Daddyof4

I started Phentermine and low carb on Feb 27. Weight was 240, today I am down to 232. Not a lot but at least trending in the right direction. The elliptical remains an unused reminder but I’m not giving up on it. Stay tuned for future developments.

So I saw Dr. McClendon on Monday Feb 25, got my EKG and green light for Phentermine. I'm back on low carb, high protein diet. I have been tracking intake on MyFitnessPal and have had 6 successful days so far. I'm back to not drinking while eating - a hard habit to break for the second time! No exercise yet because it's too darn cold and wet but I did get new batteries for the elliptical and stopped using it as a clothes hanger so maybe I'll actually use it this week. I feel I'm getting back on track so we'll see. I'll keep updating as I go.

I haven’t posted in a long tine either. I’ve not been as successful with the band as some of you. Banded 4/21/2012 and still 57 lb short of my goal weight. Went to the medical weight loss doctor at my bariatric surgeon’s office and starting on phentermine to hopefully get (back) on track. Looking forward to summer when I can swim but meanwhile plan to go back to walking a half hour each day to start. I love reading your posts; I feel that we’re all in this together. Let’s keep it up!

I am happy with the band itself but not happy with my current status. I've been on and off the wagon over the past 5 years but am currently trying to stay on. I have an appointment with a behavior modification therapist in a couple of weeks and hope to get my head back into the game. Who knew that getting a lapband was like taking on a new hobby? Meanwhile, I'm anxious for summer so I can hit the pool again. I'm ready to convert to bypass but I won't pursue that until I can say I've given the band my best effort which I have not yet done. Good luck getting back to goal!

I got my band in 2012 also. I live in Northern Virginia

Hi everyone. I have been away from here for a long time too but just found this thread and it’s nice to see all you veterans still around. I’ve been banded since May 12, 2012, peaked at 293, got to 220 after second back surgery , back up around 250, currently at 236 and not giving up yet! I wanted to revise to bypass, had an upper GI because of reflux and am now on acid blocker. I don’t want to go for revision until I feel I’ve given the band my best effort. I’m going to see the behavioral modification therapist my PA suggested and we’ll see if that helps. I swim during the summer but don’t do anything the rest of the year. I try to walk but I just don’t seem to do it. That’s one thing to talk to the BH lady about. Given my screen name I want to tell you about my kids. My oldest son graduated from UVA and is working in Pittsburgh, my second son is a junior at VA Tech, my oldest daughter will graduate from high school and plans to attend Christopher Newport U and my youngest daughter is a freshman in high school. They and my wife are very supportive for which I am grateful. Now I just need to get my you-know-what in gear and get on the bandwagon full bore. See you around!

55 years old Lapband installed May 21, 2012 Highest weight 293 Surgery weight 285 Current weight 247 (Did hit 220 in 2014 after second back surgery) Harder than I thought it would be

Hi. I've just passed my 4 year bandiversary and am re-engaging with my lapband. I lost some weight pretty quickly but had two back surgeries in the middle. I started at 285, weighed 220 after the second back surgery (yay drugs!) and have since gone back up to 250+. I'm on day 4 of the 5 day band test and was 248 this morning. Could use a pal about now to help keep me on track. I'm in NoVA and telework full time. Hope to hear from you.

The Professor, you are awesome; your posts are inspiring. Your last post was on my 4 year bandiversary but I haven't done as well as you. I lost my focus after two (successful) back surgeries but I am currently on Day 4 of the 5 day band test. My weight has started back in the right direction and I feel motivated to keep it up! It doesn't hurt that the local pool has opened either. I was 285 on the day of my surgery, was 220 after the second back surgery and was back up to 255. This morning I was 248! Here we go!

My post will sound like an echo but I wish I had done this at age 35 instead of at age 55. The band helped me lose 50 pounds and keep most of it off - I had lost that much weight on Atkins way back when but put it all back on and more. I remember seeing the graph at the orientation seminar that showed that at three years the amount of weight lost was the same no matter which surgery you had. Since the weight comes off faster with it, I'd have the sleeve if I could do it again. That said, no regrets about this but am trying to get back on track and resume losing.

I'm just getting back to the site as well. I've been banded for 3 years and 5 days and have not had any band issues. I like what hope2 said - I've had lots of brain issues too! Seeing the doc today, probably for a small fill. Have started exercising now that it's summer and the pool is open.

Hey LOL, I'm in exactly the same place you are. 3 years out and staying at 45 pounds lost. A year "off" for back surgery (successful) and I'm ready to get back on track. With summer and my new back I am able to do some exercising - tennis and swimming - an 11-year-old coach does wonders. Good luck to you.

Hi everyone, Like Melissa160 I did not keep it a secret at all. At the time I supervised 14 patent examiners and felt I couldn't just disappear for weeks. I got nothing but support from them and my colleagues and bosses; one employee said she'd like to be next. They all were happy that I was doing something about my weight. This was in May 2012. This week I want to lunch with my workgroup and left half of my food while everyone else had inhaled everything on their plates. No comments o anything. Maybe I'm just lucky but I'm grateful to have been spared he negativity.

When I read a post by jfc193 part of his personal message really spoke to me. He says he "recommitted" at 250. That is something I need to do. I lost 55 pounds in the six months after surgery (May 21, 2012) and have not lost another ounce! I've gained and lost the same 2 or 3 pounds but have been pretty much on a plateau for a year. I know I'm failing my band (from Missy's recent thread) with poor food choices and eating too quickly and continuing to eat after feeling full and I've not exercised (excuses include hurting foot, leg pain, etc.) but I need some way to kick my butt back into gear. I'd like to ask Joe, "How did you go about recommitting?" I'd appreciate advice on this from anyone else too.

Last week my stomach growled so loudly that the cat jumped up from a sound sleep and stared around the room for the monster!

I'm right in there with you! Oceans of water is the key for me. If I can keep up the water I do better.

I've been looking for local bandsters for a while. I'm in Falls Church, banded May 21, 2012 at Fair Oaks.

I have not seen this here before and it really struck a nerve in me. If I could have done it myself I would have (like mostly everyone else here). I needed help of some kind and the lapband is just the ticket! LILady, welcome to this adventure. Back on topic - I told everyone and have gotten no negative responses at all. People might be talking behind my back but I don't know about it so don't care. My mom can't help herself sometimes and occasionally asks if I should be eating that but she's MUCH better about it now that I've lost some weight.

Quick update - After my third fill (October 2012) I got stuck with everything I ate (7.2 cc in 14 cc band). I toughed it out for a while but then had 0.3 cc removed in December and 0.5 cc removed in March. I gained about 8 pounds back during this time. I was eating a lot of potato chips since they did not get stuck. Last week I got filled back up to 7.2, stopped buying and eating the chips and the scale shows 3 pounds lower this morning! I'm hoping my time in the wilderness is over. At the first information session the doctor talked about the addictive nature of food and how some bandsters end up substituting one addiction for another, mentioning alcohol. I never thought I'd have a potato chip addiction! Cold turkey got me off it and now I don't go near them at the store for fear they will jump into my basket. Thanks for all your posts - they're very encouraging.

Hi Live4life - congratulations on your decision to get healthy. I had exactly the same feelings as you and most others on this forum but those fears did not come true. I was sure I'd be hungry all the time and scoffed at the idea that such a tiny portion would never satisfy me. The truth is that the first part can be fairly difficult - it's called Bandster Hell for a reason. It feels just like other diets and techniques but if you keep at it things do get better. Some people don't need a fill to feel satisfied and lose weight but most do. The whole idea of keeping full is something you will need to let go of. It's more about eating slowly and allowing your stomach to realize that it's been fed so it can send the signal to your brain that you've had enough to eat. If I pay attention to that signal I feel satisfied but not stuffed. I have ignored the signal and felt completely stuffed like after Thanksgiving dinner, which is not very comfortable. If I eat too fast or take too big of bite or don't chew enough I get stuck. DO NOT EAT BUTTER IF YOU'RE STUCK. The butter will get stuck too and you'll feel worse. Things to try if you get stuck include a small sip of hot Water, putting your arms up and stretching your tummy, papaya enzyme, walking around, waiting. For me, if it's a bad stuck episode it's worth encouraging it to come back up but if it's not too bad it often goes away on its own. It feels like a golf ball is stuck in your chest so best to try not to get stuck. I think you should ask your nutritionist about specific foods for each stage. Right after surgery you'll be on liquids (I was told Cream of Wheat acts like a liquid and it helped me with hunger), then progress to mushies, then to solid foods. Follow your doctor's and nutritionist's advice. Good luck Monday - the surgery is the easiest part! Keep us posted.

What an awesome story! Truly inspiring.

I'm in the same boat with SoccerBlueJ. I was banded May 21, 2012, am about half way to goal and I've been filled and unfilled and still hunting for the green zone. I go tomorrow for an appointment and I think I need a little more put in because I'm not losing and am hungry after a fairly short time, not even 2 hours at best. I'm still struggling with head hunger and still eating stuff even when there's no physical hunger. I seem to have lost my motivation and have to get it back - any suggestions?Thank you all for keeping this forum going - I get a lot of inspiration from your posts.

My son (who just graduated high school - I just can't help myself - as valedictorian) asked me why I was drinking coffee last night. Prior to surgery my doc said to decaffeinate and I did but after I started with the occasional cup of regular coffee and now I don't pay much attention to it. I make decaf iced tea but drink regular coffee every few days. I've heard caffeine is an appetite suppressant and an appetite enhancer. What do you think about caffeine?

Stephanie, I'm not very fond of needles either but for me the numbing part was worse than the actual fill part. Neither one was particularly painful, less than a bee sting. For my first fill the PA said, "Here it comes . . . getting closer . . . closer . . . there, all done!" I asked her not to do that the next time:)

Pittsford