texasnole

I'm going to be right up front with you about it. I'm a big believer that if you aren't doing everything you can, like eating right and exercising, than you're failing yourself and your band. I'm not sure what could be going on in your life that you can't walk for 15-20 minutes everyday. As for the eating? I do the low-carb diet and I've had great success. When I stop losing weight, it's because I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing. You know if you're trying 100% of the time. It sounds like your portions are fine, but honestly it's better to have larger portions of Protein than small portions of bad stuff. Not getting enough calories is really bad for you and that is probably what's stopping your weight loss. I stick to about 1200 and I'll lose 5lbs a week. It's so hard to do this, I know it is and I've had so many problems, but you have to seriously just take it 1 day and 1 week at a time.

Yeah welcome to bandsterhell. I had my surgery on a Friday, and by Sunday I was starving. Like insane hungry. I apparently didn't swell for very long. You have to make smart choices like you did before the surgery. Eat your protein and healthy foods. Don't worry so much right now on AMOUNTS of food, just make sure what you're putting into your body is healthy.

I'm 7months out and looking back I have a lot of trouble even remembering the pain. I know it's terrible right now, but things get better. I'm 100lbs lighter and I would go through that pain every weekend if I had to. You have to stick with it, and remember that the eating isn't forever. There will come a day when you can mix it up and have the things you love. But I promise in 6 months you'll look back and be able to laugh and see that this wasn't for nothing. Just keep looking forward to the new you As for the pain, take the gas-ex chewables ... i was chewing one about every hour and walking helps. I don't understand why walking helps but it is REALLY important.

I don't know about most of the people here, but I didn't feel ANY restriction until my second fill. It's going to take time, but just keep going back and getting fills. Just because you don't feel full, doesn't mean you can over eat either. It's so easy to mess up everything that you've been working for, just because you're a little hungry. Just keep working with your doctor and it will all work out.

The whole point of the band, and the restriction, is to eat small amounts of food and then feel full for a long time. I've NEVER heard of a doctor telling someone to eat for an hour. It just isn't possible for every meal, and it isn't smart. You should eat either a portion size, until you're full, and for no longer than 15 minutes, which ever comes first.

Ah I remember those days well. It's going to be bad for a while before it can get better. It's true what they say, walk walk walk. The pain is going to take a few days/ weeks to heal depending on how quickly you personally can get better. I know all you can think about right now is the pain, but in the future when you look back on all of it, it won't be so bad. The only reason I'd be alarmed is if I had a fever, that is a sign of infection, otherwise pain all over is normal. We've all been there and we know how ya feel, but believe me when I say it is so worth it!

I got the Chewable Gas-X and it was AMAZING, and something to chew on It seriously worked well for me. I think all of us have been there, thinking "WHAT DID WE DO" but now that I'm over a month out, I feel like it was totally worth it. Just keep taking it a day at a time and it will get so much better.

I just woke up from a very long nap. I was laying on my back and was trying to feel my port, and then I realized that I can't find it or feel it. It feels like it isn't there. I felt EVERYWHERE on my left side and I don't feel it. Normally I can feel it, kind of like something bottle cap sized under my skin. I don't know what I should do. Should I call my surgeon ?? I'm really freaking out here because the idea of some kind of port surgery scares me a lot. I hated the first surgery, and I really don't want another one. I just need your opinions. Could it still be there, but since I've been asleep on my stomach, it's just kinda hidden and I should wait and see what happens? thanks

Like everyone says walking is going to be the best thing to help it. I don't know why but it does help. Also my pharmacist showed me chewable Gas-X tablets and I chew the CRAP outta them. I take one every like 3-4 hours and they help a lot.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't stop looking at the scale. I'm weighing myself like ... basically every time I go to the bathroom. Or I'm bored. Or I just wanna make sure I didn't imagine losing that 1lb. I need to stop and make one day of the week when I weigh my self ... I think that would be the healthiest. Do you think it's best to weigh yourself right when you wake up? Or once you go to the bathroom? Or before bed?

I'm 22 and I don't think it's a cop out at all. I see it as something that can help, but there are so many people out there that think it's a miracle cure, and they fail. Do this so that you can live the next 20 years the way you want. By the time your kid is 2-3 and running around, don't you want to be able to run around with him/her and enjoy that time? You won't ever get that back and if you can't enjoy it, you'll regret it. Just take it one step at a time because it really is a big decision. I know for me I've gone back and forth. Should I try without the band? I did lose weight without it but in the end, I saw that this was the best way to do it, and keep it off for life. If they're really your friends, they'll totally understand why you wanna do this. I am all for anyone getting this, just as long as you realize that the band isn't going to put the fork down for you, you have to do it yourself. I'm the same height and for a really long time, i was about 325 and then in the last 2 years I gained almost 60lbs. I knew it was time to do something and to help myself. I say go to the consult and hear what they have to say. The worst that could happen is you decide it isn't for you.

I'm studying at FSU. I'm a international affairs major and actually am not taking classes this semester so i can focus on my surgery and such. But I'm sooo ready to go back for summer! I haven't had to live with my parents for 3 years and now all the sudden it feels like High school! I'm not sure what part of Denver my family lives in. I havn't been there to see them in so long, they always come see us! But I'm really excited to fly there. And the weather today is amazing. It's a little cold, about 60, but clear blue sky. I drove over to the beach today just to get out of the house and it was just so amazing. Well when I was on the liquid diet I had to have nothing but Water (my surgeon wanted 1 gallon a day) and some chicken broth. It REALLY sucked but was worth it because I had a perfect liver and I'm healing great after the surgery. Good luck!

Last January I saw my friend whom I hadn't seen in a long time. She had lost SO much weight and told me all about her Lapband surgery. I was very interested and she asked what Insurance I had. I told her BCBS Florida and she told me right there "Oh well that insurance doesn't cover this surgery" ... so I didn't even talk to the surgen or anything. Around march I decided to go talk to them anyways, and turns out I have BCBS of South carolina ... random but I'm cover. Anyways after a few issues and a lot of stress, I got banded this pas friday! I wish I had done it a couple of years ago. And I haven't met anyone who has tried to talk me out of it. Everyone has been awesome about it. If they can't understand it and don't support you, they aren't real friends. At least that's how I feel about it.

I was banded yesterday and i'm pretty damn hungry too. But I think we should consider ourselves lucky because there are some people out there that are so restricted they can't even swallow Water. I know I will be able to move onto Protein shakes on tuesday. I'm just waiting for Tuesday!

I drank like 4 bottles of Water while i waited for them to let me go home, no problem. But the poor lady next to me tried to drink some water and she was soo sick. But she said she didn't have any gas pain and i'm just over this pain already. It needs to go away.

I too was banded yesterday. I had that stupid hernia thing, but wasn't required to stay over night. I had a really hard time waking up after surgery and was in the recovery for about 4 hours before they'd let me go home. I had a tough night sleeping because of all the IV and water I had, but the pain isn't too bad. I do feel this gas pain that everyone talks about and if i tighten my stomach up i have pain in my port. But otherwise I'd say it was a success! I still can't believe I've made it this far!! I feels like a dream or something. Feb 20th was a good day for all!

Congrats!! I too started looking into this last march! And it all just seemed to fall into place so quickly. I was banded yesterday and it still feels like a dream! I can't believe i've mad it this far and I'm so excited to keep going forward. Congrats!!

I've only lived here for a few years. I'm actually in college at FSU. but my parents live in Fleming Island. I had Dr. Baptista and he did an amazing job. I have some pain in the port area and some small gas pain, but nothing unmanageable! I have family that lives in Denver and I'm actually flying there in May. How long ago did you get banded?

I was banded yesterday. And anyone who tells you that it isn't going to be hard is a liar. But it's something that I think anyone can benifit from if you work hard at it. It isn't a miracle cure by any means, but it will make things so easy for you. I lost 57lbs pre op, and that was hard. I can't tell you how many times i went to bed hungy because I knew that I'd had all the food I needed for the day. But with this tool I can eat half that and be full. I don't think the diet will be too hard to follow because I've been following it for 6 months already. Cravings don't seem to go away. I was laying in my bed yesterday right after the surgery and the nurse at the desk was eating chocolates ... I REALLY wanted one But in 6 months when I lose another 50lbs and I see how great life is .. I won't want that chocolate. I think anyone who has this can lose the weight, but you have to really want it. It isn't going to do all the work. Suck it up and change yourself now. I know it's hard but it will be one of the best things you ever did for yourself.

I'm being banded by Dr. Baptista on Feb 20th. I'm excited.

Hi y'all! I'm scheduled to be banded this coming Friday and I'm pretty excited about it. I guess some days I'm really ready and then some days I'm not sure if I'm making the right choice. I've lost 53lbs since September, doing a pre-op diet. And when everyone asks me what I've done differently, all I can say is I've been eating well and exercising non-stop. But then it makes me wonder if I should be having the surgery since I've lost weight without it. But I've done too much and gone too far now to stop! Anyways I sometimes feel like I'm totally alone in this, but then I come here and see that there are so many of us going through this and it makes me feel a little better. Thanks guys.