sara31

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?

I was watching MADE on Mtv the other day and the kid wanted to be a bodybuilder. The trainer had the kid eating Sweet potato baby food in addition to his lean chicken. I don't know what was special about the sweet potato in particular but I thought that was interesting.

I remember being 13-14 and staring at the fat camp ads in the back of my seventeen magazines just wishing my parents had the money to send me. I realize now that even if I had succeeded, I would be going back home to the same food environment I was in before. At least as an adult I control my own environment.

Oh I have seen those! I will grab some. Thanks for the tip!

I totally agree. The portion control is so exciting to me because I could eat so much before. I just read on another thread where a lady made a fake lasagna by just layering FF Ricotta, low fat Mozzerella and spaghetti sauce. It sounds SO good. But dont people have problems with melted cheese?

Where did you find the 2 oz shots? Do they taste ok? I am glad I am not the only one worried! I feel like I am being overly cautious. Like I see lots of people eating mashed potatoes, etc but I do not think thats healthy to eat starches like that. I think I will stick with vegetable soups and such, well blended of course. Plus shakes.

You too and congrats on your surgery! I think I am too scared to drink anything more than an oz at a time because I don't want to mess anything up. I've come too far to mess something up! How are you feeling today?

I had surgery a week ago today and have a question. I started out drinking out of medicine cups for the first couple days and then I switched to just sipping my drinks. Does water go right through the band when you are sipping or does it gather in the band then go down? I am assuming that it goes right through? How about protein shakes? Do they do the "backed up drain effect"? I am scared to drink too much at once but I am still trying to get my 50g of protein and 64 oz of liquid down.

I did it before surgery- best decision EVER! I am only 4 days out from surgery now but am dying to get back to it. However I am kinda scared. The bootcamp program (like you described - special program not just a workout class) was VERY vigorous and physical. I stayed bruised up. I am so scared the amount of sit ups and going over rope walls and everything else will mess with the port. Thoughts?

I was so tired the afternoon after surgery. They say because if the anesthesia. That night I was awake and I don't know if I could have sat on bleachers for a long ball game. Everyone is different though so you might not have any problems. The gas moving through my mid-section is weird. Definitely audible-I can hear everything moving through my stomach and guts. Still don't know where my port is. There is no incision where he said it would be and I don't feel anything. Infusions are starting to get itchy. I am 5 days out.

It is shocking when you find out that they are leaving. My husband is in Afghanistan now and was worried about me and surgery (9/15). He was able to call day of surgery and check on me, it was good to hear his voice. My mother is here to take care of ne. Just focus on being a new and healthy you and know by having your surgery, you are adding years to your life, more to spend with him.

I left with instructions to drink 2oz protein every hr and water or the like every fifteen mins. I have been using medicine cups to do this, but today I am 4 days out and its getting tedious and I don't feel like I am getting enough because I tend to forget a few. I am on protien drinks for the next 12 days. How did yall transition on the protein diet?

Hey girl Had mine the 15th and he didn't say a word. In fact the only way I got to sleep that night was on my side...

I had my surgery yesterday. Got to the hospital at 5:30 am. Got admitted, weighed in (254) then headed to a private room where I changed into my gown. The nurse came in and tried to start the iv. Apparently my veins were not cooperating, so 5 tries later another nurse got it started. There was so much going on in that last 30 mins before surgery- nurse working on the iv, anestheologist talking to me while another nurse was strapping the foot pumps to my feet. Apparently my Dr does the surgery with me in a mostly vertical position- that was all new to me. They came and got me and wheeled me back to the or. They slid me over to the table, then lined my feet up on a platform and then the next thing I know I hear the recovery nurse calling my name. I stayed there for about an hour. I did start feeling some pain and all I did was say so and they gave me some pain meds. After that hour they moved me up to a regular room where I started to drink my 1oz of water and protein drink every fifteen mins. After I was able to pee, they started the paperwork to discharge me. I got dressed and then headed home. As soon as I got home I took a gas-x strip and took a lortab pill. Also am having to do the breathing exercise every hour. Stayed on the lortab every four hours until I went to bed. I stayed steady sore all day with some shoulder pain when the pain pill started wearing off. I layed flat on my back in bed most of the afternoon but sat up on the couch to watch survivor and big brother. After that I got in bed and decided to see if I could lay on my side. After I was able to get over onto my side, it seemed like everything shifted and once it settled I could breathe deep breaths and went right to sleep. I slept better than I thought I would, I woke up about every 4 hours but I didn't take any more lortab after 945pm. Woke up this morning and am feeling much better. Still moving slow but I just took liquid tylenol only today. Lots of phleghm this morning and temp has been running in the mid 99's. They said only worry if it is over 101. I plan on getting out to walmart today to get some walking in. Also I live upstairs and was able to climb them when I got home yesterday, no problem. Definitely better than I expected. I still can't figure out where my port is yet, I don't have a bigger incision up top, but I'm not going to poke around on them yet either. No bruising and the infusions are glued. That's my story!

Did you start taking them right after surgery (that night / next day) That makes me feel better!

Amy I am too and I am panicking! My dr. gave me a prescription also for lortab tablets and phenergan tablets. I trust my dr but some of these pills are like horse pills - am I really going to be able to take these? Surgery is tomorrow and I am asking again before they take me back.

Lovemysgt, how did you do?? I am dying to hear. I am banded tomorrow EEK!!! I haven't had any surgery before (except my tonsils) so I have no idea what to expect. I will post a recap as soon as I can, I love reading those. Today is clear liquids...loving the bullion!