Success in lapband

So Girlygirlz Your just getting "started" and your probably thinking "started"? I am finally "getting there". I absolutely 100% would do this 100% again~and every Monday morning if I had to. The surgery is a "snap" and Dr. Sasse is "the best"; that is NOT to say the other Dr's are any less but I love Dr. Sasse!!! There always has to be a "sore loser" (OH I mean SLOW loser!!) and that probably put me in that catagory. However I am sure if I excercised and was more active in my weight loss I would lose quicker. However, if we lapbanders "could" have done this on our own; we would have too! I think the bottom line is that the Dr. put in a BIGGER band than what he thinks and I need more fills to get to a restrictive state. I am calling Nurse Laurie right now to discuss this theory. After my surgery; my Dr. noted that he did not "note" down the size of band implanted; I am the curious type and distinctly remember thinking it was "no big deal" that he "guessed" 2 weeks later and after the fact about which band he put in. NOW... months later when they tell me my band is "full" and I am not feeling restriction, I am rethinking how important that the dr. did not know which band he put in really was. Keep up on your Water, and walking was the key to my virtually cake walk easy painless surgery recovery for me. Don't lose sight of my words: I would do it EVERY Monday if I had to; to get these results!!!! My self esteem is up which is a big step in the right direction....

Uniqueone wrote: So..Pam, how are ya doing today? You have sounded more up since you got your fill. Let me know how it's going for you. During this time of year, my main thing is I HAVE to stay away from the sweets..which, of course, I love!!! I did not want to appear "down" but I have been told before that I come off as "intense" when I write and speak, so am not surprized by your concern~ but sorry if I appeared like that. I go to a eating disorder weight loss group and our "leader" referred me to a book called "Intuitive Eating" by Evelyn Tribole. I will start thumbing through it tonight and keep your abreast of what I think. I might have only lost 18 pounds in 8 months and would have liked to have lost more than double than that and really expected to have lost double that, but I have not gained the 5-10 pounds that I would have traditionally gained in the last 8 months. And...When I look in the mirror I like the progress I see so far. I don't feel that I am "starving myself" like I have in the past on numerous diets previous to lapbanding. I think I would be losing more weight quicker if I excercized daily; but I have not made that a part of my daily routine yet. I am trying mindfully to watch and observe what and how I am eating. I was a REALLY big eater, cosuming alot of food, thank goodness that I really excercised prior to lapbanding (personal trainer 3x week) because looking back at the amount of food and binging I use to do, IF I had not excercised like that I would have been 500#. I am going on a cruise to Mexico ~leaving Thursday and will be back the Monday after Thanksgiving. My coworkers were surprized I wanted a fill prior to going. I am concerned of the amount of food I could consume with all the buffets on board the ship. Sweets are a downfall of mine as well. I can eat a whole pound of See's and then be shocked its all gone! I am guessing for me it is more than just phsyical eating I think the emotional eating plays a part for me as well, I just need to investigate in other areas.

Well, the restriction did not keep up, BUT I am eating more solid foods, so that might keep me fuller longer... But I really think I was feeling restriction.... I swear I think I was. Maybe a little too late though. But I am going to use this as my "case to be heard to Laurie the fill nurse". I am not a "big" "beef" eater and I definately usually don't eat mashed potatoes. BUT listen to this: I was in costco this weekend "grazing" on the "samples" and ate a bite of Harris Ranch pot roast with a sample of garlic mashed potatoes and I am telling you "sample portion size", and I was "good". NOT full or anything but definately could feel the "had some food in my pouch feeling". Possibly just possibly I should eat foods that have less liquid in them; maybe there is something behind the liquid theory. I guess I have been leaning toward more liquidy foods~steamed vegtables, refried Beans, Soups, Keva juice Protein shakes, green beans, oatmeal (drink it from a cup). So I am going to experiment a little bit. But I am also going to try and negotiate ONE MORE FILL from Laurie before giving up on me~I am telling you the first 24 hours after that fill was almost as good as ---! I felt like one of those skinny bitches that eat 3-4 bites and push away their plate and say "oh my gosh, I can't eat another bite~I am stuffed" I was on cloud nine! Thinking my life was going to be incredible, and I had such high hopes. The eating disorder group therapy is very insightful! I think that helps me on a very different level. I am the only one in the group that has lap band. It is AMAZING how similar (almost mirroring) that me ( a heavy person) can have the same exact eating disorder issues that a skinny person has~what I mean is; same body image issue and same "triggers" for having the food attachment problems. ~very interesting...

Anybody who has felt restriction, please help me understand this... I THINK I am feeling restriction after 6 fills! I pray to god it is not my imagination... Yesterday I got filled (bad emotional day) and then last night I ate 1/4 # of a hamburger patty and I did not want to eat anymore and furthermore it took me a REALLY long time to eat that. Today I have eaten so far: 1 egg for breakfast+1 bite of scrambled eggs with coffee lunch: 1/2 South Beach Protein bar (nibbled on it most of the day) Keva Juice~diet bulls eye (small with 28 grams of protein) then for dinner I am going to attempt to eat a lean cuisine spaghetti with meatballs. Tonight I am sure I am going to eat a weight watchers ice cream (tradition in my house) How do you KNOW when you have restriction??? I mean obviously when I slime or "get stuck" I know I have something that is causing restriction but I am talking about the other restriction. Do you guys feel any other restriction? Am I the only one who is waiting for this magical feeling that I THINK I am suppose to experience? Does anybody elses pouch ever feel "cold" or "wet" (not ice cube cold just not "warm" (isn't that wierd?) Inside my "stomach" does not feel wet but my pouch has a different sensation. It will be really cool if I finally reached restriction after the emotional fill on Friday~being told it was to it's capacity. And you know after thinking about this since yesterday. I kept asking Dr. Kozar and the fill Nurse what size band I had in me and Dr. Kozar said he did not "note it" in my records (and of course I was just asking for information purposes) but maybe just maybe I got a bigger band then what they think and therefore that is why Laurie (fill Nurse) thinks I am at capacity and maybe just maybe that is why I have not experienced restriction like other people. So with that in mind I am going to email Nurse Laurie on Monday or Tuesday (because traditionally your suppose to be on liquid for 24-48 hours after a fill, and I don't want to get reprimanded for not following the rules. But I am going to pass this "idea" by her and ask her "if" my theory is a probability. And my Monday/Tuesday I should know for certain IF I am experiencing restriction. I SURE HOPE SO.

I think he "rocks" you are in great hands. Dr. Sasse also owns IMetabolic if you are interested. If you have a hernia and they repair it during surgery you will have a longer recovery period. ASK GAIL! If I recall ( I did not have a hernia) it seems that the hernia repair is more "sore" than the lapband. After your surgery you will just experience getting tired more quickly than usual and you will just move slower than normal for a couple weeks. I went shopping upon leaving the hospital and barely used any pain meds. It is an excellent idea to get the prescription filled before you get surgery. Your port area may be the "sorest" but it too will resolve itself, I remember "cupping" my port with my hand and pressing it flat and it was "good" and helped with the discomfort. And seriously IF I had to get this surgery every Monday morning before going to work in order to lose weight I would happily do it. The surgery is a cake walk (looking back) and I remember thinking how easy it was right after as well, even though I was very frightened.

Gail; In my own defense of not posting; because I do feel I have a responsibility to "our group", I can share another "excuse"... My busy season at work is from May through October sooooooo I was pre occupied. But I bet if I was losing weight by the bushels I would have posted and gloated! I am sorry, I should have posted. My bad... Your DH; is he still working or did he retire? I am going on a cruise next week through Thanksgiving weekend so you may think you lost me again but only temporarily. It is going to be the first vacation (real vacation) I have ever taken in my life. True story~ no BS! I never went on honeymoon and as kids we owned a family business and never went on vacation, and for one excuse after another I just have never gone on vacation. I have gone on lost of business trips but never anytime did I get to spend the night in a hotel and "sleep in" because I was on vacation. So this will be something new! I am very very very nervous about gaining weight on the cruise, so I am going to try and concentrate on not getting carried away on the buffets. I would like to be able to "stop" thinking about food 24/7. The thoughts of food consumes alot of my free time. But I am working on this in group counseling. This issue (obsessive food thoughts) is not new. The first thought I think about upon waking is what am I going to eat and the last thought at night is about food too. Nothing really bad but I should not be spending so much time thinking obsessing about food. I am excited to hear about your "journey" and what is going on with you.....

You know how you are "suppose to" drink liquid for the first 24-48 hours after a fill? Well the understanding behind that is to make sure you "ease" back into making sure you don't over do it on a smaller band. After my fill today I THINK I am possibly experiencing some restriction for the first time I THINK. So in a few days I will know more. I ate some Soup after my fill today and was surprized that I stopped eating 1/2 through the can of soup. I did not know if I was emotionally not eating from coming to the realization that the band may not have been my Knight in shining armor or if I just experienced restriction. So then tonight still trying to "test the waters" I may have experienced restriction because I ate 1/4 # grilled meat patty and felt that I did not need to eat anymore. Hmmmmmmmm I just don't know what to think about this. On the weekends we go out to breakfast and I typically eat 1 egg/a few bites of hash browns and a piece of toast with coffee, and I stop eating because I know that is all what I should be eating NOT that I feel satiated. So what is your experience? What is your weight loss rate? I just started going to a group therapy on eating disorders, NOW THAT is an eye opener; I have learned ALOT about my eating habits, or maybe I already knew about them but never recognized them. I can tell you that when I get hungry I overeat, so I try to eat before I "get hungry"

Unique: Do you work at The Humane Society? If you do, we probably know each other, I visit there ALL the time.... and have a business relationship with them as well. You asked what I ate: Well.... I try to follow a sensible Weight Watchers meal plan, but obviously I am not too good at it. I thought the band would help with that situation. And I am not "bagging" on the band; I just do not experience what everybody else experiences. So... I eat a South Beach High Protien Breakfast bar for breakfast, and coffee (which to help curb my appetite I just started drinking coffee with caffeine) I use to ONLY drink decaffeinated. At lunch I typically eat a single serving of Green Giant carrots and broccolli along with a Lean Cuisine lunch. dinner I try and eat a sensible dinner with family etc. and it can range anywhere from a can (or 1/2 can of Chili) to salad to anything that is not fried. I can not eat anything fried, I get stuck everytime; every single time! Then most nights I eat a weight watchers ice cream. I CAN eat anything and everything I want (including bread)without issue except fried food or "shredded meat" or tuna. Everything else is free game. Initially the fill Nurse told me to stop eating salads because of high calorie dressing; but I love salads, so I have in the last couple of months been trying to eat more Protein and less salads; and it has not made a difference on the scale. I don't have to eat protein first because I don't experience my pouch getting "full". I stop eating because I should not be eating more than I am; NOT that I feel satiated. So the "protein first" rule of thumb is not a concern to me. However! If I eat the single serving no sugar pudding; my pouch feels "heavy"; so that is an interesting feeling. I can "guzzle" beverages no problem. I am going to write a seperate post, because this one is getting LONG.

I have not been "on" because I did not want anybody to get disappointed and NOT do the surgery based on my failure... The band has not "worked" as well for me as I expected it should have. I see ALL these fantastic success stories online. So... I guess I expected to be more successful than I am. I decided that one of the things I would do to help is "get back on lapband talk.com" to try and figure out "why" the band / or me is not doing what I expected. I am also seeing a eating disorder phsycologist to hopefully help too. I use to work out ALOT with a personal trainer and since I had stopped working out with a personal trainer my body frame has gotten smaller (because less muscle bulk) but weight loss is almost non existant. I just don't feel satiated; EXCEPT once since being banded. I was crying today because I am sooooooo tired of feeling hungry. Laurie the fill nurse said I was at my band capacity (4.00cc). She suggested going back on the "bariactric shakes" to help with weight loss. DO YOU GUYS REMEMBER HOW STARVING WE WERE? And the only thing that kept us going was: shakes were a pre requisite for surgery. And we all wanted to majical surgery.

Chris When do you go in for a fill? I go in next Tuesday. My plan is that I always am going to get a fill early in the week because IF there are problems I can take a couple days to figure out if I need to go back in verses getting a fill on Thurs or Fri and firgure out I have problems when the office is closed...... Get my drift? Gail you on board too?

Nv Girl: That is great that your appetite has decreased. Take advantage of that because when your swelling goes down, it will return. Some people fly thru the surgery (I was back to work the next day) could have worked by that afternoon but Dr. made me stay overnight both times. Make sure you get your protein in; your energy will come back as you increase your protein. Chris: By the way my port is no longer pertruding; how is yours? Mine is "flat" now. I wonder if that means I am not swollen anymore, the nurse said I was still swollen when I went in for my fill. AND I went for a hike~It was the BOMB 3 mi. nice and easy leisurely out by Peavine on Saturday afternoon.

Hey Sue! My losing weight slowed down to less than a snails pace. I need another fill. It seems that right after my first fill whammo I lost almost 5# overnight. My signature does not show the yo-yo game the scale plays on me daily. My work season just began about 3 weeks ago, so getting on here is a challenge. I am a party event coordinator and own a rental company soooooo the season is upon us. As you can imagine (just like the show bridezilla) I am in the midst of total chaos. I go for another fill in 2 weeks so I expect to be happy with a significant weight loss within 3 weeks. gail anne told me you were asking how I was doing. "thank you" I will try to get on more often because I think it keeps me walking the straight line.

NvGirl: It WILL get better! Hang in there, everyday should be a little less pain. Beware of the gas pains though, use a heating pad.

Isn't it interesting on the "different" things we get stuck on. You know..... I haven't ever gotten stuck on pudding or ice cream. LOL! I have incredible recipes for Baja Tacos using endive as the shell. Even though I can do corn tortillas and such, I am trying to lose weight and use endive as the shell, kinda like lettuce wraps. They are really very very very very tasty if you like shrimp. I am getting creative on cooking and trying to spend more time preparing food verses eating it. Chris: I am glad we are on the same page because at least that lends me to believe we are still both going in the same direction. I have to say to myself I did not get here overnight so I must be patient. But then I wonder if I am being tooooo patient!

Here I am! I hate to post when I don't have any "good" news. I do get stuck every once in awhile~not real bad though~spit a few times and everything is back to normal. I get stuck on ANYTHING fried and all chinese noodles and salmon. Ahhhhh I see that we have some nubies; that is really good. I am on a down swing again (hopefully). It seems that it takes me a couple weeks to lose a couple pounds and then WHAMMO, in one day of eating larger portions I gain 5 back. But I have to say this..... with very little effort I have not seen or maintained this weight in over 6 years! So I am not "unhappy" just want to hit the "easy" button HAHA. I weigh (depending on the day) around 205 and have been hovering there for weeks. You know.... I think I remember this, I guess being normal.

Hey miss Gail; I felt like such and ass! But really that was the way to "REALLY" meet me; or I would have hidden from you. I really have self image issues. I figured you were taller than me. You look alot like my Mother in law; and I was one of her very best friends and she introduced me to her Son~my now DH. So we are the same height... In that pic you sent me; it made you look much taller, I would take that pic and send it to everybody I knew. So...... tell me did anybody notice you lost weight? Lapband a secret? I just booked a cruise 7 day to the Riviera, Mexico during Thanksgiving. I would have never done this without lapband. <Secretly> I am soooo very excited. Get lots of pictures in your new dress; but realize in 6-7 months you are gonna think you looked "heavy" in it. I feel very special that you wrote to me... Thank you.

Pita=Pain in the ass.

Chris; Are you basing what you eating on less than 1 cup? Have I totally missed the portion sizes I should be eating? I ate for dinner~ tell me if this is too much. 1 chicken thigh and 1/2 of a 7" zuchinni and a couple bites of bbq'd portabello mushroom, oh also some of the gren bell peppers and onions that the chicken thigh was cooked in, and 2 bites of mango salsa what do you think?? If I should have eaten less tell me what you would have eaten by example please.

Chris RIGHT ON! So in reality you did not gain THAT MUCH! Can you tell you had a fill, obviously you are eating less because you lost weight, but what other symptoms do you have that you had a fill?

Same here. I as well have the 10 cc band and she told me; that means it will hold 5 cc's and this probably will be the biggest fill and each subsequent fill will be smaller and it most likely take me a couple fills before I feel restriction. Tell me, do you "ever" get "full"? How were you eating so different that you gained weight? In Oregon were your portion sizes bigger. What do you think was so different? Just not having a fill and no self control? I know if I was on vacation I would gain weight because I was not in a "controlled" atmosphere, and I am a volume eater. I can't wait until my next fill.

Chris; Same with me had 1 cc of die and they added 1 cc. Did you have to answer an qualifying questions for the fill or did the nurse have an understanding that you were getting a fill? Did she indicate IF you would feel any restriction from this fill? Did she tell you how big of a band you have?

Momlambert: Tell me what is going on with your Dad at this point. How are his spirits? Have you still been able to "not tell your family" about the lapband?

Call anytime and let me know when you can come over

Nv Girl I have 4 brand new vanilla and chocolate and then a couple opened ones. Please come take them I hate to throw away and I will just wait until they are a couple years old and then throw them away. I work at All Occasion Rentals 5301 Longley Lane #B40 Reno, 775-828-4999 Near the corner of Longley and McCarran across from Gold's Gym We are here today till 1pm You can add flavor that you can buy at Smart and final to the vanilla flavor to make it any flavor you want. You will see after weeks of this stuff you will never want to drink it again either; it is not that it is "bad" it just has its own purpose (to prepare you for surgery). I prefer the canned slim fast even though it has more surgar in it I like it better because I was not TOLD to drink it.

NVgirl: Please come by my office and pick up 2-3 "FREE" unopened containers of baratric powder. I ordered extra because I needed to have some on hand and I just can't take another swallow of that stuff. I can't remember; are you local?