Time to love me

Nana, I'm very happy for you. It IS very annoying when you lose weight and nobody notices. BUT when someone finally does, it's like floating on a cloud. I've been going through this too, but i've only lost 11 pounds since surgery but I've lost a total of 16 since i've started the program. I feel that my clothes are not so tight anymore, or should I say they are loose. Then yesterday my friend of 20 years came over and on the way in she said you look so awesome, are you losing weight? I was so happy. I'm a closet bandster so she had no clue that i have the band. Anyhow, this is about you today! Congrats to you.

Wild, I understand that your frustrated but you need to understand that the first 6 weeks are for healing, not weightloss. If you lose any weight, it's considered a "bonus". I'm a around 3 weeks out from surgery and things have been slow for me, compared to others, but like you i'm on the lower side of the scale compared to some (I'm still fat). It seems to be that the more weight you have to lose, the quicker it comes off in the beginning. You know how the saying goes. The last 15 pounds are always the hardest, it sort of applies with the band, IMO. Once you get a fill things should start right up for you, that is my hope too. We just need to remember that with the band the average weightloss is 1-2 pounds per week. The band does have a slower weightloss. It's all worth it, not to mention that it's the healthy way to lose. Please don't take this as a neg. post, it's not meant to be. Best of luck to you! 12 pounds is a great start, better than mine. Keep your chin up, you can do this. To answer the above question. I didn't have band related complications, more post surgery. but I did have pneumonia and a pulminary embolism (blood clot). That kept me in the hospital for 8 days out of the 3 weeks that i've been banded.

Debi..I'm so frustrated with this stupid guideline too. My doc didn't tell me this, he told me I'll lose as much as i want (within reason) if I follow the food and exercise program. He did, however, tell me that I will never be a size 2. LOL age has something to do with this too. I'm 35 and 5'6, I weight 228.5 The 65% weightloss guide is bull crap, I think. It most likely is the average for the band. So this include those who abuse the band, those who mostly follow the rules and people who are rule followers. IMO there are many people who take this band for granted. There are those who cheat & eat around the band and then you have the die hard people who are truly giving 100% to making this all work, not to mention the ones who are in between those two. Now don't get me wrong, i'm sure everyone has eating things that we shouldn't eat. We all have the band because we have food issues. We are all human and once in awhile it's okay to "cheat". BUT at the same time i really think that some people believe that this is a magic band and that they don't have to exercise or eat right. I am only a little over 3 weeks out of surgery, so I'm not eating solids yet. BUT I have started to exercise and before I had the band, I did start my healthy eating plan, I lost weight and felt good about myself. And NO I wasn't perfect, I had one cheat item a week. I will continue to cheat once a week. The nutritionist said it's better to cheat once a week or I'll set myself up for failure when I finally had it and eat out the house. LOL It just pisses me off that a doc can say 65% is what you'll lose and that your goal is unrealistic!!! Come on, we'll do just fine. Once we start losing weight, we'll have the motivation to want to take more off and we'll do what ever it takes for us to get to the point of where we feel most comfortable. Whether it be 145 or 175, I don't care as long as i'm healthy & happy. Every pound I lose is better than what I weighed pre-band. I look at it as a diet, I know most people don't like to look at it the same way, we've dieted all of our lives. Shall we call it a life change? In the end we need to eat right, drink Water and exercise. The same stuff we would have to do to lose weight if we were not banded. We just have a little band telling us it's time to put down the fork. Hang in there and be positive. You can get close to goal, if not at goal. There will be plenty of people here to help you get through this. I know I'll need all the help I can get when it gets to those last 20 pounds. If I don't get there, then I don't. I'll give it my all. In the end.. I just want to be healthy.

LOL well some of these are quite amusing. BUT this just makes me feel extremely happy that I only told my husband about my surgery. I didn't want to deal with the bull shit nor the stupid ass questions. But, mainly.. i really didn't want people to babysit me and lean over my shoulder watching my every move or shall i say.. every bite. LOL Keep up the laughs.. some of these are great.

Great job! Sounds like you have hit your sweet spot, for now. I hope it's the last fill for you! 12 pounds is a wonderful start.

I think that it is CRAZY that they would even have those two groups meet at the same time. I go to Lahey in Burlington, MA and they do two seperate support groups because they are very much different from one another. This is one of the reasons why I stayed away from the Boston Hospitals. Some, not all, of the hospital meetings were hard pressing for GBP. For anyone who went to Boston Hosp. please don't take offense to this. This is in no way, shape or form saying anything about the Dr's. I think the doctors are amazing. It just upsets me that lapband and GBP are treated the same, when they are completely diff. I actually think we need to be educated more about the lapband, due to the careful guides we need to know for eating and preventing pb'ing, sliming.. and so on. Go with what you want. DO NOT let ANYONE pull you away from what you want. There are many pros and cons to both. I have been banded for just a little over 3 weeks and i am happy i got the band. Yes, the weight comes off slower BUT there are less issues with the band, IMO. Also, from what i hear there is less chance of having severe excess skin. I also would like to know if this was a info. session or the support group? In the info. session, they would talk about both surgeries. But, I wonder why they wouldn't spend equal time on each procedure. Also, find out if this Dr. is one of those docs who do mostly RNY's vs Bands. Sometimes you get those docs that try to talk you out of the band. Keep an open mind and see where the doc stands and also, see if there is another doc available in the practice that you can meet with, that isn't so much pro RNY. I'm not sure what hosp. you are going with but there is a very nice lady named Diva that was banded in Boston, you might want to chat with her. Maybe you both go to the same Dr. or Hosp. Anyway.. best of luck to you! Please keep us informed on how things work for you. If you need someone to chat w/ PM me. Last time we chatted it was fun.

I can not give you a normal meal day for me yet, i'm still on liquids. but, i was told by my nutrititionist to eat 6 small meals a day, as she puts it. I do eat breakfast, lunch and dinner... but i have a healthy "snack' 3 times a day. The nutritionist requires this to have Protein. I use string cheese, yogurt.. turkey rolled up and so on. I'm told with the exception of sleep time. I should never go 4 hours without eating, it will set me up for a bad meal choice. but like always, listen to your own doc or nutrit. best of luck to all!

I am told that my ins. will pay for PS but i would have to have documented treatments stating i've had infections, rashes and i'm sure many other issues.

Sherri, I first have to say that I'm happy that your son is going to be okay. Thank GOD! I"m so sorry that this has happened to him and I pray he has a quick recovery. Secondly, lots of hugs to you... it must be so hard to see your child in distress. stay positive and strong, you and your family will get through this. Lots of prayers are being sent your way.

Hey Drifter, I did not use HMR but someone in my support group was using it for a preop diet. I guess, from what we were told at the Lapband support group, was that HMR does take the weight off, but most likely it will come back on. We were told that a lot of patients that need to lose quickly for certain types of surgeries take this, as well. One guy lost 200 pounds off of it ( he was 590) and he is now banded. He was allowed to continue HMR for 6 weeks after he was banded to help him continue with his weightloss, but only as a replacement for his 3 shakes a day, not a "meal". He lost another 40 pounds. After the six weeks were up, the Dr. adviced him to stop taking it. So basically instead of having his protein drinks, he had the HMR. I'm not sure if i helped you out any, i just thought i'd add my 2 cents in. LOL best of luck to you.

Diane, I'm also sorry to hear that you are going through this. Many wishes are sent your way, along with strength and love. Second opinions are always best, glad to see your doing that. Take care of yourself.. You have been through so much lately, you are one strong person. God bless you and your family. Take care, keep your chin up and most of all... try to be positive. I'm sure it's hard to..but try.

Hi, Well I'm not a nurse.. but I had to go in for my pre-op testing and that included a EKG. I also have HBP, the day I had my appt. my BP was 161/90 and I didn't have to lose my surgery date. When do you have your pre-ops? Every situation and Dr's rules are different, this was just my experience. Best of luck to you.

Just to update.. I got my approval a day after I posted my last post. It took me just under 3 months from start to finish to be approved. Like i said, it was great because my first appt. was a day long process from 9-4 and I got to see everyone that I needed to see in one day. Then I lost ten pounds within one months time, the nutritionist gave me an appt with the Dr. 2 days later, along with my temp. surgery date.. pending insurance approval and boom i was approved within 2 weeks. I will be banded on July 27,2006

I will be having a full body lift, when I'm around goal. I am actually on a savings plan with a Dr. in my area. We'll see how long it takes me to get my cash together. LOL I might be dead first.

just wanted to tell you all the NH speedway was fun, the race was great. It was a long ending though... wasn't it?