coloradobanding

I have an alternate suggestion that works great for me! I simply cannot survive without peanut M & M's (serious people..lol) If I choose to eat my candy I MUST add 35 mins of HIGH intensity cardio to my work out that day! I do not limit candy I just pay for it by working it off and then some...works like a charm!!!

Hi there, I have been banded over 15 months and have the most important bit of advice I can possibly give....Whatever you do.. DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS!!!!! (don't mean to shout..just sooo important!) I did this at the beginning of my journey and totally sabotaged myself for over 5 MONTHS!!!!! Once I focused on MY success and nothing else, it changed my entire experience with the Lap Band. Average weight loss w/the band in 1 year is 52lbs. I didn't hit that number but am TOTALLY THRILLED with my result!! I am not "average" so I don't compare myself to anyone or anything. As long as I'm losing..I"M THRILLED! Keep in mind, others are bigger or smaller than you, lose or gain differently, different heights, etc. There is NO POSSIBLE benefit of comparing yourself to ANYONE! Focus ONLY on YOU and you WILL SUCCEED!!!!

A simple answer to the OP's question is yes, for me anyway, eating goes back to "normal." I do not obsess in any way, I just know which foods to be cautious of. I love my band, but many days, forget it's even there!

I would first like to say PLEASE don't get into the mentality that you have "fallen off course" because that will kill your emotional progress :thumbup: That said, I had only lost 30+ lbs by the 6 month mark. The difference is that, no matter what I lost, I had a positive attitude. I didn't give up, although sometimes I did get discouraged. Just focus on your accomplishments not "where you think you should be" and you will succeed!

I am right there with ya!!! I have been fighting like hell since January to break through into Onederland to no avail (yet). I went from a size 22-24 and am now a comfortable size 12 (first major goal was size 14). I am 5'9 and 202lbs. I have gained and lost the same 5-7 lbs since October (talk about plateau). Although I WILL see Onderland SOON, once I get there I will not weigh myself again. I am SO strong & healthy now, the scale cannot rule me anymore. At my smallest adult size I was 167lbs in a size 12. I am a size 12 now, and 35lbs heavier...go figure. Personally, I would look sullen and gaunt at anything close to my "ideal" weight. But I will not give up or go back to my old habits. As long as I keep my lifestyle active and healthy, I will get to a place my body will stop fighting me at (don't know when that will be!) The scale is nothing but a number. I prefer to weigh myself in the pool...LOL

So I've been banded almost 16 months and think I have JUST found the perfect balance. I'm not sure, and it was not expected, but I am LOVING it!!! I got my last fill about 6 weeks ago (hadn't had a fill since May 09 since this fill). I was eating more than I wanted and hungry at night, so decided to give a small fill a try. I have a total of 4.2cc in a 10cc band. The first 2 days after my fill I was STARVING and thought she accidently took some out instead of putting some in. The first 2 weeks were nothing noticeably substantial, but the last 3 weeks or so have given me time to reflect. First of all, my hunger went pretty much totally away. In fact, I went almost 2 days without eating anything (drank my protein) and didn't give it a second thought. That's when I started to notice differences from before. I PB'd for the first time EVER!! This was very foreign to me, but WELCOME since it was SOOO much better than puking! The odd thing is, is that it happened on what was normally a "slider" food for me (corn chips w/flaxseed). I only ate 4 chips and BAM, my band said..no-no. It came back up when I burped and I was like hmmm.that's new...lol I didn't think of it again for awhile until I was going to eat some chicken breast. I ate it, like I normally do (pre-band, no chewing a billion times) and had no problems. I've had 5 PB episodes since thiks last fill, and ALL of them were with no-no foods (chips, pizza, breaksticks). I have not had any issues with whole Proteins (chicken, pork,steak) or veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots). Today I ate 5 scoops tortilla chips, and BAM up they came. When I had just previously ate a small lunch of chicken breast & zucchini without incident. Could it be my band is rejecting slider foods and accepting only the foods I should be eating? So far it appears so. Anyone else experience this? I LOVE IT!!!

You said it yourself, but I guess maybe you don't actually believe it. This time is for healing not losing-it TRULY is, focus only on that for the time being and you will be successful mentally and physically

You've now confirmed my suspicion, I will not give you the courtesy of a reply.

I strongly suspect that "Spartan" is just another name created for a certain person who frequents the boards and consistently gets banned for a myriad of reasons. And no, if it is the person I suspect it is, he is not a surgeon. Head Hunter ring a bell?

My tone was not meant to be harsh, although after reading it again it could be taken that way. All I'm trying to say is that if you are not following doctor's orders you need to be or at least letting him or her know what you did. There are reasons these boundaries are set in place, and I don't suggest anyone come here for medical advice. I have never cheated on my dr's orders and if I did would call and get advice right away. Did not mean to sound harsh, I can be too direct at times

If I misunderstood your post then I apologize. Obviously it hits a nerve with me when that question is asked.

I am totally confused by this post. First thing I would like to point out is your specific question that makes my skin crawl. "If they don't need the band, why did they get banded?" When did I, or anyone else state they didn't need the band? Obviously, we all needed the band because we are or were overweight and needed a "tool" to help us lose weight, and more importantly, learn healthy eating habits and change our lifestyle. OF COURSE it takes will power to lose weight, with or without WLS. But I PERSONALLY don't struggle not to graze all day, that is GONE!! I personally have gained an INCREDIBLE amount of will power I have NEVER had before and would NEVER have had without my band. To be honest, I don't even think about food on a daily basis. To me, it is a mission. I get my protein in and that is about it. I don't have cravings (apart from an occasional one here or there) in general, I am almost never hungry and that is exactly what I was hoping for. I am NOT saying this is "normal" or what happens for anyone else, nor do I care quite honestly. This is MY JOURNEY and how it is going for me. I do not and would never imply that everyone should do what I do nor do I dare to say this is how it is "suppose" to be. This is how it works for me. I have NEVER and I repeat NEVER said I didn't need the band. I could NEVER have gotten to where I am without it. Why in the hell would I subject myself to a major surgery because I didn't need it? Seriously, let's use some common sense here. I hope that alleviates any question about this particular question that just torques my ass! I NEED THE BAND AND THE SURGERY AND WOULD NEVER BE WHERE I AM OR WHERE I INTEND TO GO WITHOUT IT. That said, and apart from whatever reasons I supply for MY CHOICE why would anyone judge someone else as to how they proceed on this VERY PERSONAL journey? So you rely on the band and choose to for a lifetime GREAT!!! I genuinely hope it works for you!!! So some choose to eat around the band day one. GREAT!!! Hope that works for you! So I choose to live my life normally once I reach my goal. WHY DO YOU CARE and WHY WOULD YOU JUDGE ME? Because I'm not doing it the way you are or the way it is "suppose" to be? Give me a break please!! Again, to state the obvious and what everyone SHOULD know, the band is a TOOL!!! The unofficial definition of the word "tool" is a device or mechanism that aids in achieving a task. I use mine to achieve the task of teaching me healthy habits, which it has done and continues to do every day. I am VERY CLOSE to feeling 100% confident that I can continue what I've learned WITHOUT depending on a piece of plastic around my stomach but to RELY on ME!! Shocking I know, but that is my plan. Will it work? I hope so! Am I sure it will work? Hell no! Am I dedicated and educated enough to make it work? HELL YES!! But if it doesn't, I have my good ol' piece of plastic to back me up and get me on track. My surgeon is rated in the top 5% of all WLS surgeons in the US. He was one of the VERY FIRST to gain the Center of Excellence rating and has done this for many, many years. He has not had lap-band, nor has anyone in his office. But that makes him no less qualified or have a less understanding than a doctor that has had the surgery. I'm SO HAPPY that you are pleased with your surgeon, that is one of the things that I am SURE has helped my success. Many have surgeons that don't know what they heck they're doing. But don't presume that yours is better than anyone else's. Just be glad you are happy with him. I am not a professor in the area of lap-band and my theories may be unorthodox. But PLEASE don't judge those who do something differently or believe differently than you! What you do that works for you is a PERSONAL choice as it is mine.

I hope whichever you choose works for you!! Glad there are so many options for all of us! Keep us posted!

Whatever you did that didn't follow your pre-op diet, you NEED to tell your surgeon right away!! Don't come here and ask our opinions, most of us are not doctors. It is vitally important your doctor knows EXACTLY what you did and right away. You do not want to get on the operating table and have him surprised by something he was not expecting. Don't worry about a postponement of surgery or be afraid to tell him you cheated, it is a matter of having a successful surgery and result. The other thing I would suggest doing right away is educating your "friends" about this journey. The last thing you need is people around you encouraging you to eat...birthday or not. What you need is support and encouragement when you make the right choice, not temptation into making the wrong ones. This is hard enough to fight our internal demons without help from external ones!

It sounds like you didn't get proper pre-op information which is such a shame! So many patients on these boards don't, sorry about that. However, whether you are self-pay or insurance covers it, it still takes time. If you read the boards, you will see what you should have been told in the beginning. Restriction can take months! On a positive note, it sounds like you are close to reaching the holy "sweet spot" so don't give up. You are only 6 weeks out with one fill. Everyone is different so no one, not even your doctor, can tell you when it will happen, but it will happen. In my experience reading these boards the 3rd or 4th fill is the "the one" depending on the aggression your doctor uses when it comes to fills. Mine is very conservative, others are more generous. However, when you hit the "sweet spot" you will not even think about food which makes taking it off much more tolerable. Hang in there!!!

Hey Mickey, just wanted to send you a shout-out as a fellow "Disney lover" who also lives to visit the house of mouse. Are you a Disney Vacation Club member? Just curious, we are and love it!!

Excellent post Lauren!! It's always so much easier when someone else puts into words what you're thinking It absolutely frosts me when people think WLS is the "easy way out" I have never worked so hard and sacrificed SO MUCH to lose this weight. Easy way out...YEAH RIGHT!!

Heck no am I saying you don't have a life, so hope you don't take it that way!!! I was being sarcastic regarding the topic of posting because you have too much time on your hands, I was actually referring to me..LOL. And right now, I do have time on my hands (hope I don't jinx myself). And you are also very right, I am not having any band problems so I guess posting here is a NSV (non-scale victory)..lol I like what you have to say as well

Everything you are thinking is completely normal! I was on teh other side of the spectrum and counting down the days until my surgery. On the operating table I was questioning, but I took a big deep breath and woke up with a band inside me I don't regret the decision at all, and am SO HAPPY I finally did it!! As a little side story, my best friend of all time was going to have WLS about 4 years ago. Went through all the hoops, got insurance approved to pay 100%, pre-op, etc. Literally, the day before surgery, her sister talked her out of it scaring her to death, so she cancelled. To her credit, she did take off a considerable amount of weight (about 45lbs) over the course of about 2 years. Fast forward to today. When she lost her weight, I didn't, in fact, I gained. I was always slimmer than her but was about 2 sizes bigger than her surgery day. Today I am 2+ sizes smaller than her and healthier than ever. She has regretted not taking advantage of the surgery at the time because now her insurance doesn't cover any portion of the surgery. She and I are very close but have always been ultra-competitive when it comes to weight (very similar in size for over 20 years). Although she would never say it, her eyes tell me how jealous she is even though she is thrilled at my results. She had the opportunity to be even smaller than I am now, but continues to struggle with her weight. She has told me over and over that she wish she had just gone through with it, she would be at her goal weight long ago. As it stands now, after 4+ years of yo-yo dieting, she has lost a total of 30lbs and is still at least 50lbs over weight.

You are absolutely right and entering Bandster Hell! It is NO FUN, but necessary as we all know well. My best advice would be to find a hobby and quick! Whenever I got hungry, I would walk and drink Water. While that didn't always subside the hunger it certainly helped. In the meantime, DEFINITELY follow your doctor's order to a TEE and don't deviate from it at all without contacting your doctor first. It is not easy, but you can and will get through it!! Best to you!

You and I sound very similary in experience and opinion. I too had restriction from day one and over the course of 15 months, have only had 3 fills total. I likely didn't even need the ones I got in the first year, but I felt "obligated" to get a fill from the opinions of others and the "bandster way." I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am of people saying "if you don't have your band filled, why did you get it in the first place?" That drives me absolutely crazy!! First of all, I don't need it filled to the max or at all if I choose..let me emphasize..If I Choose! The people in my "support" group constantly question why I do what I do and how I can possibly achieve the results I have achieved...easy answer...I'm using the "tool" in the way that works for me. Not you, not the majority of bandsters in the world, but for me! I appreciate how Betsy is looking at using her band, but what works for her may not work for the next person or the next, it's what she chooses for herself, that is what is important. I went into this with a clear vision of how I was going to use the band long-term. I have always intended of having a complete unfill when I was confident I changed my lifestyle and eating habits. NOT when I reached goal, and not for any other reason. ONLY when I was SURE I changed inside and out. I am not quite there yet, but am very close! Once I get there, I will have a complete unfill and live my life much like I did pre-band except without the bad habits. If my bad habits start sneaking up on me again (I hope I have these demons gone) I will get a fill and start again. That is one of the reasons I chose lap-band over gastric bypass. Once a bypass patient falls off the wagon, their stomach can stretch back to it's original size and bigger and they can gain their weight back. If I start heading down that path (perish the thought) I simply go back in and get tightened back up just like immediately after surgery. I think the majority of bandsters intend to use their band life-long, and many are scared of the idea of not using it as intended (getting and keeping fills), but that is not me. I am determined to use the tool as it best works for me and go back to eating like a normal person without fear of throwing up, PBing or sliming. Imagine that :tt1:

The band is a fickle thing. I've been banded over a year and it never ceases to amaze me. I had good restriction for a few months,then decided to get a small fill. The first 2 days after the fill I could eat ANYTHING and not feel hungry at all! I even called the nurse thinking she had taken some out instead of putting some in as I hadn't been that hungry in MONTHS!! Then BAM, about 2 weeks later, holy restriction Batman! I could hardly eat scrambled eggs. Then the next day, the sky's the limit. In fact, from May-December I had no fill at all, and would have TOTALLY random episodes of restriction. There is no rhyme or reason with my band. I just follow wherever it leads

Hi Todd, glad you are "back on the wagon". I just wanted to know when you were banded. If you were banded recently I would strongly suggest not introducing beer back in for several months or a year. The carbonation and foam in beer can cause severe complications. A person in our group had emergency surgery to have their band removed after having 2 beers 8 weeks after surgery. This could be a very rare case, but just wanted to let you know to be very careful.

It is probably not Water retention unless you are eating alot of salt. Your weight loss will slow the first weeks after surgery-that is totally normal. Don't kill yourself trying to figure it out. Just have realistic expectations and don't get on the scale every day. Your doctor or nutritionst should have prepared you for the first 6 weeks post op and told you not to expect significant weight loss until after you start getting fills. There is a lot of great information on this site regarding "bandster hell" and post op weight loss, I would suggest checking it out so you can know what to realistically expect in the upcoming weeks and not get discouraged. Just keep doing what you're doing and try to stay off the scale!!

I too am in full support of health care reform and am thrilled it passed!!! As for who is going to pay for it, consider just a select few observations. Currently, anyone who attends an emergency room will be treated regardless of being insured or even being able to pay. Having a relative working in an ER I can tell you that more than 75% of all patients seen in the ER are unisured. Those costs are passed down to those who ARE insured raising rates to insurance companies and so on. If you think of the HUGE amount of money being put into Medicaid and other programs for those who can't afford insurance, that will be absorbed by the new reform substantially. There are many many other programs that will be eliminated because of the reform, and the dollars that would have been spent there will go to cover current costs. I just love how the opposition creates the illusion that this money is coming directly and wholly out of the tax payers wallet, nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that YES it is going to be expensive and time consuming, but most things that are worthwhile require expense and commitment. I am currently insured but was on Medicaid while I was a stay-at-home-mom. Let me tell you, without that help or preferably this reform, there would have been NO WAY for us to afford health care for our children or ourselves during those times when money was scarce. Health care in the United States should be a RIGHT not a PRIVILEGE in my opinion.