katerzz

i should have said I dont entirely agree with it... the obvious stuff sure but not that restricting what you can eat not being a huge part of it.... and a huge part of success

that link is one doctors view.... after 5 years with my band i disagree with that opinion

The band is what you make of it. I have been banded since 2005. I have lost over 150 pounds from my preband weight, had three beautiful babies.. one of which I gained and lost 60 pounds with, and I also gained and lost with both of the other ones. My 2nd pregnancy I caused a hernia and my band to slip from morning sickness. I chose to have it replaced. It was replaced in July and Ive lost about 50 pounds since then. There is a few things that many people dont realize..... -There are different band sizes... some require more fills than others. -There are different band types... the two different types handle fills and restriction differently. -Fills aren't universal. Many people can get 1 cc (or even more) each fill. Some people an barely handle 1/8th of a cc at a time. This is one reason you need to take control of the wheel and tell your surgeon what you want and need. I've often had to tell the physician assistant I want more than she was going to give me, and a few times I had to tell her that would be too much. They don't know your body and you need to ask questions, know what they are doing before they are doing it so you can be involved in the decision. -Different surgeons (or physician assistants) have different views and opinions. Some are more helpful than others and some know more than others. If you are not 100% honest with them when you go in for a fill then you aren't doing either of you any good. -Your port won't go out if you get a lot of fills or unfills.. at least I can tell you 14 isn't a lot or anything close to needing to worry. -The person giving you a fill should be checking for leaks every time you get a fill. They do this by pulling the liquid out and measuring the whole amount they put back in. This should be listed in your records. As a veteran bandster I can tell you one thing. The beginning is the worst. Everyone hates their band at times and most everyone loves it the rest of the time. I would not have lost as much as I did if it weren't for my band and I tried for 6 years to get pregnant before my first year post-op. There is a sweet spot.. for many people it isnt as easy as two fills. I have lost count on how many fills/unfills I've gotten over the years. Even now I can get 1/4 of a cc and it send me in a spiral to need an overfill. Even though days before that 1/4 of a cc I could eat anything I wanted.. As far as what you can and cant eat, it depends on your fill... period. There has been times I can't eat cheeseburgers or pizza and others that I can eat a whole thing!! the first year was the worst and since then I learned to listen to my band and listen to my body. I would say a good year and a half before I even really knew what that meant. Do I eat better? Absolutely.. I still tend to eat the foods I use to love, just in smaller portions. I was told that by my surgeon.. and it's proven to be true (for 5 years now) I rarely get sick unless I have to tight of a fill, I'm not chewing enough or I ignore my body and overeat. It does NOT happen often! It is a tool. If you aren't willing to learn to listen to your body and make the most out of this tool that you have received you won't be successful. That includes talking to your surgeon and finding support. if your surgeon isn't giving you what you need to be successful, find a new one. You have to ask yourself what you wish to get out of this journey and what it will take to make it happen. The band does fail some people but as a veteran bandster who has ups and downs with the lapband I have to wonder to what extent can the lapband be blamed?? My ups and downs were 80% my fault and 20% of the band. I was rebanded a week after my initial surgery because of an artery and needing a different size band and then my band was replaced after it being slipped for 2 years. I fail and do bad when I don't listen to my body and do my best. I will tell you one thing as someone whos gone through this journey long term if you don't get your Protein in you will NOT be successful. If I stop doing Protein drinks I stop loosing. If I add them back in I start loosing again. The more I do protein drinks (in addition to eating --- usually whatever I want to eat) the more weight I loose. You have to do something to change the things you want to be changed. there are sacrifices, but usually it isn't forever. If you want to buy something you need to save up for it... that doesnt mean you have to save forever. I hope I don't offend anyone but honestly there are some things that just aren't accurate or those who are misinformed on here. Just trying to help...

What did you hear about the Lap-Band that turned out to be a myth? Is there any Myths you think should be cleared up for those looking to have the surgery?

Here is the pyramid I was working on for someone on bandsters yahoo so i figured id post it here also... I don’t have my scanner up so I couldnt scan in what i got in my newsletter from the surgeons office. Instead, I just made a new one based on what was given to me from my surgeon's newsletter. I hope this helps many of you who just aren’t sure and weren’t given very good instructions. This also is great if your trying to get back on track. The article, though long, is very informative and useful for any weight loss surgery. food Guide Pyramid pictured at the above link was designed to provide you with a visual guide of nutrition recommendations after bariatric surgery. I copied this information from my surgeon's office to share with you. Please talk it over with your surgeon because every surgeon's recommendations are different. Protein: Protein is on the bottom of the pyramid which means that this should be the foundation of your diet after undergoing weight loss surgery. Protein, especially in the first 3 months after surgery, is the most important macronutrient in the diet. We focus on protein intake because our body’s daily functions depend on the amino acids that make up protein. Proteins carry out the work of the living cell by serving as transporters, hormones and enzymes to build, repair and maintain the body's tissues and immune function. Therefore, we recommend you to aim to eat 8-10 ounces of protein per day which is equivalent to 56-70 grams. For example, a cell phone is approximately a 3-4 ounce piece of chicken, fish or meat (depending on thickness) and a computer mouse is about 5-6 ounces. A good way to ensure you are eating adequate protein is to aim for 3 ounces at every meal. Protein sources include low fat or fat free dairy, legumes, lean fish, poultry meat and soy based products. VEGETABLES: The next food group you should focus on is vegetables. Two servings of colorful and leafy vegetables are recommended daily. A /2 cup of cooked vegetables is probably easier to tolerate at one time than 1 cup of raw vegetables for some people. The more colorful, the more nutritious. Look for deep green, red and orange vegetables. Vegetables not only provide you with essential Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but also much needed Fiber for bowel health and regularity. FRUITS: Two servings of fruits are allowed, but remember, fruit skins should be peeled to avoid blocking the gastric outlet or other digestive problems. One serving of fruit would be a small banana, the length of your pinky to your wrist. 15 grapes, or 1/2 cup of sliced fruit (rinsed, not in syrup!) Fruit is also an excellent source of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. CARBOHYDRATES: The feared carbohydrates: grains, Beans and starchy vegetables are in one group. (if you recall, legumes (beans) are also a good source of protein). Initially you were told you will not tolerate gummy breads, rice, or Pasta which still may be true for many of you. However; adding 2-3 ounces of whole grain to your diet after WLS is not going to sabotage your weight loss. In fact, it may help you feel full due to the swelling properties of starch and the filling properties of fiber in the mature pouch. I often recommend 1-2 slices of the light whole wheat bread on the market which has more fiber and half the calories as regular whole wheat breads. The remainder of the carbs in the diet should come from starchy vegetables (like yams) that provide fiber, and other vitamins to complement those found in whole grains. FATS: Fats should continue to be limited as it imparts more calories per gram (9 calories per gram) than do protein and carbohydrates (4 calories per gram) however, fat is necessary in the diet for Vitamin absorption and for survival. A major source of saturated fat is from fatty meats/protein. Condiments like salad dressing, mayonnaise, cheese dips, creamy sauces, high fat milk and dairy products and fried foods. These you want to avoid. Select healthy fats from olive and canola oil, a couple slices of avocado, or a few tablespoons of slivered almonds on a salad or in a light yogurt. Whenever you are given the choice of low-fat or light dressings, choose those instead of the original full-fat counterparts. You save approximately 120 calories 120 per 2 tablespoon serving! Also use portion control when utilizing even the healthy oils. Each tablespoon contains ~130 calories. That's approximately once around an 8" pan if you free pour while cooking. Although Fluid intake is not shown on the pyramid, adequate hydration is just as important as choosing a healthy, balanced diet. You should aim for at least 64 ounces (8 cups) of caffeine-free fluids each day to prevent dehydration and constipation. Remember, fluids should be as calorie-free as possible, (I recommend fluids be no more than 45 calories per serving with the exception of some protein supplements and low fat milk) and they should be sipped between meals. Avoid high calorie juices, smoothies and fancy coffee drinks. Save your calories for the enjoyment of whole, nutritious food! Article by Carol Signore, MAT, LMFT, FAED

Who told you NOT To drink your food!? that is CRAZY talk to your doctor!!! Western Surgical is VERY PRO-Protein drinks and if you go to any of their classes, even their post op classes they will say the same. And, I don't mean Keva juice, anything with sugar is generally NOT a good idea. It may have 60 grams of protein, but that doesnt do any good when your drinking a cup of sugar at the same time. Try going to costco and buying their protein, I mix it with Milk and when I skip protein, I dont loose weight. Also, keep in mind that your body can only process about 25g of protein at once. The one I use from costco is 2 scoops of chocolate, in 6-8 ounces of milk. I use the magic bullet (blender would work fine) to blend it so it isnt chunky and it does WONDERS. It not only curves my appetite so that I'm not picking at things all day.. it also seems to fill in much needed protein which allows for the fat to roll off. Energy, etc. i could go on and on. Dr. Ganser also mentioned that you (we) can order mixes from their office directly, but I always liked the one from costco so I had no need to order it from them. who is your surgeon again? Have you seen the "back on track" classes that western surgical has? maybe that would be your best bet. it would seem weird for you not to get more help from them.. have you talked to your surgeon or JUST lori? I dont let lori or melissa do my fills because I personally believe I get more out of my visits with my doctor doing them. (granted its a fight to get them to schedule the fills with the surgeon, but he has always told me he is ok with it) and, yes there is easier foods.. it varies from person to person. Anything with high calories, high sugars you need to just stay away from.. just like any other diet. Icecream is BAD as far as im concerned, even if its weight watchers.... i eat just about everything just in moderation.. for example I eat icecream MAYBE once a month. I usually tend to try to stay away from carbs, sugar etc. If I want sugar I eat 2 cookies.. not 5. I know I can "fit" 5 cookies.. but I know I don't need 5, 2 works just fine. There is nothing I DONT eat (except things I dont actually like) there are just things I tend to stay away from unless I really want it, and I try to make myself wait at least a couple days to make sure thats what I really want. Junk food is usually easier to get down.. and harder to get off. if you get restriction sometimes.. my best bet would be you are eating the foods that are "easy" to get down. Example: i can eat chips to my heart content, yet a I cannot eat an entire cooked chicken breast. which is better for my weight loss? The key is not to "test" yourself... start out with half of a "normal" portion. Chances are you can eat that and you wont be hungry afterwards. Eating less may surprise you.. after surgery I was still able to eat my 2 cheeseburger meal from Macdonald's with a 6 piece nugget and large fry. One day I decided the crap wasn't helping so now instead I order a happy meal. I get my "fix" of junk food and it is PLENTY. Now even my husband, who is 240 lbs and NOT banded orders a happy meal too. We looked it up.. a happy meal is actually a normal portion for an "adult" so I think everyones out look on what is "normal" is NOT NORMAL. Oh, and for eating different foods.. like spicy in theory you have to actually chew your food, enjoy your food and limit what you can eat so your tastes buds decide they like the better food. I really think from reading your posts that you are getting a lot of mis information and I cannot begin to understand why at this point. Western Surgical is pretty straight across the board as to what they want their patients to do, so I'm not sure where things got messed up on your end. I really hope to help you figure it out so that you can actually use the tool you worked so hard for. If you really really want this (which I am sure you do!) then work for it. Don't give up and don't let this beat you. You should really schedule an appointment for your surgeon.. tell him your thoughts, your concerns and what you really want out of this. Write down all the questions you have.. the "what should i be eating" etc. GET ANSWERS but not from people ONLINE get them from western surgical so you can be successful. Call their office and go to their getting back on track class.. this will give you foundation and ground work to start out with. Go to their seminars, and find out what they tell pre-banded patients what they can eat. then stick with that stuff. Be proactive and don't let them stop you.

I haven't been around much.. but I haven't had much time to be around. This site has come so far since we first joined it!! That means the lap band is getting more popular YEY! Anyways, little update on me... I had Hailey on March 8th and things went great. She is the light of our lives!! I ended up at 70 lbs gained total after I had her... WOW I was able to loose it all fairly quickly and we are now pregnant with baby #2!! We are so excited that we were able to get pregnant again!!! This time around I am going to keep my fill in (last time I had 1 cc taken out for the pregnancy) and hopefully i won't gain so much! Once this baby is done cookin' then I'll get back to being serious and finally take off the rest of this weight. It seems like I should have been at goal SOOO long ago but we decided to have children now.. instead of later so I had to take time off from loosing weight hehe Anyways, here is my little one:

Pam... have you discussed with the doctor having a larger band put in place? I would think they could do more for you then tell you there isn't anything they can do heh. It doesn't seem like you are eating much.. but are you actually get your 60-65 grams of protein in? do you do protein drinks? That makes a HUGE difference in my weight loss. I had to take off a year of loosing for my first baby so I ended up gaining 70 lbs back.. but was able to loose it before getting pregnant with #2. After this one is born I will get back on the bandwagon of sticking to it and finally loosing the rest of my weight. I just seem to be ok with where I am now.. I am not skinny but I feel good and that's what I care about. I know if I don't do protein I don't loose much weight, if I do 1 or 2 protein drinks a day, I tend to loose quickly.

what cosmetic surgeries do banders have afterwards? What time frame? For what reason? What do they usually cost?

so my question is this.. right now here is typically what i consume in one day (mind you i've only been out of the hospital since friday) hehe Breakfast time (depends on what time i get up) 6 oz - Protein shake mixed with Water around noon when hubby comes home for lunch 1/2 cup of liquid mashed potatos (instant kind really runny) around 3pm ish i usually do something like 1/2 sugar free Jello cup around 5-6ish 1/2 cup of tomato Soup or mashed potatos around 8-9ish 6 oz of smoothie with Protein powder or rootbeer popsicle or fudsicle this isnt typical just kinda basic i dont know that im getting enough protein, or calories or anything in really. i go in for my post op appointment thursday and i was told liquids for 2-3 weeks then mushies for 2-3 weeks. so here I am in liquids am i doing it right? i seem hungry... but think a lot of it is in my head. i really want to find new things to eat there is a Peanut Butter shake recipe from my dietician im gonna try that is supposed to help with hunger but OMG all this "cooking" and "blending" to get 6 oz and thats it just seems nuts to me... sorry still really sore and tired ALL the time so im a bit lazy atm.

Well since it's been two years now since my surgery, and with the recent events of the birth of our baby I thought I'd drop a line The pregnancy went fine, had no problems at all. toward the end, she kept kicking my port and / or my uterus was putting pressure on it, so at 38 weeks my OB and I agreed to induce labor early just for comfort. I am going in May 1st for a fill time to get the weight loss started again. Here is pictures of our little one, the miracle that would have NEVER happened if it weren't for the lapband!!!! Hailey Elizabeth Born 3/8/07 9:25 pm 6 lbs, 11 oz... 20 inches long

I gained 50 lbs during my pregnancy, mostly from my eating habits I started at 270, (original weight before lapband was 380) I gained the 50 lbs, and have lost about 30 since the baby was born.

I was banded April 05 and am now 4 months pregnant. I lost about 145 lbs in my first year. To top it off, I became pregnant after suddenly having my own period for the first time in 4 years without meds. Granted, my surgeon didnt want me to get pregnant for the first year.. and insisted I stayed on Birth Control till my year mark. It was 2 months of no BC I conceived on my first cycle.. after 5 years of trying. (even with clomid we had no luck) I only had 1 cc taken out (by choice) of my VG band. My surgeon really saw no reason to take any out but I wanted to so I could take Vitamins with no problem. I havent gained any weight, lost a few pounds but my OB is not concerned at all. Now.. if i could just afford to get plus size maternity clothes! I'm a size 24w and I cant seem to fit in my clothes anymore

I thought I'd pop on tonight and post an update since I haven't been on in SOOo long. We're expecting a baby!! So now, when anyone asks me as they always do if I have any regrets with this band.. I say absolutely not because of this surgery I was granted the greatest gift of all, and something my hubby and I have been trying for 5 years to get. 14 months after surgery we were able to get pregnant after battling PCOS for the last 6 years. I wish I would have lost more weight than I had, but its okay because I know I can loose even more after I have the baby in March. Now to find maternity clothes that would fit me haha! I lost ~130 lbs from April 05 to current.. I've had a slight unfil (1cc) so that I am able to swallow prenatal Vitamins cut in half.. this has seemed to be a mistake though because in the last 3 weeks I've gained 7 lbs!!! I'm going to see if that's going to stablize and if not I will go back and get 1/2 cc added back until I'm 4-5 months prego and can afford to gain weight. Anyhow.. thought i'd spend a second to share the great news!

My doctor is very familuar with the band, and actually knows my surgeon so I'm pretty happy. The surgeon said there was no reason to take more than 1 cc out at this time.. as long as I'm able to eat 2000-2300 calories a day and take the Vitamins everything will be fine. haven't been told i was "high risk" yet.. but then again id assume since I am still overweight, I would be high risk regardless. But as far as the band.. it doesnt cause any concerns for either my surgeon or my OB. oh.. and i'm due March 17th also!

was banded april 11th, 2005 and have lost ~120 lbs

*off topic, but replying to a couple posts here I have gone from a size 34 down to a 22/24/26 (depending on what it is) I've lost ~120 lbs and it wasn't until maybe November when i REALLY started to drop sizes. (id say that was at about 80 lbs lost that I went under size 30/32) I could not understand why so many people drop sizes so quickly , yet i was still in my fat clothes. Then on day I woke up and was like holding my pants up... even now when I'm not loosing any pounds, the sizes are flying. Its weird.. but have faith It took a LOT of weight for the sizes to come off.. but i think ive decided that it was more that i should have been wearing bigger sizes than a 34 preop.. or that my body just lost weight where it didnt matter for clothing sizes.

wow i cannot believe the kind of treatment some folks have to deal with. I too had gallbladder issues, which some great friends on this board pointed me in that direction... but anyways the point is that when I did go to the ER they knew exactly what it was.. they totally were excited and had great attitudes about me being banded. My PCP is the same way.. he is 100% supportive and NEVER assumes anything is "band related" and.. worse comes to worse I call my surgeon (no matter what time.. same guy who did my band did my gallbladder surgery also) and make sure that whatever is wrong is NOT my band. ANyways.. sounds like gallbladder to me also and boy getting it taken out was a breeze! My surgeon told me that 1 in 10 of his bariatric patients have their gallbladders removed after weight loss.

What size band do you have? Maybe the option is putting in a larger band instead of taking it out.. this journey isnt supposed to be miserable. I had an artery that was backwords.... caused me great pain and issues (couldnt get even water down) thank goodness i had such a great surgeon who caught what the problem was.

There will be a clothing exchange hosted by the South Meadows lap band support group on April 1st. Time and loc TBA. Start gathering up your clothes that you can no longer wear so you can donate them and hopefully pick some up for your new size! We also are welcoming folks who have not had weight loss surgery yet to stop by since we all know how hard it is to find plus size clothes. Several group members are collecting clothes from those who cannot make it to the exchange but would still like to donate their old clothes. If you need information please email me Katie@griffonco.com. All clothes need to be in at least decent shape. No under garments please. All sizes are needed.

I am *sooo* excited I got word today after the last 6 months of desperately trying to land a good job that I was hired on as "Marketing Coordinator" at a local casino! I am sooo excited its not even funny!!!! The interview was NOTHING like I had ever experienced.. I was relaxed and totally felt confident. Much different than I felt 100 lbs ago doing the same type of interviews. Now the only scary part is that I had posted about clothes before for interviews I was size 30ish.. now I am down to size 22/24 and I have NOTHING that fits and still dont have any money to get clothes. I am hoping my parents let us borrow at least a little bit of money to buy a weeks worth of clothes to get me by with. I've ended up passing along all the 28/30s that everyone sent me to other bandsters once they were to big but now I think I should have kept some just so i wouldve had at least a couple pairs of pants to big or not! Does anyone have any size 22/24 dressy / professional attire they have outgrown? (or that have outgrown them i guess it should be!) Depending on shipping charges I could probably scrounge some money up on hubbys payday (maybe not till the 15th of next month since 1st is rent check) Email me at katie@griffonco.com if your have some to get rid of then I can stop stressing about clothes and get back to being excited about my new JOB! Oh.. and for those who are in my shoes with tryin to find work.. have faith as the weight comes off my confidence grows and I really really think that made a huge difference.. well not to mention they dont tend to hire super overweight people for marketing positions.. gawd im so happy I had this surgery.

I was rebanded a few days after my initial band. Basically I an artery was backwards in my body (quite common i hear) and I had the 9.75 mm band after 3 days of not being able to get anything down the doc decided to go in and put the larger band in.. havent had any problems since. And the plus side is now anytime the surgeons office sees this artery like this they automatically put in the larger band so no one else has to go through what i did!

I just want to thank everyone so much for everything. I have recieved so many emails and offers and I really appreciate all of you who are helping me out. And I just recieved a special email and I have no idea who its from it just says "LBT Friend" I really want to thank that friend I am so overwelmed right now. You have all made me so happy and I have even cried because of it. I do not know how to thank you guys. I cannot believe that a year ago I was posting as a "pre bandster" and was so lucky to find this site. You guys have been with me through this amazing journey and I dont know if I couldve done it without you. (remember when I thought I was dying and you guys told me to have my gallbladder checked?! Thats just one example) You all are so amazing. My husband thanks you all so very much he knows how stressed out I have been about needing clothes for work. I can now focus more on the fact that I FINALLY got a job. Anyways.. thank you all so very much I am truely blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Ok, its a study so I'll be honest! 386, 10 months, 90%, 0, 6, no, white, 121

I started at 386 April of last year I am now down to 265