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If you think you are eating too fast then you probably are. Eat slower, take smaller bites, chew more, wait between bites etc and see if this helps. If it doesn't then you might be a little bit too tight.

I eat things like pasta,frittata, quiche - things that I know are not going to get stuck. To me that is more important when I am out than choosing low cal options. So far no-one has noticed or commented on how slow or what i am eating.

Surely you still need to exercise with the sleeve?

I slept the way I always do - on my side. I did put a pillow next to my stomach for extra support but didn't really need it.

Why don't you read the complications thread - you will get a good idea there of some of the complications people experience. No surgery is perfect but the band has proved to be a pretty good option.But I think you should go and investigate bypass and the sleeve as well. That is once you have decided that you actually think WLS is for you. You have to remember as well that the problem is that humans are not perfect. Often the reason the "band failed" is because the person was not ready to change. A band does not shop, cook and put food in your mouth and it can't stop you from making poor choices. If you decide to spend your time sitting on the couch eating candy then the band won't stop you.

Every day. It helps me keep a handle on things. If I have gained then i can nip it in the bud.

Mine was 32.

Just wondering how you would mange to get a job based on what insurance it offers. In the current climate I would have thought it was hard enough to find any new job !

Anything that calculates waist to height ratio is NOT Cool. Not when you are an apple, albeit a healthy BMI apple.

I know of people that have had it done publicly but they all had to wait. The best thing to do is go and see Dr Nottle and see what he says.

Leigha sorry you are having problems with hubby at the moment.Although thinking about it aren't hubbies just one big problem? I swear mine is permanently grumpy these days. Never mind PMT this is 10 times worse. Sometimes being around him is like treading on eggshells. Whatever is wrong I hope you manage to resolve it. Well done Christie I am sure that you must feel fab. Melody I hope you manage to sort the shoulder pain thing out soon - it must be very frustrating. I have to agree that eating spaghetti squash hardly sounds like a sin. I mean it's a vegetable for heavens sake!It's a good job I don't go to confession as my sins are far worse. And that's only the food that I'm talking about. Leigha try something else. Tinned fish can be very dry even with mayo on. There is nothing worse than being hungry and not being able to eat. Sending you lots of hugs XXXXXXXX

Have you ever had a weight issue yourself? If not it may be hard to understand how awful being overweight/obese can make you feel.Most of us want to be slim/sexy/look good in clothes. The need to look normal" is probably more of a driving factor than the health issue for a lot of people. I would get a band just to look and feel good about myself if I had no health issues.Oops what am I saying I did. The only issues I had were high BP and cholesterol. The BP resolved itself for a while but has now gone back up, cholesterol still high so obviously neither were related to my weight! Maybe you are also concerned that if she loses weight then she may lose interest in you as well? If you have a solid relationship then it should not be an issue.I have no intentions of swapping my husband any time soon although if Shemar Moore or Brad Pitt came knocking I might change my mind! And I'm not sure why getting a band would make her miserable for the rest of her life. Mine doesn't. I look good, I feel good - what's there to be miserable about.

I look at my fat photos and imagine looking like that again and not being able to wear all the sexy/pretty clothes I have now. That keeps me on the straight and narrow.

To answer your questions. No I do not have pain or problems with my band. the only time it hurts is when I am not doing things the way I should be - eating too fast, too big bites, food that is too tough etc. No I can't feel it inside me except as above. If you are stuck then yes it hurts. No the port area is not painful. No it doesn't hurt to get a fill - it's no worse than having an injection or having blood drawn. Search for threads on the sweet spot and read what is written. There are some people that swear by it and others that never find what they believe it to be. Once you have read some of them if you have more questions ask !

Now I am not a believer but i like what angrybaby said - basically God helps those that help themselves. I think that particularly in this instance she is right.

The band helps you eat smaller amounts of food.It does not force you to make healthy low calorie choices. Reasons for failure include. Choosing low nutrition high calorie foods. Eating constantly throughout the day. Drinking calories. Not exercising. Yes sometimes you will eat half a sandwich and be satisfied. Sometimes you may eat the whole sandwich or you may find that you cannot eat a sandwich as some bandsters cannot tolerate bread. Once banded you do not get that full (stuffed) feeling in your stomach. It is a different sensation that is usually felt in your throat or chest.It can range from being mildly uncomfortable to so painful that you feel like you are going to have a heart attack. Sometimes you will get relief if you cough the food back up (its different from vomiting) sometimes you will just have to put up with it until the food passes into your stomach. If you stick to the guidelines that your dr will give you, make healthy choices, exercise etc then there is no reason why you shouldn't be successful. Very few of us are perfect and i am sure that most have a small treat every now and again. HTH

Kat that is interesting.Have no idea what a reading under 100 means as here they must measure it differently The desirable range is between 0 and 5.5! I would have thought having 0 cholesterol would actually create a whole host of other problems. There doesn't seem to be an answer at this point and the problem is that the FDA, AHA, drug companies and lots of others have invested lots of time and money into proving how much of a problem cholesterol is. They are not likely to backtrack any time soon as it would cost too much both in money and credibility. It would be nice if they had solved the puzzle and if the solution was as simple as popping a daily pill but it seems that the truth is actually a lot more complex and that they are not anywhere close to solving it. In the meantime the drug companies continue to rake in the dollars and people are lulled into a false sense of security. I believe that if people are happy to take statins that is fine. But people should be aware that they are not the solution to heart disease that they are promoted to be and they do come with some very horrible side effects(as do all drugs). I hate taking anything blindly and like to know all the pros and cons so that I can weigh them up and decide whether or not the perceived benefits outweigh the possible risks.

As I said I have no intention of arguing.

The choice between Realize and Lap Band is not an issue. I believe they are both really good. It's a bit like choosing between granny smith or golden delicious apples. What should be more of a concern to you is the fact that your surgeon has only done 50 bands. This is a really low number and may indicate that this surgeon is not very experienced in this area.

Whilst the sleeve is a good option I do not believe that it means you don't have to change things. It is still a restrictive only type of procedure the same as the band and success with it is dependant on making healthy food choices etc. I am not sure that drinking 1.5 litres of Water in one go is any healthier than drinking that same amount over a period of time.With a band you will probably drink a bit slower but generally it is not enough of a difference to be a problem. So long as you don't drink with or straight after food then the water will go down pretty fast. You will still be able to drink enough to be healthy and satisfied and as the others have pointed out the weight loss will make you a lot healthier. If you had to weigh up which would benefit your health more, then losing weight is of more benefit than guzzling water. Not that you really need to make that choice. What I think is that you are not yet emotionally ready to be banded and you are using this as a reason not to get the band. That is fine - no-one should get a band if they are not ready. When you are ready the water will not be an issue.

I know most people believe the claims made about cholesterol and heart disease that have been put out over the last 50 or so years. But there is a lot of evidence that shows very conflicting views. Do an internet search and some of the info is very interesting. Yes supposedly cholesterol builds up and blocks arteries - interestingly it doesn't do the same to veins! Also there is not a big difference in heart disease between those with lower cholesterol levels. Lowering it for most makes a very minimal difference.At the end of most ads for drugs such as Lipitor there is actually a disclaimer about whether or not it lowers the risk of a heart attack! I am not trying to change anyones mind or cause an argument. It might just be interesting to know that there is another point of view - a bit like global warming!

Brit by birth, South African for a long time and now living in Aus! Weet(a)bix has been a common breakfast food in all those countries.

There was a lady on TV tonight who has lost 320kg approx 700lb. Her loose skin is awful. I felt so sorry for her as she has done so well losing weight and now our health system won't do anything to help with the excess skin due to lack of funding. Seems crazy as i know people who lost far less and were able to get theirs fixed.

Interesting and it does seem to prove the calories in/out thing. What was most interesting was the bit about cholesterol. Personally I think the high cholesterol thing is a ruse by drug companies to force the majority of people to be on a drug for the rest of their lives that they can make big money out of.It is a substance that is produced naturally by your body that is important for lots of functions and the drugs to lower it can have horrible side effects. Every time I have gone on the type of diet that is supposed to help lower my cholesterol it has gone up. Obviously my body makes more to compensate. Just shows that there is still lots that we do not yet understand.

I usually have a poached egg on 1 slice of wholemeal toast - sometimes I add a slice of ham or smoked salmon. I also notice that lately this isn't keeping me full for as long as it used to so it may be time for a fill. I do do better with the egg though than if I eat oats or weetbix. My alternative breakfast is natural (untoasted) muesli with greek yogurt.