tipsyb

I have just returned from a three hour flight and a holiday where eating was very difficult . I think it was several things and I just accepted that as long as I was patient it would sort itself. It has and I feel very much better and I'm ten pounds lighter!

I'm with the hospital group and find them vey good.

Hello we'll done for coming back

I wanted to share this because it made me cry. I'm on holiday with my husband and I am climbing up a hill , when we get to the top there is a small area to squeeze through to get to the other side. I tell my husband I can't do it and turn around to climb back down. He asks me why and I say because ill get stuck because of my size. He takes my hand and leads me to the area and pushes me forward. I walk through with a space each side. I sat and cried for five minutes whilst my husband laughed at me. I cannot express my thanks to all the people who have walked with me through this journey and the ones who will continue to walk with me till I get o my goal. It's a great feeling.

I'm also diabetic and it does make things more tricky, I find a one ounce piece of soft cheese is enough for my protein, and therefore my diabetes is managed. I find the same with a good quality yogurt with half a spoonful of honey also works. It's not hard on the band and is technically a slip food but not too damaging. This helps when I have had acid reflux. For me tho acid reflux has been when I have tried to fight the band rather than work with it.

I have some Bruges with me and that makes sense ! It's an anti inflammatory duhhhh should have worked that out for myself. But it takes the veterans and friends on the site to help, thanks for taking the time to reply all.

My feeling is that one year into my band that this was exactly the right procedure for me. I am an over eater I use food to control anxiety , fear, regret, hate, sadness ect I have had to learn new mechanisms to manage those feelings since being banded. The beauty of the band has been that as I have struggled with developing new coping mechanisms I have always had choice to stop, slow down or reverse. This could not have happened with any of the other operations. I'm not knocking anyone's choice but pointing out what I have gained from the lapband.

Sorry forgot to say I'm twelve months in . Have a 14cc band with 12cc in. I've lost four stone six pounds so far.

I'm really sorry if this the wrong place but was not sure where to put it. I'm on holiday abroad another ten days to go. I'm barely able to eat, usually manage about four ounces around nine pm at night. I'm on diabetic medication which I cannot tolerate, I'm keeping a good eye on my blood sugars and they are low not high so supplementing with orange juice . I can get water down and if I concentrate I can manage juice. I have a further three stone to lose so that's ok. Any thoughts from you all would be appreciated. I'm feeling a little scared and lonely so far away from my support mechanisms.

My husband says to me all the time "why fight the band " it makes sense to me. I have a long term eating disorder and food helps me cope with anxiety but now I stop, calm down and give myself fifteen minutes between each addictive thought. It works

Yes I agree it's not an easy process

Ahhhh righ a bit of a globetrotter lol, I live just outside Swansea by the beach it's a nice place, but I spend a great deal of time in Cardiff with my job.

Hi amberely where in the uk are you

Anyone from Wales on the site ?

Fantastic

I cannot see the point of taking drugs to lose weight and spending money on a band, it's taken me eleven months to reach restriction and to have the start of significant weight loss. I know it's hard but if you can dump the quick fix and give yourself the chance to lose weight the way is band designed to do. I'm sure your doctor gave it to you with the best will in the world but it really is a quick fix and long term won't help you.

I'm down four stone three pounds since sept 2012.

It's learning to live with an understanding of your ability to over eat that will help you, my husband six months into my banding said "why are you fighting your band ?" I had to stop and think. He was right ,but I still have to think before I eat . This s because I have an addiction to food and eating makes me anxious. When I calm myself and listen to my body say its full I'm great. Eating is now a slow pleasure that I enjoy. I have a nice plate , a napkin and a clear table (not the sofa) . I think in peace about the day and enjoy what I eat. Sounds great but it's hard work at times to stay with it. To me it's all worth it , it's my future health and well being.

I am very much of the belief that food eaten in the way I see myself and others who have ended up resorting to lapbands ect as an addiction. Just as debilitating and harmful to the individual and others.

Spoke too soon, had a horrendous evening tonight and found that I could eat with no problem, suddenly felt sick and it all came back up. Now my band is hurting for the first time since I was banded eleven months ago. I suspect I have caused my band area to swell. I'm going to stay on liquids for a couple of days, is that the right thing to do ?

Thanks for that makes more sense now.

As I live over the pond I'm just checking language here. What are protein shakes is that like slimfast ?

I think it makes me relax and the next day I feel hungry and for some reason I can eat more. I found in the beginning I was able to have a glass a wine with food and eat more. I stopped drinking completely two months ago and my weight started going once more. We went away the weekend had some wine in the evening and I found I could eat more again. I've stopped again and it's taken a week to notice a difference in the scale. I'm nowhere near goal weight only half way there so it's not about weight loss slowing down.

I have had eleven fills and I have lost sixty pounds in twelve months, I'm still not in the green zone but I'm losing consistently with very little difficulty . I have learnt that I can't drink alcohol as it loosens my band and it takes me at least a week to get it back. I'm happy with my loss and the time it s taking.