tonyann

Hi Ursula,
I was almost exactly in the same boat as you and have recently turned things around and lost 20 more pounds since my fill a month ago - the first in two years. Don't feel bad. My doctor said it takes some folks longer to learn how to use the tool correctly, but the good news is you still have the tool and it can be adjusted to work for you again. I sound like a broken record because I've recommended them so much, but go watch these 4 videos. They totally got me back on track and taught me how to finally use the band correctly. You can, and will turn things around. Good luck!
D.

Hello fellow bandster ! I am going on vacation september 7th-14th to hawaii ! i am so excited i was banded july 9th and i just weighed myself and lost another 4lbs makes it a total of 19 lbs ! yay for me.i was getting fustrated because i was at a stand still for a week and ahalf.but i am ok now .i get my first fill this month 14th .i read a posting that flying would make your band tighter is this true ? has anyone have this probablem before cause i am worried now since i will be flying 2wks after my first fill and i dont want to mess my first trip to hawaii? its going to be our belated Honey moon !! and 1yr anniversery!!
Thanks fellow bandsters TONYANN( would appreciate you alls input )!!!

It took me 4 months and 3 fills to feel any restriction. Then another 2 months and 3 fills to finally get to the green zone. Still, I was a little too tight so I had to go back around my 7th month to take some out. It's a learning process as to how to eat. If you're eating slider foods, it's not going to work. It does sound like you're ready for another fill. Be careful what you ask for, one fill can take you right to the zone or beyond.
Like it or not, this is the way of the band. I never gave up and always kept a good attitude towards the band. If you've been reading this forum there are many who post similar stories to mine. It takes time and you have to be patient. Get that fill done asap and meet the next stage in your journey.
BTW-I understand the frustration. Most of us were never told it would take months beyond surgery to start losing fat. I too wanted my fat losing journey to start 30 days after my surgery. But it didn't and now I'm well on my way.
Like forum member B-52 says: "Until there's restriction...It's just another diet!"
tmf

hi trisha, i was banded july 9th and started my mushy monday,i called my dietition and asked her the same question !she said mashed potatoes ,cooked veggies,baked fish caned tuna,caned chicken and caned fruit in is own juice because its softer then fresh fruit and it dont have the thick skin! oh and she said i can eat some crackers with the tuna or caned chicken but also be aware the potatoes are high in carbs ! i hope this helps you good luck.
Thanks Maryann (AKA Tonyann)

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-op for me and I can finally eat mushy food!!!! What I was wondering is... what did you guys eat on the mushy diet?? I know all the basics....applesauce, yogurt, pudding, creamy soups, but what else have you tried?? I would love to have some kind of variety. Can I eat runny oatmeal or grits?? How about mashed potatoes?? Any info will help! Thanks in advance!

I don't think the hard thing under the ribs on your left side is your band. Could be your port, or scar tissue. The band is on the upper part of the stomach, which is in the area of your chest, approximately midway between your breasts but slightly more to the left than the right.


I could never feel my band, per se, though I could feel foods and liquids moving through my stoma from time to time. After I lost some weight, I could feel my port by pressing on the abdomen in the area near my biggest incision (on my right side, about at waist level). I could also feel my port sometimes when I bent at the waist, did abdominal exercises, or bumped into to kitchen counter.

Is where I find my peace, away from it all. It's mines, it belongs to me for that moment. I am a new woman, my mind is at peace. I can finally THINK, without 2 toddlers in one ear and well... Life in the other. I can be myself, by myself and enjoy myself. Even if I'm sore or in a little pain afterwards, that's ok. Peace never hurt so good
Just sharing my new found peace... It's lovely
Lala

I was banded in January 2012, and within months of me, two of my real life friends had Gastric Bypass. One had it in October 2011 and the other February 2012. We all started out with over 200 pounds to lose. I was originally scheduled for Gastric Bypass, too. But, I canceled the surgery because I simply couldn't justify permanently rerouting my internal organs without trying something far less drastic first. So, I got the Lap-Band instead.
Like so many others on here, I heard endlessly how I was a fool for choosing the Lap-Band over Gastric Bypass. "Oh you'll be lucky to lose 50 pounds with Lap-Band"... "You should have Gastric Bypass, you'll dump a ton of weight much faster"... "why don't you stick with the sure thing, Gastric Bypass, rather than waste your time with Lap-Band?". Believe me, I heard it all, so much so I even began to doubt myself and my decision. What if they were right?
But I researched not only the Lap-Band but the Gastric Sleeve and Gastric Bypass thoroughly. I knew the pros and cons of each, I knew what the surgeries entailed, and I knew that regardless of which one I chose the work would be mine to do and I'd have to make diet changes for a lifetime. I knew Lap-Band was right for me, so despite the naysayers, I went through with it.
Fast forward to now, July 2012...

My friend who had Gastric Bypass in October 2011 has lost 64 pounds. She lost all that in the first 3 months and hasn't lost anything in the last 6 months. She never really changed her eating habits because she figured she didn't need to with the Gastric Bypass. She did cut back on portions in the beginning, but currently she admits that aside from vomiting occasionally from eating fatty foods or sweets, she eats pretty much like she did before surgery.
My friend who had Gastric Bypass in February 2012 has lost 14 pounds. She hasn't changed a single thing about her eating habits and is vomiting multiple times daily from trying to overeat.
I, who had Lap-Band in January 2012, have lost 121 pounds. I am far from perfect, I struggle with head hunger almost daily, and I definitely have times I eat unhealthy foods. But the majority of the time I eat very healthy and follow the portion and nutritional guidelines my nutritionist gave me.

My point isn't to gloat, or to say "See, Lap-Band is better!" My point is the fact that it doesn't matter which WLS you choose, you MUST DO THE WORK YOURSELF. I don't care if it's Gastric Bypass, the Sleeve, or Lap-Band. The surgeries are tools not magic pills. If you don't change your eating habits to healthy ones for a lifetime you simply will not get the results you desire. Period, no exceptions. I hear people say all the time "Oh I got the band because I don't want to diet". Of course, we all did, but guess what? You do have to eat healthy, not just for awhile like a diet, but for a lifetime.
Ultimately, no matter which WLS surgery you choose, your success or failure depends on you not the surgery itself.

HI EVERYONE ,I AM FINALLY GETTING BANDED MONDAY JULY 9TH. Any advise on how to make it less painful and on what to expect i would truely appreciate.
Thanks Tonyann

hi centrix,i am having my surgery monday july 9th and i just got back from seeing my dr.the things i will need as far as what the nurse told me are ,heating pad,gas-x strips from what i hear you will have alots of gas !!also chewable Vitamins,and a liquid diet for the first wk like clear broth,sugarfree Jello and popsicles and dont forget plenty of Water,oh and your protien shakes,thats what i can remember right now.when is you surgery date!
Tonyann