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Congrats! Many blessings on your new journey to be healthy!

Take a deep breath! You are emotional now because all your hormones are being release from those fat cells! If you feel like crying do so, but also rejoice. Take the time now to look at how far you've come, you've made a huge accomplishment, be proud, own it! Go and get yourself a manicure, pedicure, love you and your new body, your self esteem is now exploding and you have fear, everyone is noticing you, but sometimes we still want to hide in the fat girls body, we fear the attention, but learn to embrace it. Love yourself you are worth it!.

Everyone is different, have different metabolisms, etc, but most people are successfully usually aim for at least 80--90 grams of Proteins daily and keep carbs about 30-40 grams or less daily. And healthy carbs are green leafy veggies, like broccoli, spinach, collards, cabbage. Some people can lose at 1,500 calories per day especially if they are younger and have a healthy metabolism and exercise daily, but most of us like me, I have to keep my calories between 700-1200 to lose. Good luck

Congrats on your surgery! You got the attitude to succeed with your band, good luck on your journey!

I've been hearing about this low carb, recipe for awhile and I decided to try it this week, and boy was it delicious! I've actually lost 3 pounds this week, and honestly this is all I wanted to eat all week, except for some homemade Jello. Somehow after eating about 1 cup of this for lunch and dinner and I don't want to eat anything else, and makes me feel like I am eating a lot of yummy food. I made a huge batch of it and put it in the freezer so I don't have to continually make it Here are my version of the ingredients: I don't eat ground beef I substitute with ground turkey and while cooking the turkey mixed with onions and garlic powder, I add a little olive oil to my turkey while cooking it to brown. Also I get those packs of shredded coleslaw instead of having to shred up a whole cabbage, much easier. I use about 1 cup of sesame oil -- but you can add more or less, the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons, also, I use two packages of coleslaw and add cut up green peppers, it really gives that Chinese food type sweet tangy taste and it make the entire meal yummy. Enjoy! Ingredients: Servings: 4 Units: US | Metric 1 lb ground beef salt and pepper 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 green onions, sliced 14 ounces coleslaw mix (if you don't want the carrots use the angel hair cole slaw or just shred up a head of cabbage) 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce (this will be pretty mild so add to taste or you can use pepper flakes to taste) 1 (1 g) Splenda quick pack 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste (you could also use 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger or ground ginger) 1 teaspoon white vinegar (any kind really) sriracha sauce (to garnish) Directions: 1 Brown ground beef and season with salt and pepper to taste. 2 Remove from pan and set aside. 3 Heat up sesame oil and sauté garlic, onions, and slaw in sesame oil until cabbage cooked to desired tenderness. 4 Stir in the soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, Splenda, ginger and vinegar. 5 Add back in hamburger. Mix well and serve! 6 Serve with additional Sriracha sauce on the side for people who want to add spice. Here is the nutritional content: Calories are a bit lower with ground turkey about 225 per meal. Nutritional Facts for Crack Slaw - Low Carb Serving Size: 1 (241 g) Servings Per Recipe: 4 Amount Per Serving% Daily Value Calories 339.2 Calories from Fat 21563% Total Fat 23.9 g36% Saturated Fat 7.6 g38% Cholesterol 77.1 mg25% Sodium 361.4 mg15% Total Carbohydrate 7.8 g2% Dietary Fiber 2.8 g11% Sugars 3.6 g14% Protein 23.0 g46%

Picking a weight loss surgery is a personal choice. And each surgery has their own pros and cons. I chose the band because I do not want my insides rearranged and the problems that comes along with them, too many bypass people are getting hypoglycemia after 2-4 years post, in fact it's so common they have clinical trials for both Sleeve and Bypass folks. It can be debilitating and dangerous, you can google that, and I don't want to spend my life eating every two hours to keep from fainting and/or worse having seizures, it can get that bad for many long term bypassers, you need to research that while you are researching the Bypass, not counting the high rate of Vitamin deficiencies and other issues. The lap band does not come without long term risks too, like reflux, esophageal issues and slippage those are real risks, but to me, I can live with those risks and I've had my band almost 8 years and the things I've experienced, I am comfortable with dealing with any future reflux issues and if gets too bad I can just get the band removed, with Bypass or Sleeve, whatever comes your way you will have to deal with it forever. Also, most importantly, I've seen too many friends over the 8 years gain their weight back and the honeymoon for the bypass is about 18 months, you will lose quick, but after that it will be hard core dieting, and you must still take the Vitamins forever even if you regain weight too many are now seeking bands over their bypass because the pouch stretches for many. Many say the band don't last forever, and that was true for me, I developed a hiatal hernia or had one that got inflamed in my 7th year and I will tell you I would rather get rebanded every 8 years if I could, to make sure I get restriction again, than to get the bypass and have it be effective for only a few years and have to diet like crazy after the honeymoon is over. Good luck

It depends, if this is a brand new lap band and your insurance does not cover bariatric surgery, meaning your employer has an exclusion, then no it will not cover the lap band. If however, you already have the band, and your insurance has an exclusion to bariatric surgery and you develop a hiatal hernia that interferes with the band placement and causes reflux when tightened, then yes. Most insurances policies will cover to repair the hiatal hernia and fix the band or replace it even if your policy do not cover bariatric sugery.

Sometimes eating too much will cause discomfort. I would usually go on liquids for a few days and chew a few papaya enzymes to help ease digestion and drink plenty of water. If it last for more than a few days, I would call my surgeon. Good luck

Congrats! I see a huge difference, so pretty.

It's nervous to have second thoughts with any type of weight loss surgery, it's a life changing event and comes with it so much responsibility. And the lap band has MANY responsibilities in order for you to accomplish your weight loss goals and minimize any complication risk. Here are some things to ponder: 1. Have you thoroughly researched your surgeon? Being self pay you REALLY need to make sure you are in good hands, have you asked about his complication rate, how many revisions has he/she has done from Band to Bypass or Sleeve? If his rate is very low, you are OK, if he/she revises a lot of his lap band patients to Sleeves or Bypass BEWARE. 2. Have you asked about his aftercare? Does he fill the band and follow your progress? Does he perform dynamic fills this is a good method where you drink liquids while the fill adjustment is being perform and it helps you detect the sweet spot more quickly. Can you get fills when YOU need them, or when they be on some sort of schedule. Or will he outsource this to another fill giver, or does he have a qualified PA that assists in surgery to do fills, VERY IMPORTANT, you don't want any unskilled nurse or fill giver performing your fills. Aftercare also includes checking or identifying any lap band problems, Upper Gi's and ordering EGD, when and if necessary to check the health of your band if you have issues. 3. How many lap bands has he/she has done? If over 500 you are ok, if not I would seek another lap band surgeon (especially if you are self pay). 4. If you are financing the lap band will you have money for future upkeep? You have to be realistic here, if your insurance will not pay for the band, fills can get really expensive depending on where you live, they range from $10 with co-pay up to over $1,500 per fill, so you need to ask your surgeon UPFRONT what the fills will cost for you as a self pay at least for a year. Some surgeons will include free fills for 6 months to a year in their package for self pay patients, because it can take up to 3-5 fills or more before you get to the green zone and be prepared if it takes A good YEAR before you get to a restriction level where you don't need any more fills. But many people reach a good fill level fairly quickly. 5. Just because you are self pay NOW, does not mean if you have a complication your insurance will not pay for it, usually MOST insurances that don't cover bariatric surgery WILL cover a complication if it is deemed medically necessary, but again, you should check your insurance policy, and if does not, you need to be prepared for any unforeseen complications, whether if you need a Upper Gi, or EGD or have to have a port replaced, or tubing or worse band replaced, these are things you need to think about because they CAN and DO happen with the band. I will give you an example, I got my band replaced last year, my first band was paid for 100 percent, 7 years later I had a new insurance plan, and it did not cover any bariatric surgery, BUT -- it paid 100 percent to fix a hiatal hernia which was required to remove the old band and place a new one, because I had a complication, it as deemed medically necessary because of the hernia to remove my old band and replace a new AP band because it was medically necessary. Honestly whether you get the Band, Bypass, or Sleeve you can run into unforeseen medical costs from unexpected complications, but again, many people do not have any issues, and sail along fine, but again you need to be prepared especially if you are going to be self pay. The risk is worth it for many people because you end up with a healthier life and better self esteem. Good luck

Wow that is ridiculous! Atena is on of those insurance companies I've always hated! I've always had to appeal just about anything I had with them, thank god most of my latest jobs have Blue Cross/Carefirst. I would not worry too much, they are just making it difficult hoping you will give up, or yet keep gaining. Keep your eye on the prize, and stay focused, you can do it.

You look beautiful! You should be very proud of those 45 pounds! Congrats.

Wow, you go girl! Work that band.

Congrats on your new band and your little ones and welcome!!

Congrats!! Keep on working that band!!

Thank you! And many blessing to you too!

I found a picture of my lowest weight, of a size 8/10

Well, here is a before picture @325 pounds, so I was far from a peach...LOL I went from the above weight to the below weight in about 14 months This is one of my favorite "Pear" pictures from 2007

Jay, I am sending you many prayers and I hope that your financial situation get better, and I will pray for you too. If you need to talk privately send me an email. Sometimes you can apply for state aid if your having a bad financial situation, I would hate to see you lose your band, but in the meantime while you don't have money for aftercare, you may want to do the following to keep your band healthy. 1. To avoid vomiting make sure your keep your meals moist. 2. Chew papaya enzymes tablets after your meal to help digest your food on a restricted band,this has helped me for over 8 years, it also helps with any night time reflux, but only if there not too much damage to the band, you can get those at any GNC. 3. Chew your food properly to avoid vomiting, make sure each bite goes down before taking another bite, even if you have to take pea size bites. 4. Avoid cold liquids prior to eating this will further tighten the band and many cause sliming. This will help prolong your band life until you can get your band checked. Good luck

Jay, After I read the original post, I made some edits to it, the reason I made edits was because, I do not know you or your circumstances, but I have to tell you, I left another board (OH) because it was ruined from band bashing and mainly from those who abused their bands and blamed the world for it and told others and newbies everyone would suffer the same fate. I've had band problems too, but my problems were either self inflicted or from a pre-existing hiatal hernia that was never repaired during my initial band surgery. I worked the heck of my band, walking exercising, eating healthy foods, it was tough, losing weight is not easy, I've had a too tight band before, reflux, etc, but I got my band almost 8 years when surgeons were learning they were all new to the band, did not know the consequences of being too tight, I never kept my band too tight longer than a few weeks because I could not stand the vomiting or how I felt and I ended up with a dilated pouch only after a few weeks of my old band being too tight. This is why I try to warn newbies of the dangers of the band, the band can be a wonderful tool if used wisely, I am not here to scold you, but to help you, I know I came across harsh in my first post, but I've seen so many people blame the lap band for all their problems, but never own up to why they had to get their bands removed, this is why I left the website (OH) no lap banders post there any longer due to others who've had complications harassing others and being too negative about the band. The reason I mentioned you seek insurance with your band, you will need it eventually, you are right I don't know your personal situation, but in order to keep a healthy lap band for long periods of time you MUST keep up with aftercare, and check the status of your band, especially since you've been too tight before. I truly hope things turn around for you.

I remember that feeling when I first got banded, eating so little and getting satisfied on so little felt like a little high..LOL. Enjoy!

Congrats and welcome back to the band wagon!

Oh, I forgot to add that at my lowest weight, I weighed about 178, and I was a size 8/10 and I looked ill too. Also remember when you've been morbidly obese, you will actually look smaller when you lose weight than someone who's never been obese, and you will weigh more because of the excess skin. So for example, when I got down to 190, I actually looked like I weighed about 170 because your bone structure is heavier than someone who's never been obese.

I weighed about 190 pounds in this picture, my starting weight was 326, my goal weight was 180, because I am 5'7 I can hold more weight, if I got down to 150 I would probably look unhealthy, also I find the smaller I get the less I can eat..LOL...and I like to eat, I would have to starve to maintain a weight of 150 pounds which is a "normal bmi" for me..... I was healthy in a size 12, no Vitamin deficiency, I felt good and have much energy at this size.

If it ain't broke don't fix it . Always remember as long as you have your lap band, never get a fill unless YOU REALLY NEED one. Fills are not automatic they are only if you are hungry and you struggle with keeping your portions small. Fills causes lap band complications this is why it's so important to use them wisely and not abuse them if you really don't need them. If you are satisfied when you eat about 1 cup food, and you keep satiated for 4 hours between meals, you don't need a fill. As you lose more weight, you may get hungrier between meals and you can discuss this with your surgeon,about adding saline to your band, your surgeon will gauge how much you can eat and hunger level and fill your band based on what you tell them, always be honest with your surgeon in how much you can eat and if you are experiencing any adverse symptoms, if you do this you will have a very healthy long band life. It's NEVER how much saline is in your band it's how you feel. Congrats on your weight loss!