kgloverii

Okay here are my answers to your questions: 1) "They" never told me it would take a long time for people to start noticing my weight loss. I went from 235 to 190 before people started to notice. Now, at 175, people see me having gone from fat to 'skinny' or normal, and can't believe it. But, it took a long time for people to notice the true change... 2) After eating, I FEEL FULL and satisfied. I heard all of the stories about chew chew chew, and thought THAT WOULD BE MY LIFE, FOREVER. I still chew, but it is not the bane of my existence. It is natural to chew and not inhale, and I stop when I am satisfied. When you get your sweet spot, you stop when you're not hungry anymore. And you don't plan your next meal. You are satisfied and it 'fixed' my brain when it comes to the fixation on food. 3) I order a meal, and maybe only eat half and take the rest home. Or I eat a light appetizer and take some home. No one notices what I eat or really cares. I eat till I am satisfied and enjoy each bite... 4) I know a lot of bandsters have decided not to tell about their band. That is their decision. I, on the other hand, like to tell about the band so that they can see there are options out there for weight loss that WORK. And that fix the brain too... Here are a couple things they didn't tell me... The band has changed my taste for food. I enjoy it MORE now. I enjoy every single bite and don't eat to fill up anymore. I eat organic because I WANT to be healthy. I ENJOY and can tell the difference in better cuts of meat. I enjoy textures and flavors differently now. I DO NOT crave fried foods or processed foods. I eat to live now, not live to eat. Also, they did NOT tell me about constipation. You HAVE TO drink your Water to keep things moving. I also eat a couple prunes and have some prune juice to keep things moving. Never had a problem with things backing up till I had the band, but it DOES change things, so keep that in mind... I Would NEVER go back... I am so grateful to have a healthy life... and grateful that I now CRAVE activity... Water parks here I COME!!

Target, and my favorite, the Kohl's 80% off racks. I only buy the basics and go from size to size that way... Was wearing size 14 pants as a size 12 for awhile... Also skirts are a great way to get extra time out of them... not so fitted...

Since I got my band, and have gotten my sweet spot, my relationship with food has changed. I no longer crave big meals or wish I could sit down with a tub of ice cream... HTH! However, my relationship with food has also become MORE positive. I am a true 'foodie' in every sense of the word. I enjoy the textures, the taste, the quality of food I eat so much more. I want the 'good stuff' because I am no longer eating to fill... We were at a local pasta place and I got a tomato/mozzarella salad and some soup. I enjoyed that meal more than I ever had enjoyed one at that restaurant, and before, pasta was my favorite. But, in hindsight, it was my favorite cause it filled me up. Now, I get to eat the really amazing stuff with the really amazing tastes and enjoy it more, cause I am not fixated on needing that 'full' feeling.... HTH!!

If people mention my weight loss, I am more than happy to share, if it is appropriate... I don't mind sharing because this is my view: I want people to know they have options. Even if they don't have a weight problem, they may know someone who does. And they can share my success... I want EVERYONE to know there are options, and see the complete change in me, that has happened as a result.

I originally wanted to be a size 12. I just hit that goal and am NOT done. I want to be a 8 or 10 before I am done. I am going to shoot for a 10 before PS and get that panniculus thing I have going on removed as well as some lipo in my arms and hopefully that'll get me to the 8. Single numbers... Who would've thought?!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slim1, Stay strong and imagine a new you very, VERY soon. I am now 8 months post surgery and have lost 55 pounds. I went from a size 18/20W and am now a size 12P (usually cut about 1/2 size smaller than a regular 12). Those are the 'statistics' but here are some of the REAL reasons I am happy I had the surgery... I am no longer obsessed with food. My hunger was a TRUE HONEST TO GOODNESS "Can't be satisfied" hunger. I was NOT an emotional eater, but a girl who was hungry. I am NO LONGER hungry all of the time. For instance, we went to a late Breakfast at noon today. Back in the day, I would have been FAMISHED and SUPER CRABBY waiting that long. But I was not even super hungry... I ordered a spinach quiche. She asked if I wanted hashbrowns. I said NO because I DIDN'T WANT THEM. I have HALF of the quiche and was satisfied. Because I'd gotten the special, they gave me a rice pudding for dessert. I asked to have it boxed up to take HOME. It is now 5:20 pm. I just pulled out my rice pudding for a snack... I'll eat that, and the other half of my quiche for dinner and that will be IT. And I will be satisfied. Back in the day, I would've eaten that all in one sitting, PLUS hashbrowns and would've been hungry a couple hours later. I am a foodie. I appreciate foods more. I enjoy textures, tastes, etc. I eat and enjoy; I no longer eat to fill. I am MUCH more health conscious. We've switch our household to mainly organic WHOLE foods. We eat better now, because we know better. I buy clothes in the RIGHT SIZE, and not a size or two smaller and pour myself into them just so I don't have to go up a size. I buy clothes in the REGULAR PETITE section. I can't shop at Lane Bryant cause NOTHING WOULD FIT! I run after my kids and LOVE playing. I can ride roller coasters without fear of being not being able to ride them from size limitations. I LOVE BEING OUTSIDE... and I LOVE GOING TO THE BEACH. Sex is better. TRUST ME! You won't recognize yourself in a few months. Not just physically, but mentally too. Hang in there!

To all of those experiencing frustration, DO NOT GIVE UP. The surgery is only a small part of the journey. The follow-up and consistent dialogue with your doctor afterwards is what will make this surgery successful. I PROMISE. A lot of people don't invest the time into the aftercare visits. If you are not losing 1 pound per week, allowing for an occasional plateau, you need to call your doc for a consult and possible fill or unfill. I cannot stress enough that proper fill schedules are the most important. As for those people with docs who are being ultra-conservative, I would as a) WHY are the being so conservative, and make sure you are getting in for a fill with them as OFTEN AS POSSIBLE until you get to the sweet spot. I am a girl who HAS the sweet spot and I can't say it enough... it is BAND HEAVEN. Don't give up till you get there...

Just an FYI- I used to work for an insurance company... Namely BCBS. If there was an exclusion on the surgery, it was NEVER covered. No matter what health issues a member had, no matter ANYTHING. I am so sorry to tell you this, but you'll need to convince your employer to add that option on, or figure a way to self pay. My policy did not have an exclusion, but I was at a 40 BMI at the time I started investigating with no "real" health issues, so I just decided to self pay and not wait doing appeal after appeal. I've seen how hard it is from the member's perspective, and I just didn't feel I wanted to wait... I am really glad I did it 'my way.' I know that it is not an option for everyone, but I think a lot of self-payers agree. Good luck...

I currently have my fills performed by Dr. Mark Pleatman in Bloomfield Hills. There is also a fillcenters USA in Troy that just opened. HTH!

Okay guys, I am going to try this... I am down about 55 pounds and wanted to show the newer me... Still aiming for another 30 but, this is a good representation... The AFTER me was not planned, or I would've put makeup on. But DH said it is me... First is before... a year ago, second is when I was down 25 pounds, and 3rd is current... down 55 pounds....

I was talking with someone from work the other day, and she was asking me questions about my band... As we were conversing, I'd told her how I had gotten 'stuck' on a plateau for a bit, and finally started dropping again... She looked at me and said, "Katy... you know you're going to stop losing eventually, right?" I didn't notice what she'd said for a minute and then it hit me.... She was looking at me, and in her own way telling me I was NORMAL. Not viewed as FAT... My brain still hasn't fully grasped that yet, and I'm not sure when it will... I am at a 12/14 and still view myself as disgustingly blubbery... And I'm not where I want to be yet... but other people see me as 'regular...' Unbelievable....

NEVER being able to lose with the band would require a complete medical workup with a doc, a detailed food journal, etc... Having a band is a very small part of the journey... my best friend and I were talking about it and she was like "You have it cause it makes you accountable right?" and at the beginning, it does help with that... but as you continue in your journey, for me, it is NOT an accountability thing anymore, cause I just have my full feeling and am ready to stop eating cause I am satisfied... You MUST have a TRUE commitment to the band. A true commitment is NOT just eating till you are full. You have to follow some rules. The most important eating rule FOR ME is NOT to eat and drink simultaneously. PERIOD. I can FEEL the food wash through the band with the drink... Anyone who is trying to lose and is eating and drinking together is self-sabotaging. Whether they want to admit it or not. You also MUST maintain a commitment to do the follow ups with your doc. If you are not losing at the 1-2 pounds/week rate (accepting an occasional plateau) you need to first look at that food diary, and second make an appt with your doc. A fill too much or too little will make it MUCH harder to lose and maintain that loss. I am down 53 pounds and it is NOT a fast journey anymore... but I am doing the right things and losing slowly but surely. I look better than I have in a LONG time... My mom congratulated me and I did that "Aw shucks, I don't deserve it, I had help" line and my mom was like "WAIT! Katy! You DO deserve congrats. You made a commitment to your health and you've done it. Many people go get the band and don't do the work to get where they need to go, but you've been consistent and bought into your success" and that is true. I have. So, every pound I lose, every size I drop, I raise a glass of sparkling water and orange juice and toast myself. Because I DO deserve congrats for doing my work...

I got my band in October 2007, and DH and I had always said we'd notice a definite difference in our grocery bill... Well we haven't--- I've become a TOTAL FOODIE. I've gone from eating to fill my stomach to wanting great quality food that I can savor the flavors from, enjoy the textures, and change up the pairings in order to really make the meal something extraordinary. In the process, our family has decided to stop eating processed junk (the kids miss their Cheerios!), and instead focusing on eating primarily organic foods, minimally processed, no artificial anything... we've ALL given up soda, chips, cookies, etc and instead relish the fresh organic local produce I buy on a weekly basis. Our newest "favorite food" is this bread we've found called "Ezekial 4:9." OMG it is unlike ANY other bread we've tried... and it is truly something that makes my tastebuds rejoice... Anyway, I just wanted to share one of the consequences of Lap-Band and wonder if others have experienced the same thing... In fact, if anything, our food bill has gone UP. It is funny, I am a total Target shopper and love checking out their organic food line every time I am in there... I went to Wal-mart for the first time in 3 months or so and walked through the food section... I was actually REPULSED. There was nothing in the food section that was remotely healthy... it was all processed junk full of additives... I've become a food snob... :thumbdown: And to think 7 months ago, I would have eaten anything that wasn't nailed down... :cool2:

What are you eating? Are you compensating for the PBing by eating liquid everything? That often promotes weight gain cause you are never full... I'd follow a liquid diet for 2 days or so to make sure your pouch is not stretched... Then make sure you're eating carefully, chewing everything... and if you don't have enough restriction, eat a bit bulkier foods if you can tolerate them. You may have to go back to get filled a couple times to get tweaked to the right spot. My doc told me not being able to eat much in the AM is a big sign I am there... and I agree... but everyone's experience is different. It took me 6 months to get a sweet spot, and I was very patient. My last fill, my doc told me that according to Inamed, their recommendation was 1 cc for the feeling I was looking for... he thought, but he recommended 1/2 cc since I was not able to eat much in the am. I told him to split it down the middle and do 3/4 cc. It was magic... BTW.. I have the VG band, a 10 cc band, so the fill amount is higher than with a 4 cc band... I am now at like 6.75 in a 10 cc band and perfect... for now!

I'd cut out all soda completely... whether it is Diet or regular... Soda is REALLY unhealthy whether it is diet or regular, and that doesn't include the extra stress that carbonation puts on your band. I know the 'I hate Water feeling" cause I've tried to kick that feeling to no avail. What I do is fill a glass with Ice, then fill it with 2/3 water and add 100% juice to top it off. My favorite is Orange Juice with Lots of Pulp, because even with 2/3 water, that pulp makes me feel like I'm drinking straight OJ. If I've got a kick for carbonation, I'll use 1/2 seltzer water and 1/2 juice. Not a lot of carbonation that way, but I still get the 'feeling' of soda...

I put it on my credit card... The BEST debt I could ever have accumulated. No regrets....

I think your sweet spot will stay sweet until you lose some more weight, and that band is looser. You'll have to eventually get "topped off" as your hunger increases....

I hit my sweet spot after fill #4. I no longer crave food all the time. My mindset about food and eating has totally changed. I no longer order based on what the portion is going to be (is it going to be enough?!)... I am a total 'foodie' now where I sit down and really ENJOY the taste, and the texture of my meals. You'll know your sweet spot when you can eat enough that you are satisfied, and then you are satisfied for a longer period of time. I eat what I want, in small quantities till I am satisfied... I don't PB at all, because I STOP when I feel satisfied...

Will continued consistent use of Miralax or any other laxatives create a physical dependence?

I am not familiar with either of the docs, but did want to say that if your PCP is someone you trust, it can't hurt to go with the guy he recommends, as long as you feel comfortable with him. Good luck in your decision!

1) Satisfaction with food... AND LIFE. I finally know what it feels like not be be hungry all of the time. 2) The ability to wear cute clothes. I was tired of the tents I wore before and love being able to go to the juniors sections for the hottest trends... 3) The ability to run after my kids and KEEP UP. Looking forward to DOING stuff instead of dreading it....

I used to be that friend as well. A friend of DH had gastric bypass and I thought it was the 'easy way out' etc. Well, I finally realized, I was tired of always being hungry. I was taking a courageous step in order to be healthy FOR ME and MY FAMILY. I do agree with PP's. There is an element of jealousy. And there is an element of that person somewhere deep down, thinking they are better than you... and/or that through the weight loss, you will somehow be 'better than them' later on. You will encounter people who will want to sabotage your efforts, consciously or subconsciously. And no matter what you do, no matter how many times you explain your reasons for your surgery, they won't understand. And they may never understand. You will lose friends. They will drift away because too much of your friendship was wrapped around food-- i.e. eating out. Or because there will be that mental thing that they can't get over. And that will be their loss... When I hit the 'sweet spot' a month ago, I really had an epiphany. I sat down with DH, who never has had a weight problem in his life, and explained that who I was pre-band was ME being the BEST I COULD BE. My weight was not due to emotional eating. It was not due to lack of willpower. I did the best I could. I had hunger that was not satisfied. And the sweet spot FINALLY made me realize how satisfied I was with food AND LIFE. I have no compulsions to consume anymore... not just food, but it effects how I shop at the store, how I think about things. Until you get that, you don't understand... there will be a part of you that will accept blame. I know I sidetracked, but I just wanted to show you how sometimes, we can't control our thoughts until something changes them... that may never happen for your friend. And don't feel defensive for their words. As my friend Oprah said, "When you know better, you do better"--- sometimes people just don't know...

I am a daily weigher as well. I do not think it is an obsession and I do NOT freak out about a pound or so up or down. I am aware of fluid retention and constipation, hormonal fluctuations, etc. I like to keep myself accountable, and the daily weight check does just that. So far it has not failed me.

I have been banded for about 6.5 months... I have that issue as well.... I get stuck, take my laxative, and the weight loss starts up again... I only do it about once a month... but it does the trick...

Hi all, Just wanted to introduce myself. I had the band placed 10/23/07 by Dr. Ortiz in MX, and have my follow-up care through Dr. Mark Pleatman in Bloomfield Hills. I started at 235, and am now at 189... I just found my 'sweet spot' and couldn't be happier with my band!