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Congrats!!! Awesome job. Looking good!

Glad u are feeling better!!

I have been making eggbeaters with pinto beans and cheese melted in. Some taco sauce on top and it tastes like a bean and egg breakfast burrito without the tortilla of course. Super super yummy. Has been my staple the last few days.

Great job!!

I had a hiatal hernia repair and my band repositioned on 7/9. I have a pretty high pain tolerance I guess because I didn't use pain meds. I was groggy first day from anesthesia but otherwise felt pretty good. The gas pains definitely came and went. It took a full week to be free of gas pain. I would just walk and walk and walk. Hubby also massaged my upper back to help work the gas out. It seemed to help. Kinda like burping a baby. Oh... the breathing deeply part. That was painful... so I would just breathe a little shallower for a few days. By day 7 I could breathe deep with no achiness! Hope you are feeling better soon!!!

Do you have a comparison photo? Congrats on the 20!

I do a Protein shake for breakfast because I am NOT a morning person... so I am always running late, and it is easy for my to grab one and drink it on the way to work. It is easy for me to get down, and I don't have to think about it. It works for me. Sometimes I switch it up and do a Chobani Yogurt w/Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal sprinkled on top. That is also easy for me to get down. Keeps me fuller longer.

Great post... and awesome job Mis73. You are a band rockstar. Keep it up!!!

This is my current running playlist... I like dance music... or something with a fast beat. Some of these start off a little slow and then really pump... so I keep them in rotation. My current favorite is Titanium. Gets me sooo jazzed! Animal --> Neon Trees Barbie Girl --> Aqua Be Ok --> Ingrid Michaelson Blah Blah Blah (Feat. 3OH!3) --> Ke$ha Break Your Heart [Ft. Ludacris] --> Taio Cruz Brighter Than the Sun --> Colbie Caillat Brokenhearted --> Karmin Bulletproof --> La Roux Call Me Maybe --> Carly Rae Jepsen Dont Trust Me --> 3OH!3 Drive By --> Train Feel So Close --> Calvin Harris Firework --> Katy Perry F*ck You --> Cee Lo Green Glad You Came --> The Wanted Good Feeling --> Flo Rida Hold It Against Me --> Britney Spears Hot N Cold --> Katy Perry I Do Colbie --> Caillat I Know You Want Me --> Pitbull International Love (Feat. Chris Brown) --> Pitbull Just Dance --> Lady Gaga La la La --> LMFAO Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) --> Katy Perry More --> Usher Mr. Saxobeat --> Alexandra Stan Over You --> Honor Society Part Of Me --> Katy Perry S&M [Feat Britney Spears] --> Rihanna Sexy b***h [Feat. Akon] --> David Guetta shake It --> Metro Station Starships --> Nicki Minaj Starstrukk --> 3OH!3 Take It Off --> Ke$ha Take Over Control --> Afrojack Titanium (feat. Sia) --> David Guetta Tonight (I'm Lovin' You) --> Enrique Iglesias Tonight Is The Night --> Outasight Toxic --> Britney Spears Turn Me On (Feat. Nicki Minaj) --> David Guetta U + Ur Hand --> P!nk Walking On Sunshine --> Katrina & The Waves What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) --> Kelly Clarkson What Goes Around.../...Comes Around --> Justin Timberlake When I Grow Up --> Pussycat Dolls Wild Ones (Feat. Sia) --> Flo Rida Womanizer --> Britney Spears Yeah 3X --> Chris Brown You Make Me Feel --> Cobra Starship 3 --> Britney Spears

I had too much stomach fat to feel it initially. Now I can feel it that I have lost a lot of stomach fat. I also can feel it if I lay on my stomach on the floor (during exercising). That drives me nuts.

Awww so sorry you had a bad experience. My first fill with my new surgeon was like that. Got stuck multiple times until he found the port. In all fairness he didn't place it. lol. Since my port replacement (which he did) he has no issues finding it! It does get easier. I am 85 pounds down... and a lot of it was belly fat. I can feel my port now if I push in the area. I couldn't when I started. Hang in there!!!

I freaking did it! I am so freaking excited! Twoterville!!! *HaPpY dAnCe* That is 32 pounds in approx 4 months!!! I am thrilled that I recommitted to this process. New goal is to see 100 pounds lost again. 15 pounds to go until that goal.

I have been banded for 4.5 years. I have had complications that resulted in several additional surgeries. I actually just had my band repositioned last week with a hiatal hernia fix. I don't "regret" my surgery, but I definitely have a love/hate relationship. I think I thought going into this it would be an easier journey than it has been. It takes a lot of work. A LOT of HEAD work. But once you figure things out, and follow the "rules" it definitely works. And as my surgeon said today when I broached the topic of long term complications and the longevity of the band... there is always the possibility of complications because you are introducing a medical device. The device may fail. (i.e. I had a port leak). But the complications are less severe than what can occur with other WLS. So you need to decide what risks you are comfortable with. I still am most comfortable with keeping my anatomy intact... and the ability to remove the band should a complication occur that requires it. Some people do not tolerate the band. It happens. And I feel for them. I have kinda been here... but my issues all were resolved where I could keep it. Nothing is a guarantee. Good luck with your decision!

Shouldn't happen with the band because our intestines are not re-routed. Usually only occurs with bypass since the intestines are rerouted shortening the time it takes for undigested food to pass into the small intestines.

Congrats on a tentative date!! How exciting.

It is kind of a long story. Shortened version is I was contemplating having my band removed due to complications. I kind of freaked out at the thought of actually losing my band so I recommitted HARD CORE. I have PCOS, so sugar and carbs are a HUGE no no. So I radicaly changed my diet... and started following the band rules best I could with a wonky band. (I just had surgery last week to repair a hiatal hernia and reposition it). I measure measure measure. I stop when my portion is done. I cut out carbs and sugar as best I could. I eat real food, and stay away from processed as much as possible. I went back to a Protein shakes for Breakfast. I started swimming for exercise since a foot injury restricted my options. Typical day: Breakfast: Either Protein Drink, or Chobani yogurt w/Kashi Go Lean Crunch mixed in. Lunch: Left overs usually from dinner. Taco salad is my favorite lunch. (chopped spinach, seasoned ground turkey, mango salsa, cheese) Dinner: 4 oz of protein (Salmon & scallops are favorites) with 1/2 cup green veggies. Asparagus is my favorite. I try and avoid snacking... but if i do get a little hunger I snack on string cheese, or a skinned apple with Peanut Butter, or a few almonds or pistachios. I have been on liquids for almost 2 weeks since I just had surgery last week... so that has helped too. My best advice is really stick to the rules! It is hard. Head hunger is a nasty nasty b***h. I hate her. I fight head hunger A LOT. I just keep living day by day and hoping that if I can string enough good days together I will get there. My journey has been long with a lot of ups and downs. I am looking forward to getting fills and restriction back. I can get my first fill in 3 more weeks. I hope I can keep losing during this restriction free time.

Awww hang in there sweetie! It gets better. It will be worth it. Keep walking... walking... and walking... it gets that gas moving!!!

Does it feel like food is stuck? Any sweating or nausea? When I had pain under my ribcage... it was my gallbladder. When I am stuck, it feels higher up in my mid chest. I hope you feel better soon and that the nurse gets back to you soon!!

THANK YOU! I needed it so bad. I was feeling really YUCK yesterday and doubting myself.

Definitely contact your surgeon!! That is NOT normal. I would not wait. Good luck... hope you feel better soon.

I could have written your post in the past. In fact I HAVE written something VERY similar. I just recommitted to my band a few months ago... and wow.. what a difference it is to work with the band when I am MENTALLY ready and on board. You have to be proactive in the choices you are making. Pasta and ice cream shouldn't be in your diet right now. Period. Down the line, when you are in maintenance... sure... add them in, but right now you need to focus on Protein and low sugar and carbs. Period. Small portions. Exercise. Water. Lots of water! YOU need to do these things. The band is there to help keep you satiated on smaller portions.... it isn't there to stop you from eating. I can always eat around the band. Trust me, I am an ice cream addict... and ice cream will ALWAYS go down. So I forbid it now. I treat it like an alcoholic treats alcohol. You say you can't eat protein. Then you are either too tight, not chewing well enough, or eating too fast. I too thought... I can't eat chicken, I can't eat beef, I can't get these healthy foods down. I was mad and angry, and blamed the band for my poor food choices. In reality... I WASN'T READY! Well guess what... I COULD eat those things... when I slowed waaaay down, kept my band at a looser restriction, and really focused on pre-measuring my portions and STOPPING when the food was done. Did I want to eat more? HECK ya! Do I stil? Heck ya! I ALWAYS want more food. That is why I am FAT. I have to trust that the head hunger will pass (it does) and that the small portions will keep my body satiated (they do). Start over. Go back to basics. you are still so fresh into this! The sleeve is another restrictive surgery. If you still make poor food choices, you will get poor results. I too thought of revising. Hell I scheduled a revision at one time!! But after a lot of soul searching I decided to give it one more HARD try. I have lost 32 pounds in the past few months. I FEEL great. I FEEL supper motivated. It has NOT been easy. This is NOT what I thought being banded would be like. I thought it would be easy. Effortless. Boy what a shock when it wasn't. YOU CAN DO THIS! Sit down and really think about what you have been doing so far. Are you following the rules? Are you measuring your portions? Are you chewing slowly? Are you not drinking with meals? Are you exercising? We are all here for you. For support. Hang in there!! If there is nothing medically wrong with your band... please... give it another shot. It can really be a great tool if used properly!!

Gosh you sound too tight and I would be worried about causing damage. I would talk to your surgeon. I am sorry he is so far away. Yikes. I started off with a surgeon in another state... then one 8 hours round trip away... until I finally found a surgeon local and only 15 minutes away. Having my surgeon local is essential!! We need so much follow up with this band. Ask yourself... if your surgeon was closer would you have gone in already? Is it possible to find someone closer? I hope things loosen up for you. Please be careful about keeping a band too tight!!

Congrats on onederland!! Amazing accomplishment.

Awesome job!!!

Do you have any metabolic reasons for bypass? Diabetes.. PCOS... Etc. It really is a personal decision. Every doctor recommended RNY over LapBand for me. Because of my PCOS and Insulin Resistance... and my love of sweets and sugar. But I didn't want it. I was not comfortable with it. I had a friend who became very very ill and was in and out of a nursing home because of complications. Scared the crap out of me!!! I didnt want to reroute my intestines. And I certainly did not like the 1/200 mortality rate. Too scary for me. I was relatively healthy. I was just fat. No huge co-morbitities. Yet. So I stuck to my guns and got the band. I lost 100 pounds initially before I had some hiccups. Gallbladder issues and eventually surgery. Then a leak. Port replacement surgery. Then reflux and heartburn. Hiatal hernia and band repositioning surgery. So I regained 56 pounds somewhere along the way. Took a mental break for awhile. And now I am back on board. Relost 39 of those 56... and still going. Even with everything I have been through, I am still happy to have my band. It took me awhile to really get a grip on my head hunger... but now I feel good and am really back on track. I like that I can go in for adjustments, follow up with my surgeon. You need to go with your gut. Which surgery feels right for you. You are the one living with it and working with it. Keep researching. So much if WLS is head work. Especially with the band. Every calorie you eat you are accountable for. Do you want/need the added help of malabsorption? Or will a purely restrictive surgery be enough? Only YOU know. Good luck with your decision!