SageTracey

You don't say how far post op you are but it is unlikely you would pull a stitch from eating. Plus, I don't think the band is stitched to your stomach. It is usually your port which is stitched in place. If you are worried, seek medical advice.

Definitely would do it again. I am one year out and down 58k (about 130 pounds). The only times I have difficulties is when I forget to eat slowly. This week I have had viral gastro and ended up at hospital because I was worried about my band - apart from being so sick, all was good. generally speaking, my quality of life is vastly improved so I would have no hesitation in doing it all again.

I was still on mushies at three weeks so would definitely not have been able to face up to a five course meal. Discuss with your boss if possible, otherwise, use some of the strategies described above. But be sure to stay true to your Dr rules on eating at this stage.

Did they give you any advice? I am sure this must be a common challenge and the professionals should be offering us advice on dealing with these sorts of challenges. in the absence of their help, why not go right back to basis and start over with the diet for newly banded patients. good luck

definitely not! You are still in the healing stage and cannot expect to have restriction or much weight loss just at the moment. Hang in there nd keep following your Dr instructions and success will follow.

Wow, that seems quite brave to me! I went to a concert four days after my surgery and was really quite uncomfortable the whole time. One thing I wish I had done was put my arm in a sling because I was supporting my arm all night with the shoulder pain. Plus it would have been a visible sign to others to avoid bumping or bustling me. definitely take your painkillers. And I am sure you are travelling with someone who can carry your bags etc and I hope you don't get moved from your extra leg room seat. In Australia they are at the exit aisles and you have to be physically capable of assisting others in an emergency. best wishes!

That sucks. Can I suggest staying off the computer as I have found being in front of the screen really aggravates my headaches. Best of luck.

Today is my one year band anniversary and I am down 58kg (about 130lb). I have stalled in the last month but have a fill in two weeks so that will help. this year I have dropped from a size 26 (tight) to a 14 on top, 16 on bottom. From dancing a couple of songs then telling my husband it was time to sit down, I am now staying on the dance floor all night. from being embarrassed to be seen on my bicycle, I am now a 60+ km a day lycra cyclist and loving it. from avoiding clothes shopping because nothing fit me, I am now the first person into the clothes store and I just keep on buying. and from avoiding all photos, I am looking forward to my son's wedding next week where not only will I be proud to be in his family photos, but I will also be the focus of attention as MC of the reception. from three BP tablets a day, I am down to just one blood pressure tablet which should go at my next Dr visit. and best of all, I have discovered again just how wonderful my husband is. He is my biggest champion and has joined me in getting healthier. We exercise together and he has trimmed off three kg but also improved his cholesterol levels dramatically so we will both be around to enjoy raconteur for many years to come.

You have done so well already. Congratulations. I would suggest that you are not eating enough for the level of exercise that you are doing. It sounds strange, I know, but remember that your body is an engine and food is the fuel that runs that engine. You are working your engine quite hard (WTG!) so you need to put in a bit of extra fuel. Good luck.

You say that you are not using your lapband at the moment so that should be your first action to kickstart your weight loss again - start using the tool that you have, that you know works and that you clearly know how to use, based on your previous success. Don't jump into another surgery just yet. Good luck.

You might need to fill us in with some more detail on why this is an NSV....is it because your clothes are now all small enough to fit into a single load in the dryer? My laundry NSV was my teenage son commenting that I no longer wear the biggest shirts in the family, in fact, he had picked up one of mine because he mistook it for one of his!

Add more natural fibre to your diet. Your body is hanging on to the very little that you are giving it and if you are focussing on protein, then you are not giving your body the tools it needs to process.

You can do this! Learn why you are eating the wrong foods and concentrate on making informed choices. You have opted for a lifestyle change, now is your time to embrace it and move forward. Remember, it probably took you a few years or more to become morbidly obese and it will take time to change those habits and lose the weight. Good luck.

the band helps me manage physical hunger, not head hunger i.e. emotional eating, thinking about food, wanting to eat a particular food, saying no, making the right choices. that is all part of the mental part of this journey and many people have found that getting counselling or some other sort of support is really helpful. Good luck.

Exactly! I recently wrote a post of lapabandtalk.com comparing preparing for a wedding to getting ready for lapband surgery. The lead up to the big day shouldn't blind us to the work that follows for the rest of our lives if we want to succeed at either venture! (Banded one year this Friday, married 28 years this Saturday - loving both!)

The only bread I can eat at the moment is light flour tortillas. All other breads get stuck - a fact that I had inexplicably forgotten when I ordered and tried to eat a souvlaki on Sunday!

It's great that you are re-committing to the band and that you know how to go about it. May I suggest that some counselling on alternatives to dealing with life stressers may also help by giving you tools to use instead of turning to food. Good luck and keep us posted!

Congratulations Simone, that is an awesome achievement and it will only get easier for you over time! Keep up your great work.

Hi Bob, I'm a desk jockey too. I took off two weeks - mostly because I knew from past experience how the anaesthetic would knock me. I doubt that I could have gone back any earlier and been effective, even teleworking, which is also an option for me. Check with your surgeon re lifting boxes etc but don't rush into it, expect that you will need at least six weeks. Line up plenty of family and friends to help! Good luck

There is no such thing as a stupid question - except for the one that you don't ask. So good on you for asking! Honk has described both as they have occurred in my experience. Neither are pleasant but gee that make you learn the lesson about chewing, eating slowly, small bites etc!

I am surprised that your medical team hasn't provided you with very clear and specific dietary advice as a diabetic!

I have the band and have lost 58 kg (130lb) in just under a year by following my surgeon's orders and working the band. I'm not perfect in my diet but I exercise often and hard so near enough on the eating front has been good enough. I have had a few minor stuck episodes where I have slimed and vomited. Not pleasant but the price I paid for making wrong food choices and/or eating too quickly. My health has improved out of sight, my attitude to life is much more positive. I would definitely choose the band again for my circumstances.

Looks like you have done really well so far. Congratulations! I am sure that a fill will help, but so will not beating yourself up over a plateau. Look at changing up your diet and/or exercise a bit. Your body may have gotten used to what you have been doing and a change up could be all that is needed to get you back on the weight loss path.

If they leave it up to us to chew our food to mush, we are almost certain to make a mistake. Drs come up with these guidelines based on their experience and training and they are intended to help us be as successful as possible. Just because there are some differences doesn't make one more right or wrong than the other.

If you can take Lean Cuisine then it sounds like you have access to a fridge and microwave at the very least so you should be able to take in anything in any portion sizes that suit. I find I get in a rut with eating at times and need to shake it up to get some variety into my diet. Getting bored with food is a quick way to eating the wrong things for me.