B-52

That was my thought as I was reading through this....if anyone should be concerned, it would be the Dr....HE would have been given plenty of notice, and time, that the Hospital was shutting down the program, giving him time to transfer his affiliation with a different hospital.....He has a career to continue, not to mention his business, his office, and his staff's salaries, etc.... It should have been a simple notice to you from your Dr.'s office of the change in venue....at worst, you would have to repeat the pre-admission testing at the new hospital.... The Surgeon I started this with decided to retire a few weeks before my surgery date, he sold his entire practice to new partners, and everything changed....but it was weeks prior, and just a formality.

It was because of my co-morbidities that quickly qualified me.....of course I needed clearances from all my Dr.'s including my Cardiologist.... I would catch my breath just carrying groceries into the house.

Had my visit with my PCP today.....first a little background. I see my PCP every 4 months...used to be every 3 months, preceded by complete lab workup 1 week prior to each visit, for the last 5-6 years!!! ...reason was, we were desperately trying to get all my medical issues under control...everything was completely out of whack...and each visit he would adjust or change all my medications trying to get thing in balance...when one thing was brought under control, another thing would go off the scale...all the while my Diabetes was getting worse and worse....while all this was going on, Cardiac issues were discovered and I had to undergo cardiac surgery... Seemed like there was no hope, and I could read the frustration in my Dr....knowing that other complications were to develop..... Fast Forward.....as a LAST RESORT...I had Lap Band surgery 3 yrears ago...I did not like the idea, but I wanted a "Cure All" to my many medical problems... Today...all my blood work is right down the middle NORMAL !!!....and that is without the help of any drugs...I am no longer taking any meds, other than Cardiac Meds which I will for life because of Heart Attack.... My weight has not changed in 2 years, and fluctuates within the same 5 lbs...today was the lower end of the 5 lbs making it that much more sweet! My weight is the same as it was in High School, over 40 years ago! My Dr. said when he saw my name on the chart, it drew an image of who I was...but when he walked in the exam room, he thought either I was the wrong person, or he was in the wrong room...took him a minute, and he said it "Blew his mind" after he put 2 and 2 together... THE ONLY Blip on the radar, was my Fasting Glucose was HIGH, and my A1C was at the top of normal...he laughed it off, said after the holidays with all the partying and alcohol, whose blood sugar isn't going to be high? He would think differently of me if it wasn't (a Joke) Now everyday I can pat myself on the back, after getting on the scale or putting on normal fitting clothes, etc... BUT THIS....This makes it official....I have been examined and tested medically, and have passed the test!!! I am Bonifide!! I have my annual Nuclear Stress test in March...I CAN'T WAIT!!! I had them talking around the office last year...This year I'm gonna show them what this 62 year old man can do....I have been running my butt off - LITERALLY...5 days a week......my PCP says considering the strides I have made, I should ask to be taken off the Cardiac Meds...I'm not your usual cardiac patient.... My visits to the Bariatric Center are pretty much the same....they ask me one question.."Any Complaints?" I say "No", they weigh me in, then it becomes a 1 hour social visit with the staff talking shop.....I go back in May, and I think as an inside Joke, I'm going to bring them a couple dozen do-nuts for the break room.... Days like today...it just cannot get any better than this...what can happen that would be better??? It is a confirmation that everything I have gone through, and everything I am currently doing has been "Spot On"..at least for me...I would not, and will not change a thing....this type of affirmation will carry me for quite a while.... I am also on firm footing not to let the Negative Naysayers get to me....no possible way am I going to get sucked down.... I will NEVER make excuses or back down from what this surgery has done for me...never rationalize it away, never make it more difficult then it actually is, only confusing and clouding the issues..... I'm happy right where I am at....and I have no intention of ever changing that no matter what others may say....they have their success stories, I have mine, and that's all there is to it....Happy happy, Happy....Everybody's Happy. i HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBTS.......I'M WALKING ON AIR.... PS; I realize that many, the majority, of people here are just starting out, so I know I have to be careful of what I may say so as not to mis lead anyone....all I can say is follow your Dr.'s advice, and learn to THINK about what is happening.....and ask WHY....

Welcome,,,there are a few men here, but mostly women... Bostonian living in western Oklahoma?? Interesting...I'm a New Jersyian who lived in Tulsa for about 15 years or so... You're going to get a lot of different responses to your questions...the Lap Band is adjustable, and everyone has their different comfort zones, and can choose how they want the band to work for them.... On one end of the spectrum, you can loose weight by dieting alone, with a lot of self determination...and the other end you can get the Band Adjusted to where it is doing ALL the work, and there is very little an individual needs to do except adapt to it and learn how to live with it day to day.... People who choose to live on the low end, and are good at dieting, have discipline, motivation, etc, well I'm not sure why they would need surgery in the first place if they are that good... I LOVE food, could not stop eating...had absolutely no self control....could eat an entire large pizza by myself and wash it down with 3-4 beers....hamburgers all the time....I would be driving down the street and pull into a McDonalds drive in for no good reason, and super-size myself....then go home and have dinner... It affected my health with diabetes, high BP, and just about everything else, including one Heart Attack resulting in Cardiac Surgery! I could not control myself, so I needed to have this surgery to do what I cannot do by myself....therefore I elect to have my band adjusted to the other end...I have NO HUNGER or Cravings, cannot possibly overeat no matter how hard I may try, and there are foods I will never eat again.....I have not had pizza or hamburgers in 3 years....there are many other foods I no longer eat also.... But it did not happen over night...it took a lot of hard work and frustration to get there....many times I was convinced I made a big mistake....I think the biggest obstacle was as the band was being adjusted with fills, I had to change my ways to adapt to the band...and it's hard letting your past go and accept the new....but I eventually did learn, and change....NOW I have lost all my excess weight, and I have no fear of ever gaining any of it back...ever! as long as the band continues to perform as it is... Between the 2 ends of the spectrum, I feel the majority of people choose to settle in somewhere in between...they rely on the band, but not too much....they also rely on their own dieting techniques, with some self determination and motivation...that's OK, if it works for them , then what else matters.... But these are also the people who say they "Fell off the wagon" or "Gained weight back", afraid of family get togethers and holidays, ....if their self discipline breaks down, they can give in to temptation, and eventually pick up all their old bad habits as if it was any other diet. ... If I should ever be "Weak" and tempted, it does not matter.....the band is a constant, day after day after day...regardless if I am motivated or not. If I should break down and attempt to eat something I should not, the band will let me know ASAP....so eventually I don't even bother....call it Behavior Modification if you like. Bottom line...it is not an overnight thing...people get the surgery and 3 weeks later are complaining it is not working for them......I continued to gain weight after surgery...it took a few months for me to get to that place where it all started to click, and had to learn many hard lessons along the way...3 years and I am still learning some things. BUT IT DOES WORK.....if you let it and not get in the way.....I am living proof of that! as well as many others on this Forum.

I would tend to follow your Dr.'s instructions above all people here telling you what you should and should not do....it can get confusing listening to "Too Many Voices" My Dr. had me back on regular food 4 weeks after surgery, with no restrictions. But that was MY Dr., no one else's.

I have little to no hunger not because it's a physical feeling....for me it is a mental thing.... The band tells my brain I am full, therefore there is no need to eat, and the desire to do so does not exist....yet it happens even if I have not eaten anything at all..... It is very hard to explain, but it is very real once I learned to understand it.... Then when I do eat, the band then gives me the physical feedback as to when to stop.....and I do not mind stopping, because I'm not that hungry and did not have the desire to do so in the first place..... To this day, I have NEVER felt full from eating....not sure what other people are feeling when they say so...

Check with your Doctor.....one week after surgery I was cleared for Cardio, etc....it was THEN he told me when I could start back with heavy lifting of any kind.... I would not listen to anyone here when it comes to your own ......your Dr. should be the one.

The most important point you make is that it is about YOU and YOUR Band.....I do not expect others to be like me, and others should not expect me to be like them..... The list you made, there are items that do not pertain to me and my experience, and if I was to make a list, there would be items that make no sense to you.... Does not make one right and the other wrong.... Also you list things that YOU Experience...NOT what others have told you, or read, or whatever....When people say this and that, I much rather hear how it affects THEM...what happens when THEY do or do not do something....not what they THINK will happen..... The best word of advice I ever received from my DR. was to learn to "Listen To Your Band" I had no idea what he meant at first...and now, EVERYTHING I do is from listening to my band...not a set of rules, or what others experience....

This is not a scientific answer, just an observation I have made....it seems when people have the Fluid taken out of their band, for whatever reason, they gain their weight back.....AND it would appear that after starting all over with fills again, it is never quite the same as it was the first time around.... I could be way wrong, it is just something I interpret after reading many posts....I'm sure others who have had all the fluid taken out, gained the weight back, then started over....will have some info to share...

I have often wondered what would happen if I had this band removed....has it been in control for this length of time that I am now trained to eat proper foods and small portions? Never overeat?....Did I learn a new lifestyle?? Then I remembered how little self discipline I had, no motivation, could not loose weight on my own even though my life DID depend upon it....I was a failure at every diet I ever been on, medically supervised or not.....I don't even like the word diet... Of course, the logical answer is, that even though I have gotten used to this so much I take it for granted, don't think or worry about it on most days.....it is still not me that is in control....it is the band that is ever there, operating in the background, controlling my hunger, cravings, portion sizes, and food choices 24 hrs a day....and if I step out of line, it will let me know it immediately! Take that away and I am left with...what. Just Me alone again?

I read similar articles that came out last week...primarily attacking the "HYPE" put out there by the Vitamin companies....and I agree, many if not most are false marketing, and being scrutinized by the FDA..... When I was a diabetic, I took a lot of Cinnamon...did absolutely nothing.... The big argument is that all the essential Vitamins we need can, and are obtained naturally through normal eating.....the thought to ponder though is that with WLS, What is normal eating??? Are we getting what we need naturally? So, IMO, I would not be looking for Cancer Cures or anti-depressants, but I am concerned about getting my "Normal" needs met, while maintain a very limited food intake.... It is good to see the vitamins and supplements I do take daily are at the top in the large balloons, the Omegas, Vitamin D, Green Tea, and others, All of which were recommended by my Dr.'s, and some, such as the fish oil I take (LOVAZA), is an Rx and not over the counter.... My morning smoothies are full of anti-oxidants, that I know for sure....

When the "Physical" part keeps saying NO...eventually the mental part just gives up asking....

Everyone gets head hunger, but then the band is also always there, and takes over.... I've bought do-nuts out of pure habit when getting my morning coffee...one bite and it's back to reality....spit out the bite and throw the whole thing away........3 years later, I now go into coffee shops, see the do-nuts and don't give them a second thought..no urge or cravings at all....same at parties, etc...do-nuts mean nothing... That does not mean I don't snack...I do...I'm eating a Hershey's chocolate bar right now I grabbed at the register this morning......although I don't think I'll finish it...save 1/2 for later.... Came back to edit....I just realized I have not eaten since 8am, and it's now 3:30pm....it happens, forgot to eat altogether...so I guess that hershey bar is actually my lunch! Not healthy I know, but it does happen when I'm busy with other things...

Very Well said..I can definitely relate...you are well on your way to a new lifestyle - totally in all ways. And yes, it does take a year or more...I'm still learning some things....but I'll never look back! I've burned those bridges.

It is a sad fact, but unfortunately true...obese people are discriminated against, and looked upon less than a normal weight person..... Being thin has opened more doors to me than before...I am easily and graciously accepted ... And, as much as I hate to say it,...many people do not know me when I was Obese....and now that I am on the "Other Side" I am privy to hearing other people's discussions.... And a lot of it surrounds the theory that if you are Obese, then you are high risk for serious medical problems, equaling high insurance rates, loss of work time, etc, etc... I know it is not nice to hear....

I do not count calories, measure portions, etc....since my eating is very limited, I just make sure I make the best decisions I can... I DO however keep a close eye on my Protein intake...as well as Water...I have seen severe symptoms of low protein in a persons diet to scare anyone into being extra cautious...especially when on such a limited food intake regime with WLS.... But it is not that hard to do...I start everyday with a home made high protein smoothie...about 35gm of protein right there to start the day..the rest is just making good choices...chicken fish, etc..(I no longer eat meat) Also, one of the most liberating things for me was to stop using different tracking apps that measured everything...once I stopped that, the weight really began to come off.....

As much as I hate to say this....you will find negative people who have had WLS.....same reasons. jealousy? Spite? Just be aware, they are out there and some on this forum...don't let it get you down, stay with the positive stories.....

I gained weight also...even after I started too get fills....but it all worked out in the end once the band was fully adjusted and my weight loss journey truly began....then the weight consistently started to come off on a weekly basis until my body determined it was finished.

I would not know how to begin to answer that question, other than to say YES! What is there NOT to be happy about? 1)..I'm Alive!!! Where as I should be dead right now...no exaggeration...this surgery WAS a last resort! 2) My health has been restored almost 100%...no meds, no diabetes, no high cholesterol, BP, Triglycerides, etc, etc...ALL NORMAL! 3) I go to the gym almost everyday, run 5 miles and do weights, etc...where before I would get out of breath carrying groceries into the house. 4) My Social Life has changed 180 degrees...I have never been so self confident, a positive self image, more out going....and yes, people are more friendly and acceptable to thin, fit people than they are to the Obese...sadly it's true, and discussed here many times.... now I am pulled into their social bubble....strangers act as though they have always known me... 4) Because I am more outgoing and confident, and people trend to be more friendly with me...my career has been dramatically improved, which means I have become more successful and therefore more $$$ 5) I am at a normal weight, body fat, and as long as the band remains a constant, I have no fear of ever gaining weight again!!! I have no fear of overeating!!! I have no fear, and very little interest in food or eating - No Hunger (Green Zone) DIET is a four letter word not to be spoken..... I can go on and on...but it has truly CHANGED MY LIFE.....and I am not ashamed to admit it, or make excuses to play it down.... What is there NOT to be Happy About?.......only thing I can think of is all the clothes I had to give away...I changed my entire wardrobe at least twice.... Also, I am 62 years old...if only I did this 25 years ago instead of all those silly diet schemes..... Seems that person in the article is happy because she does not worry about constantly dieting anymore to achieve something...it was hard work for her to loose weight, making the experience unpleasant? Thank heaven this WLS does not have to be that kind of struggle....but a happy new way of life...only struggle was LEARNING..... People may have a problem with my success...but that is their problem, not mine....

# of fills is not the question...I have a friend who has had about 10 fills,,,,bet her Dr. only gives 1/2 cc every month....so after all this time she only has 5 cc's total.... MY Dr, had no reservations about what his goal was once after the surgery and all healing has taken place...and tat was to get me into the Green Zone so the band would start to do what it was designed to do..... One month after surgery, he gave me my first fill of 4 cc's....a month after that was my 2nd of 2 cc's, and one month after that was my third, and final fill, of 1 cc....total of 7 cc's in 4 months after surgery...put me in the Green Zone, although it took me another 2 months at least to adjust myself and get everything in "Sync' for it to become all leveled out and easy..... That was over 2-1/2 years ago...have not had a fill since....and have not had any difficulties with stuck episodes, sliming etc, for about 2 years now...once I got it all figured out and learned how to live within that Green Zone.... But those first few months were hard and frustrating as hell, sometimes getting stuck 2-3 times a day...but I knew it was me, and not the band...it was me who had to change if I wanted this to work....and it was Hard!! Since then it has been the EASIEST thing I could have do to loose all my weight and return to a normal weight and healthy lifestyle....no more struggles.... I do not regret this decision at all....although in the beginning I was not so sure....

Thing about sliders......after a while, due to eating so little for so long, our regular stomachs shrink, abbs and tummies get flatter and harder, etc..... So we..or at least for Me, I cannot hold that much volume in my stomach anymore...that is a REAL feeling of getting full, very fast.... I have to pace myself even with Water....if I am very thirsty, say at the gym and I need to Hydrate...there is no way I can drink an entire bottle of water as fast as I used to...I would get a good old fashioned "Belly Ache" So if something is a slider that passes right through the band easily...my stomach will also prohibit me from over eating just as the band does with solid foods....

For me it was the opposite...early on the rules made very little sense to me, and I would question some of them to my Dr. and staff.....they would smile and just say "Just wait...you BETTER learn them now, or you'll be sorry" They were right...after my final fill, putting me in the Green Zone, there is no way I can eat, or co-exisit with the band at all unless I follow the rules....those rules became a necessity, and fortunately, I have gotten use to them and they are now a natural part of my new lifestyle..... Even today, if I find myself in trouble, like last week when I took a bite and swallowed fresh bread at a restaurant, without thinking, I can link it directly to one of those rules.... So, if I do stray, I get in trouble....forcing me to stay within the parameters, which eventually become new habits.

I gave up soda years before being banded...for all kinds of reasons I'll not get into here now, other than to say there is not much there that is good for you.... There is a local place that bottles their own...all natural...I love the Black Cherry and get a 4 pack every weekend.... I'm not afraid of beer either....but when I do, I NEVER eat food hours before, during or after....if I have a beer or 2 at a ball game, party or back yard barbecue......I'm not eating anything! One of those lessons I learned the hard way......

It IS however nice to know that the band is there....keeping us in check from doing those stupid things....it is a learning curve, and eventually, with the band disciplining me every time I step out of line...eventually I learn...call it Behavior Modification if you like (which I desperately needed).....any event we are FORCED to learn new habits or the band will give me a slap in the face.... That is why I do not refer to the band as a tool...for me, the band is in charge, and if anything, I am the tool being used and manipulated...which is just fine with me...otherwise I would never have changed on my own....... But no matter how well we think we learned our lessons the hard way, we still do those stupid things without thinking sometimes....a few nights ago I took a bite of that brown bread at the Outback....thought my whole night was going to be ruined....before they served us our food.....fortunately it did go down as I was walking to the bathroom........and I was reminded once again who was in charge, and why I have had the success that I have....

I weigh myself every morning after getting out of bed...and usually at the gym so twice a day..... The fluctuations are to be expected...I have been up and down, always within the same 5 lbs, for over 2 years now.... I can up 3 today, down 1 tomorrow, then another 3 the next day, then jump 4 after that...etc, etc, etc.... All perfectly normal.....I'm not even sure why I do it because it is always the same...pure habit I guess.... Bottom line is that I have not actually gained, or lost any more weight in 2 years...things have leveled off where my body wants to be.... I pay more attention to a Body Fat Analysis....