PrettyThick1

Call your doctor, I haven't had dry heaves but I know it must be torture and you don't want to risk injury. Keep us posted.

How did your arm and breast lift surgeries go? I know I'm going to have to have my arms done, there is no doubt about that - as long as I hold them out to the side, they look like normal sized arms, but when I look at the profile...ugh, it looks like an upside down steep hill and I can't stand it. Do you have any before and after pics?

You've done an outstanding job! You even look taller, but I can see from the door frame that you're height hasn't changed at all! Isn't that something? Keep up the good work...and share your workout routine with us, please.

Congrats and Welcome Carrie! You're amongst friends here, if you have questions feel free to ask and of course do lots of reading. I learned so much from this forum that I had very few questions for my counselors or my surgeon - there is nothing like first hand advice from others who have already gone through the process. Just keep in mind: no two bands or bandsters are alike and try not to compare your results with others. Some of us started losing immediately after surgery and have been full speed ahead the entire time, some take time to start losing - sometimes it doesn't happen until after a fill or two. But you will lose substantially! For now, enjoy the last of your pre-band days by eating all of the things you can think of - at the quantities you want to eat them. After your surgery, you will still be able to eat whatever you want (after you're healed of course) as long as the entire meal fits in the equivalent of a Dixie cup. LOL I have no regrets, I am happy with my decision and I know you will be too!

I tell them the truth and if they ask how, I tell them the truth about that as well.

I'd ask the doctor first. I wasn't comfortable enough at that stage of the game to even try crunches or sit ups. I believe it is recommended that strenuous activity be put on hold for a certain period, right now your focus should be low impact cardio and not strength.

If it's just a day or so, go for it but any longer than that you'll be setting yourself up for something. The preop period is hard enough, I wouldn't start it any sooner than I had to. Being on the other side now, I wish I had a couple of my pre-preop days back so I could eat as much as I wanted to. I understand your excitement and all, but you should wait until you actually need to start the preop diet otherwise you're likely to get burnt out and be miserable in the days leading up to your surgery.

Congratulations!

That's awesome! I am off of metformin, too. I quoted my A1C wrong...I don't know what that was, but I know my fasting blood sugar was 150. I'm now 95-105 when I check it!

My BP was doing some wicked things before the band...it had gone up as high as 170/92 or something like that. I'm already back to 120/80. Not only that, but I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in February with a fasting A1C of 150, I am now off the meds and am usually around 95 - 105! Ain't the band grand?!?

I've gotten it and mine actually came in small tablets, I've swallowed them whole about 4 hours ago and I don't have a weird taste or anything.

I haven't had that happen. You should call your doctor.

Happy Changes: Fitting better in airplane seats. Shedding 10 years from my face. My mom being proud that I am getting healthy. My daughter and her friends saying I'm pretty. My adult Grisly Bear snore has reduced to a bear cub. People who haven't seen me in a while say "DAYYUUMM" before "Hello" Ordering from the kids menu in restaurants and still having a doggie bag. Paying the kids price at a buffet. Controlling my portions in spite of how much food is around me. Great dreams that I remember when I wake up. Being admired. Feeling enthusiastic. Fitting in clothes I almost gave away. Being able to take hand-me-downs from the sexy and stylish girl at work. Not shopping at Lane Bryant, the Avenue, Strutt or any other "Big Girl" store. Shopping in the Junior's section and looking good in what I try on. No real cravings anymore. Being comfortable in a 2 person go-cart. Changes that require me to think: Is this my underwear or my 14 year old daughter's? Would this guy have been interested in me 6 months ago? Will what I am about to eat make me slime? It didn't yesterday... Things I miss / make me unhappy: chocolate makes me PB - chocolate milk, a hershey's kiss, ice cream. The casino buffet - I use to really put away the crab legs and lobster tails. Taking 30 minutes longer to eat than everyone else at the table. Being asked if I am losing too fast. Being asked if I am eating / what I ate. I could probably think of more, but this is my main list...as you see the ups far outweigh the downs.

I'm still in the trial and error phases of life with my band and slime rather frequently. I was wondering if this is harmful? I'm not PB'ing really...or at least I don't think so, it's not food, just slime.

It took a little bit of getting use to. Maybe try chopping it in a food processor a little bit before chewing it yourself.

Congratulations on your marriage! I've heard of people getting unfilled during pregancy and everything went well. How exciting for you! I wish you the best of luck on your new life, you have so much to look forward to!

I'm sorry for you disappointment and hope that you will get your band sooner than you think. Try to keep in mind that everything happens for a reason, you could have gotten a defective band or any number of things. Just trust the process, no matter how disheartening it might be right now.

I was just about out of my expensive Vitamins and was determined that I wasn't going to keep spending that much money for them, so I placed an order for TwinLab Bariatric Support Chewable Multi in berry flavor with Iron from iHerb on Friday (60 ct. - $9.99) and they arrived this morning! I like these because you only need 1 as opposed to 2-4 of other brands, which is a savings in itself. While I was on the site, I did a bit more surfing and found Certified Organic Spirulina, after doing a bit of research on the product it sounded like something that would be beneficial for me...and other bandsters! I bought the small bottle, which is certified organic and labeled as a Genuine Whole food. The retailer is a trusted Google site, so I was fairly sure I couldn't go wrong trying it. I also purchased a box of Black Currant tea (I love this stuff!) and my entire order including shipping was only $27.00. I thought I'd share this with you all. What is it? Spirulina is a natural “algae” (cyanbacteria) powder that is incredible high in Protein and nutrients. When harvested correctly from non-contaminated ponds and bodies of Water, it is one of the most potent nutrient sources available. It is largely made up of protein and essential amino acids, and I typically recommend it to clients who decide to remain vegetarian for its high natural iron content. It is often touted for its high B-12 content, though there is a lot of debate about if this particular form is a complete and absorbable form of B-12 and I don’t recommend it completely in place of animal products. The high concentration of protein and iron also makes it idea during pregnancy, after surgery or anytime the immune system needs a boost. Health Properties: Though it does taste like pond scum, Spirulina has some great health-boosting qualities: Spirulina is 65% protein and amino acids including the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which has gotten a lot of attention for its anti-inflammatory properties, especially when taken with other quality Omega-3 supplements like Fermented Cod Liver Oil. (I suspect that the benefits of GLA in Spirulina are even more than what the studies have found since these studies often use vegetable oils for their GLA source, and the other inflammatory compounds in vegetable oils can interfere with the anti-inflammatory ability.) It contains all essential amino acids. Spirulina contains Omega 3-,6 and 9s and is especially high in Omega-3s. Spirulina is extremely high in Chlorophyll, which helps remove toxins from the blood and boost the immune system. Spirulina has a very high concentration of bio-available iron and is excellent during pregnancy and for those with anemia and will not cause constipation. Spirulina is a great source of other nutrients including (according to Wikipedia): “Spirulina contains vitamins B-1(thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3(nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid), Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin A and vitamin E. It is also a source of potassium, Calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments which may be beneficial and bioavailable” This Spirulina (from Mountain Rose Herbs) was tested be an independent laboratory and found to have an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of over 24,000 which is 4x the ORAC score of blueberries. The ORAC score is generally used to measure antioxidant ability and concentration in different foods. Spirulina is also incredibly high in calcium with over 26 times the calcium in milk, making it excellent for children, the elderly and during pregnancy. Some research has suggested that Spirulina may be helpful in allergies and allergic reactions. Spirulina’s phosphorus content makes it helpful as part of a tooth remineralization regimen. Emerging evidence suggests that it binds with radioactive isotopes and may be useful for radioactivity exposure or radiation therapy. The protein in Spirulina is highly usable and has a net protein utilization rate of between 50-61% Spirulina can bind with heavy metals in the body and help remove them. Spirulina can increase fat burning during exercise.

I definitely can't eat first thing in the morning, that would be a disaster. I have coffee or hot tea and have something soft an hour or two later.

You're fine...you didn't really mess up. Water retention has little to no effect on the amount of fat you're trying to eliminate from your liver. Want to hear about somebody messing up on the preop diet? I'll spare you...just know that I didn't get serious until 5 days before my surgery and I was fine. But don't let my bad behavior influence you to do the same. Keep reading labels and doing the best you can, nobody is perfect.

Welcome to "Bandster Hell", your visit here won't last long but we'll make damn sure you don't forget your time spent here. :ph34r: Don't worry, what you are going through can be normal. You are still in the healing stages and you're still very gassy - you can expect these symptoms to continue for a couple more weeks or so. Fill your tummy with whatever you can tolerate at this point - mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, Peanut Butter...you're okay for mushies now so just try to keep those at hand and take tiny tiny bites. I can't stand Protein shakes anymore myself, they make me gag - at one point I loved them, swore by them but that phase is long past now. Although I didn't need prescription anti-nausea medication for very long, I know that it helped during that time and I chewed on a lot of ice chips. If you don't have a store nearby that has it, chop it up in your blender or food processor. You can add Crystal Light or any unsweetened juice to make a slush with it...you have to get creative though. I hate you are regretting your decision, but please keep in mind that it is too soon for you to make that determination. After day 4, I was over the misery and feeling better but everybody is different. Just hang in there, it gets better.

That sounds about right to me. My hunger was just starting around that time - enjoy the fact that you have none and you haven't even gotten a fill. The band is designed to decrease hunger and that's what yours is doing.

Don't worry about the weight loss, what you describe is completely normal. I didn't start losing well until after my first fill either. I know it's hard, but please try not to compare yourself to others experiences - there are no two bands or bandsters alike. Some loose sooner and faster than others do and there is nothing to be ashamed about at all! You'll start seeing significant progress once your fills start - usually between #3 - #5 seem to be when most people have the most progress.

Hi Teri: I didn't feel any restriction until my second fill - the third put me in the green zone. Don't be concerned about it right now, the key is not to feel hungry so as long as you are topping off with quality Proteins you don't have anything to worry about. Just don't over eat - know your "soft stop" sign (a burp, a sigh or something simple like that) and then stop. The key to losing with the band is for your body not to feel hungry - not to starve it. If you are hungry, you need to put an end to it with something band and diet friendly that keeps you within your calorie count for the day. At your stage, I was just shy of getting my first fill, I was hungry faster than I am now and I ate way more than I should have, but I still lost because I kept myself from being hungry and I didn't PB or vomit in the process. If you haven't scheduled your first fill, you should try to get that done in about another week. That will help with the amount of food you are able to consume and how long it stays with you.

Since you don't have much to lose, it's going to come off much slower than people who are heavier. At my 4 week mark I had 4cc's in my band - 3 from surgery and 1 from my first fill. It definitely sounds like you need a fill if you are hungry all the time. Get one quickly before you start making bad food choices and stall your weight loss.