Bel

Hey chickie! I totally know what you mean, i never realise just how big i was until i started to lose weight, i think realising how people had seen me for so long made me self concious! As the weight came off it got worse untill i got to a point where i looked in the mirror and thought hey i am not fat anymore...im normal, that and everyone complimenting you will eventually boost your self esteem. I think its totally normally to go through this. I would recommend doing things that make you feel good, like getting your hair done. It helped me a great deal. In time these feeling will pass trust me, in the mean time you need to work on loving yourself. Just think, you will never go back to that the only way is up; or down depending on how you look at it!

Ok so i thought i would post this so you guys know that its OK to mess up, i have had the band 6 years and i messed up last night (big time) Heres what happened... I had a fill a few weeks ago cause i leaked a little and boy did that fill restrict more then i have been, back to eating small portions (which i havent done for over 1 year) so anywhoo, i am still kicking myself into only eating small amounts and im missing the larger portions (1 and 1/2 cup). So i made dinner last night and ate that and was stuffed with about 1 cup of food, then a coupla hours later my head did some talking, gee i want Cereal, Belinda gimmie cereal, please i love you i want cereal CEREAL CEREAL CEREAL lol and i made the mistake of listening....1 large bowl later and i was in pain, i knew it wouldnt fit, i could feel it before i started but i wanted it sooooo bad and thought what the hell i can wash it down (cereal is my vice) WELL guess what, i couldnt wash it down cause i was too friggin full to drink anything....it is now 10am the next day and i have been up all night with reflux ( i refuse to pb unless i am dying) and i am still stuffed full and sore as hell. I am drinking my pepsi max now to get it down. For me pepsi is a god send, i have always been able to drink it and when i am tight or stuck i drink some and the bubbles loosen the band just enough that i an get whatever through without too much pain, love the stuff and i know most people say dont drink it but my surgeon is banded and has 1 every day for lunch, i can have it and have had around one a day for the last 6 years, sugar free of course! (dont try it if your newly banded) Anywho i couldnt believe i made such a dumb mistake but it just goes to show everyone is capable of their moment of stupid, just as long as you learn from it people! Lesson: Dont be such a pig lmao

Hi Heather! First of all congrats on the first fill, its always a little daunting. Ok everyone has a different opinion about how long you should leave it after a fill, i personally believe that after a week and because you dont have much in the band, you should be able to tell if you need a fill. When you get more in it may take a week for the fill to take effect but at this stage i think you would know. I would book for another fill, i myself have had a fill 2 days after getting one cause i knew it wasnt tight enough (wouldnt recommend till you know your band well) but i would book and get another one personally. It took me a few fills to feel anything, it also depends how agressive the surgeon is who gives the fills, how much did you get in? I would not want more then .5mls at a time in a 3ml band :-) (if thats what you have) Once you hit 2mls in the band taper it to .3 per fill, it helps avoid overfilling. If your not sure you can always go in and talk to him, im sure he could tell you if you need another one. The doc's see this all the time dont forget. I find the best thing to do is listen to your body, if you have had no effect from the fill, get another one...at this early stage i dont think getting them close together would be an issue

Hi all, sorry i havent been on in a while; mum had surgery on her throat so i have been looking after her 24/7 and havent had time to think lol I think they do chose to move on, i did for a few years and then i found this site and thought it would be good to help people with the same stuff i went through, the obsession does fade and for some goes away, i still have a slight obsession but its managable cause i dont think about food all the time now! Lowbmier i am more then happy to answer any questions, will pm you my email. I cant understand the insurance system...people pay their fee's it shouldnt be so hard to get your monies worth! I feel for everyone going through so much hell with the companies and i hope it happens for you soon! You could always move to Australia lol it doesnt seem so bad to get approved here. Anywho how is everyone going? I have put on a couple of kgs cause i havent had time to exercise but it will come off again eventually.

Hi heather, glad to hear you are progressing well! I wouldnt worry if you put a little weight on before restriction it is perfectly normal and hey, you have lost more weight then i did at your stage so congrats! Things are good with me, having some issues with work but it will be fine and im taking time off on Friday for mum's surgery. Let me know how the fill goes! Are you nervous? Hi Stacey, welcome! I think that is a fear everyone goes through, i can tell you for me personally i would never go back but you have to remember too that if you do get the band and feel it is too restricting you can have it unfilled and eat normally, i have done this a couple of times due to various reasons and then when i was ready to pick up where i left off i just got another fill. The thing that helped me was knowing i would live to be able to enjoy life rather then dying from food. Regine i feel your pain and wish i could make it better for you! Try not to lose hope...maybe you could consult someone who deals with legal issues with insurance, who knows the loopholes? they may have a way you can get around the company, i have heard of this being done successfully in the states. pj, i can have the tubing replaced (which is where the leak is) but its not really nessesary at the moment because i have omnipaque in which is a thicker solution and it seems to hold up well without leaking too much, i will get it fixed eventually but i figure if i can put it off i should.

Hi all, just wondering how everyone is going?

I think OT bars are from an aussie company but you guys would have some sort of similar Cereal bar im sure :-) I only knew the port flipped when the doctor couldnt get the needle in and i had the adjustment under xray, i didnt get any pain; if you are having pain i would be concerned its something else, should speak to your doctor in my opinion

hi, I haven't been banded 10 years but im coming up on 7yrs this November. I lost all my weight and have kept it off with ease. Once you have that change of mind you realise there is more to life then food :-)

hi snapplegirl! The leak isnt dangerous, its just a hole in the band or tubing that lets the saline leak and loosens the band. I have had a thicker solution put in which seems to have stopped the problem for now. It is a small hole, if it was larger i would need the tubing replaced because that is where the leak is :-) From what i know the band eroding is very rare and my doctor has never seen a case. Theband is made to last a lifetime. I am the same when it comes to having sweets, one bite and im screwed. I buy the chocolate flavour OT's bars by uncle tobies, they are low fat and sugar and taste really good. I have them and they satisfy any craving i would have. I can't eat any steak anymore, which doesnt really bother me cause i didnt eat it before. The only meat i eat is chicken and occasionally mince. You can get a lot from chewing it to nothing and then spitting out the rest, cause whats left is usually the sinue and it doesnt hold Protein.

Hey Heather, thanks for posting so quick! Congrats on the band, i am so happy for you and really glad you are finding it to be all positive thus far. You know whats crazy i have had the band for 7 years this year and i didnt know we couldnt have metamucil, do you know why that is? or is it just you cant tolerate it? I have never needed it so i never thought about it. I am still shocked when i hear peoples stories about what the excess weight can do, its so huge that the risks in surgery increase that drastically when your overweight! All the more reason to make it work for you. Thanks for sharing, keep us posted Bel

okay, i know i was going to be on earlier but we had to unexpectedly put one of our dogs down this arvo. Thankyou for the support heather, i really appreciate it! Laurasue- congrats on getting a date, having the band really helped with my depression but it is still something i have to struggle with, i find the more i exercise (unfortunatly) the better it is. I was on medication but after a while it made it worse so now i am off everything and as long as i am eating well i am usually in good spirits and can handle most things well. I think it would be a huge benefit to try and modify your eating now because it will make it SO much easier when you get banded and wont be such a shock to the system. Let me know how you go with it! Aussie, thankyou for your email...i really look forward to keeping in touch! and i think its a fabulous thing that you have done being banded to help yourself and your son. Heatherdee - how are you going with your new toy? have you had any problems getting used to it ? update us :-) Denise - i dont really have many secrets when it comes to avoiding the naughty things at picnics, i usually make sure i have something sweet in my bag and Snacks at all times i figure its better to have something sweet and low cal then a high cal treat and if i find i cant resist then i portion a small amount and enjoy it, eat slowly and savour it. I also find i eat so slow that by the time everyone else has finished i have bearly eaten lol. Another idea is to get away from the food if possible, play some cricket (aussie fav) with whoever is there or toast marshmellows when camping (if you can tolerate them) they aren't too bad for you. I am the worst binge eater and still have problems! I found if i schedualed treat days and had something small like a mini choc bar that would be enough, unfortunatly it does take will power but if you distract yourself long enough you wont crave it anymore. I also have a rule now, if i want something sooo bad i usually wait for 30mins and drink some Water, if i still want it and know i wont feel guilty afterwards i have it with no regrets. Hope everyone is well, please let me know how you are all going!!! Bel

Hey everyone! I am so sorry i havent been on more, have just found out mum has cancer and i have been working like crazy. I will be back on this arvo to reply to your individual posts :-) In the mean time i pm'd you all my private email addy so contact me anytime, i do love a good chat. Please let me know if you didnt get it and i will resend it. Hugs

Ok so im a little confused. I found out i had a leak last week and my doctor tried the thicker solution called omniplaque or something anywho, she put it up to 3cc in a 3cc band. Was fine till the next day when i swelled so i got some out which took me down to 2.7cc's which was great till the swelling went down and i need another fill. So today i went in to get one and she measured what was in the band and i had 3.1cc's in there! How freakin weird is that...and before you ask she checks the amount in the band each time because of the leak. Anyone else heard of this?:confused2:

wow, that is so weird. Hope it was nothing too serious that caused your unfill! I think we must have some kinda phantom fill bands...they fill themselves lmao

hi slim, i haven't had any other complications until a couple of weeks ago i found out i had a leak. I believe this happened when i had to have an emergency unfill and a doctor that was not very well trained had to do it...he poked me over 30times before taking me to xray and then it still took him 20mins. My doc and i think he punctured the tubing but it should be ok with some omnipaque in it. I have lost all my weight and kept it off. My health is also better then ever, the band has not caused any health problems it has helped them!

Hi, i have been banded 6 years...7 in November. I got to goal and have kept it off. I did go through that stage where i got too comfortable with the 'new' me and ate like a pig...i gained 7kgs but during that time i also wasnt getting fills. I realised that even though you have lost so much you have to keep getting fills because the fill does evaporate slowly over the months. I found i have a leak now but it is easily fixed and im losing weight again because i made the choice to lose a bit more, it has to be a concious choice. The thing that gets me through that time when i want to binge is my before pics, remembering what it felt like to be so huge and unhappy....i still have bad days but i even them out with exercise and good days. I realised i love my life now and i cant go back to that place. Good luck to you and keep us posted! I would get a fill and see your doctor or GP monthly for weigh ins (trust me it helps keep you accountable) even now i see my Doc every 2 months for a slight top up and to get weighed.

Hi Heather! Im Belinda, and im also 22yrs.I would love to be your band buddy...i have been banded for 6 years and have been at goal for many years, i would love to help in any way i can....pm me if you wanna chat :-) and congrats on getting the band

Denise i totally know what you mean, i still have that feeling of it being too good to be true! I sometimes forget just how different things are now and its like i never weighed that much to begin with (untill i see my strech marks) Froggie, congrats on making the decision to get the band! I would love to hear how things go with you and i will cross my fingers you are booked for November :-) Sue i had to laugh when you said 'old dog' lol your as young as you feel...or so my mum keeps reminding me! :laugh:

Hi Sue! Where to start...um, after goal life is wonderful, i eat normally and what i like so long as its in moderation. I certainly live a much more fulfilling life then i did when i was obese and a lot more active, i have more friends, travel more and am over all a much happier person. I also lost my depression along with the weight. I never got my band unfilled because i know i would gain immediatly. I get fills when i need them and make sure i can still only eat 1 cup per meal, i just eat higher calorie foods since i cant eat AS much as most healthy people. I recently decided to lose a few more kgs, got another fill and am losing easily...if i want to stop i eat more 'naughty' foods lol I lost a little more then goal but i put it back on when i became a little too excited at being at goal, he he but i have maintained my goal weight without trouble...i have my bad days but i balance them out with one to two good and i dont gain a thing. I lose weight easily now so i cut my exercise a little bit as well to even things out a bit. Used to do 1 hr cardio a day and now i do a 30 minute walk instead. I dont tend to eat more then 3 meals because i find im not hungry enough and if i do eat more then i tend to get into bad habbits, i do snack when i feel like it with no real concequences but that urge doesnt come up much. I generally only snack when i go to the movies and then i feel yucky cause i ate too much. Best thing to do when you get to goal i find is talk to a nutritionist about how you can up the calories a little...i just have a small treat a day like 2 pieces of chocolate or a cookie or a large one every few days like an ice cream but your body does adjust as well and will stop losing when its lost enough. I think that as long as you listen to your body and watch for gains (not on the scale) you will be able to control it easily and it gets really easy once you have done it for a little while, the important thing is not to get to goal and think great now i can eat what i want, then let yourself go cause you will gain :-)

That is so sweet thankyou! It means a lot when people say that sort of thing too me. For the record its 7 years in November, i did post one time it was 7 years but i got my dates wrong since it had been so long since i needed to remember when i had the band lol :thumbup: I am sure you will have just as much success if not more chicka, i think just having this board is a huge motivation and i wish i had it when i got banded! Ryan, please keep us posted on your decision and how you go with it,i know you will do great with whatever you choose to do because you have a great head on your shoulders....oh now i sound like my mum :eek:

Ryan i just want you to know that most people i know on this board would be behind your decision, i for sure am 100% behind you! I hope you don't take what the other poster said to heart...you shouldnt be disgusted, IMHO food is an addiction for people who need the band and its not something everyone can fight on their own. I personally know that without the band i would be dead because i AM and always will be addicted to food but at least now i can control it. I dont think its disgusting that someone get to that weight at ANY age because obviously there is more at work then just being a pig. You might as well say that it is DISGUSTING that someone becomes anorexic or bulimic and frighteningly thin because they have a problem with NOT eating (this is NOT what i personally believe) It is a serious problem to become like this and in my opinion when it gets to the stage where you mentally link food to emotions then getting obese isnt a CHOICE. Some people have the willpower to stop and i congratulate them for that but for those who dont then i think it takes more guts to seek help at any age then to sit there an critisize someone for doing what they need to do. If you need to talk, pm me!!! Bel

Hi there im sorry to hear this has happened to you! I have been banded 6 years and had it happen twice...the first time was around a year out and i had it surgically corrected (which really isnt a big op at all) then it happened again a few months ago but when i went for the xray it had flipped itself back again, i have always had a bad port...it moves and everytime i have a fill it is in a different place (same round about area) Good luck with the revision, it will go quick :-)

Like i said i respect your opinion and wasnt judging i was just trying to explain how you worded your opinion could have been done with a little more tact as this is a sensative issue for many people especially the op who was seeking help and i think using the word 'disgusting' when relating to an overweight teen could have been avoided Will agree to disagree

Sarah, i dont normally get offended and i totally support your right to have an opinion but i think that is an extremely narrow minded view. To say that teens dont die from morbid obesity is rediculous because if someones body is in that poor of a shape then whos to say they wont have heart attack...i had the band at 16 and for you to say that it is DISGUSTING for someone that age to be that big is really a horrible thing to say! I was morbidly obese and WOULD HAVE had a HEART ATTACK! my heart was weak and it was almost certain that would happen, i also have asthma and could bearly breathe, i also had high blood pressure among other things. My god to say its disgusting i just cant get over it! You think i got that big on purpose? you think any teen would have? You dont know the history of anyone who is that big as a teen and to judge like that is to use your terms 'disgusting' Just to explain to you how i got so disgustingly huge....i was sexually assaulted at 6, then my grandparents died, then my uncle died, then my mother got cancer, then i started eating for comfort. Then we moved and i was uprooted to a place where image is everything, i was overweight at that stage but not by much...i was tormented through school, then had a major car accident that involved my entire family and i was driving the car. I spent 1 year looking after my mother who was in a wheel chair and doing everything around the house as well as home school because i couldnt take being tormented any more. I then got diagnosed with glandular fever my health deteriorated Then i got severe depression and gained the weight,all before i was 16 years old! Not to mention i was on steroids for asthma since i was 18mths old. You still think someone who is 16 shouldnt have the surgery? you would say to someone who has been through hell and is at risk like that they shouldnt go through with it? I am not saying every teen should have it but i dont think its right to generalise when you dont know their individual circumstances. I dont understand how someone who has obviously has got weight problems themselves can judge someone like that, i hope to god next time you maybe think about what the person you are judging may have been through to get them to be the size they are. I realise you werent judging me personally but i did find it hypocritical at best. I apologise if anyone else finds this offensive but i feel that having been there i am the right person to respond :-)

Hi, the only negative for me comes when i am too tight, then i get an unfill and its all good. I have had a port replaced and found out today i have a small leak that will eventually need fixing. I still wouldnt change a thing, i love my band and know that i would gain all the weight back within a year if i lost it :-)