Will T

Hi Jules... Part of the miracle of the lapband is to make me feel full much sooner than before. I ate 5 bites, and was full. The secret to getting nourishment is to choose the bites wisely. I choose grilled pork for most of mine, which gave me the protein. I did have a couple of roasted pepper pieces (kabobed) and some onion. I have no room for wasted calories, like I've been doing all my life. I WANT my band tight. I love my food as much as you do, I'm sure, but I felt as though I'd just run through the Thanksgiving line for the second time, and was laying on the couch groaning. I WASN'T hungry anymore; I felt full. I want to shout 'Hallelujah' for that, because I used to eat out of habit, and stuff until I couldn't be stuffed any more. In a way I still 'stuff' until I can't be stuffed any more. Same goes for pizza. I am full after a slice or two (depending upon the size of the slice). Do I want MORE?? Yes, but there's no room for it. I'm TOTALLY stuffed. I used to eat EASILY 6 slices... and now I eat 1/3 of that amount. Bill

Anna is correct. If you are still apprehensive, look at all the threads that have come before yours about the same issues. (There are 27 PAGES of threads, so go back about 5 or 6 to begin with). Every three weeks, a new generation of nervous people come in and ask the same questions you've asked. The funny thing that I found, for months now, different answerers all tell the same answers. We all are here because we said "ENOUGH" and chose this procedure. I joined just about 6 months ago, and the ONLY negative that I've read about the OCC experience was a poster that wasn't happy about waiting at the airport for a while before being picked up. It's funny that Anna commented about how many times the bathroom was being cleaned... when my wife (who was VERY skeptical) talks about her perspective of it, she tells the same story, but it was a male who went into the restroom immediately after anyone else left it to clean. It is good that you answer your questions BEFORE you do the procedure. Leave no doubts if you choose to get banded. I'll be frank (but my name isn't Frank, it's Bill) that this is NOT a panacea that .. poof... and you're skinny like all the exercise machines and magic pills on TV. This is a slower process. The recommended weight loss is 2 to 3 pounds per week. If you have 100 pounds to lose, that's a year. I've seen people post where they've lost about 70 pounds over the course of a year. DO I miss things?? Oh yes. I've indulged in so much culinary pleasures over the years that my heart, knees and tummy have paid the ticket. Now it's time for me to do OTHER things again, like go around without a shirt (yes, I am male so I can DO that - lol) - and that means the beach if I want to without looking like a beached whale. I miss LOTS of pizza, I miss soft drinks, I miss hitting the buffets and having second helpings... but yanno... when someone walks up to me and tells me "You look GREAT!"... I don't miss them as much as I thought. If YOU are willing to do a little work to get thinner............ then this is for you, no matter what obstacles you think you may face. Read what the others have said in other threads for the next half hour. There are people here I am VERY proud of, and very honored to know because they POST their photos and SHOW how they've changed their lives.... And I tell them... "YOU look GREAT!!!" because they do, and deserve the praise.

Glad you're here!! Me

I have pizza twice a week. It's funny. I used to could down two of the mini-pizzas (the individual pan pizzas at a couple of the chains) but now, I barely can eat three-fourths of it. Same way with the larger pizzas. If I complete two slices, I've done all I can do. In the past.. give me three-fourths all to myself. I eat thin crust all the time, and i savor the toppings slowly, and take small bites. It's easier to chew, and gives me the perception that I'm eating a lot, when I'm not. I was used to taking LARGE bites, and the change has been significant.

Hello Renee!! Hello Lynn!! Lynn.. AWESOME haircut! I'm doing pretty well also. I'm going slowly, hovering around a total loss of 36 pounds since March 24 and the April 8 banding. At the BEACH?? And you didn't invite all us down for a few days??? LOL I had some stress from my second fill, caused by cold drinks. The ice I'd use constricted my band even further, causing me to have serious issues for about two weeks. I'm MUCH better now, thanks to lukewarm drinks (room temp) and warm drinks. Thanks to lisa for the suggestion and to the experts at the fill center main office who talked to me. Other than that, I spend time here with all the pretty ladies and a couple of new guys. Still, it's 20 to 1 odds, and I am in a SERIOUS minority here : ) Life is wonderful! Take care! Bill

try it now... all fixed

Heidi, I'm in the same position you are. I've brought back lots of styrofoam containers though, and our fridge is full of meal-halves that I couldnt eat. We started splitting one meal between the two of us, and my wife has dropped a few pounds of late, and the eating out bill has dropped tremendously. This Bill has dropped, too (a few pounds). LOL Paula... that's a good repercussion of the lapband. With less input comes less output. I haven't noticed a large surplus of dollars due to the additional paperwork savings yet, though. This weekend, I'm making a succulent new BBQ recipe for pulled pork. I hope I can eat more than 5 bites. A little special rub, a little secret sauce to cook it in, then Dutch Oven it for 4 hours.... mmmmmmmm.

http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?auto...=si&img=347

I would do it again with ONE moment of hesitation. No doubts. I would do it with the same doc, Dr. Ortiz, but I request he get some young, voluptuous nurses that are 24 years old so I don't have to listen as much to ALL these women keep talking about the "hottie doctors" and we could read about all the "hottie nurses" as well. Well, I DO have the opportunity to look at the "hottie bandsters" on this site...

It's a really interesting feeling. I agree that I can't feel the band, but sometimes I can feel things pass through the band. Honestly, I thought this process would be much worse than it's been. When I follow the rules, I have NO problems at all. It feels just like old times, except I eat MUCH less than I did. Now I will admit, and probably several others will concur, that when I get off the plan, I create a few issues like PBs (we're taught how to deal with them). But all in all, I would do it again without one moment's hesitation if I were placed back at the decision-making stage. I regret not knowing about this 10-15 years ago (but then again, the procedure didn't exist 10-15 years ago). I don't remember any swallowing complications immediately after surgery. I had ice pops and chicken broth at the center, and everything went down fine. Bill

Kimmie, you're a babe... and let no one, not even yourself, convince you differently. I would make a comment about wanting your legs too, but that would be a little weird. Now, if I was a female... ohhh yes.

Yesterday evening I went wild on the grill... Everything from the main course to dessert. The main course was Grilled pork chops marinated with a light jerk sauce... grilled peppers, potatoes and onions on skewers, and of course grilled garlic butter French bread. For dessert, fruit skewers with a honey lime glaze that was AWESOME. I ate about 5 bites and was full But there are lots of leftovers for lunch today!! The only redeeming moment was this morning's conversation with my bathroom scale. It told me I was .5 pounds lighter than yesterday.

I have a 10 cc band. My first fill at Roswell was 5 cc, then the second fill was for 1.4 additional cc (6.4 cc total)

I think of this as a year long ball season. Yes, some nights we win, but yanno... tomorrow we take the field again, and tomorrow.... kick some names and take some... or something like that. One day at a time is my favorite lapband motto. We need to take it one day at a time. Be victorious tomorrow.

I concur, and for once *I* can say something about Darlene in Roswell... she's a hottie : ) All these women talk about how good looking the TJ doctors were.... well, I got MY turn tonight LOL!

Bill smiles... perhaps he enlisted the assistance of someone banded a little later than you : )

And now Clynn is officially "Queen Fiona the First" because it takes an ogre to kick the crap out of a troll. : )

I laughed at the 'rocky boat' comment.... look at my avatar : ) Grab a lifebelt and HOLD ON!!!!!!!! You're going for an interesting ride!!

AAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKKK another Aunt Flo question... TMI TMI TMI

schedule a fill asap. You'll get immediate restriction, and feel the affect the band can have. I was shocked at the 'fullness' feeling I'd have after eating. I'd split a meal with the spouse each time we'd eat out. It saves tons of money, and I'm full usually before I finish my half. That's about a third of what I used to eat. After a month or so, the body seems to adjust a little bit, and the weight loss minimizes - then it's time for another fill. Always remember the body isn't a constant. Weight goes up and down depending on what part of the day you weigh. Many people in here recommend weighing only a couple of times each week rather than daily. I still do it every morning after the AM shower, just to be consistent. Don't be discouraged.... let this make you tweak what you're doing. Maybe have a soup day and treat yourself to a gourmet soup at a special restaurant, or take an extra stroll in the wonderful dusk light, or even a midnight stroll when it's cool and peaceful. And give your body a couple of days to get back with the program. Conquer each day... it's one day at a time. Schedule the fill, and be in for a new sensation down there - the fullness after a smaller amount of food. Look how far you've come already!!

i'm from near Clemson, but we frequent Hilton Head a couple of times each year. My first fill lasted me about a month. Then I went for #2. Kiawah Island is gorgeous.

You're going to do great, kiddo. I used the Force to see ahead, and things will go magnificently. I'm proud of you for making the decision, and stepping up and making the call to go through with it. As the others have said, I will echo... it's day one of a whole new world. The front of the fishing boat will just never be the same now : )

Hello Tee. It is painless, and if you will be using the fluoroscope (I recommend it) it is neat to actually watch how the band works. Again, it is painless, and there is nothing at all to be afraid of. I have the 10 cc band, and my first fill was 5 cc.

LOL... I thought for a minute you had named your computer. My computer is HAL-9000, and it is named after the famous computer of sci-fi fame. I was going to ask you how your computer, CRAP, got it's name.

For the longest time, I have avoided reading this topic because I did not see the letter 'I' at the end of BMI. Some of you will take a little while to figure this one out.