The Keys to Becoming a Successful Bandster!

[amberakamom 13]

My addition: Keep your expectations aligned with what is realistic. You didn't gain weight overnight, and you will not lose it overnight.

I'd also suggestthat anyone just beginning the journey focus on finding a surgeon who provides excellent patient education and aftercare--and MAKE USE OF IT. If you don't follow through with adjustments, nutrition education, and so on, then you are shortchanging yourself.

Remember, the band is just a tool; it does NOT DO THE WORK. That's in your hands. That means that you have to make appropriate food choices, eat in appropriate amounts, and exercise routinely. FOREVER.

I'm a newbie so excuse my ignorance. But if that is the case, then why get the band? If I could make the right food choices and exercise, and eat the right amounts then I would have done it by now. You know what I mean? I was kind of hoping the band would force me to do so.

[maestrita 43]

I'm not looking for any sympathy here, but I would just like to say that there are times when I get discouraged. I experience debilitating pain for several weeks at a time, and getting exercise is hard during those times. I am about half way to my goal, and I am experiencing some trouble with the band which may make this the end of my journey. I'm only half filled, and it appears that my body won't even tolerate this level. I don't regret my decision because I've improved my health quite a bit. However, sometimes, I do need some encouraging words. Like others, I'd dreamed of being at my goal weight, and I feel sad that I'm not getting there. I might not ever get there, even if I try really hard. I just wish this forum was a place I could come for that support. After months of not visiting this site, it looks like it is the same as it was when I left.

[elcee 3,341]

Elcee,

I usually agree with you 100% but I happen to be one of those people refuse to give the band any credit for my weight loss. The band is just a tool and if I wasn't using it as it was intended, it wouldn't work as prescribed. Therefore, I am doing ALL of the work.

I think we actually do agree but it is probably in the way it comes across. You acknowledge that you are using your band the way it is intended.So yes you are doing the work but you are being aided and assisted by your band.So what you have is a successful team and we all know the importance of teamwork.

The way some posts come across it is as if the band does nothing and that the people could have done just as well without which in most instances is untrue.

It is a bit like making a dress(sorry its the only anaology that springs to mind at the moment). You could make the entire thing by hand or you could use a sewing machine. Either way you have still made the dress, you still deserve all the credit but having the sewing machine made the job a lot easier.

[btrieger 21]

I'm a newbie so excuse my ignorance. But if that is the case, then why get the band? If I could make the right food choices and exercise, and eat the right amounts then I would have done it by now. You know what I mean? I was kind of hoping the band would force me to do so.

The band will not force you to exercise; make the right food choices or even eat the right amounts.

What the band will do is keep you from eating too much if you maintain it properly and you make the right food choices. They rest is all on you.

For instance: with no fills, you can eat as much of anything that you desire. Even with fills, you could probably eat a whole, delicious chocolate cake and wash it down with a gallon of egg nog.

As for exercise, the band has nothing to do with it.

[Carmen188 1]

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

[BetsyB 9]

I'm a newbie so excuse my ignorance. But if that is the case, then why get the band? If I could make the right food choices and exercise, and eat the right amounts then I would have done it by now. You know what I mean? I was kind of hoping the band would force me to do so.

It's not an ignorant question, Amber. It is a good one.

The band, at first, doesn't really provide much help. It takes a period of time to reach a good level of restriction.

That said, once you do achieve that, the band makes it SO much easier to do the things you've had difficulty doing your whole life.

Yes, it does "force" some things. But the fact of the matter is that you won't need forcing.

Let me give you an example, using me. For many years before the band, I followed Weight Watchers. I was always told I needed to eat more to lose. Guess what? I gained.

I tracked my intake and exercise on fitday.com, and discovered that I really don't lose weight unless I eat 800-900 calories a day, and exercise every day, too.

I couldn't find support for that kind of regimen from anyone--everyone told me I couldn't meet my nutritional needs, would go into starvation mode, etc. They didn't really look at the evidence I had (showing that I lost in that range and, if careful, really DID meet my nutritional needs). They just flat-out told me to eat more.

And I gained.

Fast forward to when I grew a spine: I woke up one day and said, "Gastric band!" And made an reservation at my surgeon's seminar. A couple of weeks later I was in his office, with my food journal, and he identified that I was the perfect candidate for the band. It would make it possible to eat the way my body needs to eat in order to lose, and would--and here's the really critical part--remove the always-present gnawing hunger.

So I was banded. For the first few months, I just stuck to his recommended eating regimen. Was I hungry? Yes. But I told myself, "This is the last time I will be hungry in the name of weight loss," and powered through. Each fill made me a bit more comfortable, and kept me satisfied a bit longer.

Now I have restriction. With hunger removed from the equation (and by that, I don't mean I don't get hungry for meals; I do...I just mean that the ever-present "dieter's hunger" is gone), obsession with food is gone. I am able to make the choices my body needs. I fill up quickly and stay satisfied for long enough that, when the next "feeding time" comes, I am eager to put something into my body that will give it what it needs.

Does this mean I never have treats? No, not really. But I don't have them often, and I NEVER EVER EVER EVER feel deprived.

The band is a great tool. It does part of the job--it keeps that hunger at bay. The rest of the job is up to us. We can make food choices that bypass the band---but when satisfied by foods that meet our needs, the compulsion to do so really, really diminishes.

ETA: Carmen, I'm 48--eek, almost 49--and changes related to aging haven't kept me from being one of the best losers in my doctor's practice. I have the metabolism of a lobotomized tree slug, but have simply decided to use this tool to the best of my ability. And I have been amazed at how well it's worked for me.

Edited October 15, 2010 by BetsyB

[amberakamom 13]

Thank you Betsy! That's a great explanation!

It's not an ignorant question, Amber. It is a good one.

The band, at first, doesn't really provide much help. It takes a period of time to reach a good level of restriction.

That said, once you do achieve that, the band makes it SO much easier to do the things you've had difficulty doing your whole life.

Yes, it does "force" some things. But the fact of the matter is that you won't need forcing.

Let me give you an example, using me. For many years before the band, I followed Weight Watchers. I was always told I needed to eat more to lose. Guess what? I gained.

I tracked my intake and exercise on fitday.com, and discovered that I really don't lose weight unless I eat 800-900 calories a day, and exercise every day, too.

I couldn't find support for that kind of regimen from anyone--everyone told me I couldn't meet my nutritional needs, would go into starvation mode, etc. They didn't really look at the evidence I had (showing that I lost in that range and, if careful, really DID meet my nutritional needs). They just flat-out told me to eat more.

And I gained.

Fast forward to when I grew a spine: I woke up one day and said, "Gastric band!" And made an reservation at my surgeon's seminar. A couple of weeks later I was in his office, with my food journal, and he identified that I was the perfect candidate for the band. It would make it possible to eat the way my body needs to eat in order to lose, and would--and here's the really critical part--remove the always-present gnawing hunger.

So I was banded. For the first few months, I just stuck to his recommended eating regimen. Was I hungry? Yes. But I told myself, "This is the last time I will be hungry in the name of weight loss," and powered through. Each fill made me a bit more comfortable, and kept me satisfied a bit longer.

Now I have restriction. With hunger removed from the equation (and by that, I don't mean I don't get hungry for meals; I do...I just mean that the ever-present "dieter's hunger" is gone), obsession with food is gone. I am able to make the choices my body needs. I fill up quickly and stay satisfied for long enough that, when the next "feeding time" comes, I am eager to put something into my body that will give it what it needs.

Does this mean I never have treats? No, not really. But I don't have them often, and I NEVER EVER EVER EVER feel deprived.

The band is a great tool. It does part of the job--it keeps that hunger at bay. The rest of the job is up to us. We can make food choices that bypass the band---but when satisfied by foods that meet our needs, the compulsion to do so really, really diminishes.

ETA: Carmen, I'm 48--eek, almost 49--and changes related to aging haven't kept me from being one of the best losers in my doctor's practice. I have the metabolism of a lobotomized tree slug, but have simply decided to use this tool to the best of my ability. And I have been amazed at how well it's worked for me.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

So, here is my situation. I was thin all my life growing up and had an enormous appetite. It always took a lot of food for me to feel satisfied. I ate when I was hungry, stopped when "full", didn't gain weight and didn't think about food.< /p>

That all ended in my late 20's when the genes of my obese family kicked in. The weight started coming on, especially after 2 pregnancies. I did all the diets. They all left me hungry.

So fast forward 30 years and now I'm obese. I get the lapband in Sept. 2008. In January 2006 I started my own diet, plus the 6 month pre-op diet and 2 week liquid diet before and after the lap band had me losing 60 lbs.

My surgeon wanted me to lose another 10-15 lbs in the 3 weeks after surgery with no fill. That should have been red flag #1. That is an unrealistic expectation for anyone, plus I didn't have a lot more to lose at that point.

Red flag #2 was when I found out he lied about the size band he put in me. He said it was 10cc but I found out it was 4cc. His first fill was 2cc's and his second fill was 1cc. This one caused me many problems - pain, reflux, heartburn, pressure. He blamed me. It was a case of well, if you drink that and it does that then don't drink. After he did an upper GI and saw what a mess I was and how I was too tight he called me in immediately for a slight unfill. At this point I had lost about 75lbs. He was never satisfied with this and gave me the come to Jesus talk when I hadn't lost from one appt. to another. That should have been red flag #3.

So, I got a second opinion and that is when I found out about the lies, etc.. And then I switched to this new surgeon. He was very complimentary about my weight loss and had a supportive attitude. He told me I was too hard on myself (something my late husband used to always say to me)

I want to make this very clear: At no point in my lapband journey from no fill to 3cc's did the band ever, ever for one second take away my hunger or provide me with satiety.

Did it make it difficult to eat a lot at one sitting? Yes, but that is different. I was still very much unsatisfied. The inability to eat more and the feeling of satiety are two different things for me.

In hindsight, I think the sleeve would have been a better choice for me - it takes away the stomach and reduces those hunger hormones which I think are my two biggest problems.

But, I digress. So last December I got stuck so bad that I had to go to the ER and spend the night in the hospital. I have been through a lot of painful things but nothing like this. I couldn't even talk I was in so much pain. Dilaudid (sp?) didn't even help. All the fill was taken out of my band and that is where it is now.

So, what am I supposed to do? Getting a fill will not help with the hunger and just make it more likely to cause a stuck episode and when I tell you the fear I have of this - it is overwhelming. I cannot even begin to tell you how painful that episode was. I am sure getting shot couldn't have been more painful.

So, what do I do? I exercise every day. I count calories and keep a food log and I have the same hunger as I have always had - before the band.

So, what do I do? I am 59, my insurance won't pay for the sleeve. But I did all this and now fear gaining weight back. So far I haven't but it is a struggle every day. Every day.

So, you can see that the band doesn't work as it should for everyone. And I followed all the rules. Still do.

So, what should I do?

Edited October 15, 2010 by Cleo's Mom

[Phranp 46]

Cleo's Mom,

You may have followed the rules ... but your original surgeon DID NOT. He did you a big disservice. The original poster of this thread is not talking about you or others like you.

I am really sorry that you went through such a horrible experience and I wish you the best.

~F

[btrieger 21]

So, what should I do?

I would find a nearby support group if possible.

One that understood what I was going through and at the same time hold me accountable for where things go from here.

I'd also take some time out to locate others that this "surgeon" may have screwed over and look for some comfort in filing a class-action suit against him or at least getting the word out to his perspective patients at how bad he is.

[SUCCESSFUL4LIFE 0]

A m e n !!!!!!!!!

[BetsyB 9]

Cleo's Mom, do you make a distinction between hunger and lack of satiety? I ask, because they are very, very different things for me. My physical hunger is removed by the band. I mean, I do get hungry, but when I am satisfied physically, I consider myself to be no longer hungry--even if my MIND would like to eat more.

I also find that my mind doesn't clamor for more very often now--the physical satisfaction really extinguished that for me.

Your surgeon sounds like a monster--seriously, if you have not reported him to your state licensing board, I would. It is inexcusable that you were given so much misinformation and were lied to.

You have no fill in your band currently. That was the right thing to do when you were stuck and subsequently swollen. But it doesn't sound like it's the right thing now. I understand apprehension about refilling--but do you think that cautiously doing so might not be a good idea? (WIth a different doctor, of course!)

It might be that with the correct fill level, and really cautious eating, you'd fare better.

What do you eat, routinely? I know you said you journal, and that's great---but how does your typical day break down, in terms of calories/protein/carb/etc?

It's not fair, but for some of us, the breakdown is really critical.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Cleo's Mom, do you make a distinction between hunger and lack of satiety? I ask, because they are very, very different things for me. My physical hunger is removed by the band. I mean, I do get hungry, but when I am satisfied physically, I consider myself to be no longer hungry--even if my MIND would like to eat more.

I also find that my mind doesn't clamor for more very often now--the physical satisfaction really extinguished that for me.

Your surgeon sounds like a monster--seriously, if you have not reported him to your state licensing board, I would. It is inexcusable that you were given so much misinformation and were lied to.

You have no fill in your band currently. That was the right thing to do when you were stuck and subsequently swollen. But it doesn't sound like it's the right thing now. I understand apprehension about refilling--but do you think that cautiously doing so might not be a good idea? (WIth a different doctor, of course!)

It might be that with the correct fill level, and really cautious eating, you'd fare better.

What do you eat, routinely? I know you said you journal, and that's great---but how does your typical day break down, in terms of calories/protein/carb/etc?

It's not fair, but for some of us, the breakdown is really critical.

Yes, I know the difference between hunger and lack of satiety. I can eat so that I reach a point of satiety, but it takes more food than it would with most successful bandsters. And it doesn't last long - certainly not hours.

Secondly, when I had 2cc's and then 3cc's - it didn't change anything for me. With 2cc's I ate a certain amount of food because that was what I was told to eat. But I was hungry soon again. And it was just a disaster with the 3cc's. I couldn't figure out why 3cc's in a 10cc band would cause so many problems until I found out I had a 4cc band. I have to take my synthroid at least an hour before eating so I would take it around 6 AM with a sip of Water. When I had 3ccs that Water would come back up when I laid down. All my doctor did was try to change how and when I took the pills rather than deal with the fact that at 6AM I should be able to take a sip of water.

I stay at around 1300 calories. I have Protein at each meal but I don't calculate or do a breakdown. Early in the post-surgery days I was drinking Protein until I was told I didn't need to do that anymore. I have tried the more protein thing. Proteins do not keep me satisfied longer. Complex carbs do. If you've read any of Jachut's posts (and she is a very successful bandster) she agrees that you need carbs to reach satiety and that protein doesn't always do it. I concur, for me. But others might have a different experience.

I do have a new surgeon. I switched 7 months after my surgery. It didn't take me long to see that my original surgeon (who had only done 23 bands before me) had very poor follow up knowledge/care. He is a general surgeon who continues his general surgery practice. I also think that since he does RNY - he was used to seeing bigger weight losses each week and thought my plateau was a reflection on him.

As far as reporting him - I know that the bar is very high for trying to show some kind of incompetence/negligence for a doctor. An attorney/ state board, etc.. would say that I had successful surgery, no complications and the doctor ordered all the appropriate tests and when it showed I was too tight he promptly took out some of the fill. They would just say that we weren't compatible as doctor/patient.

He is still advertising for patients in the paper. I think he wants to get his hospital and center of excellence.

But back to my band. I don't see what a fill would do for me. I would increase my chances for being stuck but still having that hunger. I know I am not alone with this situation with the band. The way it was promoted to me was - when you eat you feel full when the food reaches the top of the stomach. With the band the food stays at the top, thus giving you that sensation. Well, not so fast. With me it still seems like that empty bottom stomach is saying "I'm empty, feed me". The walls of the stomach stretch when we eat and send signals to the brain. When that bottom part is empty, there are no signals to the brain. Plus when I mentioned grehlin and leptin to my former doctor, he just rolled his eyes.

The process of hunger, eating, satiety is SOOO complicated. I don't think they know how it competely works. I just know that the band has never worked like I read on here for some people and I am very envious of their success.

Thanks for your help.

[trishfish 1]

cleo's mom. I know there is a website that you can review and post comments about doctors...you will have to google it....also, I wonder if doctor's get reported to the BBB?

[Cleo's Mom 257]

cleo's mom. I know there is a website that you can review and post comments about doctors...you will have to google it....also, I wonder if doctor's get reported to the BBB?

Do you know what the website it? Is it ratemydoctors.com?