Raven5683

I've told Everyone!!! And happy that I have. Everyone has been very supportive! I have people come up to me quite frequently knowing I have the Lapband, because I've attended the graduate meeting a couple times and then went to the Pre surgery meeting and spoke to the audience as a graduate of lapband surgery. So I'm known all over the state. I meet people all over that recognize me, from curves, grocery store, even at work! I'm not shy and I'll answer anyones questions. I felt like telling the surgeon today when I went for my fill, that I should start getting a cut because I've been sending a lot of people his way!!!

Hi there, I'm an LPN. I work at an assisted living facility for spinal and brain injury patients. It's tough work but I find it rewarding! I was banded back in March and worked at a pediatricians office. Everyone new what I was doing and was Incredibly supportive!!! I still go back and visit to show off my progress!!!

Thanks so much for your ideas...Keep them coming! Today I tried something new...I made a little salad with baby lettuce and some other veggies and topped it with 3 slices of Healthy Choice ham & turkey and a serving size of 75% fat free sharp cheddar cheese. The meat & cheese protein = 19g I used the New Salad Spritzers (not bad) for 10 calories per 10 sprays 1g fat. I also bought the meatless burger scramble. I'm going to attempt a veggie chili with fake meat. That would make good left overs for lunch. A serving of the meatless burger is 2 oz and it's 7g protein and the beans are 8g protein. That's not bad and could add a little low fat cheese on top. We're talking 15-20g protein for a serving of chili.

:help:I need some ideas for lunch at work. I have access to a kitchen so anything goes. I've been taking the bumble bee's 2.9oz cups of tuna mixed with ff mayo and some crackers BUT my family is concerned with how much tuna I've been taking in...The mercury thing. I could eat tuna every day (well I practically have been since banded :faint:). I need light high protein ideas. :eek:Note I tried canned chicken in a chicken salad YUCK! The more variety the better. Thank you!

I do the egg beaters... 1/4 cup Egg Beaters 1 Whole Egg Calories 30 75 Total Fat 0g 5g Cholesterol 0mg 210mg Carbohydrates 1g 1g Protein 6g 6g I get the garden veggie egg beaters and do an omlet or scrample and add in a pinch of low fat or fat free shredded cheese. I also top my eggs with Salsa sometimes for a kick. Also Special K Protein Plus Cereal has 10g protein per serving cereal. That is Great for a cereal and the carbs aren't too bad at 14g and the Fiber is 5g. Not a bad choice. On the go I grab a Luna Bar 10g of protein and Lots of flavors. Hope this helps! :hungry:

Thank you everyone for your replies! It's been very helpful. I think maybe I will shoot for a clothing size too...that seems more obtainable that way and not so fixed on the weight! :clap2: Thanks again!

At none of the meetings or doctors/nurses visits or Nutrionist visits has anyone talked about a Goal Weight...I was just wondering if people could tell me how they are picking their goal weight. Is it comfort? Where the band takes you? Nutritionist? PCP? BMI? I don't know where to start. The goal on my ticker is the high end of the healthy BMI for my height. But 125 lbs I feel like I would look anorexic at that weight. I haven't been that weight since maybe junior high. I want to be healthy but I want to be able to have some meat on my bones. I use to be hot all the time now I'm ALWAYS freezing! I can't imagine being 125 lbs I'd have no insulation! Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!

I'm having a hard time loosing my tummy!!! My butt and bust were the first to go. Since my Surgery in March I've lost: Bust: 5 1/2" Waist: 7" Abdomen: 4" Hips: 6 1/2 " Thighs: 5 1/2" each Arms: Biceps 1" each My waist and hips and bust have lost the most :clap2: The abdomen and Bat Wings aren't budging!!! UGH:mad:

The pre meetings I went to mentioned loans or home equity loans? Is this possible? your payments may be lower than $250 depending on the length of the loan...Just a thought.

It is completely normal to be worried you're going to miss foods. I think most of us went through it ourselves. You even go through a mourning phase of missing food. I agree with Was a Bubble butt...You are NOT thinking like a bander! You can not honestly understand as a pre-banded the feeling of not caring about food like you do now. Now to answer your question, Yes there are people that can still eat the above listed foods BUT these are the types for foods you want to avoid...they are the reason behind us getting the lapband. You want to eat healthier. There are people that come on here and complain they are Not loosing weight and if you ask them what they are eating...chances are they will reluctantly tell you about the junk they are still eating like a pre-bander. You have a Much smaller stomach - it is Important you take in your healthy Protein (shrimp, chicken, fish High Proteins...I occasionaly enjoy a small trim piece of steak) and once you have your protein then add a healthy veggie type carb. And on occasion I've had some rice or even a little bit of wheat Pasta...but it's a "Treat" now, not every night with my meals like before! This is a new way of eating/living. You will understand and feel it once you are banded. Like I said it is hard to fathem at this point but you will! Check out my numbers...I'm loosing quite well for 4 1/2 months out. I avoid white carbs but I don't deny myself. If my family is having Doritos I'll have one or two and that satisfies my urges. I'm able to have a bite or two of something and feel like I had some but lets not get out of hand. And I don't do it everyday!!! Good luck...

My starting BMI was 53.3 at 273 lbs I'm only 5'0"! I'm currently down to 174 with a BMI of 34.0 -->this makes me OBESE no longer extreme or morbidly obese etc...:clap2: I'm still confused as to what to pick for a final weight goal. I choose 125 (49 lbs to go) as it's on the high end of good BMI for my height. That's how I picked but don't know if this is realistic. Who should I ask about picking a goal weight? At the moment I've just been enjoying the ride down hill. But eventually feel I should have a realistic goal. Thanks!

I'm just over four and a half months out! I feel Wonderful! Really things with your friends and family don't change except they may pick up on your better eating habbits and that's a good thing! My doc gave me a brochure with different foods that don't work well for banders and I avoid them. I have never PB'd or slimed! I go out to eat (I even ate out two weeks after surger we went to TGI Fridays and I had the French Onion soup and guess what I asked if they could blend it up for me and they did it for me!). It was so worth it being able to go out to eat with my family. When we go to friends for dinner we usually bring food with us and this ensure I can eat and eat healthy. Everyone around me is excited for me, even if they don't understand my diet restrictions, they are willing to work with me. And I'm excited for me because I feel Wonderful!!! 54 lbs since surgery (3/29/07) and 99 lbs since heaviest weight last year! I feel like a new person! It is soooo worth it! It's a new way of living: healthier food choices, exercise these are "Normal"! The way I ate and lived pre banded that was NOT normal! Best wishes...you will make the right decision! :clap2:

I had a really bad time with my first fill! I almost past out. The pain was rediculus! and I have a high pain tolerance. I was so nervous about getting another fill I waited an extra 3 weeks. I wasn't loosing and had to force myself to eat correctly waiting to get the fill. I went in for the second fill on Valium and asked for the lidocaine this time (and even put a towel over my head so I couldn't watch). I don't have a problem with needles...but I'm totally with you the whole needle in the abdomen freaks me out! In anycase the second time went much smoother. I think I could even do it again this time without the Valium. I will however be getting the lidocaine to numb the area and HIGHLY recommend this. As well as DON'T LOOK!!! Good luck it's not that bad. I can say that now!

I had my second fill...I've been putting it off for a bit. I hit a plateau for 2 1/2 - 3 weeks of staying at the same weight so I knew I needed another fill. But after my first one I was not in a hurry to go back! Well I went back on this past Wednesday 7/25/07 and I'm glad I did. I took a low dose valium to calm me down before going (yes I asked my doc first, my PCP gave me the med). I had him use the Lidocaine this time and WOW that made the difference! I also threw a towel over my head so I couldn't watch! I felt some pressure like he was feeling around for the port but NO pain this time and I was able to get up and leave right away this time No passing out! On the way out though my husband (who watched) said he stuck me like 6 times! He kept sticking me and digging around to find the right spot. I thought last time was bad, he had to stick me twice but SIX times...I'm glad I was numb! I had a bruise later and it was sore when the numbness wore off. But Hey I didn't pass out!

The lapband will not Ruin your life...it will change your life for the Better...It forces you to eat healthier foods, better portion control, and exercise. I feel great, I have more energy and better health (proven by labs). Research all your options, but the Lapband is less invasive a choice. If you've been like most of us on here and have done diet after diet and yo-yo'd down and up and up and up this is just the change you are looking for. Everyone was very supportive of me doing this until the last days before I was scheduled to have it done...At which point my mom (and others) were asking me all sorts of questions including asking if I was sure I wanted to do this. They were just nervous, anytime someone has surgery it's nerve wracking to the people around them. As well as they didn't have all the information I did. I researched this thoroughly and had all my questions answered...but the people around me didn't research it like I did. And on top of that, they go but what they hear on the TV. and news. Do what's right for you!