B-52

When was your last fill. Did this happen immediately after? Sometimes, one will get stuck from the wrong foods and the band can get irritated and swollen. Then everything is a problem. Need to take all liquids for a day or two to let things calm down then start back with mushies and so forth. But if you cannot even keep liquids down,then you need to get a small unfill. Sometimes even less than 1/2 cv can make the difference. Sometimes I have problems even with soft foods if I take it too fast. Or too much at a time. I am the tightest in the morning, and all I have is a shake. Sometimes that is tough to get down. Then things get better as the day goes on.

IMO, this is what it is all about!! You say prior to this, you could eat anything? Well, hello....now you can't! And either can I. But you do learn all new ways of eating, new favorite foods, etc. You do get used to it. I am so used to it now I take it for granted. It has becomes normal day to day way of life. I can walk into a room full of food, and without giving it a second thought, automatically go for the foods I want (and can) eat. If someone offers me a slice of pizza, I don't struggle. It's not a food I eat anymore. Simple. It IS a learning process, and if you want to succeed you have to learn, even after a lifetime of bad habits.

Few things.....it's not the # of fills, but how much you get total, and what size your band is. 2nd..we are all anxious, but there is a reason they have to build it up gradually. You have to get used to the chnages slowly, otherwise you will be a failure. Imagine if there were no fill process, and everyone got a non adjustable band, at surgery, with full restriction from day one. It would be a disaster, No ONE would be able to handle it, and I would imagine there could even be some deaths due to people not coping with swallowing. Ok, so much for my lecture....My first fill was 4 weeks after my surgery, 4cc in a 10cc band. Second fill was 4 weeks after that, 8 weeks from surgery. After the first fill I felt NOTHING! As a matter of fact, I GAINED WEIGHT between my first and seconfd fill. So, 2nd fill was 2cc, now have 6cc total. Nothing for a few days, then started to feel restriction, had to start adjustaing my eating habits, etc. But the feeling would come ad go, not very consistant. 3rd fill was 4 weeks after that, 12 weeks from surgery, 1cc for a total of 7cc. This one was the charm! That was May 2011, and it lasted me untill last month. But I have to warn you, it was not very pretty. It took me at least a month to figure out what was happening. All those little things they teach you about chewing, putting the fork down between bites, bno drinking with eating..everything suddenly became a neccessity to survive. many people here have said at that poiunt they went back for a ufill. But I stuck it out, hell or high Water, untill I found my groove. That was last May....was in theGreen Zone ever since. Met my personal goal weight. happy as a clam with my new life. This past Jan., my Dr put in 1/2cc. I did not need it..but I had plateaued for a month or two and he wanted to "Experiment" and see what would happen. Well since then, I dropped 15 more lbs.! I go back to see him in May, and may ask to have that 1/2cc removed.

Sessions with a trainer can be very expensive. I have thought about it early on, then declined. I suppose you don't have to stay with one for ever. Just get the routines down then go it alone. You can always sign back up a year from then for more training. I was a little apprehensive when I first started going on a regular basis. But what you say is accurate...the more you do, the better you get at it, which only motivates you to do more. I have been going regulary for a few years now, and it is very addicitng. I don't feel bad when I do go, I feel very bad, as if there's something missing, if I don't go. I now understand how people, no matter where they are...vacation, hotels on business, etc, have to get out there every day and run. I used to think they were nuts! Now I am one. There are a lot of obese people who come to my gym. I can see their nervousness. I always make a point to make eye contact, nod my head and say hello. I have been tempted to "Witness" to some, LOL, and say "Hey! Let me share my story with you, I used to be fat....and you can be skinny too" but that's a little forward....

I have never found anything that I like. What I do, every morning for my Breakfast....I use a blender, with 2 scoops of 100% whey, some frozen berries, a Protein supplement, and make my own shake. I do this every morning before leaving the house...45gm of protein to start the day!! You can come up your own recipes, Peanut Butter, banana's, pineapple, whatever you like. I sometimes add some yogurt, and sometimes add some benefiber. Everything I need can be found at costco in large quantity, so lasts me quite a while.

There are only a handful of people who know I have had surgery. After loosing all this weight and people complimenting me everyday, they all want to know how I did it. I simply say it was "Dr.'s Orders" "I had no choice" "It was life or death" "I have already had one heart Attack" All those statements are true, and when I tell people that they always nod their heads in agreement and say something like "I don't blame you..I'd loose the weight also" Very rarely do people ask "How" after I emphasize the "Why" When I am forced to say "How". I respond "Simple! I don't eat as near as what I used to, I no longer eat foods like pizza, pasta, rice, etc, I get plenty of protein from daily shakes and supplements, I drink water like a fish, and I go to the gym every chance I get" Which is also all true.

To the previous 2 posters......it is unfortunate that you and the band could not work together. One must be willing to change, and willing to give up some foods, never to eat them again if they want to succeed. It always come down to the individual.....and how committed do you want to be. Every-time I read about how the band has failed someone, in 98% of the time there is always more to it than just the band itself. I say this not to judge you, but for all the newbies here just starting out.

Congratulations!!!! Where else can people get excited about being overweight???

Just by nature as to how essential Protein is to the body's health, it would make sense if someone did not get enough, or no protein,over time would be very harmful. Not to mention the effects of dehydration from lack of Water. Since the band can limit how much we are able to eat, it is very easy to eat all the wrong foods and ignore protein. Everyone should google protein for themselves. It's a lot more than just hair.

Well I don't know where you are with your journey, but if you look at the definition of "Green Zone" you will see that it will take care of hunger. I can tell you from first hand experience my whole outlook,tastes and need for food has changed

Good luck to you all. I am convinced that one's success or failure depends a lot on support. You need to surround yourself with people who are like minded in your goals, and those who are successful. Being around negative people can only lead to frustration and slowing down your progress.

I started with the elliptical. It is low impact on the joints and you can set the resistance. I started slow and only 20 minutes. I am now still using the elliptical but with Avery high resistance and one hour. I also use a cardiac workout program that gets me to a steady level 3 with spurts of level 4. I have backed off weights, only because I felt I was bulking up and not sliming down. Whatever you do, IMO is calories burned versus calories consumed.

It's all about the surgery and the post surgery process. Unless the Dr put some in your band during surgery, all you are experiencing is inflammation from surgery. Hate to tell you but as you heal,you will return to normal.....that is the way you were before you had the surgery. Then starts then band adjustment process to get you to that place where real weight loss begins.

I'm in Monmouth County, between Belmar and Spring Lake, 1-2 miles from the beach!

I couldn't say first hand..but it would sound as if you need to take it from the beginning....including the post-op diet to re-train.

Much, much better. The one I had was a photo taken with my phone in my Dr's office.

let me get you in a little secret. It makes NO DIFFRENCE right now if you eat that way or not. One, you haven't had the surgery yet, and two, even after the surgery it will take some time and some resrtiction first. So why do they want you to start now?? Because, eventually it will be the ONLY WAY you will be able to eat at all. They want to to start practicing and making it a habit now, so when the time does come, you will know how to handle it. Same goes with drinking with meals. Plenty of people say they can do it with no problem. and they are probably right. But when your band gets tight with restriction, try it and see what happens. So get used to it now is what they want you to do.

I had no problem with hot spicy food untill my last fill. The food sits in your pouch much longer, and can get very irritating causing heart burn. like I said, up untill that last fill I was fine. Now I have to be more carefull I think it may be irritating the band also as it passes thru very slowly.

Ok, I was banded on a Monday. had to loose weight pre-op also. had my final meeting / weigh-in on the Friday before the surgery, in the Surgeon's office. Everything was a go. be at the hospital 7am. Saturday...I went for my last meal - pig out. Chose someplace I will never set foot in again...a Chinese All you can eat Buffet! Had everything i always liked, and enjoyed every minute of it. Sunday, fasted all day, only Water and broth. Mondays surgery went without a glitch. Now keep in mind, I have HEARD stories where the person was on the OR table, the Dr. opened them up and said "Nope..No Good" got stiched up and had to re-schedule because their liver was too enlarged and dangerous forthe Dr. to continue. But these are only stories I heard, not actullay know anyone.

Hello; Just want you all to know I too was banded i January, of 2011! Exactly one year prior. So I have been following this group with a little interest, guaging your progress as mine has for the past year. For myself, I reached my personal goal in about 12-1/2 months. And I am still loosing, although very slowly now. But that's to be expected. So, if any one has any questions, feel free to ask away! Good luck!

Well said. I am always amazed, how people who are considered "Morbidly Obese", to the point where they need bariatric surgery, will still hold their fascination with food. The more and maore I have progressed and lost, the more and more less I think about food. I have to remind myself to eat at times. But I hav found, that this is still peoples "Sacred Cow" and whenever I mention this, as I am now, it touches people's nerves and they will come out and defend themselves and attack me for bringing it up. I no longer "Live to Eat", but now only "Eat to Live"

All I can say is, it appears you are just starting out, maybe just had your surgery, any fills? You definitley sound like you are not at the Green Zone yet. What you are doing is just another diet, based soley upon your own will power. I don't know about you, but I Suck at dieting! That's why I needed the band!! From the day of surgery, it took about 5-6 months before the band started to take over and really started to do what is was designed to do. Don't beat yourself up...or go ahead, makes no difference because right now it is all up to you, not the band. Know this, I am in the Green Zone, have been for a while now. My food cravings are all gone. I can go to any resturant, you can put any food you like in front of me, it makes no difference. The band limits what, and how much I can eat, and takes away a lot of the desire to eat. Hang in there, if you are serious about this thing, you'll get there too eventually.

There is a delicate balance between having the right anount of restriction, and learning to eat in a whole new way. As we progress on this journey, our eating habits MUST change dramatically! I have no idea what you may be going through. But as someone previuosly said, the band gets irritated and you need to calm it down with liquids for a day or two. Then you either need to call your Dr., or start over being very careful WHAT and HOW you eat. You may be too tight and have to get a unfill. I have no idea. I will say my band is tight. And the way I eat now cannot compare to the way I ate 1 year ago. This can be a very hard lesson to learn and there is never anyone around to help you with it. So the easy thing is to get a unfill. IMO, some people never get it. Not saying you, just in general. Some never find that perfect groove.

Yes, it will be very big day, turning point of your life. If I can give only one word of advice...if and when, afterward on your journey you should ever feel down..remember everyone whois now successful has been there and you will get through it also. And..don't let the negative people get to ya!!

Once the ball starts rolling...there's no stopping it!!!! Stay on the train!!!