B-52

I am coming up on one year also. It has been the best thing I have ever done!! This is NOT a diet, but a life changing surgical procedure. I have less that 10lbs to my goal, and it is tough getting those last few lbs. off. My body fat % is acceptable so I am not sure. I have been in the "Green Zone" since last May, after my 3rd fill. I don't count calories, and I don't weigh/measure portions. I find that the band restricts me from overeating so the only thing I need to do is make wise food choices. The band also suppresses my appetite so I am not craving food between meals. I also find myself skipping many meals because I am just not interested in eating. It is NOT a feeling of feeling full as so many here have stated, but more of a mental signal sent to my brain telling it I do not need to eat! I'm addicted to working out, not because I feel I need to, but because I benefit from a huge feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when I do. My diabetes is completely reversed, no more injections or oral meds! Cholesterol. triglycerides, etc, are all in normal limits. I go most days without even thinking about the fact I am banded. The surgery is just a memory no different from when I had 4 wisdom teeth pulled 10 years ago. Aside fro close family members, I have told NO ONE I have had the surgery. It's none of their business!!!! New habits have definitely formed. I have no anguish debating what I should or should not eat. When we go out to eat and I look at a menu, it is a no-brainer choosing my food. Every now and then I will attempt to eat something I know I shouldn't, mainly because I have not had it in months, (as though that will change things) and I am knocked back into reality. When I get at points where I feel I can eat anything, I go on a full liquid diet for a day or 2. That seems to correct things. I now see my Dr. once every 3 months. Next visit is in Feb. See what he says. I have to say that I have been fighting things for over 30 years, and because of this surgery it has all been accomplished in ONE YEAR!. (for the most part)

I really do enjoy my workouts also, and feel bad that the gym was closed yesterday, Christmas. I remember from years past, that the gym will become VERY crowded in the next few weeks/months or two. I asked one of the staff what the heck was going on and she told me it is like that every year at New Years, and it will thin out and get back to normal after a bit. I kind of feel sorry for these people, having been here myself.

Well here it is the day after Christmas. After getting home from the gym this morning I sat down to watch some TV. Going through the channels trying to find something to watch, I noticed that on every station for every commercial break, the were tons of adds for all kinds of Diet Plans, special diet foods, exercise equipment, you name it! It occurred to me that yes, it's New Years! Time for everyone to commit to diet programs, gym memberships, and aim at looking and feeling better for next spring/summer. And there is Madison Ave. ready with all their advertisement. They have been preparing for this since last year to rake in the $$$. Of course we all know it is futile for the overwhelmingly majority. I had a great feeling of satisfaction come over me knowing I have been "set free" from all of that!

Exactly!!!!! That's what it's all about. What did you think would happen when they put a band around your stomach??? Now it is about learning to eat the right foods, learning to eat properly and differently to the old/bad habits. It is a NEW LIFESTYLE!! Why are you fat?? Because you eat too much!!! What does the band do?? Stops you from eating too much!!!! Simple

There are ways to "Eat Around The Band", no matter how much restriction one may have. Because there are so many new people here just starting out, I make a point of never mentioning how one can do this lest I give people ideas to fail. The band does take away one's appetite, or desire to eat. Part of the "Learning" process is to understand these messages being sent to the brain and learn to listen to them. It is not a feeling of being "Full". It is the message the brain gets saying you are full, but physically you're not. Confusing, but you start to get the hang of it after a while. Yes, I have a lot of restriction, and it is impossible for me to overeat at any one sitting. Takes absolutely no will power from me. I could cheat, or eat around the band, but 2 things stop me. First, if you "Listen" to your band, you are really not hungry so it is a emotional addiction. Second, I am afraid that I can/will do some physical damage to my band/pouch by overworking it!

You have been banded less than a month and you already have 6cc's in your band? With me it was the opposite. I did not get anything put in my band until 4 weeks after surgery, and then it was 4cc's. I actually gained weight after my first fill. Things really did not start to "Work" for me until about 3-4 months, and 2-3 fills, after being banded. You are just a few weeks. It is all about healing and getting back to "Normal". "Normal" is the operative word, as in the way you were before having surgery. Then you would begin the regime of regular DR. visits with regular fills to get to that place where you are comfortably loosing weight.

All depends on where you are at as far as restriction goes. Early on I could eat just about anything. Been banded for a year now. I have trouble eating meat, so I now eat a lot of fish, and chicken. I have to be very careful with shrimp, and lobster tail. Definitely cannot eat ANYTHING fried.

Same here. Our biggest get get together is always on Christmas Eve with plenty of food. Bigger than thanksgiving. All my favorite foods were on the table. I took a very small portion of everything on my plate. I was very surprised that after eating very little, I could not have anymore. Absolutely no effort on my part. I knew when I was finished and could to eat anymore if I wanted to. And it did not bother me at all. I did have plenty of wine though!

"Fills" make them feel horrible, how? Do you mean the actual act of getting the fill - a needle through the skin into the port? Or do you mean once they have gotten filled, things can happen and they feel terrible.

I'm coming up on my one year, and I will say, not to insult anybody, but this website starts to become boring due to all of the repetitive questions. They keep asking the same thing day after day and you want to scream "Can't you read?" But then you realize, that these are new people joining the group everyday, and the old posts concerning various issues become lost in time. Also these new people will become veterans and begin to give advice to the newer members. The one thing that bothers me, and I will try to jump in without offending anybody, is when people begin to misinformation, because that will spread and people will take it for fact. This thing about "Gas Pain" The majority of posts here have it all wrong! Also, after being banded a year, it is very, very rare I learn anything new when browsing through all the posts. Like the previous person said, I don't need any support anymore. Also, I remember people who used to be here when I was new, and would give advice from their experience. I have noticed that they are ALL gone.

Have not read all your posts, but the few I did it would seem you have everything under control. Banded less than a month, yet have restriction without a fill, loosing weight, positive attitude. You're not experiencing the usual problems most people do the first few weeks, if not months, after surgery. You're one of the lucky few! Sounds like you have been banded 6 months. Keep up the good work!

Really, no offense, but anything can cause pain in your shoulder. Maybe you played too much basketball last night? Pitched too many innings? I've got bursitis in both my shoulders that flare up time to time, especially when I sleep in a odd position. IF IT IS post-op gas pains, it usually accumulates in the left shoulder, late stage. But I don't see how anyone here can diagnose aches and pains.

Same here. I don't get Burps, but when the Hiccups start then that's it. Time to stop, and sometimes it is also the first sign of getting stuck.

Among other things, I always have problems with red meat. Even hamburger. I've pretty much given up on it. chicken and fish have to be very soft, not over cooked. Shrimp and lobster - have to be very careful! Oh, and BREAD. NO MORE bread, biscuits, doughnuts, pastries, etc etc. I am ok with crackers though. Just not too much.

Maybe so, but it is these same pinheads who preach we should have a Normal BMI and Body fat Index. I want to love myself and return to who I used to be, not what I've become.

Sorry to hear about your complications......but it is surgery and stuff happens. At least that is behind you. I find it strange HR would be calling also, and yes, it is against federal law for the Dr.s office, or anyone for that matter disclosing information. When I had my surgery, I took a week off on vacation time. For all anyone knew I was in Disney World. I have never, other than the closest of family, told anyone about my surgery, for many reasons.

Screw Him! Once you get into that Green "Zone", you just keep on keeping on. It becomes a lifestyle. Whats he gonna do? Give you a un-fill when you reach his weight goal? At that point you go in and tell him "I feel fine. Let me be right where I'm at. I'm happy and satisfied"

To be honest, these types of posts baffle me. I do not doubt your problems, and there are many others here that say the same thing. I'm just saying it is above my paygrade to understand how 1/2 cc can have that much effect, and to have 1/2 of that removed and still be creating problems. Perhaps you are very sensitive?

Ok, I'm going to be the Devil's Advocate here. Other than having surgery and this foreign object inserted around the upper portion of your stomach, what has changed that will make you loose weight? Think of it as having a new TV delivered to your home, but it is not plugged into the wall socket yet, but you're sitting there complaining that it doesn't work. That may not be the best analogy, but the surgeon installed the new device, and sent you home to "Heal". Come back in a few weeks and we will see about turning this thing on. Of course many loose weight, what have you eaten in the last few weeks? That had nothing to do with the band. It took me a good 3-4 months to get to a point where this thing actually started to do anything. In the meantime it was frustrating, took a lot of will power and discipline (which I have neither when it comes to dieting) and I actually gained weight about 6-7 weeks post-op.. Yes you will hear about people who have never had a fill, and you will hear about people who have been filled to the max and still don't loose weight. But like any "Bell Curve" there will always be extremes at both ends, and the majority right in the middle where you are right now. Hang in there, follow your Dr.s instructions. These are lessons that will be very handy and start to make sense in the future. Come early spring all this post-op anxiety will be but a memory. People call this time "Bandster Hell" I like to call it "Bandster Bootcamp" or "Basic Bandster Training"

I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, but I can say, perhaps for the first time, it will have NOTHING to do with loosing weight or exercising more. No need to. The band is taking care of that for me.

I can only speak from a point where I have been banded for more than a few months, had a few fills, and I am now living with a fair amount of restriction and in the "Green Zone" #1: Provided you have not eaten anything, I feel there is no time restraint against drinking before eating. It goes right past the band into the stomach. Every time we go out for dinner I will drink my Water, and/or my cocktail up until the point my food arrives. Then I am finished. #2: While eating, food accumulates in your pouch, passing through your band slowly, like a clogged drain. If you cannot help yourself and drink while eating, be my guest. For just like a clogged drain, you will overfill your pouch and probably vomit after experiencing some pain. Do that once or twice and you will be cured of that Habit. They're telling you not to for your own good. If you have no restriction, then this will probably not effect you, but like everything else you are practicing new habits. #3: Drinking after you are done eating will have the same effect as #2, depending upon how fast your pouch empties. I have heard all kinds of time periods for this and I feel most of them are B.S., because they need to tell you something, so they come up with a nice rounded number! When I eat, I can feel the restriction, and I can feel food sitting in my pouch. That's how I know when to stop eating. I can also tell when the food is no longer in my pouch, for the most part. It is then that I will have something to drink. (carefully at first) The time for this varies from 15 minutes to an hour. Anything longer than that and I'm stuck! If there is a little food still there, it will at this time probably wash down. Again using the dinner analogy, it has been a long time since we hung around for after dinner coffee. I am only speaking from my own experiences. I have made it a point to learn to "listen" to my band, and the feedback it is giving me. I also have to say that early on, when I was first banded, none of this, and other little "rules" made much sense, and was at times frustrating. But then it all started to click to where I would say "Ah, now I understand why you said that"

I've had similar days, where it feels as though my band is not even there! Don't know why this happens, there are many discussions here about bands getting loose and tight with little explanation. What I have done, is go on a full liquid diet for 2-3 days. All shakes, and perhaps some Soups. This seems to "tighten" things up for me. I'm beginning to think that perhaps it is not the band, but the pouch stretching - relaxing a bit. But who knows for sure. Something to ask my Dr. next time I see him.

Makes sense. There is just so much volume in your pouch. Sipping water with food will fill your pouch with food and water., so a little less food intake than not drinking water. But if not careful, you can overfill your pouch resulting in major problems.

How long have you been banded, and why do you say you were in the Green Zone?

I had the same insurance you have, Highmark of Pa. I say had, because it has now changed. It was excellent! Paid for everything 100% Even paid for all my Dr. visits, pre-op testing, everything! I wish I still had it. With most Insurance companies it is not a question as to whether or not they will approve the surgery. It is more of a question as to whether or not they recognize it as a "Covered" procedure. Like having your tonsils taken out, most if not all Insurances will recognize that as a "Covered" item. If they recognize it as a covered item, they will usually set a "Allowable" for that item. It is up to your Dr.'s office to do a little magic to get it done within that allowable, or else you will have a co-pay. One can find out right away if their insurance will cover the surgery. If they cover the surgery, then you have to meet their criteria to be eligible. The girl in the office did a print out with a list of all the hoops they wanted me to jump through, starting with my weight and BMI. If that was in their range, then I left with the Quest to complete all the other tasks, within 6 months.