fujika

Hillarious! Yeah, I have a Wii too! "That's OBESE!" I want to throw it out the window when it says that! Keep it up though, it does start to get encouraging as the weight comes off. I'm almost out of the obese category, will it just say "That's Normal!"?

It's just a little bigger than the size of a pea, but not by much:) Just ask your fill nurse for the cap when you get your fill.

My fill nurse gave me the screw cap after my fill and reminded me, "nothing in your mouth bigger than this". I try to keep it in my pocket and it is a constant reminder of how small my bites should be. So far so good, I've never been stuck! (Knock on wood!)

I was banded last May and have had no problems. A little gas after surgery, that wasn't pleasant. But other than that I've done fine. It is a learning process and I'm getting good at chewing and taking smaller bites. I think my fill is finally at the sweet spot. I eat about a 1/2 cup of food and I'm totally satisfied for hours, until the next meal. Drinking plenty of water and I've lost another 4 pounds since the last fill.

Oh, yes mine is still there! I feel it all the time, occasionally it's a little uncomfortable or sore. If I bump it, ooh it hurts! I've had mine for almost a year and it's still a little bump.

:tt1:$0, My Dr. charges a flat rate for the surgery and it includes all fills with flouroscopy including emergency unfills (like in the middle of the night, you have the flu and start puking), all pre surgery testing and the pre surgery diet (:sad:optifast, yuck!). He also includes any surgical needs (related to the band, of course!) during the first year or two years, I'd have to look at my paperwork.

I put 1 scoop of protein powder in my coffee almost every morning. (My Mom who is also banded puts a scoop in her sugar free hot chocolate.) I don't hardly notice the protien powder, of course it depends on what kind your using, some are better than others. I like the plain powder with no flavors and no sweetener. I use xylitol if I want to sweeten things and I can't use splenda (sucralose), because it gives me a gigantic :confused_smile:migraine. Since the powder is unflavored I can add it to anything and not change the flavor. I buy it from www.bulkfoods.com, my mom and I go in on the 25lb one and split it so we don't have to pay for shipping! I also use the body fortress protein shots from walmart, when they have them. My mom and I both keep our eyes pealed for them when we go and we buy them out every time we see them! They never keep more than a couple boxes at a time:cursing:. I've also found some single serve cottage cheese, they are just the right size and keep me satisfied until the next meal. Just a note on adding protein powder, I've read not to add it to things that are too hot, not sure :confused:why, but I like my coffee drinkable, so it works for me!

My first fill didn't hurt at all, just maybe a little "stick". So the second one, I was expecting the same. YIKES!! It hurt so bad, I almost jumped out of the chair! The third one was like the 1st. The nurse explained that there are nerve endings in your skin and if the needle happens to hit one, it hurts, if it misses, it doesn't. There's no way to tell where the nerve endings are, until you hit one. Our center always uses flouro, everytime. I've never been stuck multiple times, nor has she had to dig around. All my fills to date have been perfect! No over fills at all! I'm going for another tomorrow, hoping not to hit those nerve endings!:smile:

I agree with Aubrie, artificial sweeteners are poison! I too get ragin' headaches:cursing: especially with Splenda or sucralose. I just usually use the regular stuff, but less of it. I do use xylitol(a natural sweetener) in my iced tea. If I use to much it sends me to the bathroom:crying:, but other than that it's tolerable and doesn't have an aftertaste.

:cry_smile:Soda, I love bubbles! and I miss them very much! Even when I was pregnant with my daughter and had gestational diabetes, I would drink carbonated water, talking rain, etc. I love, love, love the bubbles! But, my new body is worth it! I just really miss the bubbles!

:thumbup:It's working for me and my mom! We've changed our eating habits, following the bandster rules (for the most part). I don't eat sugar free things, (splenda gives me a ragin' headache!!). So I eat regular stuff, just not a lot of it! I make sure I'm getting enough Protein in, sometimes I have to add unflavored Protein Powder to things, just to get enough. I take my multi Vitamin and try and drink enough Water. And of course, CHEW, CHEW, CHEW AND CHEW SOME MORE!! I've also started exercising, not a lot, just enough. Everything falls into place if I keep moving forward, it doesn't happen by itself. Just a side note, my daughter is also a twin, her twin died at about 12 weeks gestation. She's 8 now, healthy and beautiful! It will work, if you do:)

My doctors office uses a chair, first they lay you down, then they sit you up. They use flouro everytime and the barium, it seems to work pretty well. I haven't had a fill that wasn't enough or too much. I'm losing and not uncomfortable!

My husband also has a giant sized sweet tooth! I knew going in to this, that wouldn't change. I don't expect my whole family to "diet" just because I am. Although I see little changes here and there. My 8year old daughter is eating tuna salad in a bowl instead of on bread, which is good,:wink2: our family has a long history of carb addicts! Also, I am, well I was until football/cheer season started, cooking more healthy food. I decided going into this that I was not going to "diet". I am not going to deprive myself of everything that I've ever loved! Of course, there are things I don't eat, for fear of getting stuck, most breads, popcorn, dense red meat, to name a few. But everything else in moderation. I want to eat like a "normal" person, not a "dieter". This is a life long healthy change, I am eating different, but I still occasionaly have a treat.

I'm not certain, but I think that it is a must because you are under general anethesia (sp?). When I had my surgery, I didn't even remember it. My throat was a little sore, kind of dry feeling, but that cleared up within a few hours. Other than that, if they had'nt told me I would be intubated, I wouldn't have known.

I drink this for at least one of my "meals" after fills. My doctor recommends 48hrs liquid diet after fills. I also like to keep one in the fridge and use it as a snack throughout the day as I get closer to my fills and start having hunger pangs. I just drink a little bit here and there, it takes me about a day and a half to finish one. Anyhow, I do like them and they keep me on track.

:thumbup:I love how you put that about the woodcutter discovering a power saw!

I went to the store last night and walking out I saw a reflection of a woman in the glass doors. She wasn't as large as me, quite a bit smaller, she looked pretty good. She was still very much overweight and needed to lose about 60 pounds but she looked good! I had to take a second look, it was me!! :w00t:Really, that smaller women in the reflection was me!! :tt1:I couldn't believe it! WOW! I really love my band, I am so glad I did this for myself!

I eat the "regular" stuff. Just not as much and not as often.:smile2: I can't eat most of the non fat, because they put sucralose in it. I get a really, really bad 3 day headache from sucralose.

I had been researching lap band for about a year and a half, sort of just thinking about it. For all the same reasons: can't tie my shoes (I tie them off my feet, then slip them on!) don't want to embarrass my children want to fit in the Timberhawk (rollercoaster at Wild Waves) last year I didn't even try, I knew I was bigger than the year before. And the year before I fit, but I faked the seat belt There was no way I was going to be the fat lady getting off the ride! It's not an upside down ride and the bar fit across my lap, I was so wedged in there, I had a hard time getting my behind out after the ride was over! :blushing:OMG how embarrassing! I coach a junior football league cheer squad, I want to be able to show the girls how to do it, I hate being the fat coach! My health was starting to decline, insulin resistance, blood pressure creeping up, foot pain, knee pain, back pain, headaches, infertility. But the straw that really broke the camels back was when my Mom was diagnosed with type II diabetes in the spring. I didn't want to lose her and we started on this journey together! We've both lost more than 30 lbs each!! Our clothes are too big! We really need to go shopping! Our health is improving!

I was banded first and foremost for me, my health, mental, physical and emotional. But there is one person that I also did it for, My Mom. I'm not sure if she would have been banded if I didn't do it too??? Her health was getting bad, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, fibromyalgia (sp?), knee problems, there's more, just can't think of it all. We lost Dad in 2004 due to diabetic complications and I just didn't want to lose another parent. I also was right behind my mom with insulin resistance, asthma and blood pressure that was starting to creep up. The good news: We were both banded on 30May08. Mom is off the metformin!! She has an appointment to see about her blood pressure (we think she might need less or a different med) We've both lost about 29lbs!!! We are truly a team! I love my Mom!:biggrin2:

I've used the Taebo tapes before with great success. I just had to keep upping my amount until I couldn't keep up with it anymore, and I burned out, gained all the weight back. Now that I'm banded, I'm hoping I can just exercise once a day 3-4 days a week. I love Taebo, because the moves are not too complicated or like "dance". I am very uncoordinated and regular aerobics doesn't work for me! My sister got all the dancing genes! I have none!! But, I'm not crying, there's lots of things I'm good at!:biggrin2:

I can't drink a protein drink before, I feel it sloshing and swishing up and down my tummy while I work out! That makes me nauseous! So, I work out first, then drink my protein drink or have malt o meal with added protein powder, either way is good!:thumbs_up:

From the time I started looking into the lap band, I knew it would be a tool for me to use. Not a magic cure. So far for me, it's been like dieting, but soooo much easier. I don't have the hunger pangs or the cravings, that in and of itself made it worth it for me! I get my first fill tomorrow, I can't wait, because I am starting to get hungry again, but as long as I do what I'm supposed to, the cravings aren't so bad. Ultimately, you have to make the decision and decide if it's right for you. Good luck, hope to see you around on the boards!:sad_smile:

I'm a child care provider too! I was banded on 30May of this year. I provide child care in my home, so I'm on my own during the day with the children. When I was banded I had a friend come over and take care of the children (bonus for me, she is a really good friend and also cleaned house and did laundry!!) She came for 2 days, I wish I'd had her come for about 4, but I did ok. I was just really tired and still quite sore. I'm finding it easier to get down with the little ones and I'm having a lot more energy as the weight comes off!! Good luck to you!:thumbup: