fluffycat

Gloria, If you go to the forum & scroll down to other weight loss surgeries. Look for VSG. I follow Susan's thread on the revision. Its good reading.

You know my 1st choice was not the lapband--it was the "sleeve." But my friend and this website changed my mind because the sleeve was relatively new and not a lot of data on it. Well, this website has a forum on "lapband to sleeve revision" which I have been reading. I know its costly but maybe insurance might cover it. Anyway, read that forum to get an idea on why those banders changed their thinking on the band and went with the sleeve. It mostly has to do with food getting stuck and not having the quality of life they desire. Its just a thought--an alternative.

I am almost 1 year out and still get hiccups from time to time. I don't know why--always after easting. Nausea--well, I guess your body is fighting that foreign implant and changes internally you put it through. That should settle down with time. Today is the 1st time in about a year that I have heartburn. But then I had a late night snack of pepperoni pizza before bed. Not really smart!

I was thinking over my decision to band vs sleeve and after reading more on this forum, I have decided the band is for me. I don't have those complications and I only needed 2 fills. I know my weight loss is slower but hey, it took a long time to put it on. What's the hurry now? So I was wondering, with the sleeve, since your stomach is smaller, I would assume your body works less to digest food--it shouldn't take as long either. So for those of us with eating disorders, what keeps you from grazing every couple of hours? What changes your eating behavior other than the portion size? For me, the utter physical misery of PB slime hack gag vomit spit foam for at least 2 hours after a "bad band episode" definately reinforces change. I have to change my eating behavior in order to avoid that! I either have to chew more, slow down, and be more conscious about eating to avoid negative, physical pain. I'm kinda like Pavlov's dog I guess. Isn't that a distorted wierd way of justifying it?!

WASa, My friend never did have WLS mainly because her husband said no. She has serious health issues and many women in her family have had problems with WLS over the past decade. Her sister almost lost her life twice after RNY! The military insurance paid for WLS & PS. She developed staph infections in the hospital after PS. The military kept moving her family around and it got to where no one would touch her. My friend looks to me as a role model but I am not the bandster to provide encouragement. My results are not great but that's my own fault. So, I feel you about social eating and the band. But can you tell the doctor how large you want your stomach to be with the sleeve? What if it only holds 4 oz and you are at a restaurant. Wouldn't you have to choose--do I eat the salad first or leave it? Doesn't it look like your whole meal goes home in a doggy bag? And the stomach will always stay the same size right?

You know when I first researched WLS at the end of 2007 I was all for the sleeve. My friend from work totally convinced me the band is better. I did more research on this site and by far, everyone raved on the band. The sleeve was "new." I couldn't comprehend how a foreign object in your body would last for years with no complications. And now, you all are swearing by the sleeve. If only I had trusted my gut instincts. So I am coming up on my bandiversary and down a whopping 25 lbs. I really am thrilled to be down anything since it has been years of putting on weight. And my WLS & the band have not been a medical problem for me. I have had 2 fills and have been at onederland since the holidays. But I hate sliming & PB'ing. And you never know how the band will react in certain social situations. And how can you get enough dense protein when the band will often prohibit it? Well, at least I know there are alternatives. My question is this: How can you go thru sleeve surgery if you are close to goal? Wouldn't the liquid diet & surgery make you lose too much weight? Also, WASa, I would love to see before & after pics. Are they on this site anywhere? Thanks.

Just relish in the fact that you took positive action towards a better person. Be patient. How long did it take to put on? Why are we in such a hurry. Enjoy every moment because you did the right thing--don't dwell on the negative. It will tear you up inside.

I really enjoyed the Springin' the Blues Festival at the beach this past weekend. The weather was fabulous, I rented a place for the weekend and had an awesome time. I'm not as self-conscious about myself in public. I wore shorts & tank top.

I just came back from a brisk walk with my dog & cat. I haven't been exercising regularly--IDK why. I have lost about 25 lbs in 10 mos. I feel so darn good about that. Its been a long long time since I've lost that much. Sometimes 10 or so here & there--but 25 lbs. I know its not nearly what a lot of you have lost; and I expected to lose double that by now going into surgery. But do you know and have you thought about--when you lose 25 lbs from your body, your body returns the favor and responds favorably. I live in Florida and right now, in April, its in the 40's!!! I ran the garbage out to the garage; my dog & cat followed (they have fur coats) and bolted half way down the street anticipating a walk. Having spent the weekend at the Blues Festival in Jax Beach sunning myself, I followed in shorts & a thin sleeveless top. (Yes, I am feeling good about myself these days!) Whoa.. Its really cold. I actually ran! I can't run. You know, my body decided (not my head) that I can run. And I did! It felt good! That's what 25 lbs can & will do for your body. Awesome. Even though it doesn't sound like much; 25 lbs, I am going to savor every little oz, gram, whatever, that comes off my body for good. I know how depressed I have felt for way too many years now. I've been on zoloft for at least 10 yrs. Its been bringing me down--day by day. Its been 10 mos & I have not put the weight back on. (That's like an all time record for me.) The band is doing its thing (my head is still way too hard) but I'm in onederland. And every day feels better than the day before. Yes, I am going to relish each & every moment of my life going forward. My "investment" was around $8,000 (airfare to MX, surgery, etc, and 2 fills.) It is so worth the money.

I started back to Curves in December and get weighed & measured every other month. I used to avoid this & only do it a couple of times per year. I lost over 12 lbs & inches in Feb/March! I am the top loser in the club for the very first time. Unbelievable!

I have lost 25 lbs in 10 months--10 of that was during surgery. I expected to lose at least 50 in a year so I have been disappointed. But its a loss and I'll take it. I have good restriction and it has taken me at least this long to figure out how I should eat. I only started exercising again in December at Curves. I didn't want to tell anyone about my lapband and have been getting weighed and measured every other month. My name goes on the board and I am usually in the top 3 for biggest loser of lbs & inches. Of course the ladies ask how did I do it. I stay quiet. This month I lost a total of over 12 lbs & inches and the ladies really pressed me. I gave in and told about my lapband. Oh, like its a cop out. Of course you would lose "that way." But you know, all those years of being weighed & measured and it really never added up to much. And then avoiding the scale, not tracking my results, not wanting to know. Just smack me around for not jumping for joy at my 25 lbs in 10 months. When have I ever done that before lapband? Its not a cop out. It takes work and effort. It is not an easy fix. And guess what else? It will take a long time--maybe even the rest of my life.

Has anyone noticed the full page ads in the FL Times Union over the past few weeks promoting gastric banding in Jacksonville? Finally, local doctors are offering weight loss solutions to those of us who are not "medically approved." Now, if they could be competitive with Mexico prices---hmmm.

Hi everyone. Haven't posted for a while. I am coming up on 1 year bandiversary and have lost about 25 pounds. That's about half what I expected to lose when I decided on LBS. But you know what? I'll take it because if I didn't have LBS, I would have continued gaining. I am still relearning how to eat! Pavlov's dog caught on faster than me!!! It is such a slow process for me but I didn't pack the pounds on overnight--it took years. And it will take years to get them off. Oh, and I told all my friends and now have to face them all and explain. That's ok. They are more heavy than last year and grousing about diets and exercise and weight loss contests they can't win. Two points I would like to make: 1) I have been losing weight-albeit, slowly, but none has come back like in the past; and 2) when I added exercise to my routine a few months ago, the results were dramatic. The inches really came off even though the weight loss was still slow. It's a journey for the rest of our lives. There is hope, it will be different than in the past because the weight will not return. Be like the turtle--slow & steady to win the race.

yum!!! You get to enjoy it twice!!!

2 cinder blocks in weight!!! Wow. I often think of those dog food bags or softener salt bags. I couldn't carry 2 of them around the house at one time but yet I seem to carry it on my body all the time. Why is that? Just to keep it in perspective and real -- we should all try and carry that weight we have lost occasionally. Just marvel at how heavy it was. How did we do it? No wonder we were lethargic.

Its been 7 months since banding for me. I don't really PB anymore unless I want to. I finally figured out what I need to do to avoid it. If I overeat to the point of uncomfortable; than I know how to PB for relief. Its optional now--not mandatory. If I could only discipline myself to consume mostly protein and leave all those other empty calories alone!

Sharona, You said it all girl. Relearning how to eat after 50 years of bad habits takes a while and a lot of effort. But at least we are going in the right direction. Just having surgery proves our commitment to ourselves. WTG! I look at my lady friends now and guess what? They put on holiday pounds!!! This is the first year I haven't and I really don't feel like I sacrificed anything. I ate goodies, I grazed, drank and was merry. But in moderation. No more stuffed feeling for me. No more napping after a big dinner. (I can't eat a big dinner.) I also think I finally figured out that PB thing. I eat soooo sloooow now. And chew it to pulp. I also stop eating after 2-3 bites. That's right. Try it. 2-3 bites and stop. Enjoy the company or tv, whatever. Time yourself. Then try another 2-3 bites. No more PB'ing. It's a new year. I am going to resolve to work better with my lap band. I don't care if I'm a slow loser. I just want to be a loser. Ha!

All this talk about hunger pains. I used to think I could manage those hunger pains back in my old dieting days. How painful could they be--that gnawing sensation in the belly? That pain defeats me every time. I can't stand that feeling. Do I still get that gnawing feeling with the lapband? Absolutely! But it is so much more manageable. I can eat a much smaller amount and it goes away--for a while. Just eat those small amounts of protein whenever those hunger pains rear their ugly growls. Slow & steady will win the race. The rest of the struggle is all in the head. I haven't figured out how to control that yet. Discipline, commitment & perseverence.

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread. I was feeling bummed reading the other threads because I am not losing weight like the rest of the lapbanders. But I don't regret my decision -- yet. I'm still learning how to live with the band. My fills have given me restriction but it seems to "go away" after a while. But then again, I PB quite a bit and have that painful feeling in my chest on a regular basis. I too blame it on myself. I have to change. I need to go with the band flow. Mornings--forget it. Maybe liquids will go down, really slow. Afternoons, I am hungry and want to snack. I can eat a small, healthy lunch but I still want to snack later. (That's a mind game though.) Dinner is also hard. One to three bites and then I am miserable. So that's what I do. 1-3 bites, stop. Continue 1-3 bites later in the evening. Yes, the weight is slow in coming off. Of course, in the back of my mind, I knew this would not be easy. It never has been before and I am in my 50's. So, the band was my decision and I will learn to live & work with it. And I will take a slow weight loss any day because that's always better than the continual gain I had been experiencing over the last 2 decades. Most of the effort is psychological. This can work. Think positive.

I only weigh once a week if that and I always dread that darn scale. Of course, last Friday when I weighed the scale did not drop an ounce. How disappointing is that? We had fresh fish for dinner and I guess I hurried up a bit and paid for not chewing that fish up for the next 3 hours. Just for kicks, I weighed on Saturday morning and was down 3 pounds!!! How could that possibly and scientifically happen? I didn't burn 10,000 calories overnight. I sure didn't lose 3 pounds of "water weight." But you know what? I'll take it!!! That scale plays such mind games with me and usually wins.

April, I can relate to all of those feelings. Part of me--no, most of me truly enjoys food and I don't want to give that up. Hence, the very slow weight loss. I could do better with more commitment and discipline but slow & steady is just what I can live with right now -- the least amount of eating changes & food choices I have to make. That's what is do able for me. It will take me a whole lot longer than most persons on this sight but that's ok too. I am not in a race. It took me years to get to this point anyway so what's the big hurry now. The best part of my banding decision is knowing that the weight WILL NOT come back. I have always said for me to lose weight & keep it off, I would have to have my mouth wired shut or be put on a desert island somewhere. There has to be a reasonable solution that I can live with and that's what the band is to me. But let me just say that even with a small weight loss, the changes are fantastic! My clothes had been tight and now I am actually in a smaller size. There have been so many non scale victories since banding that it just renews my hope each and every day that this can and will work. My efforts since banding have been to relearn old habits such as taking smaller bites, smaller portion sizes, and chewing until liquid consistency. Believe me, I am still in the relearning process. The band does provide restriction--it restricts certain foods and the amount of food. It physically hurts for a few hours each time you fail your band. Sooner or later your brain will catch up and figure it out! The surgery, healing process, etc. is so minimal that it wasn't an issue for me. The issue is believing that the band can and will work. You have to believe and have faith. You can do this! Sandy

I get that feeling all the time. If I am truly stuck, then I have to bring the food back up because it will never go down. However, sometimes that feeling is just from overeating. In that case, it will eventually pass through but it may take a couple of hours of complete misery. Now you would think I could control how much I eat so I could avoid that feeling, but I have found that not all foods react the same way. The more dense the protein, the quicker I get full -- sometimes 3 bites! Also, the band reacts differently at different times. Mornings are tighter than daytime. Its really hard to get a handle on this. Sometimes I just slime and wait it out. I don't like to vomit it back up so I am really chewing my food to death these days. The wierd thing is that what comes back up tastes just like it did going down. I guess it hasn't had time to mix with stomach acids. Yum--enjoy it twice!!!

OK, this 2nd fill has done the trick so far. I am restricted and feeling it. I have never really been hungry since being banded though. Not like I was before the band. I have to change my habits. Instead of mind over body; its now body is controlling the mind. I see it and want it, but can't have it--physically can't have it. The chest pain is unbearable and lasts so long. Now if I don't chew well enough--it has to come back up. There's no other way. But then if I eat too fast or eat too much, I am still totally miserable. It lasts for 1-3 hours depending on what it was I ate. Dense protein is the worse. The hard part is knowing how fickle my band is -- sometimes I can eat and sometimes I can't.

I had my 2nd fill 2 weeks ago and I am now restricted. Oh I thought I was restricted before because I did PB many times. But this time is different. I physically can not eat more than half a cup if that. Different foods react differently. I can't gulp down more than 4 oz of water at a time. My chest just wants to explode and i feel so miserable. I have 2.5 cc in a 4 cc band. I am now starting to lose 1-2 pounds per week. Be careful what you wish for though. I enjoy cooking. Imagine making lasagne, sitting down with the family and having just 3 small bites. Smelling food and not being able to eat it. Going to a restaurant. getting through an appetizer or salad and then boxing up the entree without even trying it. And the worse part of all -- being so hard headed in breaking habits that you force the food and end up for the next 3 hours in pain and misery all the while trying to chuck it all back up. This is not good. When will I learn this new lifestyle?!

This is soooo true! I have only lost about 15 pounds in 5 months. So last month I started exercising. I have had 2 fills -- 1.5 cc & 1 cc 2 weeks ago. The 1st fill didn't really change anything. I have seriously been trying to figure the band out and work with it but it can be very fickle. Now after that 2nd fill -- things have changed. I am now losing weight. I can't gulp water. I can only get down 3-4 bites of dense protein. I can never over eat. Oh, I still try. And I pay for it dearly. I am like Pavlov's dog -- how many negative reactions will I have to have before i give in and eat the right way?