BamaBrandy

Thank you both for the well wishes and advice. I've been doing the 2 shakes and 1 small meal a day for quite a while, then 3 weeks ago i started the Clear Liquids. I plan on sticking with the clear liquids and living on the treadmill till I shed the next 25, but if you have any better ideas I would sure be glad to listen.

For some reason we who are believers tend to have a habit of continually beating ourselves up over everything. I am taking a moment to encourage each and every one of you to stop, pray, and open up to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Share with Him your discouragements over your weight, and your desires to live a more productive life. He already knows anyway... He just wants us to walk in the cool of the day with Him sharing all of ourselves unto Him.
Remember the advances in Medical technology are NOT solely for those who do not believe in God, they are for us too. We are His children, and God wants us to seek Him for everything that He may be glorified in all areas of our lives. Do not allow the enemy to stagnate you in guilt because of your desire and decision to get a lapband. Instead use this as another pillar and testimony to the Goodness of God!
How? Well, I am glad that you asked...
Study daily, pray continually, ask God to allow your lapband to help you become heathier, and look for ways to use even this part of life's journey as a opportunity to share the Gospel of Christ Jesus!
Luke 11
9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Be encouraged!
Forever His!
Yolanda

I got banded in early June, and I have NEVER slimed, PB'd, or thrown up from the band. I've also never gotten anything stuck. I've only thrown up twice the whole time, but that's because I'm pregnant, not because the band had anything to do with it.
You may not feel restriction until you get a fill, that's what they're for, the first six weeks are all for healing, so you're doing just AWESOME my friend! Congrats!

We have been married for 31 yrs and I know neither of us has ever cheated. There may have been a bit of dreaming on both sides - especially during the indifferent years but besides being married we are best friends, fishing buddies, and confidants. I would know if he was cheating. With the way our schedules work and always seem to have worked he would have had to step into a different dimension to find time! As we slow down some, the love and respect grows even more and neither can imaging life without the other - which is one reason why I had the surgery.

Neither me or my spouse has physically cheated. We've been married 1 year this month and together 5 years and 4 months.
Mentally?? That's a different story. Mentally I have cheated on my husband with Brad Pitt, The Rock, Vin Diesel, Tommy....and just yesterday with Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Carribean)

I have some issues around this, because my dad cheated on my mom, and my 1/2 brother and 1/2 sister are living proof of it.
So, how do I know for sure? I don't really. What I base my statement that he hasn't cheated on me on is that he's never given me any reason at all to doubt him. He's never been missing time, that is I've never had times where I didn't know where he was or what he was doing, and I've never caught him lying about such things. We talk about everything under the sun. I feel like I know him and trust him totally. Someday, I may be proven wrong, but until then I'm continueing with that.

My husband and I have been married for 15 years and are so cut from the same piece of cloth it is not funny - very strong family values, parents married for 40+ years, etc. We also married later than most - I was 31 and he 33. We were looking for someone special and held out for that person. We share and do everything together and love it - hobbies, etc. Our friends share the same values and so we have a very strong network of long married friends - 20- 25 years! There is a deep understanding of trust that I cannot explain. There is also a depth of character that he exhibits on a daily basis in everything he does. If he needs something from me, he does not hesitate to discuss that need, and I am happy to support him because I know when it is my turn he is there for me. I am very fortunate to have married such a wonderful friend, husband, father, and son.

:clap2: My husband and I have never cheated nor would we ever consider it. Deep love, respect for each other, and the desire to have a peaceful union and family has driven us to always mediate our problems. We respect the sanctity of our marriage and vows. If there is a problem, we work it out because we love each other too much to turn to someone else to solve our problems. Bottom line, our relationship is so important to us, that we would not let anything or anybody interfere with that special bond.

Hi,
I've been married 20 years and neither of us has ever cheated.

Ok, thenI will try to keep my answers sane. No, I have never cheated, and neither has my husband. There is nothing that I keep from him, and vice versa in any part of our relationship. We communicate about everything, and have since we became friends way way back when I was in high school. LOL Ok...not that way back, but we met and became friends in '93. I think that communication is the key, and so is a healthy respect and love for each other. I can honestly say that, aside from my kids, there is nothing on this planet that I love and care for, as well as think about, more.

Hello folks,
I can hardly believe that I am on the home stretch here. I started out at 433 pounds nearly three years ago and have lost 220, make that 215 as my weight has been creeping up a few pounds lately due to stress. Most of that I lost in the first two years, as I have been on a plateau for most of 2011. On the one hand, I am really, really pleased for the weight I have lost. I am literally HALF the woman I used to be! I have gone from being defined by my limitations (energy, size, fitting in chairs - everything) to having essentially no limitations in life. I used to have to buy all my clothes mail order because even Avenue didn't carry big enough clothes (size 36). Now I am right in between shopping in the Misses and Women's departments (size 14-16 on top, size 18 on bottom). Although one of my goals is to be out of Women's sizes completely.
My family and I went on a vacation to Mexico and I sunned myself on the beach and slid down the Water slides with my kids. When we went to Washington DC I walked all around the Capitol Mall visiting the various Smithsonian museums without getting tired and without my feet or legs getting sore. I even got our friends to babysit so my husband and I could make a special trip out at night, walking from our hotel to the Washington monument, just to see it at night. That's a lot of walking and it was no big deal for me, whereas before I would have never considered walking so far just for the sake of seeing a monument at night.
We were travelling with some friends who are quite a bit heavier than I am currently, although not as heavy as I was before my lapband surgery, and they were not able to do the things I was able to do. It reminded me of how far I've come, and I'm really grateful for the progress I've made. (And I was able to be compassionate for their state of energy, since I have been there and worse)
On the other hand, I have been stuck at more or less this weight for most of 2011. It's like my body does not want to drop those last 25 pounds to my goal weight. Now I know that by most measures of "success" for bariatric surgery (losing 50-70% of your excess weight) I am already successful. But I want to get down to the one hundreds! Actually, 170 would be an even healthier weight for me, but I'll settle for 199 (I'm tall). So I am frustrated by this long plateau and my seeming inability to get all the way down to my goal weight.
Now I know that I have developed some bad habits (liquid calories sneaking back into my diet) and also that I have to get more serious about exercise in order to get to the next step. I am thinking of trying to hire a personal trainer to keep me on track and motivated. Just going out walking as exercise - which worked great when I was first getting going - is not going to be enough anymore.
So anyway that's my story. I'm really glad I did the lap band. I honestly never thought I would get my weight this far down ever again. So I am really grateful for that.

So I went in for a fill today. Was not even sure that she would give me a fill, but she ended up giving me .20 since I had .50 taken out the last time.
So my first NSV was when the nurse was taking my vitals. She was looking up my BMI and I asked her how close I was to not being "OBESE". She looked at me and said that I was NOT obese. Hehe. liked that one... I have about 4lbs to go until I am officially declared "overweight"
So then I saw the surgeon outside the room and thanked him again for doing my surgery!!! He just looked at me and said WOW what are you a 27. Im like huh!!! No im a 14. He just laughed and said he thought my BMI was a 27. The nurse laughed and said no she is a 30 and he said that I looked way smaller than that. He wanted me to go and talk to people at the next seminar that he is having in Septemember. He thinks I will be at my goal within 6-7 months of my surgery. I told him that was my goal too!!!

I'M BANDED..................I went to hospital at 10:00am and surgery started at 11:11am. When I was in the OR I was so nervous that a few tears fell, but the last thing I remember was the scrub tech rubbinbg my shoulder and telling me everything was going to be ok, and that she also had the lapband in April and has lost 60lbs, that was the last thing I remember. Next I keep hearing my recovery nurse and my mom saying I need to wake up, I would say 1 word and drift back off (LOL). I went to take an UGI (contrast horrible), waited for those results, and then drank 30cc of Water. After that I was released I don't have a time stamp for all that, but I made to my home at 4:46pm. I have little pain, no gas or shoulder pain so far. I have driven (I know I shouldn't have), gone to store, and I'm home alone with by two boys. Overall, thus far pretty good experience........I will let ya'll know how I feel tomorrow. I'm open for any questions and advice.

This is something I recently posted to someone researching.
I would say that there are three regularly occurring post-op posts that you should be aware of as you prepare. Being aware will help you deal with the psychological aspect of the band in the weeks and months following surgery.
1. Be aware: You may experience a lot of discomfort after surgery that is pain related. People vary so much on this and of course everyone hopes to be one of the "bounce right back" folks, but be prepared to be in a lot of discomfort for up to a week or even more. It is NORMAL to be depressed and/or regret having the surgery immediately post-op.
2. Be aware: It is very likely that your weight loss will stall or even reverse (meaning actual gains) during the first weeks to month after surgery. This is counter-intuitive to people, because they just had weight loss surgery AND they are on a liquid diet and not eating. But it is NORMAL to plateau or even gain Water weight while your body is recovering from the stress of surgery. Try not to despair. If you keep at it, you will begin to lose weight soon enough.
3. Be aware: A lot of people feel very hungry and ready to eat eat eat almost immediately after surgery. For a lot of people, the band alone doesn't do anything for weeks to month until it is filled. This is what people refer to as Bandster Hell. A smaller subset of people do feel a reduction in hunger right away-- but if you don't go in automatically expecting you'll be a lucky one, then you won't be as baffled and disappointed if you aren't. It is NORMAL to feel hungry and frustrated until you reach the appropriate fill for your body, and that may take weeks to months.
Knowing these things and expecting them will help tremendously with your emotional reaction to the band. If any of these things happen to you, you are in good and prolific company. Don't despair! Figure out before your surgery how you might cope with them when they come up and odds are, they won't be a problem for you. Knowledge is the key.
I would add the following to that list:
1. The average loss at 2 years with the band is 60% of excess weight, according to band literature. So if you need to lose 100 lbs to be in a "healthy BMI", then the average person will have lost 60lbs by the end of year 2. This is the average, which means that there are going to be a few people who lose 0 lbs in 2 years and an equally few people who lose 100+ lbs in 2 years. Most people are going to be right around that 60% mark (I wish I knew what the standard deviation is, that would be even more helpful).
2. Weight loss is not constant and linear for most people, even if they are very very consistent with their eating behavior and activity level. It seems like it should be-- calories in/calories out-- but there are a lot of people that tend to lose in cycles and you may be one of them. For me, I lose weight in chunks, then I "plateau" for a few weeks, then I drop another bunch of pounds within three days, then "plateau" again. You may also be one of those people-- don't let it worry you.
3. Exercise may temporarily stall your weight loss or even make you gain, especially if you are starting or intensifying your program. I have been working out consistently for the past two weeks after about 10 years of nothing. I have GAINED weight even though my eating hasn't changed and I'm burning more calories. That's normal. I know if I keep at it, I will drop that plus some more and have a healthier heart and more stamina to boot.
4. This is hard work, even though the band DOES make it easier if you let it. I get full on small amounts of food-- not "stuffed" full like I was used to, but "ok, I've had enough and my body doesn't need more" full. This is REALLY hard to get used to. Full is never again going to feel like full has felt in the past. But, I can still eat past the point where my band says "eh, you've fed your body as much as it needs" and very very often my brain says "do it, you know you want to, mmmmm it tastes so good, just one more bite!". It is a real struggle sometimes to listen to my band and not my head hunger. I actually have a little mantra when I'm eating and being mindful. I say "if I'm not going to listen to the band when it says stop, then why did I bother with this surgery in the first place?" That tends to turn down the volume of the head hunger.
I think people naturally go into this surgery very optimistically. They go to the seminar and the surgeon and the carefully selected successful patients of that surgeon talk about how amazing it is. They come on this board and look at the success story forum, and the "I lost 100 lbs" forum, and the "before and after" picture gallery. They see people's tickers (like mine) who have lost huge amounts in months, not years and they expect only the best , most luckiest results, and ignore the fact that the average expected loss in 60% of excess weight at two years. I understand this because I did it too, and I fully believe that I have been incredibly LUCKY so far and that it's "easy" for me to say this but I do think that bandsters who are really in touch with reality and not overly optimistic are going to be able to emotionally adjust to banded life better.
Do not get the band if you expect it to work like bypass. If you want super fast results, and you want malabsorption, then get the bypass. With the "plusses" of the band, including its adjustability and its reversibility, come some costs and one cost is that it requires adjustment which is unpredictable in some ways, and it's associated with a slower rate of loss.

I wish I would have known that my Fantastic surgeon, could care less if you were having a problem, and he just blew you off as another number to him.
I wish I would have known that another surgeon will not touch someone else's mistake. Even if I moved away from my original surgeon. You would have to go back to your original surgeon.
I'm GLAD that I found a surgeon to help me with my care, and fills. All he asks is that you lose weight.....

Ok, I'll play...
I wish I had known that when you move from the post op liquid diet to mushies that your weight loss can stall.
I wish I had known that you can't just take the suggested calorie range from the nutritionist and follow that and lose at a good rate. I had to spend several weeks tweaking my calories to find the right range for me to lose effectively.
I wish I had known that some people can never just eat until they feel full. Evidently, my full notification system is faulty because if I eat until I'm full then I will be miserable later.
I wish I had known that I can't eat whatever I want (only less) and lose weight.
All in all, I'm thrilled with my band. Never in my life have I been able to lose 86 lbs and feel confident that I can keep it off!

I think it is a great idea. I was required to go to "support group" meetings prior to receiving my band. At 70+ participants...it was more like an infomercial than a support group. And on top of it, it was nothing but a big love fest for the LapBand.
This site has all kinds of opinions and I found it - and still find it - to be my most valuable Lapband resource. Hands down.

These are pictures from the night before my surgery 7/13/2011 and tonight 8/10/2011 (4 weeks) I put the links in case the pictures dont work.
Before Front
Before Side
After Front
After Side
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i was banded in 2008, its been a nightmare!! landed in the hospital twice, the doctor choi didnt care, he left me there to suffer! he is the one who over filled me, nothing but a quack, now they want more money to remove the dumb thing!! nightmare from hell!!never go to strax in south florida, iim now 35k in debt for hospital bills, im tryin to find a lawer,i would not wish this on anybody! i also lost my job becouse of it, food gets stuck all the time!! i need it removed!!! HELP ME.

I've always been the Fat Girl too ... Its so exciting to think that that will change!!

I went to my Endocrinologist today for hypoThyroidism. It was my 90 day check up. The Nurse was shocked when she saw the weight difference.
My first weight was 305Lbs. ,, Today I was 271 Lbs.... That's a little more then 11Lbs. a month. You know what?? I'LL TAKE IT...
This is for all you, and the Newbies. This is possible to do.
I eat between 800-1200 calories a day, and 60-80G of Protein a day. That's it. I don't bother with a scale, they drive me crazy. It is more worth it, to go to the Doctors, get weighed, and watch them have the shock of YOU HAVE LOST WEIGHT OMG, and you know this because you will be able to tell by the looseness of your clothes.
So I try to keep it simple, and be patient, and it works !
I also walk around the block 3x a week.
I just thought I would share this, also I am on Armour Thyroid a Natural Medication.
Shirley.

It sounds to me like your goals were not health when you got your band, that your goal was just to lose weight and not have to do any work. Well, that's tough. Life is hard work, being healthy is hard work; even for most people who don't have to have weight loss surgery. Almost every person has to do some sort of 'diet and exercise' to be healthy.
I know that in the short amount of time I have had the lapband, it is NOT a gimmick, and it truly is a tool. I had lost a good amount of weight before deciding to get the band, but I was stuck in a horrible cycle. My back hurt to much to exercise, but to lose weight I needed to exercise, and for my back to stop hurting, I needed to lose weight. It was a vicious cycle. Getting the band has kickstarted everything, and has helped me help MYSELF. I love exercising! It feels great to be able to treat my body like a machine and a tool for living rather than a burden. People say that because it's true. Sure, it's not easy; but in my mind nothing really worth having is easy.
Life is a gift, don't take it for granted! I assume that you want to think back someday on your accomplishments and the things that you acheived rather than just letting everything be easy and feeling entitled to not having to work for things. Human beings are a great package; but some assembly is required
I am sorry that you are feeling frustrated and fed up and that your lapband is a gimmick. What makes you feel that way? What is happening to you that is making you feel like it is failing? Maybe some people on the board can help. It's hard to help you though with such an outwardly negative post.

This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band.
The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band.
Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band.
Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.
The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:
1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.
2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.
3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.
4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.
5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.
6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.< /span>
7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.
Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater.
It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

You can do this! I had a two week liquid diet and here's how I had to look at it: There was the sane, well (but overly) fed me and then there was the STARVING me who wanted to make poor choices. There were times when the starving me got the best of the situation but then I remembered that I made this choice to change my life when I was the sane me. You are almost there- it's worth it already and I'm only 3 weeks post- op!!!

Dont cancel your surgery. You need to look at this liquid diet as part of the process. I had to do 2 weeks pre-surgery. It was hard...very hard. I cried a lot, I was grouchy, I was achy, but I got through it. I told myself it was necessary to help shrink my liver to make the surgery safe and successful.
You need to get back on track right away and stay the course. You can do this! We all can because we are so much stronger than we think we are.
Hang in there...it will get better.