lorid

On a scale of 1-10........100! If I could have had this feeling of being full before surgery I would not be morbidly obese! It is SO much easier to push away when I feel satisfied...um...and it helps to remember that if I eat beyond satisfied I will suffer! Had a stomach bug this past week and got out of my normal routine and fell into the habit of grazing. On the third day I just left the house to get away from the kitchen and went to the Wellness Center and worked out on the precor! It really did help me regain my focus. Seems the more I lose the more motivated I am to stick to it! Don't always eat perfectly--today we went to the football game and I caved in and had a piece of cake! But I didn't let it throw me. Before I would have eaten 2 or 3 pieces! It is still not easy, but I am determined. It is a choice EVERY time I go to put anything in my mouth.

I am so pumped! I decided not to focus on the numbers so I have not been weighing except when I go to the doctor. But I was struggling with wanting to "graze" and decided I needed a boost so I went to the Wellness Center and weighed before my workout this morning. I can't believe I have actually lost 50 lbs. And it feels wonderful to know that the next 50 is to follow! This is absolutely the best thing I have ever done for myself!:bounce:

It is helpful to have the support of your family. Have they attended a seminar to see what it is all about? Perhaps that would help them understand why it is so important to you. Sometimes we just have to do what we know is best for ourselves in spite of our family. This board will be a great source of strength and support. Most doctors have a support group for their patients. I would strongly suggest finding one in your area. It means alot to have face to face contact with other patients who really understand what we are going through in this process. I wish you well my friend!

GLADTAMEETCHA! It is awesome that you have 2 of your coworkers going through the surgery with you. That will be SUCH a great support system! Welcome to the Loser's Club my friend! I am excited for you!

Read Read Read all you can about the surgery. Ask LOTS of questions of the surgeon at your first appt and come to this site often and read about the complications and questions others have. Dialogue w/other bandsters here will be the most helpful.

Welcome to the Losers Club! We are here for you!

Congratulations my friend--you are on your way!

Hey Hilary! Gladtameetcha! We are the same age and I have 3 chidren--17, 21 and 24! Welcome to the losers club! Having the Lap Band is a decision that has given me my life back and one that I thank God for every day!

As you lose weight the band will become looser and require a fill to tighten it back up. You will WANT to overeat but it will be difficult since it will cause pain and severe discomfort. But that is what helps you learn to eat only when hungry. The band is a tool and you can out eat it! It is still a choice to overeat or eat for any reason other than hunger. I hope this helps answer your question.

Congratulations on your decision--this surgery has given me my life back! My doc had me on a pre op diet for 2 weeks before surgery consisting of 3 SlimFast a day and all the sugar free clear liquids I wanted. The SlimFast really kept me from being hungry. It shrinks your liver so that there is less risk of nicking or bruising it during the surgery. I was on sugar free clear liquids ONLY for 10 days after surgery and that was the hardest thing I have ever done but necessary to give my stomach time to heal and the swelling to go down. Then mushies (potatoes, refried beans, pudding, etc) for 2 weeks then small amts of regular food. Have a hard time with bread and dry meat sometimes getting stuck so I avoid it. You just have to experiment with foods to find the ones that will cause you problems with getting stuck. This surgery has been an answer to prayer--for the first time in my life the weight IS coming off and I KNOW that it will continue to do so and that I will NOT gain it back since I no longer have the desire as strongly to overeat. I do still find the desire to eat when not hungry at times but am getting better at that as well! I am excited for you!

Welcome to the Losers Club my friend! I remember that first bit of full liquid--felt like a feast!

It has changed my life! Given my life back actually! Congratulations on the best decision you will ever make for yourself. I am not tempted to overeat for two reasons--the band helps me feel satisfied so that it is EASIER to push away from the table and it HURTS if I overeat since it stretches the pouch. It is STILL a choice I must make everytime I sit down to eat. It has helped me learn the feeling of truly being hungry as opposed to just having the desire to eat. Having the band is NOT a magic solution rather a tool to help us learn how to eat to live instead of living to eat and that is EXACTLY what I have done all my life! I was also VERY nervous before AND just after my surgery but I have not EVER regretted the decision. As far as dealing with other ppl I have found them to be very interested in the surgery and supportive of my decision. It was actually more stressful for me to try to keep it a secret and after I told my co workers I was very surprised at how excited they were for me. Their encouragement and support have been so helpful! Welcome to the Losers Club my friend!

I had a hard time with my post op diet. But I stuck to it. Could only have sugar free clear liquids for 10 days! It was the hardest thing I have ever done. Actually, 5 days into it I began to get very nauseated and was fighting the urge to throw up. My children had cooked and I believe the smell of the food made me sick. I called a friend who had the surgery 2 weeks before me with a different surgeon and she said her doc allowed his patients to have slim fast and suggested I sip just enough to get me past that sick feeling. I did it and was able to get through the rest of the week. Hang in there. We CAN do this!

YOU ROCK LADY! So glad to hear you are doing so well. Isn't this awesome! It is finally really happening--I am losing the weight and for the first time in my life I am certain that I will be successful!

I had that feeling too! Lots of new feelings in fact! Welcome to the Loser's Club my friend! Just remember to eat very slowly. When you can finally eat solid food don't drink 30 minutes before or an hour after eating. I didn't hear them say that and since I have been following that rule it has really helped me stay satisfied longer and avoided overstretching my pouch! You go girl!

My dear friend! I felt EXACTLY like you before my surgery. In fact when the anesthesiologist was starting my IV in holding I completely LOST it! Crying so hard that he went and got my surgeon who bent over me and kindly asked if I still wanted to go through with it. I told him that I was NEVER so sure of any decision in my life as I was the one to have the surgery and didn't understand why I was so emotional and frightened. It IS a BIG decision and losing the weight IS an emotional experience. I was about to take a step that was going to require me to change my life and my relationship with food and it WAS terrifying! But I AM GLAD I DID IT AND WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! IT HAS GIVEN ME MY LIFE BACK! I had the surgery on April 4th and have lost 45 lbs. Have 90 more to go and certain I will get there. Hope this helps my friend! Just let those tears come and celebrate what you are about to do!

My dear friend! I felt EXACTLY like you before my surgery. In fact when the anesthesiologist was starting my IV in holding I completely LOST it! Crying so hard that he went and got my surgeon who bent over me and kindly asked if I still wanted to go through with it. I told him that I was NEVER so sure of any decision in my life as I was the one to have the surgery and didn't understand why I was so emotional and frightened. It IS a BIG decision and losing the weight IS an emotional experience. I was about to take a step that was going to require me to change my life and my relationship with food and it WAS terrifying! But I AM GLAD I DID IT AND WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! IT HAS GIVEN ME MY LIFE BACK! I had the surgery on April 4th and have lost 45 lbs. Have 90 more to go and certain I will get there. Hope this helps my friend! Just let those tears come and celebrate what you are about to do!

Welcome to the Losers' Club my friend!

Hi Betty! I remember being where you are in the process. Took me 5 years to commit to doing it and it is a decision I do not regret. It took me that amt of time to really decide that I was ready to do what was necessary to be successful with the surgery in changing my attitude toward food and my eating habits. I hope you will continue to think about it. It has changed my life! Given it back actually!

You are about to change your life! I am so excited about my lap band and like you I was terrified pre op! I hope this helps your nerves a bit. It is absolutely the BEST thing I have EVER done for myself and I would do it all over again. Had mine April 4th and have lost 45 lbs and still going stong! The liquid diet is very important. It will help shrink your liver so that the surgeon has less of a risk of nicking or bruising it during surgery and I found that it helped me realize just what my relationship with food was. It was a real eye opening experience. When the hunger pangs hit I found that a cup of hot chicken or beef broth really helped curb that feeling. Welcome to the Loser's Club! I am excited for you!

My port is just under my ribs in the middle of my abdomen. I am just discouraged because had to have an unfill a 6 weeks ago for severe burning. My surgeon did a scope and CT scan and determined there was no ulcer so waited a week and put 2 ml back in. With just that much I haven't had the feeling of fullness and satisfaction that I was having before and it has really been a struggle to eat like I know I am supposed to--like not having the band at all. Thank you for your reply. It helps to know there is someone to talk to.

:faint:I went for my fill today and my surgeon couldn't get the needle in. He told me that he believes the port has flipped and that I will need to meet him at the hospital next Wednesday to do flouroscopy and that if it has flipped he will have to do surgery to replace it. I am so discouraged. Anyone else had this happen?

HOoRaY for you my friend! You ROCK!

YOU can do this my friend! Look at this as a sort of training ground. It will not always be this difficult. I was amazed at what I discovered about my relationship with food during the pre op diet. Take it one hour at a time--one minute if necessary and try not to think about how many days left! Just stay in the now. You will be so happy that you did it! It is a great feeling to see yourself shrinking from week to week! Hang in there!

Soak it with a warm washcloth for 10 to 15 minutes then rub, rub, rub! Actually it will eventually come off on its on if you can tolerate it until then. I am a nurse and there is a product we use at the hospital to dissolve the sticky when we remove the tape so that it doesn't hurt so much-I work on pediatrics! You might call the hospital or your pharmacy and see if they can get you some of those little wipes. They are the size of alcohol pads.