emsbugbug

Hey, guys! It has been quite a while since I have been on the board, but I just had to check and see how everyone was doing. My bandiversary was Saturday and I am down 101 lbs!!!! I feel great. I have gone from a 26 to a 14. A 3x to a XL (I still have my boobs!). I love reading about everyone's success! Congratulations and keep up the good work!

My band is located right above my left breast. Out of sight, out of mind. I can easily feel it, my dr. has no problem accessing it and it does not protrude. I love the location and when people ask where or how it feels, I don't have to show them my belly!

I was banded in September of 2010. Before banding and right after, I was on this board several times daily. I read the negative and the positive. Since I have had great success with the band, I rarely come to the boards anymore. I know what is working for me and am just busy going on with my life. If I have questions, this is the first place that I think to come, but beyond that, I stay away because of the negative and the fact that I am just too busy. The journey is mine and mine alone. What works for me may not work for someone else. I don't like to spew my opinions and put people down, but I also don't like to hear people complain that the band doesn't work or that they can't afford a fill. If you couldn't afford to keep up with the maintenance of the band, why did you get it in the first place?

You don't see as much positive on here as you see negative and that is because many of us who are successful with it, have really just moved on. There are some really successful posters still here that are a wealth of knowledge and are so helpful. Get to know who they are and read what they have to say. They are motivators and are generally here to help.

Good luck on your journey. Remember that it is yours alone and only you can make your journey successful!

After you are banded, I highly doubt that you will still be able to follow WW. I am at my sweet spot now and there is no way that I can even come close to eating the food WW requires.

I agree with the Weight Watchers plan! I have been a WW member for years. I will still try to follow this plan once I get banded because this really isn't a 'diet'. It is a lifestyle. It teaches you the correct way to eat. They ecnourage 5 fruits/veggies per day, etc...It's a healthy plan for daily living, so it really does not feel like a diet, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE. I really do well on it once I get my focus on the right choices. I'm notorious for losing then getting on a crazy unhealthy food binge and start gaining, thus the reason for me looking into getting banded, so that it will aid me in eating less and not bingeing like that. I really think that the band, paired with WW will work well for me, because WW teaches smaller portions, etc..

I count calories and carbs. Most tracking tools will do that for you. I try to stay between 50-75 carbs/day and 1000 calories, but that is what works for me. Also, keep tabs on your sugar intake. I try to not eat anything with over 5 grams of sugar per serving. That might help. Definitely mix it up and see what happens.

My trainer has me start walking at 3.5 mph on the treadmill. Then he increases it about .3 every two minutes until I am jogging. I jog for a minute more every session (twice a week). I am up to 5 minutes. Then we are doing strength training. Working on everything from legs, arms, stomach and everything inbetween. I work with him for a little over an hour at a time. I have gone from using 3 lb weights to now 5-8 lb weights depending on what we are doing. I am definitely seeing results and am very happy.

I lost 8 lbs this week!!! How in the world????? I just started working with a trainer and going to the gym last week and knew that I would see some results but 8 lbs???!!!!????!!!! This will never happen again, but it definitely gave me a good jump that I needed. This really shows that my working out is paying off!!! Just had to share!

My friend has Tricare (retired military) and she goes to Dr. Duncan in Atlanta. He no longer accepts Tricare, but one of his partners does.

My doctor made it very clear that if I thought I was getting sick, I was to call his office immediately so they could call me in something. He doesn't want me to throw up at all since it could cause the band to slip. I keep Zofran with me at all times, just in case. You might want to call your dr and see what he says.

Sitting at work, starving because I walked out of the house without my lunch. What do you do in this situation??? I usually hit up the Wendy's for some chili, but don't want that today. Any suggestions????

I bought new jeans last week...Size 18! I have been wearing my old size 26's for so long just trying to hold them up with belts and stuff, but it was time to send them packing (to the goodwill).

Congrats on the new size, it is so exciting!

Just remember, don't hang on to those old BIG sizes. Give them away, throw them away, sell them...whatever you do, don't keep them. Don't give yourself an excuse to gain a pound!!!!!

Yes, it is in with the other yogurts. It is a white container with a big blue swirl with Carbmaster written across it.

LisaA, if you like yogurt, but not the carbs, I might have a solution for you. If you live near a Kroger, they sell CarbMaster Yogurt. 80 calories, only 3-4 carbs and only 3grams of sugar. I love these.

You may think that this sounds crazy, but I put chili in the blender! I wanted some so bad...it was the best thing I had eaten in a while!

Whoo Hoo!!! That is AWESOME!!!! Congrats!

Thanks, ya'll!!! I just had to post because I was so excited! I wish everyone good luck on their journey! Seeing NSV's like this just makes it all worthwhile!

No longer in the 20's!!!! OK, so I had a minor meltdown in the dressing room today. I have been a size 20 something for YEARS!!!! I mean like forever! I never thought anything would go over my butt again that wasn't a 20, 22, 24, 26, 28...yes, 28, that is what I WAS before surgery. NOW, I AM AN 18!!!!!!! OMG! There were TEARS! BIG ONES!!! I know people were staring when I came out, but that is SOOOOO OK! I had tears but I was grinning from ear to ear!!! I am sure they were quite confused.

Lap-Band = BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE!!!!

It is so great to see all the great results for us September bandsters!!! Keep up the great work!

The hardest thing that I have given up is pasta! I love pasta! Pasta everything...but, my band doesn't like it! It has been a blessing in disguise for me though. My body hates sugar/carbs and Pasta is full of both. Sooooo, while I miss it, I am much better off without it!

No, not EMS, those are my daugther's initials. But I have had several EMT's in my family!

I love Dr. Bagnato. His staff is great and so helpful. He is a Center of Excellence. I don't know how much they charge for fills/visits because that is included in the surgery fee and my insurance paid that. His office sees the surgery patients before and after surgery, but then his Bariatric Institute handles the fills and nutrition type things. They are in separate buildings but right there next to each other.

He is having some issues with the hospital in Albany and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't leave. If he does, I hope he decides to come to Macon. Macon desperately needs a lap band doctor. I know one of the hospitals has been considering it for a couple of years. I just don't think they have found anyone yet.

Here is his website. http://www.palmyrasurgical.com/

There are no lap band doctors in Macon. I go to Dr. Bagnato in Albany, which is about 2 hrs south of Macon. There are also a couple in Atlanta, but it is so not worth the traffic driving up there.

I have heard NOT to wear that type of stuff. I am not sure why, but I read it here somewhere. Maybe do a search within the site and you can find it.

You also must realize that a lot of people don't just come to the board to say, "Yay, I am doing great!" Many come for inspiration, help, or just to complain. I don't do much posting, just commenting, because I am having great success with my band. I know many people who have not returned to this board after surgery because they are successful and don't want to see the negativity.

The nerve pain is something that I, myself, have not experienced. ElfiePoo, I think, is a good one to talk to about that. You might want to message her.

Picking a band - I have the lap-band. My doctor does both and I just left it up to him to decide which was right for me. I would ask for a low profile port. The location of the port seems pretty much the same, somewhere in the belly, but mine is different. My port is located right above my left breast. I can feel it and it is easily accessed. Also, it is less likely to be visible after the weight loss. Even if it does protrude a little, a bra strap or bathing suit will keep it covered.

I have never felt misled! My doctor and his staff were great in preparing me for my journey. I feel that I was well informed.

My advice to you is to just be sure you are mentally ready for this journey. If you are not, you will most likely fail. There are foods that you will not be able to eat again. You have to learn to eat to live, not live to eat. Enjoy what you eat. Don't eat senslessly. And always know you limits.

Good Luck!

LisaA made some good points. You also need to see if you have any underlying issues, like thyroid or PCOS. These make losing difficult. What exactly are you eating? Give us an idea and we can try to help.

I was nervous and scared too. That is to be expected, but the surgery really isn't too bad. It was the gas afterwards that was horrible. I know they try to get as much out as they can, but some always gets left in. It migrated to my shoulders and my neck...Thank God for Gas-X strips!

Looking at some of those posts, you also learn that some of those people just haven't made the changes that they needed to. Not eating right, not exercising. There are those that do have a hard time, but typically that is from some sort of medical condition like PCOS or thyroid problems. If you do what your doctor says but eating right, exercising and getting the fills, you will lose weight. It always surprises me when someone says that I had the surgery but no fills or say I need a fill but am going to wait or that they can't afford it. Then why did you have the surgery in the first place???? The band doesn't work without fills. If you need a fill, get one! Why spend all that money and not put the effort needed into being successful.

Keep positive and just tell yourself that you CAN do this! Don't get discouraged if you don't lose or gain in a week, just know that the next week is a chance to improve. For instance, last week my scale said I had gained 4.5lbs. Now I knew that I had eaten some Valentine's candy, but 4.5lbs worth, no way. I was a little upset, but I knew my body was playing tricks on me. There is no way that I had gained that much. Today when I weighed, I have lost it all back plus 2lbs. Just stay positive and know that you have done something to help you get healthy and to prolong your life. It is a journey. Not just a quick fix.

Good luck. If you have any specific questions, I will be happy to answer!