Is this the right place to introduce myself?
Good Morning
Thank you all for the warm welcomes. It is so nice to wake up to, and have support from, people who are going through the same things I am. There is so much positive energy on this website. What a blessing to get support and encouragement from people all over the world. When you can brighten someones day just by a nice "Welcome" that is enough to make a person thankful for the internet. Know what I mean?
Congratulations on all of your victories and successes. Looks like you all have put in your hard work and received great payoff. I'm so happy for all of you.
I forgot to mention the diets, and attempts at weight loss, that I've done in the past. I've done Raw Vegan, Juice and Water Fasting, Cabbage, Slim-Fast, Hydroxycut, Stackers, Adipex, eat right and exercise lifestyle, Subway. I've even went to the extreme of, and wasting lots of money on, the HCG stomach shots for weight loss. I've probably forgotten other things I've done. All of these things I've done to my body in attempts to lose weight were all failed. One difference, out of many, that the Lap-Band offers is that it is always there with me, helping me, every day. It is not like a pill that runs out or a can that goes empty. It is a long-term lasting tool with long-term results. I think that is a huge difference and a life-saving blessing.
I signed up for a Lap-Band seminar with a surgeon for July 16th. His website is www.adamkaplansurgery.org. I've already started my Question List and am preparing myself. A good bit of my questions I have learned from this website and www.lapbandtalk.com.
Thank you all for the warm welcomes. It is so nice to wake up to, and have support from, people who are going through the same things I am. There is so much positive energy on this website. What a blessing to get support and encouragement from people all over the world. When you can brighten someones day just by a nice "Welcome" that is enough to make a person thankful for the internet. Know what I mean?
Congratulations on all of your victories and successes. Looks like you all have put in your hard work and received great payoff. I'm so happy for all of you.
I forgot to mention the diets, and attempts at weight loss, that I've done in the past. I've done Raw Vegan, Juice and Water Fasting, Cabbage, Slim-Fast, Hydroxycut, Stackers, Adipex, eat right and exercise lifestyle, Subway. I've even went to the extreme of, and wasting lots of money on, the HCG stomach shots for weight loss. I've probably forgotten other things I've done. All of these things I've done to my body in attempts to lose weight were all failed. One difference, out of many, that the Lap-Band offers is that it is always there with me, helping me, every day. It is not like a pill that runs out or a can that goes empty. It is a long-term lasting tool with long-term results. I think that is a huge difference and a life-saving blessing.
I signed up for a Lap-Band seminar with a surgeon for July 16th. His website is www.adamkaplansurgery.org. I've already started my Question List and am preparing myself. A good bit of my questions I have learned from this website and www.lapbandtalk.com.
(deactivated member)
on 7/4/11 11:14 pm - Des Moines, IA
on 7/4/11 11:14 pm - Des Moines, IA
Welcome Ber! I'm 6 days away from my 2 year "bandiversary". 2 years ago I was morbidly obese, now I'm overweight. I am so thrilled with what the band has allowed me to do. I love exercising and being able to just look "normal" and not be the biggest person in the room. All of my labwork is normal and I'm off of B/P meds and reflux meds. I could go on and on, but I won't.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Kristi
Let us know if you have any questions!
Kristi
Welcome Ber,
As Trixie said, I would research all 4 wls proceedures to find the one that fits you and your lifestyle best. There is lots of independent research out there so go find it. If you need, I can point you to some of the ones I found. They are not all positive but I needed to be extremely well informed. By the time I had my surgery, May 4, 2010, I knew the positives, the negatives, the possibilities, the bothersome, and the complications that were possible. I also knew (not from negative posters) the statistical possibilities. By making an informed decision I was better able to deal with negatives but truthfully I have not found anything that I couldn't handle by following the rules.
The band is the most work of the wls, but you have the most control. It will do maybe 20% of the work after you reach your optimal fill level. Actually that has been a good thing for me.
As for this forum I recommend that as you read posts you choose some people who seem to mesh with you as well as experienced members to friend you. Use them to ask questions, give support, etc. The forum is to be used for that primarily, but sometimes an individual can help you sort things through.
BTW, I am now free of diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and my over all health is much improved. Good luck to you, I will enjoy seeing you around the board. Sue
As Trixie said, I would research all 4 wls proceedures to find the one that fits you and your lifestyle best. There is lots of independent research out there so go find it. If you need, I can point you to some of the ones I found. They are not all positive but I needed to be extremely well informed. By the time I had my surgery, May 4, 2010, I knew the positives, the negatives, the possibilities, the bothersome, and the complications that were possible. I also knew (not from negative posters) the statistical possibilities. By making an informed decision I was better able to deal with negatives but truthfully I have not found anything that I couldn't handle by following the rules.
The band is the most work of the wls, but you have the most control. It will do maybe 20% of the work after you reach your optimal fill level. Actually that has been a good thing for me.
As for this forum I recommend that as you read posts you choose some people who seem to mesh with you as well as experienced members to friend you. Use them to ask questions, give support, etc. The forum is to be used for that primarily, but sometimes an individual can help you sort things through.
BTW, I am now free of diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and my over all health is much improved. Good luck to you, I will enjoy seeing you around the board. Sue
Highest weight: 212.8 Current weight 135 Lost 77.8 pounds
Congrats on your success! So nice to see your health problems are reversed. I am definitely going to check into other WLS procedures today. So far I like the Lap-Band because it is reversible and it doesn't require cutting of the stomach or anything else other than the incisions. I just got off the phone with the girls from my doctors office. I had left her a message stating that I am on here learning about WLS and that I have a seminar scheduled with a surgeon to learn more about it. She was quite happy with me for doing this. Is there a statistics forum? I am happy with any direction you can point me to. Thank you Sue and Trixie and all of you for your information. You are extremely helpful. My husband will be leaving for work soon so I can't get on here at the moment and explore the Forums but I will be back here soon enough.
Ber,
The band is not easy....the band is tough....the band requires you to change....it does not change you....with that being said....it is a vital decision that sometimes I am mad at myself about and sometimes I am happy for it...If you like sweets and liquid sweets, the band is extra hard - chocolate and wine go down great no matter what....
If you are in this for the long haul and not the short haul and can manage a small weight loss every week or every month - then the band will be a good choice. If you can take cheating on the band and then getting back on the bandwagon - the band is a good choice.
If you have a good support system around you....if you know that this is the time for you - in your head....then the band is a good choice.
There are many web sites out there - lapband.com is the Allergan band, realize band is the Realize band....look at the foods you will need to consider after surgery - do you like them - can you manage them? try them out beforehand...www.mybariatricpantry.com . Other sites lapbandtalk.com - this one is the best one by far but there are others.... Don't lie to yourself - don't tell yourself this is the perfect solution.
The surgery is minor in all of this - there are risks but I think the mental part is much more difficult to get through. I am almost 2 years out and the band is just now working for me and it has been an up and down battle but I believe in the end - worth it.
If you body can tolerate your health issues, it can tolerate the band....I would deeply consider what you feel about food and your relationship with it because it will be a tough battle no matter what you decide....
I am now loving my band but sometimes I do miss gulping down food :).
Let me tell you one bonus - when on vacation - it is cheaper to eat! My hubby got big meals and I got my two ounces and moved on...saves money on food for sure. :)
Good luck and remember the surgery is the easy part...imagine the stress you are putting on your body now.....surgery is nothing....it is the after part you have to consider.
Just my thoughts, make peace with what you want to decide,
Melanie
The band is not easy....the band is tough....the band requires you to change....it does not change you....with that being said....it is a vital decision that sometimes I am mad at myself about and sometimes I am happy for it...If you like sweets and liquid sweets, the band is extra hard - chocolate and wine go down great no matter what....
If you are in this for the long haul and not the short haul and can manage a small weight loss every week or every month - then the band will be a good choice. If you can take cheating on the band and then getting back on the bandwagon - the band is a good choice.
If you have a good support system around you....if you know that this is the time for you - in your head....then the band is a good choice.
There are many web sites out there - lapband.com is the Allergan band, realize band is the Realize band....look at the foods you will need to consider after surgery - do you like them - can you manage them? try them out beforehand...www.mybariatricpantry.com . Other sites lapbandtalk.com - this one is the best one by far but there are others.... Don't lie to yourself - don't tell yourself this is the perfect solution.
The surgery is minor in all of this - there are risks but I think the mental part is much more difficult to get through. I am almost 2 years out and the band is just now working for me and it has been an up and down battle but I believe in the end - worth it.
If you body can tolerate your health issues, it can tolerate the band....I would deeply consider what you feel about food and your relationship with it because it will be a tough battle no matter what you decide....
I am now loving my band but sometimes I do miss gulping down food :).
Let me tell you one bonus - when on vacation - it is cheaper to eat! My hubby got big meals and I got my two ounces and moved on...saves money on food for sure. :)
Good luck and remember the surgery is the easy part...imagine the stress you are putting on your body now.....surgery is nothing....it is the after part you have to consider.
Just my thoughts, make peace with what you want to decide,
Melanie
Hi Melanie. Thank you for all your information. You have given me a lot to think about and I am going to check out the websites you gave me. You said to consider the foods I will have to eat after surgery. I'm not very big on meat. For some reason it grosses me out and I can't stand the taste of it. The only meat I can tolerate is beef and it has to be in something like spaghetti or tacos, things like that, that can mask most of the taste out. I can't even eat it plain, like as steak or something. Someone mentioned protein diet pre-op to shrink the liver. Is there meat substitutes that I can have or protein shakes or do I literally have to eat meat? I am definitely going to read up on other WLS's and educate myself with all the options available.
I think the protein diet is liquid...I did not have to do one....the reason they do it is to shrink your liver for the surgery so that they can have more "space" to move around. I couldn't eat for two days prior to the surgery excep****er and that was it.
As far as meat, the band works best with dense foods....proteins are the most dense food - it does not mean meat necessarily...you can eat eggs, beans (although watch the fiber), ground beef (I eat taco meat all the time without the taco), ground chicken, ground turkey, hamburgers, you can eat meat substitutes - I eat veggie burgers - but you really have to watch the fiber content - at least I do - I cannot manage vegetables very well at all - I mean at all...I eat a salad or veggie once or twice a week. Fruit is good but once again you have eat it - not drink fruit juice.
You can eat everything just smaller portions - that's what different about the band - every other diet we have done has had us restrict some food group...you don't do that on the band...you eat less period. Although some foods don't work for everyone. I do eat pasta every so often with protein...because I need the carbs. But your band stops you from getting the second serving or a huge serving.
Protein shakes/bars are easy but not reality. I do drink a shake every morning because I can't get anything else down in the morning. I don't get hungry for hours...I am always shocked when it is dinner time. I sometimes have protein supplement for dinner because I am not hungry.
M&Ms and Wine go down great, btw....they do not get stuck....unfortunately ;). You can beat the band - you can eat and drink...you are not supposed to Eat and Drink at the same time anymore....so if you enjoy drinking while you eating - you just can't do it....you drink in between meals....and for social events - this can be very weird....but you can learn to adjust....its kinda rude to gag in the middle of a party or get the hiccups really loud :). (which can happen...lol, trust me)
I went to St. Maarten for vacation. I got to eat lobster, shrimp, fish, yam, chicken burger, crab, conch, a salad, calamari, coffee, milk, yogurt, a little rice now and then, and lots of wine....and I lost 2 lbs on vacation....which rocks. I just had cheese and ground beef for lunch and will have either a shake for dinner and fruit. I will also have potato chips as a snack before I go to bed - but my band will only allow me to eat about 5 or so. I don't have them every night but I do eat them.
Food doesn't need to disappear but your band will tell you want you can handle and we all are different. I can't eat vegetables or fiber foods (ended up in the hospital)...others can.
food for thought - scuz the pun,
melanie :)
As far as meat, the band works best with dense foods....proteins are the most dense food - it does not mean meat necessarily...you can eat eggs, beans (although watch the fiber), ground beef (I eat taco meat all the time without the taco), ground chicken, ground turkey, hamburgers, you can eat meat substitutes - I eat veggie burgers - but you really have to watch the fiber content - at least I do - I cannot manage vegetables very well at all - I mean at all...I eat a salad or veggie once or twice a week. Fruit is good but once again you have eat it - not drink fruit juice.
You can eat everything just smaller portions - that's what different about the band - every other diet we have done has had us restrict some food group...you don't do that on the band...you eat less period. Although some foods don't work for everyone. I do eat pasta every so often with protein...because I need the carbs. But your band stops you from getting the second serving or a huge serving.
Protein shakes/bars are easy but not reality. I do drink a shake every morning because I can't get anything else down in the morning. I don't get hungry for hours...I am always shocked when it is dinner time. I sometimes have protein supplement for dinner because I am not hungry.
M&Ms and Wine go down great, btw....they do not get stuck....unfortunately ;). You can beat the band - you can eat and drink...you are not supposed to Eat and Drink at the same time anymore....so if you enjoy drinking while you eating - you just can't do it....you drink in between meals....and for social events - this can be very weird....but you can learn to adjust....its kinda rude to gag in the middle of a party or get the hiccups really loud :). (which can happen...lol, trust me)
I went to St. Maarten for vacation. I got to eat lobster, shrimp, fish, yam, chicken burger, crab, conch, a salad, calamari, coffee, milk, yogurt, a little rice now and then, and lots of wine....and I lost 2 lbs on vacation....which rocks. I just had cheese and ground beef for lunch and will have either a shake for dinner and fruit. I will also have potato chips as a snack before I go to bed - but my band will only allow me to eat about 5 or so. I don't have them every night but I do eat them.
Food doesn't need to disappear but your band will tell you want you can handle and we all are different. I can't eat vegetables or fiber foods (ended up in the hospital)...others can.
food for thought - scuz the pun,
melanie :)
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