ElfiePoo

I *detest* exercising but about 2 months ago I finally started walking. I'll be honest and say I still *detest* exercising and walking, but have to admit that 10 minutes into a walk I am feeling a lot better and have more energy at the end of that hour walk. Remember Susan Powter? She started by walking to the end of the drive. Then to the end of the block and back. She kept increasing her distance. Forget about making it a cardio activity. Don't worry about whether it's 'brisk'...just move. . .

Good morning, bandsters! Monday is my official weigh in day so I am officially claiming the 223 pounds...and that despite a 4 day holiday weekend! So off to do my morning Wii Fit hour and see if I can't get that scale to drop a few more pounds by next Monday! Woohoo! Melody

Graph stuff? .

Shads, You have time and you can do it. Having a plan certainly helps! .

I think the NSV moments are worth far more than the scale moving.

I have a 14cc Realize band. My first fill was 3cc, my second was 2 and after that they went up by 1. .

I know I was hungry 3 days after surgery right up to my first fill at one month post op. I don't remember when it disappeared completely after that because for the last year I 'thought' I was constantly hungry. Then I had an unfill a couple weeks ago (for about a week) and learned what real hunger was. .

Morning everyone! I am being cautiously optimistic this morning because my scale moved down another pound! I'm not changing my ticker again just yet, but since it moved down again, I think this last 5 pound drop is 'real'! I hope so since I've not had *any* bad days since getting my fill back...keeping in mind that on my bad days I still never went over 1800 calories. I went out and got the 'Just Dance 2' for the Wii and have to say it's a bit disappointing. They move so fast that it's difficult to 'learn' the steps so I spend the whole time just going through jerky motions. I'm going to try to pick just one song I like and see if I can't memorize the sequence of steps but in the meantime, I'll just go back to the Wii Fit. This silly thing has been hooked up to my tv since before the surgery but I'd completely forgotten about it until my husband started using it last night! Selective memory? At any rate, now that it's too cold to walk outside, I'm going to hit the Wii Fit for at least an hour a day since I know I can get a good workout on it. Hope everyone is doing well! Melody .

Another perspective...I am also a year past my surgery date and I still can overeat in quantity. I could do so even when getting stuck from being overfilled. What the band does for me (now that I recognize it) is stop the feeling of hunger. Without the band I was nonstop ravenously hungry...even 5 minutes after eating. With the band, I still don't have a defineable sense of when to stop because there is no sense of 'fullness', so I have to portion out my reasonable portions - 2-3 oz of Protein, 3/4 cup low carb vegies and, if I still want it, my 1/4 cup of starch (Pasta, potatoes, rice). Sometimes I eat it all before I feel I've had enough. Sometimes I feel like I've had enough after just the protein and vegies and I push my plate away. I never go back for more. Yesterday I weighed out 4 oz of turkey onto my plate along with 1/2 cup of broccoli. I ate 2 oz of the turkey and all the broccoli and found myself just staring at my plate. It wasn't until my husband said, "are you stuck?" that I realized I just didn't want any more. So I wrapped up the rest of the turkey. That was kind of a defining moment for me. So while you're looking for your sweet spot, recognize that it may not be from physical restriction or a physical feeling of fullness, but rather a feeling of 'enough'. It's taken me a year but I think I finally get it because the scales are going down again. .

You have to be 'willing' in order to be hypnotized and some of us are just too skeptical/untrusting to allow ourselves to be that willing no matter how much we think the outcome is worth it. Perhaps the people successful at this are emotional eaters...or eat because of head hunger. I don't know how hypnosis could convince you that you aren't hungry when your stomach is painfully spasming and growling...which mine did constantly prior to the band. .

Just wanted to clarify this since I see a number of posts where bypass is 'recommended' by surgeons because it has a higher success rate. My surgeon said that the statistics are based on how much of the excess weight is lost over a limited period of time (year?). So, yes, by that standard the bypass does have a higher rate of success because bypass patients will lose 2/3 of their excess weight through malabsorption and, in many cases, in that first year alone. Those statistics do not show how many of those people actually ever lose the remaining weight...or even how many put the weight back on. Go into a few of the bypass forums and it's rather horrifying to see the number of people who never get below that 2/3 weight loss and are still quite obese. Even more horrifying are the number of people who have gained all their weight back and then some. The band works by putting pressure on the vagus nerves which in turn suppresses the ghrelin hormone that makes you feel hungry. Bypass patients still have their stomachs and so, if constant intense hunger is their problem, they'll still always be hungry. According to my surgeon, the number of bypass patients getting a band is on the rise and they're getting the band to put pressure on the vagus nerves to control their hunger. While researching the vertical sleeve, I found that removing the stomach gets rid of the production of ghrelin...but not permanently. About a year after surgery, they find the body finds another way to produce the ghrelin and that it is produced in greater quantities. Their study concludes though that by this time these people should be to a normal weight and will better be able to control that hunger. Huh? Inability to control our hunger is what got us here in the first place, isn't it? Bottom line though is that one WLS is not 'better' than another based on some arbitrary statistics. The 'best' one is the one that works best for the individual. .

At 6 1/2 weeks postop, you should most likely be back to regular foods and whether or not you can eat them will depend on you and your band. Take small bites, chew well and then wait for a minute after that bite to make sure it goes down ok. Most likely you won't have problems with salads. Some people have a problem with bread even before they get their first fill. So just pay attention to how it feels after you've taken that bite. If you *think* it's going to be a problem, just wait until it resolves itself before taking the next bite or you'll just make it worse. .

They billed my insurance $32,000. The insurance paid $18,000. Since they're 'in plan', they have no choice but to accept that as payment in full. .

Kelly, I'm LMAO at "anything I can suck up a straw". I was lucky that my surgeon had me back on regular foods at the end of two weeks because there is no way I could possibly have eaten some of the suggestions in the Realize Band 'recipe' book. The recipe for a cheeseburger said, "Take one cheeseburger and remove the top bun. Stick it in the blender..." I stopped reading there. I'm sure it would've fit up a straw but <blech>. .

You didn't say how many weeks/months postop you are and what your surgeon told you. My doctor had me back on solid foods at 2 weeks postop so if I wanted (and could eat) salads, then they were permitted. So I was eating salads from 2 weeks postop right up until my first fill. Then they became difficult. Now I can eat them with no problem although romaine gives me difficulties no matter how small I cut it or how well I chew. .

I was so tired this morning that I forgot to say that I stepped on my scale this morning and I'm down 5 lbs! I was pretty surprised because I was merely hoping to maintain. Now let's hope this is permanent. Since I haven't had any bad days since getting my fill back on Tuesday, I'm confident this is a permanent dip downwards. There should be some rewards for being good even on thanksgiving! Now, back to the football game. Ohio State is kicking the pants off Univ. of Michigan...almost too painful to watch. Melody

Hi Dune, The last year, since surgery, for me has been a long slow haul. All the weight I've lost and kept off has been pre-banding. I've lost 26 pounds since banding, but put it back on during the months I was overfilled and eating slider foods. For me, this last year has been a learning process about how the band will work for me...and, as a result, I'm once again starting to lose. None of the WLS will prevent us from gaining weight if we don't figure out how to work our particular tool. .

I would tell your PCP that you appreciate her advice but that the final decision on whether to have band or bypass should be *yours*...not hers. Control freak doctors are a PiTA. .

I originally chose band because my surgeon gave me a pamphlet that showed the statistics for weight loss between the band and sleeve and at the end of the first year, sleeve patients had lost more weight. By the end of the 2nd or 3rd year, it had evened out. Band may yield slower results but it is reversable and is less invasive than sleeve surgery. Recently, I was considering a revision to the sleeve and found some medical reports that said that the stomach is removed in order to stop it from producing ghrelin, the hunger hormone, *BUT* that about a year or so after removal, the body finds a way to produce that ghrelin and in larger quantities than it had previously. The felt that in the very obese, their weight loss during that year would put them in a position where they would be less likely to overeat due to their 'success' at losing. Uh...what? Don't think so. What I did find interesting is that both sleevers and bypass patients are getting banded. My guess is because the band puts pressure on the vagus nerves, which in turn suppresses the ghrelin. Addendum: Almost forgot...talking to several sleeve people who felt the banded were more fortunate because their bands were adjustable. With the sleeve, you get whatever size sleeve they give you and if you have problems, oh well...you're stuck with them. Not trying to convince you to choose one over the other...just that there are pros and cons to both sides. It's just a case of picking your poison. .

Up since 5 a.m. Figured I might as well get up and accomplish something instead of thrashing about from the pain in my arm. I managed to make a pot of coffee, read e-mail and get breakfast...all in 3-1/2 hours. Apparently I'm not very ambitious this morning. I did go out to Best Buy yesterday afternoon and the crowds weren't too bad. I've been wanting to get 'Just Dance 2' for the Wii and I thought, "what better time". A better time would've been never. I don't think I'm coordinated enough for this but I'm going to work on it every day...maybe just one or two songs to learn the moves. It's definitely better than going out and walking in this bitter cold! Well, off for morning coffee at my mother-in-law's...have a good day! .

Being diagnosed with sleep apnea is a bit like being diagnosed with ADD. If they look hard enough, they'll find it. Anything to get the insurance money. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, got the machine and never wore it because I couldn't find a mask that fit right and so the thing would make burping noises on my cheeks, keeping me awake at night. However, my husband noticed that as I lost weight, the interrupted sleep/gasping noises declined. I still have 100 pounds to go but the apnea is gone. Personally, if your insurance covers it, I'd do whatever it takes to get approved for that band. .

Leigha...today is the day you're fixing Thanksgiving dinner for your son? Don't forget the cranberry sauce!

If I get nauseous while sliming, I know I'm good and stuck and it's not going to move without some effort on my part. Most times I can just wait it out...but not when the nausea strikes. .

Of course you can eat the same way after surgery as you did before. .

I had a c-section at midnight and at 6 a.m. I was trying to get out of bed to go to the nursery. The nurses said they usually have to force people to get out of bed and walk. With me they kept telling me to 'take it easy' because I kept walking the halls. Two weeks after my c-section I was back at work teaching. I'd say the band was easier because it was done laparascopically so the healing time was shorter. I was back at work the day after my band. Didn't have gas pains and didn't take pain meds with either one (other than aspirin). .