Congratulations to all bandsters! May we all have continued success this 2008.:tongue:

It is a happy new year for me... I am down 100 pounds! There are many of us who have met this mark, and we continue on our journey.

Cheers- here's to us, and the many "losers" that came before us, and to those who shall follow. :wink:

IF YOU ARE EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING A BAND, GO GET INFO NOW NOT LATER..

My Mom was scheduled to get her band Dec.19th 2007- she instead had a triple bypass heart surgery, followed by many complications, blood clots, bad reactions to meds, etc.. and results are that the triple/bypass needs to be completely redone when/if she gains enough strength back to make it through such an ordeal -again.

I will continue to count my blessing, I have had the opportunity to lose 100 pounds... before her story, became mine.

Keeping you all in my thoughts daily, Kimberly

I was not put on a liquid diet. I did have a very low sugar low carb diet for the week before surgery. I think it helped me prepare for sticking to the plan after. I had some nerviousness about being put under. But I just kept thinking positive and remembering that my surgical team does these surgeries all the time. and I may of been quite big but if they thought it was too risky they would not be doing it on me.

Saying that.

People, I need help. I have not lost weight in quite a while. do you think I should be doing weight watchers or something? My nutritionist keeps telling me that it is normal to not lose weight till your fills are adjusted properly. but I am getting a little frustrated.

They say for us not to worry about claories and such. But I am working out like crazy and not losing weight. I am not gaining so that is something but I am starting to get worried that it isnt going to work for me. Do you think I should be following weight watchers? Or do you have any other sugestions?

I'm sorry you're having a rough time Cerrin. :confused: I'm not banded yet, but I think you're in that bandster hell phase I read so much about.

Hang in there you can do this!

I am 4 monts out from surgery. I am a little tired of this hell. lol

It is really not that bad. I can eat pretty normally. and That is what my nutritionist sugests. But I am worried about not losing for so long.

I can cross my legs. It just happened one day.

Awesome! I haven't been able to cross my legs "like a girl" my whole life--I used to be able to cross them "like a guy" but the last few years I haven't been able to even do that :confused:

lol me either. (cross them even like a guy) If I do my leg falls asleep in minutes or slips off. lol

Odd the things you look forward to.

People, I need help. I have not lost weight in quite a while. do you think I should be doing weight watchers or something? My nutritionist keeps telling me that it is normal to not lose weight till your fills are adjusted properly. but I am getting a little frustrated.

They say for us not to worry about claories and such. But I am working out like crazy and not losing weight. I am not gaining so that is something but I am starting to get worried that it isnt going to work for me. Do you think I should be following weight watchers? Or do you have any other sugestions?

Hmmm... I don't count calories either,

but I did in the beginning.

It might be a good idea to at log what you are eating for a week or so to get an idea

where you are with calorie intake...

do you keep a food diary?

There's a good one at fitday.com if you don't have one that you use.

What kinds of things are you eating and what amounts? What kind of exercise?

Sometimes you just have to change things up a bit.

Are you getting your water in??

Also, maybe you need another fill.

Guidelines my doctor uses to determine whether or not you need another band adjustment....

no weight loss for several weeks,

feeling hungry 1-2 hours after eating,

eating portions larger than "bandster" portions.

Hi all,

My name is shannon and I live up in vancouver canada. So i am about 350lbs and I will be gonig for surgery at the end of May. So I am really freaked out about being put under at this weight. I am not worried about the procedure or even after but the initial part of being put under makes me really nervous. So I see that some of you have high BMIs and am wondering if you had the same fear. Also my doctor is not putting me on a liquid diet prior to surgery, only after for 1 month, any thoughts about this? I am going to do it on my own for 6 days prior to surgery. Is that enough, should I just follow what they are telling me to do? Thanks for any advice guys!

Hi, Shannon,

I am in Everett WA, not too far from you.

My starting BMI was 63.5.

My doctor did not put me on a liquid diet,

but told me he wanted me to lose

10% of my body weight before surgery.

I didn't quite make that goal,

but I did get my BMI below 60 prior to surgery

and he was pleased with that.

The pre-op diet is supposed to

"shrink" the liver

to make it easier for the surgeon to deal with

during the surgery as it has to be

lifted out of the way to install the band.

That knowledge was incentive enough for me to

want to lose as much as I could prior to surgery.

I think it's quite normal to fear anesthetic,

especially at our size.

I just told myself that it was

more dangerous to continue my life

"morbidly obese"

than to submit to an hour or so of anesthesia!

You'll be in good hands... and you'll be fine.

Thanks you guys, I am so glad I found this place, so nice to know that people had the same experiences and are still doing well. And I know your 100% right, I would rather take the risk of being put under than live the next 50 years like this. I have decided to do a liquid diet for 12 days prior to surgery, and am trying to watch everything i eat right now. I am going to stick to yogurt, milk, blended fruit and jello, maybe some mashed beans now and then? I am so excited, it is the first thing i think about in the morning and the last thing before bed. Thanks you guys!

Thanks I will keep a food diary. It is honestly the one thing I hate doing the most. But I want this band to work. And I need to do something because what I am doing now is not working.

Thanks I will keep a food diary. It is honestly the one thing I hate doing the most. But I want this band to work. And I need to do something because what I am doing now is not working.

Cerrin, you can do this...you WILL do this!! Keep your chin up, celebrate how far you come, and don't be too hard on yourself. This isn't an easy journey for anyone.

((HUGS))

Thanks, I am just a little freaked out because I have not lost anything in almost 9 weeks.

I am at the gym 4-5 days a week on the elliptical every time for an hour and lifting weights hoping to increase my metabolism. I know I have probably changed fat for muscle. but I cant tell that my clothes are any looser.

I just started using fitday since I have to have 7 days worth of journals to bring to my dietitician/psychologist appts in a few weeks. I'm already heartbroken--my favorite breakfast from Burger King is as much calories as I should have in a full day, along with 222 carbs...omg. See, just journaling never made me "aware" of what I was eating...to me, it was a small/regular breakfast. But when you see the nutritional facts is what really opens your eyes!

Damn fast food!

I was never a fast food junkie until the last few years, I know it's one habit I need to break NOW.

Hey all, breakfast is one of the meals that I indulged before surgery. My friends and I always met for sunday brunch and I can't imagine the caloric intake that went into our bodies!:tongue_smilie: Surprise, I don't miss it! I never thought I wold be here.

Cerrin, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. You may be gaining muscle weight. Also muscles burn calories more efficiently so eventually, it will catch up. Also, are you losing inches? When the scale stalls sometimes it's time to take out the tape measure! Make sure you are making healthy food choices and hang in there. The scale will move again!

I was worried about anesthesia also. I prayed. I trusted God. I knew my doctors were knowledgeable, experienced and if they thought it was too much of a risk, they would not have done it.

Take care all, we can win this battle!

Val