SoccerMomma73

Dottie-it is a big surgery but I know a lot of people who were up and running in no time...I also know a crazy person who did both knees at once and was down for months so glad you're doing one at a time! Dedicate yourself to the post-op therapy, they know what they're talking about! Michael-welcome to our happy home! Everyone else, have a great weekend! My parents have kidnapped the boy and the dog until Wednesday and I have every intention of being worthless all day today. food network and a good paperback are as about as exciting as I plan to get. I was outside pulling weeds earlier but holy smokes it's hot out there so now it's just me and the A/C, thank you God for A/C!

I realized something weird this weekend while I was out on a jet ski with my 6 year old...for the first time in forever I don't feel hugely disgustingly fat. While I know I'm not a total hottie I actually felt comfortable running around in a bathing suit and (gasp) I actually waved and smiled at random boats filled with strange (and slightly drunk) men...and they smiled and waved back! My entire world where I sit quietly in the back row and try not to get noticed is being turned upside down! Thursday is my 6 month mark from the day I started the pre-op diet, last week I passed my 1/2 way mark of 67 pounds and am officially at 70 as of this a.m. I "only" have 64 pounds to go! I know it's still a long way but to have it be a realistic number feels sooOOOoooo good! You guys are so totally awesome. I know I don't comment much these days but please know I"m in the background lurking and rooting for all of you, crying with your sorrows and laughing with you and occasionally at you :confused: You are the coolest and most encouraging group of people I have ever known. And yay us for passing the 1000 comment mark! WOOHOO!!!!

I have to share my own personal celebration here...On June 3 I'll be 6 months from starting my pre-op, I weighed in at 294 (yuck), my goal is 160 so 134 pounds to lose. Towards the end of last week I hit my 1/2 way mark of 67 pounds down (actually 70 as of this a.m.), so, now, instead of counting pounds lost, I'm counting pounds to go and I cannot believe how good it feels, so, 64 pound to go, WOOHOO!!! That sounds so attainable!

A lot of variety from place to place. I have the option of seeing my nurse practitioner or the doc..I like the NP better so I only see the doc when they make me You likely can request the doctor if you have a preference.

Oh Anne, I am so sorry! Keep up the good work, you're on the right track! I, personally, would go for the bypass, it's a bigger procedure and you have to watch for the vitamin deficiencies and such but for me, again personally, being at a healthier weight was the goal, I preferred the band, but bypass was my back-up plan. Hugs to you for everything you've been through! Bob, oh Bob, glad you are alive and backing off that damn game! I am in the 220s for the first time since my sophomore year in college. When I started this journey I was shooting for losing 75 pounds my first year. I'm not was 65 and 2 weeks from my 6 month anniversary. So, I guess I'm going to aim higher and shoot for 100 the first year. Onederland here I come! (eventually!) I haven't been back to the doc since March when I got fill #3, I go on June 10th for my 6 month check up and unless something drastic happens, plan on having just a tad bit removed. I'm having more days where I can't tolerate solid food at all and am struggling to get my protein in. While the soft/liquid diet has hyped up the weight loss, I'm pooped, have no energy, and am averaging 600-700 calories a day... I am never hungry, it is such a bizarre thing! I don't have a body bugg, but its cousin, can't remember the name right now. I don't use it regularly but did when I first got it until I sort of got a feeling for what burns what...now I wear it off and on to keep myself honest. Pretty cool little toy. Leigha, I want to be like you when I grow up.

So, I pledged 12 pounds but have already hit 9 sooo....I'm going to bump that up to 20 and shoot for the stars!

I'm 5'6 and shooting for 160 at this point, it will put me just above a normal BMI. If I get there and I'm not fighting to maintain then I'll knock it down a few points....I haven't weighed 160 since I was in, oh 8th grade or so?

Awww...I think I shed a tear or two D....

Okay, so stress is the general theme for all of us right now. I've had to join the party and start meds (lexapro)...I wasn't sleeping and was essentially obsessing about my "issue" day and night. The lexapro is definitely helping but I just want "the issue" to go away so I can get back to being in control of my life....:: Anyway, there is a definite connection between my period and how tight I am. I've spent the last 3 days living off liquids in the am. and mushies in the p.m. with essentially no solids then wham, today "she" showed up (about 5 days early to my surprise) so, weird, would have never expected hormones to have such an impact but apparently, for me at least, they do. I realized today that in the 2 months since my third fill I've lost 25 pounds, that averages out to 3 pounds a week. I knew I was losing significantly but the math just astounds me! Six pounds to go before I hit the half way mark and start the down hill slide! WOOHOO!!! Hope you're all doing well and the stress just magically goes away for all of us!

I do know a couple people who had esophageal dilation which resolved with a liquid diet. Keep your chin up but I would really stick with the liquids these next 3 weeks! Good luck, and keep us updated!

I'm here and alive, just not much to say. The band is there, still a bit too tight, but most days tolerable...other days a pain in the ass. We went camping and canoeing with my parents last weekend and my dad spent the weekend telling me (repeatedly) I wasn't eating enought. It was actually pretty hysterical, he was obsessing in a big way. I am in the 230's for the first time since I was about a sophomore in college, holy moly. My baby boys turns 6 tomorrow and I'm sitting here watching him snore next to me on the couch trying to figure out how on the earth the time has gone so quickly...I can't fathom how you guys are dealing with driver's licenses! And now, I'm going back to lurk in the corner again. Take care everyone and keep up the good work! I'm fairly certain bob is being held hostage by a rabid pack of chickens or something.

I'm in for 12, 1.5 per week....realistic I hope!

My son and I share a small buttered popcorn and a bottle of water (as opposed to the super large free refills popcorn we used to get). I eat what I want which usually isn't all that much and I don't feel bad about it. I think we've gone twice since I was banded 4 1/2 months ago so not like it's a regular habit.

Less than a pound to go! We're going camping next weekend with a canoe trip and hiking involved so I'd like to think that 1 pound would be a piece of cake! However, as we all know there are weeks when we're darn near perfect and lose nothing so I won't hold my breath.

Leigha-chickenberry smoothie not so good? That's hysterical! I am still too tight, not too terribly tight, but daily eating is a chore. Things seemed to be going a little better mid-week then some horriblish things happened at work and I've essentially been an emotional wreck since and immediately the damn band cinched up tight again, hopefully will ease back again this week when things settle down. On the good side I lost just shy of 5 pounds this week which put me well over the 50 pound gone mark, so woohoo! Hope you're all doing well and welcome newbies!

Drinking...or not drinking....It's habit now and not an issue but the first couple months trying to get enough liquids in and yet not drink 30 minutes before eating or an hour after...was a pain in the butt. I hadn't realize it pre-op but apparently my signal to drink something is, surprise, eating! I've had to totally retrain the brain on that one. Hairloss is still a biggie for me but I started out with enough hair for 3 people so I'm still ahead of the game, however, if things don't slow down soon it could get ugly. I get the impression the 3-6 month mark seems to be where the hair goes wild. I think some of it is from surgery/anesthesia and them some from the fairly rapid weight loss...it's leveled off for everyone I know that had a problem with it so I'm trying not to obsess. Good luck!

Weirdly I'm going the opposite way. After feeling like I was loosening up to an almost comfortable spot over the last 3-4 days things seem to be tightening back to the "damn I can barely eat" stage. I'm blaming hormones but it's the first time I've noticed this happening so I'll have to wait until next month and see if it recurs. (not that I'm complaining, because, dude, I'm not hungry! Woohoo!!) Oy, who knew this thing would be so fickle!?!?! Still love it and keep'n it though!

Good to check, a lot of insurances have exclusions and under no circumstances will cover any type of obesity surgery or treatment...fingers are crossed you can find a way around this!

Chick-with this last fill (#3) I got a little tighter every day for the first 5 or 6 days...I can't explain it. By the end of the first week it stabilized and I stopped getting tighter but every day was a challenge there for a while. Of course, it could be related to the pill incident too :-P proceed with caution my dear!

4my4kids...my advice as well, shake it up a bit. Try eating an extra 100-200 calories a day and mixing up the exercise routine, seems to work fairly well for me when things stall....You're doing awesome anyway!

I was thinking the same thing! I'm 5'6 and 294 at my pre-op, I was mostly in 22/24 with and occasional 26 top....now i'm 246 and comfortably in a 20. It probably was about 40 pounds for me to get down first full size. Good luck!

I will give my surgeon kudos on this, althought I don't like him so much, I think he's an awesome surgeon. He presents all the options (GB, LB, sleeve), pros and cons of each, and the patient type he thinks will succeed or struggle with each. Then asks you what YOU want and why...and why you don't want one of the others....he doesn't push any particular procedure but tries to make sure you are well educated on each. He also doesn't push a brand of band, provides info on each and pros and cons then lets you decide. I think part of it is probably so you can't come back later and say "hey, I told you I wanted XYZ but you told me to get ABC and it didn't work!" but I also think part of it is trying to get you (me) to be proactive and make decisions about your future, health, etc.... Like I said earlier, he may not be my warm snuggliest best friend but I have nothing but respect for how he handles this aspect of things. Good luck with your decision, as they've said above, LB isn't the magic cure all, and it can be a royal pain in the butt at times but I wouldn't trade it...research everything and know the pros and cons!

I am having major issues with being overtight in the a.m. and can't handle anything solid at this point, I got in the bad habit of skipping breakfast and then by lunch I was ravenous and eating too fast and PBing, blah blah blah. While I can't handle much and absolutely nothing solid I've started drinking a Light and Fit fat free yogurt smoothie, not a lot of protein but only 70 calories so better than skipping breakfast altogether and my stomach likes it, usually about 10:30 I have a snack of a cheese stick or yogurt and by lunch at 1:00 I'm ready for real food.

My doc requires you to stay 24 hours after you get admitted to your room, no exceptions. My surgery was supposed to be at 9:00, the day before was rescheduled to 1:30, and it was after 3:00 before they took me back. I ended up not getting to a room until after 8:00 p.m. so had to stay until 8:00 p.m. the next day. It was a very long and boring day. I would have preferred to go home same day but not an option with him.

You have a long road ahead of you with the surgery, post-op, achieving and maintaining restriction, etc. You don't necessarily have to like your doc but you need to be able to work with him.... Do your best to follow his guidance but if you think you're going to have a clash of personalities and constantly be struggling with him, you may want to step back and consider using someone else. Just a thought, and good luck with everything!