greytz

Definitely new doc time. No one says you have to continue with the same for after care and hopefully you can find one that takes your insurance and cares about your progress. I am so fortunate to have a great team working with me and helping me finish my journey. Good Luck!

If there is anyone who has been banded and think they haven't slipped up, they are probably not being honest with themselves. I think during a trying time particularly, food has been our comfort so it would be natural to return to it. Since you still have no restriction, you are in the most difficult period of adjustment. You have the exact right attitude which is get up dust yourself off (my grandma used to say pull your bootstraps up) and get right back on the wagon which is what you are doing. I am so sorry to hear of your deep sorrow in the passing of your father in law and your friend. My stepfather's daughter in law has a brain anuerysm (?) and is have brain surgery this morning. We just found out this week. Please pray for her. Take care and keep up the good work.

It took a while for me at first also. I was in a 24 moving to a 26. After the first 30 lbs I began to drop sizes. My weight loss surgeon says it should be about every ten pounds which is what is happening with me now. I am currently in a size 12 about to drop to a size 10. But, sometimes the tops are different like paracelsus said different clothing companies have different sizing charts. Sometimes I wear a large top and sometimes I wear a medium depending on the top but the bottoms are almost always the same. And get ready, because when you do start losing sizes, it is a pain to keep up with the clothes issues. It is really difficult. Just when you get a couple of pieces of clothing in one size, you are already down to the next size. I spent a lot of time in Walmart and consignment shops.

It is very difficult to feel anything after the first couple of fills. I felt exactly the same way. It was so frustrating thinking I had this thing in me that was doing nothing. That said, I sure know it is in me now. But it took a few fills for sure. Also, while the band is a wonderful tool, you still have to make a concerted effort to do the right things. Even when you reach the fill level that will provide you with the full feeling we all look for with the band, you will still need to exercise and eat the right things.

I am 51 and was thin all of my life until a few years ago. I had the same concerns. Obviously, getting healthy was the most important thing to me to prolong my life but I still want to look good too. In my support group last night this was discussed and it just so happened that my surgeon was at this one. She answered like this: If you are very obese and have been most of your life and have more to lose, you will most likely have more sagging skin and if it bothers you plastic surgery may be an option to consider. The way to tell is if you begin to see stretch marks as you are losing weight, you will probably have sagging skin. If you were thin at one time and were in good shape and you don't have as much to lose, it is possible that you won't have as much skin to deal with. Genetics also plays some part in it. My personal experience has been that I have a little skin but nothing that is really bad. My biggest problem at this point (no pun intended) is my middle section. I have a small bulge there that keeps me from buying medium tops instead of large. I can wear the medium but don't like the bulge thing going on there. It isn't horrible but noticeable and I don't like that. The only other place I have it is under my arms which will more than likely not go completely away. I don't go around wearing bikinis anyway so for me it has not really been a big deal. I work out a lot and hopefully that is helping. My legs have really done well and are going back into shape. Hope this helps.

I also do that. Particularly if I get stuck I make myself burp it up to relieve the pain and pressure. I haven't had any problems.

It is definitely ok to say what you feel. To me, that is what this forum is all about. You should not feel like a failure at all. I don't know your particulars or when you were banded but if it is recent, you will be feeling like you can eat anything right now. Also, even when you are at a good restrictive point, you will should still be able to eat any types of foods, just in much less quantities. I am able to eat breads, I just choose not to at this point in my journey. I want to get to my goal as quickly as I can and begin maintenance mode or forever mode if you want to call it that. In my case, I discovered that even in small quantities, the starchs add the pounds to me. It is like poison to me right now so I just decided not to eat those things and I have to say at this point, I haven't missed them. Except the bread which is my weakness. I have had a bite or two here and there but I don't eat it on a daily or even weekly basis. So, it is all in what you choose to do with your band journey. If you find certain foods put the pounds on you and you don't mind losing a little more slowly then that would be the way to go. There is nothing wrong with it and a lot of bandsters choose to do it that way. The belief is that your body won't be so shocked when you begin to introduce those foods later. Or, you can choose to possibly lose the weight more quickly by cutting out those foods all together which is where I am at to date. Not saying I won't ever eat them because at my goal, I will begin to slowly introduce very small amounts and only occasionally. I guess my personal thing is, I went through a lot to get where I am and I want to continue at a specific pace to get where I want to go which means cutting out those foods. I just haven't had the desire to eat them because my desire to lose the weight is greater. I have slowed down some and have plateaued a couple of times because I am getting closer to my goal so I am being even more careful right now. I have ramped up my exercise and that is helping. I am losing about 7 to 8 pounds a month which is pretty much where I should be. If I keep going I will be at my goal by my one year band date. Good Luck and keep your chin up. Talk to your surgeon if you are frustrated and see if they have ideas or suggestions for you. Maybe they can help.

By liquids, I am meaning Water and crystal light.

I believe everyone should do what works for them but for me protein shakes several times a day defeats my own personal purpose in getting the band. Solid proteins and veggies are my food of choice and as far as I have been taught by my bariatric surgeon and the educational videos that came with my Allergan band, the band is meant for solids. That is the way I choose to use my band and what has been successful for me so far. I don't eat in between and I don't eat several times a day. I choose to eat twice a day and eat solids that fill me up and keep me full for awhile. I then drink my liquids in between keeping the proper time in between the meals. But, that said, I do what is suggested by my surgeon and what works for me only.

I have 35 to go. I can't wait to reach that mark. I am working towards reaching it before my one year bandiversary which will be June 17th. I think I should be able to do it by then. What I really want to do is reach it by my Mom's 76th Birthday in April. It would be such a great gift to her. She has been my biggest support. I am trying really hard to get there. Good Luck to you on your goal and keep us updated.

Agreed, the band is not a magic cure and you still have to work for it. You have to have the desire to lose weight and the desire to exercise. The fills will help you with restriction and allow you to get that full feeling more quickly, but you still must refrain from the wrong foods and until you do reach restriction, you will need to show some restraint in what you are eating. You have actually done well so far at 24 pounds and should be proud of that. But, you will need to make a change in your eating habits and stick to protein and veggies for now. You can slowly add the pasta and rice back into your diet but for me, they were sabotaging what I was working so hard for. Please don't be fooled into thinking the band will do all the work for you because it won't. You have to do the work. The band is your helper.

I would take this journey over again in a heartbeat. I am 51 and thought I would never lose the weight again. Like some others I won't say it has been an easy ride. There are ups, downs, frustrations, plateaus, etc. There is also that thing in your head called your brain that doesn't always cooperate and you have to make it cooperate with you. It also sometimes sabotages you into thinking you can't do it and you need more or the wrong kind of food. Mind over matter and thankfully now I have less matter. LOL. I can't explain how good it feels at my age to now have a guy turn his head to look at me walking by. I just have to smile to myself. I am happily married mind you but it still feels good knowing that someone actually looked at me that way again. Loving this life and wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, Yes, Yes, I would do it again.

It will take a few fills to reach good restriction and even then I have to continue to have the adjustments once a month because I have been experiencing evaporation in my band. It takes very little to put me back at my peak but I have to really keep track of it.

A lot of people say that they can eat whatever they want now just less of it and I am wondering if you have also been doing that. Just surmizing here but I chose to completely change my eating habits and I began (slowly at first) to exercise and now it is a matter of routine for me. I was eating a lot of fast food and a lot of candy type food. I totally cut all of that out. I no longer eat fast food and I no longer eat candy, bread, red meat, pasta, rice or potatoes. And no carbonation of any kind. It has salt and other things that keep the weight on. I really don't miss any of it. However, I am doing this until I reach my goal weight. I am not saying I will stay off of those things forever but until I am where I want to be. And then, only occasionally. Just a suggestion that may help jump start you. But really, exercise truly helps and staying away from the starches really helps also. I know that this doesn't work for everyone and some people can eat what they want and still lose the weight but I was unable to do that so I chose to cut out certain things for now. It has really made the difference for me.

Actually, all Protein drinks are not created equal. My protein drink is 104 calories per 8 ounce serving with Water but it is 211 calories per 8 ounce serving with non-fat milk and has 22 grams of protein. So, if you are drinking it with non-fat milk three times a day and not substituting it for meals, you will NOT lose weight. I should have clarified myself by saying this before. I am saying if you are not substituting it for a meal then you should be mixing it with water and if you are drinking it with non-fat milk you should not be drinking it in between meals. You are defeating your purpose and yes, it is counter productive to do so. The band is meant for solids and that is how it works best. As I said before, this is my opinion only and what has worked for me so far. Take it for what you may.

Just my humble opinion to do with what you may but protein drinks are full of calories and will keep you from losing weight. One a day is enough. I like mine in the mornings.

I have to say I have changed my way of life. I made a decision to be banded so that I could change my life. If I didn't, I was going to die sooner than later as told by my cardio surgeon. So, yes, I changed my way of life. I no longer sit on the couch and eat M&Ms watching TV. I no longer eat whatever the heck I want whenever I feel like it in whatever quantities I feel like. That and some horrible medications is what got me where I was in the first place. When I was able to get off the meds and then I got banded I had to make the choice not to eat the things that trigger my appetite to eat more. Once I reach my goal I will eat more types of the things I love in less quantity of course but for now, I choose to stay away from things that I know will make me want more of the things that are bad for me. It is working for me so far so I am sticking with that. I truly don't have the appetite for it any longer. I don't even think about M&Ms now. I had all kinds of crap like that for Thanksgiving because I had a boatload of family here and I didn't even want it.

Everyone's good fill spot is different. Just hang in there and keep going for your fills. Until I hit that spot I needed to feel restricted I was also getting fed up and anxious. Finally, I got there but even now I keep going for my adjustments because I have some evaporation each time and have to get a tweak fill to keep me at that good restriciton. Don't give up and the most important thing of all is to keep going and making your appointments until you get there.

It feels so good to lose and start getting into the smaller sizes. I went from a 24/26 to now a 12 and I am ready to move into a size 10. When my Mom was here for Thanskgiving visiting, we went shopping for clothes. She was picking out tops for me while I was in the dressing room and I would say, "Mom, I can't wear that." She would say just put them on and see. Sure enough, every one of them fit. It was so difficult for me to see the real me. I kept looking in that mirror seeing the old me. I am adjusting and it is a good thing but it has been more difficult than I thought.

Give yourself some time. You will feel hungry for awhile and until you have a few fills, you will need to have restsraint. You also need to decide what type of exercise you will begin once you are mended. It really helps the weight loss and takes your mind off of eating.

Yes. I have days where I think I could eat the farm and other days when I hardly eat anything. Since my last fill though, I am eating very little and becoming more satisfied with that. Consequently, I have been losing better. I feel perfectly restricted and very good at this point.

Ok. So I go to my GP today and she tells me that I should only be looking to lose 20 more pounds instead of the 38 I am looking to go for. I am 5'7" and I am 51 years old. It really suprised me because my band surgeon hasn't said anything is wrong with my current goal of 150. Also, my GP has a different BMI chart than my weight loss surgeon. She believes that a good BMI is 25 to 30 which I am currently at 29 but my weight loss surgeon's chart shows BMI 24 as a normal BMI range. What does everyone else think? Thanks.:biggrin:

Thanks Emjay. I pretty much follow the rules and don't stray very far with my band and I exercise. So, I believe I can do it now too thanks to all of you. I think my GP is just being very conservative. I am going for my original goal and see how far I get.

Thanks everyone. I started out with a little exercise and have gradually stepped it up as I have lost weight. It gets easier and easier to do a more difficult exercise routine now. I have completed a 5K last month and I am looking to complete another one soon so I am really ramping things up and totally believe in the exercise. After thinking about it and listening to what you all said, I feel so much better. I agree that my age shouldn't matter and I am not going to listen to her numbers. I believe I can get to 150 and I am going to at least try to do it. But if I stop then I stop but I am going to do what I can to get there. Jachut, I love your story about your 53 year old friend. It really gives me incentive and makes me feel so much better about attaining my goal. Thanks and thanks mimilou and vonhelzing for answering. I feel a lot better.

Be sure to wear a comfortable bra to go home in. Make sure it doesn't have any underwires and is soft. If you have one slightly bigger around that would be best. Besides the fact that you will have an incision just below the bra line, you will also be full of gas and will be very swollen.