RIYAHSMOMMY

Also posted in surgery success
Through trial & error, I have hit a point where maintenance just feels normal. My eating habits are so ingrained that I'd actually have to TRY to regain. NEVER thought I'd say THAT!
My sleeve was 1/23/12 and I was 275. Within 9 months I was at goal, had tt/panni 10/2013. Maintenance was a very thin tight-rope. I was following the plan, high Protein, low fat, almost no carbs. It worked but 1 tiny splurge and I'd be up a pound or so. I hovered around 120-125. Which is great, but it was taking so much vigilance.
About a year ago, I noticed that when I ate my favorite ribs from a local BBQ place, my weight dropped. Calories didn't seem to matter??
After noticing this pattern for a bit, I began experimenting with other fatty foods. Olive oil, butter, real cheese, eggs, Mayonnaise, avocados, burgers (sans bun) When I eat these foods, I get full quickly and have no hunger for HOURS! Fat at Breakfast is important for me as then I naturally eat less throughout the day.
I eat whatever I want, stop at the 1st sign of full, only eat when PHYSICALLY hungry. I splurge once a month or so (really, that's all I desire as I am very satisfied with my eating) When I DO splurge on pizza, bagel, dessert, etc... I THOROUGHLY enjoy the F#*K out of it!
Now, I eat what I want, enjoy what I eat, no cravings, no weighing or measuring, no counting calories & no stress maintenance. My desires to binge eat have been gone for a long time. Surprisingly my cholesterol is NORMAL, I feel great and my weight hovers between 116-117. Now I (FINALLY) can eat to live not live to eat!
I'm very happy that I've found what works for me, I would love to understand WHY?

Let me start this thread by first apologizing if it is too straight forward. I know we all need support including myself and we are all here for support, to get to know one another, and to be there to pick one another up when we fall.
Gastric Surgery is a life changing surgery! It will change the rest of your life for the rest of your life. It is a physical change to your inner workings of your body.. and ONLY your body. It does not change how we deal with food. It does not change how we choose to eat. A choice is a choice that solely rests on our shoulders. Our stomach was changed on the inside to restrict the amount of food we can consume at one time. That is it!! The rest is up to us.
Please do your research before having the surgery. I have seen so many posts on here where people think because the stomach was altered the weight is going to magically drop off over night. Magic is found at Disney Only :). The hard work,exercise, controlled eating, limiting carbs avoiding junk food. Making the right choices when it comes to fueling our bodies is solely our responsibility! Let me add here.. i am far from perfect! I have struggled time and time again, hence why i am a part of these boards!
Read the boards before surgery from newbies! And what they have experienced immediately following surgery. Every experience is different but you will know what you can expect, and if it does not happen to you.. Guess what? You are one of the Lucky ones!!! Count your blessings! Each and every one of them! Each day is a new day and a chance to put in a little extra effort to meet your end goals.
Speaking of Goals! Have some! NSV ones, scale Ones, Measurement Ones... We all have something we look forward to on this journey. Make lemonade out of lemons! Have fun with your new tool. Take advantage of it and baby it at the same time.
Follow your doctors orders! We are not all doctors here! This is a major procedure. There are reasons the doctor puts us on the food plan that he does. It is not to punish us. It is to make sure we don't put a whole in the new stomach that is still stapled and healing.
Seek out a therapist if you are struggling with emotional eating. The folks on the boards can give tips, but you really need to get to the root of that, and that may require a doctor visit. Yes Accountability is a great factor to have on the boards, and it is great to vent, but if you are truly struggling with emotional eating, then you truly need to seek a provider in your area to help you get through it.
There is so much information, tips, and advice on the boards! Take advantage of it. Take time to read them! Be a part of the community and respond to others that may be having a down day.. It is expected! But please please before you take the plunge on this life changing surgery know what to expect. Know what might happen and be prepared for it along the way.
Rant over!
If you made it this far.. Thanks for reading. I just wish some folks would read up on something they are investing in and all the pros and complication possibilities so they know exactly how things may play out.
With all my love and a Merry Christmas to all..
Jazzy

Hi, did you get instructions from your nutrionist as to what kind of foods that you should be eating? If not please contact her because you really want to start this journey off on the right foot. You can also google "what to eat after gastric surgery" My team gave me a booklet and it had sample meal ideas, if you have that then follow that.
You went though too much with the surgery alone to start eating badly this early on. Please get the help that you need so that you can be successful. You can do it if you put your mind to it.
No pity parties okay...just get back on track. You got this ((Hugs))

Hi! I have PCOS and got the full bypass in July 2016 and hit my gw by July 2016 (318 lbs to 160!). In November 2017, my husband and I started trying and... nothing happened. I finally saw my ob/gyn in the summer of 2018 and she referred me to a reproductive endocrinologist, due to the PCOS. She did a few labs and an ultrasound, decided I was an open and shut case of classic PCOS and prescribed me 10 days of estrogen to give me a period, and 5 days of a medicine called Letrozole to take in the middle of my period to trigger ovulation. I did one course of this medicine and in mid-November I found out we were pregnant! I was also losing hope, being that I’m 34, and after 18 negative pregnancy tests, it was looking gloomy. But number 19 was the lucky one. I would highly recommend seeing a reproductive endocrinologist. They know more about PCOS than the ob/gyn or family doctor. Good luck! Don’t give up! :)

Totally your call. Personally, getting the band removed was one of the best things I ever did. I'm so happy with my revision to bypass, I've hit a goal weight that was not going to be possible with the band alone. If it were me, and you were facing surgery anyway... I'd move to another WLS. The Band is being phased out, a few major manufacturers don't even make parts anymore. Not trying to be anything other than real and honest here, too many people see facts and take them as a negative, if the band works and you want to try it again, by all means. But I can't see posts like this and not advise that the band is on it's way out, less and less surgeons are installing them and there are plenty of reasons for that.

Either way, good luck on your decision!

This was a major fear of mine going into my band to bypass revision as well. I'm sorry that you got derailed due to the band scaring... I know mine was 100% encapsulated in scar tissue and took them almost 4x longer to remove than it should have, I guess I got lucky and my surgeon kept moving forward, even if the surgery took well over 6 hours when it should have taken less than 3. Good luck on your healing, hopefully you'll be able to get the bypass in the future.

I think 21lbs is absolutely great weight loss!!
Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Hello! I need advice, feedback, and just to rant a bit! lol...
So, I used to be a "Smashing Pumpkin" on here (LBT) ... Banded October, 2008. First year was awesome! Lost almost 100 pounds! Have been maintaining the last 4 years... up and down only 10 lbs, so I've been really lucky. However, I need to get reconnected with my band, and myself.
For the past 4 years, I have slimed, and puked almost every day. Some foods work one day, but not the next. Some foods wont work at all. I'm not sure if I'm not chewing enough, bites too big, just bad food, etc... I'm actually afraid to go to the clinic for a check-up because I'm afraid they may tell me I need to have the bad removed. I can honestly say that if it gets removed, I know I will regain my weight.
Mentally, I'm not at a great place for this. I'm obsessed with food... still. I get angry that I cant just sit and eat a burger, or a sandwich, or fries, or whatever, like I used to be able to. Even in super small amounts, I can't eat any of the foods I used to enjoy. Sometimes I eat certain foods just so I can taste it, knowing it wont be staying down. And I don't always know when to stop. My chest gets full, and hurts, but I never ever feel sated... in my stomach. I never actually feel full! Is this normal????
I keep thinking maybe I should see if I can get the Sleeve done, or even Gastric bypass. I'm good at eating small amounts, I just hate that I have so few options to choose from, and even those, more than likely, wont stay down. I know its supposed to be just a tool, but without it, I can admit, out loud, finally, that I wouldn't make it. My body is slowly falling apart, so exercise hasn't been much of an option the past couple of years. Bad knees, back problems, etc... I do have a dog I walk daily, but that's about all the exercise I get. I'm not working due to physical limitations and have applied for SSI/SSDI. I was off my meds for the past 8 months due to no money and no insurance. Thankfully, I was just approved for Medicaid, so I'm finally getting my meds and getting my brain back on the right path. I've also recently quit smoking, and am doing PT for my chronic back pain. So, things are starting to look up. My next and last step is my band, diet, etc...
So, anyone with any thoughts? Questions? Comments? Snide remarks? I'm open to anything at this point...
Thanks for reading..... Bobbie

I'm feeling very good. Drinking my Protein Shakes Breakfast and lunch. Belly button ache and that's it. I think the hernia repair doesn't hurt me anymore. For dinner I'll try a cream Soup and see how it goes. I'm trying to stay light for a few more days. Coughing/hiccups hurts me, so that tells me I'm still tender inside. Now I don't have to take the liquid vicodin every 4 hours, but 6-8 hours. Been doing more walking outside my house several times. I drove a bit on Tuesday, went into a bank and had Decaf tea with a friend at Starbucks. Today I drove 3 blocks to pickup cleaner clothes. I seem okay this quick after surgery. Best wishes to the others who also are recovering.

I am so happy there is very very little discomfort and I can't wait to see results. The doctor and hospital staff were amazing and I just couldn't be happier right now.

Definitely don't cheat. It's not worth it. The whole purpose of the pre-op diet is to shrink your liver. Obese people have very enlarged, fatty livers. The surgeon must be able to safely work around and even maneuver the liver during surgery when placing the band. The good news is, the liver is one of the very first places we lose fat, hence the diet to shrink it.
It is rare, but I have stories of people who totally cheated on their pre-op diet, went in for surgery, and came out with all the scars but no band because when the surgeon got inside they saw the liver was too enlarged to operate safely.
You definitely don't want that.
Hang in there and stick to the plan. It's in your best interest.

Sending prayers your way! You will be fine, i jad my surgery 7/30 and I feel great.

I Was banded on July 23 and even though my healing has been slower than what I have read here on this forum, I am feeling better and better everyday. But now I have a question... I am still on full liquids and when I eat things like Jello and sometimes even when I drink Water I have that feeling in the middle of my chest and then it moves down after a couple of seconds. I know it might be from the swelling of my stomach but will I always have that feeling no matter what I eat for the life of my band? I'm just nervous that I will always have to deal with that "stuck" feeling every time I eat!? Please help.... If this is the case I am now having second thoughts about getting the band. I want to shed this weight but I didn't know I was going to hve this pain while doing it every time I eat.

In less than an hour I will be on my way to the hospital and will start the first day of the rest of my life. Pray that all goes well..

Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and well wishes. I just got home...all was smoove sailing. I got to the hospital at 8am, brought in the operating room about 9:30 and was discharged at 12 noon. The only pain I have is were the stitches are and that is not much at all. I will continue to keep you guys posted on my journey.

In less than an hour I will be on my way to the hospital and will start the first day of the rest of my life. Pray that all goes well..

I had surgery yesterday and last night I ended up on my stomach....WOW HOLY PAIN..my husband had to wake up and help me up and reposition. I hope I will be able to sleep on my stomach soon comfortably..Good Luck to you all!

Wow, home to recover so fast. This is great news. Continued prayers for you on a speedy recovery.

Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and well wishes. I just got home...all was smoove sailing. I got to the hospital at 8am, brought in the operating room about 9:30 and was discharged at 12 noon. The only pain I have is were the stitches are and that is not much at all. I will continue to keep you guys posted on my journey.

In less than an hour I will be on my way to the hospital and will start the first day of the rest of my life. Pray that all goes well..

Be sure to let us know how it goes, God Bless

Best of luck!!! Congrats

your in my thoughts
hang in there and just do what your doctor says...

Good luck and keep us posted! I'm getting banded on Wednesday!

May the good Lord bless you. Your new journey begins. Let us all know how you are soon.