Great Idea - I will do it right now !!

Hi

I am Janet and I am a recovering food addict :wink2:

I was banded 7/17/07 - My starting weight was 250 - I'm 5'4

Today (just over 10 months out) I am 154 - size 8 pants (was 18/20) Medium tops (was 22/24)

I got banded as I wanted to extend the years that I have left on this planet and to do that I knew that I needed to lose weight.

The band has been the tool I needed. For the first time in my life I have been able to achieve this goal (actually getting to my goal weight)

If you want a buddy - support - help - suggestions - Please feel free to call upon me - I will gladly share my journey with you - the journey is still on going and by helping you I will be helping me (staying motivated and accountable) and then one day you can pay it forward and help someone else.

Thank you....for your concern.

Well, I said I was going to send my cpap back, but yesterday the doctor said for me to use it until I lost 40lbs. He said it would help with my anxiety which I started having after surgery. Has anyone had anxiety since surgery? I only get it when I drive on the freeways. Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the surgery.

No, can't say that I have, most of my anxiety was before the surgery. Hope the cpap helps. You've had a lot to deal with lately with your daughter and new grandbaby.

However, when I lived in CA and drove those freeways it was enough to cause anyone anxiety!

Thank you....for your concern.

Well, I said I was going to send my cpap back, but yesterday the doctor said for me to use it until I lost 40lbs. He said it would help with my anxiety which I started having after surgery. Has anyone had anxiety since surgery? I only get it when I drive on the freeways. Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the surgery.

Driving on freeways is enough to make anyone anxious! I hope the cpap helps you through it all.

Thanks girls! Maybe it is my anxiety over my daughter's health. Yeah, well, come drive in Houston.....it is crazy. Most of my friend's won't drive the freeways, but that is something I refuse to give up unless it is raining. I hope the cpap and the vitamin D will help. I hate anxiety.

Okay, now I am venting.....I am walking every morning....eating 900-1000 cal a day, drinking 8 glasses of water, and this weight is not coming off......to top it off....my friend and I went into this wls together ....she opted for gastric bypass....and in 10 days has lost 16lbs. I guess I just thought I would lose faster....I am not discouraged.....just a little frustrated.....remember, I am only venting! :confused2:

Hi Charlene,

As you know, I have not been banded yet, so probably can't go much by what I have to offer. Except that I'm looking in from a different perspective. And I have recently lived for several weeks in the same house with a new first time mother and a baby who was wonderful, but - guess what - he cried now and then! And I have been on the freeways of Houston - not driving! You are far more courageous than I am.

Charlene, you have lost 27 pounds. I realize some of the loss may have been before you were banded, but it is gone. and the band is going to help you keep it GONE. I know people who have bypass usually have faster weight loss - sometimes more - but over the long haul, the wt loss of both procedures is usually about the same. It probably seems like you are in a race right now, compared to your friend. But it isn't really a race and you don't have to hurry. Could it be that your anxiety over losing less than you'd hoped at this point in time - combined with anxiety about your daughter, loss of sleep, etc., etc., could be working against your weight loss, too? I know Janet, Phyl, Long2Bthin, and all the others on this thread would be telling you to keep doing the right things as you have been and you will be fine. Love on your daughter, love on that baby, vent here, go for another walk... just keep following the rules and the weight will come off.

Promise me you will tell me the same thing in 3 or 4 months when I am feeling anxious! Believe me, I know it will look different to me when I'm actually in your shoes. Good luck!

Hi Charlene,

As you know, I have not been banded yet, so probably can't go much by what I have to offer. Except that I'm looking in from a different perspective. And I have recently lived for several weeks in the same house with a new first time mother and a baby who was wonderful, but - guess what - he cried now and then! And I have been on the freeways of Houston - not driving! You are far more courageous than I am.

Charlene, you have lost 27 pounds. I realize some of the loss may have been before you were banded, but it is gone. and the band is going to help you keep it GONE. I know people who have bypass usually have faster weight loss - sometimes more - but over the long haul, the wt loss of both procedures is usually about the same. It probably seems like you are in a race right now, compared to your friend. But it isn't really a race and you don't have to hurry. Could it be that your anxiety over losing less than you'd hoped at this point in time - combined with anxiety about your daughter, loss of sleep, etc., etc., could be working against your weight loss, too? I know Janet, Phyl, Long2Bthin, and all the others on this thread would be telling you to keep doing the right things as you have been and you will be fine. Love on your daughter, love on that baby, vent here, go for another walk... just keep following the rules and the weight will come off.

Promise me you will tell me the same thing in 3 or 4 months when I am feeling anxious! Believe me, I know it will look different to me when I'm actually in your shoes. Good luck!

Joann, I'd say you have a lot to offer. With your attitude you are going to be so successful when you do finally get banded. Any news on when yet??

Also, Charlene, your friend may be losing faster now, but you are both going to get to the finish line and when you do, with your band you will be able to keep however much restriction you need to maintain. Whereas you friend can stretch out her band and start to eat more and then gain. At least that's been the experience in someone I know who's had bypass.

Thank you, Long. I'm still waiting PATIENTLY!!! Actually I have my sleep study tomorrow night, consultation with my surgeon on Sept. 3rd. I am hopeful I will get a date at my consultation. I am so hoping for surgery this fall... heck, I would go first thing in the morning!!

You are all such an inspiration to me.

Once again.....Thanks.....I needed to read and digest your words. I think alot of the stall is the stress I have put myself under this last week. As far as my friend, we are different people.....actually....I was the one who drove her to the seminar and all the dietician and doctors appts in Houston. I am not the competitive type. I want what is best for her. Had I had bypass....it would have been a disaster for me, considering my health issues. After talking to my son, ( also banded), I started looking at my lost inches and got happy again. I just don't know what I would do without the support of all of you. I am truly BLESSED!

Hi to all tonight, JoAnn you are such an inspiration to everyone already. You will do great when you get your surgery because you are preparing yourself real well. Janet, I know you are gone right now but I went to State fair and saw Brooks and Dunn and ZZ top. It was soooo good. We had really good seats to. I ate another corn dog but nothing else except Water. Tomorrow is Sunday and I am going to see Trace Atkins (a honky talk, badonka donk)Can't wait. I am not going to have anything to eat tomorrow but I am going to get a lemon shakeup made with sweetner for my last fair treat. Monday I get a fill finally. I hope it does something for me cause I have slowed down alot. You girls are great:rolleyes2:

Beckyo

Hi to all,

I had my sleep study last night and it was uneventful. (I actually love uneventful, esp when dealing with medical procedures.) All the electrodes hooked up, lights out and nighty-nights by 10pm. I did not sleep as deeply as usual, but did okay and still felt rested this morning (though tech woke me up at 5:00am!). It was a "split" study - the tech would have awakened me to give me a mask if I had shown signs of low oxygen in order to determine correct oxygen level w/out a second study. Apparently I did not have low oxygen levels, because she did not bring in the mask. At least I can check off that requirement -on to the consultation on Sept. 3. Inch by inch.

It is so good to have all of you here for inspiration and a little bit of hand-holding! Thanks...

Hi Ladies I am back !!!!

Sounds like everyone has done very well while I was gone...

On the aniexty issue - I think some of it can be cuz we no longer soothe ourselves with food.. Before we would eat to calm us - plus Charlene with your daugther you have had reason to have it.. Hope all is going well on that front.

Becky - I saw Trace in May - OMG that man can park his shoes under my bed any day - That's one hunk of a man... Hope your fill goes good..

Lori - Congrats on hitting the 50 lbs mark... WTG:thumbup:

I had a great time with my family !!!!

Well, gotta get my butt in gear - Will CBL:tongue:

Welcome back Janet!!

I have been losing like crazy since my gall bladder surger. I'm now at 56, so in less than a week I lost the 8 lbs I gained in the hospital plus 8 more and am at 56. I went to my primary care dr for a check up last week and also gave them a lab slip of blood work my surgeon wants for my 3 mos post op lap band check. They just called and something is wrong. Of course, I was out when they called so am awaiting a call back and am now very nervous something is wrong. They never call if everything is fine, they just send a post card. I was ecstatic to be losing so fast but now am worried. Are we ever happy? :wink2: (by we I mostly mean me).

The great thing about my loss today though is it put me in the 240's. I can now officially say I am closer to the 100s than the 300s!! That's huge for me!

Also have a question about fills:

Sometimes I am able to eat about anything and way more than 4 to 8 oz portions. No problem at all. Then others I get stuck, last night I PB'd at a party on watermelon, and am able to eat very little. I've read about the band being fickle. But my question is, how do I know if I am at my sweet spot or in need of a fill? I want to get as many fills as possible before my 3 free months are up, but I also don't want to get over filled and have to deal with that.

Edited August 18, 200818 yr by Great2BThin
question on fills

Welcome back Janet!!

I have been losing like crazy since my gall bladder surger. I'm now at 56, so in less than a week I lost the 8 lbs I gained in the hospital plus 8 more and am at 56. I went to my primary care dr for a check up last week and also gave them a lab slip of blood work my surgeon wants for my 3 mos post op lap band check. They just called and something is wrong. Of course, I was out when they called so am awaiting a call back and am now very nervous something is wrong. They never call if everything is fine, they just send a post card. I was ecstatic to be losing so fast but now am worried. Are we ever happy? :thumbup: (by we I mostly mean me).

The great thing about my loss today though is it put me in the 240's. I can now officially say I am closer to the 100s than the 300s!! That's huge for me!

Also have a question about fills:

Sometimes I am able to eat about anything and way more than 4 to 8 oz portions. No problem at all. Then others I get stuck, last night I PB'd at a party on watermelon, and am able to eat very little. I've read about the band being fickle. But my question is, how do I know if I am at my sweet spot or in need of a fill? I want to get as many fills as possible before my 3 free months are up, but I also don't want to get over filled and have to deal with that.

Lori

CONGRATULATION !!!! :thumbup:WTG GIRL :wink2:

You are doing great.....

'

Yes i will get stuck on watermelon sometime too.

For me a good sign of being at your sweet spot is when you eat 4 oz of hard Protein (meats or any food with substains no silder foods) and then a 1/2 cup of veggie

and are full - I usually eat about 1 to 1 1/2 cup for dinner and 1 cup for lunch and Breakfast.

Yep your band can be very fickle some days you can eat more than other.. this is why I have always been a calorie counter as you have to also know how many calories you are consuming and slider foods go down too easy.

I go out to lunch I can eat about 1/2 to 3/4 of my taco a few bites of Beans and some chips & salas and that's it.

Saturday ate 4 or 5 oz hamburger patty and was physically full - can't say mentally but physically full that was around 5 - and about 7 or 8 had popcorn and 100 calorie ice cream..

You will know when you are at your sweet spot just like you will know if you are too tight - if you can guzzle Water I would say a fill would be in order - I still can't guzzle water'

Lori, let us know when you have the okay on your blood work. Thoughts and prayers are always with you...

Congratulations on the weight loss! You are doing GREAT!

Welcome back, Janet. We always miss you when you are gone. Ever feel like a mother duck with a bunch of babies following you around?

Welcome back, Janet. We always miss you when you are gone. Ever feel like a mother duck with a bunch of babies following you around?

No I feel like I got a bunch of new sisters ;0)... You did quite well on the support issues Joannmarie - you are going to be a perfect bander when you get banded ....