coolcrystal

Thank you Candy! They are very supportive about this procedure, but they were/are not supportive about me being obese. I know they didn't mean to, but sometimes they would look at me with disgust and embarassed to tell people I was their daughter because I was obese. Oddly, I was still confident about my looks and thought I looked sexy until I got about 260. After that is when I lost some confidence because my rear end would have a mind of its own. LOL. and knock stuff off counters and desks and such.. and the getting stuck in chairs thing.. very embarrassing. Anyway, everytime I'd see my mom she would make little comments about dieting and this "new recipe in her diet book". It was so annoying. At dinner they would watch every bite I put into my mouth. So, they are supportive now, but it would have been nice if they would have been that way before. They could never understand how I could be happy and social over 200, but I was. They expect anybody that is even slightly overweight to be miserable or something.

Dang you cookie monster! I knew there was some reason why I got fat!! LOL

Yeh, the pictures cracked me up!!! Oddly, I only have one right boob thing!! It's under my right arm pit, but I'm fine on my left, I wonder what that means?? LOL I only just got it within the last 5 months.. it's so odd.. Anyway, since I want to have a kiddo after I complete my weight loss, I probably can't get a tummy tuck, right? Maybe after I have a kiddo.

I gained weight when I got super happy in a new relationship and we went out to eat like twice a day practically... food was fun and exciting!! I gained 100 pounds in a dang year.. LOL. Anyway, then I got a foot disorder cuz of the extra weight and was on steriods for a few months.. gained more weight.. then I just couldn't do the rollerblading and other things I use to.. so I got lazy. And now I'm just a bored eater. When I'm sitting around the house watching television I scroung around the kitchen because I'm bored and food tastes yummy!! Sometimes I wish I could just get depressed about something because when I'm depressed or upset I don't eat at all; it makes me too sick to eat. But, I had a great childhood... and I have lots of friends.. and I'm super happy 98% of the time! Food is just FUN!!! Like Mexican food and mediteranean food.. Hummus and pita... chicken enchiladas'... Oh man... dang my mouth is just watering right this second..... chips and salsa... doesn't that just sound so fricking awesome???? See. IT"S FUN! Unfortunately, I've had too much fun with it, because at my dr. appntment yesterday I've gained 6 pounds since last month. I can't wait till I get this lapband. I really need it. LOL

After I told my parents I was pursueing this surgery my dad probably would have driven me to the surgery himself and paid for it right then if he'd had the money! Both of my parents are 60 and two of the most physically fit people you'd ever meet. They work out 3-4 hours daily, eat right and are both in the best shape of their lives and for them to have an obese daughter... well, lets just say, I think it's rather embarassing for them. When I was younger and lived with them I too was 125 and physically fit, but for the last... oh 8 years or so, I've been over 195 pounds and now I'm almost 300. So, when I told them I was trying to get this, my dad sent me this email: <TT>Hi Hon,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></TT></PRE> <TT><o:p> </o:p></TT><TT>I'm glad you brought this up for discussion. I think anything</TT></PRE> <TT> you can d</TT><TT>o for </TT>weight loss<TT> will be good and we will support </TT></PRE> <TT> your decision to have t</TT><TT>he procedure. Most importantly, I'm </TT></PRE> <TT> glad that you acknowledge the problem a</TT><TT>nd are willing to do </TT></PRE> <TT> something. This procedure you are considering is not the </TT></PRE> <TT>"be all, end all" for weight. It can solve some of the weight </TT></PRE> <TT>issues but it can be dangerous and you can end up back in the </TT></PRE> <TT>same place if you don't take the opportunity the </TT><TT>procedure </TT></PRE> <TT>gives you to change your life, and changing your life is what </TT></PRE> <TT>it will do.<o:p></o:p></TT></PRE> <TT><o:p> </o:p></TT><TT>The lap band will change your lifestyle for the better and I </TT></PRE> <TT> am thrilled that you are willing to take it on. Me and your</TT></PRE> <TT> mother have talked several times about approaching you about </TT></PRE> <TT> the weight problem, getting you on weight watchers or </TT></PRE> <TT> something, but were afraid to talk with you about it because </TT></PRE> <TT> you always seemed defensive a</TT><TT>bout the subject. We really </TT></PRE> <TT> don't care how you approach it, I'm thrilled a</TT><TT>nd I'm sure </TT></PRE> <TT> she will be just as excited as I am.<o:p></o:p></TT></PRE>

Nanna makes a very good point. My friend Jayme use to come on here and said she got so much great information for her lap band, and has lost over 100 pounds and loves it; but she doesn't come back anymore because she said she got all she needed out of the forum and didn't need the support anymore. So, I'm sure there are TONS of folks who love the band and are doing well, but just don't post on the forums anymore.

I've been to a few of the other forums, but they were harder for me to figure out how to use. This one is set up well and the easiest to use and do searches on. I've seen a few people on here who weren't the most pleasant ones, but not too terribly many. The good outweight the bad big time. Perhaps it's because people change when they lose a lot of weight. When my husband lost 100 pounds he said he got more cocky and one day he realized he was that way and caught it in time to fix it. I think a lot of the frustration with some long time folks on here might be that a lot of the same questions are asked , ie, PB, etc.. and some folks aren't researching those things before they post. But, whichever forum you pick, I hope to be here a long time and I'll always be nice to ya! Again, 79 pounds is a lot of weight to lose and now that you are back on the bandwagon, you CAN succeed!

Hi there, I think 366 is good down from 459... Sorry you got off track, but at least you didn't go back up to the 459! I haven't gotten my band yet, I hopefully will be getting it in late January; early February. I've got my last monthly dr. appnt next month and will put in for approval early January. I hope to be as successful as you. I'm 295 and would like to get down to about 150.

I'm not banded yet and Thanksgiving reaffirmed why I need to get this band. Me and my husband had two thanksgiving (his family and then mine) and I ate so much that I had heart burn, acid reflux, when I laid down I was PB'ing and I don't even have a dang band yet. LOL. But, I was MISERABLE. It made me realize I never want to stuff myself like that again. Stupidly I tried to justify it by saying "this is the last Thanksgiving I'll get to eat everything" so I did. But I was miserable when I did and I regret it now. But, I have to get over that. Today is a new day.

I haven't been banded yet, but I have my decision down to two doctors in the DFW area. One is the one my best friend went to and has done very well with and another one that has gotten lots of praise on the groups I belong too. It doesn't take long to do some research on the doctors in your area..

Jack that was so funny about spreading your DNA through the towns! LOL Well, it really sounds like the most common factor people have is doughy breaded items and dry chicken. I always dip my chicken in some type of sauce or ketchup though. But the rest certainly seems to vary from person to person. I hope I won't have the tuna issue... I love tuna and I figured tuna would be a great source of Protein.

I'm really shocked about the slimy foods hurting you and the applesauce... wow... I figured the slimier the better.. interesting!

Girl, I know.. we Texans LOVE chips and salsa. LOL. I live in the Dallas area... do you go to any support groups around here?

Two of my friends who got banded last year each had a different experience. One was not eating hardly at all. She would go two days with no food and she wasn't eating protein hardly. She had major hairloss and ended up shaving her head at one point, which didn't bug her because she was into this goth/skin head type thing. The other followed the diet well, drinks protein shakes and eats several small meals a day and she has had no hair loss problems. So, I think it really depends on the protein intake and eating... Good luck.

Wow, this is a great list so far. And I know what you mean about the tortilla's.. ooh man, that sucks! I like Pita bread.... I would die if I couldn't have pita bread, but, I'd have to get over it.. Cottage cheese?? wow, wouldn't expect that one... And tuna? I figured most tuna is already pretty shredded... totally sucks...

I was perfectly fine with my obesity until I got over 240. The way my body is shaped, I looked about 180 at 240. But now I'm 285 and I'm in pain all the time. Anyway, I've had almost the complete opposite response with my friends. I even wrote a huge blog on 360 where about 100 of my closest friends and family found out I was pursueing it and the excitement I had. Not one of them gave me a negative feedback, except one who had the bypass and gave me her horror story of all the complications; but a bypass and a lapband are two different things. What bugs me the most is people who think the lapband is the bypass. It's not. My sister had a friend who died from the bypass so she was slightly concerned, but when I told her the difference she was very happy for me. The ONE person who keeps flipping back and forth is my Mother in law. At first she was happy for me. Then three weeks later she was upset that I was getting it and said she has two friends who only lost 30 pounds and couldn't lose anymore. But, what I think is that she is obese too and we go out to eat a lot and she is scared she will lose her eating out buddy or something. I told her I have three friends who were 110% successful and she gawfed. So, now that's what I'm dealing with. But, I'm so glad I have very supportive friends who haven't tried scaring me and this forum.

So.. I have a few personal friends that I talk to on a regular basis who've had the lap band done. After speaking with them about what are things they can or can't eat they each said totally different things. For instance, one person said she could eat rice and the other person said there was no way in heck she could eat anything with rice. One eats bread and the other cannot eat bread. One drinks cokes (she shakes them up to get rid of the carbonation as much as possible) and the other one says it didn't work for her. I'm curious, what are the things you can absolutely not eat. And, I'm not talking about what your doctor told you to not eat, because my friends doctor told her to not eat bread and she eats it and is fine and has lost over 100 pounds so far... So, what is your individual no no list.. Even if you see that somebody else has posted it, please post it. Also, I did a search for a thread like this and couldn't find one, so I apologize if there is an older thread similiar and my "search" abilities suck. Please still post your answers below. Thanks!!

GraceUtah, I'm sorry but Dr. Phil rides my last nerve. He is the most annoying "doctor" on this planet. My husband and I were just talking about this the other day - about how we look affecting how we act and who we are. Losing weight does change a person because it changes how we feel about ourselves and how we are treated by others. I've been on both sides of the spectrum you see. I was 125 pounds for several years. I was very athletic. Then I got with a guy and fell inlove and we went out to eat all the time and instead of doing my rollerblading, we would go to movies and cuddle up on the couch and he would get jealous if I went to work out cuz he didnt' want men looking at me.. I gained over 100 pounds in a year. And.. he dumped me. LOL That quick I became obese.. because of that I got a dabilitating foot disorder, disc bulges and stuff that wouldn't allow me to work out like I once did and gained 60 more pounds.. then dislocated my knee from a fall... which leads me to this. I'm so tired of psychologists/doctors saying there has to be some underlined reason why people gained their weight and that there are emotional scars attached to it, because for me, there wasn't. I just fell inlove with a jealous guy and we had fun by going out to eat and snuggling, which was a big mistake on my part. I lost who I was, but I was never depressed. I never had childhood issues... I still have tons of friends and I still have a good time, even at my 280 something body frame. But, I do know that when I do lose weight, I will be changed, because I will be able to move around better, people will treat me differently, etc. Which will change who I am. But, I do love who I am right now; I'm just in a lot of physical pain due to the extra weight.

Right, a friend of mine who was about 350 when she got her lap band didn't follow that first diet 100% and they had to use the largest band on her because her liver didn't go down enough. Because of that, she's had to have SO many fills because her band is just so dang big. Apparently the bigger the band, the more fills you have to get. She was just telling me last night how she regretted not following that first diet because had she, they could have used a smaller band on her and she wouldn't have to keep going in for her fills all the time. Of course, the flip side to that is, when she does need a fill, she said she can eat just about whatever she wants because the band is bigger.. BUT, she says she always gains a few pounds back when that happens. LOL. Yesterday she missed her fill by 30 minutes and she had to reschedule it for AFTER thanksgiving, so she's pretty scared now. She said, "Now I'm going to be able to eat whatever I want for Thanksgiving". HA HA. In a way, it seems kind of cool for that to happen right at the holidays :-) But, I guess the last thing a bandster wants is to gain a few pounds, but dang, she's already lost 110 pounds, so, what's a few pounds to enjoy the holidays and pig out?? Of course, I haven't gotten my band yet, so I'm sure I will think differently later, especially since I have that whole pigging out issue still right now.

From reading in other threads, I've heard some say about 5 grand to have it removed if your insurance won't cover it. You might want to do a search , because I know there is a thread about this, I just can't remember the name of it right now.

Wow thanks! And I haven't even lost any weight yet.. That makes me feel good :-) Crystal

Make33.. no really they WERE looking.. seriously... they were obsessed with my basket.. HA HA.. J/K. Yeah, they probably weren't, but in my little head they were. Just the other day my hubby put a bag of gummy bears in the basket and since he was going to go sit in the car, I put them under the bag of peas. LOL. Aren't I bad??

That makes sense.. One time I lost 50 pounds and I went down half a shoe size. Your feet probably unswell and perhaps get slightly more narrow maybe... For me, my ankles and feet were so swelled and they did get slightly slimmer. Perhaps thats what happened with you too.

Wow, everybody really opened up and listed some awesome things and reminded me of a few more too... I hope everybodys list comes true!! One big thing I can't believe I left off my list is my car seat. When I bought my Nissan, I had to go check out several cars just to see if my rear end would be comfortable in the drivers seat. But, either way, my hip still digs into the door. So, I can't wait until my left hip doesn't touch the door!! (I have a big rear end!) LOL.

I agree with want2beme . She hit the nail on the head. Gosh, I hope I don't go through this with my skinny friends too.