libra

I think the whole point when choosing to get the band is that you're making the choice to change your lifestyle. You want to be healthy and being healthy includes exercise. I can honestly say that I feel so much better when I exercise. It's also a great motivator so be able to physically do things I couldn't do a year ago. I wanted to change my life for the better. I want to show my child that a healthy diet and exercise go hand in hand.

MicheleK You learn from experience. There is really no other way. As a matter of fact, the "no-no" list can change depending on fill level, time of the month, whether or not you're congested, stress level. You need to take small bites and as soon as you feel something stuck...stop eating. The worse thing you can do is add more food. If you feel stuck, sip on a warm liquid, stand up and walk around a little (that seems to help the food go down) or sometimes get rid of it in the bathroom (it's really not as horrible as it sounds) Eventually, you'll find some constant "no-no's" on your personal list. My absolute no-no's are hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken, steak, doughy breads and rice. Keep in mind that anything can get stuck if you don't chew properly. I've actually gotten stuck on applesauce because I took a giant mouthful.

This was way back in High School and I think it was the start of some serious depression for me. I was always a little overweight in high school but nothing too extreme. (I say that now but back then I felt differently) I had a guy friend that was good friends with the boy I had a crush on. I had just lost 40 pounds and looked pretty good at 5 food 8 and 150 pounds. Anyway, I asked my guy friend to ask the boy I liked if he liked me (soooo high school!) He came back to me and said that he thinks I'm gorgeous but that I used to be fat and I'm known as the "former fat girl". He couldn't go out with me because it would hurt his reputation. My guy friend said, "Well, you have to understand his point...you could get fat again." Oh how I'd like to go up to both of them now. (They probably have HUGE beer bellies) and clank both of their loser heads together ala Three Stooges!

Good luck to you. I'm sure you'll get tons of support here! I know I did...and still do!

I can eat really crusty bread like a good Italian or french. Anything doughy is a no no. I'm great with seafood but steaks and roasts don't usually work for me. (with the exception of prime rib, cut small with a horseradish sauce to help it down.) For the most part, I don't eat beef except for the occasional hamburger or meatball without bread. I'm weird with chicken though. I can eat it breaded and fried (bad, I know) but can't eat it grilled or roasted. So I do occasionally have a fried chicken cutlet for some variety. I can't eat seafood every day. Pasta never seems to work for me at all, same with rice. I suppose that's good since I'm a carb addict and those are my weaknesses. When I make the rest of the family spaghetti. I take a couple of spoons of part skim ricotta and put the pasta sauce and parmesan cheese on it. I eat that instead and it's actually pretty yummy. It's like baked ziti without the ziti!! Everyone is different and it also depends on your fill level. You notice the changes between fills.

This one made me laugh for a while even though I was mortified by it. My husband and I used to own a private jet charter business and spent a lot of weekends in Fort Lauderdale. On one particular weekend, we decided to rent a motor scooter and ride the main road along the beach at sunset. BAD IDEA!!! The poor scooter was really struggling to carry both my husband and I. (He's a big guy too!) We started to notice people smiling and pointing at us and (like idiots) we waved back, having no idea what they were smiling about. Then we're stopped at a red light and this young guy in a convertible pulls up next to us and says, "Um, lady...it looks like you have a tire coming out from your ass." So apparently, all of my fat made the scooter practically invisible!!! All anyone could see were the tires!!! YIKES!! It gets worse...naturally. So once we realized that we'd become the joke of the strip, we decided to turn around and return the scooter to the shop. My husband pull up along the curb. Now mind you, that in In order to fit both of us on the scooter, I really had to spread my legs and sit rather awkwardly. Well, apparently both of my legs fell asleep. When I went to get off the scooter, my legs went numb and I fell off, right into the entrance of the porn shop next to the scooter rental!!! LMAO!! I wanna go back to Lauderdale and rent another scooter because this time, everyone will be able to see the rest of the bike and not think I have a tire growing from my behind!!!

Congrats. I feel your pain as I'm struggling right now too. My surgeon said the last 25 or so would be the hardest and he wasn't kidding.

I have to be honest, I rarely feel "full" myself. I typically like to be a little tighter than average to help control my eating. I notice right away when I need a fill. Two things need to happen, in my opinion, for you to experience success. 1. You probably could use another fill. 2. You need to stop completely relying on the band to control you're eating. It's a tool, not the sole solution. Take a good look at the foods you're eating, keep a food journal, track your calories and Protein and make sure you're getting in all of your Water, at the appropriate times. You need to start working with the band.

No regrets about the surgery at all. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself. It forces me to look inside and take control over my life and my choices. My only regret is that I wasted the last six months falling off the wagon, so to speak. I stopped exercising and following a proper diet. I would be at my goal already if I didn't slack off.

Hey guys, how bout you take the private conversation to pm and let's get back on topic. Thanks! I had a reaction to the anesthesia and ended up back in the hospital for 2 more days, so I didn't start feeling "normal" for about 2 weeks. I didn't have a lot of pain though, I felt more bloated and gassy. The pain wasn't too bad.

Good for you! Exercise is definitely the key to success.

Sure, I would imagine that's part of the process for everyone. My way of dealing with them was to overeat. I had to find a new way to deal with what was causing me to overeat in the first place. To think a person can get banded, lose weight and everything would be okay is not the case. It's a very emotional journey as well as physical.

LOL! I've never tried the cup balancing thing but I can totally relate the the boobs taking permanent residence under my arms! Oh, and if you lay on your side, they connect together and make one boob on one side and flat chest on the other! I went down from a 42DD to a 36D, I'm happy there. But my bras are now more like armor. They're padded, underwire, with little Water balloon thingys to lift and support. When I take my bra off, they flop. LOL! Oh well.

I was lifting my 30 pound son the following day. I highly recommend you DON'T do that but a little vacuuming shouldn't be terrible. Just try and keep the housework light for a little while. And no one can escape laundry duty, just try and make it easier on yourself by putting the clothes close so there's no reaching and bending.

Trust the doctor on this one. Typically the restriction is tighter right before your period so you should be back to normal for your fill so they can just judge accordingly.

No, sliming doesn't hurt. It's just the food that got stuck coming back up. The "slime" helps to bring it up. You can drink alcohol but it will inhibit your weight loss as alcohol carries a lot of calories with it. A glass of wine on occasion isn't terrible but you have to make the right choices regarding what and how much you drink if you want to see results from the band. Good luck.

Let's face it, by saying "girls only" makes the guys wonder what's being said. Curiosity is a killer. Anything you post on a public forum can be read by anyone. That should be understood BEFORE you post. If you are really uncomfortable with the idea that everyone can read what you post, you should think twice about posting it. Some people are more open than others, post what you're comfortable "putting out there"

I have to say, I don't get the "protein drink" thing. I wanna eat my food not drink it. Protein drinks, on average have a couple hundred calories. Why drink 150 or 200 hundred calories when you can eat them? I don't get it. On mornings when I don't have time for breakfast, I have a South Beach Diet Protein Bar. They're about 200 calories and have, I think, 18 grams of protein. And I get to chew it which keeps me fuller longer than a drink would. My surgeon told me to drink sugar free instant breakfast after surgery and for a few days after fills, but didn't think the Protein Drinks were necessary, so I never did them.

I would tend to think it's more of a nutritional issue since lap band "vomiting" doesn't actually come from the stomach and therefore produces no stomach acid. If you can't eat, you're not using the band properly. You need to look into an unfill before you end up really sick.

Wow, I haven't taken any more than a multi-vitamin and calcium since being banded. Actually, that's what I took before banding too. I take the Viactive soft chews, they're pretty yummy. They have flavors like caramel and chocolate mint.

I remember my shoelaces being full of friendship pins! Wow, I forgot about a lot of those things!

Um, my husband seems pretty pleased with mine since my weight loss.:cursing:

Okay, you are I are in the same place...although on opposite ends of the world. You've managed to describe my boobs perfectly and I'm considering the same concerns you have as well. I want a lift but not sure about the whole "implant" thing. I have D's that just don't stay where they belong. If I lay on my back, they end up tucked nicely under my armpits. EWWWWWW!:eek:

I lost a half size and no longer wear a wide width in shoes...still have some pretty large puppies though...size 9. LOL! I can wear stilettos now!!!! I'm thrilled! I always wore a chunky wedge before but can actually balance in stilettos now and not look like a fool when I walk in them. I assume its the weight loss as nothing else had really changes. Maybe my posture improved with my weight loss?

Billie, What you are experiencing is normal. You're probably feeling a little more restriction than you've had before. Make sure you're taking small bites and chew, chew, chew!!! Try not to stick with only soft foods, that defeats the purpose of the band. Soft foods can slide through more easily and you end up eating more than you should. Typically, I have issues with chicken so I tend to eat a lot of fish as my main Protein, but everyone is different. As for chewing, I was taught to count to 30 with each bite before swallowing. It seems obsessive but it's just until you get into the habit of chewing your food to mush...LOL! I'm happy to help and answer anyone's questions....fire away.