GonnaBfree

HI I was banded in 2007 also. doesn't seem to be alot of bandsters from our era active anymore. I'm looking for people who have had the band and maybe are out of touch with it. I never had "great" success with the weight loss, but have managed to keep my weight down. This for me is a success. I am still down 46 pounds. But I'm back on bp medicine and now take cholesteroal med. I'm pre-diabetic and am finally getting around again to do something about it. Before I keep going, I want to be sure i'm not just talking to myself. so if there is anyone that can relate. Let me know.

Well my birthday is coming up soon and I vote we get to splurge a little. We're not dead, we're just trying to make the right choices 99% of the time. Happy Birthday! I head back to my fill doctor tomorrow. Haven't been there in a over a year. I don't even remember what I weighed when I last went. I think i was sent a letter to come in and they wanted some lab work done. Ooops! Took me a while and I've lost the lab slip. Wonder if he'll still give me a cc? I'm not even sure if I want one. Why does all the healthy food seem to get so stuck? I'm doing well right now without a fill. I don't have a lot of restriction, but I do have some. I should just go for it. If it's too much, i can always get some taken out. right?

Can I ask a dumb question? Why do I hear the word hernia so much on this site? Is it somehow related to the band or the size of us?

Hang in there is right. I've been banded for almost 3 years now. Take FULL advantage of your weight loss tool right now. You won't always be hungry, you won't always be on liquids, you won't always be loosing. I had a quick start at loosing weight and then plateaud for actually a couple of years. In hindsight - I should have attended meetings - I should have started to exercise - I should have lost as much as I could. BUT, I did not regain the 40 pounds I had lost the first year and that is the first time in my life to maintain a loss. Like I said, I'm almost 3 years out, and ready to loose again. I've got an appointment to see my fill doctor this Friday, I start a once a week exercise class on Saturday, and I'm keeping track of what I eat with an online app called the daily plate. Mentally I'm there again and that's where you need to be. Get on top of your weight loss wave and ride it. And stay there. You will be able to eat again. You will find out that some healthy stuff gets stuck and really bad stuff slides down. I am giving you the knowledge to remember you ARE still on a diet and the band is a tool and only works with you. 3 years out and I feel wiser about this tool. I think if I had come across these words 3 years ago, things might have been different, but a I also know that it's up to me and not my band. Be strong everyone. Life is not over, you just have to chew it more. (and you'll really notice how crappy meat can be that they serve people and how much grizzle or bone is in what gets ground up).

Awesome that you joined a gym. Just don't set yourself up to fail. Don't promise to go everyday. Start with a promise to go on a specific day of the week and if you go more, great, but go on your day until you feel good and want more. We'll get there! This is our year! 201.0 = 2010 = loose it Then we've got to party like its 199.9 !!!!!!

Do you remember when you got on track and once you got there, you found it easier and wanted to stay on track? I'm so glad for that feeling. I have been keeping track of things on mydailyplate for about 9 days now. I've lost 6 pounds by just being aware of what i'm eating. yesterday, my family decided on subway for dinner and I stayed healthy. i even got home and ran to my computer to see if I could eat all 12" and stay under my calories. I could! And I did. Then I went back and checked later and found how many carbs i had just eaten for that meal with the bread. suprised i didn't fall asleep. but it was VERY satisfying. My exercise class that was supposed to start this saturday called and had to post pone a week due to something else going on in the school gym. Not sure if that was a relief or a bummer. kind of both. My fill is scheduled for 2/4. I just want a little more restriction. My band has always given me restriction on the healthy foods - go figure. I don't want to be discouraged. Just keep telling myself I have to chew more with more fill. Part of me wonders if I really need it and part wants it as a back up. I've always said if you want to know if I have any regrets, ask me in a couple years to see if the weight stays off. Since it's been a couple of years, I'll have to say No Regrets. If it's done anything, it's kept me from putting weight back on. and now that I'm ready again, I can go for "round 2". It's funny about setting my onederland goal. It's been a really long time since I've been this "close" to being under 200 and starting a diet with a goal. 31 pounds is nothing when i think that the last time i was setting goals I was 72 pounds away. I'm looking so forward to this and feeling so motivated. It's fun and enlightening and i love this feeling i get. I hope if i can be of any help or encourgement or anything that anyone feels free to contact me.

How's everyone doing on this thread? if you're like me, we touched on a subject and decided to avoid it. So let's work through this together. We've all been there and to avoid it, we are allowing food to win. I haven't been back to this thread in a little while. Since then, I HAVE MADE A FILL APPOINTMENT. That was step 1 for my new year. I actually kept putting it off, but my brother has turned into someone to inspire me. He is going to have gastric bypass surgery next monday and he is on the pre-surgury diet. We have created our own little group on livingstrong.com and use their tool called my daily plate. this is an easy access way to journal all that we eat and we all know that using a food journal is the BEST tool we can ever do for ourselves. he can even access it through his ipod. it's easy to go on and create my daily food and it keeps track for me of calories, fats, carbs, and so on. My next step is getting back to exercise. I have not worked out in a routine in MANY years. It's been all about the kids for the past 8 years. So this new year while i was looking into the community education book for classes they might like, i found an exercise class that they are holding during the same time as a lot of the kids classes at the same school. I wanted to start with something easier on the knees like water aerobics, but i thru caution to the wind and signed up anyways. I start this saturday. Zumba here I come. i'm feeling this is my foot in the door back to exercise. and it feels good. For anyone out there feeling bored with their routine: make a change to it. add different music; do something different for a week or 2; but don't stop. work thru it. For those that emotionally eat or night time eat - easier said than done - but get out of the kitchen. I was driving home last night from work and i was upset about something my husband had said. I wanted soooooo much to pull into the next gas station and buy a bag of chips and dip and gorge myself to relief. That has been my poison of choice for the past year that I've been off track. Amazing what you can eat when it slides down. But something wonderful happened - I kept driving. I made it home, I actually told him that I didn't like what he said and that was my relief. Guess what, we didn't solve anything, but I wasn't hurting myself over it and setting myself back. My nighttime eating comes and goes. sometimes i feel that once i'm alone (all are off to bed) i'm entitled to eat. I'm usually the last one awake and my routine is to watch tv in the kitchen and clean up and make lunches for the next day. Since "starting over" for the past week, i've been trying to make changes to this. trying to make lunches right after dinner, cleaning it all up and getting out of there. it's helped. also, making my own lunch allows me the feeling of doing something for myself during all of this and is somehow satisfying. plus i'm usually using leftovers for my lunch, so I know in my mind, i get to eat them, and it's ok that it's not right that minute. (sometimes typing out your life can give you insite to some really kool things). we all need a kick in the butt but don't want it. Well when you are ready you know you are the only person that can kick yourself in the butt. My 3 year band anniversary is 4/24 and i want to hit onederland. I haven't been there in a VERY long time and that is my short term goal. i have 32 pounds to loose to get there and 3 months to do it. I'm glad i got my band and i'm glad it's still here for me to use 3 years later. I may not make it to my alltime goal all in one continuous journey, but so far, i'm happy.

Toxic men are always a problem. I have always been my thinnest between relationships. But since I'm married and the kids are getting a little older, I'm mentally making more plans to work on me. I have to stop though and separate reality from the excuses in my mental plans. Working out is something I miss, but my excuses include blowing out my knee or not being able to sleep because I worked out too late at night. Good job on working out at lunch! Keep that up! I told my husband this morning about how i was searching on this site last night and discovered others that have found comfort in food and that they have a name for it "sliders". I told him about my plan to get back to my surgeon's and get a fill. He tried to talk me out of it and said i should just eat healthier. I have restriction eating healthy. I have to get back to basics and re-learn the band rules.

Hi everyone. This is exactly the thread i was looking for. I was banded in April 07. Lost 40 pounds and kept it off, until recently and i've gained 10 back. i was looking for others who may be in the same situation and looking for encouragement and a team to go through this. I was figuring to make an appointment with my surgeon's office "after the holidays" , but also thinking of just doing it sooner so I can avoid another unnecessary 5 pounds or something. I really need to make this work. i really thought the band would work better for me. Being away from the bandwagon, i did not have to face having it. but tonight, just looking around on this site, i've learned there is a name for what i eat and it's sliders. The best thing is now i know i'm not alone. The next thing is to just stick to getting this type of support. I didn't want to be the only one. It's great to come where i can be understood and maybe helped. Can i please join in your thread and who's up for finishing what we started? I need to do this. I'll be making my appointment tomorrow and see if i can get a fill. this feels good just writing here.

Shirley - sounds good - see you at the next meeting. I don't have much time to write today. have to get some work done! But, I'll check in! Have a great one.

yes, as long as I ate slow and chewed i had little problem. the first few bites of a meal will make it or break it. you have to take it slow from bite #1 and chew. i'm learning more now in the last week than I have in the last year. but my eyes are wide open for this and i can't fool myself. it's totally a tool, just like your food scale. but i don't regret the sidetrack, it taught me. want to know something gross: (I'm still trying to break some old habits, but I'll tell you anyway) Last night, i was cutting a hot dog into bit size pieces for my son's lunch. well while doing that, I decided I would eat one as well. I did it while standing at the counter, did not take my time (for fear of getting caught of course) and felt it would never go down. I went to bed, but sat up a while to be sure I wasn't going to choke on something sliming up. I ended up PB'ing the hot dog pieces. this morning in my shower, I still PB'd a hot dog piece. I grossed myself out, but I'm honest with you. I'm learning this now, because I've never had this much restriction. but I'm done eating before I go to bed, that's for sure. the bad part, drinking something if you feel like this doesn't help. It just adds to what's coming back up. PBing some will say they've never done it, but I think it's a natural part of this all. it's not daily, nor with every meal but it's a learning tool. it's really weird how much it NOT like throwing up. it's a softer gentler action that's coated with slime and you wonder where that all came from...(again, sorry for the gross honesty). i was breaking the band rule saturday and ate a piece of gum. after a while, i thought the extra saliva created from the chewing was going to come back up. i had to spit out the gum. i'm probably too tight, but i'm living with it until i see if things loosen up like they have in the past.

Julia when you finish your ticker, there is a box below that you can copy and paste to your signature.

Hi all. i haven't been on this site in a little while, but noticed a few of you from my part of town. I was going to go to the meeting at Bethel, but ended up have my 'port revision' surgery that day and was out of it. How are you. I'm in St. Clair Shores and have been banded 11 months now. My port revision has totally revamped my restriction and now I'm learning to eat all over again. I've struggled and yo yo'd, but I'm in this for the long run! I'll be at the next month's meeting! Let's meet up there! Should be April 2nd. Let me know and we'll KIT

Before surgery, my motto was ask me in a few years if I regret having it (meaning let's see if I get the weight off and keep it off). My surgery was last April. Right after the surgery, my motto was what the hell did I do to myself. It took me ALL DAY to get a Protein shake down. After a few days it was MUCH better. I proceeded to loose 30 pounds over the summer. By fall I was slightly restricted and returned to some old eating habits. Knowing we were going on a family vacation to Disney, I didn't bother getting a fill. After that the holidays came around, still little restriction. So more recently, I finished enjoying my birthday in Feb. called the doctor and scheduled a fill. I was up about 15 pounds and knew it was time to get my act back together. Getting the fill wasn't so easy, they've never been able to do it in the regular doctor's office, but this time they couldn't do it using flouroscopy either. My port that sits under my skin had turned. I actually had to have an outpatient surgical procedure to correct this (last wednesday). I was put out, had a day off work, and have another scar, but it was nothing. I didn't even take the pain rx I picked up. But laying there waiting for the surgery, I was praying to God that if the doctor didn't make it in (we had a lot of snow) then I would eat right the rest of my life. Well needless to say, he showed, he flipped it, stitched it, and filled it. I'm back on the bandwagon. the decision is up to you. yes you can loose your weight. yes, you can put it back on. No matter what, it's about what you put in your mouth. I feel I've got a 2nd turn with this and mentally I'm ready to make the most of it. I've totally seen the emotional eating that I have to put behind me. I swear, yesterday, i bought a can of pringles and a dip and ate most of it. Yet I can't get this salad down today for the life of me. But I feel better trying this than I did yesterday. It's totally what you put in you and the band will not do all the work. That's what you have to be sure you are ready for. Your part. I don't think I was ready a year ago. I don't regret doing it though. This last year was a learning mode. I shouldn't treat it so lightly as if you should fill and unfill whenever you want, but it can be done. I'm more restricted now than ever before, but i'm want the weight off again. Eating the chips and dip and I can see the scale NOT move. just adds to my new motivation. Keep communicating - I didn't Attend support meetings - I didn't but am going to (they're once a month around here) Exercise - i'm betting if I did, my port would have stayed put. if you want a friend; i'm here hope this helps someone: it helped me just putting it out there

I'm just such a closet eater. I did start on goal #1 already today, but they don't open until after 9. And I also looked for local support groups and found 2 that meet once a month each in my area. But #3, i've already blown for the day. So I'm going to focus on #1 today and get the support group meetings scheduled on my calendar. #3 will come once I get going and focused.

Hi- I'm Tammy and I've been banded since April 07. I feel like I've been so lost in a world of crappy eating and not following anything. I haven't checked out this site in months. My doctor that did my surgery up and moved to the other side of the state and i have yet to re-connect with anyone in the medical field for fills. i kind of let myself off the hook to enjoy a family vacation and the holidays and i've put on 10 pounds to show for it. with the new year, i'm really trying to focus on getting some things right in my life this year. but i just can't help but put the wrong things in my mouth. i've learned what i can have as long as I chew and it's not a good thing. i feel i have some of my old eating habits creeping back in to my life and i'm loosing my battle again. i want to regain a hold on things and tonight, i'm trying to connect with others that may understand my struggle. i think i know what i should do, but it's easier to avoid getting a fill than it is to face the scale at the doctor's office. i am going to make an effort to get support and would love to help support others trying just as hard. Goal #1 - get a fill - call tomorrow for an appointment Goal #2 - get support - i don't think I'm good at big groups, everyone seems to ignore you unless you've been there since day 1 Goal #3 - Protein, veges, Water need to be priority. anyone out there that can help me? I just want someone who understands.

My first few days I wondered what the heck did I do to myself, but just remember it gets better every day. It's a whole new learning experience and you learn a lot of the rules by trial and error. I'm 4 1/2 months post op and know that I'm on my way to weight loss that I may never have to yo yo again. that makes it all worth it.

OK EVERYONE, I'M NEEDING THIS CHALLENGE AND ENCOURAGEMENT. THINGS ARE GOING GOOD, BUT I WANT TO START SETTING SOME GOALS. I'M IN.:clap2: Name............Chall. Start Wt........Current......Chall. Goal......To Go losingjusme...........273.....................271. .............238................33 faithmd................303.....................300 .3............283................16.7 mpalen.................229.....................229 ...............200................29 want2beme...........225.....................225.. ............195................30 mcgreen...............236.................... 236...............210................26 wombat712...........179.................... 179...............155................24 Suzzzie. ...............346....................346....... ........315................31 Chris_NJ................284....................284 ................250................34 Cherrybomb...........311....................310. ..............291................19 legster..................261....................26 1................235................26 Desertbunnee.........232....................207. .............180.................27 areellady...............232....................228 ...............212.................16 sweethot143..........197....................197. .............175.................22 gweniper................253...................250. ...............223................30 Jeni 85..................237....................237.. .............207................30 dacer123...............243....................243. ...............223................20 momlambert............207....................207. ..............185................22 Rainer....................298................... 292................258................34 glindab.............. ...277....................277...... ........250....... .......27 Soniacan...............198.5..................198 .5.............175.... ........23.5 ladydi............. .....233.....................228................20 8...............20 argon............... ....162.................... 162................142...............20 jazzystouch...........246......................246 ...............220...............26 BabygotBack..........164.....................164. ...............145...............19 Denise...................170....................17 0................155................15 marcar35...............277.....................277 . ..............257...............20 Ariel ....................207......................207. ..............182...............25 lisa_in_toronto.......180......................180 ...... ........160...............20 josiebies...............188......................1 88..... ..........165...............23 DonnaD................185......................185 .. ..............170..............15 hf2havefun...........240......................240. . ..............210..............30 Amelia40...............270.................... 270 ................240..............30 METALBAND...........187.....................187 ........ .......167..............20 luvinke..................225.................. ..225.... ............195..............30 JulieNYC................155.....................14 9.................136..............13 wen.....................288......................2 88.... ............255..............33 LeslieLee...............216......................2 16................186...............30 robgoblin87............279......................27 9 ...............250...............29 Babygrl1234...........215......................212 ................190...............22 Stacy73................259......................25 9 ...............230...............29 aussie_jode...........212......................212 .................190...............22 chickatee..............203.....................203 ...... ...........175..............28 katalin.e................230.....................1 79... ..............150.............29 Whosyadaddy.........388.....................388... ........ ......335.............53 Becky42................253.....................257 ..... ............220..............33 sdakotaRN.............254.....................254. ..... ...........225..............29 jadrad7.................224.....................22 4.... .............200..............24 eclipse..................215.....................2 12... ..............199............. 16 alwayscurious........245......................245. . ..............212..............33 chocolate_snaps....344......................344.. ...............299.............45 Kaelin's G-Ma.........272......................272........... ..... .220.............52 Peache8887...........330.....................306.. .... ...........275..............31 tanderson..............231.....................231 ... ..............199.............32 ihadenuf................216....................216 ...................190.............26 Denise..................244.....................24 4....................220............24 gonnabfree............231.....................231..................205................26

Hello fellow bandsters. Noticed the zip references and thought i'd hop in from 48080. How's it all going? I've been banded for 4 1/2 months now and sometimes still can't believe it. This time the weight is coming off and is going to stay off.

Everyone and every doctor is different. I had surgery on a Tuesday, home on Wednesday. Saw the doctor for a follow up on the next Wednesday and back to work the next day. So i missed a total of 7 days of work and felt fine going back.

Hi Ladies! Got my first fill yesterday. Done at the hospital under floroscope. I guess my port was turned a little and that's why he had to do it this way. Got 1.5 cc fill and he said I should be good for a while. He's so confident in what he does, I love it. I'm on liquids for 24 hours and then mushies. Boy can I feel the restriction. I'm ready though! Judy, you're in Port Huron area right? Are you going to participate in the 200 mile garage sale weekend in August? We have our travel trailer in Harbor Beach and I drive up by myself so that I can leisurely hit the sales where I want without the hubby and kids bugging me. He's good about it, but the kids can only take so many stops before they're done. I just like to browse and look for bargains. The higher you get up in the thumb, the cheaper things get. But if your garage sale stuff doesn't rake in some good money, try ebay. I've watched for Womens clothing on ebay and they can get some good prices. Probably due to large people who would rather buy something they think might fit at half the cost of going out to a dressing room. go browse for stuff that you are thinking of selling and you'll see what kind of prices people are getting. Well I have to run. got lots to do at work and not getting anything done catching up here. have a great day!

Am I in for a huge change? Will it be like the first week after surgery?

Hey All I'm finally getting my first fill tomorrow. They couldn't do it at the doctor's office so I had to schedule it at the hospital. It doesn't seem "right". The doctor only tried once to get my port and said he couldn't feel it and that we'd have to do it I guess under floroscopy. Anyone else had this problem? I swear I get away from the Shrinking Violets for a week and there's soooo much to catch up on. But it's funny, just when I think you're all living the lapband life with fills and all, I get back to check up on things and I can still relate to everything you guys are chatting about. I'm so glad that I'm not alone. I've felt like a total pig about my eating lateley. I can't eat as much as I used to, but eat more than I know that I should and feel guilty. I know getting my fill will make the world of difference and it will what I signed up for in the first place. One good thing is that the doctor said doing the fill under the scope means he can zero in on my 'sweet spot' and will have fewer adjustments. I'm so nervous and anxious to start this new venture and really get things rolling. SO MY QUESTION TO ALL IS - HAVE ALL THE APRIL BANDSTERS HAD THEIR FIRST FILL???? OR AM I THE LAST???

My doctor said keep the Zoloft. Can't hurt when you feel the lows of bandland.

Don't be suprised that you don't get a fill on your first post-op appointment. I saw my dr a week after surgery and then scheduled my first fill appointment for today. (my surgery was 4/24). You will feel better every day, but everyone is different. I had surgery on a Tuesday, home on Wednesday (stayed on pain RX), Thursday took Rx at night, Friday was fine. Welcome to Bandland!