OldSchool76

That is so awesome! Congratulations on the great work!

Many people suck. Call me a cynic, but I am playing the odds. Whether it is an opinion about your weight, your hair, your faith or your politics, everyone has an opinion. Some of those stances seem to be protected nowadays but many are open for harsh and direct scrutiny from any clown-shoe that has the stones to pop off about it. Fact is, people who do that are normally living in a hell of their own and simply take shots at others to make themselves feel better. If there was an easy way out, who would NOT take it? This journey is not that, but the patent stupidity of taking a shot at someone who is taking steps (drastic in this case) to become more healthy is sadly not a surprise. I was on a plane trip a few years ago and doing the "I wonder if the person next to me will be a big person or a small person," dance. Turns out, on that flight, I was unlucky. When it was my turn to board, there was a lady in the middle seat who was at least as large as I was (at the time, about 400lbs). As I stopped at the seat, she exclaimed, "Oh no. I knew it. I knew it before I got on the plane. this is NOT going to work." So I stood there and waited for the Flight attendant to come and assist in a resolution. the I explained the situation and the Flight Attendant asked the lady to move to an unoccupied aisle seat a row over. When the man in the middle seat heard that, he exclaimed, "The hell with that. I am not going to sit here with half of someone else on me for 4 hours! That is not going to happen!" So here we sit. Anger. Stupidity. Rudeness. This was coming from all directions. I was more annoyed by the guy for some reason, so I said to the flight attendant that if the other passenger was upset, i would gladly take that seat. As I am a 6' tall and very large guy, all of a sudden, that idiot shut up. I reminded him that he paid for conveyance, not real estate and by popping off he made an ass of himself. I also mentioned that his cologne level could be deemed inappropriate by most humans but nobody was crying about that. An off duty Flight Attendant stepped up and switched seats and resolved the whole issue, but the moral to the story is that people, quite often suck. You started this journey to be a better you. Healthier. Happier. More able to participate in everything, most of all, your own life. So to naysayers or others, let them live in their own misery. Use it as motivation and if you are as direct as me, remind them that while you can lose weight, they probably can't stop being an ass.

Congrats on the band! I am new as well (2/17). I don't have any silver bullets only my experience. As with any dramatic change, effort will be required. Part of my process was becoming aware of those changes and accepting them. You present a couple of different issues: 1. No restriction - that seems to be something you should work on with your Doctor. I have not had my first fill yet but I already have restriction. I notice it when I eat too quickly. From what I have read, the amount of fill is not really an exact science as each of us require different amounts. 2. Your inability to stop drinking whilst eating may be contributing. When you say you are "having a problem" not drinking when you eat (and with all due respect), what is your problem? I know that habits are hard to break. 30 minutes before and 60-90 minutes after are the guidelines. To be discouraged about the band when you are not actually following the guidelines may not be the right response. When you are able to follow the drinking guidelines, do you feel restriction? How are you doing with your diet (quantities and foods)? Are you still on what amounts to (seemingly) around 1200 Calories per day? Are you getting your protein (my doc has me on shakes and powders to insure protein levels...some others don't)? I am a complete noob so my opinions may not mean squat, but so far things are going well for me. There are huge changes to lifestyle but I knew that coming in. I would encourage you to celebrate the weight you have lost and the decision to make a fundamental change to how you eat (and drink) in the future rather that focus on the plateau. This is a learning process for all of us. Did your Doc get you information about support groups of "Band Buddies" in the area? Maybe that would help? At any rate, good luck and I hope you take my comments in the supportive manner in which they were intended.

As weird as this may sound to some, reading you describing yourself able to eat a couple of pieces of pizza (literally, 2) gave me hope! :-) I am still very new to this journey but the mental aspect of not being able to eat any of the things I really enjoyed was and is a little daunting. This week, I am ecstatic as I have been able to add an egg to my allowable food list! One scrambled egg and I am doing virtual backflips! The thought of being able, eventually (and I know it will take time, I am OK with that) have a couple of pieces of thin crust pizza is awesome. My pre surgery diet was horrendous. Below is not the norm, but it was not an exception either. I suspect, like many guys my size, my diet varied by 2K calories per day from time to time based on available food and time (and interest). Breakfast Either a bowl of cereal (skim milk) or 3 Egg cheese omelet with some kind of Protein (sausage) Lunch Sandwich (usually ham or turkey) Chips dinner Normally sensible (Cooking Light) Core Protein/Starch and a vegetable Quantity was the issue here Dessert Nothing good. Cookies or a brownie and more milk Add in the 2 time per week trip to a local Winghouse or Hooters and the occasional pizza night (or double cheese burger when passing a McDonalds) and it is no wonder I am in the boat I am in right now. My activity level is the only thing that saved me from being on a Discovery show program! (Not trying to make light of other people's struggles folks. Humor is one of my defense mechanisms) Post Op Breakfast 1 scrambled egg Mid Morning Protein shake (with 8 oz of skim milk) Lunch 4-6 oz of strained cream based Soup Mid Afternoon Protein Shake (with 8 oz of skim milk) Dinner 4-6 oz of strained cream based soup Dessert Protein Shake (with 8 oz of skim milk) Two sugar free popsicles I am quite excited about adding lean protein to the diet tomorrow. I am sick of the small number of items available. Size of portion has been amazing as it has satiated me. Just need some variance. I have never looked so forward to tuna salad in my LIFE!

I am still early (2 weeks post op) so I follow my Dr's guidelines very closely. 4 oz of allowable mushy food 3X a day plus Protein Shakes in between and the occasional sugar free pop sickle or pudding. Even with no fill (though it may be a vestige of being new) I feel like I can't eat much more quantity than 4-6 oz of even Soup. I suspect that subsides.

I used Care Credit and had a similar scare with the hospital but my surgeon's office handled the transaction so it did not impact me at all.

My surgeon's office sells shakes but I am looking to try others. I ordered a sampler pack of "Unjury" which got good reviews. I also tried from Protein "Shots" (Little liquid protein packed items. Low cal and high protein 50g or protein per). They taste horrible but if you are tired of drinking shakes all the time, they were pretty good. Anyone try the Unjury protein products?

Hi All! I am new to the banding crew. After a lifelong battle with the bulge I took the step to surgery. Surgery was straight forward and everything thus far has been great. Just wanted to say hi!

Congrats on the recent banding. I was banded on the 17th. Recovery has been very straight forward. I am very weary of non-Protein foods (like Soups, though I am adding whey protein to them to up my protein level). So far, the weight is coming off very quickly. I look forward to some real foods (even in these new small quantities). I have a LOT to lose but every journey starts with a single step (or so they say....but I hate them! :-) )

Good luck! I am new as well but so far it has been very useful!