Bandista

My mother is old now so I cut her a lot of slack, but boy oh boy it's pretty interesting to step back and look at the situation. She handed me every single damn diet book on the market and she will not stop talking about whatever diet craze she's on and how this is IT. The key to the whole thing, etc. But she has not noticed that I have gone from a size 18 to a size 10 jeans, and 1-2X tops down to mediums and larges. I think she is just too self-absorbed or that she cannot see me. The real me. Also I am so much more powerful now -- outspoken, truth-telling rather than keeping quiet. That's probably a little scary for her. I'm sure glad I never considered telling her about my decision to get a band. On the subject changing, I do that, too. Great strategy! I have a little line-up of topics. How 'bout those Red Sox, lol. Good luck to you -- enjoy the perspective and know that you are what matters. You're doing this for you.

I'm coming up on a year of happiness with my band -- I am thrilled to rediscover myself. The vitality effects every part of my life. Like others, I try to just skip over negative posts. There are people with axes to grind and people who chose a different WLS surgery who chime in about the band as though they know what they're talking about. I find I can't read comments in other places, like NYT on-line, etc. because I start to get disgusted by humanity, but all in all I'd say we have a pretty good group. There's part of me that wishes we were still LB Talk but this is still such a great place to find support (thank you all by the way). Now if I read "foreign object" it makes me guffaw. Humor has always worked for me.

@@blacktxbelle so happy for you! I can really identify with what you say about finding the new normals and how the thought processes are changing. It's amazing. I am so much happier now that I'm at peace with food. That constant chatter was taking up a lot of unnecessary space in my life.

Before being banded I could not resist -- I felt powerless. Now I can, most of the time. It's amazing, this thing! And for me it's better to go ahead and have a little of whatever it is than to deny myself. The miracle is that a little will do it. I was a "finisher" before.

Yippee! So happy for you -- one year out looking and feeling great!

Hi Louise, whenever the scale isn't moving I find my jeans are fitting differently -- you are doing great, just keep on keeping on.....and so glad you're seeing the surgeon to find out what's up with the fills. I am one who needed several small fills to get to my green zone. Best wishes for a great autumn!

@@rkidd10129 some days I can honk on a bottle of cold "juice water" (I make up bottles of water we a splash of cranberry and aloe) and others I can't.....congratulations on your surgery and starting with fills. It took me several but it was good for me to have the steppingstone approach so I could work on slowing down and paying attention. You are on your way -- enjoy the ride!

@@sbrown1 hi there and congratulations on your surgery. For me that discomfort went away a little more each day and I'm pretty sure it was the walking that helped most. I also had the feeling of fullness which I think is inflammation from the surgery. Just as my hunger returned it was time for a followup visit with the surgeon and I got my first fill. Tat was a month out but we are all different. These early weeks are a great time to be practicing tuning into your body, really listening for signals. As for liquids, obviously you don't want to get dehydrated. I didn't force anything -- just sipped my tea. Oh, and I enjoyed Popsicles during this time but a half a one would do it for me. Best wishes - glad you're here on the forum!

Just chiming in to send best wishes your way. Pat yourself on the back -- gently! -- for everything you are doing to address your health issues. Tell yourself how amazing you are. You ARE! Choosing weight loss surgery is choosing yourself and your healthy future first -- that is an amazing accomplishment in itself. The pre-op process can be so stressful, and for those of us who are stress eaters that can be a particularly difficult time. And as others have said, if we could lose weight through dieting why would we elect surgery? Duh! You are strong and you are on your way. Just keep reminding yourself of that. I am a big believer in positive self-talk these days. For me weight loss surgery stopped the constant chatter in my head about food and for whatever reason now I am able to walk away from whatever it is, or have a tiny amount (versus being a "finisher" or the old, "I screwed up so I may as well go all the way"). Good luck with the process -- and so glad you're here on the forum.

Best wishes to you -- let yourself really heal. Inflammation is inflammation and that definitely effects my band. Be gentle with yourself -- you're taking good care. Keep tuning in and tap those medical professionals as often as you need them.

We are all so different and then our surgeons have different methods -- for me (only me) it takes about a week post-fill to know where I am. Good luck to you -- way to go with the really listening into the body. That's what it's all about.

My money is on the recent laparoscopic procedure but you should check with your surgeon. So glad you got out of the red zone, yikes. Keep tuning into your body so you can report fully and also have a feeling of what's going on yourself. Listen to that.

I count off on my fingers after a "meal" and check the clock -- one, two, three, four hours. So if I finish at noon I should not be looking for food again until 4:00 or 5:00. I wonder how on earth I'll ever make it, lol, then I mostly go right though without even realizing it. I still graze but I try not to......that's an evening problem for me.

Hi there, I had to do a lot of behavior modification as I ate so fast. And, yes, I still do eat too quickly sometimes, but now I get the feeling -- the indication that not all is well -- ahead of time and I stop. That part was hard for me as my instinct was to have just one or two bites more then stop. Um, no. I think you're doing great -- so happy for you! It takes a little time to find the groove but that's what it's all about.

I remember all that build-up and excitement, nerves, etc. I had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before (and I'm 53!) -- it was all so much easier than I thought it would be. Maybe because we are choosing it so it's not like being injured or I'll. I looked at it as a gift if was giving myself. Best thing I brought to the surgery was my sense of humor. Now I'm grinning all day because I'm just so happy -- weight loss is great but the getting out of food jail part has been huge for me. Good luck to all!

Way to go getting through -- and it sounds like your body is detoxing. Maybe more water to help flush out your system and reduce any lactic acid build-up, etc? Best wishes to you....exciting times!

@@endzone big day! Take it easy and have a good recovery time. The walking really helped me so much. Whenever I got up for anything I'd walk, walk, walk -- I think it kicked my body into healing mode and helped relieve any trapped gas. I still got the dreaded left shoulder pain -- think that was day four -- but a heating pad really helped with that. All in all I was so elated and just so happy to be banded. I didn't take my prescription medication but got very constipated -- that's something to stay on top of and I'm surprised it isn't addressed more in post-op instructions, etc.

I love my big 32oz jars if water mixed with a splash of cranberry and aloe -- and I can guzzle it right down, just after surgery I think I was not able to drink as fast but as I healed up I could go right back to drinking as pre-surgery. Best wishes to you and congratulations on everything!

I don't use any artificial sweeteners and believe they are poison. Stevia is getting a lot of attention -- it's a plant and I'd rather get my food from a garden than a lab any day. It's a shame that 100% stevia is a little more difficult to find -- have to check labels very carefully. Even Coca-Cola sees the handwriting on the wall. They are partners in Tru-Via (probably spelling that wrong.....).

Follow your doctor's post-op instructions -- don't put yourself or your band in harm's way! I don't know what else to say.

I'm with you guys -- love, love, love my band and would do it again in a heartbeat. And I wish I had done it in my thirties rather than fifties but I suppose there are medical advancements, etc. I would also choose the band again rather than something more drastic, but that's just me. Hopefully I am not in any danger of losing my band, but if so and it could not be replaced for any reason, I like it that there are more options available.

Just Watch Me -- we are watching, alright! Watching you soar...... So happy for you, and so happy you're here.

@@endzone this is your big day! Congratulations on your surgery and all that lies ahead.

Before I was banded I'd eat something and then want to have something else. Now sometimes my brain wants to do that. We call this head hunger. The difference post-banding is that I am able (easily) to just switch out of that mode. Physically I could have more food (then wait and go have more food, wait, have more food) but mentally I don't want to. That craving for more is gone so now I just stop. Hope that helps!

Went to my second Zumba class and still feel like a clutz, but it is fun and definitely a good workout. There's one tomorrow night and I'm going to go to that as well, mainly because I feel like I'll never learn the steps at once a week. Cha-cha-cha.