LapNYC

I'd love to join the Yahoo group, but in a perfect world I'd be able to change my username since it's also my real name and my email address. Any tips?

Thanks so much for all of these responses! I really appreciate the words of wisdom. Next question then--do they make supplements outside of Calcium and Multivitamins that are chewable? Specifically magnesium, Vitamin D and potassium?

When I was talking about my athletic career (way back when) and I could see that people couldn't even conceive of me in that way. I was a fabulous athlete. I swear! Although that was a lifetime ago. That was one. The other was when I was on a bus (NYC public bus) with my three kids and a woman told me to get up because I was taking up more than one seat. She was an idiot and there were plenty of seats on the bus, but I didn't want me girls to hear that sort of thing, right or wrong.

Thanks all, for the great advice. Very helpful. I appreciate your words of wisdom!

For the past few weeks I've woken up in the middle of the night with horrific calf and leg cramps that last for a long time. The worst one mostly affects the top of my ankle, so to relieve the pain I need to both flex and point my tow (to address the calf and the top thing). It's torture. I'm in bandster hell so I'm getting plenty of protein in because I can eat a good amount and am making an effort. I also take vitamins. This is a killer! Any suggestions? I need sleep!

Yikes - that's rough! Lesson learned, I guess. I imagine that this must happen to everyone though. It's not like they do a partial lobotomy when they install the band, so you eat the way you've been eating. No need to beat yourself up about that! My question for more experienced bandfolk is, does this have to happen? The feeling of restriction alone doesn't in some way warn you to be careful? I'm guessing that most people have to make the same mistake. I just hope not to! I will though, I'm sure. To me the moral of the story is to just test your limits within the comfort of your own home! Congrats on restriction at least!!!

I was banded on February first and had my first fill a week ago. As one of the posters above said, I actually have felt hungrier since the fill. I've lost 30 lbs (including what I lost from the pre-op diet) but since I can easily eat whatever I want, I find myself slipping back into some old habits. I'm hoping just to stay the same until my next fill on April 5th, but even doing that will involve being on a "diet" This is torture! No one tells you that you need to ride on willpower for three months. If I had a lot of that I wouldn't weight 250 pounds! Just frustrated...

Six weeks after surgery (and one fill later) I'm as hungry as ever. I know I could eat a giant steak without getting "stuck". The band is completely invisible to me. I'm not scheduled for another fill for 5 weeks--after we get back for a Carribean vacation. I was nervous about getting a fill so close to travel but if I don't I might just g ahead and chew off my arm. What do you think? OK to get a second fill two or three weeks after the first? OK to do some quasi-international travel right after a second fill? I don't want to push the boundaries of this band at all, but I lost 30 pounds on the pre-op diet and during the first two weeks after surgery. Since then I've been chipping away at that. Any advice from veterans out there? I'm thinking medium rare for the left arm for starters...

This is so strange to me. I always thought that being FAT was the big friend detector. The ones who were happy to have their still cool on the inside friend at their parties got extra points in my book. I can't really understand why anyone would be bothered by my being thin! It should be interesting though. Time will tell. Sounds like a good problem to have though because it means you've lost a ton of weight and look great!

I'm guessing that old age is much the same. On the inside you'll always feel like your thinner, younger self. After all, it's still YOU. After I lose this weight and some time passes I'll be looking at pictures and saying "who's that thin, old lady in the mirror?" Sigh. Life is hard!

I consider men's opinions on the topic to be totally irrelevant. If all my children were gay I wouldn't even blink, but if they were anti-choice I might have to kill them!

Good question. My goal is 160 (I started at 280 and am 1 week post op) but to me that's a pretty extreme, ambitious goal. I used to work out a lot and looked great at 170 (I'm 5'7") And you're right. That 160 still puts me in the overweight category. How funny! I guarantee you that at about 180 people will start telling me to stop losing weight. Are the charts "off", or is that after you've been overweight for a long time, being thin thin doesn't look quite right?

I was 99% joking. Sorry to offend! Of course good hearts and mean birches come in all shapes and sizes.

OK we were all heading graveward eventually but let's put that aside for a second. In friends I like people who aren't shallow and vain. I like people who know how to enjoy themselves. I like people who appreciate good food. I like people who don't take themselves too seriously. I don't like huge egos. I don't like people who waste an inordinate amount of time on their appearance. I don't have any friends who are overweight (I live in a skinny city) but maybe I should. All of the above adds up to fat people being way cooler! Or in the case of this forum, formerly fat. Even better.

I'm glad to have all this advice but how do you go out to restaurants with friends? Especially during the summer when there aren't as many Soups on the menu. This is a big part of my life and only my husband and parents know about the surgery. What about when you go to a dinner party and can't control what is served? I reeeally don't want to throw up on a friend's dog or something as I'm moaning and bending over and standing up and drinking and burping! Please advise!

I think you can pull those big numbers if you also exercise your ass off. Just keep your eye on the prize.

It's not so much what I look like in the mirror. I "know" what that image looks like. But when I'm meeting new people or walking down the street I don't think of myself as being fat. I picture a "normal", confident person which in theory is ok, but it didn't give me the drive to change the situation. When my MIL asked if I would ever contemplate weight loss surgery I looked at her like she was crazy? Weight loss surgery? Huh? That's for FAT people!

Thanks Heidi. I actually have been taking my vitamins, primarily because they're the closest thing I'm coming to food! Now that you mention it, I'm not sure I've been taking the calcium so I'll step that up. Do they have a special surgery for people addicted to gummy vitamins? Because I'll be needing that next.

The reason I was able to gain this much weight is that I have no idea what I look like. I was thin once upon a time and went through much of my life as a decently good-looking, well-liked thinnish person. Now I weight 280 but half the time I'm totally shocked when I see myself, or see the people on The Biggest Loser who weigh what I weigh. Reverse anorexia? I look like hell and think I'm a supermodel. OK nothing close to that, but I do think that a strategically placed full length mirror would have done me some good! Anyone else? I'm such an idiot!!!

It doesn't seem like anyone has posted in a long while, so I was hoping to hear some success stories! I'm only a few days in.

I was also banded on 2/1 and if it makes you feel any better, I feel like sh*t too. Hungry, run down, gas pains in my chest and arm etc. I have it in my head that Monday will be the charm. I also get to start mushies on Thursday and feel like something more substantive than protein shakes might also cure what ails me. Is your job at a desk or are you on your feet?

I'm five days post op and have been having diarrhea for the past three days. No pain meds, no period and no antibiotics. One one hand I feel like I'm losing weight (ha!) but on the other, I've been working pretty hard to take in adequate fluids. Tonight so far so good. Famous last words!

Thanks for your reply. I've never been much of a burper! I also just did a search and am not as worried anymore. I'm dying here, but don't seem to be that abnormal. Thanks again!

3.5 days post off and the pain in my chest and shoulder still is taking my breath away sometimes. I've been walking around, taking Gas-x etc. How long did your last? When did you feel as good as new? I didn't tell anyone outside immediate family about the surgery and I'm too uncomfortable to act normally, as much as I try. I also wanted to make sure that STILL feeling this way was within the realm of normal!

Ah. Dummy me. Appreciate it.