YoungBlackAndBanded

I tend to SOMEWHAT agree with some of the things you said. There are A LOT of variations from doctor to doctor. For example some doctors have their patients on an after fill diet. My doctor requires no such thing. So which one is right??? At the same time, I chose my doctor because I believed him to be the best, and most competent to do this surgery so, I will follow his advice. There is a saying that goes "if you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always got".....I've dieted on my own with no success, so I am choosing to follow the advice of a professional who has been around the block a few times. I'll also say, there is a difference between taking advice without question, and taking advice from someone who knows more than you. I don't believe that lab banders that follow their doctors advice are by definition 'stupid'. Perhaps they are educated patients who have done thier research and are working with a professional they trust.

This is suprising to me! I haven't been banded yet, but I was under the impression that a small amount of food WOULD keep me full from meal to meal. Was your experience different earlier in the game?

This is the first time I'm hearing about the card, but UGHH that would be my nightmare, for the waitstaff to not know what it is, and cause a huge disturbance!! I feel for you....

Why not just ask the administrator who is organizing the contest? If they say WLS patients are allowed to enter than enter, if not, then just continue losing on your own! As long as your follow the rules they have set out, whether it's theoretically 'fair' or 'cheating' won't matter.

I'm with you, I'm on day 5 and am not doing so well. I must admit I did 'cheat' once with an animal cracker, but I'm not beating myself up about it. My surgeon has me on a liquid diet limited to 800 cals. How I get those calories are up to me, but they highly reccomend Protein shakes. I've been doing three shakes a day and a soup for lunch with Water to drink. There is NOTHING good about this stage, except maybe when it's over!! Good luck!

According to my doctor, gallstones are common in lapband patients. If you are female and obese your chances of developing gallstones is increased. Also, if you experience rapid weight loss your risks are increased. I'm not going to pretend I know the morphology of how gallstones form, but it is something that is common in WLS patients.

I hope to get below 180 by next year (65# lost). That was my HS weight, and although it was heavy, I still felt pretty good. I think that's reasonable!

Hey guys I'm blogging too! There is such a wealth of knowledge out there in the blogging world I had to be a part of it!

This to me highlights your clinics lack of "banding training". They should have told you before surgery that the band has no (or very little) Fluid in it when it's placed during surger, and the initial restriction you feel is due to swelling. Like another poster said, what you're experiencing is 'bandster hell'! It will pass. Your goal during the first 4 - 6 weeks should not be weight loss (although for most if does occur), but instead healing, making sure your band heals properly so it will work as expected later on. good luck.

Hey! I'm with you, I like to know the daily stuff, but do come on here to find answers to some questions I may have. I would suggest (if you aren't already) following some blogs (blogger.com has some fantastic ones). There are alot of banded gals (and guys) on there, and you can follow thier journey! Here are a couple of my favs.... Chronicles from Band Land Once Upon A Time...In the Land of cheese and Sunkist Just a thought.

That was a little harsh! Anyway, if you look at the band as a lifestyle change, then I don't believe it does you any favours to unfill just so you can overeat. You can still enjoy the foods on your vacations, just less of them. I would find this even MORE enjoyable as you'll have a lot less guilt (and weight gain)!

I find that journaling is a good way to lay out, in black and white, what you have comsumed. I tend to stick to pretty much the same foods, and am still in the pre-op phase, but I'm looking at lap-band as a life change, and not as a fad diet. Therefore, I'll journal once in a while, maybe when I'm introducing a new food, but I definately don't plan on making it an everyday occurance, it just feels too 'diety' for me.

Hey, I'm in a similar situation as you. I'm 24, weight 242 and am 5'4. I have been going back and forth about the surgery for almost 6 months now. I have been reading a lot of posts on here, as well as some blogs from different banders, as well as some books just trying to get as much information as possible. I am scheduled for surgey June 18th, and have already postponed once. I came to the realization that although it is great to see what other people's journeys have been like, no two are exactly alike. More importantly, no two surgreons are the same, and the way they approach the surgery will also be different. I read one bloggers post last night that kind of slapped me back into reality. She had a list of questions that she wanted to ask her doctor (I've included some of them below) and got me thinking that although I've been thinking about this surgery for so long, even went so far to book a date (twice) there were still a lot of questions going through my mind that only MY surgeon could answer. I printed a copy of these questions and will be taking them to the appointment I scheduled in a few days. I highly reccomend doing this, as well as talking to your support system about it, whether that's family or friends, whoever you trust. I believe before you do this you should be 100% comfotable in your decision and educated as to what to expect. The journey will not be an easy one, and it's best we know what we're getting into before we get into it! I wish you all the best with whatever decision you make! Questions for the doctor. 1) What kind of band will I be getting? What size? What size port? Where will you put the port? 2) Will there be any Fluid placed in the band during surgery? 3) Do you suture the stomach over the band to help prevent slipping? 4) How long do I have to wait for my first fill? How long between fills? What’s the cost of the fills? 5) What, if any, precautions will need to be taken because of m history with blood clots? 6) Can you suggest Vitamins I should be taking? 7) Why is there such a relation between the lap-band and gallstones? Preventative measures? 8) What’s the occurrence of slippage/erosion in your patients? 9) How many surgeries have you done? 10) On average what percentage of excess weight have your patients lost? 11) How will you determine my goal weight? 12) Will I stay overnight? 13) What is the pre-op, post-op diet like?

Sounds like you need another fill....

Hello, and welcome! I have not been banded yet, so my answers are based on what I have learned from my surgeon, and other banders on here. As you get closer to restriction, and your band gets tighter, it will be harder (if not impossible) to chug Water or other liquids. As for wine, and other alcohol, I look at it this way, the lap band is for life so you have to learn how to fit it into a lifestyle that can be maintained, and although most doctors will tell you that you shouldn't comsume alcohol (liquid calories) I absolutely plan to from time to time. I'm only 24, and well my friends like to go out and have a good time, so will I comsume alcohol, absolutely! I've also heard somewhere here that the "buzz" sets on faster after banding, I assume it has something to do with less food in your stomach. Hope this helps a little.

I too am EXTREMLY suprised the doctor banded you at 144lbs! How tall are you?! I understand the frustration though, but I, personally, would not even consider gastric bypass with only 40lbs to lose...and would have to question a doctor who is willing to perform the surgery at your weight. Hang in there, they say it's harder to lose those last few lbs.

I'm 5'4, and I set my goal to 135 to be closed to the middle of the healthy range. I don't remember ever being that weight, so I may have to re-evaluate as I get closer to that number.

I Agree...it kind of does stink. Especially if you are ready to start! BUT it is also a blessing, as it gives you that time to develop some fantastic eating habits, as well as time to think, and figure out exactly what you have to do to succeed with the band.

My surgeon also offers the single incision, but because of my history with bloodclots, he said I wasn't a good candidate. The SILS has a longer surgery time, and it will be benificial for me to be under no longer than neccesary.

Hey Guys!!! I'm getting banded on June 18th. I was originally scheduled for May 14th, but moved it back because I wanted to make sure I had my mind right for the journey ahead. I must admit I've been obsessing, and trying to gain as much knowledge as possible as to what to expect, so i've been reading a lot of blogs, watching a lot of vlogs on youtube, and cruising this site! I kind of wish I kept my original date, but at the same time I'm happy I pushed it back because I feel I'll being going into the surgery knowing full well what MY part in this whole journey will be! Good luck to all!!

But I just finished watching some informative videos (EMMI) on the Lap Band system and how it works. It goes on to talk about the small pouch and stoma that are formed when the band is placed. Where I'm confused is the emphasis on small bites and chewing well, so that food can pass easily through the stoma without getting stuck. I thought the purpose of this smaller pouch was to hold the food (and slowly release it to the lower stomach) so that you feel feel sooner, and for longer? If not, then what is the difference between swallowing your well chewed Protein, and say ice cream (other than the nutritional content) if they are just going to pass through the stoma anyway and make their way to the lower stomach? Is there something I'm missing?????:bored:

So just like every year, it's about that time to go through my closet to exchange the winter/fall clothes for the spring/summer ones. Now, the winter/fall to spring/summer exchange is always the harder change as I put away the clothes that cover me up more, for some clingy, non-flattering clothes:crying: UGHH I hate it....USUALLY! Well, something just occurred to me. The thought that the winter/fall clothes that I just finished washing and folding, and now placing into storage containers, may never see the light of day again!!! These may all be too big by the time my spring/summer to winter/fall exchange happens! So cardigan by cardigan, blazer by blazer, I felt like I was saying 'good-bye' to the overweight, unhealthy me, and making room for the healthy, 'regular' weight me! This thought turned a usual dreadful task into something uplifting!:thumbup: Anyways just wanted to share, and wondered if any of you have experienced something similar!?

Also along with that (also from the FAQ page) How do you calculate Calories Burned? When nothing much is logged, we try to guess how many calories you have burned if you were sedentary. (Sedentary means you got out of bed, got dressed, went to your day job, came home and did nothing much more than walk to your car.) Once you start logging activities, we assume that you know best and we stop estimating; we use the data you provided. If you only log a small portion of your activity, we'll be missing a lot. This, to me, doesn't do much more than other calorie/activity tracking websites like livestrong, fitday and the like. If you have to INPUT what activities you did, then what's the point?

Hi Guys, Pre-band patient here!! I want to get an idea of the kinds, and quantity of foods that you post-banded people are eating. I'm not talking about a week or two post-op, but more during the losing phase of this lap-band journey. Please be as specific as possible, and also if you could include your work-out schedule/regime. I know everyone is different, but I'm trying to get a general idea of what I can expect from the surgery. Also, are you on any supplements? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!! :thumbup:

Rubio, I gotta say you're a lucky girl to have a sister who you can share this experience with (all my sisters, I have 4, are thin, and have not had and real weight issues, but are still completely supportive). Good luck!