B-52

Don't have a clue...stopped counting calories 3 months after surgery, and focused on healthy foods and small portions,

Why was your band un filled?? Also, when was your surgery....

I invested in a good Vita-Mix, can't live without....everyday since surgery over 4 years ago... I start with a scoop of whey for 35gm of Protein, then add whatever my tastes are that day... Straight Raw veggies like carrots, celery, etc, etc, does not go well with my band no matter how well I chew, it is still too rough.....need to cook and soften them....also no skins on fruit.

Bench Presses!!! Preferably with upper body at a 30-45 degree incline. Supine works also, just not as effective for this.

I'm over 4 years, but not quite 5 yet...there are foods I still do not, cannot eat, and there are foods I thoroughly enjoy that most people on a diet would never dream of consuming.... It is a new lifestyle of eating less, and eating good. Congratulations, sounds as though you got your head on straight, and this new life should/will last forever.

Yes, what did the EGD show??

Do you really want someone's opinion? I don 't want to come across as being "Hard" There has been a lot of finger pointing here to the p[point where people cannot speak their mind anymore.... If you really want to hear what I have to say, PM me.... But on the other hand, this is something the "Newbies" should know, since you called them out...

it is a shame...but until the band starts doing it's job, it's just another diet...and I failed at every diet, that's why I needed surgery...if I could have done it myself, I would never resort to surgery.

I had to choose "Other"...because my weight loss journey is complete...finished! Had the surgery, and for the following years I learned (the hard way). to eat differently, and what I did eat I learned to choose the best I could. There are some foods I gave up, going to the gym, drinking Water, Vitamins, etc, etc all became a new normal habit... With this new lifestyle I lost all the excess weight I could, my body slowly reversing itself until I reached a point of "Equilibrium" which also has a Normal to low body fat %.... So, thanks to the Lap band, my hunger and cravings are held at check, along with my ability to over eat or "Binge" I now take for granted day to day what and how I eat, not having to "Think" about it. With this new lifestyle, my weight has returned to where it should be. I am addicted to going to the gym, started "Running"... "DIET" is nothing but a 4 letter word....it's all part of this "New Normal" So, for me, I'm finished...every journey has to have a destination, and I reached mine...otherwise, my Journey would be wandering around in the wilderness forever....eventually it has to lead somewhere.

"You don't fix a cavity on your own, you see a denist, right ? Same with a broken leg (a cast and crutches )hearing problem ( a hearing aid ) eyesight problems (glasses or contacts) etc. If someone said " I have a drinking problem and Im going to work wth my Dr. and rehab so I can live a long , healthy life !" , well nobody would tell them to "solve it by themselves " would they ?? I dont think so !!! They would be congratulated for making a smart decision !! Same with WLS. YOU are making a smart decision to get a strong , healthier body. So, CONGRATULATE yourself !!!! Actually, this is an analogy I use for myself when speaking at support groups, etc.... I had a problem that needed medical attention, needed fixing....compare it to knee replacement, etc. Something I was unable to do on my own (with traditional diets, etc) but had to be done. So I went through surgery to "Get it fixed"....afterward I needed o go through rehab, to learn how to walk again with my new knees....and eventually I completed that rehab, adapted all the new habits until they become 2nd nature..... Then I got back to my life...better than ever! I didn't dwell on the surgery healing or rehab phase.although at the time it was tough...pure hell sometimes......didn't think it would pay off at all sometimes.....but I continued to move on....and eventually everything became "New Habits" I could care less what other people think...I am me, and I did what was best for me.....and I'd be dead if I didn't so why should I apologize or feel guilty??

As long as you're loosing weight, that's all that matters.... One month after surgery I began gaining the weight back that I lost from the pre-op and post op diets.... Had my first fill at one month, and 2 more after that one month apart. It was only then did the band start to "work it's magic" and the real weight loss began. I have read here before about people doing just fine without a fill.....you might be one of those. BTW, when you day the Dr. "Looked at your band" and it all "looked good".....what did he do? Did you have a fluoroscope or just x-rays? I've heard some Dr.'s do this...mine does not...just asks a lot of questions and had me drink Water after a fill.

I gained it all back....the pre-op and post op diet is just that...it's not real IMO, who wouldn't loose weight on shakes and liquids. After I started back on real foods, it was back to where I was as though I never had the lap Band surgery...it was only after a few months and a few fills that the band started to do what it was supposed to do, then the REAL weight loss began...

Just stumbled upon this thread...not exactly sure what it's all about, but it appears everyone is sharing their daily activities as a lap Bander.... I'll not post mine, really quite boring and ho-hum. Keep the faith, it does work and the pay offs are life changing!

Have you finished loosing??

I told my Wife, obviously, and my Son and daughter...who are both in their 30;'s....and I asked them to keep it to themselves. I did not want people making me a target of their attention, the talk of the office. I took a week off from work, personal time. After my heart attack and surgery, diabetes and bleak family history, (they're all gone due to obesity related illnesses) I tell people I had no choice...it was loose weight or die. LITERALLY! That was over 4 years ago....after 2 years I lost all the weight, body fat%, learned to eat right for the first time in my life, became an exercise junkie, etc, in other words I completed the program....finished the "Journey" (still hate that term") I went through all the compliments, kudo's etc.....as though I did anything but agree to have surgery.... But Now, over 4 years later, it's old news...no one talks about it...the old friends and co-workers have forgotten I was obese and take the new me for granted, and the new people I meet such as new patients I see everyday, , etc, never knew me when I was fat. Ironically, I sometimes have to remind people I was once over 100lbs heavier!!! So in my opinion, it's all good. Needed corrective surgery, had it done, went threw a few years of "recovery", and now it's over, old news, no longer an issue. I'm glad it worked out that way.

Frozen meals such as these always contain Rice or Pasta...2 things I do not eat because of the band.

Being a Diabetic (post) and because my cholesterol, lipids, etc, were so high, I developed Coronary Artery Disease...in other words my fat content was so high it was oozing throughout my arteries to the point I had one Heart Attack, (and cardiac Surgery).....and diabetes on top of that because it is fat that makes one insulin resistant. I was seeing as many as 5 Dr.'s all on a 4 month rotation, and every one of them insisted it was the high fat % that was literally killing me. So for me, it was all about a #...and not in pounds or worthless BMI's...but in Body Fat %...how much of my weight was actual Fat Content...and because of the band I got that # down to within the lowest range...Athletic. Needless to say my Diabetes has reversed, no more Endocrinologist....and I am the talk of my cardiologists office when I show up...which is only once a year now for a routine visit. My Arteries are clear, excellent circulation. I also see my Bariatric Surgeon only once a year now, although I can call any one of them if I develop symptoms or have complaints. I do consider this a journey, I also consider myself as finishing that journey. From years with the band everything has become a way of life, a new lifestyle, not worrying about what I can and cannot eat, taking all that for granted now. For the way I approached this, there is no such thing as maintenance. Not sure how I could do that, possible get Fluid taken out of my band so I can eat more?? I also have no weight left to lose...BMI says I'm overweight, but my body Fat % could not be better and to lose any more weight would be self destructive. But I also understand reading posts from people who fret with just about everything....people do need to relax and let this thing play out....we did not get fat in 2-4 months, and we are not going to get back to normal in 2-4 months.... But with a little patience, this thing does work!!! Some people need to get out of the way and let it do it's magic. Just my 2 cents.

I had my surgery early Monday morning. By thursday I was climbing the walls and had to get out and run some errands. Was Back to work the following Monday. But was told no lifting for a few more weeks (also started going to the gym a week later, all cleared by my Dr.)

I believe the type of surgery does matter......granted, I don't have experience with bypass or th sleeve, but I know from my experience the mere presence of the band wrapped around the upper portion of my stomach sends a constant message to my brain that I am "Full"..and do not need to eat anymore. A mental note of being "Full", not a physical feeling. That in itself cure a lot of my pre-surgery eating issues, and adding other factors such as the inability to over eat whether I wanted to or not, eventually all add up to a simple formula. But getting there was very hard, frustrating, and at times I wanted to give up...because with the band it is a process, not an overnight thing. But then, all this is from MY experience only...not what others may experience.

It's from the ET Tube....one of the things everyone should be aware of. Simple solution is to suck on throat lozenges, cough drops.

You're rushing it !! Still too early, although my "Tastes" for foods, along with some "Cravings" began to change almost immediately after surgery, and continued to as I got my band adjustments. I used to love salads, but now stay away from them. I simply lost my taste for them, plus they fill me up very fast. Cannot get through a small dinner salad....and then that will finish me with my entire meal before I get to the entree, which will be the Protein i seek. I prefer to drink my vegetables...and /or I will snack on raw vegetables along with a dip while watching TV, etc.

For me, drinking Water forces everything back up and out....if I am truly stuck, then the water has no where else to go. If it washes it down, then I was not stuck, least not very much and it would pass on it's own anyway. When it happens to me, I go to the bathroom and sip some water...get it over with and return to the table as though nothing happened. As far as getting stuck being a major issue, it's common.....as we get the band adjusted, more restriction...the more restriction, the more we need to change how and what we eat... The more we learn to eat differently in terms of What we eat and how, well then that is the beginning of true weight loss IMO...a lifestyle change for the rest of our lives. Of course, we can always get Fluid taken out of our bands, then eat what we want and how much with no fear of getting stuck....go back to good old fashioned dieting as though we never had surgery...

It is definitely a learning curve, and many lessons learned the hard way. I have been stuck more times than I can count...so times 2-3 times a day. I had some very bad eating habits that the band was going to change!!! And that was mostly in the first 12-18 months. I do not get stuck anymore, I've finally learned and changed my ways. Now you've had an unpleasant experience...you have to ask yourself, am I too tight? Or am I eating bad and need to learn some lessons. Did I do something wrong. Also, after an experience like that, you can irritate the band, cause inflammation, and not be able to keep anything down. And trying to eat only prolongs it...like walking on an ankle after you sprained it. You need to give it a rest. I'm amazed at how many people will immediately say they're too tight, and go get Fluid taken out so they can eat whatever they want more easily.....kind of defeats the purpose IMO...... But this is where banded people begin to go separate ways, have their different philosophies, comfort levels....etc. Not going to say who's right or wrong...as long as it works for them and find success, then that's all that matters. There are many things I have learned not to eat....most the hard way....and it's interesting that the majority of them are not that good for me in the first place..high carbs, etc. such as breads, Pasta, rice, to name a few.....also red meat is on my list, along with anything breaded and deep fried. I eat when and what I want, but my food choices have changed (thanks to the band)...180 degrees.....and when I do eat, it is very healthy foods...and very little when I do. A lifestyle change, not a diet, brought about by the band.. Before WLS, there was nothing to stop me from overeating...except perhaps my own discipline, and I know how ineffective that was.... That's why I was fat....could not stop eating anything and everything as much as I wanted, whenever I wanted. But now, the band is there. And if I step out of bounds, it is quick to let me know...Or Else. It sets the rules, not me. It is in control. That's why I will not refer to it as a tool....as if I can turn it on or off... A pet peeve of mine is when people say "They failed the band" They are a failure.....WAIT a minute...it's a 2 way street...what about the band? Did it fail you? Is it doing anything? There is a reason we needed to have WLS after all, and for me it was not so I can go on another diet...but that';s my take.

Definitely going to the gym...the rewards are incredible.....and keep getting better!!! I'm 63 years old, and there is nothing better than getting on the treadmill and start running, and keep up with and not stop till those around me who are 1/2 my age or younger, quit with exhaustion! There was a time I could not carry groceries into the house with getting short of breath and exhausted.

At first I noticed my tolerance had changed, but then after a very short time, it returned to the way it was before... So I drink alcohol, and not just wine. Unless you are a calorie counter...(which I am not)...that would make a big difference to some. Both my wife and I like to have one glass of red wine a day.