finallyncontrol

Yeah stay on top of things with the doctors office...see if you can schedule any of the appts yourself instead of the drs office doing it for any of the testing..be as flexible as possible. If you are waiting for the insurance companies approval...call them as often as possible. Also, as Marnetta said you can use this time to do more research in getting prepared. Find out what kind of pre-op diet you will be on..get whatever post-op diet as well. Get your house stocked for this..you do not want to go home from the hospital empty handed.

Just remember good things happen for those who wait...

Yeah your port will get easier to find and it will be easier for you as well!! If you really think it is bad a lot of doctors will numb it for you. Sorry it is so bad for you. Take care.

I didn't say free falling...I said a leap of faith. God only hands me what I can handle..he certainly wouldn't let me get into this if I can't handle it right? I know he likes to challenge me to the nth degree and allows me to make some little mistakes in order for me to grow but something big like this..he has to bless it in some way first.

Once I figured that out..I was ready and never looked back! I wish you the very best! Stay in touch and you will get a lot of support from here!

So happy to see your blog!! I absolutely LOVE your goals and so would love to go to London!! I know you will be there! I am so happy that your girlfriend was happy for you...I remember how you spoke about her being glazed over with your constant talking about the band and band life but it is our life and when you are so successful..how can you not talk about it!!

Be careful with your goals...get to where you want to be and then stop. I had to have 1cc taken out yesterday due to I can't seem to stop losing weight. Sounds weird to say and thought I never would say it but I am within 7 lbs of being too thin. I told my dr to take out .5ccs and he said no nothing less than 1cc. So now I am at 4ccs in a 10cc band. I now weigh 137 and lost 130...amazing numbers but I have to quit looking at the numbers. I do eat 5 times a day..1/2 cup each time and all of my blood work is perfect..just need to eat 3/4 of a cup. So just watch your goals and quit when you get there.

I wish you the very best in reaching each and everyone of your goals! I look forward to reading about them all!! Take care!!

Just keep focusing on the big picture!! Stay busy and preoccupy your mind. Most of the time it is our mind that is hungry and not our bellies so if we can occupy our minds (which isn't easy) then it gets easier. Whenever you think you are hungry..take a walk, get online, read a book, clean out a closet...do anything that will distract you from wanting to eat or think of food. Don't compare yourself to anyone else (including your husband and especially men). Everyone loses weight different. Remain positive...that actually was one of my best contributors to losing weight and it was something I also had just it was hidden deep down inside! I wish you the very best!

Well once you get banded and start dropping the weight..just think how much easier it will be to chase your son it will be. I have just lost 130 lbs. and I have a 3 yr old son. I still can't keep up with him every day (I wish they bottled all that energy) but at least I can catch him most of the time where as before I couldn't even get up off the floor to even try to run after him! LOL

I wish you the very best on your journey!!

I cant wait to watch you succeed on your journey!!! I wish you the very very best!!!

Take all the compliments...they make you smile and remain positive...to me that equals continued success!! As long as I am positive I lose weight..when I am down..that scale always went the wrong way! I know it is mental but it works! Take care!!

Glad you did so well with your surgery!! Don't over do it being so aggressive with your workouts. I know you will only push yourself so far!! Really looking forward to your blogs!! Take care!

Well one of the best things you did was find this sight! You will find so much support here it is incredible!!! We are a huge family here. You can ask anything here and get answers from all kinds of people that have been there. Some of us are just starting this journey, some are in different stages of their journey and then there are others in the maintenance stage of the journey.

I understand the need for energy..I have a 3 year old son...I am in the maintenance stage now. I was banded 11/23/9 and lost 130 lbs. On most days I can keep up with my son.

I wish you the best on your journey!!

Very well said!! Congrats on your 64 lbs!! Keep up the excellent work!!

The other thing to try is if you see that you are eating the same kinds of food..try to change up the foods. Also confuse your brain..I don't know how much you eat but use your own numbers here but for example do this calories wise per day...800/1100/800/1100/800 if you consistently have been eating 1000 calories your brain has gotten used to that amount of food so if you lessen it one day and then "over feed " it one day then it will wake up your metabolism and make it move again. ( do this for a week or less) Good luck! I wish you the best.

Is this the 6 months supervised diet? It looks like it is very comprehensive.

Happy Birthday!! Just think next year will be even more fabulous!! I wouldn't be too concerned about the pain...your body is still adjusting to having a foreign object being installed in your body and it is healing. On your next visit to the doctor make sure you bring it up just to be safe but otherwise I really think it is healing. Take care.

It took me a while to find everyone as well..make sure you are "friends" with everyone.

Congrats on the 70 lbs!! and I absolutely love the name!!! Keep up the awesome job!!

You are doing great!! Have you tried the EAS Myoplex Lite drinks? They are my favorite!! The have 170 calories..15 net carbs and 20 grams of protein! I have been drinking them everyday for a year now and they haven't got old to me yet! I am not a breakfast person..never was not even before getting banded..just don't like to eat in the morning but I realize now how important it is to get the protein in the system so early so I have a protein shake every morning for breakfast.

The more you can walk the better off you will be!! Due to other medical problems I could only swim as an exercise but to quote my doctor.."you do not have to go into a gym to have you weight fall off of you all you need is to get out doors, so walk or swim and you will be successful!"

I wish you the very best on your journey!!

Amy is so right...each and every doctor has their own protocol so PLEASE follow your doctors orders to a tee!! He/She knows why they are ordering what they order. If they do the liquids for two weeks (which is what mine did as well)..don't cheat..Well really whatever pre-op plan they tell you do--don't cheat..you are only cheating yourself out of the best possible recovery you can have. Once they do the surgery as soon as they give you the ok..you need to get up and walk..you need to release the gas that they used to enlarge your stomach to perform the surgery otherwise you can have more pain than others. Do not try to eat foods quicker than what your doctor allows. Follow the plan, you may do more harm internally. Remember you just had a major surgery...give yourself time to heal. Always look at the big picture..why you are doing this..stay positive!! I know this was the best thing I have ever done in my entire life and would do it again tomorrow!!! I wish you the best!!

Well I would like to be one of your biggest supporters and help you reach your goals!! I love how you laid it all out and have a plan on getting there. I also am ready to read some of your recipes and cook them!! I wish you great success in 2011!

You are so inspiring...you could have given up when you were first told you had cancer but no you kept fighting and now look. I can't wait until December and see what you look like then...I want to see bikini pictures then since I already think you look amazing now!! LOL My 3yr old just found out I had boobs...so you can imagine what they looked like before and now you can see I have them when I am naked so for 2 1/2 years of his life he couldn't tell fat from boobs..pretty sad!! Keep checking of the "I don't have this anymore" list! You are an amazing woman and making everyone you come across very proud!! Take care!!

First thing I have to say is do not compare yourself to others..everyone's body works differently!!! For some reason my body the weight is actually begging to fall off..even my doctor said that I was his best patient he has had. I averaged 13 lbs a month..only 1 month did I not lose weight and that was due to I was too tight. I lost 126 lbs in 11 months and have now lost 4 more lbs for a total of 130 lbs in 13 months without trying. I hate to say it this way but we have actually talked about that I can only lose 8 more lbs or I will be unhealthy...I can't seem to stop losing weight and I eat all the time (4-5 small meals a day). I have 5cc's in a 10cc band. It is a catch 22...everyone is different. I cook my own meals so I know what is in each meal, I average 1100-1200 calories a day and I am completely full each and every day. I work out in either the pool (summer time) or the hot tub (winter). I wish you the very best! Oh, one final thing..maintain a positive attitude..whenever I was down I would gain a pound that day!!..seriously a true statement!!

all the 2 lbs will add up! I measure lbs and ounces...stay positive and your dream will happen..mine did!!

aball..I don't think you stretched your pouch...at this point you don't have any fill in it so you would be able to eat more..once the hematoma fixes itself you will be good to go..you have to reach your "sweet spot" before life is really good (really feeling restriction and not eating very much. Few feel this right out of the gate...most feel this after 3-4 fills. I reached mine on the 4th fill and this allowed me to lose 126 lbs in 11 months and now I have lost a total of 130 lbs over 13 months. I have met my goal but I still seem to lose weight.

Well I think you have came to the right site!! Regardless if you tell people or not if you have been banded most will not understand what it really means. I tell everyone that I made a lifestyle change. That includes increasing my protein intake and having smaller portions. My exercise is in my pool daily or now in our hot tub due to weather. Maintaining a positive attitude is also a huge factor. I also strongly believe that cooking my own meals also is a big driver because you know exactly what you are eating. I know it wasn't easy to accomplish what I did but it also was something I would do over again in heartbeat! I still sit in amazement knowing I have lost 1/2 a body..I have lost 130 lbs and I currently weigh 138 lbs. Share, share and share away...no one is jealous here and most everyone has been there or getting ready to go thru where you have been. We all need each other in order to make a stronger community!! Take care!!

You go girl!! You can do it!! Take care!

Sorry Sonya Goldy is right on..you are too tight. You might be losing weight right now but it is not healthy and you cannot maintain this very long. You are not getting enough protein to have enough energy to have any quality of life. You will develop other digestive issues. This is not healthy. If you get a slight unfill you will actually lose even more weight with the proper diet. Zinhaa does have a point though that warm liquids do open some people up in the mornings when you are too tight in the mornings. I wish you the very best, please go to the doctor on Monday.

Well you are starting off right by having a goal..then stay focused and maintain a positive attitude..then you will reach your goals!! I wish you the very best!