Thats All Folks

I don't mind and I appreciate it! It's kinda funny because the naysayers in my life told me "Oh didn't get the Lap Band, you'll lose weight and suddenly look old and sick". To be honest, I was a little worried about it, too. I do have more little wrinkles around my eyes and on my forehead, but people tell me all the time that I look a lot younger. Considering I'm about to turn 40 this summer, I'll take it! LOL!

You say "I can eat pretty much anything". You should be able to eat pretty much anything. That band isn't supposed to physically you stop you from eating anything. Nor is it supposed to force you to eat the right sized portions. It will always be your job to control what and how much you eat, not the band. This is why it's so important to eat a healthy diet and stick to band sized portions. What the band is supposed to do is allow you feel satisfied on less food for longer periods of time. Have a look at this link, I think it will help you have realistic expectations of your band: http://drsimpson.net...estriction.html Best wishes.

Congratulations!!

The best advice I can give you is to stop watching YouTube videos and start researching actual facts. I would also find a seminar in your area to learn more about the band and talk to a bariatric surgeon. You are right, the band is just a tool, but it is an amazingly effective when used properly. I have lost 200 pounds in the last 15 months with the help of my band. My only regret is that I didn't do it years sooner. I have my life back. Best wishes on whatever you decide is right for you

Wow you are noticeably shrinking!! You're off to a great start! Congratulations!!

It's gas pain from the air they pump into your abdominal cavity. It can last up to a week or two. Try a heating pad to help it. Walk as much as you can to help your body reabsorb it faster.

I also have never tried it but don't think it's a good idea. We all have unhealthy relationships with food or we wouldn't need WLS to begin with. By chewing up and spitting out food, not only are you giving your control to the food but you're dangerously close to bulimia. Granted I'm no doctor, this is strictly my opinion, but I wouldn't do it.

I wish I could tell you what to do but I can't. It's such a personal decision. I think you need to do a lot of fact searching and soul searching. Some questions I'd be asking both myself and my doctor if I were you: -If you get a band replacement, are you at higher risk for another slip? -What caused the slip? Was it preventable and if so can you prevent it from happening again? -If you get the Sleeve, what are the possible complications? -Being as your BMI is only 27, do you really want to have 3/4 of your stomach removed? AJ was right about Jean. She had a revision to the Sleeve and has been very vocal about it. Have a look at her blog, she talks about it considerably: http://jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com/ I hope you find the info you need to make the best decision. Remember, it's your body and your life, you have to be honest with yourself and do what's best for YOU. ((hugs))

Thank you all for the encouragement, kind words, and support. I would've never made it this far without all of you here by my (virtual) side through it all. :wub:

Honestly? No, I don't believe it was hard. It took a lot of work and I had to change my eating habits drastically, but it wasn't hard. The more I lose the better I feel so that alone has always been incentive to continue on this journey and do the right thing. If I can lose 200 pounds so can you Best Wishes!

Chewing food really good is not the same as a mushie/puree diet. I don't mean this to sound harsh but you have two choices- stick to your post op diet as directed or risk messing up your stomach and band. The post op diet is there for healing, not losing, and it's imperative that you stick to your doctor's instructions to give your newly sutured stomach time to heal. Hunger is normal. It sucks but we all went through it and survived. You will survive too. Stick to your puree food. Blending things like plain yogurt and cottage cheese into cream soups not only helps control hunger but gives you extra Protein too. You could even put chili through the blender. Really, anything that is the consistency of baby food or you put through a blender to make it that consistency is allowed on the puree/mushie stage. Best wishes.

They make a surprisingly decent amount of fat free and low fat salad dressing. They're also lower calorie, too. If you check in a higher end grocery store you'll find a wider variety.

Prayers coming your way. Let us know what happens.

That is so awesome! Congratulations!

I did lose the cane!!! That alone made this whole process worth it, believe me. It's wonderful to be able to walk for miles with ease now. Before I could hardly hobble around my home!

hahaha as soon as I am done with my upcoming hernia repair and tummy tuck I'll invest in some shirts that aren't entirely too big! Truth is, until I had my daughter take this pic today, I didn't even realize my shirt had gotten so big on me LOL! Ooops!

As promised, here are my before and after pics. 200 pounds lost in 15 months. I love my band!!

I use my Lose It app to check out the calories and fat content of food before I order it. It's shocking to see how different dishes compare nutritionally. For instance, I was going to order an open faced tuna sandwich at a restaurant but when I looked it up it was almost 1000 calories and loaded with fat. I ended up ordering a small hamburger, which was (shockingly) less than half the calories as the tuna. I would have never guessed that in a million years if I hadn't looked it up before ordering. A lot of restaurants have their menus online, too. This way you can decide before you even leave the house what you're going to order.

Agreed, and by the same token we're not responsible if you don't like our responses. It goes both ways.

Well, he's right on one thing, there is no guarantee that your band will last forever. But, the complication rate is actually much lower than the Sleeve or Bypass. Granted this is just my opinion, but as much I would hate ever losing my band at least having it removed is an option. If you get the Sleeve and something goes wrong you can never get back the huge portion of your stomach they cut out. I might also point out that many surgeons push the Sleeve or Bypass because they're the money makers. They make far more off them then they do the Lap Band. The fact is, only approximately 5% of Lap Band patients have serious complications by no fault of their own. That means if you follow the rules and do what you're supposed to, you have a 95% chance of never having complications. Those are darn good odds. Here's a couple studies that prove it: Weight Stays Off Long After Lap Band Surgery Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding In 2000 Consecutive Obese Patients: 12-Year Results Best wishes with whatever you decide!

I'm curious, why did he recommend the Sleeve over the Lap Band? Regardless of what your doctor prefers, which WLS do YOU want?

eggs are actually a very common problem food for banded people. As for chicken, as long as you can eat other meats and get good Protein elsewhere, I wouldn't worry about it. It just might be a problem food for you.

You likely don't have adequate Fluid in your band yet because it takes most people multiple fills before they do. However, do not expect the band to physically stop you from eating anything. That's not it's job. The band is there to control your hunger and allow you to feel satisfied on less food not control what and how much you eat. It will always be your job to make good food choices and control your portions. Here's a link I think will help you considerably: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Remember, weight loss boils down to simple math. If you consume less calories than you burn than you lose weight. Best wishes.

I just had my gallbladder removed 2 weeks ago. The pain you describe can be from a lot of things, however the fact you're tasting the bitter taste in your mouth (bile) too sounds like a gallbladder to me. My pain was everywhere not isolated to the right side. It came in waves, almost like contractions. For me, it was all the sudden and very severe. Normally people have signs their gallbladder is going for weeks or even months but my doctor said because I already eat a very low fat healthy diet I wasn't eating the things that would normally aggravate it. So, by the time it did finally go, my gallbladder was filled with stones. My kidney function was low, my liver enzymes were high, my potassium was low, and my blood pressure was only 90/50. I woke up Sunday morning in pain and by 10pm that night I was retching in agony and went to the ER. It was simply awful. Definitely get it checked out. Trust me, it can get REALLY bad and it's better to catch it early.

It's an extremely personal decision and I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer. I think the key is to research all the facts and make an informed decision based on your research. As for myself, I originally was scheduled for Gastric Bypass. At the last minute I canceled the surgery because I just couldn't justify re-routing my intestines. I did consider the Sleeve too, but I couldn't justify cutting out 3/4 of my stomach either. To me, the Lap Band seemed like the most logical starting point because it didn't permanently change my internal organs. Plus, I didn't want to deal with malabsorption or dumping, either. I have lost 200 pounds in the 15 months since I got my Lap Band. Honestly, it's the best decision I've ever made for myself. I'm happier and healthier than I've ever been in my adult life. Just remember as you do your research, none of the weight loss surgeries are going to make you magically lose weight. The work will always be yours to do. The key is figuring out which best suits you and your lifestyle. Best wishes.