More2Love

I drink Muscle Milk Light every day. They only have 100 calories. I'm obsessed with calories and don't drink anything with more than 120 calories for my Protein shake. I drink the pre-mixed shakes and only the chocolate ones. I've tried the Cookies & cream when I first started and it was nasty. The chocolate one isn't so bad. There's a Muscle Milk that's 170 cals with like 19g of Protein I believe? That one's pretty good. And yes, Muscle Milk gives you the bloated/ gassy feeling. Ugh, that's the worst part of the whole thing. But, there's only 100 calories and sometimes if I plug my nose, it goes down so much easier. It does give a nasty after taste so I ALWAYS have gum in my pocket. That's a must if you're going to drink it. Anyway, I hope everything works out for you with your new shake!!

Actually, my period was really bad prior to surgery. They were extremely irregular for almost my whole "adult" life. I'm 22 now. In fact, since January of this year I had it for 4 months straight! Literally! It was terrible! It wasn't always heavy, but it was so irregular - lots of spotting. I talked to my doctor and it was because of my weight. At that time I was 316 lbs. They were heavy and usually started to get heavy when I was nervous or stressed. However, since surgery May 18th and 42 lbs later, my period is so regular! I mean, I had one period a week ago and it was heavy...but it wasn't heavy for like 2 weeks. No, it was heavy for 2 days and then stopped. I'm finally a "normal" adult! This band has changed my life in more ways than one!

Funny things is, I came onto this site tonight because I was dealing with the exact same problem! I was banded on May 18th - I did no diet prior to surgery and have lost a grand total of 41 lbs. However, every 10 lbs I keep stalling. I work out every night for at least an hour (and I really mean work out!) I had been losing quickly before and then once I started going to the gym, my weight loss decreased. It seems to take me forever to get to the next pound lost. I especially stalled at the 285 mark, now I'm finally at 275 but I keep going up and down....then again, I weigh myself every morning. I'm thinking about just having my roomies hide the scale so I don't do that anymore. All I can say is that the scale WILL go down. Believe it or not. I didn't think it would go down once I got to 285...but now I'm 10 lbs lighter. I know that this may not help, but I'm right there with you. It's frusterating...but we'll do this...together!!!!

Hey Tiamg! Congrats about surgery! It'll be something that you won't regret! Recovery was great. I wasn't feelings too great for about 3-4 days. However, by day 4 I was off the pain meds and not taking anything. I was even waking up and realizing that I had been sleeping on my side rather than my back...which was great because I had no pain. I had my surgery on a Wednesday and went back to school on the following Monday. I am a cosmetologist so I'm standing on my feet for 8+ hours a day and had absolutely no problem with it. The worst part was the liquid diet - though you losing a good amount of weight during that time! Mushies was better though. But literally by that Monday I felt great. I went for a walk every single evening starting that Monday and didn't have much pain. Sometimes just a little, but nothing that would have me squirming. I did join a gym the following two weeks post-op. However, I do recommend you talking to your Dr. to see when he/she wants you to start working out (sometimes they say about 6-8 weeks post-op but I refused lol). Anywany, I really hope that you're getting excited! This will be a great achievement to you and a great gift to your 1 year old. Good luck with everything!! @Michael - Definitely. I need to remember where I came from. Weigh in this morning was -34 lbs. Though it's discouraging sometimes at how slow the scale is going down (especially since I work so hard at the gym) but each pound is a pound gone forever. I just gotta keep remembering that. I definitely need to keep that quote handy because it's true. I should be proud of each pound...remember where you came from. Thank you for the advise!

On the scale of 1 - 10 (1 being nothing and 10 being terrible) I would probably rate it a 7-8 in the hospital. I have low pain tolerance and didn't want the pain meds because it made me sick. However, once the found the right pain med to give me I was in heaven. I was able to walk around and was great. After day 2 I was more of a (5) until about the 5th day. Then I had to go back to school - I'm in Cosmetology school where I work on my feet 8 hours a day and was completely fine. I was probably a (2) but hardly felt it at all. Definitely the pain is temporary. We've all been there for sure. It gets better...even if it doesn't feel like it will. I remember asking, "Is this going to be forever?" but before I knew it, I woke up and was itching to get to the gym! You can do it!! There's no doubt that you can it! Do attend the support meetings, and even watching shows on TV like Extreme Makeover - Weight Loss Edition help. Find as much support you can, and don't forget that you're your own biggest fan. It didn't take a few weeks to put the weight on, so don't forget that it will take more than a few weeks to get the weight off. But I can promise you that the day you buy a smaller pair of jeans, you will never want to give up! Definitely hit me up if you ever feel nervous. That goes for anyone. I can be a great listener. I will listen to your complaints, and your excitements! Good luck to you! You'll all do great!

Did I have pain? Yes. Was the week of Clear liquids hard? Of course. But did I ever wish I didn't do it? Never. Even today, I am 100% certain that I would do the surgery again. It's been a blessing in my life and everything negative that you may read on here is just us complaining. But I truly don't think anyone would wish they didn't have it done. I'm feeling happy, heathy, and confident. The nerves are temporary, but your health is forever. Good luck with everything!!

Hey guys! Thanks for the comments! Disney World is definitely something that I'm looking forward to. My friends are always taking road trips to Orlando and they go to Harry Potter Land. Ok, so I'm a dork and want to go too! But I heard that some of the rides are really small and I don't want to be embarrassed. I had to get off one ride before at Cedar Pointe and I almost died! So I'm definitely trying to keep that as one of my goals! @Kymbethin I hope your fill went great today! Mine wasn't too bad. I was scared but my nurse was/ is super nice so we just laughed about other things before the surgeon came in. He came in, numbed me, and just did his thing. Hit the port right away and filled me up! Super easy!! I hope you all are doing well also! It's a long road, but it's a great feeling to finally try on a pair of jeans and realize that you can go smaller! "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I used to answer by saying they've obviously never tasted a piece of chocolate cake before...but now I know what they mean! Keep up the hard work, people!!!

Well, tomorrow I'm getting my first fill. Shouldn't be that bad. I'm guessing. I'm a bit nervous about the needle part, but I'm looking forward to have somewhat restriction - though I heard the 1st one doesn't always give you the restriction most people desire. This Wednesday I'll be exactly one month post-op. Wow, this month flew by. So far I've lost 32 lbs. Not too bad. Ya know, it took me 22 years to put this weight on, so I don't expect the weight to just melt off. It takes time. Though I wouldn't mind having the weight just melt off! I'm excited to finally just get it off and become "normal." I want to do normal things and not have my weight slow me down. I want to go to Disney World and ride the rides w/o being scared I won't fit. I want to go on dates with guys. And someday I do want to have kids. I just want to be labeled as normal. I switched gyms this weekend. It wasn't that I didn't like my old gym, i just felt a bit out of place. My old gym was mostly for men who wanted to work on their muscles. Everyone was so strong and no one was overweight. I just stuck w/ my tredmill, watching them with wide eyes. These men were huge and most likely were gymnists sometime in their lives - wouldn't surprise me...especially considering where I live. Walking into Serena/ Venus Williams or Celine Dion (etc) on a daily basis is normal here. So I'm guessing these guys are working on their stamina. So I joined a gym (farther away) but it is a non-judgement facility. It's great! I feel so much more laid back there compared to the other one. I've being listening to The Airborne Toxic Event and it's been keeping me occupied while walking on the tredmill. I need to start toning my arms, but I can't lift anything more than 10 lbs because I'm still healing. I'm going to make the gym a daily habit. I know it will be hard, but determination will get me through this! Soon I'll be a size 8 Until then, where are my keys because I'm off to the gym! But anyway, getting weighed in tomorrow so I hope I've lost more. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Hey guys! I had my surgery 3 weeks ago. I'd been losing great for about 2 weeks. In fact, I had lost 30 lbs in those two weeks before seeing my surgeon for my post-op follow-up. However, now I'm not losing anything! I've been stuck at the same weight for a week now. I joined a gym last week, and now I haven't lost a single pound. Now, I haven't gained either so that's great! I'm just wondering if someone knows a trick to jump-start weightloss again. I'm not eating a lot, and am always drinking 64oz+ of water a day. I go (fast) over 2 miles on the tredmill each night, and then go just one mile on the bike. And I'm not eating after 5pm. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong. If someone has a trick up their sleeve for weightloss - even just 1 pound - please let me know. (I'm getting my 1st fill this Monday so I'll be sure to pop into my Nutritionist's office to make up a food plan with her.)

YAY!! That's great!!

Hey I got lap-band almost 3 weeks ago (Wednesday) and I've already lost 32 lbs. I can definitely see a difference. That is with diet and exercise. Also, I spoke to a man on here who lost like 70+ lbs in just 2 months. It really just depends on your body type and how dedicated you want to be. If you put 100% in then you'll get 100% out. Good luck with your decision!

I have 6. I was prepared for 5 also, but woke up and was told that I had 6. No big deal. 3 of them are so tiny that it looks like I got scratched there. I think that sometimes in order to see better, the doc has to make more holes. And you can always ask your doc about it

Hey First off, I wasn't scared that I was going to die. In fact, I went in there not sure what was going to happen - nor the risks. I knew the risks for the Band, but that was it. So now I'm a little shocked that I wouldn't have done my homework earlier to find out the possible side effects of anesthesia. Anyway, the week before surgery was crazy for me. I was a wreck...and eating everything in sight. I went to Olive Garde, Pizza Hut...I just ate, ate, ate. I didn't have to do the pre-op diet which was a blessing and a curse. I ended up gaining 2 pounds before the surgery. The surgery day was the worst. I never had surgery before and I was absolutely terrified. The worst part was the I.V. for me. After that I just got to lay on a comfy table, get a few shots, talk to a few people and I was on my way. But I was definitely an emotional wreck! Glad it's over and I can continue living my life as post-op.

Hey You will still be able to drink your water - if fact, it's kind of required. At first you won't be able to drink much water (first couple days) but then you should be drinking 64+ oz a day. Also, call up the doctor's office that you wish to get your surgery done at and see if it's available. Then check with insurance - usually they can tell you which places locally accept your insurance - and you want to make sure you get approved. There are many steps before actually getting the surgery. I had to have 3 months diet w/ nutritionist, talk to a psychologist, have blood work done on multiple occassions, meet w/ my primary care provider, and the list goes on. It's a lot of work. So definitely just make a few phone calls on Tuesday and get the ball rolling. You won't be sorry that you did!

Hey guys! May 18th here. Almost perfect still on the crazy liquid diet but start solids next Wednesday. Can't wait!

You lost 92 lbs since March 1??? Wow! Tell us how you did it! I've heard that sometimes gas bubbles from surgery can still cause some people pain even a couple months after surgery. It could possibly just still be floating around. Definitely call your doctor just to make sure that it's nothing serious. Good job again!

American Eagle jeans. Since Middle School I've always coveted just 1 pair. Everyone wore A.E. jeans and I could never fit into them. I was a size 18 in 6th grade! And man...when that day comes...I'm sure that I'll break down and cry. Those jeans mean the world to me. That's my biggest goal ever - it's more than graduating from college, getting married, etc.

That's one of the reasons that I looked into Lap Band in the first place. I could never fit into those chairs. Oh, it was so embarrassing! All the girls were tiny, and I felt HUGE compared to everyone. I felt like everyone was staring at me and thinking things in their heads. I used to scope out the classroom days before class started to peek into the windows to see what chairs they had. In fact, I sometimes I wouldn't even take classes because they were only offered in those classrooms. However, at 290+ I was able to fit in them...I was just uncomfortable. I think you'll be fine, but man...that brings back some bad memories. Just remember - college is important. If I had it over, I wouldn't be so embarrassed. I am who I am, and I shouldn't be ashamed of who I am. Never be ashamed...everyone's beautiful on the inside and out.

I will get better! Right now it seems like it'll go on forever, but it won't. I was in the exact same boat...but I'm totally fine now. Just keep walking - no matter how hard that may seem. Once I started taking walks outside, I noticed that I was burping more, which made my stomach feel better and less bloated. I had lots of nausea after surgery - it just happens. SO painful - and my whole family was there was watch me be sick... But it goes away. 8 days post-op and I'm almost perfectly normal again. However, sometimes when I burp, it still stays in my stomach and moves around...and yes, that's painful. But it definitely is much, much, much better now than before. So again, it gets better! Hang in there!

Banded on the 18th too Guess that was a good day! Absolutely no pain here Haven't been drinking my protein shakes because the thought makes me feel sick. I need to start drinking them though so I don't end up losing my hair. My hair's my "money maker" considering I'm a cosmetologist. Anyway, good luck with your journey!!

By the 7th, she'll still be in a lot of discomfort because of the gas, but she'll be able to sit there. I know that I was doing fine 3 days post-op. Everyone is different, but she can do anything that she puts her mind to. Sometimes pain is just in the mind. School's important and health is important. She'll just have to decide if she's willing to work through it. My surgery was on Wed and went back to school the following Monday. I was hardly in any discomfort at school on Monday. In fact, I am going to school for cosmetology and was able to stay on my feet and cut hair for 8 hours w/o complaint. Then again, everyone's different and everyone has a different pain level. Anyway, good luck to her!

This is SO exciting! Congrats! I seriously hope that everything goes smoothly for you. My surgery was at 9:30 am also Anyway, I definitely agree that you'll never know how someone else feels until you try it for yourself. I've read so many forums on here, but I never truly knew. I'm currently 1 week post-op and still thrilled that I did this. Dive, baby, dive!!

Hey Pinky! Congrats! I'm glad you had a good experience! This was also my first experience with any kind of surgery - but I DID break my ankle when I was in 3rd grade. I was extremely scared, and I did cry But my nurses were all nice about it. It was just the whole operating room that freaked me out. I'm currently 1 week post-op so we're close. Anyway, good luck with everything. 18 pounds lost? That's awesome!

Hey First, congrats! And second, I just wore normal clothes. I wore jeans and my favorite shirt. When I got to the hospital, they brought me into the "waiting" room and made me change into a gown, cloth panties, and no-slip socks. I couldn't wear my jewerly (bye-bye Industrial piercing) and my bra. I ended up wearing that all day because I wasn't allowed to change and I was so drowsy that I just didn't care. Before leaving the hospital the next day though I changed into a baggy pair of pj pants and t-shirt. I dont recommend anything tight because it'll hurt your stomach. Just something light and comfy. Good luck with everything! **I live in Florida so I didn't need a coat, but I recommend something easy to put on. Also, I had brought my makeup and hair supplies, but I was just so tired and in pain from the gas that I just didn't even care what I looked like.

Oh that's so exciting! Congrats! I had all those feelings...plus some! But honestly, I was so sick of being considered unhealthy that that feeling trumped everything else. Those feelings are normal, but keep looking forward to the results. I'm currently 1 week post-op and I've already had my first non-scale victory with clothing. That's the best feeling! Again, I'm so excited for you. Keep us updated on your journey