xavier

I dont eat meat but I LOVE the eggplant tofu thing at Panda Express. Also the rangoons.I also eat the chow mein when I want to be little bad since theres not much protein...but the calories are pretty good. I try to avoid McDonalds (hideous stories of animal cruelty that would make you cry) but I have snagged a filet o fish when I am on a long roadtrip! Any bean thing from taco bell is ok.

My opinion if anyone wants it: 1. We have to get to a place where we can maintain the lifestyle and that may not be what we or our doc expected.We cant live on peas and Water and three hours on the treadmill! 2. The BMI numbers are DIRECTLY correlated with health outcomes...they dont care how you look. 3.Do not take advice from one nurse or even one doc! 4.Many people will tell others they look too gaunt and they may be jealous whether they know it or not.What most of us consider normal-looking is in fact, too fat. 5. A FACT from real medical literature...the only thing that has ever been directly correlated to longevity and good health overall is being around 10% UNDERWEIGHT. Good luck to all, lets do what feels best for us and be nice to ourselves!

You sound like you are right on track and very realistic...you will do well. Get lots of support here...good luck!

Daqui, Isnt it a great feeling to be sure you will get into them??? Congrts on the progress...you are doing it!

some one once said..."whether you think you can or you can't, you're right."

$1100.00 would really be pennies for RNY. That is a major operation and a copay on good insurance could be that much.

Its like anything else where they dont place blame. If you have an infection from your lap band, they cover treating even though you 'brought it on yourself' by getting the band. Same as all the stupid things people do and end up hurting themselves like firecrackers blowing your fingers off. On the other hand the insurers are not in the biz of caring whether your band is functional or not.So as a self payer, I hope with all hope I never get a port flip or worse (prob very expensive) a band leak! On the other (third!) hand I think if you have a good doc and you have a complication that was caused by something that wasnt done right...maybe they would cut your bill some slack!

Great blog...so true and congrats thats a big accomplishment!!

I do use a food scale sometimes to check on the calories. We had ahi steaks the other night and I wondered what the ounces were because thats how the calories were given on the calorieking website...so I just weighed it. Then I wrote it down and found I couldnt even eat half of it...that happens a lot.

Heed the Diva...she said it best!

Oh, PS: My jeans now talk to me the way my fridge USED TO!!!

Wow! Kare, you really struck a chord with a lot of us...I started out in a 16 but they were bursting and very time i went down a size, I also bought one pair of the next size down and laid them on the vanity counter so they could talk to me every day! I was recently in a 12 short Levis with the 10s on the vanity and those were just too tight. I had a juniors size 13 short Levis nd those fit me great. Those juniors are smaller than the misses I guess because the 13 is in between the 12 and the 10...go figure! Anyway if you are interested go to the profile page of a girl called lellow...she's amazing and took the cutest picture of her jeans lying one on top of the other down to her tiny now-size...I did one of my own for my laptop's screensaver! I have had as my tag line..."a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single pair of jeans" and I wondered if people would get it. But I know YOU would!!

Absolutely start journaling everything!!I think we need that from time to time in order to be honest with ourselves! I had a three month plateau and I knew I had good restriction...the answers were in the journal and since I found out what I was doing wrong...I have lost 8 pounds in three weeks.

Yes, in a heartbeat! I would even self-pay again!!!

I'm no expert but this is my understanding ( I am also self pay). If you are sick from the complication, meaning something that needs to be treated for your well-being, they have to cover it. But if the port flips or you have a leak so you are fine but the band just doesnt work...not covered. I hope i never have to find out...I'm savin' those pennies for PS!

Am I missing something here? You were banded a long time ago and can take care of you new incisions the same way.

WOW! You are doing great and you really did great on the preop weight loss! This will be a great site for you to get support and also give it to people who may not be doing as well as you! I always recommend to new people to go to the blog of band_groupie and take your time reading it from the beginning...its very motivating and will make you laugh and cry but mostly laugh! The comments people make to her are great and you can find some great friends among us there...let us support you!!

I am truly sorry you are struggling...please get the fills you need for this band to work. Dont waste your money on special food and diets...we have ALL done that before and ultimately GAINED weight from it! Please give your band another chance even if you have to beg, borrow, steal, or just charge the cost of those fills! PS The only way you can win a medical lawsuit is if the doc didnt follow what is called 'the standard of care'. So I agree with the above posters that it would not be a good use of your energies...good luck...

Agree completely with BetseyB..if we could do this without the band's restriction, well, we would have already!! I think I am at perfect restriction now and have no problems at all..a very rare pain or PB which is the bitch slap I need because I ate too much or too fast. It happens maybe once a month nowadays. I just feel so lucky to have this band!!!

Agree, also when yo are putting protein first you usually dont have room for the pasta, bread, rice etc! I sometimes snag the topping off of pizza so I dont eat the crust. My cravings for 'bad' things has gone way down though, thanks to the band! If I eat like I should (only when I'm hungry, stop when not hungry, no water, never eat to full or painful, etc) I can barely get enough protein AND enough calories in! That's why I LOVE my band!

Yes, I have little glass one-cup bowls that I usually eat out of. Theres a girl on here who has done fantastic called 2flyguys and if you look at her photos yo will see her holding up a tiny bowl...it has REALLY worked for her!

I lost 11 that first month but some dont really lose at all due to 'bandster hell' which is described in the blog of band_groupie if you wonder what that is. I was lucky to have good restriction right away and didnt have to go thru it! Good luck!

For those of you in the early stages of all this, I HIGHLY recommend reading the blog of band_groupie from the beginning just whenever you have time. It answers lots of questions and is very motivating as it seems like she holds your hand thru the tough times..I and lots of others sometimes re read it to increase motivation or get on track..you'll laugh and cry!

I can eat everything but only tiny portions. If I do get stuck it is always my own fault and provides the bitch slap I need! LOL! Papaya enzyme chewables definitely helps and I used to carry them everywhere until I learned how NOT to get stuck! Relax, this is the best thing ever...and even a painful stuck incident isnt as bad as going to some fancy event miserable because of how you look!!

You could also consider the cost of healthcare for comorbidities if you have any. Or the ones that we would have developed...I know I save money on food because now I eat so little...WELL WORTH IT overall. And it is a great motivator to stay on track..