B-52

You cannot decide on a goal weight as if this was a diet and you turn it on or off....yes, I set goals, met them, and yet continued loosing whether I wanted to or not........ It is a new lifestyle, a lifestyle of eating "Normally" again (small portions, less often, nutritous food choices) along with regular exercise, the same way as "Normal weight" people do everyday and have not needed weight loss surgery...... Your body will adjust on it's own, and will reach it's optimum weight and body fat% and stop when it wants to.... So yes, goals are nice to reach, but they should not bee the need in themselves...adap the new lifestyle and let your body reach that staate of equilibrium... Also BMI's are not accurate...only good as a ballpark figure to get you in the general area....you can have different muscle mass % and different body fat%.....look at athletes....all muscle yet according to BMI's, they are overweight and possibly obese....

The port is anchored to the abdominal wall...stitches.....as one loose weight, and eats a lot less than they used to, the abdomen shrinks pulling the muscles tighter.....therefore you get that sharp trearing pain...it can happen at aanytime, not only exercising and eventually it will stop as your stomach gets flatter....There was a time I was getting it frequently, but eventually stopped....along with a smaller stomach. A good surgeon knows this and plans for it when anchoring the port....however I read so many posts about ports flipping I wonder if there are surgeons who "Cut corners"....anchored ports should not flip.

It's only been a month, your band has not had any adjustments yet, nothing has changed from where you were before surrgery other than you have this thing implanted in you, but it is not yet been "Turned on" or "Activated" All you're doing now is dieting, something anyone could do without weight loss surgery.....The secet is to get thee band working, and most importantly LET THE BAND WOIRK...you'd be surprised how many people do not let the band do it's thing and back down from change to only become a 50% statistic.... People really need to sit back and think about what the band is actually designed to do and how it does it.... I know I was anxious in the beginning also....you can imagine my disposition when I continued to GAIN weight.... But at 4 months I hit the green Zone, and at 12-13 months I was at my goal...I also continued to loose untill my body determined it was whee it shoud be at Fat% and weight.....

That is how it has been for me for over 2 years now....people say they are not hungry only between meals....I am not hungry at all, 24/7...the band is there 24/7, so why would it only work sometime??? I need to remind myself, and sometimes force myself to get a good meal in....I have gone full 24 hr. periods without eating, if I am busy at work for instance, and get home too late to eat anything..... Not only have I lost all interest in food, my tatstes for foods have also changed...things just don't tase that appealing anymore.... / /

Some say hunger is taken care of only between meals...The chart says "Not Hungry"....I am one that is never hungry, 24 hours a day...the band is there all the time, so why should the benefits not be there all the time .....never understood how the band can work just some of the time....but that's me, not everybody.... Also, I get automatic portion control...there is just so much I can eat, making it IMPOSSIBLE to overeat.....so things like buffets, parties, big holiday dinners, etc....don't concern me the slightest.....either does head hunger.... With all that I have had good steady weight loss, untill there was nothing left to loose (fat). And all that equals "Patient Satisfaction", YOU BET!!!! EASIEST thing I have ever done...nothing compared to the struggles of dieting.....

Everyday I read posts here, from people saying they need to eat more.....Then I read posts from people saying they need a fill.... Just goes to show you that people find their goals and are100% successful from different avenues and approches with this surgery....there is obviuoulsy no certain hard fast approach, as all the testimonies on this website prove.... I for one have my story for success,and my approach, just as others have theirs....it does not matter whose approach is correct, being that they have all led to succesful weight loss journeys....and complet patient satisfaction with this procedure (surgery) As they say, you cannot argue with experience resulting in a positive outcome...and when they have shown their approach to work, if to no one else but themselves, then what else matters??? So when I read all these different, conflicting posts, what does it matter? Other than I am glad people are finding their success...that's all that matters...

When I was at your point, I GAINED weight untill after my 2nd fill, and my first was 4cc's...., 2nd was an additional 2cc's...had 3 fills altogether in a 4 month period, none needed since. I reached my goal with 12-13 months, and continued to loose afterward untill my body settled out at it's normal state...equalized. I wqs overweight - Obese because I ate too much....the band, after being properly adjusted deprives me of overeating...thus I eat way less than what I used to, = Calories in...plus I exercise almost everyday burning off some of the calories I took in, forcing me to burn stored fat in the process.... Every diet in the world is nothing more than getting one to eat less, and eat healthy in the process....I was unable to eat less on my own...so I needed WLS to FORCE me to eat less....I could get a un-fill and eat more, but then that would defeat the purpose....

YES!!!!! I have to remind myself to eat all the time...and if I am busy I will forget all together...I have gone 24 hrs without a decent meal...especially with a busy day at work, where I won't get home till late...and I have a rule never to eat after a certain hour so I just skip it.... I am never hungry and do not have an interest in eating....for me, that's aall part of the Green Zone....

I sip Water while standing over the toilet...the water hasd no where to go and will come right back up...usually brings what is in the pouch with it.... I have a lot of people in one of my support groups that carry Papaya Enzyme with them were ever they go.... Getting stuck has never hurt, for me, and I did not freak out about it...it is all part of thr learning curve.... In the beginning, I have gotten stuck as much as 2-3 times a day untill I got it through my thick head I needed to change my ways and get rid of the old habits...for the rest of my life.... When one gets stuck, one has to ask if it is becaause off the band, or is it because of the person not eating correctly...the band is going to bring about change...and I hear all the time where an individual will get stuck, freak out, and get a unfil...and all the while it is really because they are fighting change....sadly, for these people, success is going to be very difficult... I do not, and have not gotten stuck for over 2 years, and now live a "New Normal" lifestyle....which is very litlle food, and less often, completely removing certain foods from my life forever....and taking on a new nutritional standard.... The end results is indescribable....

After 6 years, no one knows your band better than you..... Speaking for myself, I can say this.... My stomach gurgles, growls all the time...very normal for me...growling right now and all I'm doing is sipping coffee.... Nothing in my stomach yet I'm not hungry? YES! I am not hungry 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week...whether I eat or not. In my case, that is the best thing about the band...it has done what I could not do...control, taken away my hunger....the very thing that was thre root of my Obesity... Regurgitation while sleeping??? One of the very first lessons I learned was not to go to bed right after eating...being horizontal with the possiblity of food still in the pouch is a recipe for reflux and regurgitation....Once I have my evening meal, I don't eat till the next day...again, I'm not hungry so it is not a challenge for me... There are days I can eat more than other days...people refer to it as the band being tighter or looser for whatever reason...I believe the band is a constant and feel it's something else...regardless, it's common and it all evens out in the end for me.... Overeating...1 out of 4 posts here are about overeating....it happens to a lot of people, not unusual. Again, I'm speaking for me and my band and I know by now what is common everyday, and also know what would be abnormal, FOR ME, but only YOU can tell if something is abnormal with yours.... BTW, I cannot eat hot dogs or rice, and have not in over 2 years...no longer eat any meat since being banded for that matter....

I needed to learn how to "Listen to my band"....then you will know what you can and cannot eat/drink....learning that has been the answer and secret to most everything......I drink carbonated beverages all the time, such as beer, and my favorite all natural blackcherry soda.......but I listen to my band and monitor how I drink it, if it lets me drink it at all on some days........by the feedback my band gives me.... My Dr. and I talked about this manby times once I hit the Green Zone...., and he told me he tells all his new patients "No" to many things because they would not understand it any other way...so it's easier to say no untill they advance a little and get to know their new lifestyle better.....and how to "Listen"....

I cannot eat Pizza...it does not go well with my band, and is high risk to getting stuck...so I have dismissed it for years now. Also, melted globs of cheese is on my "Don't not eat" list also....along with most doughy products.... It's not about nutrition, or calories, etc....it's all about texture....and whether it passes through the band easily or not....

Sorry for those who find this a struggle....for me it was the best...and EASIEST thing I could have ever done.... All I have to do it exercise (which I love) and eat good healthy foods....(which makes me feel great) The band does the rest in terms of taking away all hunger and portion sizes which has become a very natural everyday lifestyle without much thought and no effort on my part......... A tool, by definition, is something that I choose to use, or not choose to use.....like a hammer....the band is in control and I do not have that choice..if anything, I'm the tool being used by the band.... But, reading these posts on these boards, it is plain to see everyone has their own paths to success...... I just feel bad for those who find this very difficult....it does not need to be....

Just got back today from our 9 night Caribbean Cruise... This has not been our first since I was banded, but our 3rd...and all I can say is each time, including this cruise, the band has performed magnificently...!! I do not count calories, nor do I measure portions...(have not for 2-1/2 years.....I do rely on the band, and being in the green zone to do that for me...and this vacation experience was no exception... I ate what I wanted, when I wanted, all the time letting the band dictate the parameters.... and it was physically impossible to overeat!!! Even when I tried! Every night in the dining room, I left 1/2 the food on my plate, simply could not go on because the band sets my portion sizes.... One night, I forced the issue and went for that 2nd lobster tail even though the band said No More!....that was the first time in 2 years I came very close to getting stuck big time...started to slime, and had to excuse myself to go to the men's room, and I guess the walk there worked things out and I recovered....lesson learned....always listen to the band!!!! Don't force the issue or else..... I was on vacation so I enjoyed myself (indulged) in my share of alcohol...a couple of Bloody Mary's a day, wine at dinner, and a few beers at the pool or when at the beach, (of course)... The band is the band, is the band...whether I'm at home. on a cruise, at a party, whatever...,it does not change.... I still cannot eat Breakfast, so after my morning workout I had my usual Protein shake, then joined my Wife in the buffet for breakfast where I had coffee and nibbled on a piece of toast.... There is, and always will be, certain foods I avoid no matter where I'm at...but I did snack here and there throughout the day...just not like the pig I used to be...plus I was never really hungry all day...just as it is where ever I am, 24/7.... Bottom line....I weighed myself today and I lost one pound...in other words, no difference given my normal fluctuations....... I do know my body very well now, and I can definitely tell I am loaded with toxins and other junk from all that rich food and drink, so tomorrow I am going on a few days of strict food intake and extra time in the sauna to sweat out all these impurities.....and plenty of water! I can only speak for myself, and not what other people experience...frankly what other people do and how they do it is none of my business...but without meaning to step on anyone's toes...I read posts everyday about people needing to "Getting back on track" NO OFFENSE, but coming up on 3 years I still do not understand what that means with WLS....( I have my theories).... I have done everything possible to get "Off Track" and can not...the band never changes!! (short of a medical condition, knock on wood).... I have been on many, many diets prior to WLS, and "Fell off the wagon" with all of them....so in that respect I can understand...but I find it very hard, if not impossible to beat the band, without major side effects that are not pleasant and one wants to avoid at all cost.... I was "Morbidly Obese" because I simply ate too much, and too often....the band took care of that...Simple as that! No secret formulas or hocus pocus ... Again, what other people do is none of my business...I can only share my experiences....and everyone can share theirs.... Having this Surgery has truly changed the way I eat, and my lifestyle overall!!!

And "In The End"..it's all about how YOU feel and how YOU perceive yourself...only YOU know where you were before in contrast to where you are now.........That is most important of all.... Although I could not put it in the same words as you, I do relate and share many of the same experiences as you describe...it truly is a New Lifestyle.....

Just got back from my PCP....one Dr. I still see every 4 months, along with complete lab work.... Don't know where to start, but things could not be better...My PCP could not contain his pleasure...all my lab results where right down the middle of normal... I have absolutely Zero complaints..my weight is well within normal range, as is my Body fat%... My PCP sat back and asked if could remember where I was a few years ago?? He could say it now, that I was a real mess...literally one foot in the grave....didn't know if I would make it much longer or not.... He kept leafing through my file, looked up and said "there's nothing I need to do...." "Isn't there anything you need to tell me? Anything at all?" I said that now that I'm at a normal weight and health, and no longer worry about dieting and loosing weight, I have gotten careless with things not necessarily good for me such as ice cream, beer, candy, chips and dip, etc.....all the things he would have lectured and screamed at me about before, showing me my elevated lab results....this time he shrugged his shoulders and said "So What? Your labs are good, your not gaining weight, and whatever you eat you run off at the gym...so who cares what you eat? Enjoy yourself!" This pretty much what my Surgeon said to me a few months back, my cardiologist also.......I feel great today knowing and confirming once again that I have successfully completed this weight loss journey, and am now living a healthy, happy life... All due to the Lap Band...God knows it was not me, or anything I could have done...I have tried 100's of times before and failed miserably at loosing weight every time...I even failed at the 6 month required pre-op diet.... But once I got through that bandster hell, and found that happy balance of band adjustment, eating the right foods and giving up some foods for good, and eating correctly, all of which securely put me in the Green Zone where I still am today, it as been the easiest life style I could have ever dreamed of...absolute HEAVEN.... I'm 61 years old...my only regret is that I did not do this a lot sooner...either way, I'm making the best of it right now.... I read here everyday about how "Hard" this is, and how people "Struggle"....when I read this, it makes me feel a little down....was it hard for me? Did I struggle? YOU BET!!! But what was hard for me and what I struggled at was NOT another diet, another weight loss program...what I found hard and what I struggled at was getting this band, and myself, properly adjusted so that it is all about the band, and not ME....took me 4 months of hell...then another 2-3 months on top of that....but once I got there....the hard work and struggle ceased! And has been so ever since.

Thursday, the 22nd we are leaving on our 9 night southern Caribbean cruise...I am looking forward to all the delicious food choices, restaurants, and not to forget all the alcohol I'll probably be consuming laying in the bright sun on those white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise Water.... But first, starting today, I'll go 3 days of liquids and mushie type foods, all sliders, to ensure my band is in tip-top shape... We cruise often, and a year ago I decided to put my band to the test, eat what and when I wanted, and let the band do what it normally does everyday for me at home...it performed perfectly..as a matter of fact I lost a pound or two...although I'm sure my cholesterol was probably high... I also bring Protein shots with me which I take every morning before my 5:30am workouts, along with my Vitamins and other supplements...and I cannot eat Breakfast no matter what so I still make my own shakes....just like I do everyday at home! But I'm ready! Been waiting for this and it's almost here!!! 3 more days!

Get your daily water requirement !....

I cannot live without coffee....as far as post-op, I had my first cup the next morning...not saying it was correct, but I did not have any side effects from it.

My Dr. explained it to me this way...the port is anchored to the abdominal wall....as we loose weight, our stomachs shrink and pulls on those anchor points..It only happened to me a few times, and then it was when I was actively loosing weight.

And your Dr. had nothing to say?.... I had something similar, it was a kinked tube...like a garden hose...my port and and tubing are right up on the surface (no more belly fat) and you can clearly see the kink...so as he worked the syringe, I palpated the tube and it straightened out.... First he always pulls all the Fluid out to check volume and color...it could not pull the syringe back because of the kink...the harder he pulled, the more it kinked...and Like I said, you could watch it....

My Dr. did not care what I did, or how I did it...as long as I lost the required amount of weight prior to surgery...just so happens that a liquid shake regime is the quickest...but i did eat at least one meal a day, then went all liquid 2 days prior to final weight-in....if I didn't pass the final weigh in, he would postpone the surgery which I did not want to happen... Final weigh in was a friday, surgery was a Monday...so guess what I did saturday,,my LAST MEAL..went somewhere I knew I would never set foot into again...an all you can eat Chinese Buffet...sunday right up to surgery I ate absolutely nothing....and went to the gym to work off that saturday pig out...my final one.

I always read posts from people talking about "Feeling Full" This morning I read 3-4 posts where people talked about that "Full" feeling.... Everyone who says they feel full....please explain what that feeling is like??? Compare it to what feeling full was like before being banded?? Since being banded, I have NEVER felt full.....but many people here talk about it, leading to many to desire it as a goal....especially those newly banded... Like I said, I never had that "Full" feeling......I have on occasion eaten a little too much, or drank immediately after swallowing foods....but that led to Pain...as though I was stretching the pouch....but never full...... (I should say I have felt "Full", or stuffed...but that was not from normal eating and nothing directly related to the band....but that is something entirely different...I'm talking here about normal eating throughout the day and how the band benefits that)

As regular maintenance, I go all liquids for at least 2 days, maybe once a month....your pouch is the same as the stomach, it will stretch and dilate....I can tell when mine is getting a little larger because I am able to eat larger portions than usual too easily.... Also, I am leaving on a 9 night cruise next thursday....I'm not afraid of all the food and overeating, we've cruised a few times since being banded and it's the same for me there or at home...no difference, the band is still the same.... HOWEVER...in preparation I will go all liquids a good 3 days before the cruise to make sure everything is in tip-top shape....

It is a fine line...a true balancing act between being too tight and eating improperly....can be very hard to work out.... The way I eat now, including what I eat and what I no longer eat, how slow I eat and how little I eat per day....I could never have thought possible before having this surgery....and yet I don't even think about it that much anymore...it has became the new normal for me.....my last fill was over 2 years ago... The first part of your post you say you thought you were too tight, got some removed, then subsequently had 2 more fills after that...so you know what I mean....getting the absolute "Sweet Spot" where there is no hunger, have good portion control, etc, etc, can be a real "Balancing Act" that IMO, many do not always find....for me, that was the only ting about this surgery I found hard...getting everything properly in balance.....and it took months!