stept04

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I was thinking maybe you could find someone that would allow you to make payment arrangements. Good luck, and hope you are able to find a solution.
~~~Stephanie

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I was thinking maybe you could find someone that would allow you to make payment arrangements. Good luck, and hope you are able to find a solution.
~~~Stephanie

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I was thinking maybe you could find someone that would allow you to make payment arrangements. Good luck, and hope you are able to find a solution.
~~~Stephanie

What your doctor told you is 100% correct.
food passes through the band in less than a minute. If it's sitting above the band, then your band is too tight and it will stretch the pouch. This can lead to a lot of problems, including erosion,reflux, and slips.
Always trust your doctor over anything you read on these forums. We're not doctors and we're no experts.

You are a wealth of knowledge Missy, you never cease to amaze me.
~~~Stephanie

I was surprised the pre-op diet ended up being easier than I had imagined. I was able to have 3 to 4 Meal Replacement shakes, 1 Protein bar and all the Clear Liquids I could handle. I did learn some about my relationship with food (still am), but I couldn't believe how well I did even my husband was surprised. I found that as long as I had something in my mouth I was ok. So maybe I never got pass the sucking thumb phase , but it is true I have to be chewing or drinking something so I've replaced the food I use to use with crystal light and gum. It has been working so far. Sounds like you have a good handle on things you should do great. Good luck. And by the way I was all over the place a lot before my surgery.
~~~Stephanie

It's fine as far as consistency, but you'll want to be mindful of the calories going forward.
My "treat" is a non-fat caramel mocha from McDonalds. I get one about once a week, but I'm always careful to log the calories against my daily total. In this case, a medium is 280 calories. That doesn't seem like a lot, but if I had them regularly it would add up fast.
Best wishes.

The pain sounds a lot like it did for my kidney stones. You ought to call you PCM for this one. I don't mean to scare you just telling you what happened to me. Good luck. It did not have anything to do with the pre-op diet for me.
~~~Stephanie

I was surprised the pre-op diet ended up being easier than I had imagined. I was able to have 3 to 4 Meal Replacement shakes, 1 Protein bar and all the Clear Liquids I could handle. I did learn some about my relationship with food (still am), but I couldn't believe how well I did even my husband was surprised. I found that as long as I had something in my mouth I was ok. So maybe I never got pass the sucking thumb phase , but it is true I have to be chewing or drinking something so I've replaced the food I use to use with crystal light and gum. It has been working so far. Sounds like you have a good handle on things you should do great. Good luck. And by the way I was all over the place a lot before my surgery.
~~~Stephanie

The pain sounds a lot like it did for my kidney stones. You ought to call you PCM for this one. I don't mean to scare you just telling you what happened to me. Good luck. It did not have anything to do with the pre-op diet for me.
~~~Stephanie

The best way to know is if you talk to your doctor and he says you need one,
If you can be satisfied on a cup or less of food for at least 4 hours, you may not need a fill. If you're hungry often and can't be satisfied on a cup of food, you may need a fill.

No, in fact nothing should cause that pain, let alone a pre-op diet.
You need to call your medical doctor before seeing a chiropractor. If your doctor finds nothing wrong then try the chiropractor but you don't want a chiropractor for an actual medical issue.

Everything will be ok. Good luck and soon you'll be banders.
~~~Stephanie

I use Bariactric Advantage they meet all the requirements for a banded patient( they have them for banded,by-pass.and sleeve). They are not a bad price for amount you get and how long they last. You can find them at BariactricAdvantage.com.
~~~Stephanie

I 'm on my second fill and have 5,3 in my band and I do have some restriction I can stay full for about 3 hrs so far. It seems every body is different. So good luck. It will come.
~~~Stephanie

I agree with mrsinto.and as a side note a friend of mine had her TOM cramps get better after she was banded so there seems to be a connection I've heard other people post about having worse cramps too. I don't have one anymore so I can't speak from experience. But definitely check with your Doc to be sure everything is Kosher.
~~~Stephanie

Congratulations on your weight loss so far! Yes, this community is so valuable to me, I don't know how I would cope without it. Welcome and keep sharing your stories and asking questions, we are all happy to help!!!
The bloating will go away by week 3, it's normal and if that's your only concern right now you are doing great!!!

Here's what you're getting into. a whole new way of eating/dealing with food. small portions, very very limited fast food/processed food/high calorie food...fried is a no-no, sodium is limited...you really must comit to a healthier lifestyle. if you don't, you will not succeed with the band any better than any other weight loss attempt you've made. You can also cause complications if you are not compliant. Now...if you are truly ready and want this, the rewards will be great. Just read posts from those who are successful and you will see what I'm talking about. good luck on your journey.

I'm 41 and had it last year. Started at 266, now 180something... Down at least 80, maybe more. DEFINITELY the best thing I've ever done. Not hard. It feels natural. You will be able to eat again, and it's surprisingly natural.