Catherine55

I have this scale from HoMedics (bought it at BB&Beyond) and I love it. I can step on and off it 10 times and it always shows the same exact weight. http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14755357 I also really love it that it gives me my weight by 10th of a pound. It's nice to see even small progress. Plus, I love it that the scale is so accurate. After years on a scale that could vary 3-5 lbs within 30 seconds, it's nice to see a number and know it's real! BTW, HoMedics has some cheaper scales than this one -- I just got this one b/c I wanted it to go with my bathroom. I don't use all of the features on it. Catherine

Just to clarify -- I'm not hungry between meals. I thought that the earlier poster's message made it sound like you never have the sensation of hunger once you get the band. That's not the case -- you still feel hungry when it's time to eat. You just get satisfied a lot faster and with much less food! Catherine

Hi! Your stats are exactly the same as my pre-op stats! I am 5'6 and started at 230 as well. The band has done wonders for me -- I'm now in the low 180s, just 8 months post-op. If your experience is like mine, you will find that the band prevents you from overeating and helps you stay on the straight & narrow. For me, it's been an incredibly great tool, and I am so glad every single day that I got it. I've been keeping a blog since before my surgery -- feel free to check it out. Given that we are the same size, you might be interested to see the photos I put up, etc. "Lise the Loser" is another blog you might like (there is a link to it in mine) b/c she was about the same size pre-op as well. Good luck with your decision! Catherine

Also, this book was really great -- and it has a section for spouses at the end. I would encourage you and your wife to read it. It was the best of the 3 books I bought before I had my surgery. Amazon.com: Weight Loss Surgery with the Adjustable Gastric Band: Everything You Need to Know Before and After Surgery to Lose Weight Successfully: Robert Sewell M.D., Linda Rohrbough: Books

A few suggestions. . Definitely give her back rubs post-op -- she will have some shoulder pain! Tell her every time you notice that she looks good. It would be helpful not to have the wrong foods in the house, but you have to be able to live as well! Still, this may be a good opportunity for you to get even healthier! Don't criticize her food choices -- or encourage her to "just have a bite" of foods that she shouldn't have. And, be sure to let her know how proud of her you are, even though you love her at any weight. I hope that helps! Catherine

Just wanted to add something on the other posts -- I do still get hungry -- it's not like you lose that normal feeling -- but I get full very quickly and stay satisfied longer. On bread -- I can't eat soft, doughy bread, but I can have toast or a crusty roll. I don't eat a lot of it, but once in a while, if I really want some, I have it. Also, the change in eating hasn't been that bad. I still eat pretty much whatever I want. I just pay attention to what is working with the band, and I eat a whole lot less than I used to! I really do think this was one of the best decisions I ever made. I still have 30 lbs to go, but I already feel healthier, more attractive, stronger (have been working out!) and better about myself than I have in years! This morning, on my way to the office, my doorman stopped me to say that I looked beautiful! How nice is that. :thumbup: It feels incredible also not to spend every single day beating myself up over how my clothes fit, how fat I've gotten, etc. The small inconveniences of the band (having to chew, the occasional stuck episode, etc.) are nothing compared to finally taking charge of an issue that had been bothering me for as long as I can remember. I hope that helps! This isn't a magic cure or anything -- you have to work with your band. But, it makes it SO MUCH easier to stay on the straight and narrow with your diet for the long-term. Best wishes to you! Catherine

I am really happy with my decision, and I love my band. I've been blogging since just before my surgery -- feel free to take a look. I recently posted up my pre-surgery pro-con list (from when I was at the point where you are now) and how I feel about the cons now. None of them were as big a deal as I thought they would be. Best wishes for you to make the right decision for yourself! Catherine

I haven't heard of this before, but wanted to say welcome! And, congratulations on your decision. I hope that everyhing goes OK with your surgery -- if your doctors aren't worried about it, I would expect that it's probably OK. Hang in there! Catherine

Don't stress. . did you eat anything salty yesterday?

How great is that!?! Congratulations on your NSV!

Looks like you got your answers! Best wishes for a safe surgery and easy recovery! Catherine

Not everyone needs it. My dr. has a 45/45 guideline. .he says that if you are 45 YO or more, or have a BMI of 45 or more, you will very probably need skin to be removed. He told me that I probably would not need it.

So far, I'm down 46 lbs in 10 months. My rate of loss has been slower than some, but it's been pretty steady -- around 1.4 lbs per week. I've also lost 21.6 inches (!) during the past 10 months! I am plateauing a bit now because I started a hard core workout program (www.PurePowerBootCamp.com) four weeks ago and have been building more muscle. But, while I've only lost about 2.2 lbs during the last 4 weeks, I have lost 1 inch from my waist and another inch from my hips, so it's still going well! (Though I do get frustrated with the scale.) Congratulations on your surgery date! I have before & after photos sprinkled through my blog, if you're interested. Best, Catherine

I can't eat most breads either. But, this is great because bread is one of the foods that helped me to get to my all-time highest weight. I'm really happy that -- because it's so hard to get down -- it has lost much of its appeal for me. I can have the occasional cracker, well-toasted bread product, or part of a crusty roll, and that is fine with me.

I'm curious about the mixed feelings, too. I'm 10 months post-op and my feelings are uniformly positive. I hope that won't ever change! Catherine

Just follow the rules the best you can and try not to gain any weight (don't worry about losing right now). I put on 5 pounds during Bandster Hell (was during Thanksgiving for me. . oops!) and I lost it all and much more once I got to restriction! The most important thing is to follow your doctor's instructions and not get too upset if you aren't losing (or even gain). You're on your path to getting thinner and this is just a little stop-over in that process. Hang in there! Catherine

OMG -- that is hysterical!!! Well, I guess it's time for some new pants! That really is the funniest NSV I've heard! :crying:

Yes -- my goal is to lose 75 lbs. I'm down 46 at this point. There is no way I could have been perfect on a diet for the 9 months that it has taken me to get to this point. And, even if I somehow had managed to lose this weight on my own, I am sure (based on my past experiences) that I eventually would put it all back on again. I am so glad that I made the decision to get banded. It has taken me off the course of getting fatter each year and feeling terrible about it. Feel free to check out my blog if you are interested. Catherine

These are so great!! Also, thanks, Mim! It's so nice to get positive feedback on my blog. :wink2: And, it's so interesting to see how close our stats are -- our band dates are almost the same, and so are our start & current weights! Catherine

(NSV = Non-Scale Victory)

I have a few good ones, but I think the best one was being able to go shopping -- in normal sizes -- and feeling great about how I looked. It was the first time in many years that I was able to go shopping without being totally disgusted with myself about how I looked and how much weight I had let myself put on. I had another one this morning. . . my size 16 banana Republic pants (the ones that I just dreamed of getting into when I first got banded) are getting too big!! WOO-HOO! :wink2: Catherine

On the slow weight loss front -- I think that a lot of the complaints we see are from people who are newly banded and are in Bandster Hell. I knew at the outset that my loss with the band would be slow and steady -- but I had no idea that there would be a few weeks where I would have no restriction and be able to eat what I wanted at the outset of this process (aka Bandster Hell). As for slow loss, I get a little frustrated now and then that the scale does not move more quicky (I've lost about 1.4 lbs per week on average), but then I remember that the scale is moving and remind myself to look at how far I've come. I'm down 46+ lbs with 30 more to get me to goal. Catherine

Mashed potatoes (what a treat that was after the liquid diet!); Poached salmon; Soup and all of the things I'd been eating on my liquid diet (cottage cheese, FF/SF Jello pudding, etc.); Soft cheeses (a bit too fattening. . but at least finally there was something for me to nibble on at cocktail parties!) That's all I can remember at the moment. I'm a little surprised that your doctor has ground beef on there -- I know that some have a hard time getting it down. Best wishes, Catherine

Deekel -- I agree with the advice on the site. I have been lucky in that everyone I've told has been supportive -- but, I've been very selective in who I told about my surgery. Also, I did my surgery in Mexico (Dr. Rumbaut -- great doctor!), and I definitely left out that information until after the fact. Going to MX for this sounded insane to me before I researched my doctor and the hospital, and I knew that my dad and a few friends would have freaked out (and freaked me out as well) if they knew that ahead of time! Catherine

food doesn't have to be expensive. The best thing you can do for yourself is stock up on healthy things at the store and bring your food with you. That is cheaper than eating out and you can control how much and what you are eating better that way. Here are some food ideas for you: Soups tuna salad turkey meat (cold cuts) chicken breast (you can cook it) refried Beans (watch the fat content though, but good for protein) cottage cheese eggs Good luck with this -- hang in there! Catherine