Riley O'Riley

I am originally from New Albany, IN but am now live in Louisville, Ky. There is a great team of surgeons in Louisville if you're interested I can pass along the info. I love my doc!!

I agree with josiebies....i was losing steadily, about 1 lb per week but then I went to Ireland for 2 week vacation and lost 7 lbs in that 2 weeks from walking. I kept up the walking when I returned home and also do Zumba 2 x per week and am losing 2 lbs per week. The exercise is a huge part of overall success....IMHO, even more than what you eat.

My doctor's point of view is that after banding, you should be able to eat anything that you want, including bread and Pasta. It took me about 8 months post-op to believe him and try it, but now I can and do eat both. The thing with bread is that it goes down easier if it is toasted and not doughy (like crescent rolls, croissants, etc.) I can eat biscuits (the top crunchy part) and I eat alot of pasta....just way smaller portions. I have never had trouble with 'swelling' like I've heard other people say. At first I thought my doc was crazy, but after following his advise and eating what I want and not limiting myself, it has helped tremendously with not feeling deprived. I am 20 months since my lapband and down 106 pounds. :wink2:

Okay, I have a perfect example of something that totally peeves me off. I was banded 11-22-06 and have lost so far about 35 lbs. I am starting to feel pretty good about myself and for the first time in years, literally, have felt like joining the rest of the planet in some social activity. My 15 year old daughter has begged me to take ballroom dance lessons with her for the past year. Well, tonight we finally started, with an adult education class at a local high school. There were about 19 people, mostly all my age or older. The class was 2 hours long and I had so much fun. During the evening, I danced with one older gentleman, who seemed a little gruff...I figure maybe he is a widower, so I overlooked his critical comments on my dancing ability and his overblown opinion of himself....(classic know-it-all.) By the end of the class, I felt so, so wonderful and was thinking, you know, this wasn't so bad, I can do this...great exercise and everything. Then, he comes up to me and says "you know, you're a really hefty lady...what I want you to do is go home and practice walking up stairs on the balls of your feet so that you can get some muscles in your legs, which you need if you want to dance." I was totally deflated and mortified that he would say that to me, a stranger, in front of the rest of the class. I felt like I was in the 7th grade again and I just wanted to run to the nearest exit and burst into tears. I mean, where do people get off saying things like this?? I would never think to say to him, "you know, you dance pretty well for a octogenarion with extremly awful breath...what I want you to do is brush your teeth really well before you come to class next time, you rude asshole." It's like when you're fat, people think they can say whatever the heck ever they feel like, and its acceptable....because, well...your fat. AAAAGGGGGGG!!!!!!!

My surgeon required me to do 7 days of clear liquids only. Yes, I was freakin' starving before I even had surgery. So for me it has been 2 1/2 weeks of only liquids. It's no wonder I sucked all the flavor off a dorito today. They said it was to shrink the liver to "avoid any injury" during surgery. Since I have heard so many other bandsters say they had no pre-op diet I think it is strictly a cya move on the surgeons part.

I just plan on telling people that my weight loss is because I'm eating less and moving more...which is the truth! I just don't think I could stand having people watching me every day to see what I put in my mouth and asking a ton of questions. My doctor, however, assures me that in a year I'll be singing the lap band praises to anyone who will listen.

My problem is I'm a stress eater. I have always been able to semi-manage my weight, but over the past 6 years have gained about 75 lbs. I remarried, sold my home, bought another, changed jobs a couple of times, nursed my daddy through lung/brain cancer and then my husband through recovery from a massive heart attack. Throw in stressful jobs and teenagers and viola' that's how I ended up at 299 lbs. I have been working on new ways to handle the stress, but today, for example, I had a really bad day at work. I walked through the front door and the next thing I knew I had a bag of doritos in my hand. I wanted to just eat and eat to get to that numb stage, you know? For honesty sake I will confess that I took one chip and licked it till it was soggy. How's that for an issue? At least I didn't give in and eat them. I'd have to say that today was the hardest day since I started my band journey. Also, I have to admit I'm looking forward to being able to eat some "mushies" as I'm getting pretty bored with broth and blended soup and sometimes my stomach really rumbles with hunger....which for me is a new sensation!

My mother practically raised us kids on thrift store clothing. A little hint - drive to the upscale part of your city and check out the Goodwill and re-sell retail clothing stores. You will be delighted to find designer clothing (sometimes with the tags still on them) for next to nothing. I have dressed myself pretty well as I have grown the opposite way (from skinny to fat) and I plan to continue doing it again...only in reverse. Cheers to you winning "losers" for getting to buy skinny clothes again. I can't wait to join you!

Thanks for the reply, mysherrijo. That makes me feel better as I was wondering if the port had flipped or something. I have my two-week follow-up on Thursday and can't wait to hear from my doc that everything looks okay. You know, I can't help but still feel like "is this really going to work?" I have failed so many times before that I have kinda become cynical about any hope for true and lasting weightloss. Glad I found this board and hope to make some new pals. 8-)

Hello everyone. I have never posted on a internet site before but have lurked here for several weeks and have gained some great information. I was banded Nov. 22, the day before Thanksgiving. Was sore after the surgery as usual, but otherwise doing great and have lost 17 lbs. so far. The past couple of days I have felt a sensation similar to a side-stitch under one of my smaller incisions. I assume this is my port? Is this feeling normal and has anyone experienced this sensation also? Will it go away as I continue to heal? I thought my dr. said you would not feel the port. Thanks for any information.:help: