Yadiordz

Ok I am flooding you people with pictures so here it goes because The Meet & Greet was SO MUCH FUN , I got some good information & LOTS of Protein goodies & met SO many people , SO You Wanted pictures , however I'm going to put this out there my LBD doesn't look that good on me because it is getting a bit loose on me & the blue T shirt that was in with one of the goodie bags is a Xl & I can fit into a LG & Medium so it looks big on me I didn't think so when I looked in the mirror but when I looked at the Pics I could tell , they even had 2 Plastic surgeons doing free consults , but I'm just not ready 30 # more to go , & I won a poster in a raffle I will take a pic with that later , good food , drinks & dancing lots of fun games & other things & you will see the view I had from my room , ok you wanted pics.

WOW I was looking at my information on my trip & being at the Wlsfa in San Diego & noticed that I will probably have a Meet & Greet with Carnie Wilson & ONE of the people you know if you have seen the show my 600 lb life well she was the one where her Husband was not supportive & a Big Jerk her name starts with a Z I saw she may be there also & a few of the sponsors for Unjury & other ones will be giving out samples & stuff , Sounds like a informative opportunity I am looking forward to , also there will be plastic surgeons & other Surgeons & Speakers , I can't wait but I guess I will be there in April.

Happy Spring, LB friends. I'm looking forward to being able to walk outdoors again -- really need that. And the garden. We will be pruning our apple trees a month from now. It's a big job. Hosting a birthday party tonight for a 15 year old. I can't stop cooking so it will be good to have some real appetites here.

Hi All just thought I would check in today before we head into another holiday weekend/week for some!!
I have been down and out for the count the last few days with a miserable virus, and just starting to recover. It was good to take some down time, though it would have been better to feel good while having that time.
Happy Passover, Holy Week, Happy Easter to all those who Celebrate.
I plan to be home this Sunday and cook a meal for the family. We have a wedding to attend on Saturday and I just hope my lips heal enough so I can work some makeup magic and not look like the walking dead.
Learning my lessons the hard way to slow down and make time for rest and relaxation...cause I'm gonna get it one way or another it seems and it's so much nicer minus the 2x4 hitting me upside the head

Banders # 6

Thanks for this, B-52. I have been a little lame in the exercises department and I need to GET BACK. I love it when I am "worked out." I need that. For pain management, for feeling flabby, etc. The heck with weight loss (love that, too), I need exercise for every reason. Have had a difficult month -- bloody cold came back, blah, blah, blah, can't walk or even BE outside and last spring, summer, fall I really owned a particular four-mile fast walk around a gorgeous lake. Meanwhile our basement with treadmill, etc. is cold (that is actually good, just got to get my lazy you know what in motion for ten minutes and temp is perfect). Need to get my act together. Exercise partner should be able to get here tomorrow (we are BURIED in snow) and I'm going to work on motivation whether that is new music, etc. Miss my working out. Thank you.

It's 5:30am....9 degrees out with wind gusts of 20-30mph putting the wind chill way down below zero....
Snowed over night and the plow just went down the street....
Sitting here on my second cup of coffee....
The gym opens at 6am, and in spite of everything I will be there when they open (or shortly thereafter)
THERE ARE NO EXCUSES! I could easily go back to my warm bed with my wife and sleep in....put this off to another day...perhaps another day after that, then another day after that...NO! At my age I need to take advantage of every opportunity!
The more you do, the better you get, and bigger are the rewards....if I don't go, I will feel like crap all day long...and probably punish myself.
Yes, I am 100% successful with my weight loss...finished this journey (if you like that term, I don't) years ago....however I do not think I would have gotten this far from surgery alone...it was the exercise that really made it complete...no sagging skin, flabby arms, etc...all tight!
Exercise also covers a multitude of sins....it's probably the reason I can do some of the things dieters would never dream of doing....
Dr.'s have been preaching it forever...diet and exercise...diet and exercise....
I don't like the "D" word, counting calories, etc...that's all behind me...to me it's all part of the new, permanent lifestyle of healthy eating, staying active, enjoying the good things in life, (I'm not into self punishment), but never over indulging...all things in moderation.
I cannot stress enough how fortunate and pleased I am to have had this surgery...otherwise I would have been dead by now...literally! My Dr's informed me so in direct terms I was a walking time bomb.
And lets not ever forget...,behind it all the band is there quietly controlling my appetite, hunger and cravings...easy way out?
WHY SHOULD I CARE OR FEEL GUILTY!!!
Give me a break.....It just doesn't get any better than this!
Some people give up too easily at the first sign of this or that....believe me...this DOES WORK! Don't let negative people - whiners, tell you otherwise....
Many, just about all, successful lap banders move on and leave this site...believe me, it is hard to stay with all the negativity...
But that is the sole reason I stick around...somebody has to stand up to it and call it out for what it is....whether newbies want to believe it or not...

I so appreciate your frankness and positive attitude. I get weary at times reading all the band bashing posts and people whining about their disenchantment with the band. I know there are legitimate problems sometimes and some are not necessarily the persons fault but I know form my experience, If I don't do what I am supposed to do, I will have problems. My hardest thing to learn has been listening to the signals, eating slower, chewing more and not eating things that do not agree with my band. I am not as dedicated to exercise but I am more active than I was 2 years ago. The band has literally heped me get healthier get off of all meds for diabetes blood pressure and reduced my cholesterol . AS for the easy way out well, I've certainly found out that it's not easy but better than anything I have done in the past .

Congratulations Bandista Love you post!!!!

just wanted everyone to know that I have lost 7 lbs this month. I am so glad I had him lay me down and keep me down when he did the injection the last time I went. I feel so much better now that I am losing again. Thank you everyone for telling me how yours was done.

Quite a while back I lost an inch somewhere -- I went from 5'7" down to 5'6". At my last check-up I had gained back half an inch and recently I just got my other half back. Because of my shape, I just wasn't standing as tall as I once did. Now I can throw my shoulders back and stand against the wall with my full height, all 5'7" of me. There's so much less in the way not only for standing up straight but for bending and folding, curling up, etc.
Meanwhile I have lost nine inches off of my waist alone. No more Mrs. Winnie-the-Pooh. These non-scale victories -- NSVs -- make me so happy!

@@Holysaro87 I agree with the poster above. Take a deep breath and try to relax.
I am going to sound a little harsh with you for a moment here. When you FIRST had signs of something not right it was the time to go and see the Dr. Never mind how you were before your band. You are now a banded patient and vomiting no matter how small. food being stuck, acid reflux, night coughs all of these are signs of trouble and they are NOT normal. No one with a band should be throwing up after eating EVER if they can help it.
If you follow the proper band guidelines then you would not be having these issues AND if you are then you need to see a Dr. ASAP a Bariatric Dr. who specializes in the Lapband.
OK now all of that said....take another deep breath. I am on your side here.
One of the reasons your Dr. may be telling you take the band out is because you are not being compliant with the band rules. There are very specific rules to being a banded patient and you are not following them.
Yes we all get caught up with family and friends and food. I totally understand, BUT you must ALWAYS remember that you are a WLS patient and that you have a band around your stomach and it is there and it will not be overlooked and it will cause you trouble if you ignore it.
I am compliant in all ways with my band, all the time...? No not all the time, and that is how I learned to make sure that I am now ALL the time.
When I am full I stop eating, if I am stuck I pay the price and feel sick and learn that next time I need to cut and chew chew chew and then chew some more. I need to slow down and eat my food and not be stressed while eating.
A few months ago I had a mild pouch dilation and had all the Fluid removed from my band due to medications I was taking from being in a car accident that irritated my stomach.
I did the 4 week liquid diet and the dilation resolved itself and I am not back on track to getting fills and losing weight.
OK take another deep breath...
Ask yourself is this band something you want? Why do you have it if you are not going to use it and take care of it properly?
If you want to keep your band, follow the Dr.'s orders. Take the fill out, and start from band basics. Go back to the days of early banding. Get yourself some Protein powders and shakes and go from there. You will start to lose weight and you will feel better. Tell your family and friends you MUST be on this diet and not to derail you because doing so is going to cost you and you will ultimately have to have the band removed and worse you can cause permanent damage to your internal organs.
So make sure you are ready for this commitment and settle in for a month of liquids, and gaining your health back. You have to take time to put you and your band first. You are right now both at risk.

You need to find another Doctor Immdiately. none of the stuff he told you is true. It is not at all normal to throw up all the time and eating doughy foods and no vegetables is so unhealthy. doughy foods will cause sliming and throwing up. do some research and find someone who is a bariatric specialists. I have had my band 2 years and have not experienced any of the things you are describing, however I have an excellent Doctor who gave me nutritional information and was very conservative with fills. Best of luck to you and coming on this site and getting advice is a good step.

Hi there, so glad you found this forum as we all get a lot of support from one another here. It's good news on your band being fine -- now to begin anew. The links below in my signature really helped me understand so much about how the band is meant to work. I didn't use Dr. Simpson but I sure read his site -- a lot of great information there. And the Golden Rules of Lapband helped me a lot, too. Good luck to you and don't give up. Choosing yourself and your healthy future first and foremost is a tremendous step. Best wishes!

@@jennhatten I'm sorry to hear of all the troubles you have been experiencing, and happy for you that you are working your way back toward being healthy.
It is good news that your band is in good order and ready to help you on your journey. The first thing I have to tell you is that you need to find another Dr. It is NOT normal for you throw up all the time. You should be able to eat anything and everything. Yes there are some people who experience food intolerance, but that is true for everyone not just WLS or banded patients. You will learn as you go what works and what doesn't and how to modify your life style around those things.
The key to eating with the band is practicing good eating mechanics. That does not mean eating soft and mushy foods or living on shakes. Mashed potatoes are not doing anything for you. There is precious little nutrition to be found there.
Another key to being healthy is eating healthy, and that includes fruits and vegetables. Now it's true sometimes these items are hard for banded patients to consume. They may have stringy or rough bits that can become trapped in the stoma and cause a bolus that blocks up the stoma stopping food from passing.
So these items should be minimized to avoid this, but if you cook vegetables well and eat fruits that you chew well and avoid things that might be difficult to swallow like apple skins etc you will be just fine. Another way to add these nutrients to your diet is by blending them if you need them.
The number one nutrient our bodies need is Protein. Protein is not stored in the body for any length of time, so you must replenish it daily. You can do that in the form of eggs, chicken, fish, beef and many other things like Protein Bars and shakes. Not consuming enough protein could be the reason for hair loss and weakness.
So my advice....
Find a Dr. that is a band specialist, on that has a nutritionist on site and can help you learn good eating mechanics.
For today...start from the very beginning. Go back to pre-band...were you on a pre-op diet? Follow that for a couple of days. Reset, and begin practicing good eating mechanics. Cutting things into tiny pencil eraser sized bites, chew chew chewing the food you eat, taking a minute between bites to allow that bite to pass the band before taking another bite. If you stack up one bite after another this could be the pain or stress you feel as your esophagus works harder to push the stacked up food past the band. Sit down and eat a meal, avoid distractions if possible. Plan your meals in advance and drink lots of Water.
In no time you will be back on track and most importantly feeling better!!!
Make an appointment with your regular Dr. for some blood work to find out if you are having any deficiency in vitamins/minerals or need any additional supplementation to start get a good chew able Multivitamin.
Kick up your heels welcome back on the band wagon!!! Here we go!!!

I remember many years ago going through these forums reading about the success of everyone post op. I'm sure if anyone will understand my post its people here. I liked reading stories that i could relate to, it gave me hope. Here is my story pre-op to present and what ive encountered as good and bad effects of the process:
I grew up a big kid, the biggest in my class of course, bigger than grown men by the time i was in 7th grade. i was 6 foot tall and I tipped the scales at over 300 at the age of 12, and graduated high school around 318. After high school i ballooned up to 330, yoyo dieted for a few years, losing some weight then gaining it back plus some extra every single time, finally hitting my all time max of 388 by the time i was 27. I don't think i need to go into description of what that feels like but its a horrible life living that way. I was blessed enough to get a job that had insurance that covered the procedure and in late May of 2010 at the age 29 of i started my path to weight loss.
The weight loss came slow as i would drop pounds here and there, never gaining but hitting many many plateaus along the way. By 2011 I was steady at 330, which while a huge improvement, was not exactly where i wanted to be. I read on here about how people dropped massive amounts of weight over 6 months and i wished i could do the same but i guess i just wasn't built that way. Working out was still hard because of my size and eating right was like pulling teeth but like all of you i pressed on. By the time 2012 hit i was back at my high school size of 315 and while i noticed the difference people started to judge me. See to your friends and some family they think this is a miracle procedure that will take you from morbidly obese to Brad Pitt over the span of a year max....wrong.....its a daily struggle and only your true loved ones and real friends will be there for you throughout this, some of us learn this the hard way. See once you start doubting yourself and think everyone is silently judging you it gets twice as hard and because I elected to let everyone know i was getting the lapband i couldn't make excuses - i had nothing to hide. To me it actually gave me motivation to keep with it to feel better that i would accomplish this and to make the doubters in my life see anything was possible.
2012 was probably the hardest year in my life, i had many outside complications in my personal life that changed me and my family. It was the most devastating 12 months I hope I ever have to go through. That being said it drastically slowed down my weight loss progress, I never gained a pound but stayed steady at 315 all the way until November/December where i finally hit a milestone of 298. I was under 300 for the first time since my preteen years.
In February of 2013 I went in for a adjustment, this was probably my 5th or 6th once since surgery and i had around 6.5cc in my band (large "vega" band). When I went to lapband meetings and read older posts people always talked about the "green zone" which is like your magic spot where it all starts to fall in place, well, I had FINALLY reached mine. Finally under 300 i started doing kettle bell workouts and choosing more active assignments at work. I started eating healthy, salads, high Protein meals, no cokes, no more sweets. I still indulged but in moderation. I lost 45 pounds by anniversary date in May and now sat at 249. I felt great, my clothes didn't fit, and finally...FINALLY...people asked if i had lost weight. I thought that was the strangest part so far. I had lost 88 pounds t get to 300..and it was like no one noticed, hell I barely noticed, most of my clothes still fit at that point and i was so discouraged....i mean really 88 pounds and i barely notice a difference, then i lose 50 and its like I'm a new person. You see yourself everyday so you'll never notice the changes, small or big. Take pictures, it will help to show your progress, that's a big regret i have. I was so disappointed with the amount of time it was taking I lost interest in a diary/journal, i wish i would have kept with it. I kept losing weight throughout 2013 until i hit my goal weight of 235 and continued a past it down to 225 by September 2013. Here i have stayed bouncing from 220 (my low was 213, didnt feel right at all) to 230. I did it and i've kept it strong for 16 months straight. It can be done, and you can live happily. I know this was long winded for a first post but i'm working graveyards and i wanted to give a snippet of what its been like for me. I willing to answer any questions you have, there is of course more to parts of this story than i feel like writing so feel free to contact me if you'd like. I tried to attach a picture of different times in my life from pre op and post op but i'm new to this site so i hope i did it right.
The Good:
buying clothes you never could get before
playing with my daughter without having to sit every 5 minutes
no more knee pain
not sweating ALL THE TIME
Better sleep
Feeling more active and not wanting to be locked in my house 24/7 from embarrassment
The Bad:
My wife's reaction once I hit my goal weight. She wasn't used to me looking like i did, and she was concerned with me leaving. Her thought was if i finally feel good and have lost weight i was going to sew some wild oats from my youth. This still causes problems today.
This one will sound arrogant, and i don't mean it to be, just simple truth that I'm sure a lot of us have noticed after successful surgery. People look at you different, you will garner some unwanted attention at times. This causes jealousy in your home life with you significant other. It happens a surprising amount, and while its a ego boost it can really hurt a relationship, even if its out of your hands.
Learning your body, and when to say enough is enough can and will cause you to became sick at the most inopportune time (out to eat with family or friends). I have had at least 5 incidents where i had to quickly excuse myself to go to the restroom because i still struggle with eating slow and proportions. I'll probably always have to deal with it and it can be very aggravating. Take the good with the bad though.
Not having anyone to go through the struggle with. If you can find a weight loss buddy do it. I was basically alone my entire time, its not easy.

Hi everyone,
This is my first post here.
My weight has been up & down most of my life. After my first pregnancy I had gained about 50kg and that put me at my highest weight ever. I lost 40 kg by myself but I was scared I'd gain it all back so got my band put in in 2007.
I think I never really understood how the band worked properly so I became excellent at eating around the band. I kept cheating & vomiting. Long story short...in 2010 I got a total unfill before my 3rd pregnancy and never went back again for a fill after. I lost weight on my own in 2012 and got down to about 83kg ( my goal is 70kg) but regained it again.
So I've decided to give my band another try. I got a 5ml fill in my 11ml band and so far I'm very happy with the restriction. I also did a lot more research on lap band rules & decided to go with a low carb high fat diet. To prepare for my appointment I started eating about a cup of food 3x a day ( Protein first) 2 weeks pre appointment.
I got the fill on 20th Jan and I'm finding it very easy so far to stick to the rules & eat only 1 cup or less. I precook law carb meals and put them in cupsized baby containers & freeze them. That way I always have a healthy meal on hand if my family is eating something else.
I've lost about 8 kg in about 3 weeks already
Looking forward to getting to know you all.
Wish me luck

Congratulations Bandista Love you post!!!!

I hit 180 this morning and am pretty over the moon about that. Perspective is such an interesting thing, because even though it's a long time ago I clearly recall the horror of that number on the scale when I was first putting on serious weight. As I tried to get those pounds off I went over time from 180 into the nineties and then over the two hundred mark. I remember the shame of that 203 weigh-in and all the feelings it brought up for me. I coiled myself tighter inside then, shrunk my "self" while my physical body was expanding. I went all the way up to 252 feeling like such a failure all the while. Now I feel at peace with my body and 180 feels fabulous.
Fourteen months ago I was very excited and hopeful as I embarked on this project. Project Me. I was determined to be a success but I don't think I could really fathom what a joy this return to self would feel like. For those of you starting out, know that it takes time. I am not setting any weight loss records but I am healthy and happy and now on my way into the seventies. Then my goal will be to put the seventies behind me. I know that will take a little while, but in the grand scheme of things 70+ pounds down in fourteen months is, for me, a miracle. Especially since I know I would have just gained another five or ten in that time, as that had been my pattern for quite some time.
Here's to new patterns and all of our successes. And to smaller jean sizes along the way......

We don't have to explain it here on this site but I tried to make my friends understand last night just what has happened to me these past two years and they understand as best they can but you all understand in a way that folks who don't have food issues just cannot.
How does one explain that as I've gotten smaller, I've become more of a presence. Look at this picture. I'm tiny as compared to my friends. I'm a tiny woman now and yet, I am more visible than I was when I was so much larger.

Hey All,
Just wanted to pop in and say hello. Hope you're all doing well and enjoying life. Also, wanted to say thanks for the recommendations on the dry skin remedies. Since incorporating flaxseed oil two weeks ago the winter itches are gone.

Once I start, I can't stop. It's easier for me to stay away than to have to stop (again). I'm sadly in a chocolate phase right now and know that I have to Just. Stop. I'm one of those people who can't moderate chocolate.< /p>

I bought a "magic bullet" which was a complete waste of my time! Last night I was walking through target and decided to look at the blenders one more time. I saw the Ninja SALE! And they would also give me a $20. Gift card so I got it???? best shake ever! I've been talking about it non-stop today!

Only your imagination is your limit....I have been making my own smoothies fir Breakfast every day for almost 4 years now....
I start with 1 scoop of Protein, then add just about anything...fresh or frozen fruit, berries are my favorite...coffee combinations are great...peanut butter..pineapple...mango...chocolate...bananas..anything and everything!!!
Almond milk is always good to use as a mix...
Plus it's 40gms of protein to start my day...try to match that with eggs, oatmeal or anything else!

Oh man, I love this!!! I can't believe how much difference it makes to use a Ninja blender for a Protein drink! I took my usual 8 oz skim milk and Bariatric Advantage chocolate powder and put in 2 tbs healthy Peanut Butter and some Fiber powder. Blend. Then some ice. WOW!! It tastes like a frosty from Wendy's ...no, even better!!!!!!!!!!!!