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 just banded last tuesday (1/15). at consult, my bmi was 64. on the pre-op liquid diet, i lost 28 pounds and 4 bmi points. on the post-op liquid diet, i've not lost anything, but i know i'm moving along like i should.

it's great to find this forum. as many have said, it can be disheartening to read about so many who start at the size i will be satisfied with.

i used to be 5'11-1/2", and have lost 2-1/2" due to degenerative joint disease in my knees. bleh. i'd love to get some of that back...although i think it won't happen until joint replacement sometime in the future.

Hi gummykandi & toni_o,

Welcome to the thread. It is a great place to be. Best wishes to you both. Please stay active out here and let us know how you are doing. It is a great place to share experience, get good advice, or just dump out your feelings when having a bad, day or hour.

Again welcome,

Mary

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself since I also have a BMI over 50. I started this journey a little over a year ago by attending a seminar. Shortly after, I had my surgeon consult, my psych eval and my nutritionist visit.

The only road block for me was my BMI. My insurance company had a requirement of 49 or less in order to approve the surgery. Well, I tried to lose the weight and just couldn't do it. I have PCOS, which makes it even harder to lose these excess baggage.

Fortunately, our insurance company lifted the BMI restriction in November of 2007. Our surgeon submitted our paperwork in December - so hopefully I will hear back any day now.

I am looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you. It is wonderful to be able to relate to other people. I have friends who are overweight but their BMIs are no where close to 50. The support and experience offered here is definitely motivating and inspiring!

Hi Whimsy,

Welcome, so glad to have you with us. Keep us updated on the progress with insurance. I had to wait 18 months and two denials before I was able to have insurance pay for it. It was toatally worth the wait.

Good luck and best wishes,

Mary

Reading through this thread has always been a great motivator for me and has given me the I CAN DO IT attitude! I just want to wish everyone good luck in their journeys.

My diet consists of this stuff called bariatric essentials. It is the end of the second week for me and I feel sooo uncomforatable and it is kinda painfull. I hate seeing my friends eat. I went out for my friends birthday this weekend and it sucked. my fiance was really cool about it though he just got something really small so he would be done faster and I could sit and talk with him and not focus on the food. like right now my tummy hurts alot. the nutritionist has a patient that is now a bariatric chef because he had gastric bypass and they sent us two recipes to make it tastier.

Kaly Nicole

[Warning: whining ahead, and please pardon the cross-post!]

I was really doing very well with my Band -- until the holidays. I started a 320 on my Band-date of Feb 15, 2007, and lost 100 pounds by the end of Nov'07 – my doc said that was “bypass results” & was very happy with my progress. I did just fine thru Thanksgiving, but “Christmas” isn’t a single day in my world. It’s an entire season beginning the day after Thanksgiving and ending on the 12th day after Christmas, and one celebrated primarily with food. While I didn’t over-eat at a single meal even once over “the season” it seems a treat or two several days of the week sure added up!!! I gained 6 pounds from Nov 30th to Jan 2nd – SIX POUNDS! (And that 6 feels more like 60 – suddenly I understand where those skinny people complaining that they’ve gotta drop those 5 holiday pounds are coming from!) I went in for my 1st fill since July on Jan 10th and am quite tight, the tightest-feeling fill yet actually. (I had my 2nd ever foamy, slimy spitting up last week -- a homemade turkey meatball. I started to think I might even need an UNfill because my meatballs have never caused me problems before, but I have not had additional stuck/PB incidents since then, so...) Over the last 3 weeks, I have lost 4 of the 6 pounds I gained, but basically I wasted Dec & Jan in terms of loosing the original pre-Band weight!! I'm so mad at myself....

Anyhow…my point is that I’d been doing quite well until the holidays – I thought I had this LapBand thing down pat. Pretty cocky of me, eh? :rolleyes2: But now I miss all the yummy, comforting foods & am totally bored with “Band foods” that were my steadfast standbys. And these chalky Protein shakes :ack2: that were a part of my daily life just can’t compare to my mom’s holiday cooking! Also, I totally dropped my exercise program what with the changes of routine in December, and I just can’t seem to motivate myself to start again!!! (Sheesh, it was hard enough to start in the 1st place when I had threats of post-op blood clots dangling over my head! ) I got to be 320 because I just couldn’t be bothered with doing any “extra” physical activity beyond day-to-day living. And that's where I am again, mentally. I have cut out the “I’ll just have one” snacking since holiday treats are gone anyway, but that alone won’t get the scale tipping in the right direction. I know that I need to get it in gear again, but I can’t seem to force myself on the friggin' treadmill!! Any excuse will do not to exercise – the current one is that I have a wicked cold & feel just miserable, but really I think a hangnail would suffice. What I need is a swift kick in the A$$, but I’d settle for a (motivationally intended) lambasting!

I know participating again at LapBandTalk would be helpful to me. It was very inspiring in the beginning of this journey to be surrounded with people (both in person & on-line) who are traveling the same path, especially starting with a BMI of 58. But (woe is me) I’ve had my share of "personal crisis" since my Banding (working with my therapist thru a fairly big depression resulting from it), and I just haven’t felt the “taking care of me for a change” drive that used to bring me to LBT several times a day.

Anyhow! I don’t want to hit my Bandiversary in 3 weeks still UP from my 100# loss from November!! I was so proud of myself for hitting that mark, and am so dissapointed in myself for slipping back down from it... And I really was shooting for a loss of 104 pounds by 1-year – that mythical 2 pounds a week! Six pounds between now & Feb 15th -- that's just 21 days...I doubt I'll make it at this rate. :bigear: I don’t know how/what to do to get myself back on the Bandwagon. But I do KNOW I’ve GOT to DO something about my lack of motivation, boredom & general attitude… Thanks for listening to me whine… :ack2: I'm done now! :wub: Perhaps dumping it out here at LBT by way of update & confession to y’all will serve as a purge of sorts!

Hello all!

Just banded this week (1/22) and still getting over the surgery owies. Otherwise I am feeling fine!

I'm still reading through posts - just wanted to say hello!

Thanx maziemommy.. I am sooo happy to have found this place.. I started my liquid today and i am ooh so hungry.. you seem to be doing great losing!! good job!!! How did you curve the hunger?

Kaly

I was on clear and full liquids pre-op - assuming you are too?

I was allowed oatmeal as well as milk - I took advantage of the milk and used whey powder Protein - chocolate and vanilla - and made slushies for the morning. These seemed to stay with me for a long period of time.

Hope that helps.

motivationally intended) lambasting

Wow Suzanne, That's alot! First off, you have really done great and you will do great again! Now for the lambasting....Stop whining and get moving! You know what you need to do. You can lose 6 lbs in 3 weeks if you are determined and do the exercise , drink the Water and eat the right foods. Your mom's food may taste great but I'm sure it is not as good as the health and changes in appearance that you have experienced over the past year. Find your motivation. Do some soul searching and figure out why you are beginning to sabotage yourself. If you need to see your therapist, find the couch! Put a sign up that says "6 lbs to goal!" Look at it every day between now and your bandiversary. Come here for support whenever you need. But to quote Denzel Washington, "You've got to do what you have to do to do what you want to do." You have to workout, you have to eat right, you have to drink water, you have to get enough protien. Then you can have what you want, good health, an active lifestyle and a good feeling about yourself!

This 2lbs a week is my goal also! I need to know that it is possible! Prove it Suzanne and if you don't atleast know you have done everything in your power from this day until February 15 to make it happen!

Hi Everyone,

I was banded on Jan. 12 in TJ Mexico. I did not even know what my pre-band weight was and when I went to have surgery and the Dr. was going to weigh me he could not because the scale only went to 350, kinda frustrating when your weight loss Dr. does not have a scale that can weigh you! I had ordered one with a capacity of 440 before I left because the last time I had been weighed I was around 400- 407 lbs. I did good on my pre-op diet so I was sure I had lost some weight when I returned home I finally got to weigh myself and it was 428! I thought this thing has to be broken how could I have gained 20 + lbs and not even known it. Well anyway I was so glad to see the #'s going down but now it is lingering around the same # I even started walking, but yesterday I was supposed to start purees and I have no idea what to eat. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

jen, that's awful that the doctor didn't have a scale that would accommodate you! it seems like that would be one of the first things they would buy as they established their clinic.

i hope your surgery was otherwise ok. you said that you're starting to lose. that's great! congrats!

there's a section called 'food' and it includes all sorts of threads, including ideas for each stage of your surgery recovery. definitely worth a look!

keep going...and keep us posted!

toni o

ps you were banded three days before me!

Toni,

Thanks for the reply and the advise. Surgery did go well. How are you doing so far?

Jen

[Warning: whining ahead... I'm done now! :tt1: Perhaps dumping it out here at LBT by way of update & confession to y’all will serve as a purge of sorts!

Hi Suzanne,

Okay, I am usually all positive and smiles and that is coming, that said...stop selling yourself short. You have lost the weight. You did that and it is a wonderful accomplishment, don't belittle it.

You are doing the classic...well I blew it so I might as well have another snack or avoid the beloved treadmill because I just can't win. You are a worthwhile person who deserves the happiness that comes along with being a fit an healthy person.

You seem anxious about your band anniversary coming up. The only person you really have to impress is yourself and you should be impressed with what you have done so far. Did you think three years ago that this was possible. That you would be moving down the scal instead of up?

It is okay to take a break, but remember to get back to it. It is time to get back to it now. Follow those band rules. Remember the band is for life and your changes are too.

You are worthy of this. You are going to get past this milestone and meet the next one. Let go of the negative feelings and move forward.

I want you to succeed and I believe you do to. So do something for your good health and get on that treadmill. Get some motivational music on your mp3 playing and walk it off. If you are like me, once you get on there, it feels good to have accomplished it.

Suzanne...YOU can do it!

Let us know how you are doing.

Cheers,

Mary

Well I had to get on a plane this past weekend. I was dreading being in that coach seat and having to request the seat belt extender. To my surprise...no seat belt extender required. Now I have to say that at my current weight this was a surprise because I have weighed less and needed the seat belt extender (seems my trainer knows what he is doing). I am so glad for this, another of my NSV goals I can check off the list.:tt1:

Thanks for reading,

Mary