Bandista

Yippee, so exciting to get that date! I remember how nervous and excited I was -- channeled that into walking a little further each day which was great. Let my body know changes were coming and I think I healed so quickly because of that. The mindset is so important -- choosing yourself first and your healthy future.

Whoops, sorry iPad won't let me edit......check out Sole brand inserts and Vionics. I have a pair of Sole corked flip-flops and I slip them on when I get out of bed.

I didn't read through this thread but I have one word for you: Vionics. There are amazing shies out there now. These are made with a built-in orthotic footbed. Better than my expensive custom orthotics. And I use Soke brand orthotics in my sneakers. We are worth the investment! Walk on!

I think we are all a little different in this regard and to make it more complicated post-fill protocols vary as well. My surgeon has no restrictions post-fill whereas some people are on all liquids for up to a few days. I notice that my fills take some time to "settle in," that I don't feel it right away. "It" being the dimmed appetite. But I just had a fill last Friday and am noticing how I can't chug liquids now and I also can't drink while I'm eating -- I have to wait now and that's new for me. I take it as a good sign, that there's some there there, that the dimming is happening me my body is responding. Good luck to you and keep us posted.

Way to go choosing yourself and your healthy future! Sometimes the Cosmic Clock doesn't line up perfectly -- turns out this is your time, right now. Good news is the surgery is done and you're ready to give up sliders.

My husband has PEEK cages -- saved his life. Polyetheretherketone is the material and it is packed with bone material which hardens over time. Titanium screws. They went in through his belly. This was a third surgery in the same region -- L4 L5 S1 -- over a 20-year period during which he had so much pain and immobility. Thank god he is walking today and healthier than he's been in years. Takes no drugs. I can even get him out on the dance floor now.

@@deeberry way to go making the call -- being too tight is no good, that's for sure. Here's to getting that boot off and starting a new chapter right at the height of summertime.

I'm a gurgler at times; seems to go with the territory for me. Congratulations on your success. A good relationship with your doctor is such a great thing. You are doing beautifully!

Hi there, you are in what is known as Bandster Hell. You've had the surgery but have not had any fills yet. The links below in my signature really helped me understand how the band works; maybe they will help you, too! Be sure to keep all of your appointments -- success with the band is all about the followup. When your appetite is dimmed you will be able to make good choices. Until then, it's just dieting -- toughing it out.

My mother had a health food store, the first one in the city where I grew up. Our household revolved around one crazy diet after the other -- a pattern that I am so relieved now to have finally broken. I have lost 70+ pounds of fat I put on with high quality natural foods. While I'm still picky about what I put in my mouth, I am liberated -- these days I go ahead and have a little of whatever I want. My no dairy, no wheat, no sugar, no whatever days are over, hallelujah!

Your eyes and smile are just the same -- gorgeous you, a Lovely Liz in whatever body. But thank goodness for the healthy new you so you'll be around for a long time enjoying your life. Thought of you the other day as I know your trip to England is coming up -- picked up a copy of Snobs at a used book store to read on the beach. It is hysterical, by Julian Fellowes' who wrote Gosford Park and Downton. It's old now (92?) but might be perfect for the plane trip. You know, the flight where you're comfortable in your seat because you're right-sized now! Bon Voyage!

Hiding. Taking forever choosing clothes which would keep my fat as camouflaged as possible. I don't miss any of that. Here I am -- me. Take me or leave me but I don't hide out anymore. Not feeling judged is a beautiful thing. I can just be myself and not worry now. Hell, I wore a BATHING SUIT (what?) and didn't give it a second thought. Really? Sometimes I wonder if this is all real or if it's just a dream. I also do not miss dieting. I am not on a diet. I eat well. I make good choices, but thank god I am through with dieting. It didn't work but boy did I work so very hard during those decades when I'd only bounce back with a little more of a gain each time. That is OVER. I don't miss hunger. In fact (gasp!), I welcome it. I am in sync with my body for the first time in so long. Hunger is a normal thing. It means it's time to eat something. That's OKAY.

Hi there and congratulations, welcome, etc. The plication people do very well -- I had not heard of it when I had my surgery in 2013 or I think I may have been interested. Weight Loss Surgery is such a great relief. I love having my hunger dimmed and being able to life my life in a whole new way -- wouldn't trade it for anything!

When are you eligible for a fill again? Hope that you are able to get to the green zone soon so you are not battling the appetite monster. The links below in my signature really helped me; maybe they will help you, too. Best wishes! Oh, and I have been an exerciser for years but it turns out I was just shy of what I really need in order to "get there." Maybe add a little time and see what happens? Love the Protein first remark above. I have been occasionally using GENEPRO protein powder which is tasteless, a powder which I can add to my yogurt or whatever. Note yogurt is a slider for me unless I have mix-ins, like walnuts, a little gluten-free Cereal, etc. I need something to chew on in order to achieve satiety (again, links below helped me understand all of this). No sliders, that's my rule. My other rule is eat when I'm hungry and don't eat if I'm not hungry. I never eat Breakfast now -- all that most important meal of the day blah-blah-blah. That's over for me.

Hey, if dieting worked we wouldn't be here, right? Don't beat yourself up. That's over. You are choosing yourself and your healthy future -- what a great thing. It's a lot of work -- the research, supervised diet, pre-op stuff, surgery itself, etc. But you are showing up for all of that because you are showing up for yourself. Pat yourself on the back! You're doing great.

@@tootyoyo 50 pounds, way to go! So happy for you. And your doggies. Have fun!

Major breakthrough this week: I no longer require a walking partner. I have a few good ones, but in the past when no one else was available I tended to skip that day. This is a pretty major walk around a lake and I benefit from it in so many ways. Twice this week I have gone alone (caveat, I do take my dog, who has to run to keep up with me) and it turns out I prefer it! I can go as fast as I want. I can do intermittent jogging to get my pulse up. I can stretch and stop/start/stop/start for an increase in cardio. I can think and let my mind wander rather than converse. The main thing is that before I was walking to benefit the other person -- that was my motivation -- and now I am doing it just for ME. Yippee! I've worked out for many, many years (I'm going to be 54 this year). I have arthritis and have to move or I can't move at all, lol. I honestly thought I was a person who could not achieve the high of exercise but it turns out that I just wasn't working hard enough. For years I had a 45-minute workout but it turns out I need 60-70 minutes. I had to fake my way into liking exercise and now it's turning out to be the best part of my day. To any one who isn't exercising yet but is considering it, I really recommend just walking a little further each day and a little faster each week. It's amazing how it adds up and what a difference it makes. I am not at my goal weight yet but I am fit and toned. I have no loose skin. And mentally, exercise cannot be beat.

@@arimerm1 hi there and congratulations on your surgery. I love my band and am so glad to have it as I would not have chosen another surgery. When I was doing my research I found this site which as then called Lapband Talk. I learned so much and will always be grateful for all the support and information. The site then merged to include other weight loss surgeries and that's what we have now, Bariatric Pal. Many of the old banders no longer participate because there was so much anti-band posting from people who chose other surgeries. People with revisions from band are not as many as it seems like but they are sometimes bitter and vociferously opinionated. I don't think they understand that they are undermining those of us who chose band. It would be like saying people with brown eyes are in for it, watch out! I try not to let them rattle me and I skip posts that even begin to sound negative. I am not here to get scared; I'm here to get support and to share experiences. My experience with the band has been great and I wouldn't trade it for anything. If something disastrous ever happens I will deal with it and of course we can just have our bands removed if need be. There's no going back from something more drastic. And the reason band is more rare now is because it requires followup -- quite a bit in the first year. I saw my surgeon 11 times. I bet the insurance company and hospital admin would much rather have him in the OR than shooting the breeze with me, but that's what we did. Not all surgeons want that much patient contact. Good luck to you with all that is ahead -- such an exciting new chapter in your life. Here's to choosing ourselves and our healthy futures. We are worth it!

Hi there, I am some one who required several fills over time. My doctor does not share the amount so I don't know how much is in my band. I would get a fill and experience a dimmed appetite, but then it's as though that would wear off and I'd be hungry again. I just kept at it and I even had to have a couple of tiny unfills in-between as I was figuring my way through the process. Our bodies are all different. My surgeon described being satisfied with a tennis ball sized portion (his lingo) for 4-5 hours. I'd have the serving size part but not the duration.

Congratulations! So happy for you. We have very similar statistics. You're doing beautifully!

I am an INFP and took the test again today just to see if it has changed any; nope. Have fun with musician dude. Bass player by any chance? My husband is an extrovert (piano). What I notice most is that, while we both enjoy being social, I require downtime afterward to recover and he does not. We've been together 25 years+ and he still doesn't really get it that I need some quiet time and silence. Not in his vocab, lol!

My surgeon is pro-band also and I'm glad that I was able to go that route -- I'm sure I would have chickened out otherwise. Just know that whatever WLS you decide on, you are choosing yourself and your healthy future. That is a beautiful thing! Oh, and note that if you go the band route, there's a lot of followup with the surgeon. You want some one who is on your side. I liked this accountability -- it helped me stay on course. All WLS requires a lot of research. Good luck to you as you move forward!

Happy for all who choose any WLS but I'm sure glad I got my band when I did. And, like others, I hope I get to keep it for life!

Love, love, love the picture of you on a bike -- that smile says it all! What a great trip you are going to have. Like Lisa, I'm getting my bike out of the shed today. Top of the morning to you and a very happy Fourth of July weekend!

Hi there, the links below in my signature helped me understand how the band works and how to work my band; maybe they will help you, too.....and how about calling your doctor to go in for a consultation. Maybe it's time for a fill! I am a person that needed four fills to get to the green zone and then as I lost more weight I needed to go back for a few more with a couple of small unfills in-between. In other words, getting my band "right" for me required some nuancing. I only have this rule for myself: eat when I'm hungry and don't eat when I'm not hungry. I wait until I get a hunger signal to begin my day, which means I never eat Breakfast now. Sometimes I don't eat until much later in the day but usually I am hungry around 11:30 or so. Paying attention to the hunger signal helped me get in touch with the full signal. I find I get bored with my food and sometimes have a sigh -- I just sort of know that I'm done. If I tried to overeat that would be impossible and I would be blapping it back up again. So for being really full, that is a very clear signal to stop immediately. Of course I overrode this quite a bit as I was getting the hang of this new lifestyle but these days I do pretty well so long as I listen. My body will tell me immediately if it's not going to tolerate something (chicken that has been reheated, anything I try to "bolt" down, etc.). I do a Protein shake here and there -- 30 grams a pop -- and my body often wants an egg in the evening. I eat yogurt and I like almonds a lot. I eat cheese (my weakness but what the hell, why not have what I want if I'm not having much?). I'm of the opinion that Americans are obsessed with protein intake. I think I get plenty. My body still has plenty of stored reserves that it is burning; I believe that is the idea. Good luck to you!