Alex Brecher

Which iPad are you using ? We're in midst of redeveloping the entire app from the ground up. We're aiming to release this new app at the end of January, give or take a few weeks.

I'm pretty ticked off about this latest bug as well. We're working on getting it fixed. The only way it works correctly is if the iPad is in portrait mode when the app is first run. Work around: 1. Press home button 2. Double tap home and press and hold on VST app until it wiggles and then tap X (I.e. kill app) 3. Hold iPad in portrait mode (short end of iPad on top and bottom) 4. Run VST app again.

Only one-third of the population of the United States is at a normal weight. The other two-thirds are overweight or obese – or morbidly obese. Most Americans are very interested in finding a solution for obesity. If you’re like most of the population, you’ve probably tried a bunch of methods for losing weight. If you’re still searching, then you probably didn’t find one that worked for the long term. Sure, maybe they worked for a short time, or helped you lose a little bit of weight, but eventually you regained the weight. With so many advances in science and so much interest in an obesity treatment, you’d think there’d be a magic cure for obesity by now. But, there isn’t. These are your current options for losing weight. Each of them relies on eating fewer calories than you expend. Dieting: eating less or choosing lower-calorie foods so that your total intake is lower. Exercising more: burning more calories through physical activity. Dieting and Exercising: naturally, doing both would lead to faster weight loss. Weight Loss Drugs: these can increase your metabolism or decrease your appetite. Weight Loss Surgery: make your includes diet and exercise Weight cycling, or yo-yo dieting, is no fun – but that’s what so many of us are doing! In fact, more than 90 percent of people who rely on diets and exercise for weight loss gain their weight back soon – or don’t even achieve their goal weight in the first place. For most people, the problem with diets and exercise is that they’re temporary; people get bored with them and stop following their programs. Weight loss drugs have their own problems. There aren’t too many options that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They’re not necessarily effective – they may help you lose a few pounds, but probably won’t get 100 pounds off of you. They’re usually only allowed for a short time, such as 12 weeks or a year. Like all drugs, they have side effects. Weight loss surgery is an increasingly well-known option for weight loss. Many patients who have had previous failed diet attempts are able to lose hundreds of pounds and keep them off. Weight loss surgery procedures can be restrictive, which means that they make your stomach smaller or help you feel full faster so that you eat less. They can be malabsorptive, which means that the amount of nutrient that you absorb decrease. Or, they can be both restrictive and malapsorptive. Not all weight loss surgeries are the same, though, so you’d better look at your options carefully if you think you’re interested. Chapter 2 of The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND® describes each of the common weight loss surgeries and how they work. Vertical banded gastroplecty: A restrictive procedure, also known as stomach stapling, in which the surgeon staples shut the majority of your stomach pouch. Vertical sleeve gastroplasty: A restrictive procedure in which the surgeon removes the majority of your stomach pouch and covers the incision with a “sleeve.” Sleeve plication: A restrictive procedure, also known as curvature plication, in which most of your stomach is folded over so you can only use a tiny pouch. Laparoscopic adjustable banding (Lap-band): A restrictive, fully reversible procedure in which a band is placed around the upper portion of your stomach so you feel full faster. Gastric bypass: A restrictive and malapsorptive procedure in which part of your stomach blocked off and your small intestine is resectioned. So what is it going to take for you to lose weight and get healthy? It may seem impossible, especially if you’ve tried and failed so many times before, but one of the most important messages in Chapter 2 of The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND® is that you can get healthy! Successful weight loss requires lifestyle changes and a serious, long-term commitment. For some people, losing weight and keeping it off also requires the lap-band. The important point is that you can do it if you set your mind to it and have the right tools.

Absolutely! You can change your Display Name here.

I didn't realize how appropriate the Book's title was until I was holding a physical copy in my own hands

Karen, what a great idea!!!

Your issue might be part of a confirmed bug! You need to start the app in portrait mode. Let me know if this fix works for you until we roll out an update: 1. Press home button 2. Double tap home and press and hold on our App until it wiggles and then tap X (I.e. kill app) 3. Hold iPad in portrait mode (short end of iPad on top and bottom) 4. Run app again.

Are you running the latest version of our app ? Can you try restarting the app ? Let me know what happens please.

Do NOT use them! They've been spamming members of this board these last few weeks.

The app has been updated across all iOS devices. We've added support for iOS 6.

The app has been updated across all iOS devices. This bug should be resolved and we've added support for iOS 6.

The app has been updated across all iOS devices. This bug should be resolved and we've added support for iOS 6.

The app has been updated across all iOS devices. This bug should be resolved and we've added support for iOS 6.

The app has been updated across all iOS deices. This bug should be resolved and we've added support for iOS 6.

The app has been updated across all iOS devices. This bug should be resolved and we've added support for iOS 6.

The app has been updated across all iOS devices. This bug should be resolved and we've added support for iOS 6.

Great suggestion! The 2013 sub forums are now online.

The Big Book on the Lap Band Book Summary The Big Book on the Lap Band: Everything You Need to Know to Lose Weight and Live Well with the Adjustable Gastric Band is the definitive guide for your lap-band journey for weight loss. Like so many other patients who have struggled with obesity for many years, you may find that the lap-band is the tool you need to eat well and finally lose weight for good. You can’t make the journey all on your own, though, and that’s where the book comes in. It starts from square one and explains every step along the lap-band process. The Big Book on the Lap Band treats you with the respect you deserve and provides facts and analysis in simple language. The Big Book on the Lap Band doesn’t just have facts and figures. Its discussions help you think for yourself and make reasoned decisions. It’s a source of advice and motivation, too. Some of the highlights of the book are stories from real-life lap-band patients, told in their words. You get to read their challenges, achievements and tips in each chapter of the book. If you’re ready to start learning about using the lap-band to get over your obesity, pick up a copy of The Big Book on the Lap Band and get reading! Chapter 1: Introduction Here you’ll learn about how dangerous obesity really is. Just a few of the health problems that it contributes to are type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis. It can make you depressed, and you might already be familiar with social stigma, such as people looking down on you, that comes with obesity. Even though obesity is dangerous and uncomfortable, one-third of Americans are obese and another third are overweight. That’s due, in large part, to an environment with too much fast food, too much junk food, not enough opportunities for exercise and too much time sitting around. Chapter 2: Options for Losing Weight: Diets, Exercise, Weight Loss Drugs and Weight Loss Surgery This chapter takes a look at your options for losing weight and helps you understand why they might not have worked for you before. You’ve probably tried a bunch of diets and possible a few exercise programs and weight loss drugs. Diets don’t usually work in the long term if you don’t make them true lifestyle changes; you’ll gain the weight right back if you try extreme diets such as low-carb diets or diets that only let you eat boxed meals or shakes. Exercise programs are healthy, but they don’t usually burn off enough calories to motivate you to continue them. And, weight loss drugs can be dangerous and are not necessarily effective. Weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, is an alternative option for losing weight and keeping it off. The major types in the United States are: Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Roux-en-Y gastric bypass Sleeve plication (or curvature plication) Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (brand name: Lap-Band) Chapter 3: All about the Lap-Band We all hear about the lap-band and have a vague idea that it’s a treatment for obesity – but do you really know much about it? This chapter clearly explains what the lap-band is and what it does. It’s a device that goes around the top portion of your stomach to form a stoma, or small upper pouch, above the band. The band helps you feel full faster because your stoma fills up faster than your entire original stomach did. A surgeon inserts the lap-band in a laparoscopic procedure, or minimally invasive surgery, which usually takes less than an hour. Along with the gastric band, there’s also an access port, which goes in the abdominal muscle next to your belly button, and a thin connection tube that connects the port to the band. Your surgeon adjusts the fill of your gastric band by injecting into the port a liquid solution which then goes through the tube into the band. Chapter 4: Is the Lap-Band for You? Now that you know what the lap-band is and how the surgical procedure works, it’s time to decide whether you really want it. This chapter talks about the risks of getting the lap-band, from problems that can occur during surgery to complications that can happen later on as you recover from surgery and lose weight on the lap-band diet. You can balance the drawbacks, or complications, against the potential benefits. Is the amount of weight you can expect to lose worth the risks of the surgery? The chapter helps you determine whether you meet the requirements for getting the band, and lists several possible reasons why the lap-band may not be the right choice for you. Chapter 5: Planning Your Lap-Band Surgery The focus after deciding to get the lap-band is on planning for your surgery. It’s a good idea to do all of the background research you can – online and by asking around – to learn more about the lap-band. Selecting a surgeon is an important step, and we give you tips about what to look for. You’ll also get to meet your healthcare team’s other members, such as a mental health professional and dietitian. financing is always a tough issue, but the chapter lays out your options and explains what the steps of getting reimbursed for insurance. Since each year thousands of patients go to Mexico to et the lap-band, the chapter also gives some tips on Medical Tourism. Chapter 6: Preparing for Surgery and the Hospital You’ve decided to get the lap-band, you’re excited about getting it done and now there’s a ton to do! Where do you even start? Take a deep breath, relax and dig into Chapter 6. You’ll meet with your surgeon and get to discuss any concerns you have. Also, you’ll get psychological testing and a battery of medical tests to make sure you’re ready for the surgery. A dietitian may work with you on a pre-surgery diet as well as some plans for your post-surgery lap-band diet. Other preparation for your surgery includes getting time off work, making sure your kitchen is well-stocked and packing for the hospital. We’ve got you covered – down to a list of items to bring and not to bring! Chapter 7: Aftercare Aftercare starts as you wake up from surgery and regain your awareness as the anesthesia wears off. You’ll feel pain in your abdomen, and walking around the hospital or your home can make you more comfortable. You may also feel nauseous. Your first food will be ice chips to suck on and swallowing can be difficult. This first week is all about recovery. It’s a tough week to get through, but persistence and support can go a long way. Most lap-band patients can return to work within a couple of weeks, and you can gradually add regular activities back into your life as long as your surgeon approves. The aftercare program includes regular visits to your surgeon during the first weeks, months and year after surgery. You might also see a dietitian. Support group meeting with other bariatric patients can keep you on track, too. Chapter 8: Post-Surgery Diet The first four to six weeks after your lap-band surgery are for focusing on recovery, not on weight loss. It’s critical at this time to follow your post-surgery diet so that you don’t risk having lap-band complications later. Lay a solid foundation now by getting used to measuring your portions and eating slowly. The first stage after surgery is the liquid diet; you can’t have any solid foods, and you’ll get some of your nutrients from Protein shakes. The second stage is the pureed foods diet; you can eat pureed or blended foods but nothing with chunks. The third stage is the semi-solid or soft foods phase. Drink plenty of Water throughout the day but not at meals. This chapter has food lists for each phase plus suggested meal plans and other tips to get you through these first several weeks. Chapter 9: All about the Lap-Band Diet You get to start the solid foods diet after you successfully complete the semi-solid phase. The solid foods phase is designed to be your long-term diet; it’ll help you lose weight and maintain your weight for as long as you choose to follow it. You can eat most foods on the lap-band diet, but stay away from super-stringy foods, such as asparagus, and sticky foods, such as caramels. The chapter has lists of foods and their serving sizes for each food group plus suggested meal plans and tips for following the lap-band diet. Since high-protein and healthy choices are so important, you’ll get to read about how to choose your foods. It’ll become natural if you practice it constantly! Chapter 10: Starting and Keeping up with Your Physical Activity Program Physical activity, or exercise, helps you burn calories and control your weight, and this chapter has a list of common activities and the calories you can burn doing them. Regular exercise has other benefits, too. It reduces your risk for the obesity-related chronic diseases discussed in Chapter 1, “Introduction,” and improves your mood. You can start, after getting your surgeon’s approval, with light exercise, such as slow walking or water aerobics. Then progress as you are comfortable. In the chapter, you can find recommendations for amount and types of exercise and ways to fit it in when you’re short on time. Of course, sticking to an exercise program is even harder than starting one – and there are tons of tips in the chapter so that you are able to stick to your program – and enjoy it! Chapter 11: What to Expect The changes during the first year can be overwhelming – unless you’re prepared for them! The Big Book on the Lap Band gives you a nice overview of the changes to expect – keeping in mind, of course, that each individual’s lap-band experience is slightly different. During the first year as you stick to your lap-band diet, you can expect significant weight loss and changes in your body. You’ll probably feel better about yourself and notice that others treat you differently as you lose weight. Almost all lap-band patients have a few complications, even if they’re minor, so this chapter helps you recognize some of the more serious symptoms that may require a call to your surgeon. The chapter provides tips on staying motivated, too. Cosmetic surgery to remove extra skin is something that you may want to consider as you lose weight, and the chapter outlines the most common options. Chapter 12: Online Communities and LapBandTalk.com There’s always more to learn. You can read The Big Book on the Lap Band, call your surgeon and talk to all of the members of your support groups, and you’ll never know every detail about the lap-band that you’ll be wondering about eventually. That’s where online resources come in; there’s a nearly infinite array of sites that can answer your questions. LapBandTalk.com is an online community with more than 100,000 members, many of whom have been in your shoes and can provide advice from personal experience. Members are encouraging, too, so you can feel comfortable there. Membership is free and features include regular newsletters, a profile page with space for your photos and a blog, a surgeon directory with member ratings and reviews and a live chat room.

I hope this announcement finds you well and, of course, on track following your lap-band lifestyle. BariatricPal is designed to be a comprehensive community that you can use for support and information. Now, BariatricPal has another, exciting way to help out our members as you continue to pursue weight loss and health. What’s the big news? Our first book is out! The Big Book on the Lap-Band! That’s right! We’ve been working for a very long time on research, writing and editing the book, and you’re invited to read it! It’s called, “The Big Book on the Lap Band: Everything You Need to Know to Lose Weight and Live Well with the Adjustable Gastric Band,” written by (yours truly) Alex Brecher and Natalie Stein. I'm the founder of BariatricPal.com and a lap-band patient myself; Natalie is a nutritionist and experienced writer on weight loss and weight loss surgery topics. A Complete Guide to the Lap-Band Life The title says it all. The book is a guide from the beginning of the journey through life with the adjustable gastric band. These are just a few topics that are covered in the book. How obesity can harm you and millions of others. Why it’s so tough to lose weight without surgery. All about the lap-band: what it is, how it works and the surgical procedure. Looking at the risks and benefits to decide whether the adjustable gastric band is for you. Choosing a surgeon and preparing for surgery. Your post-op aftercare program. Your post-surgery recovery diet progression from liquids to solid foods. The lap-band diet: healthy eating and weight control for life. Starting and continuing an exercise program. Life changes to expect after the lap-band surgery. Using BariatricPal.com and other resources for support and information. As you can see, the book is a great resource no matter where you are in your lap-band journey. How You Can Get Your Copy How can you get your hands on a copy of the book? It's available in Paperback and eBook versions directly from BariatricPal, as well as from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iBooks and Kobo. All the information you need is HERE! Check it out and spread the word! BariatricPal.com Members Tell Their Stories in the Book! The book doesn’t just have complete information about the lap-band surgery and journey. It’s also a compilation of real-life member stories told in their own words. Several of our BariatricPal members are featured in this book. They were kind enough to share their stories with us and now with you. These members are some of BariatricPal.com’s most active, so you might already know them from the boards. A huge, warm thank you to everyone who helped out – we couldn’t have done it without you! Do You Want to Be in the Next Book? If you didn’t get involved this time around but you might like to be featured in another book, contact me via our private messaging system. We’d love to hear from you and give you the scoop! I'd love to hear your thoughts about the book! Let us know what you think when you check it out! We’re always delighted to hear from our members and we want to know what we can do to help you along your journey. Thanks for your support up through now, and enjoy “The Big Book on the Lap-Band!”

Obesity is an epidemic that harms health and claims lives. One-third of Americans are overweight, and another third are obese. 6 percent of Americans are morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40 and frighteningly high risks for diseases. The effects of obesity are stunning. Obesity is an epidemic that harms health and claims lives. One-third of Americans are overweight, and another third are obese. 6 percent of Americans are morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40 and frighteningly high risks for diseases. The effects of obesity are stunning. The United States pays about $190 billion per year in medical costs related to obesity. That includes things like hospital bills, prescription drugs and special equipment necessary for treating obese individuals. Then, of course, there are additional costs related to things like worker absenteeism because of more illnesses among obese employees. Your own insurance costs and healthcare bills can go up because of your obesity. You know that obesity is unhealthy. Everyone says that all the time. But do you know just how harmful obesity can be? It increases your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and osteoarthritis. It can cause sleep apnea and asthma. It can make you ashamed of yourself and be a trigger for others to look down on you. Obesity can take ten or more years off of your life. Here are a few quick fact about what can happen when you lose a significant amount of body fat. If you have type 2 diabetes and are obese, losing weight can almost certainly get you on lower doses of diabetes medications – or off of them entirely! Your knee pain, back pain and are probably being caused by your obesity. When you achieve a normal weight, you’ll probably be pain-free. High cholesterol and high blood pressure will almost certainly drop when you lose excess weight. You’ll feel happier and more confident when you can go shopping in normal stores and fit into your car without sliding the seat back. You’ll have more energy because – let’s face it – it’s hard to carry around all that weight all day. Okay. You know obesity harms physical health. It can cause depression and low self-esteem. People may look down on obese individuals. Nobody wants to be obese. So why are so many people obese? You already know this one! Too much eating, and not enough exercising! Our whole society is built to make us obese. Consider these factors leading to high calorie intake and not enough calorie burn. Fast food is cheap, tasty and high in calories, fat and sugar. Plus, it’s everywhere! High-calorie food tastes good, is everywhere and is heavily advertised – so you can’t get away from it. Healthy food is more expensive and often takes longer to prepare. We drive and take the elevator instead of walk and take the stairs. It’s hard to find time for exercise. Sitting around and watching television means that you’re not moving and burning calories – and it often means that you’re eating potato chips mindlessly. If you’re interested in learning more about what obesity is doing to you and millions of others, check out Chapter 1 of The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND®. It has simple explanations for all of these medical conditions and also a clear description of the body mass index – or BMI. Doctors use your BMI to assess your weight status, so you’d better be familiar with it as you continue your weight loss journey!

We're working on adding capabilities to our site and app which are similar to MFP. It's designed with Gastric Bypass and other Bariatric members in mind. Do you have any suggestions on features you're unhappy with or would like to see changed or added within MFP ?

We're working on adding capabilities to our site and app which are similar to MFP. It's designed with Gastric Bypass and other Bariatric members in mind. Do you have any suggestions on features you're unhappy with or would like to see changed or added within MFP ?

We're working on adding capabilities to our site and app which are similar to MFP. It's designed with Gastric Sleeve and other Bariatric members in mind. Do you have any suggestions on features you're unhappy with or would like to see changed or added within MFP ?

We're working on adding capabilities to our site and app which are similar to MFP. It's designed with Gastric Sleeve and other Bariatric members in mind. Do you have any suggestions on features you're unhappy with or would like to see changed or added within MFP ?

We're working on adding capabilities to our site and app which are similar to MFP. It's designed with Gastric Sleeve and other Bariatric members in mind. Do you have any suggestions on features you're unhappy with or would like to see changed or added within MFP ?