ravendays

I think I got mine! Only took me 10 days =)
Bandito....because I got it in Mexico.
I'm thinking of adding a couple last names to make it offical

I dont have many friends to start of with just a hand full of really close friends and a couple family members. My bestie wasnt supportive until I explained to her I needed her support...she didnt have to like my decisions. She did some homework on the band and then got behind me 110% unfortunately she has a life mess and is pulling away to privately go crazy so that sucks but I get it. I had a co-worker that was my buddy tho and after he found out I had it done he told me that I didnt need it, wasnt obessed enough, and my dr should lose his license for doing surgery. I told him I did my homework, I am/was morbidly obese tho not by much and he hasnt talked to me since. I guess he lost his respect for me. I figure this will show me some true colors of people around me. Im sure my mother in law will jump on the "nay sayers" band wagon once I lose over 30 lbs. I hope your friend comes around. You really need a support team not a team who will make you think they are comparing themselves to you. Wishing you the best!

I think I got mine! Only took me 10 days =)
Bandito....because I got it in Mexico.
I'm thinking of adding a couple last names to make it offical

Tool Synonyms: apparatus, appliance, contraption, contrivance,device, engine, gadget, gizmo, implement, job,machine, means, mechanism, utensil, weapon,whatchamacallit,accessory, accomplice, agent, auxiliary, chump,creature, dupe, easy mark, figurehead, flunky,go-between, greenhorn, hireling, idiot,intermediary, jackal, lackey, mark*,medium,messenger, minion, patsy, pawn, peon, puppet,stooge, stool pigeon, sucker
Just sayin'

I am on my third week too and on pretty much normal foods per my surgeons diet plan. I have to either eat with others and engage in conversation to slow down or I try to read while I eat to distract me and keep from shoveling. Also I have noticed if I go too long between meals I am starving and tend to eat faster than I should. Have not had any vomiting, but have had a couple uncomfortable stuck episodes. It is all about changing behaviors and habits. Don't get discouraged, you will get there!

Wow. Could not have said this better. Great post.
I see posts like the OP's scattered throughout this board. I think it's important to stress accountability. If you get called to the carpet, it's probably for a reason. I'm very new to my band (and vice-versa, I suppose ) but I already know how powerful my psyche is just 6 days post-op. It will always be a struggle. It's how you react to that struggle that counts.
Repeat after me: If I work with the band, the band will work for me. If I give up on the band, the band will give up on me.
YOU are responsible for you.
Good luck.

There is absolutely nothing out there available to you, or any of us, that does not require us to choose to eat healthy and exercise for the rest of our lives to maintain good health and weight. It sounds like you are looking for something that will prevent you from having to do your part. It does not exist. As far as craving the stuff that put the weight on originally....there is nothing that will cure that either. It all comes down to choices and at some point you will have to muscle through that on your own and choose the right stuff simply because you want your health bad enough to do so. You muscle through it...honestly and truly correctly...long enough and it will become natural and desireable. That alone makes doing the work worth it!

I know 4 people who have had RNY. One nearly died from it. One has lost all her weight and started gaining some, 20 pds,back, one can only have liquids 3 years out, and one has gained 50% of the weight lost back.
I know 2 people w/ the band very well. One has lost 80% of HER goal weight. One had to have it removed but was loosing and doing well.
Bottom line is this: Weight loss is work! With the band and RNY. You may not have to work so hard initally to loose weight w/ the RNY but 3 years out you will. You will HAVE to eat good, low fat/low calorie meals, and workout to keep the weight off. JUST LIKE THE BAND.
We have to be ready mentally and emotionally to succeed at WLS, whichever one we choose. We can't go in expecting it to do the work for us.
Rules are there to help us succeed. And only you know if you were giving it your all. Even with GNY you are going to crave foods. It isn't going to stop that. You are the only one who can control what goes in your mouth and if/how often you work out.
To tell others that the Lap Band won't be there for you in the long run isn't fair to those looking into things. Where is the back up. It wasn't for you for whatever reason. But to say that it doesn't work for anyone, come on. RNY nearly killed my Aunt, but that isn't to say that no one should have that type of WLS. Maybe one day the band will be obsolete, does that mean that it wasn't "good?" Not neccesarily, research may come to find something that works better.
To those considering WLS remember that many people have been EXTREMELY successful and YEARS later they still are. Do your research and make whatever decision that is best for you.
llcarlos48 - Good luck w/ the RNY. I am glad that you are happy with your decision.

If anyone reads the Lap-Band documentation provided before surgery, they will see that Allergan states to expect to lose around 35% of the excess weight. The marker of success is subjective.. is it based on what someone's personal goals are, which may not line up with the expectations that should be set? For example, I know I need to lose 100lbs. Based on Allergan's data, I can expect to lose on average 35lbs - 35%.
My physician's office provided their in-office data, which shows that on average their patients lose 60-65% of excess weight. So, my realistic goal would be to lose around 60-65lbs of the 100 I need to lose. If I expect to lose all 100, then I'm ignoring all of the research data and setting myself up for failure. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people do this.

I just recently, within the last week, had my band removed and at the same time, had a gastric bypass done......The two doctors that I go to, and their practice is RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE, told me that only one or two IN TEN lose the desired weight after undergoing the lapband....I had it done a year ago and would never do it again....At the outset, and even months later, it is successful, but then there was a plateau where I slowly started to crave the foods that originally put it on....I read this a lot on here and it's true....I personally know of two women who had the 'band' done, lost about 70 percent of their weight goal, then put it ALLLLLLLLLLL back on within a year....And rem. that I WOULD ALWAYS EAT MY Protein FIRST, and follow the rules, but the band lost it's effect, plus I had the maximum fill.....If, according to my Dr's, only one or two in ten reach their goal, and this is based on their own practice, plus being in touch with other Dr's and studying follow-ups all over, that' s good enough for me....Caution to you, and DO NOT, in desperation, reach out for something that will not be there in the long run....But, you could be one of the 10-20 percent that is succesful....BUT I WOULD NEVER TAKE THOSE ODDS!......My best, Carlos.....YES!!---My insurance paid for both, but they required that I wait 6 months to get each procedure and follow strict guidelines.....ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT "GOLD!"

Losing fast is thrilling of course, but it's not realistic. I've decided as long as I'm not gaining, then I'm happy!

I have this problem too....
I so desperatly want the scale to drop that i forget that size is a better way of knowing if I'm losing i mean people see the size you are before they ask (if they are bold enough) how much you lost.

What it doesn't do:
The band does not stop you from consuming fattening lattes, sucking on candy, eating sugary ice creams and sodas or pouring sugar into your drinks. You can do all these things along with the band, but then you might not lose weight!
The band doesn't necessarily stop the urge to snack. This is not real hunger so if you give into it, you might not lose weight!
What it does:
Makes you feel fuller quicker--I can't eat as much. I stay fuller longer, on smaller amounts of food than before. It curves my appetite--I don't have the desire to snack AS MUCH.
Bottom line--The band helps you control how much you put in there, but WHAT you put in there is up to you!
Hope this helps!

Stress does amazing things to us!! Give it a little more time. You will look back and figure out it was just all of the stress you were going thru!! Yeah the weather is bad out. I am a swimmer and have my own pool..but can't use it now obviously (I do live in Florida so it won't be long). Try going to the mall or somewhere it is indoor and you can walk. Walking is one of the best ways of getting exercise!! You don't really hit your sweet spot until the 3 or 4th fill and that is when you really feel restriction. Keep you head held high, try to stay as positive as you can and keep focused on the big picture. You can do this and it will pay off in the long run!!

hahaha those are great! I'm thinking of something along the lines of a great ruler. Controlling, but great. I'd say Caesar but I don't want food to stab me in the back. Oh, what the heck, Caesar is great.

How can you go through all of this, actually let someone cut your body open and then the first two weeks not have the willpower to stick to your diet? Maybe you should have got RNY....
Not trying to be mean but you should have found the willpower before you got the surgery IMO...

Seriously. . suck it up!! Check with your doctor, but you should be able to eat plenty of yummy things during the full liquids phase. Why don't you buy some turkey chili and blend it with some chicken broth and Greek yogurt (tastes like sour cream)? Or you can do banana smoothies with skim milk and maybe a dash of cinnamon and sugar? You have to get creative. It's worth a trip to Whole Foods or some other spot to buy some delicious Soups that you will enjoy -- then just blend them up and thin them with broth if you have to. This phase really does not have to be a huge deprivation phase -- there are plenty of delicious liquid things that you can enjoy without going off the rails.
BTW, when you get to mushies. . don't forget about FF refried Beans and cheese. . yum. Was a staple for me during that phase!
Best wishes,
Catherine

I'm a guy so I'll give you my take on it. I'm not sure why type of person he is, but I love my wife, and if I saw my wife with incisions (Like I see on myself) I wouldn't have wanted to do that activity for fear I might hurt her. There are many possible reasons why he didn't want you to have surgery, but whatever the reason is, seeing the incisions probably still bothers him because it reminds him that you had the surgery against his wishes.
I'm not saying he is/was right please understand that, I'm just saying that might be what he was thinking.
What I would suggest doing is leaving the incisions covered with some clothing as it may make the focus on the two of you instead of the surgery. It might also make him less afraid of hurting you because the incisions won't be staring back at him (if you will).
Whatever happens, I hope you two can work it out. Just remember to take it easy, I had my surgery on 1/18 and I'm still very cautious myself for fear of giving myself a hernia at the large incision site.
Hope it helps, God Bless

I got my band Jan 10th and have been doing great. I am into mushy foods and other than a little incident with tuna salad have had no problem. Won't be having tuna salad for a looooong time..lol. My list says boiled, moist really well cooked meat. I was on an archeological dig of my freezer and came across a pot roast. I'm thinking crock pot for hours equals moist and juicy. So I nestled it down in the crock pot with a ton of carrots and a couple of small potatoes and flipped the switch. Hours later after smelling it and driving myself crazy it was falling apart. Got myself a small piece cut it up really good put plenty of juice on it and took a small bite. It was sooooooooo good. I really enjoyed it for the brief time I had it...aaaarrrrrrgh. I can mash the carrots and potatoes and eat them but not the meat .......sniffle sniffle whine. Took most of it over to my elderly neighbor and froze the rest....sigh maybe someday. Oh well it's a learning experience, it's a learning experience.... repeat after me it's a learning experience...lol.

Thanks for letting all of us here on lapbandtalk know.

Good luck on your journey!

Bandster hell, for me, was not just about the hunger. I was very cranky and weepy. It should pass. My work friends who knew were like "Whoa, slap it down a little" when I would go a little nutso over stupid stuff.
Hope this makes you laugh: One day when I was biting someone's head off, I turned to my friend (who is heavy) and said, " This is why skinny girls are bitches, they are hungry.".....
Keep using these boards for support, Ignore the self-righteous posts and take what you can from the others. I try not to engage in the back and forth nonsense. i teach High Scoll, don't need HS arguments on here too.

Its early Monday morning and I was banded on Friday morning ! Came home feeling fine for the most part but don't get me wrong there is pain in the area between your ribs and belly button. I feel like I have been kicked in the gut, did a million sit ups and add the pain you get when you have a really bad sunburn which makes the skin burn.... combine all 3 of these and thats what I am feeling.... fortunately its manageable... keep up with the pain meds and there timing and walk a lot. I started walking the halls within the first hour in my room and continued each and every hour. I think thats the reason I didn't get the gas pains. Now coming home was a bit harder mentally than I thought. The affects of anesthesia don't fully wear off for about 72 hours is what I was told so my judgement was way off. Its like my mind said.... O.k. now that your banded you don't need that stupid pre op diet and I started nibbling on everything, I was out of control for a bit and luckily didn't hurt the band or myself. It made me realize I still had a big battle in front of me. I wish they could also take out taste buds along with banding me.... if food didn't taste so dang good I would be in a lot better shape...So I sent my husband out and he got box after box of popsicles and every time I feel a need to snack I grab one. One thing thats made it harder is I detest Soup broth... I have had it a bit but Yuck....can;t wait for the mush stage.... otherwise I have been sleeping a lot over the weekend but in the morning its back to reality with kids and school. Don't be scared about the surgery itself.... that was not a problem. It was handling it emotionally once I got home..... you have waited so long for this to happen and now that it has you find it hard to adjust, well at least I did for a day or so.... If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask..... Blair

Feel the vent on this one for sure.
Im obessed. Everyone I know (while I know they love me) keep telling me that they cant believe I think I need WLS and Im so young, that I'm not "that" overweight, why dont I try it the "healthy way" first (excersise & eat right), they are questioning my sanity because I choose Mexico, etc. Hello, I'm 85 lbs overweight and Im 5'1"...that is obesse. I have tried to diet and excersise. I have had 3 kids 3 yrs in a row, my body is worn out. Mexico works for me because America insurance companies say they want to wait to approve you until you are morbidly obese or wait until you have even more health issues. I also chose Mexico because this Dr I chose has 4 times if not more experience then majority of the American doctor's and his hospital has a lower infection rate then majority of American hospitals. Sad but true.
Ok thanks for the vent. =)

Hi Swirl
This is the first time Ive read one of your posts. I find it helpful to have all view points expressed on this site as it gives a more balanced view and more info -- kind of like reading reviews.
I was banded in July of 2010. It has only been recently (within the last few weeks) that I have come to love my band.
I'm sorry it has not worked for you and I hope you will find what does. Are you thinking of the other surgeries like the sleeve or will you go a different route? I hope you will not give up altogether on losing weight!
I get frustrated with my doctor because I feel I have no restriction (at least not as it has been described to me)-- I can eat anything I want. He is very conservative with fills.
I have also had discomfort in that i can feel the band physically and have not found anyone else who reports this. It is just now getting better -- and I believe this is because I am now seeing a physical therapist.
The two weeks post-op when I could have only Clear Liquids was a real trial; very very hard for me. But I learned to not be afraid to be hungry. I guess I needed that lesson and now there are times I actually prefer to be hungry for a bit.
Anyway, I mostly wanted to say I'm sorry the band is not working for you. I know the courage it takes to make the decision to have a band in the first place, the hoops jumped thru to get it, all the financial arrangements and time off work and the recovery period...plus learning how to work with it and for lots of us there is emotional upheaval as we give up our favorite and most treasured comfort. So for the band to not work for someone having gone thru all that -- I cannot even imagine the disillusion, perhaps even a feeling of betrayal.
Im glad you are seeing your doctor and being straight forward about the band. I hope you will find what works for you.
And I hope you will still post here. Your experience is a valuable lesson to people coming here for real information in their decision process. Thank you for being honest about it.
And best of luck to you!
~hiddn