JustWatchMe

Welcome! I was banded 03/13/2014. We can do this!

JosieK, thank you, thank you, thank you for coming back to share long term success. I was just banded in March this year and so need to hear that this can work long term. Can you share approximately how many fill adjustments you had after the first year? Congratulations, and can't wait to see pics!

I didn't even own a working scale until a couple of weeks ago. I weighed at the doctor's office and then immediately upon returning home, and the two weights were only 0.2 pounds different, so I knew I could trust the new scale. That said, I'm 2-1/2 weeks post-op and on liquids, and exercising daily (walking, increasing time each day). This is a hard time to stay on the plan because of the limited food choices and hunger. So for ME, I'm enjoying weighing myself daily because I've started to lose. I had to shed some surgery swelling weight I gained, and it did bum me out for a day. But I now weigh daily after stepping off the treadmill each day. For me, for NOW, it's keeping me motivated. Once I start food, I might not need that validation as often. It's a very personal decision. Weighing daily, I must be prepared for ups and downs, so I'm not depressed if I see a fluctuation that makes no apparent sense. Do what feels right. If you are getting down because of the scale, then weigh only at your doctor's office. Just keep eating right and exercising and it will keep going down. Good luck!

Wow! What a great turn of events! I'm so glad she voiced her support, even if it took a stranger to get her to do it. Isn't it great how a well-timed "HOLY SH*T!!!" can make everything better! This is so good, because now you won't have that hanging in the air and you can thoroughly enjoy being skinneee at her wedding and she can go back to focusing on her bridely self. Yay! Enjoy!

Trayg, that was how I felt on my pre-op diet. The lifestyle change suddenly became a reality. I'm happy to say I embraced it and I'm following directions this time, which is refreshing. I'm gonna do this and so are you! Stick with it and keep your eyes on the prize!

Yep, I lost weight in my twenties and dropped a shoe size. Delivered two babies and went back up one size. Gained 100 pounds and went up another. My feet swell a lot, so I have forever bought wide. Hoping to go down one size with the band.

I met the surgeon two days after the orientation seminar. In those two days, the coordinator checked the insurance and found out their protocol.

Sounds like a Dreamsicle! Oh no, now I want a Dreamsicle...

Glad it went so smoothly. Good luck!

Take good care of yourself! You'll feel a little better every day. Good luck!

Good for you on your success thus far! You've come a long way, baby. And if you remember that slogan, you can thank the cigarette industry. I'm an ex-smoker for 29 years this past January. The hardest part is the habits that go with smoking. Going through all of those without a cigarette. Going to a bar, watching tv, driving your car. But I'm going to tell you, beating the food addiction is so much harder, so you can do this! You'll be so happy when a few months from now you can smell the fresh cut grass and other things that were dulled for so long. Great decision, and good luck!

Every doctor has her/his own protocol. Mine was a pre-op diet of five days clear liquids. If they didn't give you a food list, call the office and ask the doctor or nutritionist. My pre-op diet was intended to shrink the liver before laproscopic surgery. If you're on shakes, it's different from mine. They can advise you. Good luck! It will go by faster than you think!

Regarding the gallbladder suggestions, I know two people who had emergency gallbladder surgery soon after a big weight loss. Apparently this is not uncommon. It always struck me as so unfair that my friends worked so hard to lose weight and still ended up with a stomach problem.

Exactly five. My two supportive daughters and nervous but supportive mother, my supportive best friend, and my WLS skeptic husband, who is watching in wonderment. My advice is under-tell, don't over-tell. I work with mostly men, and they don't notice anything, which is a relief.

Oh, yeah, I also was very glad to have a body pillow to sleep against that first week. And remember a pillow for the car ride home. Bumps in the road hurt!

Protein shakes are hard to like if you don't like protein shakes. Isn't that helpful? Seriously though, Unjury brand protein powder (online) makes a good chocolate that is not bad. I have it for breakfast. Atkins makes a dark chocolate royale flavor that is not too bad.

Oh and I wished I'd have vacuumed the upstairs because I wasn't able to lift the vacuum up the stairs for w week.

Laundry. No lifting for awhile.

Oh, you mean, "I understand I may DIE" about fifteen times in all the forms? Yeah, that can make you shiver a bit. I had to sign all those at my last doctor's visit before surgery. Good luck! (I didn't die, which made my nervous mom very happy.)

Thanks, Lisa. I'm only two weeks post-op and still on liquids, so I'm not stuck. My morning shake went down fine today. I really appreciate all this feedback, because I'll be better prepared once I start solids!

I used to take zinc, vitamin c and echinacea before my band, but zinc just hurt my stomach so much back then I don't want to chance it now. The otc decongestants almost all raise my blood pressure. One positive NSV already is that with my weight loss so far in this journey, I've gone down from two blood pressure meds to one. Yay! I'll try the Robitussin mucus thinner stuff if needed, but it feels like it's breaking up today. It was just so weird to feel that "slow down" signal for the first time when all I was having was liquids. It was actually good to "know" my band was really in there!

I've got to slow down even more with my eating, even though my food right now is liquids. Those videos you posted that showed how a swallow of food goes down really hit home for me. I've been eating my soups slower now, but the shakes not so much. So today was an eye opener. Thanks for the feedback.

Good luck! I wish you the best.

I survived the Polar Vortex. I survived Chiberia. I really thought I was going to make it through this lousy Chicago winter without a cold, but nope. Sneezing, runny nose, post-nasal drip at night. When I get a cold, I don't take antihistamines due to high blood pressure, just a preventive puff of Advair morning and night to head off any bronchitis that may decide to grab me. Here's what I noticed today. My lunch was a paltry 1/3 cup of Soup from Subway, because I had to throw out the pieces of food in it (I'm still on full liquids.) Since that seemed so sparse, I followed that with an Atkins shake and I had to stop drinking halfway through. It wasn't a stuck feeling or anything, just "whoa, better stop here." A minute later I was able to slowly finish the shake. Did I just have my first experience with restriction? I have zero fill. Does having a cold make your stoma swollen, or congested in any way? I've been on Soups and shakes for two weeks and never had to take them slowly until today.

Your post really is inspirational!