THINKING ABOU DOING IT

[dot4toto]

Hi everyone....I;ve been reading about lap band and I'm very intrested...I find so much positive about it is there

ANY negitive? I'm 170lbs 5 feet tall bmi of 33...I 've been fighting my weight all my adult life.... I think this would get me down to a normal weight for my height.

How long were you off from work..I stand all day. Was it hard to work only after 3-4-5 days off? Food? what do you eat now....Any info would be helpful...Is there anyone out there with my same numbers(weight etc.) Thanks for any help you can give....Dot

[burnsun]

Well the day after my surgery , my dh and I walked to the cultural museum from the hotel, say the museum and took all the children (three toddles) with us. So it was about 4 hours on feet. I did sit a little at the museum because I got a little hot. (more due to not being allowed to bring in water with me)

We stayed in TJ for three days after surgery to give my mil time to recover. I went back tot he hotel the night of the surgery (but I was still nursing one of the babies)

Mom took off 1 week total and had the weekend to recover and she was fine.

However both out BMI's were over 40

I was able to eat anything I wanted when allowed to add back solids after surgery- just less. Today I am starting to add back solids from the fill so we will see. I know the moral is CHEW CHEW CHEW!!!!!

Jane

7/27/04

-22 so far

first fill 9/18 2.6 and a little

[burnsun]

Actually- just finished lunch and thought I would tell you what i had

(remember I am just adding back soilds again after fill)

7 medium size grapes

portabello beef soup (cambells 8 g of protein in 1 cup- 2 cup container, I ate all the meat, vegetables and most of rice and about 1/4 broth) so it was probablly about 14-15 g protein and 180 calories and 20 from fat only bad thin is the sodium content)

and 1 baby carrot

I'll get off the soups for lunch in a fex days, but these are left over from my liquid phase & mushy phase and they have a whole lot of protein, low carbs and little fat- so not so bad and can be heated in microwave and single serving container. (Itallian wedding soup is my favorite)

I had no problem with the grapes and didn't peel them- just chewed very very well I only ate the carrot (I hate them) because my son was having them and he is three and 1/2 and always feeding me- he thinks I am starving.

Carrot wasn't the best idea yet- didn't fill terriffic and I know I didn't chew it well enough- but I hate the taste, but I can't let him know that- because I am trying to get him to eat healthy foods. He will choose grapes and apples over chocolate or cookies

And I'm full full full!!!!!

Jane

[Shell]

I have nothing negative to report about my experience to date. I felt great the next day and went shopping in TJ . I went back to work after 2 weeks but NOT becasue I was in pain but becasue I have a restaraunt and I did not want to be around the food during my liquid phase. I did not kn ow I would feel about that so I took the extra time off until I was on the mushy stage.

a normal days of food for me is

2 cups of coffee 20 oz of water at 6:00 am

8:00 am 2 scrambled egg whites and either a slice of turkeyham or a 1/2 cup of spinach or 2 scrambled egg whites with a slice of cantaloupe and 1 sausage link (turkey)

10:00am 20 oz of water

12:30 scoop of tuna with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese 2-3 wheat crackers or 1/2 chicken breast with small salad or in place of salad scoop of low fat cottage cheese

2:00 20 oz water

4:00 20 oz water

5:00 dinner is usually whatever I fix for the family just a very small portion and I eat the protein first always!

7:00 my last 20 oz of water

I stay away from all junk foods that go right through the band no cokies, candy, ice cream chips etc..and drink NO liquid calories only coffee and water

Sometimes during my menstrual cycle I crave chocolate so I have 1/2 cup sugar free/fat free chocolate pudding

My wieght loss in a little over 5 months is 51.75 pounds

I have only PB'd twice and I have had 2 fills currently at 2cc's

Exercise = either ride my stationary bike 3-4 miles 3xs a week or swim laps in my pool 20minutes 3xs a week. every now and then I will walk (1.6 miles)

The band is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Dr. Ortiz & Martinez are fantastic! The entire OCC Staff is so friendly and supportive.

There is a book out on amazon.com called Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric banding : Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery that is very helpful for any one interested in having surgery. I own a copy of it and have read it when I was newly banded. There are also lots of great support groups online to with loads of info and support. One important thing, if you do not plan on going back to TJ for your aftercare : fills etc please make sure you have lined up after care in your area wherever you live. I have seen so many who did not do that and are finding it difficult to get aftercare in their hometown, many docs will not see Mexican patients but there are some that will. Having aftercare lined up if you choose not to go bac kto TJ is vital!

Best of Luck to you