Jim1967

We sound so similar as far as the instant gratification. I am also wondering if the honeymoon phase is over. I am now 1 year out and yes I have lost a substantial amount of weight but I still am no where near close to goal. My goal I feel is realistic and if I were to hit I would still be considered obese. A little frustrated these last few days. Only positive thing is I have not gained ever since Surgery aside from the water weight fluctuation.

BTW being scared of failure is normal. I had told a lot of people I was having the surgery then started to worry about failure and being known as the fat guy who couldn't lose weight even with WLS......

Failure is not an option for me but the thought of it is scary....normal

You'll do fine just remember to follow your Doc and Nutritionist guidelines. It is OK to set high goals for yourself but please, please keep the immediate expectations in check. You are not going to drop a 100lbs a week after surgery. I don't mean to come off as preaching but we see these posts daily about how ppl have surgery and a month or so later they're pissed because they have lost next to nothing for weight. I was one of those people. I was not prepared like I thought I was. I expected weight to fall off quickly the first couple of months then gradually slow down. Well it was the opposite.

Patience was a tough one for me and still at times. Just remember you did not get to this point over night and you will not hit those goals that way either.

Good luck and all the best!!

That is very kind of you to say Sara. Thank you. I am 100% about paying it forward when it comes to support. I have used every support tool I could find from live meetings to this site. Although this started out as a website I would visit it has now become a place where I interact with friends.

I committed to continue attending in person support meetings not so much for my own needs but because I have been asked by specific people to keep going and attending. I have been asked a few times about becoming a patient ambassador at the Center but I feel that is a big commitment and I am not sure if it will gel with my work schedule. Plus I am not going to be happy with my weight until I hit goal.

Thank you everyone

Thank you...

I need to see this today. Thank you Cheryl.

Awesome!!

Thank you very much!!

Hi There and congratulations on your surgery. A noisy stomach is quite common for a banded person. Digestive system is a lot more different now. Gurgling, belly rumbles are quite normal and at times a stomach growl will have you second guess as to whether or not you are hungry. These things are all normal and is not typically a sign your food is coming back up. You will know if the food is coming back up as there could be some discomfort associated with it.

For the second question all I can offer is practice, practice and more practice. I put my fork down between bites and distract myself with something else. Be careful though you don't want to be distracted as you eat or that could lead to a problem as well.

We've been eating a certain way all our lives so this new training on how to eat has a learning curve.

What type of diet are you supposed to be on? Are you supposed to be back on solids yet? Broccoli can be really tough going down so you have to cut it real small and chew the heck out of it.

Good luck Jim

I would love to have the insight as to what is going through these peoples minds. I often wonder if they are afraid to call the doctor thinking he/she will say "OK, come in we're taking your band out".

Hi Dee, thanks for sharing your experience. We've been having some long conversations regarding adoption and I think we are going to seek out some guidance on it. You're children are very lucky to have such loving parents.

Thank you all!! Maddy, I am sorry to hear about your daughter and SIL having such a rough go. I pray it works out for them this time around and the pain is all forgotten with a new gift. It really does bother me that some people can have kids and have no care in the world for them when there are those of us who would give anything to have kids and cannot.

I understand and believe the people who have made these comments absolutely intend no malice. I do my best to brush it off and avoid the topic completely. Occasionally, we forget and do or say something stupid (like post that pic on facebook).

Appreciate all of your support as always!!

Thanks all. Our power finally came back late last night. So many are still in the dark. Not looking forward to Winter although maybe I will finally get to use my new snowblower I bought last Novemeber.

Thank you all and sorry Domika. I know it's tough but all I can we can do is try to stay strong and give a steady shoulder to lean on.

Thank you all very much. I couldn't do this without your Support. I am so thankful to Alex for creating this wonderful place for all of us to support one another.

All my best -Jim

I could not ever imagine say such a hurtful thing to my Wife. I mean we are not perfect and we have our share of clashes but that is just downright horrible. That is something that cannot be taken back or waved aside with flowers and an apology. Those are the type of things that leave long term scars.

And Kime you are kicking ass!!

I am down 84lbs since Surgery in April and I hardly get comments from anyone. Heck even my own parents don't comment much. Personally, I find the constant compliments a hindrance while of course flattering.

2003 I did Atkins for 19 months and lost a 172lbs. Everyone told me how great I looked and how I was really rocking it. I found with the more compliments I got the more complacent I got. Life was good and it was time to enjoy it and I dropped the ball and did a terrible dis-service to myself. 2011 I weighed in at 488. I gained all my weight back plus another 90lbs.

Anyway, we are all different and I see your side but aside from hearing compliments from all of you who support me on here, I am all set. For now on it's all about how I feel about myself and not how others see me.

Band is not easy but if utilized properly it can be a powerful tool. I felt controlled by food all of my life. I have been obese since having my tonsils out when I was a little kid. These past few months have been amazing and I now feel in control to such a point where it seemed weird to me at first. I eat when I am hungry which is about every 5 hours. I have no appetite or cravings. It is a strange feeling. I got rid of bad eating habits and it seemed something is out of place. Not in a bad way mind you.

Friend of mine at work kept going on about how he was grilling over the weekend and had huge cookout. I looked at him and told him I don't bother with that stuff much anymore. It's not important to me. I will come and socialize but don't worry about food when it comes to me.

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily." -John Maxwell

Thank you and the feeling is mutual :-)

Never give up, never surrender. Too much at stake and already invested so much. Feeling too good to slide down a rat hole with bad eating.

Wow, sorry to be harsh but your husband sucks and not only is he an unsupported d**k he sounds like a bully. He is obviously uneducated on what the band does and how it works.

Good luck to you. You have a long journey ahead of you with that kind of support system.

So you cheated on the 6 month diet...no biggie. Important thing is not to cheat during that liquid preop diet. If you don't shrink that liver you could very well wake up and find you were not banded. I am not trying to scare you but simply motivate you. You need to shrink that liver for safety sake.

Thank you all for your kind words, prayers and encouragement. Much appreciated.