B-52

I had a kink in my tube once...lot's of kick back through the syringe...nothing to do with restriction.

Winter is the best time to loose weight...the body naturally up's it's metabolism and burns more calories to stay warm... You actually gain more weight in the warmer months than colder.... Now eating more to compensate for the burning of calories, that's another issue...not unlike eating more when you workout...nothing gained, nothing lost...

There is a very fine balancing act between getting the band properly adjusted, and learning to eat differently (Rules?) in order to survive living with the band.....it was the hardest thing for me to do, and the first 4-5 months were HELL....numerous stuck episodes, sometimes 3-4 times a day...but it was not the band, it was me having a hard time letting go of my old habits.... If someone could have told me that before I was banded, the way I would be eating today after the WLS, I would have said impossible...No One can eat so little so less often and not be un healthy....and yet...I'm living it everyday and have not felt this good in over 35 years!! But getting there is very hard indeed, and everyone has a different comfort level and threshold....many times I wanted to go back and get Fluid taken out. One time I did call my Dr. because I could not keep anything down and he talked me into waiting it out one more week...I'm glad he did...he also knows me well and figured it was Me and not he Bad.... I recall asking the staff why did I need to follow all the rules they were teaching me, even long before I had the surgery??? I was told that it is important to get them down as second nature, because there will come a time, after a few fills, it will be the ONLY way you will get by, and you won't have time to start looking them up then..you will wish you knew them inside out...boy was she ever right!! When people ask me about this WLS ans should they have it done, I have to be honest with them and say "You better understand what you're getting into" and "IMO, It's not for everybody" Perhaps the Dr. can discuss another type of WLS???

When I was a Diabetic, I was put on Lipitor and it did raise my sugar levels...also, any Cholesterol drugs I took would raise my sugar levels...therefore I needed to raise my Insulin dosages....throw in Blood Pressure Meds, and all sorts of other meds, and it was an out of control game of give and take that my Dr.'s could not get under control and balanced out... My Endocrinologist said if I could loose 40-60 lbs all this would go away.....She was RIGHT....no more Rx Meds!!!

I'm not sure what you mean...are you over weight? If you are, then I quess you would feel over weight? There is a common discussion where people have lost ALL their excess weight, are no longer fat, work out regularly and look as fit as can be, yet still see themselves as being fat..... I am at a weight I have nor been at since I was in High School....over 43 years ago...yet I still look in gth mirroe=r at times and see myself as being fat, and start thinking I need to go on a diet or something....

Going to go all liquids for a few days, starting today....realized it has been a while and I need to give it all a good rest, and let things settle down and re-set..... For me, all liquid means protein shakes, soups, anything that does not need chewing....perfect slider foods...

Jade, There is no easy solution. It's a misperception to believe wls does the job for you. No matter what surgery you get, you will have to abide by the rules 100% to reap the benefits. Revisions are great when you are suffering true complications and one surgery is not working out for you. But I know my doc wouldn't qualify someone who just doesn't want to put the work in. They'll predict it'll be the same scenario under another procedure which requires just as much diligence and compliance. Getting wls and getting results takes dedication and work. The difference between pre and post op is that these procedures can help you with things like hunger management, portion control which in the long run will be critical for maintenance. Also, counting calories and understanding how much you are putting into your body allows you to get an understanding of what it means to be on target or to overindulge. It took me years of counting to finally get to a place that I can estimate with accuracy and no longer count. But the reality is, if I consume more than my allotment, I will stall or gain. Weight loss has a very simple formula that cannot by bypassed- weight loss= calories consumed - calories burned. You either workout or you limit intake. No wls changes that. ************************************************************************************************************************** Sorry..to every opinion there is a flip side...and with me I am 100% opposite....other than the first 4-6 months... Like I said, no disrespect, just different experiences.....I have found this to be the easiest thing I could have ever done to loose weight and return to normal....

This is something I have also wondered about....and I plan on talking to my Dr. about it before I'm 65.... Has nothing to do with loosing weight, the band did that just fine in that department...I'm just wondering about the long term...life time... Possible long term complications with the band? Versus the sleeve? I have no idea.....uncharted territory.... I have been banded for 3 years now, and I don't think about it anymore...I wonder that now that I am at that point, and I have formed new habits and the rules (some of them) have become practicable common sense....can I get something that is not adjustable with little or no maintenance? And still sustain me in the Green Zone? ie; no hunger, auto portions, etc? or will I have to go back to dieting, counting calories, etc, which I am absolutely terrible at.... Was the band a temporary quick fix to get me there...and the sleeve a permanent fixture? Don't know, just things I ponder and want to investigate..... Dr. did casually say something once but I did not pay attention....

I like to add PB to my morning smoothie....goes good with chocolate and a 1/2 banana... I have many shake recipes and PB plays a big part in many of them.... Go through a lot of PB in our house...good protein when added with 100% whey....

My Dr. turned me loose after 1 week......including soaking in the hot tub...

People love a train wreck....or ever notice traffic backed up for miles because of an accident on the other side of the center median in the other lanes? News room saying...If it bleeds, it leads.... NO ONE knows I have had WLS except for immediate family....I just did not want to explain myself to everyone...it is something I needed to do, for myself, my health, and ultimately my Family..... So I received nothing but compliments during my journey, and no criticisms....and today, 3 years later, being fat is but a old memory to everyone, no one talks about it anymore, and all have accepted the fact, and take it for granted that I am what I am....a fit person without an oz of fat on me (as someone said yesterday) New people I meet never knew I was once over 100 lbs heavier, and the subject of me loosing weight is now old news, no longer something to talk about in the office............the ultimate NSV.... Ironically, the one family member who was my biggest critic with nothing but stories of failures......is one of the fattest people I know. And she keeps getting fatter!!!...she should not be the one throwing stones...but even she has now stopped talking about it seeing the entire process was 100% successful with zero complications.....

If you can, try Free range chicken.....night and day! I gave up meat after being banded, and now seldom eat chicken, except maybe in Chinese food......more for health reasons than the band, although it can give my band problems..... But Free range...it's hard to believe it's chicken...

I can' believe this thread is still alive.... Anyway, it seems everyone has an opinion base upon what they were taught, or read, or told by someone... When I read the posts on this form, I am generally intersted in what YOU have experienced....what have YOU found to be true, or not, based upon what YOU have had happen to you..... I was going to chime in a long time ago, but after the turn this thread took I opted not to....but I will say my story, based upon my experience from trial and error, is way different than what is debated here as fact... I have my own facts from my own findings.... And I am happy with my WLS and my 100% success with no problems or complications, and not wish to be labled a heretic because of it...

First, congratulations on your success.... 2nd, everyone has a different experience with WLS, and no one way necessarily means it is the only way... You say the Lap band surgery is NOT a magic bullet, you are afraid of gaining the weight back, an you do not depend on fills..... Well there is a flip side to every story, because I DO believe the band IS a Magic Bullet...easiest thing I could have ever done.... I DO NOT fear gaining any of my weight back. If anything, I don't see how it is even possible because it is impossible for me to over eat...believe me, I tried.... I also DO Rely on fills...my Dr. and I believe the band was designed to function a certain way, and only with the appropriate # of fills, band adjustments, can that optimum point be reached...I believe I have found that magic Place.... The band is adjustable....people who decide to go with little adjustment, then must rely on their own will power and determination, People like me, who have failed at every diet I have ever attempted over the last 30 years, rely on the band, with adjustments to do for me what I am unable to do on my own.... And that is the difference between all lap band patients...how much their band is adjusted, and how much they rely on their hard work, or how much they let the band do the work. Is one right and the other wrong? Not at all...it all comes down to one's own personal choice...and it is easy to see just how different everyone's approach and comfort level is through all the variations of how people reach their success....you can't argue with first hand experience. Like I said, for myself, I stink at loosing weight,have no will power or self control...my problem is/was I could not stop over eating.......I now rely on the band to do all that for me, giving me perfect portion control, and taking away all my hunger and cravings 24 hrs. a day...and thus far it has....in my case, it IS a Magic Bullet....with little or no effort or struggling on my part at all..... Now if I were to get even the slightest un-fill, that balance would be lost and the entire make-up would change for me....and I probably would be able to over eat, and my hunger would return...I would then have to work at it and always have that fear of failing, as I did so many times before.

Myself, I don't like ANY of the pre-made protein drinks....I have always, and still do every morning make my own using my own recipes...

I used one for the first 2-3 months after surgery, until my band took charge a lot of things for me....things I could never do successfully before surgery... I have been on so many diets that we have always had a food scale at the ready..a real nice digital one.....all the diets I have ever been on called for measuring and counting...thank heaven I'm past that!!! But it has not always the case with the band,,,especially just starting out and still learning, and still getting adjustments...

This morning, to honor Veterans in my own way...for my morning run I listened to nothing but music from the "Doors".....needless to say I ran much longer than usual, because my mind and spirit were 1000's of miles away, unaware of anything else going on around me, and I did not stop running untill the music was over....almost doubling my normal distance..(runner's high? I'd say so..) "Keep your eyes on the road and hands upon the wheel.....the future's uncertain and the end is always near...so let it roll baby roll...All Night Long" To all my Fellow Veterans, I will not say "Happy Veteran's Day" (ugh!) or even a Thank You, although that is good and appropiate...... What I will say is I wish you perfect "Peace of Mind, and Love" however you may find it, and most importantly of all......"Welcome Home" (only you know what that truely means)

Something I picked up on my own, from bits of info here and there... for instance, whenever someone has a problem the first thing the Dr. says is to go liquids for a few days.... Also, the Dr. may give a complete un-fill, accomplishing the same thing...giving the band a rest.... I can't speak for anyone else, nor would I say this will work for all.....but in my case, I have not had a fill in about 2 1/2 years now.....that's not to say I have never felt I needed one...but if everything is going along well, then I notice things begin to slack off, I will give the band a rest...and for me it will "Re-new" that place of where things were optimum for me... I've also read here people do this to "kick Start" weight loss, perhaps to break a plateau...or maybe to return to square one as was the case right after surgery. and work back into mushies, then good solid food choices.... Whatever the outcome, I have found it to be beneficial for me.....

I for one am glad that I did not know of this forum, or any other WLS website until AFTER I had surgery, otherwise I would have been confused as you know what... My PCP referred me, I attended a seminar, then met with the PA for screening and Insurance coverage, then with the surgeon to discuss the various WLS procedures he could perform.... I took him and the info he gave me at face value, and never looked back.

43 Years ago.....seems like a long time...but yet some things never go away no matter how long it's been.... So today, I'll take all that in, add a little of the old PTSD that also never quite goes completley away, go to the Gym at 5am, then off to work....all that and $3 will get me a double espresso today.... But wait...that's what I do everyday, so for me, today is no different....nobody asks a Vet what they think of Veteran's Day.... \ \

Have you ever had a Body Composistion done? It will give you a clear picture of Body fat%, Water weight and %, Lean Muscle, body Impedence, etc, etc... It is essential IMO as one gets more intense in physical training to better understand what is happening to their body... Example, according to traditional scales amd BMI charts, I am 10 lbs over weight...according to my body composition, a more scientific and accurate approach....I have a very low body fat%, in the "Athletic" range....and it would be impossible and unhealthy to loose that so called 10 extra lbs....I have no weight left to loose..... Knowing that, I now need to take in some calories - Protein BEFORE I workout, where as before I used to workout on a empty stomach buring stored fat as fuel....But I now see things diferently. My health club performs an analysis for $10.... BTW, as a side note....I work with NUTS everyday, so don't get me started......just my opinion...

For the years I have been following this website, it has ALWAYS had the reputation of being negative.... Seems every other day I read posts where someone who is having problems with the band, gets attacked by other members....From People on a power trip??? Then there are people who, on the other end of the spectrum, who are 100% successful, never having a single problem and say this is absolute easy and heavenly...well they get attacked also.....People who are jealous? I see people get criticized for just about anything for everything here.... Me? I just tell my story, my life with the band...if people don't like it and want to be critical and negative, it doesn't make it any less true... And I like to watch who is being the negative people who criticize all the time...their the true "Experts" or so they feel.... This is a equal opportunity website....as Bob Dylan said..."Everyone Must get Stoned" that's life....

In the beginning, I had no choice but to follow a standard diet plan....count calories, measure portions, just as I did before the surgery....because the band was simply installed...not doing anything for me, yet. As the band gets adjusted, (along with adjusting my own psychie) the band then began to take control and then I had to determine for myself what is tolerable or not to eat..... Once that happened...Green Zone....and portions were controlled and held to a minimum automatically, and my eating has become so little per day, it was my best interest to choose the healthiest foods I can, not wasting the limited food intake on garbage.... Also, when that phase began, I totally stopped worrying about calories...other than what I burned at the gym...and concentrated on nutritious foods.... Some people do not like the term "Deprivation"...to me, it has everything to do with being deprived. It's funny, all of the foods my band deprives me of, are not all that good for me in the first place...so why force it.... I used to eat an entire large pizza all by myself, with numerous toppings, every friday night...used to have a salad along with it to say I was eating healthy...and wash it all down with a beer or two....NOW, the band deprives me of doing such things...overeating, setting portion sizes and eliminating certain troublesome foods...so I can no longer get through a single slice....so I gave up pizza altogether....I've been deprived...too bad? The band has Deprived me of doing many other stupid things I used to do.... Could eat a dozen do-nuts - now cannot eat 2 bites = deprivation Entire box of Cookies - now 2-3 and I'm done! = deprivation Entire container of ice cream - now, a scoop, maybe 2 = deprivation ( and this is a slider?) Anything in the house in the way of food was not safe, I would finish it off.... The list goes on and on...that is what the band has done for me....taken away all the bad habits, overeating of the bad foods, and FORCED me to eat less, a LOT less, and to eat healthy....add to that the fact my hunger is held in check 24 hours a day, and I add exercise on top of it to burn stored fat/calories, and you have my recipe for success. You can also see why I will not call my band a tool....I have no control over it or my weight loss, I have been surgically altered...only control I have is to determine to get a fill or some taken out....but even then I have to convince my Dr...and once he talked me out of getting Fluid taken out...thank God he did or I would have regretted it... Oh well, it's 5 am...off to the gym....

Definitley...body fat is BODY fat....

Has your Surgeon discussed other options, such as the sleeve??