chloesmom

In the past year, my cholesterol has dropped 34 points, my triglycerides plunged a whopping 114 points, my blood sugar dropped 6 points, and my blood pressure is 120/75. I got rid of 10 pounds of fat in the past 3 months and 2 inches are GONE from my waist.
My pants that were once my sausage pants (you know, so tight basically like sausage casings for your thighs) are loose and comfortable. My shirts are getting baggy and my bra doesn't fill up like it used to.
I am loving my lap band

Don't try to do it all at once when I did that all I did was backpedaling ( figuratively) I started going to a gym that is associated with the bariatric surgeon group that did my band. From Sept-Jan all I did was work out-didn't even change my eating- then I saw my doc to make sure all was ok with the band (wanted to blame something other than me) no problems there. He topped my band off then suggested I do a food journal until the next visit. Did that for 10 days. Stopped but it was enough to make me be more careful with my food. I love exercise (once I start it up) my trainer is the best. She is the most motivating person I have ever met. During all this I have only lost 10 lbs more but the best is that I have lost 22 inches since last September when I started back to the gym. My entire point to this is find something to get you back into it- food journaling, working out or just reading the material you were given. I have a great book that speaks in English ( not medical terms) about all the journeys thru lapband. You might try getting this - it's from a patients point if view. Bandwagon by Jean McMillan. Whatever you do- do something don't make getting the lapband a waste of time. It will eventually work for you once you start doing the work.

Don't try to do it all at once when I did that all I did was backpedaling ( figuratively) I started going to a gym that is associated with the bariatric surgeon group that did my band. From Sept-Jan all I did was work out-didn't even change my eating- then I saw my doc to make sure all was ok with the band (wanted to blame something other than me) no problems there. He topped my band off then suggested I do a food journal until the next visit. Did that for 10 days. Stopped but it was enough to make me be more careful with my food. I love exercise (once I start it up) my trainer is the best. She is the most motivating person I have ever met. During all this I have only lost 10 lbs more but the best is that I have lost 22 inches since last September when I started back to the gym. My entire point to this is find something to get you back into it- food journaling, working out or just reading the material you were given. I have a great book that speaks in English ( not medical terms) about all the journeys thru lapband. You might try getting this - it's from a patients point if view. Bandwagon by Jean McMillan. Whatever you do- do something don't make getting the lapband a waste of time. It will eventually work for you once you start doing the work.

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Thanks Jean. I do believe getting back into my training helped me get back on the "bandwagon". My worst thing is grazing at night. Last night I got a little hungry cause I actually only ate 4ozs for supper. WOW. So I peeled an apple & ate that instead of a whole sleeve of saltines which is what I really wanted. One day at a time.

Thanks, I actually thought about doing that. Going to bed earlier, getting up earlier. It's just that I retired the year I was banded & swore I'd never set another alarm. LOL

I have 8.5 cc in a 14 cc band and have been doing Protein Shakes and Soups mainly. I can eat mushy things and noodles. I try to stay away for the carbs though. I don't have much variety right now. I just got filled tight again after regaining like 40 pounds. I seemed to lose weight pretty easily the first time around, but not so much this time. I would over to know what other people are able to eat that are encouraging weight loss. I use Unjury Protein. What other Protein Drinks do you guys like? Thanks in advance for your help.

I still have it almost a year later. It does tend to get soft once in while. Not sure what it is, just live with it. Someone times I think it's a reaction to
overeating.

Why seek out a Lap Band Buddy ?
Research shows that people who have a buddy or a mentor in their lives have a greater chance of being successful than those who "go it alone." A feeling of support and belonging often develops to a fuller extent when new people are afforded the friendship and caring of an experienced buddy/mentor. Whether it's a 12 step recovery problem, a professional mentorship, or two people coming together to support each other for a common purpose, having a person to call on when the going gets tough can make all the difference in achieving a positive outcome.
What is a Lap Band Buddy/Mentor ?
In pursuing the goal of getting to a healthy weight via weight loss surgery, a buddy/mentor is a person who has successfully navigated the journey to a healthier life. A buddy/mentor is NOT a trained therapist, spiritual advisor, marriage counselor, legal advisor, etc. A person who has had weight loss surgery, followed the plan outlined by the surgeon, lost weight, improved his/her health, and has a desire to SUPPORT and ENCOURAGE people who are just beginning their journey possesses the qualities that are needed to function in this role. New members are encouraged to establish a buddy/mentor relationship with at least one person.
HOW DO YOU GET STARTED ?
IT'S AS EASY AS 1-2-3!
Create a new post and select a Prefix of "AVAILABLE TO BE A BUDDY/MENTOR" if you're willing to guide a new member on their journey or select "NEED A BUDDY/MENTOR" if you're a new member looking for someone who has been through the process and wants support.
In your post, please share information about yourself such as age, gender, marital status, occupation, geographical location, amount of weight lost, amount of weight to lose, etc. This will help in matching people up.
Once the buddy/mentor relationship is established, those involved will determine how they want to structure the relationship.

I have a tablespoon every night for my snack. I have no problems at all.

I am too scared to try it!

I'm getting ready for my surgery on the 27th of this month. I'm using Dr. Fusco, and feel that the members of his team have been really supportive. I live in the Saint Cloud area and am looking for a support group a little closer than the Melbourne Area.

Dear Chloesmom, I hope that you are healing well. You have gone thru a lot. Diverticulitis is a real bitch. My sister-in-law had that and was very sick. But, I think that was,also, when she found that she had celiac, have you been tested for that? It runs in my husband's family, and my son has been diagnosed, too. We all stay away from gluten in our family, now! Best wishes, I wish you a better health into the New Year. Karen...aka..kll724

Glad you are here! What a time of it -- you have such a great attitude and you are on your way to health. Thank goodness you addressed these serious medical issues and have a band now so you will be looking at a healthy happy future!

Maybe you have lost weight because of your health problems, but now you are recovering.
A lot of people lose weight when they are ill, but gain it back when they recover.
I think your band will help you avoid it.
You can resume your journey to health and target weight. You are not alone,you have a friend, your band, to help you.

Thanks for the messages. I am not giving up on this at all, just have to get a little more healthy before I really concentrate on my band journey.

Hello everyone,
Just before I was scheduled for my surgery (early August) I had a diverticulitis attack that postponed my surgery a couple of weeks. I recovered and
I got my lapband August 26, 2013. I was told it might not happen due to previous hiatal hernia surgeries and how they were done so I wasn't sure when I woke up if I would even have a band. I was very excited when Dr. Fusco told me he was able to repair the hernia AND give me the lapband.
Luckily I have not had many episodes of trouble swallowing or throwing up. I can even swallow regular pills. I am blessed. Five weeks into the learning process I again had a bad diverticulitis attack that put me in the hospital for 4 days. Back to liquids AGAIN. It took me several weeks to bounce back from this attack so I mostly did liquids and full liquids during this time. Thank goodness for those Protein Drinks. When nothing tasted good I fell back on them to survive. I started out at 216 for most of 2013, got down to 202 just before surgery. (I retired and lost 10lbs. the first 2weeks I was home).
I am now at 179lbs but because of my illness I'm not sure what has gotten me to that point. I still only eat 4oz per meal as instructed but I sometimes eat what I shouldn't because I don't really feel like eating. I had to go back in the hospital AGAIN December 2nd to have a Colon re-sectioning to remove 12" of damaged colon. It's been a rough road and I can't say completely LapBand style. Hopefully, after the new year, when my incision has healed (got an infection-back on meds, no appetite) I can get back on the band wagon and continue on my Lifestyle journey. I can't wait to get back to exercise but at this point I can't lift more than 5lbs and walking is very slow and steady.
I'm hoping that the people here at BariatricPal can give me the encouragement I need to continue.

Hello everyone,
Just before I was scheduled for my surgery (early August) I had a diverticulitis attack that postponed my surgery a couple of weeks. I recovered and
I got my lapband August 26, 2013. I was told it might not happen due to previous hiatal hernia surgeries and how they were done so I wasn't sure when I woke up if I would even have a band. I was very excited when Dr. Fusco told me he was able to repair the hernia AND give me the lapband.
Luckily I have not had many episodes of trouble swallowing or throwing up. I can even swallow regular pills. I am blessed. Five weeks into the learning process I again had a bad diverticulitis attack that put me in the hospital for 4 days. Back to liquids AGAIN. It took me several weeks to bounce back from this attack so I mostly did liquids and full liquids during this time. Thank goodness for those Protein Drinks. When nothing tasted good I fell back on them to survive. I started out at 216 for most of 2013, got down to 202 just before surgery. (I retired and lost 10lbs. the first 2weeks I was home).
I am now at 179lbs but because of my illness I'm not sure what has gotten me to that point. I still only eat 4oz per meal as instructed but I sometimes eat what I shouldn't because I don't really feel like eating. I had to go back in the hospital AGAIN December 2nd to have a Colon re-sectioning to remove 12" of damaged colon. It's been a rough road and I can't say completely LapBand style. Hopefully, after the new year, when my incision has healed (got an infection-back on meds, no appetite) I can get back on the band wagon and continue on my Lifestyle journey. I can't wait to get back to exercise but at this point I can't lift more than 5lbs and walking is very slow and steady.
I'm hoping that the people here at BariatricPal can give me the encouragement I need to continue.

Recently I met a lady who truly inspired me. I admit I at times have not been as sympathetic to people who were extremely obese. At first I didn't see myself in their category, then it became clear to me that I was and I was thoroughly disgusted with myself as well. I had the band due to this disgust and the knowledge that I was becoming disabled due to my weight and the knowledge that people saw me as a fat middle aged woman who had no control of her eating. I was finding it more and more difficult to get around, I was getting short of breath and my body ached in places that I didn't think should ache. My fat even hurt. That sounds wierd and when you tell someone thin that fat can hurt they look at you like you're crazy. But my fat physically hurt. I was ashamed of my reflection in the mirror, the store entry doors and even hated my own shadow. I didn't ride my bike anymore because of what people might think. I had become obcessed with my weight and was starting to stay home except to go to work and back.
Last week I met a lady that told me she weighed 300 lbs. She is pregnant and stated she had gained 8 lbs since being pregnant and that she had weighed 292 before getting pregnant. She commenced to tell me she had the lapband and had all of the Fluid taken out to give her baby the nutrition it needs. Secretly I was thinking, "well it wasn't working for you anyway". I've been losing weight slowly and have had this fear that one day the scales would just stop moving and I'd have the extra weight that would never come off. This has been a mental battle for me. So when I see people who have failed the band, it reenforces that fear in me. Anyway, I saw the same woman again yesterday and we started talking a little. Come to find out, she started at over 600 lbs. Shes not sure of the actual weight because she would have had to go to freight scale to get an accurate weight cuz her docs scales stopped at 600 lbs. I was instantly ashamed of myself and was truly inspired. This woman had lost over 300 lbs with the band. I gained a respect for her that I did not have going in. And as we talked, I realized she was a smart, inspiring lady. I'm sure she was this at 600 lbs as well. I gained a respect for her that I didn't start with. Not because of her weight loss, but because I got to know her a little.
Isn't it a shame that we cant look at people as they are until we get to know them. I've met beautiful people and thought they would be likable just to find that the only ones that could like them is themselves and I've met others that I probably wouldn't have given a second glance as a friend and liked them very much when I got to know them a little. I'm sure this happens when people meet me as well as I'm not necessarily that easy to love either. I spent time on my knees last night asking forgiveness for being judgemental and asking for more compassion and empathy. This lady opened up and told me how mean people had been to her while she was extremly obese and how it had made her someone she didn't like and had also made her get the surgery to turn things for herself. As a result of the weight loss she was able to get pregnant something she had given up hope for. So the ugliness did play a role in helping her, but its still sad.
I just wanted to share this. I think it's easy for us to fall in this trap. I'm just glad I realize this and will work as hard on this as I do on losing my excess weight. I just wanted to share. If ever I've hurt any feelings on this board, please forgive me, I don't want to be that person and that has never been my intention.

Wow! What a difficult road you have had! I hope that you are able to heal quickly and completely so that you can continue on with your healthy lifestyle changes. Hang in there! I am pulling for you!

Sounds like you have been a very sick lady. The weight is coming off and could very well be more the illness and not the band. Its still coming off. Most important thing is to stay as healty as you can, ie plenty of fluids and Proteins and Vitamins. Exercise when you are able and follow all of your doctors instructions.

Hello Everyone. I thought it might be a good time to post a before and after picture of my journey so far. I started my 3 week liquid diet on May 23, 2013, had my surgery on May 12, 2013. My starting weight was 360 pounds and as of today I am down to 263 pounds. For anyone who is struggling it can be done. I still have another 63 pounds to go before I hit my goal of 200 pounds. I know I have many challenges ahead but I now have the confidence to meet them head on. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on my journey so far.

I was banded August 12th and am down 42lbs. I usually have 1/2 cup EggBeaters w/ low fat shreeded cheese,or No Sugar Added instant oatmeal or Special K Protein bar for breakfast. I have 2-3 Snacks a day of either sugar free Jello, No Sugar Kozy Shack pudding, Lo Fat cheese stick, 100 Calorie Greek yogurt. lunch is usually either Hormel fat free turkey chili, Starkist tuna pouch w/ fat free mayonaise, fat free turkey or ham sliced lunch meat, garden salad w/ vinigrette, Healthy Choice canned Soup. dinner is whatever my husband cooks which may be a burger but no bun, grilled chicken breast, steak tips, baked haddock, w/ rice or noodles and a vegetable.

I love parmesan cheese crackers. Just put parchment paper on a Cookies sheet. Oven at 375. Pile shredded parm on the sheets like little hay stacks put in the oven for about 8 minutes cool and enjoy. Bakes a lot of the fat off and virtually no carbs!

Im not a salty food fan usually but just found these today at of all places, T.J.Maxx ! (Yes the clothing store has a small snack section ). They're called Lentil chips by Simply 7. Try looking up simply7snacks.com for locations. I got the creamy dill chips, and they're not bad ! Crispy and a little salty. serving is 31 chips-for 130 cals, not too bad if you need someting salty and crunchy. God luck 1