sheryl

My restriction gets tighter and looser as AF comes and goes. As I lose weight, my restriction will lessen. I will wait until I hardly have a restriction to get another fill, because it can tighten up again on it's own.. Fickle, is right!

Over the past 3 years that I have been banded (and about 8 months prior to that while doing my research), I have seen many, many people lose their weight on move off the boards. In my local support group (very small group), there are several who have lost 125 and 160 pounds, with about 20 more to go. It can happen. Yes, with any surgery, there can be complications. With the band, it doesn't happen often and it is pretty minor compared to other surgeries. I suggest to fully research exactly what is expected with the band before you get it. Once you know the facts, then some of your fears will go away.

Yes, that old thing about losing weight to have surgery sure sounds dumb. I mean, I can understand shrinking the liver to help the surgeon, but 30 pounds!?! I was self-pay, and at the time, the most experienced doctors were outside the States. Going to Mexico is great because you don't have to jump through the hoops. In one day, I did the physical, saw the shrink and nutritionist... Done in a couple of hours, at the most. Then went on and had margaritas and a nice dinner! Surgery the next day... Pretty easy... Hang in there. Do what you have to do, but know that this place is the bomb when it comes to support...

Melanie, Someone told me (I don't know this for sure), that your nerve endings that tell your brain that you are full are at the top of your stomach. So, when you have restriction and food is held in the pouch, you feel full after a small amount of food. No restriction, no fuzzy-full feelings. That is why the restriction works so well. It is true for me. I can eat a half of an apple, and I am full for an hour or two. And I am feel satisfied. If I were you, I would put that dang scale away until you get the restriction. Right now, you are just dieting. And we all know how well diets work, and how frustrating they can be. Once you get your first fill, see where you are on the restriction. And if you are sick of Protein, eat salads, veggies, and fruits to fill you up for now. Don't deprive yourself of food. Hang in there! This is the toughest part, waiting for the "tool" to work, so you won't have to do all the work. That is the way it works!!!

Sweetie, you are too tight. I know that you have been in for so many fills, but you have to get a bit taken out so you can eat. You are going to have problems with the band if you don't... Sorry you have to go through this!

It does work! You have to give it time... And the pouch does hold that little. The problem is that the food that you are eating (or drinking) is not staying there and is moving right into your lower stomach. Once you get filled and get restricted, the food will hang around in the pouch, making you full. Think of it like a funnel. Right now, the bottom part of the funnel is wide open and food just pours on through. Make that opening smaller, then the food sits in the funnel and will trinkle through slowly. Make sure you are sticking to program. Keep track of what you eat and drink at www.fitday.com .... Many people do not lose weight at all until they start with regular food, but you shouldn't be there yet because your stomach needs time to heal.. Hang in there!!!! We were all in the same boat!

I had the same feelings. BUT..... I DO have a few bites of the topping of a pepperoni pizza, a few bites of crunchy bread, had dim sum several times, a bit of lasagna on occasion... And guess what!!!!!! I am totally satisfied with the small amount that I can eat and it tastes wonderful!!!! So, the moral is: you will probably get to eat just about anything you want, but it may be just a bite or two. I don't feel deprived at all!!! I don't feel like I am on a diet because I CAN eat anything I want. I just have a small amount of those things on occasion. WONDERFUL!!!! So, get those last meals out of your mind, if you can! Try to lose what you have to before surgery because it does help! You will not struggle right after surgery if you have been eating healthy prior. And the surgery will go better because your liver will probably shrink, making it easier for your surgeon. It is totally worth it!

Yup! Buyers remorse!!!! Totally normal feeling. But you will feel so much better once you get your strength back, get that fill, and you can start using the band. You are just healing right now. The band is not even being used yet. Once it kicks in, watch out!

You will do it. I know it!!! For those who had one of the other surgeries AND are negative about the band have major self-esteem issues, IMO. They have to think that they did the right thing, had the right surgery, that they are better than anyone else. Well, that is THEIR problem, not yours!!! So, even if you don't quite make your goal (though I don't have any doubt that you will!), you will be almost there!!! And you are going to look SO MUCH HOTTER THAN THEM!!! You really motivate me! I am exercising as much as I can and I am loving the results!

I was up and walking (more like shuffling) around a couple of hours after surgery. Walked around a lot, which helped with the gas. Went back to the hotel the next day (I was in Mexico) and was a bit tender, but no pain. The day after, they shuttled us to the border and we had to walk several blocks after passing the border. No problems. I had no problems walking at the airport. It is tender when laying down, and getting up. I had 18 month old twins and I couldn't pick them up for a bit, but they were able to sit on my lap if I had a pillow against my tummy. I was able to sleep on my tummy after the first couple of nights, but most people complain about not being able to get comfortable sleeping... I drove a few days after the surgery. It was not a problem with my incisions. I really had no pain, just tenderness. BUT, I was exhausted for well over a week. I was so tired. It was all I could do to stay awake during the day. I think that was from the general...

There are great things about the RNY and great things about the lapband. And there are bad things about them both, as well. The amount of problems that bandsters have are minor, and they only happen to a very small amount of people. Complications from the RNY can be very major. The adjustablility of the band is what is great. Yes, it takes some tweaking at times. But this is a tool that you can adjust and use for years to come. It does that a bit longer to lose the weight, and while you are losing you are learning how to change your habits. With the RNY, if you haven't changed your habits after your "window of opportunity" of losing happens (I believe it is 18-24 months when your pouch can enlarge if you eat too much and your body relearns to absorb the calories), then you can gain the weight back. There are some RNYers who find after a couple of years that their pouches have stretched and they go in for a lapband to control the amount of food they can eat. Yes, there are some bandsters who have problems. Some have to have their bands taken off. They are the minority, by far. So, the point of this post is to research all types of surgeries, if you are interested. Don't just listen to one surgeon, because many surgeons push the RNY because it may requires less maintenance on their part (not doing fills) and they see faster results. But it isn't always in the best interest of the patient, IMO... Look at the pros and cons (they all have pros and cons), then you will know what is best for you. It can be a scary decision no matter what you choose. But it is so worth it all in the end!

I am such a water guzzler! I remember that the first month or two, I had to really sip, sip, sip, or I would get that pain. But it went away and I can guzzle water like before, except in the morning. I learned...

Dawn, tons of prayers coming your way from me! I will think of you all day... Keep us posted how it went... I can only imagine your family's fear of your surgery. But you know that you are doing this to give you a more healthier life.

Yeah!!! And I would be concerned if you weren't a little nervous. It is surgery and this is a habit-altering decision. But you will be so HAPPY when you get your new friend. It is a good life! Yeah!!! I agree with Heather. Try to start your low-carb diet now. It helps with the surgery, plus you will not have the shock of changing your diet right after surgery. I swear, that helped me a lot with the head-hungrys after surgery. The liquid diet phase can be hard if you are used to eating a lot. But doing the pre-op diet, it makes that transition easier... IMO... Congratulations!

I also want to add that I agree with Shontel 100%... I mean, come on... If we could do well on a diet, we wouldn't be in this situation. I also was self-pay and went to Mexico. My dr. wanted me to lose 5-10 pounds because he said that the shrinkage of the liver is really helpful during surgery, and even a 5 lb loss was very beneficial. I think 5% is too much to require, IMO...

Duplicate... Sorry

I would be so interested, as well. I HATE the apron! No matter how much I lose, I still have it hanging. After years of being overweight (up and down) and having twins, I want it gone! I think I will google it now...

Thinking of you!!!! Let us know how it went!

I don't struggle with clinical depression, thank gawd, but I can tell you that I have been so depressed about my weight for most of my life. And I think many of us are binge-eaters. I don't know too many overweight people who have a high self-esteem... I had more than 160 pounds to lose and I was depressed and I binged like crazy. But I wasn't suffering from clinical depression. I think there is a difference. Most clinics will do a psychological test to determine if you can handle the band, and to see if your expectations are in line. I don't think depression caused by being overweight is the abnormal. Hugs to you!!!

Sweetie, if you aren't restricted, your band is not working. You have to go in for another fill. A band without enough fill is not a tool. Plus, check to make sure that you aren't stuck eating mushy foods. Many people gain with those. Make sure that you are eating dense Protein. It makes a HUGE difference! And I agree with the others. www.fitday.com is a great tool to keep it real. Hang in there! This is a new tool for you. It takes time to get it properly adjusted and to learn to eat right. Your job is to make sure the band is properly filled, and you are making the right choices. Many times, if the band is properly filled, it is pretty easy to make the right choices. That is how this tool works. But you have to have it filled. And it will take time to lose the weight. It won't just melt off. I keep thinking to myself that I didn't gain this overnight, so I can't expect it to come off overnight (I struggle with this one...)

That is exactly what I would do. If you try to limit your calories to 1200-1500 for the next 2 weeks, plus get a bit of exercise in, then hit it hard the last 2 weeks with the liquid diet, then you should lose that 10 pounds. Have you tried different types of Protein Shakes? I have tried them all and I can't stand any of them, except for one. Trader Joe's has a whey protein powder (chocolate is good) that has more carbs than the others because it contains sugar instead of artifical sweeteners. I really like it. I blend it with 1% milk and ice and it makes a malt. It has a tiny aftertaste, but it is small and it doesn't hit until after you drink it. I love it... Do you have a Trader Joes? It costs about $8 a can... It is not the Designer Whey (that one is gross!) Good luck!!!

The most important thing to know is that this is just a tool. You will have to do the work, by eating the right things and changing your habits. But after being part of support groups that include bypassers, I think it is the same. You have to be committed to do the work to change your eating and exercise habits. With the RNY and the Band, you can be successful and you can fail. Unlike the RNY, the weight just doesn't fall off. But with the band, you have an adjustable tool that will last you years, whereas with the RNY you may regain after you lose the weight. It can happens. With either surgeries, you have to make the necessary changes to your life to be successful. I lost 80 pounds at first. I was committed and it came off pretty easily. I learned how to eat with my band. But I went through a tough time in my life and for 2 years I went back to eating for comfort. I didn't gain as much as I would have without my band, because I still couldn't eat that much in one sitting. But I was able to eat the wrong things, drink with meals, and snack constantly. I gained 55 pounds back in the 2 years. Once I got my head together and started to eat correctly, my band was there to help. Dieting is very easy with my band. No, not really dieting. Eating healthy, I should say. So I see people struggle on diets, and with my band, it is so much easier... I hope this helps. I highly recommend the band, but you have to be comfortable with all aspects of having it. And you have to know that it is a great tool, not a magical wand that will take the weight off. You have to do some of the work.

EXCELLENT, TELLY!!! Wow!!!

Great job, Jen! I hope to hit the '2' mark next week!!! For me, I hit 300 even, a 3 lb loss...

Let's face it. How many diets have you been on, only to gain the weight back as soon as the diet was over? Having the lapband is what will make it successful. The majority of people will never lose and keep it off by themselves by diet alone. With work from you (just to ease your guilt a bit because you do have to do some of the work yourself!), the odds of being successful with the band are pretty darn high. You are paying for a tool that will increase you chances in a great way. Don't feel guilty about that! You deserve that!