evobuilder

8 weeks ago I have a posterior lift and lipo of flanks.... also had a complete front scar revision (from my tummy tuck a year ago). At 8 weks, I am still feeling swollen, but more important, my waist seems bigger than pre surgery (none of my jeans fit like I went up a full waist size. Anyone thoughts? I se my doc in 10 days, so I will know more, but just seems like I should be smaller than before, not actually have a larger waist.

so I had my Realize band done by Dr. Lauter 4 years ago and have done great... best decision I ever made. Now that Dr. Lauter closed his practice, I need to find a new Doc in Seattle who can do my fills when needed, but this seems to be a huge freakin deal just to get a simple fill done in Seattle. Does anyone have any good reccomendations.... I really have no interest in going to Tacoma, Federal Way, etc, and just want to find a doc in the city, or the east side. Any leads.... let me know. I tried to contact a doc at Overlake, but never got a call back. What about Swedish, etc. ???

so I was banded in October of 2008 and have maintained for almost 2 years..... damn thing actually works! Now I am going in for a abdomioplasty (tummy tuck) in October. Yep, thats right, I am going under the knife. Its not cheap, its not covered under insurance, but its time..... my "below the belt" fat is pretty severe and its time to take care of it. I am really looking forward to getting it done, now I just have to REALLY quit smoking. Now THAT is gonna suck!

congrats..... you'll do great! I was banded in Oct 08 and I am here to tell you, if you let the band do its job, it really works. I was 328 at my highest and have been consistantly 225 for the past 2 years. Do I need to lose more? Sure, who doesn't, but I am lighter than I was at age 14 and I am 40 now..... and to be at the same weight for 2 years is amazing. So good luck, it will be the best decision of your life! Eric

so I am plateaued (sp?) for over a year. I am banded plenty tight, but seem to have taking up some bad habits..... drinking mixed drinks with mixers, eating foods that get by the band.... eating too many calories and not working out. So, I am working through it. I was extremely overrweight most of my life, so being at a weight less than I was 25 years is amazing, but I am 25 lbs away from my ideal weight (yeah, I know, it could be 100lbs or even more) but living with the band is tougher than i tought it would be. I guess it is always a constant learning process, even 2 years out, I am learing every day. Guess I was just ranting.... The best thing I have started doing again is journaling... it is amazing what you think "I am having a good day".... journal it, my good day was 2200 calories (ouch!).

beer is still almost impossible for me, even 2 years out. I have had the occasional Coors Light, but you gotta drink it slow and it helps if its in a glass so it can lose some bubbles..... chugging or BIG drinks are gone forever though (again, at least for me). I seem to do better with cocktails..... but way more calories so watch out for that.... I am taking in way too many calories in drinks but am working on that. As for beer, if you really like it, find something with less carbonation and drink slowly.... one other thing I have learned. Alchohol does make it easy to slip food past the band (since the stomach gets numbed a little.... so you will tend to eat more than without the booze. Just my experience, so be on the look out for it. Hope that helps.

preferably free. Does anyone know of any?

I was banded in Oct 08 and have done very well, berst decision I have ever made in my life. I am at 220 and have kept it off and I am still losing.... slowly but surely and it stays off. Anyway.... I am still having to eat Exlax to get things moving... anyone else have this problem? Maybe I need to change my diet, but short of eating prunes all day long, I am not sure what to do. Or do I just need to start bulk buying the Exlax?

interesting.... I was banded in Oct 08 and I am down to 225. My heaviest I have ever been was 326 and at 39 yrs old, I have not been under 250 since I was 16... so hell yeah, what an accomplishment right? I feel the same way.... I spend most of my time obcessing that I am not at 200 and don't take any effort to take pleasure in being the lightest I have been in 23 years... not to mention having kept it off for well over 18 months. I am not working out, drinking water and I am drinking alchohol again.... so I am pretty sure I am kinda sabotaging or at least keeping myself from hitting my goal of 200. What an interesting thread to find.. other people going through the same thing I am... the funn thing is that I still feel like the fattest guy in the room, even though I am no longer, but after 20+ years of trying not to be noticed or have my weight commented on, I am battling with how to deal with being 100 lbs less than I was. Thanks for posting this thread. -eric

I have 5cc's in my realize band and I can eat normally, but find restriction after a certain point and I know where that point is. For instance... I can eat 4-5 small hot wings (not fried) and that is it! I can eat 2 eggs and some bacon... but certainly that is it or I start to get the hiccups and PBs if not careful. I can eat a cheeseburger (no bun) if I eat slowly and really chew cautiously.... so I would imagine that in my case 5cc's is the sweet spot. Having said that, I have also stopped losing, but i don't gain. I could probably start losing again if I would watch my cal intake more carefully but am pretty content where I am now. I would have to say that the sweet spot is where you can't overeat, but you are able to eat pretty much normally (for a normal person that is Just my two cents. BTW... I have been banded since 11/08 and have kept off my weight. Could stand to lose 20 more, but am the lightest I have been in 25 years, so I am in now way complaining. Be patient in finding your sweet spot, it is well worth it. Remember, this is not a race, its a journey. Good luck to all!!!!

so here I am, 1.5 years post surgery and for the past 6 months, I have plateaued (sp?) and even worse, gained a little. Nothing major, I am still lighter than i was when i was 16 years old (and I am on the last stretch to 40 now) but I am starting to find ways to eat around the band. I am as filled as I need to me (already have some restriction with certain foods) so I am not going to rely on filling more. Anyway... I am looking for some support I guess. The first thing I am doing is getting back on this board. Second, journaling everything that goes in my mouth (good, bad, etc.) and third.... will start (slowly) to get into the gym. Anyone else go through this? Any advice? Thanks! -Eric (Seattle) Highest 329 Pre Op: 289 Now: 230

hey Jack... I look at it differently.... you say 35# from your goal... I look at it as I am not 150lbs above my goal after 1.5 years I know it sounds strange to look at it that way, but I am at 224 today, I was at 328 3 years ago... so, I guess its all in how we look at things.

so... I got off my ass and stopped the pitty party. I cut out the carbs and junk, backed off on the snacking and starting tracking food intake again. I did not cut out the drinking (I like it, so I am making other adjustments) and I am down 6lbs! I am back down to 224 and when I hit 221 my BMI jumps down to "overweight" category from "obese" category (whatever.... that means, the BMI calulator is pretty arbritrary). So my goal was to get from 230 to 225 and stay there (set point) then my newest goal is to get to 220 and make that my new set point. and I did this without getting another fill. I want to rely on my willpower and structure and not just fall back on tightening the band everytime I go up a pound (or 5)

so I just came across a post of mine from a year ago where I was disappointed with my stalled weight loss. When I posted a year ago, I was at 335. Today, I am at 230... which means over the past year, I have flucctuated around but am only 5 lbs light then I was a year ago and I am not eating that much.... at least that is what I thought. I think the culprits for me are alchohol for sure (I drink Margaritas) = high in sugar The other is that even though I am eating small amounts, I am eating the wroang things... it is still possible to wayy overeat (calories wise) in a small amount of food intake. I am going to talk to my doc this week to see what he thinks about tightening things up... I am at 4.5cc fill on the Realize Band, but I think I need help from the band and from myself. so... guys... what do you eat over the course of a day?

what the hell.... how do I get rid of the fat under my belt... it is the fatest part of me now and it isn't going away. I am at 225 (down from 320 at my heaviest) and I want to start working out to get rid of this... does anyone know the best excercise?

my doc just gave me a fill for a total of 3.75 (which could be 4.75 due to the extra cc that they say could reside in the band... but I am having a really tough time, I am actually gaining some and can eat wayyy more than I should be (yes, that part is on me I know). I am going to schedule another appt to see about getting aggressive on my fill but I have to commit to workign at it harder as well. has anyone else gone through this... I am drinking alchohol now and I am wondering it that is a part of it... not carbonation, but lots of sugary mixes (margaritas, etc.). Any tips to get back on track... I was losing with no problem but now I have seemed to get a taste for larger portions again and sweets... man, I really loved the first 6 months when it was soo easy to lose. the past 5 months seems to be a lot harder (coming up on my 1 year) and I am down considerably but not where I want to be.

I have slipped of the road of right and wrong... not gaining, but not losing and it is becuase I am eating the wrong things. So... I need some help and I am going to post on the Men's room to get back on track. I am going to get back to the way i should be eating and hope the board will help me be accountable... yeah, yeah, I know... you have to be accountable for yourself, but support groups help and I have been helped by many on the board before, so I am looking for some that help and accountability again. So... today... Monday March 16th 2009 235 lbs Eat too much, drank too much, did not work out. Tomorrow is another day. more to come...

Are there any support groups in Bellevue/ Redmond area... even downtown is good with me. I am 6 months post op and have hit a snag in my banded life and really could use a support group... it tough to do it alone. I am in Redmond/Bellevue area, but would go downtown if need be. I appreciate any info and thanks! Eric

so the more I lose, the more I realize my arms are scrawny... I have a big chest andd shoulders... but man... my arms are just tiny (fat made them look bigger I guess). So I am looking for a good work out to bulk up my arms and was wondering if there are any tips out there.

OK.... I was an avid Diet Coke drinker.... 6-8 a day at my peak of 345 (ironic huh!). Now I am post op 4 months, and down from 283 when i started pre op... now I am 241. I drink diet Snapple, coffee and Water with no issue. Every oncce and awhile I want someting in a can... I have found something that works great Diet Mountain Dew it already has little carbonation.... goes flat in about 10 mins of being opened and even when flat, tastes pretty decent. Now, I am not drinking 10 a day... more like 1 or 2 aq week, but it is nice to have a soda once and awhile. Just wanted to share... good luck to all!

great topic... something I needed to read as I am going through the same thing right now... right vs. wrong. I have found lots of food that "gets around the band" aka... I can eat more and not worry about that "oh crap... i ate too much feeling". I have realized that the problem is not the band, but its what I am eating. The band works... and it works great... I was 280 and now I am 235... but I am bouncing around the 235 mark, not because I am eating too much, but because I am eating too much of the wrong things... and not excesizing. So... thanks for the post and I am going to start posting my day to day to get back on track... I will not clog up this forum though... I will start a new thread. Thanks... this board rocks!

another good one.... Diet MTN Dew and tequilla also... Mike's Hard lemonade (the light stuff is not nearly as good)... you just need to let it go a little flat... I just our it into a glass over ice... it goes flat pretty quick. I can usually drink after 5 mins without issue.

ok... so the weight is coming off... slowly but surely... and my results are great, however I have hit a problem and have decided that the gym needs to be added to my program. What I am wondering is... how do I get rid of that gut that formed under my belt (not sure what to call it, but my "sub gut" pelvic area does not seem to be going away. It really sucks... I am wearing 38 waist now and if it weren't for this fat in my pelvic area, I would probably be a 36 now. Has anyone battled this, does it go away with continued weight loss? Is there a good excercise to work this area (I heard crunches don't target this area). My goal is to lose another 30 lbs and it may go away with the last 30... but I am not sure and am looking for any feedback I can get. Any thoughts?

Bassriley.... holy cow.... you were at 275 in Sept of 08 and now you are at 198???? Man... I am depressed now... I was banded 10-08-08 and I was 281 and as off today, I am at 239. You are doing amazingly well... what is your secret?

I box... for fitness not money... getting hit in your port hurts like hell (you learn to block it)... kidna feels like getting punched with a pocketwatch in your shirt pocket (I guess that example works :thumbup: My doc says I run the risk of jarring my port loose, but not a major one... and he advised me to live life just as I did before, only skinnier. That is my advice as well.