gowalking

Very good article..not just about the unrealistic body images, but the whole aspect of keeping the weight off as part of our 'new normal'. I know that my goals are fairly mundane such as walking to the grocery store without being in terrible pain. For those with mobility issues, they understand this small but very significant step in term of my 'new normal.

Can't live without the scale. Even ten months out I can take too much if I don't weigh it out first.

Congratulations. I saw your post about the preop diet and your concerns. Think positive, think long term. As one who is banded nearly ten months now, and down around 90 lbs., I can tell you that the difference in my life is enormous. I am still overweight, but no longer obese. I can fit into any seat/chair/booth out there and I feel normal again. Think about those victories to come and keep your eyes on the prize. Good luck!!

If the flight attendant was discreet about it, I'd be appreciative for the extra comfort. If he/she did it derisively, well that's another story...

Thank you for the kind words. It means a great deal to me. I was not prepared for the trauma. That's a good word...this has truly been traumatic in terms of the surgery and the recovery. I look forward to the time when it becomes a distant memory.

So sorry to hear of your troubles Donna. Just know that there are many in this community and on this forum who are thinking of you and your family and wishing you all the best.

So very sorry to hear of your loss. I can't help with questions about miscarriages and the band but I did go through two miscarriages many years ago and I know how devastating it is to go through.

Hi all. Just looking for a little support while I continue my recuperation. As many of you know, I've had both hips replaced and I'm also having cataract surgery as well. I've had one eye done. The other one is Monday. I love being able to see well again but all I see are the ugly scars on my hips, and when I look in the mirror, I see an old woman looking back at me. I see lines in my face....I have excess skin in my neck area, and bags under my eyes. The boobs, belly, etc. can wait since it's covered up with clothes but my face is there for all to see and I don't like how I look. I never thought of myself as vain but boy do I want to see that skin get tightened up ASAP. Oh, and I also have found myself struggling some as far as eating goes. I haven't fallen off the wagon by any means, but I have a lot of downtime and I know I'm eating more than my allotted calories. Doing a little too much grazing. I'm trying to keep it to a minimum....eating fruit rather than Cookies...stuff like that. But my mom keeps chips in the house and I've splurged a bit. I know I'm keeping it to no more than the one ounce but even so...that's 150 calories I don't need. Can't wait to get home, get back to work, and be in my own environment again so I can feel more in control of both my food intake, and my recovery. Thanks for letting me vent a little.

Thanks for asking about my recovery readysetgo611. It's going well, but slowly. I'm trying to quicken the pace and the surgeon and therapists are telling me not to be so anxious. I'm still on the walker even four weeks out. I thought I'd be done with it but not yet. The pain however, is more and more manageable and for that I'm grateful.

After years of taking blood pressure meds, I am no longer on anything. My pressure was extremely low after the hip replacement surgery last month and while it did climb, it's totally normal now without any medical assistance. Will see what my pressure is when I go to the doctor next month but am hoping I am done having to take anything for my pressure. Oh, and my sugar/cholesterol is perfectly normal as well. medication.

Just my opinion but I think guilt has a lot to do with it. When you make bad choices and do not follow the rules, it hurts to have someone call you out on it. Many people who abuse the band are looking for someone to tell them it's OK. When that is not what they get, I think that's when you see people reacting very negatively. Again...just my opinion based on what I see posted.

Here's my pet peeve. Doctors who say 'eat till you are full'. I call bulls**t on that. Most of us have no concept of full...we eat till we are stuffed which is why we are overweight to begin with. Go back to your doctor or nutritionist and ask specifically how many calories you should be consuming and then track them in a journal or ap like myfitnesspal. This will give you the guidelines you need to be successful.

Oh, I like this post. Yes, many of us speak of goal weight but there are also folks like me who have goals not weight related. My 'goal' was to lose enough weight to proceed with joint replacement surgery. That goal was reached months ago once I got below 200 lbs. When I went in for surgery on October 8th, I was 175 lbs. Do I want to lose more weight? Yes. Did I reach my primary goal already? Yes again. I think for those of us with co-morbidities that impact our day to day lives, getting rid of those are the goals rather than the number on the scale.

My pain management doctor said the same as the above post. Lot's of toxins in the adipose tissue and he told me to expect to feel crappy as the toxins were released. I don't think this is a figment of your imagination at all.

all you fellow food addicts, watch out when it comes to slipping back into bad habits. I found myself doing so under unbelievable circumstances. Picture this....I'm a week post op from bilateral hip replacement. The pain is horrific, I can barely move, am on oxycodone round the clock...and find myself snacking on Cookies in the hospital and rehab. I did that for a few days and then stopped being stupid and started to say no to the snack lady. This was a good lesson for me as it let me know that no matter the circumstances, once an addict, always an addict.

I'm doing well. A lot going on right now. I made my goal which was to lose enough weight to get knee surgery. Turns out I needed hip replacement and had that done three weeks ago. Not focusing on losing weight at the moment, just focusing on eating smart and healing right now. I did weigh myself a couple of days ago and as I expected, was up around ten lbs. but that's water weight. My hips and legs are extremely swollen from the surgery and that's where the weight gain is from. Again...this far into the journey, I know what healthy choices and healthy eating entails and I'm keeping to it even through this major surgery.

oh lordy bandista...I look deformed, I really do. Thank goodness the surgeon and the therapists are all saying not to worry because it's scary looking..

Your concerns are totally normal Jill. Many of us, if not most of us are food addicts. I know I am. All I can say to you being banded 8 1/2 months now is that you have to be able to fight the demon that is head hunger. The band helps you to feel satiated on less food. With that assistance, you then have to put in the work to tell yourself you are not really hungry and go off and find other things to do instead of eat. Because you are satisfied, you can often become occupied with other things and forget about food for a while and that will help you to maintain your calorie count or portion control. For me, I am finding that it is more satisfying to be in control of what I am eating rather than the enjoyment of eating too much. A lot of this is a real head game with yourself but again, if you are not hungry all the time, it's easier to make better choices. Just know that demon is always there so don't turn your back on him or you'll be in trouble. Good luck to you and I hope what I wrote helped you some.

Am three weeks post op from bilateral hip surgery. Continuing my recuperation down here in Florida. As I noted in my prior post, my hips and legs are very swollen and I was not at all surprised to see that I am about ten lbs. heavier than when I weighed myself prior to surgery. I was told the swelling would take weeks to subside so I'll keep away from the scale as it will not be of any help right now. I've been eating a lot of processed foods since leaving the hospital and rehab as no one has felt like cooking so I determined if I could maintain during this time recuperating, I'd consider myself successful. Now that I am at my folks, I've been able to go back to healthier food choices, logging into myfitnesspal, and using the food scale to make sure my portion control is accurate. Thanks to all who sent me good wishes for a speedy recovery..

Hi all. Both hips replaced on October 8th and I'm still alive and kicking. lots of PT ahead and lots of recuperating to do but at least the surgery is over. Lots of swelling so I'm not even bothering to weigh myself. I bet I have ten lbs. of water weight alone just looking at how swollen my legs/hips are. Doing as well as can be expected and very happy to report that since the hip surgery, My knees feel better. Will keep you all posted. Liz

There's usually some medical reason for the decision. In my case, I have mobility issues due to joint degeneration and the doctor and I felt it would be better to stay overnight so I could get the blood thinner shots along with the boots that pump air on your legs to keep the blood flowing. I also had assistance getting in and out of bed along with supervised walks. Most people can walk without issue but I felt more comfortable walking with a nurse at my side. Plus I wound up having low blood oxygen issues...which were just monitored and I was fine the next day. Again...it's a decision made based on medical need and most folks are fine as outpatients who go home the same day of surgery.

Well..you have to remember, if we could change our habits pre band, we wouldn't need to be banded in the first place. I'm not advocating you doing what I did, this is just my experience but I ate like there was no tomorrow before starting the pre-op diet. I figured I'd never be able to eat to excess again so I ate that way for weeks. But...and this is a big but....once I started the pre-op diet, I followed it to a T. and post op, I did the same. As I started to get back to regular foods, I still followed the rules by eating slow, and small bites and chewing to a pulp. During this process, I was able to realize that by doing that, I could feel satiety enough to eat band sized portions and not overeat. Also...because I am no longer ravenous, I find I can make good choices with my food as well as eating smaller portions. What I'm trying to say is that while it is good that you are trying to be compliant before getting the band, it's a lot more important to be compliant just before and then after you are banded. Good luck and wishing you well on your journey.

well, just chalk this up to a learning experience. I saw four words that said it all. "I decided to snack'. You made a choice and now you know it's not worth it to make that same choice in the future. good luck on your journey!

All you are feeling is perfectly normal. Even the no more bingeing part. There is a sort of grief process for food as we used to know it. That too will pass...especially as you see positive things happening. I can tell you with complete certainty after 9 months that losing this weight feels so much better than eating to excess ever felt. and the fact that I do ot binge or overeat makes me feel empowered and in control. Again...a much better feeling than the pleasure of overeating. Hang in there...you will see what I mean soon enough. Welcom to the other side!