josephine

My doctor is Robert Snow. He is located in Hurst. I have never heard of Dr. Rincon. You did quite well. I have had my band for 3 years now and have been maintaining since July of 2006. Yes, I have had a tummy tuck and a breast lift. I wouldn't even mind having a butt and thigh lift but I will wait until my husband feels giving again. Hope you find the other two you were looking for. Josephine

Mindy, I don't know how tall you are but you look absolutely great right now. When I try to see your photo up close I can see you clavical bones and I was there also. I personally don't think you need to lose weight. I think you a perfect but beware the skinny mind takes over and then you end up needing to gain a few pounds. I've been there. I am 5'7" and I went down to 134 and it looked gross. I joined the gym and gained, well I weigh 143-145 and I look really healthy and believe it or not I still wear the same size now as I did when I was 134. The photo I have on this website is a couple of years old so I still look a bit different. You have done an incredible job!! Congratulations, Josephine

I gained 9 lbs. after surgery. It is the gas. Don't worry. Stick to the rules and you will be fine. Josephine

We have been so programmed only to drink when eating that in our minds we have fooled ourselves to believe that we can't swallow without a liquid to help the food to go down. You just have to tell your brain that you are NOT allowed to do this and it becomes a habit just like it became a habit to drink while eating. Trust me, if you drink enough liquids during the course of the day and of course not while you are eating you will break that habit and know that you never had to drink while eating. Just like Nike's logo................. Just Do It (Because you can) Josephine

You will never be alone on this site. We have newbies like you and old farts like me. Your surgery is on a good day, my Birthday. Everything is going to go great. Liquid? Yum Yum... I lost 12 lbs. in 5 days prior to the surgery. It is all for the better and don't worry, you will be fine. Josephine

If you are driving I would wait 2 weeks. If you had to slam on the breaks it may hurt a bit. Nothing else is really a big deal. Let just a little bit of the healing process happen and to be sure you are off of pain meds if needed. Josephine

I had a tummy tuck and a breast lift and I took off for 6 weeks. They try to tell you 4 weeks for both but I had the time so I took it. Two weeks is usually for the breast lift. Josephine

You have done the best thing in your life that you ever could have. You finally woke up to realize that you finally want to life a happy and healthy LONGER life than you ever have before. You are way to early in the stages of having any regrets. Yes, it will be very difficult at first but you truly need to believe in yourself and that you can do this. Your gas pains are very normal right now. It will go away but sometimes for some it actually takes longer but remember it is all for the good. I was only able to take in 2 spoonfuls of food each meal for the first week and I survived and so shall you. If you have never believed in yourself then you better start right now. You are on the road to a HEALTHY NEW LIFESTYLE AND BELIEVE ME IT WILL FEEL DAMN GOOD VERY SOON! Take each day in a positive light and just believe in yourself and that you can and will do this. Josephine

I was getting a Skinny Venti French vanilla Latte with an extra shot of coffee. If you are lacking in the Protein side you can ask for a shot of protein which is the whey powder. Josephine

I would have put this in the Success Stories but I was having a problem because of the Photos. I try to think what is really the success............................. I know it isn't the Lapband alone so I really have to give my doctor alot of credit because of him telling me prior to the actual surgery while almost going into LaLa Land it is 80% you and 20% the band. I remember looking at him thinking, if it was 80% me then why do I need this band inside of me...Then I thought oh yeah, it has always been 20% me and 80% the DIET and that is why I was a constant failure. Isn't losing the weight the easy thing to do but keeping it off is the SUCCESS. The band will be apart of me the rest of my life God Willing. I can only hope that my New Found Mind with the respect of Life, Healthy Living, and food will last just as long. My new life began on November 10, 2005. I began at 251 pounds and I have now been maintaining since July 25, 2006 at 145 pounds, give or take a few. I was able to achieve this goal even without a fill. Yes, it is odd but it is true. I understand though that I can always RUN to my doctor if I need to for an adjustment/fill. It has always terrified me to throw up, overeat, PBing (?), and whatever else everyone has gone through. I have ALWAYS stuck with the rules from my doctor and because of him I am a success. Also, I have to thank my husband for teaching how to eat all over again. I eat slow, put my utensils down while chewing and enjoy every bite I take of my food. I know the importance of food now because of him and I am forever thankful to him because he taught me, "Eat to Live and Don't Live to Eat". Still today I am able to eat everything, but of course what I choose to eat and the only things that I gave up was drinking, soft bread, fried foods (MY ADDICTION AND BAD FOR YOU), and smoking. How badly do you want to Succeed? Then think of how badly you want to Live. PS: Having a problem with the photos so you need to look at My Album Josephine

Pre surgery stage I lost 12 lbs. and that was 5 days before surgeryon the liquid phase. That is what helped me get hooked on losing weight. Josephine

How do we, as people devoted to losing weight, handle all the turkey, dressing, tamales, cranberries, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc? The word is up above in your question Steve..................Devoted. My doctor has always told me to enjoy the holidays and I can. Since you have that devotion you shouldn't have a problem. There is nothing wrong with you having a bit of this and a bit of that. You shouldn't worry about what other people may feel about how much you put on you plate. Taste and enjoy. Eat the amount you normally can as a banded person, enjoy the conversation, enjoy the company and be your normal self. You should by now be aware of your limit so that is the new you. Don't think too much into it as this is your new life now and there shouldn't be any going back. You will be fine........ Josephine

I am able to eat everything that I choose to eat. I have never gotten sick with anything. I have stayed away from everything that my doctor told me too which wasn't much like soft bread and hotdogs but otherwise. There are foods that I will never touch again as that is what made me obese besides my brain and stomach allowing me to but otherwise anything really healthy goes. It is up to us and is our responsibility as adults to finally realize what is good nd what is bad for us. Josephine

We are here if you need us. Josephine

LShelly, I was told not to eat popcorn and it has been almost 3 years. It really has something to do with the kernels. I ws even told not to eat hotdogs also becuase of the skin. I have found skinless hotdogs so I eat those. You really need to get with your doctor to tell you what you should and should not eat with his experience in which he has only learned from his other patients. They are only able to tell you from experiences that they have heard from us. We are the trial and error patients. Josephine

Pretty Woman, I am a little confused that you are soon to be banded and you don't even know what a fill is. It is possible for you not to get a fill but it depends upon your food intake. If you are able to consume more than a half a cup of food per meal in which it should be 3 meals a day then you may need a fill. A fill is Saline solution that is put into your port which will tighten your band that is around your stoma. I was able to lose all my weight without a fill but not too many people are like that. I believe you need to do a bit more research. The bypass by far is the most dangerous of weight loss surgeries but I believe that the Lapband surgery even though they say you lose half the amount of weight than you do with the bypass, at least you do not lose vital nutrients. You of course need to do what is best for you. Research a little more if necessary. Josephine

If I would have known about this procedure and the life I could have had when it first hit the states I would have done it then. I realize though in my time, in my forty plus years how much I respect life, health, and the food I eat to live. I know it wasn't just the band that did it though. If I didn't change my lifestyle and the food choices that I made I still would have been in the same unhealthy state but only eating less of it. The band and I are a team. I helped it along. I didn't wait for it to tell me what to do. I told the band what to do for me. Lapband doctors don't really tell you what to do as far as the eating because they don't want you to be discouraged and vote against having the procedure. It is so important for us to finally realize in our life what we are doing incorrectly in our lifestyle choices and our food choices. It isn't easy at first but then once you begin to see the results of your good choices you couldn't have asked for anything better. I have been obese all my life and addicted to Fast Food most of that life too. I am proud to say I haven't eaten fried food since Nov., 2005. I quit smoking Dec., 2006 and have been physically fit starting Jan., 2007. I crave healthy food, fresh air and exercise. Who would have known. I just know how all of that makes me feel. I am still terrified of looking in the mirror, taking photos, or even believing I am who I am. I am so angry at myself that it took me almost half my life to discover life. How could I have disrespected my life so much? The tables are turning though and my success today is.......................... Finally being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and loving that part of it. Now I need to work on loving myself. Josephine Surgery Date 11-10-05 Starting Weight - 251 Ending Weight - 144 No Fills in the process

Thank you two very much. I try very hard to be helpful on this website and alot of times I am overlooked because I am a very different case. I was even told that the band only works with a fill and in my case it isn't true.There are plenty of people who had the band at work and it hasn't worked for them the same it did me. No one should ever compare themselves to others because a disappointment can send them where they don't ever want to go again. I was terrified of getting a fill. I was terrified of throwing up also. I heard of so many people not being able to eat certain things once they got a fill and that is what truly bothered me. I am able to eat everything that I choose to eat. I just never have eaten soft bread and I am fine with that. I don't ever want to go backwards like I have my whole life and I believe I have finally beaten the past. If not, at least I know I CAN STILL GO TO THE DOCTOR TO GET AN ADJUSTMENT. I am here to help anyone who wants it. Josephine

It is also from the gas they put in you to expand the area where they had to put the probs in to see what they were doing. Did you kind of taste and or smell your breath the same evening of your surgery? It tasted funny to me besides the dryness from the breathing tube they put down your throat. Josephine

I think you can tell if you are eating more than normal. I knew of a girl at work who was able to eat a couple pieces of pizza and even garlic sticks with no problem. The nurse at the doctor's office said she probably stretched her pouch and at times she would run to the bathroom to throw up because the food would stay down. I think you have to be behind that xray machine to really find out. If you are then I think they put you on liquids again.

Lauralee, This is from the Mayo Clinic. Intestinal gas ARTICLE SECTIONS Definition Causes When to see a doctor Causes Foods that cause gas Some foods contain substances that aren't easily digested. Because of this, they pass unchanged into the lower intestine, where they're finally broken down into simpler substances — including gas — by the bacteria found there. Common gas-producing foods and substances include: Beans and lentils Dairy products containing lactose Fructose and sorbitol, which are found in some fruits and are also used as sweeteners

Lauralee, Excuse me for doctoring but are you eating any greasy foods? Onions, what veggies are you eating? Look on the internet to see what foods that you are eating that are causing you gas. Josephine