klariade

Oh I know, that is so frustrating! Try to find other victories apart from the scale. Like, are your clothes fitting looser? Is it easier to exercise? Do you FEEL better? Last year I plateaued for 3 months and still went down a size. It's crazy how the body works! Plus, if you're exercising a lot you're probably replacing fat with lean muscle which weighs more. I've actually had weeks here and there where I've gained when I've exercised more than normal (especially if I was lifting weights a lot), go figure. Don't get discouraged, just keep going and eventually the pounds will disappear. You're doing great!

Everyone plateaus from time to time. I've had several, and I got through them by switching up my exercise routine and changing my eating habits. I tend to get into a routine of eating the same things every day (especially for breakfast and lunch). Sometimes your body just needs a break, a chance to catch up and readjust. Your weight loss will most likely slow down as well the closer you get to your goal. As my doctor described to me, your metabolism will change and it will take a lot more movement to burn the calories the thinner you are. If you're hungry more than usual, you might need a fill too. Hang in there and don't get discouraged...we all go through it!

That's an awesome idea! I'm gonna try that tomorrow...ooh, I bet that would also taste good with fresh blueberries or strawberries mixed in. Mmmmmm...

If you have a problem food, your band will let you know! Everyone is different, and sometimes the foods you tolerate will change when you get fills. My advice is to introduce solid foods slowly once you're through your mushies phase. Wait as long as possible to try typically tough foods for bandsters like red meat, breads, and pasta. And don't forget to chew!!! Even the easiest foods for me will get stuck if I don't chew enough!

My mom was once an OR nurse, and if I remember correctly it has to do with interfering with equipment and the surgery itself. Also if something goes wrong and they need to get to a part of your body it can't be covered by anything. They also need to see every vein and mark in case they need to get an IV in for some reason. They basically want nothing foreign on your body, even if you think it's not on an area that would interfere. They do all sorts of stuff to you once you're put under that my mom said you don't even want to know. The nose I'd imagine they'll make you take everything out alltogether, as you'll have a mask on and a breathing tube. They don't want any chance of it accidentally slipping into your windpipe. A pain in the butt I know (it took me forever to get my ear cartilage earring back in after surgery), but better to be safe than sorry!

My doctor says 1 cup of food at each meal is about right. Sometimes I can only eat half a cup, and there are days I've eaten up to 2 cups. On average I'd say I eat 1 cup of food (maybe slightly more) at each meal. The important thing is to listen to your body and stop when you're satisfied...not full, just satisfied. There is a difference! If 1 cup is what it takes for you to be satisfied, and you're still losing weight, then I think you are doing great! The amount of food you can eat will vary, and when you get a fill it will change again. And if you've only been banded since April, you're probably not at full restriction yet. Be patient and keep doing what you've been doing, because it's obviously working!

I've started having the same problem and haven't been able to come up with an answer. My mom is a GI nurse and said it could be a sign of acid reflux, which I've also started getting recently. I have a doctor's appointment next week and am going to ask about it.

162 pounds lost and still going!

I lost 100 pounds in 6 months so yes, it CAN be done! BUT, there are a lot of factors that go into it, including how your body reacts to the band and to losing weight. I was lucky, I had no complications and my body seems to love the band. I lost very rapidly for the first 8 months, and then my weight loss slowed down and now it's torture to get off one pound! Everybody is different. While you may want to lose quickly (we all do!), keep in mind that the goal is to get to a healthy weight...no matter how long it takes!

I have trouble with vitamins because most of the multi-vitamins make me nauseous. GNC has a berry-flavored chewable that isn't too bad. I used to take it at night so it didn't make me too nauseous. Viactiv now has a chewable multi-vitamin that actually tastes decent and doesn't make me nauseous at all! Plus, it's chocolate flavored so it gives me my morning chocolate fix.

Use it as motivation to get out of the plus sized section! P.S. Target's sizing makes no sense whatsoever! I wear a Large in their Merona t-shirts. I go to the next rack and an XXL fits. I just bought shorts a month ago at Target. The jean shorts were a 16 and loose (probably could've bought a 14). The Khaki shorts I had to buy an 18. It's seriously annoying! Most stores I'm in between a 14 & 16 pants and wearing Large tops. At Target it's like a game of Roulette!

I was banded before I started dating my husband. He knew about it from the very start, and was extremely supportive. Now he even knows all the bandster terms and claims I have a "stuck" face! LOL! If the guy is worth it, he will take the time to understand your band and why you have one. I would be upfront about it, because any guy who would be turned off by you having a band should be crossed off your list of potential husbands!

That is a HUGE NSV!!! I remember the first time I shopped at a "normal" store. It was Old Navy, and I tried on a pair of jeans "just to see" and they fit. I bawled my eyes out. The cashiers looked at me like I was crazy until I explained I had lost over 100 pounds and this was the first time I'd ever been able to shop there. You will have so much more freedom to shop now...and better sales! As for normal vs. plus sized stores...I'm also in between a 14 and 16 right now, and I haven't stepped into a Lane Bryant in over a year. Most stores carry up to size 16 (except for those super high-end teeny bopper stores which, let's face it, we probably don't even WANT to go in). So don't sell yourself short at a size 16! Kiss Lane Bryant GOODBYE and move on! Sure, at a 14/16 you COULD shop in the plus sized stores and sections, but after shopping there for so long why would you want to if you don't have to? Shopping in real stores is AWESOME! I fit comfortably in an XL, even have some Large tops. Different stores are sized very differently, so go try on some clothes! You will LOVE IT! P.S. I tried on a bra at Victoria's Secret a month ago (38D). It fit perfectly! I didn't buy it though, I couldn't justify paying $45 for a bra that won't fit in a few months.

These are some fantastic tips! A lot of what you said is some of the same things I've discovered on my journey too. This should be published and given to everyone who has a lap band. Seriously.

FANTASTIC!!! Keep it up! I bawled my eyes out when I reach 299. It was a good day...and you'll be there soon!

Yup, caffeine is an appetite stimulant, so while it's wise to ease up no need quit completely. I did cut back a little on my morning coffee after surgery, but still can't function without some! My doctor also says everything in moderation. He doesn't get all worked up over having some junk food now and then...just keep it at a minimum. As for creamer, I used to be a huge creamer junkie. I found that a bit of skim milk and a packet of Splenda does the job just fine.

All so true. I also notice my mindset beginning to change after I was banded. I was (and still am to some degree) a serious carb-aholic. After I was banded, I didn't miss the bread and pasta anymore. I still have it sometimes, but it's not worth the extra calories (and possibility of getting majorly stuck) most of the time. I found the by not being able to eat as much, I was forced to deal with my emotions in other ways. It helped me grow emotionally as a person while physically I was shrinking.

I can't speak about the sleeve, but I can tell you the band is the best thing I have ever done for myself. My story is similar to yours. I've been overweight for as long as I can remember. After high school the weight continued to pack on, and after ending a very bad relationship (I was engaged to a man who was verbally abusive) and moving back in with my parents I was at rock bottom. I topped out the scales at 374 pounds!!! Anyway, I, like you, did a lot of research for over a year and kept trying to convince myself I didn't need surgery. I tried just about every diet in existence. I didn't want to be "one of those people" who needed surgery to lose weight. The fact of the matter is though, that I was out of control and needed to take drastic measures to get my life back. After much research and discussion and crying myself to sleep, I decided on the lap band. I chose lap band over bypass because it is less risky. I didn't want to re-arrange my insides, and didn't want to deal with the malabsorption. My best friend who is a nurse's aide has seen several patients die from bypass and says almost all of her bypass patients have to come back within a year for more surgery. I know a couple people who had very successful bypasses, but I didn't want that. Plus, like you I wanted to get married and have children one day and did a lot of research on the two surgeries and pregnancy. In short, it was easier to have a band and be pregnant. So, I was banded on August 7, 2009 and I would do it all over again. It's been a long road, rocky at times, but it has been all worth it. I am lucky that I didn't have any complications during or after surgery, and I have a very short list of foods I can't tolerate. Everyone is different though. I am a food addict and compulsive over eater. Always have been, always will be. What the band did for me was control my hunger and, by not allowing me to eat as much, I was forced to deal with some things without the aid of food. I've become a new person because I've learned to deal with emotions and trials and other things without eating myself to death. And your doctor is wrong about lap band success. I know that is harsh, but it is true. Just look at how many people on here have lost over 100 pounds!!! I've lost 162 pounds in a year and a half (put some back on around my wedding, but working on getting those back off now). Yes you will lose slower than if you had gastric bypass, but in my opinion that is healthier and you will most likely have less complications. It is NOT easy. You still have to make good choices, and you still have to exercise and all that jazz. The band restricts many foods, but not ALL of them. I gained 13 pounds by eating my way around my band (ice cream, chips, Cookies, and other foods that slide right down and don't stay in your pouch). The band simply is a tool to control your hunger, and if you follow the rules you WILL have success! Ultimately, the decision is yours. I do have to say that from reading your post it sounds like you've already made your decision, you just need some reassurance that it is the right one. If that is the case, then I say GO FOR IT! You will not regret it, I promise. And as for people that think you're taking the easy way out, I laugh at them. They don't know the half of it, and if they're not willing to listen and understand then forget em. You need to do what is best for YOU, and that is all that matters.

It's a personal decision who you tell. For me, I told a few people beforehand and ended up finding out that someone I work with was having it done a month before me. It was so wonderful to have her to talk to because we were going through the same thing at almost the same time. We still talk from time to time 2 years later and help each other out when we're in a rut. I chose to let everybody know who would listen. I posted a blog and talked about it on facebook. Because I was very open about it, several people I know came to me for advice. I helped several people through the decision process (all of them had lap band surgery!) and keep in touch with some friends from college who are banded, who otherwise I probably wouldn't talk to at all. It's been so fulfilling being able to help others through the process, give tips, and emotional support. Had I not been open about my surgery, there would probably be a few lost souls out there without a band! I've also become an advocate for weight loss surgery and healthy living, and gotten involved in the Obesity Action Coalition, letting people know that surgery is NOT the easy way out. I am very quick to throw down on people who think weight loss surgery is a copout. But that's me, that may or may not be the way you want to go. It's up to you, but never EVER be ashamed of having a band!

A pillow for the ride home...to put under your seat belt to cushion and to absorb the bumps in the road for you. Someone suggested that to me before my surgery and I am SO GLAD I had it! I felt EVERY SINGLE BUMP on the 10 minute ride home, but the pillow helped!

I agree, weight is just a number. Find a weight where you feel good about yourself, it may be higher or lower than what your doctor says. When I started my journey at 374 pounds, my doctor's goal for me was simply to get under 200 lbs (I'm only 19 lbs away!). Right now, if I can get down to 185 I'll be happy as a clam (I'm 5' 6 1/2" medium build). Maybe I'll want to lose more when I get there, maybe not. We'll see! And don't even worry about those height and weight charts...they are ridiculously unrealistic. My best friend is 5'8" and weighs 160, is a size 8 and is considered almost overweight, because she is at the very tippy top of the healthy weight range on most weight charts...and the girl's a toothpick!

You should be fine. The new airport security isn't as big of a deal as the media makes it out to be, it just takes a little longer and is a little more of a nuisance than it used to be. When my hubby and a I flew to Florida for our honeymoon, he had to go through the full-body scanner and it took like 10 seconds. He also had to have a pat-down because they thought there was "something in his pocket" and it was no big deal, took a few seconds. On our way back to PA, I set off the alarm going through the metal detectors and they had to swipe my hands for residue, took a minute to process and I was on my way. I think if anything the metal detectors and scanners are a lot more sensitive than they used to be. You shouldn't have any problems. Enjoy your trip!

Getting a slight unfill will probably give you some relief, but isn't necessarily the cause of the problem. Reflux is very often aggravated by what you are eating, and being too tight can definitely make it worse. Acid reflux can also be a sign of another medical problem, so make sure you get checked out thoroughly. I would of course talk to your doctor ASAP and see what he/she says. In any case, reflux SUCKS! :ack2:

I stand corrected! I just assumed that since I never had a problem with pills they just dissolved before they got there. Guess I should've asked! Thanks!

I second the Pure Protein bars, definitely one of the best I've found! I just started eating Luna Protein bars and they are realllllly yummy, and have a couple different flavors than the Pure Protein. Both brands are low in calories, carbs, and sugar and high in protein (can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure it's at least 20g).