This group is for weight loss support for lower bmi bandsters (of course anyone is welcome!).

For encouragement, tips, accountability.... Give stats, helpful advice, etc.

How much weight you have lost, how long it took. etc.

In some case I have found it takes a lower BMI patient a lot longer to lose the weight.

Introduce yourself and jump on in!!!:welcomeB: :welcome2:

Audree

Hi Carrie,

Good luck and glad you are here. I was starving pretty quick after surgery... it gets better with the mushies I think.

Bikergirl, It is very exciting to have the approval and be on your way! YAY!

Miss Bandster, I have trouble too, although I have sort of figured out what is working for me now. Audree definitely knows a million different resources, so I hope you take her up on her suggestions. I don't cook so unless the cookbook comes with a chef I am SOL, LOL.

Denise keep us posted on your fill and how it feels!

Missy, I am glad you are here and looking forward to your contributions.

Audree, I am doing just alright today. I didn't workout or keep track of my calories today. I am going to get back on the wagon tomorrow with it all. I am taking a statistics class online and I forgot I had to do homework and take a quiz so I was busy all night with it. If anyone wants to know the probability that I will not do procrastinate both homework and quizzes at the same time again, I will be happy to calculate it for them!

Hey Supergenius!!!

I have not been counting cals or exercising due to this horrible period. I feel awful!! I feel so out of it and have had a headache. I feel tired and just not myself. I do keep a loose count of my intake..

This is what I ate today:

2 sting cheese, 2 strawberries and grapes( went to a womens bible study and that was the only healthy thing there), 2 hardboiled eggs and sugar free jello. 32 ounces of water so far. My vitamins, biotin and quickslim30.

I am also having a heck of a time typing since I had acrilyc nail put on.

It is hard!

I am sorry to be so out of it and I can't wait to feel myself again.

Hi,

I'm so excited.... I finally got banded by Dr. Ortiz last Friday Feb 9th.

I can't believe I worried so much about the operation/etc. The pain was totally minimal. I would say much less than having to go to the dentist.

Dr. Ortiz and his staff were sooooo wonderful! & not to mention he is so hot!

When he came in my room to talk to me before the surgery, I had a hard time concentrating on what he was saying .....he definatly is Mr. personality and so handsome.

Well...anyways, getting back on track to my question: I've been on the clear liquid diet now for 3 days. Dr. Miranda said I only have to do the clear liquids for 3 days, and then on day 4 I can add in some liquid yogurt.

I was rereading my directions and didn't realize I was suppossed to be only drinking 1/2 cup of liquid at a time. I've been drinking alot so I feel full, and now I'm totally worried I've stretched out my pouch. I also feel super hungry and I know it's more than just mental hunger. I hope I didn't mess everything up. Also, I've read that some people on here are feeling some restriction before they even get a fill. I know that I do not have any restriction. I seriously don't feel a thing. IT's as if I never had an operation, except for the area where the port is and that's a bit tender/sore.

Has anyone else experienced being super hungry during their clear liquid phase the first week?

Thank you,

Mindy

Welcome!! I was also banded by Dr. Ortiz and had a great experience. It is totally normal to feel hungry since you are not filled. We all have different experiences though.

So you are even a bit shorter than I am. I was banded in Oct "05. I am 5" tall. So far I have lost only 35 lbs. However, I know it is 35 lbs I would not have lost w/out the band. I had extenuating circumstances (hiatal hernia, reflux aspiration, unexplained fevers etc.) that probably delayed my weight loss. I am back on track w/1.0 in a 4.0 band -- and I am losing about 3 lbs every month. It is not a lot, but at 5'0" and 158 lbs, I am not complaining. Every pound lost is a blessing.

Welcome!!!

You are doing great!!! 3 pounds a month adds up!!!:clap2:

Hi Mindy,

I was so hungry too...On day 4, I had yogurt and that really helped...I was told my band is very loose and that must be why I can drink more, I guess...I drink a lot of Water and that hepls me feel full too..

Try the Carnation, that will help too....I was told I could add that on day 4 too... That was my evening treat....My BMI was at 30 when Ii had surgery..As of today being 10 days post op I have lost 11 lbs....Yeah....

We just have to keep thinking it's only going to get better...

How do you like your scars????Mine are super small, I am very happy with the outcome....

My bmi was 31. Someone also told me to freeze the carnation Breakfast for about 1 hour and it makes it like a drinkable ice cream.

Congrats on the weight loss!:clap2:

I so miss talking to you guys - I kindof got busy there and the computer was the last thing on the list. I have a 10 year old and twins (boy/girl) that are 8 and we have had a full schedule these past couple of weeks.

Jules: Thanks - I can wait to be part of the "Group"

Babygotback - You are so encouraging - I'm not even going through some of the stuff you are addressing but I get encouraged when you post.

We have planned our camping trip for spring break. We are going to Jellystone Park in Waller, TX. Spring Break is in March - I hope to be banded before then - if not it will have to wait until I get back. My kids are so looking forward to camping.

I'm now in the "Get the house together mood". I read that I should have everthing done so I don't have to do anything while I'm recovering.

My treadmill is broke so I plan to put it in the shop BEFORE surgery so I have no excuses when the time comes.

Hey - I know they say if your doing something with your hands you won't snack. I subscribe to a site called grocerygame.com. It saves me $$$$ on grocerys. When I cut the coupons out of the papers, I notice I don't snack. So I try to do it at night (when I would normally eat), on my breaks at work, etc. But it is great, I know we can't eat ALOT, but it saves when you know when to buy products and when you use coupons. Check it out, again its grocerygame.com.

Well I will be back on a little later -

Glad to have you back!!! I also bought about 2 weeks worth of convenience foods for my family so i didn't have to stress about cooking.

Hi, I wanted to join up with this group. I have a low BMI as you can see with my ticker, but I also have a heart condition. That is why I choose the lap band. I was banded on the 9th by Dr Zapata in Monterrey, Mexico. I am doing great, but the broth is getting old fast!!!!!!!!! I also started getting hungry last night, and that has continued today even after a 8oz of broth. I am hoping the weight will come off at a steady rate, but we will see.

Anyway, thanks for all the support in advance.

Welcome!!!

In the beginning I had Wolfgang pucks gourmet broth, Creamy split pea Soup, drinkable yogurt, cream of chicken, carnation good start breakfast. Also Better than boullion for the first clear liquid days was good!!

Hello! Congrats to all you new bandsters!

Audree, hope you are feeling better soon. You must have got some serious nails if you can't type! hehe.

My fill has kicked in big time. I have had trouble keeping food down the last couple days. I am a professional slimer. I have to learn to ssssslllllooooooowwwwww dddddooooowwwwnnnnn. I also can't have something/someone stressing me out, or distracting me with conversation while I am eating. Sounds like I am a fun date. I was layingn in bed the other night wishing I had more restriction....well I got my wish! I feel like I have to learn to eat all over again....but no regrets, not even for a second.

Take care everyone!

Victoria.

Hey bandiva,

I get my fill next week and I am like you, wishing for restriction.

I have to be a little careful how I eat and when I eat but I can still eat a lot.

Audree when is your fill? It is next week, right? Mine is Friday the 23rd.

Hello Lower BMIers:

I checked the mail and no letter yet. I'm home when the mail is delivered then I go to work. So I don't have to be worried if it is sitting in the mail box.

Can someone help me find the site where I can find out all the stuff I need to buy BEFORE surgery. I want to have everything I need before surgery. I'm sure DH would go get it if I need to, but if your DH is like my DH he would come back with multiples and say try one - see which one you like.

Well, I'm on my way to work - got an ugly schedule today 330p-1230a. Will be chatting with yall later.

bikergirl, I would be stalking the mailman!

there is a thread on this site about pre-op stuff which helped me a lot!

Carrie,

I only had to do Clear liquids the first 24 hours. I know I would have starved any longer than that. Once I moved on to full liquids, I really wasn't hungry. If I got hungry I drank a can of slim fast low carb. It keep my stomach from growling. When I got bored with Protein drinks, I made Soups.

My dr. sells high protein chicken soup but I added a little Campbells cream of chicken soup and milk to make it runny and blended it up really well so there weren't any chunks of chicken left. That kept me full and was very sastifying.

My doctor also said I could have egg flower soup so that was another thing that saved me. When I got sick of the cream of chicken soup, I bought a large egg flower soup from the Chinese restaraunt. There were peas in there and I was told to spit those out. It was pretty satisfying.

I was on full liquids for four weeks and the last week was the hardest. I did cheat a couple of times and ate something soft the last week. I really wanted to eat. Probably the thing that got me through it was losing 18 lbs in 4 weeks. I was very happy about that:)

You'll get through this and be really happy when the scale starts moving.

Audree was a real champ and didn't even weigh herself during the liquid stage. I had to do it to keep myself encouraged.

Mindy, I doubt seriously if you did anything by drinking more than you were supposed to. All it would do is go right through into your stomach since it's liquid. There is no sense in starving.

Welcome to this group and Welcome to everyone else that's new! This board has been a lifesaver for me. I am so glad all of you are here!

hey guys- any advice on how to make dh feel better about the surgery.. he is worrying hisself into a frenzy.. i have scheduled a 2nd seminar with a different Dr. just so he can go and ask his questions- i think when he ask me the questions i sugar coat the answers..

Hi Missy,

What is he worrying about? I was never in any pain what so ever. Does he think having the lap band is dangerous? The other surgery, gastric bypass is far more dangerous. Lap band can always be reversed. We don't loose nutrtion the way the GP patients do. I am sure if you tell us what his worry is, we will be able to help. We are all very happy with our decision. My main worry was that I wouldn't be able to eat the foods I love, but I really don't need to be eating the wrong foods anyway. So far, I haven't found any foods I can't eat. I have heard a lot of people can't eat bread though, once they get proper restriction. I have heard of people chewing the bread up and spitting it out though, just for the flavor. Kind of gross, but I could see me doing that!