Jugido64

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be. My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time. Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me. I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well. I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

I had a band then went back about 9 months later for a gastric sleeve. I did so because having a band requires extremely vigilant eating and a lot of exercise to make the band work. I had an extremely damaged spine so once it let go....no more exercise. Two weeks isn't enough time to "plateau". If you're still doing 2-3 Protein drinks daily and maybe 2-4 ozs of cottage cheese or greek yougurt....you'll still be losing. Your body must adjust and if you're sneaking in any carbohydrates your body could be clinging to any empty calories. I hope your body, mind adjust to this tool. Best wishes

I was intrigued about vapor delivery systems but I haven't seen much research about long term because it hasn't been around long enough.

I recommend you don't have one at all. I use the one at my dr's office. Seriously. I also use the electronic one at the gym. Dr's office is once a month. I'm just now coming up on 4 months post op from banding. I use the one at the gym if I think about it. It's so easy to become obsessed with your scale just like before WLS. It becomes another way to "scale" your success or failure. I personally prefer use of a scale in a "safe" place where I have support if it's not what I had hoped to see or even when it's better than what I hoped to see.

For a food addict as I am it was terrifying! Until I realized it was not about giving up anything. It was about simplifying everything. Taking a few steps back from food has allowed me prospective on many other things in my life. How I view my own life and how I view others. I thought for many years if I was able to "control" my eating ie not overeat to the point of being sick, I was doing just fine. I now know that is another belief that had to be smashed.

I love yoga. A few simple poses and some good clean deep breaths and WOW I am back to center in about 15 minutes. I love this quick smooth way to be brought back into focus.

I use Premier Protein 30gram shake. You will find them at costco and I think they're on sale this month. Also the Premier Protein Bars. Easy breezy beautiful.

My physician didn't "test" for nicotine however there was extensive talk around the subject. There was also a requirement to be tobacco free for at least 3 months. That being said I am a reformed smoker and a previous surgery while smoking cured me. Hacking your lungs out is not good after abdominal surgery....just sayin.

The first fill should be done on empty stomach ie no food for however long per your surgeon instructions. Mine says 4 hours no food before fill then liguids for 24 hours.

A fill may or may not work. Do as your surgeon and coordinator instructs and follow the rules: Protein first, anything else second, no fluids 1 HR before or after meal, 64+ ounces of water per day. 15 - 20 minutes to eat meal. When you feel done you are done! Not another bite.

Is anyone here athletic and would like to buddy up doing the "Couch to Course" Atlas Spartan training? I'm start tomorrow and it'd be awesome to have another jock type work out with me. It's free to register and they will send you a daily work out. Who wants to train???

Seriously count 60 seconds between bites! It may feel foolish at first but it'll save you from slimeing or vomiting.

Hmmm something I'd never considered. I'm coloring my hair but other than that nothing. Of course I'm only 40% down in weight. I may look haagish by the time I'm done. Ahhh that'd be a shame. Ha ha ha!

They say at least 3 months prior to surgery. Quitting the smoking is easier if you have a support person and different if you chew gum. I swear having gum is a quick fix for a stressful moment.

I'm looking forward to going scuba diving in Cozumel, Mexico and using less weight to get neutral! In scuba terms just means less to weigh me down enough to sink. Fat is buoyant and muscle is much easier to sink