slimcolagirl

I'm ready to have the band removed. I was banded on January 2009 and have only lost 16 lbs to date (December 2010). That's too little weight to justify keeping something in my body that might erode or cause more complications down the line. I'm preparing to convert to a Mini Gastric Bypass by Dr. Rutledge (look him up on youtube). This will ensure that I continue to lose weight, get the surgery that will really decrease my hunger and take the weight off. Of course this is a more invasive surgery, but that's ok as long as it gets the job done. Most people I know with the lapband have fairly unpleasant lives... vomiting, food getting stuck, morning tightness so bad you can't even drink Water when you wake up, etc, etc. I've also had the doctor blame me for eating the wrong things too. Since the surgery does nothing to decrease "real" hunger you are constantly in danger of eating whatever is on hand and won't get stuck in the band. I admit now that I made a mistake with the surgery. What's sad is that so many bandsters have problems and are still told that lack of weight loss is their fault. You can't get fruits and veggies past the band... of course you'll go for the ice cream! I'm excited to get the band removed and have my conversion surgery by Dr. Rutledge early next year. I'm looking to get it done asap, like March or April. I'd seriously consider getting another weight loss like MGB or Sleeve done upon removing the band or the weight is likely to come back on.

wow I am super surprised that you had that many cc's put in at surgery time. It takes a period of time to get used to the textures and amount that you can eat with each fill. Shame on that doctor! Glad you're feeling ok now though with the unfill. :-)

oops, you are still healing my dear so take it easy. Your large incision will be the last thing to heal and you shouldn't be doing anything physical except walking until at least 6 wks have passed. And for a few weeks more don't do anything that involves the abdominal area too much, which lawn mowing actually does. I think my incision was completely healed, with absolutely NO soreness, around week 11 or 12. Now that I'm at week 15, I think I'll start doing targeted ab exercises. :-D

You did nothing wrong so don't worry. At only 3 wks post op ur definitely still healing, especially on the inside. The area around your band is still swollen. This will give you natural restriction for the next few weeks as the swelling goes down. Enjoy it while it last! :-) But you are discovering that solid foods will fill you up fast and keep you full for longer. Whereas your Protein shakes and mushy foods can slide thru the band rather quickly, solid foods will sit on top of the band and take hours to digest. This is the beauty of how you will lose weight. The tougher the food, the longer you should be chewing. The more you chew, the more solid foods you will be able to get down at one time and the less likely you'll get anything stuck. (try to go for 20-30 sec depending on texture) Oh, and since you can only get down a few ounces at a time, you should still be doing a few liquid/mushies to get in needed protein and nutrients. Happy losing! :-)

Thanks lipstix... awesome post and awesome site. I'm going to try quinoa. I've heard to many things about slow cookers to ignore so I'm gonna start looking for one. And the protein site is great. thanks! :-D

ah sorry for all the troubles, but things will be better soon. Glad you're getting your fill. Yeah it doesn't help anything to have the band too tight. Don't feel bad about the indulgence in food in the meantime, it's just your body trying to replace some of the good you've been losing. Take care! :-)

Congrats on getting a significant amount of restriction. :-) Don't lose resolve... this is exactly the way you're supposed to work the band. I agree with RestlessMonkey... now all you need is a slight unfill and those foods you mention will go down a easier and satisfy you for longer. Remember to chew, chew, chew of course, practically pureeing the food in your mouth. Eat slowly and you should start being satisfied on only a few ounces of food per meal. I got my 2nd fill 5 days ago. Tried to eat garlic bread last night and realized it had trouble going down. Fantastic! I don't mind bread being permanently removed from my menu, as I still have plenty of other starches to choose from. Potato chips and Pasta aren't bad, just don't rely on them too much. Same for pasta, as these will just keep the weight on. Everything in moderation. :-)

I agree completely. Since lapband takes a little more effort to get good results, that is why I chose it over RNY. I was on a medically supervised protein fast 2 years ago and we had classes on nutrition and exercise every week. Drinking 500 calories worth of protein shakes every day is an easy way to lose weight... a little too easy. I forgot everything I learned in those classes when I stopped the diet and the hunger came back. I didn't have to "work" at anything and the weight just melted off. Also, the research told me that gastric bypass patients have trouble maintaining their weight after 5 years and the pouch "stretches". So congrats on making the right choice, but you will have to be patient and WORK for you success.

wow 81 lbs is incredible! why do you think you are failing? the weight will not come right away. It sometimes takes another reminder, but remember it will take time and consistent effort with the lapband. Relax and enjoy the journey a little. and congrats on the weight loss, you're really on your way. :-)

welcome to the forums. You'll get so much great info here. :-D

it's not too late to start losing again. you say you were banded years ago, maybe before this forum got started. I would keep coming back to this forum for inspiration. I would also go to youtube because watching those lapband videos is REALLY informative and fun. Don't eat too close to bedtime, get your Water in, and start exercising consistently again. Those 3 should help you get back on track. Lastly, you can start replacing some of what you eat with better choices. :-D

don't worry about it. The hunger does come back but it's nothing to be afraid of. Start eating band friendly stuff and enjoy your food. Then slowly start making better food choices. You'll get used to eating better and you'll get used to eating less. You'll also get some energy back since you'll be eating more. Always keep protein shakes on hand for a quick meal. If you have a good attitude about it you'll lose weight and see this isn't so hard after all. Good luck and welcome to the journey. :-D

I've lost 23.5 lbs in the last 7 weeks since my lapband surgery. My husband has lost some weight too, about 5-6 lbs. I drag him out to exercise with me and we've started cooking at home more. It's been a great time and he's so proud of the progress I'm making.