B-52

Type 1 or Type 2 ???

My Dr. said I MUST loose 10-15 lbs before surgery to shrink the liver, or he will have to re-schedule it. He did not care one bit how I lost it, as long as I did. Having said that, liquid - Protein shakes, work the best. So most Dr.'s cut through the Bull Crap explaining it and just say go on a liquid diet. It' easier and time saving for them to say that. \It was all about loosing the weight, NOT what I consumed. I did eat regular foods, but I was on my own about whether I wanted this surgery or not!

I'll start it off by saying your eating will come in different stages, each with their own foods and habits. 1) Pre-op diet - follow your Dr's instructions 2) Post op diet, usually 30 days, liquids, mushies, soft foods, then regular foods - follow your Dr.'s instructions 3) Standard diet based upon calories, portion sizes, etc. You do this for a few months until you get your band adjusted properly. 4) Green Zone phase, you'll figure this out when you get there!!! Now everyone else can jump in.

I was thinking the same thing as elcee. Perhaps you need some one on one counseling. You yourself admitted you have much going on in your life. Having this surgery and being successful demands one to change their life styles, and to take on new habits and new ways of looking at things. If you are distracted by other things in your life, then it's hard to focus on this. For the majority of the time, when I read posts about people who have failed with the band, there is usually something else going on in the background that causes that person to loose focus. Not always, but usually the case, as in yours.

Welcome to the club....I think it is typical for those who are at or near their goals. I have been gaining and losing the same 3-5 lbs for a while now. But it's funny that you bring up how a skinny person reacts.... I'm going on vacation soon, and in the past I have always worried about my eating, possibly. gaining weight, going off the wagon, etc, etc. But this year, on my vacation, I am going to think like a skinny person......In other words, enjoy myself, and if a gain 5 lbs in the process I will have to loose them after my vacation just as a skinny person would do! But in the background, the band will still be there. I can indulge, but never over indulge!

As I got close tommy goal, I plateaued for 2-3 months, losing and gaining the same 3-5 lbs. When I went to my Dr, we both agreed I was dong fine in the green zone. Appetite under control, portion sizes,etc. we both agreed I was fine, and there was no reason for an additional fill. But I was plateaued. So, just as a experiment, he said he would give me a 1/2cc fill. Just to see. I could come right back if it was too much. We boh agreed it was just a " see what happens" Well that was all it took to give me that kick, and the weight began to fall off again. I go back to see him I May, and I may ask to get that 1/2cc removed.

I did not wake up one day and say I'm gonna try this, but I go to a gym that has locker rooms, and I always find myself backed into a corner with little room so I started doing it out of necessity. Now it is the more common way, like skinny peoLe.

There is a support group that I know of, where all they do is talk about food. They even TAKE PICTURES of food!!!! I wish they could hear what you just said, because when I brought it up hey let he arrows fly!

I accomplished all that in one year! Here's one for you. When I put my socks and shoes on now, I can stand on one foot, pull the other one up and with both hands pull my socks on then my shoes, and tie them. I remover sitting, holding my breath as I bend forwards to tie one shoe. Probably turned red in the face also. I now do it the way skinny people do!

I always draw criticism for this, but I have made an effort to make food out to be something that can do me more harm than good. And I used to love food also. But right now it is way down on my lists of things for me to concern myself about. It did make me fat and unhealthy after all. It does amaze me, how websites with people who have the common problem of being morbidly obese, to the point where they needed surgery, can spend the majority of their time talking about food, recipes, things that are "yummy", etc. I like it when someone can take a food item, that is the worst thing you can eat, and figure out a way of duplicating it to make it taste and look just like the original, but with no fat and low calories. Say strawberry short cake for example. To me, it still is the original to the brain. I would rather change my tastes and views bout the cake and be rid of that habit for good.

Congrats! It saved my life! I can't understand hw people cannot take this seriously! But I have met a few. Curious...does Medicare take care of all your band related expenses ?

I've been having shakes (homemade smoothies) everyday for breakfast since before being banded, 13 months ago. I cannot eat anything n the morning. Plus, I get more protein, less carbs, than eating eggs and everything that mau go with it. What my Dr. Doesn't know won't hurt him.

7 weeks....what is different from before? Have you had any fills? Untill your band gets properly adjusted, which can take months, you are no different than the way you were before you were banded. All you can do is diet using will power and self discipline. And if you are anything like most people here, that does not wrk out very well. If it did, we would not have had the surgey in the first place. Your complaint is no different than any other newbie. You have to undstand that this takes time. It IS a process. 5 months from now you will feel differently, as long as you follow your Dr.'s instructions and learn how to live with the band.

It's good that both you and your husband do this together. Not only can you support each other, but in the long run it really helps with meals, food shopping, etc, etc. My wife and I have 2 entirely different eating habits, foods, and many times I go to the store and stock up on "Band Friendly" foods for myself. Not to mention restaurants! You'll see what I mean someday.

Read your blog quickly, and the one thing that jumped out at me is your statement "I have done nothing but fight with this band" One thing I learned, is that the band takes control of me. I cannot fight it. people call it a tool, which I do not like the term. A tool is something I use, I have control over. The band has control over me. The sooner I learned that lesson, that I needed to change to the way the band works, the sooner things began to work for me.

The closer you get to your goal, the slower and harder it is to get those last few pounds off. Believe me, I know!

Not only are we happy to be overweight, we are happy to be losers! So I guess we are a bunch of "Overweight Losers!" And proud of it!

I have heard about delayed reactions, one to two weeks. 4 cc is a little small for such a reaction,but hey...Go With It!

There was a time where it seemed everything got stuck. Sometimes 2-3 times a day. PB'ing is a indication food is not going through your band, and it is a buildup of saliva, in an attempt to regurgitate it up. In my case, t was a time fr learning. Learning to eat properly, learning that certain foods simply no longer were compatible, etc, etc. Once I got that down, not only was I in the Green Zone, but I found my "Groove" whet everything began to fall in place and become easy.

If it's any consolation, I gained weight after my first fill, and till 13 months after my surgery I considered myself a success!

Could you get hold of your eating before you were banded? Probably not otherwise you would have not needed the surgery. So all you can do is "White Knuckle" it for a while. Also, sorry to say, the first fill des not mean anything will change. It is just the first of many before they get your band properly adjusted. Could take months! Don't mean to bum you out, but people need to understand how this all works.

It is up to your Dr. My Dr. Turned me loose at my one week post op appointment. As I was walking out the door he shouted to me "But take it easy with the weights" That was it.

In the beginning I counted calories, etc. That's all one can do at that point. After I got some real restriction, and consistent in the Green Zone, all that changed. Being in the green zone means that 1), my hunger-cravings are under control, and 2), the amount I can eat is very restricted-portion control. So since eat so little and much less often, all I need to do is choose the correct foods. And by now, I don't need to be a rocket scientist to know wat is good to eat and what to avoid. This is the easiest weight loss program I ave ever been on!

Congratulations! So that's 5cc total? F YI it may not last, or be permanent I should say. Most people's come and go at this point but it is enough to let you know what better things there are to come. As a side note, there are actually people, who have been banded, that is against feeling any restriction at all! Go Figure! And to make things more insane, they belong to a support group where people are trying to be successful!

Not if you want to loose weight. Otherwise knock yourself out!