SD Chick

I never got weak from the Opti-Fast and it does get better but what I did was mix the vanilla OptiFast drink with a small amount of sf Jello and ice, put it in the Magic Bullet and made it into a slush and it was delicious. Maybe need some variation!

I had a fill (1st) on Friday and the Dr. had a hard time finding the center of the port - poked me 3 times (thank the Lord it didn't hurt) but with all the pokes and the prodding to find the fill spot I am very sore and have a hard lump about the size of a golf ball that I feel at the port site. Anyone else ever have this problem? Also no restriction either

SBee - check out the before and after pictures and then tell her you can get down to that weight!

I know when I take a deep breath that I would be fine if I ate no more food but not having had a fill - I find it hard to quit. Hope all that changes on Friday when I get my first fill !

I had to go before the surgery and then she visited me in the hospital and I will see her for the 4th time on Friday - she is the one that told me what I could eat as the Dr. has never mentioned it. My insurance does not pay for my visits to the dietitian.

I am in lap band hell at this time - can't really say I am hungry but am eating too much and not loosing - I am to go to have my first fill next week and am embarrased that I have only lost what I did before I started eating solids. I am anxious to go for that first fill!

I am so glad to see this post - I have been struggling since I started eating solids - at 2 week post op. I had to cancel my first fill but am going in on Friday - I haven't lost anything since 2 weeks out and it will be 7 weeks now - - - I am glad that this is normal. Made me wonder if I was going to fail at this too! Thanks everyone.

I too have been struggling - I can eat everything and my weight fluctuates daily - I know I need to stay off the scale. I am 2 weeks from a fill as I had to cancel the one this week but I am not loosing anymore at all. I have not made it below the mark that I had 3 weeks ago. I guess I need to make sure I get all 64 oz of water in - mostly am getting in about 50 per day. I find it difficult to get that last 14 oz in.

It took 4-5 days for me and then wham it was gone. I guess we all have to learn to be patient with our bodies as I am on full food now and am NOT losing at all - Patience is what I lack. and I just had to push my fill date back another week but have something more important to take care of on the original date and I have the rest of my life to get fills. patience - Mary Ellen - patience

Hey all you bikers out there ----ever been to Sturgis, SD Home of the bike ralley? I am about 250 miles from there and we have so many bikers every year - what a sight to see. I do not ride but I sure enjoy seeing the bikes and bikers.

LapBandit _ I love to read posts from someone with dramatic weight loss - I am so envious also very happy for you - would love to see those before and after pictures also. Please keep up your posts - you are a great incentive to us just starting out. Do you have any secrets or do we have to each learn on our own? Thanks Again

Better to be home alone - the day after surgery my brother and wife came for 4 days not a huge problem but would have rather been alone!

I used my SlimFast Ultra with extra protein - added some sugar free Jello and ice - it is great - couldn't wait for the next time I had it. You can use protein drinks as well and it is good. It does get easier but I was on liquids for a week and I made soups and drank the broth - good too. IT IS WORTH THE LIQUIDS!

Mine is about an inch off center to the left of my upper abdomen. My only problem is I am short and it hits right there when I am washing dishes in the sink -----silly me - guess I just won't do that anymore! :confused:

Sierra1411 I am 62 and have never been sorry that I am banded - I have been banded just over a month and am so happy with it. As for the best thing - the 24# loss is great - more confidence, look better, feel better, etc. As the worst thing - - I live in a small town and I feel people expect me to be loosing faster but I tell them - it may take me up to 2 years to get to my goal. It is NOT a fast weight loss but it is steady :confused:

Congrats on your band - after a few days you will feel much better. I made lots of soups - Campbells soup in hand is a great one! I also took vegetables, potatoes, carrots, onions, etc and cooked them in fat free broth until mushy and blended them and run them through a strainer (VERY IMPORTANT) and drank them - they are so good. You can do that with lots of different soups and of course I love soups so that was a good thing. Good Luck!

I am on week 4 post op and have not lost any weight since starting on stage 3 - - I go up and down but don't seem to loose anything :confused: Please advise. I am being good and don't think I am overeating - any suggestions? :help:

Go now - you know if we had lost that first 10#'s when we first gained it - we wouldn't be where we were when we started this lap band venture. Go and be glad that you ONLY gained 10#'s and get it off and start the venture again! YOU CAN DO IT! :gluck:

Liquids for 3 weeks - for me liquids was anything I could put in my Magic Bullet and turn into soup. I took any kind of soup I like - and I like most of them - blended it and strained it and I was very happy. Then I proceeded onto the soft mushy and that isn't like it sounds either - I pretty much eat anything now and I am 4 weeks out - but haven't had that first fill yet!

You can do it - the first couple days on liquids you think - what the h---did I sign myself up to do but it passes and you will be glad you did it for you. It really does pass fast and now I am a month out of surgery and WOW I feel better already! I have not been sorry for one moment since I had the surgery! The best thing I have ever done for ME!

I too am an "oldie" I am 62 (get SS next month) and I was banded on July 23! So far I am so glad that I did this - no problems at all if I stay away from the wine I have lost 24# thus far and am thrilled to death with that - I just got back from vacation for a week and managed to easily gain 3 #'s but got it off already, just needed to discipline myself again and drink my Water - so hard to do when traveling but am hoping to jump past that 25# mark real soon. We may be "older" but we are wiser and look at those oldies and their weight losses! WOW

I too have been having problems - I am 3.5 weeks after banding and am finding myself eatinng more - I am scared that I will gain while I am on this weeks vacation - anyone with advise?

I know exactly how you feel, until January of this year bcbs did not cover LapBand in the state of SD but low and behold now they do and I found out about it in Feb and started working on it that day. Today I am very happily banded and it only took 5 days from the time we faxed all the info to them that I was approved. Of course there has to be medical necessity for them to cover but I have diabetes, highblood pressure, etc, etc. and the BEST Part - I have been off my diabetes medicine since the day after surgery and my blood sugar is better than it ever has been. I know it is hard but try to be patient if you can and HOPEFULLY they will change their mind!

I certanly haven't and 5 days post surgery sounds really fast. Are you taking your Vitamins? work hard on getting Protein down somehow. I wish you the best of luck! So far it is a great decision for me and I wouldn't change a thing!

I was banded the 23 and once in a great while I do have a little twinge of pain - nothing serious but mine is mostly at my waist where there is no incision - not sure of that reason at all but there feels like a pulled stitch there at times. My port site really doesn't hurt unless I bump it. Seems to be about the height of my kitchen sink.