sara31

I saw where a lot of people bought recliners - rented them (like at rent-a-center) but I personally would not have needed one.

The pain was uncomfortable but nothing that bothered me so bad that I had problems getting up and down.

Someone else said that using the bathroom would be torture too because of getting up and down but it didn't bother me in the least bit.

Everyone is definitely different though.

I am 6 weeks out and was craving one something fierce yesterday. I normally don't eat cheeseburgers so I don't know why I was wanting it as bad as I was.

I ended up ordering a big mac snack wrap and just ate the patty out of it. It was only half a patty with cheese but it certainly helped the craving.

Thinking about a cheeseburger - I miss taking a big bite of a sandwich (or cheese burger, chicken sandwich, etc).

There is something that is fulfilling to my brain to take a big bite or a full mouthful.

I lost 19 lbs from the time of my first appt and surgery and then lost another 15 right after surgery. I had my two week appointment where I was allowed to eat food again and now 4 weeks after that I have lost 7 more lbs.

I get my first fill tomorrow so I am hoping it doesn't stall again (even though I do need to get it in my head that 7 lbs in one month is just fine).

I didn't have to answer any question like this in my Psych eval - thank goodness!

But it did start me to thinking...

I had surgery just a month ago, so I have lost 21 lbs since then (surgery day was 254 now down to 233).

I have leveled off the past two weeks to have only lost about 5 lbs during that time.

So knowing that, if I lost an average of 1.5 lbs a week - lowered it because I know 2 lbs is prob unrealistic, by 6 months hopefully I will be another 30 lbs down, around 203 lbs (I hope more! but being realistic).

Maybe by 1 year if I drop the last 6 months to 5 lbs a month then I would end up at 173 lbs at the end of 1 year.

I hope my guesses are accurate!!

I don't know how anyone could expect you to answer this off the cuff! I had to really think about it.

Maybe they were looking to see if you answered that you would be at 125 lbs in a year - to see if your expectations were off kilter or something?

I was banded 9/15. Love this thread! I am holding myself accountable to working out as much as I can. Before I got surgery I did a boot camp program to try to get into as much shape as possible before I had the surgery. I LOVED it (not during, but after each class I was exhilarated).

Anyway - I started again Monday going to the gym 4-5 times a week.

This week I did 30-40 minutes on the cross training level on the elliptical and then did the adductor and abductor machines for my legs for about 10 mins each day. Let me tell you my legs are sore! But I love it.

I have plateaued the last couple weeks. I saw the dr for my two week check up on the 30th and since then I have only lost about 5 lbs. I have a fill Tuesday and am so excited to get it going again.

I know exactly what you mean. I have had people that have had good success with gastric really look down on me because I chose lap band, including my doctor!

I finally figured out why my dr wanted me to have gastric bypass instead of banding - I finally got out of him that he didn't want me to be disappointed in my results because it took longer to get the weight off. Really with that?!?

He even told my mom in the recovery room that he isn't going to tell me I told you so.

Well, the stubborn person I am, there is no way in Hades that anyone is ever going to be able to say "I told you so"! Come heck or high Water I am getting ALL of this extra weight off of me.

Maybe they are using reverse psychology on me :cursing:

You will eventually hold on and keep moving. It will fall off. I am at a plateau also i have been eating and eating and i have gained but I am at the gym 4 day of the week and im doing my best to keep it moving.

I have plateaued also. Been at 234 for 2 weeks. I FINALLY lost one today - but I also just started, so hopefully that has something to do with it and the scale starts moving again.

I'm in! I want to lose 22 lbs by the new year. As of today, that would put me at 211.

Going to make an addition to my signature right now!

Old Navy has their jeans for $16 a pair - I am in an 18 in theirs when I wear a 20 in Lane Bryant - their jeans run big.

Here is the link for those:

Clothes for women, men, kids and baby | Old Navy

Then Walmart has tees that fit well in Danskin. They run small (I wear between a 14-16 in the top). I had to buy a 3X in this tee for it to fit correctly, but it looks good and is cheap!

Walmart.com: Danskin Now - Women's Plus Dri-More Cap-Sleeve V-Neck Tee: Women's Plus

Also Old Navy's cardigans run big - I have been wearing the XL in size and it fits great.

I missed what size you were at, but if you are in the size 20 range, definitely check out Old Navy.

My pre-op paperwork said they would not do the surgery if I had shaved before surgery.

They said it was because they wanted to minimize all risks of staph infections.

That scared me so bad that I didn't shave anything for a week before surgery LOL!

I apologized for my hairy legs and told them why and they laughed with me

I am pretty newly banded.

I had the same problem but only when I tried to start the pre-op diet myself. I guess I self sabotaged.

Once the dr. gave me the "official" orders to drink two shakes a day and one lean cuisine at night I stuck to it. I was paranoid that my liver would be fatty and too thick to do the surgery so it scared me straight!

It's been pretty much the same since. I am too scared to do something off plan because I don't want to mess anything up. It's amazing what five holes and a piece of plastic can do to your mind! It just existing makes me stick to it.

I did have one episode where I didn't chew shrimp well and guess what - that scared me right back to making sure I chewed well enough.

It will happen again I am sure, but yeah, thats what makes me stick to it!

I have Tricare Standard and have had no issues, but I met all the requirements (40 BMI and 2 co-morbidities).

Overall I have only paid about $800 out of pocket.

I had an episode two nights ago with my first "stuck" issue. However mine differs in that it happened about an hour and a half after I had eaten. I had laid down and gone to sleep when this major pain woke me up. Its exactly like how everyone has described their stuck episodes (sliming, hurting bad in the chest, tons of saliva, body thinking about vomiting).

Most everything I have ever read though explains it happening as soon as something gets stuck, while they are still eating at the table or whatever.

Have any of you had it happen a while after you ate?

It was boiled shrimp by the way (scared of them now!)

Everyone seems to be doing pretty good!

I am at 4 weeks out tomorrow and last night was my first "stuck" episode. Let me tell you IT HURT! My face and chest were flushed real bad and I was in pain. I got on here to see what some of the remedies were - tried them all and when that didn't work I just got in the shower and got the Water as hot as I could. That help distract the pain. I was finally able to lay down and go back to sleep. It was crazy - the sliming they described, kinda like when you have a runny nose and it runs down the back of the throat but your nose isn't runny at all. Then the sliming part was crazy - I felt like a dog who tried to eat a toad!

I haven't had ANY problems and was getting pretty confident in eating what I wanted (no bad stuff or bread / rice / Peanut Butter / Pasta / raw vegetables)

But these shrimp, man they did me in. They were just plain boiled shrimp. I guess even if you try to chew them up well they still didn't set well with me.

I'm still sore this morning. I'm timid to eat anything!

Anyone else have an episode with NO restriction?

Same as above, I use Ricotta but you can prob do the blender thing with the cottage cheese -

I take a good scoop of part skim ricotta and half a can of pumpkin in my bullet blender with two packs of splenda - it is AWESOME. Tastes like a cross between pumpkin mousse and cheesecake.

Ok, so I walked out and forgot my lunch at home.

I am still in the soft foods phase - where do you go? I am perplexed. I am tired of Wendys Chili and there is not much else besides something with bread.< /p>

So far my Dr. has me not eating anything with bread, rice, Peanut Butter, Pasta or raw vegetables.

Help? If you had to run somewhere and grab something quick, where would go go?

Whew girl you have more energy than I do!

I just hit the clearance at Old Navy - got a pair of jeans, two pairs of yoga pants, a cardigan, a hoodie, a tank top, a t-shirt, a pair of sandals, pair of dress shoes and three pairs of underwear for $43!

Love Old Navy!

I do share your clothing anguish!

My gym is a good mixture too. Maybe say something to them first, like ask a question before class starts - "Have you done this class before?"

I usually do that when I first start a class so that it breaks the ice with my neighbors, then after you go a few times you end up knowing a lot of the regulars.

Some of my biggest supporters at the gym are some of the skinnies! I joined a 4 week boot camp program at the gym and made some GREAT friends. They are super supportive (but yet all super fit).

Sometimes it just takes opening up first. Remember you are there to get fit and be a skinny too!

You can do it

Good luck! You will be ok, just remember to breathe

I got it at Walmart, near the other Tylenol.

It threw me off because of the bottle, it looks just like the Tylenol cold medicine (like the night time cherry cool burst medicine).

I am 15 days out of surgery as of today.

My nutritionist and my surgeon did NOT want me to get lap band. They really wanted me to do RNY, but I refused for personal reasons.

He ended up doing the lap band for me with warnings that I would not lose as fast. He said more than once "I don't want to say I told you so", he even told my mom the same thing when he came out of surgery to tell her how I was doing.

Fast forward two weeks. I was in a group of 8 people after going through our follow up meetings - out of all 8 I was the only one to have lap band. I saw their weights and their losses

- One person was 294 and lost 28 lbs

- One person was 327 and lost 23 lbs

- One person was 322 and lost 22 lbs

- I started at 262 and lost 23 lbs.

After I met with him, he said "wow I can tell you have been compliant, and you will be one of the ones that is successful."

I knew / know that in my heart I can do it (no one else can tell you that), but I think you should look inside yourself to see if it is something YOU can do. Do you have the willpower to really work hard and listen to the doctor's instructions (no cheating?) Will you exercise?

Do it for you, no one else. I am so glad I did, simply because I have lost just as much as those RNY patients have (through today) and I will continue to WORK at helping my tool work.

Good thread! I was banded 9/15

Ups:

-Seeing the fat rolls slowly smoothing out

-Being able to cross my legs better

-Being able to get into Old Navy 18's & 20's

-Watching the scale move down down down (lowest I have been since '04)

-Appreciating what I am able to eat (today is my first day of soft foods!)

Downs:

-Clothing is starting to look bad (too big) - bad "down" to have right?

-Accidentally drinking a gulp that is too big (hurts - oops!)

-Being scared to eat real food (I am right now eating my first food in two weeks for lunch) -I am chewing it to DEATH!

-Back pain from having to take it easy (I'm walking 1-2 miles a day, but I was used to doing more vigorous exercise the exercise kept my back muscles in check. The back pain is the worst.

- Not being able to chug Water after working out - I'm thirsty DANGIT!

- burping!

va_viv - I thought the SAME thing. I am just 14 days out of banding but I am DYING to get back to doing some training other than walking simply because I DO NOT want to lose muscle! I did a 4 week boot camp program before surgery and now that I know that I can do it, I want to. I feel so weak though - I know its because I am only allowed Protein Drinks so far (that should change tomorrow, YAY). I am just so ready to get rid of this weak feeling.

I started back walking about a week out of surgery and this week I bumped up to about 2 miles.

I am just ready to be cleared for something, anything!

No muscle loss for me if I can help it!

OH! Good to know!

I just don't want to do bad right off the bat, but it just seemed so limited.

I will be two days into the mushy stage when I have to go out of town this weekend.

That being said, I have no idea what to eat. I can take Protein Shakes with me, but that should be a supplement at this point I think.

I will also have a birthday party to go to - where they will most likely serve chips and sandwiches and of course birthday cake (not getting close to that one). What would you eat in a situation like that?

I know can go to restaurants and have Soups / refried Beans from taco bell stuff like that - but that seems like slider stuff and that I should be eating something else?

Help?