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I am really really glad I found a post to share my lap-band surgery experience. I thought about creating a personal blog, but felt it would lack the support from other lap-band patients. So here goes everything: I had my surgery on 10/31/2011. Halloween. Barely had time to grab halloween costumes for my boys-who have been super supportive of mommies post surgery needs-as supportive as 7 and 9 years olds can be:) Surgery went great, post 3-4 days was as painful as abdominal surgery is expcted to be and by day 6-7, I was feeling much much better. I took a three week leave from work which was great to get rest, adjust to the eating routine and just be stress-free to truly focus on recovering. I hated being on the liquid diet for what...4 weeks? That was hard as hell. But by my 3 week appt I had dropped 11 pounds. I started at 256lbs. Im currently at 239 which is a little frustrating for me. But I defintely notice what many weightloss surgery folks notice....my clothes are all big. I was wearing an 18-20 pre surgery and purchased my first size 14 pants a couple of weeks ago. All of my old pants, whether jeans or dress pants, are big on me. I'm wearing my old bra's and buying size large sweats versus extra large. So I'm not too concerned about the scale, but it's frustrating and that's maybe because 256 and even at 239, it's the heaviest I have ever been. I've had one fill and can't recall how many cc's I received, but I have another fill coming on 4/25/2012-which will be 4 months after my last fill. I can certainly feel the restriction. But I do get hungry in between. Now I have a hard time eating the following foods (which is not a bad thing): rice, bread, eggs, pasta, and grilled chicken unless it's extremely tender. Can't eat fast even if I want too! It will come right back up and keeps me in constant control of how I eat which is fantastic. I buy less groceries, I order less when I go out. If I do eat too fast, the pain is a good reminder to not do it again. I was advised during my last nutrion visit to not count calories. They want to know how I do and how I feel just by eating and go about my daily routine. So that's what I've been doing. One constant that I still deal with? Finding time to exercise! The size of my stomach changed (the little band anyway), but my normal every day schedule has not! I'm determined to make this work for me and again, I can physically see that results are possible so I'm not giving up my fight to use this tool I've been given. Especially since the post surgery pain is still fresh in my mind:)

I consider myself an intelligent woman, but sometimes I really wonder where my marbles are! So I decided that I was going to be 'Proactive Girl' and start weaning myself off of solid food now instead of going cold turkey on Tuesday. Of course, I was more of the philosophy of "I got this" and jumped in with both feet. That scream you heard yesterday at about 3pm? That was my metaphorical chicken broth parachute getting a hole in it and metaphorically dropping me on my a$$. So yesterday starts and I'm feeling all virtuous that I replaced both breakfast and lunch with one of my approved food groups. I can have things like broth, carnation instant breakfast, sugar/fat free pudding, under 5g sugar/fat free yogurt, cream of whatever soups etc. I just can't go over 20g of protein so that my liver shrinks away to nada. Of course I had run out of time the day before to get anything from the above list, which would make you think that I would just put it off for a day. Me, do something like that? Surely you jest! Luckily I had chicken broth that I had doctored with some cream of whatever and strained. So I had that for breakfast and lunch. Now I work in a busy store where I'm on my feet all day, work next to a hot convection oven which turns 'The Batcave' into 'The Alcove Of Despair From Over 100 Degree Temp', constantly moving, carrying 50 lb bags of whatnot and I've pedometered myself at walking about 3.5 miles at work in the course of an easy day. Can anybody guess what happened? Yep, all of a sudden the world got nice and bright and kinda floaty. No, I didn't faint or have the vapors (southern women don't faint, we engage in mortal combat with the floor) but I did get so birdbrained that when I got done putting gas in my car I forgot to put the lid and hatch back on the gas tank. Or I would forget what I was going to the back of the store for. So after talking to my dad, who had this surgery 2 months ago he kinda clued me that it was not one of my better ideas. Also, more water is needed when your body doesn't have enough fuel. So today starts Day 2 of Easing Into The Liquid Diet. I went to the grocery store yesterday and got provisions so that I don't do my best Gone With The Wind impression at work. It's my long shift today so here's to hoping! I hope everybody is having a phenomenal day and that your weekend is bright and shiny!

One pound of fat is equal to one pound of muscle. The difference is the composition. Fat is lumpy and is just, well, fat. Whereas muscle is very dense. For example, you have 2 men weighing 200 lbs. and 6 ft. tall. Man "A" watches 40 hours of TV and eats pizza all the time. Man "B" does strength training 4-5 days a week and eats healthy carbs. The difference is Man "B" has leaner, denser mass compared to Man "A" who has bulky, lumpy mass. Back in the days when I was in shape, I never let the scale define me. I was a Div.I collegiate athlete and according to the charts, I was always obese. Now that I really am, I still do not look like it (thank God for my days of being an athlete) but I know my actual body fat percentage is much higher in comparison to my lean muscle mass. Ask your trainer if he/she knows of a place where you can get your body composition analyzed. Once you know how much fat you have actually lost, i am sure you won't be too bothered by the number on the scale! Keep up the good work,

If you are working out, just remember muscle weighs more than fat. If you aren't exericsing, try adding 30 minutes a day, even if it's just brisk walk

I had my surgery on March 15, 2012 and have lost 23 pounds as of today. I too have the issue of not having a food restriction. The best advice I can give you is to make sure you drink or eat plenty of protein. That will satisfy the hunger. Also try drinking water or a sugar free beverage to satisfy the hunger. If you give it a little bit of time, the feeling goes away. Hope this helps!

i think if you keep digging around this site and you will see that others have experienced this as well. it seems to be pretty normal. once the swelling from surgery goes down most don't have any restriction and some people do begin to gain as the band is not serving its purpose yet because you haven't had a fill. so during this phase most commonly referred to as bandster hell you are totally left to rely on good old fashioned will power to restrict your portions. the best you can do is make better choices so if you are eating more at least its more of the good stuff...if you have been cleared to exercise begin to move a bit if you are capable and this may at least help maintain all that you have lost so far. don't fret you will be ok and your band will begin to work wonders...this is just a part of the process for some:)

Oh wow, I am in the same boat. Surgery 4/19/12, lost 21lbs. Gained back 4, and have absolutly NO RESTRICTION! UGH :...(

Hey sister~ I have 2 kids left at home and they run me ragged...I can only imagine having 6 ...yikes kudos for you!!! At 4 days post opt I was walking short jaunts and counting the steps to home...LOL You will bounce right back because by day 10 I was going to the movies, attending the county fair in Imperial California, and later by 19 days I started water arobics. This was the best thing for me as you are boyant in the water, your knees and back don't complain and you get a good work out! This is something I could never do on land with the weight impacting on my joints being so heavy. You need to stay away from the scale for a time, then when you do hop on the little bugger it will tell you, you weigh less...the numbers will start to fall. Keep in mind your body will go thru stalls, you just gotta work thru them, mine was at about 3 weeks I had a bout 4 days where I did not even lose 1 ounce.....grrr DO IT FOR YOU!!! everyones metabolism is different...are you keeping a food calorie/carb/protein diary? If not try it, it really helps me be honest to the program I have set forth.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Usually others will start noticing changes before you do. If it helps start taking your measurements. Most of the time you will loose inches more than on the scale. That has help me keep things in perspective. I have only lost about 30 lbs in over 3 mos, so believe me I need all the encouragement I can get. But I can tell a difference in my clothes and sizes. I do measure myself at least once a month and the inches are coming off. YOu are beautiful and on your way to a better you. It is a process, so hang in there.