mrsto

Same here..... I was initially scheduled for the bypass, but freaked out two weeks before surgery. I ended up with the band + plication, and haven't had one second of regret. Hot - I think you're right on about why they push the other surgeries. The long aftercare is one big thing, and the other is that the other two surgeries show a more rapid weight loss in the first year. But after that, no matter what surgery you do, everyone ends up in the same boat......having to CONTROL what they choose to put in their mouth. There are absolutely no free rides with WLS. If we don't learn to change or control our habits, we can gain the weight back. For me, I knew the work would start the minute I opened my eyes from surgery. And I was completely ready for it. At least I sleep much better at night knowing, that if necessary, the surgery is reversible. Can't say that with the others......no thank you very much

It seems to me a lot of people either weren't #1-properly educated pre and post-op, or #2-slept through all of those classes. When I hear that someone pureed pizza & thought that it was okay, I wonder.......wasn't that outlined in the education classes? When I hear of people drinking carbonated drinks because their band hasn't acted up, I scratch my head & think......don't they know that the issue is potential band erosion? Did the education classes not cover how to read food labels? When I hear some of these things, I just wonder what the mindset was was when they moved forward with this surgery. Please understand that I'm not passing judgement on anyone here. I've made my own mistakes. I never tried to "cheat the band", but I've maybe eaten a little bit more than I should have, or chose something that wasn't the healthiest choice. One night at a concert, I drank with reckless abandon. At the time I felt fine. The next morning, the calories were the least of my problem. The fact that I threw up was the HUGE issue. Lesson learned... I rarely, if ever, throw up from drinking. But clearly, my body no longer processes alcohol the way it did pre-band. Was I trying to cheat the band? No, I was not. I think, possibly, the thread header "How to Cheat On Your Band" maybe isn't exactly what you meant? If it was, then no, I do not understand why anyone would "intentionally" push the envelope straight into the danger zone.

I feel for you.....I really do. Band or no band, the propensity to return to old habits is always there. As well as I've done over the last six & a half months, I never delude myself in thinking that old habits won't return. Have you been in to see your doctor? Maybe an appointment with the nutritionist would help get you back on track? Possibly a therapist to help you deal with everything on your plate (no pun intended). I really wish that I had some pearls of wisdom for you, but the reality is (as you already know), that this is a mental thing; your head has to be in the right place. I think that the first place to start, is an appointment with your surgeon. Tell him/her what you're going through, and take the next step after that. Self sabotage is one of the strongest dynamics we deal with. Whatever it takes to reel this in, try & do it. Wish I had a magic wand. Been through it so many times, and banded or not, fear that it will return for me as well. But just because you've slipped, doesn't mean all is lost. Try & focus on all of your success, and keep a positive mind that you deserve every bit of it! I wish you ALL the best.

I've always said, if there wasn't life after dinner, I'd be thin!

I have a hard time at night, too. I plan for one snack, and try & hold out as long as I can to have it. I have either an Atkins bar, Greek yogurt or popcorn. But there have been times when I eat two things instead of one. But I seem to do that on days where I know I have a lot of leftover calories. I guess, in my mind, I justify it. If I'm really feeling compulsive, I'll have my whatever snack, and head for the tub. A long soak in nice hot bath seems to take the charge out of it Plus....it passes time & then I'm ready to climb into bed. Whatever diversions you can create for yourself, do it

Hence, your tag line...... "Comparison is the thief of joy" -Theodore Roosevelt So true!

I'm so with you on this..... And it's a really GOOD place to be

I weigh once every couple of weeks. Otherwise, I go on a scale driven roller coaster ride, which I just can't do anymore. Been there, done that. This time around, I know that as long as I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, the weight will come off. If you are drinking only liquids, then that 3 pound gain is only temporary. There are many variables when it comes to our bodies. You may have been retaining some extra Water? Hard to know, but my suggestion is to stay off of the scale. Focus more on how you feel, stick to your program, and the scale will reflect that. But not every other day!

Bandista - I take liquid calcium & magnesium, and it's pretty good. The brand is Solgar, and I get it at the Vitamin Shoppe - strawberry flavored. I can take just about any size pill without issue. Though I've been using the Celebrate chewable Multivitamin, once their gone, I'll be going back to the one/day multi capsules I was taking pre-op.

VERY nice! They should all be like that

Luckily for me, I'm self employed and didn't have to deal with telling my employer. However, I do work at a couple of my client's offices on a weekly basis, and had to come up with something as to why I would miss a couple of weeks. I ended up telling them the truth, and they were both very supportive. Before I decided to tell them the truth, I was going to do exactly what you mentioned......tell them I'm going in for (in my case) gallbladder surgery (which was true...had that done at the same time), and omit any conversation about WLS. That way I wouldn't necessarily be lying, and as the weight started coming off, I would just say something like "yeah, I was so sick with my gallbladder issues, I just felt a strong need to take control of my health". For me, this issue has been pretty easy, given my work situation. But if I were still working in a company situation, I don't know how I would handle it. Knowing me, I'd start out somewhat quiet, then end up being very open.

Hey, I guess we all have our limits! LOL!

There is something so empowering about taking control of your life. You go girl!!!

CG/Catfish......you're BOTH amazing....and SO inspiring.

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Your pre-op instructions didn't say anything about going off of NSAIDs; Advil, aspirin, Motrin, Aleve, etc.? Those are blood thinners, and every surgery I've ever had is very strict on this. If taken to close to surgery, they will postpone.

I'm so with you on that......

Did he/she tell you to go off of NSAIDS & various other things? Info about the hormones would have come along with those instructions. I was advised to stop things like Advil, aspirin, etc., at least 10 days prior to surgery.

I actually started having some of the Protein shakes about two months before surgery. I was practicing With all the different protein powders out there, the one I keep around all the time, is the chocolate Premiere ready made shakes. I don't drink them much anymore, but on the mornings when I can't deal with food, I grab one. Good luck - VERY exciting!!

I used Nioxin a few years ago, and it was GREAT! My hair was falling out, and the Nioxin stopped it. The hair did fill in, and though I'm not certain that Nioxin stimulates growth, hair tends to grow back after a shed, anyway. If hair loss is due to male pattern baldness (yes, women get it too), then I think that's a different story. I could be wrong, but I remember hearing that awhile back. And now that we're talking about it, I'm going to pick up some Nioxin today Hey, maybe we can get group rates at the Hair Club! SERIOUSLY, my hair is already very fine, and I told may hairdresser that I'm going to end up with a wig in the next 2-3 years. Sad.....

I did not have it when I had my surgery, but my pre-op instructions were to go off of ALL hormone drugs; birth control, hormone replacement, etc. Based on that, my guess would be that you need to remove it. But talk with your doctor. This is probably something that should have been done earlier than now. But then again, doctors vary so much in their instructions (as we see here all the time), they may tell you it's fine.

Sounds good.......what time should I be there? LOL!

My doctor said it's fine, but not during the first three months. But he cautions on lax eating behavior when drinking. And I think he's right. I know that when I do drink, I usually indulge in things I wouldn't normally have. But that's just me

Smart little girl - LOL!

I hated fish when I was younger, but now I love it. Tastes change, but there are SOME things people will never eat. My BFF will not eat beans; can't even have one on her plate. When we were little, her mother physically stuffed them down her throat (a whole other story of abuse), and she has an aversion to them. I asked her just the other day, do you really hate the taste, or is it just all the "bad tapes". She said that she doesn't like anything about them; texture, taste....none of it. Hmm........