StLouisGal

It is true that the sweetner in diet soda can make some people gain weight. My husband is one of them. I gave up my 3 a day coke habit about 6 months before I was banded. I missed it at first but don't even think about it anymore. My doctor agrees with many here, the carbonation is bad for your small pouch and you should avoid it forever. For me it is not worth the chance of damaging my stomach. My suggestion to anyone giving up diet coke or regular coke, pepsi, whatever, give it up well in advance of your surgery so you don't have to deal with caffeine and sugar withdrawl at the time of your surgery. You don't need a headache and fatigue along with post op pain and getting used to a new eating plan. Good luck! You can do this.

You may be having carb or sugar withdrawl. That can feel like hunger but it is much worse. I was lucky because I had been through carb withdrawl before so I eased off carbs and sugar a few weeks before my surgery so that I wouldn't have the intense withdrawl feellings. Hang in there, in a few days that part will be over. You can do this. Once your body adjusts and you get some restriction you will love the band.

I know what you mean, I have this little overhang above my waist that just won't go away no matter what I do. It has gone down some but it's not nearly as flat and unnoticable as I would like. I want to wear a belt but my overhang prevents that. If anyone has any exercises that work, let me know too. I do curves five times a week and that has done wonders for everything else.

Any time you have unusual pain, Call your doctor. It may be nothing, but then again, pain is usually a sign of something. Your doctor is the only one who can judge that.

I was really worried about the shot in my stomach :thumbup: but it was over before I realized what she was doing. :confused: I didn't even feel it. I did have a bruise but that is minor. Good luck with your surgery. The band is wonderful.:wink2:

Congratulations. You are an inspiration! Keep up the good work.:thumbup:

Your video was great! You look fabulous! Keep hanging in there! Slow and steady wins the race.

Congratulations. This band is a life changer isn't it. I've had one fill but due for another one. I am pretty close to my sweet spot with only 2 ccs. Go figure!

Under 200 pounds. Into the 100's I can hardly wait.

I have a hard time believing that the price of corn is going up because of research into alternative fuels, it is a different variety of corn. I would believe it is labor costs of harvest and fuel prices to get it to market. the farmers sure aren't getting the price increase.

I had a similar problem with BCBS. They changed names at the first of the year and lost my paperwork even though I had been told I was approved. It was a pain. I finally had the HR rep from my husband's work (our insurance is through his work) call and I had my approval within about a week of her call. I had my surgery about a month later. You do have to stay on top of them even though it makes you crazy. By the time I got my approval, everyone in the insurance office knew my name. So far they have paid every bill. Hang in there, you can do this.:thumbup:

It hit here about 15 minutes after I got to work this morning. It was a hum dinger of a storm. They say the worse one is coming this evening. Take care and stay safe everyone.

I had 130 to lose when I started this journey. To date, since Jan 1. I have lost 50 pounds and feel so much better I can't hardly believe it. It is a very personal decision and this is just my opinion but I think if you can do it with bypass, you can do it with the band. It takes work and committment but if you work your band and follow the band rules, this will work for you. My personal opinion (for what it is worth) is that the level of committment of the individual is directly related to the success of the band. In my case, I am committed to measuring my food, tracking my calories, working out five or six times a week. Walking instead of driving when possible. I finally have the energy to do those things. I still have about 85lbs to lose but I can do it. Before I got my band I worried about whether it would work for me, I took a gamble and it has paid of royally. Good luck in your decision and with your band.:thumbup:

This is an interesting thread. I just broke into the -50 catagory so here I am. I have 2 ccs of fill in my band and fair restriction. If I am eating the things I should eat I struggle to get 1100 calories. I try to stay under 1200 but my average is usually 1050-1150. I am losing 2-3 pounds per week.

I think I had one because I didn't have to use the bathroom for a couple of hours after my surgery. I don't remember it going in or coming out so it couldn't have been too bad.

I was wearing a gown and several blankets when I went into the OR, I don't really remember even moving to the Operating table, I was wearing the same gown and warm blankets when I woke up in the recovery room. What happened inbetween is that I got a marvelous tool that has helped me lose 40 pounds in four months, You gotta do what you gotta do, you won't remember a thing. Keep your eye on the prize!

I have 2cc's in my band. I am scheduled for a second fill on May 15 but I have real reservations about getting more. I have to be very careful what I eat and eat very slowly or it will come back up. I guess that is what restriction feels like. It sure is true that everyone is different.

None of us have been successful dieters or we wouldn't be at the point of exploring surgery. I have lost at least a thousand pounds over the last twenty years, unfortunately I haven't been able to keep it off for any period of time. When I first started exploring the lapband, many of my friends told me just to limit my portions. That has never worked for me. I was skeptical but from what I have read and heard, most band failure is "user failure" I have talked to many people who have bands but have not changed the things they are eating or they eat up to six or eight meals a day. The band isn't designed to work that way. I eat low calorie, low fat foods, and high Protein foods and I am losing just fine. I don't feel deprived, and I am not usually hungry. When I am I can usually pinpoint some stresser that makes me believe it is head hunger and not real hunger. I make sure I drink at least 64 ounces of liquid every day. I'm sorry your band hasn't worked well for you.

I just wanted to add my "Amen" to most of what has been said here. I am very pleased with my band. I am about 2 1/2 months out and have lost about 50 lbs. (13 lbs were pre-op) I can't complain about that. I am losing on average now 8-10 lbs a month, which is what my doctor says is safe. I work out at Curves 5-6 times a week, both doing strengh training and aerobics. I track everything I eat on "thedailyplate.com", even the occasional dip of ice cream or sherbert and the occasional Hershey Kisses. I average between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day. I don't feel like I have given up anything important. I can have an occasional bite of something special as long as I log it in. I find that I enjoy eating much more now because I am actually taking time to enjoy the flavors of the food I am eating and not wasting time on empty calories. I have more energy because I am not lugging a 50 lb sack of flour on my back all the time now (figuratively speaking) If you are going into this journey thinking that it is going to be a quick fix for years of bad habits, you had better do some more research. If you go into it knowing that it is going to be hard work and a life-long process, you will probably be very successful. Do I miss some of my "favorite foods", yes, sometimes. Do I regret getting the band? Absolutely not. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I am not craving foods like I did before because I am not eating the high sugar, high carb foods that make me crave more. It helps keep me focused on what is important, my health. I wish it had been available to me when I was in my twenties or thirties but then, maybe then I wasn't ready to do the work required. I'm just glad I have it now. The best of luck to you!:cool2:

I agree that you should talk to your doctor about what you are eating. If it's ok with him it shouldn't hurt you. Some doctors are just more cautious than others. Good luck and welcome to Bandland.

Traveling can be a real challenge. I would look for Protein powder that doesn't need to be mixed with milk. Water is easier to find than skim milk sometimes. If your hotel has a continental Breakfast grab an extra banana or yogurt to eat at the conference. Those little individual servings of Peanut Butter are a good protein source also. A few individual packages of nuts are also good to nibble on. String cheese is another staple for me when I travel. Good luck and enjoy your travels.

In a sense you were "hit by a truck" Surgery is a big deal. Hang in there it gets better quickly. The second day was my worst. Try to walk as much as you can. That will help you get your strength back more quickly. Don't push yourself, get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. Take a 5 or 10 minute walk every hour or so. If you were given pain meds, take them, if not try liquid tylenol (the kids stuff tastes better and it's about the same amount of either) Good luck and welcome to Bandland.:smile2:

If I were guessing I would say you are eating too fast. Tiny sips or tiny bites work better for me. I got stuck a couple of times this past weekend because I was eating too fast. Right after I got my band I could only eat a couple of ounces at a time without feeling a bit nauseaus. Try eating half a cup of food, stop, wait and see what happens. Also make sure you are getting adequate Protein. Not enough protein can make you light headed. Good luck, it does get better.

I'm eating between 1000 and 1200 calories a day and losing 8-10 pounds per month. I've only had one fill but I seem to have decent restriction (I get stuck fairly easily if I eat too much or too fast.) I also do strength training (Curves) five to six times a week. I work the machines hard three times a week and concentrate more on aerobics the other two or three times. I think that has had a lot to do with my weight loss success. I shoot for 80-90 grams of Protein, under 50 grams of fat, and whatever carbs there is room for, (veggies, Beans, sweet potato, etc.) It is usually 65-80 grams of carb. I eat very little bread and Pasta. I track everything on "The Daily Plate"

I went through that phase too and wish I had kept some things but if I had kept everything that I wish I had, I wouldn't have room to live in my house and I wouldn't get to go shopping for new things now. Yes, I am getting rid of my "fat" clothes as soon as they get too big.:biggrin2: Congratulations on your success. I am now at the end of my "I'll keep this just in case because it's too good to get rid of" clothes.