Kflower84

This is copied from another thread because it applies here I believe:
It seems to me there is a lot of misunderstanding out there when it comes to restriction. Over and over, I read post after post of the following statements:
"I have had fills but can still eat whatever I want"
While some people do have issues eating certain foods, there is absolutely no truth that you shouldn't be able to eat foods like breads, Pasta, and rice. If you are following a low carb diet that's one thing, but being banded doesn't mean you shouldn't be physically able to eat them anymore. Many of us can still eat absolutely everything we ate before surgery.
"I have had fills but I can still eat more than 1 cup of food"
This may be true, however, just because you can eat more than a cup of food doesn't mean you should. More often than not, if you eat slowly and stop after eating no more than 1 cup of food, you will find that you are satisfied and no longer hungry despite the fact you could still physically eat more. Quit trying to test your band to see how much you can eat, because the only one that will fail the test is you, not the band.
"I have had fills but I don't feel full"
Big misconception- the band will make you feel full. Wrong. It's true some people do feel full but it's a different full sensation than we had before banded. In fact, it's almost uncomfortable. The band is not supposed to make you feel stuffed full, it's supposed to make you feel satisfied with less food for longer periods of time. If you keep getting fill after fill because you don't feel stuffed full, you are going to end up one of the many people who have bands too tight and slips as a result. Being satisfied means you are no longer hungry, not that you feel as though you just ate a seven course Thanksgiving dinner. Quit trying to feel full and start listening to your body because it will tell you when it's satisfied.
I encourage everyone to educate themselves on the Lap-Band, what it does, and what it doesn't do. Too many people are walking around banded completely ignorant to the facts and I fear many will have complications and slips because of it. It's your body, take responsibility for educating yourself on it.

I think we have all been through that. The funny thing is I never truly realized how big I was at the time. Only recently after losing significant weight have I noticed the difference, and started liking how I look in some pictures. you will get there. Don't dwell on the past... Remember you are taking control of yourself and will be a healthier, smaller you very soon.

OMG such a relief to know I am not the only one that didn't see how fat I am/was ...I would look in the mirror and see a beautiful person !

I soooo agree with you guys!
I don't think I realize how fat I really am. There are days when I actually feel pretty and sexy!!! I put something tasteful on, nice hair and make-up, and I feel allright. Then someone takes a picture of me, and I can't believe what I see. I see myself in the mirror totally different from what I see on a picture! It is so sad. Or when I see somebody's picture who has the same parameters then myself (weight, height...), and clearly she is fat, I see her obese, but I feel I am "smaller" then her. When in reality I am the same...
Oh, Facebook, long time ago I have disabled the function of anybody being able to tag me on anything!!! lol And if for some reason they would still successfully tag me, my account is set to "only me" who can view my tags! That's how much I hate to be the size I am!!!!!

NWGirl... I am/was the same way. I guess when I look in the mirror, I don't see a 295 pound person. I remember when I weighed a bit less (talking like 230's) I would tell people I was close to how much I weighed and they'd say, "Wow! You carry your weight well!" so I thought I looked good for my size. I do still think the way I'm built allows me to conceal my weight better then some, but seriously, I don't look good. At all. I look fat. No matter what angle the picture is taken at, I am obese. It is so hard, even now, to admit to myself that I am considered morbidly obese. I think it all comes down to being totally ashamed of the way I look and what I've let happen over the years.

I still have pictures on Facebook that I am tagged in and look absolutely disgusting. The thing is, that was me then and I was with the people I loved, so it couldn't all be terrible.
I seem to have had this false sense of size, thinking I looked so much better than I did! I still have 60lbs to go til I'm where I want to be, but I am so much more comftorable in my body now!

I see this pic as a good thing. had you known you were in the picture, you would have disappeared, true???? I still hate to look at those pictures but, will repeat itself if we try to forget it.
when things get tough, look at the pic!! we don't want to be there ever again!!!!! Never.

oh i haven't allowed pictures to be taken of me for years. I very much look forward to changing that

Absolutely! The trick now is to turn it into a positive. Just after I was banded, my son announced his engagement. I look disgustingly huge in his engagement photos but I set a goal to look gorgeous in his wedding photos and I did. My profile photo is of my husband and myself dressed for our son's wedding. I got so many compliments on my dress and how much weight I had lost, it really made me feel fantastic.
So hang in there and make this a motivation for you!

Ugh I know it's hard. I remember pictures of me being taken (against my will) last Christmas, which was just a couple weeks before my surgery. They were so horrible, I untagged myself from them on Facebook because I was just so ashamed at how horrible I looked. The only time anyone got any pictures of me the last 10 years was under protest or by sneaking, because I hated pictures and the way I looked so grossly huge in them.
The good news is, in the near future, you'll look back at that picture and be like "wow I can't believe that was me!" and it will feel amazing. You will happily take pictures because you'll know you look better than you have in years. Change is coming soon, just try to focus on how much you are about to change for the better

Malpractice insurance is for doctors, not patients. And if something did go wrong, you would have zero recourse in the United States. All you could do is see what the Mexican laws were and if you had recourse there through the Mexican courts.
Considering the huge amount Medical Tourism in Mexico, I highly doubt you'd have any options as an American traveling there for a medical procedure.
I agree with elcee, if you're concerned then you shouldn't be going at all. Your health is too important to gamble with. Just my opinion.

THAT HAPPENS TO ME ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IT SEEMS TO DISSAPEAR AGAIN PRETTY FAST.

It will drive you nuts, don't let it!

I never gave up coffee.. I drink at least one or two cups a day. I couldn't give it up, but it really isn't the end of the world if you don't. I have a keurig as well, but put ground coffee in the reusable cup. I mean really if you count up the calories and fat, it's barely anything! The coffee itself is less than 10 cal (I think it's like 2 cal per 8oz?) and if you use the powdered fat free coffeemate light, it's 10 cal per tsp and i use Splenda or equal which is 0. So...maybe 30ish cal? I'm not too worried about that.

coffee is good in moderation. Just keep in mind that every cup you drink dehydrates two cups of Water from your body. In the summer especially, this can really add up, so just make sure you're getting enough water with your coffee!

Two years and ten months after I first broached the idea of lapband surgery to my doctor and two years and five months after surgery, I am one pound BELOW my goal of 148.
Color me delighted.
Now comes the hard part- maintenance. I go see my surgeon for a slight unfill on Thursday and then I find out how the band helps with eating to maintain. Wish me luck.

Most importantly is to eat that Protein and veggies first. Make sure you ate getting 60 Grams Protein which helps with hunger issues. Look for cool sugar free recipes. I don't deny myself something if I crave it but just know your journey may be slower. I go through dips where I eat healthy and have slip ups, this is called life...but I am really trying to make a healthy choice because I know it will benefit me:) good luck, I have about 30-35 pounds to goal.

I have not lost weight since I got my lapband in 2008. Mostly because I didn't follow the eating plan. I figured that just restricting food would result in weight loss, but Noooo!
So Im going to get serious now, follow the plan and HOPE the weight comes off. I did have this surgery for a reason I need to use it.

Another sugar addict here. I had to remove ALL sugary foods from my house, if I don't have them in the house i can't eat them. I usually get the sugar cravings at night watching TV..... I've been getting on my exercise bike for about 30 minutes (I keep my exercise bike in the living room), telling myself if I ride for 30 minutes I can get something to eat after. Course the only thing I want after is Water. :-)
What I am getting at is the addiction is habit based (aka head hunger) so change the habit. This won't work every time, but its a start..... do something 3 times and it's a habit. Good luck and don't give up. You can do this!

Yes, I have lost 121 pounds in about 6 months. Or rather 123 pounds now. (I've lost more since this original post)

My husband seems to think it is his job to make a comment every time I cross mine. I hadn't realized I could do it until he told me I did it so often. That was when I remembered when I couldn't do it. It is important to us girls.
GREAT WORK YOU

i love the smaller clothes too, but I hate how stores sizes are so different. some I can be 14 others 18.
these days i'm trying to be more interested in how they fit n look on me rather than the number on the tag.
another thing i've learnt is that even though it might fit - it may not suit your body type! here I was thinking i could wear anything in a size 14 but no. if it doesn't suit my body type it still looks rubbish.
its all about the look of it now and not the number on the tag.

Nothing better than smaller clothes! I started out at size 28/30 and am now a 10/12.

Your portion choices are as important as your food choices. I remember when I went to the seminar the speaker said "you can not expected to loose weight eating oreos and ice cream for dinner."
I think that was so funny because it had crossed my mind that I could eat anything as long as it was small portions.
Sometimes its hard to change old habits. Portion Control is a problem for me mostly at dinner time and I encounter that more often if Im eating out. I think my problem is that by the time dinner comes am starving due to the fact that I eat very little during the day. So I eat til my belly hurts (like Ilene said). I wish I didn't do that, I dont want to stretch my pouch....

Im in Canada, so our insurance is slightly different, but I am always able (and I have to in most situations) pay upfront and wait to be reimbursed. It's not such a bad thing, and when it's only $150, I would do that. It sucks though, going to the dentist, and paying $600 and waitin for that to come back!

Thanks for the kind words all, but really it's not about me at all. It's making the point that no surgery is a magic fix for fat, they all take work
@bigenuff- My friends don't say a word about the band now lol. To be honest, they kinda avoid the topic with me entirely. I think they're both too busy eating crow after giving me such a hard time about choosing it
@JennyBee- My exercise is limited. I do move/walk/do yard work tons more than I have in years, and I will continue to increase my movement as my body allows. However, I have Multiple Sclerosis, so I have physical issues beyond my weight. However, losing weight has helped tremendously. I used to need a handicapped parking spot just to make it to the front doors of the grocery store. Sometimes I needed a motorized cart to shop. Now, not only do I park intentionally in far spots but I can easily walk the entire mall many times over. It's a huge improvement!