lellow

Post op blues are actually SOOOOOO common, and not many people realise it and adjust their minds so that they remember, when you're in pain and feeling like crap, and your body is coming off anaesthetics, and you can't see the immediate results of the surgery, that of course you're going to feel like crap. Be kind to yourselves, everyone. Unlike, say, a boob job, where you can see the results immediately, the first few days can feel like all pain and no gain. But it will get better in time.

I know when I'm well restricted when I rarely feel hungry. That, to me, is being in the green zone. When I am in the green zone, I cannot eat more than 5 or 6 mouthfuls. And I don't want to. I feel full to the brim. And I rarely PBed unless I didn't chew well or I ate too fast. I also didn't tolerate certain foods, but the trade-off was I didn't get hungry so I didn't crave those much anyway. Everyone has an opinion as to what 'the green zone' is, but only you will know what that is for you. If you are struggling with hunger, even if you feel SOME restriction, I would probably say, imo, you're not in the green zone yet.

I've been in the green zone before, and I am not now (I had a leak that was repaired) and I can tell you that when I was in my green zone, I very rarely felt hungry. Losing weight and keeping it off was easy. My dr has refused to fill me as well because I lost 3lbs in a week. I suspect that had more to do with having 2 days of liquids, and 3 days of lunch time work meetings than being properly restricted. So from what you're describing, I'd say you're probably not in your green zone. But you may be close, so perhaps a small fill might be enough.

elcee, I feel you, sweetness. That's what it was like for me since I got the leak. Even now, even though I'm apparently losing, I'm hungry in the morning. I was hungry this morning. I had breakfast. I don't get hungry when I'm in the green zone, let alone in the mornings. The thing that worked for me (and kept the weight off for the most part) in the time when I wasn't restricted was heavy Protein. So steaks, chicken breasts, pork, prawns. Fish and chicken thighs and eggs went through fast and next thing I knew, I was snacking. I had oats for breakfast coz it kept me relatively full for fair period of time while not adding too many cals. Nice low GI diet. I don't see Nottle for 3 weeks too and I will be very surprised if I lose anything between now and then. The funny thing is, I have restriction but it's just not enough. But because I lost, he refused to put more fill in on Friday. Frustrating! So we can brave these next three weeks together, what say you?

I wasn't given the option of the sleeve back then. Even today, in Australia, the lapband is still the most performed WLS. It is covered by the majority of insurance companies (with simple qualifying criteria) and aftercare attracts a rebate from the government health care scheme. I had sleeve envy for such a long time, esp when I found that until I got to restriction with the band, I had to work hard to lose. BUT I lost all my excess weight plus some. And knowing it works for me, when I recently had issues and they thought it might be erosion, I actually said if my band had to be removed, I wanted another band instead of revising to a different type of weight loss surgery. Because the band works for me. I like that almost 4 years later, they fixed a leak, and put more fill in, and bam, I'm back on track. I love that!

Enjoy it! I have great days and then I have not so great days, so I say, enjoy the great days and don't question it!

Some people just need more fill. I always have. I had 8.5cc in a 10cc to get to my green zone prior to having a leak, and now, since fixing the leak, I have 8.5cc in a 10cc band and am not at the green zone yet. Everyone's different. If you've got restriction and are losing, you're probably getting there.

It's pretty hard to miss. They have to pierce through the port, and there is resistance against the needle when they do this. I have had enough fills now that I can tell when they've 'got it'. Hang in there, sweet. I have recently been refilled to 8.5cc in my 10cc band and I still wouldn't say I'm at optimum restriction. I know it's frustrating but you will get there.

Generally speaking, when you reach your goal weight, your band helps you maintain that new weight. In fact, I believe that the band gives more value in maintaining weight loss than assisting in weight loss. I recently had a leak and lost restriction in my band (i.e. the band stopped working) and I struggled to not gain weight. I recently got some restriction back after fixing the leak and this last week lost 1.5kgs without really trying. So I think anyone who thinks that they don't 'need' the band anymore once they get to their goal weight do not realise how they may be exposing themselves to the very real risk that they will regain the weight they've lost.

It's a lapband, elcee and even before the leak I needed a lot of fill. I got to my green zone at 8.5cc so was confused as to why now, with the same amount, I didn't seem to be. BUT I'm just back from seeing Peter Nottle and turns out I've lost 1.5kgs since my last fill a week ago so obviously something is going right. That's without me exercising too. So he's decided not to do another fill - in fact he was talking about a slight unfill - because even though I don't feel anywhere as tight as I used to be, I'm losing. I see him again in 3 weeks to see if it's still the case though!

I had a leak and was without restriction since Dec or so. It was hard not gaining but I managed it. I fought with hunger a lot but stayed on track. I've now had my leak fixed (I hope!) and am getting fills again. I have 8.5cc in my 10cc band and I feel restriction for sure. Am I at my sweet spot? I don't think so. I worry that I won't get to my sweet spot again (where I never felt hungry) but then tell myself to have faith. I have another appt with my dr today and am going to ask for a small fill (because I DO have restriction) and hopefully it will do the trick. I do notice though that restriction this time is different. I used to not be able to eat rice and bread when I was restricted. Even the smallest amount of bread would make me PB. Now while I still can't eat rice, I can eat bread no problems. Weird. I'm havign to learn what foods I can eat all over again.

What you see as preachy, I see as making sure she understands the whole picture. I am all for people doing what they want to do to make sure that they nip a problem in the bud. But I would hate that she goes into this thinking it's a quick win when it's not, that she thinks that it's something that will not require any change on her part. If she decides, knowing everything she can about the band, to go ahead, then she makes an informed decision. I would never tell anyone, low BMI or high BMI, what to do with their money, but I also won't pretend that the band is what it's not. She has a right to know the stats on the success of the lapband - on average 60% of excess weight, and excess weight is the difference between what she is now and what she would be at a BMI of 25, and in her case, that's 8kg. That's not being passive aggressive, that's the truth. She has a right to know that she will have scars on her tummy after the operation. She has a right to know that not many banders get to a BMI of 19. She has a right to know that she NEEDS good aftercare after her operation or she will fail. Not many people who have just started researching the band appreciate how much aftercare is as important as the operation itself. Why say that someone telling her these things is being resentful? I am a low BMI bander. Most of the people who have commented are low BMI banders. If I'd posted a thread like this 4 years ago before I got my band, I would hope someone would give me the same information as has been given in this thread. I am not discouraging anyone from having the band, I just want them to know what they're getting into so that they can decide for themselves if it's worth it.

Oh holy cow if that was how anyone gets fills, they're braver than me! A fill is just a needle through the skin on your belly into the port that is situated just under your skin. No big holes! That probably is more likely to be the actual operation, because you're left with 5 (I think) incisions on your belly usually from the lapband placement. I agree that we all were a BMI of 27 once, and I am for low BMIers getting banded before they get to the stage of having lots of weight to lose. But I think tempering expectations is important. Understanding the trade off you're making is important. Then if you want to do it, you've made an informed choice and that's the best you can do.

I get rashes that turn into blisters from dressings. Even a bandaid will give me blisters. I have worse scars from my blisters as a result of the surgical tape when I did my my body lift than from some of the incisions. I'm in Australia too and despite mentioning my allergy at every op, I still get taped, so I suffer with it. With the last op, I ripped them off because I could not stand the itch anymore and I actually caused one part of the incision to separate. Next time I'll just put up with the itch! You can get liquid Benadryl in Australia but I don't know if it's the same (as in an antihistamine).

I haven't had that feeling in a long time and since I got refilled to 8.5cc (in a 10cc band) on Friday after port revision, I'm feeling that too. I feel like if I eat too much, it's blocking up my throat. And two or three bites are enough to get to that point. I remember though that it was similar when I was in my green zone before so I know it's normal. Just forgot what it was like and now having to relearn all over again about the signals that the band gives me: to eat slowly, to chew and to stop before I get that 'full throat' feeling.

Just wanted to say that at 163cm, when I was 54gs, I was VERY thin. I was in a US size 2. I actually consciously gained til I was a size 4 just so I didn't look so boney. Even at a size 4 now, I am still thin compared to most. If at 168cm you get to 55kgs, you may find that that's not thin, but unhealthy. It's something to consider. May not be so for you, but it was for me. I did not look good at a size 2. My hair and skin suffered and my hip bones stuck out. And you could clearly see my ribs between my breasts. It wasn't beautiful at all. For me, perfect is about 58kgs. And I have never been a BMI of 19 (which is what you would be at 55kg and 168cm). I only ever got as low as a BMI of 20.3. For you to get to a "normal" BMI of 25, you'd have to lose 8kgs.That is your 'excess weight' as is calculated by most bariartric patients. So if you did the surgery, it's possible you may only lose less than 5kgs. You may lose more than that, of course, but it's likely you'd have to work hard. Another thing to consider is this: you may be able to go overseas to have to surgery, but who is going to do your aftercare? For the lapband to work, you need excellent aftercare and regular fills. You need to make sure you will have this in place before having your surgery. And because I'm dark, the scars never really went away. For others, it does fade though. I had a lower body lift after I lost all the weight too, so have extensive scars on my body now that I've had tattooed over. If you want to have a look, feel free to view my albums: http://www.lapbandta.../242962-lellow/

I am a low BMI bander (was a BMI of 35 when I was banded) and I hope you don't see it as judgemental when I ask you to consider this: Is the amount of weight you wish to lose worth the surgery? I had about 60lbs to lose, according to my dr, and if you go by the statistics, the AVERAGE weight loss of band patients is about 60%. So for me, I had to weigh up if only potentially losing 36lbs was worth the cost, the pain and the risk. For me, it was. In part because I believed I could lose 100% of the excess weight and I eventually lost 130% of my excess weight. So for you, you have to consider: if losing only, say, 20lbs (60% of your excess weight) is worth the cost and risk, then do it, and stand by your decision, and accept that it will be painful, that you will have scars on your stomach (which will show if you wear a bikini) and you won't be able to eat and drink the same way you always have. And, being of a lower BMI, the weight will likely not shift as quickly for you as it does for others. Good luck with your decision. I know what it's like to live a life being overweight, and I wish I'd done this sooner. But having said that, I didn't know that I was actually ready to do this before my surgery.

Heidib, that reflux is odd. I think the idea of investigating it might be a good one. Just to rule out anything.

I think goals are important. They motivate you. 2lbs a week is doable but you will need focus and commitment, and how better to make sure you have those than to have a motivator like a deadline?

The revision actually kicked my butt more so than the original lapband surgery. My dr only made on incision but found he had to replace the entire tubing instead of just the port so it turned out to be bigger than anticipated. I was off work for a week and even now, 3 weeks on, I have some swelling if I over-exert. But it may look like the band is back to working, which is good. So in the end, it was worth doing.

I had a similar thing happen. But in my case I went from having some restriction to nothing at all. Turned out I had a leak, so it might be worth seeing your dr and asking him to pull all the liquid out to see if you've lost any.