Jachut

I tend to get annoyed, but I know the problem is really me, lol. I just have no patience with people less strong than myself and I freely admit it. I have made mistakes, I fall off the wagon, but I consider my journey a whole series of steps, and perfection at every stage is not crucial. But I did follow post op instructions becuase it was important. People who cant get their act together, commit themselves to this journey and do it well tend to annoy me. I am a bit of a perfectionist in every other area of life as well - I achieve big things, yes, and I get admiration for it, but it also makes me an intolerant pain in the arse. So I try to avoid these threads now. I would make a useless counsellor or psychologist as I would just tell everyone to snap out of it. I'm damn glad my kids are pretty smart and do well at school because I wouldnt be very patient with a child who struggled. I'm a hard taskmaster. So I try to apply that to myself because I can be very harsh on people who arent quite so strong and I'm not the best one to give help with these threads. Im a good person to be banded actually. It suits me personality wise. Others should have considered other surgeries. I try not to apply my standards to them. But obviously at times I do. And it usually results in threads that are 52 pages long and end up being locked, lol.

Whilst I dont think that the odd Protein shake ever hurt anyone, nothing would induce me to be swallowing them daily. That's a lot of soy to be taking in and it DOES contain phyto-estrogens. Personally, I think they're a moderation food.

Oh, yeah, sorry, I misunderstood. I believe with some tummy tuck procedures you can get it covered, but its rather unusual. You have to go to a specialist reconstructive surgeon, and you have to be deemed medically in need. Most likely, it will cost you a bomb unfortunately. Cosmetic surgery is very difficult to get covered in Australia. Even with private insurance, that just covers the hosptial bed and will not usually pay out towards the surgery at all. Chickie has been on the board today, I know she got her tummy tuck covered but she's the only person I've ever heard of who has.

I dont know an awful lot about the sleeve and the band has worked fantastically well for me. BUT - if I were in the US and coping with the insane medical system you have, I would be very very strongly leaning towards a sleeve due to less intensive aftercare. Here, if you need a fill, you get it, it costs nothing, if you get a bit tight, you go back, you get a bit out, it still costs nothing, and if the following week you decide you really WERENT too tight, then you go back and it costs nothing. The surgeon is a few suburbs away, you dont have to fly interestate or out of the country, if you get banded by one surgeon and then move, you wont have another surgeon refusing to treat you because you werent originally his patient, etc etc etc. Sleeves are becoming more popular in Western Australia because its a simply ENORMOUS state and people are coming from very remote rural areas for banding. The less follow up required, the easier. When the band works well, it works very very well. YOu need to consider your strenghts and weaknesses. You need a fair bit of mettle to work a band and lose weight really successfully. You need to be preapred to eat right, to exercise, etc. Basically you have to do whatever you would have to lose weight before hand, it just makes it easier. Which I would hazard a guess to say that is true of ANY weight loss surgery. The band CAN be very difficult for some people and they struggle to find good restriction etc. That would be my thinking if I lived in your country. Other than that I cant comment. I am banded and it's suited me really really well, but obviously its super duper easy to manage a lapband and the required aftercare here. I dont think reversibility is such an issue really, not from my perspective three years down the track. I needed WLS to get the weight off and I need my band to keep it off. I would never in a million years remove it unless absolutely necessary and THEN I would convert to another surgery in a heartbeat. So yeah, that wouldnt be a huge issue to me.

I *can* eat at fast food places, but if I can come up with an alternative I will because things like McDonalds are amongst the hardest things for me to eat. I can eat the nuggets, but I dont really relish the thought of radioactive chicken giblets, lips and assholes pressed into a nugget shape, thanks all the same, lol. If forced, I would eat whatever I can that sounds doable, our McDonalds have McCafe's attached, and I will ALWAYS choose a coffee over the food and simply not eat. If the family wants takeaway or we were with friends the other night and they all wanted KFC (which I have not eaten anyway for 25 years it is that disgusting), I put together something out of the fridge. There was some chicken, frozen peas, some Pasta salad in there. I will always take that option when I can. I usually have a muesli bar or something similar in my bag for if I get caught and am really starving. Proper restaurants are not a problem to me, there is always something on the menu, I can eat most foods and it truly doesnt bother me to order food, eat 1/4 of it and send back the rest. Children's menus here are always nuggets and chips, burger and chips, spaghetti bolognaise, I dont go out to eat rubbish like that. So I order what I fancy off the adult menu and eat as much as I am able.

OK, I'm sorry for the harshness of my comments, but do stop and examine your own feelings. Your own thread is teeming with judgement of him. You call him vain and narcissistic and are petulant that he's taken what is an important surgery to you and somehow trivialised it. It actually struck me as a really nasty thread. Really, all that should concern you is YOUR journey. I'm a bit mystified as to why you'd waste the mental energy on resenting other people for theirs. Its not a competition between you and him, but it seems that on some level, you've seen it as such. So in the spirit of feedback rather than judgement you asked how to get past it, I would say, why would you need to? Its none of your business. You have your band, he cant threaten that, you have the potential to make the most of your weight loss and whatever he does is irrelevant. So relax and enjoy YOUR journey.

Without a doubt running. Committing myself to high quality exercise in valuable amounts - an hour five days a week plus some strength training is definitely the most potent factor in my success. And, forgive the smugness, lol, but I am not only thin, i look REALLY fit. I have shapely muscles, I look way way better than if I had have just starved myself skinny. I ate fairly good quantities of food the whole way through.

Heather, what was your weight gain like in previous pregnancies? I gained none in my third, like I said, but in my previous two before that, it was only 10 or 15lb both times. I'm just not someone who gains a lot of pregnancy weight. Dont even talk to me about what breastfeeding does to me though, I piled it on then!

You want me to be honest? Yep, I think you're wrong to resent him. You cant know all his issues, you cant know whether he really struggles to maintain that weight or not, you cant know how much even a little extra weight bothers him. Its really none of your business. This makes me quite mad. People are SO quick to scream discrimination at every turn, everything that goes wrong is because they're fat, people hate them because they're fat, people judge them because they're fat. But you're doing the exact same thing. In Australia, they band from a BMI of 30. Because that is obese, and obesity is serious. They dont believe you should have to become ill before you can be banded. Prevention is WAY better than cure. I got banded at a BMI of 35, before I was sick or had comorbidities. I wanted to prevent them, I wanted a healthy old age and above all else, I wanted to look much much better than I did. Really, where do you get off judging someone else for what you consider a "vanity move"? So what? Do you never do your hair, wear make up, or dress nice? Are you not going to enjoy the cosmetic benefits of your band? Sheesh. There is enough band surgery to go around everyone. What the heck would it matter to you who else had one? Or why?

I want to update this, lol. My boobs have shrunk even more (lost a kilo or two) and when I put my bikini on the other day - there was no wrinkly overhang visible. They're now probably a C cup and small enough to be entirely contained. So that's how to save 10 grand on boob surgery. Just diet till you dont have any :-(

Great post! Isnt it funny how the successful ones are able to state the downsides, problems and difficulties of the band in a matter of fact, non emotional way, but still consider it overall a positive, effective step in the fight against obesity. Whilst you have other types of people who feel compelled to get on here screaming THE BAND IS ALL A CROC DONT DO IT IT DOESNT WORK! Just proof that the real key to success is all within ourselves, its your outlook, your determination against adversity and challenge, your ability to remain optimistic and make the best of any situation. We cant prevent real problems that result in losing our bands etc, but many people cant even get past the fact that they actually have to choose what to put in their mouths. Well done, I bet you're a success in many aspects of your life.

Isnt it funny how the topic of diet is such an emotive one? We're all prone to getting defensive about our choices. I always feel compelled to argue the low carb point because I really believe its unhealthy and not necessary. Why? What does it matter to me what someone on the other side of the world eats? And likewise, why would someone care if I eat 10 slices of white bread a day? But they do. I think we do pretty well to discuss this without fighting, lol. Really, a lot of what you like to do is personality dependent. Some people love the discipline of calorie counting or food group watching, and whilst I consider it dysfunctional dieting behaviour best left in my past, for others its a healthy focus and the way they like to live. My mother lives on weight watchers, she just is so used to it and there's nothing dysfunctional or unhealthy about her approach to food, OR her weight. I like to eat what I want, when I want and not following ANY program has not caused me to eat around the band at all because my motivation is to be fit, healthy and thin and I look at a Mars Bar and can see that that will not help me stay that way. Kudos to all of us for finding our own path.

Keeping the weight off is really where the band comes into its own, that's for sure. This reminds me of Magda Szubanski, any other Aussies seen her Jenny Craig endorsements lately? I heard her on the radio, saying she's chosen Jenny Craig. The interviewer asked her if she'd considered a lapband. She said she thought about it but decided she'd rather learn to eat properly. I thought what a fking idiot. She obviously knows NOTHING about the band. I forgot about it but then she turned up on A Current Affair saying how she's already lost 10kg and how successful she's going to be. Honestly! Start telling everyone WHEN you've done it and WHEN you've kept it off. Kudos to anyone who actually does it but guaranteed she'll have egg all over her face this time next year. For the Americans - she was the farmers wife in the movie Babe. Statistics virtually PROVE its undoable. There's always going to be some amazing person that does it, but most wont and that's all there is to it. You dont get banded because you're too dumb to realise that you have to change your lifestyle, you get banded because you've finally decided to take decisive action for the last time. I simply dont know why someone without a band would be hanging round here talking about how to lose weight without one. Like Magda, tell us all about it WHEN you've done it and WHEN you've kept it off. I'll give you all the praise and admiration you can handle and it will be heartfelt. I will even tell you you're a better person than me becuase I sure couldnt do it without a band.

My doctors says this is the only good use for Coke. He said to always keep a can of coke handy for major stuck episodes. Take a few sips and let it go to work. We used to use it at work to clean the tarnished coins out of the wishing well so its pretty strong! At the very least, drinking something fizzy might actaully make you PB and get rid of it. Ack, there's nothign worse or more annoying than something stuck which just wont go away.

I dont know whether it will cost you anything, but if you go private there are advantages. Firstly, if you take out private health insurance, you'll have a waiting period of a year before you qualify. If you go public it could be five times longer than that depending where you are. If you've got insurance, you'll probably pay a once off fee of about $3,500 to your surgeon and that's all you'll ever pay, all your aftercare will be bulk billed. If you need any revision surgery (things like port revision, band replacement, etc) then that will be done quickly and bulk billed. If you're a public patient, you could be hanging round with a slipped or non functinal band for a long time till you get in to be fixed. If you decide to go private, take out insurance, dont go self pay - for the same reasons. The premiums you pay will be less than a self pay fee anyway, and you're covered later if anything goes wrong. Good luck, and I think it depends a lot where you are. In Melbourne, its quite hard to get banded on the public system.

Filling blindly is the norm in Australia, and I know it was probably because I had a BMI of 35 when I was first banded, and I sat on most of my weight problem, but my doctor has NEVER had to poke around, first go every single fill I've had. If they've done lots, they'll be pretty good at it. Dont be too scared.

From hanging here for a few years, I'd say there's literally hundreds of surgeons that "dont get it". A surgeon is just a person, with his own personal life history behind him. Bariatric surgery is a rising field, its a great money spinner and many get into it for this reason. They may never have battled weight, never have been obese, never dealt with the issues of obesity before. You dont need to be an expert in any of that to place a lapband. My centre is the same, my surgeon was a general bariatric surgeon before getting into banding. He placed my band, he was a nice guy, he'd done enough bands to be very experienced in dealing with obesity, but I have only ever seen him three times in three years, the fills and general aftercare are managed by a team of doctors, my doctor is actually a sports medicine guy with many other interests and responsibilities outside his time at the clinic. But key is the lack of judgement. My doctor is whippet like, he's obviously NEVER had a weight problem, he deals with olympic athletes most of the time and not fat emotional women, lol, but boy he does a great job at it. That's what you want isnt it? Just some understanding, not judgement. Could you look for someone else?

This is a lapband support forum first and foremost. Everyone here has tried many times over to lose weight "on their own". Most have had moerate success at it a few times, some spectacular. Everyone has gained it back. Whilst everyone wishes you the best of luck with your journey, and understands perfectly the reasons why you decided not to go for the banddont expect people to like hearing things like "you're doing it on your own",anymore than you like hearing that really, you've got about a 1% chance of actually losing weight and keeping it off. Now, onto the exercise. I did what you did. I held myself back and went SLOWLY. And like chickie, along the way, I fell in love with running. Now I can run for hours. Unlike with dieting, with exercise, if you want to be dedicated to it, there's every chance you can be no matter what you weigh. The band has nothign to do with that. And it can only be good for you, so great work!

I didnt follow a program, I got banded to avoid that. All I did was portion control. I dont low carb. I couldnt live that way. And I dont believe the hype about it. Yes, the studies sound plausible but that's because people want to believe it. So too did all the hype in the 80's about low fat/high carb. There was TONS of "proof" that that was the way to go too. I really think high Protein will go out of fashion again, it didnt work in the 60's and 70's afterall, when everyone was doing Atkins. I tell you what does work for me though, is no longer eating 3000 calories a day of highly processed white sugary carbs! I eat good healthy food in its natural state meaning bread, crackers, processed cereals are not a huge part of my diet anymore, but unprocessed grains like rolled oats are. I get more carbs from fruit, vegies and nuts, I eat much more of the good fats and much less saturated fats (which is a huge downfall of the way many people interpret high protein low carb) and a lot of fibre and it's worked.

I think you did the right thing not saying anything. They MAY have been eating badly, or they may simply have been having a less strict day too, you dont know and cant assume what they eat all the time. Also, what you consider bad is not the same as what someone else considers bad. Most bandsters that dont lose weight dont lose it because they havent got the calorie levels right. For instance, we dont do Protein first in Australia. We dont focus on protein, we dont do low carb. I lost ALL my weight eating 1500 calories a day on a carb based diet. My bloods are all perfect, I'm as healthy as a horse and I have absolutely not trouble maintaining my loss. I lost to a BMI of 22. So whilst you (for example) might consider carbs "bad" it is patently obvious to me that you CAN lose weight on a carb based diet and that you DONT lose all your hair or fail to lose if you dont eat lots of protein. As long as you do what works for YOU, that's all you need to concern yourself with. Lots and lots and lots of bandsters dont lose weight because they simply dont have the discipline and self control necessary to work it. There's no "lesson" or "lecture" that anyone can deliver about what to eat that will change that. Just be glad you're not one of them!

Hmmm, how to say this without sounding mean? I dont expect anyone to "get it" either. Its fair enough if you dont want to eat carbs and like to follow a low carb diet. But expecting people to cater to that is a bit unrealistic, this is only about you and nobody else really gives a flying you know what, nor is family going to not enjoy their meals or husbands going to give up their ice cream. I think bandsters need to deal with their families and friends, not the other way around. Nor do I agree with all the obsession over "getting your money's worth" in a reastaurant, taking home containers of uneaten food, arguing about ordering off the child's menu (who on earth would WANT to) or trying to get senior's discounts when you're not a senior etc. Its all just dysfunctional food behaviour. Just eat what you can/what you want/keep the portion small, leave the rest. It seems so simple to me. I honestly wouldnt even think to post that someone had cooked me lasagne, I'd just eat a small bit of it, leave the garlic bread and never think about it again. Banding is not about obsessive diets, its about a new lifestyle and one meal of lasagne does not make or break a lifestyle. Sorry, that DOES sound mean. I truly dont intend it to but I just think its important to gain these life skills, not think that you can control the menu or proceedings to suit your band.

I think that's a good idea. That said, the whole you need to gain 25lb thing is a bit of a myth. Your baby needs nutrients, not calories. It takes very few extra calories to grow a baby, perhaps 250 a day in your third trimester. If you are taking in the nutrients your body needs during pregnancy, things will probably be just fine. In my third pregnancy, I gained no weight at all. I kept it completely stable BY DIETING. Moderately - weight watches, 27 or so points a day. With my doctor's blessing. I took a good supplement and I ate really really well because I was already about 210lb when I conceived and had had blood pressure probs resulting in induction twice before. When I had Eliza, she was a healthy 8lb and perfect, and I left the hospital 10kg (25lb) lighter than when I'd conceived. Mild fat loss from YOUR body wont harm your baby. But that said, you've actually lost while pregnant, which would indicate your energy needs arent being met. I'd consider a supplement like your doc suggests, I wouldnt curtail physical activity because it is so good for you, but supplementing calories AND nutrients might be a really good idea. You dont want to lose any more but it probably wont matter if you dont manage to gain much. But bear in mind, that without the weight of your baby, and all the extra fluids in your body now, you actually probably weigh a bit less than 142. You want a bit of condition on you if you want to breastfeed! Good luck, dont let it worry you though, once upon a time a much much smaller weight gain was considered healthy in pregnancy, the standards quoted today are just current trends is all.

Curves if fantastic if you do it HARD. Really work at it. Dont chat and giggle and push a few weights and it will work great for you. I use free weights and body weight stuff at home, but I've had a free trial at Curves. I use a lot more running in my circuits, I might do five minutes of squats, lunges, stepping up and down off a high box all with a barbell, then I might run on the treadmill for five minutes. My circuits are a pretty highly aerobic, but I'm very fit and when I had a free trial at Curves, I was able to get my heart rate right up there by working hard. Of course, I got told off becuase I wasnt in the 'right zone' but I ignored the instructor. They dont teach them very much (got a job there once, but couldnt do the hours they wanted). They'll make you take your pulse and keep in the fat burning zone. I just lied, lol. Basically the harder you work, within reason, the better, there's no need to slow it down and get your heart rate down as long as you FEEL Ok and are coping. Dont push yourself to the point where you feel ill though.

That's exactly what I would do - work my way into running. Its exactly what I DID do. I may not have been restricted budget wise, but I was/am timewise. I love love love running. Put on my shoes, out the door, its done. I love not being dependent on gym timetables and having to get places. I have lots of great running clothes etc but they're not necessary. I ran in old stuff for the first 2 years. You can do squats, lunges, push ups, core work like planks at home, you can use bottles full of Water as weights, google it, there's SO much you can do. I personally find it way less of a problem to motivate myself to do this than I do to get to a gym. I even do aerobic housework, lol. I set the oven timer and race around like an idiot doing stuff, to warm me up before I go out and run.

What would switching to crappy white carbs for dinner achieve? I tend to struggle more with dinner than any other meal too which is not the norm, far more people are tight in the morning and open at night. When I was barely eating dinner, I had a small unfill, got used to it for about 4 months, and then had the fill put back in and its nowhere near as tight on my second attempt at it as it was the first time. Dinner is a very nutritious meal for me, its often when I eat the bulk of my vegies and a good solid piece of Protein. Although tonight I had a bad time with it, we went fishing at a trout farm today and caught a 5.5kg atlantic salmon - I adore salmon. When they cleaned and filleted it for us, I asked for a small bit for sashimi. I made a soy/walnut oil/ginger dressing, finely julienned carrots and cucumber, and sesame seeds. Droooool, I was SO looking forward to it. First bite, instant pain. Had to put it in the fridge and wait an hour. It went down like ground glass, didnt enjoy it at all! I HATE that. Salmon sashimi is normally fine for me.