♥LovetheNewMe♥

Agree with Missy's statements, tightening the band will not help. The band can not make you not eat, unfortunately only you can do that. You need to try and figure out what else you can do with that time of the day when you feel the need to eat. Eating should be reserved to meal times and planned snack periods like a Protein bar or shake between meals. Missy is correct in her statement that head hunger will always be our battle, if you do not learn to control this early on in this journey it will be a continual battle with a negative outcome.

Coming back is hard, none of us wants to fail and plenty of us got into this not fully understanding the commitment it would take. First and foremost you need to forget the past and just start fresh and move foreword. We all make mistakes this is not a contest but a life style change and change is hard and takes sometimes months, even years of undoing old habits and developing new behaviors. Getting back to the basics is the key to lap band and realizing that 95% of this journey is you and 5% is your band. It is hard, if anyone wants to disagree than I am happy for them. WLS does not fix our head hunger or our relationship with food and if we fail at it we only feel worse. There are many people on this site who are having success's and are changing their behaviors daily, hook up and follow them and you can learn from their successes and their mistakes (like I said we all make them) Learn to love yourself, positive affirmations and self esteem are key to successful weight loss. If you don't love you how do you expect others too. Any thing is possible with hard work, determination and believing in your self. Good luck and keep reading it gets better.

Unfortunately I think most doctors are all over the place on this topic. Mine progressed me very quickly by the end of week 2 I was eating solid food. and had a fill at 6 weeks. If you look on the original lapband site the progression is fairly slow also. I do think 3-4 months for a fill is a long time. My doctor gage's fills by my answering a questioner each time I go to the office. Red, Yellow, Green Zone. Depending on how my answers fall out depends on whether he will even discuss a fill. I have only had 3 fills in 2 years, I have learned to rely less on my band on more on me as time has gone on. I have just enough in my band that lets me know it is their and I still eat the same portion size just like when I had a fill back in Jan. This takes a lot of 'want" power but my goal was to not only lose weight but to learn new behaviors. This is hard to do but possible over time. I know more info than you asked for, I have diarrhea of the mouth sometimes.

Glad it passed, I had a similar episode prior to my first fill but honestly I really did not realize how the band worked until after my first fill. I thought I was eating slow and chewing well but the band showed me differently after my first fill. So work on eating slow and chewing, it is key to not having stuck episodes. Two years and I think I have finally learned.

Hi Becky, welcome to the family! Good luck!

Debbie, Everyone's journey is a little different. But this is how it should go. Once you go to the meeting, meet with your physician and you make a decision together if lap band is for you. You will do some sort of diet 2 weeks before surgery (this is hard but necessary to shrink the liver, all docs are different and this diet varies) Mine was an Atkins no carb for two weeks and liquids 2 days before. You are normally in the hospital less than a day, I was banded in the morning and went home late that night. They would not let me go home until I went to the bathroom, I argued with them until they let me go home. I was dehydrated from the lack of fluids and it is hard to pee with no fluids on board. (I'm a nurse so I can be a little more difficult) You will have pain post op, this is major surgery even though it is done lap, you pain is GAS, sometime nausea and port site pain. Take your medications and walk after a few days to a week you will be back to normal. I took 5 days before going back to work but I have an office job and do not lift or tug on anything. The first 6 weeks ate being banded do not expect miracles, this is not a fast fix to losing weight. You have little or no fluid in your band and it takes time to get used to eating with the band. For some reason things tasted different to me immediately after banding, no one can explain this but I have read it on the forums over the past two years from others. You will be on liquids and progress back to solid food. Every doctor is different, I strongly suggest you spend a lot of time preop learning the rules of lap band, clean your pantry out of all the junk food and start stocking your house with healthy food. If junk is in the house you will be tempted. Lap band does not control your hands and your mind (sometimes we all wish it did) so get it out now. If you have family make sure they understand what you can and can not eat or should not eat. Support is key to this process. I left out the physiologist visit, this is not to be understated and one of the most important persons and part of this journey, your head has to be in the right place and very engaged to be successful. Most lap band failures are due to the person not being able to follow rules, think about it. We all have food issues of some type or we would not be resorting to WLS to help us lose weight, so get your head on straight if you want success. The first 6 weeks after surgery, you have no or little fluid in your band, do not expect to lose a lot of weight during this time. This is the time to practice the rules and get ready for the next phase. Once you have your first fill you will notice a difference with eating, I thought I chewed well during the first 6 weeks but found out very quickly that I did not after having fluid added to my band. The band is not about restriction, it is not meant to stop food from going through, the purpose is to help you feel satisfied. My best advice is to read, read, read and make your self as knowledgeable about the band, a well informed bandster is a successful bandster. I always say, everyone needs to go into this with their eyes wide open. This is not a fast fix, you lose 1-2 lbs per week if your lucky, you have to exercise, you should eat different than you did before surgery. (some people chose not to count calories or change eating habits, some lose, some don't) There are complications with lap band but there are with all surgeries, my physician is doing more gastric sleeves now than lap band due to the problems that many have with lap band. I am lucky, I have had minimal issues with my band but the band is fickel and you have to learn your body and learn to listen to what it is telling you. Some days I don't even know I have a band, most days, but if I am stressed or sick my band restricts me more, it is tighter, it is tight in the mornings most days and I have to drink warm liquids to loosen it up. The best advice I can give you is listen to your physician for real information, all of us can share but it is individual and we are not physicians. Good luck.

Most insurance companies now days do insure preexisting conditions with a waiting period. The waiting period is usually 6 months to a year.

I love it! You were listening today.

Deciding to have weight lose surgery is a very personal decision for each of us. I had some very supportive friends and some who have looked at my transition from fat to thin the past 2 years and have never said one word good or bad about my losing weight.I even work with a girl who constantly makes comments to me about the small amount of food I eat. I chalk it up to jealously because you see I was just fat not stupid or ugly but fat. So I chose to believe that their jealously is due to their own shallow stupidity and their own lack of self esteem. I have focused on the supportive people and the rest can K!$$ my you know what! Remember this "You said she made me feel like crap" Do not ever give people that much power, their words can only hurt us if we allow them to hurt us. We are all beautiful people, that are caring, compassionate and understanding. We have more humility in our pinky finger than most have in their entire body. so chin up, chest out and walk proud, you see we can concur and fix FAT but they will always be STUPID!

Hi Suzanne, I am chiming in. I will be 57 next week and will be Banded for 2 years (this weekend) at goal for one month and 2 weeks. lapband gave me my life back, or maybe I should say, I gave me my life back by getting a lap band. I have learned to eat healthy and actually feel good about myself for the first time in a very long time. As for throwing up, yes some people do but the majority that throw up have issues with the band or cause it by not chewing their food or eating to quickly. Pills go down without a problem, you just need to swallow one at a time. I do chewable vitamins, consider these my treat for the day. I suggest you go to your consult an attend one of the local free seminars in your area so you can ask questions, seeing successful people helps. But WLS like everything else is not cure for obesity. The only person who can make you lose weight is you, will lose in the beginning just by having surgery but for the long haul if you want to get to your goal be prepared to work hard. Good luck, this is a great supportive group currently so your coming to the land of the banded at a good time.

I wore spanxs from the time I started losing weight and things started to giggle. Never heard we could not wear them. I will say I have to be careful with pantyhose, some of the waist bands fall right accross my port and by the end of the day I can have a tummy ache.

Agree, Unjury is good, I also like another site. Bariatriceating.com, theirs come in sample packets also and they are low in carb, calories and high in protein 25gms each. You have to order them also. I drink Pure Protein powder now after 2 years and I drink it daily. I like Chocolate and Vanilla, I like them extra cold shaken with ice.

Kime, First I want to tell you how sorry I am for the loss of your Grandmother, how wonderful that you were able to share her life all these years. The loss of a loved one is so stressful, it pulls at the strings of our heart and stretches our emotions in ways we never felt were possible. I am so very sorry for your loss. I am sure your grandma was so very happy and joyous to see that you had finally taken a step in the right direction to make sure you were around to see your family through the eyes of an old lady. I too am a southern girl and the majority of our family gatherings always have and still do revolve around food, good food, unhealthy food and the kitchen. I can remember as a child a game my brothers and I would play, (not only am I southern but Italian. kinda like have a double whammy. Fried and pasta) Mom would make homemade ravioli and we would count them as we ate them, the one the ate the most got the biggest piece of dessert. (I gotta smile at the now) So as far as food I do feel your pain. So her comes the preaching, Stop feeling guilty over a small set back, this is life and in life we will sometimes make poor choices. This is not a diet and you can get back on track. You have made excellent progress and you know what you need to do to be successful. When we are sad and depressed we need to move, take a walk after work, the exercise will release some positive endorphins which will help with the sadness your feeling. Your mind is still sad for your loss and you are going to need your strength to get you through this. I know you had a stuck episode from the chicken and sometimes this takes a few days to get over, sometimes after one of these it seems like everything gets stuck. So drink more protein, eat Greek yogurt, soft egg whites with a little cheese. Go back to your soft stage for a week to give your tummy time to adjust. If it doesn't get better in a few days, call your physician. So pick yourself up, pull your Big Girl Panties on and Deal With It. The one thing we all have to learn is how to deal with what life throws us, it we chose to wallow in self pity we will go right back where we were and NONE of us want to go back there. Do we?

All I can say is WOW! Your honestly and your courage in your story should be a point a reference for everyone who has been banded, thinking about a band or WLS in general. This surgery seems so simple to so many of us and so many of us do not take the surgery serious enough to follow the rules and modify our behaviors. I so hope you are on your way to becoming healthier, you have been through a lot these past years and it took courage to share this story, I hope it helps others realize how big of a deal this surgery is and how important it is to follow up with your surgeon when you have issues. Again, I am so glad you are finally on the mend. and send prayers and cyber hugs your direction. Your journey is inspirational and a miracle.

Your looking good. Congratulations.

I work in an office environment and there is always food and everyone is always wanting to eat out. This is what I have done. I have scouted out all the local restaurants in our area and reviewed their menu's and look for lap band friendly food. Grilled protein and veggies (I get tired of salads and they do not always go down well) I really concentrate on the appetizer chooses, you can almost always find something on there that you can adapt to lap band eating. Or I will order a grilled chicken sandwich or a burger and not eat the bun. I have tried to tell them to leave the bun in the kitchen but that just seems to confuse them, I hate to waste food. I try to look at the kids menu's but most of their stuff is fried and me and batter dip foods do not always get along and the breading just takes up space for my precious protein. Eating out is harder but it can be done, you just need to remember our rules and pick healthy choices. If you order a full serving meal, ask for a to-go box when they bring the meal and take your portion and place in the box. I usually never take the box with unless I know it is something that will keep at the office, heat up well for the family etc. If nothing looks band friendly on the menu, order a cup of soup and drink a protein shake when you get back to the office. I look at lunch out with the gang more of a social event and less about eating.

Sorry you are struggling, that unfortunately is an unforeseen issue and there are complications for some people. It happened to a friend I work with after 3 years and I know Jean who wrote, Band Wagon also had to have hers removed. We wish you success and hope the remove it quickly, no one should have to struggle like this.

Awesome and congratulations, I love non-scale victories they mean the most sometimes.

Congratulations on expecting a new baby! You should be fine, just eat healthy and do not over indulge. It is normal to gain some weight during pregnancy but you should not use this opportunity to make excuses to eat. The baby does need nutrients from your body but it does not need junk food so continue the healthy plan you were on and add some dairy to your daily menu. I have a co-worker who became pregnant 1 year after gastric bypass, she gained very little weight during her pregnancy because she continued to watch what she ate. She delivered 6 weeks ago and gained only about 20 lbs. She started out before surgery well over 350 lbs and was around 225 when she got pregnant. That last thing she wanted to do was gain her weight back, since delivery she has dropped half the weight and is well on her way to losing again. It can be done but you can not revert back to bad eating behaviors. Good luck and again congratulations.

Send me a friend request, I have been successful and banded for 2 years.

I had surgery on a Thursday and went back to work on the following Monday. I have a desk job. I was a little weak for the first week back at work but did ok, no lifting or bending at the waist.

Goggle, Bariatric Surgeons or you could go to Lap band site and look for a doctor in your area. You could check out the area hospitals in your area and see if they have a bariatric program. I would suggest to find a group that has the pre-surgey class that explains the procedures and can answer your questions. I also strongly recommend that you take your husband to this class with you. This surgery or any WLS will not only impact your life but also his. A lot of people go into this thinking that things will not change that much, they will have the surgery, they will have a band, eat less and loss weight. Honestly it is not that simple, it changes you and your life, most changes are for the good but there are ups and downs along the trail. I always tell people to walk into this with your eyes wide open realizing this is not a one stop shop fix all procedure for everyone. I am a lap band success, I have lost my weight and living very happily with lap band. What I stated above is what I did before making my decision. You maybe able to call your insurance company and ask for names of surgeons in your area that they will cover or go to your insurance web site and check out f there is a preferred provider on there site. A lot of insurance companies like Centers of Excellence. Good Luck

I do not log my exercise because I do not eat my calories back. I need to keep mine accurate so I know exactly what I am doing. When I was trying to lose I logged my calories but I still did not eat them back. I always work my calorie snacks into my daily plan. On the days I exercise I make sure I get 90+ gms of protein by supplementing with protein shake but this 120=140 calories is part of my daily calorie intake but an addional 25 gms of protein.

Glad you changed doctors not sure the previous one knew what kind of surgery he was going to preform. Sorry, I could not resist. If your physician lists all your comorbidities (other health problems) sorry nurse her. Than your insurance should approve. Mine required hx of failure at diets and a letter from my primary care doctor. I have United Health Care.

You are doing awesome, I didn't reach my goal I set for 1 year either but I did hit before the 2 year mark so keep working.