TracyinKS

Tool-Schmool........ I know you get sick of hearing it....... but it is TRUE...... no matter what you will need to get your head in "diet mode" it does help with hunger (after you acheive restriction).. the band will keep you from flopping around on the floor like a fish from hunger but it won't make you eat solid protien or keep you away from the ice cream........ YOU HAVE TO DO THAT Some exercise, I don't (I need to ) but its not something I love ... now that I'm in the 180's and closer to goal.. the weight is not coming off like it did when I was 272 and simply eating less...... now is the home stretch where I MUST move my ass AND eat wisely to get to my next level.... band goals are anywhere from 1-3 lbs a week.......... so that means some who lose 50 lbs in the first year are still in the normal range... and the ones who are sitting pretty at -150 are the super achievers............ like the other poster said...... fills on self pay can be expensive so plan on it........... in year one I've needed 4 fills to get to my current maintaining level........ some who get the RNY don't have much doctore followup but they must be adament about blood work and b-12 shots......... My insurance paid......... but my mom and step dad are going to be self pay next year....... they are both going to take advantage of their company offer Flex Spending Accounts to cover some of the costs... I think you are mainly suffering from pre op jitters which is completely normal. You will be fine.. just know that going in..... you WILL have to get your head on straight.

SAME WEIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 187!!!!!!! But after the crap I've been eating I'm pretty pleased! :smile:

I would say yes..... plastic surgeon, reconstructive surgeon....

The muscle weighs more than fat issue is really meant that as a person loses inches its because fat is fluffy where as muscle is dense and compact............ meaning that as a person loses FAT they lose inches.. and exercising building muscle... and I think that if I grabbed a handfull of fat and a handfull of muscle the fat would weigh much less (think cotton candy) than the same mass of muscle (think steak) I welcome reading all posts .. and yes.. tough love is just that... and she did WARN people.. (it just happens to be what I needed to hear at this point in my day) and I have used the phrase muscle weighs more than fat a lot in my life...... but I guess what I meant is the actual volume of the mass............ cotton candy vs steak....... dang it now I'm hungry! :thumbup:

I would say that as long as YOU ARE READY and can be put out for a surgery then you would be a candidate..... since you've been researching since 2006 you should be well versed in band talk.... I know it took me several times of signing up for a seminar before I got the guts to go......... but I did and I am now one year banded and loving it......... and loving the size 12's I'm wearing as I type this! :thumbup:

I think you look great and don't have ANY advice.... but to say YOU LOOK GREAT!!!!!! :thumbup:

Take one pill at a time and you will likely have no problem! You are most definately not wasting your time!

I would say yes... that is fine, but remember I am not your doc! The pre op diet is there to reduce the size of your liver so that he can get in there and place the band.......... Don't fret... its not like you are planning to have a funnel cake!

The band is a long term device and if you get it removed you will open up your entire stomach and easily regain all your weight.... MAINTENENCE IS THE REASONE I CHOSE THE BAND as I have lost and regained many many times..... I hope to retain my band Forever, and be rebanded if needed! I needed only 4 fills in my first year and I don't really forsee me needing more at this time. ( I have pretty tight restriction) I know people who have been banded for 2-7 years and have had 1 or 2 fills! I will not willingly have my band removed....... IF I need too I will have all the fill removed thereby removing ALL restriction.. (some people go this route to see if they can maintain on their own)

It varies so much............ You can have the band placed in the states for as Low as 10K (Denver) or as high as 25K............ my doc has a self pay price of 16.5K. Mexico (where they've been doing the band for 15 years) can be 6.5K Other countries also have lesser prices...... If your insurance covers it, you will have your deductibles, copays and possibly out of pocket max's to pay.......... The year I had it planned, I put the out of pocket max on my Flex Spending Account and it worked beautifully! (I was able to use it for the psyc and nutrition eval, since it was required for my surgery approval.)

Ok... I vented .... I'm over it..... I have to say that I have no problem whatsoever with my surgeon or his office. He is very skilled.......everything good still holds true.... since posting.. I've had emails from a hellofalot of people including staff at said office........ anyway........ those newbies going in have nothing to fear or fret about... and all of the oldies already know the deal..... I tend to be very pasionate about my band and those who've INSPIRED ME along the way........ I got all momma bear on the situation.. and now thanks to the net it lives on......

You guys are cracking me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no old jeans... I goodwilled them long ago!

Yeah... So I'm a hardass...... So… Cody came back from camping on Sunday and before bed started coughing and wanting sympathy….. Charles and I told him to suck it up and get some rest. Monday (Cody knew I had the day off with Robby and the Zoo) so when he called when school was out to cough in the phone and ask if I could come pick him up from school……… I ignored it and made him walk home thinking that the walk would be good exercise. Tuesday morning Charles and Cody got into it about him going to school……….. Told him to suck it up he was fine and a little cough wasn’t reason enough to stay home……. Gave him some Dayquil and sent him on the way. At school he went to the Nurse AGAIN and she told him he was fine……. Cody cried and called Charles.. who called me and got mad when I didn’t jump to take him to the doc… (cause I was doing payroll and I had missed Monday so I needed to get it done) plus I was THINKING.. HE IS FAKING! He is a big wimp! He has a few more weeks of school….. SUCK IT UP. So I told Charles that he would need to take him to the walk in clinic because it was already 3:30 p.m. and the reg doc would be pretty much done for the day…… and that I couldn’t because Robby had Kindergarten round up at 5:00 p.m…. So Charles got mad and hung up on me….. I took my time getting home because I didn’t feel like a fight and Charles calls me to say that Cody has phnuemonia and the doc at the clinic wants him admitted to the hospital! He wants me to come right up………….. ( I say no, I have Kindergarten Round up I will be there after that……… told him the way the hospital is they would still be in the waiting room) He got mad and hung up on me again…………. So we go do our thing and I KNOW I’m going to get guilted……….. So we get done with the round up and head to the hospital………. They say we can’t go back in because the rule is 1 person and dad is back there so I’m not needed…………GREAT……… but we end up going back anyway and find out that HE DOES NOT HAVE PNUEMONIA, he does have bronchitis……. They gave us an inhaler, steroids, and a refill for the inhaler and send us home………… When Cody and I were alone he looked at me and said very loud… I TOLD YOU PEOPLE I WAS NOT FAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (apparently the Nurse told him he was faking it too) LOL I said well maybe if you didn’t cry wolf so much we would of believed you. This morning I took his inhaler into the nurse and he is in school. Josh is going to have eye surgery on both eyes May 30th………………… GOOD THING I HAVE GREAT INSURANCE!

If it will help ... I will stand in my granny panties and too big bra and jump up and down to show you what cool tricks my body does!!!!! LOL I have no shame........ and I am not self conscience.......... and I am floppy and proud! :smile2: Laura if I email you the pic of me and robby can you fix the dang red eye fix (it made one eye really black) I would like to update my siggy with the cropped down version of my face.. (when you get time) I have to finish my payroll... oh............... and I have to tell you a story

For me I have tight days during my period, and when I'm stressed................ especially when stressed... I might as well give up food!

Good Morning.. VERY busy day today! Kindergarten round up tonight! Yeah!!!! Take care

Thanks everyone... We had a great time. The zoo was really small and they gave me an ULTRA hyper child that couldn't talk very well to be buddied up with Robby and I but I had to put the mom hammer down on her and then she was fine! So weird the dynamic of all the different "types" of parent........ from the rough and ready to the uppity I'm too good for you type....... weird. I was just me and actually there was a lot of waiting for all 5 classes to get with the program so at one point I had "my" table of kids singing ABC's, Twinkle Litter Star, Itsy Bity Spyder.... the other mom at the table was embarassed but we all just sang sang sang while the other kids looked at us like "hey thats the cool table" LOL as a parent of a very active child I know that REDIRECTION IS KEY!!!!! The day was long and the bus ride was longer! I had to ride in the big bus while Robby road in a small bus with the other 4 year olds... (parents and 5 year olds got to ride in the big bus) but I wouldn't of traded it for the world........... Haydee: Bronze shoes for sure.. especially with your bronze skin.. you are going to look mighty tasty!!!!! :biggrin: Everyone have a great evening.......... I'm pooped.

Happy Monday... I'm posting quickly as Robby and I are on our way out the door to go to a ZOO field trip. I have to tell you that today is especially special for me because it is a day that I have dreamed of ..... going on a class field trip with my son.... this is one of those firsts that makes a formerly infertile woman cry. Many Many Many years of infertility while all my friends and family were popping out babies with no problem it was a deep sadness that I couldn't share with anyone.... so today Robby is bouncing off the walls with excitement and I am so happy that I feel like crying as it is MY TURN to be the mom on the field trip. Here are pics taken this morning a few minutes ago.

Thanks everyone!!!! LBT has been MY source of inspiration and continues to be.

FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we are back on line! I was so busy yesterday (and had a big time headache) I didn't check... I just posted my bandversary post on the general board! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/one-year-85lbs-lost-61501/#post819716

The time has come for me to post my long awaited 1st year bandversary entry. What has my band meant to me? I have asked myself this question many times over the last 12 months. I’ve come up with a laundry list of ramblings. Preband – it represented HOPE, Anxiety, and the What if’s of life after WLS Early Post Band – the what the heck did I do? And WHERE THE HELL IS MY RESTRICTION? 1st Fill anticipation – I AM HUNGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where the hell is my restriction???? 2nd Fill anticipation – I am hungry but not AS MUCH or as often 3rd Fill anticipation – Restriction lasts for about 3 weeks 4th Fill anticipation – OK lets clamp this puppy down!!!!!!! 5th Fill anticipation – HOLY CRAP .3 cc’s was too much fill! I am only able to smell foods and sip Soup 1’st UNFILL – removal of the .3cc’s was the difference between soup and FOOD……. And is where I’m maintaining at since January 2008. Also…. Getting an unfill and eating real food is what started the scale moving again. Things that have amazed me: I have POWER over my hunger. I have actually FORGOTTEN to eat. I CAN eat without drinking I CAN be full on very little food. Things that I have realized about myself: Restriction WiseI swell (get tighter) when I’m on my period or when I’m stressed I am tighter in the mornings and more open in the evenings. Foods that worked last week, might not work so well this week. I can raise my hands and do a little shimmy to pop up a stuck item of food Things that I have realized about myself: Non band I am a stress and emotional eater. I crave sweets around my cycle I am pretty happy and comfy in a size 12 It scares me to HOPE for a size 8 or 10 (because it is unknown to me) If I COULD eat pizza…….. I WOULD, so keeping a decent amount of fill is what is needed for ME not to be able to. Dairy Queen has become my go to place for stress eating (and this is NOT a good thing) Things that I had to overcome once banded: Realizing that you don’t HAVE to eat multiple plates of food at a buffet in order to “get your money’s worth” Realizing that people REALLY aren’t LOOKING at how much or how little you eat! Realizing that you CAN keep your band a secret if you want! Realizing that fast food joints don’t really offer much choice, Its cheaper to order an appetizer or alacarte, or split a meal with my 4 year old. Being banded is NOT rocket science, and for me it has worked well because I knew going in that FOR ME and MY GOALS I needed to be in diet mode, and truth be told the scale moves when I am IN MOTIVATED DIET MODE. It stalls when I Go to dairy queen for a small blizzard… but I don’t gain I chose the band for its adjustability and the hopes that I will for once in my life MAINTAIN a loss! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat Will I be rebanded if needed in the future? In HALF a heartbeat! My band has really given me the power over my appetite and that is priceless. Journey with me as I enter into YEAR TWO of my banding experience! Here are my pics: 1st pic I was in stretcy 2x and size 24 pants.... 2nd and as I am today: Size Large shirt from Kohls, size 12 A.N.A. cords from JcPenney

LOL.. yeah RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a plop my ass down on a boat and listen to the guy talk for 60 minutes kind of gal! LOL I'm a chillin kind of person.......... I'm just so excited... whoohooo! I bought a waterproof camera today at lunch for the toooobin

Pop in ANYTIME Tonya!!!!!!!

I put just about every kind of meat in the crocker!!!!!!!! I make the salsa chicken all the time! YUM Going to try the turkey and cranberry recipe... SOUNDS DELISH.... My family fav: Beefy Onion Cheap Steak in the bottom 1 large container of beef broth 1 envelope of onion soup mix 1 envelope of brown gravy mix (could skip) Pepper and whatever spices float your boat. Cover and cook on low all day........ I have been know to add more broth/water and soup mix to make a delicious broth......... also throwing in some potatoes and carrots always goes over well too. Pork Steak Jar of alfredo sauce (I like the Ragu roasted garlic) can of mushrooms again on low all day........ YUM

Not all doctors realize that this is an option, as a matter of fact, at my last fill I mentioned it and my doc looked at me with that deer in the headlights look.. he'd never heard of it... so I said... "You know, Its like fixaflat for the band???? Omnipeak...." With the same doe eyed look he was like "WHAT? thats the dye for diagnosing leaks, your not supposed to use it as fill" I told him that I knew others who had it done.. and that was the end of the conversation..... (the fill was in November) He is now using it with success! So remember.... docs are just human much of what they come to know are things that they learn at conferences and other networking events.