Sharpie

I had the lapband.. absolutely the best thing I have ever done. I was a type 2 diabetic, high cholesterol,high blood pressure. the surgery itself was a piece of cake and short recuperation. I am off of all medication and feel like a million bucks. None of the surgeries are easy but it depends on what you feel comfortable with.

welcome Nick, The lapband veterans here are a wonderful resource for you. We have a huge amount of successful band and other weight loss patients on this site. If you have questions don't hesitate to ask . Best of Luck to you.

yes I get hungry in between meals. 3-4 hours between and then if I eat good Protein and keep drinking my Water afterward, I am satisfied. I cannot really overeat or I will pay the price.

so tired of the band bashing.. seriously, your choice or the programs choice is your business. I have had great success with the band, I am 68 and did not want major surgery such as removing most of my stomach or re-routing my intestines but that's not to say it would not be a good solution for you . there are complications with every type of surgery. The fear mongering about the band needs to stop. This is not a contest to see who has the best surgery. We all have to make the best decision for our own journey. Please all of you so called experts stop making negative post about the band. If you are successful with your surgery, that s wonderful, I am supportive of everyone. There are many long time bandsters on here who have had extremely successful results. I wish you the best and will pray that you will become a healthy, happy person.

stacy I don't know if you watch tlc but the 600 lb life series is truly motivational. I watched in amazement how some of those patients who are 600 lbs or more have to jump thru hoops just to get their surgery and we're talking losing 100 lbs in a month on their own no surgery once that is accomplished they get the surgery. and it's not the easy way out as some people think. they have to be conscious of what they are eating, they have to break life long habits such as soda and fast food, some don't even know how to cook. I am so happy to see their transformation and I know you can do this. Think of your life ahead if you don't do it. I know it's scary, I am 68 and had my surgery at 66 so it was either surgery or a future with bad health. I had diabetes which was getting worse , high blood pressure and high cholesterol. my mobility was almost to the handicap cart stage I have to say the surgery was the best thing I have ever done. I am no longer on any medications and I feel like a million bucks. I am enjoying life and eating good healthy food. I will pray for you and keep us posted. There are many people here who would love to help you.

I had lapband so it might be different for sleeves but I discovered other sources of Protein that don't get stuck. I posted in another place that I had a black/bean burger with a egg on top, it was one of the most satisfying thing I have eaten and good calorie to protein ratio. Morningstar brand. I never in a million years thought I would eat a veggie burger but it was so flavorful and was totally great for the band. I also sometimes either eat a Protein Bar or a shake to get in enough protein if I'm short.

Bandista I am so sorry for your loss. Good to deal with it without food I am learning to deal with stress better and not eat my way into a coma. I had the best thing ever today, after the bad Chinese food incident, I ate very lite today and had a liquid lunch Protein shake. tonight I made a blackbean burger with an egg on it. it was so good. can't believe I am eating vegetarian.. lol but honestly it was better than most burgers and full of flavor and protein .

I love my foreign body too.. I always am amused at that statement from people about lapband surgery. I guess my husband's artificial knee and new heart valve are bad too. I had a great weekend , went to my granddaughter's pageant, she was the outgoing Miss BHS (High school) and I wore some black skinny jeans with a back cowl neck sweater. My oldest granddaughter who rarely gives a compliment said wow Gram you look hot. Yesterday we spent the day shopping and walking. They were so used to me not being able to keep up they kept asking me if I needed to sit down.. I said nope I a fine . I also bought my dress for my oldest granddaughters wedding coming up in May, I was so happy to be able to find a beautiful dress . My band has allowed me to get back to living and enjoy every minute . The only downside is I found out I cannot eat Chinese food very well , I tried to eat some chicken with broccoli and a few lo mein noodles but it wasn't the best choice. I just stopped eating when I got that feeling .. Have a great week everyone.

I might have posted this before but I don't see it here: Wendy's chili - excellent source of Protein, low calories, also ChicFilA chicken tortilla soup . you can eat the grilled nuggets @ ChicFilA also , i'm not a fan they are a little dry for me. If I end up going to a regular restaurant I try to find a good soup on the menu. No Bread, No Pasta for me and No Rice .

I just tell the server that I can't eat a lot and I will be taking it home. but sometimes they are overly concerned . eating out is not my favorite thing and I have to order things like Soup and maybe appetizer.

I bought a healthometer from Walmart, the nice part is it takes a 9 volt battery nothing fancy. inexpensive and very accurate. it's digital.

I also like to come on BP each day to get some motivation and information. I post on some things and others I ignore I made some post regarding the band bashing and misinformation some time ago. The posts regarding the "foreign body" thing seems to haven lessened but I think the mine Is better than yours attitude is common on sites such as ours. I have quit trying to defend the band and just live my life. Many of our long time bandsters and friends have quit posting for a variety of reasons I only wish the best for everyone regardless of the type of surgery they had. It's a battle for any of us who have obesity and until there is a better solution WLS seems to help many of us. CG was one of the best posters here and AJ, TMF and Missy. They all helped me with their humor and frankness. I miss each one of them and still hope they are out there somewhere living their new lives in health.

also I wanted to add that during my pre-op diet my nutritionist allowed lean cuisine at dinner - it is the best of the weight controlled meals . lower sodium and carbs around 300 calories. I think anything you can tolerate at this point would be okay. Always talk with your nutritionist or Dr of course. the site for Sandi is : Bandedliving.com not sure I spelled it right before.

also bandediving.com has some great recipes, it's run by Sandi Henderson who was 424 lbs now like 150 . She creates really good recipes and gets them from other sources. It's a challenge to get your protein in if you don't do eggs or meat. I think there are probably some vegans on here who could help you.

I was so scared to damage my new band that I went strictly by the book. when I was cleared to eat solid foods I started with something easy like scrambled eggs, refried beans and any meat I ate was in a sauce or moist like chicken thighs. If you cheat, remind yourself why you are doing this, I even now after 2 years catch myself wanting to eat things like French fries or ice cream (my addiction) but after going through the pre-op phase, the post op surgical weeks on liquids ,the fills with days of liquids, I will be damned if I mess it up. Be strong and continue on the path of good health.

Sounds like you might be eating dry meat or possibly re-heated foods. I cannot eat either . I rarely sip Water while eating, like B52 It will always cause sliming for me. I drink up the point of eating, then wait at least 30-45 minutes after. I would try to eat softer foods like meat with sauces or gravy and high Protein foods like cottage cheese and eggs . I also do well with fish. Salmon has to have sauce on it because it tends to be dry.

welcome to the best support group there is. So happy that you made the decision to get healthy and happy. I was not a "fat" kid but was programmed to eat everything on my plate. My mother grew up during the depression and never got over being hungry. She never wasted a bite of food. I am sure I was not obese as a child because back in those days we had lots of outdoor activities and chores. WE even had recess and physical education at school. I did not get heavy until my late 40's pre-menopause and I had quite smoking which put 50# on my small frame quickly. After many unsuccessful weight loss programs, Nutrisystem, weight watchers, Jenny Craig, HCG, doctor supervised weight loss, etc. I felt I might be doomed to be overweight. After being diagnosed with diabetes , high blood pressure and high cholesterol I realized that my future health was in jeopardy. so, at age 66 I decided to get serious and get healthier. I also did some research and decided on lapband . After losing 70 lbs I feel like a new person . Best of Luck and keep us informed.

I agree with the 2nd opinion statement. I think it's unusual to say well let's go to surgery right away. I know there are many test that can confirm a slip, port flip etc. that would determine exactly what happened Find another bariatric surgeon and get another opinion before you shell out any money. I hope you get it resolved soon

compare all surgeries.. Band requires the patient to actually participate in the process , eating slowly, no drinking while eating , etc. adjustments and follow up with your Dr. Sleeve, involves losing a big portion of your stomach, and yes the pouch will stretch if you abuse food. Bypass from what I understand involves re-routing and malabsorption. They all have drawbacks and benefits I have been banded 2 years and chose the band because it can re adjusted or even removed if necessary. I have a few sleeve and bypass patients in my support group, they all have issues with dumping or other things. It's not an easy decision but you have to know what you can do whether you will be able to be successful The band is not going away as some have suggested, my surgeon has done thousands and still does them daily,

all good advice. Being banded has given me the ability to eat healthy foods without feeling deprived. All previous dieting attempts failed because I felt deprived and hungry all the time. I would struggle through and lose weight but immediately put it back on then more because I was starving and went back to eating badly. I now have the tool to control my appetite monster. There are many things you must do to be successful but after awhile it becomes second nature. Even my family knows the rules, no drink with dinner, no bread, etc. They all know when we go out to dinner, I eat a little and box up the rest. As B52 says it's about getting adjusted properly and it may take some time but stay on the plan, Protein, protein, protein, and drink lots of Water. It has been the best thing I have ever done for myself and my health has improved dramatically.

I started seeing my surgeon @ 2 weeks, then graduated to 6 weeks, I got fills by the Dr. I am now 2 years post op and I can call if I need them.

I had lapband 2 years ago and I was diabetic, on metformin twice a day . I was 66 and did not want major surgery. Had a friend who died from bypass and have several friends who had the sleeve and initially did good but developed complications. Every WLS has drawbacks just do what is comfortable for you. There are many on this forum who have had their bands for 10 or more years. Alex the creator of Bariatric pal is one of them. I am sure if you messaged him he would give you advice. Best of Luck.

My surgeon doesn't encourage use of Protein drinks, Banding is different I suppose than other WLS. However some times if I'm in a rush or want to give my band a rest, I drink them. Pure protein has been the best , good protein ratio, to calories. I also like muscle milk.

lol I love your response. For a few people who have made that asinine statement to me, I pretty much told them if it was so easy why didn't they have it done then come back and discuss it .. Most of the people who are making the ignorant comments are usually overweight people who are afraid you might be successful and make them look bad, or they are obsessive, compulsive runners who look like skeletons . Nothing wrong with exercise and eating healthy but anything to the extreme is obsessive. Anyhow, You don't owe anyone an explanation or reason for what you do with your own body. You are smart to realize while you are still young that weight has a lot to do with health. I was 66 when I had my surgery and it was not easy in the least.. Most of the criticizers couldn't make it through the pre-op diet.

Had my band surgery 2 years ago at age 66, I don't think you are ever too old to get healthy. I tell friends and family, I wasn't going to ever model swimsuits but I will probably live a healthier life for whatever time I have left. My main goal in getting weight loss surgery was to get rid of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I was on a collision coarse with serious health issues and I wanted to change course If you are ready to make a change, age doesn't matter.