LapBandit

I agree 100%. My doc said I could exercise normally at one week post-op if it felt OK to me. I was fine on the elliptical.

Are you sure they meant that you'd have to go without a fill for several days/weeks? I say this because I know it's typical for my surgeon to completely unfill me every single time so that he knows how much was in there, but then he just turns around and puts the new amount right back in. I am only unfilled for a moment or two. Do you think this is all they meant? If they truly mean that they want you to walk around totally unfilled for a few days/weeks then I say tell them that's baloney and not necessary and that you just want a little removed--not totally emptied. I'd remind them that you have Patient's rights and unless they can medically prove a reason that you specifically need to be completely unfilled then they should respect your decision.

I don't know about driving if you mean YOU'LL be driving for that long. That may not be a good idea for a trip that long. I could drive the second day home but still that's a long trip for immediately post-op. If you feel up to it and you're not driving, just riding, then you'll probably be OK. I had to hold a pillow against my belly for support while in the car on day two because my belly was sore and the bouncing in the car was a little much. I was never in *pain* but I'm not sure I could've ridden in a car that long so soon. That's just my story. You might feel perfectly fine but I'd wait to see how you feel before you make your final decision. Good luck!

Gosh guys, am I doing it wrong? I can easily eat an english muffin, pretty much anything really. I occasionally will have something not go down right but every time it has been because I was eating way too fast. I'm not complaining about being able to eat all foods, I'm just posing the question-am I still not as tight as most bandsters?? Jeez, how big is my stomach that my band can't get cranked down as tight as everyone else?!?!

Congrats on the big loss! You're doing great!

Sure, why wait? Taking vitamins is a good thing! I take Centrum too.

Hi Ann, I went through this stage too. It was gross, but it passes. Just drink lots of water, that seems to help. Good luck!

The only tip I have is to exercise and follow the bandster "rules" and you'll do great! "bloated sausage?" that is comical! I'm a bloated sausage too right now, not from post-op but rather PMS. Errr.

That's great that your kitchen is back in working order. Nothing disrupts your daily routine like having your house torn up, right?! I need laundry done too so I'll probably just send mine over to your house since you're celebrating being able to get to your washer again. You know...anything to help you Celebrate, OK?! Ha Ha. I didn't think that would work! Anyway, glad to see everyone is doing well. Today started out really stormy but ended up in the mid-sixties. Ahh, it felt great!

Tax Day Challenge! (April 15th) Week Two of Eight Name..........................Starting…...…..Current….…..Goal…....To Go Juliegeraci......................238............. ...... 238.................228.............10 Lapbandit.......................231............... .....226………….199.............27 Waterlily........................300............. .......287.................264.............23 Roiansmom....................299................. ...299.................270.............29 Libra...............................248........... .........242.................228.............14 JulieNYC........................212............... .....209.................185.............24 Elisabethsew...................282.....................278.................264.............14 PeaCeJ............................338...................338.................318..............20 RidinMyHDDream.........297.....................289.................281...............8 Babygirl1234..................260.....................256.................240..............16 Leecelove70...................228.....................228.................200..............28 Josette.............................351....................351..................335..............16

Sure, this is a fairly common scenario. You've lost weight, your body feels better and you feel better emotionally. Plus, if you're losing then you've probably been exercising which increases endorphins that make you feel happy. Knock yourself out!

I take metamucil. I do eat well and include veggies and other foods with fiber plus I exercise about an hour a day; however, I still think I need my metamucil. I don't have any problems taking it, just make sure you drink enough water. I can't explain it...post-band I just don't have the same "system" I used to!

Why didn't you both send me the "good girl" mojo telepathically?? I needed it today! I had a major "oopsie" and ate a big bowl of ice cream at work. I just had a craving so bad so we sent someone out to go get some!! I've been good for so long now and I don't feel guilty about my splurge. I will move on! It's just that I haven't had ice cream in about a year and I enjoyed the heck out of it! I'm not condoning my actions...just confessing! If damn PMS wouldn't give me such wicked cravings I'd have done better today!

I don't have anything to say except if the feeling is specifically in your throat then I'm not sure your band has anything to do with it. Do you think you might have streph throat or something? My vote is to see a doctor ASAP. Good luck and keep us posted!

I was cleared to workout at one week post-op. I followed the advice and was OK. The weird thing is...exercise gives me energy. When I feel too tired to exercise I still have myself give it a go...a 30 minute walk or so and by the end my endorphins have raised enough that I end up feeling much better than when I started. The best thing is that this energy lasts and so the next day I'm not so tired. As far as gaining...I don't know. What are you eating? Can you tell us a little about your daily intake? You are right, though. The first few weeks are for healing so if you are eating properly then you should not worry about it. But, if you are not following "the rules" now is a perfect time to start so that you can move to the losing side!

Probably has at least a little to do with experience level and malpractice insurance rates...honestly. I think some docs are afraid to make someone sick so they are a bit more extreme with their plans. Also, I think it depends on their school of thought as to how they view the human body's ability to lose weight. As long as you feel comfortable with his/her advice then I say that's all that matters.

CONGRATS! You're doing great. Plateaus are terrible and it's always a huge relief when they end! Good luck to you and your friend.

You've got the absolute best plan going for you. I, too, wanted surgery earlier in the year (last year) but due to work conflicts had to post-pone til April 2006. I used my time from February til mid-April to practice the bandster lifestyle. I lost about 40 pounds on my own and by the time of surgery I was truly prepared to start out my journey at full speed. You are probably making the best plan in the world because it has certainly paid off for me! Good luck and ahh...you're bringing back memories. I have loved my first year of bandster life!

It happens to the best of us. You're doing fine. You realize it was a mistake and didn't like how it made you feel. Now the trick is to realize that it was a "freak incident" and move on WITHOUT GUILT! But, if you were to start letting yourself do this regularly that's a different situation. It doesn't sound like you are going down that path. You're human! You had a moment of weakness that we can all relate to! Sometimes it just feels so good to be so bad! So, put on your "good bandster" hat and get back to business and you'll be just fine!!

No, you certainly didn't mess up! I was a nervous freak about this in the beginning and my doc set me straight. He said as long as you don't eat until "stuffed" and the food was nutritious then you're fine. Cream of Crab soup probably had a lot of calories (cream) but other than that it beats the heck out of ice cream or something ridiculous!! Yes, I ate a lot of oatmeal in my mushie's stage. Oatmeal is great for you...just eat the kind you cook on the stove. The pre-packaged stuff has too much sugar and isn't usually as nutritious. I also ate vegetarian refried Beans a lot. Cream of Wheat, sugar-free pudding, oatmeal, refried beans, chilli, low fat cottage and ricotta cheese, low fat yogurt, etc. these things were all foods I ate during mushies. Oatmeal and refried beans were the two foods that made me feel satisfied the most. They stick to your ribs and make you feel like you've actually eaten! I think you're doing great and have not done anything "wrong" at all! Good luck and keep us posted!

Too funny, Libra...I am wearing a pair of comfy jammies that I've had before surgery and I'm hanging on to them until they fall off too! It's a little goal I've set for myself. They're size 28 and they look terrible on me but my belly still keeps them up enough to wear. Hopefully they won't be around for next Winter! Molly, you are just doing so great. I'm so glad to see you with so much motivation. You are just going to rock this year, I can feel it! As far as an NSV...I actually bought two outfits from Walmart yesterday from the "normal" section. They're size 16 shirts and skirts for work. They fit on me but I also had to spend $20 on supportive granny panties so that I don't look like the Michelin Man when I wear them to work!!! I knew I could fit 16W's and never realized there was 16W in the plus section then regular 16's in the "normal" section. I am just barely in the "normal" 16's. I'm a dork-I've NEVER shopped in this section so I don't even know what that size is called. All I've realized is that there's no "W" afterward!! It felt so ackward...I thought some alarm might go off with an announcement..."There's an intruder in the normal section...she doesn't belong there...get her!" But, no such announcement and I made it through just fine!!

"Holy Crapola" ...I haven't heard that in a long time, it cracked me up! Good job Libra! You had a great week! I love pickles too. Zero calories but too much darn sodium. I still eat them occasionally. I'm a sour freak. I love sour stuff, always have. Well, it's stinking cold again here. We had a few pretty days but now I'm freezing again!

Tax Day Challenge Weekly Check In Week 1/8 Name.............................Starting……..Curre nt……..Goal……..To Go Juliegeraci.......................238............. ...... 238.................228.............10 Lapbandit.......................231............... .....229………….199.............30 Waterlily.........................300............. .......292.................264.............28 Roiansmom.....................299................. ...299.................270.............29 Libra...............................248........... .........245.................228.............17 JulieNYC........................212............... .....209.................185.............24 Elisabethsew....................282............... .....279.................264.............15 PeaCeJ............................338............. .......338.................318............20 RidinMyHDDream...........297.....................2 93.................281............12 Babygirl1234................... 260................ ...259.................240.............19 Leecelove70.....................228............... .....228.................200............28

Thanks Molly. I am really proud of my progress so far. We've got quite a team on this thread...we're all doing awesome! Well, I hope everyone is getting a break from the chilly weather. We are enjoying temps in the 50's this week and I'm LOVING every minute of it. I hope it lasts!

WOW! Molly, you're kicking butt right now! I'm trying...I'm trying... I gotta catch up! Great job! You guys keep me on my toes and out of the fridge!