Mom23boys

@@Babbs Great analogy, I laughed when I read that!!! Oh, I remember how I was never going to let my child watch television or have junk food and they would be perfect little specimens. Now I'm just happy if my son can manage to pick up his shoes... it's funny because it's true!
@@Nibbler I was a basket case at 6 weeks. It does get better.

I've also decided that I'm not going to tell anyone but my closest friends and you guys when I have plastics. I don't want to hear anyone's opinions about that either! I will just keep them guessing!

I hope you're joking because if thats what you got out of this post then you are sadly mistaking "Tacky" is making an assumption, missing the point entirely, obviously not reading responses and then posting an asinine comment such as that. Not one time did I call any of them "fat" but you just did. If you had read the title, this post is about my fears of regaining weight after WLS which is further implemented by the fact that I have close relatives that did and are in denial about it. I don't want to catch myself in that denial. Furthermore, I was stating that you have to be accountable and aware that you can and will gain weight if you don't do what you're suppose to do. I live a real life reminder of this. I see the affects of what can happen if you don't follow the plan. It has nothing to do with "fat-shaming" or "propping myself up". It has everything to do with the fact that I have a fear of going back to old habits and gaining weight. Example, the Cheetos I was speaking of....or did you even bother to read that? I struggle with making the right choices , it's not easy. There you go. I hope that clears it all up for you, and if it doesn't....sorry boutcha. I've explained more than I care to. Take it however you please. The last thing I would do is "fat-shame" anyone. I was fat a year ago or don't you remember? Take care!

You should send her a picture of some pants that you just bought and say, "I bet you wish you could wear these". I think that would be pretty funny.

@@heather5565
My ass has produced things I did not even know it was capable of producing. First rule, and I and stealing this "NEVER trust a fart".
If I went into the bathroom and passed a kitten out of my ass it would not shock me, this whole experience has been shocking.

I just had to say thank you for having the nerve and posting this question, and to you who answered it! Misery loves company is a true true thing, I am finding! I was banded on Tuesday Dec. 20 and have had the same experience. It is ever so lovely, no? But it beats the feeling that I am so hungry I could eat the couch!! Suck it up is easier said than done, but I am sucking away...

LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up")
People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off.
This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters.
Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit.
When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general:

I *added* Protein to every thing I ate.


This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. :crying:
How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked.
With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do.
Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? :thumbup:
If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked.
And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.)
Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can.
How did I do it? Here were some tips.

At Breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a Breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts.
Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love Soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of Soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too!
With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work!

See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me.
I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO!
Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...)
Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

I have maintained my weight loss within 10 lbs.up or down, for about 6 years now (size 6). I keep asking myself why have I been so successful?
I was never in a hurry to lose the weight. I only averaged 5 or 6 lbs per month. I never had a goal and got smaller then I ever thought I would, (nice surprise).
I got very small fills. I took allmost a year to get to good restriction.
I wasn't too hard on myself if I cheated. I cheated a lot, I still do and have learned this is part of who I am. Ha!, tomorrow is another day.
I followed my doctors rules the first several months. It was hard, but I did it.
I never compared myself to anyone elses success or failure.
I exercised ( as little as possible) but I did it and still do (as little as possible).
I learned what my food triggers are, this was a hard one to overcome.
I learned to replace my craviings for sweet and chocolate and fat with low calorie, low fat recipes. (I can't live without chocolate).
I learned to eat slowly and chew well, this took over a year to master.
I learned when I go out to eat, about 2 or 3 times a month to totally enjoy my food, to eat whatever I want including dessert, and not count calories or worry about
portions. To enjoy the atmosphere and the company I am with.
I learned if I had a bad day, eating or otherwise, it will pass and tomorrow is a new beginning. Sometimes it was a bad week.
I didn't need anyone to validate my success. No one knows I had this done. Not even my family. So no one to judge me good or bad.
I learned I now have a great track record and most likely this will continue.
For me losing the weight was not a body image issue, it was a health issue. However being thin has been a nice side effect.
Hope this post will encourage some.

Per usual, I am seeing a lot of posts that essentially say the Lap-Band has failed the poster. I see them go on and on how awful the band is because it didn't work for them, most often calling it a waste of money as well. I know the band doesn't work for everyone, but I also cases of the actual band failing are pretty rare. More often than not, it's not the band that is failing but the person failing the band.
The most common reasons I see people failing their band are:
-poor food choices
-not following up on fills until they have good restriction
-living over-filled for months and months
-not eating properly (i.e. chewing, speed, bite sizes)
-a lack of education and understanding of the band
Whoever said the band would be easy was nuts. It's not. In fact, it's a lot of work. Life with the Lap-Band is one learning experience after another. Not only do we have to make good food choices for a lifetime, but we must constantly relearn how to eat after every fill. I've been very successful with the band but that has come with a ton of work. I do my very best to make good food choices and I'm patient with my band. For instance, I was filled this past Monday and could barely eat all week. I was getting a bit miserable, but I also fully realized it was my job to figure out how to work with the band. It took some trial and error, a lot of sliming and even one PB, but I finally figured it out. I was eating slow enough and chewing well enough but despite the fact I already thought my bites were small, they weren't small enough. This is the size of the bite I now need to be able to eat without issue:

Yes, it's tiny. I took a pic of my finger next to the bite for comparison. But my point is, I had to change my behavior to accommodate the band it didn't change for me. It's my job to do the work for a lifetime.
We also should be going into this surgery well educated, yet so many go into it completely ignorant. Folks this is your body, your health, it is YOUR responsibility to learn all the facts and empower yourself through education before going into surgery. It constantly blows my mind how people can spend days researching a car, or maybe reading up on facts before buying a new PC, yet they go into surgery completely clueless. If you're reading this, you're obviously online, thus there is no excuse for not learning all you can about the Lap-Band before you have surgery. If you're reading this after surgery and are clueless, then start researching now because it's much better late than never. Even ask questions here on the forum and read past posts, do something to educate yourself. But do not go into this completely ignorant then wail "oh the band sucks and doesn't work". You have no one to blame but yourself.
So the next time you see a post bashing the band, read between the lines a bit. More often than not you'll find out the band did exactly what it was supposed to do and didn't fail- it's the person who failed the band.

Quit dieting! I waited for 4 mths to get restriciton and during that time, I didn't lose much weight. I tried to keep my portions minimal but failed miserably. But after my 3rd fill - magic happened! I felt "full" after like 6 bites of a meal. After 2 1/2 yrs, I still can only eat a half of a sandwich (yes, I eat bread, rice and Pasta still) and I'm stuffed. My eyes are still bigger than my stomach and when I fill my plate the first thing my husband says is "You're never gunna eat all that". I go out to eat often and ALWAYS bring home about 2/3 of my meal. Any meal is like 3 meals for me.
Be patient. That's my biggest advise. You're not gunna lose it all overnight. I lost mine really slowly (about 75 lbs the first year, 20 lbs the 2nd, and working on the rest in the 3rd year). I still have about 10 lbs till goal, and they are BY FAR the hardest to take off. Just remember, you're probably not gunna have much restriction until your 2nd to 4th fill. You'll have to watch your portion sizes because the band won't do it for you. At 2 mths post op, I was still able to eat a large Quiznos sandwich and a bowl of broccoli cheese Soup - and still have room for some Cookies. Now, I order a small Quiznos and it lasts for 3 meals. I can eat 1 or 2 Cookies and be satisfied for days. I still get hungry, almost everyday. It won't help you with hunger. It'll just help you keep your portions to a 3 yr olds portions. I get jealous sometimes, like on holidays and I see family eating so much. Sometimes I'd like to have that "stuffed" feeling again - not the sick feeling I have when I'm too full. Or when we're on a cruise and I see people ear their weight at the buffet. But I wouldn't trade my band for diamonds!
Good luck to you! You can do it. Just remember, take your time. You got the band so as not to diet again. I eat EVERYTHING (cept pizza crust and pineapple chunks - they don't stay down very well) just in really small quantities. If I could keep my portions down without the band, I would've done so without the band. Keep us posted on your progress!
Marci

Okay, we can all agree that the first and foremost benefit of weight loss surgery is the health benefits. But that being said, the second greatest benefit(to me at least) was that for the very first time in my life I was able to shop in the normal size sections of the clothing store, and for the first time in my life I actually had choices in style, and for the first time in my life I actually saw the person who I always though I was in the mirror...not the caricature that stole my image for the last half a century. I think I speak for all of us on this one. By the time I had lost 50 pounds I had to throw out all my clothing, everything, the only thing I was able to still use were my socks. So a crash course in learning to dress well was in order...I'm alway reminded of the scene in the movie "Moscow on the Hudson" with Robin Williams when he experienced an American supermarket for the first time after defecting from the Soviet Union...he was so overwhelmed with the selections that he passed out. My wife remembers my eyes tearing when we went to Macy's to get me a new sport jacket, the last time I was there I purchased a size 58 and there were only two or three choices in the "Portly" section. I had just put on a size 46 and it was loose, I had to fight back full blown tears.
I'd love to hear about others in this forum that have lost a good chunk of weight and are now discovering or re-discoving the joys of dressing. Post some shopping tips, style tips for the newly slim. I've got some great tips and resources for those of you about to transition into a new wardrobe.
I now worship at the alter of Brioni, Canali and Zegna!

Cheers!
Eli the WineGuyD

I didnt have one foot in the grave, and the cosmetic effect of this surgery was probably the largest factor in my decision - and I'm not ashamed of that. I hated how I looked, hated myself, was miserable. Now I'm proud of what I've achieved. I was a low BMI too, 36 at surgery but to me that was the fattest I had ever been and the fattest I ever wanted to become.
BUT - huge but - how many health problems have I forestalled by doing this? I still got cancer, but my colorectal surgeon said to me outright that the likelihood of a permanent colostomy if I hadnt lost all this weight was very very high - reason being that my cancer was low in the rectum, very difficult to access so far down in the pelvis. Yes, I have a nice wide, shallow pelvis that is a big factor, but being able to a) get into the area though a huge mound of abdominal fat and b ) stretch the remaining colon past all that flubber is very difficult in obese people.
High blood pressure, cholesterol and heart attacks run in my family, strongly. But my stats are perfect. They sure werent six years ago, not terrible, but not great either. My excellent fitness is the strongest factor I have going for me to prevent cancer recurrence - exercise is a huge preventative - I never could have achieved that without the band, it was a complete package for me.
My energy, my health, my ability to beat a deadly disease, I'm just not sure I would have even had the courage to go to my doctor to report that my bowel habits had changed because I was so ashamed and embarrassed of my body. I've had every man and his dog up my backside in the past two years, I've had to be naked on an operating table four or five times, I've had to have treatment every day for six weeks naked on the lower half in front of two very nice youg guys - all horrible invasive, traumatic but so so much more bearable because I wasnt totally consumed with thinking that THEY were thinking what a horrible fat old slug. It sounds so trivial in the face of how sick i was but it really realy mattered to me and made the whole thing easier. It could have all been so different, I could be sitting here today with a permanent colostomy hanging off my huge bulging gut, weighing god knows what now, I'm pretty sure in my old life the stress would have caused me a large weight gain. Instead I had the focus of keeping a strong hold of what I'd achieved and that got me through it, even though people thought I was insane to still be running and going to the gym whilst having chemo.
Nuff said, its life changing no matter WHAT your reasons for doing it.

Ok, My Sunday Morning Rant.....
First let me start with this...My brother died at the age of 60. My sister at 64. Both confined to a Nursing Home at a early age.
So, there I was, 58, sitting in my Dr's office. Diabetes, cholesterol, triglycerides all off the chart. Already had one Heart Attack resulting in Cardiac Surgery. My Dr. looked me right in the eye and said the Dominoes have already started to fall, and unless I loose 50-70 lbs I will surely die soon.
When I had my first consult for lap band surgery, it was looked upon as a "Aggressive, radical, last resort option" So when I was informed it would force me to give up foods I like, make me sick/vomit if I don't follow the rules, etc..what choice did I have??
I informed all 3 of my Dr.s, PCP, cardiologist and Surgeon, that I was not going to be a "namby pampy" and I wanted to be as aggressive as I could be. No backing down!
BTW, it is these same Dr.'s that either want to put me on display and/or write me up in their journals, all of which I declined.
I have noticed since then that this surgery has become more acceptable, almost fashionable. People's motives are not so much life or death, but how they will look in that new summer dress. Which is fine, the more eye-candy the better. There are many roads people take, with many different viewpoints. I will NEVER tell anyone they're wrong, so as to deter their motivation.
But there are still some out there, like me, who feel they have one foot in the grave and are thinking about funeral expenses. It is for THESE people that I still hang around these websites. I want THESE people to know that I am here...I took this thing as far and hard as I could, and I am standing out here on the edge....successful in 13 months. And it can save your life. I want THESE people to know that IF you choose the same road as I did, I will be there.
I WILL dance at my Daughters wedding this October, and God Willing, I WILL spoil my grand kids to no end!
I exercise like a person possessed. When I first started, I use to look at the young 21 y/o staff member and think to myself "I sure hope she knows CPR!" But I feel I'm now past that. If it was going to happen, it would have then. I always say I'm running FOR something when in effect, perhaps I'm running FROM something always keeping a few steps ahead.
OK that's it. So much for ranting, wanted to get it off my chest. Sorry If I offended anyone, that was not my intention.
So Adios, have a good day, springtime is just around the corner.

food is not my friend.

If it makes you feel any better, my 5 year old has been on miralax daily for several months now with no ill effects (except he is no longer constipated!). His pediatrician prescribed it and has no plans to stop it. It's not a laxative in the traditional sense. It just attracts more Water into the colon, making the stools much easier to pass.

Beating the dead horse but yes the first fill unless it is massive (which is a bad thing personally) shouldnt really cause you any restriction. You want to do it slowly, you need to train yourself to eat right BEFORE you reach restriction for the best results. Because if not when you do hit restriction, you will possibly overeat and end up throwing up all the time which can make things worse.
REMEMBER: You didn't get this way overnight, it takes time and work.. RETRAIN. RETHINK. IMPROVE.

Everyone goes through this ! Be nice to yourself you arent supposed to be perfect! Everybody had several last suppers before surgery to say goodbye to certain foods and then most of us found out we never had to because we can still eat small amounts of anything!
There are two kinds of people here...those that cheated and those that havent admitted they cheated! Good luck!

Exactly......I take exception to calling it merely a tool.....It is Surgical Intervention, I cannot use it any way I choose, to my advantage or not. It was surgically implanted to do a specific job...Mainly my eating.
Would you call a cardiac pacemaker a tool?? It also is surgically implanted to do a specific job.

For me, the band is not a "tool" because I think of a tool as an object I have to manipulate in some way to make it work. A tool is something I myself have to put effort in to get the job done. The band has worked more like a mechanical device. The device is wrapped around my stomach and does restrict the types of food I am able to eat as well as restricting the amount of food I can eat. I have not eaten a normal size plate of food since July 2009.
I lost 100 pounds in the first year with very little effort.

This question comes up from time to time. Will I be able to eat my favorite foods?
Everyone here who has been banded has a high BMI labeling us as "Morbidly" Obese.
How did we get that way?
The very thing we love to do was killing us!
I have tried diet after diet for over 30 years! You name it....from cabbage to hypnotism.
So when I was told that having a band wrapped around my stomach thus preventing me from ever over eating again, and possibly preventing me from eating certain foods, it was a no brainier.
Do I miss certain foods? Definitely. I miss going to 5 star steak houses. I miss going to "All You Can Eat Chinese Buffets"
But the feeling of having my life changed, something I could have never done on my own, to receive compliments from people, some who never knew or seen me when I was over weight, or having all my health problems disappear, I don't regret for one minute giving up my old life and my old eating habits.

I take a different approach - I eat whatever i want. However, the band does its work in that I cant truly eat so much of everything on a consistent basis that I gain weight. But I can eat a "normal" size plate of food at times, my band is almost full and doesnt provide anything LIKE the restriction others talk about. It used to be better, but since I had to have it unfilled for cancer surgery, I've never got it back. I lost a bit of weight during the time it was unfilled. My surgeon thinks - as its been checked out and is all fine - that I've simply lost SO much weight that the band doesnt really fit me anymore. I've gotten down to a BMI of 20, and I"m a tall, but fine boned sort of body type, I didnt have a big, muscular stomach to begin with, and unfortunately, unlike a belt, we cant knock another few holes in it with a nail and hammer.
That said, I'm extremely glad I put in the work that I did, because I dont really need more restriction than what I have.
I decided I was never ever going to diet again, I was going to ditch the good food/bad food mentality. Its taken me years, but I have done it to a large extent. I do relapse, under the stress of cancer I was back to really restrictive eating and weighing 50 times a day, getting stressed because I'd vary by 100 grams!
Basically, once banded and through the post op diet phase, I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted. But my question was "I can have it if I want it, but do I really want it". Over time, I came to recognise how often eating was a split second reaction and somethign was down the gob before you even realise it! the band helped me to eat slowly and savour what I was eating and be satisfied with much less. It took a while, but sooner or later, you recognise when you really truly want something. Other times, you want it anyway and override your body and eat it anyway, but basicaly, I've tipped the balance from stuffing whatever I want down my face and eatintg a bit more mindfully, and the band has taken care of the quantity.
Of course you have to eat with some idea of nutrition (or whichever theory you're into) and if you're really listening, you dont truly want cake for every meal, but I absolutely do NOT believe that counting points, calories, Protein etc is right for me. It makes me obsessed and confuses me about when I am truly hungry, what I truly want.
But my real secret? Running. I dont go and pissfart around walking on the treadmill and pushing weights machines around. I bust a gut running or spinning. Nearly every single day for an hour. No zumba, no wii fit for me. When I get my arse into gear to do strength training, I like doing stuff like hoiking a sandbag, or bootcamp, not lifting girlie dumbells. I've got a really hardnosed attitude to exercise and its stood me in very good stead. I think whatever you choose (and its what you enjoy, not what I say of course) you put 150% into it, hold nothing back and absolutely wreck yourself. Exercise is all about intensity.

I am in the same boat. I was banded on the 20th and although I know my doc's instructions, boy they looked a lot easier on paper than they are proving to be in practice! I guess this is where a big part of the battle is fought. Seems that way from comments made by bandsters who are much further along in the process than we are. We just need to stick it out, follow the rules, and hopefully soon, we will all be on the other side of this!
Happy holidays to all and a peaceful, quiet tummy to all the newbies out there!

You have the right to absolute privacy concerning any medical condition. Tell or don't tell whomever you choose.
Most overweight people have underlying health conditions that might cause them to reduce their weight, I chose
to lose weight to overcome diabetes. Just how I decided to lose that weight is my business.