Careypea

My surgeon (Dr. Montgomery from NW Weightloss) said that if when I lost all my weight, that if my port stuck out and bothered me, then we could move the port underneath the muscle tissue. He said that the drawback is that if I needed a fill, the needle would have to go through the muscle, but if I am at goal, then most likely I wouldn't be needing fills. So the choice would be mine, but that if I decided to get it done, it would be a quick in and out surgery. Carey

Hi all! I am getting banded on Sept. 4th. The lady at the doc's office called yesterday and said my ins was approved, Yea! I said, "Sweet! Can you fit me in tomorrow?!?!" hehehe, she laughed but did say that she would put me on the list, so that if there was a cancelation, they would fit me in sooner. I have already done all my workups, nutrition, and pysch. I am sooooooo excited, I can't wait to get er done! Take care all! Carey

I just had my appointment with my surgeon, and he told me about the 'mini port' as they call it. He said that the mini port is actually not as mini as some would have you believe, that they are the same size in diameter, but that the mini is like a cm smaller in height. So he said it really didn't make that big of a difference. Hope this helps. Carey

Hi all! I am gearing up to have my surgery on Sept. 4th! Yea! I am soooooooooooooooo excited...can I fit anymore o's in there? Anywhoo, I have been with my husband for the last 14 years (I met him on my 19th birthday and we have been inseperable ever since), and he is my best friend, and greatest supporter/saboteur, and yes you can be both. For all those of you who have lost weight, or are at goal, how has it changed your marrige? While I am not at all worried about my marrige crumbling, I am kinda worried about the insecurity factor. For ten years (the ammount of time I ahve been overweight) no man looks at me except him, so I know he is gonna have a hard time with jealousy. Or he could be fine, who really knows. But I was wondering how it has changed your marrige? And sex life? is it better too? Thanks! Carey

Hi all! I have a quick question...I am getting my band on September 4th! Yea! I have three children, and I am just waffling back and forth on weather we want one last child. I want to lose like a hundred pounds first, hence the band. I am 296lbs now. I had one doctor tell me that I shouldn't get pregnant with the band because pregnancy would stretch out my band and it wouldn't work the same after the baby was born. Is this true? I really really want to get at goal weight eventually, and I intend on my band being my best friend for life. Will pregnancy ruin it? Will it work the same after the baby is born? Does anyone know where I can find out more about it? Thanks! Carey

Secondly, your baby isn't in your stomach, lol hehehhee...I was cracking up over that one! :teeth: And it wasn't my Lap band doc that told me that, it was my othepedic (sp?) surgeon who told me that. I was in the followup visit for my hand surgery and we were talking about the lap band (I was telling her I was going to get it). She is one my most favoritest docs, so I wasn't sure if what she said was true, or not. I figured I would ask you guys. Being as how it is not her specialty, maybe she only has heard about the ones that have problems, not those that are fine. Thanks for the replies! So I am guessing from your responses that I will be fine? And my band will work the same after a baby??? :clap2: Carey

How do you guys fair with hamburger? We pretty much eat hamburger 5 out of seven nights a week. My husband and kids love it. None of us like fish and chicken is fine 2x a week tops...wierd huh? So can you eat hamburger? Thanks! Carey

Last question Are any of you able to eat lean cuisines? I have three little kids and I don't ahve time to be making me something different everytime I cook for them, so I figured I would drink lots of shakes (which I love) and was hoping that when I couldn't eat what they were eating, I owuld have a lean cuisine. Carey

Has anyone here never had a fill? Was just having the band installed enough of a restriction for you? For me, I am not a huge sweet eater. I am just hungry a lot. So I am looking forward to getting full. I didn't know how much restriction the band gave you on its own without a fill? Carey

Hey all! I was wondering if you could share your favorite protein shake recipe...mine is to mix 1 cup ff milk, 4 ice cubes, scoop chocolate protien powder, 1 tbs instant coffee, 1 tbs dutch chocolate baking powder, and 1 splenda packet in the blender...mocha yummies! I would like to try some different shakes since I am gonna be on them for awhile. So share your recipes with me? Please?:welldoneclap: Thanks! Carey P.

Hey all! Has anyone here lost signifigant weight and not had extra skin? Just wondering if it is possible. Carey

I have my surgery on June 27th! Yea! I have to say, to say Elisabethsew, that is how I have always dreamed of eating (and being satisfied!). You cheered me up and made my whole day! Carey

Hello! So I was looking in my closet today and I was oohing and ahhing because I have some killer shoes that I can't wear anymore because my feet got so much wider with my weight. :angry To those who have lost some weight...has your feet gotten smaller? For those who have gotten near goal, how did it change your shoe size? I hope hope hope that my feet shrink back to normal size! Thanks! Carey

Hello! One of the things that I am not quite getting is how you all get in your water. If you can't drink an half hour/hour before a meal and an hour after a meal, then how do you get in all your water? Aren't you thirsty? I drink a lot of water and crystal lite and I am thirsty a lot. Also, I have heard that the reason you aren't supposed to drink water with the meal is that it pushes your food through faster. So your supposed to wait an hour. So, if you wait that hour and then drink won't you be hungry again soon? So how is it that you manage to stay full for a long time...hehehe Lastly...my husband hates it but I do chug my water at times. I won't be able to do that anymore right? Even if I am empty? Thanks so much!

I went to the Dr. for my initial consultation and they scared me @#$%less! I have been researching lap band for a year. I have talked to a few people who have had it done, and I have been lurking here for a long time. Well, I went to my inital so excited, and I had to talk to like three nurses and the Dr. All the nurses were former patients. One of them had the lap band, and she had lost 160 lbs. in ten months. She looked good in her cloths, but in her little photo album she had a pic of her naked and it was soooooo scary. I have resigned myself to the fact that I would have to have plastic surgery, but this was insane. Arms, abs, her whole legs, boobs...everything. I know that part of that is that she lost so much so fast. And honestly I don't want to lose that fast. I am content with like 2 pounds a week because of the skin issue. I don't have money coming out my ears for plastic surgery. But she went on to tell me that she eats pretty much like an atkins type diet...which the Dr. recommended...and she never cheats. I don't want to eat like that my whole life I had accepted that I would possibly never eat bread again. But I have a husband and three children, and I don't have time to make different food for me at every meal. I had thought that I would be able to eat what everyone else eats (minus bread, sugar, etc.) just on a very smaller portion scale (but I would also drink my protien shake (which I love anyway). Then to be told that I would only eat like steak, fish, and salad and veggies...literally scared the crap out of me. I really didn't think that eating that way was the reality of lap band. I know that I have to radically change my eating habits, and I don't want to eat like I do presently...but I had thought that I would be able to eat a bite of a birthday cake, or have a small portion of lasagna (without so much noodle), or a little bit of potato. I tried atkins and I hated it...I lost 50 pounds on it...but I don't want to eat that way for the rest of my life. Like I had said, I figured that I would eat what my family ate, or if they were eating something that I just couldn't eat, i would heat up a lean cuisine or something, or have a shake. Something quick cause I don't want to spend my life chained to the kitchen. Can you please give me your experiences? How do you eat now after the band has been put in? Do you only eat steak, fish, salad and veggies? Oh, and I make my shakes with FF milk, and they told me that I would never be able to drink milk again. I HATE shakes made with Water...yucky! I wasn't plannin on drinking a gallon a day, just a cup with my shake...help! Careypea

Sorry, I didn't reply to you all. I got the flu unexpectedly. I wanted to thank all of you who replied. You have made me feel so much better! I was soooooo excited, then so scared, it was like a car with the breaks on! All I want is a normal life. My life now certianly isn't normal. And eating only steak/fish and salad doesn't seem normal to me either. So I just want to thank all of you for your responses. I really don't think that what I envisioned my life is unrealistic, and that is so comforting. You guys are great and you gave me back my enthusiasm...I know I spelled tha wrong, but you get the idea! Thanks! Carey P.S. If anyone else wants to give me their take...I would love it!

two things...coffee. I don't drink a lot of coffee, but I do like to put instant coffee in my Protein shakes. The nurse told me that I would have to switch to decaf...:Banane43: also, I don't want to give the impression that I am ragging on the nurses. They (Dr. included) were all so nice and very sweet and trying to be very helpful...but they were scaring the pants off of me. :thumbs_up: thanks for any responses! Careypea

sorry, I guess I could have made that more clear. I meant the lap band rules, not the website rules Thanks so much! guns n roses (Love your name!) I am a month out, but I am so geared up I am going to start walking and cutting back on sugar, etc. on monday. This weekend is my last hoorah! I don't want to slip into the "Last meal" mentality. I want to get a running start at my weightloss! Carey

Hello! I am new...very excited to have found this site. It took me about a year to decide on getting the lap-band, but now I just want to get it done! I am a 33 year old houswife with three lovely kids and an absolutely FABULOUS husband who tells me I am beautiful even though I weight 289lbs. He's a Keeper! I didn't have a weight problem until after I had my first child. I had post partum depression really bad, added to it that we moved away from my family (which I am really close to) and we only had one car which my husband took to work and left me stranded all day with a baby...alone, and mix it all together....major depression. So I ate to comfort myself. In 10 years I went from weighing 135lbs to 289lbs. In these 10 years I have tried almost everything and finally this last year I hit bottom and gave up. I can't do it on my own. I needed a patch to quit smoking, I don't know why it too me so long to realize that that is kind of what the Lap band is like. A tool to take the edge off one part of the problem so I can deal with the emotional part of it. I am rambling...sorry. I have my initial visit with Dr. Shrikanth in Federal Way, Wa. on Monday. I am really excited. I also scheduled all of my other necessary appointments today...I am one of those people who take a long time to decide, and then when I do, I am really quick about getting it done and wishing it could go faster. Anway...people keep mentioning "rules" but I can't find them. Could someone give them to me? Sorry for the long post. I am glad to have found this site! Carey