Musiclover

I had surgery 4/29 and didn't tell anyone beyond my husband and the friend I took with me to the occ. I have found the scar thing a little bit tricky but being heavier nobody seems that surprised that I turn around to put my bathing suit cover-up over my bikini and that I change in private. I have found it harder eating with friends as when things get stuck you can't just stick your arms over your head without an explanation ("oh just feel like a good stretch" ha ha) so I make a few trips to the bathroom now and I think a few of my friends think I am developing bulemia (which I think is quite hilarious - never been accused of that in my entire life). My scars are still pretty noticeable, I am hoping that within a year post-surgery they will fade as I am hoping to be goal weight by then and proud to be in a bikini.

We bought our first house a few months ago and so we wanted to get additional life insurance to cover our mortgage and the nurse that came to do our medical was a total b....tch. She knew I had the lap band surgery done but still felt it necessary to give me a long winded lecture on 'lifestyle' changes I could make (of which I have worked like a dog on but apparently not hard enough). I was in tears and couldn't even respond. After the medical I was contacted by my doctor that the insurance company had contacted him and I had to come in for a visit. So I was sure it would be about my bp but all they asked the doctor about was the lap band surgery (of which he didn't know all that much about as he is a GP and I had the surgery done in Mexico). They didn't even ask about high bp. So I just found out that I was refused insurance coverage. Apparently because of having high blood pressure. Does anybody else find it odd that I would be refused instead of rated when a huge percentage of people have high bp? My doctor felt they were mixing up lap band and gastric bypass surgery as lap band is only going to help one's health in the long run. I am really bitter about this as I feel this was an uniformed decision on their part. If they were so concerned about my bp, why didn't they ask the doctor to test it? Has this happened to anybody else post surgery? I am going to wait until I am in a healthy bmi range (should be the end of this year or early 2009) and then try again.

McDonalds - Grilled chicken snack wrap with buffalo sauce and a yogurt parfait. Subway - Sweet Onion Teriyaki chicken but on a bed of lettuce instead of with bread. I want to try the Wendy's salads but haven't had a chance yet, they look pretty good.

I live just outside of Kelowna and I go to Dr. Woodhead in Delta/Ladner. He wasn't accepting new patients that had their surgery in Mexico last time I heard but it would be worth a try because when I went for a fill he was amazed at how easy the port was to fill. The whole thing took maybe 15 minutes. There is also a few Doctors in Calgary that do fills as well.

You are looking great Alana. Congratulations.

Hurray! That is what I am talking about. Eating what you want but just little portions. Congratulations on nearing your goal Snowbird.

We just came back from a week camping and I had a smore (actually I could only eat half of one) and I even had a few chips one day. I didn't lose anything this week but I didn't gain either which is different than my old camping days where I always gained a couple of pounds. I am a believer that with the lap band we can still eat well just not in the vast quantities we once did. Good luck with your new 'banded' life.

I like a glass of wine in the evening but I do notice it can affect my weight loss. I have had a couple of extra glasses a few nights and what would have barely affected me before does make me loopy now so I have been working on keeping it to a glass only.

I find I have to have flaked tuna now not the solid kind, that helps but I can't have bread either so I never what to put it on. Sometimes I can have wraps but sometimes not. Last time I went to Subway I had them put my sweet onion teriyaki chicken on a salad, it was $2 extra I think but it was great! Hubby is trying to eat healthy too so he is keen for the Subway and so am I now I know about the salads.

I was banded 2 months ago and I get hiccups if I eat when I am stressed. I usually stop eating, try some breathing exercises and if they don't stop I quit eating. They are painful aren't they?

Hi Karen, I had to do a medical for life insurance last week too and the nurse gave me a lecture about 'lifestyle changes' and my eyes just welled up with tears immediately. I should have said 'listen lady, I am all about lifestyle changes, I have made many of them but you don't know that because you don't know me'. Instead I just mumbled something about the band being a change and just tried to compose myself. I haven't told anybody either and after hearing her reaction it just reaffirmed that keeping it to myself is the best idea. It really helps having the support of all of our fellow bandsters on this site. >

You look amazing Nicole! Congratulations on hitting your half-way point. :lb21:

Hi Trudy, I live in the Okanagan area of BC. Always great to have another Canadian on the board. My niece died two years ago (at 6 months too) and it was so very sad. My B-I-L and S-I-L still mourn for her every day, everybody grieves differently and that is ok, I'm so sorry for your loss. On a happier note, congratulations on your decision to get banded, I have only had the band for 7 weeks but so far it has been a great decision, it is nice to feel in control of my weight - I hope it does the same for you.

I don't miss beer all that much (though we moved this past Saturday and the cold corona's everybody else was drinking looked mighty nice) but I do really miss Strongbow...sigh. I usually have a glass of wine if I want to tipple but I am getting into margarita's too, that is a fun summer drink.

I started out as a size 18 but now I am wearing size 12 pants and size 14 top (the cups runneth over) and I have only lost 20 pounds and have another 40 to go. I liked being a size 8 (way back when) but when I look at what my babies did to my tummy (I had two c-sections and have a terrible belly flap) I don't know how possible that will be without a tummy tuck.

I had terrible headaches a couple of weeks after my surgery, I still don't know what it was from but they lasted about a week (off and on). They weren't caffeine related for me, I think it was something to do with my new diet - who knows. They stopped thankfully and I'm sure yours will too.

Hi Anita, I usually do egg whites or Kashi Go lean cereal for breakfast (it has 10 grams of protein for a cup). For lunch I have some tuna with pickles and maybe some light cheese (laughing cow light is great). If I need something crunchy with my cheese I usually have rice crackers though I have found the Carr's table water crackers are pretty diet friendly too. For dinner sometimes I have lean cuisine but if I make dinner (or go out) I try to decide ahead what my portion will be. I don't usually make food that needs a starch (I would just feel sorry for myself if everybody else is having a burger and I'm having plain chicken) and I have gotten hooked on reading labels on everything I see, there is actually quite a few calorie friendly marinades and sauces out there. If I am having a bad day and dying for a snack I try to make it healthy, like some hummus (not all kinds are low fat, two tribes is pretty good) with carrots. As others have mentioned in past posts it helps to not even have junk food in the house. If you are going to have chips, make them rice crackers. Or Safeway has new 'Eating Right' chips that are only 110 cal and 1.5 gr fat for 23 chips. They are really yummy. You are so motivated that I am sure you are going to do just great.

I had a hard time not lifting my kids too when I was newly post-op. Dr. O suggested sitting down and letting them climb up on my knee, that helped.

See that makes me feel better Anita because I got into the idea of the band believing that then I could eat normally but just less but after hearing all of the 'bandster hell' stuff I have been nearly starving myself to keep the weight off. My husband reminded me of this the other day and recommended I get back into running and start just eating normally but less than pre-surgery (which is all I can eat anyhow) and not be so concerned with the scale. Hearing what Dr. O said just reinforces this for me. Good for you Snowbird - woo hoo.

I had thin hair (pre-surgery) too and when I went to the hairdresser today she said I had a lot of breakage and asked what is up. I mentioned I had been on a restrictive diet and this was probably the cause. Her recommendation was a protein based leave in conditioner which I will be looking for but I think I will start taking biotin too.

When I had my surgery, we spent the next day in San Diego and stayed at the Hotel Solomar. It was fun to be in the gas lamp district (lots of people, cool things to see) and the hotel was great. http://www.hotelsolamar.com/index.html

Dr. Ortiz said to me that he would rather I have some coffee than suffer from headaches so I think (in moderation) caffeine is fine. Just be sure it isn't coming from soda products.

I don't take any medications but there has been a lot of weather changes here the past week so that could be it. Thanks Paula Bee.

I had my surgery April 29th so I am eating regular foods and now twice in the same week I have had headache's (I think they are migraines because I am nauseated and have lights in my vision) that last more than 24 hours. I am drinking enough water (more than I did before surgery) and I don't eat any of the trigger foods (cheddar cheese, chocolate) because I am dieting until I get my first fill. I am wondering if I am getting the headache's because of losing weight/toxins. Has anybody else experienced this?

Congratulations, you look great!