Sharilo

I wish mine only took an hour. It took me THREE hours! Before I went in for it they told me the average was 3 - 5 hours. The same questions were asked over and over again just in different variations. THEN, when I went back for the results it took another hour to tell me I've got an unhealthy relationship with food. LOL, ya think?? Why else would I weigh 260 pounds? 'Cause I have a very loving relationship with french fries!

Well, for starters you seem to reconize and validate many things about lapband surgery and how the band works. You also acknowledge that the band is just a tool only. You are not nieve and certaintly not oblivous. Now, with all that you mentioned above you are right to say that the band is just a tool, a tool that can work for you, but you have to help it.
Honestly, I don't have a magic answer for you, wish I did. However, I think you know what you need to do in order to get your weight loss journey back on track. Are you trying hard enough? No more excuses, and just because your friend has the sleeve does not make her any less vulnerable than you, she too will have to fight with all her might to keep that weight off from coming back. Lucky you have a 'tool' to help you from doing just that, she is not that lucky. Any weight loss, no matter what you will have to find strength and willpower to succeed.
Starting over--- Yes you can do this! Why? Because you care about yourself and your health (that is the reason you had this done in the first place). Never give up on yourself,
Now, I am going to give you a virtual hug (((((hugs)))))) because I know how hard this is and I really do feel your pain and frustration. I have been there a million times.
Hope you hang around you would be surprised how much 'venting' can lead to actual motivation and results
Take care,

Hello, hello! I'm checking in also. If you read my previous post you know I've been dealing with a broken/dislocated ankle. I had surgery to repair the damage but I'm still looking at a very long recovery period. I've had to basically start over with my fills as I had to have everything taken out for the surgery. I got refilled a bit a couple of weeks ago but know already that I need more. I think I've been maintaining my weight loss but can't tell because of the huge heavy cast I'm wearing. My clothes are fitting the same so I feel ok about my weight at this point. Sure hope everyone else is doing good as well!

I don't understand, if you are too tight then why are you getting more fills?

Sharilo - So sorry to hear of your accident. You look awesome, so keep up the good work, and don't give up! I had a severe sprain in my ankle when I was in Jr. High, and I still have problems with that ankle today. It doesn't hold me back, but every now and again it decides to punish me.
Speaking from experience, your attitude about your success is everything. About a decade ago I started one of my many attempts to lose weight, and had a significant amount of success. Then, I woke up late for work one morning, and sprung out of bed. I ran to the stairs, where my ankle gave out and I fell down the entire filight of stairs. I wound up in the ER, and was put crutches for several weeks while it healed. Instead of keeping my focus on my goal, I felt sorry for myself, and used the injury to jusitify the bad choices that I made. All the weight came back and more, and I've got no one but myself to blame. What I've learned is that I have to own my choices, and I can't let excuses derail me. You've come this far - you can do it. If you need some support, we're here to help! Even if you're not able to loose weight - maintaining your weight will be a victory.
As for exercise, no doubt you'll be unable to do that for a bit. Check with your dr. - you may be able to do some Water aerobics after the first couple of weeks - even in a cast. I had foot surgery a few years ago, and was in a cast. They did let me do water aerobics with a cast protector. It was basically a big bag made out of really heavy rubbery plastic, with a band placed just below the knee to keep the water out. I'd tell them about your drs. about your concerns, and they may have better suggestions than I do. They may even be able to give you a prescription for a health plex type work out center, where they've got specialized equipment for your upper body.
Good luck, and keep us posted! I'll send positive thoughts and prayers your way.

I took the opposite approach. I really thought it over. I know the discouragement I felt when I would see someone who lost a lot of weight and the response when asked about it was "oh I just eat less and excerise!". I would feel sad wondering why I just couldn't do that. Well I didn't want to inflict that feeling in others who struggle. So when I am asked I tell them I have a band! It usually leads to questions and an opportunity to explain what it is and then people see it isn't the easy way out. And most over weight people have considered it themselves. So most of my friends and family know. I am 60 pounds down with mainly just a change in eating habits. I start with a personal trainer tomorrow to start working on toning.

A little personal experience when it comes to "research"...
I have dealt with years of conflicting research way before I considered Lap-Band. I have Multiple Sclerosis, and just like we're seeing here, conflicting "facts" seem to run amok no matter what the topic is at hand. I also notice that in this day and age where anyone can post an article and deem it factual without any repercussions or accountability, all it takes is a little Google-foo skills and you can back just about any opinion you want with supposed "facts".
Two things I have learned over the years- don't believe everything you read and don't believe everything presented as facts necessarily is.
Furthermore, just because someone claims to have done a clinical trial or comparative study doesn't mean it's reliable. Did they have control groups? Did they have 3 participants or 300? Was this overseen by medical professionals who specialize in the field in question, and if so, who were the experts? This all needs to be taken into consideration.
As for this article, I'm still waiting for this information to be provided to validate it, knowing even then it doesn't necessarily mean it has accurate results. Now, if someone could duplicate their findings with proven scientific methods? Repeatedly? Then, and only then, I'd take notice.

Well personally for me starvation mode exsist and has been proven in my journey..i dont have a fill.. but when i was eating 600-800 calories a day and worked out for 2 hours a day i might lose 2 pounds a week but normally more like one. So when i listened to every dieticion and trainer around me and finally upped my calorie intake to 1200, and continued to work out 2 hours a day (with weights and cardio) I started loosing anywhere from 4-6 pounds ever week and have been consistent in that since i upped my calories. So for me eating literally nothing and burning wayy more than i ate made me lose less. Eating 1200 calories a day and working out 5 days a week has made me lose more. Someone earlier asked how starvation mode exsisted since people are bulemic and anorexic. Well its like this.. anyone can starve themsleves and yes eventually lose weight.. but in the process you are not only burning fat..but you are burning muscle! your heart is a muscle...why do you think anorexic people pass out and look pale and like they are starving? Well its because they are..and in the long run it is terrible on your body and it can actually kill you. Being anorexic and starving yourself will kill you faster then being overweight. Also someone stated that dropping your calorie in take way low can get your body use to eating less, therefore if you ever eat more it will make you gain.. This is true. Thats one reason its not recommended to drop your calories below 1200 a day. In three in a half months i have lost 55 pounds (without a fill) at a daily caloric intake of 1200 calories with exercise. So yes for me upping my calories to the recommended amount worked wonders

I wasn't aware of the fact this was a competition, I was simply sharing research knowledge with others. I'd have shared it if had failed as well, it just so happens the researched proved true in my own life.

I know exactly how you feel, and I think that a lot of people have bariatric surgery (of any kind) hoping or believing that it'll work like magic without any effort on their part. Sometimes that's because of poor pre-op education...not that their doctor lied to them, per se, but the bariatric team didn't give them the whole story.
But to be fair, I think that LBT members who are struggling, disappointed and suffering complications have as much right to post about their journeys as anyone else. If it seems that there are more negative posts than positive ones, it's probably because people tend to post more often when they're having problems than when they're doing fine. When I'm not in the mood to read the negative stuff, I do my best to ignore it.

Call your doctor, but i've just started gettting heartburn too, no nausea though. Banded 6 months. I've put in an email to my doc and waiting to hear back, but she said in the mean time, to take omeprazole OTC, you can get it at Walmart or walgreens. She also told me (which I haven't been following like I should) no drinking while eating, wait 30 mins before and after you eat to drink. Eat slowly, take small bites, and chew slowly. I think my problem is i'm healed now, and everything goes down easy again...I do have restriction, but i'm not being as careful as I was about what I put in my mouth and when. Maybe at 6 months we get used to it and think we can eat whatever we want again? Anyway, that's what my nutritionist said, I will follow up when I hear from the doctor.

I think i need tomstart the challenges. My wt loss has really slowed... But it is still there. Banded 9-22 and down 54 pounds. I moved to Denver and boy they werent lying about altitude affecting the band. Can totally tell a difference. (it is tighter). To bad I fly for a living now. Anyways sounds like everyone is doing good and still nice to know I am "on track". Anyone else already seeing change that makes you want to start saving for plastic surgery?? I am there! Oh and other yea moment...last pair of "skinny jeans" in my closet now fit! Day before surgery they wouldnt go past my big ol thighs! Yea!

What you see as preachy, I see as making sure she understands the whole picture. I am all for people doing what they want to do to make sure that they nip a problem in the bud. But I would hate that she goes into this thinking it's a quick win when it's not, that she thinks that it's something that will not require any change on her part.
If she decides, knowing everything she can about the band, to go ahead, then she makes an informed decision. I would never tell anyone, low BMI or high BMI, what to do with their money, but I also won't pretend that the band is what it's not.

She has a right to know the stats on the success of the lapband - on average 60% of excess weight, and excess weight is the difference between what she is now and what she would be at a BMI of 25, and in her case, that's 8kg. That's not being passive aggressive, that's the truth.
She has a right to know that she will have scars on her tummy after the operation.
She has a right to know that not many banders get to a BMI of 19.
She has a right to know that she NEEDS good aftercare after her operation or she will fail. Not many people who have just started researching the band appreciate how much aftercare is as important as the operation itself.

Why say that someone telling her these things is being resentful? I am a low BMI bander. Most of the people who have commented are low BMI banders. If I'd posted a thread like this 4 years ago before I got my band, I would hope someone would give me the same information as has been given in this thread.
I am not discouraging anyone from having the band, I just want them to know what they're getting into so that they can decide for themselves if it's worth it.

I chose not to tell anybody, other than those very close to me, about my surgery.
However, I am one of those that cannot, and will not lie to people. It just bothers the heck out of me and I cannot do it. And I would not want people lieing to me either.
I took a week off work, vacation time to "take care of some personal things"
People ask me everyday how did I loose so much weight. I still don't lie, I just don't tell them everything.
I tell them things like "Dr.'s Orders" or "I just don't eat as much as I used to" and "Lots of Protein, including Protein Shakes everyday"

I never had any problem losing weight. Heck, that's the easy part! Keeping it off was the problem. Without the lap band I have no doubt in my mind that I would never be where I am today. I would have gone back to eating junk, not exercising, and being miserable. The lap band is the key to my success, period. My one year anniversary is tomorrow and I've lost 79 pounds in that time. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

I agree with the other posters here it does sound like u need another fill but u do need to go back to the doctor and discuss this, sometimes self diagnosing whether we need a fill or not isnt the answer if u are having trouble losing weight .. I still get some food stuck even after all the time i have been banded and its me not the band .. i am either eating too fast, havent chewed enough or havent cut the food small enough.. The doctor is the expert so tap into his knowledge and go make that appointment

After dancing around it for weeks, I am glad to say that I, Elizabeth, have lost...
100 POUNDS!
I am so happy! I can't believe it!!! Last night I fit into jeans from my sophomore year of high school and AH. It's so exciting. I'm on Cloud 9 right now!

To add friends, go to the dasboard page, and find the My friends section. You can "find friends" via Facebook or via email. I don't know how to add a friend based on their web page.
I would love to have this group as Fitbit friends, so anyone that would like to add me, my email address is pugsx300@gmail.com. I have a facebook account, but I don't use it except in cases of emergency, and I'm not sure what my username is. I'd guess it's either pugsx3 or pugsx300, so it's safer to go by the email address!

Sharilo, thank you so much. After reading your reply, I recalled that you answered this previously on here but didn't realize it until now. My mind is go crazy between the two accounts and also setting them up on my Droid. With perseverance, and support from you and others on here I will get it! Besides, it keeps my mind off of food. LOL

You are a sweetheart for just asking the question.

Do not bake muffins when she comes home. My husband did a week or 2 after my surgery and I could have quite happily killed him.

My husband has been amazing since I've been banded. When I was in the post-op liquid diet stage, he was very considerate about eating/cooking. He ate a lot of sandwiches so I wouldn't have to smell his wonderful food. As soon I was able to start walking, he joined me.
As I started losing weight, he started following my doctor's recommended high protein/lower carb recommendations. He eats the same things I do, but in larger portions. He has lost weight and his diabetes is better controlled.
Good luck to both of you!

At least we're consistent!!! LOL!!! It would be really bad if we said two different things!

Sign in to myfitnesspal and then click on the tools tab. Near the top on the right it shows a couple of fitbit ultras and says learn more about fitbit ultra in blue letters. Click on that and it takes you to an area where you can link both together. Keep in mind when logging on fitnesspal it only shows a meal summary on the fitbit site. It does transfer the calories, Proteins, carbs etc, but it doesn't list each individual food eaten.

Seriously...one of the funniest things I've read online today. No wait. It IS the funniest thing I read online today.