steggegirl

Hello to all of you who are new to our group. We are here for you! I was banded Aug. 3rd and haven't lost as much as I would have liked for the first 3 weeks. I go to my first follow up with my surgeon, Dr. Mikami, tomorrow. I think we all share in the same challenges here - losing, gaining, carbs, (and yes, cheating), etc. For me, the Lapband has given me hope. Even though the weight doesn't come off quickly, it does come off. The weight I have lost so far is weight that I won't ever have to lose again - I now have the resolve to keep it off, that I didn't have before. The Lapband is my last resort and I refuse to screw it up this time!

Wow, I had no idea that weight gain was common. I lost 10 lbs the first week and since then have put 1-2 back on even though I am not eating that much! I still am wondering why it is that this happens. I am wondering how a fill will change things because like I said, I am not really eating that much - about 3 cups of food for the entire day.

I have been on mushies since the day after my surgery. I have even eaten a couple of items and chewed the heck out of them until they were mushy before I swollowed them. I am anxiously awaiting regular foods, which will probably begin after my first post op appointment on 8/23.

I worry about stretching mine too. I am eating about 1 cup of food at a time. Is that too much? They teach you to pay attention to your stomach . . . if you are full, you need to stop eating. Well I stay hungry, so I eat a cup and that seems to do it.

I, too, was banded on the 3rd. I started on mushies on the 4th and can't wait until I can eat regular foods. I munched on a couple of homemade french fries today, but I made sure I chewed them all the way up. I started out eating 1/2 cup, but now eat about a cup of food at a time. I've lost 10 lbs, but have been stuck there for a few days. I am getting frustrated.

Wendy, Oh heavens yes! I did that so much - I would just eat and eat thinking I would never get to indulge again. And then I finally came to accept that familiar old saying "everything in moderation!" I used to look at food as a dear friend that I was too afraid to lose. Well let me tell you - friends aren't supposed to hurt so much! And food did nothing but make me miserable. Some friends I can only handle in small doses - food being one of them!

Welcome Wendy - you sound like you have your hands full - you will be so happy that you decided to do this for yourself. If you don't put yourself first, you won't be able to take care of others. Good luck in your journey and know that we are here for you!

Hey Tasha, what is it specifically you would like to know? I just got banded a little over a week ago. I did the step I diet while in the hospital - I stayed overnight. Then the next day I was able to transition to stage II - mushie food. I am still on that until I go back to the Dr. on the 23rd. I have lost about 1 lb a day, but I know that will start to slow down soon and I will have to work a lot harder at it - like exercise (ewww, I hate that part)! Anyway, I can tell the swelling is going down because I am getting a lot hungrier, sooner and don't seem to get as full as fast. I am beginning to enter that phase that everybody calls "Bandster Hell". It will be a real killjoy for the fun it has been so far and I am NOT looking forward to it. Let me know how I can help - that's what we are all here for!

Hey All, I made it through with flying colors! It's been a week now and I am already down about 7lbs now - WooHoo! The biggest challenge for me is learning how to eat slowly. I also miss eating a typical family meal with my husband, but I know that will come in time. So, BandedKraut, what kind of problems have you been encountering so far? I have had just a few, but that is to be expected. Let us know how we can help! Welcome NYsLegend. It will be interesting to hear about your journey from a guy's perspective - keep us informed!

Kelly

decaffinated tea with mint extract (1/4 tsp per gallon) and Splenda. I also drink Minute Maid Lite with Splenda sweetened strawberries. Both are very yummy!

Hooray! I am thrilled that you decided to come back to LBT Sue! Like I said before, we have a good thread going here and I think you have a lot of LB experience to share with all of us!

I gave up sodas about a year ago and subtituted them with decaffinated tea made with Splenda and mint and I also like to drink Minute Maid Lite with strawberries. As I told Llyra, if you give up something, find a good subtitute that you can live with.

Well, I have my classroom about all unpacked now and all I need to do is decorate and do some filing. I have never been this far along so early - the start of the new school year should be a breeze!

I bought two new books to read over the next two weeks as I recover - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Help. I have heard that they are both excellent reads and I can't wait to get started. I am getting excited for this surgery, partially because it will give me an excuse to take it easy for awhile. I have been so busy working at school and getting my house all clean to prepare for it that I have have worn myself out! It has caused me to be a bit more active though and I am starting to see my scale move again. Woo Hoo! Wish me luck gals!

Kelly

So Llyra, how has the beverage thing been going for you since last time? Have you had any luck with the scale? SuzieK informed me that she is no longer visiting the site, but I still communicate with her via email. Good luck to you Lisa - the time will go by fast! I am set to go in 6 days . . . starting to get more and more excited! What a great combination of ladies we have here - we are all in various stages of our journey. Hope to hear from you all soon!

Kelly

I am so thrilled for you! You must feel like a whole new person now - woo hoo!

jdulac - you can do it!

I am set for August 3rd! No pre-op liquid diet required. Lost 30 lbs from 3 month nutrition class. After reading how everybody is talking about having to suffer through the strict diets, I started feeling guilty began worrying about the size of my liver, so I decided to ramp up my diet. I have 9 days left.

I am also a teacher and am working now to get my room ready now so I can get the heavy lifting done prior to surgery. We moved to a different building, so there is so much more to be done than normal.

My doctor only requires liquid diet 1-2 days post op and then it will be on to mushies! Good luck to all of you!

I know what you both mean. I could look at myself in a mirror and I knew I was overweight, but I could still see me, and there were times I thought I looked pretty good. But then, when I would see pics of myself! Well, reality set in. I could never believe that it was me. At first, I would think that it was just a bad pic, but then after seeing more and more of them, I soon realized it was more than bad pictures. I was in horror! I had gradually let weight get out of hand through the years and the pattern was always the same. Gain weight, lose weight; gain even more weight, lose weight. It has gone back and forth like that since my high school graduation in 1983. I wondered ... at what point did I become okay with this? It has taken me way too long to realize that I needed help. I quit smoking cold turkey 1/15/02, but losing weight is sooo different! You still have to eat to live - but I was living to eat. I am so excited, albeit nervous, about my impending surgery! Congratulations on deciding to take that first step!

The only people I have told are my husband, son, and a few friends who also have weight problems. Skinny people do not get it - and that includes my mother who is 100 lbs (wet). I have lost 30 lbs. from taking the required nutrition class so far and I have told everyone that I am getting my hiatal hernia repaired - which I am. Everyone knows I have been having a lot of stomach problems, so they don't even question it and I have already been losing weight, so I will just continue on that path after the surgery and none will be the wiser! :thumbup:

As far as Lapband vs. bypass, my own family doctor does not condone the bypass because of the malabsorption of nutrients. I wouldn't want bypass anyway as we lost a very dear friend from it just a few months ago. :w00t: He had zero energy after surgery and became very sedentary. He developed a blod clot and it went to his brain. My husband said he would NOT support me if I chose to take that route. It's not really an issue anyway.

Looking forward to beginning my Lapband journey!

I have to say that I completely agree with BetsyB. She said everything I was thinking. If I were to put myself in your mother's shoes, I would have a hard time parting with the dog.

My dog is a part of the family and I made a committment to her when I got her. I do have a nephew who is afraid of dogs and I sit for him occasionally. I always put the dog out of reach from the child - either outside or in her cage. But I don't care for him every day. Does your mom watch your daughter all day long? That is a long time to keep a dog separated from others and unfair to the dog.

Also, have you talked to your vet? What does she suggest? I wonder if some training would help? I have watched Ceasar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, and I know that it is a behavior that can be corrected. I know many people are not fans of his, but I would still seek help from an expert (at your expense) before making any decision.

I, too, am a teacher. When I called my Dr.'s office to schedule the pre-op appointment with my Dr. they told me that that is when I would be scheduling my surgery. I explained that I am a teacher and that I couldn't wait until then to schedule as that would put me too close to the start of school, so they went ahead and tentatively "penciled" me in for surgery, but it was contingent on everything going well with the appointment. Now I am confirmed for Aug. 3 and am also working on getting my room ready now, as there is much to be done (we moved school buildings this year because they are building us a new school). After surgery, all I will have left to do is some filing and planning - the lifting and heavy duty stuff will be done. My surgeon's office worked with me and said they get a LOT of teachers in the summer - they totally get it. Sorry you didn't get the same cooperation from your surgeon's office. My advice - get all your work done in your classroom ASAP and get you a good sub for a couple of days. Teaching itself is not physical, getting things ready for the school year is. Get others to help you with the physical part and convince your doctor that you can go back to work in a few days. Hope this helped! :thumbup:

I believe my surgeon said the mortality rate is 1 in 5,000. He said that he has never lost anyone due to the lapband - and he has done MANY of them.

I am feeling the exact same way. You feel guilty for putting yourself in such a position that you need something as drastic as surgery to make yourself healthy, right? That you don't have the strength or willpower to lose the weight on your own? I feel your pain! I was fairly confident about the decision I made about the lapband, at first, but now that I am 2 weeks away (Aug. 3) I am feeling all those things. I have even started becoming obsessed with learning more and more about the lapband online. I spent all last week on youtube, and now I've discovered this site! I think I am looking for more reassurance than what I already have gotten so far from the university where I'm having my procedure. Hang in there - you can do it!

yes! My surgery date is August 3 @ 7:00am in Columbus , Ohio. Like everyone else, I am a bit aprehensive but ready to begin my Lapband journey. Good luck to you!

I am 44 and will be banded August 3. I felt very confident since beginning the process, but not that I am two weeks away, I am beginning to get a bit nervous. Would love to correspond with you here from the great state of Ohio.