kah1213

I told 2 people: my dad and 1 friend. I have another friend who suspects I had wls, but she has never asked me outright. I didn't tell any coworkers and honestly no one said anything to me until after I lost 50 lbs. lol. I just say I'm eating less and jogging which is the truth.

Checking in at 144.4

Checking in at 143.5

Still 145 (not complaining)

Checking in at 144.4

Great work. Just think of where you'll be at the 1 year mark!

So I went for my monthly today and I'm very happy because I have lost 5 more pounds. I have four more pounds to get to my goal of 150. I am very happy; however' date=' I had to get a cc of solution taken out because my stoma was slightly sitting on my band. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> So now I'm gonna have to work twice as hard to maintain my current weight with some hope of trying to lose at least a pound or two. Ugh!!!![/quote']

Hey. How did they know the stoma was slightly sitting on the band?

I had surgery on a Tuesday and spend 1 night in the hospital. I was fine by the time I went back to work Monday--but maybe a little tired. I felt more normal on day 4-5 after surgery. The worst was the gas on the 1st night and the sore port area for about a week.

(raising hand) I am one of those 'liars' ahhahaha. There's only 3 people who know I have the band (mom' date=' MIL and my hubby...oh and of course everyone here). I have a long list of reasons for not disclosing:

1) It's kind of like disclosing your sexuality- why is it your business and why do you care LOL

2) I am not interested in educating every individual I encounter as to what the band is, why I did it, how it works, drawing diagrams etc..because you know that's exactly what will happen

3) I am not interested in the feedback. Too many people go into lecture mode, are judgemental, etc and you don't know which ones are which until you share this kind of info. A great test...ask them in a general convo what do you think about people who get wls? what about less invasive ones like the band? and see what you get. I'm not interested in being anyone's target for the sake of 'conversation'

4) I, unlike most people here, have been fortunate to have moved around a bit. This is a blessing in disguise because I've never been anyone long enough for people to see the heeps of weight pooring off of me. There was nothing to justify. People would see small drops and this is easily accomplished through healthier eating habits.

Now with that being said, on the very rare occassion if someone is discussing getting wls, or feels hopelessly obese etc..I will share my story with them in hopes to give them an option or simply to educate them if they have q's on their own surgery. I am not ashamed of having wls, but to me, it's just not something I have to share[/quote']

#2 is so true! Lol. Most people really do not understand how the band works.

Still 145 (not complaining)

I have a BMI of 33 but have type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. My insurance covers the lap band but with a BMI of 35 with co orbit condition. Just curious if I should even jump through the insurance hoops or try to go self-pay route. Has anyone been approved with a lower BMI and if you had to finance it yourself with poor credit' date=' how did that work. I was thinking about doing a credit repair to see if that helps but it is just MORE money.[/quote']

I tried going thru insurance and did all the required testing, however I always knew there was a chance that I'd get denied. Luckily I knew I could pay cash if it came down to it. So, ultimately it was decided that I didn't have a comorbidity. My doc office still tried to submit. Didn't work. I got denied as expected, so I was self pay. Overall I'm glad I tried and I mentally felt better that I had seen all these docs check me out and clear me.

No regrets and it's much harder than I thought it would be. I was one of those who thought I'd be at my goal weight in 6 months. Ha!

Not complaining at all. This is a life lesson for me and I'm older than dirt.

tmf

Ditto!

Question:

So when food is stuck and you get the excess saliva (slime) and eventually the food comes back up (PB=Prod.Burp)... is it forceful like vomiting?

Sometimes I can cough and it comes up. Other times I have had to help it along

I wish you would all tell me it's easier. Lol. I guess it really is a life long commitment!

I won't lie' date=' I found maintenance difficult in that I personally found it hard to break the habit of wanting to lose, and being in the green zone, for me, meant virtually no hunger.. I am one of those posters who have often said I lost too much (not my opnion but in the opinions of others, including my doctor) and had to work to gain a little or risk being unfilled.

Even now, being in maintenance at a perfectly healthy BMI of 24 and a BFP of 19%, I still have days where I think "I reckon I could stand lose another 20lbs" even though I've been 20lbs less than I am now and even then, I kept thinking "just a few more lbs". It's easy to get caught in the idea that weight loss in the only goal, instead of a means to an end (a healthy weight).

Everyone said 'let your body decide' but for me, it didn't work like that. If I left it to the band and my mind, I wouldn't eat, and my body would starve. My head had come to believe that weight loss was always good (even when it wasn't) and my band helped it by taking hunger away. Those two things in combination is not a good thing, So now I consciously decide on the weight I want to maintain at and work to stay on or about that weight, and also leave myself a little unrestricted in order to allow myself to feel hunger. I expect that for most people, that happens more organically though.[/quote']

Thanks for your insight! Very helpful!

(Almost 15 months out) I'm almost at goal and it scares the heck out if me. We all know how to lose, but what about maintenance? In the past, I hit a goal on a fad diet, then immediately Celebrate with food. A vicious cycle. Now with the band, I'm learning what works, and I'm so used to being in the losing phase. What changes? Did you need to bounce around until you found a truly happy weight that you could maintain? I've seen some posters say the lost TOO much and had to gain a little. Losing weight and understanding my fickle band has been my life for the last year. I cannot even imagine what would happen a goal. But I WILL get there and we'll see what happens! Any advice is always appreciated.

For me' date=' I get a distant look in my eyes (hubby ID'd this) with a slight pain in my chest, then I get the feeling of a rock in my sternum, then the slime starts. If I stop eating with the slight pain, I can be OK. If I keep eating until the slime starts...there is no going back. Slime means what went down must come up. If I swallow a couple ounces of Water, that will often trigger it to immediately come back up without wretching.

If you are in a public toilet, put a toilet seat cover in the water, this helps with backsplash when the stuck item hits the bowl. Yes, I've had the splash hit me in the eye. Also watch out for self-flush toilets. My hubby once asked why I'd washed my entire face, including my bangs and removing my make-up.[/quote']

Lol sadly I've gotten hit in the eye too! Lol. Now I know a new trick with the toilet seat cover! Thanks

I've had food poisoning or a stomach flu 2 x since being banded. I had to stay on saltines for a day or 2 and then ease back into it. Feel better!

i will know right away if i am going to have a problem. if i am in public, i hit the restroom and it comes back up. not pleasant. usually it's my own fault for taking too big a bite, but sometimes it's just a certain foods dont agree with me. it's a learning process and each day is different.

I told 1 friend and my dad. Don't plan on telling anyone else.

This happens to me all the time when I'm eating with other people, whether it's friends or coworkers. I try to play it off using some of the things other posters have stated and other tricks/decoys. I almost always get Soup at this point so I don't get comments. I'm not sure if its because people are used to the old way I used to eat or what. I'd like to think that people don't notice what I do or do not eat, but for me it's not my experience. (I only told 2 people about my band.)

Hey all - I've had the band for about 5 years now. Does anyone have trouble when they travel? I've been traveling a lot for work lately and everytime I get SO tight where I can't eat at all. Anyone else have this problem? Normally I can eat just fine' date=' barely ever PB.[/quote']

Happens to me all the time.

Welcome!

Yep- PS told me I'd need to ease into it. No more than two miles each run' date=' if I can handle it the first week. After week 4 he feels I can increase the running, up to possibly 5 miles and progress from there. I found my niche in Marathon running and by Labor Day weekend will running a 15K.

Compression 22 hrs a day the first 6 weeks, 12 hours a day (more if possible) up to week 12. I've always ran with compression so won't be changing that much... I know, I know- but I need the support.[/quote']

Lol I haven't had a Tummy Tuck (yet) and I almost always run with compression tights or shorts. I get it. Good luck on the 15k. I'm doing my 4th half in sept.

I start mushies! Please give me all your suggestions! What is/was your typical mushie day?

Cottage cheese, Protein shakes, Greek yogurt, Soup

Two weeks post-op. Can't stand up straight yet (PS tells me by week 4). Still quite a bit of swelling around the incision site' date=' upper-inner thighs and pubic area. Pre-surgery weight 128, I'm 5'5". This morning 133.8. Still about 5 lbs. of Fluid and etc. Should be able to start running again next Saturday- I cannot wait. Talk about restless legs syndrome!!![/quote']

Really? Running so soon? That's awesome! How long do you have to wear compression garments?

Try not to compare yourself to others. I know it's hard, but we are all so different. I was the same as you in the beginning, but trust me if you keep at it and see your doc regularly, the lbs AND inches will come off.