cbrock1592

What you may want to invest in is a heart rate monitor. By monitoring your heart rate and where is should be - you will know to either up the incline while holding on or watch your heart rate go up as you let go. It is a very good investment and will keep you increasing your exercise overtime because you will see your heartrate decrease as you get more fit which will then up your workout intensity =)

Is it gas pain or more like chest pain? When were you banded?

I'm going through the same thing right now. I have been an avid Avenue and Lane Bryant shopper for years (can't even remember the last time I was of regular size. I have been shopping at Kohl's for my clothing. It is a wierd adjustment to go to the normal stores. Good luck in your journey! =)

I wish I lost 168lbs this year =) That was from my highest weight. I was 282 when I started WW mid January 2007. So I have lost over 90lbs for the year. Not too bad. I did lose about 50 prior to surgery. Figures I would get approved right after that!

I found that when I cut back on the number of carbs I was eating - only because breads don't like me that much- I saw a tremendous drop in weight. I also bumped my cardio up from 30 mins per day to over an hour. Start small though - but it seems to be helping. My surgeon's goal for me is 185 and i'm almost there. Good luck! (I also track all calories on dailyplate.com which really helped. I maintain about 1300 cals a day. The site is free!)

I'm on Coumodin currently and your supposed to stay away from anything that has Vitamin K because it is a natural blood thickener. You find that in green leafy vegetables, spinach, Olean (fat free chips), etc. Any weight loss plan should work for you - just have to eat the above in moderation and if you do you must eat them consistantly so taht your levels are not thrown off.

I also have Aetna POS II and they wanted proof of a six month supervised diet. Once I had all the proof of trying, I was approved (my BMI was 40 starting out). Good luck!

I finally made it to One-derland! I can't remember the last time my weight ever started there. Very nice feeling. My next goal is 196 - then I will be considered Overweight - and not obese by BMI standards. Almost there!!

Greek Yogurt is my new favorite. I buy the Trader's Joe's brand. 100 calories for 1 cup. 20 grams of protein. I add 2 equal to sweeten. Good luck.

I'm sure this would be a question for your surgeon - but I started the Elliptical about 2 weeks after surgery. But my heart rate would go sky high with very little effort. Took about 4 weeks to get back to normal. I guess it takes that long for your body to heal. I would wear a heart rate monitor to verify your are not over doing it.

They kept the small band in. The swelling went down just as they were going to re-open me and put the larger band in. The only plus to having the smaller band is that I do have natural restriction. I did not need a fill for my 6 week appt. with my surgeon.

I did have a complication. My surgeon put a small band on my because he thought he would have issues getting me to restriction. With the small band and the stomach swelling - I failed the barium swallow. I went in on a Wednesday and got out Monday afternoon. At the time - I was miserable (because they put a tube down my nose) but in hindsight - I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

As someone who lost quite a bit before surgery (130 lbs) - I was on the fence when I did get my approval letter. Having said that - I still went through with the surgery and do not regret it one bit. It gives me the control that I need. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

All depends on what your surgeon says I would think. Mine likes to wait 2 months - but I got the go ahead to start and I am able to take my medications now (one was not crushable). I had to switch to liquids for 6 weeks.

I never used a liquid vitamin. I take a centrum chewable a day.

My highest was 355 in 1998. I got all the way down to 245 in 2002 and just as that happened I got pregnant. I did settle at around 260 which is when I decided to get the lapband surgery. I always seemed to gain and lose the same 20 lbs. I did get my act in shape and I actuallly was down to 231 for surgery. So far so good. I am now at my lowest that I know for my adult life. Now if the scale would just start moving =)

Are you satisfied and feel full after eating this for the day? Do you feel hungry?

How many calories are you taking in a day on average? I was really tired and weak when I was only getting 5-600 calories since I do exercise daily. I was also light headed and dizzy in the morning and at night. I did gradually up my calories to about 1000 per day and all is well now. Hope this helps.

For the past 2 days I have been hungry and seem to have very little restriction. Guess I have entered Bandster Hell. Not that I wanted to go and visit - but hopefully it will be a short stay. At this point I have stopped losing (over a week now) and perhaps eating a bit more (I was only taking in 600 cals a day) will kick start the scale again. If not, I'm patient and can wait until September. Next visit is the 17th. I will def. need a fill!

I have Aetna POS II as my insurance. They did pay 90% of the surgery - which is what my plan states. I expect to meet my out of pocket maximum for the year with the surgery - so hopefully no copays for fills =) I did have to provide 6 months diet and exercise to prove that I needed the surgery. Any other questions - PM me.

I am from the New Haven area and was banded on August 1st at St. Raphael's. They seem to have a better reputation in this area.

They sent you home after you failed the barium test? I failed too - and had to stay an extra 5 days until I could swallow normally.

I just got home from the hospital after a 6 day stay because of the same reason. After surgery, I had such bad chest pain. I too thought it was gas from the surgery - but expected it in my shoulders. What it was that between the band and the swelling in my stomach - nothing was getting through. Did the barium swallow and had such bad chest pains. They had to put an NG tube down my nose and suck out anything that I put in my stomach. Once that was done - the chest pain went away. I stayed a few extra days because I wasn't able to swallow without that same feeling. Took 5 days - but it eventally went down. Hope all is well with you. I did feel much better after I was back to "normal". =)

Well - I was off on Short Term when I had the first round of clots. I had just given birth 2 1/2 weeks earlier. But once your anti coagulated - you should be ok to resume normal activities. They usually keep you on blood thinners about a year to give your body time to reabsorb them into your system. The blood thinners do not absorb the existing clots. And your PCP is correct that they just prevent new ones from forming. For example - the DVT in my leg is still there. I had to do a scan prior to my surgery because of my history and I still have one in my leg. They told me not to worry - because its been there over 4 years and it won't move - scar tissue forms over it. I would need to worry if I broke my leg or has some other type of trauma to my leg. I had a DVT/PE in 2003 and had another DVT in 2004 (which I believe is the same one - but they don't know for sure) so I will always be on some form of blood thinner. It is scary stuff. It was my biggest concern getting this surgery - but at this point you now your prone to them and they will now take the extra precautions to make sure this doesn't happen. But I did have a filter put in prior to my surgery which will help from traveling from my leg to my lungs should anything occur. Hope everything goes well! =)

See what the surgeon says. I had a DVT and PE after I had a c-section in 2003 and my surgeon knows that I will be on blood thinners before and after the band. They didn't seem to raise any issues - but give your body time to get used to the blood thinners. Just take it easy - PE's are no laughing matter.