donali

Welcome to bandland!!! Hope all went well - check in when you can!

lol - Good, just one less thing to worry about...

Uh... Yeah, I can read a calendar!! <blush> I could have SWORN your first post was from March 6... What the HECK is the matter with me?!?! Okay, a week isn't so bad (I know, I'm not the one living it!!) - but I don't feel as worried as I did when I thought this had been going on for a month. It took a full four weeks for my swelling to completely resolve - I was never as tight as you are, though. I DO believe if you can stick it out all will be well. (((hugs)))

Congrats!! And Welcome Back!! You're not entering a secret service job, or something, where you have to go incognito are you? New face, new body...

Wow - Val - this has been going on for over a MONTH! How on earth have you stayed hydrated?!?! How on earth have you stayed sane?!?! You sound like you have a great attitude, but... What does your doc say, now that it's a month later???? (((hugs)))

Like a train wreck, baby, like a train wreck... lol

Alexandra is absolutely right in that "success" is in the eyes of the person banded, and your ideas about what "success" is may have to be modified. I still have problems accepting that even if I got to "goal" weight, at 44 I am NEVER going to look like a swimsuit model - never! I probably will never look good in sleeveless outfits, shorts, or - naked, period. In my mind, however, I still cling to the fantasy of looking "someday" like some of the young beautiful people I see... lol As far as long term success - the truth is there are a lot of factors that determine this, and not all of them may be in your control. Some people return to their old habits, or inexplicably start to consume more calories via liquids/soft foods. That's something you can feel you have control over. But a reoccurring theme on the boards reserved for "experienced" bandsters is the fact that some are no longer able to tolerate the same level of restriction that got them to goal weight. So if you start having reflux problems 5 years out that are only resolved by getting an unfill - either paritially or completely - you are going to have more of a challenge on your hands, because your capacity for a higher quantity will go up, and that may allow you to exceed your caloric needs resulting in weight gain. The aging/lower metabolism beast will factor in, as well, as does certain types of medications. There is, however, NO WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY with the band - IF you are able to maintain the same level of restriction AND you continue to eat the same things in the same quantity as you did to lose your weight (or a little bit more to stop losing and maintain), then you will NOT gain your weight back due to a failure on the band's part. It cannot compensate for certain medications or the effects of aging. The best strategy in being successful is to remember that the changes you make to lose your weight are a LIFETIME COMMITMENT. This is not a diet that you "stop" when you reach goal. IF you change your eating habits and your physical activity levels to reach your goal weight, you HAVE to maintain that same lifestyle to keep it there. A reminder that muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat, so it is in everyone's interest to build and maintain muscle if at all possible - that will help combat the age/metabolism thing, but more importantly will increase your health, which really needs to be the focus in all of this. If you do not focus on HEALTH as the reason to make these changes, then once your reach "goal" you will no longer have "losing weight" as a source of motivation to continue with the changes you're making now. Good luck in your process!

Oh - and a roly poly is that little grey segmented bug with lots of legs that curl up into a ball when you touch them - also known as a "pill bug", and I think "potato bug" as well... http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INSECTS/pill_bugs_sow_bugs_centipedes.htm#Pill

OMG!!! That is SO SO SO gross!! I have NEVER eaten a bug on purpose! And you call ME sick?!?! lol So what if you were only 2... Sounds like a lame excuse to me....

This is no fun... What's the point of having a grapevine if you're not supposed to use it?!?!

Bright - You're just jealous 'cause I would SO trample you in the Fear Factor eating department. Whimp. hahhhahhahah And I was only asking about the Roly Poly bugs for posterity's sake... Really. And as far as being orally fixated... I thought that was a good thing???

Congrats!!! Whoo hooo!!! I own a manufactured home, too, but also own the lot it's on in the park. I WISH I could buy a plot of land and move out of the park, though. Maybe someday...

Becki - Congrats!!! And yes, indeed, patience is the key. Patience, and consistent practicing of healthy lifestyle changes will bring you success!

Dear, Sweet Bright - I feel your pain!! I know it seems impossible to gain 8 pounds overnight - and you know what? It IS impossible! At least it is impossible to gain 8 pounds of FAT overnight - and FAT is what we care about, right??? Most (if not ALL) of those 8 pounds is Water retention and excrement not yet passed (was that delicate enough??? lol) Repeat after me: THE scale IS NOT MY FRIEND. THE SCALE LIES. As far as science goes - yes, there is a science, but all the facts/data has not been combined into one place with the correct weight (excuse the pun) given to each element. Insulin carries and deposits fat into the fat cells (number of fat cells can only increase, not decrease <except through surgical removal>, so when we lose weight the fat cells shrink, but are always there waiting to be filled back up again). That's why a high refined carb diet with a lot of fat is disasterous - your blood sugar is raised, which calls out the insulin, which runs around and deposits all that dietary fat into the open arms of those waiting, empty fat cells. That's one reason why the fat cells don't seem to replenish as much on a strict Atkins diet with low carbs/high fats - the blood sugar is not raised much with protein/fat, so the insulin doesn't soar and try to store that fat on your body. Complex carbs have a lot of Fiber, which helps buffer your blood sugar and decrease the insulin reponse as well. The worst things you can do: Have refined carbs alone on an empty stomach. Have refined carbs with high fat alone on an empty stomach. Just like alcohol, eating/drinking on an empty stomach puts whatever chemicals we're ingesting into our blood stream more quickly. Having a high fiber meal FIRST will help slow the release of refined carbs/alcohol into our blood stream and lower the impact of those items. Hang in there, girl, you are doing GREAT!! and NO NO NO, being so tight you can't eat anything is NOT the answer to further your success. xxoo

I am no insurance guru - I'm sure Alexandra will post and tell you to appeal, appeal, appeal. I have also heard that you should go ahead with all the jumping through the hoops for whatever WLS your insurance DOES cover, and then once you're qualified for that, demand the procedure of your choice. HOW to do this, I cannot say! But don't give up hope!!

We all have to remember that the closer to goal we get, the slower the weight comes off, because the difference in the number of calories we are eating and the number of calories we need to maintain our weight get closer and closer. For example, the number of calories to maintain a weight of 300 pounds may be 3,000 per day, while the number calories we are eating may be 1,500 per day, so the discrepancy each day is 1,500, so the weightloss goes pretty quickly. If a pound = 3000, it only takes two days to lose a pound. However, as we lose weight, the number of calories we need to maintain our new lower weight drops - so, let's say for example that at 200 pounds we need 2,000 calories a day to maintain that weight. If we are still eating 1,500 per day, we're only negative 500 calories each day, so now it takes six days to lose a pound instead of two. When the weight seems to stop melting off, the scale stops being a very good motivator. If someone has been relying on feedback from the scale to continue with their healthy lifestyle they are going to stop getting that positive feedback, and maybe subconsciously they start to get discouraged, and then they figure since they're not losing weight anyway, the might as well eat whatever they want... In your case, you really have to sit and think about why you may be on a carb binge. Are you frustrated/dissatisfied with your new lifestyle? Have you been feeling deprived? That will result in bingeing. Do you have some low grade worry/stress that you're not acknowledging? You could be turning to food to help numb that discomfort. Are you secretly uncomfortable in your new body, or with the new benefits/attention you are getting from it? That could lead you to your present condition as well. Instead of focusing on what you are doing, see if you can tune in to how you are feeling when you want to turn to food - not with the intent of denying yourself your "fix", but with the intent of being honest with yourself and really examining the bigger picture. What you are doing isn't "bad" or "wrong", but is a symptom of something that probably has nothing to do with food. Good luck in figuring out what that "something" is, and you may want to try some other behaviours before turning for your next "fix" - don't say "instead of", say "before" - and then if you still want your fix, have it. xxoo

I agree that the newbie info section threads should be locked, per my suggestion under my "Newbie Info Section" post, http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5699 http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=60595&postcount=5[/url] I'm not against a problem section, but if people are really navigating the site specifically by sections I think they'll miss a lot of posts because I personally would be inclined to post my problem under "support". And if we break "Problems" out of support, than what is "Support" limited to? Exercise, nutritional and emotional? In the newbie section (that I envision) there will be a section for problems with the band with links to stories in the main forums on slippage, port problems, erosion, etc. As people post new stories about these things the moderators can be requested to add particularly interesting links/stories to the newbie link section. The more I work on my newbie doc, the more it seems to really be a small index of LBT posts, with some basic info thrown in - or a dynamic book on banding. I think when I have something worth reviewing I'll present it in html format as a link to my website so this is not something that was created JUST by me with the posts I think are helpful. That is not my intent. This is my unorganized, unfinished, work in progress outline for the eventual(?) newbie section. Probably much broader than it needs to be at the moment - the outline would be the main thread, and each outline item would either link to a set, seperate post within the newbie section, or link to active links in the "regular" forum. Some of the written-out text will be part of the seperate post resource in that section: Getting Started How to Navigate this site (LBT) Terms of Agreement/User Guidelines User CP Profiles Safety on the Internet Avatars Signature Lines 305/205/135 Weightloss Tickers First Stop Introductions Who are you? Where are you in the process? What are your questions? What are your fears? How much do you want to lose? Searching Regular Advanced Etiquette "rules" of polite posting eg:capital letters is yelling, etc. Posting areas Hijacking Posting New Threads Replying to Existing Threads Posting Photos Jazzing up your posts Bananas, smilies, etc. Color Fonts Font size Quoting Bold Italics FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Acronyms, Abbreviations, Lingo Various common questions Would you do it again? would you still choose the band over the bypass or other surgeries? What was the pain really like? what has been the hardest part of the WLS, what has been the easiest? what is the one thing that has helped you be successful? Resources Personal Site Links Professional Site Links books Types of Adjustable Gastric Bands Lapband (Inamed/Bioenterics) Inamed site link Swedish Band (Johnson & Johnson) http://www.ethiconendo.com/morbid.jsp http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6035 MidBand (French) http://www.midband.fr/mid_anglais/present.htm Adjustable Gastric Band vs RnY What Can Go Wrong? http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=659 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2213 Port Problems http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4268 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4268&highlight=poking http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=12985&postcount=106 Leaks Leak Stories Reflux Reflux Stories Slippage Slippage Stories Erosion Erosion Stories Blockage Blockage Stories Complication Stats for the Lapband Weightloss Stats for the Lapband Who Usually Qualifies? Insurance Jumping through hoops General requirements Fighting denials Insurance stories How do I decide where to have it done? Your Insurance Pays Available Docs for your Insurance Plan Inamed Link to Approved Docs Your Insurance WON’T Pay Price Experience Location Considerations for Surgery outside of the country Hospital Used Follow-up Care Maintenance Getting Fills Additional Costs Mexico Info (need of passports, language barriers, phones) Europe Info http://euroband.co.uk/surgeons.htm http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5795 Keys to success with banding The bandster “rules” Changing your lifestyle forever Water Exercise Mindsets Before Surgery Research, Research, Research Site Links (individual sites and informational sites) Emotions How are my emotions tied to my eating habits? Exercises in separating emotional hunger from physical hunger. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=434 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=865 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=899 Addiction transference Preparing emotionally for: Reduced food intake Changing relationships with food http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=64868#post64868 Shifting of relationship dynamics Losing weight Receiving compliments Buying smaller sizes Letting go of stuff that’s too big Jealousy Sabotage Self Others Society in general Challenges in the workplace Getting “personal” Attention They’re hitting on me!! I can feel them looking at me Now everyone wants to be my friend Everyone wants to know how I’m doing it Backwards compliments Fears I won’t be able to eat my favorite foods I won’t be able to eat in quantity I won’t be able to eat out People will notice how I eat What if something goes wrong? My relationships will change I will change Support Why do I need support? Who do I tell? Where do I get support? Shopping Stocking up on liquids for the first 2-4 weeks What’s a clear liquid? What’s a full liquid? The eating stages Clear Liquids Full Liquids Mushies Back to “normal” When can I eat “normal” again? The Surgery What to bring to the hospital Expected Length of Hospital Stay Surgery Stories After the Surgery Initial diet restrictions, and why Clear liquids Full liquids Mushies “Regular” food Is this normal? I’m hungry I’m not losing weight I make new noises My shoulder hurts THIS is “natural” gas??? Expected Recovery Time When Can I: Shower Drive Pick-up my Children Have sex Eat real food Swim Soak in the Jacuzzi Go diving Exercise Go back to work Take my vitamins/medications Post surgical pain, gas, Food Shopping list for Liquids Clears Full Shopping list for Mushies recipes How much water? How much Protein? Vomiting (Productive Burping, Productive Belching, “PB”) Why to avoid at all costs #1 cause of slippage Stomach trauma and resulting restriction After the PB When “normal” life resumes General Do’s and Don’ts How much should I be eating? How can I tell when I’m full? What should I be eating? Tubing issues Leaks Poking out Repairing Tubing Stories Port issues Flipping Hard to find Uncomfortable Port Stories Fills When can I get one? How much? How often? How many? How do I know when I need one? Price? Blind (non-Fluoro) vs Fluoro How’s it done? Pain After the fill When does it kick in? Am I too tight? Am I too loose? Fill Stories Should I wear a medical bracelet? pills, Vitamins Aftercare Problem foods Dry White meats Clogging Breads Breading Nuts Fibrous Asparagus Fruit skins Swells with liquid Rice Noodles Bulking Laxatives Chunky after chewing eggs Rubbery Shellfish Carbonated Soda Beer Champagne Seltzer Food Stories Can I still: Fly? Dive? Bungee jump? Diet? Have healthy pregnancies? Etc. **********end of outline, beginning of seperate posts************** Exercise Ideas: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5556 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5233 1. Walk the dogs. (and if you don't have one, ask your neighbor if you can walk theirs!) 2. Park your car in the farthest available spot. Not only do you get the exercise walking into the store/mall/whatever but your car won't ever get dinged. (this one is my favorite!) 3. If you have stairs in your house, climb them! Up down up down! (the person that messaged me said that when she does laundry, she puts a load of clothes at the top of the stairs, then has allowed herself to take ONE piece down at a time, therefore having to do the "stairmaster" while getting house chores done, she says it is fun and makes a game of it and the break from the bottom of the stairs to the washer allows her to "break" and get her breath back) 4. Mow the lawn(great for legs/arms), pick weeds (good for legs but don't use your back!), gardening (great for upper arms) 5. Wax the car (great for arms/back/shoulders) Wax on.... wax off... 6. Mall walking (it is free, comfy and lots to see... and I guess there are actual mall walker clubs you can join!) 7. Hiking in woodland trails, nature trails or mountains (each city or area should have maps, check with the visitor center) 8. Bicyling 9. Pilates at Home 10. Using a chair for lifts/dips/pushups 11. Play mind games... for example, you tell yourself that the mailbox at your driveway but you are not "allowed" to get to it except by approaching from one side or the other therefore you must walk around the block to get to it. (yeah, this one seems a bit strange to me too but hey, if it works, I appreciated the suggestion!) 12. Jumprope 13. Fly fishing (I was like whaaaaaaaa? when I first saw this but then they explained all of the upper body strength it needed and I was like, oh.) 14. Sweep the sidewalk/driveway. (It gets you moving and uses upper body for the sweeping motion as well as cleans off your driveway! Once you are done, you are wanting to do more!) 15. Go to Vegas baby! Walk the strip and people watch!!! (woo hoo, I like this idea) 16. Never take the elevator, use the stairs! No matter how high, tell yourself you are not to take the elevator. (this person also said he uses this with money: tells himself he is never allowed to buy or pay with change, therefore spends $2.00 when something is $1.10 and gets .90 in change, then pockets it in a change jar and has booookooooo bucks at the end of the year and buys himself something he wouldn't normally have spent the money on!) 17. Visit the botanical gardens/nature centers/zoos etc.... 18. Vacation while you exercise!! Pick places like the Grand Canyon and hike down. (this one didn't exactly sound free to me though lol ) 19. Stand or walk in place while watching TV. 20. Volunteer. It may not be all out exercise but you get out and get moving just by volunteering and you do something for others. Habitat for Humanity is one volunteer organization that will really exercise you while doing something great for other people in need! (i love this idea too!) The doctor requires me to lose weight before surgery. Help! http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5307 03-01-2005, 07:47 AM Nykee Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 34 Posts: 51 HI MOM111 I also went to Dr. Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center 14 days ago. I love him, I cant say enough good things about him. He spent so much time in my room talking to me and not just about the lapband but just conversation.. HE TREATS YA SO WELL!!!!! And YES about the weightloss.. I was told to loose 40 to 60 pounds, and if i didnt I would NOT be able to have the surgery. They were very adamant, they said the doctor can ge in there and see if there is too much fat on the liver, its not safe and he will pull out. I had less than a month and a half to lose it too!!!!!!!!!! I paniced.. I thought it was impossible... BUT, THIS WAS MY ONLY CHANCE!! I had been waiting for this for too long! I had the money, I had the plane seats bought, I had my sister who lives in another state all ready to go with me.. HOW could I NOT lose it!!!! The whole time I was paniced. I felt desperate and affraid that I woulnt loose enough. Maybe they would get inside and my liver wasnt shrunk enough and they pulled out, and I still had to pay some fee's!!! BUT I did it. I lost 40 pounds in less than a month and a half! NOW.. I DID throw up my food a few times. I cheated and ate at Izzys one day, felt extremely scared and powerless and I just puked it out, then I did it again twice with chinese food. I DO NOT RECCOMEND THIS OF COURSE!! And I am sure it would have made only a slight difference, like 5 pounds maybe, I dunno. It was dum of me to do! HOW I REALLY LOST SO MUCH WAS: I ate low carb. During that time my 129 pound daughter lost 7 pounds by also eating low carb. Now My cousin has lost 12 pounds in 2 weeks doing a low carb diet. (she is now 156#) You CAN lose 15 pounds in three weeks if you low carb diet!! LOW meaning under 20 carbs a day! If you do not know much about Low carb dieting, you really do not have much time to figure it out, there are A LOT!!! of things that you can misunderstand or mess up with unless you know it well. BUT IT DOES WORK..and I did NO EXtRa excersize at all (I cant) PM me.. if you need advice.. I can give you a 3 week menu and list of foods you can eat and all that... and YOu can start right away. I promise if you follow it, you will loose AT LEAST 10 pounds! Arm Exercises: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5556 Why I’m fat: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=890 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4750 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5223&page=1&pp=15 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5726 Incisions: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=895 Fills: When do I need one? We do need to remember that hitting a plateau is not necessarily an indication that it's time for a fill. Since this would be your first fill (I am assuming), it probably is time, but I'm going to put this out there just for posterity's sake: When is it time for a fill? First, let's assume you are following the following principles: a. No drinking with meals b. Eating solid foods I personally think getting in all your water and water loading is important too, but that's maybe more of a personal philosophy than a hard and fast rule, like "a" and "b" above. If "a" and "b" are not true, you need to make them true before analysing whether it's time for a fill or not. 1. Are you hungry less than 3 hours after eating solid foods? 2. Do you no longer reach satiety when you eat about 1200 calories a day? 3. Has weight loss stalled for more than 4 weeks? #1 and #2 are the more important indicators of whether or not someone needs a fill. If you are eating mostly nutritious foods, but need to consume more food than you think you should to satisfy hunger AND you are not losing weight, then it is time for a fill. When is it NEVER time for a fill? It is NEVER time for a fill if you are experiencing PBs or acid reflux. If you are experiencing these two things at your current level of restriction, getting another fill will only make it worse. And, repeat after me: PBs/vomiting are the NUMBER ONE cause of slippage. Acid reflux leads to esophagitis which can cause obstruction, lead to pre-cancerous conditions, and a lot of pain besides, and is treated by EMPTYING the band. If that doesn't help, you may have to lose your band until you are healed. Ways to avoid nighttime reflux - stop eating 3-4 hours before bedtime. Avoid acid promoting foods in the evening, like caffeine and chocolate and spicy foods. Fill Stories: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5508 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=756 Addiction transference: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5730 Reflux: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2027 I would do everything you can to avoid the once a month reflux - it will add up. You probably know the reflux avoidance guidelines (in order of least to most aggressive): 1. Do not over eat. 2. Avoid acid producing foods/drinks, like caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, orange juice, spicy food. 3. Do not lie down after eating (I think they recommend a 3 hour wait?) 4. Do not eat or drink 3 hours before bedtime. 5. Take an OTC med to control reflux. 6. Elevate the head of the bed (helps keep the esophagus above the stomach so there's no backflow). 7. Get a slight unfill. Ways to avoid nighttime reflux - stop eating 3-4 hours before bedtime. Avoid acid promoting foods in the evening, like caffeine and chocolate and spicy foods. Recovery: pain survey - Julie H, 11-5-2003 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=946 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1337 Life with the band: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=975 Would you do it again? http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=488 http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=57938 Mushie Foods: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=57940 Gas: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3671 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=57956 Protein: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5634 Protein sources: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3498 Protein Shakes: Hi Penni - I like your site. I just have to comment on the following, though: Quote: Protein shakes are a must to keep the protein in your diet. You can get protein from fresh vegetables as well in the form of juices after this surgery. Protein shakes are NOT required by bandsters once they get to the eating solid food stage. It is always recommended to eat real food that stays in your pouch longer and helps keep you feeling full. Since we do not have a malabsorptive-type procedure like the RnY, we are able to utilize all the calories and nutrients of what we eat, just like before surgery. For people who are too tight in the mornings to eat real food, protein shakes can be helpful, but for the most part are not needed. For people who do choose to use protein shakes, for whatever reason, they should replace the meal, not be in addition to it, unless one is having troubles meeting their caloric goals (in which case you are probably adjusted too tightly, and could benefit from a slight unfill). And I know of no vegetable or fruit juice that would be considered a good source of protein. It is recommended that all caloric liquids be avoided, which is why drinking juice is not recommended, as it is a high calorie liquid that passes through the pouch and again, does nothing to help generate the full feeling. Even for people who are not banded who are watching their weight, physicians recommend eating whole fruit as opposed to drinking juice for that very reason. I picked up a brochure from Dr. Lopez's office once while I was there, and it had a color xerox cover with the Oasis Hospital logo on it. Inside were supposed guidelines for patients who had the lapband. I have to tell you, that article was taken WORD for WORD from an RnY doctor's article, which was written specifically for gastric bypass patients. The word "lapband" had been substituted everywhere the word gastric bypass appeared in the original article. The post-op protocol for the RnY is drastically different from the post-op protocol for the lapband. The only thing they have in common is the liquid diet post op. But even that is shorter for lapbanders, and not restricted in quantity, like it is for the RnYers - there is no drinking a thimble-full of Protein shake every hour directly after post-op, like the RnYers are required to do. The only other similarity between the two is the longterm strategy of how to use the pouch to its fullest advantage - eating solid food, not drinking with meals, waterloading prior to meals, and avoiding gastric irritants like Aspirin, Advil, and other NSAIDs. Also, it is NOT expected that a bandster lose 30-45 pounds in the first month. That is a gastric bypass stat. The expected average weightloss with the band is 1-2 pounds a week. I'm not sure if this pirated booklet is where you got these impressions, but just felt I should pass on this info to you. Oh, and just in case you were given the bypass info instead of the band info, there is no "window of opportunity" for weightloss with the band. With the RnY, it is expected that weightloss pretty much stops 18-24 months out. That's how long it takes the body to adjust and compensate for the malabsorptive part of the bypass. For Bandsters, our band will continue to be a tool in our weightloss journey - there are bandsters 4-5 years out who have continued to lose weight with the band. Slow Losers: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5928 After the band: Pain: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=59405 Behaviour: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5810 Regrets: http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=59410&postcount=39 How do I know when I’m full? http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=60184&postcount=5 Lots of people experience the "full" feeling differently. Since your band is empty, it is possible that once you start on solid foods you will feel little to no restriction. Since the feeling of restriction, however, can change day to day (sometimes hour to hour!), it is always important to take small bites, chew well, swallow, and then WAIT before going on to the next bite so you can have a chance to feel how the last bite is settling. It is inevitable that you will eventually learn just how small your pouch really is... However, you can postpone that experience longer by taking small bites, chewing well, swallowing, and then waiting. This is NOT how most people eat, so you will be surprised at the learning curve!! Okay, once you swallow, and are waiting, this is what you're looking for, sensation-wise - you may get all or just one of these signals that you are either "full" or are eating too fast/chewing too poorly: 1. STUCK. Okay, that's not a very good description, but as soon as you feel this you WILL KNOW what "STUCK" feels like. Your eyes will get big, you will freeze in mid-chew, and you will feel an awful pain high in your chest, way in the bottom of your throat. DO NOT PANIC!!! DO NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT take a sip of liquid!! DO NOT SWALLOW!!!! Sit there calmly and try to breathe normally. When people ask you what's wrong, you will not feel as though you can talk - if you can squeeze out a few words, your voice will sound raspy and strained. Sometimes standing up will be enough to help things move down a little bit. IF you start salivating, you need to get to a bathroom. DO NOT SWALLOW YOUR SALIVA!!! Spit it out. Lots of times you will feel stuck for only a few seconds before the offending bit passes, IF YOU ARE EATING SLOWLY AND PAYING ATTENTION AND CHEWING WELL. However, sometimes the offending bit will not pass, and it will either come back up on its own, or you will have to force yourself to vomit. This is often NOT a full feeling! It IS an indication that you are swallowing too much, too fast, and/or are not chewing well enough OR that you have taken one bite too many. Once you become unstuck you can think enough to evaluate how much you have eaten, and whether or not you were being careless, or just missed the more subtle signs that you're full. STUCK is considered a "hard stop", whereas the more subtle feelings described later are considered "soft stops." The goal, of course, is to learn your personal soft stops and heed them. 2. A hiccough. Many people will have one daintly little hiccough when they are full. When you're full your stomach may be pressing up on your diaphragm and irritating it a little bit, which translates into a hiccough. 3. A sigh. Many people will heave a little sigh after that last bite that makes them full. You THINK you're thinking about the next bite, and you'll be loading up that fork... But you're not putting it into your mouth. That's when you realize that you're full. One more bite, and you may suffer the dreaded STUCK feeling. 4. A runny nose. Many people's noses will unexplicably start running. If you were fine when you started eating, and now your nose is running, it's probably time to stop eating. Or you are eating something really, really spicy/hot! 5. A general pressure. Some people will feel a similar feeling to "full", just a little higher. It's a little disconcerting at first, because your lower stomach may still be growling, but your pouch is sending you pressure/full feelings. 6. Port pain. Your port may start aching. My theory as to why is that the pressure of the food is pressing against the saline in the band, which forces the saline out towards the tubing, which starts to straighten a little under pressure, which torques the port a little bit. Like a garden hose turned on full blast with the sprayer closed - it tries to straighten out, right? That's just my theory. But whatever the true reason is, if your port starts bugging you after you start eating, you may be full. 7. Shoulder pain. Some people's left shoulder starts to ache a little bit. This is referred pain from pressure on the diaphragm. When you're full your stomach may be pressing up on your diaphragm and irritating it a little bit, which translates into shoulder pain. Your soft stop may be something entirely different, but these are the most common sensations/behaviours reported. Take it slow, but you may not experience any of these until you start getting fills. When can I eat “normal” again? http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1965 Pregnancy and the band: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2031 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4747 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=89 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2203 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=127 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4689 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4409 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1919 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2190 Does everyone have a great story? http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5396 How has your relationship with food changed? http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4275 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=64868 hair loss: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4799 Extra skin? http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5132 Painful empty stomach: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5793 Bandster Portion: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5787 Making/Posting your weightloss ticker: http://www.tickerfactory.com/WeightLoss/weight_loss.php?type=3 1. Go to the link above and make your ticker. 2. Go to the bbCode box and right click on mouse and hit Select All then right click again and select Copy 3. Go back to LBT, click on User CP and under Settings & Options choose Edit Signature 4. Click in the signature block where you want the ticker to go, right click and select Paste You can preview your signature, or select Save to save your signature( it will look like a bunch of letters until you save it) Your new signature line will now show on all your existing posts, and all your new posts. To edit/update your ticker: 1. Click the ticker in one of your posts, or go to User CP, Edit Signature, Preview Signature and click on the ticker there. 2. The ticker page should open up. 3. Click on the Back button and revise your numbers. 4. Click on the Next button. 5. Go back to LBT and delete the existing ticker. 6. Repeat steps 2- 4. The Sweet Spot: http://www.geocities.com/michellojackson/NOT_AT_SWEET-SPOT.html NOT AT SWEET SPOT? Robin, CoffeeWench this is from another board from a girl who was in the FDA trials she has been banded 3 years has lost 140 pounds... This is a recurrent theme on all lists, so let's just address it. The Lapband was designed with a purpose. To be emptied if we ever needed to be able to eat fairly normally again. I say "fairly" normally because even with no Fluid it usually cuts our portions at least some. But mostly this is because we haven't been forced to superchew our food yet. Now, we understand this purpose when we go into it. But it doesn't really SINK IN until we're actually healed from our liquid phase (or even before that) and we decide to TEST THE BAND. And we can STILL eat!!! And we PANIC! And we convince ourselves we're doomed to fail! And we stress out and eat more. And maybe gain back some of the weight we lost during the liquid phase. We're convinced the band that seems to have worked for thousands of others isn't going to work for us. That we're some freak of nature that is going to be fat for all eternity. It's normal to feel this way. Really. You're coming down from the drama and high of the surgery into the day to day boring liquids and you expect to start really losing some weight. I mean, you had surgery didn't you???? Well don't expect much until you're restricted. Use this time to HEAL. See ANY weight loss before your first really good fill as a BONUS and NOT a given, okay???? If you're lost weight, consider yourself that far ahead. There are some lucky ones who experience great restriction out the door. Most are in between and some experience none (like me). You're NOT GOING TO FAIL. Your tummy is healing. It's anchoring that band in place so that it won't slip. If you've had one fill and you need another, make it your priority to get one. Otherwise you're just spinning your wheels. I've had my band so tight that a couple of sips of coffee and ONE bite of a strawberry make me so full I'm on the verge of barfing for hours. I've had it so tight that chewing gum was too much for me because swallowing all that saliva was causing it to back up. Right now I'm kind of at a happy medium. When you get your band to that "just right" spot a switch goes off in your brain about food. You stop caring about it. I'm serious. Suddenly you have to come to grips with the fact that you just CANNOT eat like you once did. And that has a lot of issues unto itself but it comes with the reward of weight loss so it doesn't leave you feeling as vulnerable and schitzy as the prefill stage does. If you're still healing and haven't lost much weight--please try to just get through this time and preoccupy yourself with other things.Did you know that Dr. Fox in Seattle prescribes his band patients diet pills to take during the prefill stage? Why? He understands the difficulty. He feels it's better to kill the appetite chemically while the band heals that subject his patients to all that stress. And he happens to have one of the highest band success rates in the country.And as always, it's better to ADD to your habits then to try to take away. Add more water, more vitamins, more exercise. But don't try to take away food because it throws you into dieting mentality. Adding will naturally balance out the other problem.Just my thought for the night and now I'm finally going to bed. It's a good thing I type 100+ words a minute robin this is a reply from robin: And it is my pleasure to try to reassure you all. I remember 2 things from my prefill stage--how utterly depressed I was thinking the band wasn't going to work and how totally alone I believed I was in my experience. The last 2 years has proven to me that I was more the "norm" that I possibly could have imagined and had my doctor or SOMEONE let me know this from the getgo I would have felt like it was just a neccessary part of the process and would have gotten through it with a more realistic outlook. Let's just say I wouldn't have beaten myself up the way I did. Robin i hope this helps! michelle Removal Stories: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4992 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2406 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2475 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2311 After Unbanding: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2511 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4299 Erosion Info: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2256 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2725 http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showth...=&threadid=2250 http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showth...=&threadid=2274 Erosion stories: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2298 Metabolism: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1055 Port Revision Stories: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=933 Restriction Fluctuations: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1554 One Year Updates: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1318 Strategies for Keeping the Weight Off: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2288 Last Supper Syndrome: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2311 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6107 It’s not a magic band: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6106 Food Addiction: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2311 http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2715 Understanding Morbid Obesity: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4750 Food Stories: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=832 Barium Swallow Pics: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6011 Varicose Veins and Treatment: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6027 Thoughts As Surgery Approaches http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6034

I personally don't see how stitching the stomach around the band could have anything to do with lower rates of erosion. It was my understanding that this technique was developed to reduce/eliminate SLIPPAGE, and had nothing to do with erosion....

I agree that the information availabe should not be used to "brush off" anyone, and this site is MOST valuable because it is "live" and people develop relationships with eachother. But I don't always have time (or energy) to answer common newbie posts in the depth that they should be answered, and if I KNOW there is a post already that addresses their question in depth I am much more likely to post to that person with a link than to ignore them altogether. Which maybe isn't the same as indepth support, but not exactly brushing them off or making them feel as though no one reads their posts, or that they can't get attention because they're not a part of the non-existent "clique". Because I have been around here from almost the beginning, and have obsessively read this board until at least July 04, and have a relatively good memory for things that matter to me, I can often recall having read about something that I think can help, but that I can't give specifics on. Sometimes these are even my OWN posts - and let me tell you - even when you know SPECIFICALLY what you are looking for, and who posted it - it can be EXTREMELY frustrating trying to find it again! The search feature does not seem to be completely reliable - and for newbies who have no idea if there is a post or not... it's very likely they won't be able to find one of the more helpful or detailed posts. That was really my idea behind the newbie section - not to replace the real support here, but to give everyone a "base" of knowledge to work from. Plus, I would link to real threads, too, where people could go and post to with further questions and get answers, expounding on those pre-existing valuable threads. But I do hear your concerns Alexandra, and I think they are valid.

Okay, Teresa! 'Fess up!! What DOES a rolypoly bug taste like?!?! And DON'T say "chicken"!!!

Penni - Sending healing thoughts and wishes out to your Mom. She's so lucky to have you there, particularly with your medical knowledge. Hang in there! (((HUGS)))

Nykee, this sounds EXACTLY like what Penni had, rash-wise. I think it did have something to do with her port??? I just saw that picture the other day... now, where did I put that thread??? Ah - here's the specific post/picture: http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=12985&postcount=106

Again, I left out one of the most important parts, assuming of course that everyone has already read the "Tools for Dealing with Emotional Hunger" and are trying to employ those strategies - http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=434 Of course Nicole has the most important next step - after acknowledging your emotions, you will undoubtedly still need to DO something - that's when you have to whip out your emotion/activity chart, and pick something OTHER than eating to try and help you through.

Sweet Girl - I think "dealing with your feelings" is mostly done with acknowledging that they even exist. Most of us don't even realize that we're eating because we feel a certain way - the feelings are so buried. All we know is that we want/NEED to eat. In your case, you certainly know WHY you are being drawn to food. But instead of going for that "numb", explore your feelings. Write down everything you are thinking, every way that you hurt, every angry thought and revengeful hope you have. Explore the hurt, and take it to its resolution in your mind - i.e., you know that in a certain amount of time this will just be a memory and won't have the power over you then that it does now. I don't know of a way to accelerate the healing, but knowing that eventually the hurt will dim and disappear, and reminding yourself of that and what it will feel like helps put things into perspective. THEN... You have to look a little deeper. Almost always the true pain has attached to it an unacknowledged fear, and I think THAT is truly the big enemy. Maybe deep down you fear that you will never find someone else, or that this will happen again, or something along those lines. Once you can find the underlying fear(s), you can play those out to resolution, and the fear dims. As an example, let's say I'm feeling stressed at work because of all of these layoffs. I was very attached to my boss, his boss, and my Mom, and they all got laid off in 3 consecutive days. YES I feel a loss, and I feel hurt and resentful. I'm eating. But underlying all those valid and TRUE feelings lies my fear, which intensifies all of this, that is not as easily acknowledged... I'm afraid I will get laid off, too. I'm afraid if I DO get laid off, I won't be able to make my car/mortgage payments, that I will somehow negatively impact my BF's finances, that I will have to ask for help. So, I explore these fears, and keep asking, "Okay, WHAT IF you DO get laid off? What will happen?" And then I try to walk through EVERYTHING. Not just all the bad things that will happen, but ALL the way through. After waddling in all the immediate negative ramifications, eventually I have to admit, "And then I suppose I will eventually find another job, and if that doesn't pay enough to pay for everything then I could get a second job. And if that doesn't pay for everything, then I can sell the new car. Maybe refinance the house. Withdraw from my 401K and take the penalties." But because I have FELT my feelings, acknowledged and worked through them, I feel a little more powerful, and my desire/NEED to eat is lessened. It is scary and painful, but going through the process does leave you feeling more powerful and in control. Let me know if this helps in any way, and remember, if you STILL end up eating to numb yourself, please be kind and gentle with yourself. You are doing the best you can, and you are using techniques that have worked for you in the past. Give yourself time to learn new techniques to deal with this crap. One day maybe it will be 50%/50%. The more you practice, the less you'll need food to help. Promise. ((((HUGS))))

Megan.... SO sorry, and what a !!$@$#$. I would love to be able to think up a little harmless revenge, but I have to admit that the higher road (and possibly the more effective) is the "you didn't mean anything to me" tact daiseydoodle suggests. He may be one of those jerks who feels better when the wronged party treats him bad, so we DON'T want him to feel better!!! ((((HUGS)))) There are good ones out there, and you will find your prince - I just know it!!! Because you are beautiful, smart, sexy, and REAL. xxoo