rkwilliams1013

Hiccups are my nemesis. I am eight months out and I STILL get hiccups. I seem to get the more in the days following a fill. Hiccups are also my trigger that the pouch is full and I need to slow down or stop.

I have been banded about eight months and have only thrown up once and it was a complete and total surprise. Not sure to this day what caused it, but i for damn sure will never eat a sweet potato again. I agree that getting "stuck" just happens.... especially with the more restriction/fill you have the more careful you will have to be.

Well said Cleo's mom this is a support site where we should be able to express our struggles without being judged for being weak and cheating or not excercising. Good for you RK if you don't struggle and are successful, some of us who have been banded aren't 26 anymore we're 46 and trust me when I say it's a lot harder to lose weight at 46 then it is when you are in your 20's. RK if you are so successful all by your sheer willpower then why do you need this site? Don't make people feel like they can't whine if they want to..don't judge!

Carmen, I never said I don't have bad days, that I don't struggle. If I never struggled, I wouldn't need the band to begin with. I have found lots of good support here, and I think for the majority, this forum is made up of some amazing, dedicated people.

Luckily, I have a wonderful surgeon that fully prepared me for this journey, which has made staying positive easier. I try to take it one day at a time, and do the best that I can do each day. It has nothing to do with my age.

Cleo's Mom, I'm sorry that you have had a bad experience with your band and I hope you find the answers you're looking for. My post was not intended for you, or people in similar situations such as yours.

My intentions of this post was not to offend, but to invite people to re-commit to themselves, get back on the wagon, and become the best version of yourself.

I am a firm believer that you become what you surround yourself with. So when I was starting to notice all the negative posts on here, I couldn't just let it ride, and boy do I feel better after getting it all of my chest!

Surround yourself with people that support you, and keep you positive and in touch with the real you.

Negativity brings nothing but negativity.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has noticed...

You don't have to order a thing, it tells you the plan right on the website. I don't think its rocket science, and its only 5 days- PERFECT for me!

I have been struggling recently with the amount of negative posts on this forum. It has actually caused me to stay away, because I'm so tired of people posting- whining- about why they're not losing weight only to find out A) they don't exercise, they don't follow they rules.

THE BAND DOESN'T FAIL YOU- YOU FAIL THE BAND!

So, if you've posted about why you're just not losing weight, I ask you to re- commit to yourself to be healthy, and get back on the wagon.

Here are the Keys to being a Successful Bandster:

1) FOLLOW THE RULES: Yes, its hard. We all know this, but rules are there to help you become successful, so don't cheat. If your cheat, you're only cheating YOURSELF.

2) EXERCISE: It is not rocket science that Exercise=weight loss. It doesn't matter what you do, what fitness level you start at, as long as you do SOMETHING EVERY DAY.

3) COMMIT TO YOURSELF: Stop comparing yourself to every other bandster. This is YOUR journey. Make the commitment to yourself to be healthy, follow the rules, and become the best version of yourself.

Hi! First of all, congrats on being banded! You are off to a great start! Keep in mind that you cannot compare your experience to anyone elses... this is YOUR experience.

Having surgery put your body into a state of shock, it sounds like you're doing everything right. Are you exercising? I started very slow, walking and increasing as I felt stronger. Exercise is key, even in small amounts.

Everyone is going to lose at a different pace because our bodies are different.

Try not to weigh yourself everyday, its not going to do anything but make you feel discouraged. If you're playing by the rules and getting adequate exercise, the weight will come off- just be patient, and stay positive!

FOUR POUNDS FROM GOAL!! I can so do this!

Lately, I have really been struggling with a plateau and a mere one pound WL last week. I found this link in a previous thread and thought it was worth taking a look at.

Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test

I plan on doing the 5 day pouch test after every fill and kick off the plateau.

Being banded isn't a diet- It's a lifestyle.

No one is forcing anyone to drink a Protein shake they don't like. I was merely stating that when I decided to have lap band surgery, I made the commitment to myself to become a healthier me- and that meant making some changes including learning to like some foods I didn't like before. I don't particularly like to exercise either, but I made that commitment to myself and I do it everyday.

There are so many options out there for protein- it doesn't matter how you get it, as long as you're getting the right amount.

I agree that people shouldn't have to drink/eat things they don't like, but ya know, I don't particularly like fruit, but I eat it because I know I have to in order to keep the commitment I made to myself when I decided to be banded. There are a lot of foods I'm learning to like simply because I know my body needs it to be healthy.

Good luck in your Quest to find Health and Happiness!

Betsy, you are right on the money! Your posts are always so insightful!

I had a fear of vomiting too! My surgeon was super understanding and gave me plenty of meds to make sure that it didn't happen.

I experienced NO NAUSEA whatsoever after surgery. Today, I'm very mindful of what & how I eat to make sure that never happens. So far the strategy has worked!

Hang in there! The first few days are always the worst. Make sure that you're up and walking as much as possible- although it may be painful at first, it will help relieve some of the gas pain. I had the referred chest & shoulder pain too. It will get better everyday, take the pain medicine on a regular schedule, and I would recommend taking more time off work. You need time to let your body heal!.

If the pain gets worse, or is persistant call your doc! They work for you!

If you're looking for a different taste you can try Isopure from GNC.

I like to use Premier Protein that I get from Cost Co, they are low carb,low fat and have 30gms of Protein per shake.

I wouldn't recommend Special K Protein shakes. You can get better quality protein without the sugar and carbs that will help you in the long run.

Now is not the time to short-change your body with cheap imitations.

I started walking as soon as I felt well enough to do it. We're talking slow, even paced walking. Then as I felt better I increased the pace and the distance. I never really stalled, or gained until I hit the 30lb mark. I lost 30 lbs since being banded on September 2nd and am just now experiencing my first plateau. I've not lost anything for a week, but on the bright side, I've certainly not gained anything either!

I like the idea of writing down a praise for yourself every day and will start incorporating that into my daily journaling.

I go to a support group every month. I wish it was more like once a week, but the accountability and support you get from a support meeting is second to none. This is a hard journey and its best if you don't try to do it alone.

There are only about 12 people in the one I go to, and I really enjoy it. We have a great bariatric coach who leads it, and she really makes the meetings.

Brian, you totally made me laugh! "A good pee weighs twice as much as a good crap!"

I also gained about 2 lbs when I started mushies but that quickly went away with some increased exercise. I think your body wants to hoard the food after only getting liquids.

Take a look at BariatricEating.com

They have great recipes for every stage of the bariatric process! I just made a spinach, egg and cheese quiche last night that qualifies for mushy food! It was great and my husband loved it!

They also have some great Hummus recipes. I'm a hummus lover too and I eat it with baked pita chips, in moderation of course!

Ya'll I got so pissed reading this post! Let me just tell ya. Pretty much everyone I know knows I had the surgery, and I have been amazed at the outpouring of support I've had from the people around me so I consider myself very blessed after reading some of your posts.

I usually get the "you're not heavy enough to have that surgery" or "my best friends, mother's cousin had that surgery done and it didn't work for her" I think the latter of the two responses pisses me off the most and I just answer them, " well your best friend's mother's cousin's band didn't fail them, they failed the band and I'm sure if they had been committed to the process, and done what they were supposed to do, they would have been successful"

Then I really had to hold my tongue recently when I went to my family doc because i had a horrible cold, and I was updating my health history with the Medical Assistant who looked all of 17, and I told her when I had the surgery and she looked puzzled looked at my chart and said " But you haven't lost that much weight". I had lost nearly 20 pounds since my visit a month before. I wanted to punch her out right there, but luckily I was sick and didn't have the energy so I said " Obviously you're unfamiliar with how the band works, so let me educate you a little bit before you leave...."

I LOVE Hummus. I found a low carb pita that has 12 gms of Protein and I pack half a pita with hummus and chicken. It is one of my favorite meals!

Nurse here too! I'm amazed at how many nurses there are here! Ironic huh?

I'm in Atlanta working on an ortho surgery unit.

I am sitting on my first plateau.:smile2: The scale has not moved in days.

Any suggestions?

My bariatric coach gave me a great idea: She said if you take the money you WOULD BE spending on eating out and fast food every week and deposit it into a jar, at one year you would have enough money to buy you a completely new wardrobe or go on a nice vacation!

I'm taking her advice!

Down 4 lbs this week! YAY! I'm only eight pounds from goal- I can do eight pounds by Halloween!

So is there a Thanksgiving Challenge in my future?

Elfie, You're right, I've had a rapid weight loss in a month, and this is probably my body's way of putting on the brakes. My bariatric coach says that you're going to plateau every 20-30lbs. Just trying to figure out the best way to work through it. I will try to up the calories just a little and increase my workout to see if that helps- Today my pouch is very grouchy, so hopefully tomorrow will be better!