WishUponABand

hey! i was banded on the 16th of this month. wow! as much as ive researched and read up the past year i still felt like i didnt know a lot as i was scared of messing up some how with the help of my hubby i am doing pretty well. on my liquid diet now eating bout a 1/2 cup Protein shake for Breakfast , strained clam chowder for lunch and or dinner and a sugar free fudgecicle :wink2: while on the liquid diet are Snacks ok? and drinking while or soon after meals since u need to keep hydrated? thanks for inviting me to the april bandsters thread! :sad: ~ steph

Hi! I am 23 (soon 24), getting the band and super scared but excited!! I'd LOOOOVE some last minute pointers if you have any. I am going grocery shopping tomorrow for my post-surgery diet for a week or so, any favs when you were just starting out? I'd love to hear the good, bad and the ugly! Anything will help! I'm kinda panicking lol Thanks a lot!! Steph

Yay! Congrats! Ill be banded on the 16th! So scared but so excited!

Hi, I understand your struggle, I am a recovering binge eater and emotional eater. I am getting banded on the 16th of April and I completely empathize with your situation. Some advice: *PLAN - meaning plan your meals when you travel, keep a small cooler lunch pale with you so if you get hungry you can eat your food. This is what I call a "safety net" this pretty much guarantees you will not dine on sugary high caloric foods. The reason you crave the high fatty and high sugary foods is because your body needs to spike its insulin back up to a normal level and the fastest way to do that is with candy. If you stay constant on your meals and PLAN this should help. As for the emotional part, that is something unfortunately only you can be pro active on. I have been in therapy for years and I am finally coming along with putting together the pieces behind my emotional eating and how to move past them. It's differant for everyone as we've all come from differant experiences, traumas and abuse. All I can tell you regarding emotional eating is support, food journaling no matter WHAT it is, and being honest with yourself. I will totally be here for you to help you out if you ever need any kind of support as we're pretty similar in that department. There is some reason why you are subconciously sabatoging yourself, it is good that you have recognized this before you end up at your starting weight. I have a friend and ex co worker that has the band and she is heavier then her starting weight as she gave up and cannot control her eating. I'd hate for that to happen and I would like nothing more then for you to have success. The best thing you can do is get to the root of the problem behind your emotional eating and start digging. Let me know if I can help. Good luck! Stephanie

Hello All, My name is Stephanie I am 23 with a BMI of 49. I am looking into the band again. One day before my pre-op appointment in December I found out I was pregnant so I put the LB process on hold, I lost the baby on New Years Day and have tried losing on my own again. When origionally inquiring about the band in July of '08 I was 283, Jan I was 307 and today 3.11 I am 295. That gain is no suprise to me and am trying to finally nip it in the butt once and for all!! I have some questions if you guys don't mind taking the time to answer them. I've got about 160+ to lose to make it to my goal weight, has anyone lost this amount or close to it and have had problems with lose skin? Does anyone who has been banded find it hard to excersize due to lack of energy in result of restriction the band gives? Does anyone have GERD, Eating Disorders (emotional eating, binging, etc), and/or addiction to food? If so, how has the band helped, and what struggles have you come across since being banded? Sorry for the million question post but I believe it's important to collect all the facts :confused: Thank you all for your time! It is very appreciated! ~Stephanie

:redface:Hey Bandsters and Bandsters To Be! I need some advice please!! I've got my pre-op visit this Tuesday and will be scheduling my surgery date!! HOW EXCITING!! My Surgeon suggests the South Beach Diet however I'd like to know what else has worked for you? Also, looking back (if you are already banded) what would you have done to better prepare yourself for the band? Thanks for all of your support and posts each one helps more then you know! Steph

Wish the best of luck! I've just been approved yesterday morning! :grouphug: So I'm on a similar path as you :grouphug: Take care! Steph

HELLO ALL! I HAVE AN UPDATE! I HAVE BEEN APPROVED!! The best part of the approval is I talked to my Husband again and tonight he said he doesn't like it but since this is something I really want to do he will support me through it! I almost wanted to cry! Thanks to everyone for your support it really gave me the strength to pursue what I truly want for myself! I am always available to talk if anyone needs ME! <3 Steph

Make sure you are getting 60-80 grams of protein a day. This will prevent hair thinning and further loss.

60 grams of protein a day ( to keep from losing your hair ) among other things.

You are great! Thanks so much for your support! :thumbup: Where are you in the process?

Hi All! We are all here for the same reasons therefore we should back each other up right? I am in need of some guidance, advice, anything. I am 23, BMI of 50 and am ready to gain control of my life via the Lap Band. I have done a lot of research and have a lot of support from my medical team and family except my Husband. He was where I am at now but has lost about 80 lbs since our wedding 2 years ago. He believes in me and thinks that since he lost the weight I can too via his methods. As much as I have tried, he does not know the struggles I personally have been through. My Psychologist and other medical professionals in my life all support me and believe this is my last option to lose weight and reduce more health problems from occuring. My question to all of you is, even if my Husband is not behind me should I go through with it? The insecure part of me wants to back down but in this one decision in my life I have to do this for myself regardless. I am hoping I can also find a good date that willl allow me to miss the liest amount of work days as possible. Thank you for listening to my wramblings, I hope I've made some sort of sense. Please feel free to write. ~Steph:confused:

Hi I am looking to see what advice you are giving regarding getting Insurance to cooperate! My insurance keeps going back and forth with me, I need a 5yr BMI over 40, I don't. You need a comorbidity, you don't. I'm so confused. You link doesn't work, would you mind emailing it to me? Thanks, Stephanie

My Husband doesn't want me to get the lap band, he talked me out of it and asked me to wait a year or two and try to lose weight again on my own. I am trying to lose weight on my own again for him, but if my husband was 100% behind me, I'd already have the band. Do what YOU need to do, it's not her body and she doesn't have to live through the crap we do. Good luck, Steph

if you aren't eating the right foods you won't lose weight even with the band. It's not a fix it's an tool you should utilize...eat right and workout and you'll see results. Good luck

Working out helps...if you don't work out with weight loss your less likely to tone nicely. Good Luck.

Best wishes to you Bobbie! I am happy they discovered this before it was too late.

1-2 Gas X chewables will help don't exceed 4 in 24 hours, if this doesn't help within a few hours talk to your surgeon.

Hi, I have United Healthcare however everyone I have spoken too on here (all sorts of insurances and self pays) have to have at liest 5 years of supervised and un-supervised weight loss attempts and 5+ years of obesity history. a BMI of 40+ or a 35+ BMI with co-morbidities. Hope this helps. *~*Steph*~*

Hi I am not banded at this time but hope to be soon. I understand from research I have done that stress makes you tighter as well as a woman's mentral cycle. I would consult your Dr. to make sure it's nothing seriousl. Good luck and take care. Stephanie

Hi :thumbup: I know you posted this a few weeks ago but I tried searching for Dr. Clinch and I found your post I am waiting my first meeting with Dr. Clinch on the 30th! :scared2: So far I've seen the Nutritionist, and my Physician wrote me a referral letter. I don't know what to expect with my first consultation w. Dr. Clinch but I am more then excited to see! Maybe we can all support eachother since we're so close! :frown:

This list can go on...but I'll try to keep it short and sweet. I feel as if I have tried everything, Trimspa, Weight Watchers, Visiting with a Nutritionist and a Therapist / Psychologist for Binge eating. This isn't my first resort but with the improvements I've made mentally after so many years I feel I am ready to commit. The straw...realizing I have gained a little over 100 lbs since 2003. I've always been a bigger girl but I was also very strong, now my body hurts especially my back, I am at my heaviest I've even been in my life, I can't tie my shoes or bend over with out my crack hanging out, I can't hang out with my friends without having an anxiety attack because I'm so worried about my weight. It might sound dumb but it's the honest truth! I Married my Highschool sweetheart, and we want to be able to have a family someday but before we even go down that road I need to make sure I can physically provide for my future children. I can't handle the thought of not playing with them or not being able to take them to the park etc. Sorry for the novel...Good luck to everyone. My first appointment with the Surgeon is on July 30th I hope it goes well! <3 Steph

Hello, I've done a lot of homework on the band but I don't meet with my Surgeon until the 30th. Why no straws? Thanks. Steph