I just found out my surgery will be in July (granted my pre-op testing goes okay) SOOOOOOOOO

Here's a thread for everyone getting banded in July 07!

Does anyone have any good ideas for a neat name we could call ourselves?

Jackie, I know I was fearful of that as well, but actually no problem! It was actually rather nice, but I thought I probably looked like a "toad" on the back, but he was soooo happy that I went! Been putting that one off and was a big step for me!!!! So, who knows what is next, lol!!!

Ok, I thought of a question for today. This is a bit recycled, but when it was asked a few weeks ago, many of our newest members weren't here and most of us weren't banded. So, for those of us suffering with REAL HUNGER, and those of you who have plateaued waiting for your first fill... let's restate what we are looking forward to as we and when we lose weight... could be motivational.

My list

Fitting into an airplane seat comfortably

Not always so concerned about food when at a party

Shopping in a normal sized clothing store

Running & catching my kids

Climbing up & down stairs without pain in my knees

Wearing shorts that don't ride up while walking

Sleeping better

BETTER HEALTH

How about the rest of you?

Riding on the back of my hubby's bike, lol!!! This list will keep growing I am sure!!!

Here's the things I'm looking forward to:

more energy for my son

more energy for my DH,LOL

better health, quality of life

better ability to preform my job

self confidence and respect from peers

to look decent in a bathing suit

new clothes every 3 months for the next year or two!!

my tatoo on my back with my low rise daisy dukes!!! oh, and the belly button pierced so I can FEEL like 16 again!! Hey, I missed all that!!!

For once, weighing what my license says I weigh, and going under that weight by 40 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey y'all. Sorry to be MIA this evening. My docs support group met tonight. A dietician talked about portions and reminded us bandsters that we should be only eating 1/2 to 1 cup food total per meal 3 times day. If you can eat more than that and get hungry between meals, you need a fill. Nice to know since my doc won't do the first fill until at least 4 weeks post op.

Everyone is doing so well with what they are eating and exercising. This is such a great group for support. All of the bandsters in the support group tonight had done really well with weight loss. They all said the loss slowed down with intro of mushies but they have maintained a 1-2 lb loss ongoing. That's inspiring to me. I mean, 2 lb week is 100 lb year.

I am glad everyone is healing without problems. I won't go into names now cause I can't remember who wrote what on the messages I just read. Welcome to the newbies. This is a wonderful group. I have a doc appt early tomorrow so I will go to bed early.

Sunny, any other words of wisdom from your meeting? Glad it went well. Sounds like you are doing very well! Way to go, Girl!

Kathy, I'm still struggling with my computer, as I've downloaded all these new programs and it was still freezing up on me. I've been on the phone today with my broadband connection, Microsoft, and Compaq, so not a fun day.

I may have figured it out on my own, again, because I wasn't paying Microsoft or Compaq $50 to $60 just to talk to a technician. So, I downloaded Yahoo messenger last week, and ever since, my computer has been doing bad things, so I uninstalled it about 1 hour ago, and ran all these test from PC Doctor. Now, I'm running good again. It goes from one day to the next. So my "life" as you call it has not been one at all, just sitting here watching the computer do nothing. It's aggravating!!

But keep you fingers crossed it's working now!!! Did you really think I would leave you all after everything we've been through!!!! My DH laughs at me cause he can tell how frusterated I am to not be on the computer tying away. He thinks it's funny, and I'm about to shoot him!!!

He tells me I'm having withdraws, so it must be an addiction!!!

Dini, sorry babes I had to disconnect yahoo messenger so we can't talk anymore. Maybe I can try to reinstall in a few days, give this new norton security time to get settled in!!

Chim, you get mushys tomorrow?? Great, you'll be ready for the change. I was gonna tell you to buy some fresh fruit and make it into a smoothie. Oh it's so good!! But tomorrow, you'll be trying a lot of new things.

dmtjet, how was the ride?? Hope it was a nice night for you.

Chris45, welcome back. Sorry to hear about the physical pain you endured, but at least the nurses were great.

donholl1, welcome to the Lucky 7's.

Marci, love the tatoo. Was that a current pic, or an older one, because it looks brand new, the color is sharp!!

Cazulay, it is hard to fix dinner for others and then watch them eat it. I find myself eating at the computer with my backs to my boys, if whatever they are eating is tempting. In two days, I can be eating with them, so I didn't feel too bad for ditching dinner time with them for a month.

Jackie506, a compliment from an inlaw, now that's saying something!! Way to go!!

Lynette, soooo nice to have you back!!!! Tough with these computers!!!!

These lists are awesome!!! I will have to think about it more and post it tomorrow! Getting tired tonight, but wanted to do a quick catch up, cause we all know tomorrow, there will be tons more to read through! No shortage of information and/or well wishes here!!!

DH just calledme from work. He has been stuck on a project, and said after he came home and ate my awesome meal he went back to the office and had a break-thru. Yeah! At least I did not suffer for no reason at all :rolleyes Now he says he wants breakfast, lunch AND dinner every day. I'd better un-learn how to cook!!!!

So does anyone else feel like they can eat more then 1 cup now that htey are on mushies? Is everything working right in there? I mean i do feel full but i can eat more then a cup. hmmm

:update:Hello everyone! So today was my 2 week post-op with my doctor and he answered tons of questions. I am very excited as he confirmed with their scale that I have lost 29 pounds since I started this journey a month and a half ago. :cheer2:I can't believe the changes I am already seeing!

First it is completely normal that at times I can eat more than a half a cup or even one cup of mushies and taht at other times a quarter cup fills me up. He says that on average people lose 10 pounds their frist month after banding and he was happy that I have lost 13 in my first two weeks. He originally said my first fill would be in 6 weeks from surgery but has now moved it to two weeks from yesterday, so just one day shy of a month after surgery is my first fill. The first fill will be done under fluro so I am happy about that.

I was told no swimming yet until my incisions are no longer scabbed and completely healed.

:help:I was told that tastes would change. Actually I asked about it because some things that tasted good a week or two ago are now gross to me. I was told it is normal but is anyone else experiencing that???

Chim~Have you tried like Campbells soup in hand? The classic tomatoe is good and filling. That is one thing I lived on during my liquids. It went down easy and filled me up. A lot of the soup in hand are good as they are good and thin so you can drink them out of the container but are more filling to us then just broth!

Anyway, I had a very busy day with a lot of activity and I am pooped! Hope everyone is doing well. Have a good night!

So does anyone else feel like they can eat more then 1 cup now that htey are on mushies? Is everything working right in there? I mean i do feel full but i can eat more then a cup. hmmm

I was also banded on 7-19! I am still on liquids, hopefully will progress to mushies tomorrow after appt. with dietician. Last two days have had first real hunger. So helpful to read others posts here and know things are normal!

I love the lists! Great motivation!!! Here's mine....

Shopping in the "normal" departments and cute little boutiques

shorts not riding up (I so hate that)

being able to wear a bathing suit in public

taking my kids to the water park

more energy to keep up with my kids

feeling confident and sexy

taking the stairs without getting winded

I actually have a goal hanging in my closet. It's a beautiful dress that I bought right before I got pregnant with my son. At the time, I was dieting and had about 5 pounds to lose before it would fit nicely. I've never worn it - still has the tags on. My son is turning 11 this month. When I can finally put on that dress will be one of the happiest of my life, as it will be a big accomplishment for me.

Jackie 506<br /> <br /> the full feeling I have is a weird kind of full that lacks the satisfaction of actually eating. Trust me...I'm not complaining but my mouth tastes funny while my belly is full so the full feeling is like an annoyance in a way. I'm hoping that it will serve as aversion therapy for me and make me not want to feel stuffed. I'm trying to look at it as a blessing eventhough its paining me. <br /> <br /> <br /> In the past, I have eaten to the point where I was uncomfortable or in pain. I felt satisfied that I finished the food but would curse myself because then once the food was done I had to deal with this overstuffed, Thanksgiving Day, barely able to breathe feeling. Thats how I ate roughly half my meals when I wasn't on a diet or trying to "be good." Its an odd thing that I've done to myself all these years and this is the first time that I have been able to actually think it totally through. I'm hoping that soon Ill get to the point where I'll be able eat a little food, feel full but not painfully so and be able to move on without wanting more. <br /> <br /> To ALL who have welcomed me....<br /> Thanks for the well wishes and good luck for allof us who have been banded or will be banded.

I almost forgot from my list....

new boobs! I have the unfortunate distinction of being one of the few women on the planet who is plus sized without big boobs! I promised myself that when I make my goal weight, I'm getting some. might throw in a belly piercing for good measure.

I agree with everyone's list of goals.

I don't remember who posted their dr's advice, but it was really good re: how much to eat, etc. Keep the advice coming guys!

Lynette - the picture of the tattoo was just after it was done (last Aug.) and still had petroleum jelly type antibiotic all over it making it really stand out! A key to keeping tattoo color is to put sun-block on it and keep it out of the sun. It still looks good today though! About the belly-button ring...I had one in college and although the piercing itself wasn't too bad, it took SIX MONTHS to heal! Really, I had my pants unzipped for 6 months! Apparently, that's normal...I had a friend do it with me and she had the same thing. It's not red or anything, just painful...funny how that little hole hurt more than my three c-sections and this banding TOGETHER!

Welcome to the new folks and I'm glad to hear that healing is going so well with our group....no problems!

I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse that my doc let me progress on foods as I felt good about it....would I have been better off on a liquid diet for a couple of weeks like everyone else? As it was I was only on liquids for about 6 days! Now I can eat like a pig - if I want to. I started to just drink a protein shake for breakfast and excersizing more so I hope that helps, I'd like to lose some lbs. before my first fill.