Stacy1980

Good Morning! I had my surgery on 10/26/2009. Since the surgery, even in this short period of time, I noticed a lot of changes with me. food is no longer my priority in life. I used to be hungry all the time. Was it real hunger? From what I am understanding now about myself..it was not! It was head hunger if i was bored, stressed, mad, happy, you name it! Since the surgery, I do pay attention to what I eat and I spend the night before planning my meal for the next day and making it. Otherwise I don't think about food. If I am hungry, I eat a healthy Protein snack or drink Water or diet snapple and I get over it. I don't obsess, I don't go and eat an entire box of oreos. I now ask myself am I really hungry or do I need to keep myself busy. I go for walks, I clean my house, I call my friends, I started knitting while i watch TV so i don't automatically go for food. I find other outlets to get my emotions out. I thought it would be sooooo hard as I have been "hungry" all my life! Everybody can be different, but I am changing my relationship with food and no longer view it as my companion, but just my energy source. I had a very fast recovery from the band. I was going to the mall, taking my daughter to the zoo and chasing her around after 2 days. I am almost never tired. (I am a single mom to a 2 year old..so the tiredness sometimes comes from working 50 hours a week, goign to school, taking care of her and the house). I sometimes forget that i even have the band - except when I eat my measured portions and realize that HEY! I AM FULL ON 3/4 of a cup YAYAYAY!!! I have saved over $400 this month alone on not ordering out and going out for lunch at work. I cannot say one single negative thing about the band. I know I am only at the beginning and I havenot even had my fill yet and I am already 23 pounds down without really putting 100% effort in. I follow doctors instructions, I walk everyday and I just started doing the "firm workout"...and I am enjoying all these activities. I feel lighter, happier..I feel like I am finally in control and I finally feel like the life that I have always wanted and dreamed about...I am starting to live it. I hope that whatever decision you make you make every effort to make yourself happier and healthier :thumbup: Lots of luck! Stacy

Hi Maureen! This is such an exciting time :thumbup: I wish you lots of luck and success! I just had mine on 10/26 so i am pretty fresh and new: so let me know if you have any questions! stacy

Hi Erin, 1. Craiglist has really cheap treadmills- including the ones that fold. I am getting one for my bedroom as well. 2. hair - my nut said that you have to eat a lot of Protein and take your vitamines and your hairloss should be very min. So just make sure you are getting all of that. 3. Not sure about the straw -

Hi. I got approved after all my appoitments and paper work was done. I had my surgery 5 days after my approval. Stacy

I swallowed mine on Friday - freaked out about it only on Saturday bc i only realized on Saturday that "hey!!!! you have a band and maybe you shouldn't swallow gum!" lol so if you know - please let us know!

don't even stress about that. At my support group, they told us that if you drink a bottle of water and don't pee - your weight goes up 2 LBS!!! Hide the scale...it will drive you nuts! I just put mine away 2 days ago in the far far far end of the closet.

Hi There. I am the same as you. As soon as people start obessing about my weight more then me - I stop loosing! As i was reading your post I thought of what to say and then I see that you worded it perfect!!! " honestly don't know how much I've lost. I used to be a slave to the scale, and in the end, it was always my demise, and I'd gain back all the weight I've lost. So now, I'm just trying to be healthy, and I'll know once I get to where I'm healthiest what my weight is." That is the most honest and right to the point answer. and this will also prevent people from asking you every single time they see you because your answer will be just the same. Its not about the # its about the health. If you are not on the same boat with us - and going through the same thing - I don't think people realize how personal that question is. I don't ask everybody how often they poop or hey! are your tubes still there? So why is it ok to ask. I know they care (well some of them truelly do, some just ask just to ask) but still - its a personal thing so your answer is perfect!

i just went out for the first time ince the surgery. i ordered salmon and mash potatoes. i ate the salmon only and it was amzing!!

my doctor says to be on the liquid diet for few days after the fill. did u start eating regular food right away?

I am so jelouse that you already got a fill. I got banded on 10/26 and i have to wait 90 freaking days to get my first fill!!! good luck :confused:

Hi there. I was banded on 10/26 and I also have no restriction. It sucks big time bc i am forcing myself to eat out of 4 oz containers to make sure that I don't over eat..and i don't get a fill for 90 days!!! and sometimes I do wonder if i should have gone with BP...HOWEVER! i think of reasons as to why i went with the band and I am ok with it. I already lost 20 lbs and even if this is hard ....thats because it is hard! it would be hard with a lap band or bp. we are changing our eating habits and you and I are still pretty new to this thing. So I think we made a right choice. The things that works the best to loose weight is whatever you stick to and be consistant on. Hope it gets easier for you :w00t: Stacy

I so know what you mean. Once I got home from the hospital....it seems that everybody always talked about food! I never realized how much my family talks about food, how much my co-workers talk about food! What helped me though is knowing that if i eat this now, i can damage my stomach ...so right away i lost the desire for anything they were eating. And now, that i am on mushies, I know i can eat some of that stuff, but I decided to give myself one meal on Sunday to have what I want. So if i want lasagna..I will wait to have it on Sunday. Low fat version of course - but the truth is...when that Sunday came around, I had no desire for it either. Good luck and you will get through this :w00t:

Healthyone! I so know your frustration. I had my surgery on 10/26. Went for my 2 weeks follow up and asked about the fill. I was hoping to hear 6 weeks from the day of the surgery..NOPE!!! 90 days. He is a great doctor and a lot of his patients have great result so i trust him, but i don't trust myself. I have some restriction now, and I am eating healthy and watching my portions (except for last night grrr) and practicing great self control. Which I know is important part of loosing weight, but I was hoping to get help a little earlier than 90 days! That means i would go through thanksgiving, christmas and new years all on my own. I am going to eat in the cornor so i am not tempted by all the food LOL! good luck!

Hi. I just had my surgery on 10/26 so i just got out of the liquid stage. What helped me is drinking Isopure Protein drink. its 40g of protein and considered as 20oz of liquid and i always drank Water. That kept my hunger to the min. good luck! Stacy

Hi Heidi, I made all my nut and phsyc and surg. appoitment all in one day. I brought my ins card and form of ID. During the seminar, they gave me an example of the Primary letter of medical necessity. This is one of the things that they have to send to tricare. Once all my tests were completed and that letter was sent, i got approved in 48 hours. They dont' require the 6 month diet. This is one of the best insurances to deal with. Just make sure that when you get a case manager assigned to you in Tricare, you talk to them. If you just talk to a rep, you will get 10 different answers. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

I have read this book on people's psychology and one of the lines there is still in my head. "don't wait for motivation to start something. Act first and motivation will come later". Meaning if you are sitting on the couch and saying "oh i wish i was motivated to work out" it won't happen. Get up and start moving. the hardest part is to start. After you start feeling great..you are now motivated to continue and do well. that works for me. Also looking at people's success stories....keeps me going big time! and thats with everything..not just weightloss.

Ashley, Each doctor is different so I am going to tell you what my doctor just told me on my 2 week post op. If you are hungry eat! But make the right choices. If you want to have an 8 oz fish go for it but don't have a cheeseburger. Once i get a restriction and he makes us wait (90 days!!!!!! :thumbup:) i will be able to eat the 4 oz of that healthy food i am used to by now. 1/4 cup never filled me up. My nut. told me to eat 4 oz.- especially by 3rd week, you shouldn't have a problem eating 4 oz. but if you do have questions, you really should contact your doctor and see what your nut says.

Hi there. My friend has this insurance and she had gastric bypass. If you have any questions, I can def. ask her for you. But i believe that they had her do 6 month diet.

Please sign me up. I just got banded on 10/26 and just need to keep my eye on the prize. I want to be down 15 lbs. 255-240. thanks! Stacy

also - my doctor had me on CLEAR liquid diet for the first 3 days and I drank isopure clear kine (they are flavored). It is 40 g of protein. Not the best tasting thing ever - but it went down smooth and i was getting my protein in from day 1.

My port was killing me (I had the surgery on Monday). What really really really helped is putting an icepack over my shirt on that spot. I kept putting new ice/ice packs and i was just fine. I mean...of course you feel it when you get up and move but the cold takes some of the pain away. Good luck :thumbdown:

I am soooo happy for you!!!! yayay!!! I have tricare as well and they are usually really good and i am so glad that its all set now. good luck with everything :thumbdown:!!!!

I am 3 days post op and today I started my full liquid diet. I have to say that the first day and a half was hard and after that I am feeling really well. I was able to get all my required water down, my clear protein and today I am eating exactly how much my nut told me to. I am not feeling stuffed...nor do i want to even try to overdo it and see what it feels like. I know that that the first month is important in keeping the band from slipping so i am not even going to try. I am trying not to get on the scale until my 2 week check up -but so far i feel really good. I am a little hungry and my stomach does curse me out for not eating - but i don't have that "oh my god! if i don't eat something, I am goign to die!!!" This has been a good experience so far and I am looking forward to the next step when I can start eating real food (not until a month from now) but like I said - I am following the instructons to the T and not even trying to cheat or "try it out". Just happy to be on this side finally and know that my healthy active life has begun :thumbdown:

I am so glad you have a ride home! I had my surgery on Monday and I don't even remember getting out of the hospital or my dad driving me home...I was soo loopy. I only woke up at 1:30 am finally aware of everything.

Oh i had the worst headache yesterday until now. I think it went away with more Water i drank. I called the office to tell them that i have a headache and i am nauseous they said to wait to take something bc it is just the anesthesia wearing off.