erin2796

Great post!

I can actually feel my port under my skin, I'm not sure if the lump you are feeling is soft or hard. If it is the port you are feeling you would know. If you feel it is something other than the port you should call Dr. O and let them know what you are experiencing. Let us know how it goes. Erin

As always a great post! Lots of useful information!

I will be having my fill on August 8th!

That is a good question Elaine! I am still trying to decide because I pretty much want everything from corn dogs to boiled crab....EVERYTHING SOUNDS GOOD!! LOL! I only have a few days to decide!

Elastic waist cotton pants / shorts Gas X and/or Phayzime Boullion cubes (cheaper than shelling out $6.00 for a cup of broth at the hotel) Slip on shoes (I did not want to bend over to tie my shoes after surgery) Enough cash to last through tipping and shopping (I was not comfortable using my debit card)

That sounds good too Michelle! Thanks to all of you for your suggestions! I plan on having some FUN!!! LOL!

Thanks Dawnie! I'll check that one out!

See that is a really good idea!!! I didn't even think of that! Thanks Kimra!

I can see the difference! Way to go! I wish I had taken before pictures..I'm only 2 weeks out so maybe I should do that today! LOL! YOU LOOK GREAT GIRL!

I'm going august 7 - august 11, I'm going to try to schedule my fill for the 8th.

I am going back for my first fill in August and want to stay in SanDiego afterwards a night or two and spend a day at SeaWorld.... Has anyone done this? And if so do you know of a clean, affordable hotel close to SeaWorld?

I get what your saying! I have 3 kids, 12, 8, and 6 and do not have the energy right now to go outside with them. I have tried to ride bikes and skateboards but with the smoking and being over weight I couldn't hang for very long! I am now smoke free and on my way to losing the weight and am really looking forward to doing more active things with the kids! Best of luck on your journey!

I quit cold turkey 2 weeks before my surgery so my official stop smoking date was June 4th! It was rough giving up food and smoking at the same time but I DID IT!!! And I'm never going back! If I'm going to change my life I might as well change it all around for the better!

Yes the band is forever but you will not be on a liquid diet forever! You will be pre op 10 days, post op 21 days and from what I understand 3 or 4 days after fills will be on liquids also. The lifestyle change you will need to make is with solids. When you are allowed solids you will need to make sure that you are watching your calorie intake and making healthy food choices. And least we forget...chewing and then chewing some more.

Oh my gosh Michelle! I hope I do as well as you! You look incredible after only 4 short months!!!! I'm speechless! Thanks for always posting your progress pics! I really need to start doing something like this so I can not just feel but SEE the difference! It's amazing!

Yes, please let us know what the doc says! I have been wondering the same thing

Remember that this is just the beginning! When you have the surgery you will have to get through 21 days of liquid diet so be prepared for that and get yourself into that mindset. This will be your life for the next month! Best of luck!

I have made it a whole month without smoking, biting my finger nails, drinking, eating, and soda!!!! All of my vices gone because of this wonderful life changing decision to be lap banded!!!! Yay!!

Hi Sandy, It basically boils down to how bad you want this.... The liquid phase is not for the faint at heart, it is hard and takes a lot of will power to get through. You have to remember that it is all mind over matter. I am not hungry but I find myself obsessing over food sometimes. Something as simple as a commercial on TV makes me want a food that I normally would not eat! You have to remember that if you eat foods to soon you can stretch your pouch and you would have to go through the surgery a second time to repair that! If you stretch your pouch you will never reach your weight loss goal.

I'm trying to get everyone to settle in around week 7 as a compromise...Worse case scenerio I'll just go without them. How are you feeling Elaine? Better I hope. Everyone is doing good! All hanging in there until Thursday when we get to eat real food!

That's not too bad! I was going to go crazy if I had to do a full on liquid diet again! LOL!

WAY TO GO!!!! That's amazing weight loss! =D>

It is normal to gain weight right after the surgery, it should be gone in the next week or two at the most. I gained 5 pounds and once the swelling and bloating went away I dropped back down.

Do you have to be on a liquid diet before a fill? If so how long?