emjay

Here's the best advice I can give you. Keep your protein intake up (70-80 grams/day) and do strength exercises along with cardio to try and tone up. I am at my ultimate goal weight and yes, I have some effects of being overweight. If I put my arms a certain way, it looks like I have crepe paper under my arms. But that said, with the strength machines I use, I would still wear a tank top (and have) or sleeveless dress because it probably bothers me more than other people (they probably don't even notice. My legs - well let's just say I won't ever wear shorts out in public again. But overall I look pretty damn good in clothes and I feel great. So, if you're relatively young, you have the advantage of better elasticity than I (in my mid-forties). I've lost around 155 lbs or so - so I'm less than half the weight I used to be. But all in all - I wouldn't trade the way I look and feel now for all the cheesecake in the world compared to what I used to look and feel like. Don't worry so much about loose skin. If it bothers you that much, there are things that can be done if you want if bad enough. Focus on getting healthy and having given yourself the gift of several more quality years of life by taking responsibility for your health and well-being. And the best of luck to all of you!

Shanricci - I'm in kind of a similar situation as you, about 21 months out and never have any vomiting problems, can eat much quicker in the past 4-5 months than before without any problems, but know I still have restriction because at times I just have to wait until the pressure passes. I went and had a flouro done to check my band a couple of weeks ago for my own peace of mind and I have a mild dilation. Doc says it pretty normal after this amount of time to have some sort of small dilation. Nothing to be concerned about yet, since I have no other symptoms (reflux - mainly). Just something to keep an eye on (my plan annually) to make sure it stays that way. This may be the case for you. As long as you have no other issues, you may have a mild dilation - but don't let that worry you too much. You just have to be more diligent about paying attention to your full signals or quantity portions - my doc adheres to the belief of no carbonation and reiterated that as a concern for dilation, but I don't drink any so that can't be a cause. Best of luck to you and let us know how it turns out.

Is it with all fluids? I get a burning sensation if I drink certain red wines. Almost like heartburn. Water - no, juices - no, just wine so far that I know of. Well, I have tried a couple of sips of a carbonated beverage over the past 20 months and that is instant burning and discomfort - so I don't anymore. Just curious if it's with water also. If so, call your physician's office and ask about it. They may want you in to check things out to be safe. Good luck!

In my signature. Thanks!

One of the hardest parts of the journey is facing your issues with food and developing new habits. I found the first 6 months to be the hardest part since the band isn't really working adequately until you get to proper restriction. It is this part of the journey that really needs your utmost determination of what you want to accomplish and what your goals are. Is it easier now? Yes. Do I still have my issues with food? At times, yes. However, it is much easier than you can't eat as much or as fast. It gives you time to think about what your doing. When I slip up, the scale shows it by going up only a lb or two - not 10. I won't tell you that it gets better for everyone - as there are some people who struggle as much from Day 1 and Day 1000. But I encourage you to take this time and try to figure out what is the best approach for you to take to work through your issues with food. Is it to eliminate them completely from your diet? Is it to try and eat them in moderation. Is it to try and find other things to look forward to than a meal? Is it boredom, stress, being lonely, afraid of change, - journal if you need to, talk to someone if you need to, change your habits gradually, develop new interests, focus on helping others and staying busy, whatever it takes. And it may take alot of things to make the change - but you can and the choice is yours. My husband still thinks of what he's going to have for dinner before he is even eating lunch. That is something I completely understand. Our lives did focus alot around food before I had surgery. We've developed new eating habits, are more active, and try new things to do to keep things from getting boring and in a rut. It doesn't happen overnight, but gradually making changes can help to make them lasting changes. I wish you all the best - you are in the hardest part of the journey (after the liquid dieting of course). It does get better - and the rewards are so worth it!

You can probably mix it with whatever you want. I use primarily skim milk, some I've seen use soy milk or almond milk also with the chocolate. I really like the 2% milk better, but not on the hips. I like unflavored with Crystal Light lemonade also. Even though alot of physicians don't recommend Protein shakes, I drink 2 a day to keep my protein levels up. It made a big difference for me in terms on losing weight more consistently and getting some muscle tone. And as far as Protein Shakes go...I haven't found one that is better than unjury. But everyone's palate is different. Good luck!

You may still have some swelling from the surgery (both surgeries)! I can understand your feelings and actually they are pretty normal to have even after the first surgery. It can be an emotional journey even though you may feel you're ready for it. You've lost alot of weight already and that is great. Please keep in mind that if YOU are not ready to get a fill, DON'T. Listen to what your body is telling you. It's better to go slow than get fills too fast and have problems. If you are comfortable with your loss and you feel restriction, then don't get a fill until you feel you need one. Good luck to you - you deserve it after such an ordeal!

Very normal. Restriction will help you to go longer without being hungry and may eliminate a few foods from your diet like dry meat (white meat chicken), soft breads, fibrous veggies, but not as a rule. I can eat anything, however, I limit pasta, bread, rice, potatoes just because I tend to retain Water when eating those things due to the carbs. Perfect restriction is different for every person because it's how you choose to want it to work that determines what is right for you. Do you need it to eliminate some "trigger" foods from your diet? Then you may favor it being a little tight. Do you want to eat a wide variety of foods but just help keep your hunger at bay, maybe you want it a little looser and then you are responsible for what food choices you make. It really depends on what level your happy with. However, I will caution you not to get too tight. Because there are many things that can tighten your band. Stress, inadequate Fluid intake, sickness (maybe not tighten, but the thicker drainage may pose problems), travel, salt (for me anyway), among others I'm sure. If you get too tight you may have to get unfills periodically due to the extra restriction when your band tightens up unexpectedly. Also, in my opinion, the tighter the band, the more prone to "pbing", "sliming" and an increase in the change of slippage due to regurgitation or eating too much, etc. I don't want to alarm you, but just make you aware of some things to keep in mind. I've had a pretty easy go of it with my band. I wish for same for everybody. The best of luck to you!

Melzie - let me tell you something. You don't have to justify your actions to ANYBODY! If someone gives your grief about have WLS, tell them it is really none of their business. You don't have to explain to them why you chose to have lap band surgery. If they know you at all, they will know your struggles with your weight over the years. If they want to give you grief - tell them to stick it. Nobody has lived in your shoes and knows what it's like. True friends will be happy that you did something to get healthier, feel better and have a better quality of life. Don't let what others may say affect how you feel about yourself. In the end, their opinion really doesn't mean squat.

Supposedly ibuprofen/NSAIDS are irritating to the stomach and can lead to a possible band erosion. That being said, to minimize the change of irritation, I take 4 junior strength chewable ibuprofen when I get a headache with plenty of Fluid to "wash" it past the band. CVS, Walgreen's and probably many other drugstore chains have their own junior chewable ibuprofen that is cheaper than Motrin and just as effective. I haven't found it at Walmart (they only carry the liquid form in my area). So, try the area drugstores for the chewables. As long as you don't take it on a daily basis and only when needed, you should be fine. Run it by your doctor just to be safe so he's on board with it.

Once your swelling subsides you will feel better. And no, it is not the way you should feel after a fill (or when you get to your sweet spot). Since you are very early in your journey, I'll give you a big piece of advice. Don't equate restriction with the amount of food you can eat. Being too tight is not a good thing. Keeping your band as loose as possible and still be able to lose or maintain your weight once you've reached goal will help avoid complications. I went through a period of being too tight for about 6-8 weeks - throwing up (pbing), sliming a couple of times a week and many foods being uncomfortable to eat. I was so afraid to get an unfill and have the "hungries" come back that I waited to see if it would loosen up on it's own. When I finally realized that this was not the way to live, I got a very tiny unfill (.1) and then a .1 unfill again a few weeks later to adjust it to where it is now. I don't eat anymore than I did before the unfill - I can just eat alot more foods without being uncomfortable and no sliming or pbing episodes since (6 months now). I still continued to lose weight after the unfill and maintain pretty steady. The first few months are definitely an adjustment in more ways than one. Take your time, practice eating small bites, chewing well and wait a little bit between each one. Anytime you feel a tightness or pressure in your chest after eating, wait until it subsides before another bite. Good luck to you!

I had to be on liquids for 2 weeks before surgery. The physician wanted my liver to shrink a bit to make it easier to get the band around during surgery since the liver has to be lifted out of the way during the procedure. As far as fruit/vegetable skins and seeds...I've never heard of it, nor has my physician said that I couldn't. I've been eating sunflower seeds, apples, oranges, kiwi, etc with no problems. Some fibrous fruits and veggies give some people problems, but just be more careful when you attempt to eat them (small bites, take a little longer between bites for it to go down, and chew well). It may be that some people have such great restriction that seeds may become stuck, but my band isn't that tight (by choice). Seriously, the hardest part of the journey for me was the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after on liquids. Looking back, I'm amazed that I did it. Good luck to you!

Congratulations Mountain Mama! I'm happy for you! The effort is so worth the feeling you get isn't it! Enjoy your success!

It's up to you if you want to get one or not. I will tell you that my SIL had GERD and reflux issues for more than a decade and took medication multiple times per day. Since surgery, she has not had one bit of problem and no flareups or issues since with no meds. Beats hundreds of dollars a month for prescriptions. If you get an endoscopy, at least you should know the status of the possible damage to your esophagus or the likelihood of a hiatal hernia. The surgeon can fix that with a few stitches in no time during surgery.

Tabatha - I was banded on April 10, 2009 and weighed 300 lbs at my heaviest. I am now at 146.5 lbs with an "ultimate" goal of 145. The lapband has been very very good to me. I do not do low carb, but I do focus more on Protein and Fiber. My weight loss has been steady since banding with a few bumps along the way while it took my body time to adjust. What has worked for me is adjusting the band to fit my lifestyle and needs and....yes EXERCISE. I'm not hungry in the mornings and usually in a hurry so I mix myself up a Protein shake with skim milk and drink that. Mid morning a few teaspoons of high fiber/high protein granola. At lunch, I try to eat sensibly and keep my calories under 400 for the meal. Late afternoon I usually have a yogurt with granola topping and then dont' eat dinner until around 7:30 - 8:00 pm. This helps me to stave off the munchies late at night. I don't eat alot of red meat anymore...more chicken, fish and pork. I also don't drink anything with caffeine or carbonation (although I have to admit that once in awhile I just crave a Coke, but rarely have a sip). Hubby and I also do some sort of daily exercise, mostly walking and hiking. If the weather is crappy, we go to the YMCA. Strength equipment really has helped to tone my arms and I will say that I have pretty darned good shoulders. It also has helped to tone up my lower body which used to be way bigger than my top, but I'm now the same size. I can eat anything, but usually reserve treats for the weekends/special occasions. I don't eat alot of Pasta, bread, potatoes, or rice, but they are not eliminated from my diet either. I just find that pasta, pizza, rice, potatoes tend to lead to a short term weight gain for a day or two because of the carbs. I don't keep alot of Snacks in the house that are tempting to me. The best advice I can give is find what works for you. If you're not hungry in the mornings, have a shake. If you get the late night munchies, eat dinner later. If it's a long time between lunch and dinner, have a small snack to tie you over. Incorporate some activity into your daily life. Drink plenty of fluids, focus on Proteins and fiber - they help keep you fuller longer. My life has changed alot in a year and a half. I have more self esteem. More energy. My thighs don't rub together. My feel don't hurt when I wear heels all day. I look good in clothes. I have a more positive attitude and handle stress better. My joints don't hurt (very often). My bloodwork is phenomenal. One NSV I had last weekend is from my postal carrier. I went outside to get a package from her and she asked if I was visiting. I said "no, I live here". She didn't recognize me. Couldn't believe I was the same person. That's a big change in such a short time. I really wish you the best. I feel so blessed and grateful to have the life I have now. It's what I wanted my whole adult life - to feel like I fit in and am "normal". I want the same for all.

I'm thankful for being able to walk/exercise without pain. To feel like I am normal and blend in which is what I wanted in the first place. I'm thankful for being healthier, happier, and at a good place in my life. I'm thankful for all the wonderful blessings given to me. And I'm grateful I was able to get the band in the first place. It's amazing how much happier you can feel when your weight/how you feel/what you look like is no longer an issue. I look forward to things instead of dreading them. I do things now I wouldn't have done 2 years ago. My life is alot different. Alot more positive. And the change in attitude has alot to do with the weight loss. It feels like a tremendous burden has been lifted for the first time in my life. And for that, I am truly thankful.

Laura - As you obviously know by now, an unfill is not necessarily a bad thing. Being too tight can be downright miserable! In my experience, it was difficult for me to come to the realization that I needed a little Fluid taken out, I didn't want to, but being uncomfortable everytime I ate is not something I wanted to live with. I found myself pbing and sliming a couple of times a week and was embarrassed when it happened with friends. Just a total of .2 cc's unfill was all I needed to make me feel "normal" again. I guess we can both chalk it up to lessons learned. Your weight gain could be from swelling caused by pbing and the inability to eat more solid food. It's so easy to eat slider foods, softer foods that go down easy and yet aren't good for you. It seems like you end up eating all the wrong things when you're too tight, just because it's the only stuff that goes down. But in the end, the ability to eat a more varied diet and more solid food is what helps with the weight loss. I guess sometimes you need to go "backwards" to go forward. Good luck to you! Hope you've found your spot!

OhJuly - what are your particular symptoms?

I had to get mine out and look at it. It says 170 lbs from 2 years ago (when I was probably 270 at the time). The people that work at the BMV must roll their eyes and laugh every day at their job looking at those lies. Now I'm around 146-147 with 2 years to go before renewal. Boy do I need a new picture!

I take everything I read on this forum with a grain of salt. Because in the end, you are getting each individual's experience with the lapband, and it seems after being on this forum for around 18 months, each journey is unique in some aspects. I can't tell whether or not somebody has had trouble with their band due to their eating habits (volume, type of food, how often they eat), how tight their band is in relation to mine, and whether mitigating factors are playing a part in their succes or lack thereof (diabetes, GERD, hypothyroidism). I try to pick out the commonalities of what works for many people and go with that as well as what works for me specifically. As far as willpower goes, yes I think you do have to have some willpower, but the band seems to make it much much easier. Research seems to show that the average weight loss with the band is 50% of excess weight. But there are many reasons for that number. Maybe some lose 100%, some lose none, or some lose by varying degrees depending on whether they adjust their eating habits and not just the volume of food, or whether they incorporate exercise into their everyday life. But do I think you can lose it all by the band doing it for you? Maybe only in a very select few. From my own personal experience, it wouldn't have happened just by controlling the volume of food, I had to make dietary changes to see results and exercise. But that's just me.

I don't believe everybody that loses a significant amount of weight needs surgery. I weighed 300 lbs at my heaviest and now weigh 146.5 lbs. Do I have loose skin? Yes. Is it attractive? No. But that being said, I can hide my flaws in the right clothes. I won't be wearing leggings without a long sweater anytime in the future, but all in all I'm happy with the results. I'm not willing to go under the knife and risk my life (however small the risk is) to cut skin away that I can live with. Just my own personal opinion. I spent enough on surgery that I would feel pretty horrible if I spent tons more on plastic surgery. I think your best bet is to exercise and tone up while you lose. Don't wait until you've lost the weight to do so. Even walking will help you! Strength machines are great for your arms, shoulders and abdomen. You can also find some that work your thighs, buttocks, and hip areas. I really feel it has helped me lessen the impact of all the weight loss on my skin. It has also gave me some definition in my arms that I never had and I can't really say I hit it too hard when it comes to how often I do it. In the winter, maybe 2-3 times per week on the strength machines for 20-30 minutes. I do think age and heredity have a significant impact on whether or not you have loose skin. Also how many times your weight has fluctuated wildly can have an impact (think of a rubber band and how is loses elasticity after awhile). Not sure about how fast you lose has anything to do with it, other than if you are exercising at the same time, I think you could tell a world of difference. Will I ever wear shorts again? No. But I'm able to wear sleeveless shirts and look pretty good, and crop pants look nice and are pretty cool in the summer, so I'll manage. I guess I look at my flaws as reminders of where I was and how far I've come. They are my "tats".

I don't do any specific diet. But I do focus on getting in all my Protein and then some, as well as limiting processed carbs and starchy carbs. I also get around 1400-1500 calories a day on a good day thru the week and on the weekends - whatever...I don't track weekends. Hubby and I walk daily weather permitting, or go to the "Y" with maybe 1 day a week off. I haven't eliminated anything from my "diet", just smaller portions with a focus on protein.

Good luck TropicalJill. Sounds like you have alot to deal with these days. Hope your band is okay and surgery goes well. My thoughts are with you.

I normally eat dinner about 3-4 hours before bedtime. If I eat later than that it is only a small snack and then plenty of fluid after. Too close to bedtime and I'll wake up with a cough/reflux.

The band was the only option I even considered. I was one of those people that thought I would never go to such drastic lengths as to have WLS. The band seemed like a minimally invasive surgery, with a short recovery time, and with less serious side effects. I consider myself one lucky SOB right now, and very thankful to the good Lord for helping me achieve my goal. My feelings may be a bit tainted, but I really believe that bypass gives those who do it a false sense of freedom by their ability to lose weight without necessarily eating healthier. That "honeymoon" period of 18 months or so where weight loss is from both restriction AND more importantly malabsorption can lead those to believe that they can eat that way forever and maintain their loss. But eventually the body adapts and if dietary habits aren't changed, the weight gradually begins to come back on. I guess I like the fact that I can eat anything I want, but yet I am accountable for my success by eating the right foods and exercising to maintain. I wanted to be and feel "normal" when I started this journey and feel like I "blend in". Now I do and I am very happy.