Alex Brecher

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

Please PM me if you'd like to lead or co-lead this support group!

I can personally attest to the above....I'm almost 11 years out with my LAP-BAND and at my lowest weight ever!

Studies Demonstrate Long-Term Weight Loss Outcomes for LAP-BAND® System Studies Add to Data Supporting Use of Safe and Least Invasive Weight Loss Surgical Procedure AUSTIN (April 4, 2014) —Two recent studies show the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedure to be a safe and effective long-term obesity treatment. While most published studies on bariatric surgery show only short-term follow-up data of less than three years, two studies published in the Annals of Surgery provide long-term data. Both studies also addressed historical concerns with a high rate of reoperation after LAGB, showing that revision is safe and effective and does not impact long-term weight loss. “Long-term effectiveness data for the LAP-BAND is important because it is the only surgical option available to the millions of people in the United States who are in the 30 to 34 range of the Body Mass Index (BMI*) scale,” said George A. Fielding, M.D., associate professor of surgery, New York University School of Medicine. “The more data healthcare professionals have about the long-term performance of available treatment options for obesity the better.” LAGB is the least invasive surgical option among bariatric weight loss procedures. LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System, the number one brand in the category, remains the only bariatric weight reduction surgical procedure approved by the U.S. food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people with a BMI of at least 30 with one or more obesity-related comorbid conditions. It also is indicated for people with a BMI of 40 and above with no comorbid conditions. LAP-BAND System® is approved for use only in adult patients who have failed more conservative weight reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise and behavior modification programs. The most recently published study, a retrospective study published in Annals of Surgery, January 2014, shows that for certain complications, such as slip, prolapse or hiatal hernia, simply repositioning the band can have positive long-term efficacy outcomes. The study included approximately 400 patients who underwent LAGB between 2001 and 2009 and who had a subsequent reoperation for pouch-related problems three years after primary banding. At 24 months, patients whose band was repositioned still showed 49 percent excess weight loss. The study goes on to say that weight loss after reoperation was sustained and was comparable with weight loss with those without reoperation at a similar time point (four and five years after the initial procedure). “Patients would be well advised to seek out centers that specialize in gastric banding if they wish to retain their bands,” Dr. Fielding said. The other study, published in Annals of Surgery in January 2013, included long-term weight loss data following LAGB with 15-year follow-up. This prospective study followed more than 3,000 patients treated by LAGB placement at a single institution between 1994 and 2011. Of those who completed follow-up, patients lost half their excess weight within two years after the procedure and maintained the majority of the weight loss 15 years post procedure. About Obesity Approximately 80 million (one in three) adults in the United States are obese (BMI >30). Obesity causes an estimated 300,000 premature deaths in the United States each year, mostly from obesity-related medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, stroke and cancer. Studies show that weight loss following gastric banding improved or resolved several serious obesity-related health conditions, including hypertension, asthma, diabetes, sleep apnea and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) Many people living with these diseases who have lower BMI do not realize weight loss surgery may be an option. About LAP-BAND System® In an LAGB procedure, a band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. As the band inflates, it shrinks the size of the stomach. This helps individuals reduce the amount of food intake and slows emptying into the lower stomach. This helps individuals feel full sooner, stay full longer and reduce hunger urge. The LAP-BAND System was acquired in late 2013 by Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. of Austin, Texas, from Allergan, Inc. Warnings: The LAP-BAND System is a long-term implant. Explant and replacement surgery may be required. Patients who become pregnant or severely ill or who require more extensive nutrition may require deflation of their bands. Adverse Events: Placement of the LAP-BAND System is major surgery and, as with any surgery, death can occur. Possible complications include the risks associated with the medications and methods used during surgery, the risks associated with any surgical procedures, and the patient’s ability to tolerate a foreign object implanted in the body. Band slippage, erosion and deflation, reflux, obstruction of the stomach, dilation of the esophagus, infection, or nausea and vomiting may occur. Reoperation may be required. Rapid weight loss may result in complications that may require additional surgery. Deflation of the band may require additional surgery. Deflation of the band may alleviate excessively rapid weight loss or esophageal dilation. *BMI is weight-to-height ratio, calculated by dividing one’s weight in kilograms by the square of one’s height in meters and used as an indicator of healthy weight. ### Beitner, M., et al., Sustained Weight Loss after Gastric Banding Revision for Pouch-Related Problems. Annuals of Surgery. 2014. [ii] O’Brien, P., Long-Term Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery, Fifteen-Year Follow-Op of Adjustable Gastric Banding and a Systematic Review of the Bariatric Surgical Literature. Annals of Surgery. Vol 257. Number 1. January 2013. [iii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults: United States, 2011-2012. Accessed on March 17, 2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db131.pdf. [iv] Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Health Effects of Obesity. Accessed on March 17, 2014 from http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/bariatricsurgery/obesity/effects.html. [v] Dixon John, Chapman Leon, O’Brien Paul. Marked Improvement in Asthma after LAP-BAND® Surgery for Morbid Obesity. Obesity Surgery. 1999. [vi] Dixon John, O’Brien Paul. Health Outcomes of Severely Obese Type 2 Diabetic Subjects 1 Year After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding. Diabetes Care. Vol 25. Number 2. February 2002. [vii] Dixon John, Schachter Linda, O’Brien Paul. Sleep Disturbance and Obesity: Changes Following Surgically Induced Weight Loss. Arch Intern Med. Vol 161. January 8, 2001. [viii] Dixon John, O’Brien Paul. Gastroesophageal Reflux in Obesity: The Effect of LAP-BAND® Placement. Obesity Surgery. 1999.

Just checked out your site. Great recipes...love what you've created. Thanks for sharing!!

When the snow melts and the sun comes out after a long winter, spring cleaning is a natural ritual for most of us. Almost all of us feel more energized when the air is fresh, new leaves appear, and birds are chirping. Spring cleaning your house lets you get rid of the dustiness of winter and give you the feeling of a new start. Did you realize that whether you are before or after weight loss surgery, your health and weight can benefit from cleaning your house? And what if you could apply your spring-time energy to cleaning up other aspects of your life, and in doing so, improve your weight loss? You can! Keep reading to find out how you can live a cleaner lifestyle and give yourself a boost in the meantime. A bit of tidying up can help keep your weight loss on track, or help you break a plateau if you’ve been stuck for a while. Spring Clean Your House A large part of having cleaner home is about peace of mind and lower stress levels. Having less stress helps reduce hunger and lets you make better diet decisions. Beyond this, a clean home lets you be more efficient because you know where things are and you do not have to wade through piles of useless things. Housecleaning also burns calories, so it’s a good thing for weight loss! Sweeping, raking, washing windows and floors, and scrubbing counters all get you moving and promote weight loss. As you clean, don’t forget to clean your closets. It is an excellent time to get rid of the oversized clothes that you plan to never be able to wear again. Seeing your progress can be extremely motivating, and removing these clothes makes room for new, smaller sizes that you will need to buy as you continue to lose weight. Spring Clean Your Diet You lose weight fastest when your diet is spic and span, and part of your spring cleaning should focus on your diet. Look carefully at whether your diet is as clean as it needs to be to stay healthy and lose weight. Are you measuring each bite? Are you choosing protein and vegetables first, and avoiding sugary foods that will make you sick? It’s far easier to follow your weight loss surgery diet plan when your kitchen is set up well. Get rid of any tempting junk foods that have snuck into your pantry and refrigerator, and stock up on healthy foods, such as tuna, vegetables, turkey, chicken breast, fruit and eggs. Dig out your food scale and measuring spoons from under the clutter, and use them consistently. Spring Clean Your Commute A nice side benefit of cleaning up your lifestyle is being able to help the environment. You can reduce air pollution and noise pollution by walking or biking whenever you can. If you are lucky enough to live near to your workplace, you may be able to walk or bike to work. If that’s not practical for you, you can still walk more and drive less. Take a healthy lunch to work instead of driving to pick something up from a restaurant at lunch time. On weekends, challenge yourself to drive less. Park further away from destinations, and walk the final few blocks instead of driving. Driving is so ingrained in us that sometimes we don’t even realize that we could walk. Try to get in the habit of asking yourself whether you can walk from your home. If not, consider whether you can park in a central location and do several nearby errands on foot. You might be able to park in a supermarket parking lot to do your food shopping, and walk to the library, post office, or other stores without moving the car. Each half-mile that you walk burns about 50 calories. Of course, if you do take the car to drop off and pick up your children, turn the engine off to reduce air pollution. Then get out of the car and give yourself a workout by walking until your children are ready to come home. Spring Clean Your Schedule Lack of time is a common excuse for all sorts of unhealthy behaviors. You might opt for fast food because you have no time to purchase and prepare healthy foods. You might not get enough protein during the day because you are too busy preparing your children’s lunch to focus on yourself in the morning. Maybe you regularly skip workouts because you do not have time to exercise. You may overeat because you do not have time to measure portions. And, whether or not you realize it, you may be cranky because you are too busy. That stops now. Take a hard look at your daily and weekly schedule, and clean it up if necessary. There may be several ways to tidy up your schedule so that you can fit in the healthy behaviors that will help you lose weight. Search your daily schedule for wasted minutes. They add up! How much time do you spend texting your family and friends and updating your social media profiles online? We’re not suggesting that you stop these activities, but being aware of them can help you weed out the non-essential parts. Skip the television occasionally. Instead of watching a 30-minute television program, go for a walk. Or, instead of walking it from the couch, hit the treadmill or do some calisthenics while you watch. Multi-task to save time. For example, you don’t have to sit down to talk to your children about their days. Talk to them while you’re in the kitchen making dinner together or you’re taking a walk. Get better sleep. Sleep in a dark, quiet, cool room to get better sleep and wake up more refreshed after less time. Spring is a time of new chances, and this spring, you can clean up your entire lifestyle to feel better and lose more weight. All it takes is a close examination of some of the different areas of your life, and you will feel better about your weight loss surgery journey.

I like Joe's method much more than the Prancercise lady:

We received a response to our poll from one of our Twitter followers: @@BariatricPal makes me nervous. I almost always have a "stuck" episode. I don't know why. Seems like anxiety tightens my band.#weirdhuh ? Do you have Twitter ? Can we get some members to respond to her please ?

Your entire way of eating needs to change after weight loss surgery. Your diet is high-protein, low-calorie, and carefully measured. There may be a lot of foods that you can no longer eat, such as bread, pizza, and French fries. Following your weight loss surgery diet can be hard enough at home, and eating out can be even tougher. How do you feel about eating out after weight loss surgery? If you haven’t had surgery yet, how do you approach restaurants? I won’t go near a restaurant under any circumstances because I can’t or won’t stick to my diet. It depends on the restaurant. I check the menu to see if there is some sort of lean protein that I can order. I don’t like to go, but I will if everyone else goes. I just do my best to pick out the parts I can eat and to eat only a few bites. I will go, but I bring my own food while everyone else orders from the menu. I go and try not to worry about it. As long as I don’t get sick afterward, it can’t be that bad for me. Other (tell us below!). Mark your answer and explain it below in the conversation. You can also tell us if your attitude towards restaurants has changed since getting weight loss surgery!

It's based on your post count. See attached pic for details.

Great article, Irene! Thanks for posting.