June 2007 Bandsters

[insubordination 0]

Loveya Toni. We are all band sisters (I mean siblings) here and glowing successes are no less important that the down times.

Yes, I imagined that I'd never have to diet with the lapband and that the weight would just come off without trying because my portion size would be reduced and my hunger would go away.

I think they do try to sell is to us in some ways and that advertising can be misleading unless you read sensible books like 'The Lapband Solution' which are totally honest about the part that you play in the whole shebang.

Though I'm not dieting, I probably could be sucked into a regime but don't want to be as I have failed at sustaining that in the past. I will not count calories because it drives me insane.

Do we have to just diet only it's easier to stick to now? I bloody well hope not. I *will* say that my tiger has turned into a kitten in a stomach sense but, in my head, the tiger sometimes transforms into a starving mother lioness in heat (or something like that, you get the picture).

What I am trying to do instead of dieting to raise my standards in regards to health, exercise and eating and to 'look after myself' or at least find out what that means. This process brought up so many issues that have made me realise how far I still am from having a normal life.

I can understand your disappointment with banding for sure. Do you drink with meals? Are you using the correct eating technique? You rarely PB and slime if you bite and chew properly. Maybe you are too tight and so you eat easier foods to avoid PBing and sliming.

I don't want to blame you at all but something is not going right and you have to find out what it is. Hopefully your docs can help with this.

I had to see a shrink about my emotional eating (she certainly honed in on the probs, very good she was) and I had to go to the gym to deal with stress. It's not always easy but I realise that the other choice (doing diddley on my couch) is not what I want. I also acknowledge that I'm in a pretty good headspace right now but may not always be.

Have you seen this link before? If not, we might use it as a checklist to identify potential problems. Can you see anything that could help you?

10 Most Common Mistakes Weight Loss Surgery Patients Make

The 10 Most Common Mistakes Weight Loss Surgery Patients Make

Keep checking in Toni. You have a right to be annoyed if you haven't lost in a month or two but don't give up searching for answers.

[scgirl81 0]

Toni - To a large degree I agree with your statements, the band is supposed to decrease our appetite and help us eat smaller quantities.

But I will say that I knew going into this that my eating habits had to change. My doctor had me attend classes and sessions with the nutritionist and they made it perfectly clear that to effectively lose the weight we would need to make good food choices. That being said, I don't really think that I diet. I try to eat things that are good for me, but if I really want a piece of chocolate I have it or if I want ice cream I have it. I just have a tiny bit.

I think the band has helped me mostly by controlling binges. I used to have days where I could eat and eat end eat. Now a binge is a snack size bag of cheetos or less. Or a snack cake. Rather than a large bag of cheetos or a whole box of snack cakes.

I moderately exercise (only a 25-30 min walk per day) mostly because I am afraid that if I don't, I will have baggy saggy skin. I know that eventually I will step that up, but right now I am happy with the results that I am getting.

Toni, hopefully you will find a happy place with your band where you won't feel like you made a mistake. It may just be that you are going to lose the weight slower and once you do you will keep it off forever. Good luck in your journey.

Also thanks to everyone for the kinds words about my victory this week.

[sjrgilman 0]

Hi All, I need some advise, I have 1.6 cc in a 4cc band and can still eat way too much. can anyone of yo give me some advise on how much they put in a 4 cc band. When I had a fill a month ago I was restricted and pb but now I can eat anything except soft bread. HELP. I'm gaining now instead of loosing. I have joined a gym and that is helping along with walking treadmill for 30 min a day. But I'm lost somewhere in NO SWEET SPOT LAND. Sheial

[VegasGrace 1]

Some get restriction with no fill, some with less than half (2cc) and others it takes some time to get the right amount.

While you had temporary restriction, it could have just been swelling (or so I've heard).

I say call the doc for a fill and while there he/she can go over a few things with you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Suzzzie. 3]

sjrgilman - Don't fret! Everyone 'sweet spot' is totally different, or else they would just automatically fill everyone to the same place when they place the band. (Wouldn't THAT be nice!) I feel very blessed to have gotten to my sweet spot after only 3 fills! I'm not losing terribly fats, but I am losing and am rarely hungry.

I have 7cc in a 10cc band... I tink I read somewhere that there is someone with a 10cc band that has more fill than me but still not good restriction... so see, it's all relative.

Call your doc and see about getting another fill. Don't be shy! You are the customer and they work for you. (The customer is always right, right?)

[toniteach 0]

{{{{{{{{{{{{ Insub and Ashley }}}}}}}}}}}} Thank you both for the shot in the arm and priceless advice. I'm taking it to heart and going to *really* listen to my doctor. Insub, I also talked to a psychiatrist a few years ago about emotional eating. She didn't give me any life-changing advice, but it felt good to share it with someone. Feels REALLY good to air my laundry with you all, too!!!!

Love,

Toni

[scgirl81 0]

Yeah! I got my first fill today finally. Just 1 cc in a 10 cc band. I had hoped that it would be a little more, but I guess I won't complain. I didn't really expect him to do it today because he said I was losing weight very well without it (11 pounds in 6 weeks), but I guess he could tell I really wanted to. I am not really excited about doing the whole liquid to mushy diet again, but I guess it will be worth it in the long run and it is only a week. Also, they couldn't schedule my next appointment until 12/27. My doc only does them every 6 weeks and with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a vacation that is his first available. I guess I will try to call and see if somebody cancels.

[scgirl81 0]

OK. Now I am thoroughly confused. I asked my doctor what type band I had. He said an Inamed 9.75 something. I assumed that meant it held almost 10 CC. But now I read something that said there was a 9.75 CM band and it held 4cc. So if this is indeed the band I have then I guess I am a little more filled than I originally thought.

Somebody Help!

[faithmd 14]

9.75cm is the length of the band, it holds 4cc/mL

[sjrgilman 0]

Hi All, I went to a support meeting tonight and someone said if they fill using a fluroscopy they can calculate what the fill shoud be by the rate at which the Fluid empties into your stomach. anyone ever heard of this?

Sheila

[o2bthin 0]

Dawn I live on the Olympic Peninsula. How did you like the storm yesterday? Wow, I was on my way home from a quilt retreat, and we barely got over the Hood Canal bridge, and then they closed it. I had my window open a crack, and waves were coming up over the top of cars, and I got salt Water in my mouth! LOL You gotta love the wild and wooly northwest!

[o2bthin 0]

Sheila, yes I've heard of using the fluoro to visualize how fast stuff is going through your band. I'm sure that's a lot more accurate than giving you 1.00 cc and then seeing how much you puke....or not.

[o2bthin 0]

HEY!! Is someone in ONEderland? I didn't hear an official announcement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[captain danbo 0]

Toni: I have had really good weight loss with the band, But I have to say It's not really what I wanted. I wish I had a gastric bypass. I still eat more than I want to, and I still eat crap that I know I should not me eating. Just knowing I did something so crazy, like having a plastic implant inside of me freaks me out. And that whats what makes me eat less and workout more. the fact is being fat sucks, and I want this chapter of my life to be over ASAP. I think the band has helped me some but not what expected.

I wanted my doc the other day to do a fill, but he did not want to do it because of my great weight loss. What should I do? Get mad?

I got to my goal but still feel not much different than I did before the band. I started to eat different stuff. (little sugar, little carbs,) if I start to put weight back on, should I get mad?

Anyhow I wanted everyone to know, I love my weight loss but still question the whole lapband thing. I have only had one episode where I knew I had the band, THATS IT. so I won't be supprisedif I started to put weight back on. Anyhow I think I need morefill's but my weight loss say's otherwise. I don't know what to think. Anyhow just have to see what will happen my next visit.

[o2bthin 0]

So what are you saying Danbo, that you could have done this without the band? That you're afraid of gaining the weight back? I don't get it. Well, maybe I do.

As far as doing it without the band, I think going under the knife give us the "it's serious now" incentive that maybe some of us need to know it's life or death. You're not my age...by a long shot...but for me the time has come that my weight has affected my life, literally. My life has been shortenend by developing diabetes. That was something imminent in your future. You're no doubt aware. Heart disease. That's something else you put yourself at risk for by being morbidly obese. Now, your risk is nil. Your lifestyle. How has that changed? What was the impetus for chosing the path you did with surgery?

As far as gaining it back, if you keep the lapband, which I assume you will, you stand little to no chance of gaining back with it in place. Even if your stopped working out, you would not be able to return to your former eating habits if you keep properly restricted. NOW you can use your band as the tool is was meant to be! Whoa!!!!

I understand your feelings of insecurity, even though my experience is far different from yours. You have had almost "overnight" success with little of the struggle of those of use along the journey with you. Naturally you question that. Your experience is quite out of the ordinary. Still, you have accomplished much, and you have succeeded in what you set out to do. It may take some time for your mind to catch up, but I think..... you should just accept it, embrace it....feel accomplished....and move on. Do what you want with your life without the encumbrances and hinderances of your weight. It would be hard for me to glean from your example, and follow your path, but I Celebrate your success nonetheless.