Greetings to all!

Here is a place for us to meet up after our surgeries for more specific post-op discussions. Hope to see everyone here!

Please tell me there is loss after a plateau! I've lost 22 lbs. (banded 7/6) but I've been at the same weight for 3 weeks! I got my first fill last week but I might call for another fill...I'm not too hungry and I'm eating about a cup three times a day plus one snack. I know I need to start exercising but I just haven't yet. I'm super happy with 22 lbs gone but..I want more!!! As always I'm failing to see the light at the end of the tunnel and worry that'll be 214 forever!! Please tell me this shall pass!

Of course there is. Remember, it's only been 3 weeks and you've lost 22 lbs. You're body has to reset for a few days to recover from such rapid weight loss. Just stay on target and you will see it start falling off again. I wouldn't recommend more than one fill a month!

You're already getting there - hang in a few days longer.......

I was banded on July 29th. I went back for my 1 week follow up and I had lost 10 lbs!! I had to have my staples removed ( all 32 of them, wasnt really expecting staples for laprascopic surgery, but actually I liked them better than stitches!) Some of the staples pinched a little when they came out, but it made sleeping in bed alot easier because I felt more "held together" than when you do with stitches. My doctor has always said that I could advance my diet as tolerated. I did mostly liquids and soups and stuff for the first week but Ive been on solids this whole week. I have no fluid in my band, but still feel really good restriction on it. The only problem I have is that I want to eat too fast, and my brain is still bigger than my belly. I went to Steak n Shake with my husband last night for dinner and I sat down and was thinking of all of the things I wanted to order, and I had to step back and make myself realize that even if I wanted to eat all of those things...I actually couldnt. I did order a cup of chili with cheese and onions, and a side order of cottage cheese. If I eat fast, then I dont get the signal to my brain and I end up eating way too much and feeling sick..but if I chew everything and take atleast 15-20 minutes then I can clearly tell when I am full. I ate that one cup of soup and had to take my cottage cheese home with me ..it was actually my breakfast this morning. The first week or so I was kind of regretting my decision because I was sore, couldnt sleep very well, wasnt working and was on mostly liquids.. I would go and try to walk around places as much as possible to relieve the gas pains, but my family would stop and eat and I would just feel so down in the dumps. I wasnt mad at them for eating, and I told them it didnt bother me..I wasnt hungry..but emotionally it was devastating to me. I finally called the doctor and told him I was going back to work (4 days post-op) and I started eating the soups, and progressed into regular food from there.. Now I am happy I made this decision. Althought the scale did say I had gained a pound since my weigh in 5 days ago...but its ok. Ive started my exercising this week and I am commited to making this work... I think my head is my biggest enemy, and the games it can play on me are ruthless. I was on a 3 month pre-op diet and lost 27 pounds, along with the 10 Ive lost post-op makes me right at 37 lbs... Im ok with that. I was alot bigger than most of the readers Ive seen. I was 375 on my first consult appt.. now I am 338 pounds. I still have a loooong way to go, but theres nothing better than getting out of the 370's, 60's, 50's, 40's and eventually the 30's... I used to think 100 lbs seemed impossible, but now Im almost half way there... Good Luck to you all, and all my love!!Sherry

that's awesome!! I think I'll always remember the first person that didn't know about my surgery and told me I looked like I had lost weight!!

Amy

Sharing a NSV: I have worked for the same man for 22 years. He is a 82 year old fittness buff who is in great shape .....but doesn't eat real food at all. Always tells me I have to lose weight and go on a diet. He is very wealthy & crude but not a happy person at all. I did not and would never tell him about the lapband. So Friday he says to me "have you lost some weight....your face looks prettier". When I told him I did he said "if you lose 30 lbs I'll give you a bonus". I just grinned and bit my tongue. Hope I can do this.....CAT

cardio 5 days a week? Whoa!!! that's awesome!! I was banded the same day but just finished my meds for a staph infection and am regaining some strength. Good job!

Amy

Just alittle check in here. I was banded on July1. My only problem was that I took an allergic reaction to the tape over the incisions so after it was removed it was red and itchy for about 2 weeks. Other than that, everything went well. I felt awful for 1 week but since then, I've felt great!! I lost 18lbs in the first two weeks and then the scale stopped moving since I added in mushies and then soft foods. Now that my body has adjusted I am steadily loosing!!! I joined the gym and I'm doing cardio 5x's a week. Today I get my first fill and hopefully clearance to use all of the other things at the gym. As of this morning, I'm down 30lbs!!!!

I'm so glad to see everyone's progress and support here, eventhough I don't post alot!!

Have a great Monday everyone!!!

Thank you Winifred

Crap. Crap crap crap. We have had company for two weeks straight now (different people who all scheduled August trips--one couple left at 10 a.m. and another showed up at noon today) and I've had a hard time sticking to appropriate eating habits. And today, it all went out the window. We went out for Italian food. I dutifully boxed up 1/2 of my dinner and brought it home. Then, three hours later, I took it out and ate the leftovers.

Now my stomach hurts. And of course I'm panicking that I may have caused band problems (I don't REALLY think so, since it wasn't much more than a cup of food at a time, several hours apart, but I always go to worst case scenario first). Again I say CRAP.

*sigh* Anyone else gone on a mini-binge and freaked themselves out since banding?

I'll be glad to start over tomorrow.

Yep-i have had a few. Got my first fill today - suport group us tomorrow @630 if you can come!

Help July Bandsters! I had my first post-op appt with my doctor today after being banded on July 22. She was very pleased with the way things are going so when I asked if I would be getting a fill at my month follow up (in about two weeks) she said, no. She said I wouldn't need one. All I do right now is dream of food, things to mush up and eating. I'm so nervous about when I'm able to start eating mushy foods. I have done pretty well with the weight loss but have no energy to exercise and I do realize at some point it will all plateau. I am really aware of the fact that I'm in control of what and how much I put in my mouth but I'd still like to lose weight, not gain weight.

My doctor is strict so Mushy Foods don't start for me until week 5. When you moved to mushy foods, did any of you gain weight? After one month, were you ready to exercise? Not just walk but weight train, like my doctor wants me to do? She also said that introducing mushy foods means just one or two mushy foods a day - not all three meals. What has been your experience with this next phase?

Many Thanks!

May

Help July Bandsters! I had my first post-op appt with my doctor today after being banded on July 22. She was very pleased with the way things are going so when I asked if I would be getting a fill at my month follow up (in about two weeks) she said, no. She said I wouldn't need one. All I do right now is dream of food, things to mush up and eating. I'm so nervous about when I'm able to start eating mushy foods. I have done pretty well with the weight loss but have no energy to exercise and I do realize at some point it will all plateau. I am really aware of the fact that I'm in control of what and how much I put in my mouth but I'd still like to lose weight, not gain weight.

My doctor is strict so Mushy Foods don't start for me until week 5. When you moved to mushy foods, did any of you gain weight? After one month, were you ready to exercise? Not just walk but weight train, like my doctor wants me to do? She also said that introducing mushy foods means just one or two mushy foods a day - not all three meals. What has been your experience with this next phase?

Many Thanks!

May

Hi May: I was put on mushies after 2 weeks post op, which was this past Monday. I'm enjoying the change from liquids but the weight loss does slow up a bit. They told me not to exercise yet....wait for my next appt in 1 month. Walking is okay to do now. Not as fast losing the weight as I would like but starting to feel like a normal person eating somewhat again. I also am frightened to think about what will happen when I get to the next stage after mushies. Hope the losing continues. Good Luck CAT

Warning for TMI: has anyone else's sex drive gone through the roof? I'm seriously distracted by this! I'm completely consumed by this spike in my libido. My poor DH doesn't know what to do. This is great exercise, though.

Just curious if any of you is having this issue? I remember having the same problem a few years ago when I got really skinny. It didn't go away until I got pregnant and stayed fat. Meanwhile, I feel hormonal changes in regards to my TOM, less acne (yea!) and an out of the blue desire to have a baby. This is insane, but the ride is fun.

Finally got my first fill today (although the port still isn't closed). Thank GOD for Lidocaine! Now have 5cc's in a 10cc band.

Amy

Warning for TMI: has anyone else's sex drive gone through the roof? I'm seriously distracted by this! I'm completely consumed by this spike in my libido. My poor DH doesn't know what to do. This is great exercise, though.

Just curious if any of you is having this issue? I remember having the same problem a few years ago when I got really skinny. It didn't go away until I got pregnant and stayed fat. Meanwhile, I feel hormonal changes in regards to my TOM, less acne (yea!) and an out of the blue desire to have a baby. This is insane, but the ride is fun.

LOL..not uncommon, I think. It's the aftermath of feeling better about ourselves

Hello my July friends! I just wanted to drop in since today is my one month bandiversary! Here's what's been going on:

• I've been pretty much eating anything I want (crunchy, mushy, whatev) and haven't had any problems getting or keeping anything down. Still no PB's or stucks-- yay! I take (ridiculously) small bites and chew, chew, chew. Still working on eating slowly, and I think I'm getting a little better. I just get annoyed being the last one at the dinner table, so I usually just throw whatever food I have left in the trash. Whatever works, right?
• I eat no more than 1/2 cup at a time. I usually eat less, but have found that if I eat the full 1/2 cup portion, I stay full longer. So even though I lose interest after a few bites, I'm going to push myself to eat a little more so that I'm not thinking about food after 2 hours.
• Water intake: dismal. Why is it that I can chug down a grande iced mocha like it's going out of style but I'm doing good to get down 20oz of water in a day? Ugh. I hate water.
• I still have some soreness, particularly around the port area, so I haven't started exercising yet. The incisions are healing nicely though, so that's good. Looking forward to feeling 100% and hitting the gym.
• I was walking my dog this morning and a neighbor told me I was looking great. Um, awesome!! I could get used to this.

And, drum roll please....25 lbs lost!

Love. My. Lapband.

April

Warning for TMI: has anyone else's sex drive gone through the roof? I'm seriously distracted by this! I'm completely consumed by this spike in my libido. My poor DH doesn't know what to do. This is great exercise, though.

Just curious if any of you is having this issue? I remember having the same problem a few years ago when I got really skinny. It didn't go away until I got pregnant and stayed fat. Meanwhile, I feel hormonal changes in regards to my TOM, less acne (yea!) and an out of the blue desire to have a baby. This is insane, but the ride is fun.

Mine has too! Tomorrow is my one month with my band! I go in next week for my first fill! So excited!