Feb

I believe diffrent types of feedback are necessary it allows the original poster to decide what they may or may not want to try to help themselves along their journey. Also must remember these are just our opinions and experiances and should always still check in with their doc before changing something dramatically since we are not doctors just people who have "been there" so to speak.
The one thing I have noticed that is upsetting to me though is when someone posts something such as " help I messed up. I ate to many calories today or I splurged and ate ice cream and not my Protein or I had alcohol and way to much" instead of getting an its ok we've been there or you can bounce back! You have the ones who instantly start with why did you even get a band if you were going to stick to your old life and so on as If they have never once made a mistake with their band.
Believe me I have made quite a few and I'm sure ill make many more along the way the band made my portion ability smaller it did not reset my brain or change my tastes buds so ofcourse I'm going to flub up now and again. I think thats where the original poster was going with it. That some people instantly lash out because they have been successful instead of trying to be supportive.

I go to support group every week and although I am a new bandster, I'm one of the smallest and at 41, youngest, people there. I do feel judged in the group, which is too bad. I continue to go though, as I have learned so much from them. I figure if I am ever questioned, I will remind them of their own words. Nearly all of them have said repeatedly that their only regret with getting the band was not getting it sooner. I am thankful that I was able to start when and where I did... My only regret is not getting it four years ago when I first considered it.

My story is a little different. I was originally banded in Aug 2010 but my band slipped
I just had revision surgery on 12/19/12 and its like starting all over again. I may know a bit more because I was already banded, but I am back on liquids and Protein Shakes and I'm starting from scratch. Lets do this together!
Faith

I got a phone call 5 min ago...I'm approved for Lapband!!! Surgery is the 28th of January!!!!!! Yaaayyyyy

Since this is my second time around, I know a few things. Tastes will definitely change- a weird side effect of the band. Today I tried some lox (smoked salmon) which I usually love, and basically had to force myself to swallow it. So salty!! And tonight I had some Peanut Butter for Protein and didn't enjoy it the way I used to. I don't know why our tastes change, but they do...

Yippee! I was re-banded on 12/19. So looking forward to a fresh start

Since this is my second time around, I know a few things. Tastes will definitely change- a weird side effect of the band. Today I tried some lox (smoked salmon) which I usually love, and basically had to force myself to swallow it. So salty!! And tonight I had some Peanut Butter for Protein and didn't enjoy it the way I used to. I don't know why our tastes change, but they do...

First, were you instructed by your doctor to drink your meals/shakes? You should be off the liquid diet by now if you received a fill?
And yes, it's very normal. You shouldn't be looking for that full feeling. That's the feeling we all are running away from. You should look for a satisfied feeling. One where you feel like you can stop eating and be satisfied?
Most of us have received several fills on our way to the sweet spot or "Green Zone". This happened for me after 6 fills. For others, it could be much less or a few more. I too felt like I could eat anything the first 4 months after being banded. Your band is there, it's just that the band has not been inflated enough to give you enough restriction to slow the food traveling through the stoma yet. Most doctors like to take their time getting to the green zone. Once you start to feel restriction, if you don't follow the rules(slower eating, small bites, big chews) you will feel the restriction in the form of small stuck episodes. Unless you are one of the lucky ones and the 1/2 cup of food satisfies your appetite? Good luck. Sounds like you are doing well.
tmf

Today I was starving too. Post op day 4. I actually had some cottage cheese and later, Peanut Butter to take the edge off. Seemed to go down easily...

As far as telling people...my immediate family knows, because I need them for support. Everyone else I'm telling I had a hernia repaired, which is technically true and accounts for the belly tenderness.

Thank U!!! I was cleared and time is set.......

Day 5 post-op...seriously wish these gas pains would go away!! And holy crap we use our abs to do everything!!!

We sound like a bunch of old people obsessed with our bowel movements lmao
I guess I was the opposite. I had diarrhea the whole time. It finally stopped about two day ago.

I takes me a while to get the Soup and water/juice down … not because I feel restrictions, but because the doc and guidelines insist I take me time and use small sips. Now that I really sit and take notice of my amounts, I am taking in somewhere between 50 and 64 oz. per day … slowly throughout the day.

Also, I just want to say that it is really good to have somewhere to go to share what I am going through. It's one thing to research and read articles on what to expect but knowing that we are all making this journey together is comforting. My husband laughs because for the last three days, the first thing I do in the morning is see what new posts have been added to the forum. LOL.

Yippee! I was re-banded on 12/19. So looking forward to a fresh start

Hi everyone! How did it go? I had band revision on 12/19 so I'm basically starting from scratch
Faith

Hiyas and welcome Smiles! I was freaked out by some posts also! I was prepared to go through some post op pain after surgery, luckily it wasn't half as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was on liquids 7days before surgery and 2-3 weeks after.. I was so sick of liquids it wasn't even funny. But that is pretty much the worse of it.. we all go through it.. No Pain.. No Gain.. right? lol.. nothing is ever.. "easy" but .. after doing all this, and having the right foods in my fridge.. something clicked after getting banded.. I didn't crave the other things much anymore. I did here and there but then I grabbed something good and munched.. it helps a lot.
as far as the getting stuck, I haven't expierenced that and I hope not to. But from what My dr tells me and other's on here, eat slow and chew chew chew! and you should be fine. But there will be things some people cannot tolerate. Anyway.. good luck to ya!! it is so exciting to know.. you are taking your life back !

I weigh once a week. Period. And FWIW, here's how jacked up it can be: surgery day: 245, 1-week follow up: 232, 2 weeks post: 235. Am I concerned about that weight gain? Not a bit! I went from about 100 -200 calories a day after surgery to 800-1000 a day this second week. That 232 was partially Water. It was like getting the flu. This is a marathon, not a sprint. "Finishing the race " (weighing a healthy weight) is what matters, not how fast it's done.

Thanks Sandy!
I'm lucky to have decent insurance, so I likely won't have to pay anything out of pocket. I'll let you know if is see any billing info though. I just realized that since the dr is only revising the band itself, the port should be left alone, which hopefully means less healing time for me. Or is it just wishful thinking...?

How bad was the recovery from the revision? I'm having one next week.
Faith

Hi everyone!
I'm fairly new to the site so ill give you a bit of background. I was banded in Aug 2010 and have lost around 50 pounds since then. Over the last year, my weight has remained constant, despite a series of fills, unfills, etc. Last summer, the dr checked for a slip but the films looked ok. Just bad reflux. Now, after an UGI showing a slip and a repeat UGI yesterday, the slip is confirmed and did not resolve on its own. I am tentatively scheduled for revision surgery next week and, as the title suggests, I'm freaking out about it. I work full time, have 2 young kids and the holidays are just around the corner. My husband is only somewhat helpful Can anyone offer words of wisdom or advice of any kind?
Thanks in advance...
F

I'm just recently banded and my head is whirling. This is what my doctor told me when I asked him what kind of diet I would be following post lapband. He asked me to name a few of the diets I had been on: Low carb,lowfat, high Protein, etc. He asked me if any of those had worked long term for me? Well, no Doc, that's why I'm here getting surgery. He said, Ok, you are officially done with diets. You will eat what you feel like eating, but only until you feel satisfied, and that doesn't mean stuffed. He said he will adjust the band to make it possible for me to still eat and lose weight. Im taking him at his word. We'll see how it goes.

Kara Renee,
I hear what you are saying and I actually agree. I didn't get the band so I would never eat another unhealthy thing ever again, and the band really doesn't work that way anyway. I still have the head monster telling me to eat that donut!
I am not a diet kind of person. If i want something, or if I am craving something, I will most likely eat it (unless there is a lot of work involved in that, like say having a NY bagel. those things are monsters and I could never chew it well enough to bother..but other than that, i will and can eat it)
I don't only have healthy things. Last night I had a mcdonald's cheeseburger and an order of fries. this is different from how it used to be because i would have had 2 or 3 of those burgers, maybe a chicken sandwich and a large fry, but now a regular fills me up. i don't have to eat more than one.
for me, it's not about giving up things i love or crave, it's about eating less of what i love and crave WITH healthy choices mixed in. will i eat mcdonald's every day? nope. i eat plenty of salads and fish and Protein. but will i kick myself if i break down and eat a whopper? absolutely not. eating regular 'non-diet' types of foods keeps me sane. that also includes eating my almonds and other nuts.

So with the nuts thing ever since i started this lap band journey i was told that nuts would be hard to eat just because they dont digest very well but if you have been doing it and been fine then i say go for it. My other issue with all of this is this all sounds sooooooooooo crazy. " Your allowed to have this this and that but not this or that" Screw a bunch of this (Sorry, anger coming out) If you have to be on that strict of a diet why the F would you get the lapband! Why not just diet! Im sorry but im not a diet person and thats exactly why i got the lapband, whenever i can start eating food again, Im still on liquids, I will not eat the way you guys are talking! It just sounds so crazy to me! I got the lapband to have Portion Control, not portion control of veggies and crap but portion control of all of the delicious bad foods i eat, and i plan to keep it that way. If i would have to eat the way everyone is talking then i would just do that and not spend money on the lapband. Just saying!