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ousooner Thanks for your post. Congrats on your loss. That is great only one pound to go. I am going to have is done. I really want to be there for my children. My son is already eating the wrong foods so I am think after I have my surgery we can all eat much healthier. I am excited to be able to play with my children on a physical level. I know that this is the right decision. I am lucky enough to do it while I am young and healthy ( other than my weight ). I hope that I have a success story to tell someone in my position someday. Thank you all for your posts they have helped a lot.

Try not to listen to them :-) . Really. Its very natural to have second thoughts but its really misplaced self judgement that causes them, not anything real. If you were having your gall bladder removed or an angioplasty or repair to a broken bone, you wouldnt be having second thoughts becuase it wouldnt be your fault right? Well its not you're fault you're having this surgery either. As far as surgical procedures go, this is a very safe, short and uncomplicated one in 99.9% of cases. It really really helped me to think of my weight problem as something broken, and that I would not hestiate to have surgery to fix my stupid troublesome ankle, nor did I even think about a planned caesarean for my third baby (and there were two lives at stake there!). Its really no different. Something is broken and you're fixing it. Its time to stop the self recrimination and just get on with the job of what you need to do to get better. And your surgery is the very first step in that process. Dont worry, there's plenty of hard work to follow, you'll feel like youve done it yourself, that's for sure. In six months time you'll be feeling pride in your achievements. This is a beginning, not some terrible ending that you've come to.

I agree 100% that it's frustrating to read others post that they cannot lose weight with the band. Like the previous postings... it is because they are not honest to themselves about what they are or are not doing. The band is a tool and that is it... You still must work very hard. Something as small as not getting enough water can keep you from losing. Theres rules to the band that must be followed if they want to receive the results they wanted when they got the band.

I am writing this for all those who are struggling with the idea of "am I too tight?", "I'm hungry but I can't eat anything...". I just spent the worst 2 weeks of my lapband experience, suffering from the "too tight" affliction, and let me tell you, NEVER AGAIN! Up until my last fill, I've had a pretty dream run of things. No great post-op hassles, first 3 fills of 1ml each were space 1 month apart and came in just at the right times. 4th fill of 0.5ml 2 months after that also went well - great restriction but not too much. After 3 months, when my appetite was starting to rage again, and I was eating 1.5+ cups of solid food at every meal and fighting the urge to snack in between, I knew it was time for fill #5. The doc put in 0.5ml again and warned me to do liquids for a couple of days and ease back into solids after that. Unfortunately, that night I couldn't even manage thick Soups and ended up PBing half the night, till I remembered my emergency anti-nausea pills. I went back to clear consommes for Day 2 and creamed soups for Day 3 but couldn't move past them for a while. By Day 6, I was managing mushies but had to fly back to work and that, combined with getting my ToM a couple of days later set me right back to clear consommes again - anything thicker and I chucked my ring up. I lived like that for the next 8 days but could never get past soups and on a good day, mushies. Let me tell you folks, that is NO WAY to live! I booked the unfill before I came home (got home last night) and just had 0.25ml taken out today - ahhh sweet relief! This morning, I was gurgling and burping over a cup of coffee. This evening, I had a small chicken & vege thingie in filo pastry - delicious, and FILLING and no burping, no sliming, no pain! Best of all is that now I've eaten it, I'M NOT HUNGRY ANY MORE!! What I noticed more than anything with that overfill, was that even when I was gurgling and burping, sliming and PBing, I was HUNGRY in between and kept trying to push past what I was capable of eating. It was so hard not to just get in the habit of eating slider foods and saying to myself "at least I'll lose weight". Of course, the only solid things I could eat in all that time were cheesecake and Cookies... but healthy solid veges and lean meat - not a chance! If any of you are thinking to yourselves "I'm really uncomfortable, but I don't want to take the fill out in case I start to gain", please PLEASE take a leaf out of my book. When you are too tight, the only thing that goes down easily is crap and you won't lose weight eating crap! Life on the band is not meant to be not eating at all! It's not meant to be living on soups and mushies! You need to eat solid, healthy veges and meat and you won't feel hungry! Stay too tight and you'll be miserable, eat fattening non-nutritious foods and will be HUNGRY all the time! Don't do it!!!

Everything you see on TV about drastic weight loss suggests that most of us are in for a tt in our future, but have ya'll noticed, the plastic surgery shows are ALWAYS about bypass patients? I've yet to see one that dealt with the slower weight loss strategy of the lapband. I'd like to see that changed. Meanwhile, maybe I'll invent "flesh colored" duct tape!! ha

I've had two tummy surgeries (c section and appendix) the appendix surgery left me with a scar from my hip to my belly button and even at my smallest weight I could not get my apron to disapear. For me I would need surgery to remove the skin. If your young you probably have a good shot of reducing it with exercise. Even thoug I know mine won't go flat, I'm still going to do exercise to reduce it. Good luck !!!

Hi Sherri, First, there is NO dumping syndrome with banding. Our anatomy and digestive processed are not altered, so there is no way anything like that could occur. There are certainly foods that people have trouble tolerating for one reason or another, and one thing I've found is that with weight loss I'm more sensitive to the ingredients in things (such as caffeine, and especially the MSG in Chinese food). I've just had to cut down a little. It is NOT the same thing as dumping syndrome. As for slippage, usually the symptoms are a dramatic change in restriction. Slippage can be severe or slight, and sometimes a slight slippage has no detectable symptoms. But a severe slippage can make it impossible to eat or drink, or can cause serious reflux. When that happens, the first line of defense is an unfill, which can sometimes fix the problem completely.

Thank you very much! I am very proud of myself...i'll be even prouder once I get back on my weight loss track..the holidays were killer...yes I should have tried tuna salad but I was starving and thought i'd be ok...yikes was I wrong!! I feel like 18 lbs isnt much especially compared to some of you guys but I figure that's 18 gone forever, i've been going through a bit of a downer stage lately since this fill has cut me down sooo much, but i'm learning to get over it...it's just so weird...my SO was chowing down last night and I was sitting there thinking wow I used to be able to outeat him and now I get practically nothing...it was so weird....Anyway, thanks for your replies Marie and the congratulations, I appreciate it so much!

as everyone knows my band was removed due to erosion on 11/28. I know that my band is not there but it sure feels like it is.... This is weird! I have PBed everyday for a week and I can only eat a small amount. I have also lost 8 lbs in 2 weeks.. I have not lost any weight in months... My band is gone,now I am losing weight... what is up with that? Am I just loosing my mind?

Dear Nathalie, I heard that from the professionals in my program as well... including doctors, nurses, and therapists... however, RNY was a definite NO for me, so they finally agreed to do the lapband. (Though I could tell by the looks I got that they didn't think it would be very successful.) I was going through some major changes in my life as well and had struggled (and I mean struggled!) to get just nine pounds off before the surgery. (They would have been much happier with more weight loss before surgery, and I probably have "not very compliant" written somewhere all over my charts! LOL) Well, I am eight months out and down 91 pounds and still losing! YAY! YOUR determination is what will make it work for you. I didn't want to compromise my health with the RNY and I AM SO GLAD I didn't. My "gut feeling" (no pun intended! LOL) was to do the lapband. Everyone is different, and many do better with bypass, but for me, I KNEW I didn't want to go that route and I was determined to make this work and it is! YAY! It really is YOUR decision. Their advise is helpful and certainly to be considered, but in the end it is YOUR body. SO, READ, READ, READ everything you can get your hands on so you can make an informed decision for YOURSELF! Blessings to you, Mary

Honestly, I'm surprised there is that much in my band. I haven't had any stuck episodes and can eat pretty much anything. Since I went on solid foods (3rd week after surgery) I stay satisfied for at least 4 hours between meals. I thought that was because I'm eating too much since I haven't been measuring my food. I've been measuring time. I wait 1 minute between each bite and eat for 20-25 minutes. I guess it's been the band the whole time. I haven't lost as much weight post op as I wish (about 14 lbs in 5 weeks), but I guess that's decent. I'm going to stop eating what I want (in small doses) and start doing low carb. Hopefully this will make the weight really drop off.

Mine was hilarious. I had 2 sessions the first one we went over my weight loss history and then I took a 166 question test that covered about 5 subjects. 1.Family 2.abuse 3.drugs/alcohol 4.religion 5.eating habits My favortie question was number 88 where it asked me (they were all true/false) I am answering this test truthfully T/F? When I got the results back I scored very high (you want to score between 65-80) on the religion part (100%). All she said was religion can be a helpful tool so if you ever feel depressed you may want to look for a religious belief. Hope this helps

Congrats to both Mindy ad isign. I'm always thrilled to see people close to their goal on this site. My doc keeps saying that loss of 50% of excess weight is the norm and we should be hapy if we achieve that.

Hi Kimmiechelle, Congratulations on getting your lapband! I had trouble with Water the first week or so after being banded. I couldn't seem to get much down at a time and gas always seemed to immediately follow. Be patient-- it goes away. Why not try SF popsicles once in a while, or switch off with warm drinks like hot tea? Have you tried something like Gas-X? I lived on it the first couple of weeks along with my heating pad. Here's what I figured out about the constipation -- yes, lack of fluids can contribute to constipation as does the pain medication but the real culprit was there was not enough "mass" in the digestive system to move things along until I got onto mushies. No duh! Liquid diets don't leave mass! When I called my doctor's office complaining about the big C, I was told to eat fruit. By then I was on mushies, so I took my fruit and put it into the blender and blended it to death. That and walking, finally moved things along. Every single one of us is obsessed with seeing how much weight comes off after we get banded. Some people lose a lot and some hardly any. Everything I've read on these boards is to view the first 4-6 weeks as healing time. It's about getting the band seated properly and learning how to manage yourself. Any weight lost is a bonus!! Most folks get on the weight loss bandwagon after the first or second fill. Be kind to yourself and try not to let your whirling brain make you crazy. This part will quickly pass, but it must be endured. Check back in and let us know how you are doing. Jo Ann

Amyc... My surgeon has a min BMI of 35..and thats only if you have other weight related health issues (High BP, Cardiovascular issues, arthritis). Otherwise BMI must be 40 or higher.

ok... so here's my 25 cents worth of advise... start living in the present and stop grieving the past.. as for food.. there are red flag foods.. but there are also so many new foods you can learn to eat.. like have you ever had a fine lobster bisque (which can be purchased at the grocery store.. my favorite brand is panera) or have you tried some new recipes.. like making grilled flake salmon over a bed of lettuce with diced mango and asparagus.. come on... you can look at all the food you CAN'T eat or you can look at all the food you CAN eat. take your pick... just before i began eating solids.. I wrote out a long long long list of all the food i could eat.. and how to combine those foods into nutritious, low cost high energy meals. I don't care if you are male or female.. you have to learn to cook and to shop.anyway.. thats my 25 cents worth.. I love this new way of eating.. i don't miss those kettle chips dipped in chocolat chip ice cream.. everything about the inside of me now is feeling healthier.. losing weight is making my joints move more smoothly, my allergy symptoms are gone and I have a new outlook about life. Please try to make life positive.... its called reframing a life event from a negative to a positive.. remember the reasons you got this procedure done , keep your goals out in front of you.. and eat hearty and well.. food takes on a new perspective... make every bite a new experience....and a healthy one.

Hey lilmis and brigida! I was banded by Dr. Marsden on May 6. I too have had sticky situations. It's like you can feel every inch as it goes down. Do either of you have trouble with cold Water? Sometimes i can feel that going down too. Brigida, have you gone for your first follow up at True Results yet? I'm going in a couple weeks. Still don't know if I want a fill yet. Sometimes I can go 4-5 hours before I'm hungry and other times it's 2 hours. Lilmis, I read that book last summer and did it for a couple months. I lost like 12 pounds. It's really a good diet. Not as restrictive as Atkins. My problem was my cheat day got out of control and then I stopped losing weight. That can't happen anymore because of the band. The EXACT reason why I'm happy I did it!

I would like to receive some good recipes with fish and chicken; recipes that are soft or easy to chew. Also, would like to have recipes for Protein drinks. I have found that the more protein I eat (drink), the more weight I lose but since my second adjustment, I have really been having trouble with meats. Any input would be great. Thanks

I’m a runner. I’ve been a runner since I was a teenager. I’ve run five or more miles three times a week for the past four years and rarely take a day off. Many of my runs have been over ten miles. I’m the crazy guy you’ve seen running in the rain and the snow on the side of the road at 7 AM. I’ve learned a lot from running and many of those lessons I have applied to life in general. I’ve shared much of what I’ve learned about running with many of my patients because I believe that there are a number of parallels between long-distance running and the journey through weight loss. Many of my patients agree. I’d like to share some of these parallels with you to provide you with a helpful way to think about all that you’ve gone through and may still experience going forward. I should make an admission to you first. I’ve never actually run a marathon. It’s something I very much want to do someday but have yet to attempt because of some nagging injuries and such. However, I know enough about long-distance running and have spoken to enough marathon runners to understand the psyche of the marathon runner. Therefore, I feel comfortable speaking of it here. Consider the entire journey of weight loss surgery from before surgery to years afterwards as a marathon. For those of you who are unfamiliar, a marathon is a race of 26.2 miles. The modern Marathon commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, 26.2 miles to Athens in 490 B.C. It is seen by many as the ultimate test of endurance (although there are now ultra-marathons that can go for 100 miles or more!). There are many things one must do to prepare for the running of a marathon. A marathoner has to complete several practice runs and work up his stamina and endurance to get into peak physical condition for the race. A marathoner is encouraged to make dietary changes, especially in the few days before the race. A marathoner has to mentally prepare for the grueling 26.2 run and plot out the course and a strategy of how he is going to make it from start to finish. The process of weight loss surgery is quite similar. There are many steps to take before your big day. There is research to do. Perhaps you will talk to doctors or to those who have had surgery to better understand what you will be experiencing. When you decide that surgery is for you, there are pre-surgical assessments, medical tests and other things that must be done to ensure that you are prepared for what lies ahead. You are instructed to make dietary changes in anticipation of your surgery…perhaps a liquid diet for a week or more. And certainly you must mentally prepare for all of the physical, behavioral and emotional changes that lie ahead. For the most part, your surgery date is the starting line. You’re nervous. You’re excited. You’re hopeful. Similarly, the marathoner heart is pounding long before the starting gun is fired. The gun is fired and suddenly…they’re off! The first few days after surgery, you’re just trying to do as told. Listen to what the surgeon, the nurses and other professionals’ tell you and get home from the hospital as soon as you can. The marathoner is just putting one foot in front of the other and trying to find a good pace…a comfortable groove. Nothing fancy, just moving ahead. The first few weeks after surgery are like the marathoners first few miles…nice and easy. Learning to chew, learning what to eat and what not to eat…adjusting to the new pace of eating and making other changes in your life to improve your chances of success. Much of the journey lies ahead and thinking too far ahead can be daunting. Keep your head in the present. At some point, there will be bumps in the road. The runner may have a side-stitch, a cramp, pain, fatigue, a pebble in his shoes; some complications to be addressed. The marathoner understands that some of these discomforts will come and go. Sometimes, if you just let it be and shift your focus to other aspects of the running experience and away from the discomfort…the discomfort goes away. It is important that the marathoner not panic about the situation. The journey through weight loss surgery will also have its discomforts. Like the marathon, many will simply come and go. Some days may be more difficult than others. On some days eating may be more difficult than other days. On some days, cravings will seem stronger than others. In most instances, the discomfort will be temporary. Avoiding “catastrophic” thinking is the key. I am speaking of the mental demons that we all must deal with. Often while running, it seems as if a little devil appears on my shoulder whispering negative comments in my ear. “You’re never going to make it.” “You can’t do it.” “What were you thinking trying to run so far!?” “You’re not into it today…just go home and try again tomorrow.” Weight loss surgery patients also hear the voice of a little devil who attempts to derail you. “How am I going to avoid eating some of those foods that I love?” “What am I going to do at the holiday barbeque…I’m going to go nuts!” “I can buy a pint of ice cream and just have a little…what’s the big deal.” “A few cookies couldn’t hurt.” Part of your preparation for the marathon of weight loss surgery needs to include maintaining a positive attitude that can help you last the equivalent of 26.2 miles and to develop strategies for coping with these mental “cramps” and “side-stitches.” What am I going to tell myself when and if things get a bit complicated? What you tell yourself is immensely important in determining how and whether you will reach the finish line. Believing that you can cope with some of the temporary and unpleasant bumps in the road is essential for your success. Many of my patients initially get quite deflated by setbacks or slips. Most times, they are engaging in what I call “black and white thinking.” In this way of thinking, eating one serving of ice cream immediately becomes “I’m sabotaging my surgery!!” One day of feeling deprived or hungry becomes “My band isn’t working!” or “I’m never going to be able to live this way!” It is dramatic, exaggerated and self-defeating thinking. The marathoner’s mindset needs to be focused on “how I can” not “why I can’t.” There is nothing propelling the marathoner forward other than his or her own desire to persevere. He can stop with one step, but CHOOSES not to. He tolerates the discomfort. You also can stop. You can “cheat.” You can avoid getting your band adjusted. You can eat around the bypass. You can drink your calories. You can eat sweets. But you won’t finish the race and you’ll feel terrible for it. Several miles further down the road, the marathon becomes a strange combination of harder and easier. The marathoner has plenty of discomfort. Discomfort is probably an understatement. His body aches, his feet burn and his mind is often numb…but at the same time, he is beginning to almost taste the finish line. There are fewer miles ahead than behind. There is a mild euphoria as he considers that he might actually make it!! The surgery patient has lost a lot of weight several “miles” into her race. Perhaps most of the weight has already been lost…or maybe it’s already all off and now she’s focused on keeping it that way. But perhaps there are still some discomforts. Maybe some people continue to make annoying comments, or you have some body image concerns, or are experiencing other sources of anxiety and insecurity. It will be ok. Keep the focus on the here and now, avoid catastrophic thinking, and address what needs to be addressed. Try to taste the finish line. It’s not much farther now. This is where the analogy ends. The marathoner raises his arms as he crosses the finishing line and gasps in a combination of exhaustion and euphoria….I did it!! It is an incredible accomplishment. He is finished. But as a person who has had weight loss surgery, you will always be running your race. Through time, your pace will hopefully become more predictable and steady, but the journey of weight loss surgery never truly ends. There are always “side-stitches” and “cramps” and little “pebbles in your shoes.” Rub out the cramps. Take a few breaths to relieve the side-stitches. Step off the track for a moment and shake out the pebbles in your shoe. Focus away from whatever the source of discomfort. There’s no timer anymore so there’s no rush to the finish line. Take each day as it comes, some better than others. Just keep a steady pace, a clear focus, and a positive attitude and you will successfully cross a thousand finish lines. Important lessons to remember: · Stay focused in the present. Avoid thinking of how far you still have to go. Instead, focus on how far you’ve come. You cannot effect change in any moment other than the present one, so thinking about and certainly worrying about the future is in many ways both pointless and counterproductive. It only creates anxiety and ruins the present moment. By focusing in the present, you will get to the future faster than you think. When I run, if I focus on the fact that 90% of the distance lies ahead, I immediately feel tired and overwhelmed. When I simply take it one step at a time and enjoy the run, by the time I next think about my distance I’m that much further along and confident that I’ll get through it. · Keep your “qi” (pronounced “chee”) about you. Qi is the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent and flowing in all things (it’s like “the force” in Star Wars). I think of qi as being a peacefulness, and being at one with the world around me. When I run, I feel more alive than at any other time. I am at one with the world around me. I am moving through the world and feel the world moving through me. Live in the current moment and allow yourself to experience all that you are experiencing. Be present in the present. Avoid thinking of what is wrong or what could go wrong. Instead focus on what is wonderful right now. · Most of the physical and emotional discomforts that you will experience on your journey will come and go. Maybe not right away or even today. But most discomforts do not last forever. Just as many of the runner’s side-stitches and cramps work themselves through, so will yours. · Avoid focusing on small and meaningless detail. Don’t weigh yourself incessantly and get down on yourself for every calorie. Do not become overly disappointed if you do not achieve these silly and arbitrary goals. The marathoner can choose to obsess about his slightly slow pace and tragically turn a remarkable event into an unbearable trek. · Believe that you can “stand” some discomfort. Telling yourself “I can’t stand it” will lead you to not stand it. The marathoner perseveres through extraordinary physical and psychological challenges to reach the finish line. It is not an easy path. Your path too will be littered with obstacles. Trust in yourself and believe that you “can stand it” as well. · Focus on the journey and the big picture. The transformation. The accomplishment of weight loss surgery is not in losing a certain amount of weight. It is about being able to make positive, meaningful change in your life that is now possible at this lower weight. Success isn’t achieved through a number on a scale; it’s by being able to live the life you’ve always dreamed of. · Enjoy the run, not just crossing the finish line. In every moment of the race and in every moment of your journey…take a look around. Breathe in what is beautiful and enjoy each moment. Don’t live your life only in anticipation of crossing the finish line. When you have reached the finish line, I promise you that you will look back and think very fondly of the race you’ve run. :thumbup:

I have been accepted into a surgery weight loss program. The process takes nine months before any lapband or gastric procedure is done. During this nine months I have to show commitment and lose some weight on my own. I am having difficulty doing that. I have like many have tried every program out there. I am wondering what others thought about Herbal Magic? I need help desperatley.:biggrin:

So far it seems mine is any where from 10 to 12 pounds. I was wondering the same thing how much weight lost between needing fills?

OK, so I have lost 50% of my weight. Thankyou, thankyou...for the last 50%, about 50 pounds, I need to step it up. So, I am joining a gym...and want some advice. My good doctor places the port inbetween the breasts and down a bit. It is sewn into my muscle, not exactly sure how, but, it does bother me from time to time and I am a bit squeemish, so I try my best to ignore it. My surgeon only advised me not to do scrunches, or sit ups. Instead, he instructs us to lift the legs toward the chest instead of scrunches. OK, so now ever since hearing that, I have been wondering if stretching over a ball or yoga will upset or flip my port.... Should I never do stomach exercises? Should I not worry at all? I am going for a fill and will ask but in the meantime, any advice would be appreciated. TIA

I am only three weeks post-op and I am already being treated like I have the plague by my heavy friends. Most of them won't even look at me for fear of....I don't know what. I even have a friend who lost a whole bunch of weight and has kept most of it off who is now treating me the same way. She began to diet again when I had my surgery and, everytime I see her now, flaunts the fact that she has lost ten more pounds. Great for her but why not great for me too? There are a few who are wanting info on the band and a few who just want to know what is going on and are being supportive. I am not friendless by any means. I just wish that my heavy friends would not feel threatened, or whatever it is, by my success so far. These are the people who also, when actually speaking to me, feel the need to tell me about all the bad things they have heard about the band and how they would never get it or have WLS because of it. One good thing out of all of this is that my husband, who is only minimally overweight, has hit the pavement jogging again. He still looks good at his current weight but he is a total HOTTIE when he drops about thirty pounds!:thumbup:

I had an interesting thing happen on Thanksgiving. My husband's aunt, whom I have had a very warm relationship with, took one look at me when I entered the room, and would barely speak to me... She answered me in a very ummm... short fashion and stared at me the whole time I ate my sweet potato pie... but didn't say a word. I became self-conscious eating it, lol. Anyway, my husband said he's sure it is because I was the 'big girl' in the family, like her. Now "The Fat girls can't roll together..." Most people have been supportive and positive throughout my transformation... this has been the first blatant disdain for my weight loss. I'd love to hear other banded peoples' experiences. :thumbup:

I wonder what it is specific to banding though - I mean you hardly ever hear about people losing a lot of weight just through dieting, and losing hair do you? I suspect people just may eat too little after being banded to keep up complete nourishment.