MyNewLife

Chris, Im from Texas too! There are several of us on the board from Texas, what area? Carrie

HI, I am am 33 and I was banded in Nov 08, and I am down 85 lbs. My advise to you would be ....DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!~ My only regret is not doing it 10 years ago I have been a big girl since elementary and have YO YO dieted ALL of my entire life. ..It has not only changed my life but it has change my familys life as well. As a family we have became really health consious with not only our food but our exercise and general health. It has been an AMAZING journey, one I would not change for nothing! As far as your question about the energy level, to be honest with you I have more energy now that EVER before. I am not eating 3000+ calories of junk nasty foods that did nothing but make me feel like crap all day long. I am eating protien filled foods and fruits and veggies. Dont get me wrong, I eat my share of NO NO foods, but not every time I put something in my mouth like I use to do..... I heard alot of people tell me bad things before being banded like, you will have to cut everybit into a pea size bit before eating it and you will throw up all the time. Well FOR ME, this has NOT been the case. YES I do eat MUCH smaller, WAY smaller portions and yes I cant not eat bread and yes I have given up carbination but who freakin cares about that bad stuff anywaY. They were bad for me anyway, I needed to give them up. Please fill free to ask ANY question you have, this is an AWESOME place to come and there are some AMAZING people on this forum! Best of Luck with your decision......... Carrie

There were several people who told me that when they had their gallbladder removed that as soon as they ate certain foods, greasy or spicy foods, that it would go straight through them. I so far have had not issues. I dont eat greasy good, but I love Spicy foods.... Carrie

Wow Ashley I cant beleive it has already been one year! I still say your are SOOO cute!!!! You have done SO well! Just wanted to say congrats and keep up the good work! Carrie

Hi Lisa, Yes it is HORRID Pain. Had to have mine removed in November after two trip to the ER and them tell me I was constipated..ugghhh...They finally did a Ultra sound and found I was full of stones. The recover is not too bad. You will do great! As far as everyone tell me that you have to "go" everytime you eat something, Im sure this happens for alot of people, but for me there is NO difference in that area for me. Good Luck to you! Carrie

I have a hubby and two boys at home which I cook the same for everyone. Our house has completely changed in all aspects from food to beverages to snacks! It has been a great change for not only me but my family.... 1. Ground Turkey - I cook EVERYTHING with turkey, I dont even buy hamburger meat anymore 2. Lite and Fit Yogurt - love this stuff 3. Apples - This is usually my night time snack 4. Bananas - I eat alot of these for Breakfast 5. Eggs- I eat ALOT of eggs 6. Almonds- Great Snack, I buy the 100 calorie snack packs 7. Lettus, tomatoe- I use these for salads, turkey burgers, chalupa's, I cant do these with a fill good (use the Bushes refried low sodium for these YUMMO) 8. Bushes Pinto Beans, low sodium 9. Grean Beans, any green veggies 10. Tuna, Salmon, Talapi

Hey Ladies Just wanted to let you know that I had my first Doc visit since my surgery today. Wow cant beleive it has already been one week. I am still very sore and my boobies are itching around my nipples, driving me CRAZY! Doc said everything looks good. I did have some concerns with places on my tummy not laying flat. I still of course have alot of swelling and she stated for my tummy it would take around 3 months for it to have more of the final look, not to worry it will all change. My boobies should be starting to drop this week and next week. My Doc does not use drain tubes and if there is any fluid they drain it out in office at your first vist a week out. I did not have any that had to be drained Debbie... One thing that I wanted to ask for you to keep in mind, if they offer you the choice of a 4 day pain pump, PAY the extra money and get it. I really honestly think that is why when I woke up and after I never had a "hurt" pain, just the burn and pulling feeling. I still have the burn/pull feeling and still cant not lay flat. I sleep in the recliner still, my skin is VERY VERY tight so if I try to lay flat it feels like my skins is trying to pull apart, sooo I am not trying to rush it. My boobies are just a little sore and ITCHY but dont hurt at all. Just wanted to give an update! Carrie

First of all I found it! yeahhh Second, it is so funny sometimes how you can look at things that you really honestly thought would not be such a big thing and it turns out to be huge! Angie that is a huge accomplishment and yes it is horrible when you have to make excuses for things when you know you are making them to make yourself feel better. This is such a freedom you have broke through! Congrats on your puppies not barking at you!!!!!!!!!!! Carrie

Shelby, Just wanted to say Congrats! I have always thought you have such great motivation and determination through out this Journey. I think you are just amazing! Cant wait to hear about your 10K that you will run! Carrie

Throwing confetti up in the air for you! You are an amazing person and I am so glad that you are here with us! I just wanted to say Congrats on the half way mark. You should look in that mirror everyday and give yourself the credit you deserve! Carrie

Hi Ladies B-Banana and a scrambled egg....not sure why I have been been eating this combo S-Coffee L- 3 Brownies my mother brought me...get well present, imagine that food! they had peanut butter in them, at least I got some protien...lol D-2 Table Spoons Chicken and Dumplins and Two Table Spoons of English Pea Salad Debbie, Congrats on the Mountain, that is Awesome and sounds like alot of fun. I tried to figure out all day how to put wheels and a motor on my recliner...lol....ready to get out of this house!

OmY .....WOW! I second and third and ...that....AWESOME POST!!!!

Robbyn! I agree you dont need to take so long of a break, we have missed our hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad to hear that you are doing well and getting on track! It sounds like your world has slowed down a little to allow you to now focus on Miss Robbyn! You so deserve this after everthing you have faced along with getting the band. I think you have done your self a great justice in being down 25 pounds, this is not a race and you have done what you have been able to do and that is all that matters. Everyone is so different and I dont think that a person success in having this band is messured by the number on the scale. The way a person changes their self, mind and body is huge in itself as well! You stay strong and keep that WONDERFUL attitude you have always had and keep on keeping on!!!! Your friend! Carrie

For ME when I was banded I was confused with this issue as well, I do have the smaller band. Several friends of mine was banded here in the states and they have the larger band, not because of their stomach size but because that is what they used. They have had really great success with their bands and their weight loss. I think everyone is so different and weight loss has really nothing to do with the size of band we have. As far as my friend she has been up to 8ccs+ before in her band and yet has had to have several unfills from being too tight. She does not follow a diet. I have another friend that has the same 4cc as I do and is pretty much at compacity in her band. I have spoke with my fill Doc who states it just takes larger fills for the bigger band, but thinks it is better because there is more room in the band to "play" with. As far as the number of fills it takes for restriction, im sorry I dont think anyone can say how many, it depends on the person. I "thought" I would be one of the ones who had to have a really tight band but since having an unfill and now a complete unfill, nothing in my band, im not so sure of this. I have always struggled with what to eat, when to eat it, should i eat snacks, should i eat every three hours, am i getting enough water, should i be drinking or eating protien, am I exercising enough, etcc etcc etcc etcc. The one thing I keep coming back to OVER AND OVER again is that I am my own person and what works for someone may not work for me. So I can not compare my band size, me fill size, my porition size, the type of food i eat, the protien,etcc with anyone else but me..... I hope I have not rambled and Im not sure I answered the question, more just my thoughts I wanted to share....... Carrie

Hi Ladies, Having all the fluid out of my band for over a week, I really thought my mind set would be different, that I would really test and eat foods Im not suppose to eat. Im not saying I have not eaten anything I am not suppose to but I have done really well with the portition sizes...(minus the p;)zza) B- Banana and Two soft scrambled eggs S-Coffee with French Vanilla Fat Free Creamer L- 3 oz of white Chicken Breast with a table spoon of baked beans and about 2 tablespoons of Potatoe salad S-None D- Piece of Pizza(Thin crust but it was a really big piece) and an apple (no skin) S- Light Pop Corn LOTS of fluids, trying to flush my system from surgery.... Carrie

Kristi, That is Awesome news and WOW who better to be there to cheer her on while on her Journey and give her such Inspiration!! She is truly blessed! Carrie

Thanks Margrate and yes I do like my Ice Cream, one good thing is that I have converted to Frozen Yogurt. We have this place in our town call Sweet Treats and they are wonderful. It is made for diabetics, no fat, no sugar, no carbs and 8 calories per ounce! YUMMO!!!!

This morning I am up. I am pretty sure that my pain pump is empty and I am starting to feel some of the pain that I have not felt before. I think I might have actually pulled a muscle in my left arm from pulling myself up and down so much. It hurts really bad on the backside of my arm. My boobies are starting to get really sore to the touch and starting to bruise, just kinda acky all over this monring if that makes since. Debbie, one thing that I HIGH recommend is please take something to help you go to the bathroom easy and not have to strain. OMGoodness, had to do that last night, that might be why I am so sore this morning. Carrie

I agree with alot that has been said in this post. I think for me I know I will always have what I call the "fluffy girl mind". I have ALWAYS been heavy and like Debbie said, you make up your mind and you stick to it. I am not going to say there are not days that I eat WHATEVER I can get my hands on and for me it is ALWAYS sweets, Ice Cream, Chocolate candy, like M%M's, things that go down REALLY easy for me. When I really think about the times that my weight stalls, it is not because my band is not working, it is because I am not working with my band. I will really look at what I am putting in my mouth, including liquids and see how much I am sitting on my butt instead of working out. I will be the first to say I thought this was going to be a Magical little thing and the weight was going to just fall off. You have to work and work hard and not give up ! It takes a special mind set and a special will power to do this thang,lol...but omy goodness it is sooooooooo worth it in the long run! So Please dont give up, take a step back and really look at what is going on with your stress level, what you are putting in your mouth, what kind of foods you are putting in your mouth and are you working out. I had to have one of those hard talks with my Fluffy girl mind and tell her that my butt was not going to shrink unless I got it wiggling a little... Good Luck Ladies! Carrie

Debbie, Your pics look Amazing!!! You are doing so good and I hope everything goes great for you in July!!!!

ok, Im going to try this again..lol Thanks Chad! I am doing really well. The pain is not as bad as I thought it was going to be, however I am on a four day pain pump and taking other "meds". I do walk hunched over and it is the burning and pulling feeling like I had with my C-Sections. My boobies are good, sitting very high, but I think they are going to be perfect when they drop. Debbie it did raise my thigh area a good bit, and ummm my girly area as well, it looks WAY different, did not know that was going to happen...lol I have not gotten a chance to see my stomach yet, I have taken my binder off but there is alot of tape that I cant take off until Tuesday, that is when I go back to the doc. Thanks Kristy and everyone for thinking of me. Thanks Angie for the call, you are great! Carrie

Hey Ladies! I am at home and doing well, better than expected! They removed 6 1/4 pounds from my stomach .