Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

WoW! fantastic and congrats!

PAID OFF!

After what seemed like FOREVER (really only five days).....IT MOVED

and I'm officially down TWENTY POUNDS!

Ah, it feels good!

PAID OFF!

After what seemed like FOREVER (really only five days).....IT MOVED

and I'm officially down TWENTY POUNDS!

Ah, it feels good!

CONGRATS HARLEY!!:regular_smile:

I too am finally down 20lbs today! I am down a total of 27.5 from pre op:) This morning I went out and bought myself a new pair of jeans.. I am soo excited! They are a size 18, and NOT from the plus size section?! I cried in the fitting room when the zipped and buttoned. After I gained composure I walked out of the fitting room the woman said "uhh.. do you want me to take care of those for you?" lol.. No thanks, and I walked away red eyed, clutching me new success:) I guess that means I now have a NSV??

:)Kerri

Hi, my name is Janet and I was banded on March 17th and I think I'm going great. I haven't had any problems at all. I was on Slim Fast and Water for 16 days post op (no pre op diet required for me). My 16th day post op I'd lost 28 pounds and now I've lost another 4 for a total of 32. I've been walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day. My diet was progressed 4 days ago to pureed foods. I am only allowed 2 oz of food 3 times per day. I'm only eating 3 times per day but its probably more like 8 oz because I am not feeling any restriction. I'm eating baby food (spiced up) and eggs, grits and pureed vegetables. None of my calories are allowed to come from liquids so no more Protein drinks. I drink sugar free kool aid and eat sugar free Jello. Probably taking in 600-700 calories per day along with my exercise. The first 2 days of doing this were rough but I think I'm okay now. I know I could eat much much more but I am exercising self control until my first fill when I hope to have restriction.

I go back to the doctor on April 22 and I hope to get a fill that day. I'll be 5 weeks and 2 days out then. My diet will then progress to soft foods.

I feel great and I know that I've lost an extreme amt of weight for no longer than I've been banded but I'm impatient and can't wait for it to all melt off. I'm sooOOOO excited about this new lifestyle.

Janet:wub:

Hi Janet, and welcome! Congrats on your hard work and dedication! 32lbs is amazing! This thread is filled with loads of support, wonderful ideas, and great people, with lots of knowledge and encouragement:) It is sure to help you on your way! Good luck to you on your journey.

:)Kerri

Hi all.

first Fenton- thanks for the shout out but I was fine Saturday. I even figured out what I ate(to a point) and logged it. I thought I drank alot but husband said I only had 3 drinks all night(5hrs), I guess the booze affected me more. Now Fenton go see if its raining cause I have girl talk.

Anyone else do this? For a while I refused to buy new bras, I just suffered with pushing out of the ones I had. Well I can firmly say I now refit in them. A blessing and a curse. Why is it always the boobs that are the first to go?

Lisa I hope you are BBQ free today. I agree with the other posters. Is your sister heavy? Maybe just being open with your new house mates would be helpful. Your health outweighs their comfort. At least for now.

OK now Im off to my first Hindu Wedding and more Indian food. I will try to control myself. Since it is Sunday no drinking too.

TTFN:tongue2:

Welcome to all the new Shamrocks, this is a great support group.

I wanted to share with everybody the device that I'm using to log my food and exercise daily. It's been a lifesaver for me. I'm not selling them or promoting it, just thought you guys might want to check it out. It's called a CalorieSmart calculator and you can get them online at CalorieSmart,Calorie Counter,Diabetes Diet,Handheld Calorie Counter,Electronic,Portable,Diabetes Carb Counter,Counting Carbs for $79 plus S&H. My DH got it for me for XMAS and also found a $10 off coupon online by searching for online coupons for their website. It's a handheld calculator that has nutrition references with nutritional content of over 35,000 different foods, including those from over 500 brands of food and 250 restaurants. It will track your daily calories, Protein, sodium, etc. It also tracks your exercise with calories burned and your weight. I carry it with me everywhere I go and enter every bite that I put into my mouth. Another neat thing that it does, it has a recipe calculator built into to it that allows you to enter the amounts and items that you put into your recipe and then it totals all the calories, protein, sodium, etc and lets you request the caloric details for 1 serving. I love it. Just thought I'd pass it along for anyone else that doesn't particularly want to keep a paper track or have to go to a computer to log their food.

Congratulations to al the abndsters and their wight loss. I am down 10 # since surgery, 3/19, and a total of 25# from first of the year. I was hoping for a larger weight loss at post op, but am still happy. My DR was pleased and said to some back in a month. I am up to a few weeks of mushies and then 2 weeks of soft solids! Heading back to work this Wednesday. UGH!!!!. Not sure if I'll get a fill when I go back 5.9, she is very conservative with fills. So will have to weight ans see what she says then.

Just got back from a great weekend, dancing, walking, and just plain fun.., my bf even called me "skinny"... he is a sweetie!

I think we're all agreed that Lisa's sister is an earthbound incarnation of Evil for wanting to barbecue while she's on liquids, but refusing to allow them to go ahead with their plan - particularly if they're paying rent - might be a bit difficult. Maybe it's because I'm British and avoid confrontation wherever possible, but I'd probably let them barbecue, and go to the movies and then sit by a river and drink my Protein shake and cry, then go home really late and throw all their leftovers in the garbage. But that's just me!!!

Welcome aboard SweetPea 2 - and thanks for sharing your diet. One of the things we've noticed here is how different everybody's doctor-recommended food plan is!

And CONGRATS to you SV types (I'm assuming that if there's an NSV, there's also an SV)! I myself had one today too - weighed myself without my heavy Endless Winter clothes, and found that my total loss is now 48 lbs! (That's since starting this process; 21 since surgery.)

And Ajoneen, have fun at your Hindoo ceremony! Don't ask "WHERE'S THE BEEF??", because that would be the Wrong Question to ask at a Hindoo Ceremony of Love...

One cool thing: my 48lb weight loss is 10% of my original body mass!

I should by myself something cool!

Thank you guys for all of your feedback. I am glad someone asked, yes she is overweight. If she had a insurance that covered it, she would more than qualify for the Lapband, as she weighs over 300lbs. I mean to mention that in my original post. We are very close, and I know that she has some jealousy issues. We have been fat together all of our lives. She has been very open about it. But despite that, she has been extremely supportive, which is why I was so surprised that she would do this, and that she would fight me on it. Yes Fenton, she is paying rent, but I put my foot down and told her that she can not bbq until I am on solid foods. I now have a sister that is not speaking to me, but I could really give a flippin dayum. I have decided that during this time in my life, I have every freakin right to be selfish for once. So I have embraced my new Me Me Me nature! She will get over it. If not, she can move, no skin off my back. Thanks you guys for letting me vent on this. I was truly afraid that she would break me with this one! I had rather disturbing visions of myself digging leftover bbq scraps out of the trash at 4 in the morning. :regular_smile:

Oh, and congrats on the 10% Fenton. I am pretty sure that you deserve a brand new high speed gadget for that!:regular_smile:

KERRI!

Congrats on the jeans, girl! I do understand what a big deal it is not to have a size with a "W" behind it! WOO HOO!

LISA!

Good for you....and yes, we can all be selfish a bit right now. You are absolutely correct in taking a stand. This is such an important time to get and stay on the right track......

FENTON!

10%....that's a huge milestone! Still a few pounds off for me....but yes, certainly reward worthy! Let us know what you decide.....as long as it's not chocolate covered earthworms or what the hell ever you saw the other night!

You did the right thing, Lisa - but you know that!

And Harley? There's none so blind as they who will not see! It wasn't "chocolate-covered earthworms", it was "ground pig's liver and hearts with chocolate wafers".

I have a new goal - I can't tell yet how ambitious it is, if it's do-able or not, but I want to lose 25 pounds by the beginning of June.

You did the right thing, Lisa - but you know that!

And Harley? There's none so blind as they who will not see! It wasn't "chocolate-covered earthworms", it was "ground pig's liver and hearts with chocolate wafers".

Okay....but still chocolate with things I'd never eat....so same/same!

:biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2: