B-52

I go day to day and don't even notice or think about the band all that much.... The lifestyle I now live, was brought about by the band. But has now become a normal for me.... No side effects or problems. All that was in the first year. And that was because I had to adjust and change to get along with what the band was doing.... After that...it all settled down, myself especially, and it all became harmonious. Never better. I'm sorry that everyday was nothing but trouble for you...it is not the first time I had heard people say they and the band never could got along... But when I do read posts like these, I feel I have to chime in and simply say, that there are people, like myself, who do complete the journey and get along just fine day to day...like someone previously said, it's like being on auto-pilot....

The band is the band is the band.....it is a constant...it does not change if I am at a party, thanksgiving dinner, vacation, halloween...whatever...it is always there and never changes, no matter what I may desire or not....eventually I now take it fro granted, it is the "New Norm"...just the way it is and the way I am now..... food or fear of overeating does not scare me, nor is the fear of gaining weight....

My first fill was 4cc's and did absolutely nothing....as a matter of fact, after my first fill I gained weight. It was not until my 2nd fill of 2 cc's, for a total of 6, did I begin to notice anything....and it took the third fill to get to the green zone Everyone responds differently...there are people on this forum years into it and have never had aa fill and have been 100% successful.... there are also people here that never experience that "Perfect" balance....and "Fall off the wagon" or "Get off track" even after a few years.

Why is it a 2 week process? Since my heart attack over 5 years ago, I have a nuclear stress test done annually....takes 1/2 day...then the Dr. has to revue the results, (pictures) usually no later than the next day....but the EKG portions while you are on the treadmill, he is there on the spot reading as they are printed out.... But if the cardiologist knows this is fro pre-surgery screening, which is routine for them, then he can clear you the same day....

Pain from you port has no relation to eating..... Early on, I did experience sharp pains from my port...severe enough it was worth a phone call to my Dr.... It was explained,that my Dr.'s practice was to anchor the port to the abdominal muscle wall, thus preventing flipping or migration....as my stomach got smaller and tighter, the sutures holding the port would tear the muscle, thus creating that type of pain...I was told not to worry, it would heal and not serious and eventually would stop...which it did... Don't know what your Dr.'s procedure is, and from the many posts I read about ports flipping it would seem many Dr.' do not do this. Theoretically, I suppose, the opposite could be true...if you eat enough, a belly buster, your stomach would expand? And get the same type of pains? Theoretically of course, I don't see how anybody with the band can possibly eat that much.

Like she said....don't know dollar amount, but don't grocery shop anywhere near what we used to do....I only have one "Full" meal a day, and then it's not much.....I can easily stop and get Chinese take out and that can last me 2 days... We have not been in a costco in ages......

Because I am not her Dr. And i would be nothing irresponsible for me to Give medical advice over the Internet to total strangers.... To the extreme I could get in a lot of hot Water and loose my job if it should ever come to that, but I am trained not to. Everyone here has a Dr. Every Dr. Has a treatment plan personalized just for each patient.....no two patients are the same, as is no 2 dr.'s are the same.... I am amazed at some of the questions asked here....more so, I am amazed at the people giving medical advice. Al anyone can and should do is share their personal stories and experiences.....no harm, no foul... So all I can say is "has your Dr. Not explained this to you?

My Dr. Simply said I had 2 weeks to loose X # of lbs before surgery or he would have to re-schedule the date. He did not care how I lost the weight, what I ate, etc, as long as I lost the weight. I could of eaten 3 cheeseburgers a day...it did not matter as long as I lost the weight. Obviously eating cheeseburgers everyday would not have worked, but I did design a weight loss program that included certain things on certain days. And because I had only 2 weeks, it had to be extreme and effective.

My last fill wad over 3-1/2 years ago, and everything has been consistant and constant since then...I know my band, and know what to expect day to day....it is always the same If anything should change today that is dramatically different from what it's been for the past few years, it would not be significant and unusual.

Ask yourself...What is the purpose of the pre-op Diet??? Not saying you, but I am surprised at how many people do not understand......

The word "Diet" is now just another 4 letter word....the band has total control of my hunger, portion sizes, and has forced me to choose the healthiest foods every time I do eat...... People all around are constantly talking about diet fads and loosing weight...it's a national obsession. All over the TV....and people are getting rich off it because it's not permanent... I have absolutely no fear of ever gaining weight back, and being set free of all that nonsense....as long as the band remains a constant, everything else will....no matter whee I am or what I am doing...the band does not change... EASY way out? Yea! SO WHAT!!!! Would I be happier doing it the "Hard Way" and do diet after diet the rest of my life? With no results? Always being fat? I have been set free of all that!!!!

A good Dr. will examine the situation and try to determine why you gained weight.... I gained weight, after my first fill of 4cc's...I was apprehensive about seeing my Dr..... But when I did go in, all he did was laugh!!! Then explained to me that having surgery was only the first step...now comes the process of adjustments, etc., to get the thing to perform the way it was designed....All bis patients for some reason don't understand this, and they expect things to happen, change, immediately. I read here every day people saying how "They Failed"....What about the band??? Did it fail? Is it even functioning yet? And some people say this within the first 30days...or the first few months even....which IMO is totally ridiculous... If I were building a new house, should I complain it was a failure because the rain gets in, even before they put the roof on? No...I have to finish building the house then see.....and that can take a few months.... So yes, missing follow up Dr. visits can disrupt the entire process....but a process it is...

Congratulations......Remember this...this DOES work! And do not take too much of what you read on this forum to heart....the majority of people who come here are those with problems seeking advice or motivation and support because they are failing, or simply don't understand..........the successful ones, and they ARE out there, don't hang around here all that much..... Sometimes you would think this never works, but it does!

I still drink coffee anytime of the day....2 cups in the morning, then I bring a travel mug with me in the car. If it's really good coffee, then the only way to enjoy the flavor is Black.... Usually have a cup around 3pm.....Love espresso. Protein shakes with a shot of espresso is one of my favorites. Still meaning to get an espresso machine. My Coffee habits have not changed one bit since having WLS....had my first cup within 12 hours of surgery.... But that's me, and I would not suggest following my lead by no means. I did not select a poll selection because my selection would be "I did not change a thing and have no intention to" Sorry, but there's always one in the crowd.

I also took one week off from work. I was out driving and running errands by day 3.....stopped by the office by day 5, and was back to work full time 7 days later.

Everyone is different, there is no way to know what is happening from one person to another, what their eating habits/technique is like, is there band tight or not.... Can only share my experience.... My last fill, over 3 years ago, it was not all that uncommon to get stuck 2-3 times a day...not always, but it did happen.... I could have easily went back to get Fluid taken out, but I asked myself "Where would that put me? Back where I was before my last fill?" And that was not acceptable either because at that point the band was doing absolutely nothing. So there had to be another variable...with the fill I had a hard time eating, getting stuck, etc...without that fill I was hungry all the time, cravings, could not control my portions, etc......so what was the missing variable???? It turned out to be ME! I called my Dr....expecting him to have me come in...but he told me to stick it out for another week or two.... Long story short, I had to learn to eat in ways I could never have imagined possible....I never realized one could do as good as I am doing on so little food....and that there would be foods I will never eat again.. After being fat - Obese for so long, I had some deeply ingrained habits that I had to break free of....all those years of my Mother feeding me the wrong foods, etc. If someone had a way of showing me what I would be like today as far as my food choices and how little I would be eating, I seriously would have re-considered having this surgery at all....thinking that was impossible and I would be harming myself. Everyone has to find that perfect balance for themselves....between the foods they eat and how they eat them, how much the band is adjusted, and how much one is willing to change their old ways.... I read on another post that the band only has a complete success rate of only 40% ???? If true, that means 60% never really fully get there? This has been the easiest weight loss I have ever been on and could have ever done....absolutely no struggle or problems at all....do not count calories, worry about portion sizes, etc, etc...just go about my business from day to day... BUT..... GETTING to that place of "Perfect Balance" the "Green Zone" was the hardest of all, PURE HELL at times, and often worried I would never get to that place and this has all been a big waste of time. I can relate when people say this is difficult, and they are frustrated.... Sorry for ranting on, I have a habit of doing that at 4am and my first cup of coffee.......off to the gym when they open at 5am....then work by 8:30

I told no one....didn't want to put myself through all the cross examination, etc. I'm one of those where a lot of things about me is none of anyone's business but mine. I simply took a week off from work. Since then I have lost all excess weight, I am a normal body fat%....a slim physically fit person. That was over 3 years ago....everyone has forgotten I was ever fat, and new people I have met since then never knew I was fat and there's no reason to tell them.......no one talks about it anymore. No One! Even with my PCP and Cardiologist, they never bring it up anymore...no more "You need to loose a few lbs" I did it, completed it, now live a new life because of it. Life is good.... People look at me today, and see an energetic, vegetarian, daily gym rat, no junk food, 63 year old male. And I'm fine with that.

The more heavier soups, like cream of broccoli, etc, really helped me....even when I was allowed to move onto mushies, I still preferred the heavy soups, and then vegetarian chili, etc. But then nothing is going to curb the hunger/cravings for me until I started getting fills, and then it took a few before it finally kicked in...I even gained weight between my first and 2nd fill......AKA "Bandster Hell", or as I like to call it the "White Knuckle Club"...just have to hang on!

I have an elliptical at home that I paid $3 thousand for, used....it is the exact same models they use at the gym.... However, I prefer to go to the gym, and I perform better there. Being around other people sets a pace, an example or something that makes me want to do good.... When I am on the treadmill running, and there are people on my right and left 1/2 my age, I am motivated to keep up with them, and in some cases I will not end until after they do...going way beyond my usual time/distance.....

So, the Dr. had put Fluid in your band at surgery? Do you know how much is still there.....? Anyway, for myself, one rule I have is never to eat anything close to bedtime....If I don't eat by 6, 7pm the latest, then I don't eat. I know in my case, it can take a while for food to pass through my band.....and laying down horizontally cannot help.

You build upon your successes, however small thy may be....You do it once. The next day there is no excuse, you did it before so of course you can do it again, and again, and again.... As your goals increase, you keep telling your self you can do it again...you did it yesterday, why not today? There are days when I set out for my run, I have no desire to do so and want to go home and back to bed....but I did it yesterday, so I can do it today....and probably tomorrow... You build upon your success.....with each success comes a feeling of victory...a reward...then you want to do it again and again...then you are hooked!

Exactly 4 weeks after surgery, the 2nd 4 weeks after that, then the 3rd and final 4 weeks after that...12 weeks total to complete the process...that was almost 4 years ago.... I'll admit, my Dr. was aggressive...and he understood me that I wanted to be aggressive also.

What does the Green Zone Feel like??? It does not feel like anything....I simply do not care to eat, have no hunger, cravings, and not even think about food... I'm sitting here catching up on reports, have not had anything to eat since 11am....it's now 5pm, and frankly I could finish the day and go to bed tonight without another meal if I wanted to ....but I know I have not gotten my daily Protein requirement, so I will look for something later.... Choosing and planning what to eat can be very difficult when you're not hungry or have any interest. But for me, being in the green zone is not a feeling...it's a state of mind....it's not a physical feeling as much as it is a mental thing....I feel as though my band is always telling my brain I'm full, I just ate, etc,...whether I have or haven't... I used to use the term restriction also...not anymore, especially when I realized I can do things many other banded people cannot do.... But then there are things other banded people do that I can't...so go figure.

I was an unhealthy, diabetic, high cholesterol, BP, etc., had one heart attack which resulted in cardiac surgery, short of breath carrying groceries into the house, dizzy spells, etc. etc. Dr. sat knee to knee with me and plainly said I did not have much time on this earth and there is nothing else he can do for me...everything was out of control. I was seeing about 5 different Dr.'s on a regular basis for different things wrong with me.... My PCP said if I should loose 40 lbs things would start to turn around. I said I have done every diet known to man and failed at every one....he said then WLS was my last resort, last chance, I have lost all the excess weight I can loose, I am now living with a very low body fat %, reaching what my body considers to be it's optimum. Go to the gym everyday. Run 3-5 miles a day. I am as active as I ever was!! Feel as though I am 30 years younger. I play on a softball team with guys 10-20 years younger than me and I can run circles around them..... I only see 2 Dr.'s now, not counting my Surgeon, and they are all simply amazed at the turn around....My Cardiologist refers me to Liam Neeson, the actor who is my age and does his own stunts.... He told my daughter (who also specializes in cardiology), that I am a non stoppable "Machine" I would not trade this for anything in the world...it not only changed my life, it saved my life. Best decision I ever made... BTW, I will be 63 years old in a few months, no more diabetes or the other ailments.