Band_Groupie

60 pounds is great! There was someone here that just posted a blog and I think they were up to 14 fills, and some unfills (not normal they said). I'm pre-band, but I'm already starting to realize from reading on the fill forum that getting to that "sweet spot" is different for everyone and very difficult for some. My Dr. said (sorry if I'm telling you something you already know) even with the perfect fill you'll still be able to eat soft foods/soups/liquids and they should not have restriction...that's why they say to eat the "hard protein" first (like your chicken finger)...so you sound very "normal" to me. Hope a "bander" can help you with the getting sick part...maybe the old "CHEW, CHEW, CHEW"? Hand in there!

This is the pits! OK (me trying to cheer you up), at least you'll be doing this at 27 and not at 50 like me; after decades, 3 decades more, of yo-yoing and feeling like a diet failure! Hmmm (me REALLY trying to cheer you up)....cue Star Wars theme...come to the dark side Lively....2009 with the rest of us! (Been around my boys too long...OK, I'm obviously not awake yet...time for more coffee!)

I'm not a good cook (in case you haven't read) so I've been collecting ideas from here for post band. I've found some good ideas- this one in particular-and I've just started pouring over this thread (sorry, I'm tech-challenged- don't know how to give you a link). There's over 100 posts now and some good thoughts (just skip over the ones who drink tea for a meal...not a realistic or healthy lifetime plan). Forum: "Food and Nutrition"- Thread: "Share Ideas, What did you eat today?" Slow & steady still wins the race!

cdt- 10 lbs. in a week. That's great! I've read the hiccups are bad. Take it easy...1/4 mile sounds like a lot for day 2 and you had a second walk? One bottle of water doesn't sound like enough to keep hydrated, but I'm pre-band. Maybe check with your Dr. or the post-band forum on that one. Rest yourself and hope you're feeling better soon!

(Hugs) for you and a prayer for your dad. Come here for comfort anytime. Just remember to take time to take care of yourself, you need to so you can be strong right now. Hang in there!

Thanks all. Carrie- thanks for all the tips. It helped a lot. I bought the scale. Just what I needed...you made me feel like I can do it. Thanks so much!

Way to go Wanna! Keep the postitive attitude! I'm also pre-band, and my feeling is if we can stick to other diets and lose big amounts (like WW) than we can do this. Those that failed didn't follow all the rules or had unforseen complications. We're going to do great! Best wishes...

SS, I also have Highmark PPO Blue. Fills for life? Even unfills? Wow- can that be true? ...and no PCP, really? I wonder if they cover the classes at Magee even? Now I'm a little bummed Magee turned me down; before my hypertension diagnosis...again, wished they'd had an ins. expert there so I'd have know all this. Thanks! BTW- New pic is great!

SS- Thanks!!!! I'm curious which ins. they were talking about. I wonder what Highmark is looking for (big loss or just a few lbs.)? So confusing...

Whoo Hoo! Happy Happy Joy Joy! That's GREAT! Alright SS now you're on your way...tomorrow even! I'm sure if you do a post in one of the forums asking about Magee you'll get lots of others who've done their program. Yeah!!!

Dag SS! Sending happy thoughts and prayers today as you call! Just remember you have another option lined up so don't get down. This WILL happen. -BG

Mary- Thinking of you today and sending you my best wishes. Let us know how it goes. It's so nice when you find the Dr./place that's right for you (I also went to three). Happy thoughts & Hugs. -BG

I got this call and the lady explains it’s about the health surveys we had to fill out for our insurance about a year ago. :tongue2: I’m thinking, OK maybe me going to the info. seminar at the hospitals triggered something since I filled in insurance info. on their form? Then she goes on to tell me my health survey tells them “You’re at risk for several things” (very nebulous… “things”) and “Would you like to sign up for our free program?” :sneaky:At this point I’m trying to confirm this is not some phone scam---free program:glare: (yeah right), but I don’t want to piss the woman off either…heck I don’t know if it’s someone who works and my DH-Mr.SA’s company even (I’m thinking do they have health people in HR there?). “Could you tell me more about what this program is exactly?” I ask. :ack2: After dancing back and forth a few times (now I’m really wondering if it’s a scam) she finally offers up some details “Someone will call you with regular phone appointments and they can help you with your issues….” ISSUES? I have ISSUES?? :ugh: I don’t respond as I’m thinking this and so after a long pause she timidly says “…things like exercise and diet”. The magic word DIET. She thinks I need to go on a DIET? :tt1: I’m insulted! :puke: My mind is racing… Who is this stranger telling me I need to go on a DIET? I don’t know what to do now…so again, I blurt…(I’m really stressing now—so spoken at 100 miles per hour…) “Well I’m working with my PCP and have started a diet and exercise program…I’m going to get the Lap Band…and I’m not sure how your diet and exercise would fit in with that?” :cool: I'm nice, but inside I’m so insulted. But wait…now it’s sinking in…I’m realizing it’s not a scam…if she wanted money, she certainly wouldn’t be insulting me like this, would she?!!! Uh, oh. She’s legit. :drool: Better be nice. She says “Well, they can help you with things like stress even.” STRESS? :incazzato:WHAT STRESS?!!! She must have detected the stress in my voice…I’m thinking…Go to your happy place, :closedeyes:deep breath… “Uh, stress, OK, fine.” I say. “Someone will call you in a week to get started.” and she explains it's a service the co. pays for through insurance...we say our goodbyes. I hang up and I’m thinking why do I feel so insulted…then I realize:der:….NO ONE has ever told me I need to go on a diet…not in my entire life…it was always my idea to go on a diet...it was like someone calling me fat to my face for the first time ever! :eek: Wow! Reality check!! :blushing:OK, she didn't make up the numbers I put on the health questionaire...I welcome the help…diet, exercise, stress even…bring it on! I get it, I AM fat, I know that!...but I ask myself again...So why am I insulted?

I got this call and the lady explains it’s about the health surveys we had to fill out for our insurance about a year ago. :incazzato: I’m thinking, OK maybe me going to the info. seminar at the hospitals triggered something since I filled in insurance info. on their form? Then she goes on to tell me my health survey tells them “You’re at risk for several things” (very nebulous… :cursing:“things”) and “Would you like to sign up for our free program?” :sneaky:At this point I’m trying to confirm this is not some phone scam---free program:glare: (yeah right), but I don’t want to piss the woman off either…heck I don’t know if it’s someone who works and my DH-Mr.SA’s company even (I’m thinking do they have health people in HR there?). “Could you tell me more about what this program is exactly?” I ask. :prrr: After dancing back and forth a few times (now I’m really wondering if it’s a scam) she finally offers up some details “Someone will call you with regular phone appointments and they can help you with your issues….” ISSUES? I have ISSUES?? :ugh: I don’t respond as I’m thinking this and so after a long pause she timidly says “…things like exercise and diet”. The magic word DIET. She thinks I need to go on a DIET? :banghead: I’m insulted! :puke: My mind is racing… Who is this stranger telling me I need to go on a DIET? I don’t know what to do now…so again, I blurt…(I’m really stressing now—so spoken at 100 miles per hour…) “Well I’m working with my PCP and have started a diet and exercise program…I’m going to get the Lap Band…and I’m not sure how your diet and exercise would fit in with that?” :willy_nilly: I'm nice, but inside I’m so insulted. But wait…now it’s sinking in…I’m realizing it’s not a scam…if she wanted money, she certainly wouldn’t be insulting me like this, would she?!!! Uh, oh. She’s legit. :cryin: Better be nice. She says “Well, they can help you with things like stress even.” STRESS? :incazzato:WHAT STRESS?!!! She must have detected the stress in my voice…I’m thinking…Go to your happy place, :closedeyes:deep breath… “Uh, stress, OK, fine.” I say. “Someone will call you in a week to get started.” and she explains it's a service the co. pays for through insurance...we say our goodbyes. I hang up and I’m thinking why do I feel so insulted…then I realize:der:….NO ONE has ever told me I need to go on a diet…not in my entire life…it was always my idea to go on a diet...it was like someone calling me fat to my face for the first time ever! :dita: Wow! Reality check!! :blushing:OK, she didn't make up the numbers I put on the health questionaire...I welcome the help…diet, exercise, stress even…bring it on! I get it, I AM fat, I know that!...but I ask myself again...So why am I insulted?:yikes:

Yeah...at least I'm not alone...Mom will never live down the cow's tongue. Maybe a centerpiece this year! Ha!

Been up and down so I remember my sizes/lbs. (hoping to get there again. Was 5'9" (now closer to 5'8"), but I have really long legs (thanks for the Penny's pants tip!). Everyone's different-I'm a "pear". Size 12 for me was about 160/170, Size 10 was 140/150.

They're all nice! No criticism here, because they'd all work fine. I've just been on both ends designing and selecting logos, so just my 2 cents, since you asked. 1. Emphasis on person, get the "T", but what does the person add...exercising? This one was a no for me. 2. I would also like to see the actual band in a logo, but #2 was way too busy for me; different lettering styles, colors, big bend, harder to read lettering, complicate it. 3. I chose #3 because it's simple and easily read, I've always found the simplier the better. Take #3 and add a simple graphic of the lap somewhere (as the actual frame for the "TALK" balloon or even around the whole logo) and it would have been a home run for me. Good Job!

Kimmy- You've got the right attitude! I haven't been here long, but I've seen your story many times already. I haven't been banded yet but I'm already starting to be more aware of the same thing in myself. I find myself eating and I hardly remember going to get something to eat...let alone being hungry? Your words "listen to my body" rang home for me. It's going to be a huge change to only eat when I'm hungry (go figure). Hang in there, it sounds like finding that elusive "sweet spot" in your fills helps people with this, but I'm sure the "banded" will be along to tell you...

Did I read somewhere or am I just imagining this that one of the bands can (rarely) cause "pinching" of the stomach between the inflated parts. If so, which one is this (I know the AP lap has lots of segments so is it pinching between these, or with the realize there's still the place where the inflatable part starts and stops)?

Haven't got mine yet, but my Dr. said you can be back to work in a week, sometimes less (if no heavy lifting). How is the AP Lap safer than Realize (I have a choice as well, and Insur. covers either)?

Ha! If you baked like I do you wouldn't be tempted (read my blog today-dessert). Great job quitting smoking; that must have been hard!

I can’t cook…sure I can follow a recipe, when I want to…but I’m WAY too creative:idea: for that (my gift is art). I have delusions that I’m a “foodie”…but only if you’re describing someone who loves good food. The problem is I’ve never taken the time to really learn and now I just don’t want to (you’ll see why). I’ll blame this primarily on my mother. She had 5 kids, 4 girls and she never taught us how to cook…didn’t want us in the kitchen actually. Ohhhh my mom’s a great cook…wonderful meals every night, appetizers even, on Sunday nights. Sure we made fun of her serving us cow’s tongue with raisin sauce once (what did you think kids would say about a giant curved tongue with raisins stuck all over it…I still swear it had taste buds…we were ROTFL:lol::cool::smilielol5::tongue2::eek:)…I think we made her cry. She would only break her form on the rare occasion she and Dad went out…frozen potpie night. When I got to high school I had taken home ec. so I was allowed to try. I decided baking suited me well and I was good at it; even tackled filled éclairs once. So I branched out…I started adding my own spin to recipes…big mistake…my first memorable one was Jell-O with raisin bran cereal in it…let’s just say the raisins did fine…it was the flakes that were memorable.:ack2: :puke: I got married and continued the adventure. Once I was given the task of bringing the cake to a holiday. I had a box of candy canes. :idea:Candy canes…buttercream icing…what could be better together I ask you? I crushed them into chips and added them to the icing. Let me inform you…candy cane chips in icing turn into mainly gross wet slimy goo with sticky centers that get stuck in your teeth (kinda like the Jell-O flakes). By now I was developing a reputation in the family. Another holiday I was tasked again with a baked good. I decided on apple pie...I was going to show them all this time! I researched recipes and found the best homemade crust and apple filling recipe I could find. I bought my apples from the local orchard even. Now, how to dress it up…I found a photo in a cook book of a BEAUTIFUL looking apple pie! It had a lattice top with fluted edges…I’m and art ed. Major…I can sculpt like nobody’s business! There was even a tiny apple with leaves all made out of crust sitting in the middle…oooo. I was going to need to make a lot of crust for all that! The photo of the pie was a beautiful golden brown and it was shiny! I researched that glaze. I made my pie…I had so much crust my woven lattice (pinked edges- my addition) top crust was almost solid…I couldn’t even see the apples down in there, but I knew it would be delicious…it was glazed so many times it shined and the tiny apple in the center looked almost real. I entered my parents house to ooos and ahhhs…I beamed. We finished the holiday meal and now it was time for the pie. My mom brought it to the table to serve and I couldn’t wait. She started to slice into it…what’s this…it’s too hard (maybe this is like pottery I’ve made…too much glaze?)? No worries, Mom smiles nothing phases her, and she goes to the kitchen for a big serrated knife. After a great deal of sawing she finally breaks through…I’m now hearing sniggers all around me. She lifts the first piece and I see it…the filling is sitting nicely on the bottom crust, but as she turns it sideways there’s a giant space between the filling and the top crust, which is so thick with all my lattice that it’s still hanging in the air like a triangular diving board! Full laughter now. Let’s just say I went home with almost all the pie (my mom had a backup dessert…she’s learning). Now here’s the worst part…I threw the beloved pie into the trash can behind our apartment, wanting to forget it forever. Trash day came and went, almost a week went by and my husband came home one night beckoning me to come out back. Just a few feet beyond where the trashcans are is the drive by which many in the apartments use to park. What was that in the drive?…damn those trash men for spilling…yep, there it was:sad2:…my beloved top crust still looking perfect, still so shiny…didn’t it rain yesterday? I left it there.:leaving:Since then my DH Mr.SA, has embellished the story (and to think I married him for his sense or humor). The story now goes, and he swears it's true, the next day it had tire tracks:driving: going over it that didn’t even break the tiny apple with leaves on top. Of course I have to hear about every failed recipe each holiday (I’ve only shared three here, but they have much more ammo).:tt1: I’ve offered to bring something for Thanksgiving this year…I’m still waiting for the call back.:drool: ...I'm starting to collect post op recipes now.

I can’t cook…sure I can follow a recipe, when I want to…but I’m WAY too creative:idea: for that (my gift is art). I have delusions that I’m a “foodie”…but only if you’re describing someone who loves good food. The problem is I’ve never taken the time to really learn and now I just don’t want to (you’ll see why). I’ll blame this primarily on my mother. She had 5 kids, 4 girls and she never taught us how to cook…didn’t want us in the kitchen actually. Ohhhh my mom’s a great cook…wonderful meals every night, appetizers even, on Sunday nights. Sure we made fun of her serving us cow’s tongue with raisin sauce once (what did you think kids would say about a giant curved tongue with raisins stuck all over it…I still swear it had taste buds…we were ROTFL:lol::smilielol5::wub::huh2:)…I think we made her cry. She would only break her form on the rare occasion she and Dad went out…frozen potpie night. When I got to high school I had taken home ec. so I was allowed to try. I decided baking suited me well and I was good at it; even tackled filled éclairs once. So I branched out…I started adding my own spin to recipes…big mistake…my first memorable one was Jell-O with raisin bran cereal in it…let’s just say the raisins did fine…it was the flakes that were memorable.:ack2: :puke: I got married and continued the adventure. Once I was given the task of bringing the cake to a holiday. I had a box of candy canes. :idea:Candy canes…buttercream icing…what could be better together I ask you? I crushed them into chips and added them to the icing. Let me inform you…candy cane chips in icing turn into mainly gross wet slimy goo with sticky centers that get stuck in your teeth (kinda like the Jell-O flakes).:cool: By now I was developing a reputation in the family. Another holiday I was tasked again with a baked good. I decided on apple pie...I was going to show them all this time! I researched recipes and found the best homemade crust and apple filling recipe I could find. I bought my apples from the local orchard even. Now, how to dress it up…I found a photo in a cook book of a BEAUTIFUL looking apple pie! It had a lattice top with fluted edges…I’m and art ed. Major…I can sculpt like nobody’s business! There was even a tiny apple with leaves all made out of crust sitting in the middle…oooo.:w00t: I was going to need to make a lot of crust for all that! The photo of the pie was a beautiful golden brown and it was shiny! I researched that glaze. I made my pie…I had so much crust my woven lattice (pinked edges- my addition) top crust was almost solid…I couldn’t even see the apples down in there, but I knew it would be delicious…it was glazed so many times it shined and the tiny apple in the center looked almost real. I entered my parents house to ooos and ahhhs…I beamed. We finished the holiday meal and now it was time for the pie. My mom brought it to the table to serve and I couldn’t wait. She started to slice into it…what’s this…it’s too hard (maybe this is like pottery I’ve made…too much glaze?)? No worries, Mom smiles nothing phases her, and she goes to the kitchen for a big serrated knife. After a great deal of sawing she finally breaks through…I’m now hearing sniggers all around me. She lifts the first piece and I see it…the filling is sitting nicely on the bottom crust, but as she turns it sideways there’s a giant space between the filling and the top crust, which is so thick with all my lattice that it’s still hanging in the air like a triangular diving board! Full laughter now. Let’s just say I went home with almost all the pie (my mom had a backup dessert…she’s learning). Now here’s the worst part…I threw the beloved pie into the trash can behind our apartment, wanting to forget it forever. Trash day came and went, almost a week went by and my husband came home one night beckoning me to come out back. Just a few feet beyond where the trashcans are is the drive by which many in the apartments use to park. What was that in the drive?…damn those trash men for spilling…yep, there it was:sad2:…my beloved top crust still looking perfect, still so shiny…didn’t it rain yesterday? I left it there.:leaving:Since then my DH Mr.SA, has embellished the story (and to think I married him for his sense or humor). The story now goes, and he swears it's true, the next day it had tire tracks:driving: going over it that didn’t even break the tiny apple with leaves on top. Of course I have to hear about every failed recipe each holiday (I’ve only shared three here, but they have much more ammo).:w00t: I’ve offered to bring something for Thanksgiving this year…I’m still waiting for the call back.:cool: ...I'm starting to collect post op recipes now.

You look great...what an inspiration!

Wow! You're an inspiration! Great job!!!