B-52

My Dr. did not care what I ate on my pre-op diet....all he wanted me to do is loose X # of pounds or he would postpone the surgery, and then we would have to start all over again.... Just so happens the shake way is the quickest and easiest to drop weight fast...so I did that, but I followed my own regime... BTW, my surgery was a Monday Morning....Friday I had my last appointment, including my final weight in.....after that, I went out and had my "Last Meal"....a favorite place where I knew once banded, I will never be able to go there again.... Then Saturday and Sunday I fasted, and good to go come Monday....

My approach has been simple...I was fat/obese simply because I ate too much..enough for 10 people.... Now, after weight loss surgery, I eat about 1/10th of what I used to....so since I eat so little, I try to make the best of what I do eat....eating the best foods I can, being selective for organic, etc... I have found that quite naturally, I started to omit certain foods from my life...like red meat, all breads, Pasta, rice, etc, etc.... I still eat chicken and fish, but I find I am eating less and less chicken.... Do I still have foods with sugar, carbs? I'm sure I do....but like I said, no matter what I eat, it is miniscule to what I used to consume,,,,Weight Loss Surgery I did not start out thinking vegan, or even vegetarian, but naturally, mainly because of the band and the food restrictions that went with it, I'm slowly headed that way....

Sounds about right, with the lapband....in most cases they have not done anything other than "Install" the device....now is the post op phase where it is all about healing from the surgery and getting back to normal...which sounds like you are doing. The next phase will be a series of band adjustments - fills....this is where the fun begins... Four weeks after surgery I had my first fill, and it was a good one....after which I started to gain weight....untill my 2nd fill 4 weeks after that..... I was very frustrated and upset to say the least....was told I needed to be counting calories, measuring portions, keeping a journal..... I immediately told them that that was what I've been doing with just about every other diet I have ever been on, and there have been plenty, and I did not need surgery and all the hoops and $$ that went into it, just to do what I have done before.... They calmed me explaining the adjustment process, Yellow-Green-Red Zone, etc, etc, and until I got the band in good harmony with me, there was nothing else I could do but diet.....but I stink at diets so weight gain it was...even with the band. For me it took 4-5 months after surgery to get it...then another few months of numerous stuck episodes, etc, adjusting my eating habits and behaviors, a new way of doing things... Happy to say, having gotten through that phase, the band is, and has been working PERFECTLY for the last 3 years now. Diet is a four letter word....I have adjusted myself to co-exist with a adjusted band, and have come to live a new lifestyle....a lifestyle that has brought me back to a normal weight, restored my health, and many other factors.... best thing I could have ever done for myself..... This thing DOES WORK!

First, without getting into too much detail, I am in a situation that I carry a syringe with me when I travel out of the country..I have had food poisoning, or some kind of bug, before being banded and I do not want that with the band. so I am prepared to do a complete unfill should I get the Noro-Virus or similar... My Port is 1/4" below the skin, and a one armed blind man can do it!!! Having said that, it is something between my Dr. and me, and I am not saying this is something I suggest to anybody...and I would say it is not the norm for banded people. But it would be something to speak with your Dr. about if you feel you would not have an issue doing it. As far as cruising, my wife and I go frequently.... First cruise after getting into the Green Zone, I let it ride and trusted my band....and sure enough, it did not matter how much food was offered to me, my band performed just as if I were anywhere else....I can eat just so much, then that's it...plus the lack of hunger/appetite, and general lack of interest in food doesn't hurt either.... But that's not me, that's because of WLS...... I have always found that my band is a constant...it does not change from day to day. (other than that minor tightness - looseness) But the big picture, it does not matter where I am at...a party, family gathering, fancy restaurant...or an all you can eat buffet... It's the band that makes the difference, not me. If it was up to me, I would have failed a long time ago just as I did with so many diets before WLS.... All I need to do, since my portions are limited, is to make the best of what I do eat and not blow it on food that is not nutritious...junk.

When I (used) to get stuck, NOTHING passes, not even saliva - hence the term Sliming...and I knew it immediately and had to take action immediately....needed to leave the table right then and get to the bathroom.... I read many posts from people saying they were stuck all day??? I wonder if they are feeling the results from traumatizing the band area, possible swelling, as opposed to really being "Stuck" I have at times taken too large a swallow, or not chewing thoroughly, something too hard perhaps, and feeling "Pain"...only to have that feeling linger all day...like being punched on the arm.... Getting stuck is not pleasant, but it was something I did not get overly scared about...it showed me the band was there, working, and that I needed to change my personal behavior and eating habits...as I got the band more adjusted, I too had to adjust more and more.... Changing forever the old ways that made me fat, introducing new ways that has made me skinny and fit. If you like to cook, you know you are going to burn yourself now and then, until you learn...does not mean you give up cooking....Yet, In MY Opinion, too many people run and get unfilled the first time they get stuck, instead of letting the band make them learn how to eat all over again.

I have never gotten "Stuck" with liquids in the true definition...but I have, and still do, experience unpleasant results if I drink too much too fast, not giving the liquids time enough to "Circle the drain" (growling-gurgleing) Think of a funnel with a wide opening up top, then narrowing down....pour Water in slow and steady, no problem...pour water in too fast and what happens? It overflows... The thicker the liquid, the slower it passes through. Introducing liquids while food is still there is much worse, for me....cannot do it. Although it is a trick I used when I used to get stuck, often, during those early learning months.

Many of my friends are juicers, as well as smoothies.....and I have wanted to do it for years....I'm not afraid of the calories or carbs, because I do not diet that way anymore.....and never will again...... What I am concerned about is Protein...I look for protein in everything I eat, since I eat so little with this new life.... I have discovered an off the shelf drink which is vegetable juice and they have combined 30gm of carbs....I have been drinking one of those everyday....but to buy a juicing machine, not yet...but I want to....

If I want to have a drink, then I have a drink....having WLS did not effect that for me.... It does for some, so it all depends upon your approach to living a life after WLS.... Reading these forums, it is clear many people have different views on what their behavior should be....and it's really none of my business...if they're fining success, then you can't argue with that... It's the ones who not doing that great with their weight loss that feel they need to tell everyone else what they should or should not do..... In your post, you're talking as though you are are a faithful dieter, counting calories, etc....so in your case that would be something you would need to adhere to....and many mixed drinks are high in calories and not good for those on a diet....so you would have a problem.

Does not surprise me.....I was obese because I could not control my eating...diets did not work, anything involving self control, discipline would last only for a short while.... Lap band has nor only taking control of what and how much I can eat, it has also taken away my hunger and cravings,,,, It has been this way for so long, I began to think it was me doing this...so I asked to have just 1/c cc of saline taken out....it was a Disaster.....totally disrupted that "Perfect" balance, green Zone...my hunger returned, I started to eat more than usual, and gain weight...I immediately went back and had that 1/2 cc put back in 2-3 weeks later... I say that, because if that is what can happen with just 1/2 cc taken out, I cannot imagine what it would be like if I had my band removed entirely.... I know for sure that it is the band that is in control of everything, and not me at all....people call the band a "Tool"...well, I do not....a tool is something I use and have control over ...with the band it is just the opposite... Also, I am not a believer in the concept that one does not loose weight because they are eating too little....I have always found the opposite to be true....

Having Lap Band surgery, it soon became difficult to eat Red meat, and my Dr. concurred it would..... For years, my cardiologist and other Dr.'s have been trying to get to to cut back on my meat consumption for health reasons.... Seeing how Red Meat is not very band friendly, and it was something other people wanted me to do, I stopped eating it altogether....that has been over 3 years now. I would not say I am a vegetarian, I still eat chicken and fish...but since I am eating so little due to the surgery, I am very conscious of what I do eat and I am eating less and less chicken.... Some people become vegetarians - vegans for moral reasons, for me it is purely for health reasons and I have been able to tell the difference.... BTW, I also cannot eat things made from flour/dough such as breads, Pasta, etc...no rice either...

The phase between surgery and getting into the Green Zone was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life....Bandster hell for sure..... But I can say from first hand experience, staying the course, getting my band adjusted properly and not backing down, it has be the EASIEST thing I could have ever done in terms of weight loss....and still is to this day....don't even think about the band throughout the day, I eat what, when and where and how much I want (only successful veterans can understand that statement) Like the lyrics to the song goes,,,"you've got to go through hell if you want to get to heaven"..... Hang in there, it's early, and keep in mind this thing does work, if you let it....

I am almost 4 years out, and you cannot find any scars....although my port sticks out like a scene out of "Alien" I'd rather have scars than a golf ball size lump sticking out under my skin....

BMI's are very unscientific, and not very accurate at all....it only give a rough, broad look at ones weight. Body fat %'s are the only way, and most accurate way to go...once upon a time it was very hard to have one done, but now, with todays technology the scales used are not that expensive and I am finding Dr.'s, clinics, etc are using them more and more....you can buy one easily....so there is less reason for not getting it done.... If you weigh 300lbs, and 60% is body fat, then simply put you have 180lbs of fat..... acceptable body fat % is app. 15%-20%, lower for fit or athletic..... so subtract 15% from 60%, = 45%....45% of 300 = 135 lbs needed to loose, so an ideal weight in this particular case would be 165lbs.... 165 lbs, if this person were 5'8", they would be still considered overweight according to a BMI chart....but with 15% body fat? If they tried to loose any additional weight, it would be body mass or essential fat....very unhealthy...and that would be a true starvation mode..... I have a Body fat% within the 6-13% range...Athletic range...there is absolutely nothing left for me to loose weight wise.....yet, BMI charts say I need to loose an additional 10-15 lbs...from where? It would kill me to try to loose any more weight.

Same here....addictions, urges, desires are one thing...but the band manages my eating, so slowly my behaviors towards those urges subside..... But I still get them from time to time.... A few weeks ago, I had an urge for a McDonalds Cheeseburger...Mind you, I have not eaten a cheeseburgers since hitting the Green Zone over 3 years ago. But the urge was strong....so I succumbed and bought one...took one bite and swallow and immediately was reminded why I don't eat cheeseburgers anymore...I don't think I will be desiring cheeseburgers for another few years....Behavior Modification thanks to the band.

Same here...sliders do not mean anything to me.....

can be anything...I will say this is a common occurrence with banded people.... For me, I have found I needed to cut way back on spicy foods...no more chips and salsa, hot sauce on everything.... From time to time my Dr will instruct me take Prilosec or similar... Be sure to ell your Dr., and follow his/her advice.....

Rules are set into place, as a quide line for beginners to start practicing for life long behavior changes...eventually these rules will begin to become more personal as he band takes more control.... My band will tell me at what pace to eat, if I need to slow it down....depends upon the food....some foods I can eat more easily than others, and some I know right away to take it real slow...putting the fork down, stare out the window, etc.... I'll also say that there is nothing I can eat fast...even straight liquids have to be slow...they DO NOT go right thru like some other people say they experience... And then there is the other rule that goes along with it...whatever I have not finished withing 20-30 minutes, well I'm done.... Otherwise one can eat all day at a slow enough rate....theoretically because my band will tell me when I'm finished long before that can happen...portion control from the band Also, it is physically impossible for me to drink anything while eating...sips or otherwise...just cannot do it without unpleasant effects...

Pancakes, and just about anything made from flour - dough, breads, cakes, etc.....for me anyway......, is not band friendly at all....

No offense, but you haven't even gotten on the wagon yet in order to fall off.... You'll understand what I'm saying, perhaps in a few months.... Your appetite coming back means you are recovering from surgery nicely...putting you at a place exactly were you were in terms of weight loss before the surgery.....Nothing.... Now the real fun begins, getting you band (and yourself) adjusted so this surgery can start to take on some real meaning.... BTW, my total lack of self control and will power was the primary reason I needed surgery...If I had those things I never would have been obese and would never have needed something as drastic as corrective surgery to my digestive tract.... I know why I had this done....and I won't forget it....

If a certain food gives me trouble....then I write it off...I don't go back and try to force the issue repetitive times....I have accepted some things and moved on.... Like Red meat...gave me problems..gave it up entirely...not interested in going back and seeing if I can eat it today, years later.... Having said all that crap, there is a phenomenon where the band can feel tighter and looser at times....a misnomer, but gets the point across..... I quit trying to understand why....but I have heard everything from rain in the forecast , stress, Jet Travel, to a full moon.... I'm always tightest first thing in the morning....(After not eating and resting for a good 12 hrs)

If you have had good restriction for so many years, it puzzles me why it would suddenly vanish... My last fill was 4 months after surgery, and by the years end I knew I was were I was going to be in terms of the band doing it's job, no reason to ever need another fill.... I have got to know my band very intimately, and can sense the littlest of changes.....and at times I do find myself eating larger portions than usual.....but that usually tells me things other than a needed fill....time for a little maintenance.... If you need a fill, then you need a fill....nothing like the blissful new life in the Green Zone.... there is a trade off between how much will power and self determination one has versus how much the band does for them...I read it and can see it here everyday....... perhaps for you, the scale was leaning more towards you and less of the band, and now your will power, after these years, is waning a little and in need of more band doing the work for you........ Hard to say...this is one of those areas I have always been interested in, reading so many people's stories and how different their experiences are....

Did your doctor actually tell you to stay under 600 calories a day? A lot of people find that when they aren't getting enough calories their body goes into starvation mode and refuses to let go of even one pound. You might want to check with your nut or the doctors office. If this were true there would not be any emaciated POW's.... Sorry, But IMO the fear of a Starvation Mode is overblown....just my opinion.... I'm old school...to ,loose more I eat less...and exercise to burn fat, maintain Protein and Water It"s just one of my pet peeves...although there are people who have reported to loose more you have to eat more...so it goes both ways

Now there's an idea.... Gather them ALL up and keep them in one forum, so I can ignore it and not constantly hear it everywhere else.... Sorry, but stalls mean nothing to me....and I've been through a few....

I agree...why would I want to dwell in an area like that? I rather be in a more positive area....not in the middle of a bunch of complainers....

You are still to early to worry about things like "Pouch Tests", etc....things like that are for those who have been at their goal for some time, know their band intimately, and can detect the slightest changes.... I don't like the term "Pouch Test"...however I do a variation every 6-8 weeks, and believe me I Know when I need to, and I know the difference it makes for me...... Also, it will not give you something you never had.....only restore