singledad167

I don't use my cpap anymore. When I first had a sleep study, I was having 109 events an hour. Then I was banded, lost over 60 lbs so far and I exercise a lot now. Now my auto cpap is saying my pressure was only at around 4. I stopped using it and I feel fine. I probably should get another triation, but I think I'm good for now. I even have packed up my cpap and got it off my night stand. I think weight has so much to do with sleep apnea also.

I've lost 10 more lbs this month. Starting, oh wow, tommorow I start the last 13 weeks training for my triathalon. I start to do two a day work outs, so I'm should be taking off more weight too. I haven't updated my ticker. I forgot my pin, so I have to create a new one.

I drink a diet soda every now and then. I'll even shake it up to get rid of most of the carbonation. I will have a rum and coke now and then, but usually they are pretty flat also. Anything in life in moderation. No sense in giving up living.

Ok, I'm in. I also am training to do a triathalon. No, not an ironman, but a begginer sprint. 1/4 mile swim/13mile bike/3 mile run. I'm just looking to finish. Firecracker Triathlon - Benton Harbor, Michigan Name.............. Start ..........Current.......... Goal ........ToGo barb12590......173............173...................155.............18 blaze21.............200.8...........200.8..............170............ 30.8 countrygirlNY.........253..............217...............182.......... .35 crzytchr2004.........237..............237...............210........... 27 Fordgal88.............199...............175...............199......... ...24 LessJess..............228...............228...............199......... ...29 libbyjane1976.......283...............283................250.......... .33 Mair....................222...............222................199...... .....23 pbpuniser.............212..............212................182.............30 SillyGoose............258...............258................228........ .. 30 simone................182...............182................160........ ....22 ukcatsfan.............340..............340...............300.......... ..40 3ShotRoc..............345..............263...............220.......... ...43

When I first got banded and I started walking I could barely get around the block my back hurt so much. Only thing that really helped me was strengthening my back muscles. Now I run 3 miles and I never have any pain.

Start a walking routine right away. I started to walking immediately. But I had some complications and the doc accidently punctured my stomach because my liver was so large it was hard for him to put in the band and I had to be opened up from my breast bone to my belly button so the incision was really big and it took much longer for healing. In a week I was walking around the block. In a month I was walking three miles almost every day. About 4 weeks I started doing some light weights. I would ask your doc before any weight training though.

Adkins advantage shakes/bars are pretty much the same thing but without all the carbs, and alot cheaper, at least at Walmart.

In my quit smoking class I have a CO2 detector. It shows the amount of CO2 in your blood just by breathing in to an analyzer. It can pretty much detect if you've been smoking in the last couple of weeks. It can pretty accurately show how much a person smokes. It's a good tool to show people who quit their progress. Also the amount of CO2 in the blood is one of the reasons smokers don't heal as fast. One of the major components to healing is the ability of the body to bring oxygen to the inflicted area. CO2 prevents O2 from attaching to blood cells. A pack a day smoker can reduce the amount of oxygen to all the bodies tissue, organs, and brain by as much as 30%. That's why when people quit the can experience "quitters fog" or dizziness. The brain is adjusting to the increase in O2 and has to chemically re-balance itself to it's natural state.

Way to Go!!! You're doing great! Just think how much better you'll feel. I know I do. Here's another good forum that helped me alot when I quit smoking. Keep up the great work and keep us posted. Quit Smoking | Quit Smoking Support | Smoking Cessation

March 14th (and my bday) I will have been quit for 3 years. I can honestly say I never even think about smoking any more. Other than when I'm in a bar and my only though is "wow, it's hard to breath in here". I'm now a volunteer smoking cessation consoler through the American Lung Association. I've been doing a couple years and the one thing I learned is I can give someone all the knowledge and tools, but unless they really want it, it don't matter. I tell them any smoking cessation works, if you really want it too. With that said, your best chance for success is a combination of support, learning everything you can about the addiction, and the quitting process (knowledge is power), drugs (i.e. Chantex or Zyban/Wellbutrin) and a nicotine replacement therapy (i.e. patch, gum, lozenges). The chances staying quite for one year going just cold turkey is 7%. Over 40% if you attack your addiction from multiple fronts. Also, don't try to make too many life changes at once. Like trying to loose weight, give up caffeine, and quit at the same time. Quitting smoking is plenty to focus on. However, it's the best thing you can do for yourself. After 20 years as a smoker, I love being a free of them and my life as a non smoker.

Has anyone noticed the real "Biggest Loser" auditions ad has appeared at the bottom of this thread LOL?

First congrats on your loss, you're doing great. I also had the same concerns, and I asked my doc what kind of restrictions and he said none. Like my 9 year old loves to wrestle with me, and we can get pretty wild, and there's times he come crashing down right on my port and I'm worried, but no problems so far.

I would think that if we had a bypass that would be more. But having the lapband, I think it takes more work. If I cheat, I can still eat alot, but just not at one time. I knew going in that I would have to work, and the band is just a tool, not a magic bullet. But I think my conscience got the best of me, because I didn't. I was just wondering what others thought.

Different for different people. Some can take a few bites and fill competely full and satisfied. For me I just cannot eat anymore, but I'm still hungry. My mind is starting to get adjusted, but I will admit, it was very frustrating at first. Also, the biggest thing is not drinking before and after eating. If I drink during meals, I can eat ALOT more.

You don't have to lie. Just tell them you cut down on your portions, and you're exercising more. This a personal decision, and you have the right to share this with who you want too. I told my 8 year old son at first I have to small surgery to fix my stomach. I've now told him the truth and he's fine with it, and totally respects my decision not to tell anyone.

It's perfectly normal to be nervous and scared. If you weren't I would be worried about you. Now the chances of your liver being too big is very slim. Especially for women, it's more common for men. I've only seen one or two people on here say they couldn't get the band because their liver was too big. They did a couple more weeks on the liquid diet and they were good to go. They were both guys. You'll go great. Good luck and take care and let us know how it goes as soon as you can. Just go to www.tickerfactory.com select the weight loss, follow the instructions, then copy and past the url in your signature, and your'e good to go.

I didn't enter it, and the dead line has passed. I really wanted to enter as motivation, but unless I told them, I think it would be cheating. I read the entry, and there was nothing in there about having weight loss surgery. It's not like it was for money or anyting. I think it was a t shirt, and entry fee's went to a local food bank. Like I said, I just wanted it for motivation, but if I had won I feel like it would have been dishonest. Opinions?

Hunger is hard for me too at night. Especially when I work out in the evening. I've been eating Atkins protien bars that I put in my workout bag. It had done the trick so far for me.

I had a similar issue. I was banded last July. First time I went for a fill we did it w/xray. I had a little restriction, but not alot. I went in for a second, third, and forth fill. I was up to 9cc's and still not fully restricted.To make a long story short, I basically got unfilled, went back into xray, and got filled up to 10cc's and I was told we could go up to 12. I'm thinking maybe we used too big of a band. Right now I hit that "sweetspot". I don't even follow all the rules exactly, but I'm working out, and watching intake, and the band helps with the rest. I'm now losing 4-5 pounds a week. The biggest thing for me is not drinking when I eat. If I don't drink, I get full very quick. Stay patient and work with the doctor. You'll get it right, but we do have to remember it is just a tool, and you can learn to eat around the band. It's still hard work, but it's so worth it.

If you hadn't had a fill yet, I wouldn't worry to much. Also, it make take a few fills to get just right. I believe that not drinking w/meals is the key here. When I don't drink with meals I can only eat small portions. Then if you eat just small portions every 2-3 hours you stay ahead of your hunger, and you really don't consume alot of calories. Exercise is the real key here. If I'm not exercising I lose maybe 1 lb a week. If I am exercising every day same amount of food I can lose 5-6 lbs. I just hit 50 lbs lost today is a matter of fact. I haven't updated my ticker because I forgot my pin. I'll make a new one soon.

During surgery the doc discovered my liver was too large. In the process they accidently perferated my stomach and had to do an "open" surgery to repair the stomach and install the lap band. I was NOT put on any pre op diet. I don't know if that would have made a difference or not, but I think it sure would have helped. I woke up to find I was stapled from the bottom of my breast bone to the top of my belly button and instead of one week recovery, looking a six weeks. So the pre diet to shrink the liver is VERY important and hindsight I would have done it on my own. Im a guy, and were different that we carry all our fat pretty much in our stomach, and our liver. It's very rare they have to do an open surgery. I posted to find out who else had and only one other person responded and they too did have a pre op diet. Follow the diet and I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck and keep us posted.

I also had complicatons because my liver was too big. I ended up having an "open" surgery after my stomach was accidently perferated and they had to open me up to fix the hole in my stomach. I was stapled from just below my breast bone, to the top of my belly button. I also had to stay over night. I could only eat ice chips the first day, and only had two surgar free popcicles the first and second day. I think most of it in the begining is swelling. I don't have any fill yet, and 10 days post op I'm feeling quite hungry again. As far as the gas it is normal, walk as much as you can, that really helps alot. However, I didn't feel any pain slowly eating jello. At this point you don't want any restriction so you can heal. I think I would give the doctor a call though. Better safe than sorry. Good luck, and keep us updated.

I'm only 10 days post op and had to have an "open" sugery because my liver was too large. Just a couple days ago I got my staples out and my scar runs just below my breast bone to just above my belly button, not to mention the scar where my port is. It looks like a zipper running 22" vertically across my belly. I don't think I'll ever take my shirt off again!

Not sure, I have lost 22 lbs since my surgery ten days ago, and am losing at a pretty steady rate. I notice the hunger has returned, but I'm still only taking in about 1200 calories a day and walking 60-90 minutes a day. Twenty more pounds and I'll be back on the tennis courts. I'm wondering if my doc will give me a fill if I've lost so much. Right now, the surgery has been a great kick start to a new lifestyle. I'm glad I have it, because old habits sometimes sneak up on us. One day at a time here.

I'm 10 days post op, and still on a liquid diet. I'm really noticing that I'm healing up, the swelling is going down, and my hunger is returning. Since we've not had any fills, there's going to be little or no restriction. This is normal, and expected. I'm just looking to eat some real food soon. Hang in there, it will be better when we get some fills in our bands.