LapBandit

I'm sorry, I try to be a positive person so, I'm not trying to tick you off Melanie but you have got to be nicer to yourself. I've read this entire thread and seen you refer to yourself with some pretty nasty comments. You want to know the "trick" to success? I truly believe that the majority of my success comes from the fact that I had to look deeply inside myself and decide that I am WORTH it to change my lifestyle. No, I'm not proud of what my body looks like but I still love myself for my values and character and know that I deserve to do my best. You can take my advice or tell me to shove it but I don't care how many calories or carbs or exercise you do...none of it matters if you don't believe in yourself and let your body work WITH you for once. The human body is not meant to melt pounds away like butter in a frying pan...if that were true NONE of us would have needed surgery. You will never consistently lose weight...I wish that weren't the case but it is and it doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. I understand it gets frustrating at times. I've bawled at my surgeon's office over it. You know what he told me? He said he was disappointed that I felt this way because his goal is for his patients to feel BETTER about their life after surgery. You know what? When I thought about that for a minute I realized...no I'm not supermodel but I AM doing something positive for myself and the scale is atleast moving in a healthier direction now. And just like I've read a million times before on these boards...it didn't take 2 months to get fat so why in hell would we expect it to come back off that fast. I'm sorry for the long post but this thread has me really upset. I don't like knowing that you are in this much pain. I'm giving you a cyber-hug with some advice from my heart...do with it as you like.

Congrats! I'm getting there too and I can't wait! Good job!

That's the spirit, Kathy! Keep up the good work!

You seem to be right on track. I agree with the other posters...calories look good, carbs looks OK too...according to my doc the carbs should be roughly in balance with calories but protein should always be a little higher. Your weight loss is excellent too. If you are doing that much excersize then you are probably gaining muscle which weighs more than fat. This is a good thing although the numbers on the scale may not "appear" to be going down because of the muscle gain. My doc made me PROMISE not to weigh myself for the exact reason you are struggling with...so I agree with the other posters...don't weigh yourself daily. Try weekly but better yet, monthly. If you continually think you're failing then soon you will. Stay positive and see the accomplishments you've made because they're great!

If you're at a friend's house for dinner and you have to refuse the drink offer because it will delay dinner...you might be a bandster. If your family thinks bad weather follows you around because all they hear are the rumblings of thunder coming from your belly....you might be a bandster. If you'd rather throw away your old clothes than give them away and let someone see what size you wore...you might be a bandster. If you feel like a turkey with the button that pops up the closer it is to being "done"...you might be a bandster. (Note...I'm looking forward to seeing that port pop out...can't feel it yet!) These were my futile attempts at humor...I am getting a kick out of this thread! You guys are too funny!

LOL! I have problems dealing with the "Bitchinator" too! Every day we just have to do our best and just try to make the best choice we can when we have a craving for something on the "off limits" list! Don't beat yourself up...I've cheated once too because of that darn "Bitchinator"...ice cream birthday cake, a big ol' slice too. But, I had to pick myself up and dust myself off and go on. The following month I HAD, HAD, HAD to have some chocolate so instead of another ice cream cake disaster, I had a small piece of chocolate and told myself to be happy with it and I was! Hang in there! You're human!

Congrats! You're doing great!

I've started eating Special K -Protein Plus cereal. I think it's new...at least it's new to me. I use fat-free Lactaid as the milk. It is yummy and is easy for me to get down in the morning.

My surgeon required a week of liquids...low fat, low sugar liquids. The liquid diet preps your liver for the surgery. It will allow your liver to shrink in size which makes your surgery easier. The surgeon needs to lift your liver up off of your stomach in order to have room to install the band. Without the liquid diet there is a pretty good chance that your liver will be blubbery and hard to manage. (When someone is inside my body working I want to make sure my organs are as orderly as they need!! Ha Ha) Good luck on the surgery!!! Congrats!

I thought I could feel mine but my doctor said it is scar tissue. I actually had my very first fill this morning! He could not find my port at first. It took him a long time, but he found it. Luckily, even though he struggled hard to get that fill in, it was all PAINLESS to me. I hope your experience will be as well. Don't worry, your doctor will find your port too!

My doc told me to let him know when I felt ready for a fill. Well, I think I'm ready. It's taking a lot more food to make me feel satisfied and I'm finding that I feel hungry very often. Once I feel satisfied with a meal, I only seem to stay that way for 2 hours then I'm starving again. This is my question... Should I "tough" it out with the hunger or will a fill help? I guess what I'm getting at is: Will being tighter help the weight loss go faster, or won't it affect anything except the hunger pains? Thanks for any advice!

I did it! I got my first fill today! I'm doing liquids for the rest of the day so I don't know what impact it's had yet but we'll find out this weekend. I had a bad headache this afternoon and took some tylenol and I think it almost got stuck. I could feel it sitting there but it went down. The fill didn't hurt at all...I'm relieved to finally know what that process feels like!

4-3: JenRN - 263/257/248/150 - 15 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/237/165 - 45 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/282.5/150 - 17.5 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/278/165 - 22 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/248/150 - 63 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/225/150 – 50 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/188/130 - 20 total 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/190/135 -50 total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/212/140 - 36 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217/201/145 - 16 total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/222/140 - 20 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/245/150 - 25 total 4-18: LapBandit - 392/369/347/336/324 -68 total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/202/130 - 18 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/246/150 - 27 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/275/150 - 35 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/286/272/176 - 14 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117/110/69kg - total 15kgs/33 pounds 4-24: Ceparano -255/270.5/247/170 - 23.5 total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/263/165 -26 lbs total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/241/160 - 21 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/255/145 - 11 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/229/150 - 35 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/244/145 - 40 Total 4-28: Susan4794 - 281.2/267/265.6/145 - 15.6 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/299/145 - 34 total

The decision will be yours to make, of course, but to answer your question...I would definately make the same decision to get my lap band again if the sands of time were reversed in a strange alternate universe!! I made my decision based on several factors. First and foremost, my bariatric doctor said that he felt this surgery was better suited to me than other alternatives. I'd definately ask for a medical opinion from a trusted, knowledgeable medical person in your life. Secondly, after a lot---I mean hours and hours--of research on my own, I also decided that this procedure was the safer option FOR ME. I could go on, but I can't stress enough how important it is to do the legwork and weigh the options in your own terms as to how either surgery might affect your life, your family, your health, your budget etc. etc. This has been the most personal decision I've ever made for myself. WLS will CHANGE YOUR LIFE and I just want you to feel confident in your decision. I know I probably didn't provide the info you were hoping for but I hope it helped a bit. Good luck and there are lots and lots of wonderful people on this site who have posted many pros/cons and other thoughts related to WLS so strolling through some posts may also help you gain a better picture of how WLS has affected real people. Good luck!

At first my doctor wasn't supportive. She made a comment that "it really takes dedication to follow all of the rules". Like, hint, hint...I don't think you can do it. Well, it ticked me off. How would she know? I really felt like it was a blow off. Then at my next visit she mentioned that she had attended a seminar on the lap band and thought that it sounded like a very positive surgery. She encouraged me to call and I admitted that I already had been looking into it. I figured I was going to do it whether she liked it or not. Any way, after she changed her tune at that appointment I cam home and called! That was in February of this year and 70 pounds later! I take the advice of those I trust but this particular issue is MINE and I'm doing what's right for me...for once!

I don't know how they deal with bandsters done in Mexico. They don't use floro during fills as far as I know. They're really nice so I'm sure they'll be able to give you the info you need when you call. I hope it works out!

I'm a patient at the Delmarva Bariatric Center in Salisbury, MD. They are wonderful. My experience with them has been wonderful and I feel completely confident in their skills. Their patients show results! You may want to give them a call if you can make it down this way. http://www.delmarvabariatric.com

That is so cool! Isn't it amazing that we were able to carry that junk inside of us but trying to pick it up is so hard. Wow, that's amazing to think of our accomplishments this way...you should be very proud!:clap2:

Unfortunately, I have heard that eating improperly or "bad" stuff can cause a shoulder pain flare-up. Your diapram(sp) gets irritated and it causes referred pain that you feel in your shoulder. That post-op shoulder pain was the worst part of the whole thing for me!! Hope things improve for you! I was a big GAS X and heating pad gal and it helped alot!

I was banded on a Tuesday. I had scheduled the rest of the week off anyway so I returned on Monday. I was fine. The first day was a little rough just because I was still in "healing mode" and wasn't really in the mood to be that active. But, after that first day I got back into the swing of things and I think it actually helped me feel better faster. Everyone is different though.

Too funny! I've noticed "the girls" are getting smaller and droopier! They're the only thing on my body that looked better with extra fat! I have a funny story about this...the other day I was wearing a cute top that I really like, but the design needs "the girls" to help hold it up. I was driving to work and when I went to get out of the car I noticed this shirt had slid down from the seat belt pushing on my chest and you could see the whole top half of my bra. I was so nervous the whole day at work about this happening again, I tried using some scotch tape but it didn't help! Any way, I don't know how many drivers got a peep show on the morning cummute that morning! I got a better bra this weekend. Nothing fancy...just from Walmart but it was in a smaller size YEAH and it also helps keep gravity from succeeding DOUBLE YEAH!!

Me too! I've designed one that I really like but I've not ordered it for the same reasons everyone else is talking about. I don't want to advertise my medical situation but yet if you don't advertise it with the proper-looking ID an EMT may not notice then it may not even be worth it to be wearing it! I found one that looks like a watch but has the engraved tag next to the clasp. It's expensive but I already need a watch...maybe I'll go ahead and get it and solve two problems at once! I like I idea of a tattoo!! Mine will say "Don't bust my band, man!" right above my port scar!! This is a good thread. I've been curious about this topic for awhile. We get a special card to show to resturants but nothing to give EMT's a heads-up??? I've not worried about my band getting messed up in an emergency...hell, I want them to do whatever they need to do to me. But, I've wondered if it would waste time for them trying to figure out what is inside me. Especially if they were ever trying to force a tube down me and it won't go or something! The tag may save a lot of time when it's life or death. Good ideas, everyone!

No problem, Bitter! Let us have it...no one understands the struggle better than other bandsters! I completely sympathize with you. Although I have nothing to complain about...I also can't really say there is much to help prove that I can even feel I have a band! This is a strange little device isn't it?! But, I'm learning the hard way to become more patient with my body. It's not easy to accomplish but I just do the best I can each day. I didn't catch how long you've been banded? I'm getting ready to hit two months this week. It's been a strange journey so far! But, if we keep trudging along we WILL be successful. Don't lose hope and try not to sabotage yourself if you become frustrated. Take care and hang in there! :gluck:

I have (had) GERD. I would wake up in the middle of the night choking on acid. I popped tums/rolaids then maximum strength Zantac in bigger doses than recommended just to try to sleep at night. Since I changed my diet and got my band I haven't had one second of heartburn or acid!!!! I am so happy about this! However, your problem may be more complicated than mine so talk to the surgeon about it. Hopefully, your outcome will be as wonderful as mine. Good luck!

No, it's not wrong. I was told that if your body is telling you that it's hungry at night and it bothers you then you should go ahead and try to have a small amount of something healthy. Perhaps you can modify your "eating schedule" so that you are having some Protein closer to bedtime, that may help. Just an idea.