jen_1381

Most insurances won't approve unless your BMI is 35 with co-morbidities, or 40+. It's a sticky situation, my BMI was 36 when I started the process then I got Strep Throat and right before seeing the surgeon to submit my numbers, lost 11 lbs and my BMI was too low for approval. I had to post-pone by appt for two weeks and gain a few pounds.

If your doctor doesn't think you're a candidate, I would get a second opinion and consider what both docs say.

I hate to burst your bubble, but unless you're one of the very few lucky ones, the first fill probably won't make much of a difference. I've had 4 fills over the past 4 months and am just now starting to feel like I have good restriction.

Track and measure everything, count your calories, and do your best to get in your Protein.

As frustrating as it may be, the first month post-op is not about losing. Don't get discouraged, this is a marathon not a sprint.

A few things here....

This surgery is only something that can be done for YOU. Do it if YOU are ready to commit to the lifestyle. If YOU are ready to make the changes necessary. If YOU want to lose weight and start living a healthier life. I'm not going to lie, it's not a walk in the park but it's also not the hardest thing I've ever done. And, I've been successful so far.

Also, it's nice to have other people support, but if you feel like you'll need him there to say "do this" or "don't do that', it won't work. The strength has to come from within you. My husband wasn't thrilled at all in the beginning, but he warmed up to it and now, almost 5 months post-op, he's my biggest cheerleader. It is nice having his support, but it's not necessary, because I'm the one who is going through this to better my life. If the table was turned, I know I would support him but expect him to find the strength to do it on his own.

Last thing - pre-op nerves are COMPLETELY normal!! If you weren't scared I would be concerned. This girl right here almost cancelled the day before. And I've NEVER been that scared before a surgery!

Take a minute to think about why you're going to be banded. Give yourself a pep talk because the positives totally outweighed the negatives for me. Maybe they do for you too.

Without knowing any details - how long you've been banded, your dietary plan, your fill zone, etc....all I can really suggest is if you're feeling like this, rally with your doctor and your nutritionist. Maybe there is something in your plan that is preventing the weight loss.

I'm not big on sweets and overall dislike chocolate, but sometimes you get that craving....

I found that if I don't give in, on a much smaller scale, then I will eat around my craving. Instead of just having a few salty chips, I'll eat five other salty foods to satisfy that "need" instead of just having a couple chips.

When a craving hits, I wait it out. If after an hour, I still can't think of anything but that piece of chocolate, I'll have a *small* piece and just eat it slowly to savor it.

A few healthier alternatives I've found though - and keep in mind, they're "slider" foods and I don't make a habit out of eating them - are frozen greek yogurt or sugar free pudding. Sometimes a girl just needs her ice cream, and the frozen greek yogurt is a great alternative.

My surgeon is happy with 1 lb every 7-10 days in the first post-op period. I saw him yesterday at 4 1/2 months out, he said that 3 lbs a month is considered "staying on track" to him now that my body is adjusting to my new lifestyle.

I just don't understand how society thinks that lap band, or ANY weight loss surgery, is a quick fix. I've worked harder the past few months to lose weight than I ever did before.

In years past, with diets, if I was having a "woes-me" day and wanted to binge on pizza, I could. The next day, I could get back on track with my diet. Post-band, there's no way I could scarf down 5 pieces of pizza. I had three bites of plain cheese pizza a week ago and the crust was just not working for me. I had a horrible stuck episode. I have had to work my butt off to find 1) a new way to satisfy cravings in a healthy way, and 2) find a new outlet for my stress that would drive me to eat like that. Oh yeah, not to mention, lose weight!

Lap band is by no means a quick fix to anything.

All that being said, I love my band

Too funny!

Lol oh man I am out of here. I can't deal with the Naive people on here. No wonder everyone in this world is so fat.

That's just being rude and this site is a place to go to for support. We're all entitled to our opinions but let's try to have a little respect.

I wish I had the self-control to take that small of bites. I would be a lot more successful if I could have that self-control. I do log my calories and exercise. I'm very particular about my meal plan; with that being said, I still struggle. I'm still learning how to be successful. I didn't chose the band so I would never have to worry about food again - just the opposite - I chose the band because it would be a constant reminder that I need to be making healthy choices. At the restriction level I'm at, with 6.5 cc, I have to chose food wisely because I can't eat very much. I'm trying my hardest to work with my band, not expecting the band to work for me.

I'm trying to learn to take smaller bites but it's a struggle. I cut everything on my plate into what I think is small enough bites. Then when I sit down to eat, I cut that bite in half. It's really hard because I have a bad habit of waiting until I'm STARVING to eat, then eating too fast. I really do feel better when I take smaller bites and chew slowly. As I get closer to the green zone (which hopefully I am at now since I got my fill yesterday) small bites will become more important.

Thanks ladies. I do have a wonderful surgeon. Unfortuantely, he's reloacting cities, if I want to see him it will be about a 30 minute drive. Trying to decide if I want to do the drive or see one of his partners. I chose him above the other two because he was the least anti-lapband. The others were very pro-sleeve. I think he's worth the drive.

I had a follow-up with my surgeon yesterday, I'm about 4 1/2 months out. I was nervous for the appointment because my weight loss has essentially stopped over the past 6 weeks. I'm going between the same 3 lbs for what seems like ever.

He came in and asked how I was doing, and I decided from the get-go to be honest; I told him, not good. He asked why, said that I looked great. I told him that the weight loss had stopped and I've tried EVERYTHING. Eating by the book. Eating more. Lately, eating less. Exercising more. Exercising less. Not exercising at all. I told him that I felt like I was never going to reach my goal at this rate, my back was against the wall and I had no idea what to do.

He asked me what my goal was, and I told him 160 lbs. He said that was reasonable. Between my last appointment 5 weeks ago and yesterday, I had only lost 3.8 lbs but overall, from my first consult with him in May I was down 48 lbs (53 since the start of my program). He said that losing over 50 lbs in 5 months was remarkable. My body was most likely in shock-mode from the loss and that I just need to ride it out. Stick to the eating plan, stick to cardio over weight training if I preferred, and be patient. He said at 4 months, I'm at where I should be statistcally at 9 months to a year post-op. I got a 1/2 cc fill, bringing me up to 6 1/2 cc's in my 11 cc band. He was confident that I was at or very, very close to the green zone, and I should see results if I stick to the plan.

So I left the office reassured. I feel good about the upcoming months, and know that if I just stick to the plan eventually my body will get the message and I can meet my goal. I know I have high expecations of myself; the last person in the world I like dissapointing is myself. But my thinking that I was going to lose 2-4 lbs a week for the duration until I hit goal was probably silly. So I've adjusted me expectations.

If you're feeling really let-down or discouraged, try stopping and asking yourself if your expectations are realistic, or maybe they're too high for what your body can handle.

It was about the three week mark before I could run/jump/move like normal. Remember, to place the band, they cut through a layer of muscle in multiple spots. You use your abdominal muscles for a lot more than you think you do. For the first couple weeks I felt like I had done a thousand sit-ups the day before. It does get better though! If I was really sore I would use a heating pad.

Are you maybe having a lactose intolerance to your Protein shakes? It could be something you're eating (well, at this stage, drinking).

I'm about 4 1/2 months post-op and my problems swing the other way - - with the huge change in diet and decrease in overall food intake, I usually drink tea with senna in it to make sure I stay regular.

Congrats and welcome! This is a great place to find info (take it with a grain of salt though - - everyones experience is different!) and bounce ideas off each other. A ton of great people on here! Good luck to you on your journey.

My surgeon would like 1 lb every 7-10 days. That was a BREEZE in the beginning, I dropped 50+ lbs in just a few months. My weight loss essentially stopped at the 3 month mark...I've been on a plateau for 6 weeks now. Stuck completely at 191 lbs. I'm not complaining at all - - I've lost over 50 lbs!! I know everyone goes through plateaus but no matter how prepared you feel you are, they're still frustrating.

I was joking around with my husband and his brother about having my boobs autographed at a concert (again, completely joking) and my brother-in-law said, "maybe before you lost weight, when you actually had boobs"! I was like...uh...thanks? Or not?

Thank you so much for this, Rebecca. I'm about 4 1/2 months out and haven't lost, or gained really, in 6+ weeks. It's been so frustrating and discouraging. I've tried everything I can think of with no avail, so I'm meeting with my surgeon today for another fill and get his advice. I'm down 52 lbs overall but after steadily losing for the first 3 months, I am so discouraged over the past 1 1/2 months!

What's your story?

What's your goal? (and just dont say to lose weight)

How can I support you?

How can we support each other?

Love this topic!

To keep my story brief, I was mostly fit until I turned 16 and started taking Depo Provera. Gained 40 lbs very quickly, then steadily gained until I was 28 weighing 243 lbs.

My goal is to be comfortable in my skin. My weight goal is 160, and I would love to be in a size 10, but realistically I just want to be able to look at myself and not be disgusted.

As for the support - I think we do a great job! You're one of my best LBT buddies!!

It shouldn't. Anemia is very common and treatable. Depending on how severe, most times the doctors will just prescribe Iron or advise you to take an iron supplement. Unless your hemoglobin and hematocrit are extremely low, it shouldn't disrupt surgery at all. As always, of course, check with your doctor.

1. what was YOUR pre-op diet/fast like? one doc here does 10 days, one does only 3 days! i'm curious as to WHAT the pre-op diet looks like also I didn't have to do a pre-op diet. My surgeon typically did 2 weeks of skim milk and Water only. My BMI was 36 at the start of surgery and he didn't feel my liver would be at risk of being too fatty for surgery. I opted to do a modified verson of the diet, drinking only milk and Water during the day and having a high protein/low cal dinner. I lost 13 lbs in the 10 days before surgery.

2. how long were you on liquids, softs, etc post-op? Two days of either Protein shake or water, two weeks of full liquids, two weeks of "mushies", two weeks of soft food, then regular. After each fill, I have to do 24 hours of liquids then 24 hours of mushies.

3. do you eat any of the 'regular' foods you ate pre-op or have you overhauled your entire diet? there are truly some things that i can deal with eating very limited portions of, no problem, and even eating just a couple times a year, but a couple of things specifically that i can't imagine having to give up completely. The only thing I completely avoid is carbonation. I do follow a high protein/low cal diet most of the time. I have had on a few occasions chicken strips, grabbed a few french fries, etc. It's not something I have a habit of, mostly I eat very good, but it's much easier to satisfy the craving on a much smaller level than eat around my craving - - instead of just having a few french fries, eating 10 other salty things.

4. how bad will my hair get, really? my hair is one of my very best features (really...i've been a hair model in the past!) and i don't want to lose it all or get so thin that i have to shave it or something! I had surgery May 18th and just started noticing extra shedding about three weeks ago. My diet has not been the greatest - - over the past few weeks I've struggled to get in my Protein requirements. I started taking Biotin to help my nails and hair grow better. I have fine hair but a LOT of it - - my hair is very thick and the small loss is not noticable at all. By loss I mean, I used to get about 5 strands after shampooing. Now I have about 20. It's not big at all, and if you focus on your nutrition and take supplements the thinning may not even happen.

5. what AREN'T they telling me? i've seen the burp issues, the throwing up (from my friend), the over-fill problems, and an incisional infection. but what else, do i have to worry about (gall stones not an issue, lost that years ago)...

Hmmm...I don't have the burping issue. I have never thrown up but I'm very in tune with my body and when I feel full, I stop. I'm still working up to a good fill level and have not experienced an over-fill. My incisions healed like a dream.

I struggle with eating slow enough to get full without getting stuck. I've always been a fast eater and took big bites so it's work every time I eat to stop, FOCUS, slow down, and chew. My port shows now that I've lost over 50 lbs. It's just a slight bump in my side, and I don't think anyone notices except me so far, but it's there. Doesn't bother me, I'm proud that I've lost enough for it to show, but still. Also - losing weight is kind of hard to deal with mentally. I look in the mirror and still see the 243 lb girl staring back at me. Yes, my original clothes hang off me, I've lost two shirt sizes and four pant sizes, but mentally I still see the same girl. So that's been a challange.

Overall, being banded is the best decision I've ever made. There have been good days and bad days, but overall, I don't regret one day.

Just don't let them take any out or you will gain back all of or some of the weight,and you will be uncomfotable with the weight on you, so please try to stay as you are.

I don't know if that's entirely accurate...again, talk with your doctor. I would think that staying as you are may be hazardous to your health in the long run (the over-eating, esophageal pain, etc).

I don't have answers but I can offer support. Take a deep breath. Recognizing your mistakes (binge eating) is honestly the first step in the process of fixing them. I myself have been a bad bandster the past few weeks; not necessarily eating too much just eating small amounts of the wrong things. The one thing I've learned is that losing weight won't fix problems, it just gives you a smaller body to use in dealing with those probelms. If I were in your shoes, I would meet back with my surgeon and also maybe check into seeing a counselor or therapist. Try to get to the root of your binge eating.

Good luck and keep us posted!

From experience I've learned that being honest with your doctor is the best thing. Tell him of your issues, and together work on a plan. Maybe I'm lucky to have such an involved surgeon, but he told me in the very beginning that he wants to know every little thing because it's all important, so just be honest with him and he will be honest with me. I let him know of my struggles and strong points and we go from there.