Catherine55

Definitely don't focus any more attention on the projected figures for what you will lose. If you are committed to your band and eventually make exercise part of your life, you will get to goal. My very best advice for you is not to waste time on the probabilities and statistics on loss (because they may just discourage you from getting to your goal) and to really focus on writing out a plan of what you are going to commit to do in order to make the band work for you. I did this at the beginning of my surgery -- you can see my plan if you go to THIS LINK - and it really helped me to stay focused. I also made a list of the things I was looking forward to about being banded, thinner and healthier -- I can not even tell you how amazing it has felt to check all of those things off my list as each one became part of my reality (well, except for the one about not being a fat bride... but I'm working on that one)! This process is only as good as your level of commitment. If you can commit to being proactive about your care (and your fill level), to making good food choices more often than not, and to making exercise part of your life, you will make it into the group of bandsters for whom this surgery really works. The statistics will be irrelevant, and there is no freaking way you will only lose 30 pounds!! Best wishes, Catherine

ABSOLUTELY!! My feet went down 1/2 a size, and my heels no longer crack in winter! My feet also don't kill if I walk around all day, and I can wear high heels again!! Thank you for this post -- it's a good reminder of just how much better my "dogs" feel without 80 extra pounds on them! Another wonderful thing to look forward to about being banded, like.... fitting on a plane comfortably, even in the middle seat... being able to wrap a normal sized towel around yourself ... shopping in any store ... not feeling bad about your weight... and so much more. You have so much to look forward to! The foot thing is wonderful, but it's the tip of the (wonderful) iceberg! Best wishes, Catherine

I gave all of my "big" clothes to other bandsters (save for my "Jared" pants that I keep to remind myself from whence I came)! I met so many people through my blog, and sent bundles of clothing all over the U.S. to different bandsters -- and those bandsters have sent their clothes to others, and so on and so on. It's been a really fun part of the banded experience for me. I bet there are plenty of people on this blog who would be thrilled to fit into your old size 18s! Congratulations on your success!! Catherine

I gave all of my "big" clothes to other bandsters (save for my "Jared" pants that I keep to remind myself from whence I came)! I met so many people through my blog, and sent bundles of clothing all over the U.S. to different bandsters -- and those bandsters have sent their clothes to others, and so on and so on. It's been a really fun part of the banded experience for me. I bet there are plenty of people on this site who would be thrilled to fit into your old size 18s! Congratulations on your success!! Catherine

I agree with the pervious posters who said to up your calories briefly -- just do it for one day. That generally will work. If that doesn't do the trick, log your food for a day or two to see if you're being 100% honest with yourself about your calorie intake. More exercise is always good too!! Don't stress about short plateaus -- or if the scale boing-boing-boings from time to time between losses. It's totally normal and part of the process. It is great though that when you have a plateau, you are looking to find out the cause and how to get past it -- that's what will take you all the way to your goal! Congratulations on 20 down -- that's wonderful!! Catherine

Bob -- The one thing I miss about being at goal is that martinis are a no-go these days! I can't handle that much alcohol without my weight's help. I primarily drink wine these days -- first, because I really enjoy it, and second, because of the lower alcohol content. I might start with one (seriously though, only one) mixed drink at a nice dinner or a party, but generally, I find that I have a better time and can stay out longer if I stick to wine. One thing I've noticed too is that wines with high acidity don't work that well with the band (they bother me more now.. maybe because the wine is spends a little time in the pouch, instead of going straight down). So, I find that big reds are great and, while I still enjoy Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Torrontes and Albarinos, a French white Burgundy (read: Chardonnay) is always a safe bet. I hope that helps! I'm 3+ years out and drinking isn't an issue. Just be sure not to drink so much that you are hungover to the point of being sick, or to drink so much that you sabotage your weight loss. Cheers -- and best wishes for your success! Catherine

You are going to seriously hurt yourself if you keep this up. Also, why are you eating like this? You had weight loss surgery, but from what you ate, it sounds like you are not committed to making this work. My very best recommendation for you is to (a) talk to your band doctor about what you did, and be honest; and (b get him or her to recommend a good therapist who can help you to work through the issues that caused you to sabotage yourself and your recovery. I do not mean to sound judgmental or preachy -- I mean this advice very sincerely and believe that it will help you if you follow it. Please don't do this to yourself. Don't you want to make this work?? It's actually POSSIBLE for you to be a thin person if you just follow the rules more often than not. You haven't ruined anything yet. This may just be a blip. Just get back on the wagon and get the help you need so that you can succeed. With best wishes for your longterm success. Catherine

You've only been at this for a year -- the race isn't over yet! (And it's not a race .. slow & steady is the way to go.) It sounds like you may need to manage your fils better. Also, I've found therapy to be a hugely useful tool during this process. The band does take work, but it makes losing the weight -- and keeping it off -- possible. I was never able to do this without my band. But now, I've been at goal for well over a year, and the maintance has been easy. That is because I work out regularly and I watch what I eat, within reason. It does not feel like a "diet" to me at all. I generally try to make good food choices, but I still eat whatever I want -- just in much smaller quantities than I did before surgery. Please don't be detered by this -- and please don't give up. Talk to your doctor and find out what tweaks you need to make to wind up being a success with your band. Best wishes, Catherine

Just wanted to send best wishes to all the October 2011 bandsters!! I'm an October 2008 bandster (my surgery was Oct. 23rd) -- just hit my three year bandiversary and all is well!! I've been under goal for more than a year (I am 5'6 and started at 230 lbs) and maintenance has been easy! I encourage all of you to take your measurements and some "before-ish" photos now if you haven't done that already! Also, I feel like my blog really helped to keep me focused and on track -- it's been a huge source of encouragement and has kept me accountable through the past three years (not to mention that I use it all the time b/c it's a great record of the past 3 years of banded life). I encourage any of you who are interested to start one! Best wishes for LOTS of success for all of you!! Catherine

I had so many fears -- that I'd have complications, that the surgery wouldn't work for me, that I'd hate what it felt like to be banded, etc. But the surgery didn't turn out to be anything near as big a deal as I'd expected, I'm three years out -- and have been below goal for a year (maintaining at the same weight without much trouble, given my gym schedule and what I eat), and I love being banded. It was so, so worth it. I have a comparison photo in my signature, but I just put a new one on my blog (link below) because I found a better "before" photo. I think the pictures really tell the story better than I can!! Catherine

I was totally freaked out about that before I got banded, too! I told myself that if I absolutely hated it, I'd get it out after 6 months. BUT.. then I had the surgery and realized that if you have no fill in your band, you can eat absolutely anything. I wish someone had told me that!! I would have been so much less worried. I am just over 3 years out and can tell you without reservation that I love my band. I actually enjoy food MORE now than I did before -- because I can eat pretty much anything (though in smaller quantities) and I never, EVER, have to feel like sh*t about what I ate, what my weight is, or how my body looks. Food tastes exactly the same as it did before (the surgery didn't alter my taste buds, after all!) but I'm totally satisfied earlier. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to order dessert in a restaurant, or to eat ice cream in public (even at the beach) without feeling like everyone else is thinking ... "Should she REALLY be eating that?!?" I've been keeping a blog since just before my surgery (and I have a link to a bunch of other blogs in there). Feel free to give it a look (especially the beginning) because I wrote a lot about what it felt like, what I was eating, and what being banded is like. You can also see pretty clearly that I haven't had to give up my love of food at all. I hope that helps to demystify this process for you -- it's honestly the best thing I have ever done for myself. Best wishes, Catherine

You pull out a pair of knee socks from three years ago (that used to fit your much-bigger calves), then spend the rest of the day having to tug 'em up!! Seriously.. I thought I'd accidentally put on stockings, but they are pre-surgery socks with stretched-out elastic!! Yikes! When do YOU know you're a bandster?? Catherine

I like the Isopure shakes from GNC -- they have a lot of Protein (24 grams, I think) and taste more like Gatoraid than a shake. I really couldn't stand most of the shakes! Glad you liked the blog, Jenn! Best, Catherine

Hi, Jenn! I'm from NYC, too! Congratulations on your surgery date! Very exciting stuff -- and you have a LOT to look forward to! I'll give you the advice that I give all newbies (and that I wish someone would have given me at the start)... take your measurements and write them down and also take a bunch of "before" photos. You will really want them later so that you can see how far you have come! Best wishes, Catherine

I'm three years out as of Oct. 23rd, and I eat Soup all of the time. I have it for lunch on a regular basis, and that's the main meal. Once in a while, if I'm going out to eat and everyone is getting appetizers, I'll get a soup to start -- both because I love soup and because it's easy to eat. For you, right now, you're in the healing phase, and you're about to enter "Bandster Hell," so you will need to be more mindful of how much you are eating until you get a decent fill. I really never could stand the whole drinking-while-eating rule, so I only follow it very loosely. Anyway, no reason you can't enjoy soup for the rest of your life. I did go from getting a large soup and bread at Hale & Hearty pre-band to ordering a medium soup with no bread or crackers. That tides me over pretty well. It' s really helpful to check in with yourself periodically and ask "Am I full?" "Am I really hungry, or is this just head hunger?" If it's real hunger, I get something to eat. If it's not, I don't. Don't worry -- all of this stuff will eventually be second nature to you! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

Don't mess around with your band being too tight. Call your doctor tomorrow, if you haven't already, and ask him/her what to do. The easiest way to mess up your band is by keeping it too tight. It's worth at least a call to the dr.'s office to find out if you need to get an unfill. And, if you do need one, do what you can to get in right away for it. I hope that helps -- and good luck with the unfill! Catherine

I did a boot camp for a year and a half -- but I didn't start it until I was about six months post-op. I didn't hurt my band in it at all, and now I do a spin workout that is equally intense (but less likely to leave me with bruises!). I haven't had any problems with my band as a result. I really don't see how your band could slip from lifting someone, or from crunches or anything else. The one thing you'll want to be conscious of is not banging your port on the ground if you have to do "exploding" pushups (where you start from being flat, "explode" into pushup position, then go quickly back flat on the floor. I gave myself a bruise once doing that, but it was no big deal -- just a little tender at my port site for a day or so. Kudos to you for getting serious about working out so early in the game. It's been absolutely KEY to me getting to goal and staying there (I've been under my goal for more than a year). Just listen to what your doctor says, and if something feels weird or like it might hurt you, stop doing it. Best wishes, Catherine

Definitely agree with the posters who said that it's even better now!! I will say that once in a great while, my stomach gurgles during... it's a little loud, but whatever!! A small price to pay for not having to feel self-conscious about my body and weight!! Have fun finding the answer for yourself! Hee hee! Catherine

If you get a chance, write down a long list of your "wants" that relate to the band and getting healthier. I did one before my surgery, and I can not tell you how amazing it felt as I lost weight to check all of those things I was looking forward to off my list as I they became part of my reality. Having a standard bath towel wrap around with room to spare was an NSV that I would not have wanted to miss noting! I have just one more to check off... not being a fat bride... so hopefully my BF will step it up sometime soon! Hee hee... Seriously though, I found that list really helpful (I did it as a pro/con list to use when I was having second thoughts about surgery) and hope that, if you do one, you'll get as much out of it as I did. Here's a link to mine if you want to take a look. Congratulations on your Aha moment! And, best wishes for much success!! Best, Catherine

That is so awesome!! You're on your way!! Be sure to take your measurements asap and write them down (I did mine on an Excel spreadsheet) and take a bunch of "before" photos. You will definitely want them later! I always wish I had more before photos that weren't cropped within an inch of their life! Best wishes, Catherine

Welcome to "Bandster Hell!" This is TOTALLY NORMAL -- it happens to almost everyone. Heck, I gained five pounds during that phast. But guess what?? You'll be back to losing as soon as you get to a decent restriction level. That may take more than one fill, so be patient and try to make the best food choices you can until you get to a good level. Don't stress though -- you're supposed to focus on healing right now! The weight loss phase is right around the corner. Best wishes for your success, Catherine

Hi, Stacie! I'm glad that you are feeling better. That must have been a scary and stressful time, and I'm really happy to hear that you're moving through it. Don't worry -- if you actually DID hate being banded, you can have all the fill taken out and you'd still be able to eat the way you did before. I never actually did that, but knowing that I could if I had to was comforting to me. That said, I just had my third bandiversary yesterday, and I am so, SO glad that I made the decision to get banded. I've been at goal for over a year, and it feels incredible. I also have really enjoyed feeling good about my weight through these three years. This tool has let me make a lot of positive changes in my life, and I am sure it will do the same for you. Just follow the rules, commit yourself to the process and you're sure to do really, really well. I can't tell you how freeing it is not to feel bad about my weight anymore and not to have to feel guilty about what I eat. It's been life changing in the best possible way. With very best wishes for your success, Catherine

OK -- I have no idea why an ad got included in my post! I don't know anything about that product -- weird!! Catherine

Congratulations!! I hope it goes really well! You have so many great things to look forward to as you go through this process. Am sending you very best wishes for lots of success! Also -- take your measurements ASAP and some before pics if you haven't already! You will want them later! Best wishes, Catherine