B-52

And a good lesson on what NOT to do if you're gonna try to stir the pot....

ALL POSTS can be useful one way or another...you just used it to make a good point for all, especially for new people to read.

That was my immediate feeling yesterday, but I could not be sure...still don't know how they got past the screening simply because of bad nutrition and food choices...see where it goes before we "Move" it or "Close" it...could be entertaining after all...

My Dr. would refer to this chart he had hanging on the wall, and ask me EXACTLY were I felt I was...could be yellow, borderline yellow-green, or green, etc, etc....he would then ask a few other questions, mainly about hunger - cravings, look at my weight loss for the month, if any, then determine if I needed another adjustment or not....he made no qualms that his goal was to get me smack dab in the middle of green... So, how is your hunger? The chart does not say how many hours...simply no hunger....many people say this is true for them between meals only...I am one of those that has no hunger at all...24 hours a day I can care less about eating, but I'll not go into that now....... Second is portion control....can you overeat with little of no problem? Eat anything whenever you want with no limits? Again, speaking only for Myself, it is impossible for me to overeat...I throw more food away.... The other 2 are no brainers...if you have the others, the rest falls into place... Everyone is different...I know I am different and do not expect others to be just like me....but my hunger/cravings are under control, cannot over eat, have steadily lost weight to the point I am done loosing, so it goes without saying I have complete Patient Satisfaction.... Many people find their "Patient Satisfaction" within their own comfort zones, and that's what is really important...that the band works for them...

Just show up and get on the treadmill and and take a casual walk...get used to your surroundings and observe other people...get a i-pod with ear buds.....maybe move up to the elliptical the next time or 2....sooner or later you will start to get into a routine, no matter how small it may be.....it's a start.... I am in my own little world when I go to the gym...have noise canceling ear buds, my i-pod with my favorite work out music....someone could yell FIRE and I would not notice.... A little advanced info...but I aim for a total out of body experience.....I like to run 5 miles and not even be aware I'm running...(runner's high)...does not happen every time, but it does happen often....this morning was such a day...could have went all day...not sure why I stopped...ran out of music I think.

There are new members coming here everyday...you will never be alone, that's for sure...there is something for everybody. This place can get confusing at times....just remember your Doctor and staff should have the say as to what you should and should not do.... Coming here s to read and see how other people in the same boat as you are doing, and to encourage each other.... You'll learn how to let the other BS slide off your back.... You will also read of people who are having major complications, and also those who are anti-WLS...don't let this scare you...In My opinion this is a very small percentage, and after a while, you can learn to read between the lines and see that 1/2 of them, NOT ALL, have either brought this upon themselves, or have had other issues not WLS related that spilled over to their weight loss.... Good Luck.....This ha been the BEST decision I have ever made in my life.....it not only changed my life, but SAVED it as well...literally.

Love it..Love it...Love it.... Was at my Sister-in laws for a Christmas dinner the other day...and everyone at the table..(in between stuffing their mouths) were all talking and committing to diets starting New Years...we also have a Wedding coming up in the spring so they are extra motivated.(?) Where oh where have I heard all this before??? And they give WLS a bad name? I really feel sorry for THEM..... Every Lap Bander has had the surgery because we know, for us anyway, the we could not loose weight with dieting...I know I failed at all of them....I needed surgery, for a PERMANENT Life Change....and that is EXACTLY what I got. As far as the Gym goes....it will be a circus for a few months after New years, very, very crowded with people having resolutions...us regulars, including the staff, all smile because we know it will get back to normal in due time.....(I've been going 5 days a week for over 3 years now...Can't stop!) Every Person on this Forum should feel proud going into the New Years knowing you have been set free from all that nonsense....it's a multi-million (Billion) dollar scheme we don't get caught up into anymore.... Just wait...the TV weight Loss Adds will start very soon in earnest....my problem is trying to avoid listening to them all....

Sorry you got things mixed up and confused, perhaps misinformed before you had your surgery....most people are fat because we eat too much, AND the wrong foods....I know that was my problem... I could eat an entire large pizza all by myself...and wash it down with a few beers...I have the t-shirts to prove it.... But now, thanks to the surgery...I cannot get through a single slice...so I gave it up entirely....and that is the way I like it....I am unable to over eat...no matter how hard I try...my portion sizes are automatically set by the band, not me or what I want to do..... And yes...it has also limited some of the foods I eat...but I have noticed that the foods I no longer eat are foods that were not that good for me in the first place... Such as breads, flour products such as donuts, pastries, pies, etc....rice...pasta, to name just a few....and what is nutritional about pizza??? I no longer eat red meat...much to the delight of all my Dr.'s including my cardiologist. They all have been preaching to me for years that I should cut back on meat...if I cannot quit it entirely, then consume it just one day a week they said.....that was years before I had this surgery, after my first heart attack......all because it was good health advice....so when the band gave me trouble, I quit Meat altogether and I don't miss it, and I can tell the health improvement......everyone is happy including me...never felt better. I'm a little surprised you got through the initial evaluation and approved for this surgery...., since over eating was never your problem for being fat....generally that is the first thing talked about....inability to control our food consumption and portion sizes.....therefore failing at traditional diets and everything dieting entails........ When I talk to people about this surgery at support groups and first time orientations, etc., I am sure to mention it is NOT for everyone...not everyone can deal with what they're asking for.....(I see it on this forum everyday) In any event, that is one good thing about the band....you can easily have it removed....it is reversible....allowing us to eat whatever and whenever we want...just like before the surgery. Good Luck to you in the future...hope all works out for you.....

After being so fat for so long, and dealing with it everyday...I find it hard to see myself skinny today.... I was going through all the Christmas photo's from parties, etc, I wanted to find a new "After" photo...the one I have there now is almost 2 years old.... Every picture I looked at I did not like, I felt I looked fat! There was one photo of me along with the entire department from work and their spouses...18 people? And I felt I was the heaviest person in the picture.... My wife thinks I'm nuts....she's probably more correct than she thinks....I'm now the same weight I was as a Sr. in High School, and that was 1970 !!!

In the end...it really doesn't matter.....if I read a post I can relate to, I'll respond to it with my experience(s) on that subject.... If anyone has a problem with what I say, it's their problem, because for me it's a day to day reality...and I can't hide or deny myself....

Congratulations....glad you are doing so well at 2 months.... 2 month mark for me was when things started to come unraveled...height of bandster hell...band was not doing anything for me, I started to gain weight even after my first fill...was as hungry as ever,...could eat anything.....felt the whole thing was a waste of my time and $$.... Took me 5-6 months to find that "Groove" (had it ever since) and I am as happy as can be......glad you found it so soon....

No Pain, No Gain.....or so they say...that's why they call it a "Work" out.... What you feel now, in soreness from what effort you can put into it.....if you keep it up, within time, it will take 10 times the effort to achieve the same pain.... I used to get out of breath carrying groceries into the house.....NOW I run 5 miles (daily) to get out of breath.... We build upon our little victories, one at a time, time after time....

But, when you speak with them about what it was like when you were growing up there, and they snicker and look at you as if you had three heads.....eventually...you do what.....?

I for one, will NEVER answer a direct question with a direct answer....I will however, think back and try to remember if I ever had that situation, and if I did, I will share what I found the answer to be.... If I have never experienced what you're asking, then I would keep my mouth shut and let someone else speak..... Example..there are many topics about TOM or Pregnancy....I would not even begin to address those issues (although I'm in the medical profession) it is not my place to do so here...yet it happens everyday...people will give advice, answers, in areas they have no experience in....I think they just like to be heard or feel important....who knows...

"So may I ask, what do you want to get from here? I think I saw the post where you were frustrated and I wasn't sure what you wanted from the folks participating. I don't mean this rudely, I'm just trying to understand what a veterans expectations are from this site after reaching goal. Is it mentoring, continuing education, something else?" That is the point, isn't it...what do / can veterans get from here??? I do pay special attention to those who develop long term complications....and over time have made certain conclusions. Seem those with problem have 1-3 common themes to them...and 2 out of 3 of those I know I avoid.... I do not believe it is my place to mentor, or answer questions concerning someone else's health and welfare, over the internet, whom I do not know or ever met.....and the other person would be the dummy to listen to a stranger tell them what they should or should not do, and what the band can or cannot do in their lives....The only thing ANYONE can do is tell their own story...give their testimony as to what has worked and not worked in THEIR lives.....If someone comes here and asks a specific question, IF I have experienced the same thing, then I will share what I found the outcome to be, based upon ME, NOT what someone told me or I read somewhere.... and If I have not had any first hand experience with that specific topic, then I will keep my mouth shut and let someone else reply.....But it gets to the point that the gap between veterans and new members increases, that what I may say, even if it is something I do everyday....new members simply cannot relate, and can care less what I have to say...they can relate better to someone earlier on in this experience..... So what is the point?

All I can say this morning......after being banded for a certain amount of time...being in the "Green" Zone for years, and being 100% successful and Happy, happy happy..... This Forum can be EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING..... I just left another Thread, and NO ONE GET'S IT !!! I have to stop and ask "What in the World am I doing here?" Even when I try to explain things, things that are simple truths based upon my experience and my life with the band....people just do not understand....and will even debate you over it! Right now, I feel like a stranger in in a strange land....and I know others that have moved on for just that reason.... Sometimes you just have to get away to keep your sanity.....

Whether I taste something or not has nothing to do with the band...I taste things because they Taste Good...it is Christmas..and I choose to taste them....I enjoy the taste.... No Offense, but just by reading your post it is reflective of someone who is new at this...and your post is indicative of what I am saying...where is everyone else???? It is a lifestyle...NOT A DIET.... It is disheartening, on a forum with 1000's of members...everyone is talking about their fears of the holidays, the foods, overeating,..... Everyone is talking how to combat these situations just as if this was a Weight watchers website, or a Jenny Craig help forum...there is a reason I had this surgery....and situations like the holidays is but one example... NO ONE is talking about how the Band, or this Weight Loss Surgery is helping them.... Sure...of course I had my struggle...within those first 4-6 months of adjusting.... BUT... Is EVERYBODY on this website NEW???? DID ALL THE VETERANS LEAVE ???? This was touched upon in another thread, were eventually you realize there is not much left here you have in common, or can learn from, and then move on......

First fill of 1cc and you think you're too tight? Of course one can never Dx your condition over the internet, and I would not assume to do so also.... But, from my own experience, It can also be that you made a mistake, ate something you should not have,or the wrong way...it is a big learning experience after all..... and "Traumatized" the area...the more you continue to try to eat, the more you aggrevate it.... Of course, we have to eat something.... BUT....Just as one sprains their ankle...if you keep trying to walk normally on it, it keeps staying sprained and does not get any better... Dr.' office is closed till after the holidays? Take it easy with the food...stay with soft things like Soups and ice creams, etc...and see how you feel when they open... My last fill, I had many difficulties for 2 weeks...mainly because I did not follow my Dr.'s after fill guidelines at the outset......I called him wanting to get some Fluid taken out...he talked me out out of it...told me to treat it tenderly...I am glad he did...that was over 2-1/2 years ago, and I am at a place..a perfect balance-harmony, that many people will never experience with their bands I am beginning to see.... If I did get some fluid taken out, then I would not be the happy person I am today....but it took a lot of adjusting on my part.... But then, that is me and my story....

Can you drink Water??? Sip that is... Not that I could tell, but it does not sound like you are stuck.....it sounds as though you had your first lesson about chewing and eating soft foods....you probably swallowed something too harsh, and are now feeling the residual pain, just as if someone has "Punched" you in arm, it can linger for quite a while... I have, during those learning years, taken a large swallow without thinking...and have had the most excruciating pain....can even be thought as stretching the pouch perhaps... There are many foods I no longer eat, and what I do eat are softer foods, and better chewed, and much smaller bites.... For instance, I takes 4 bites with plenty of chewing, to get through one shrimp....I usually take one bite, then put it down and come back to it later...it might as well be the size of a banana...

This is sad..... I know for me...the band is EVERYTHING....and it is the same today or tomorrow, as it has been for quite some time...th bnd does not know if it's Christmas, or the 4th of July, or I'm on a cruise....it will keep on doing what it does everyday.... I have absolutely no fear with the Holidays, all the parties, etc...sure my head may desire all the foods and treats offered, and I will "Taste" as much as possible regardless of what it is...people went out of their way preparing these things for me and others to enjoy...and I will, and then compliment them for their contribution.......but the band will keep things in check and indulgence and gluttony is out of the question.....as it is any other day.... I have said it 100 times before....I am NOT on a diet..... Why were YOU banded???

Hard to answer not knowing when you were banded, # of fills...Green Zone? Any problems with hunger when it comes to other foods?

True...but you're going to much less......I never get to the carbs, let alone the fruits and veggies.....

What do I eat??? the answer is VERY LITTLE..... Having said that, since I am limited how much I can eat, I am sure to make the best of it by choosing the best foods I can....since the band is limiting the size of my portions, and how much I can actually eat at a single sitting, I'm not going to blow it on mashed potatoes for example....I'll always start with something high Protein first...then work my way down if the band will let me eat get there...... You use the term "Band Friendly" yet you are just starting out, and have no restriction yet, I assume.... To me, band Friendly are foods that are easy to eat once your band is adjusted....for instance, I do not eat Pasta, breads, rice or red meats....these are foods that do not pass very easily, no matter how well I chew, and have a high risk of getting stuck...so they are not band friendly and I choose not to eat them.... Fish and tender chicken are band Friendly foods for me...as an example...then again, so is ice cream..passes very easily....

Banded people have a "Reset" also....I do it about every 6 weeks or so, but just for a few days....does put everything back to that "New" feeling.... The problem with banded people though, is that the band is adjustable...and after surgery we have to go through a series of adjustments to get to that place were the band and process begins to work optimally.... You have to be at a certain place, in order for that reset to return you to that place....but a reset is not going to get us to a place where we were never at in the first place.... When many people have complaints, etc, with the band....the first concern is whether or not you have the band fully adjusted to where it should be....it can take months, and many people NEVER get there....BIGGEST negative to the band, IMO, is that it is left to the individual where they want it adjusted...then turn around and say it's not doing anything.... The sleeve on the other hand....much to it's credit, is that it is installed and then that's it...(sort of)..you can't adjustment up or down...it just is....

Yes...we were all new to this at one time or another...and I remember how frustrated I was within those first months...I felt this was a big waste of my time, effort and $$.... But some of the things veterans told me back then, I simply did not believe them, or could not comprehend what they were actually saying....and now I find myself in that boat...when people state they are having an issue, I want to say things but I know I should not...it would only confuse things. It would be like describing what it is like to "Fly" when they are still figuring out how to "Walk", to manage those first steps without falling down...... Yesterday, I went to another Christmas party...one of the best of all time....I will NOT even begin to share all the fantastic food that was there, what I ate, drank, and just carried on with into the night.....it was FANTASTIC.... But when you read the majority of posts here, people are freaking out because they ate a potato chip or a cookie! It's hard for veterans to say anything, other than to encourage people and let them know it does work, it will get better and easier, and it will give you a NEW LIFE unlike anything you can imagine right now....if you let it!