AlienBandit

i just spent a while 2 weeks eating out because I was on a backpacking trip. Though I never took my food home that I didnt eat, there was a huge difference in how I used to eat. Ok so two examples and ones bad I know So Mcdonalds yes bad I know one day I had no choice. Before surgery I could eat a whole adult meal no problem with a drink. Now two months after surgery I could never even dream of eating even a burger so I opted for a kids meal ( with choc milk to drink later). chicken nuggets seemed ok. Since I ate so slow by the time my friend was finished his normal meal I was no where near finished mine ( 1.5 nuggets) so he ate my fries while I finished my nuggets. Four nuggets and I wasnt hungry for some time after. Another example while traveling last week. I was at a place in Thailand and most of the food was fried or involved a bun or rice. I got the pad mai or something which is chicken bits, bean sprouts ( I think they're called) egg, noodles, crushed peanuts in an olive oil kind of sauce or something. Before surgery I could def eat it all and still be hungry but now after surgery I simply picked around the plate eating small bits of the Protein and vegetables and ate a very small part of the noodles. My meal happened to be so delicious that all my friends ate it too which somehow made me feel more full ( because the plate was almost empty). Just to note no one knows about my surgery even though i just spent 24/7 with some friends for 2 weeks. I thought eating out would be hard but it is so easy. Plus you live in an English speaking country where you can ask for things on the menu to be changed ( ie no rice) where in Korea even if I asked the waiter wouldnt understand why I wouldnt want something included in the price I pay.

I want to buy an Elliptical but dont know what kinds are good. The challenge for me if that I have to find a good kind in Korea. I dont really know what features would be good to have so if anybody has any tips that would be good. I go to a gym near by but there arent any elliptical s there so i want one so I can get off my ass in the morning without going out in the cold. What kinds do people recommend. How big are they? Are they loud? Thanks

So I have an 11cc band with 7cc in it total. I am going to the doctors again in a few days for a check up and maybe a fill. The problem is I cant decide whether I need a fill or not. See I can also eat anything with very little trouble. I eat when I am "hungry" or so I thought. Recently I went on a backpacking trip and since there weren't many choices for eating I didnt eat much ( didnt pass many restaurants or places to eat lots of bus train etc traveling.) and I wasnt really hungry. Whenever I ate it was because my friends were dying of hunger but I didnt really feel the need to eat but I would anyways ( simply because places to eat were few and far in between). I only ever got small things to eat and never finished a meal. Back home though is another story. I can eat forever without feeling uncomfortable. My stomach is never hungry now that I think of it but yet I still eat. So should I get a fill so that I will feel uncomfortable if I eat too much or should I stick it out and stay the heck away from food ( maybe a zapper that will hurt if I touch or go near the fridge etc to keep me away)? This is something I will talk to my doctor about too but I am wondering what others think.

I hope you are ok and that things go better for you. The first little while after surgery can be hard. I had a tough time but survived. As for a lifetime of this, it won't always be hard. I just finished a backpacking trip with friends (2 months afters surgery) through Asia and no one knew about my surgery and I survived the whole trip traveling to different counties with different foods ( sometimes not sure what things were) and I have had 2 fills already (8cc in an 1 cc band). Best of luck

terri dont worry it will get better. My doctor kept checking on me after my surgery because he said everyone usually regrets the surgery because of the pain and discomfort after. It will pass and soon you will be so happy and on your way to being more healthy. The first few days can be hard but seriously listen to everyone here. Walk more even if it hurts. It will help with the gas pain. I did this journey all by myself and only think of the positive outcome no matter how much pain i am in. I only worry about omg what have i done when it comes to trying to figure out how to tell my family about my surgery as no one knows. My first few days I was never hungry or thirsty and couldnt even tell when I had to pee my stomach was so uncomfortable. Stay strong and positive

do u live in a dorm or can u cook for ur self? In College if u have a apartment style housing it can be really easy to cook for your self. If u have a meal plan then eating in the cafe can be a challenge. Look for yogurts and softer foods like Soups etc your first little while post op or pack Protein shakes etc that you can eat between classes. Since your surgery is on Wed and u dont go back til Mon you should be fine. If ur keeping it a secret just tell people you slipped on the ice ( if there is snow then) or hurt your self working out if anyone asks why ur taking it easy. The first couple of days can be sore but make sure u move around a lot.

I didnt want to tell anyone about my surgery. That is only because I live half way across the world from most of my friends and family. I told a co worker at each school I work at in case I ran into problems with the surgery and also to translate to the payroll department not to charge me for lunches anymore as I was making my own lunches lol

so I always hear about people having to get their gallbladders out after a big weight loss. Has anyone had their gallbladders removed?

I would just say it is a kind of chinese ( or herbal) kind of detox as you want to start a diet. Or say that you feel a little under the weather and like to drink a lot more Soup when sick. Maybe you can work an excuse around your reasoning for taking time off. (ie if u went on "vacation" and got strep throat while away etc).

I was banded october 10th. My weight ticker is not up to date I cant remember how to update it. I have lost 11 kg so about 25 pounds I think since surgery. I have an 11cc band with 8cc in it right now. I have a little bit of restriction ( just got 3 cc put in 3 days ago) but hoping the saline will settle giving me more restriction so I can get in full gear for weight loss. Doing well but I am still struggling with the head hunger and stomach hunger debates daily.

I live in South Korea. I have lived here for over 2 years. I never thought I could get the surgery as it is expensive and I have a low BMI to start with but found a great doctor here in Korea and was able to work out a payment plan and paid way less then what I would in Canada. We talked about what I would do when I go back to Canada but he said he has many patients who are foreigners who go back to the states or Canada no problem and find places for their fills etc. I am planning ahead and looking into finding a fill center now. Before I go back my doctor will help me as well looking for a fill center if I dont find one myself.

where does everyone go for fills? Is there a doctor near barrie that does fills for people who have had surgery outside of Canada?

honestly the fill isnt as bad as it sounds. I am the worst when it comes to needles and the more I get poked the worse it gets. I went for my second fill yesterday ( I have a 11 cc band) last time I got 5cc put in my band and I had no restriction at all. Yesterday I had more saline put it and I felt restriction so the doctor made me sit up and drink while the huge needle was still in me. I kind of started to freak out. Just the thought of that made me almost pass out but after a minute i got the courage to sit up and drink. Just make sure you can swallow Water before leaving the office after getting a fill and you should be fine. It really doesnt hurt part of my problem not liking the needles for lapband it because even if someone just touches my belly button or near there i get nauseous ( totally a head thing) so the thought of a needle in me there makes it worse. Just take a deep breathe dont look at the needle and it will be over so fast.

you become a mathematician and you are always doing math in your head. Example Going to restaurants and thinking ok a dinner dish/meal on a plate 2ce the size of a regular plate that is 4 times the size of the plate i eat off of and only eat half the amount of my plate makes this meal last for about 8 meals etc lol you buy food and water dishes for your pet rat and think they would be great size serving dishes for yourself for meals and the occasional dessert ( like jello etc) I seriously considered buying a few of my own lol

Thanks so much I searched before and couldnt find it and even used the search engine and it didnt work! I was getting really frustrated

so how much weight has everyone lost? I have been at a stand still since my two weeks post op :thumbup: went for a fill but it isnt doing much so I am going back in 2 weeks

I really wish I could keep it to myself. I think when I go back for a visit I wont tell anyone but once I go back to live in Canada I will have to tell my parents as I will be under their health insurance ( will need to know what is covered etc) and will be living with them for part of the year ( holidays and vacation away from school). I'm also worried that if something happens no one will know that I had the surgery.... :S

For me it is now or never. Once I go back to the "real world" I will be a student again and wont have money to do any kind of surgery. Plus everything is cheaper in Korea. so I cant decide whether I should get it done or not.

hmmm my doctor didnt say anything to me about birth control when I had my surgery. He knew I was taking it but I guess wasnt concerned. Just my luck that I lost my pack of birth control for about 2 weeks around the time I had surgery so didnt take it anyways lol

When I reach my goal my biggest debate is whether I will get any plastic surgery work done. In my doctors office they also do plastics so I wont be worried about who I am getting it done by but whether it is worth it or not. I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and wanted a tummy tuck ( my stomach wasnt THAT bad but who doesnt want perfection). Anyways now I am wondering if a tummy tuck would even be worth it if a few years down the road I have kids. I want kids sooner rather then later but wont have any, any time soon as my life style ( single female traveling the world etc) just wouldnt work with kids. My pets are close enough as kids for now ( but always wish for a child... biological clock maybe?). But I am wondering if a tummy tuck will be bad for my stomach if I have one and then 3-5 years later have kids. Has anyone had a tummy tuck and then had kids? Will I need a tummy tuck again? Not that I am anywhere near my goal but just thinking ahead :thumbup:

So here is my situation. In a few months I will be going home for a visit. I havent been back home in years. Anyways I havent told anyone except two co workers ( in case anything went wrong) about my decision to have lap band surgery. I dont know how to break it to my family that I had the surgery when I go home. When I left home I was skinny ( thanks to an extreme diet that failed once I moved to another country) and when my family came to visit I had put on some weight. I am sure from photos they could tell I put on more weight recently. Anyways any ideas how to break it to them. My main concern is that I had a low BMI ( 33) and so I dont think they will understand my decision to have the surgery. For me I was concerned about my health and I wanted to take control of my weight and my PCOS but I know they wont understand. I would love to avoid the topic ( which I will probably do) but am afraid that if I get food stuck they might have a slight heart attack if they dont know I had the surgery. ( but knowing me I will probably wait till an event like that happens to tell them). EEEkkk I'm so nervous to tell them!

Best of luck I didnt take off any time after my surgery. I had my surgery on a Sat and went back to work on Mon. I am a teacher and just asked my students to help me if I couldnt do something.

Wow! 34 pounds?? Great job~! I was banded October 10th and I have only lost 20 pounds. Should have had a fill 2 weeks ago but chickened out. Since then I havent lost any weight because I havent started going to the gym yet and I havent been eating the best ( getting paid once a month kills me the last 2 weeks of the month since I have to pay off the surgery, students loans etc). Can't wait for my first fill on Saturday and getting paid on the 25th means gym and better eating :bored:

someone just posted a video on here the other day called sunday program or something and in the video the doc said the band cost $3,000

I had my surgery on a Saturday afternoon. I remember looking at the clock when I got back to my room after surgery and it was 4:10pm. Went back to work Monday morning. The pain from surgery wasnt that bad but it was the gas in my lungs and body that really bothered me.