Catherine55

Getting banded is one of the best decisions I've ever made. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I have not given up alcohol, though I don't ever have martinis anymore because my tolerance is so much lower at this weight that one would do me in for the night! Don't forget to take your measurements and before photos asap. You will want them later, I promise you! Yes -- this does become second nature. And, you can have a life, enjoy good food and wine with the band. In fact, I enjoy food more now because I don't have guilt feelings associated with it and have to feel bad about myself if I eat something that is high in calories. Check out my blog if you have a minute. It will give you a good idea of what it's like being banded, and I have some links in there to other bandster blogs that I really like. I hope that helps! :thumbup: Catherine

The preop diet is hard -- no two ways about it! That sucks that yours is so long -- but you'll make it through and be fine. Why don't you call your doctor and see if there is a variation you can do to make this easier for you (e.g. like one meal a day)? That's part of many people's pre-op diet. I think it would be better to do that than to risk freaking out and bingeing. You've got to stop weighing yourself 5 times a day. Just do it one time, at the same time every day (I do first thing in the a.m. . . pre-shower, post-loo). That works well for me. Some things you can be doing to get your mind off the pre-op diet are: 1. Take before photos (you will regret not having a bunch later when you want to compare how much thinner you are to when you started. . I know I do!); 2. Take your measurements and set up a spreadsheet with them, along with the date and your weight. You can update this as you lose. 3. Write out a list of all the things you're looking forward to about being thinner. When you're hating the diet and want to cheat, give it a read. Put down as many things as you can think of. And get ready. . . you are going to actually experience them once you get going on this journey for real. This is an amazing tool, and it really works wonders when you follow what you're supposed to do. I know this pre-op diet totally sucks and is practically impossible to stick to, but you can do it. It's just 13 days out of your entire life, and in return, you are going to be able to stop feeling bad about your weight, to get healthy, and to improve your quality of life more than you probably even realize right now. I know this because all of that happened to me. My preop diet wasn't as hard as yours, but it was no picnic (ha ha. .) and it was worth every bit of effort to get through it. I hope that helps! Good luck with the next 13 days and beyond. :thumbup: Best wishes, Catherine

I like the red one the best (I think it's Alpine Punch). My doctor is the one who recommended this to me, and it was so nice to be able to drink these instead of Protein shakes, which I really hated! Hope that helps! Catherine

So great!! I did my surgery in Mexico too (with Dr. Rumbaut). I had a great experience, and this is one of the best things I've ever done for myself! Hope your daughter is feeling great and will be home safely soon. :tongue2: Catherine

Hi -- I am sorry you're having a tough time and hope it gets better soon! On the bright side, you are down 21 pounds and (if you're like me) if you weren't banded, you might be up from your highest weight by now. Getting to good restriction should be a huge help, but it sounds like you are PBing too much. I wonder if you are too tight. I liked the suggestion to journal your food -- and definitely exercising regularly is a HUGE help. Some bandsters even join Weight Watchers to help with tracking and food choices -- maybe think about whether that would work for you (you could even do it on-line if you want). Today could be a new beginning for you with your band. Think about this as an opportunity to start again, get serious about journaling your food until you feel on top of it, and recommit to exercise. I know that this stuff isn't easy, but it is worth the effort and the band really does work well when you follow the rules the majority of the time. Is there a support group you can join through your Dr's office or otherwise? I'm sorry that it doesn't sound like you are getting the support you need there. Maybe think about starting a blog about your band experience. That has been a huge help to me and a great source of support. It might help you to keep on track really well and to get good advice and support from other bandsters. Hang in there! Best wishes for your success, Catherine

Welcome to "Bandster Hell," Jude! Don't worry though. . this only lasts until you get to restriction. For now, you're doing exactly the right thing -- keeping your calories low! When do you go on solid foods? For now, you could do things like yogurt, cottage cheese or a scrambled egg for Breakfast, and things like Soups, soft fish (like salmon), or refried Beans w/cheese. . or even the occasional sweet potato or mashies. Just hang in there. . I gained 5 pounds during Bandster Hell, but all that and more are long since gone! I hit 152 this morning. . have to update my signature! Best wishes, Catherine

I totally agree with Ada about dining out being even better with the band. I never leave feeling stuffed to the gills (just satisfied), and I never leave feeling terrible about myself for overdoing it and blowing a "diet." When I was a newbie, I'd usually look at the restaurant's menu on-line before I went so that I could spend time thinking about what to get. I've never had a "stuck" episode in a restaurant where I couldn't get to the ladies' room in plenty of time (you generally know well in advance when you're going to have an issue). Also, I do tend to go for soup and fish more than before, which is great b/c really enjoy them. Hope that helps! Catherine

What are you drinking? If you are taking in a lot of calories by having soda, juice, cocktails, etc., that could be the problem.

Don't worry! It's NORMAL to have doubts and question your decision. This is a big step you are taking! That said, 18 months ago, I weighed 230 pounds and today I'm at 153, two pounds under my goal (and 8 from my aspirational goal). It's a good feeling!! The thing that helped me the most during my pre-op questioning of my decision was to make a pro/con list about the surgery. Here is a link to my list. Once I wrote it out, the decision was clear. I read that list many times, and every time I did, it just reinforced for me that I was doing the right thing. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I see that I really did make the right decision. This ride has been very enjoyable. I have loved all the NSVs, I haven't been hungry or felt deprived, and I was able to get free from feeling badly about myself and my body every single day. These days, I shop where I want, I am in the best shape of my life, and I actually LIKE how my body looks. I just wore a bikini on vacation for the first time since college, and I even put a photo of myself wearing it on my blog! I never imagined at the outset of this process that something like that would be possible, but it happened!! Definitely give the pro/con list a shot. It's a great tool, and no matter what you decide, at least your decision will be well thought-out. With best wishes, Catherine

CactusMom, just to clarify, I wasn't commenting on your post, or anything else in this string other than the two points I specifically identified. I am grateful that I haven't had any complications to date, and I realize that may not always be the case. I do have a few bandster friends who have had problems (1 erosion, 2 port flips, 1 leaky band), and I am fully aware that these things do happen. I also appreciate that this can be a significant set back, and that in many cases, these problems happen at no fault of the bandster. I've done an extensive amount of reading and research about the band -- both before and after my surgery, and am aware of a number of studies and their results. I've also had extensive discussions with my doctor about bandster success statistics, which is why I questioned the other poster's vague reference to statistics on reaching goal. Also, his/her random citation to some unidentifiable preliminary study results of some unnamed entity. . with no information about anything other than a placebo supposedly being as effective as the band . . sounded completely bogus to me. I don't need to be a scientist to know that having a port but no band isn't going to keep anyone tricked into thinking they are at good restriction for long enough to get to a healthy BMI. Anyway, I wasn't commenting on your post or your situation, and I am sorry to hear that you had complications. I have a lot of sympathy and understanding for any bandster who suffers a setback, and I do not take it for granted that I won't have one in the future. Wishing you the best, Catherine

Congratulations!! Just walk around as much as you can to get the gas moving! You are in for an incredible year. :smile2: :laugh: Best wishes, Catherine

Jilly, don't worry! Just follow your post-op diet carefully and be gentle with yourself when you start back on normal food. You'll be fine. Getting stuck is uncomfortable, but I always know about a minute in advance (or more) when I'm going to PB. I've never had a situation where I couldn't get to a restroom in time. The tradeoff of not feeling like cr@p about my weight every day really makes things like sliming and PBing no big deal at all! :smile2: Hang in there -- you will be fine! :laugh: Catherine

I want to comment on two points that Spartan made. First . . Based on my own reading and research, I do not believe that this is accurate, and a significant percentage of the bandsters who I know have either met and surpassed their goals or are well on their way to doing so. I'm willing to bet that, of people who actually work with their bands, more than 90% are able to get to their goals. As reliable as that . . unnamed study . . by an unspecified group in Europe . . that hasn't been published yet. . and where you didn't have the underlying data. . sounds, I'm calling BS on this. The reason the band works so well is that it makes it physically impossible (well, difficult) to overeat. I just do not believe that any significant percentage of the non-banded people were able to avoid overeating for the year + that would have been required for them to actually enjoy the full benefits of being banded. I am not trying to be inflamatory here, but when I see posts like this that seem to misstate statistics or make vague, unsupported references to unnamed studies, it makes me mad. It seems irresponsible and I don't like that it might discourage bandsters or prospective bandsters from believing that they can get to goal. I have my own statistics and 18-month long personal scientific study on life with the band. That's all the proof I need that this process absolutely works when you follow the rules more often than not. And, if I can do it, so can anyone else who is willing to put in the effort. Catherine

Doing this is dangerous, and you are sabotaging yourself. Do you want to make your band slip, or to gain even more weight, or to be unhealthy? If not, why do this? I know that I have benefited a lot from talking issues out like this (self-sabotage, etc.) with a therapist, and I want to suggest that you give that a try if you aren't doing it already. It can be really helpful to understand why you are doing certain things when you are trying to break a bad cycle of behavior. The fact that you posted about this on here is already a really positive step in the right direction. I hope that you find a way to stop doing this very soon. Best wishes, Catherine

Refried Beans with cheese are a great mushy food (and high in protein)! I never found a shake that I liked, but after surgery, I had the Isopure Protein drink that tastes like Gatoraid a bunch. It's good -- they sell it at GNC. I have a few soup recipes posted on my blog that I really liked. I froze them in individual portion size plastic containers and took them to work for lunch a lot. Was a great way to make sure I was eating healthy food and monitoring portion size! If you go to the link to the SOB blog on the right side of my page, you can find a shortcut to two of the soup recipes in the Q&A that I did. Hope that helps! Best wishes for your success!! :smile2: Catherine

It's normal for weight loss to stall for about 6 weeks when you start working out, but it should start moving after that. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn! I agree with the other poster(s) who suggested that you journal your food and exercise and run the journal by a nutritionist. You are probably eating and drinking more calories than you realize. You also sound like you might need a fill. And no, you don't want it to be to the point where you can barely eat! That is no way to live, and plus -- being overfilled tends to cause people to pick "slider" foods over things like Protein, which should be the focus of our post-band diets. I hope that helps! Catherine

Awesome!! You are in for an amazing year!! Be sure to take before photos and your measurements as soon as possible if you haven't done it yet - you'll want them later! Best wishes, Catherine

Don't even worry about the fills!! They are so nothing! :w00t: They don't hurt (it's just a pinch) and only last a few seconds. It's really not that big a deal AT ALL. I promise -- and I'm a total baby!! It's not even worth stressing about even a little bit. You will be fine. :wink: Catherine

Wow -- I'm surprised by the comments above. But, I'm wondering if some of the posters may have had the band installed with a bit of a fill in it. I know that there are some doctors who do that. My band was not installed with a fill, and I had a heck of time during Bandster Hell. I found that I could eat basically anything (I didn't push it) and that I was just as hungry as before the band. But, once I got to restriction, all of that changed! Go by how you feel, not by what timing sounds right. If you aren't getting hungry and are eating less and losing, just keep on doing what you're doing! You've been doing fantastically so far! Best wishes, Catherine

Hang in there! This must be scary for her too. I had my surgery in Mexico too -- with Dr. Rumbaut, and had a really great experience. I hope that yours goes very well too. Remind your wife that one of the best benefits about the lap band is that it will help you keep the weight off after you lose it. I believe the statistics are that 95% of people who lose 100 lbs or more through dieting gain it all back (and usually with more). Best wishes, Catherine

I know it's scary. It's normal to have fears and concerns, but look at this rationally -- the risks associated with this surgery are much less than the risks assoicated with obesity, and you stand to gain so many great things by getting your weight under control. For me, this was the best decision I could have made for myself. And, the surgery was a breeze. Hang in there. There is a reason you have come this far, and don't let your fears hold you back from finally being able to resolve your weight problem. Best wishes for your safe and speedy recovery, Catherine

Sheesh. . I wanted to put it in my signature, but this is ridiculous!! It's obnoxiously ginormous!! I may have to go back to the old one. HELP!! Catherine

That is awesome!! You look fantastic, and I really liked the article. I can totally relate to how you feel. :biggrin: Congratulations!! Catherine

LOL! Mimi, I love you for saying that, but you're not helping! :biggrin: :thumbup: Hee hee Oh NO!! . . Here it comes again. . . GIGANTIC PHOTO WARNING. . .

PB = Productive Burp. So, if you have food stuck in your band and there is air trapped below in your main stomach, the air will push out the food and you will do a bit of a belch and the food will come up. It's not like vomiting because there is no stomach acid in it (so it doesn't taste gross). I've been banded for 19 months and it's only happened to me a few times. It didn't hurt at all, and I could tell a few minutes ahead of time that it was going to happen, so I've always been able to get to a restroom in time. "Sliming" (Slime-ing?) is what the poster before me is talking about. When you get food stuck, your saliva can't go through the band, so it basically bubbles back up and you have to spit it out. It doesn't hurt-- it's just a bit gross. That happens to me probably twice a week, if even that much. It's an extremely tiny price to pay to finally have my weight under control. I hope that helps! Sorry for my obnoxiously gigantic before/after pic below -- I'm trying to figure out how to make it smaller!! :biggrin: Best wishes for your success, Catherine