VSGAnn2014

At 6 months I could eat about 3/4 of a cup of meat and veggies. (About half a cup of meat Protein and 1/4 cup of veggies.) At 8 months post-op, that's still about what I'm eating. My tummy seems to be completely cured / healed by now.

Jamie, best to you. It's your decision. I think in your shoes (I'm not) I'd buckle down and try to lose another 20 pounds. I will let you know that the last 20 pounds I've lost have made the biggest difference in my energy level, physical abilities and looks (in a good way) compared to any of the other 20-pound losses on this whole journey. Things just change a lot "at the end." A whole, whole lot.

Ah, hell no! @@gowalking ... I think you're on the right track here re your instinct to tell him about your band when and if YOU want to tell him. And you'll know when that moment is right. Trust yourself. For those here who are blathering on about "dirty secrets," I have news for you: A secret isn't dirty. It's simply something you elect not to tell others and that you have the self-discipline to keep to yourself. In fact, y'know who's a doofus? Someone who thinks they have a moral obligation to tell everyone everything about themselves without reservation. SMH.

@It's all new When you were in the weight-losing phase, did you eat very low carbs? If so, how low were your carbs? And for how long? Thanks in advance for your response.

Good for you in wanting more out of life (for yourself and others you love) than you're able to receive or give right now. By becoming really healthy now, you'll head off those (otherwise certain) comorbidities at the pass. And I hope you come to appreciate that "vanity" is the wrong thing to call a yearning for a full, complete life in which you can become all that you are capable of becoming. Very best to you!

And for the newbs lurking on this thread ... ... once again, this is why I didn't tell anyone (other than hubby and 2 girlfriends who live 1,000 miles away) about my WLS. I've lost and gained weight often enough in my lifetime that clients, colleagues, friends, family members and acquaintances all just think I've gone on another diet. The only thing different this time is that I won't regain the weight. No strange comments. Just nice ones. And to the OP ... honey, you really do need to put your foot down. The kind of crap you're getting is not OK.

I'm a VIP?

I love this story, B-52. GREAT NSV!

I posted the question about whether the lap band was presented as being a permanent fixture in the lap band forum and no one has said they were told anything other than it was permanent but reversible. If what you are saying is true then EVERY lap band patient has been not only misled but lied to. Why hasn't there been some huge class action lawsuit especially in light of the problems many band patients face? Why would anyone go through all of the difficult and painful WLS journey to get something that was only temporary and therefore would put you back at square one sometime in the future? I've had the band for almost 7 years, have had several endoscopies and upper GI's. They all looked normal, except for small hiatal hernia. I would think that endoscopies, in particular, can evaluate any damage or problems with the band. If you google "lap band litigation" or "lap band lawsuits" or "lap band class action" you'll find helpful information. I'm not aware of any class action suit that's been permitted beyond the filing of a complaint (requirements for a class action lawsuit are different than those for individual tort actions). But individual lawsuits have been filed. There was also a thread here not long ago about litigation related to lap bands, which I didn't read (because I'm not a lap band patient). See http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/255413-if-there-was-a-class-action-lawsuit-against-the-band/ Allergan (the largest US lap band manufacturer) has been sued by patients and surgical clinics. In 2012, Allergan was subpoenaed by the FDA investigating the company's lap band system. See http://www.ocbj.com/news/2012/may/09/government-subpoenas-allergan-lap-band/ In 2013, Allergan sold its lap band unit to Apollo Endosurgery. The reason given was declining revenue from lap band sales (from $300 million in 2008 to $160 million in 2012). See http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303471004579165961441181356

I've understood, like @@CowgirlJane said earlier, that the manufacturers of the band have always said that the band was not meant to be a permanent fixture in human bodies. But sites like the one @@Cleo's Mom quoted (that are created by surgeons and companies that market for WLS surgeons) don't quote what the manufacturers actually say about the lap band. Were lap band patients misled? Yes, I think some were misled and that some are still being misled. The thing that creeps me out so much about the lap band is that it seems so difficult to discover through imaging technology whether the lap band is doing any damage to your body. You have to take the damn thing out to find out what's really going on down there.

SMART guy ... for going to the ER. Sorry you have this to tackle. I hope it heals very fast for you.

Just looked back in my food records (on www.myfitnesspal.com) and see that I first tried solid food (salmon) on Day 19. Those were tiny, tiny bites!

LOL! You guys crack me up. Thanks for the big grin here.

Uh, sorry ... the lap band was not and is not meant to be permanent. Here's what Allergan, the largest US lap band manufacturer, says about this on its Web site: "Special Notice The manufacturer of the LAP-BAND AP™ Adjustable Gastric Banding System has designed, tested and manufactured it to be reasonably fit for its intended use. However, the LAPBAND AP™ System is not a lifetime product and it may break or fail, in whole or in part, at any time after implantation and notwithstanding the absence of any defect. Causes of partial or complete failure include, without limitation, expected or unexpected bodily reactions to the presence and position of the implanted device, rare or atypical medical complications, component failure and normal wear and tear. In addition, the LAP-BAND AP™ System may be easily damaged by improper handling or use. Please refer to the adverse events section in this document and to the Information for Patients booklet for a presentation of the warnings, precautions, and the possible adverse events associated with the use of the LAP-BAND AP™ Adjustable Gastric Banding System." At http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/HM0661_L012-05_lapband_dfu.pdf

I'm 7 months and 3 1/2 weeks post-op. I'm 3 pounds from goal. I've had had an easy time of it, and I've been disciplined as a drill sergeant about my WLS experience. Heck, I was so anxious to get the show on the road that I put myself on a diet for two months prior to my surgeon's pre-op diet. In other words, I've been very determined about this. And I've done it simply by "following the directions." So those who whine and moan and complain about not being able to ... whatever ... because they've now had WLS just bore the **** out of me. I know how to make WLS work. It's really simple. You just do what you're supposed to do. And you'll lose weight. So needless to say, I'm not everyone's cup of tea. Oh ... and I'm not on the payroll here, so I get to say and do what I want. Like everyone else here, I'm just a member. And I'm certainly not a vet. Yet. I'll be a vet in a few years. And by then I hope to have learned what's required to maintain my weight loss. I'm sure it'll have its own challenges. There's much more to learn.

What a frickin' relief! Congratulations!

Funny.

Fair enough.

Jeez. Louise. S.M.H. AvaFern ... speaking purely from inside a blissful marriage of 18+ years ... I think you don't have a clue what love is all about.

I'm not as far out as you guys. Only 7 months and 3 weeks. But for those of you who have been trying the same things over and over, but those aren't sufficient for your needs, what could you do differently? Are any of you in counseling / therapy? Support groups? Seeing a nutritionist and weighing in regularly? Tried gut flora therapy? Hypnosis? Affirmations? Hanging out with different people? Changing jobs? Do you know what your triggers are? What times(s) of day and situations are associated with your eating lapses? Are you exercising? What kind? How much? How regularly? Are you tracking your food? Eating more Protein? Less protein? More carbs? Less carbs? What kinds of carbs? I don't know what'll work for you, but if what you've been doing isn't working don't you want to do something different? Or more? Or less? But not the same thing over and over? (Literally, guys ... I'm really asking, not telling. I'll be in maintenance very soon and trying to figure this out, too.)

Yes, hindsight is great. And I don't know all your interactions with your surgeon prior to your surgery. But if I knew I had a history of blood clotting problems, i.e., my blood didn't clot well, I'd certainly have had a specific conversation about my pre-existing conditions with the surgeon in person before having undergone elective surgery. And if I'd had that kind of blood-clotting problem (did you mean you'd twice tested POSITIVE for Von Willibrand Disease surgery?) I'd have had the surgery at a facility where any clotting complications could be addressed adequately. Finally, if my mother were a physician specializing in diseases of the blood, why hadn't she explained the severity of your blood-clotting disability? Heck, it's a wonder you didn't bleed to death on a playground when you were a kid. Von Willibrand Disease is more common than hemophilia. There's much about this story I find confusing.

1. There are no perfect parents. None. Those parents who got the food / eating part right got something else wrong. Trust me. 2. Your mother is no longer responsible for how you live your life at age 29. At your age, you've long been an adult and won't ever be anything but an adult until you die. 3. If you and your mom can't repair your food dysfunctional dynamic alone, I urge you to find a counselor or therapist who can help you two get to a healthier place from which you can make real progress. 4. You didn't say what your current weight is and what your current weight goals are. But it sounds like you're not happy about it all. What are YOU doing about changing your own behaviors? 5. Finally, if I heard you clearly, you think that your mom caused your weight problems. But have you considered that her own family may have contributed to hers? If so, then you and your mom are stuck in a generational cycle similar to those of abuse, poverty and violence. Your mother is obviously trying to stop that destructive cycle. I think you have to join her in that effort. Again, I think a counselor could be very useful to you both. I wish the very best for you both.

@@LipstickLady and @@gowalking ... you both look so lovely, healthy and happy. But it really does feel strange not to be fat anymore. Our looks change the most at the end of this process. At some point we are no longer just a smaller version of ourselves -- still round and circular, but with smaller circles -- but we start to look quite different. Our face changes its shape. Many of our body curves disappear. And from some point downward, it's just a whole different deal. I find myself wondering lately if I look as good now as I did 10-15 pounds ago when I looked more familiar. After all, I haven't looked like this version of me in 35 years. This version of me is now a bit of a stranger. I know this is just another phase like all the earlier phases. But this one is completely in my head and has nothing to do with controlling my physical behaviors. I just have to be patient and let time do its job.

Well, the weight hasn't come off all that fast. Frankly, I think that's a WLS myth -- at least for middle-aged and older women. Pre-op I went on a self-imposed diet 2 months prior to my surgeon's prescribed pre-op diet; on both those diets (over 2-1/2 months) I lost 20 pounds. Post-op in the last nearly 8 months I've lost another 61 pounds for a total of 81 pounds lost. That's an average of 8 pounds a month. I'm now 4 pounds from my goal. I've yo-yo dieted a gazillion times before. I think everyone just thinks I've had another successful round of dieting. This time I've told everyone I'm: (1) serious as a heart attack about finally conquering my weight problem, (2) seeing a shrink to help me change my behaviors and resolve any ambivalence about finally conquering this beast, (3) eating fewer calories while eating very nutritious food, (4) eating a lot more Protein, and (5) exercising a lot more. All that's true.

Pre-op, after making my decision to have WLS and feeling fully supported by my husband, I took a long, hard look at my extended family and my best friends and understood clearly that none of them was capable of (1) understanding my situation or (2) understanding as much about WLS as I knew or (3) accepting WLS as a legitimate, smart, modern way to treat my illness. Most of them are normal-sized or slim or athletic and have never struggled with weight like any of us ever have. Many of them are stylish, sophisticated professionals. Oddly, I've seldom felt judged by them for being heavier than them (I have some other lovely and impressive qualities that they admire). However, over the years their comments in my presence about other heavy people have staggered me. I've learned that many of them believe people like us are undisciplined, uneducated, lazy cowards. But somehow, they don't think of me "that way." Yeah, totally weird. So knowing them as I do, I knew they couldn't possibly support me on this journey. So I didn't even invite them into my confidence. I don't love them any less. I just knew this wouldn't be a concept they would ever get behind. I am so glad I have not brought them into my confidence.