cwm812

By BMI was only 56 (only!), but my doc never once tried to talk me out of the band. In fact, he said I was sort of average for their practice. This is a little out of your neighborhood, but I'm in Harrisburg, PA. The practice is The Weight Loss Clinic and I highly recommend them. Cindy

I'm not a Type 1 diabetic, but my son is, and since he got his pump when he was in grade school, I got all the training and managed everything for a long time... When he had surgery a few years ago, he left his pump on the whole time. We actually didn't change his basals at all, and he still ran high for a few days. I'm sure it was the stress and the lack of any activity. I know you don't want to go low through this process, but you also don't want your glucose being sky-high while you're trying to heal from surgery. Unless you've had surgery before, it's very hard to know exactly what your sugars are going to do. I've heard of people who go low in stressful situations. My son is not one of them. The great thing about being a pump user is that you can adjust everything so easily. I don't know how you would figure out what to do if you were taking shots of several types of insulin. Before he started pumping, my son took 3 kinds of insulin. Surgery would have been a nightmare. It's hard being a type I, but I know you've got the discipline to be a successful bander. You're already managing something much more difficult. Cindy

Jeff, I'm glad to hear that you're seeing another doc. There is an old-school mentality that thinks that anyone with a BMI over 50 needs a bypass. I truly believe that you can be successful with either surgery, but you need to find what works for you. Since this is "Lap Band Talk", you'll get more pro-band advice, but it comes from experience. I have no doubt that you could lose 200+ lbs with a band, but you will have to eat right and workout. The big negatives for you (from my point of view) are: 1. Much more difficult surgery 2. Malnutrition from the malabsorption aspect of the bypass 3. Permanence. The band can be removed or adjusted, if needed. The bypass is forever. Ask your doctor, how many of his bypass patients experience a weight gain several years after their loss. I don't know the stats, but this has happened to 2 of my friends. They both have regained about 50% of their original loss. I have another friend who has never had that problem and thinks her bypass is the best thing she ever did. Good luck on your decision. Cindy

This was a great question because we all did this differently and it doesn't seem to have effected our success. My ticker indicates the weight from the day of surgery. I did have to do a 6 month "diet" for my insurance company. During that time, I lost 30 lbs and gained 35, so actually went into surgery 5 lbs heavier than my original consult. My doctor doesn't require any kind of pre-op liver shrinking diet (Thank God!!!). Some people on this forum really seem to thrive on rules and structure, but I'm not one of them. I need to find what works for me, with a lot of guidance from the professionals. Cindy

My doctor told me that although initially bypass patients lose weight much faster, at the end of 2 years, bypass and band patients tend to have about the same amount of weight loss. I figured that with the amount of weight I had to lose, I'd be doing this for at least 2 years. I started out pretty much where you are weight-wise and I lost 105 lbs my first year. That was fast enough for me! I went to one seminar for the bypass and knew it was not for me. I wasn't comfortable with the permanence and the malnutrition. I have never regretted my decision. Good luck with your decision. I know some very happy bypass patients. It just wouldn't have been right for me. Cindy

My scale. I don't see the doctor very often and I need to know how I'm doing. Also, I always weigh in naked and at 7am. I don't want to do that in the hall at the office! Cindy

I totally agree with you on the Mayo. My other big vice is real butter. I really eat very little butter. Once you don't eat much bread, it's not that big a deal. Margarine and butter-like spreads are just not the same. Until someone stops making them, it's Hellman's and real butter for me. Cindy

Try drinking really cold drinks or eating ice cream. For me the coldness, reduces the swelling (I think) and that feeling goes away. I still stay on liquids or mushy for another day or so. Cindy

I eat soup and chili all the time. Chili is one of my usual lunch items. As for soup, I tend to like really thick, hearty soups. This is not a slider food for me. Cindy

I went from a 11W to a 10 M. Some 10s are too small, but the 11s are too big. Would someone please start making 10 1/2 shoes? Cindy

I work in a hospital and I've been there a long time. Everyone knows me. I only told 4 people prior to be banded. They needed to know because they were covering for my absence. While it's nobody's business, I don't lie well. I figured it was easier for me to tell them, than to lie about the surgery. I also told them that I didn't want everyone to know. They were great and supportive. After I came back to work and started losing weight, everyone started wondering. I've been honest with those who have asked and I've had no problems from anyone. You are right, it will come out, but when it does you'll be ready and confident. I think that is the key. When you are confident that you have made the right decision, people don't give you grief about it. Cindy

Congratulations! Onederland is a great place to be. You're going to love it here. I love to point out to my thin husband that I'm weigh less than he does. Now, I don't point out the fact that he's 6 inches taller than me! Cindy

Congratulations on your decision. I know that the 6 week diet is going to be tough, but you'll do it and then you'll get your band. I've always thought that the worse part about trying to lose weight with a BMI over 50 is that ever diet lasted forever. All the other people in the group or class would lose their 20 lbs and I'd lose 50 and still have another 100 to go. The band makes it all so tolerable. Yes, you are in it for the long haul, but for me it never felt like a long haul. I could eat and not be starving and the weight came off. The 6 week diet will not be fun, but it's only 6 weeks. Cindy

Obviously, she's got some bad information..... I'm only 4 lbs away from a 50% loss and I intend to lose those 4 lbs. The statistics that I usually see are that you can expect to lose 50-60% of your excess weight. My doctor told me pre-op that he thought I would easily lose 100 lbs and that maybe we'd get to 150. I'm grateful that I've been able to surpass that. It's all up to you. Cindy

I've been trying to figure out this fill thing, too. I had a fill in January. I was too tight, but dealt with it for a month and had a slight unfill in February. Now, I seem to be getting tighter and I contemplating another slight unfill. Is this common? I always seemed to need a fill when I lost 20 lbs or so. Now, I seem to get tighter as I lose. I'm confused. Cindy

Congratulations, Amy! Thanks for taking the time to write your story. Your stats are pretty similar to mine, I only wish I had lost this weight when I was 30 like you. I love your attitude, especially the dance team and cheerleading. I would have never been able to put myself out there like that. You've got guts and I'm sure you will make the most of your weight loss. Cindy

Since you asked, I do exercise more than I did preband, but it's a whole lot easier once you lose some weight. I didn't start exercising until I had lost 100 lbs. I couldn't bring myself to do it at my starting weight. For exercise, I workout on a elliptical 50 minutes 3-4 times a week. I also try to move as much as possible throughout the day, especially since I have a desk job.

This was the best decision I ever made. It's made it possible for me to say 'no' to foods that don't benefit me. I've changed my relationship with food, and it's been tremendously freeing. I've consistently lost weight, and know that, with this tool, maintaining the loss will be possible. And I feel healthy, happy, and --most of all--never deprived. Thanks, Betsy. That's exactly how I feel. I tend not to post when I don't have anything new to add, but there are many of us who are just thrilled with our bands. Cindy

You are asking all kinds of good questions, but you will definitely find us "skewed" on this website as well. I've been successful and I love my band. I never seriously considered the bypass. I went to a seminar for it and I left thinking that there was no way I would ever do that. I do have a friend who is exceptionally happy with her bypass, but I don't want that life. I knew I wanted to eat normally and for the most part I get to do that. For me the only negative about banded life, is getting stuck. It still happens to me sometimes, and I handle it much better than I did 2 years ago, but I still hate it. For the positives, I really don't have any foods that I can't eat, although there are some that are challenging, I don't diet (I don't count anything!) and I feel great. As far as the skin issues...yes, I've got loose skin, but I've lost 171 lbs and I just turned 50! Even my thin friends have some loose skin at 50. Although my arms look just awful, I was surprised to find that the rest of me, really isn't that bad. I do think about plastic surgery, but I'm really not sure that I want to deal with that. I figure that if I get my arms done, my breasts and stomach will bother me and then I'll want the tummy tuck and the breast lift, too. Financially and mentally, I'm not so sure I can handle all that. Good luck on your decision. You have made a wise choice by doing your research. Cindy

I'm a big fan of shapewear. I started wearing it about 6 months after I was banded. I was cold and was looking for another layer of clothes to keep warm. Now I wear it about 12 hours a day, but not in the summer. My problem areas are my stomach and arms, so I usually wear a camisole or tank. I haven't used anything for my hips. The brand I like best is Warners Flexees. I never tried Spanx, although I have some of their cheaper version that I got at Target. It's pretty good, too. As far as it weakening my abs, I don't think so. In fact, when I wear it, I think I'm more conscious of my posture and I tend to stand up straighter and tighten my abs. I seem to feel my abs are weaker in the summer, when I'm not wearing my shapewear. I'm going to look into that brand you mentioned that includes arms, because I could definitely use some help in that area. Cindy

I had a ulcer prior to banding and I've done well with my band. I found out about the ulcer during my pre-op EGD. They treated it for 1 month, then repeated the EGD and cleared me for surgery. It did delay my surgery a few weeks, but that's the only problem I've had. I am pretty sensitive to fills. I swell easily, but after the swelling goes down, I'm ok. I don't know if that is related to the ulcer or not. I'm not a big fan of really spicy food, so that hasn't been a problem. Cindy

It seems to me that if a practice can state that they don't have much success with the LAP-BAND®, the problem lies with the practice, not the band itself. A co-worker told me a similar story a few days ago. I told her to check out this website, read all the success stories and go to another practice. This kind of scenario makes me wonder about the aftercare at the practice. It's been my experience that the aftercare is at least as important as the surgeon and all the pre-op education. Cindy

I found an "imitation" Magic Bullet at Penney's in June. I think the brand is "Cooks". It was $15 (with rebate) and it works great. I do have to crush ice a little before using it, but other than that, we love it. The kids are always making milkshakes and it comes with all the cups and lids, just like the Magic Bullet. Cindy

I'm not sure why some docs insist on pushing bypass on everyone with a high BMI. Luckily, my doc wasn't one of those and he thought I would do well with a band. He was right! It's 2 years later and I'm almost at goal. I know you would lose faster with a bypass, but I never thought fast weight loss was the goal. I want PERMANENT weight loss! I know this whole process is frustrating, but stick with it. It's worth it. Cindy