B-52

Definitely a mental thing. We are used to being fat so long our brains are programmed. People are now asking me when am I going to stop loosing? You look good right where you are. But when I look in the mirror, I don't see it. Not sure what I'm supposed to see.

I HATE Whiners....I can't stand people who cry and say "I can't do this" I can see right through people who "Make excuses" I did not have this surgery so I could go on another diet. The Dr. told me if I have this surgery, it will "Change My Life" forever, and take away many, if no all, the medical problems I have. I expect nothing short of this!!! And have acheived it! People whine saying what do you mean, I'll never be able to eat this or that again??? What do you want...being skinny or your comfort food. If my Dr. told me, in order to have 100% success, I would have to eat bread and Water for 6 months, I still would have asked "Where do I get in line?" It took me 13 months to reach my goal. There are many foods I will never, and really don't want to eat anymore. No more family barbecue "Pig Outs" No more "All you can eat Buffets" I didn't cry and whimper when I got stuck. I took it as CHANGE and learned to live with and around it....changing ME not the band. I can now walk in public, wear a bathing suit, do yard work shirtless, buy normal clothes in a regular store and look good. I read here on LBT everyday from people, and they talk as though they have come to a cross roads in their lap band journey, have to make a decision, and they BACK DOWN instead of sucking it up and moving forward. It's a free world, everyone chooses how to run their own life. Just don't come back here a year from now and say the "Band does not work".

Is it right after or during eating? My band is tight and I find spicy foods sitting there can give me something similar to reflux.

Yep...me too. No longer have all the "Whale" or "Seal" Blubber. Sitting here watching TV and I need that electric heater pointed at me!

Can't say what the cause of your issues are, but one thing this band will do as you progress along....is for you to re-educate yourself with different eating habits, procedurews, and types of food. If not, you will always have problems and never be able to continue on. There are certain foods I had to say good-bye to. Small sacrifice to a new me!

It's not a gaurentee you will get a fill. MY Dr. weighs me in, checks the difference from last visit, divides by # weeks to determine how much I have lost per week.....if it is good, then NO FILL. It's all about loosing weight !! Although he can also be concerned about hunger cravings too. My laqst fill was last May. Have had acceptable weight loss every month since then, up untill last month. Then he gave me a very little fill as maintence. Next time I see him, in April, I may ask to have that taken back out.

That's Ok, but you missed the point of my post completely!!!!

Congratulations to all you Newbies...... First, do not get hung up on everything you read here. There are people just starting out and there are people who have met their ovals, and everything in between. Don't get hung up on some of he things you may read. It does not apply to you yet, and will only confuse you. In the beginning the most important thing to do is LISTEN TO YOUR DR and get through the surgery, pee- op and post-op. Your weight loss journey really does not begin till you finish that First Phase and begin Phase 2.

A word to "Newbies" First congratulations. It was a decision I do not regret for one minute, other than I wished I did it sooner. Second....LISTEN TO YOUR DR. and take everything you read here with a grain of salt. A very BIG grain. There is a lot of good information here, and some not so good, not to mention Trolls.

My post was not intended for Newbies......I understand how frustrating beginning this journey can be. What I am referring to, and I mentioned it my post, are those who after a few months will come to some important decisions as to wether they want to sacrifice and continue, or step backwards because they want to hang onto old habits. You're not there yet, I believe, but after a few fills, restriction, and everything that goes with it, you will have to make these decisions also.

It's a high tech high$ scale where you first enter all your info such as height, age, m/f, etc. then you stand on it barefoot and must grab metal handles with both hands. It can detect Fat%, Water%, and weight. We have one at the Health Club I go to.

As you can see I am much more polite and nice over there.

Dr.'s have to tell you something, so the time frames are different. It is NOT about washing food down. Also, it will not mean anything you you unless you have a certain degree of restriction. But like other things, it is a good habit to get into. It works like this....if you have any restriction, food will pass through the band slowly, accumulating in you pouch. I like the "Slow Drain" of a sink analogy. As you eat, food will accumulate in your puch, while passing hrough your band slowly. The pouch can hold just so much. That is why you cannot eat too fast also. That is also why you will finish eating faster than normal with smaller portions. Now with food sitting in your pouch, and your pouch can only hold so much, suddenly adding water on top of that can de disasteous! Like a sink with a slow drain, adding more that it can hold will make it overflow! Not to mention the PAIN, and the possibility of stretching your pouch. As far as drinking before you eat, I don't see the problem and I always do right up to the time I eat. As far as drinking after eating, as you learn to listen and feel your band, you will know when it is safe. As far as snacks, it is not safe to add water when ANYTHING is already sitting in your pouch.

I am 60 and work, play and feel like I'm 40!!!

I never understood Dr.'s who say the 50% thing. Like most scientists, they probably take all data, good and bad, and come up with an average that does not indicate that that is how it will be. If we were to take ALL people's stories here on this website, we would probably come up with similar averages between those who make the most of it and those who don't put much into it. Not necessarily the bands fault!

BMI's are not accurate. It is a good place to start but once you start getting the weight off, then body types are different. It is then more accurate to get a BODY FAT % done. If I went by BMI's alone, I am still 25lbs overweight. That's not going to happen. My Body Fat % is below 17%, which puts me in the FIT RANGE. Two people can be the same height, same weight, and yet one can be FIT and the other one can be FAT. There is a starting running back for the New England Patriots. He is the same height as me, but weighs 10 lbs more than me!!! I would not call hime FAT. I'm not saying I'm a NFL Football player, but the comparioson is there.

I'm 60 years old. My goal weight is when I returned from Vietnam back in 1973. The dr. Suggested my weight when I was in H.S., 1970. If I go beyond my goal onto his, that will be OK with me.

Got a new phone the other day and I am looking for a good App. I had a Blackberry, and the app I had was excellent. Counted calories, carbs, protien, etc, etc. Also could enter activities to show calories burned. Enter you weight and calculated you BMI. Did about everything. What I have found thus far will do one or 2 things, say count calories, but not keep track of protien, etc.

That means I can tell newbies about Beer and mixed drinks????

They would stop me ASAP as soon as I tell them I never counted calories or measured my portions!

My Dr. asked me to speak at one of the support groups.....I said "Trust me, You don't wnat me telling them the way I look at things and the way I go about it"

You have just been banded. You HAVE NOT started your weight loss phase yet. Of course everyone looses from the pre and post op diets. Has NOTHING to do with the band untill you are healed, and the Dr. begins to make adjustments (fills) to the band. Can take MONTHS before things start rolling along! And probably a year before you can say you are truley pleased with the outcome. Sorry. You did not put this weight on in 2-3 weeks, and your're not going to loose it that fast either.

You have a large band. Will take more in the way of fills than most others you read about here.

Three months....have you had any fills yet? How many / how much? Are you feeling any restriction at all? Hunger? It's hard to give any advice uless we know where you are at on your journey.

Your tastes will definitley change as you "Mature" with the band. Things that you used to crave, will turn you off. Not only has my tastes changed, and still changing, but I am getting more and more disinterested in food / eating altogether. I can go all day without eating, if I am pre-occupied with something else, and not be bothered one bit. There are times I can't make up my mind what I want to eat for dinner, to the point I say the heck with it. It's all part of the signal the band sends to the brain. It is not a feeling of being FULL or STUUFED. It is a lack of interest!!