HeatherO

I would do it if it were me. I know I am so much more motivated by seeing others that are successful so I would jump at the chance to show others just what is possible with the band. It is a very personal decision which may get you a little extra attention . . . are you ready for that? :0).

I already knew what I needed to do to lose weight before being banded. I have lost 50+ pounds 3 times in my life, and various other amounts depending on my motivation level. So why couldn't I keep it off before . . . 1) the biggest reason is because I was HUNGRYYY and I like to eat. Physical hunger had a lot to do with it with some extra head hunger thrown in for dessert. It is my reward for everything . . . and my solace when i am feeling bad. It is my way of unwinding at the end of a long day; 2) because I had an unhealthy mind set that obsessed over food when I was dieting, or not dieting and I felt I could only be successful if I was feeling incessantly deprived. When I was in strict diet mode, I would even have constant dreams where the entire theme was about eating . . . I kid you not. One thing I would also like to mention is that I was never overweight until I was an adult. I never gave thought to what I ate as a child. Over time, the heavier I got, the more I obsessed over it and went to very strict measures (impossible to continue long term). Even as an adult, I never gained weight from not dieting . . . it was always the yoyo effect that seemed to start tipping the scales in the wrong direction. For me, and this might sound ridiculous, it almost seems like there was a relationship between the heavier I was at any given point in time, the heavier I was going to be in the future. It was almost as if dieting made me heavier in that I tried too hard and if I failed at all I had a massive failure. I have had a very successful life professionally and in relationships but my weight was the bane of my existence; 3) in for a penny, in for a pound . . . perhaps I goofed at lunch time on my unreasonably strict diet and so, since I already feel extremely guilty and ashamed, why stop there. I'll start again with the diet tomorrow or the next day and so dinner can be whatever I want. Self sabotage was imbedded cunningly in feelings of guilt. I never could find a middle road somewhere between deprivation and gluttony. So, how has any of that changed with the band??? 1) I am not hungry all of the time. I did not realize what a massive impact that would have on my ability to lead a normal, healthy relationship with food. 2 & 3) I am not obsessing over food. I feel like a weight has been lifted in that I will eat as much as my body will tolerate. This is the most non-diet eating plan I have ever been on. There is no need to feel guilty for overeating because I cant really overeat by much. It also can not trigger binge behavior for me because there is no room. Another side effect of the band is that I have occasionally made a rare decision to eat something not very healthy for me . . . and my body rejected it causing me to have a distaste for whatever it was and a desire not to repeat the experience. I have become very sick and miserable over a slice of pizza, french fries doctored with melted cheese, sour cream and chives, and a piece of cheesecake. I can tell you that I only tried these items once post banding and I dont want to try them again. I also tell myself that the only requirement is that I eat my Protein, veggies and fruit first and if I want something a little different I can have it . . . but I dont have any room for it by the time I am finished and the desire is gone. I can eat 1 triscuit or 1 bite of chocolate over a period of several weeks, feel satisfied and not worry at all. Food has stopped being good (boring) or evil (off limits but the epitomy of gastric desire). Food has become just food for me. I just make small decisions that lead me in the right direction. and finally . . . Success breeds success. It is easy to be motivated when you see things moving in the right direction. I am exercising daily now because it is easier at a lower weight and my fitness level has improved. I am learning to have a healthy, normal relationship with food. I feel good about myself and it inspires me to reach further and attain my goals. The band was just what I needed to get back on track with real life. Some days are easier, some are harder, but it is all within reach for me with reasonable effort and healthy decisions. It doesnt do all of the work for me, but it certainly takes the edge off. I may not be able to scale the mountain alone, but I can certainly climb the hill with a little extra help :0). Has the band affected anyone else in a similar way?

It depends on how bad it is. I have had projectile only twice but luckily in the bathroom ;0). Sometimes if I have overdone it but not terribly bad, I need to slime for a few minutes and it is slow. What a great post :0) I love your writing style . . . it is one of those posts that keeps me smiling regarding the "joys" of band life.

I go less as well and the volume is diminished. I am happy you are feeling better.

It is pretty well covered by other people above. There are two primary reasons, initial swelling post fill goes down after a time and the fat around your stomach diminishes. Some people have also mentioned that your fill can "evaporate" over time. However, I asked my physician and she said that eventhough it can happen, it is a very small amount over a very long time so the difference is too small to be noticed unless you are in maintenance mode and do not go in for fills for over a year.

There is no comparison whatsoever. It is like comparing a stubbed toe to a broken foot :0). Almost no pain for me and I never did more than 1 pain pill after surgery. Really the only pain I had was if I would cough and even then that was manageable. I suffered a little more from being tired a few days after surgery. I did have the shoulder pain which wasn't pleasant but the incisions were a piece of cake.

I had this doctor at this location. It was a great experience and I would not change a thing about it. If you want to hear more about the details, send me a pm (private message).

Last Friday I went to a friends house for dinner. We have a rotating, women only, dinner engagement amongst friends on Friday nights. No one knows that I am banded other than my husband. Well, everyone knows I am dieting. It has become obvious in the weight loss. Although for some reason the early, bigger losses were not noticed by people as much as late, smaller losses. Perhaps the smaller you get, 5-10 pounds lost here and there really shows. For many months I have been eating little, avoiding bread and sweets, saying that I am dieting and that I ate a little before I came so I'm not very hungry. The only item I really indulge in is tea. Well, last Friday I had a small piece of homemade thin crust pizza. I ate maybe 2-3 bites worth and maybe 2 bites of salad . . . and I got stuck for the first time in front of all my friends. I tried to look normal and everyone kept talking (avoid the deer in the headlights stare if you know what I mean). So I said excuse me (it is a little hard to talk when you are stuck) and I go to the bathroom. I knew a pb was coming so I helped it along . . . this means opening my mouth over the commode while standing so that gravity helps the slime and what have you escape. I was gone a good 5-7 minutes. So no big deal, time to breathe a sigh of relief. I was gone for a while but nobody seems to notice much other than me because people are in the midst of conversation. So I sit for a while and push the food around my plate a little, I know I won't eat another bite. I don't feel very comfortable but I am not in pain. I take a tiny sip of hot tea hoping that it would help with the soreness and it was a HUGE mistake. All of a sudden I need to get to the bathroom as fast as possible and I dare not speak before leaving the table. For the first time since being banded, I vomited. I barely had time to close the door. Not all of it made it into the right place either and I found myself shamefully cleaning the bathroom carpet as well. :thumbup: So I come back for the second time and everyone is glancing my way. I said my stomach has been upset today since lunch, perhaps my lunch disagreed with me. Then the joking starts about being pregnant, etc. Well . . . I survived it. I guess the lesson learned is that now that I am at good restriction, I have to be really careful about untested foods. I may not want to try something new for the first time with a group of people that don't know my "secret."

Mine was refried Beans with a little chicken broth added to thin it out with a little mozarella cheese on top. Yummmmyyyyy. It was the besssttttt thing I ate in a long time. It is funny, this is not something I would normally eat but it was absolutely wonderful after liquids, liquids, liquids. You are doing a wonderful job sticking to the diet and planning out your mushies stage. Liquids are hard going, that is for sure. Congratulations on working your way through the first stage of your new life!!!!! :0)

I must have spent 3-4 weeks sitting between 203-200. When I finally hit 199, everything started moving again. My body didnt want to go there at first, but what can I say . . . onederland is bliss!!!!! Another thing I noticed is that once you are in onederland, small changes in weight are visibly noticeable which makes it much more fun. :0)

I would leave it open for your husband to drive you unless you feel exceptionally well that morning. You may not feel like driving at all. I think the worst part will actually be getting in and out of the car. I wasnt ready to drive the next day but everyone is a little different.

I used them immediately. Instead of chewing them, I sucked on them like a hard candy until they dissolved. I used Spectravite orange flavor chewables, I think they came from CVS (. . . or maybe Rite-Aid)They were actually pretty yummy too. I still use them but I chew them now. I did use Gas-X strips which dissolve on the tounge. I would highly recommend picking up a pack of this for after surgery . . . especially the first couple of days. One box is all I have ever bought and I don't need them anymore but I really needed them over the first week.

Carolb, I am very sorry you are struggling as well. If you can not eat meat or more solid foods and are sticking to simple things that go through your pouch easy, another fill may not address the problem. You have to be able to get meat and other solids down (carefully chewed, eaten slowly, etc.) in order for the pouch to work for you. Otherwise you will remain hungry. Perhaps you can try carefully reintroducing more solid Proteins. If they will not work for you without vomiting, perhaps you may even need a slight unfill to get your pouch realigned with your needs. Sugary carbs like candy may even be kicking your hunger into higher gear. Specially if they move through the pouch easily. Everyone is different. However, for me I had to learn to stay away from processed carbs and only eat fruits, vegetables or low sugar yogurt, etc. In my system, if I eat something like a small piece of cake, I know that for some reason in another hour or so I will be looking for more. Eating any bad carbs triggers impulses and urges for me to seek more and the only way to control it was to avoid those foods. Take it one step at a time. Maybe today you will say, I will not eat any candy today and I will worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. Perhaps you can replace it with a Protein that your body can handle. Are you getting plenty of Water . . . perhaps increasing water intake will help as well. Sometimes big changes come wrapped up in very small daily decisions.

I would get the surgical notes and go for a second opinion as well. Specially if the hernia repair may put you in a better position for the future. I had a hernia repair done during lapband surgery. Everything seemed to go well but I had a lot of shoulder pain weeks after surgery. I was scared to death that for some reason the surgery wouldnt go through because of the hernia . . . but I am sure grateful that it did. I am very sorry that you had to wake from surgery to learn that it didnt happen. I can only imagine how that must have felt. Every doctor seems a little different (just look at differences in post op diets and fill requirements). You may have a very conservative doctor. However, it is best that if you have a very high probability of slippage that other alternatives are discussed. Discussing it with other surgeons is definitely worthwhile at this stage.

I dont know the specifics of Anthem BCBS now. However, I had this insurance before and I remember that you had to have a BMI of at least 35 with complications or 40 without. You should definitely give them a call. Best of luck to you.

First of all, congratulations on the 50 pounds. You have come a long way and have positives to show for it. Secondly, perhaps it is time to analyze some of the behaviors that cause you to turn to food and eat around the band. Seeking some counseling may be helpful and allow you to dig into the root of the behaviors so that you can make an adjustment. If you are regularly eating 1/4 gallon of ice cream, you may be sabotaging the level of success you can attain with the band. You have already recognized the behavior and have already made steps to address it. Journaling is another means to help you uncover reasons why you make the choices you make. Distractions as previously mentioned are always helpful. For me personally, the most effective things I do if I have a craving that won't go away works three fold. One, if I make a decision to indulge in something I know is not healthy I make myself wait 30 minutes to see if the craving will pass. Usually it is the impulse that I have to have something nowww that allows me to make an unhealthy choice. 30 minutes is also plenty of time to get distracted if you know what I mean :0) Secondly, if I decide to go ahead and eat whatever it is that I am craving, I eat something healthy first. I prefer whatever I eat first to not be too soft so that it helps to really fill me up. This way I am limiting on quantity but still able to indulge if I really need to do so. Last, I don't allow myself to feel guilty about it. I made a decision, took the steps I promised myself I would take and followed through. Everyone can indulge occasionally, it is making the conscious decision to control the situation instead of allowing it to control you that makes all the difference. Best of luck to you. We are all on this road together and dealing with the same issues. I know you can do this, 50 pounds lost is already showing that you have made a lot of great choices since banding. :0)

Just to let everyone know, even after being banded in Mexico I was able to find fill doctors through Synchrony Health/Cincinnati Weight Loss. I travel near Columbus and had to pay a $300 patient transfer fee and $50 cost per fill. I had a fill done there recently and they were very professional and easy to work with. Not to mention that everyone I saw at the office had a lapband and had found obvious success with it. I highly, recommend them . . . even if they were a lot more expensive they would be highly worth it. They are a joy to work with and the prices are unbelievably reasonable.

50 pounds is awesome . . . you have come along way!!! Don't let others tear you down, you know how hard you have worked to get to this point. Congratulations!!!!! Perhaps you should do a little celebrating . . . maybe a pedicure or a party at the park with your family. :0)

I wouldn't worry at all. If you follow the rules, you will lose. Your body needs time to adjust after an enormous shock to your system. Also, if you are anywhere near your time of month you may see the same upward weight change for a few days like clockwork every month. Everyone loses a little differently. For me, I lose a couple and stall a while, lose a couple and stall a little longer. All I needed to do was give myself adjustment time and not feel heartbroken if I did not see the scale decline every day. Just wait until you start comparing on a monthly basis . . . then you will really see what following the rules and working the band can do for you :0)

I have flown three times since banding in January. It had absolutely no effect on my band and I could even eat the in-flight meals (minus the bread and desert of course). Everyone is a little different and I also suspect being near the sweet spot may make a person a little more sensitive.

It would not have been a problem for me. I think the doctor says be careful for the first 10 days or so as far as getting the incision site wet. I certainly would have felt up to vacation three weeks later but you may still be on soft foods.

My port is sore today. It is not painful, just really tender. I have had occasional tenderness related to abdominal exercise . . . but this is just a little different. I had a fill last Tuesday. I am very diligent about daily exercise, but did not do anything much yesterday. I am not sure if this is unusual or not. Anyone else have occasional mysterious soreness in this area?

Yes really, I am curious about that escort. :0) I hope everything went well with the delivery. Congratulations!!!!!

I was doing a slim fast shake for breakfast as well. Mostly because I need something fast and nutritious. My fill nurse said she does not want me to drink shakes. She said it is better that I eat something that will stay in the pouch. So this week I must make a change . . . but to what I havent decided. I am kind of a creature of habit. I tried south beach Cereal bars with 10g Protein and lower sugars which were a pleasant change. I have been doing step classes at the gym and some weight training. Aerobics in a class are great because it keeps me motivated (no way i would slow down if everyone is watching). However, biking has been great. I have been doing it more and more. What is even stranger, it is hardly even exercise now. I feel like I can go forever. I am finally feeling that a month of almost daily exercise has completely changed my fitness level. Even my heart rate is dropping. I eat a lottttt of eggs. Almost every day for lunch. I find them filling and not difficult to eat. I have steak, salmon or chicken for dinner. Since I have had my last fill I am having a bit of a rough spot with them. I think I need to slow down my eating and chew more now than before. It seems like every fill requires more of an adjustment in eating processes. Salads are great and I try to eat fresh organic veggies with my protein. I am not very hungry and for the most part I am satisfied with my current diet.

My instructions were, do it when you feel up to it. So we waited about one week. Just be careful, dont overdo it and everything will be fine.