this was her menu - pot roast - pan brown gravy - mashed potatoes - english peas - salad - deviled eggs - hot rolls - strawberry cream cheese pie - all home made and home grown!.... normally - i'd fix a plate and go back for whatever seconds i could stuff in.... all while washing it down w/whatever i was drinking! however.... now that i have 'recomitted' and am diligent about following my rules.. i pre made MY lunch at home last night and jus took it w/me to my moms house. i had 1 c salad greens w/2tbsp zesty italian dressing mixed w/2 tbsp of salad vinegar - 4.5 oz of oven roasted turkey breast - fire/ice pickles (dill pickle silices cooked w/splenda - tobasco sauce - and add red food coloring when done - then cool in the fridge - they're sooooo good) then i added 2 deviled eggs and only half a small dinner roll - from moms!! i ate my lunch while everyone was eating theirs. My family is super supportive!!! i am full and satisified, and i'm not angry at myself for making unhealthy food choices. it took some extra time last night just to get everything together, but it certainly paid off!! yay me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for listening

Happy Easter to all my banded brothers and sisters.. It is a beautiful, sunny and warm day here in North Florida.. I am so lucky to be able to report that I rode my horse today.. It has been over a year since I rode.. I got to the point that I was too heavy to get in the saddle.. then I worried about my poor horse lugging me around.. after losing 30 lbs since my surgery on January 15, 2013 I have the energy and confidence to start riding again... I had about lost all hope of ever being able to pursue my favorite pastime again.. Today we will have a family dinner to Celebrate Easter and I plan to stick to my plan, 3 oz Protein (including a deviled egg) and no fattening breads or potatoes.. I am making strawberry "Shortcake".. I use splenda in the berries and angel food cake . I will have some strawberries and maybe a little whipped cream ... I am so looking forward to losing the remainder of my weight and getting back to doing things I love... I hope all of you have a blessed Easter Day..

OMG, Missy. That is EXACTLY the point. How many times in my life have I dieted, lost a significant amount of weight, just to gain it back again. I just don't want to put myself out there for another failure. I must say, though, I'm feeling more confident since finding this forum and all the wonderful people on it.

Only 3 people in my life know. I tell people I am working out and eating healthier small portions, which is very true.
Unfortunately people are very judgemental and think we are taking the easy way out! We all know in here that the lapband is NOT the easy way out and we have to work very hard at this. I know i do!
Congrats on your awesome weight loss!

you are responsible 100%
the band is merely a necklace on your tummy..you are the one eating better food in your allotted amounts and exercising...the band is assisting you..but make no mistake, you are doing this..your not cheating, you merely saved your life.

Thank you Missy, I agree with you, but do still kind of feel the same way as Ashleigh. Since I've lost 85 lbs, I get a lot of attention, even from people I never talk to at work and when they ask, I just tell them I eat high Protein, low carb, and track every little morsel that goes in my mouth and that I'm walking for exercise. But in the back of my mind, I know my little friend around my stomach is helping me too. Yesterday was insane though,I finally wore pants and a shirt that fit and everyone, and I mean lots of people, were calling me skinny, I just wish my head would catch up and sometimes I really don't like all of the attention, I know they are being nice to me, but I'm not one that likes to be the center of attention; although, I left a very happy person from work yesterday, so maybe I do like it a little after all, lol.

You're not cheating at all. Look at it like this:
The band is just a tool. Everyone uses different tools for different jobs. When a painter is complimented for a beautiful piece of art, do they respond "Oh thank you, but I cheated, I used a brush to paint with". No!
You're not cheating. You wouldn't be losing weight if you weren't eating right and changed your relationship with food. That is 100% YOU. That's not the band. Look around these boards, you will see post after post of people still eating like they did before surgery and not losing weight as a result. That's not the band's fault, that's their own fault. The band is just a tool to control your hunger, it is YOU that is doing the work.
When someone asks what you're doing, tell them with pride! "I've changed the way I eat and watch my portions". That's not a lie, it's the truth, and it's a truth you should be proud of. The fact you used a tool to do is irrelevant.

Hi everyone, today is my actual 6th year anniversary. I was thinking 6 years ago this minute I was in surgery. And my life is completely different.
First I must say getting the band has been the best thing I've ever done.... But it is something I had to work at to get where I'm at.
I have to say this website was instrumental for many reasons.
1. Before I got the band, it gave me a clear picture of what to expect... The good and the difficulties. I was able to discern between people that were successful and people that had the band for a few years and didn't get anywhere. The successful people journaled their food, exercised and shared their issues to get solutions. When they fell off the wagon... They brushed themselves off and picked themselves off and started again.
I was scared when I read about people that didn't succeed but in reading further, I think they looked at the band as a magic solution rather then a tool to supplement the habits listed above.
2. When I got the band, the site helped me through things that popped up and how to handle. I didn't get involved in the negative comments. I just shared my experience and took others' experiences that made sense to me. We are all different so one persons solution is not another's solution.
3. After losing my weight it also helped me to find a plastic surgeon in my area. And I was thrilled with my choice. The girl that posted her pictures and journey pointed me in the right direction for me.
Since losing my weight, I have to say handling the head hunger has been a pretty big challenge. But I refuse to going back to being the "fatest person in the room". I had that role for too many years and do not want to go back there.
This year I put on 10 lbs and I'm in the process of getting it off. I look at food as an addiction. Having years of recovery in a 12 step program for another issue..... I am applying those principles to food especially sugar. For me it's a physical, mental and spiritual issue. I know physically to reduce calories and exercise. One thing I learned after being banded... 85% of my weight loss needed to come from reducing calories 15% came from exercising. Previously I thought I could exercise my weight to my goal weight.
Mentally I work with a counselor when the journey gets difficult. This helps me to identify why I turn to food when I'm happy, sad, stressed, excited. It doesn't matter what emotion comes up.... My coping mechanism is to turn to food/sugar.
Spiritually... This has been the hardest to develop even tho' I've experienced it in my 12 step program for my other issue. In the past 6 weeks I've made quite a bit of progress. Some of the practices I use to connect to a Higher Power:
1. Daily I read literature related to people that have overcome the food addiction
2. I talk to other people that are dealing with this similar issue
3. Prayer and meditation is key....
Many people are successful with Overeaters Anonymous and I suggest anyone struggling to try it. For me it hasn't helped. I use my other program to apply the 12 step principles and use the OA literature.
Some of the best benefits I've received are:
-Lost 120 lbs, my back and knees no longer hurt from the extra weight. I can breathe better
-I don't have to shop at large size stores. I actually was starting to outsize myself out of lane Bryant. I didn't know where to go after that
-I can sit in a airplane seat and not spill over to the next one or have to have an extension. I used to hate the look on the person next to me when they saw me coming into their row.
I met a wonderful man and got married 2 1/2 years ago. I wouldn't date when I was heavy so I never would've met him.
Most importantly..... I've gained self respect, I'm not ashamed of myself. This is HUGE for me.
Recently, I saw many people switching out from the band to other surgeries. I fully understand and am happy for everyone that finds their solution. I did investigate possible switching to the sleeve but the doctor recommends I stay where I'm at.
I'm not Pollyanna about the band... There are ongoing challenges. Some of them are:
I will always have to make sure I chew, chew, chew and eat slow, slow, slow. I happened to be a fast, large quantity eater in the past. I still have to be reminded.... My band is happy to help me on this ha!
I don't have any fill but I still have restriction. I'm happy about this. But restriction fluctuates when I exercise, fly on an airplane, in the morning etc. I've learned what affects my band and make adjustments.
I cant easily eat some of the things i really enjoy.....eggs, chicken, subway sandwich, peeps, twizzlers. But many of these things got me into trouble....
Is it a struggle? Sometimes....
A small price to pay for the life I have now.
I think as long as anyone considering any weight loss surgery as a tool and not the magic answer.... Can lose weight and have a new life.
I'm very grateful to Alex for starting this website as I'm not sure I would've been successful without it.
Momlambert: congratulations on your Bandiversary . Unbelievable we are still "keep on keepin' on"
I wish everyone success in your weight loss journey
JosieK