terrydumont46

I like assertive realists. So it's hard to offend me. Keep trying (ahhahah) I'll let you know otherwise snicker

It's really important you find a bariatric surgeon. I know it can be hard, but your health depends on it. Right now, you are clearly too tight and are having soft calorie syndrome and weight gain as a result. This is explains why you've gained back 75 pounds.
Plus, you're putting yourself at serious risk for complications.
Tighter isn't always better when it comes to the band, in fact it can be dangerous to your health and sabotage your weight loss.

For me, the Green Zone is exactly what it should be. I can go much longer periods of time without hunger after eating very little food. Because I'm not always hungry, I'm not pre-occupied with food so it makes it easy to eat less.
The band isn't meant to physically stop you from over eating, but if you listen to it, it will tell you when you've had enough. Like the "soft stop" mentioned above. I only eat about 1/2 cup of food and I'm no longer hungry so I stop eating.

For me....I have no interest in food, and no interest in eating most of the time...in other words, no hunger...I know may people say no hunger between meals, but remember the band is adjustable and no 2 people are the same....so for everyone it is their choice...
Also, I can eat just so much, then I have to stop....making my portion sizes automatically set...AND making it impossible to over eat....
When I have those 2 things going for me, then I have good steady weight loss, which equals complete patient satisfaction....
It was hard work for me to get to that perfect balancing point, took a good 4-6 months after surgery with aggressive fills....there were a few times I wanted to give up and go and get some Fluid taken out to make things easier...but in my case, I'm glad I did not because things did settle down and I found that "Groove" I believe many people choose not to pursue it but fall short..which is OK because that is one of the good things about this surgery is YOU finding YOUR comfort level...and where YOU choose to be is not right or wrong, and should not be considered the ONLY avenue as some here believe...(Their way is the only way)
But once I did get through that difficult struggling period (Bandster hell)...it has been all an effortless coasting downhill ever since!!! Another perk I enjoy being in the Green Zone....for over 2 years now, consistently with no problems what so ever...
But again, it is important to know that everyone is different....there is no right or wrong, just examples of how everyone has found their success and happiness.....or lack thereof...and it is up to you and your Dr. how you want to proceed wit tis journey...no one Else's.

welcome to this site. everyone on here is very supportive. it's been a life savior for me.

i am wondering the same question. what does it feel like to be in the green zone?

I was never excited about shopping, but today i did... I found my outfit, it looks good, even when I stop loosing pounds, I am still loosing inches. well, pants went down a size from 24 to 22, tops when down 2 Sizes from 3x to 1x, I even modeled the clothes to my sister like the Jane in "Drop death diva". I am so glad I have my band. It is the first time in a long time I have so much fun shopping for clothes, it is a shame those clothes are going to be big on me in a couple of months!

Today is my 4 year band anniversary. .still rocking it:))

So excited that I broke out of the 200's !!! Ok for the second time but for me that is meaning I am really on my way back to my lowest weight since I originally had the surgery. I also notice that I am feeling better again, about myself, I feel more like getting into projects and getting my hands dirty. I never thought I would have to travel this road twice but I am so thankful that I stuck this out, went through 4 total surgeries to be back in the place where I can have success with the tool that helps me have my weighloss. Honestly I think at some point when I had become so accustom to being 155# and feeling great I forgot that the band was the edge I needed. Gaining back 70# scared me to death, I was scared to go to the doctor. Scared and ashamed that I had failed and that I would have to have my band removed because something was making it not work any longer. Long story short, I did have to have multiple surgeries, ended up having to remove just the port and getting it replaced a month later, but I am seeing the person I know I can be once again!!t

Hey, y'all!! I didn't respond sooner because I was in a morphine-induced haze the whole day [Friday]. What an ordeal!!! Don't even know where to start! Maybe I should start with the fact that the first doctor that tried couldn't find the spot went to get another needle and came back to tell me that was the last one (did I already say this??) anywayyyyy, they said I had to wait till 5am for the warehouse to open. While I waited, doo-doo hit the fan a couple of times: it was excruciating when the pain meds wore off but my nurse was an angel- and I told her so. So 5 am comes and goes, I lost tract of time. Then they were talking about a cat-scan to make sure there was no relapse, when they already had said there WASN'T.... I told them they can do WHATEVER they wanted (even a GYN could come and give me one of those pleasant examinations) AFTER I was emptied and not before (there was no way I was gonna let them waste more time) at a point I was so frustrated I even got up from the stretcher and told my nurse to print out my discharge papers, that I was gonna go HOME and die- I didn't intended on dying there. (LoL) that was just a tactic and it WORKED. So God knows at what time (my phone had died at this point and my charger was in the car) two more guys came with needles and since my port is a bit tilted the couldn't find it. FINALLY, they went to get the head of bariatrics (it was about 7:30am) and he found it instantly. Immediate relieve!!!!!! At this point I was so scared because it had been more than 12hrs, that I BEGGED him to empty me out completely (funny how we change our minds in a matter of hours) I was discharged at 8am. I got dressed and went to the waiting area, not wanting to call hubby back, who had left just a few hours before (and who was in the same hospital the day before having lithotripsy) but I was still pretty drugged up. After a while I asked if I could go back in and sleep it out on a stretcher and I was allowed. It felt good to finally sleep because all that time I wasn't able to get any shut-eye, even with all that morphine. I slept for 4 hours until hubby woke me up with a HUGE smile.
Thank you so much for caring guys, you are definitely cool peeps!! The hospital I was in is Maimonedes in Brooklyn. I really am NOT bad-mouthing them because I love that hospital for many reasons- they are the best thing in BK. They were just unprepared and I guess these things sort of happen. I have to be on liquids for two weeks, or so they say. Monday I call my surgeon and tell her all that went on.

This website had an entire article on mixing Protein powder with Hot drinks...
http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com

I put Protein Powder in my coffee every morning! I just put an ice cube in to cool it down, and it's fine!

ru ok? we are worried

yes yes yes. the passing of your dad is the biggest stress anyone can endure. God bless you and so sorry for your loss. take care of yourself.

yes yes yes. the passing of your dad is the biggest stress anyone can endure. God bless you and so sorry for your loss. take care of yourself.

Ok so i seen my doctor's PA today and realized somethings today.
I went in upset because i havent had a fill in 3 months. I have explained that i was hungry in between meals and she still would not fill me. So today i went in with my "game face" on.
I think she felt tension from the beginning but i eased up on her when i realized.......i lost 5 pounds in 4 weeks.
Here i am all upset because she will not fill me i lost track of my progress. I lost...another 5 pounds. When she see's i lost of course she will not fill me. It is a loss.
If i am hungry i should eat, i am allowed 2 Snacks per day. Maybe some of this hunger is still HEAD hunger. I am only 4 months post op afterall.
So during the visit we chat about breast reductions and beings i have about 40 pounds to go until i will be satisfied (although i would love to get to 130) she gives me recomendations for some plastic surgeons.
She then looked at my MFP logs and said "you eat like a thin person" i think i blushed!! She was very proud of my calories and Protein. She was very impressed with my exercise.
I had a thought.....why would she fill me? Im doing so great in Her eyes....why dont I see that? Am I beating myself up that bad?
Then to the ok dont laugh at me question i just had to ask.....i lifted up my shirt and put my hands on my sides (hips) and said what is this??? It is so hard like a tumor or something.....i have never felt this ever.
She looks at me and says "honey that is all muscle"
What???? I have muscle?????? In my tummy????? Maybe my boyfriend was right when i asked him and he said it was my ABS!!!! Never felt this before in my life!!!!!
Exercise is paying off!!!!
Ok thanks for reading
Ps....dont laugh at me lol

I met a sneaky little bastard today. His name: chocolate cupcake. I've had a crappy, crappy week work wise in addition to the one month mark of losing my bestie, so I decided I deserved to let myself indulge on the cupcake that was nicely placed on my desk as I loaded my students on the SpEd bus.
Two bites in and what happens? That little bastard, devil of a chocolate cupcake gets stuck! And I mean STUCK! I've had minor "stuckage" (i think i just invented a new word) in the past that passes quickly with little discomfort. Not today. That bastard cupcake caused some hellacious pain in my chest and for the first time ever, my mouth started salivating to try and get that a*****e cupcake down. I just knew that the lapband gods were trying to teach me a lesson. I stared down that a*****e half cupcake that sat on my table taunting me as walked frantically around my room trying make his bastard half cupcake portion pass. If that bastard cupcake had human qualities he would have been shaking in his boots knowing how much I hated him at that moment. I walked over to that cupcake, picked that bastard up in his stupid little napkin, and smashed him to pieces. He was then emphatically thrown in the can never to see my teeth again.
So what is my point? Sneaky, little bastard, a*****e chocolate cupcakes are the devil and not my friend. I hate them. I hope they burn in hell. Forever.
Thank you. You may now rejoin your regularly scheduled reading. AND be on the lookout for those sneaky little bastard a*****e chocolate cupcakes....and you should also watch out for their siblings too, like vanilla, strawberry, etc.
Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

Let me know how it is - if good I will def get some!!!

There is a product called ripped cream that is a Protein coffee creamer kinda thing, I haven't used it yet but have heard its amazing.

sallie, you know how to do this. but when i get off track keeping a journal really helped me. the first time i did it i found where a lot of my calories were coming from and that was the Protein Drinks and what i mixed the Protein with. i just never gave the protein a thought. i was going through a 1/2 gal. of fat free milk every couple of days. lol so keep track and see where you might be picking up extra cal. and than walk walk walk. good luck

if you have quit for awhile why go back? i used to smoke almost 2 packs daily. still want a cig. once in awhile expecially when i am angry but i would never never start smoking again. my surgeon made me sign a contract saying i would never smoke .

Hi Sallie, two pounds could be anything -- don't get discouraged! But glad that you are getting back on the banded wagon. Just think what next month could be -- keep your chin up. And the legs walking, walking, walking.......

if you have quit for awhile why go back? i used to smoke almost 2 packs daily. still want a cig. once in awhile expecially when i am angry but i would never never start smoking again. my surgeon made me sign a contract saying i would never smoke .

I've lost 54 pounds since my initial consultation with my surgeon on June 24th (surgery on July 24th). I'm down three jeans sizes, my bras no longer fit right, and my rings spin all day long on my fingers. I've already got a ton more energy than I have the last several years, I'm sleeping better, and I'm starting to get a little more comfortable in my own skin. Almost every day someone asks me how much weight I've lost so far because it's starting to become noticeable to even people who see me all the time.
THIS ROCKS!!!! =D

Went with my daughter to a filed trip from her school, at a mineral mine and I was able to go down the hill, do some mining and come back up like 1/2 mile in a sand and rocks path... Amazing we had so much fun!