B-52

If we could loose weight, why then would we need surgery??

For me, drinking IS the way I get it out and un stuck.... Also, I feel it is a valuable and necessary lesson....it WILL force you to break the old bad habits and adapt new ones, which will lead to a new successful lifestyle. I read here all the time where people feel something is wrong...(perhaps there is by trying to eat like a fat person eats) call their Dr.'s and get some Fluid removed....then they can what they want when they want, and go back to traditional diet planning....

I cannot comment on converting from band to sleeve...can't hurt...any WLS is better than none... If I read your posts correctly, the band got tight after cosmetic surgery...I can understand that. So, the Dr. did a complete un-fill....I can understand that also. But then you got pregnant....after which you never went back to get Fluid put back in your band?? If that's the case, then your band is doing nothing....it is to most people as though it's not there at all.... Whether it's Lap band surgery, or the sleeve, or whatever, it is apparent that WLS is needed for us to loose weight and keep it off... Good luck on your revision to the sleeve...I'd be curious how it all works out.

So sorry for your loss.... I'm 63 years old, had my heart attack when I was 58...but I was Obese and had fat oozing through my arteries...(cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.) I lost my Father to a MI...he was not fat, and was in his 50's...then lost my Brother, sister and finally my mother. So now I'm an orphan. I belong to a Face Book group made up of my High School class....seeing and listening to some of these people....it's very sad what shape many are in. I went through a surgical procedure to help "Fix" some of the issues with my heart....it was then my PCP recommended WLS...which I did....best decision I ever made, and I will NEVER look back!!! When I feel reluctant to go to the gym, or get on that treadmill, you can see all I have to do is think on these things to get motivated....very motivated. Again, sorry for you loss....

I answered the first choice....however, I was never baffled where I did everything right and nothing happened... Doing something right was changing things up a little....increase my workout activity, decrease my calorie intake, etc. So stalls never really lasted too long...took a week to realize I was in one, then another week to 10 days to get it going again. Stalls, IMO, is when your body catches up and adjusts to the new lifestyle you've adapted since having WLS...it's then you have to shake it up a little.... I'm at a point where everything is at a constant...my eating is pretty much the same day after day, as is my workouts. I have not gained, nor lost any weight in 3 years, and I am OK with that at this point.

Exactly! it's a big world and I wish I had the good manners to post in Italian as good as you do in English if the situation was reversed. Last thing we need is a bunch of people looking down their noses and instead of paying attention to what someone is saying, they are critiqued and graded on how well,or not, they say it. I'm not their teacher or mother. I'm here to offer my experience with WLS....so you can talk to me. I will listen. I saw 6 patients and their families yesterday....2 were Spanish and needed interpreters,,,,and one family was from India. The father from India is a big shot engineer that makes our education system look silly.! But if he posted here he would be slammed because he did not use commas in the right place and because of his English spelling.... I can say people from the south have bad grammar...does that mean I won't talk to them? How about Aussies? Are thy to be ignored also? Asians? Those that are dirt poor and have no education? Perhaps we can institute some sort of questionnaire before we let people join this group of the "Elite" There...that's my rant. My forum etiquette beef is all the self proclaimed experts trying to make themselves feel better than the next person....I get it...you're wonderful...you're perfect! I bow down to your ivory tower! Just share your weight loss successes and experiences ( if you have any) with others who come here to glean information.

I used to see at least 5 Dr.'s on regular basis, and a dermatologist was one of them for the reason you described... I also had severely cracked skin on the soles of my feet. Also, I was prone to infections such as cellulitis which led to staff, which put me in isolation in the hospital on at least 2 occasions.... All that on top of my diabetes and it was not very pretty.... And yes...all that is behind me since I lost weight. Have not seen a dermatologist in years, nor my endocrinologist because my diabetes has been reversed. I'm sure to take Vitamins, plenty of Water, and skin moisturizer twice a day..... Winters were the worst for my skin, and this year went without a problem. I still have those steroidal ointments in my medicine cabinet that I have not used in years....

I go to the gym every day, and the first things I noticed was first, how easy it became to put my socks on and tie my shoes, and second, I could wrap a normal size towel around my waist and have it stay there. There were may other things, but those popped up immediately.

I can let the grammar and spelling go, it's a big world out there and the doors here are wide open. So you're going to read posts from many people from many different backgrounds, etc. There is one thing that I have noticed, and I wanted to point it out but wasn't sure where. So I'll put it here... Is it me, or am I reading the same post over and over again, posted different places on different days, and perhaps by different people?? And they all have post counts of less than 8.... I just read a post 10 minutes ago, and I could swear I read that same post, a slight variation, last week.

Hiccups are one of my signs to stop eating....people around me say "drink some water...they'll go away" little do they know the reason behind them and if I did drink water, especially at that point, it would not be pretty.... As you get restriction, you will also have to become more and more aware of what you're eating in terms of what works with the band...not necessarily calories, but types of foods...for instance, peanut butter for me will not pass through the band very easily....but it s something I love to add to my morning smoothies...along with a banana and maybe some chocolate. I also have to be careful of cheese....those things, no matter how well you chew, they still go down as "Gobs" You learn new things as you go along.

Same here...I was taking oral meds plus daily injections....No Mas!!! There is a direct correlation between diabetes and body fat...in simple terms fat builds a barrier making it difficult for insulin to work at the cellular level....less fat, more effective insulin becomes Talking Type 2 here obviously...

Me too...I can parachute in and be the "Bully" to them....

I drifted away for about a year...now I completely ignore almost all posts from people who have had weight loss surgery less than a few months....I find they don't have a clue what I'm talking about, and just too early for them to understand...so I just got tired of saying "Hang in there"..."It gets better" all the time....

I was never told not to....but then again I rarely use a straw except maybe while driving...

I'm not 5 years, but over 4.... Restrictive??? Diet??? those are 2 words I do not use. How about "New Lifestyle"? I have had lap band surgery,,,yes it restricts the amount of food, portion sizes, I can eat.....does it bother me? No, because it also took care of my hunger, and my tastes have changed to where a lot of things...MANY things, do not appeal to me anymore. I have no desire, no cravings. Also, the Lap band has made certain foods difficult to eat, so i gave them up entirely rather than gamble....looking back, all the foods, or most, where not that good for me in the first place. And if I was on a diet they would be "Red Flag" foods like cakes, breads, rice, etc, etc. Over 4 years later, I take a day like any other day...perfectly normal, don't even think about the fact I had weight loss surgery....all those lessons I learned early on have now become not just a habit, but it is who I am and what I do instinctively Sure, every now and then I will drink Water too fast, or swallow something too large or too quickly...but it is nothing more than a little reminder....not the sky is falling!! You may read many posts from people who are struggling...but if you can read between the lines you can see why they are struggling..."Have not seen their Dr in over a year" for one example.....and the majority of them are from people who are new to this... Granted, there are legitimate unavoidable problems with this surgery, some dangerous....just as there is with anything in life. But I am at a "Normal" weight, in excellent health ( was not always so) and I have more self-esteem, motivation, and energy than I ever have.... Would I trade this off??? Not a chance!!!

The health club / gym I go to is selling a "Cleanse" kit.....I noticed it this morning. Although a little pricy... it still got me thinking... I may ask for more info when I'm there tomorrow.

Have no idea what may be your problem.....all I can say, for me and my experience, I have to be very selective with fruits and veggies, not all are band friendly for me.....so I cannot simply eat anything I want in that area.... Second, when my band gets irritated for whatever reason, possible from eating the wrong foods, or right after a fill, (I was told to wait 24-36 hrs before solid foods) to continue to try to eat only prolongs the problem, never giving it a chance to calm down and heal....and yes, if I don't stop it will get to the point where I can't keep anything down....not to mention the pain!.....so during that time it is nothing but the softest, gentlest foods I can find, including Soups...perhaps cold things like ice cram also... Like spraining your ankle, if you want it to heal you simply have to stay off it.... For me, one of the most important lessons is really getting to know my band, how to pick up and pay attention to the smallest signals. When he band says stop eating, I stop eating...or else...does not matter how much or how little I ate. When the band says slow down, I say slow down....and most importantly, when I take a swallow of a particular food, the band will let me know if that is a type of food I want to continue with...some foods i avoid for good...and that can include foods that are healthy...just need to find other foods that are healthy.... But again, cannot tell what you are doing or experiencing through the internet......

Ok, copied another one from my Bariatric centers website....again, a re-print from a memebr's contribution...(slightly edited) 10 Things not to say to someone who has lost weight!!! 1. How much more do you have to go? Um, I just lost 50 pounds, pal. I think I'm just about there. 2. Wow, you look so pretty/handsome now. Oh, so that explains why children broke out in expressions of terror at the sight of my former fatness, clinging to their mommy's skirt hems for dear life. It's as though a person who loses weight magically morphs from Frankenstein to Fabulous, and it's crucial that people point this out. Hey, whatever happened to all that "it's on the inside that counts" stuff? 3. So, what size are you? I know that these days, people are pretty comfortable telling strangers everything from what romantic bedroom positions float their boat to how they have a thing for collecting toenail clippings. But really, is anything sacred anymore? Not that our clothing size is on par with revealing salaries or some horrible childhood memory, but I'm sure all of our lives will go on just fine with people not knowing whether I'm a small, medium or large or whether I went from a D or C cup to B or an A. 4. I bet you have so many admirers now! Why yes, I say, as I toss the latest love letter from Brad Pitt and David Beckham into my stash of marriage proposals and naughty notes. (Some letters are more boring: "Jen, you look so pretty now. What size are you, anyway? XOXO, David B"). This one gets me because well, it's somewhat true. And like most humans, sometimes the truth hurts (some say it hurts, I say it often pisses me off). Because in reality, yes, people do treat me differently. No, not in that admirers-lined-up-at-the-door kind of way, but in daily interactions. Both men and women tend to be more receptive to ideas and interested in general conversation, doors are held open from longer-than-normal distances and restaurant checks with a missing side order will be dismissed with a smile. Inside, I'm the same person I always was, just tinier. And it's that latter part that seems to make people a tad friendlier. Some people I mention this to become angered, saying that such niceness was really around all along. They maintain that it was me -- grumpy, fat, miserable "the world is against plus-size me" me -- who refused to see it. Perhaps they are right. 5. Do you have stretch marks? Thanks for your, um, concern. 6. Are you dying? Seeing another's weight loss transformation can be shocking, especially if they lost a significant amount. But sometimes the questions people ask are very rude. "Are you dying?" "Are you sick?" "Do you have an eating disorder?" I mean, who asks such questions? Thinking them is one thing, but outright asking is another. Sigh. 7. I liked you fatter. Great, and I liked you quieter. I'm happier being able to tie my shoes without four rolls of belly bulge beating me to the punch, thank you very much. And what's that supposed to mean anyway? Are people losing out on "I think she'll eat another slice in an hour" bets with friends? Am I suddenly void of all things jovial (because, as we all know, rotund folks are always super-duper jolly)? 8. Oh, c'mon. You can have another dish of ice cream. I can. But I won't. That's what landed me in this whole situation in the first place. This is by far the most terrorizing thing for those who lost weight. When you've just shed any amount of weight, a dinner out with friends is on par with driving in New Jersey traffic during rush hour: scary. (I can say that; I lived there for over 20 years and survived Garden State Parkway commutes. Bonus: While downing jelly donuts.) Let us be! 9. What was it like? Sometimes this question is asked meekly, as if people sense that I might break out in cheesecake-withdrawal spasms or screams. Or both. Oh, weight loss is a feat to be proud of whether two or 402 pounds were dropped. Still, I'm not 1) a saver and protector of the world's bad eaters or 2) a sad soul who lost my way along with my weight. Yes, I've seen people make mean puffer fish "fat" faces in reference to my heft. Yes, I've become infuriated at the limited clothing styles that many plus-sizes carry. I've cried while consuming an entire box of crackers, I've laughed while eating a tub of family sized popcorn at the theater. I've rolled my eyes at suggestions to lower my weight. Blah. Blah. And now, I'm not in that world. I'm happy to not be there anymore, so sometimes, questions that force me to go back to a place and time I'd rather forget doesn't give me a case of warm and fuzzies. I'm a green smoothie-making, kale-eating woman now. I eat hemp seeds, enjoy muesli and drink almond milk. Enough of the candy bar memories. Next question? 10. You're so pulled together now. Akin to the "you're pretty now" comment, this one makes me feel like I must have looked as if I was roaming the Earth in a state of bleary eyed nothingness. But now, I've lost weight. So you see, I'm all toss-my-hat-in-the-air Mary Tyler Moore with my confident self. Funny how people view me because I've changed physically. I was always a hard worker, talking in perfectly-timed "close the loop," "make it happen," and "I'm on it" corporate speak. Hmmm. Perhaps saying it with a thinner body makes people think I mean it more. So there you have it. I'm thrilled to have kept 70 pounds off for several years, and I truly enjoy my healthier lifestyle. I'm not dying. I'm not a miracle story. And no, I'm still not revealing my new bra size.

I don't hate Fat people..... I used to be smoker...2 packs a day for 30 years...finally, with my heart attack, I decided to do something and turned my life around....and that included WLS Now, when I see a bunch of smokers huddled behind the building, I don't hate the person, but everything else I find repulsive and never want to go back there....that's my defense mechanism...it's dirty, disgusting, and I do not want any part of it...I Hate it! The same is true for other addictions I suppose, and I guess it's true for obesity, and all the bad habits that got me that way....eating like a fat pig, is something I was, and never want to go back to again... Like watching smokes huddled outside, I get the same experience watching people in a restaurant...unbelievable!

Any foods you swallow, will eventually get broken down and pass..... I can't see a wad of gum digesting very well. In my entire life, I have never end swallowed gum, but that does not mean it can't happen.

Interesting forum.....have to see where it goes before I find an opening to jump in

I grew up (and survived) the 60s and experienced EVERYTHING it had to offer, and I mean EVERYTHING!....in 1970 I went into the military and did 2 tours of Vietnam...when I got out i went to college and got my degree... I have been to just about everywhere in the USA, (and around the world)...lived in a few different areas including California, Oklahoma and others...I quess that's why people say I don't talk like I'm from NJ.... I quess what I'm saying, there is not much I have not seen, or experienced. have/had known many good friends and families from every different race, culture ethnicity, etc... I've been rich as many times as I have been poor...Spent nights in 5 star hotels, and on the floor of home made cabins in Colorado or the cliffs in Baha..... I am now in the medical field, and without to much detail I see new patients and their families 3-4 days a week...people say, and comment on how I can immediately make people feel at ease, and get their trust as though we grew up together...people are simply looking for someone to help them, not BS them.... Life has taught me a lot of things....most of all, LOVE! Life can be very miserable if you don't have some love and genuine interest for everyone and everything around you. And learn to laugh!!!! If people don't accept you, then F*** em if they can't take a joke!

You build upon your success...."If I did it yesterday, there's no reason I can't do it today" and it builds from there.... Eventually you're telling yourself...."I can do this....I've done it not only yesterday, but dozens of times in the past" Also, when I did this program, I did not do it to say I did...like a contest. I did it to actually train and be in shape to run 5 K's So, the program I used had 3 sessions per week...(although I did more than 3)...and if I did not finish a session to my satisfaction, I not only repeated that session, but I would go back and start over from the first session of the week... Again, I wanted to be sure I got it right. I moved on to the C to 10K after that....I now run 5 miles a day, 5 times a week....hey I did it before, I can do it again...and again, and again....

So tell me guys, or I should say Gals....am I allowed to eat pizza??? It's been at least a week since my surgery... You have to admit though, if it wasn't so sad, it can be very entertaining and funny.... But like someone else said...there are areas I avoid...and as much as I hate to say it, it is the posts where people who just had surgery lurk....if I said anything they would just not get it, or accuse me of being insensitive.

My Opinion??? You worked hard at getting in shape and staying fit...for what? To enjoy times just like this. So yes, enjoy your vacation.... I have gone through the same, and because I was in good shape, I enjoyed my self and all the activities more than I could have done before....I worked for it, I deserve it.... We are planning our vacation for next summer...and I have already booked an excursion to "climb", not hike, but climb a dormant volcano through a tropic rain forest till you hit the plateau.....all the literature and talk on the message boards say do not even consider it if you think in the slightest you're not up to it, and not in top shape. It is because I go to the gym, run 5 miles, and of course lost all this weight that I can go on vacations and do things like this...not worry where the nearest gym facility is..... So go enjoy yourself and the fitness you worked for....the gym will be there when you get back.