Michee

I do not think it is necessarily healthy to eat only 700-900 calories, per day . However I am fairly certain that this "not eating enough to lose weight" idea is a myth. After all if it were true, how do anorexics get down to 80 pounds? With the "not eating enough to lose weight theory" all anorexics would be FAT. My pre op diet (optifast) was 800 cal per day. I lost 11 pounds in 2 weeks. Many folks lost more than that.

I would also go a step further and write on your abdomin with a sharpie "lapband surgery only" It will be a reminder to the doc, and give a good laugh to the peeps in the OR.

Not preggo But I think it is a cute idea. I would not announce the "gramma to be party thing" as I think people will feel obligated to bring gifts, despite the "no gifts please". I suggest you bill it as "afternoon tea" have a real traditional tea party, then surprise your mom with the gifts, I suggest giving each of the "guests" a little frame from the dollar store, with a note that says, this is for the picture of my adorable grandchild, that way the guests will be part of the experience. your mom sounds adorable

Here in Canada it is sometimes called Mediterranean Yogurt. It is nice and thick and full of fat and protien. I find low and no fat yogourts taste horrid, due to the thicken agents used in place of the fat. If you are not a fan of the low fat, aspartame fruity fake stuff, you will likely adore the plain, full fat greek or mediterranean yogourt. I sometimes buy goats milk or sheeps milk full fat yogourt. It is more expensive, but very rich and tasty.

I paid $6750.00 for a TT four weeks ago

I quit smoking in April 2007 and got banded in August 2007. I quit cold turkey, but used OTC sleeping pills for the first few days, that way I just came home from work and went to sleep. I still get a craving every once in a while, but they are very infrequent. For me, quitting smoking was about a MILLION times EASIER than losing this weight, and battling my food demons.

Thanksgiving at your house sounds great I think it is best to host it. This way you are in charge and you can make sure that there are items that you can eat, such as mashed potatoes, squash, stuffing. Three weeks out is plenty of time. If you had a full time job as a chef you'd be back to work a week after surgery, and cooking more than one meal. The other good thing is that if you dont want people to know you are banded, you can just say "after cooking all day, I'm not that hungry" if they notice that you are not eating much. If you are not eating what someone else cooked (if the dinner is elsewhere) they may be offended. Since you are new to the family, I would respect the traditions until you've been a family member long enough to suggest new ones. You can do this. You will be fine. I think you will be happier in your own home. Congratulations on your decision to get the band.

I agree with KagoScuba Have you ever seen a fat marathon runner in the olympics? After one full year of working out, including running, during my fitness review (by a kinesiologist) it was determined that my lean muscle mass has stayed the same, but my body fat percentage has gone from 47% to 32%. The only "cons" to exercise, is that when you work out, and look and feel great, lots of your friends will be jealous!, and of course you spend a ton of money on new clothes to show off your toned hot body.

I am sure that before you were banded, you ate more than you paid for at a buffet. Consider this the universe balancing everything out. The $40.00 was not the price for JUST food. It is the price of an evening out with friends. Congratulations on getting banded

I would not recommend eating pizza in front of people. The band can be fickle, and pizza is a "difficult" food. Even if you try it at home with no trouble before the event, you may have trouble with it. I suggest eating at home, or if time is a factor, make a protien shake, put it in a sports bottle, and sip on that for dinner instead of the pizza. You will want to concentrate on seeing the kids in costume anyway, instead of worrying about upchucking in front of the neighbours. Congratulations on your band

Do not get medical advice from you tube. Find a reputable experienced DOCTOR.

Please ask your doctor about medications. Some medications cannot be crushed or cut. In some cases they can give you an liquid alternative.

Call your doc right away. This is not normal. I have had several fills and have not experienced this. It sounds like you are overfilled.

Wow Heather thanks for keeping us posted Very glad to hear that you had instant relief after your defill. I would err on the side of caution on the Turkey trip. I think it is much better to get another defill, than to run into problems while travelling. I am sure you will have a fabulous time. (jealous) I can just imagine basking in the sunshine, swimming in clean Water, and eating copius amounts of helwa ----------

After my consults, I just had to book the surgery. Once it was booked (deposit paid) I got a pre op from my GP and then went to the surgeons clinic 2 weeks prior to the surgery to drop off the paper work/lab results and pay the balance. Good Luck Paddler, you are gonna be very happy with the results

Congratulations Mary Your weight loss is going in the right direction, which is the main thing. I think some people just lose slower than others. Not fair, but true. I just did the math and my weight loss works out to an average of 1.3 pounds per week. I too fluctuate, I have this pattern of holding at a weight, then dropping three pounds quickly, then gaining 2 for no reason, then losing those two over a couple of weeks. Its weird, but its like I have to "hit a number" twice before it "sticks". I never show my gains on my signature. The import thing is that we are all a helluva lot healthier and fitter than we were last year, and we will be even healthier and fitter this time next year. You are doing great Mary, despite your doc!!

Self Pay = No Hoops 3 weeks from initial consult to surgery. Had to get some basic blood work and a preop form from my GP. Money Talks

My doc also put 4cc's in during surgery

I did an internet search on "questions to ask a PS" I used the info to make up a list of 15 or so questions. However, I think the docs know that everyone asks the same stuff, because I didnt need to ask any of the questions. They were all answered as part of the docs explanation/consultation. The doc removed about 4 pounds of skin. Doesnt sound like much, but it sure makes a big difference when it is all from the same place!

I almost always take off my shoes, but what bugs me is when I get dirt on my feet or on my socks because the person I am visiting has DIRTY FLOORS. If my floors are dirty because they havent been washed in a few days, then I will ask people to keep there shoes on.

I don't get it...........if a restaurant serves portions that are too large and you don't like leftovers, go to a restaurant that serves smaller portions. Why does it matter if you are "banded" or not? Isnt common sense the same for bandsters and the non-banded?

I consulted with 2 docs before my TT. In addition to what Shalee mentioned, I also had to stand naked in front of the docs as they grabbed the fat/skin on my stomach and told me how much they would remove. I also asked about a breast lift, and they moved my breast tissue around to demonstrate what I could expect as a result of the breast lift. This is not a journey suitable for the overly modest. However I now have a lovely smooth flat stomach, so it was completely worth it.

Thanks to everyone with the "good and bad". The lapband is not a quick fix. It is surgery and like all surgery it carries risks. I hope all the people who are "investigating" lapbands, read all the good and bad, and make an informed decision, that they feel is right for them.

Congratulations Madison. You are gonna love your band !

Restaurants are in business to make money. The reason they have a kids menu is to accomodate families, so that a family of 4 can eat out at a reasonable price. In reality most "normal" people cannot eat an entire restaurant portion, especially from the "chain" type restaurants. In my experience, this especially true in US. I find the more upscale the restaurant, the smaller the portion. The great news is that I can now eat at upscale restaurants, and be satisfied with the smaller portions. I must say the quality of food is much better, when there is a "chef" in the kitchen, not highschool students making up stuff from mixes!