Whoyah

Today, 3/10, I went for the fluro x-ray thingy so my Dr. could see what was going on with my band and he said it looked perfect -- positioned correctly and my esophagus looked great -- he was even stumped, no I think he used the word "amazed" at how I was able to eat the foods I did without restriction. I have a 10cc band and am now up to 9cc's fill and still feel hungry morning noon and night and can eat almost everything except bread (PB's are few and far between). Granted the portions I eat are muuuch smaller, but I feel like I am not getting the results I want/need. I wanted to get so sick I couldn't/wouldn't want to eat the "wrong" foods -- meaning Starbucks huge arse Cookies or brownies. Then I feel I could lose the weight at a steadier pace. In the last 6 weeks I have only lost 4 pounds (cookies most likely the culprit). BTW I was banded on 8-2-05 and have lost a total of 40 pounds, Whoop-de-do-ding-dong! I just don't get it. How could the band be where it is supposed to be and yet I can down a 12 piece chick-fil-a nugget pack just fine? (trying to stick with the Protein when I can) I'm simply afraid. Scared to danged death I will return to my old eating habits and fail once again at trying to lose the weight. This Lap-Band was supposed to be my knight in shining armor/titanium to rescue me from this prison I have created for myself. I just feel betrayed by the hope that this would work, this band would keep me from the foods I loved and punish me if I returned to the "old ways." I know this sounds sadistic but I guess I need a constant reminder that I am trying to change my life and the wrong foods are the enemy. I just feel disappointed...................................................

Sorry I have been absent for so long but I am about to graduate (with my BA) in May and all my professors want a piece of me before they let me go. I wish I could include typing papers as a form of exercise (grin). I want to thank you all for all your great input and understanding. Sometimes I wonder "why me" and then I see all of your great responses and know I'm not alone in this and that I just need to keep plugging through. I have to say this because it is just nagging at me -- Didn't we have to go through a screening process before surgery with one of the qualifications being that we had tried numerous diets and were not successful? Well, dang it all with this band. I want to be so sick when I eat too much or the wrong foods that I eat the bare minimum. I do not drink while eating and do not eat breads of any kind. I listen to the Dr. about Protein first and I eat it (granted it may be the fried chicken strips before the salad at Chick-fil-a -- I just do not like the grilled chicken, NO! I am sick of the grilled chicken. I eat the Protein Bars for Breakfast and two hours later I wonder where the full feeling from the protein is. Okay, I admit I like a cookie or ice-cream, or a milkshake SOMETIMES -- Not daily, but a few times a month. I am a failure at dieting! This is why I went for the surgery and correct me if I am wrong, but I think we all had the same reasons. Now, if you all sense a grain of sarcasm or anger in this post it's because for the first time I have gained 5 pounds within 2 months (I attribute this to the cheese and wine tasting's I have been to -- my god I gotta live but where was the band?). So, there it is out in the open -- And what did the Dr. do for me you may ask...he gave me one-quarter fill in my 10cc band which brings up the fill count to 9 1/4cc and I DO NOT FEEL ANYTHING DIFFERENT! It's SO depressing when I hear others say that they just can't hardly eat Soup -- ARGH!! What I wouldn't give to be like that. That was my expectation from the band. I wanted to be so nauseous that I didn't want to eat -- isn't that how thin people feel? They don't 'feel like eating'? Again, I want to thank you all for your support in this struggle to lose weight. Also, I will be more visible after May (with sore fingertips).

I fully understand what you are going through. I have the large band (10cc) and am currently filled to 9. This means I only have one cc to go and I am completely full -- then what?. I was banded Aug 2, 2005 and have only lost 45 lbs. A sloooow half to one pound a week. I have been getting regular fills pretty much since Sept 2005. I just didn't have restriction. My last fill was right after Christmas. My Dr. just couldn't understand how I am able to eat the foods I do and not get sick (I eat most anything but bread). I went in for the flouro xray thing three weeks ago and he saw that my band was in the right position and I do have restriction. The xray showed that I do, but the food just slides right through. He was amazed. I have always hated throwing up and rarely do. My lack of restriction may be mental--they say that mind over matter is a powerful thing. I have found a few foods that I just can't tolerate and have omitted them from my diet. For instance, sausage patties, breads of any kind, anything that is dry (like overcooked chicken I end up putting in tomato soup), pork chops, cereals (other than oatmeal) and the like. And I do eat out. I usually choose a side salad and appetizer which I feel satisfied with and with deserts I just have to use will power. Cake and coffee/ice cream will go down. Or Cookies (forget about it) there is no stopping at one. I was warned though, that the band doesn't affect everyone the same and I guess you and I are the poster children for high band tolerance. I can't complain too much because my eating habits and awareness of food has changed for the better. I was a pizza, submarine and diet coke junkie and the band has definitely changed all that. All I can say is that you are not alone with your struggle to understand the band. We all have different issues but the main thing to remember is that you can lose the weight. It may take us more time than the others but it will come off. I hope this has helped in some small way.

For me I made the right decision -- I love my band. No matter how slow the weight loss my eating habits have changed.

Kelly, I so relate to your eating the wrong foods. Before my banding (8/3/05) I was a carbaholic. I didn't know what to eat if I didn't have bread. The band did help me with that and now I don't eat bread at all, mostly out of fear of the pain. I have, however, found other means of starches. I love mashed potato's and have found tortillas will go down most times (if steamed and smothered in sauce), but the nacho chips go down all the time. Since changing my diet (if you want to call it one) I have had major cravings for sweets, something I rarely ate before. I have found that if I buy it I will eat it and I will not stop at one serving -- I am not happy until the whole thing is gone, then I feel I can get back on track. Exercise, for me, is nonexistent. I am a senior in college and am either reading books or writing papers and really have no desire to walk for exercise, yet. I hope things will change after May (graduation) at least that's the plan. My band is a 10cc band and I'm up 8cc's now. The thing that bothers me most is while I do have restriction, as far as not being able to eat so much at one time, I am able to eat ANYTHING for the exception of breads. So far I have been loosing one pound per week and while some would say that is good I feel I have not yet reached my "sweet spot" and should be loosing more. This is a concern for me because I only have 2cc's to go before having a full band (then where do you go from there?). And I have heard that some people's stomachs can stretch when the band is too tight. The only way to detect this is to go under fluro (x-ray) which is out-of-pocket costs. I think for us the "fear" of what could happen has lessened and we are testing the waters, so-to-speak, to find what our bands will tolerate. My only suggestion is to keep the "tempting foods" out of the house. The kids will just have to adjust and be all the healthier for it. For the smoking -- I think you can only tackle one problem at a time. Keeping the faith, Whoyah

Hi Judy, I completely understand. My Dr. didn't require any special diet before the surgery and Boy did I have a party. I tried to eat all the foods I thought I wouldn't ever be able to eat again. Steaks, fries, pizza, subs, fried chicken, Hardees biscuit's and more. I guess it was my way of saying good by to a lifestyle that I loved -- being able to eat what when I wanted (spoiled that way ) but, the weight gain I hated! By the time of my surgery I had gained almost 15 pounds and I remember thinking "man it sure wasn't worth it, because now I have to lose more weight than I had planned." We've all struggled with food that's why were here. So, know this -- you are not alone and it does get better -- much better! I wish you much success.

Hello Everyone, I just had my Lap-Band surgery 8/02/2005 with Dr. Terracina (Va) and so far I have lost thirteen pounds. He had "installed" the banding with 1cc of solution which may have given me a jump start. However, I know my stomach capacity holds more than the half cup I was expecting. I go in for my first fill on the 31st of August and was informed by his nurse that I will definitely feel the difference. I am ready! I see that HarleyNana has also had her surgery at the Weight Loss Surgery Center, for me, I cannot express how at ease these professionals made me feel about the entire process. I do not have insurance and paid all expenses up front. The surgery was out-patient which was GREAT! Those who had the bi-pass had to stay almost a week--that alone should tell ya something about how agressive the procedure was. For me, exercise is still difficult to begin. I really need help in this area. My feelings are that I need to lose some/more weight before I begin. I know excuses, right? lol. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself to you all and let you know if anyone has questions I will happily share my experiences about this procedure. I know I have made the right choice.

Thanks for all the "welcomes" and comments. I have to admit I am relatively new to this site and had posted the above comment on the Virginia bandsters thread. Thought I should place it here since this is where everyone was. I have the large banding and the Dr. said they were trying something new with the 1cc 'installation.' Since then I had four more ccs added on 8-31, but two weeks later I was calling the office -- panicked. I still had no restriction at all and experienced hunger pangs about every three hours. I even went so far as to "test" the band. I ordered Dominos pizza. The 3 for $15.00 deal. Well, one went to a friend (I knew it was dangerous to keep it in the house) and the other two I ate. Granted it was the thin and crispy kind. I've always called them the diet pizza's anyway. Even so I had finished them both within 12 hours. I was freaked out and pretty upset that the band wasn't working. I went back for another fill 9/14/05 (lost 17 total) and am now up to 7ccs and feeling GREAT! No more hunger and filling up quickly. WHOYAH! Now that the band seems to be working I can contemplate exercise--maybe after another ten pounds )

I too have problems with bread. I'm grateful though. Breads, have been a huge deterrence in my (pre-banding) weight loss attempts. I now use multigrain crackers (two or three, depending) when I really feel the need for bread -- old habbits hard to break. I've also found great soy crisps (high in protein) that are also satisfying. I'm so pleased with my new appetite or lack there of, I really don't feel deprived.

Hi Kevin, I too have the large band (banded 8/02/05). I found that I never had problems eating foods and continued to feel hungry. After my first fill (total of 5ccs) I still had no restrictions and was hungry every three hours -- which led me to test the waters. I even went so far as to order Dominos (medium) thin and crispy cheese pizza -- ate the whole thing in two meals. That was my panic point and I called the Dr's office and said I needed a fill right away. I went yesterday 9/14/05 for my second fill (lost 17 lbs total) -- whoopee ;-( . I'm up to 7cc now and I hope it restricts better than the five. This should be my "sweet spot" the Dr. likes to call it and will begin to feel restricted and not hungry. He did say that he had one patient up to 9ccs which was pretty scary. Sometimes, I wish I had the smaller band. What about you?

No special diet at all before surgery. Actually, I had many last suppers -- all of my favorite foods. lol. My surgery was at 10 am and, of course, I couldn't eat anything before the operation. Well, when I finally got home and settled in, I had a cup of chicken broth and who would've thought it would taste so good. I remember thinking mmmmmm this is heavenly then passed out for the night. Later that week I begin to eat tomato Soup with 1/2 can of skim milk. That really seemed to fill me up more than the broth based Soups. And thank heaven for wal-marts' sugar free popsicle's for 1.50. I think I bought 4 bags and still have some in my freezer. I just went in for my first fill and Dr. Terracina hit the port the first try--Thank heavens! I'm up to 5ccs now and I noticed I could only eat a half of a tomato sandwich instead of the whole thing--yeaaaa! It's working and I'm not hungry anymore..... Good luck with your operation and healing. For me the worst part was the next day I had to return to the hospital for the Barruim (I think that's how ya spell it) ex-ray and couldn't drink anything before, which meant no pain pill. But I survived.

Hello Everyone, I just had my Lap-Band surgery 8/02/2005 with Dr. Terracina and so far I have lost thirteen pounds. He had "installed" the banding with 2ccs of solution which may have given me a jump start. However, I know my stomach capacity holds more than the half cup I was expecting. I go in for my first fill on the 31st of August and was informed by his nurse that I will definitely feel the difference. I am ready! I see that HarleyNana has also had her surgery at the Weight Loss Surgery Center, for me, I cannot express how at ease these professionals made me feel about the entire process. I do not have insurance and paid all expenses up front. The surgery was out-patient which was GREAT! Those who had the bi-pass had to stay almost a week--that alone should tell ya something about how agressive the procedure was. For me, exercise is still difficult to begin. I really need help in this area. My feelings are that I need to lose some/more weight before I begin. I know excuses, right? lol. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself to you all and let you know if anyone has questions I will happily share my experiences about this procedure. I know I have made the right choice. Whoya