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I hope you don't mind if I answer here too. I've never had pain with my band.. once I got over the immediate post-op period. I do have a weird stretching/pulling sensation at times in my back, but it's not pain. No one knows why I feel this and I can't relate it to eating, exercising, or any behavior. I've had an upper GI to make sure the band is in good position.. it looks fine on xray. Just my anatomy I guess. I guess the stretchy/pulling sensation is the only way I "feel" it. Most of the time I could almost forget it's there. Port area isn't painful, again, once past immediate post-op stage. It is the area that is usually the most tender and usually takes the longest to return to normal. My first fill was a bit of an ouch because I was still tender. Since then they've been pretty much a breeze. I lie down, they swipe the area with an alcohol wipe, quick stick.. sometimes I have to do a mini "crunch" .. inject Fluid, remove needle, sit up, drink Water. At the beginning before I lost so much weight, they used an ultra-sound machine to help locate the port. I know some doc's use flouroscopy.. which can be bad & good. I personally don't want that much extra radiation or expense. As I understand what the sweet spot is.. is where your appetite is satisfied on a small meal and you stay satisfied for a reasonable amount of time (3 hours or longer). I think it's probably the same as or very similar to the "green zone" that you'll see on the lapband site. Hope this helps some.

Well, I don't know if NJ is the same as AZ but BCBS seems to have a LOT of information on their website...to be honest I found the simplest approach was to call the 800 number on teh back of my card...I exhausted myself searching every nook and cranny of the net to find a simple phone call was all I needed to know EXACTLY what was covered under my plan. :rolleyes2: They will also mail you a copy if you request it of the specific requirements. BUT my plan required : BMI of 40 or 35 with co-morbidities diagnosis of morbid obesity for 5 years Clinical documentation of diet attempts to lose weight in the last 2 years including self directed dieting, commercial programs, nutritional counseling or exercise programs Clinical documentation of for an active plan for active participation in pre-operative instruction program and post operative or follow up care plan in cluding preoperative nutritional counseling and must show ther is a plan in place for post-operative nutritional counseling as well pre-operative clinical assessment and documentation must reflect a significant motivation and understanding of the risks associated with intended surgery as well as understanding of the lifelong restricted eating habits that will follow Must be 18 yrs or older Individual has no treatable condition that may be responsible for the morbid obesity like endocrine or metobolic etc Individual has no significant liver, kidney or gastrointestinal disease Individual has no drug or alcohol abuse - must be abstinent for 12 months or more if there is a history of drug or alcohol abuse Individual has been evaluated by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist documenting the absence of psychopathology the may limit the individuals ability to understand the procedure I would expect other states to pretty much be the same but you never know...also they have an access fee of $1000 which is out of pocket on top of your deductible,,,but your mileage may vary and you should call your company to find out...also SOME employers can specifically exclude bariatric surgery from their health plan so you will want to check on that as well. Good luck to you!!!

All its ever taken for me to lose weight is to reduce calories and rebalance the in/out thing. It makes sense to me that markers such as cholesterol and blood pressure reduce when weight is lost (no matter how) because its really obesity that's central to those problems more so than what you're actually eating. Its the cancer thing, and other unknown health factors that would scare me. But then again, who knows. I've always eaten a wholegrain, high fibre diet, kept alcohol moderate, remained fairly active, my biggest crime was becoming overweight (despite fairly healthy habits,get the balance wrong and obesity still results). I still got cancer. I think its all way too complex and the best policy is moderation. I wouldnt fall hook line and sinker for ANY nutritional theory or advice, no matter who it came from. Even the experts change their minds every decade or so.

This is one of the best post, I have read. Thank you so much for decribing everything! I have read a lot of hormones stored in fat, when fat is broken down, the hormones are released in the blodstream, causing depression and anxiety. Many people experience the same with RNY. Maybe that has been a factor as well? Also - the thing you describe about the eating patterns are so informative and interesting. I know have a much more realistic view on this operation. And now thinking, that this will not help me as much as I hoped. (op in 20 days). But will do it and work with my eatingpatterns the rest of my life. It is a bit like alcoholism, my addiction to sugary foods.

One of my favorite bandsters says food addiction is really hard to deal with. If you're addicted to alcohol or tobacco or drugs, you can put the tiger in the cage and leave it there. With food addiction you have to take the tiger on a walk at least 3 x a day. I will copy what I just wrote to another person considering being banded: I would try very hard to give up the cokes. I was a diet coke lover. I had one every morning when I woke up instead of coffee.. and diet coke was all I drank all day long. I've only had sips of it since I was banded 20 months ago, and really I don't miss them all that much. I occasionally miss the tingle at the back of the throat.. and a sip every 8 months or so satisfies me and I can go on without more. There are some surgeons who say that carbonation isn't a problem, etc. but most of them say that carbonation can lead to dilation of the pouch and over time to possibly a band slip. I just don't think it's worth the risk myself. It's like giving up any other addiction.. you give them up one step at a time, one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. :crying: There's lots of other good things to drink besides DC. Water, crystal light, tea, water, coffee, Powerade zero (my current fav), Vitamin water zero, water, fuze slenderize (in moderation..has 20 cal. a bottle), Diet V-8 Splash (moderation), water, Diet oceanspray drinks (in moderation). If you want something in a can so you don't feel left out when others are drinking out of a can.. I've found sugar free lemonade and s/f tea in cans... both non carbonated. You can do it!! Just keep thinking.. what do I want more.. smaller jeans or a diet coke? Smaller jeans usually wins for me. :w00t: I didn't give up white foods right away after banding, but I have slowly phased them out of my life. There are awesome substitutes/replacements for most things. It is a bit scary to think about making such major changes in our lives.. but what have we got to lose ? except weight.

How exciting! I'm very happy for you! I know how happy you are too cause I had the same thing happen to me . . . my first 7 weeks i lost 53 lbs and i couldn't have been happier! Congratulations and keep doing what your doing cause it'll all be well worth it in the end. . .right now at almost 1 year out i live a very very "normal" life. . .i eat whatever (in small amounts of course) I snack and have alcoholic beverages without any quilty feelings. . i drink sodas (defizzed of course) and i'm just enjoying life at this time. . .

I dont know if this is the right answer, but for me, looking back at my food logs, on average, my diet ends up being 1/3 fat, 1/3 protein, 1/3 carbs. Its pretty even. That seems to work okay for me. Two weekends ago I no carbed it for 2 days (I was trying to break through a plateau) and on those days, it was roughly 47% percent protein, 48% fat, 5% carbs. You should check out fitday.com to log your food. When you log your food, fitday creates a pie chart for your day showing percentage of fat carbs and protein (and also alcohol but I dont really drink alcohol so thats never a factor for me). They also have pie graphs for all individual foods (incuding foods that you custom enter) and you can also see pie graphs for longer lengths of time (like 1 month or 6 months...so you can so your overall trend). Its great, especially for monitoring your protein intake. If you're aiming for a certain number (say 65g of protein a day), it makes it really easy to track that. I log my food (literally everything single thing that goes in my mouth) on fitday and its been absolutely invaluable. When I don't log, I dont do as well. You can also track your exercise on there as well.

Hello! I've lost 140 lbs thusfar, and I don't exercise everyday. . I do drink sometimes with meals, and i do snack every now and then. . . but then i'm different, just like your different. . I lost 53 lbs in my first 7 weeks and now that i'm almost 1 year out I've lost a lot of weight, but I live life like i like it. . I'll eat whatever, in small amounts of course, I'll have my alcoholic beverages, I'll have my Snacks of whatever. . . not horde amounts though! I don't stress over my weightloss, and i definately don't weigh myself every day. . . I do that only if I think about it. . which usually is about 1 or 2 times a month if that. . . I'm living a "normal" life as per me. . .and its working great. . .I usually judge my weight loss by the clothes i wear. . .if they are too lloose, I go the store fit on something that fits and it usually is a couple sizes smaller then before then I glorify myself that way. . .I get alot of compliments from people, but this usually goes in one ear and out the other, because I know how people are and usually they are not genuine . . . but this is only how i do it, i don't expect anyone else to do it this way. . it works for me only. . . good luck to everyone, you are ALL doing very well and together everyone can get through this!

Oh Hi, Coming home was a slap in the face. So much catching up to do. Technically, students were on a break while I was gone, but that didn't stop the emails etc. as they were trying to use the time to get caught up. I guess it's good, but keeping up with them just leaves me so tired. Then there are the babies, who I love dearly, but it is different when they're not my own. As you know, my parenting style is different from my dil. . . Plus, I'm not 20-something anymore! Cora had a sleep-over here on Sturday evening, and she woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep. She was so cute! I'm getting a little worried. I have a lot of esophageal--almost pain--definitely discomfort. I probably should have another scope done to see if I'm working on some ulcers or something. I hate to admit it, but the only things that feel good going down are coffee with cream, ice cream, and cheese, and as we know, that is NOT GOOD! I can't drink any alcohol without almost doubling over in pain, and anything spicy isn't much better. I've got some Sucralfate left over from the last time I was scoped. I'm going to get that refilled and see if it helps. I sure have had my share of issues with this band! I'm beginning to think more seriously about making an appt to talk about converting to RNY. So that's my story, ladies. I've got papers that I put off grading all weekend, so I better get to it, and then get to work. Thankfully my first class on Mondays is at 11.

Hello Everyone (new member) I'm also scheduled for Nov. 15th. @4pm :smile2: @UCIrvine Hosp...TRYING to recover from flue/cold.. I haven't started the pre-op diet yet..Tomorrow, (lol) can't do alll liquid diet....i am going to follow this diet plan: Pre-Lap Band Surgery Diet Recommendation A low-fat/carb diet is recommended about 7-10 days before gastric band surgery. A liquid diet may be too drastic and may drain the person’s energy. About two weeks before surgery, you need to start on a special diet that is low in fat and carbohydrates. It is important to follow this diet because you need to lose fat around your stomach and around your liver and reduce the size of your liver. In general, it is recommended that you limit your intake of high fat, high carbohydrates and high sugar foods. No carbonated drinks and no alcohol at least seven days before surgery. This is the recommended diet: Breakfast * One serving of any two of the following: (toast, eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, fruits, or cereal). lunch * One serving of Myocel (or any Protein supplement providing about 20-25 grams of protein per serving) mixed with skim milk, Water, or fruit juice. dinner * One serving of lean meat or fish (pork, beef, chicken or fish) and one serving of green vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, etc.) Dessert * One serving of Myocel mixed with skim milk, water, fruit juice, or any high protein, low carb drink. If you smoke, we recommend you stop at least two weeks before the surgery. GOOD LUCK TO U ALL!!!...=)

Good Evening Gang.. Jodi - Yes we still allow genocide in 2010 - Darfur is one example. I would have been in the underground if I lived back then (1940-45) - What Would You Do - is a t.v. show that has play actors - like a guy abusing his GF - and they see how many pple will get involved. There are so many pple who don't get involved - That the problem now a day.. Yes the stories are more than terrible - but when we think we have something bad going on with our own lives - it's proof that other have it 1000000millon times worse and we have not right to complain ;0) - And the stories have to be kept alive - pretty soon no more holocaust survivors won't be alive and no one should forget.. I write to the President - Senators etc about Dafur all the time.. Last week it was about a muslim girl being berated - It's a good show - to see those who do stand up against pple who are wrong.. - I bet you could watch it on the internet on a non shabbos night ;0) ABC is the channel. I dreamed about gym last night too ;0) and my flabby arms - hell I rarely remember my dreams - but I remembered that one.. Chris - OMG here come some tough love !!! You had surgery on 10/27 Just a little over 2 weeks ago. I doubt that you are on sold food #1 - #2 those freaking donuts are what got you obese in the 1st place they aren't healthy.. They are sugar & fat & white starch - If you want some chocolate - try SF Dark Choc puddings - they are great - or get some Weight Watchers Fudgesicles or Healthy Choice Fudgesicles.. Or Pure Protein makes a ready made shake Chocolate - mix it with some of the PB2 & 1/2 banana... Those things are healthy choc fixes.. You don't want to be pbing 2 weeks out - your stomach hasn't healed yet - Not Good... Please keep your trigger foods out of the house - Would you keep a bottle of booze on the kitchen counter if you were an alcoholic. Food is our drug of choice and you have to be so very mindful of that.. Laura - I will have to go ck out your pictures... I don't get any food ads - the only ads I see when on lbt are lapband - bypass - sleeve ads - Isopure - if they are pop ups doubt it has to do with lbt - but w/your internet browser - turn on your pop-up blocker - I don't get any - here or on fb.. Cheri - Hugs on the gas issue - That just too much gas - I think I would ck w/my doc if I had gas 24/7 - LOL closing school... Eva - I have heard that Elton John gives a GREAT concert.. Glad you enjoyed it... Well - Here's my day... Gym - walked 2 miles on the treadmill (I still can do it) then at 10 a.m. went to Pilos - Rose our regular teacher has left and Madelina has taken over the class - Which I am so happy about - Rose (who was my boot camp teacher) taught Boot Camp Pilos - Madelina class is paliates & yoga - a nice Sunday morning workout - not bootcamp style - you work up a sweat but it's not bootcamp... Then went got nails done (yes I went all sweaty from the gym w/no make up - hair in a bandana ;0) Then came home showered went to Marshalls & Target - got home around 3:30.. Food today - BF 1 egg -lunch - zip as I was out and about - dinner will be BBQ & fresh green Beans w/a little bacon & red potatoes - Snacks - popcorn & ww fudgescile I need a black leather purse for winter ;0) - I have printed 2 coach 20% discounts for me & Phyl - Well that's my day - just had some coffee cuz it's only 6:30 and I know I will be ready for bed at 8 - but since I don't have to get up at 5 ;0) it sounded good - had some sf white choc creamer w/it..

Bunny Here's my 2 cents on our bands being only a tool.. Even when you get to your sweet spot you will be able to eat certain foods (candy - liquid calories(shakes juice alcohol) - cookies - chips - ice cream in unlimited quantities.. Our bands will never be able to make our food choices - that's up to us.. Also our new full is a diff kind of full - it doesn't mean you are satisfied.. I can eat my dinner be physically full - but my body craves more food - I want the taste - My brains says you ate 4 oz of meat and 1/2 cup of veggie - that's not a lot of food.. - But if I really think about my stomach I am full - but it doesn't mean satisfied. ALWAYS eat your protein 1st (meat chick fish) then - sit and contemplate your stomach does it feel full - do you feel the meat in your pouch - are your full orl just mentally hungry. If you are still hungry - move to veggies - to me veggies are free (low calories) - till you get to your sweet spot - eat extra veggies if you are still hungry and for me I only allowed starches (rice/tato/pasta) at dinner for the most part - I sorta followed the old fashion WW way of eating (exchanges) It's up to you to change your eating habits - it's up to you to eat healthy foods (lower fat, less carbs, less sugar) Also - I am a big advocate of exercise - for the 1st 8 months I walked 4-6 days a week on a treadmill - then I move to weight training 2 x a week and treadmill 2 x a week.. You do have to rely on self control - You have to understand that you are a food addict - you have to learn how to deal w/your emotions in diff ways - instead of stuffing they away with food.. I don't keep candy in the house - I don't keep trigger foods in my house - if you were an alcoholic would you keep a bottle of booze on the kitchen counter.. We are no different.. Except our drug of choice is food.. Bordom is a big food trigger for me - so I will get up get on the computer come here - or play farming on FB - go clean out a drawer - wash my face - just something other than eating.. I also am a firm believer in keep a food diary - I gave myself a calorie budget 800-1200 during my weight loss phase - and I always budgeted those calories to make sure I had something to eat when those night time muchies hit.. I'm a nite eating - I saved my calories for evenings - ate sf choc pudding - sf fudgesicles - 100 cal snack pack popcorn.. If after 2 weeks you don't feel your fill - call the doc an make another appointment. But till you get to that sweet spot and even after - your food choices are up to you.. Your band isn't going to lose the weight for you - You are the one who has to do the work. I say that I did 75% of that work by making healthy food choices and exercising and the band did 25% of the work by providing restriction. Like my signature say - Healthy Eating + Exercise + Band = Success (in that order) Also - I have always eaten more than 1/2 cup of food - I normally eat 1 to 1.5 per meal.. They haven't invented a band for our heads just yet The band doesn't cure our mental issues w/food and that's where the majority of our issues lie - Being a little hungry isn't going to kill us - we know where our next meal is coming from next meal - and we can wait out those hungry pangs..

Nutrition and Dietetic Department Diet before your Obesity Surgery In preparation for your surgery it is important that you follow a special diet for 10 days prior to your operation. The diet must be low in fat, sugar and carbohydrate and is very restricted. The purpose of the diet is to reduce the size of your liver and will make your operation easier. Daily allowance 2-3 pints of semi skimmed milk 2 diet yoghurts – natural or fruit flavoured 3- 4 portions of fruit (you are allowed all varieties but try to include a banana, orange or grapes each day) Sugar free Jelly (optional) Low calorie vegetable soup is also allowed in moderation. Drinks Water, tea, coffee, and low calorie drinks or squashes are allowed freely. Sweeteners are allowed 1 small glass of fruit juice (orange, pineapple or tomato) No other foods should be eaten Alcohol is not allowed

Hi everyone!!! Sorry I was MIA!! I had a crazy week and was actually out of town for a few days, faced a few challenges (alcohol, eating out, hotel, etc...) I have not been on the scale for a while but am feeling pretty good. I am happy I made some good choices about eating and when to stop eating. A pair of jeans I packed were actually falling down and loose, so that felt good. I am happier staying off the scale, so I'm going to try to keep doing that. Trying to get my water in and really listening to my body tell me when I'm hungry instead of going to eat for boredom, sadness, happiness, whateverness!!! I will weigh in on Monday and check in. So happy for you all and just that we're still here posting, checking in and feeling good. GO US! :cheer2:

Well, I'm with you. He should NOT eat that stuff in front of you, it's just down right disrepsectful. It's like an alcoholic trying not to drink and a freaking bar! He should eat those things away from you, not in your face. I mean being strong is on things, and I commend you for that, but dayum, he should do better, and think of YOU, and what your going through. I've been through the same thing, and it's not fun. I don't like it at all! But your success IS up to you! Don't let him drag you down, or keep you for doing what you need to do for yourself. some me don't want change, and they will do what ever they have to, to stop it. Don't let that happen! Take control of YOU!

Hi all! I am new to the website. I am scheduled for my surgery in December. My goal is to lose around 100 to 110 lbs. I have to say I am overwhelmed with anxiety right now! My gyn and my primary care doctor are very enthusiastic about me having the band. They both feel that I will do really well with it. I have been overweight my whole life and have weighed over 200lbs my whole adult life. I am steady about following through with what my doctor and my PC are having me do. I am trying not to over analyze it too much. I look at the list of everything I can't have... YIKES ... LOL! No soda, no alcohol, stop smoking.... gees! I guess I'll start knawing on a stump for my coping mechanism! I am completely in tune with WHY I am overweight. I have a very unhealthy relationship with food. How does that go away? I read posts with people who really struggle and then I have a friend who was banded 9 yrs ago and she said the obsession just went away! ?????? Sorry for rambling but I really need to vent and would love some feedback :eek: PS... did I mention I'm self pay?

I was cleared for wine consumption at 3.5 months out. My surgeon warned me to steer clear of red wines. I didn't drink until I was at goal, I was pretty carb/calorie conscious and didn't want to waste my calories on alcohol. The first time I drank a glass of Riesling, it hit me hard and fast then I sobered up pretty quickly. I am that "party girl", and have been socially drinking for the last ummmm few months. I tie one on monthly with mixed drinks and shots, and my tolerance is the same as it was pre-op now. In my little social circle of military wives, I'm know as the "afternoon cocktail" girl, and have been known to drink a strawberry mojito, have a glass of wine, or even a rum/coke at lunch. I don't drink at home, and I typically keep my drinking to a 4-6 times a month kind of thing, and it's typically just one drink unless it's my monthly "girls night out". I'm below goal, and the only thing I do notice is that I retain Water like the hoover dam after a big night out. Other than that, I have zero ill effects from drinking with my sleeve. I refuse to give up anything forever that includes any type of food or beverage. I had surgery to be as close to normal as possible, and being a social drinker is part of my "normal".

I'm 42 and single with no kids. At this stage of my life I wouldn't call myself a "party girl", but I do still on occasion enjoy going out and having drinks and sometimes taking a cab home because it wouldn't be a good idea to drive. It's pretty infrequent now, but something I still enjoy. I realize that this probably won't be the same for me if I have the VSG surgery, but I thought I would ask how it would change. What are the recommendations you have gotten from your doctors? What are some of your personal experiences? Do you have to wait a certain amount of time after surgery before having any alcohol? Is it something you have to give up forever? Thanks.

So this may be kind of long winded but... I got banded in december of last year and I have struggled ever since. I have struggled with weight for as long as I remembered. I was chubby in the late elementary years and as my parents pushed harder and harder against me to lose weight I just got bigger and bigger. I've been up and down many times, but never losing more than 30 or 40 pounds and then regaining it back plus some. In middle school my parents put me in weight watchers and I lost a grand total of 10 pounds. Great. They divorced when I was in 6th grade but looking back on it I dont necessarily see it as a traumatizing event. I bring it up because when highschool came around it became a huge focus of my mother's. Freshman year I gained quite a bit more weight and it put me over the 300 lb point. My mother had me going to see different eating disorder therapists and then eventually i had a nutritionist and a personal trainer. Some of the therapists were not a good fit for us either schedual or work ethic wise (one of them would get interrupted during our sessions and she would proceed to give drug tests to those who had done the interrupting). Eventually we found a therapist who has done wonders for me. Before that, however, after I didnt lose weight with my nutritionist and personal trainer I was hospitalized with pneumonia, and then shortly after a SCFE. (a scfe is a disorder where the hip bone does not form fast enough and the bone fractures and requires a screw to be put in and hold it in place.) I had endocrine problems interfering with my developmental process which caused this as well as my weight (obviously as my mother enunciated many times). Needless to say I was in a wheelchair for a few months as i couldnt put any pressure on my leg. During the hospitalization of the later it was my senior year of highschool and my mother informed me that I was going to go to an eating disorder clinic for 4 to 8 weeks towards the end of my first semester. I would have to disenroll from school that semester (luckily i would still have enough credits to graduate). I had to explain it to all my teachers the principle and the counselors, all of whom were supportive. I went to structure house in North Carolina. I was pretty successful there, lost 40 lbs in 6 weeks. I came back with a limp. It turned out that my leg had not healed all the way and i was in need of a hip replacement. 3 months after i returned from the eating disorder clinic i had the hip replacement and I was told by my mother that unless I kicked it into hi gear with the weight loss thing there would be LAP-BAND®®® surgery. She never flat out said things like this, they were usually suggested, but nonetheless there was no way i could say no. summer came and this is when i started seeing my therapist i mentioned above. My mother, at seeing my lack of weight loss after the clinic, brought up the LAP-BAND®®® thing again and said 'lets just get info on it and then you can decide.' My therapist encouraged me as well. Truthfully I never really wanted the LAP-BAND®®®. If there is anything I've learned about myself its that I eat because of emotion and habit, its my addiction. I guess to me the LAP-BAND®®® is like that thing alcoholics take to make them throw up when they ingest any kind of alcohol. But my mother was completely invested in it. I felt like her whole life was revolving around my weight. Its probably not true, but i certainly felt like we could not have a conversation in which she asked me whether or not I went to the gym, or how my weight was, or what not. My dad wasn't much better, his view point on weight loss is. "go to the gym a lot and you'll lose weight". Maybe he was right, maybe they were both right. So we saw the surgeon, i said all the right things and shazam i had a surgery date. During this time I gained back all the weight I had lost at Structure House, and some more. Post op diet went smoothly, i lived off Protein shakes for 4 weeks straight. I lost 20 pounds (after gaining like 10 after my initial weighing, i gain and lose fast in random intervals.) The doctor was pleased and I started the process of getting fills. I was right and wrong about my preconception of the band but it was a near 6 months after the surgery date that it was tight enough to start helping me. its a 10 cc band and is now a little over half full (7 ccs i think). My eating habits have changed ALOT. I dont binge nearly as much, I eat smaller portion sizes and I eat more slowly. Until the last fill I didnt notice much difference to be honest. Then when i got the fill i started PBing and i feel every little bit of food (and even sometimes liquid) that i ingest. It was also the last time that I went to the surgeon that i got the Come to Jesus meeting from his staff as I hadn't lost as much as they would like. This turned me off big time, and now i feel like im descending into the pit of hell every time i think of the office they have. It may sound extreme but my entire life I have been told how im not doing it good enough. Similar things have rubbed me off. A month or so ago I saw the nutritionist im required to see by the surgeon. After weighing me she calculated my pounds/week since surgery. After stating that I was "on track exactly" with their set goals for patients she continued on how much harder i need to be working. I can eat much more than the "1 cup per meal" standard, and in doing so i feel full. But I feel as though I can't take anymore restriction. I've gotten my PBing down to probably once a week. But every meal it's a struggle to chew enough and eat slow enough to prevent vomitting it back up. My mother and nutritionist insist I need another fill. That I am doing something wrong if i can eat so much. I probably am. My mother was amazed the other week when i told her i didnt want this. I feel like I am owning my weight problem more than I have in the past but I am just struggling. I am in my early years of college, trying to pay my way with a job I hate. I feel like I am not getting any support and only criticism. I worry that if I outright defy my mother's claims/arguments/suggestions i will be homeless. I should state that this is the most weight I have ever lost and the longest I have ever kept it off, but i personally don't feel it as a success. Maybe I'm just being whiney, I clearly lack discipline. I am struggling. Any words of encouragement would help. Thanks for your time.

Hello everyone, Hoping to find support. I have read all your stories and I'm very happy for all of you. I have been approved and scheduled for November 19th. Now I'm getting cold feet. My friends and family don't want me to get it. And I'm afraid how this is going to change my life. I'm a food addict and I have tried so many times to do it on my own but I always go back to my old habits and regain. I thought this will be my bes option because it would not let me go back. But I might miss going back to the old ways no soda, alcohol, fast food. Any of you have felt scared? Of all this and side effects as well?

OMG...Halloween candy sounds so good! I came home last night and a Reese's cup was staring me in the face, it took all my will-power to not just take one little bite. I didnt do it, but I am not going to lie, I was so pathetic, thats what I was thinking of when I went to sleep. But I didn't do it, I keep telling myself that I didn't go through the pain of this surgery just to ruin it. Although my nutritionist did say that once a week, a small treat won't hurt. Eventually I will treat myself to something, I am just to scared to do it now. I feel like an alcoholic...one day at a time.

As you can see I was banded in July and had my first fill in September. I currently have a total of 3cc in my band. Many days I am fine with my eating. In no way am I in a race to lose it fast. I took up the mind set that I am eat now like I'll eat always. I just came off a 3 week plateau where I'd gain and lose the same 3 pounds. I eat exactly one cup of food and if I need a little more I'll have a cheese stick. I have almost no snacking or if I do it is one of my home made Protein bars or maybe a 100 calorie ice cream. Here is where my question comes in to play. THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!! I am scared of the holidays. You know why... The parties and, family dinners, Desserts and alcohol will be so plentiful and are right around the corner. Do I get a small fill to help curb the temptation? If not how do I get around the head hunger? I have gone slowly with my fills because I am totally scared of getting stuck. It sounds painful and I hate throwing up. To the Bansters that have been through HOLIDAY HELL how did you survive it?

The 100 reasons was fantastic. What so many people don't realize when they have never been fat or yo yo dieting their whole life like us is that unlike alcoholism, you can quit drinking and live. Food is a necessity and we just have to learn to limit the amount, we cannot stay totally away from food and survive. This website is the greatest part of this journey for me. Thanks to everybody here.

My doctor never put a time rule for when it was ok to drink alcohol again. I have found that I can't drink carbonated beverages, hard liquor makes me sick even just a little so wine is my alcohol of choice. However I must be careful with it because it does make me drunk fast even after one glass!

No rules as to not being able to drink. I have had a drink maybe a few times a month since surgery and no problems. That being said alcohol seems to make me hungry and so I seem to eat more than I should after drinking.