SpideyMom

Hi, Don14! You have done fabulous!! WOW! I have been stuck before, and what has usually helped me is a few days of going back to mostly liquid, along with increased exercise. I'm really surprised at how critical exercise is to losing and maintaining! I never exercised before, and now I realize how important it is. But, be sure to pat yourself on the back for 1. losing soooo much!!! and 2. not gaining during this plateau. Also, do go talk to your doctor about the fill. It very well could be the culprit. Keep up the great work!!!

I am thrilled! As of today, I am finally down 100 lbs. I was banded on May 7, 2009. I feel so much better and am much happier! It was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever done, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It can be done -- just have faith in yourself and keep picking yourself up every time you fall. :wink: Here are my before and after pics:

Congratulations, Danielle!! Where God guides, God provides. How blessed you are!

Good luck, Danielle! Come back and let us know how you are doing.

I just came across this and thought you might find this interesting: The 10 Most Common Mistakes WLS Patients Make Vitamins, supplements, or Minerals 2nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity 3rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals 4th Mistake: Not Eating Right 5th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water 6th Mistake: Grazing 7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly 8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much) 9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda (soft drink) 10th Mistake: Drinking Excessive Alcohol For anyone wanting to read the mistakes in full detail; the National (America) Association for Weight Loss Surgery website address. The 10 Most Common Mistakes Weight Loss Surgery Patients Make I know I've been guilty of some of these from time to time. I think I need to print this out! :thumbup:

It is so great to see you all on here again! Everyone is doing so well, despite the challenges we all have been through. Denverlee, I am so happy to hear that your daughter is doing well. I will continue to keep her in my prayers. Jennie, fab job on the triathlon! I need to up my exercise too, but I doubt I'll be doing anything like that soon! I love my tae kwon do classes, and I start with a new personal trainer next week. I need to get back to walking, too. John!! I am so happy to see you and hear how well you are doing. That is fantastic that you are doing so well with maintenance. You gave me a good reminder that I need to slow down when I eat. That, and not drinking with the meal, are simple things I need to get back to doing. And Sarah, I am so sorry for all you have had to endure! Keep coming around, we enjoy hearing from you. I have had three surgeries in the last year, and I have two more to go through in the next 6 months. With each surgery, I have gained a few pounds, and that really depresses me. Maybe coming back here to talk with you all will help. Any maintenance tips you all have, please share! Hang in there, and keep coming back!

Jennie, congratulations on getting back to your goal! I think exercise really is the way to go. I am starting training with a new personal trainer next week, and I'm hoping that I will get back to where I was -- 10 lbs. ago. And way to go on that triathlon! I am super impressed!!

Congratulations, everyone! Now that it has been a year and a half since I lost 100 lbs., I must say, maintenance is pretty hard. But if we accomplished this much, we can accomplish anything! Keep up the great work, everyone!

Hi, Rebecca! Glad to see another person around here! I agree with you, a little change here and a little change there can let the bad habits sneak up again. One thing I let go of completely that I've been trying hard the past few days to get ahold of again is not drinking with meals. I hate doing that, but I realize now that drinking with the meal was helping wash down my food, so I ate more. I'm hoping that this change will help me. We should all be happy with how far we have come, whether we reached our goal or just got close. Look at how different we are from 2 1/2 years ago! We've come a long way, baby! If anyone else is out there, please check in! We've always been a great, non-judgmental, caring, encouraging group, and I think we can help one another with the maintenance phase -- which is much harder than I thought it would ever be!!! So, c'mon back, y'all!!

Hi, Gaye! So nice to see you again! I can't believe all you have gone through with the band! You poor thing. I am glad you are feeling good again. I have gained 10 lbs, but it is due to poor eating habits. I've had three major surgeries over the past 9 months, and I fell back into comfort eating and not exercising as much. Now I can't get the darn 10 lbs. off!! It's very frustrating and disheartening to me. I would love to keep in touch again because I need the accountability. Anyone else out there?? Come out, come out, wherever you are!

I'm glad you posted, LOM. I pray for you and your daughter, and hope that you will find strength and peace to help you through such a tough time. You may want to talk confidentially to a doctor about getting on an antidepressant. It sounds as if you have the classic symptoms of depression, which is normal when you are going through something like this. If nothing else, try to take some fish oil capsules. It's known to help with depression. You can Google it and find out more. But I also agree with Mamadot that it would be good if you could find someone to talk to during this time. You are going through so much! And to only gain 16 pounds with all of this stress *and* your band being unfilled is fantastic. I have been struggling with some weight gain from emotional eating, also. It's a lifelong issue that so many of us have. I gained about 8-10 lbs. and went in for a small fill. It's helped me lose some, but I still need a band for my brain! LOL Hang in there as best as you can, know that we are here for you, and you can vent any time! God bless you. xoxoxo Ann

Thanks, everyone, for the responses! I am glad for any help/support that is out there! I am still struggling. I just had another surgery 3 weeks ago, and I know now that I am very depressed. It started with the last surgery in October, and compounded with this latest surgery. I believe that I too suffer from binge eating disorder. Mamadot, I could have written your post! However, I don't have weekly support groups. That is wonderful. I have been faithfully seeing my therapist, who is a certified addictions counselor, and that helps. I almost went back for a fill last month, but then I got really sick with a flu bug and didn't get around to rescheduling. I am now confused as to whether I should get a fill or not. On the one hand, I am definitely able to eat more than before, but on the other hand, I am not making the best choices. I need to get a grip on things! I am still holding true to my no sugar/no white carbs, but there are so many yummy sugar-free things (esp. ice cream and pudding) out there that I keep bingeing on. One thing that has totally gone out the window for me is no drinking with meals. That was a very hard thing for me all along, and I find myself sipping all through a meal now. I think you were right, Mamadot, about the honeymoon period. I think I need to go on a second honeymoon! LOL Hang in there. We can keep it off! Ann

LOM, I am so glad to hear from you! I was on here earlier and was wondering about your daughter. I am glad to know that she is responding well to the chemo. It is scary stuff, and you were wise to stay home at Christmas. I remember going through the same types of things. The whole experience makes you realize what is truly important in life. I will continue to keep the prayers flowing... I'm a strong believer in that! And don't you worry about crying in WalMart!! I'm sure people have done some strange stuff in that store, so crying is nuthin! Keep your chin up and know that you will all get through this. xoxo Ann

I posted this just over a year ago, and I SOOOOO needed to look at this again. Since reaching my goal, I have become guilty of the first six things on this list. And now it's time for me to fess up and face the music. I am really struggling lately, especially since my surgery in October. I thought that the LB would be the saving grace, and it has been in so many ways. I've changed my eating habits tremendously. But what I haven't changed is my addiction to food in general. I can't stop thinking of it -- all day. When can I eat again? What can I eat? How much can I eat? Will anyone notice that I'm taking seconds, thirds... fourths? Is anyone else struggling with this? I need some help!

Sarah, I think you are doing great!! Don't worry about those 2 lbs!! Think of all you have lost!

LOM, I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter! I will keep her, you, and your whole family in my prayers. I'm glad you have running to keep your stress level in check a bit. You look fabulous, btw!

Thanks, everyone, for your kind greetings! Good to see all of you again. Rebecca, I'm glad your fill was successful!

Thanks for sharing this, Mamadot! I agree with everything you have written, including the challenges!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, Mamadot!!!! Time for the Vitamin Dance!!! :party::crying:

Hi, everyone! I haven't posted in a few months, though I think of you all often! I hope everyone is doing okay. I've been having some health issues, but I'm back on the mend slowly. I have come to terms (I think) with the fact that my body seems to prefer an extra 3-5 lbs. than where I got down to in July, which was my goal. I had to have another unfill in late August (yet again!), and I'm trying to just deal with being a little looser and not losing weight anymore. I struggle now with overeating non-sugary foods (savory foods and sugar-free foods). Some days are better than others. But, the biggest news is that I had a tummy tuck a month ago. Not for the reasons you are probably thinking, though. I found out earlier this year that I carry one of the breast cancer gene mutations, so I had to have a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction on 10/7. The way they reconstructed was by taking my excess belly tissue and transplanting it to my chest. (Imagine that!) I made lots of jokes along the way that had I done this a year and a half ago, I could have been Dolly Parton! It's been a tough recovery, and I'm still not back to work yet, though it's been almost 5 weeks. I'm going to let you know, because I didn't know, nor did any of my friends, that when you get a tummy tuck, you are left with a huge scar straight across your abdomen. Mine is 20 inches long. :crying: But, the important thing is, I am no longer in serious danger of having my breast cancer come back. So, scars and pain be damned, I'm glad I did it. I hope you are all well.

Wow, GR, you really are sensitive to fills! I have had my good share of fills and unfills, but nothing like that! You poor thing. I'm glad you got an appointment for Friday. Another thing that has been really bothering me for the last two months is all the burping and gurgling I'm doing! The gurgles come out of my throat all the time, and when I'm talking to someone and it happens, it's sooo embarrassing! :cursing: I gave up scrambled eggs and ground beef a long time ago... and broccoli! Isn't it sorta ironic, though, that we are griping about not being able to eat these healthy foods, when usually when I'm on a diet, I'm griping about not being able to eat sweets and other junk. LOL :thumbup: Hang in there -- and check back and let us know how the doctor's appointment goes. Good luck!

Thanks!! You can do it, too! It may be a tough journey sometimes, but just don't give up. :cursing::thumbup::thumbup:

Lisa, if you could get your doctor to write an order for an upper GI as medically necessary, perhaps then your insurance would pay? Because, for example, wouldn't your insurance pay if you got an infection because of the band and needed some medical intervention? Might be worth investigating. I did get a slight unfill on Friday afternoon, and the surgeon told me that my pouch was a little bigger since the surgery date, but that is to be expected after a year. But, thankfully, no slipping... and that's after two months of a lot getting stuck and then coming back up (sorry, TMI). I told him I was really scared about the slipping because I, too, had read so many stories. He said that you really have to be vomiting a lot for that to happen. However, that said, if the band is at the correct adjustment, no one should be vomiting. Sigh... this is so much more complicated than I ever dreamed! :cursing: But, I'm SOOO glad I did it. Worth it all. :thumbup:

GonnaRide, you just described almost exactly what I have been going through for two months since reaching my goal. And it all started with me getting a pill stuck, which irritated my esophagus (however, I wasn't throwing up blood -- you poor thing!). And since then, like you said, nothing has been the same. I also have to drink to get things down, though it doesn't always have to be hot. I have gone to see my surgeon twice, and the first time he told me to start taking Prevacid every day to help the esophagus heal. That has helped. (However, I have had other episodes of pills getting stuck and the same thing happening again.) Then last Friday he took out 0.4 cc's because I couldn't eat anything but slider foods -- no meat. He said that once my esophagus heals and I can eat regular, healthy food again (no ice cream :thumbup:) that perhaps I will lose the 5 lbs. I gained. He said that sometimes people will gain weight because their band is too tight (for whatever reason) and they start eating the wrong foods. (Guilty as charged. :cool:) I hope this helps you in some way. I would suggest going back to your doc and asking for a slight unfill. I know it's so frustrating, especially if you've gone through, as you so perfectly described: "Then I hit a period of overfilling where nothing went down, unfill, refill, rinse & repeat." :smile2: And ... just like you, I've been sooooo hungry!!!!! I've gotta tell ya, it has been nice being able to eat some real food again. I even got chicken down last night, which I thought might have been crossed off my list forever. :cursing: Please check back in and let us know how you're doing. :smile:

Lisa, my doc has all his patients get an upper GI after a year as a general rule of thumb. I have no idea how much it costs, but once I get the insurance notice, I will let you know. I imagine it is not cheap, unfortunately. I can't eat broccoli either, unless it is cream of broccoli soup -- meaning total mush. I also have to peel my apples. And I cannot eat scrambled eggs for some reason! Right now I can't really do much meat of any kind unless it is lunchmeat or stewed, so I tend to eat softer foods, which I know is not ideal. I'm actually thinking of having a slight unfill just because everything hurts when I try to eat "normal" foods. So, I eat a lot of soup, hummus, Greek yogurt, etc. Every morning I make a protein shake with frozen fruit. And lately I have been eating protein bars (have to take small bites, tho). I can tolerate some whole wheat breads if I take small bites and don't eat the crust. For the first 9-10 months I didn't eat any bread at all. Then I found Nature's Own Double Fiber bread, which I can eat (minus the crust) and whole wheat Pepperidge Farms Deli Flats or Arnold Sandwich Thins (same thing -- those little soft, round, thin bun-like things). I also like salad -- I can tolerate that well as long as the protein isn't too dry. McDonald's salads are good, Burger King not so much. And I love chili and lentil bean soup. Good stuff!