mattie7632

yea, that first post op week hunger is incredible. It goes away when you start on full liquids and shakes. It was the worst though!!!! Stomach growling intense hunger pains! Glad it's over!

I bet you're completely fine, but to be on the safe side you could always call the doctors office and make sure

I would be thrilled to lose 2 lbs a week!!!

I know, it's really amazing isn't it! Here I think I'm "cheating" and it makes me lose more! Maybe this is why some people are reporting not losing weight, maybe they simply are not eating enough!!! I eat like 6 times a day, they just aren't huge meals like before

residual anesthesia and general toll on the body from surgery. Plus caloric changes. This will pass. Make sure you have your Protein shakes/greek yogurt and Vitamins as soon as you are allowed

I was dreading stepping on the scale....had a bad week of not the best choices in foods (PMSing!!!!), but decided, I better just see what the damage is....and holy sh*t, down 21 pounds now, and haven't even had my first fill yet!!! I'm really amazed at our bodies ability to shed pounds just from simple changes. Those changes obviously allowed me to have bad days and be okay. Before I got the lapband, I thought I "couldn't" lose weight! Wow how ignorant I was! People keep the faith and don't stop eating to lose! Every time I have expected to GAIN weight because I consumed more calories, I've actually lost MORE. I think our bodies need adequate calories to lose.

LMBO

I am about 5 weeks post op and can barely see the scar, which appears to be a single incision right across and under/within the belly button. My doctor uses glue on the top of the skin, sutures or staples don't necessarily leave it looking as nice

It is placed by the belly button, mine is just to the upper left of it--

OH......I wonder what will happen to me after a fill! I will know in a week or two!

I don't have problems eating anything, was banded 12/27 and have no fill yet.

OMGosh, the possibilities are endless! I'm surprised at how fun counting calories and discovering yummy healthy low cal foods ...can be. It's like a new challenge !!

I weigh myself daily as well. I have no "restriction" right now, so my self control and diet are what's keeping me afloat....and I want to be sure I'm not gaining. If the scale goes up a pound one morning, then I modify my diet that day to be sure it doesn't go up another pound by the next day!!!

That was me--because inside you worry you will fail, feel deprived, disappoint, all of the above. Once you've lost weight from your pre-op diet and gotten through the surgery, you will be surprised how that feeling will turn around.....

I haven't bought it yet, it's a big squash I believe, you cut it in half and bake them. When it's cooked you are supposed to be able to run a fork over it creating spaghetti size strips of the squash. I have to google and get more info before I cook first time though--

I slice the whole cabbage thin, put it in a big pot and boil it until it's tender (or crunchy if you prefer). After cooked, I keep it refrigerated then just break it out for lunches or dinner, nuke it and make a sauce. I use ground turkey, but I've noticed that you have to watch ground turkey, if it's not very lean, the calories can be as high as ground beef. Lean ground beef is probably even fine. quote name='goodbyefatty' timestamp='1296316557' post='1568328']r I love the laughing cow cheese sauce idea! Can I ask a dumb question about the cabbage??? So I gather you slice the cabbage thin, do you boil it or how do you make it tender? And you use turkey sausage not groud turkey, right? I want to make this it sounds delicious!

I always lose a lot more weight when I eat every couple hours, small amounts. I don't want the band to keep me full for that long.......

Thanks for the tip on the cheese! That would really cut down the calories! Will try it!

You've earned bragging rights!! Great job!

Most doctors should take it, afterall UHC is a major carrier. If you have a surgeon in mind, just give em a call and make sure they take your insurance before you commit to anything

I would 1. find out if you have coverage w/your insurance first, if so then find a surgeon in the network 2. contact the surgeon, they will set you up with a seminar then a consult and will go over all your financial deets at that time

They say at least a year, I have long long long scars that are barely visible now....time heals

I haven't even had my first fill yet, but have completely changed my eating habits. I'm not "dieting" but I am watching calories, portion control, avoiding sugars in drinks. Even without the fill I can see that I am slowly losing weight. A friend commented that I looked smaller. It's probably only 3 pounds in 4 weeks since the liquid stages ended, but I'm okay with that -- because I'm eating in a realistic and long-term way. I expect once I start having a little appetite control from the band that I will eat even smaller portions and hopefully lose a little faster.

Yes, the spaghetti sauce is awesome! I love it! We just use ground turkey or lean ground beef, spaghetti sauce like normal....It doesn't taste exactly like spaghetti, but very good and yes, kind of like cabbage rolls. Very good!!!

Yeah, that is the new policy with Fed. 3 months goes fast though, you could be working with the surgeon at the same time and have your surgery scheduled for just about 3 months from now if all goes well