balletgirl

Thanks ladies for the boost to get off my rear. Yes, I do exercise. Yes, I do eat Protein - lots of it, just not meat. I eat Siggi's Icelandic yogurt (you otta try it! Super high in protein, very low in sugar - made with agave nectar) and all organic. It's found at Whole Foods Markets or look at their website for local stores. Anway, cottage cheese - fat free aint too bad once you get used to it! Prevention magazine has a great Super smoothie receipe in the September issue for days you don't feel like eating - although it's very high in carbs. I used the siggi's yogurt instead of greek. I feel better today - went and had a great workout of cardio and weights and then ate very healthy. Yes, let's be real here - beer and chips are the old way of eating. Thanks so much for supporting me! Oh, no I'm not too tight. I'm actually able to eat the foods I'm supposed to eat like veggies and fruit. It's like being a vegetarian so I don't miss the meat much. Yeah, it's the chips - really it is. And I need to be honest here as you all know - if I don't buy it - it's not in the house! Hello! Big surprise there huh! Thanks so much for letting me vent. It's so great to be able to come here and get the support I need from friends who truly understand this whole food thing. Have a super great weekend everyone and thanks again!

Well...it's been a long time since I've been on here and written something. I'm pondering if I should write something or "just get over it", kick myself in the rear and do what I need to. What's the problem you ask? It's been close to 2 years since my banding (9/24/08). I did great - went from 210 to 136. My goal was 130 but my body just wouldn't budge past 136. I haven't had a fill in a year. But since May of this year, I've started to gain weight and don't really understand why. I am now up to 148. I still have restriction so I don't think that's the problem. Since my last fill (Aug 09) I no longer eat any meat, bread, Pasta, or rice. Soda has always been out and I never really had a problem with it anyway. I'm so depressed. I still exercise but why am I gaining weight?! My only sinful food I'm consuming is tortilla chips - but I have enough restriction that it tightens up so I don't binge (I can eat corn products but not flour products). I drink beer but only one a day at the most, my coffee is black and I don't buy drinks like Latte's etc. I know if I head in to the doctor he will say I don't need a fill - I need to lower my calories. And let's be honest here - yes I do. I'm depressed though. Even though I have restriction, I feel like I'm right back to where I was before the banding mentally - I know what I'm supposed to do, and yet I don't do it!! I stopped keeping a journal so that I wouldn't obsess about the food but it looks as though I need to start journaling again, but somehow I just seem to "forget". Yeah right........someone kick me in the butt here, tell me to get over myself and jump back on the healthy food wagon! I know what it is to eat healthy, I just don't do it. I guess what's depressing is that I do not eat candy, cakes, popcorn, etc. etc. but I always seem to find a way to get unhealthy food into my mouth. I'm a compulsive overeater. I've been in therapy, but just recently my therapist "let me go" and said I'm fine and I just need to go out in the real world and work on the things she has taught me. I don't know if I'm also dealing with the weight gain from premenopause? I'm 48 and am definately in that stage. Grrrr...I'm so depressed! I'm already having to go into the next size up clothing and it is really dragging me down! I am grateful for my lap band because otherwise I am right now in a binge mode and truly want to binge. So....I am rambling on and on here in this Lap Band forum to keep from binging - or trying to anyway. Y'all don't have to respond really.....I just needed to vent and my son will be coming home from school soon so I will be destracted. (sp) Forgive me for my ranting and raving...I'm just having a little pitty party here as my tight shorts are pinching into my stomach.

You are NOT a failure!!! Before any discussion of food, lap bands, or weight loss you MUST change your self talk or it will never work!! I am a compulsive overeater so I know all about the destructive self talk and the mental abuse I put upon myself. I have learned with therapy to learn to accept myself and my shortcomings and to learn to love myself for who I am. You can change the way you talk to yourself. When that voice says "you are a failure" you say..."well, actually I am a really great person who is taking care of myself and I may have slipped up a time or two but I am on the track to becoming all that I can be and give back to this world because I have a lot to share with this world - my gifts and talents. The past is the past and with the choice of the Lap Band I am moving forward to a happier and healthier me - thank you very much. Nope, I'm not a failure - I am a success!" Good luck. Now - tell yourself right now - yes right now - that you are taking care of yourself one day at a time. It takes time to change and patience will pay off. After you tell yourself that you love yourself for taking control of your own life and happiness with the Lap Band buddy (oh, I call my band my buddy), then go talk to the doctor about the restriction, weight loss, etc. - What you are doing, eating, etc. and come up with a plan with the doctor for a sensible time line for your weight loss goals. Make it all positive - make it about you! You deserve the best life has to offer! You really do!!! There's a reason why you are still here!

Let the doctor know you are nervous before you get the fill. You will be fine. The first time is scary but it's like a bee sting and very short lived. I was so nervous the first time, I almost passed out. The doctor said it was nerves and I wasn't the first patient to get queezy (sp) - it had nothing to do with pain or the shot - just straight nerves! After that first time you will see it isn't a big deal at all.

Hi Lap Band Friends! I want to promote a yogurt I found - "Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr Yogurt". Why? It's very high in Protein - 16 grams! All natural and low in sugars (I won't touch artificial sugar). It's super thick and stays with you longer than the regular, sugary yogurt you find in the grocery stores. Along with a banana, it lasts me all morning!:thumbup: Yes it is pricey, but since you are eating less food anyway the price is right! You can find it in the natural food grocery stores (go to the siggisdairy.com website for locations). Hope y'all are happy and healthy out there in Lap Band land!!

Apples2 - Congratulations on 30 years!!!! Yeah!!! I'm really happy for you! I really enjoy reading your posts here. You are such a positive person and an inspiration. So glad you were not hurt in your fall!!! Have a great day!!

Victoriasmom98; You are being way to hard on yourself! It has only been 4 months! Here is something my husband has always said to me - "You didn't put it on overnight, so you're not going to take it off overnight!" Easier said than done. But he is right. You must not look at what your final goal is of 80 pounds. That is overwhelming. You have the lap band in and it will work!! I guarantee it will! I got banded 9/24/08 and it wasn't until my fill in January of 2009 (4 months) that I really started to loose weight. As the doctor said "it was time to turn it on". Look, if potato chips are working right now ok! It took me so long to figure out what would work and what wouldn't. Stop beating yourself up (I am a compulsive overeater/binge eater so I know ALL about beating myself up and it doesn't do me any good). The lap band is a tool and it takes time. The nurse told me it would take about 6 months to get used to it, and she was dead-on right!! I think part of the problem with the lap band is that it is so exciting to take your eating and get it under control finally that you want it to work overnight! At least I did!! But it won't happen that way. It has been a year and one month, and I'm still 5 pounds away from where my initial goal was and my scale is stuck. I say "oh well! I'm so much happier and healthy for what I did for myself!" (My husband told me the other day to put the scale away now!) Here's what I did (remember I've got an eating disorder so it was tough!)....instead of focusing on how many calories I was consuming or what nutritious food I was consuming (and believe me at times it was nothing but nutritious!) I focused on what types of food I could eat, how to chew properly because that was a big change, how to eat a smaller bite size, and I focused more and more on what a full stomach actually felt like for the first time in years. I focused on what the lap band was telling me - like when to stop; what the pain was telling me as in "you just ate somethin' I don't like". Now obviously if you spend the next year eating potato chips and that's it - well, then you need to talk to the doctor because you know that is not going to benefit you at all. While you are experimenting with different foods - do keep up your protein intake with the protein shakes if you cannot get food down. These foods have worked quite well for me: refried beans; cream of wheat (good nutrition and iron and easy to get down); oatmeal; greek yogurt (higher in protein); applesauce (Motts Plus applesauce has a fiber one and a calcium one which aren't as sweet); mashed potatoes - although sometimes they don't work - and cottage cheese. You are not a failure!!!! Depression? Oh yeah, I've dealt with that too! What's the answer to that one - excersize!!! Get your blood pumping (assuming your doctor has said you can). It has been proven that when the blood gets pumping the endorphins create a natural high and help curb depression. I do not take drugs for depression - never have and don't believe in them. I am in therapy for my eating disorder and every time I get depressed my therapist asks me if I'm excersizing! So get out there missy - even if you just walk! Breathe some fresh air and feel good that you are taking care of yourself! You have given yourself a gift and it will come to you, I promise! The hardest thing is to wait until the weight comes off so what you need to do is re-focus on the benefits of having the band and work with your band. As my doctor tells me it is a tool, not a magic wand, so you need to work with it. Gosh I'm rambling!! Sorry! Good luck and we are all here for you! Take a deep breath, don't worry about what others say (most of them will be quite envious as you loose the weight) and just remember to be nice to yourself because you are a beautiful person!

Apples2 - I'm so sorry to hear this news. Thank you for sharing though and I will pray for her, you, and your family tonight. God Bless you! Keep sharing those wonderful memories of her ok! Take care

Signing off everyone - got runnin' around to do! Everyone have a super great day whatever you're doing! :thumbdown:

Great2Bthin - Gosh your mom and my mom must be sisters!! hahaha! My mom used to send me Good Housekeeping magazines that she "no longer wanted and if I wanted browse through them here they are" but those magazines just so happened to have articles on loosing weight! Like I didn't see that one! She would always make comments about looking good and being at a healthy weight for my husband! Anyway now I'm getting the same response you are! "You're too skinny!" "Is the doctor monitoring your weight?" "Are you seeing the doctor monthly" Sheesh. No wonder I'm in therapy!!! hahahahahahahaha! I say don't worry about those last ten pounds. That's the beauty of the Lap Band!! No more yo-yo dieting!!

Hello Great2Bthin; I had gone in for my monthly visit in July and the doctor had to take out 1cc because I was so tight I couldn't even get Water down and was in excruciating pain. But then I went on vacation and I was eating way too much and feeling no restriction at all. Even an apple wasn't filling me up or holding me over. So I went back in Sept and he was only going to put in 1/2 cc but after the doctor was done, he said "I went ahead and put 1 cc in". Basically it took me right back to the tightness I had before! It took me an hour and a half to eat plain yogurt. So when I went in a couple of weeks ago the PA John wanted to take out 1 1/2cc! I told him that the doctor had taken out 1 cc and that didn't leave me with enough restriction, so if John took out 1 1/2cc it would be way too much! I convinced John to only take out 1/2 cc and he did. He didn't believe me that it would be the right amount, but it is! I've finally found my sweet spot. I was at the lower end of the BMI scale for having the lap band procedure. I started at 210 (5'6") and had the band on 9/24/08. I am currently at 135. I would like to be 130, but I'm ok with where I'm at. I guess a lot of people would be thrilled with being called too skinny but I have an eating disorder (compulsive overeater/binge eater) and have a very distorted body image. I'm in therapy for it so that helps. It just made me feel like I wasn't welcome in the doctors office - like I didn't belong there. It's hard to describe writing here, but anyway that's my story. Thanks for asking and for the nice compliment! Have a terrific day!!

Apples, Thanks for the "invite" to this thread! So...I have a question for anyone who wants to answer. I am no longer getting my fills or monthly visits because my one year is up and now I'm a fee for service patient and am in the normal weight range for BMI (Yipee!). But on Oct 12th I had to go in to get saline taken out. The doctor has stopped doing fills for the most part as he has moved into just doing consults, surgeries and post op and he hired an assistant (PA) to do the fills. I went in that day and the PA John walked in to the room and literally the first thing out of his mouth was "what are you doing here? You're too skinny to be here - really!" I was stunned and quite honestly hurt (I know I should've felt complimented but I didn't). I've always felt welcomed in the doctors office. The he blurts out, "you're NOT here for a fill are you?" And I said no, I need some taken out. Then John and I disagreed on how much to take out (its' kindof a long story). He wouldn't listen to me but eventually did what I asked and now I've found my "sweet spot". But check this out. When John removed the needle from the port, he YANKED it so hard that the needle nicked the glove on his thumb and drew blood!! He said "you don't have HIV do you?" I said "No, I'm quite healthy, don't have HIV or any other diseases and you don't have to worry". Then he said, "well, I didn't think so, but with some other patients I might worry"! So my question to you out there is....should I write a letter to the doctor and tell him what happened? I'm not going in monthly nor do I need any more fills but should I tell the doctor? I really don't like making waves, nor do I like to complain.

Why did the doctor say only plain greek? I eat the Oikios greek yogurt found at Safeway and Albertson's plus two local grocery stores in my area. The vanilla is quite good and doesn't add a lot of sugar. The strawberry and blueberry are good too. The plain? I add it to my protein shakes with a banana!

Ok, first of all, you are just fine! You are not bad and you are not doing anything bad! I understand!!! I am a compulsive overeater/binge eater so I completely understand the mental abuse you are putting yourself through so I am telling you it is ok! You are in the adjustment period and what you are experiencing is just what foods will work with the band, and what won't. I was banded 9/24/08. I learned right away that cake won't work for me. I have the pain - excruciating (sp) pain with foods that I can no longer tolerate. Cake being one of them, and all breads and meats. It is difficult at the beginning and your brain is playing games with you like "why did you do this?" blah blah blah...But PLEASE believe me that over time you will adjust to this new lifestyle. The nurse at the office told me it takes about 6 months to get used to the band, what you can and cannot eat, etc. Well, she was right. It took about 6 months. Don't worry right now about what is healthy and what isn't. The lap band will tell you. Well, ok obviously eating chips or candy over a banana or yogurt isn't a wise choice, but you know that. And if you do eat the wrong food than just say to yourself that it's ok and that you're in a learning period! You are doing great! You did the right thing getting banded! Do not give up and GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! Don't beat yourself up! You got the band for yourself to create a different outlook on life and to be more healthy. What a wonderful gift you gave yourself! It takes time, but hang in there because it works. I have lost 60 pounds and am so happy I chose the lap band. It saved my life. As far as family... Well, I understand that too. I went on vacation this summer back home to see people I haven't seen in ten years. I ate! And I ate! And I wrote for support here in the lap band website, and I got the support I needed from those in this community that understand. You are on the right path. Keep posting here for support from those of us on the same path. One more note I'd like to pass on. I have been in counseling for the entire time I have had the lap band and it has been tremendous. I recommend finding a therapist to talk to if your brain keeps tormenting you because therapy is great to help eliminate these disruptive thoughts. All my best to you and have a really wonderful weekend ok! Remember that you are being kind and loving to yourself for once and this is all about being good and healthy to yourself.

I am wondering if anyone else has had the lap band, but also has had their eating disorder come and "slap them in the face". I am a compulsive overeater/binge eater. I am in therapy, but my current counselor doesn't have much experience with working with eating disorders. I have previously been to Overeaters Annon. but I left after a year because I was tired of talking about food! I have been banded for a year, and now that I have lost weight my eating disorder has become stronger and louder (or should I say the "voice" in my head). I am reading a book called "Life without ED" which has only made the voice louder. Is anyone else dealing with this crazy voice? I was doing great until July '09 when I got so tight that the doctor had to remove 1cc. For the following month I could eat anything - and ate everything in site. So I went back to him and said I have no restirction. So he put 1cc back in - after he said he would only put in 1/2 cc. So guess what? I am so tight again that I can only handle liquids and even trying to eat plain vanilla greek yougurt is painful! I have this feeling of a huge gas bubble in my stomach! So now ED (eating disorder) is yelling at me saying "hey, skinny people don't eat so what's the big deal!". Many people I see now are saying that I look great (I've lost 70 pounds), but then they secretly ask my husband "is she ok? is she sick?" I feel like I'm going insane. I don't see my counselor for another week and a half. Does anyone else deal with this eating disorder? I am struggling right now with having to go back to the doctor and feel guilty for having him take more saline out so I can eat, and the other voice in my head who says "You don't need to go to the doctor, just deal with it"! Any advice? :thumbup:

Yes, I had 1cc taken out in July because I was so tight I could not even swallow water! Well, for the last two months, I wasn't feeling restriction, nor was I getting full after even eating a high fiber food like an apple or salad. I was eating too much and was hungry all the time. I went in yesterday and the doctor put one cc back in. He said he was going to put 1/2 cc in, but when he was done he said he went ahead and put a full cc in. Oh well. Now I wonder if I'll go back to being too full? Gosh, I feel like it's the yo-yo thing all over again!! Only not with dieting, but with saline! Good luck!

Thank you!!! I needed that support! I did go back to eating healthy so I feel better! I even RAN on the beach and got my heart pumping the other day!! I could not have done that 9 months ago! Thanks for being there for me. Makes it easier to know I have support as I'm stressing about seeing family and friends. Take care!

You're not alone!! I am on vacation right now and guess what?! I have been eating all the wrong foods and just now - literally right now - I was sitting here at this laptop eating a huge bag of chips!!! I am panicking because I am headed home to see my parents and friends that I have not seen in 10 - yes 10 years so I am freaking out about seeing these people. I left home 25 years ago a skinny person, gained the weight and now that I have lost the weight again I am freaking out. I had nutritious food in the camper but I went straight to the chips!!! Talk about a guilt trip!! I've been sitting for hours as we've been driving so I am not burning calories or exersizing like I want to, so I am right back to bad behavior. I'm with you. Sorry for my ranting!! I guess I just needed to confess too....

I've been shopping at Walmart as I drop sizes because the clothes are cheap so I don't feel so bad when I don't wear a size for long.

If you are wanting to measure ounces, use a scale. It's the most accurate (make sure it starts at zero - sometimes mine gets mis-aligned). Once you get used to how much foods weigh or measure with measuring cups, you won't have to use a scale or measuring cups much anymore. For instance, I might measure a liquid portion of tomato soup using a measuring cup. After putting the soup in a bowl, I then know the soup comes to a certain level in that bowl so I no longer have to measure it every time. After time you will get used to smaller portions anyway and your lap band will tell you when enough is enough. Good luck!

I've been banded since Sept 24, 2008 and now have lost 60 pounds. I have 15 more to go until my goal weight. Things are going great, but now that I'm used to eating healtier and smaller meals, I'm fighting mental anguish. I am a compulsive-overeater (now I guess they call it binge eating). My disease hasn't gone away with the lap band. Therapy has helped, but still my mind plays head games with me every day, all day long. I have lost more weight than I have in 25 years - since the birth of my oldest child so I'm alittle freaked out when I look in the mirror and see this body that I haven't seen in 25 years! My fear??? The yo-yo thing again. As I am sure many of you have experienced (that's why we did this right?) there is always this nagging in the back of the mind of gaining it all back! Yes, I know the band is a tool, but I still am so fearful that something will go wrong and that I'll just gain it all back again! To believe this is permanent is scary for me. Somehow I think that in the future something will go wrong with the band - erosion, slippage, etc. and they'll have to take it out and bam - there I go back to being obese. I did say I have an eating disorder so you can see where my obsessive thought is. I've explained this to my therapist, but I am not sure she truly understands my fear - she had me read a book "feel the fear and do it anyway". Why am I writing? I guess I just need some support and understanding from people who may be feeling the fear of the yo-yo thing too. Is there anyone here who has been banded for years that can reasure me that I won't yo-yo? I AM so much happier eating healthy! I am getting comments now from family and friends about how skinny I am. Now they ask - when are you going to stop loosing weight! You're skinny enough! (No, I'm fine by the BMI and CAN loose more weight). These comments don't help. I tell them I eat lots of fruits and veggies - which you should anyway! and they still tell me I'm too skinny. Sheesh. The mental anguish! Sorry I'm rambling....you can see my mind is really messing with me....:thumbup:

I completely disagree with this advise! I have had to give up meats and all breads because they don't work at all with my band. What I CAN eat are fruits and vegetables! (Go figure - that's what we're supposed to eat to stay healthy!!) So salad is a big MUST for me! Green leafy salads are so important to get those vital nutrients from vegetables! Chopped eggs can be added for Protein. I've even added low-fat cottage cheese to top off my salad instead of dressing! Yes, dressings are the part of salads that can ruin the benefits of eating a salad by overloading with fat and calories, but there are many many options to top off your salad! Lemons, salsa, yogurt, etc. The only salads I think you should NOT eat are those pasta/potato type salads loaded with mayonnaise that have few nutrients and far too much fat and calories. Sorry Doc, but I gotta disagree completely with you. A yummy green salad loaded with crunchy vegetables is filling, tasty, nutritious and overall healthy. They're excellent on a hot summer day. I think your advice should have been to eat vegetable salads, but make sure you chew thouroughly and pay attention to what topping you put on those salads! Read the Prevention magazine! They have great advise for nutritious healthy food!!

I haven't had a fill since January and I still feel restricted. I cannot tolerate any meat, processed meat, fish or any bread product whatsoever. I am down to 157 but I haven't lost even a pound in an entire month! I do not eat sugary Desserts either. I can pretty much eat fruit, vegetables, yogurt, Beans, eggs and sometimes salads. Some days I cannot eat until noon! So....my question is this. Exactly how many calories am I supposed to be consuming now? I'm not eating junk food, sodas, coffee drinks, etc so how come I'm not loosing! Yes, I exercise. I'm still restricted - even cottage cheese is hard to swallow sometimes! Anyone got an idea for me?? Thanks!! :laugh:

Yes. I am a beer drinker and have not had any problems with beer at all. Yes, I know it's empty calories. But be careful!!!! Because you are consuming less food, the beer will affect you differently than before. I've noticed it only takes one beer now to "catch a buzz" instead of three! Enjoy!

Yep! I have had the same thing! Almost two months ago I had a fill with massive restriction after. Lost 9 pounds in a month, so he didn't do another fill. I go back in on March 31. I'm getting real tired of eating soft food! Seems the only thing that doesn't hurt is yogurt! Last night I tried a very light pasta (angel hair) and veggie with two bites of meat and was I in PAIN! I too have had to completely give up meat and fish! I'm also frustrated because solid foods are outright painful for me to eat and I burp the whole time while swallowing! Have you experienced the burping??