Dragonwillow

I'm newly banded, so don't have like a whole ton of weight to say i've lost or anything like that...it's simple...I am in control now. Melissa

I can't remember who said or even what thread it was in...but someone said that their doctor told them...the good thing about the band is that if you get pregnant tomorrow you are okay. I know they like people to wait a year or more...but heck this is the band not the rny...you don't have viatiman promblems or any problem absorbing all of your calories. I think right now I could eat plenty of food to support a pregnacy if I wanted...I don't wanna..but I could if I wanted to. Good luck on whatever you decide. Either way just eat clean and healthy and you should be fine Melissa

eggs? grits? Not sure about lunch menu...but I believe they have chicken and other stuff there too. I never eat anything but breakfast there...no matter what time a day I go there LOL. Its in the big shopping center right off the tryon road exit on 485. Its easier to see Walmart, Lowes, and Bi-lo...but just turn in at the shopping complex entrance and its down almost across from walmart. Kim you have United Health care, did you have trouble getting them to pay the psych bill? I just got a 900 bill saying that insurance isn't paying it. Heck they require the damn evaluation they better think again. Melissa

I will have Karah with me. I agreed to work yesterday...so at least I'll be coming to lunch non workout smelly LOL. My husband is off but is trying to do on the side computer jobs for extra money right now. (if you know anyone that needs computer tech stuff done...let us know...he does apples and pcs...software and hardware issues). He has taken every Friday through the end of the year off. I'll bring crayons for Karah and she will be happy . Melissa

How awesome! I've got my fingers crossed for you. Melissa

Friday is good for me...sorry just got in from CPR training. To get to the I hop on 49.....It's right at the Hwy 49 (or tryon rd exit) Its in the same shopping complex as Lowes, Bilo and Walmart. If you are coming from 77to 485...you will go right at the exit. If You are coming from 85 on 485 its left. Does that make sense? Call me if you need better directions. I may or may not have Karah with me. They are out of school, but hubby is off. But if Karah knows I'm going to the gym she will pitch a fit to go play. LOL. Melissa

I'm three weeks out...I have lost 18lbs since surgery, but that was in the first 2 weeks on liquids. I've currently been stalled for a week. My poor nutritionist had to listen to me go on and on in panic mode just earlier today. I am eating around 700 calories a day...though I'm thinking of adding a protien shake just go get my protien up to about 60 instead of the 45 its at now. I exercise 5 days a week for 60-70 minutes at a time. So I'm burning a little less than half the calories I'm taking in at the gym. I'm frustrated right now, because I don't see how I can't be loosing weight. The body is a crazy thing. Before surgery I worried..how will I ever be able to keep up current activities on such low calories. It hasn't been an issue. I think part of it was that even though I was eating around the 2000 calories a day and maintaining...alot of thos calories were empty calories. I eat VERY clean now...if something has NO protien...or has too many carbs, or too much sugar....I don't eat it. So even though I'm eating almost 1/3 of the calories I used to, the calories I eat now are qaulity calories. Melissa

Congrats Angie! You have done so good. I so wanted to follow in your footsteeps, but I'm feeling a bit on the discouraged side. I've stalled for a week on weight loss, and yesterday, I had gained a pound. I really don't understand it. As I've been following the rules...well except those damn 3 peppermint mini's I ate...but even with those my calories are LOW. What was your calorie intake 3 weeks out? We could get together for lunch or something sometime this week if you want. Right now I'm working Tuesday and Thursday. I work out on other days till about 10 or 1030 at the Y right there on 49. We could meet at the Ihop there for an early lunch or Brunch? I'll PM my cell number. Melissa

Good luck on the fill...and yes it was great meeting you today also. I second that halloween candy is evil. Melissa

Yeah...I know..before band I would have eaten more of them....but the fact is, the band isn't really what is keeping me from eating more now...not in the physical sense. It's actually the fact that I have EVERYONE watching me to loose weight now and sheer willpower has carried me this far. I haven't been hungry...but before surgery that never stopped me before. And restriction right now...a joke I think. So far haven't eaten enough to feel restricted...worried there might be NONE..and afraid to test the theory. I haven't lost any weight in a week either...so thats really starting to bum me out. I mean before surgery I was eating easily twice as much and maintaining. Now I'm eating so little, still exercising and maintaing it just does not seem fair. I'd even be happy if I saw inches going but when I measured yesterday...there wasn't THAT much difference. Well except my boobs, lost a freaking inch there. I might go from an apple shape to a pear if that keeps up. And if I really must pick a fruit, can we go for bannana? I guess I'm just afraid whats going to happen when willpower and the fear of embarrassement give way. Willpower is much easier too when you see the scale moving. Melissa

Okay...here is what I ate that was on plan today... decaf coffee with 6 oz of steamed milk 1 cheese stick 2 tblsp hummus with 2 cracker like sticks 2 wedges of laughing cow light cheese 1/2 english muffin 1 another cheese stick sugar and fat free hot cocoa with 6 oz of steamed milk 50 oz of Water total 8 oz of fuze Total calories 530, protien 47 carbs 55, fat 14.5 but then...I had 3 peppermint patties......the mini ones...and I dared hubby to say a damn word about it. Am I loosing the will power. The damn things cost me 170 calories, 34 carbs, and 3 fat grams. I could have had another couple of cheese sticks and another 18 grams of protien instead . And to top it off...I didn't work out today....couldn't. I worked the whole time day care was open, and had Karah with me. I'm going to try and work out tomorrow before our lunch meeting at the y near there. Going to try and go about 9:30 or so if anyone wants to join me . Oh i also had to start taking some Fiber caplets.....boy...all this cheese is getting to me. I get to add fish on the 10th...but no veggies till Dec 1st. Melissa

If you could somehow get approval before your appointment with Dr. Bauman, all that would be left would be to schedule you ...that would be great. Don't know if pre approval is done though...but we are all pulling for you. Melissa

I watched it about a week before my surgery. I thought it was great! My teenager on the other hand was like Gross. Melissa

I have the xrays of my barrium swallow the day of surgery....all I can clearly tell what is what is my port! LOL Melissa

Yeah, just make sure you got everything back before the appointment. Good luck. I know that dr. Bauman waits until the appointment to schedule the upper endoscopy...maybe you can go through your primary care doctor and get refered for the test and have it done before you see dr. Bauman. Melissa

I came out 36...but there should be another option for number 3, because I didn't know what to anwser as I use my hands as much as my mouth when I talk! LOL Melissa

I had lapband surgery with Dr. Bauman 3 weeks ago today. I have been back at the gym for 2 weeks now working out 60-70 minutes a day. I think I could have went back earlier, but hubby wouldn't let me until after the 1 week check up. I started working there also a week ago with the kids. So I'm on my feet most of the morning working, and then go work out an hour and I'm doing fine. I would think this is alot easier than back surgery or cesarian. Maybe someone that has one of the other will chime in too. And like Karen said....come and join us for lunch on saturday. So far we have about 9 people coming, and I think 6 are banded already. It's a great group of ladies...and you can do yucky stuff like feel our ports and ask us tons of questions. Melissa

Ah...I could never shut up for a week LOL, I could stop eating sooner. Melissa

Welcome to the group. I've worked with Dr. Bauman and Dr. V...both seem to be good doctors. I kinda got caught up in the red tape of Dr. V leaving so I had to switch doctors. We will all hope you get an earlier date due to a cancelation. What if you get insurance approval before the end of the year ....does the surgery have to be performed by then? I would make sure you get all the appointments scheduled and out of the asap. Don't want someone dragging their feet to screw it up in the last minutes. I would also go ahead and check into getting the upper endoscopy done. You want to get checked for h pylori and ulcers really soon so there is time to get it treated. Good Luck....I had all my paper work, insurance approval and, labs when I transferred to Dr. Bauman done. So my surgery was scheduled pretty quickly. Melissa

Wow Angie! You are almost half way there. I'm trying not to get back on the scale until thursday...which is my 3 week mark. I hasn't been a friend of mine recently. Though people at the gym have been commenting I look healthier. Oh and the new pet peeve of mine...why do people ask what weight you strated at if they aren't going to believe you when you tell them. If one more person tells me I can't weigh what I say I do I might just go postal on them. Can't wait to see all of you. Melissa

My new friend Patricia is going to try and come...so there is one more :mad: Melissa

Well I starting loosing again...its about 1/2 a lb a day. I noticed last week when I worked out and worked both that I didn't loose and then lost like a 1 and 1/2 at once. I'm kinda of curious to see if it repeats itself this week....as I seem to be called in often. (I'm a sub teacher at the Y) I'm working more than I anticipated. Melissa

To be honest I haven't been very religious about not drinking with meals. Since when I'm working its not a possibility of my cheating...since I eat when the kids eat and that it....I don't worry too much about drinking with meals, at this point I still don't get hungry much. I have to use the clock to tell me when to eat. Melissa

Good luck! You are almost there. Melissa

I'm pretty newly banded, so can't anwser all of your questions...but maybe some. I don't think either band is better...the vanguard band I believe is a bit bigger and is sometimes needed for men. I'd go with what the doctor recomends as he is the expert hopefully at this. I dont' know about most...but I know someone just posted their 6 month sucess of 101lbs. Thats AWESOME. I think most people average 1-2lbs a month. Some people just loose slower based on their body's chemistry I think. Some medications and some medical promblems can make it harder to loose. I think the main trick is following the band rules. It's real easy to eat some foods that might not be the best choices. Try to always get enough protien in...don't drink with meals, and move. Those are the most important rules I've seen stressed over and over by other bandsters. For me, besides the waiting for a surgery date was the 2nd week of liquid diet. I was getting enough protien in...so I wasn't really hungry. But I was bored to tears with protien shakes. I'm of a limited selection of soft foods now and enjoying it VERY much. I found that when I drank 2 oz of protien every hour instead of trying to drink it all at once I was less cranky. I didn't experience alot of pain after surgery, I recomend walking as MUCH as possible before and after surgery. I really believe it helps. I'm sure others will chime in soon with more knowledgeable anwsers.....Good luck on your big day. Melissa