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Keep working at not eating as much - and get that exercise in your schedule! I am 1 1/2 years post-op and I still crave certain foods. I think I will always be fighting my head hunger --- I can pretty much eat anything I want -- but not as much of it....so that makes it nice. I can not overeat - without it coming back up....which is gross. But remember - there are "slider" foods -- that most people NEVER have problems tolerating. And it is the slider foods that will prevent people from losing weight - because they do NOT get stuck - you may end up overeating and NOT lose weight. Sample slider foods (varies for everyone): mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, ice cream, puddings, yogurt, popcorn, crackers, Cookies, and the list goes on and on....it's okay to have a LITTLE if you have control to STOP....otherwise I do not have any.....sort of like an alcoholic....don't start because it is difficult to stop. Good Luck - and keep this website as a resource -- take a look around the other areas....post op, etc. And remember it really is all about EATING LESS and EXERCISING MORE! The band will help you eat less -- but there are many people who LEARN to eat around the band and they actually gain weight. so be careful and stay focused. Hope this helps -- GOOD LUCK!

You really should consult your surgeon. For my program guidelines, alcohol should be avoided for a minimum of 3 months to give the sleeve time to heal, and it's even more preferred to wait until you are at goal weight to indulge in alcohol. Alcohol is just wasted calories, but if you're not strict then you can indulge once your doctor releases you do so. I personally wanted to wait until I got to goal, and not waste calories on drinking.

hey all, My name is Tim and I am an alcoholic. It took me 40 years to address my disease of alchohol and now it is time to address my weight.... seems that there is lots of support in regards to the sleeve which is really cool. I just stumbled on a site that talked about it and now I have been doing some research and been verey pleased. I don't think it will be long before I decide this is what I am going to do. Is there anyone else here from Canada? Is there any other males that have had this? Thanks

I agree with much of what you've posted. I, however, was not disappointed by my band at first because my experience (the typical being hungry/feeling like I was dieting/feeling as though I didn't have a band) was something I had been well-prepared for. I expected it, and expected it to be time-limited. Obesity occurs for many different reasons, and food addiction is only one of them. I do come from a family of alcoholics and addicts, however. Those who have successfully achieved sobriety accept the prevalence of their drug(s) of choice in society, and accept personal responsibility for their sobriety. It is difficult---but they do it. I understand your stance about advertising, but the fact of the matter is that food addicts, like other addicts, must take responsibility for their choices. Cigarette advertising was banned because the risks of smoking became incontrovertible, and there are absolutely NO benefits. Food is required for life; banning its advertisement simply will not occur. Yes, obesity is an enormous public health issue. The key isn't removing food advertisements from television. The key is education---teaching children, from a very young age, how to properly nourish their bodies. Teaching them that advertising, in general, is not geared toward their best interests, but simply to sell things they don't need. Re-educating ourselves and taking back our power, in the form of personal responsibility, is crucial for those of us who've lost our way. For those of us who've already fallen prey to obesity, personal responsibility is key. Would I like to see HFCS removed from foods? Absolutely. Since that's not happening, I don't purchase foods that contain them. I don't purchase foods that contain transfats. I cook from scratch. When I eat out, I order very carefully. Personal choice and personal responsibility are priceless. Yes, food addiction is a problem for many. And commercials really do stimulate appetite---there are evil geniuses who know exactly what buttons to push. But they don't put the car keys into anyone's hand, or drive them through the drive-through. Food addiction differs in one very crucial way from other addictions: the physical component of the addiction is just completely different. The body does not require the crap in order to function, as occurs with alcoholism or drug addiction. A carton of yogurt is as apt to produce physical satisfaction as a Big Mac. So the responsibility lies with the individual to make the right choices. Regarding malnutrition related to the band, this too is largely a matter of personal choice and responsibility. A properly adjusted band permits adequate nutrition, if the person who is banded makes appropriate food choices and, as good measure, takes a Multivitamin. We don't experience the malabsorption characteristic of other surgeries---in the absence of band complication, we have the ability to make choices that properly nourish our bodies.

There's only one member here that's more than 2 years post-sleeve. I'm nearly 18 months out, and experience zero real hunger. My stomach never growls, I still have to remember to eat, and I've been maintaining for the last 6 months extremely easily. I eat like a normal person now, at least my perception of normal. I can stretch my meal out, and eat all of what you listed above. Yesterday for lunch, I had a small salad, 4 saltine crackers, and cup of Soup with 4 more saltine crackers, big glass of sweet tea, and I split a marshmallow fluff/walnut brownie thing with a girlfriend. So, for me that's pretty stinkin' normal. Last night for dinner, I made parmesan chicken (baked breaded chicken breast), with angel hair Pasta. I ate about 3 oz of chicken, with marinara sauce and literally a few bites of pasta. The chicken filled me up, but I wanted some noodles, and was content with what I ate. Everyone that I've seen post that still has some degree of hunger all state it's not the same as with their band, or pre-sleeve if they weren't a revision. For me, it's an empty feeling, and if I go too long I get a bit grouchy. I had the same issue as you do with my band. I would eat, the food I ate would satisfy me for about an hour, then the food would slip through the pouch, and BAM hello ravenous hunger. If you'd like to add me to your friends list, you can pull up my blog from my profile, and within my blog are tons of research links, dietary guidelines, articles and other information about the sleeve. The one link that was most interesting to me is the one that studies plasma ghrelin levels post-sleeve vs. RNY and Band. As for the acid reflux, I never had it pre-sleeve. But, I know just as many band patients on a PPI as I know sleeve patients. I choose to remain on my Prilosec. The risks are so minimal that I'm not concerned, and I truly believe in "why fix something that isn't broken?". For me, I'll pop a Prilosec every day to not be hungry, and to not deal with reflux. Some people wean off of their PPI 3-6 months post sleeve. Some do not or can not wean off of it. I probably could at this point, and kept saying that I would, but I'm not in any hurry to test the proverbial "reflux waters". A few have been successful on weaning off without real major reflux, but I enjoy spicy food, and acidic alcoholic beverages, plus some of them report getting hungry a couple of hours after eating. For me, it's pure laziness, and I honestly love, love not ever being hungry. Don't get me wrong, I still love food, and have an appetite, but I don't want to be ravenous hungry like I was with my band or pre-band. Immediately post-op, the small stomach doesn't realize it needs to make less acid, and PPI protects the healing staple line that's the reason why most sleeve patients go on a PPI. The sleeve is honestly the best decision I ever made. I hated life with the band, and don't miss it at all. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to shoot me a message.

Fort Smith....you sound exactly like me! I also have the same concerns with being banded (12/9) I also quit smoking a month ago and I have gained weight...which the dr office really frowns upon. But eventhough I have gained a few lbs, I know that I'm better off not smoking. Drinking is another concern for me as well. I'm a social drinker so hanging out with friends is going to really be hard without my two other friends (cigarettes and alcohol) My ultimate goal is to get healthier, be around for my kids and feel better about my self. So in the grand scheme of things, how important is a cigarette or a drink? Not very huh? Good luck to you and keep up posted on your progess!! We can do this!!

I figured I'd start 1 thread instead of 5, so if there's one subject you just wanna talk about you can ignore the rest or visa versa. I have some very strong opinions on certain subjects in relation to obesity. I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the following topics: - This forum and what it's used for - People who struggle with adjusting to the band - Lack of nutrients with the band - The importance of willpower - Fast food (high calorie food) advertising. Some thoughts on this forum and why the band may look bad: If you’re looking at an area for people who are looking for support in regards to a certain issue then OF COURSE it’s going to look bad. If you go looking for problems, you’re more than likely to find them. The band was disappointing at first, but I gave it a go and it worked: I was one of those people that regretted getting the band. Why? Because I wasn’t losing as much weight as I thought I would. I was hungry all the time and I had some serious depression because I was unable to self medicate myself with food. This is temporary and you’ll probably find that a majority of people grow out of the phase. After my first fill, my appetite became increasingly suppressed. A lot of people find the band useless until their first fill. These people come here for advice on these issues which are why it looks like there are a lot of problems with the band. This is an advice forum, not a praise forum. Occasionally things go wrong as they do with every surgery. This is rare. It is less of a risk than actual obesity which is the leading killer in a lot of major countries across the globe. The biggest risk could be argued that the band doesn’t suppress your appetite. Lack of nutrients: Malabsorbtion often doesn’t occur unless you’re not eating properly, or you have a serious problem with your stomach absorbing nutrients. It occurs occasionally with a lap band and that’s usually because people are used to eating more food in order to get their nutrients. Changing your eating habits is hard, but you eventually get used to it. In regards to willpower: With the band it still takes a huge amount of willpower to lose weight. The band does ¼ of the work. It’s a tool that is used to help you with your weight loss journey, not to do the work for you. Junk food advertising (I don't expect everyone to agree with me on this): High calorie addiction has been proven recently to be a real thing. Sometimes people can actually experience ‘highs’ from eating high caloric foods such as fast food. They describe it as the same chemical reaction as someone using heroine, but not as intense. If someone were to be addicted to Heroin it would be hard for them to just stop cold turkey...It’s similar as it is with us, though obviously not the same thing. There is more support out there for heroin addicts than what there is for obese people. That support is free and often a detox program can be free too (though I’m going to assume this is different in other countries). I’m not saying they’re the same thing, but an addiction is an addiction. Obesity is the leading killer in a lot of countries and yet nicotine advertising is banned, and advertising drugs (obviously because they’re illegal) is banned, but we have food waved in our faces all day every day, so it could be argued that it’s quite hard for us. Imagine waving a bottle of liquor in front of an alcoholic or some poker chips in front of an obsessive gambler and dropping him off at the front door of a casino. This is stuff we have to deal with all day everyday and when you have an addiction to food, it’s ok to advertise the product that’s slowly killing us, even if it’s the biggest killer in our country. I just thought I’d share my thoughts with you. I know sometimes I can come across as argumentative, but it’s mostly because I get very offended when people assume we don’t have to work hard to lose weight.

Erosion is when the band pushes into your stomach. I had this happen to me but caught it early on. After a few weeks of meds my stomach got better but I removed the band so my stomach could heal. Home From The Hospital And Photos a quick search on the internet and you'll find that erosion is "when the band penetrates the stomach wall and enters the stomach. Normally placed lap bands surround the outer stomach and constrict it. " Erosion can be caused by the band being too tight, sutures too tight, your stomach walls can get weaker by bad food choices ( ie not following rules by your doctor), spicy food alcohol etc. The guidelines set by your doctor should be followed closely. Though it is not hard to go down the bad path it doesnt mean you should it can cause problems.

Sweet Tea Cokes Steak .... Drinking with meals (non alcohol)

Morning girls~ Thanks Michelle...I was thinking I was "getting old" with all my blabbering. This is my journal/blog thingy...haha! I can't have alcohol for 6mos to a year (not really a biggie), but margies have like 700 cal, I think I will sip a shot of patron silver WHEN I return to cocktails. Same effect 650 less cals! Well, today is the day! I woke up at 6:30 and was at the gym by 7am! I kicked ass and enjoyed it. Now I am home sipping my coffee on ice. I get 3 Protein shakes, 1 Proti Soup and 1 bar today:thumbdown:. So...I am trying to go sparringly, I've had 1/2 a bar (I was starving at the gym). I see a BIG NAP in my future. My back is hurting (mid cycle ovulation so something) so I might take a pain pill and make my nap BIGGER...haha! Today I weighed in (after the gym and tons of lifting weights) at 272. So, I'll use that as my starting weight. I liked 269 better, but I forgot to weigh in before I worked out. 32 to reach Christmas goal!!! Today we are doing NOTHING! I've started The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. I like it but need "the hook" which I hope is coming soon. I need to download some books ASAP before the hospital (now that Amazon removed that horrible book). Tomorrow is church then grocery shopping (VERY SMALL LIST). Then home again...aaahhhhh! HAVE A GREAT DAY/WEEKEND! Love you girls! xooxxo:wub:

It's tough for so many people to deal with this. Let's face it, most of us were emotional eaters. I have been very fortunate to have not aquired any cross addictions. It is very sad. I know a girl now who is struggling with alcohol addiction that started after WLS. I also know of a girl who died from liver failure for the same reason. We really have to work hard to find other ways to deal with our emotions. So far, when I feel the need to emotionally eat, I make myself get up and do something. Go for a walk, give myself a pedicure, or w/e. I just know that I have to distract myself for a while. So far it's working. phew

I keep wondering about this too. Actually I know three people IRL who had gastric bypass, 2 have regained and the other one is now a severe alcoholic, so my stats skew to 100% fail, but obviously that is not true. Scares me some because this has been too easy for me. I hope I am learning better habits for when it gets harder....

I thought I read that you would become intoxicated faster with the sleeve due to how the alcohol is absobed in the stomach. wrong?

It is used for anxiety. Doctors often give it out the night before surgery to help a person calm their nerves and get some sleep. People that have anxiety attacks also use it most doctors just have you use it on an as needed basis. If you feel anxious or an panic attack coming on they say to chew it up (so it works faster) and then it will take the edge off. Xanax makes people a bit hazy but if you are truly in an anxious state you don't really feel that side effect. It is widely misused by teenagers who get ahold of it and they actually buy it off the streets because it gives them a bit of a high especially if they take more then a couple or add alcohol to the mix. Ativan is another one for anxiety it causes more of a drowsiness but less of the buzz then Xanax and therefore less addictive it seems to be prescribed more then xanax these days. ALL OF THAT IS MY OWN PERSONAL INFO::: I am not a doctor heheh

I am sorry that you are feeling this way, however, I have been banded since September 2nd, and have lost 28 pounds on sheer will power alone, I have yet to get a fill. Please don't make assumptions about us all getting banded because we have no will power. I was banded because I realized I needed HELP. I am sorry for this, and people will probably get mad, but if we have no desire to do some of the work ourselves, we will fail. I say this only because my surgeon, nutritionist, and all of the research says that the band is a TOOL! It is not a miracle. And I know you asked for people not to say this but it does get better. If we don't work on our mental issues with food and being obese, then nothing is going to change. This is a life changing event, and you have to look at it as so. I hate posting things like this because I am SO NOT PERFECT!! At the end of the day, I am a food addict, just like and alcoholic loves alcohol...it is hard to go every day (and sometimes I slip up-we are only human) without my fix. But every day it does get better. As for the diet pills, I would talk to my doctor, if I were you. They never really did much for me. I really do wish you the best of luck on your journey, and remember too...everyone's journey is different. So take what I am saying with a grain of salt, but think of your band as a tool.

It is different with the sleeve for sure. I had a drink the other night and since I couldn't have coke I opted for a Amaretto DiSarono on the rocks. It is sweet but low alcohol content and went down smooth, didn't even get a buzz. Haven't tried bear yet.

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.