BetsyB

In the six months since banding, I have lost just about 65% of the excess weight, according to my doctor's goal. (My personal goal is about 15 pounds lower than his goal.) My weight has just (as in, as of this morning) left "obese" and entered "overweight" territory. While I feel light-years better than I did six months ago, I am nowhere near done. I have almost 28 pounds before I hit "normal" weight--and intend to go lower than that. I have absolutely no reason to think that I will have any trouble achieving it; my loss has been steady, my eating and exercise are consistent with continuing to lose---and I fully expect to get 100% of the weight off, and then some :biggrin:

I agree with k-baby; it's not the right solution for everyone. It requires behavior changes that not everyone is willing or able to make. IMO, it requires a fair amount more "work" than some other procedures. And at least initially, it may require a LOT more patience. (Sticking to an eating plan before you achieve restriction is hard, and can be difficult emotionally, if you're not prepared.) When I say, "It's not for everyone," it's not a judgment---it's just an acknowledgment that not everyone has the same needs or expectations. It was TOTALLY the answer for me. My body requires ridiculously few calories, and fewer still to lose. It's a tool that allows me to give my body what it needs without going insane with hunger. It does require that I choose the "right" foods, and exercise, and all that good stuff. But it gave me the boost I needed. Someone else might do better with RNY, which has an element of malabsorption and the threat of dumping syndrome to boost loss. Others still might do better with old-fashioned diet and exercise---or simply waiting until they've "hit bottom" and are ready to make the changes necessary (for whatever route they take). That's all I mean when I say, "It's not for everyone." I think that, from a physical standpoint, most people do pretty well with the bands available today.

My weight was pretty evenly distributed over my body, and I didn't lose sizes astoundingly fast at the beginning, even though I have lost at the same steady rate since banding. I'm down several sizes now, but the biggest size changes have occurred during the last 20 pounds or so. I could wear my earlier clothes a lot longer than I expected.

Kristina, you're doing great! Yes, it is hard work--especially when you're committed to a pretty strict plan. But it really is worth it in the long run. I don't know about you, but I feel tons better without the junkier stuff, too. My doctor has a 90-minute rule for drinking--so I empathize. (I'm a rule-follower, too. I figure doing it my way never got me where I needed to go!)

I find myself eating lots more "regular" foods than I did before. By that, I mean I'm not choosing fat-free, reduced fat, and so on. I eat so much less now that getting enough heart-healthy fat is more of a concern than getting too much. I do avoid sugar--and do use a couple of products with artificial sweeteners. But by and large, I am for whole foods that haven't been processed much at all.

Before and After by Susan Maria Leach. The author owns the Bariatric Eating website. Though both the book and the site are primarily geared to those who've had RNY gastric bypass, the eating recommendations are applicable to bandsters, as well (and on their message boards, there are many posters who are banded). The food recommendations are compatible with what my doctor recommends, so it is a good fit for me. (My doctor does not recommend a different diet for those who have bypass--all of his patients receive the same general guidelines; diet is advanced more slowly after bypass, and supplementation is different--but the eating plan during ongoing weight loss and maintenance is the same.) Though Susan had a different surgery, her positive attitude is contagious. And her recipes (in the book and on the website) are outstanding. (Her products, too, are among the best.) I also read Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies--but it really was too elementary. If you've read here, you will know what the book has to offer.

I've never used the card. I order appetizers, share, or take home leftovers. Lots of places offer small plates now--I really like that. And I've never been in a restaurant situation when the server/kitchen would not or could not accommodate me, usually from the regular menu (sometimes with minor substitution). That said, Bidi's Mongolian Grill will let adults serve themselves smaller portions and charge the child's price---for anyone who asks. (My daughter does this when she's not very hungry, and she's not banded.)

This is highly individual. Some people lose well at 1200-1500. Others lose well at 1800. Others (like me) lose well at 800-1000, and maintain or gain when more calories are eaten. That's where journaling comes in. You can find out, over time, what works for you.

I really like fitday.com.

Your weight loss is tremendous! Seriously, look ahead a bit: if you keep up this pace, you will have lost almost 75 pounds in six months. Your rate of loss is closer to 3 pounds a week (2.89, if it's been 3 months since your surgery.) Expecting more is not realistic. I am on a low-carb, higher-Protein plan, too---and my rate of loss is 2.6 pounds/week. Some weeks it's more, some weeks it's less--but the overall rate is FAST. YOUR rate of loss is fast, too. Time to overhaul your expectations a little :biggrin: (And yes, surgery and surgical recovery can affect loss temporarily. But try to remember that this is NOT a quick fix. You're losing at a rate well above the average--celebrate!)

Congratulations! What amazing accomplishments!

Was her death due to the band, or was the fact that she was banded coincidental to her death? I don't mean to minimize your loss--I'm tremendously sorry for that. But it seems as though you'd need a lot more information to know whether the death is attributable to the band. You'd need to know about other health conditions she had. Whether she was compliant. Whether she chose a reliable surgeon. And so on and so on and so on.... The risks associated with banding---especially in terms of fatality--are very, very slim. There simply are not many deaths attributable to it. And there certainly are not as many deaths attributable to weight loss surgeries (and I'm even including the ones with higher rate of complication) as there are attributable to obesity!

Yep, no NSAIDS preop because they are blood thinners and increase the risk of bleeding complications. And postop they are a no-no because they are gastric irritants and can promote ulcer formation (and given their anticoagulant properties, this can be especially problematic). NSAIDs are a no-go long-term, unless the benefits outweigh the risks, which only your doctor can help you determine.

I understand your feelings, but it's not worth the angst. You're doing this for YOU, and don't owe anyone any explanations. IMO, you're making a wise choice.

I bet if you were to add up the carbs, you'd find you weren't too far off the mark. juice isn't the best option (ever), but if you have to pick one, grapefruit isn't the worst. Starting now, stick with your doctor's plan. If you're very concerned, give his office a call for reassurance.

Not exactly. Getting stuck is the consequence of taking too big of a bite or not chewing thoroughly. Vomiting may occur from overeating--but I guarantee that once you reach restriction, this is something you will AVOID. Neither is really a natural consequence that promotes loss. Having proper restriction, and eating within its bounds is what promotes loss---not vomiting.

Congratulations!

If you're not losing, you might need to rethink this. It'd be a great idea to journal what you're eating. See how many calories you're taking in, and watch as you pare down to see at what level you lose. While there's nothing inherently bad about these foods, they are not particularly "healthy." They are relatively low in nutrients, and are sliders, so they provide little satiety. Since what you are doing is not working, it might be time to rethink your concepts of healthy and instead focus on what works best with your band to keep you satisfied.

60 was magical for me. I saw changes before then--my measurements and size have steadily decreased from Day 1. But at 60, there was just a tremendous shift, both in the way I looked and the way I saw myself.

I have no idea! I've been banded for 6 months, and potatoes, pasta, and rice haven't been part of my repertoire since I started my preop diet. I will add some whole grains back in when I reach 75% of excess weight lost.

But Jenny Craig's food is atrocious. Our ability to eat is quite limited by the band. That doesn't mean it should become an unpleasant experience. As a longtime WW veteran, I am hard-pressed to see the compatibility with the band. Not that their recommendations are off-base; they'd just require enormous revision to meet the needs of a person with restriction. (Some leaders are really hostile toward those who've had WLS, too.) For someone who does not already have a good idea of how to eat properly---with or without the band---WW would be really hard to self-tailor for banded purposes, IMO. If Jenny Craig personnel have training, that might be a good approach. Well, if the food weren't so gross.

I like the Dutch chocolate cake mixed with almond milk. I use 8-12 ounces instead of the recommended 4 ounces of liquid. Usually, I drink this warm. I have to say, the last 2 bags of the chocolate have NOT been as good as usual; I've written to Bariatric Eating to see if they've had other complaints; they just aren't up to snuff. (They're much better if I add a little good-quality vanilla extract.) This is disappointing, because while I recognize they work to tweak products to improve them, sometimes they miss the mark. I also like the PURE unflavored. The Pom Razz Sangria is good IF you mix it with MUCH more liquid than recommended. I use a scoop in a liter of Crystal Light lemonade---and really like it. I don't like it at ALL when mixed as directed. The Peanut Butter cookie flavor is good, but also very sweet, and best if made with 2-3 times as much liquid as recommended. Again, I like almond milk. They are coming out with a vanilla in the next month or so. THAT one, I am very much looking forward to.

Everyone's different. I think quality of food is important for health purposes, but for most people, how much is more important than what you eat. However, for me, clean eating with a focus on lean Protein, veggies, legumes, heart-healthy fats, and fruits is what works. I've pared out grains for now for a couple of reasons: first, I have limited stomach space, and don't really meet my other nutritional needs when I include them, and secondly, I don't lose as well when they're part of my routine intake. Does this mean I think carbs are bad? No. I think that ultimately I will be eating a diet that is well-balanced, and includes plenty of whole grains. I just haven't yet reached a place where I'm comfortable (physically, really) with them. During maintenance, the energy (and nutrients) they offer will allow me to keep up my activity level without continuing to lose. You have to find what works for you. You're losing---so there's probably something to be said for the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If you reach a point where you're not seeing the results you'd like, it might be worth journaling for a bit to see where you can tweak things to better meet your nutrient needs and/or spur loss.

Happy anniversary! You are a true success!

I have trouble with pills-- I've had my doctor/pharmacist substitute liquids whenever possible. While I have very little difficulty with any food, pills are a huge issue for me. I can handle very tiny ones. I can handle gelcaps/capsules containing powder because they dissolve before they have to pass through my stoma. But timed-release meds are intended to be released gradually as they pass through the gut---so they are resistant to dissolution in the stomach. And they can't be broken or crushed for dosing safety purposes. If I were prescribed one of these meds, I would ask for it to be dispensed in the tiniest dose possible, even if that meant I had to take more than one. For me, the larger the pill, the more potential for problem.