mona-camille

The water in Tinuana is completely clean and potable now. They put in a water purity/filtration system a few years back but poeple still can't seem to accept that. But, no worries, it is safe. You can google it and you will see for yourself that it is fine now.

What a great post! Thank you so much for this. I KNOW you are speaking the words I myself could be speaking. I am so obssesed that my scale refuses to move too. Funny, I am still 249 pounds but in a size 22 which are getting big. I KNOW I need to listen to this advice, to just live and stop obsessing. I KNOW it will help me. All the doctors at the OCC, all the doctors here, my new nutritionist I have just started seeing are saying the same thing. For some reason, I am sabotaging my own weight loss and need to just let it go and LIVE. I am trying!!! It is very nice to hear this again!!!!!

You've got to force moure fluid in you. You are feeling crappy because you are dehydrated. YOu should be constantly sipping something throughout the whole day. My nauseau went away once I got myself hydrated. Remember, you aren't eating anything, so you need EXTRA fluids. DRINK DRINK DRINK!! Or, should I say SIP SIP SIP and then I PROMISE you will feel better!

YEAHHHHH good for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I too had lost about 60 lbs (took a year) and then got prego.

I'm 30 weeks prego, have gained 10 pounds and never got unfilled (I think I'm at 2.8mm). I've had no complications so far. I take lots of vitamins and get lots of protein. I drink a TON of water, like 1-2 gallons a day (drives hubby crazy as he has to keep refilling our 5 gallon jugs (6 of them) at the water store ever week and a half to two weeks instead of once a month lol). I have to say drinking so much water has made a huge difference as I'm not getting cramps in my legs yet and I'm in the last trimester. I didn't drink as much water when I was prego w/ first and got cramps in the night in the beginning of the second trimester.

I did have terrible morning sickness, throwing up a couple of times at the beginning and a couple of times this week. Feel free to ask me any questions at all!!! I only have 9 weeks left YEA! (csection a week early due to medical reasons). I'm not done w/ the pregnancy yet but I know I was scared in the beginning cause I couldn't find anyone else that had been prego w/ the band to talk to, so I'm here if you want to ask me anything:)

Not trying to be a smart a$$ here, but have you told your doctor how much water you are drinking? Most people do not know this, but too much water can be toxic causing water on the brain among other things. Check out this link to read about it. http://drbenkim.com/drink-too-much-water-dangerous.html

2% is most definitely not the same! Plus, try fat free half and half, it really does taste the same as regular half and half. I switched that for my coffee and never tasted any different! Good luck with the show, that is toooo cool. I would love to check out your recipes too!

Oh my God!! So glad you are ok. WOW, you are lucky.

Well, I will keep my fingers crossed for you and wish you well. I hope you can still get the surgery and relatively soon! Good luck with the allergy tests, hopefully you won't be allergic to everything!

If you want to donate a kidney, would the lap band interfere?

I intend to ask Dr. Ortiz, but just wondering if anyone knew offhand.

See, told you it was unusual.

Most people here were banded in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz, but you are welcome here anyway.

Good luck and congratulations on your decision!!!

WOW look at how pretty you are!!!!!!!

To answer your question, "So what do you all eat? what is your menu plan?". To be honest, I don't have one. I have been "winging it", trying to figure out what works for ME and at the same time, live as "normally" as possible. I don't want to be miserable, but I also want to be healthy. I eat what I want (and what I CAN cause I have a lot of problem foods), I just don't eat very much. I think if I was following a strict plan like Lisa (bless you), I might be down 60 pounds by now; however, at this point in my journey I don't have that kind of willpower or motivation. If you're lurking here and looking at WLS it's likely that you don't either....no offense.

I've lost 40 pounds in three and a half months with no exercise and food choices that aren't always perfect. I'm not the lap-band poster-child, but I'm happy with my progress so far and will continue to try to make better choices but I have many years of bad-habits and a lazy lifestyle that can't be changed overnight. I'm not saying you should do what I do, I'm just putting my truth out there because if I had read the posts of people that are doing it all right, I would never have been banded because it would not have seemed realistic to me- and that would be a shame.

Sabrina:)

THANK YOU!!!! Great post!

Here in the U.S. I was quoted $50,000 for the lap band. And not once, but twice!

Well, almost everyone doesn't feel restriction with their first fill. So, I wouldn't worry too much, it is normal and your body needs to get used to the fill so don't be in such a rush for that extra fill.

Hey Ramona--

Could I ask you -- did you stay the extra time because you just decided to, or did something happen to extend your stay?

Diana

Nope, nothing happened, I just wanted to stay longer. I live in Pennsylvania and was worried about the plane trip so I figured I'd give myself more time to recuperate. No problems at all! Even when I go back for my fills, I stay 3 days. Too hard to get on and off a plane that soon when it is a 6 hour flight.

I stayed an extra 2 days so of course I had to pay the hotel for those and I did need my charge card for that. Also, I was just there 2 weeks ago and the going rate for taxi rides is about $7 now.

HEY, congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What fun and exciting times for you!

I would also suggest that those of you who belong to a gym or are thinking about it take advantage of that fitness assessment many gyms offer for free, if not for a small fee. I thought I was suppose to be a minimum of 160 but when I had my assessment I found out my lean body mass (my muscles, bones, vital organs all the good stuff) was 168 so there was NO way I would ever be able to get down to my "goal". Granted I was an athlete who lifted a lot of weights until I stopped playing sports and tend to be on the more muscular side for a women, but we all have different body structures and I hate the fact that you can plug in a number a height and fit into a box when life is not that simple. I honestly suggest to get a real assessment by a trainer because while it is awkward for a couple of minutes (only a couple) it saves a lot of heart ache and pain because you know exactly where your body will stand. I know now that even though I am at 222 and the BMI indicator considers this to be high for my muscle mass I am exactly where I should be. I may seem to be going off on this subject I just hate to see anybody struggle to fit in a box that some just aren't meant to fit into!

This is very very true!!!! My happy weight said 136 but my lean body mass is 150 so it isn't even possible to get below that. My bones are huge and heavy too from years of walking and working out.

I'm a big fat idiot! I ate!

Uh, I forgot.

Lame excuse, I know.

Well, I am about to be 50 so I think that I should be expected to forget, right???

Didn't you just have some problems with only being able to consume liquids? Or, am I thinking of someone else? If that was you, I would wait a few weeks to make sure your band is going to stay as loose as it is now. Rememer, the band can be very fickle.

I have had a total of 3 fills. One without fluro...and the two others with fluro. Just seems like my fills after a few months are gone. I know I was at my sweet spot at 3.5cc I lost like 3 pounds like that...then nothing since...I haven't gained...thank goodness....I am worried at I am almost at the 4cc mark...any my band is only 4cc. If 3.5cc wasn't my "sweet spot"...see where I am going with this? I am just frustrated. I ask my co-workers if I eat a lot...and they are like "NO" I just don't know what to do. I hope that this is not as good as it gets for me.

I need some help....PLEASE

Dianna

Don't fret, you can fit more than 4 cc's in there if you have too. Not a lot, but some. I am currenty at 10cc's in my 10 cc VG band and there is still room for more closure. I was petrified about that too, but there is a little bit of room to go in there beyond the 4 cc's.

WOW!!!!!!! You look FREAKING FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had my third fill on 2-19 and I'm thrilled with my restriction. I noticed a few days ago that I have a metal taste in my mouth. I am taking a daily multi vitamin, but have been taking them for months. Has anyone else had this problem?

Thank you in advance!!

Darlene

Take some iron. I had that a few years back and turned out I was anemic.

It sounds like a great idea! But I'm just wondering: what is it about a liquid diet that boosts weight loss? I mean, don't you still have to be getting in a certain amt of calories anyways?

Thanks, and good luck!

--TRS

I think anything that is a drastic difference kind of gives the body an extra boost into letting go of that plateau. For me, I go back on liquids simply because helps get me back on track when I seem to be faltering too much. It's a good idea and I think maybe I will join up for the challenge too! It's always good for the metabolism to change things up every now and then.

Maybe it's like those sympathy pregnancy pains, you are having sympathy banding pains.

Thank you Mona. I am trying to get a new attitude. You are right that the 13 pounds would have been gained instead of lost. I will try to be patient. I guess the first fill just isn't enough and I really wanted it to be. How long after a fill do you have to wait to get another??

Thanks again,

SheRee

I think 4 weeks, but if it didn't help at all, then go now.