lisacaron

It's very strange but you guys are 100% right I feel better and I sleep better when I move my body more! I know it's all those feel good hormones that get released and I love it! It is bright and sunny in NY today, but it is BONE chillingly cold. The stranger thing is that the sun is perking me up and making me feel good like I wanna run around, it will have to be inside but hey I'm ready to lace up those hot pink sneakers and GO!

Yes yes and yes. Once you hit the green zone it is a little easier but I can truthfully tell you that it has taken me 9 months to get here. My doc is conservative with fills and I have not minded that in the least bit. It has given me time to learn and understand and make changes to my food choices or diet. Yes I said the word diet because that's what it is we are on a diet each and every single day with every bite of food we eat. CC you are doing awesome and your on target with what you wrote. Everyone goes through a period of learning and growth until it clicks and they find what works for them.

Ditto!!! You look awesome!!!

Got my 10,000 steps in today and did about 10 flights of stairs. Good day:)

Not only that but also newbies and people just starting their research on the band is going to get the impression that all they have to do is have this magical belt strapped around their stomach and hundred or so pounds will just fall off and in my opinion that is just bad news... I agree with what you guys have written here. I am working with my band everyday. It has helped me in ways I never understood that I needed help before, which is why diets never worked for me, but there is hard work involved in changing your life. I wish that it was so simple to have the band placed and poof 40 years of bad habits fall by the wayside, but that takes some learning and focus of thought to make good choices not to mention some umph to get up and move the body that has been sitting on it's laurels for far too long. I'm embracing my new life and making it work for me.

lynn, many doctors are still performing plication surgery as part of the lapband surgery and independently by itself. The plication surgery in the US has been in "study" phase and at this point the data is being reconciled for FDA approval, so this could be why the doctor you found has stopped doing them, he may have all the data he needed and is now waiting on the next phase before moving ahead. I would give them a call, and inquire just to see what you learn and if there are any other doctors in the area who might still be working with the plication.

Congratulations! Having this surgery was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself and I have no regrets. As the others have said there is always someone here to support another.

When people say it's all in your head they are being truthful!! It's not just that it's a "mind" thing it's a brain thing. food is medicine and many of us have been self medicating with food for many many years for many different reasons and ailments. Suddenly we shift everything, and we stop eating sugar, and we stop eating so many carbs and we increase our Protein and we start moving our bodies more and the body's physiological reaction to this is WTF just happened to us?! Your brain is looking for all the hormones and chemical compounds it's so used to having and now those things are not there. So it sends out some signals to you to say hey what happened to that particular element? Be it sugar or salt or even fatty greasy foods. They all break down to chemicals that react to the Proteins and hormones in our bodies. The feelings of those cravings gets even stronger when the "ailment" that you would use those foods to medicate is also present. For example maybe you are over stressed about something today or emotional about something where you would normally have a cookie or 4 now you are not. Your body ups the calling for sugar and you are suddenly craving sweets at what feels like an uncontrollable level. That's what head hunger REALLY is. When your craving it's your body calling for something it's missing...and maybe it's a good thing for your body that it's missing all that sugar or all that sodium, but until your body and your brain get used to doing without those amounts you get those urges and cravings. That is another reason why you should eat something when hungry and substitute your craving with something that is healthier. Having 2 or 3 crackers will give the body enough sugar and carb to be satisfied and tune down the sugar craving and it's better then a bag of M&M's or a cookie and far fewer in calories. As we learn to work with our band, we are better able to make those choices and choose the more nutritious foods our body wants and needs over the items that amount to zero nutrition. It is by no means easy, but trust that as you move forward it does become easier and soon you'll be craving proteins and vegetables and fruits.

I love reading your story you are one inspiring woman and you help me keep my sanity with the hubby believe me! So glad we met my friend!!

Actually some are doing more touting my surgery is better then yours and here's why.... then they are explaining why they think or feel the Gov. is or is not doing well.

Excellent article. Those little licks and bites of things can really add up. Even the cream you put in your coffee over the course of day can add up in calories consumed and stem your weight loss. I'm being more mindful now to see where those things are adding up, and where I can add a little bit more movement to tip the scales literally in my favor.

You can discuss what you think and feel and your experience good or bad. Your right that's what the forum is all about. What is not needed is bashing one or another. Your experience is valid it's yours. I am grateful there are many diverse options out there for us whether we get to choose or not choose which one at least there is one. There was a time WLS did not exist. So for the good bad and ugly of it I say Hooray! Besides the post was about Gov. Christie, and his surgery and outcome this far. 100 pound loss is great and he is still going as are we all.

Hi Jean, This is a topic I think of often and question I pose to myself at least once a day. Like most women I'm doing it all, and I don't mind it most days though my body some days would beg to differ on the matter. If I could be Wonder Woman or even the Bionic Woman with an oil can that would be great! I love doing things, with and for people. Sometimes it can be overwhelming but most of the time I just love being able to help and participate. There was a time in my life, where I was not very happy. I had what every woman might think they wanted, I had a home, family, children, I didn't have to work if I chose not to...but I was not happy. Though many of the things in my life were by my own choices and actions I wasn't able to understand that and until I was able to understand it I wasn't I able to make the changes that I needed to make. I spent so many years doing what "others" thought was right or proper. What "everyone" did to fit in or be accepted and well....WHY? When I was finally honest with myself and sat down and asked myself what it was I wanted, and if I wanted it, truly wanted it why was I letting anything get in my way of having it? I don't have to be what "others" think I need to be, I just need to be me. Authentically me. Now it's true I may not be the easiest person to take all the time it's an acquired taste I think, but I am me. Take it or leave it and I won't hold it against you. In 2011 my hubby took me to Hawaii for my 40th birthday, and you know what I didn't care I went snorkeling...and those that didn't like it or had comments to make and were brave enough to say them out loud, (none where) I would have just told them Hawaii is known for Whale sightings get over it. I was happy, even if I was busting out of that bathing suit and huffing and puffing my way up the beach! I sat at the pool side I went swimming at the resort and soaked in the hot tub. When the alarms went off on the Island I ran around and Tsumami shopped in my bathing suit too! I always like to be prepared food Water and cash are important in an emergency!! I love my body. Big, small, round, fat, thin it is the vehicle that gets me where I want to go. I had WLS because it was starting to fail me and I am not read to go. I want to live!!! I want travel and enjoy life as long as I can! So it was time to to take action and give the ole gal a tune up, as I plan on taking it everywhere I can peddle to the metal!!!

I'd love to see us have a WLS conference some day where we can get members from all over the world together, and perhaps move it around like they do the Olympics and have different chapters host them....hey I love to travel and I would totally stop by and check out a group, in another state, or another country!!

OMG your killing me with this one! Love it and so darn true! Hubs and I are practicing our harmonies!!! hahahaha Toot one on the down beat tummy growl for 3...toot toot too

What shocks and amazes me about this, is that EVERYONE on here is a former fatty. We are all WLS patients, we have all been overweight, obese and/or morbidly obese. No matter what arena we have thrown our hat into be it bypass, sleeve, gastric band we should all be able to relate to each other on some level. None of these surgeries were easy, none of them are the magic bullet they all take different levels of commitment and dedication to making a life style change. Those who are against the band, are you trying to change the world one comment at a time? The gastric band is a surgical option it's out there it works for many, if not for you. If you have suffered because of it I am truly sorry, but you are OK because your here and your commenting so you survived your affair with the band. There are those who have had WLS and can not say the same they died. There are those who did not have a choice of which surgery to get, and could not afford to get any surgery and they died from their conditions. We are a group that is here to support and advocate for people like ourselves, people who should be of like mind having been where we have been and gone through much of what we have gone through no matter what surgery modality we ended up with, no matter our starting or ending weights. I could go on and on about sleeve patients and bypass patients that I know personally who have failed, and gotten gravely sick and have died, but you don't see me doing that or bashing those who have had these surgeries. I would gladly share what I know from those close family and friends to help anyone, but I would never bash someone or the idea of an intervention such as WLS that can literally save lives, and not just on a physiological level but on a mental and emotional one as well. So be bariatric PALS and remember that you too are here and have a voice because of your journey, and rather then tearing another down, try being a support. Share your ideas and opinions but do so productively in a way that helps rather then in a way that discriminates, degrades or demoralizes and you might just change the world one comment at a time.

Here is a good video of what gastric plication is. What it is basically doing is folding the stomach in on itself without cutting or removing any bit of it as in the gastric sleeve. This reduces the amount of food the stomach can hold without causing the malabsorbtive issues that come with the removal or re-routing of the stomach contents as it does with the sleeve and/or gastric bypass.

What Do You Think about BariatricPal Local Chapters? LOVE THE IDEA! Would you be interested in attending regular local chapter meetings in person?Yes! Would you be interested in being a leader (or co-leader)?Yes, most definitely! Would you like BariatricPal to provide agendas for meetings?Yes, but I think that it would help for them to be a more of a guideline that the leaders and co-coordinators of the groups can follow but gear their groups more toward the dynamic of that given group. What additional support could BariatricPal provide to encourage your participation and/or leadership?I love the idea of offering education to the members interesting in taking on the leadership of a group, and that should be something that is updated as more information learned to stay current with what is going on in the medical field and be able to share that information with their members. Should there be limits on the minimum and maximum numbers of members that each Local Chapter can have?I don’t think there should be limits on the number of members but I do think that there should be a council of people who run the group kind of in the vein of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer etc. to help run charters that are over 50 members. I also think it may serve to have a person from each type of weight loss surgery modality have a role in a combined group for an area. As well as people in all different phases of the journey. What other ideas do you have?I would be great to have an international charter that we can all belong to and perhaps hold an WLS conference annually or bi-annually where members from other countries and states might be able to get together for a fun filled healthy weekend that might include seminars and/or presentations on nutrition, exercise, exercise equipment, meditation, etc. as well as some entertainment.

Count me in!

The type of weight loss is not necessarily determined merely by the amount of weight a person has to or chooses to lose. Those who have said they are shocked that he chose the lapband to lose his weight I would question why you would be so shocked? Many of us that chose the lapband did so to avoid the re-routing of our guts, and the life long malabsorptive issues that come along with many of the alternative WLS. The lapband can be and is a very effective tool for weight loss and in my opinion a greater tool for life long weight maintenance over the other surgeries. There are many today who are being banded on top of their gastric bypass because they have gained weight a year or more after their surgery and need further assistance. The same can be said for those who have the sleeve, and have a regain of weight over time. The lapband is the only adjustable WLS that while it is made for life long implantation it may also be removed, reversed or revised to another surgery. While it is true that weight loss is faster with the other surgeries, it may not be what the doctor ordered for Mr. Christie or others. He's done an amazing job with his weight loss as far as I am concerned, and everything else (about the man or his political position) is irrelevant in this forum.

My only advise would be not to guzzle the Water when your eating or right after a bite as that will cause you some discomfort. When I need something to drink I will take a sip during my meal especially if the food is a bit dry or tough. Sometimes you just need some water, and I do feel that I am fuller with less during the meal if I allow that sip here and there.

Yes it is amazing. PT if you have the information on making such a donation please post it and share it with the forum.

Come on now girl was that DQ 3200 calories? I can't imagine you gained any weight! Enjoy the good grade, don't spoil it for yourself or your daughter. Though next time, (and I hope there are many more next times!!) maybe something other then a food reward, simply because it's a path that's not good for her or you anymore. For me it has been hard to break that habit of using food as a reward or comfort, I wish it had never started to begin with...but I grew up in a big Italian family all they did was feed you for everything, and when I was a kid I was skinny skinny so they tried to feed me extra! GOAL GOAL GOAL chanting for you and the USA Hockey team today!!!

My advice is never to go straight for meds, it would always be to go and see your doctor, so I'm glad your doing that. You have tried to self medicate and it didn't work out so the best thing is to check in with your doctor so they can find out what's going on. A slight unfill might be what the Dr. orders but who knows...either way though while your waiting to get to your Dr. I would go back to band basics and eat lightly maybe just have a Protein shake and steer clear of fruits vegetables and acid producing things like coffee and tea. I would eat soft Proteins and things of that nature until you are able to get to the Dr. Let us know how your doing and feel better soon!!

I will tell you something that my nutritionist said to at a group meeting once and it stuck with me. It should take you no more then 20 minutes to eat your meal. If you are eating anything after that 20 minutes you are eating into your next meal. We should be eating only 3 meals a day and possibly a snack if hungry. So if you feel hungry all the time, and it's not head hunger it may be that you need a tweak to your fill level, or you might want to do what Cheryl suggested and break up your meals to 6 mini meals a day. Which does not mean eat 6 whole meals a day, it means break your 3 down to 6 smaller meals. So your eating half a meal every few hours rather then a whole meal 3 times a day. Keep tabs on your hunger level and thirst. Sometimes hunger is really thirst and having a beverage will satisfy you. If not, then you should ask yourself where is the hunger coming from...is it above the shoulders or below? If it is below you need to eat something, if it's not...and it's head hunger find something else to do to distract yourself and the feeling will subside. Check in with your doc though and make sure your band is at the optimal level for you that would be my first step.