Nette Fosters

Good for you, trying something new. I LOVE that this simple grain cooks fast (15 minutes), has Protein instead of empty carb calories, is filling but band friendly, and has a kind of mildly nutty flavor that takes on the flavored of what you add to it and a chewy texture, hard to describe but it keeps my mouth busy when I eat it- satisfying :-)
I usually use Quinoia kind of like a rice or cous cous type side dish. I add chicken broth instead of Water, add a few drops of oil or 1/2 tsp butter, a dash of salt and simmer till soft (about 15 minutes. You can tell when Quinoia is cooked when the little "tails" unfurl from around the grain.)
BUT recently at a catered Breakfast, I was offered Quinoia that had been cooked in fruit juice and topped with chopped fruit and nuts. It was so nummy and I loved it so much I recreated it at home and ate it for Breakfast every morning for a week.
For the liquid, I used 1/2 pear juice (bottled, from the fruit juice aisle) and 1/2 Water. Sweet but not too sweet. While the Quinoia simmers, I chop half an apple and drop it in the pot to soften a little. Could add raisins, pear, chopped dried apricot, whatever fruits you want. My DH and I both love this Protein based hot Cereal that's both yummy and nourishing.
As a Bandster, I can only eat about half a cup in the morning so cooking a few cups at a time sets me up with leftovers to use later in the week.

CONGRATULATIONS!!
:::high five:::

(((Gentle hugs to you)))
I understand. I had a full on panic attack the night before my surgery and even had DH take me to the ER to be sure I didn't have a heart attack.
They did an EKG and other tests and said no heart attack. I chose to go ahead and do the surgery in the morning and not to sound sickeningly sweet but seriously- it was the best thing I ever did for my health and I'm SO grateful I did it.
265 -> 175 pounds; size 22/24 to size 12/14
I've had many times that I cursed my band along the way when I (foolishly) "tested" it and pushed limits- hey, I'm human. I didn't become morbidly obese by being sensible and perfect, right? But over time, I learned what the band would allow and not allow and now I can honestly say that it's EASY for me to maintain my weight loss and I'm MUCH healthier now than when I was morbidly obese.
Good luck hun. It IS scary to consider the risks of surgery and a lifelong change. But...what are the risks if you DON'T do the surgery?
It's your choice. Only you can decide what's best for you, what you want and what you're willing to do to get what you want.
(((One more gentle hug)))
Good luck.

(((Gentle hugs to you)))
I understand. I had a full on panic attack the night before my surgery and even had DH take me to the ER to be sure I didn't have a heart attack.
They did an EKG and other tests and said no heart attack. I chose to go ahead and do the surgery in the morning and not to sound sickeningly sweet but seriously- it was the best thing I ever did for my health and I'm SO grateful I did it.
265 -> 175 pounds; size 22/24 to size 12/14
I've had many times that I cursed my band along the way when I (foolishly) "tested" it and pushed limits- hey, I'm human. I didn't become morbidly obese by being sensible and perfect, right? But over time, I learned what the band would allow and not allow and now I can honestly say that it's EASY for me to maintain my weight loss and I'm MUCH healthier now than when I was morbidly obese.
Good luck hun. It IS scary to consider the risks of surgery and a lifelong change. But...what are the risks if you DON'T do the surgery?
It's your choice. Only you can decide what's best for you, what you want and what you're willing to do to get what you want.
(((One more gentle hug)))
Good luck.

(((Gentle hugs to you)))
I understand. I had a full on panic attack the night before my surgery and even had DH take me to the ER to be sure I didn't have a heart attack.
They did an EKG and other tests and said no heart attack. I chose to go ahead and do the surgery in the morning and not to sound sickeningly sweet but seriously- it was the best thing I ever did for my health and I'm SO grateful I did it.
265 -> 175 pounds; size 22/24 to size 12/14
I've had many times that I cursed my band along the way when I (foolishly) "tested" it and pushed limits- hey, I'm human. I didn't become morbidly obese by being sensible and perfect, right? But over time, I learned what the band would allow and not allow and now I can honestly say that it's EASY for me to maintain my weight loss and I'm MUCH healthier now than when I was morbidly obese.
Good luck hun. It IS scary to consider the risks of surgery and a lifelong change. But...what are the risks if you DON'T do the surgery?
It's your choice. Only you can decide what's best for you, what you want and what you're willing to do to get what you want.
(((One more gentle hug)))
Good luck.

Happy to report that today I weighed in at 179.8.
As a 5'5" person that brings my BMI to 29.9 - officially OVERWEIGHT instead of OBESE.
Looking forward to reaching HEALTHY at 149 or BMI = 24.8
And then a bit more to reach mid-healthy range.

I don't think anyone was too Harsh on Liz.... She said her self that she lost 20lbs in the first month for doing what.... EATING LESSSSS.... then didn't lose any more because why..... EATING JUNK!! Hello, did eating junk help you lose weight with out the band...? So how do you expect to lose weight if all you eat is slider food..... if you can eat that, you can eat food that is better for you.
And if you chose to go down to Mexico and pay out of pocket for the LB then you could have found someone in the state to do it with that as a down payment and finance the rest....

Sorry you had complications, but it is the best decision i ever made. You can talk bad about it all you want to, it is your opinion and your right. I have lost 125 lbs, and i don't have one complaint about it. That is my opinion.

Liz, first of all, I would never consider going to another country like Mexico to have surgery of any kind. I have friends who had disasterous dental surgery down there and now I see the result of the lap bands from there and I want to cringe. Secondly, I agree with the above post I let my band tell me what to eat and how much. bread and sugar are definitely no no's. I try to eat mostly Protein and occasionally veggies when cooked real well. I have no fills and still occasionally get stuck from my own error of eating too fast or too big of a piece. I was not prepared for the band when they scheduled my surgery. I had researched gastric bypass and my insurance would not cover it because I did not need to lose 100 or more pounds so the doctor gave me the one option left which was the lap band. I was so desperate to lose this weight and KEEP IT OFF. I lost it a million times over but it kept coming back and even with the band I have to keep guard on what I eat and it is so easy to get carried away. I am so sorry it did not work for you but I see it is so different for everyone on here. I never had any fills and have no Fluid in my band and am to goal and yet I read how people are getting filled every other month and still having trouble losing weight. It works so different for all of us and nobody should condemn you for your thoughts on this. Everyone of us has a different view but like I said I would never go outside of the United States for any surgery on my body even if it was for free. I hope you get better and can get to goal whatever way you end up going. Good luck and keep happy.

I found as I hit milestones, regardless of a weight or clothing size, my mind says "hmmm I expected this to be/look different." I think everyone goes through this.

We all have been through this. Do you have dollar stores or the one price shop where everything is $5.00 or $10.00. Every time you lose another 10 pounds, buy yourself something new. Yes it is cheap and won't last long after wearing so many times, but why buy something expensive when you are passing through that weight stage anyways. The same thing when I gained the 80 extra pounds before the lap band, I absolutely refused to buy any clothes of any good quality because I knew in my mind that I was not staying at that God awful weight forever. Now that I am down, I make a habit to get maybe one nice top or pair of pants every now and again that will last for quite a while. Maybe somebody you work with has some castaways that would fit. I do keep some clothes that are too big in case I run into someone who might need a helping hand. A lot of my old fat clothes went to the battered womens shelter in town for the unfortunate gals that had to get away from abuse with only the shirt on their back. Good luck and talk to people, you would be surprised who might be waiting to hear that someone needs a helping hand and have something for you to wear during your transition. Great job you are doing, keep up the good work.

Welcome Katy and good luck on your journey!
I am from Paso Robles and ended up going to a doctor in Bakersfield. Only one my insurance covered but I was happy with that choice. So far just in October I lost 20 lbs.

I too, am so happy with my band. I have to admit that the 3 times I have gotten stuck I wanted to die and wondered why I was so foolish to get the band. But that passes and like everybody else has said repeatedly, you will learn that you CANNOT eat one more bite. You need to control what you eat and how much and the band is only there to guide you, not to stop you! You have to take responsibility for your actions and change your mindset to make the change to a skinny person who eats very little. I can't imagine eating until I throw up???? I have a small dish and small bowl used for my meals only and put just enough to satisfy my hunger and walk away from the table. If I feel full before finishing, I walk away from the table and start doing dishes while my husband is still eating. It is a whole new world and it does not change overnight, it takes time and you need to learn from your mistakes. I know there are people that this does not work for because they thought it was a quick fix. Wrong! I have met 2 other people banded and one is slowly gaining back her 140 pounds ( even with a fill) and the other one who gained most of her weight back has gotten back to basics and is getting it off slowly but surely. It is trial and error for her and I have done my best to encourage her that it is all a mindset and how bad you want to get it off and keep it off. Good luck whatever you do, but this is something you will have to monitor your whole life and I am okay with that.

Liz,
I am truly sorry for your struggles and i know exactly how you feel. I was banded 3 days before Christmas of 09. I had lost 34lb then slowly gained it back. I too had problems with Protein, but in my case i failed to seek my doc for the assistance i needed. Then once i learned what foods i could get down easily so that i might feel that "full" feeling i was told id never feel again, i used them every time i was stressed or sad. I realized all i was doing was fighting my band. I need a band for my head not my stomach. I am having my band removed. I wasn't prepared. I am going back to good ol diet and exercise, as well as therapy to help me figure out why i use food the way i do and what triggers me. I applaud all of you who have had success, i know it has not been easy. Liz, you have to find what works for you regardless of what others say. Take care.

Nette.... What a great post...
I have to say that i have noticed a large influx of people saying that their band is not working for them... All i have to say is why are you depending on the "band" to do all the work?
My personal observation is MOST of the people that went down in OLD MEXICO are having most of the problems. My sister in law is/was one of them in 2007. She had her band one year and only lost 20lbs. She had her band re-done in the states and guess what..... she still failed... why you ask?... because all she eats are the "slider" foods. My brother comes home and in the trash is a empty 1/2 gallon blue bell container.... empty candy wrappers ... Her and my brother don't visit me together because she says it makes her uncomfortable to be around me when he is there because he points out my success and it makes her upset. Grant you my brother should not do that, but, now we don't do family functions together anymore because she didn't follow the rules and do what she needed to do. Fast forward to two week ago... she had her band removed and had gastric bypass.... We shall see how that works out for her...
When i asked her about her pre counselling and pre dietary and psychological visits...... she said she had NONE of that... She call the dr. , made appt. , had surgery with a 4cc band and left mexico never to return.
HELLO.... PEOPLE..... do you think this could maybe a cause..... you think!!! REMEMBER THE OLD SAYING...... YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR...

Hey Liz, I just read another post by Missy1966...almost IDENTICAL to your story. Someone said that you had your surgery in mexico? Well, so did Missy1966. maybe you could contact her and compare stories. Maybe this is a regional or doctor issue more so than a band issue? Just thought that might be helpful for you!

So interesting! This thread has really helped my resolve to follow my plan to a T, consult my doctor and team regularly, and to focus on being a better me. There cannot be a blame game in my failure with the band. I do not attribute my success to the band nor am I ready to have a failure. If someone asks me about my wl I say " I'm eating healthier and exercising more".
There HAS to come a point in my life where I don't blame anyone or anything for my failures. I can tell you all why ww didn't work, Why I kept myself in a fat suit for years. They are really good reasons. Guaranteed to shed a tear. But those excuses make me powerless and I'm tired of being a victim. But most of all I'm tired of being a victim of myself.
I will stand up and fight for me and my right to be the person that I was meant to be.....finally!
(Banded 10/5 lost 30lbs)
Michele???ƒ

Ditto, ditto, ditto. I totally agree with what everyone before me also said.
Two silly things and one important thing helped me through that stage.
Silly thing #1: Going to stores (either with a friend or alone, either thrift shops or fancy-schmancy boutiques, depending on what I thought would feel better on a given day) and trying on clothes with no pressure to buy but just to kind of begin to get to know my body again. Trying on a fancy gown and noticing a curve where there used to be a bulge. Trying on a new style of outfit from what I was used to wearing just to see what it feels like in my new body.
Silly thing #2: Buying one gorgeous item of clothing that's a size smaller than whatever size I currently am and hanging it up on my bedroom wall. (Like someone else said, thrift stores were great during this phase. I could get buy Calvin Klein jeans for four or five bucks or a beautiful form-fitting dress for ten dollars.) Seeing it on my wall helped me remember that it's my goal/ reward. Some items took a week to wear; some items took a couple months to finally fit into but it helped me to have something to look forward to.
Important thing: learning to use my words to share my feelings or ask for help when I need it. I haven't mastered it but I'm way better now than when I started.
Good lunch with this phase. I promise it won't last forever.
Hugs

Ditto, ditto, ditto. I totally agree with what everyone before me also said.
Two silly things and one important thing helped me through that stage.
Silly thing #1: Going to stores (either with a friend or alone, either thrift shops or fancy-schmancy boutiques, depending on what I thought would feel better on a given day) and trying on clothes with no pressure to buy but just to kind of begin to get to know my body again. Trying on a fancy gown and noticing a curve where there used to be a bulge. Trying on a new style of outfit from what I was used to wearing just to see what it feels like in my new body.
Silly thing #2: Buying one gorgeous item of clothing that's a size smaller than whatever size I currently am and hanging it up on my bedroom wall. (Like someone else said, thrift stores were great during this phase. I could get buy Calvin Klein jeans for four or five bucks or a beautiful form-fitting dress for ten dollars.) Seeing it on my wall helped me remember that it's my goal/ reward. Some items took a week to wear; some items took a couple months to finally fit into but it helped me to have something to look forward to.
Important thing: learning to use my words to share my feelings or ask for help when I need it. I haven't mastered it but I'm way better now than when I started.
Good lunch with this phase. I promise it won't last forever.
Hugs

Yes yes you're not alone. When I look at some of my old clothes and I saved them not because I want to ever fit in them again but as a reminder of how aweful it was. Can you try to go to thrift stores or something to pick up a few things to wear. I got three brand new pair of jeans once at a thrift store for 4 bucks for all three. They had never been washed.

Bring a skinny liver, and a good attitude, you are going on the journey that will change your life. You will not wake up skinny but you will be on your way. Write down all the reasons you are doing this in a journal just for your eyes and be really really honest. You will need this when the tough times come and come they will, days when you just want to give up then you can read it and check off the things you have accomplished.
Good Luck and you will need all the things the others suggested but for the long run you will need what I told you even if you forget something they said....

Thanks im being banded on 10/31/12

MY STORY ISN'T OVER YET, IS YOURS?
I read what you shared and I understood what you were saying- I've thought similar thoughts over the years.
I won't tell you to "snap out of it" because that never worked when people said it to me. But when I was ready, when I felt sufficient motivation to make my own health my priority, I did snap out of my "hmm...the band didn't work" bad attitude and I followed the rules even though I thought some of them were stupid. And I've started losing weight again after years of not losing and even gaining.
If someone had judged my success when I'd already been banded for years and yet I weighed 200 pounds, they might say it was a failure. But once I ramped up my movement the scale started moving again. (In the past two weeks I've lost six pounds.) decided to try slow jogging (thanks to "Couch to 5K") and an hour of Wii aerobics instead of my usual slow stroll through the neighborhood that counted as my exercise before. And I started logging my food on "Lost It!" and learning about nutrition. And I stopped making restaurant lunches and dinners my main form of socializing with friends.
You're so right! Eating in a restaurant isn't the same anymore, it can turn into a gurgling, slime-flowing puke-fest at its worst. (Whenever I fly on a plane, I bring home a few "air-sickness" bags to tuck in my purse for emergency band situations. And strong zip lock baggies tucked in a purse work in emergencies too.) I felt embarrassed asking for my husband to pull the car over because I ate a few bites too many and was about to throw it all up. It's gross, isn't it? But I'd rather excuse myself and go PB in the bathroom than stay morbidly obese and eventually die from a heart attack, stroke, asthma, diabetes, you name it. I don't want to have to test my blood and give myself insulin shots. Drops of blood here and there, insulin vials in the fridge, a "sharps" disposal box on the bathroom counter... That's kinda yucky. And out of control diabetes leads to blindness and amputations. Also kinda...yucky. Having an oxygen tube under my nose all the time and carting around a little personal oxygen tank due to heart failure....there are all sorts of indignities and humiliations that come from long term morbid obesity. If I have a choice I'll choose an occasional PB that reminds me to listen to my body and not always try to take just "one more bite."
Being healthy is my priority now so if I'm meeting a friend nowadays I'm focusing on talking with my friend and not making the visit about the restaurant food we eat. I'm more likely to invite a friend to sit and talk while sipping a coffee or iced tea at a cafe than a restaurant. Or I invite a friend to walk or shop with me. Now that I'm trying healthier coping skills when life is hard (talking about what made me upset instead soothing me feelings with food) I'm losing weight.
I know I sound like I'm lecturing. I'm sorry, that's not my intent. But I relate to you and I went years feeling the same way you did. And after a while, enough of life's little "lessons" finally snapped me out of my bad attitude (going back on blood pressure medicine after being able to go off, hearing about friends and family's preventable health issues and the impact they had, struggling to communicate with a person I love who was paralyzed from a stroke, etc.)
A few years ago, my band story looked like it ended poorly. But it hadn't yet ended. Every day I get to choose the thoughts and actions that are resulting in me now authoring the future I'd prefer.
I'm not perfect. And on some days my attitude sucks. But I'm not giving up on myself. I'm going to follow the rules, work harder, change old behaviors and learn new skills. None of that is my natural style but I know where following my natural style has led me and where it will eventually lead. I'm choosing to work towards health instead.
Wherever you started, wherever you're at now, wherever you're heading, I wish you blessings and health and happiness. I hope you find what works well for you.