Dibley Dawn

it's totally normal. you just had a surgery and your body doesn't know what the heck just happened to it. it's going to try to hang on to that weight for a while. for the first 6 weeks, I suggest you don't even step on a scale. use that time to heal and get better. even though you might feel fine on the outside, your stomach is still getting over the trauma. don't get frustrated, the weight will come off. just give it time.

I am pretty much right there with Thee-O. Tomorrow is my 5 month surgiversary and I am 70 pounds lighter with no fills. I didn't get this surgery to stop eating altogether. I love food and I still enjoy it. I eat pretty much whatever I want to eat, but not nearly in the quantities I used to eat in. I was a bulk eater and not really a grazer. With the band in place I am really physically unable to sit and eat and eat and eat, nor do I want to do that any longer. With the band in place, I have a sensation of reaching a kind of feeling of fullness (not sure if that's the best word to use since prior to the band I never knew what it was like to feel full.) It has done something in my head, maybe it's the supression of the Vegas nerve, I'm not really sure what it is, but I don't think about and obsess over food constantly. I am not thinking about what my next meal will be and this is a HUGE change for me. as for what I eat, well, I can eat anything. there are things that I try to stay away from, but I don't beat myself up if I cave in and have something. If there is something I want to eat, I will eat it (or a couple of bites of it) and then I am done. I don't have to eat the whole thing or 2 or 3 of a thing (like pizza or burgers). I am satisfied with half of a thing. Because, for me, the band is working like I want it to, i.e. keeping me from eating everything in sight, I haven't felt the need to have fills. My goal isn't to have so much restriction that I can't swallow more than a cup of something or that I live only on Soups. Losing weight isn't so important to me that I give up living a well rounded life that includes foods that I enjoy eating. My goal is to eat like a normal person in portions that normal people eat. I go out with friends, I enjoy a beer now and again, or a glass of wine. I eat shrimp, lobster, etc with no PBing whatsover and nobody is any the wiser that I am on a diet. I don't stay away from trouble foods, I just don't go overboard and eat them constantly. I do balance with healthy eating of lots of Protein and my diet is really heavily centered on fish. But I also eat mcdonald's, burger king, wendy's, ranch 1, etc....i don't deny myself. I don't consider myself as being on a diet per se, and it's only a lifestyle change for me in the sense that I now have a plastic thing inside of me that keeps me from bulk eating. I don't get hungry really at all and I know that the band is the reason why. I did have to have this surgery and I could not have done this well by just dieting. really, having that band inside me has changed something. I don't know what it is, but for me it is working. I know that the loss will slow down and maybe one day I'll have to have a fill...who knows? But as long as I am feeling great and eating healthy as much as possible, I am really happy with that. I hope I never have to have a fill. right now, life is good.

I have united health care and with me, it was an easy peasy process. my doctor actually required more than my insurance company did. Once I finally decided to go forward with the surgery, it was a very quick process. It was less than a month from my doctor consult to my surgery.That month flew by and two weeks of it was liquid diet. With my high BMI alone UHC was happy to approve my surgery. I don't have any co-mordities that are weight related, but if you have them, it will probably help you with the approval process. good luck.

losing 200 pounds is totally doable with the band. even the sleeve and bypass are not a guarantee as you can easily gain weight back if you don't change your behavior. i know several bypass patients who are doing lap bands over their bypass because the bypass didn't change their eating habits over time. you should really research before you do something drastic like bypass or sleeve. just my. 02. and there is a special area on the boards for us bigger folk with 200+ pounds to lose. i am only 5 months out and I have lost over 65 pounds so far. i'm taking it one day at a time, i'm not in a hurry, but i feel amazing after just losing that amount. i may never lose 200, but i am learing to eat correctly and more like a normal person, and that is enough for me. good luck in whatever you decide to do.

From Alabama but live in NYC

I haven't had any fills so i can eat anything at the moment. there are foods that i have stayed away from, mostly rice and breads. I can eat subway sandwiches, but i have found that i will eat a few bites of it and then just pull the bread off and eat the meats that are on the sandwich because i just get soooo tired of chewing it. but i can eat it.

I wear shorts under my skirts too because of the rub. I have never known what it feels like to walk without my legs touching each other. I often wonder how skinny people do it and how they keep from just falling over. maybe in another year or so, I will know how that works.

Suzzie, I am so sorry for what you are going through. I am only 5 months out, but lemme tell ya, if i had to do 100% completely without sweets or treats, I would have already failed. I don't know how you made it for 11 months and no wonder you went overboard when you finally let yourself cave in. the good news is you can start over today. start with now and go one meal at a time. allow yourself to have a treat now and again. if you HAVE to have chocolate every day, start by only having it every other day...then gradually work down to maybe 3 times a week, or only on weekends...or just whatever. choose a sugar free Chocolate ice pop or something. i promise if you deny yourself something that you really love, eventually it will be all you can think about and you will fail again. i'm not a big snacker, but my issue was eating huge portions and not being able to stop. i still eat what i want to eat, just probably in portions 1/3 or even 1/2 the size that i used to eat (i haven't had a fill, so i have no restriction). i still need chocolate every once in a while and when i'm on my period, I allow myself to have anything that i am craving. i have found that if i just allow myself to have it, i'm not thinking about and obsessing over it, so one or 2 bites of something is all i need to have before i am done with it. don't give up. you've hit a bump in the road and you just have to get over that bump. keep us posted on how you are doing.

my doctor allowed veggies too, but no yogurt or any of that. i could only use Protein shakes and 1 cup of veggies per day. so, it sounds like you have more options than I did. while you may lose weight on the pre-op, please try your best not to cheat on it again. you can make it 14 days and that is really the most difficult part (other than the 10 days of liquids only right after surgery, if your doctor makes you do that) if you are really having trouble sticking to the diet, you should contact your doctor and tell him. don't try to reason with yourself and give yourself permission to eat cheese or do anything that is not per the doctor. that is not a good way to go into this process. if you do that kind of reasoning now, believe me you will do that after you have healed and are ready to eat real food again. resolve now to do what you are supposed to do and stick to it as best as you can.

People are never going to change unless they go through it themselves and that's that. I was pretty much of the same mindset and that's why I put the surgery off for 6 years. I never told another WLS person that they took the easy way out, but I certainly thought it....until i was banded. No, it's not easy. but for me, it was necessary as I was unable to do it on my own. you can't change anyone else's mind, you just have to keep doing what you are doing and let people think what they think. in the end, it's all about you and what's best for you and who cares what anyone else thinks? good for you that you are working hard and doing what you need to do. it's only going to get harder and harder, not easier. hopefully people who care about you will see what hard work it is and not pass judgement.

This is the exact reason I didn't tell my mother. She can't keep a secret either and it's nobody's busines but my own. I'm sorry that she's going against your wishes. if it's that important to you to keep it a secret, tell her that you are upset that she shared such a personal thing with others when it wasn't their business and that you would appreciate it if in the future she could not tell anyone else.

Hmmmm,,,,interesting thread Thee-O. I had my surgery on May 4th and I have not had any fills and honestly, I don't intend to get any. That's not to say that at some point down the road I won't have one, but it is not my intention to have one. I know that being just over 5 months out that I am relatively new to being banded, but my reasons for getting the band are probably different from most people who get it. I knew that by getting it, I would lose some weight, but I honestly didn't get it to lose 100 pounds. I got it to help me stop eating and eating and eating, which it has done beautifully. Before being banded, I could not stop eating. I never knew what it meant to be 'full' or 'satiated' or whatever you want to call it. I couldn't physically feel a sensation that told me "hey, you've had enough, it's time to stop eating." I would only know it was time to stop eating if people around me were done or if my plate was empty. Even then, I would be thinking about my next meal. just having the band in place, even though I don't have restriction, must do something to me mentally. Could it be the Vegas nerve that is being pressured? I have no idea, all I know is that I don't think about food constantly anymore, and I am satisfied with a smaller amount. I am ok with leaving food on my plate if I can't eat it. Before the band, I didn't think about it, I just vacuumed food down. Now, I chew, chew, chew, and I discovered that by chewing endlessly, I can actually TASTE the food I am eating. I also discovered that foods that I thought I really loved, after chewing them and really tasting them, that ehhhh, I don't really like this as much as I thought I did. For me, I still enjoy going out with friends and being able to order whatever I want (since i'm not filled, I can eat anything..steak, shrimp, bread, etc....) I can eat socially without running to the bathroom to PB, I always have left overs that I can bring home and nobody is suspicious that I have had any kind of surgery. It's the best of all possible worlds. I can eat what I want (because of no fills) and I can enjoy physical activity (because I have lost weight), I can avoid questions from friends (because it appears that I still eat the same stuff I always ate and no one is any the wiser. ) Honestly, if I never lose another pound, I am ok with that. I feel great where I am. I don't feel like I am denying myself of food when I want it. Like another poster said, if i am craving something I'll have a bite or 2 of it and then move on with my life. I don't have to have a whole pizza any longer, I am ok with a slice or two. I am ok with half a hamburger or 3 or 4 chicken nuggets (instead of 20). That's why I got the surgery, to eat what normal people eat in the portions that normal people eat them in. Not to exist on a half a cup of food per meal or to eat only things that won't make me barf. not to avoid fast food altogether, not to ever eat things i enjoy ever again. this is something I'll have to live with the rest of my life, and I want to live a great life and food is part of life that I enjoy. I actually enjoy food more now that I have learned to take my time with it and chew it. it's seriously weird. I know that I could not have done this without having the band, even with no restriction. I know that by the band just being in place that something has changed in my brain to cause me not to think about food all of the time, and that is really good enough for me. The weight I have lost is just a bonus.

I personally don't plan on telling anyone that I have the band...ever. 2 people know about it. my DH and 1 very close friend who is already skinny. No one has seemed to notice yet that I have lost any weight, (i'm really fat, so it's understandable) and I kinda like it that way because.....um...less lying I guess. (although, i am eating less and I am working out, but I haven't had any fills so the band is a mental tool for me. it's not making me eat less at this time because i have no restriction. ) when people start to notice and start to ask me, then i'll have to come up with something. when i made my decision to get that band, it wasn't anyone telling me that they had the band and that this is something I should do, it was me personally researching things on my own and seeking out answers from doctors and this community. i don't want to be responsible for any one else's decisions. in other words, i don't want to tell someone that i know IRL that I have the band and that they should do it. it works differently for different people. i couldn't live with it if someone had a surgery like this based on something that I said and things didn't work out for them. ...also..., i would go crazy if people knew about the band and started to montior everything that i put in my mouth and ask "should you really be eating that??" i have food issues as it is and all that added pressure would probably make me hide food the way i used to...so, for now, i'm keeping it a secret and i plan to keep it that way. anyway, that's my .02

It's annoying that doctors have such drastically different rules from place to place. my doctor says no drinking 5 minutes before/ 20 minutes after eating. this has been easier to do than i initially thought it would be. i couldn't hold out for an hour before or after though...that's not drinking anything for 2 whole hours and i have to stay hydrated. i don't know how you do it either.

my seminar was basically a sales talk where they tell you what a great thing WLS is and how all fat people should have it or face death. they did show some negative things, but all in all, they were very pushy towards anyone who was morbidly obese getting the surgery. it was very propaganda-ish, and I knew it would be. i just listened to the info i was interested in and disregarded the rest of it.

Thanks. yeah, I have a support group at the hospital and everybody was like "OMG, i had surgery 3 weeks ago, I can't wait for my fill" and I'm thinking "gosh, I am losing weight the way I'm supposed to be, right on track and I'm not munching or eating or feeling the need to eat all the time, I don't think I need a fill quite yet" and they are all telling me "well, that'll change" but even at 4 months out, it still hasn't. I know that chances are it will and I will need a fill, but right now, I'm in a good place for me. If they need a fill, then hooray for them, i'm glad they can go and get one, but I just don't need it right now. it took me 3 follow up visits with the nurse practitioner before she said "look, don't let me sway you. if you want a fill, just ask and i will give you one, but if you don't think you need one, then you know your body best and you don't need one." anyway, like i said, i feel great and i can eat any type of food i want. being a foodie, this makes me happy. however, instead of having a whole slab of ribs, i'm happy with just 1 or 2. that was my main goal, just stop binging and stuffing my face. so far, the band has kept me from eating everything in sight and it's working the way it's supposed to for me, so i'm gonna see how far i can go with it before i get a fill. good luck to you in your journey and do what is best for you. you will be alright.

You are the only person who can decide when you need or want a fill. don't let the staff bully you into doing something you don't want to do. My surgery was in May and I have never had a fill. As long as I am losing the weight that they tell me I should be losing, and as long as I feel that my appetite is under control (i.e. i don't want to eat everything in sight) i feel for myself that a fill is unnecessary. My doctor agrees with me at this time. If that changes, I will reassess, but for now, I am fill free and enjoying it.

Hi all, I had my surgery on May 4th and I'm down 65 pounds so far. I have not yet had a fill, so I haven't been stuck or had PBing or any of that. I can eat whatever type of food I want to eat (since I've had no fill) but I can't eat in the quantity that I once ate in (nor do i want to). The weight loss has slowed down a bit this month, but as long as I'm not gaining, I'm happy. I feel great and I have tons of energy. I am hoping to lose another 20 pounds by the end of the year, but eh, if it doesn't happen, no big deal. I have the rest of my life to lose what took me a lifetime to gain. Glad to see you all are doing well on your journeys.

I have to have my coffee. You wouldn't want to be around me without me having some coffee in my system.

Hi Lisa, I just dropped by the thread because I see you are in NYC, and I am too! I had my surgery back in May, and so far, it has been a good decision. I still haven't had a fill, and I really don't want to have one if I don't have to. So far, I do have an appetite, and I can eat whatever I want to eat, but I can't eat the quantities that I used to be able to eat. That was my goal. I didn't really care if I lost weight or not, I just didn't want to continue to grow. I didn't have any co-morbidities at all, so I didn't do it for any other reason than to just not gain more weight. At the moment, I suppose my goal is to try to lose about 100 pounds, but I'm not pressuring myself with that, it's just something to kinda aim for. I doubt I will ever see the famous Onederland, but I am currently in Twoderville, ( something I never thought would be possible) so if I never lose another pound, I am perfectly happy where I am. anyway, sorry for the ramble. welcome to the boards!

Just checking in to see if there are any updates from the May sugeries.... so far, I have lost about 65.5 pounds since i began my liquid diet on April 20th.

Hi Jim, you are going to do just fine. I have lost about 65 pounds so far and I feel amazing. It hasn't been as daunting of a journey (so far) as I thought it would be. The most difficult part was the 2 week pre-op liquid phase....then of course the 1st week after surgery. But so far, I am doing great. I still haven't had a fill and I hope that I don't ever have to have one. Since you are at 480, you will be amazed at how fast the weight will drop for you. The larger you are, the more you lose quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if you drop 20 pounds in the first 2 weeks on the liquid diet. You will be in the 300s before you know it. good luck and please keep us posted.

You should check with your doctor. I was told to wait one month before swimming.