Catherine55

Hi, Beba! Working out helps a ton (also with making sure your body looks good as you lose!), so does focusing on getting enough Protein as a main dietary strategy. Also, making sure that you are proactive about your follow-up care and get a fill if you aren't at good restriction (or an un-fill if you're too tight) helps a lot. You should check out a bunch of bandster blogs -- I found that really helpful. There is a link to mine below, and I have links to some of my favorite blogs posted on there as well. Best wishes, Catherine

I loved that poem! It made me tear up!! Thanks for posting it. Catherine

Would you do it again? Absolutely!! In a heartbeat! What would you do differently to improve your success? I feel like I was really well prepared, but it would have been good if I'd read more about "Bandster Hell" and made a plan for what to do during that phase. Suggestions? I wrote out a Post-Op Plan for Success before I had my surgery, which was a really great way for me to think about what I was going to do to make this work. I found it really helpful. Here is a link to it, in case you want to read it (and my comments months later). I recommend tracking your progress. I have been keeping an Excel spreadsheet since prior to surgery, and I keep my weight & measurements on there. It's a great way to track your progress. I only write when I hit a new low number -- I don't track it when the scale bounces up a bit before the next loss. Also, take a bunch of before photos and your measurements right away, if you haven't already. You will definitely want them later! Great way to measure your progress. I hope that helps! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

I broke out before surgery too -- I think it was just stress about making a big life change. But, it went away pretty soon after. Am betting that will happen for you, too! Catherine

Oh man -- the pre-op diet really sucks! But hang in there -- it's so worth it. One thing that helped me was carrying around bouillion cubes in my purse so that I'd be able to have something if I had to be around people who were eating and didn't have another option. That actually helped a lot. Also, if scaring yourself into staying on the diet helps (it did for me!), just think about your liver slopping around during surgery . . or waking up after surgery and finding out that they couldn't band you b/c your liver was in the way. Apparently, the pre-op diet shrinks your liver and makes it less slippery, which means that your liver won't have to be moved as much during surgery -- and that translates into less pain and an easier recovery. Anyway, thinking about that kept me on the straight and narrow. But my pre-op diet was just 3 days. My hat is off to you with seven. But. . I bet you will lose a ton of weight this week! Hang in there -- and congratulations on your surgery date! Catherine

Welcome, Jamie! This is such a great site -- I've gotten a lot of support and great info here through the past 18 or so months. Just wanted to tell you to take your measurements and some before photos as soon as possible if you haven't already! You will want them later! Best wishes, Catherine

I really liked Weight Loss Surgery With the Adjustable Gastric Band -- but it isn't about emotional eating.

Thanks for the nice compliments, Cindy & Gloria! :redface: :thumbup: Healthy1 -- you are right to be cautious about telling people. I decided to keep my band private from people at work and a few others, and am really glad that I did. It's spared me lots of comments from the "food Police" and while I know people talk about the fact that I dropped a substantial amount of weight, I think it's insulated me from at least some gossip -- and probably from some judgmental comments about WLS as well. Catherine

I researched the heck out of it, and then I actually wrote out a pro/con list (you can find it by clicking here) about my decision. Once I did that, the choice was really clear for me. And, it's funny but the "cons" didn't turn out to be that big of a deal. I hit my goal this month, 18 months post-op, and I am incredibly thankful that I found this great tool to help me conquer my weight problem! Good luck with your decision, Catherine

First of all, congratulations on your surgery date. Second, pretty much every bandster I know has had cold feet right before surgery! What I did to help myself with this was to write out a list of pros & cons about the surgery -- the pros outweighed the cons by a lot -- and in retrospect, the cons didn't turn out to be a big deal. Looking at that list really cemented my decision for me, and I even took it with me to the hospital on surgery day. It's been 18 months since my surgery, and I hit my goal earlier this month. I could hardly believe that would be possible at the outset of this process. For the first time in my entire life, I wake up feeling GOOD about my weight and body, every day. And, if I go out for a nice meal, I can actually enjoy it (though I certainly don't finish it!) and don't spend the next few days berating myself for eating too much or not sticking to a diet. The band is really an amazing tool, and I feel so grateful to have been able to get it and make it work for me. I hope you will feel the same! :thumbup: Feel free to check out my blog if you want -- I put my pro/con list up there last spring, if you want to see it. BTW, PBing and getting stuck is not that big a deal. (Especially not when compared to being able to fix your weight problem and know you won't gain it all back again.) Best wishes, Catherine

I did the same thing! Bought a bunch of books, read a ton of blogs, poured over this site, talked to friends and family, etc. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you are overloading your BF, maybe try to spare him a little and get out more of your talking on here or with other friends. Congratulations on your decision! Catherine

I had an outstanding experience in Monterrey, MX with Dr. Rumbaut. You can see photos of the hospital and read about it at the very beginning of my blog. That said, your BMI seems awfully low for you to be getting banded. Good luck with your decision. I wish you all the best. Catherine

Definitely lip balm -- and I really wish I had had a heating pad for my shoulder! I also brought all of my favorite toiletries, my pre-op journal (with my pro/con list, to read in case I had any second thoughts) and a cute nightgown to wear after the surgery. If you check out the beginning of my blog, you will see what I posted (photos, etc.) from that time. Also, that is great about you making and freezing Soups for post-op! Smart thinking. :thumbup: I wound up doing that a lot post-op, and I posted a few of my favorite Soup recipes, in case you're looking for some new ones. :smile: I had my surgery in Mexico, and my mother came down with me, so I recovered in the hotel for 2 days before heading home. I was wishing I would have brought Scrabble with me and something to crush the pain medication with. Ultimately, we bought a cheap hammer at the store where we got Scrabble and used it! Worked just fine. :tt1: Best wishes for your success!! You have so much to look forward to! Be sure to take your measurements and before photos if you haven't already! Catherine

Congratulations to you!! Don't worry about going too crazy with the last meals. . you'll still be able to eat pretty much everything after you are banded, especially before you get filled to good restriction. BTW, be sure to take before pics and your measurements! You will want them later! Best wishes, Catherine

I think you'll be OK. I wrote about how I felt after surgery way at the beginning of my blog & put up photos, etc. Feel free to take a look. It might give you a decent idea of what to expect. Congratulations on your surgery date! :thumbup: Catherine

You have to allow yourself to have treats during this process. No need to beat yourself up about it! That said, you might want to think about why you had the ice cream and chocolate -- did you really want it, or were you trying to stop yourself from succeeding with the band? I generally try to just let myself have treats when I really want them, and not to have them just for the sake of it. That's worked out pretty well for me. Anyway, the band isn't about being perfect. If you do what you are supposed to about 90% of the time, you'll be just fine. One thing I love about the band is that it's finally let me stop beating myself up about my weight and what I eat and just enjoy things in moderation. You are only 4 months out, so give it some time. I bet you'll be there soon. Best wishes for your success, Catherine

I made a list of all the things I wanted from my weight loss before surgery (here is a link to it) and kept going back to it as I was losing and -- amazingly enough -- everything on that list came true. I just reached my goal about a week ago. At the start, it was so unreal to me that that day would come, but it did. One thing I didn't realize I would get as a result of losing with the band until after the fact was what another bandster called "freedom from the food prison." I love that expression. Basically, for me, that includes two big things. One, I no longer spend time every day (or ever, for that matter) berating myself about my weight, how fat I'd let my self get and how disgusting I felt. And, two, I'm actually able to enjoy eating out more now because having a nice meal doesn't leave me feeling guilty about going off my "diet" or putting on yet another pound. There is so much to look forward to during this process. Shopping anywhere you like, feeling pretty, liking your body, being more confident, not having your feet hurt, being more comfortable, and so much more. So, here is to all of that! Cheers, people! Best, Catherine

Awesome!! Don't forget to take some "before" pics now and to write down your measurements! You will for sure want them later. :thumbup: Best wishes, Catherine

Congratulations!! I love how excited and enthusiastic you are, especially because I know how warranted those feelings are! You have so much to look forward to in the next year -- and beyond. :biggrin: Two weeks sounds like way more time than you will need (I only took a few days off and it was fine), but if you have the time, enjoy it! I say this all the time, but be sure to take your measurements and some before pics as soon as possible! You will for sure want them later. Best wishes for your success, Catherine

I didn't tell anyone at work. As for the surgery, you can say you are having a hiatal hernia repaired. The scars from that surgery are the same as for band surgery. If you do decide to tell your coworkers, you should let them know that the first month or so after surgery is a "healing" phase, not a weight loss phase, or they may bug you (or gossip) about why you aren't losing a lot of weight right away. Personally, I think people at work are too much at risk to become "Food-Police-y" and either comment on or gossip about what you are eating, how you are losing, etc. I just did not want to deal with that at all, so I avoided it by not even telling a single person. I hope that helps! Good luck! Catherine

Hi, Scott! Congratulations!! My best advice for you is to: 1. Take before photos asap (you will want them later) 2. Take your measurements asap (same!) 3. Write out a post-op plan for success -- your plan for what you are going to do to make the band work for you. I did one b/c one of the books I bought before surgery recommended it, and I found it to be really helpful. Here is a link if you want to see what I wrote for mine. 4. If you have a lot of different sized clothing in your closet, go through it and organize it by size. That way you'll know what you have and will be able to find things you already own to wear as you lose weight. 5. Think out carefully who you are going to tell about your surgery. Some people tell everyone, some tell almost no one -- there is no right way to do it, but it's good to think out what will work best for you ahead of time, if you haven't already. I hope that helps!! Best wishes, Catherine

1. Can you really not drink Water WHILE you're eating? No -- you can, but you shouldn't b/c it washes food down your band and you won't be full as long or get full as quickly. I still have wine with my meals when I go out. This is the one bandster rule I have not followed to the letter. 1. What does PB, sliderfood, and sweetspot mean exactly? PB = productive burp (when food gets stuck in the band and comes back up. It's not like vomiting b/c there is no stomach acid . .so it's not as gross.) Sliderfood - food that slides right on down the band because it's liquid (ice cream) or crunches up easily (cookies). Sweetspot - when you are at your optimal fill level in your band. That point varies from person to person and can change over time b/c as you lose weight, there is less fat around your stomach (which may make the band feel looser even though your fill hasn't changed). 3. How do you deal with telling people in your daily life? I have kept it private from people at work and from a few people who I thought would be judgmental or otherwise annoy me if they knew. I told most of my immediate family and all of my closest friends. The thing is, you don't lose a ton of weight right at the very beginning with the band. You have to go through the healing phase before you get your first fill, and then you may need a few adjustments to get to your sweet spot and really start losing. So, if you tell everyone, you may get upsetting comments like "Why aren't you losing more weight", etc. You should really think about your privacy and who you want to tell. And, maybe you should wait to see how you feel after surgery before going public. One thing to be cautious of is people who are going to act like the "Food Police." I like being able to eat a cookie once in a while without having people say "Should you REALLY be eating that after your SURGERY??" or something annoying like that. This is a big issue, and it's great that you are thinking it through now! Also, be sure to take before photos and your measurements right away if you haven't already!! You will want them later. :biggrin: Best wishes, Catherine

I questioned my decision at first, but it is the best thing I ever did for myself! One thing I did that really helped was to make a pro/con list (here is a link to it) and to think about all the health problems I'd be avoiding (check out this diagram) by getting my weight under control. The band has made losing the weight so, so SO much easier than traditional dieting. And, I've enjoyed this process and haven't felt deprived. I actually hit my big goal yesterday (75 pounds down -- though I'm going to go for another 10). Stick with it. It is going to be SO worth it. Also, think about how much more fun your life will be if your feet don't hurt, you fit into airplane seats comfortably, you can enjoy doing athletic things, fit into clothing in any store, and look better than you've looked in years. That may help to keep you on the straight & narrow! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

Welcome!! I did my surgery in Monterrey, MX with Dr. Roberto Rumbaut. I had a great experience and was extremely impressed with the hospital and level of care. Also, Dr. Rumbaut is banded, so I liked that he could relate to me on that level. I know two other bandsters who went to him and also had very good experiences. Feel free to check out the early posts on my blog if you want to read about my surgery and see photos of the hospital. Best wishes, Catherine

Hi, KarlzMom and Sashay! Don't worry about giving up your favorite foods -- you are still going to be able to eat pretty much everything you do now when you are banded -- you'll just eat a lot LESS of it and feel satisfied! That was really scary to me when I was doing my last meals and liquid diet, but it actually turned out to be just fine. And. . . I hit my goal today! WOO-HOOO!!!! Cut to a year or so from now, and you will both be posting the same thing! Best wishes for your success, Catherine