SoccerMomma73

So I've been doing this about a month and just realized last night that people are actually leaving comments on my posts. Obviously I'm a little slow! BUT!!!! Thank you so much for your comments and support. My friends, family, and co-workers have all been awesome supporting me through this but they just really don't have a clue...about the being fat part, or the struggles, or the sheer joy of actually starting to lose weight. It means so very much to me to have you all here to whine, grip, complain, and laugh with. We are in the midst of an ice storm, it's gorgeous outside and work and school are cancelled for the day so, during a break in the sleeting this morning, Connor (my 5 year old) and I went out and took his sled down the hill we live on. It was a blast. A-I could actually hike up the hill, repeatedly, it's a road but steep, B-that I felt good enough to actually go out and play, and C-that I had SO much fun, even when we crashed, and I landed butt first in mushy slush, freezing and soaking wet....One of my big deciding factors in getting a band now was my boy, I do as much as I can with him but I felt like I was missing so much...the memories we made today, both of us screaming and laughing as we sped down the hill totally out of control....made every penny I spent on the surgery so worth it, (although I'm fairly certain the neighbors thought we were nuts). It's a very good day

So I've been doing this about a month and just realized last night that people are actually leaving comments on my posts. Obviously I'm a little slow! BUT!!!! Thank you so much for your comments and support. My friends, family, and co-workers have all been awesome supporting me through this but they just really don't have a clue...about the being fat part, or the struggles, or the sheer joy of actually starting to lose weight. It means so very much to me to have you all here to whine, grip, complain, and laugh with. We are in the midst of an ice storm, it's gorgeous outside and work and school are cancelled for the day so, during a break in the sleeting this morning, Connor (my 5 year old) and I went out and took his sled down the hill we live on. It was a blast. A-I could actually hike up the hill, repeatedly, it's a road but steep, B-that I felt good enough to actually go out and play, and C-that I had SO much fun, even when we crashed, and I landed butt first in mushy slush, freezing and soaking wet....One of my big deciding factors in getting a band now was my boy, I do as much as I can with him but I felt like I was missing so much...the memories we made today, both of us screaming and laughing as we sped down the hill totally out of control....made every penny I spent on the surgery so worth it, (although I'm fairly certain the neighbors thought we were nuts). It's a very good day

As a facebook junkie I think it's brilliant :-P

Seriously, you are doing awesome and I applaud you! But, weirdly, yes, you need more calories. Either a little more with your meals or snacks in between 'em, naturally high protein, low carb, blah blah blah....Seems crazy and very backwards but it works!

I have been having the most graphic and vivid dreams for the last couple weeks. The type where you wake up with a jerk and a start thinking "WTF????" There's a general theme. Ex-boyfriends, and nudity. There is not an ex-boyfriend in my life that I regret being my ex and it is very very bizarre for me to dream about them. Nudity is another thing I'm not real comfortable with. I've been fat FOREVER and have never liked showing off the flab and seriously doubt I ever will...In last nights dream I decided to go swimming in this huge pool after it closed...and naturally, since it was closed, I decided to go butt naked. Right after I get in a million (okay 20) people come out of nowhere to go swimming and I decide to go out in the deep end and just tread water until they all leave so they'll never notice...but they never leave and eventually I just have to get out in front of all of them. And not a single person noticed. I tend to think dreams are mostly silly and meaningless but I'm taking this one to mean I need to chill out and not be so hard on myself, maybe other people don't see the imperfections like I do. Of course my closest friends are of the opinion that I need a man..ah, gotta love 'em! Or maybe the decreased calorie intake is rotting my brain!!! (to make up for that I have 1/2 a slice of turtle cheesecake today...hey, it's got cheese and nuts right? It should be considered health food!)

I have been having the most graphic and vivid dreams for the last couple weeks. The type where you wake up with a jerk and a start thinking "WTF????" There's a general theme. Ex-boyfriends, and nudity. There is not an ex-boyfriend in my life that I regret being my ex and it is very very bizarre for me to dream about them. Nudity is another thing I'm not real comfortable with. I've been fat FOREVER and have never liked showing off the flab and seriously doubt I ever will...In last nights dream I decided to go swimming in this huge pool after it closed...and naturally, since it was closed, I decided to go butt naked. Right after I get in a million (okay 20) people come out of nowhere to go swimming and I decide to go out in the deep end and just tread water until they all leave so they'll never notice...but they never leave and eventually I just have to get out in front of all of them. And not a single person noticed. I tend to think dreams are mostly silly and meaningless but I'm taking this one to mean I need to chill out and not be so hard on myself, maybe other people don't see the imperfections like I do. Of course my closest friends are of the opinion that I need a man..ah, gotta love 'em! Or maybe the decreased calorie intake is rotting my brain!!! (to make up for that I have 1/2 a slice of turtle cheesecake today...hey, it's got cheese and nuts right? It should be considered health food!)

I'm 6 weeks post-op and so far loving my band...the hardest thing for me was the first couple weeks after my swelling had gone down and before I got a fill where I was starving all the time....I had not found this web site and NO ONE at my docs office mentioned bandster hell so i was very surprised and starting to doubt what I'd done....I've had 1 fill and definitely in need of another but still cannot anywhere near what I used to and that for me has been the best thing. I used to eat huge portions and never really get full but now I'm getting that under control and it's awesome! (ask me again in a few months when my hair starts falling out and I'll have a different answer!) Good luck!

We actually call it the "Four F's" Female, Fat, Fertile, and Forty...pretty much sums up the most likely people to have gallbladder disease....overweight women who are still ovulating and approaching 40. The fat and the hormones reck havok on the poor gallbladder!

If you like refried beans...mix chicken broth in a food processor with fat free refried beans and salsa and puree until smooth...as you progress you can add less broth and make it a little thicker so it fills you up better. I also added a spoonful of low fat sour cream after I heated it up for the richness.... I also made a squash soup with a chicken broth base that you pureed until smooth, again, as I got further out put less chicken broth in to thicken things up a bit....sorry I don't have more suggestions!

So, I typically shy away from compliments...I'm that girl that always blows it off when someone says something nice about my looks. BUT!!! I'm discovering I love, love, LOVE it when people comment on my weight loss. I'm at 30 pounds since Dec. 3, I've officially retired 1 pair of work pants and am having issues with a couple others but when I look in the mirror I don't see that big of a difference but it must be starting to show. And, for like the first time ever, I love it when people comment on it, absolutely love it. And, it makes me want to behave and eat well and get more more more off!! I'm shooting for 15 more pounds before I break down and buy a few new things. By then it will be warming up a little (unless the weightloss fairy visits and magically makes me thin over night) and I'll be able to start getting stuff to make it through spring and summer. I am determined that nothing I wear this spring will fit me next winter so, darn the luck, I'll have to go buy more then too!

So, I typically shy away from compliments...I'm that girl that always blows it off when someone says something nice about my looks. BUT!!! I'm discovering I love, love, LOVE it when people comment on my weight loss. I'm at 30 pounds since Dec. 3, I've officially retired 1 pair of work pants and am having issues with a couple others but when I look in the mirror I don't see that big of a difference but it must be starting to show. And, for like the first time ever, I love it when people comment on it, absolutely love it. And, it makes me want to behave and eat well and get more more more off!! I'm shooting for 15 more pounds before I break down and buy a few new things. By then it will be warming up a little (unless the weightloss fairy visits and magically makes me thin over night) and I'll be able to start getting stuff to make it through spring and summer. I am determined that nothing I wear this spring will fit me next winter so, darn the luck, I'll have to go buy more then too!

Viactiv is calcium carbonate, I'm on strict orders to take calcium citrate only HOWEVER have not been able to find a chewable calcium carbonate anywhere...anyone have any suggestions? (citrate is supposed to be absorbed better, however, at this point I'm using carbonate because I figure it's better than nothing and while I haven't had problems with normal sized pills, swallowing the horse pills post-band scares me)

Knowing what I know about anatomy I think they're just trying to torture you, that stuff is NASTY!!! FYI, I had no bowel prep of any type pre-op, although, honestly, after 2 weeks of liquids and 36 hours clear liquids there wasn't much in there anyway. Good luck! It is so totally worth it but I feel for ya!

That's a new one on me...Most of us go on "clear" liquids but that just means liquids you can see through, for a day or two pre-op but i have never heard of anyone not allowed to have anything with any color at all...did they happen to say why? Even with the colored clear liquids my doc has you do sugar free so Sf jello, SF popsicles, crystal light (sugar free of course) and broth that has no sugar or carbs at all...Yup, it was a miserable headachy 24 hours.... Sorry, I have no advice for you, I'm baffled on this one, BUT!!! Good luck, you can do it for 2 days...just keep your goal in mind and the time will fly by!

I love this line!!! I'm almost 6 weeks out with 2 larger (about 3 cm) incisions and 3 that are less than 1 centimeter...the three smaller ones are already fading, the larger 2 are in the process of going from hot pink to pale pink...no biggie..if they're anything like my gallbladder scars I won't even notice them in 6 months....BUT...like everyone above, I wouldn't care if I did. Scars don't scare me, diabetes and heart disease do....

Hey there! Good luck with your decision. I was banded on 12/16/09 and am down 29 pounds, a million to go. I have not vomited once. Gas from the surgery was over in a week or so. I do burp a lot and my stomach gurgles (loudly at times) but neither bother me I can feel my port but not unless I'm really looking for it. I cannot see it or in irregularity in the skin above/around it. My surgery was on a Wednesday, I was back at work full time on Monday. I stand/walk almost all day and the first 2 days were exhausting but by day 3 (1 week post-op) I was fine. Good luck!

I can't speak for optifast, I was on HMR but we were allowed to add sugar free jello-o (powder) or a little sugar free pudding (powder). The ONLY was I could stomach them was to add both the jello and pudding then put in the freezer until almost frozen, if they were the least bit cool instead of cold I can't stand 'em....And they're right above, it does get better!

I was great the first six days, day 7, 4:00 a.m. I woke up starving and stayed that way until I could move to mushies, then just stayed slightly hungry most of the time. Then I got my first fill, and while not perfect, am not hungry all the time either, WOOHOO!! My advice? Drink drink drink, walk walk walk, and ride the not hungry wave for as long as you can! Enjoy it and keep up the good work!

I've still got a long way to go but if you read around here there are countless people who have lost 100+ pounds and are at, or below their goal weight. What you typically read is average weight loss. It's all in how you use your band...I have an acquantance who was banded a year ago and has lost 10 pounds...she lives off ice cream....I know another who was banded 2 years ago and has gained 20, she would not eat the appropriate foods and chew slowly and kept having complications so her doc took all her fluid out, she is still complaining about gaining weight but she's not willing to make the changes that make the band work....It appears that the people who really work with their band lose much more than 50% but it's all about averages. Good luck!

I know, I know, but I was so thrilled to have something, anything that was real food I didn't dare question it. My instructions just said pickles so had every type imaginable, I did fine bread and butter made with splenda which turned out to be my favorite. I'm fairly sure the folks at Kroger thought I was pregnant with triplets by the vast amounts of pickles I was purchasing....I also decided that if I could have pickles why couldn't I have cucumbers....soooo...I stretched that a little. As far as the caffeine, I don't know, I haven't noticed anyone else on here saying anything about it. I have a very conservative doctor who also says no alcohol ever so I'm guessing he just looks at caffeine as not great for you therefore you should give it up. I've never been big on caffeine so that hasn't been an issue.... It is a diuretic so immediately post op when you're forcing the fluids to keep from getting dehydrated I can see why they'd want you to avoid it, after that I really have no explanation!:cursing:

Mine was HMR protein shakes (which I loathe) sugar free jello and popsicles, broth, SF/caffeine free beverages (crystal light and water) and pickles...the only solid food allowed was pickles. I will say I cheated with raw celery and cauliflower, and boiled egg whites (don't care for the yokes)...I lost 12 pounds and had no problems with the surgery.

I'm a physician assistant so lots of standing and walking but no straining. Surgery was on Wed, I was back on Monday. The first 2 days by noon I was worn out but made it through the day, after that I was fine. I had issues with clothing. The waist band on all my work clothes bothered the heck out of me when I sat down, even elastic waists...the only thing I found comfortable for about 2 weeks was a pair of leggings...be prepared :cursing:

Mine did not require it, if I'd had a lot of GERD symptoms he would have. HOWEVER mine makes everyone do a barium swallow post-op before they get anything besides ice....Totally sucked, already nauseated from surgery, pain meds, etc then the first thing you get to drink was that stuff...YUCK!

I've only had 1 fill but could have gone back to work as soon as they were finished if needed, it was no big deal. I would go with whichever is more convenient (okay, seriously I'd go for the one I could do quicker...but it sounded better to say whichever was more convenient) GOOD LUCK!

I was completely and totally miserable until I could advance to mushies....So Good Luck!!! If your doc allows cream of wheat or pureed oatmeal those did help fill me a little but it didn't last long. Also the protein drinks did little...although I was required to drink them (and did) I felt the same as if I'd been drinking water...it's miserable and has its own special name of "bandster hell". My best advice is drink drink drink, drink constantly it was the only thing that kept me from going NUTS those 2 weeks.... GOOD LUCK!!!!