B-52

I love positive posts...keep'em coming and congrats!

For me, the band is a "Magic" way to loose weight....but getting there was pure hell...sounds like that is where you are right now...trying to find that "Right" combination of band adjustments, choice of foods, and applying a few simple rules to until everything starts to fall into place....it can be frustrating, and from what I read, some people either give up (choosing to believe it does not work) or staying within "Their" comfort zones....(I don't want to say good-bye to some things) Hang in there....IT DOES WORK! BTW, the less weight you have to loose, the closer you get to your goal, the tougher it is.....and vice versa. Least that's my viewpoint...

An important aspect to my first visit/consultation, was they ran my Insurance, determined the coverage for WLS, and printed out a list of the pre-rquirements I had to go through (Hoop Jumping) including a 6 month Dr. supervised diet.

I would think when someone is over 60, that's when you need it the most...and not just from WLS... I could use a little touch up on my face....

What were your symptoms???

I have been gaining and loosing the same 5 lbs for I don't know how long....actually it's more like a 10 lb swing, 5 lbs under to 5 lbs positive.... And I weigh myself, sometimes twice a day....it's no big deal, and if I tried to figure it out I'd go crazy.... I can watch it climb 1 -2 lbs a day. then BAM...drop 5 lbs overnight....then 1 lb the next...only to start the climb back up....and I'm not doing anything different that I can tell. I suppose if I kept a journal, I'd make some correlations...but it would have to be a very concise journal including phases of the moon, tides, barometric pressure...it could be anything! For me, it's all normal.... (and for me, the only TOM I have is when I have to pay the Mortgage and my Son's college tuition...that will give me some stress)

Been banded over 4 years, lost all my weight a while back...so I don't get NSV';s that often anymore.... But Saturday Night was a big one! First, I graduated HS in 1970....I weighed 165, played football, ran track, etc. There is a class mate, who has become a very popular comedian, tours all over the world, TV, Movies...etc. (I'm not going to mention his name) Well the word went out through face book, that he would be the headline act at "Catch a Rising Star" here in New Jersey....and people from the Class of 70 were being contacted to attend...sort of a mini reunion....which a good number of us did. To get to the point, people I have not seen in over 40 years were there....of course everyone was thrilled to see each other. Lots of Love going around!.....and everyone could not get over how I have not changed one bit...I am still the same weight, and I am still in tip-top shape as I was in High School! People said I have obviously done pretty good for myself. The joke was, where everyone is getting older...I am gong in the opposite direction! IF THEY ONLY KNEW!!!! It's been over 40 years and they do not know I was once morbidly obese, was once a diabetic, have cardiac issues, along with a long list of other things. And as a last resort, I had to undergo Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery...and only then did I turn my life around....but they don't know, and that's just fine with me....just let it ride. I was walking on air all night, and it was not just the alcohol we were consuming! (of course we partied!) Stuff like his makes it all worth it....best decision I ever made!

I do it all the time...I'm not on any diet, nor will I ever be again. I have no plan, no rules to be compliant.... Because of the band, I can eat just so much...my portions are fixed, making it unable for me to overeat. (I've tried) It's interesting that foods that don't go with the band are also foods high in carbs...like Pasta. So Italian restaurants are out. All I worry about is Protein and Water requirements. And exercising whenever I can. I don't think in terms of a single meal, I think in terms of what I did over a 24hr period. A new lifestyle. I can look back at what I ate yesterday....not bad at all and that included a meal at a restaurant.... My wife and I both work long hours, so we eat out all the time. Not a problem other than finding foods on the menu that will work with my band....no meat, no pasta, no rice, no things made from flour like breads, majority of Desserts....it can be tough at places like Outback....and I don't trust moist chicken eating out.,.,it is usually over cooked and hard. I was fat because I ate too much...I am now skinny because of surgery, I eat less...a lot less....it's that simple! No rocket science involved.

I'm old school, and do not try to over think it..... I'm (you're) too fat because you eat too much.....you want to loose weight? Don't eat so much.! And work off, burn away, what you have stored away for those days of famine.... Simple mantra, but it worked for me...my problem was I could not eat less on my own . No discipline. So WLS (band in my case) took care of that for me. And if I hit one of those "Stalls", I ate even less, and worked out more....it worked wonders. BTW, I stopped counting calories, stopped with the Fit Bit obsession, 4 months after surgery....it was liberating to eat normal, just a lot less.....

Started to write a response, then deleted it.... Patients have the right to choose any Dr. they want, and Dr.'s have the same types of rights....and can refuse treatment if they feel the patient is non compliant. I am in no way saying this is you, have no information to comment one way or the other. You are a total stranger. It's just that I deal with this all the time, and the people I work with.....the term (code) is "High Maintenance" So when I read this post, and some others like it, it strikes a nerve and the flags go up....and I have to chuckle... I really do need to write a book because no one will believe some of the stories I can tell.... So if you feel you are not getting the proper treatment, by all means find another Dr. I'm sure your present Dr. can give you some names of those in the same specialty.... Good Luck to you, I sincerely hope you find it.

Just wait!!! It will be the best decision you ever made in your life....

I have the lap band, and meat was one of the first things to go....My Dr. said it was not unusual. So I have not eaten meat (intentionally) in about 4 years now.... Incidentally, that fact has made all my other Dr.'s especially my cardiologist, thrilled...they have been after me to stop or cut back for a long time. I have no problem getting my Protein in.....I start my day with a home made smoothie in the blender with mixed fruit, etc....for about 35gm of protein....rest of the day is simple.

I belonged to a group where one young lady had 10 fills...problem was her Dr. only gave 1/2 cc per fill.....and after a year she was upset her weight loss was so slow. I have only had 3 fills, and the first was 4cc's.... So it's not how many,...but how much....but many people cannot tolerate large fills, creating large changes to fast.

BMI's are ok, they will get you in the ballpark, and give you ":Average" numbers....not bad when first starting out. You can weigh 150lbs, but is that weight from fat? or is it from lean muscle..... Only accurate way (to date) is to have a body analysis done to determine what is fat and what is not...,is the fat content is high, you need to loose more of it....regardless of your goal. I also like when people say "Average in the US"....everyone knows the "Average" person in the USA is way over weight...an epidemic some say with a country filled with fast food, fast lifestyles, poor habits, etc, etc.

I'm a firm believer that I rely on the band to loose weight. I have tried to do it myself, motivated, focused...whatever, it simply did not work....perhaps temporary, but it always came right back...and then some with a vengeance! But, with weight loss surgery, I was able to loose weight...ALL the weight. And I will keep it off....can't see how I will ever gain it back, except to say something should go wrong and I would need Fluid taken out....and I read posts such as that all the time, where people have gained weight after some other problem, where the fluid needed to be taken out. So, whenever I read posts, I am one that is always asking "What about the band?" "Why isn't the band working?" I say that, because I KNOW from first hand experience, the Band DOES WORK! There is a reason we needed surgery! So as I read your post, that is the way I looked at it. And first thing I noticed was 3 fills in 3 years? And you did not say how much each fill was.....except the last fill was 5cc's...Finally! (I know someone who had 10 fills, but each one was only 1/2cc...) I know we should not compare ourselves to one another, and do things just because other people do it.....but we can see and read other people's experiences. and in some ways perhaps relate....... I had 3 fills in 3 months!!! and the total mount was higher than you have in 3 years....Fortunately my Dr. was very clear on what our goal was....first to have the band installed, then to get it adjusted and working! Also, where you have gained weight in those 3 years, I gained weight within one of those 3 months.... Being motivated, focused, and having desire to loose weight was never my problem....I've lost weight 100's of times only to have it come back...and then more! There was a reason I needed to have weight loss surgery....and it was not to get motivated. I guess what I'm saying is the "BAND DOES WORK!" There are many people that have come though here who found 100% success! I do not see where you have failed in the least bit!!! I do not see where you did anything wrong....the only thing I see that is sad is that you..(or your Dr. I should say)..., waited 3 years to to get the band working.... But it appears you and your Dr. are finally getting it done. Just know, this Band surgery does work! We just have to let it, and learn how to live (differently) with it....a new life with a new lifestyle....

When he sees you sliming then spitting it all up he will realize tempting you with certain foods is not the way to go. My wife IS supportive, but every now and then she will make something she knows I really like..... Example is last month she made the traditional Corned Beef, cabbage and potatoes.....she simply forgot.

I cannot eat pizza...I could, but it would take me 20 minutes to get through one slice, and then, the results are what you describe. Plus it is like walking through a mine field with the chance of getting stuck. Just too risky. Thin crust, brick oven style is much better....but I'm into making good food choices and I always ask myself "where's the nutritional value in pizza? I can't believe what I see with all the TV Comercials for pizza.....they are all in competition, but for what? The thickest, gooiest, unhealthy thing you can imagine? I'm happy the band has set me apart from all that.

I've had some bad episodes, especially when first starting out and learning....at times I was left with a very sore band, very uncomfortable to swallow anything......and it was best for me to stay off solid foods till things improved. Like spraining your ankle, you have to stay off it in order to get better....otherwise continue and prolong the injury. But, I have always been able to drink liquids....sometimes only small sips very slowly till things get better. Under normal conditions, I have had Water come back up if I forget myself and take a few large gulps....such as when I'm at the gym.

Are you worried you're not getting enough calories?? I know many people have found good results using things like MFP.....personally, I feel they do not apply to people who have done something as aggressive as Weight Loss surgery. I used a tracker...tracked everything I did and ate...well, in my case, one of the most liberating things I experienced with this surgery was when I stopped worrying about it, stopped counting calories, all that. I focused my attention on getting the band working correctly and choosing and eating the right foods. But like I said, that was MY experience....other people have theirs and swear by the process....

Something like that...But I should also add it does not matter because my hunger has dissipated along with any cravings....as a matter of fact my interest in food and eating is gone....I can, and have gone 24-36 hours without eating because I was busy doing something else like traveling or being on vacation.....that is something being in the Green zone has done for me also....not only limited my portion sizes, but taken away my hunger and/or interest in food altogether...24/7 My problem was I could not control my eating, would eat all day non-stop! And crave everything I saw! I had no discipline or self control so dieting and counting calories was never going to work. (I tried) But Lap band surgery did. And in the beginning my band did nothing, I even gained weight after surgery. It was only after working with my Dr. and getting regular adjustments to the band that I got into the Green Zone....and my Dr. had no problem telling me that was the goal he set for me from the start. It was all part of the treatment plan.

I told no one and I'm glad I did.... I simply took a weeks vacation time. Had surgery on a Monday morning, and was back to work the following Monday.

What kind of shape is your band in? Any restriction? I ask for this reason....I was taught the "Rules" even before I had surgery....at that time they made very little practicable sense...unless I was dieting and therefore did not need surgery in the first place. The staff assured me that one day, after my band gets adjusted, I would THEN need to know the rules by heart in order to not experience any problems...so it was best to start learning them now. Example... I was taught to take small bites, I think it was as small as your fingernail.....put the fork down in-between bites, and chew thoroughly...(can't remember for how long a time period), and do not drink while eating.... That was one rule...and it made little sense to me at first.....HOWEVER, once my band got properly adjusted, it became the ONLY way I can eat....and I still have to follow that rule to this day if I want to get through a meal....Small bites, take my time and chew thoroughly, put the fork down, and NEVER drink with my meals....if I do not do these things, or close to it, it will result in getting stuck...having the food come back up....and possibly experiencing pain..... Oh, and another rule that goes with the above...come 20-30 minutes and I'm finished with my meal.....I'm taking my time eating following the first rule, but I must stop within a time frame otherwise I could take my time and eat all day...(Graze) Third, when starting a meal, go with the protein first before moving onto the other things on your plate....this became very practicable because sometimes after I've eaten the protein, I cannot continue with anything else on my plate....It would not be wise to do it in reverse...start with the mashed potatoes and never getting to the protein. I've read here people applying the rules 2 ways, one is to use them as if on any diet to loose weight, and the other is to use them in order to follow a new lifestyle with the band. I am the latter. I don't have to remind myself to eat this way anymore, it is a new habit that has become part of me....eat too fast or too large a bite and the band will let me know for sure!!! Then there are other things I must do if I want to stay healthy....8-8oz glasses of water per day, 60-70 gms of protein per day,....vitamins,....and exercise. I've also learned what types of foods are band friendly....mostly due to texture and how well they break down when chewed....and because of this I have decided to avoid certain foods all together... It also turns out these foods are not that good for me in the first place.

I've been exercising very regularly since surgery over 4 years ago, concentrate on cardio and am now running 3-5 miles to get my heart rate in the Zone.... I also do weights, and all kinds exercises for the abdomen that is hard to explain. One is, I lay prone on the floor (mat) And with my legs straight out and stiff, I slowly raise my legs up and over and touch the floor with my toes behind my head...keeping my legs straight and stiff. Then SLOWLY return my legs back to a full prone position, most time holding them 6" off the ground. And that's just one thing I do. Suffice it to say my stomach takes some punishment. I also started to do Yoga, not much, but I started and want to get more involved as I get better...... As a side note, I'm one that does not believe a band gets tighter and looser as the day goes on, etc...I believe it is something else entirely...but saying it gets tight is a term everyone understands so I use it also.... It's also true with people using the term "Vomiting" with the band...not true, but it is easier to understand and gets the message across. Anyway, my point is, with everything that I do, I have never experienced a difference with my band...... As my stomach got harder and shrank, my port hurt like heck....but my Dr. explained why and it was OK as long as I didn't notice any discoloring - bruising, (bleeding)

Why would you need to get fluid taken out?? Is this something your Dr. has told you?

By getting a fill....that's what worked for me, and evidently your Dr feels there is a relation.