B-52

Thumbs up Thumbs down can be abused.....there are clearly personality differences here...I have a few people "Ignored".... But if a person or group people wanted to, they can "Thumbs Down" EVERY post you make, not for the content of what you say, but just because it is you.... A person can easily be "Voted off the Island" socially....

Sorry to hear...and Thanks for the response.....myself, and other people here are always concerned about possible complications and reasons for them.....

I'm more interested on why you're having the band removed...... and how long has it been since your surgery???

YES!!!! It's 4am, having my coffee....reading my E-mails, and the School I was scheduled for clinic today, a CP Center way up North, is CLOSED today..... I can either go back to bed, or go to the gym before it starts snowing....I'm heading to the Gym.....!!

I live right on the coast, and we are being warned of flooding, and power outages.... Snow or no snow, this is a classic "nor easter", but a big one...like hurricanes in the summer, we get these in the winter....and they can carry a lot of moisture, and hurricane force winds... I have my generator all ready to go...we were without power for 13 days with sandy.... I'm hoping I get the day off tomorrow....

It's none of my business what the Admins want to do with this site...... Bottom line...I do not want to judge or be judged...... I come here simply to share my story with others who have had the same experience and have their stories to share..... I do not want to tell people what they should or should not do....no do I want people telling me what I should or should not do.... If I'm going to be judged for that......for sharing something that is truthful and sometimes personal....well then.....have fun! I'll sit back to wait and see.......

Quick...where's the "UNLIKE button.......(ONLY JOKING) but making a point......

They are still my favorite "MUSHIE" On those tight band days...it's a nice soft food to go down....

I totally understand where the OP is coming from, and I too have a belief what a forum like this is supposed to be like.... But CHEER UP!!! I understand that soon we can all hate each other...or give each other the "Thumbs Up OR the Thumbs Down" So when you make a post, everyone will judge you and what you say....

Yep...can't wait to leave this forum again....but then there are those that would like to see me, and others go.... Somehow I think that there is something wrong about being judged "thumbs up or thumbs down," "Like or Hate" "acceptable and Non acceptable" based purely on someones desire to express themselves..... I would suppose knowing that the "police" will be watching, a lot less people will be willing to speak up....unless of course they have favor with the prison guards.... But then again...just like people become leaders based upon the "Likes" they receive, maybe we can start another tally and post the leaders of the "Hates" received....and post it for all to see just as the "Likes" are..... There are all kinds of Orwell things we can do with this..... I think I will need to put a Blue dot over my face......less someone recognizes me.... I'm gonna change my profile and become a "troll" (I'm sorry, but I'm a product of the 60's and I can get....well never mind, no one here would understand )

Crab Cakes are my all time favorite, and fallback food ever since getting banded.....but I'm not too concerned about calories so I buy mine from the store....

I belong to this other site...having to do with travel actually, and it was suggested that everyone's points and status levels be removed....no one objected, untill it was done...then there was a mutiny.....everyone being equal.... I was wondering what people's reactions here would be....so far no one seems to care about their points....

I have - had a pretty big gas tank in reserve to burn...... Now I have to put gas in the tank to work out.... Our bodies store fat for those days when food sources are scarce...to survive....

Just got back from my appointment with my surgeon...from the moment I walked into the office I received nothing but praise and compliments from all the office staff on how well I looked...there were 2 Med students there who came out to see what all the talk was about... After an introduction and a little background story from the Nurse...one Med Student said "You're a runner! I can tell...you can always tell a runner a mile away...it shows!" Back in Exam room with the Dr., weighed in...gained 1 lb in 6 months...he looked at me with a big smile and said what did you expect? You don't have an oz. of fat on your body...there's nothing left to loose! Just keep on doing what you're doing...it definitely worked! There is nothing else I can do for you, unless you think you're having a problem...then call me... It's been 2 years....I wish I had done this sooner....to be honest, I never felt it would be this successful...sure, I knew I would loose weight...but for the Dr. (and everyone else there) to say I look fantastic, and that I cannot possibly loose anymore??? It's also a big relief to know that everything I have been doing, everything I eat and drink, all the exercise...has been 100% SPOT ON! And confirmed to keep right on doing everything the way I am now used to... Words cannot describe how great I feel right now!!!! NO MORE DIETS!!! NO MORE WORRYING ABOUT GAINING WEIGHT! Just live the new life!!! To all the newbies out there that may be reading this, I just want to say that THIS THING DOES WORK!!! All THE WAY!

I am 2 years out, and have been at my goal.....my Dr. tells me because it is lifestyle, as as long as I continue in that lifestyle (rest of my life?) my body will stop loosing when it feels it is ready to...in other words, things will reach a normal state...and stay there..... Anything can happen I suppose, but I cannot imagine gaining my weight back...as long as the band remains intact...and the only way I can imagine the band changing is if I encounter some sort of Medical Issue, and the band would need to be modified, unfilled, or removed.... As far as averages....it is just that...an average...meaning there is a high side - 100% weight loss, and a low side....complete failure, for SOME reason not specified....so in the middle you have an average...and that is what you are told...an AVERAGE.....

I usually go to the gym every morning between 5-6, but I had a long stressful day yesterday at the Hospital, so I'm taking it easy this morning.... and I am BUMMED by missing....I will go later today around 3, but for now I am down.......

Green Zone............... NOT HUNGRY....People say 4-5 hours between meals....I experience No Hunger 24/7...I mean the band is there 24/7 so is the effects....the signal sent to my brain for me anyhow., and many other people I know.... PORTION CONTROL....I do not measure or weigh my food....My band dictates to me when to stop eating, automatically setting portion sizes... GOOD WEIGHT LOSS.....with no hunger or cravings, and automatic portions when I do eat, this is a no brainer....how can it not happen. PATIENT SATISFACTION.....I have NO COMPLAINTS!!! No whining here! I COULD NOT BE MORE SATISFIED!! This is what I learned during my research before being banded, and this is what I expected after being banded.....I WOULD NOT SETTLE OR COMPROMISE FOR ANYTHING LESS.... I am happy to say I have been in the Green Zone for over 12 months, and experience all these things every day....I LOVE MY BAND.... Once I got into the Green Zone, this became the EASIEST THING to do to loose weight.....People say it's hard work and takes determination....well for me, that may have been true ONLY to get to the Green Zone, first 4-6 months for me.....after that...it became a normal lifestyle with the word Diet out of my vocabulary.....true, there where many lessons to learn along the way.... THIS is what the band is designed to do, in my opinion, and THIS is the way my life is now....others may have different experiences, but THIS IS MINE........You can't argue with success..... I read all these different posts on this forum about this and that....and everyone's opinion how the band should and should not work....some don't have a clue I have learned......IN MY OPINION people should be asking themselves whether or not they are in the Green Zone, and if not, WHY.....

Because people are basically irresponsible....give them an inch and they'll screw it up.....abuse it.....and screwing up your band by carbonation abuse can have dangerous results.... Speaking with my DR., he said I would be surprised how many people who have undergone this surgical procedure, just don't understand what is actually happening... It's much easier to tell everyone No....and not worry about who knows what....it's the same for a lot of rules we are taught to do..... ( he knows I drink beer, but he asked me a lot of questions first then finally nodded his head and said Ok....)

I'm not a big drinker...but I drink the same as before I was banded.....and that includes beer....just have to know what you're doing...and if you are still trying to loose weight or not...

I say get rid of all the buttons....and the "like" tallies....Points counted...points leaders..... This is nothing more than a competition for some people ....???

You may hate it now...but once the REWARDS start happening, you won't be able to get enough of it! I live for those endorphins ....... I used to be embarrassed.....tried to stay low key..... But now...(and excuse me, I'm just a harmless dirty old man)....but I love running on the treadmill with a young Bunny on either side, and me keeping up! Talk about motivation!

6 days post-op....hate to say it but it is going to get rougher before it get's better..... I was convinced I wasted my time and effort going through all this...kicked a lot of garbage cans, etc.... It took me at least 4 months before I could tell a REAL change taking place....something totally different than traditional dieting..... As far as hunger...a big lesson I learned is to differentiate between " Head Hunger" and genuine hunger.....or understanding the signals the band was sending me.... But early on the band ws not speaking to me all that much, if at all..... After a few months, a few fills, and learning to "listen" to my band....I can now say I am very rarely hungry anymore.... But don't worry...this thing really does work! REALLY!

My first tattoo..... I was sitting at a bar in the Philippines during the Vietnam war.....I paid 5 dollars to have a tat put on my left shoulder....she did it with a sharpened piece of bamboo and a bottle cap of ink.... never left the bar stool...... Years later, I had it covered up with a professional tat....the studio got a kick out of it...took many pictures and wrote down my story...they said this was one of those "classics" that needed to be remembered.... I won't say what it was, it was not dirty, per say, but the people in the tattoo parlor called it "Porn" but it wasn't....but I got tired of explaining it and telling the story to people whenever I had my shirt off....

There are too many people here with too big of ego's.....I could care less about people's "Cred's" etc,.... This is the Internet...people need to get a life as opposed to making themselves feel important and look to get their ego's stroked..... I just want to know people's experiences...good and bad...with this surgery so I can live and learn....and enjoy my life.... I also have a few people blocked...these are people who appear to me to be "Know it alls"....with little or no first hand experience.....always ready to tell other people what they should or should not do...what is the right and wrong way...... I just want to know what worked and did not work for other people.... And yes, I have a story to share...but it is my story...not something I THINK should happen.....

Well said....there is a life after lap band... I am Now NORMAL...I no longer diet, count calories or measure/weigh food portions (not that I needed to with the band) I go to parties, drink beer, enjoy life's little culinary pleasures, EVERYTHING a normal person does....don't run away from cookies, ice cream, chips and dip......I just don't make a pig of myself...ANYMORE A normal person ALSO, as you have pointed out, EATS LESS...they may do it out of habit, I do it because of corrective surgery....(bu they don't need to know that) A normal person ALSO stays very active....whether in the gym, cycling, kyacking, hiking, sports, WHATEVER..ALL of the above.... We call it diet and exercise...they don't even think about it...just enjoy it....and call it NORMAL There IS LIFE AFTER all of this....there is an end....