Bandista

Hi there @@lou2807 -- I was 52 when I was banded two years ago. Had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before, am kind of an alternative medicine health food type (can get plenty fat on good food, too, lol). Writing everything down was helpful to me. In electing weight loss surgery I was choosing myself and my healthy future which was powerful in unexpected ways. Getting the appetite monster off of my back has been a beautiful thing. There are links below in my signature that really helped me understand how the band works; maybe they will help you, too. I still love food, just in small portions at appropriate intervals. Best wishes!

@@wincha so happy for you! I remember looking like I'd been in a knife fight and now I can hardly find an incision scar. Good luck with all! The walking really helped me, and windmill arms. And even though I didn't use pain meds I had to address constipation on day four or five. I sure loved my Popsicles during this time, and warm tea. Best wishes!

So excited for you all! Boy oh boy do I remember the bundle of nerves thing.

@@Indieflickers Hi Indie, what worked for me was going away without the machine. First few times I went right back to it when I got home -- missed it! -- but this last time I think maybe we are there....

@@PayItForward -- thank you! Very good point. I know I should make an appointment for another sleep study but I have been dragging my heels (and wanting to lose 10-15 first).

@@Djmohr congratulations to you, too! And we can snooze on planes without fear of snoring, phew, that's a big NSV, OMG.

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch collar bones, OMG!

This has been a long relationship with plenty of ups and downs along the way. Love/Hate comes to mind. Before surgery I composed a list of goals and getting rid of the CPAP is on there twice. Being hooked up to a device drove me nuts at times, but over the years I also gained a certain amount of security from it. The white noise of the swooshing air helped get me back to sleep during my frequent wake-ups in the night but a lot of the time it was the machine itself waking me up (not being strapped on properly, the nose pillows coming loose, etc.). We went away for three nights and it was wonderful not having to pack up my machine and set it all up in the hotel room. I gave it a few more days as an experiment once home, and while I plan to keep it in a closet somewhere just in case I am delighted to have it off of my bedside table. Yippee! Oh, and I looked up my measurements to check: I have lost 2 inches off of my neck. That's a lot, for a neck. My waist? This one is kind of a shocker: 8 inches. Wow! No more Mrs. Winnie-the-Pooh and no more CPAP.

@@ruby309 there are a couple of links in my signature below which really helped me understand how the band is meant to work -- the O'Brien Eight Golden Rules and also Dr. Simpson's "The Lapband Is Not About Restrictrion." That said, my band prevents me from, as B-52 says, eating like a pig. I was always going back for more, more, more. Now I get the signal for satiety and I stop. Could I keep cruising along -- yes. I'd have to wait and do it in intervals but I could graze all day long. But the brain signalling has changed. Instead of feeling unsatisfied, I feel that sense of satiety -- the Appetite Monster is off of my back. Maybe the links will help you, too...... Best wishes, Keep in Touch!

I would feel very uncomfortable with this. I've been very private about my surgery and think we are entitled to that without feeling we've deceived any one. I would say: No, Thank you. No, and no and no. I'm not a side show!

So glad you're doing well and feeling better. Birthdays, holidays, etc. can do a number. I do a few days off from food every so often and always feel really great. I drink a lot of cranberry-aloe-Water and herbal teas, splurge on fresh-pressed greens juices and that kind of thing. Oh, I also do the whole colonic hydrotherapy thing once in a while, too, and/or a true liver flush.

I'm a good cook and when I go out the food needs to be really good -- otherwise, why bother? One of my tricks when ordering my little mini-meals is to say I'm saving for dessert. When dessert-time rolls around I seldom opt for it but may offer to share something with some one. I like to order a good steak when I'm out -- a filet mignon or tenderloin. Or fish. sauces, mashed potatoes, etc. can make it easier for me to eat (I'm banded and need the food to be dense, if that makes any sense). I don't eat bread, rice or fries but I do eat potato, squash, peas (hi carb veggies). I love veggies and try not to limit myself with those. My spouse and kid love Asian and I have found that I can order a Bento box of salmon teriaki with no sauce. This is basically just a perfect sized chunk of Protein. I fuss arouind with all the other stuff -- cutting up the veggies and mixing with the rice for some one to take home for a snack later. I fob off the sushi and dumplings that come with the box -- by the time I've had my Miso soup and that salmon I am full. Every one loves to eat out with me because they get bonus bites of everything. Recently I had amazing Polenta and that is something I'm experimenting with at home in terms of jacking up the protein. I use homemade stock and am adding in a litlte protein -- makes a kind of corn pudding. Who doesn't love carmelized onions and gorgonzola on top of basically anything? OH, and yes to Breakfast all-day -- I can always order a small omelet or a single over-medium egg, steal a few of some one's potatoes to smash up with the egg (yummy) and be perfectly satisfied.

Loving this thread and the connections here. Great book list and suggestions Inner Surfer Girl! Love the Vision Board; I have used that when working on writing projects or developing a charater. I tear out pictures randomly and put them together without really thinking about it, then analyze after. I will see if I can find the analysis tool in my files somewhere. And Post-It Notes can be a great tool, too. Last weekend I took an Intuition Workshop. That may be a direction to pursue as well.

The bed, not the girl! We are just back from a four-day getaway and our beautifully-appointed hotel room had a Queen. Before weight loss? No way! For years it's had to be a King but no more. But now it was just fine. Oh, and I just hopped off the scale and did not gain a thing despite the fact that I ate deliciously-rich restaurant food (mostly French) -- those small portions really work. And I love it that now I can (and do) just stop. Now for some serious exercise (another NSV -- wanting to do it!).

Hi there, I was pretty nervous before my surgery -- for one thing I'd never been an overnight patient in a hospital before. And I'm older (was 52 when I got my band -- if only I'd done it sooner!). It was so much better than I thought it would be. I took my sense of humor with me -- the glamorous gown and slippers, a final weigh-in, the paperwork and all those people. Very nice medical professionals there for me; I just relaxed and before I knew it I was going up and down the hallway and celebrating. I upped my exercise prior to surgery -- walked a little more each day. And I benefitted from therapy. It was good to have some one to talk over food issues with and help me break down my triggers. This site helped me a lot. I filled my prescription for pain meds but did not need them. Yes, discomfort, but not bad and to me it was all so much better than, say, a dentistry event. I love my band and am glad to have gotten it when I did. Many surgeons don't want to do all that pesky patient follow up. This is key and my advice for any one getting banded: keep all your appointments. They are there for you. I really liked the accountability and patient contact as I learned how to work my band. Also for me it was much better to pay attention to my jeans falling off than that number on the scale. Getting weight loss surgery was very powerful for me as it was about choosing myself first and my healthy future. I am so happy now!

Whatever you do, you have learned to make great choices for yourself. Way to go! How about another trip to Europe for starters?

Great post, Sharpie! I love my band -- this has been an amazing two years and I'm very grateful for all that has transpired. Best wishes to you! There are a couple of links in my signature below that explain more about how the band works.

When I elected to have weight loss surgery I knew it was a big deal for me but I had no idea how it would impact my life as a whole. Choosing myself first and my healthy future has given me so much self-esteem. I'm thrilled with the weight loss but this unexpected aspect of empowerment is truly amazing. Thanks for addressing this so eloquently!

Hi Aries, congratulations and best wishes as you're healing up! I found I did not need pain medication but even so on day four or five I had to address constipation. The best thing all-around for me was the walking and I was just so excited (still am) and that carried me through discomfort which lessened each day. For full liquids I really liked the potato leek soup found I the health food section of the regular grocery store -- comes in a carton. And I was cleared for egg drop soup, yummy! I loved my Popsicles during this time but really wanted savory, too. Good luck with all -- you're doing great! Just wait until next thanksgiving, oh my goodness, you won't believe it's all true.

Hi there and congratulations -- you look great! I think you were banded on US Thanksgiving -- so much to be thankful for all-around. Best wishes for continued success. So glad you're here!

Way to go -- this is the key to success, getting your head in the game. I am some one who benefited from therapy. I had about a five-month wait and during that time I sorted through my issues around food. It's not like I hadn't done that before -- I was 52 and had done a lot of work on myself already -- but this time it was different because in choosing to have weight loss surgery I was really admitting that I could not do this on my own, that I needed help. And I was also choosing myself and my healthy future first and foremost -- putting myself at the top of the list. This was very powerful for me and I am grateful for it every day. So happy! Also prior to surgery I started walking a bit more each time and that gave me something to literally step right into after surgery. I didn't want to do it but I did and I'm glad. Now I actually like exercise. It's a miracle. Good luck with all and don't forget to pat yourself on the back for what you're doing.

Hi there, we are in the same boat -- thanks for posting as this is so much on my mind. I had an original goal of 148 which I now know would be much too thin for me. That was exactly 100 pounds down from my day-of-surgery weight. More recently I reset my goal for 158, thinking I would just vow to always remain under 160 -- that that's when the alarm bells would ring out -- but now I'm in the seventies and suspect twenty more pounds down would make me too skinny. I am also tall and large-boned, etc., and I like having my curves. But I've still got some belly and could stand to lose a bit more plus tone, tone, tone. Working on that aspect of it now, whilst enjoying the size 10 pants. That is pretty amazing and I Celebrate it every day. I have a couple of pairs of pants that don't fit right quite yet, so that's the angle I'm working right now: workout to be lithe enough for those pants and then reassess. Good luck with all; you've done so well. Here's to health and happiness!

Checking in on this Monday.....decided to do a juice fast and liver cleanse for a few days to clear out congestion and joint pain as well as general band care, a break from caffeine & alcohol, return to better habits, etc. The periodic fasting works well for me and usually gives me a new number on the scale that I can dance around with for a while. I think I have about fifteen pounds to lose, though I won't be sure until I get closer. Really working on toning these days. Got an inversion table (free!) and am doing crunches to tighten up my belly, which is still a little flubby. Missing the big walks and coming up with strategies for the winter. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We are seeing our elders then sneaking off to the city for a couple of nights. Looking forward to the getaway.

Figuring out what my sliders are was important for me. It's the chewing and swallowing that trigger the signal for satiety. I add mix-ins to my yogurt for this reason (chia seeds, a few nuts, a little gluten-free Cereal, etc.) -- otherwise it would just go right down. cheese is also a slider for me unless I have it with something that I can really chew. I'll have a few apple slices or GF crackers sometimes or a rice cake, etc. with the cheese. I could never do pizza, though it sounds like that may be a slider food for you. We are all different. And yes, chicken seems to be a problem for many. I cook thighs over a long period of time or pound tenders to tenderize them thoroughly and I use a lot of stock to cook chicken down. I never order it in a restaurant but usually choose a filet mignon or tenderloin instead (I'm worth it!) or fish, etc. Good luck to you as you get your groove -- great way of putting that B-52. It definitely is a lifestyle thing. Find yourself a doctor to work with -- that's really important. Best wishes!

Way to go starting a walking program! That is going to make a big difference. Sole brand orthotic inserts are amazing -- for me they are better than the expensive custom ones I got from a podiatrist.