Good morning. I am new to this group and looking for all the information I can regarding the iband. I still have 3 months to go before I can have my surgery. (Due to insurance) I am so excited about the iband and would love any information if you have had this procedure!!!

Thanks!!

Welcome, and congrats on the start of your weight loss surgery journey!

You'll find lots of info here just by cruising the forums and asking questions as they come to you.

There is much to learn. Look at the poster prior to this one. She wrote a 540 page book about living with the lapband. Buy it. I wish I would have before surgery and I wouldn't have been in the dark for so long.

tmf

I agree.... Ms. Jean is my favorite Guru..... on the lapband. She also has a wonderful newsletter that she writes.

Local support groups are another great place to go. I was lucky to have a very great friend be my mentor. She had the surg a year before me. I would still be 223lb or more if not for her.

I have had a great experience with my band so far. I was 223lb 5'2", banded 11/10/09. My doctor implanted the 14cc band. Stayed over night in hospital. Was up and walking within hours. Gas was about the worse part. But with experience from multiple surg before (2 c-sections, gallbladder, hysterectomy) i knew that the faster you get up and moving the better you are. liquids that week and mush the next which was Thanksgiving... ... But i made it through. In my opinion the first few month after the band was the worse for me. Little to no fill and i was starving all the time. And i could eat anything. This, i think, is when your self discipline will come in. You will have to say no and stick to the amount your doctor says to eat.... I bought a small kids plate, you know the cute ones with cartoons on them. Well they have the portion sections... i put only my amount of food and nothing more. Ate my Protein, then veggie, then starch. Most of the time i could eat the starch... No tv, reading, talking...etc while eating. No distraction from concentrating on chewing and chewing and more chewing. Take one bite, put the fork/spoon down. I would close my eyes and think about what i was eating and how good it taste. Did i cheat at anytime.... yes. But, as time goes by the things you thought you could never live with out, you find out you can. Bread was my biggest thing.... i LOVVEEE bread. But the first time you get stuck on bread you will never want to touch it again. Over the next 6 months i learned i could no longer eat.... Bread, pizza, rice, grits, anything over cooked (steak, chicken, pork) it had to be cook med. rare or med. I really started to fill restriction around 7cc in my band...... This is also when my husband said.... stop complaining about not losing enough weight. You have to start exercising more than twice a week.... so i got my lazy butt up and starting doing zumba 3x a week and weights 2x a week and i walk everyday. And he was right... i hated to admit it, but he was. When i weighed in May 6 i was at 177..... at one year i was 160, two years 146... today i weighed in at 143.

couple other things i did that helped me.... i stopped ordering buffets, if we went to a buffet, i asked to order off menu. If not, i left. Also when eating out, as much as possible i ask if i could get a Half order, if not as asked for the waitress/waiter to bring a go box when the meal was brought out. I portioned out my meal and put the rest in the box.... closed it and gave it to my husband so i would not be tempted to go back in.... Never never never order anything to drink.... not even Water.... at this point the waitress will look at you like your an alien..... she will say... are you sure, not even water.... no, not even water. Until you can control you and your band... not even water. Out of habit you will take a bite and not even thinking... you will pick up the glass and drink.... and you will be sorry. My worse stick were from doing that very thing. Now you have to get up and run to the bathroom and .... well get rid of your meal you just ate. The only time i order drink before a meal is coffee at Breakfast....

I found that i never noticed my weight loss, but others did. You will need to be prepared to answer question like, how are you losing the weight.... what are you doing? To tell or not to tell... that's the question.... its a personal choice. I chose not to tell at first. Only my husband, two boy, daughter in law and My mentor Paula... knew. I didn't tell my mom and other family until my mom thought i was dieing because of the weight loss.....lol.. but true. I would tell people.. im watching what i eat and exercise... which was true. About 9 months into it i started telling people and got the "oh you had WLS" look..... the "you took the easy way out" look. Be prepared for that if you chose to tell. Also, be prepared for men to start really taking notice of you again and your husband (if you have one) to get jealous...... We also had a significant increase in "private time". Men will start to notice you and you will feel empowered and sometimes the increase in attention from other men tend to make some people stray.... Lots of divorce in couple that had WLS...

19 weeks ago i had my first plastic surgery..... a Tummy Tuck.... OMG. This was the second best thing i ever did for myself. I can now shave "down below" with out lifting a fat roll...... i can see straight down....lol. I have now changed my addiction from food to panties..lol... i know, i can't go shopping with out buying them. Threw out all the granny panties and replaced them with VS. Can't buy the bras yet..... but maybe in a year from now i'll have a reduction. We shall see.

Take lots of pictures.... i wish i would have done that. More progress pictures in the same outfit. I hope this helped a little.... But know that EVERY bandster is different and my experience and yours will not be the same

Good luck

Thank you so much for the responses!!! Bayougirlmrsc - thank you so much for all of your information!!! I have wondered who I tell or not. And your right - I dont want all the negative comments of having to cheat to lose the weight.. The panties story had me laughing!!!! I absolutely can not wait. I did buy that book this morning and can not wait to start reading some more.

Actually I am not married anymore. I lost my husband about 2 years ago from cancer. So, after many years of taking care of him. I have finally decided it is now time to take care of myself! I do have 3 kids, but thank goodness they are in their late teens so they will be a big help. And my boys LOVE to go to the gym to work out.

Again - thank you for your response!

Kim

Welcome! You're very smart to educate yourself before going into surgery, you will be so glad you did!

Thank you so much for the responses!!! Bayougirlmrsc - thank you so much for all of your information!!! I have wondered who I tell or not. And your right - I dont want all the negative comments of having to cheat to lose the weight.. The panties story had me laughing!!!! I absolutely can not wait. I did buy that book this morning and can not wait to start reading some more.

Actually I am not married anymore. I lost my husband about 2 years ago from cancer. So, after many years of taking care of him. I have finally decided it is now time to take care of myself! I do have 3 kids, but thank goodness they are in their late teens so they will be a big help. And my boys LOVE to go to the gym to work out.

Again - thank you for your response!

Kim

Kim, So sorry to hear about your lose. Cancer is a evil thing. Most of the people in my life that passed, did so from Cancer. My grand ma and aunt had breast, but has beaten it twice.

Having grown kids is so much fun. I have two 28 and 21, a daughter in law and two wonderful grandkids logan 6 and elizabeth 4.

Don't ever fill guilty about having this surgery, it's what you deserve and i'm sure your husband would have wanted you to be happy and healthy. Telling people is a personal choice. You want to tell the ones that will support you and not be your "food" monitors. Going to the gym is hard for me right now. After taking off 6 weeks for the Tummy tuck, i just can't seem to get motivated again. But i will and i need to start tanning again.... bought two new bikini's .... so excited to be able to wear them after 20+ years. Like i said.... some people replace food with drinking, partying.... i replaced mine with underwear......lol.

Also, if you don't already have one, buy a Mini Blender, i bought the Hamilton beach 5110. wonderful for your pre surg liq. diet and after to get in all your Protein. I went to Sams and bought the precut, frozen fruit and made smoothies and added my protein in that for morning drink. Are you can do it before your workouts.

I agree.... Ms. Jean is my favorite Guru..... on the lapband. She also has a wonderful newsletter that she writes.

Local support groups are another great place to go. I was lucky to have a very great friend be my mentor. She had the surg a year before me. I would still be 223lb or more if not for her.

I have had a great experience with my band so far. I was 223lb 5'2"' date=' banded 11/10/09. My doctor implanted the 14cc band. Stayed over night in hospital. Was up and walking within hours. Gas was about the worse part. But with experience from multiple surg before (2 c-sections, gallbladder, hysterectomy) i knew that the faster you get up and moving the better you are. Liquids that week and mush the next which was Thanksgiving... ... But i made it through. In my opinion the first few month after the band was the worse for me. Little to no fill and i was starving all the time. And i could eat anything. This, i think, is when your self discipline will come in. You will have to say no and stick to the amount your doctor says to eat.... I bought a small kids plate, you know the cute ones with cartoons on them. Well they have the portion sections... i put only my amount of food and nothing more. Ate my Protein, then veggie, then starch. Most of the time i could eat the starch... No tv, reading, talking...etc while eating. No distraction from concentrating on chewing and chewing and more chewing. Take one bite, put the fork/spoon down. I would close my eyes and think about what i was eating and how good it taste. Did i cheat at anytime.... yes. But, as time goes by the things you thought you could never live with out, you find out you can. Bread was my biggest thing.... i LOVVEEE bread. But the first time you get stuck on bread you will never want to touch it again. Over the next 6 months i learned i could no longer eat.... Bread, pizza, rice, grits, anything over cooked (steak, chicken, pork) it had to be cook med. rare or med. I really started to fill restriction around 7cc in my band...... This is also when my husband said.... stop complaining about not losing enough weight. You have to start exercising more than twice a week.... so i got my lazy butt up and starting doing zumba 3x a week and weights 2x a week and i walk everyday. And he was right... i hated to admit it, but he was. When i weighed in May 6 i was at 177..... at one year i was 160, two years 146... today i weighed in at 143.

couple other things i did that helped me.... i stopped ordering buffets, if we went to a buffet, i asked to order off menu. If not, i left. Also when eating out, as much as possible i ask if i could get a Half order, if not as asked for the waitress/waiter to bring a go box when the meal was brought out. I portioned out my meal and put the rest in the box.... closed it and gave it to my husband so i would not be tempted to go back in.... Never never never order anything to drink.... not even Water.... at this point the waitress will look at you like your an alien..... she will say... are you sure, not even water.... no, not even water. Until you can control you and your band... not even water. Out of habit you will take a bite and not even thinking... you will pick up the glass and drink.... and you will be sorry. My worse stick were from doing that very thing. Now you have to get up and run to the bathroom and .... well get rid of your meal you just ate. The only time i order drink before a meal is coffee at breakfast....

I found that i never noticed my weight loss, but others did. You will need to be prepared to answer question like, how are you losing the weight.... what are you doing? To tell or not to tell... that's the question.... its a personal choice. I chose not to tell at first. Only my husband, two boy, daughter in law and My mentor Paula... knew. I didn't tell my mom and other family until my mom thought i was dieing because of the weight loss.....lol.. but true. I would tell people.. im watching what i eat and exercise... which was true. About 9 months into it i started telling people and got the "oh you had WLS" look..... the "you took the easy way out" look. Be prepared for that if you chose to tell. Also, be prepared for men to start really taking notice of you again and your husband (if you have one) to get jealous...... We also had a significant increase in "private time". Men will start to notice you and you will feel empowered and sometimes the increase in attention from other men tend to make some people stray.... Lots of divorce in couple that had WLS...

19 weeks ago i had my first plastic surgery..... a Tummy Tuck.... OMG. This was the second best thing i ever did for myself. I can now shave "down below" with out lifting a fat roll...... i can see straight down....lol. I have now changed my addiction from food to panties..lol... i know, i can't go shopping with out buying them. Threw out all the granny panties and replaced them with VS. Can't buy the bras yet..... but maybe in a year from now i'll have a reduction. We shall see.

Take lots of pictures.... i wish i would have done that. More progress pictures in the same outfit. I hope this helped a little.... But know that EVERY bandster is different and my experience and yours will not be the same

Good luck[/quote']

Please call me like asap I have lots of? 6786002710 thanks my name. Is Holly

I agree.... Ms. Jean is my favorite Guru..... on the lapband. She also has a wonderful newsletter that she writes.

Local support groups are another great place to go. I was lucky to have a very great friend be my mentor. She had the surg a year before me. I would still be 223lb or more if not for her.

I have had a great experience with my band so far. I was 223lb 5'2"' date=' banded 11/10/09. My doctor implanted the 14cc band. Stayed over night in hospital. Was up and walking within hours. Gas was about the worse part. But with experience from multiple surg before (2 c-sections, gallbladder, hysterectomy) i knew that the faster you get up and moving the better you are. Liquids that week and mush the next which was Thanksgiving... ... But i made it through. In my opinion the first few month after the band was the worse for me. Little to no fill and i was starving all the time. And i could eat anything. This, i think, is when your self discipline will come in. You will have to say no and stick to the amount your doctor says to eat.... I bought a small kids plate, you know the cute ones with cartoons on them. Well they have the portion sections... i put only my amount of food and nothing more. Ate my Protein, then veggie, then starch. Most of the time i could eat the starch... No tv, reading, talking...etc while eating. No distraction from concentrating on chewing and chewing and more chewing. Take one bite, put the fork/spoon down. I would close my eyes and think about what i was eating and how good it taste. Did i cheat at anytime.... yes. But, as time goes by the things you thought you could never live with out, you find out you can. Bread was my biggest thing.... i LOVVEEE bread. But the first time you get stuck on bread you will never want to touch it again. Over the next 6 months i learned i could no longer eat.... Bread, pizza, rice, grits, anything over cooked (steak, chicken, pork) it had to be cook med. rare or med. I really started to fill restriction around 7cc in my band...... This is also when my husband said.... stop complaining about not losing enough weight. You have to start exercising more than twice a week.... so i got my lazy butt up and starting doing zumba 3x a week and weights 2x a week and i walk everyday. And he was right... i hated to admit it, but he was. When i weighed in May 6 i was at 177..... at one year i was 160, two years 146... today i weighed in at 143.

couple other things i did that helped me.... i stopped ordering buffets, if we went to a buffet, i asked to order off menu. If not, i left. Also when eating out, as much as possible i ask if i could get a Half order, if not as asked for the waitress/waiter to bring a go box when the meal was brought out. I portioned out my meal and put the rest in the box.... closed it and gave it to my husband so i would not be tempted to go back in.... Never never never order anything to drink.... not even Water.... at this point the waitress will look at you like your an alien..... she will say... are you sure, not even water.... no, not even water. Until you can control you and your band... not even water. Out of habit you will take a bite and not even thinking... you will pick up the glass and drink.... and you will be sorry. My worse stick were from doing that very thing. Now you have to get up and run to the bathroom and .... well get rid of your meal you just ate. The only time i order drink before a meal is coffee at breakfast....

I found that i never noticed my weight loss, but others did. You will need to be prepared to answer question like, how are you losing the weight.... what are you doing? To tell or not to tell... that's the question.... its a personal choice. I chose not to tell at first. Only my husband, two boy, daughter in law and My mentor Paula... knew. I didn't tell my mom and other family until my mom thought i was dieing because of the weight loss.....lol.. but true. I would tell people.. im watching what i eat and exercise... which was true. About 9 months into it i started telling people and got the "oh you had WLS" look..... the "you took the easy way out" look. Be prepared for that if you chose to tell. Also, be prepared for men to start really taking notice of you again and your husband (if you have one) to get jealous...... We also had a significant increase in "private time". Men will start to notice you and you will feel empowered and sometimes the increase in attention from other men tend to make some people stray.... Lots of divorce in couple that had WLS...

19 weeks ago i had my first plastic surgery..... a Tummy Tuck.... OMG. This was the second best thing i ever did for myself. I can now shave "down below" with out lifting a fat roll...... i can see straight down....lol. I have now changed my addiction from food to panties..lol... i know, i can't go shopping with out buying them. Threw out all the granny panties and replaced them with VS. Can't buy the bras yet..... but maybe in a year from now i'll have a reduction. We shall see.

Take lots of pictures.... i wish i would have done that. More progress pictures in the same outfit. I hope this helped a little.... But know that EVERY bandster is different and my experience and yours will not be the same

Good luck[/quote']

Thanks so much for this post!! I am also new to this site--was just banded 6/27-- and have lots if questions. I am also learning a lot from reading what others have to say. I want to make this journey a positive one !