gowalking

Karen...don't let them chase you off this forum. You know alot more than they do and I'd remind the newbies that their inexperience is why they are on the forum to begin with.

Heading out later to brunch with some gals from my old job. Still good friends with these ladies even seven years after leaving the company. It's another beautiful day here in NYC and can't wait to see them. Some of them haven't seen me since before the hip surgery and don't know that I'm off the cane...or half my size by the way... Tomorrow, I lay low as the inmates will be running the asylum. Yes...it's Pride Day here in the West Village. The Queens and Trannys will be descending upon us at first light. It's truly an experience to be trying to go about your business as usual without staring at the half naked boys, and hairy men in drag. What a trip! Have a great weekend all!

You might want to consider exercise classes. Then you have a socializing component. I find that I enjoy my water exercise classes because of the friends I've made. Plus, most of these classes are full of women. If you're unattached, it's a great place to meet the opposite sex.

Not every day. Too many carbs. You shouldn't eat anything every day....change it up so you don't get bored with the food. Otherwise, you may find yourself thinking about eating things you know are not the best choices.

Wonderful Mikee. So happy for you!

I know this must sound odd, but I was lucky in that I needed both hips replaced and when I got all the questions about my weight loss, and how much I lost, etc., I was always able to point to my hips and say that I needed to lose the weight because of the hip surgery. I'm sure some people are presuming I had WLS to get such a great result in a rather short time, but with an obvious medical issue such as joint degeneration, it seems to make WLS a more palatable option. If your health issues are invisible, or you want to avoid health issues, then the comments about losing 'naturally' come up. It's just ignorance....and there's nothing you can do about that. Good luck and know that we on this forum understand your frustration.

I chose 'other' because for me, it was fear of the unknown. I was so worried about losing the comfort of food. I was in such bad shape but at least I knew what each day would bring. This was so foreign to me....eating slow, eating small, getting stuck, walking away from the table without eating everything in sight....I couldn't imagine my future. Of course, now I can't imagine my life without lapband. It's given me my health back, my mobility, my femininity....my everything.

Went out to dinner on Saturday with my sister and my friend. This friend has big big eyes...and orders enough for ten. Sis has seen her in action before and I've told her to just let friend order what she wants, and I'll pay the extra because I know how she is. So..like I said, we were out on Saturday and friend starts to order like mad. Sis puts her foot down,and says, 'enough...Liz doesn't hardly eat anything so no more food!' There's something really nice about hearing that. It means that sis has gotten used to how little I eat and it's now become our 'new normal'.

I'm banded nearly 18 months and I still use a food scale at home. I tracked everything in myfitnesspal and stayed under 1,200 calories a day. As you can see from my ticker, this worked fantastic for me. Hell...my bariatric surgeon said I've totally blown the bell curve in that I've done so very well. I'm grateful as can be. This band was life saving surgery for me...no joke. I was heading towards a life in a wheelchair if I didn't lose weight. I went from constant debilitating pain to being able to do almost anything now. I walk everywhere...and the cane I used for more than two years is now sitting in the corner of my bedroom. I leave it there so I can always see it and know how close I came to losing all mobility. Some people can just eyeball and know when enough is enough. I needed more than that and if you do too, just remember to do what works for you. Good luck!!

I also have not had any fills and it is as you say, a double-edged sword because we can eat anything and it will go down. For me, that means I have to be even more diligent because I can eat unhealthy and in larger volumes. My experience is that it takes at times, a little longer to feel satiety so I have to be listening closely or I'll miss the signs and go right to uncomflortable. Plus it doesn't take much to get there. Just the other day, I was out to lunch with a friend and we ordered a chicken quesedilla. I ate one quarter of it...which is typical but then I decided to take another small piece from another quarter. It wasn't much, but after I ate it, I knew I shouldn't have. I was too full the rest of the day and by dinnertime, I was still uncomfortable. Since I was out again for dinner, I took very small...and I mean really small portions of the meal and called it a day. I'm glad you are doing so well so soon out...I'm just going to caution you on the beer...just make sure the carbonation is OK with the doctor, and remember...alcohol is empty calories. I drink too...but in moderation. Best wishes on your continued success!

time for a new wardrobe! congrats Di.

It's all about living life normally. When I go to Florida to visit family, I also know it will be alot of eating out and less than healthy choices. I do the best I can and I've never gained more than a couple of pounds....which almost always turns out to be more Water than anything else. In a week or two, those pounds are gone and that's the end of it. I go on my cruise in less than a month and I know I will put on a few pounds no matter how carefully I choose my meals. But I think of it in terms of the last cruise I was on when I couldn't get off the ship because I was in so much knee and hip pain. This cruise, I'm going on the underwater scuba reef tour with my son. That's the important thing...not the couple of pounds I may put on. It will come off again and more importantly, I am living my life again. Don't stress over the food...just enjoy the time with your son, and thank him from me for his service.

Also make sure the office manager knows why you left the practice. The coordinator is losing them business....and believe me, it's very much a business. She has to be held accountable. Good luck...I'm sure you'll find a doctor with a better office staff. This type of thing is a real red flag in terms of follow up care.

With all due respect, unless you are the OPs physician, you should never recommend a particular WLS based on such a blanket statement. There is nothing wrong with providing your personal experience, but this type of comment provides no value. There are several bandsters on this forum who have and had 100+ pounds to lose and many, including myself have done just that. There is nothing wrong with suggesting the OP talk to his/her professionals and due due diligence in terms of investigating all options but it is not appropriate to influence this type of decision.

There are a few of us like chasingadream and myself who have not had any fills. We fortunately feel restriction even with the band open. Don't feel you 'need' a fill unless you truly do. Any one of us can binge. The band will not stop you from overeating if you eat slowly. You must take ownership of the changes you need to make in order to be successful. It's not magic and it won't work if you don't put in the work as well. Head hunger is the hardest thing for most of us to deal with but there are times when you will be hungry...so you need to eat. But you have to listen to the band as well and if you are not hungry...you need to stop eating.

Thanks tmf. Here's the story behind the stats. I wanted the band because I didn't want such an invasive surgery as the sleeve is. My PCP told me I wouldn't be able to lose enough weight with the band. I proved her wrong big time. In fact, I'm about 15 lbs. less than she is. So there! LOL. And....I didn't do anything crazy in order to lose so much. I weigh and measure my food and stay under 1,200 calories a day. I also didn't go crazy with the exercise. I couldn't because I had horrible joint degeneration and was in so much pain, I could barely move. Now I bike, swim laps, and take Water exercise classes. And my forum name was my dream...to go walking. I'm living that dream now. I walk everywhere. I would ask the psychologist why he/she thinks you will not be able to lose the weight you want by getting the band. I'd be curious if was their prejudice at work here or if there was a specific reason for the remark. Whatever you wind up doing, I wish you much success.

Congrats. Getting the band changed my life.

Was looking at living the rest of my life in a wheelchair. This time last year, I could barely paddle around in the pool and yesterday I swam laps for an hour. The cane I used for more than two years is now sitting in the corner of my bedroom. I keep it there to remind me never to lose sight of what I've accomplished with help from the band.

That's great news. Congrats!

Hi Gina: You have done amazingly well so far but the fact that you know you are self sabotaging, and that your weight issues have an emotional component, tells me that you might benefit from professional help. I see a therapist to help me with my issues and have always been very up front about that on this forum. Just as WLS is a tool, so can therapy also be a tool. I see you are in NY. If you live in or around Manhattan, I can give you the name of my therapist if you are interested. Just PM me.

It's not so much about losing weight as it is about shrinking the liver. If you are following your doctor's pre-surgery protocol, don't worry about how much weight you've lost. Good luck!

You can also weigh out your food till you know the signs of satiety. I saw Despina during one of my first post op visits and she suggested I try it. So for lunch and dinner, I usually do 3 oz Protein, 1/2 cup veggies, 1/4 cup of carbs. I still weigh out food when I'm home. I stay at or around 1,150 calories daily and I've lost all my excess weight doing it this way. Eventually you will know the signs of satiety but for now, you might want to try this.

Wonderful! Have a good time!

Hi Lawless. Welcome to the forum. I would never tell you something that is in conflict with what your doctor is telling you but what I can say is my experience has been very different. I eat everything but....in very small amounts. The band helps to eat less and not be hungry all the time. That's the difference between being banded and not. It's easy (if you have correct restriction) to limit your intake. The struggle is to deal with head hunger. Most of the time, I can overcome it but I've found that's the most challenging thing. The band truly tells me most of the time, when I've had enough and if I don't listen, I know it. I've never gotten sick but I've been uncomfortably full and often the difference between satiety and too full is only one or two additional forkfuls of food. You are correct about the secretary. If you are banded and at the optimal restriction, you can and should be able to eat way more than just salads. I really don't know why your doctor is telling you that you must not eat carbs, grains and starches anymore. I would ask him why. Now...if your diet currently includes lots of starches and carbs, you'll have to change that but again, I'm not sure why he's saying no more after banding. Just to give you an idea of my meals, I typically eat a balanced meal consisting of 3 oz. Protein (usually fish of chicken) 1/2 cup of veggies (usually grilled) and 1/4 cup of carbs (Pasta, potato, or rice). I stay at or around 1,150 calories daily. I don't drink anything with carbonation. I was a big soda drinker but you would be surprised at what you can give up when you find something that works for you. And lapband works for me. I'm half my size and have gotten my life back. I can't explain it any better than that but I think that says it all. I take up so much less space these days and am happier than I've been in years because I can enjoy my life again and my weight doesn't stop me from doing anything anymore. Good luck, and keep us posted. If I was you, I'd think about looking for a surgeon who isn't all about what you can't have as much as what you can have. It's not supposed to be a diet...it's supposed to be a lifestyle.

Pictures of the Metropolitan Opera House and the fountain at Lincoln Center.