mmcbelle

Hi duggerchick, I had something similar when I was banded. Day 2-4, I could not keep anything down. My stomach had swelled shut. Call your doctor tomorrow if it continues to happen. But today you can put ice on your chest (the band should be located behind your breast plate between your breasts) for 30-60 minutes then take it off for an equal amount of time and repeat. It took about 8 hours of this for it to help me, but it did help me. Ensure you wrap the ice pack in a towel before you put it on your skin. I hope it helps with the issue. Good luck and let us know how it is going. MMT

As promised: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rules of the Road What you need to know about living with the band By Robin McCoy When you begin the decision-making process to have Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), and specifically LapBand Surgery, it is vital that you fully understand the changes you must make in your lifestyle. WLS is not a magic pill. Weight loss is something that you must work at to be successful. There are several rules and circumstances that someone who has undergone LapBand Surgery, a “Bandster,” must follow and understand to see success and have a high quality banded life. Drinking before and after meals and not drinking during meals is, by far, one of the most important things to learn and is vital to your weight loss success. It is also one of the most challenging. Stop drinking all liquids at least 30 minutes before your meal. This allows all that is in your pouch to drain through to the lower stomach. Therefore your pouch is empty when you eat allowing the food to fill you up properly. Forgo all beverages during your meals. Drinking during a meal flushes the food through your band and the band is unable to function properly. Most people will have 2, 3 or even 4 glasses of liquid with meals. Servers in restaurants, trained to keep customers happy, will keep beverage glasses full throughout the meal. This is unhealthy for bandsters and sabotages their success. State firmly and clearly that you do not want a beverage. From personal experience, I know the often bewildered looks that follow the statement: “nothing to drink for me,” but diligence is the key. Like most changes required after the LapBand procedure, not drinking with meals gets much easier with time. Having now lost over 100 pounds, I no longer have difficulty asking my server not to bring me a beverage! Do not drink for an hour after a meal. The main reason is the same as drinking during your meal. Liquids wash the food through the band defeating its purpose. Another reason not to drink after a meal is if your pouch is full the beverage might not have anywhere to go…except backwards resulting in a spit-up. Suffice it to say that food and liquids making a return visit is not satisfying. By starting this practice immediately, at the next meal, you will be well on your way to a successful banding experience. Smaller bites, more Chewing, slower eating…begin to recognize and understand what a Bandster Bite is. At your next meal look at your bite size. Look at the amount of food on your fork and remember it. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the Bandster bite size after surgery. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the size of a Bandster bite after the first fill or adjustment. After each fill the bite size will get smaller until the bandster is eating toddler-sized bites. The reason for this is so the bite can be chewed completely to a liquid before swallowing. The next point is chewing. It is very important that food is completely chewed before swallowing ensure the food is a liquid. As the weight loss progresses the opening from the pouch to the lower stomach will be getting smaller. Therefore the food needs to be chewed more thoroughly. If a piece of food is too big to go through the stoma, or opening, it will get "stuck". This can be very painful. Slower eating becomes inevitable. Eating too fast encourages bigger bites. The bigger bite means the food isn’t chewed properly and it can get stuck. As a Bandster with over 18 months in, I still find myself falling into this trap. I get excited, chatting with friends and just forget to pay attention. A Bandster’s Eating Order: Lap-Band patients have a specific order in which to eat their food. It is important that there is enough Protein in the diet to keep the bodies moving properly. Therefore, the protein should be eaten first. WLS patients need 40-60 grams of protein every day. This can come in a variety of ways. Protein shakes, cheese, fish, beef, chicken, soy. The challenge comes when only certain foods can be tolerated. Also, it is important that the protein is a “hard” protein (chicken, beef, and fish) if possible. It shouldn’t all come from protein shakes and cheese. The vegetables should be eaten second, and carbohydrates/starches last (if there is room). Proteins last longer in the pouch and take longer to process through the band allowing you to feel full sooner and maintain satiety longer. Hard proteins are the most difficult for a Bandster to consume. The hard proteins need to be more moist, more tender and chewed more completely than any other type of food. Generally speaking, proteins are the foods that get “stuck” most often and cause spit ups. This happens because the bite isn’t small enough and/or, because the protein hasn’t been chewed sufficiently before swallowing. For the record, beef is generally the most difficult food for Bandsters to eat. Beef is one of the most difficult foods for humans to digest. It can take several days for a piece of steak to actually work its way through the digestive track. And that’s on an un-banded person! So, if you eat a piece of steak and it isn’t chewed it up completely, it can sit in the pouch for an extended amount of time. Furthermore, the stomach acids that help an unbanded person process beef are not present in the pouch and therefore are not there to help the body break the beef down. Remember each and every person is different so you will have to test your own waters. Some Bandsters have no trouble with beef whatsoever; others won’t go near it. From personal experience I know that each Bandster will figure out what he or she can or cannot tolerate through trial and error. Trust me when I say that tolerances change; one day ground beef is fine and the next you realize it isn’t any longer. You must be willing and able to adapt to sudden changes in your body’s ability to process certain foods. The Constant Quest for Restriction: Not enough vs. too much restriction. No one can really describe it, but everyone wants it. You have restriction when your band is adjusted to the point where you can eat 3-5 bites of well-chewed food and you are full. When this happens you have what is called good restriction. You are too loose, or open, if you don’t feel full after just a few bites. You are able to eat more on a consistent basis than before. Maybe your weight loss has slowed or stopped. This is when it is time for a fill, or adjustment, in your band. You are too tight when you can eat very little solid food or worse—none at all. If you are so tight that only liquids go through your band or you are spitting up too often this is too tight. If you can’t keep liquids down this is a medical issue and you must get some removed. You run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Being too tight is not a good thing! Not only are you not getting the nutrition your body needs to function properly but it can also bring on a slippage in your band. If this happens you will require minor surgery to repair it. Now that you know a little about what restriction is, let’s get a little deeper. There are three points to learn: 1. The first thing to understand is that every banded person feels restriction differently. So to compare yourself to others is difficult. 2. Also the amount of Fluid in the band and the stomach’s reaction, or restriction, to it is a varied as the Bandsters reading this now. Everyone’s stomach is a different size and reacts to the band differently. It is fine to compare fluid levels, but don’t get too caught up in “I have this and they have that”. 3. Finally, your level of restriction can change day to day. It can change meal to meal in some cases. You are now asking, “How in the heck do I deal with that?” My answer is trial and error and learning about your band. Let us go back to the beginning. Immediately after surgery you will feel restriction. The surgeon usually doesn’t put any fluid in your band during the surgery. The restriction you feel is the swelling of your stomach and it’s adjustment to the band that has suddenly been wrapped around it. You won’t get your first fill until 4-6 weeks after surgery. You will be on Clear Liquids and they will fill you up quickly for the first few days. Then they will stop filling you up you will begin to feel hungry. About this time you will be allowed to eat mushy foods like mashed potatoes, creamy Soups, etc. You will find that you eat just a few bites and you are full. This is great! Who knew a ¼ can of Soup would be enough? This is going to be a piece of cake. It isn’t going to last. Shortly this won’t satisfy and you will be moving on to solid food. That feeling of restriction comes back. A slice of turkey and you are stuffed! This doesn’t last either. At about 4 weeks, sometimes earlier, you will start to feel hunger again. You feel like you are eating everything. Your weight loss has slowed or stopped. You start to freak out. “Where is my restriction?!” you cry. This is a difficult time, but one that every Bandster gets through. Just be patient and let yourself finish the healing process. Watch what you eat and know that you are not eating anywhere near what you were pre-band. The unfilled band supplies a certain amount of restriction and you won’t hurt your progress. Your first fill will bring you back to the restriction point right after surgery. You will eat a few bites and feel full. You will start losing weight pretty quickly. You want to make sure you are eating your protein first, vegetables second and any starches last. This will ensure satiety. This fill will usually last several weeks. Then it starts to loosen up. Your second fill is the one that usually kicks a Bandster in the butt. This is where they learn what not chewing thoroughly and taking bites that are too large can do. And so it goes. Some Bandsters need one fill others need more. I had 4 over the course of the first year. I heard of one woman that lost 80 pounds on her first fill. This is why I stress not comparing yourself to your banded friends. It brings on frustration and we have spent enough time in our lives comparing ourselves to others. Now is the time to stop. One of the largest environmental factors that make our band feel tighter is stress. I never truly understood what Bandsters were talking about when they said stress was tightening their band. That is until I started the process of buying a house. The stress of the pending inspection and what they might find had my band so tight I was barely eating. My band was so tight I cancelled my fill appointment. Let me say right now that I learned from this experience and you need to make sure you are getting the right Vitamins in to ensure your health. I wasn’t in any danger but I was very tired and was bruising like crazy! Well, the inspection went well. I got my house and my band opened back up. Food started going through more smoothly and I started eating better. Other environmental factors can be tiredness, excitement, sadness, or just the fact that it is morning. Many Bandsters find they can’t eat until after 11 AM every day. I don’t know if this satisfies your curiosity of what restriction is or what you are to do with it. I do hope you understand that everyone is different and it is a learning process. You will learn what it feels like for you to have good restriction and when your band is talking to you, being “stuck” and “spitting up”. As WLS patients we have a few fun words we use. Some are nice and some are not. You will hear “PB” which means “Productive Burp”. I prefer the simple term “spit up”. What does “stuck” mean? ...Stuck means that what you have eaten won’t go through the opening between your pouch and lower stomach. This is called your “stoma”. The bite is too big to go through (meaning you didn’t chew it enough), it isn’t something that moves smoothly through the band (lettuce), or you just ate too darn much. When a bite of food goes through your esophagus and hits your pouch it has one of two places to go; through the band or back. If all is well it will go through with no problem either now or later. If it can’t make it to the pouch or through the stoma it will result in a spit up. Understand that this is something that will happen to you and to every bandster out there. Call it a side-effect or whatever you like but it will happen. The questions are what causes a spit-up, what it feels like, what to do when it happens, and how to avoid them. Remember, things can change day-to-day, heck even meal to meal. This is the nature of the beast. Frustrating, yes, small price to pay, I think so. What causes a spit up is easy. The bite was too big, you took one or two too many bites, you didn’t chew properly, or it is simply a food that you can’t tolerate right now. It is up to you to determine which of the above it true. Trust me…you will learn to determine this. What does if feel like? You will know. The best way I can find to describe the feeling is when you drink a big gulp of Water and it goes down with air. You get this pain in your chest that makes you feel like something is going to bust out. That is what it feels like when something is stuck. It can be minor or it can hurt like a son-of-a-gun. Some bandsters say their bodies tell them when they are finished eating and need to stop. Some Bandsters start to salivate which is their body’s way of washing the food through. Some, me included, get a heavy sigh or exhale; this tells us we are full. Don’t worry; you too will learn to read what your body is telling you…even if you do, don’t worry; you too will learn to read what your body is telling you…even if you don’t now. What should you do when it happens? Stop eating is the first thing. It doesn’t matter if it is your first bite or your fifth. A spit up is your body’s way of telling you that you are full. This is your band in full-alert. It is telling you that you are done and to put the fork down. Many times you can stop eating and just wait it out. Until you are used to it you might get the “deer in the headlight” look. Soon you will just adjust. If it doesn’t go away then you need to deal with it. Dealing with it means excusing yourself and heading to the bathroom. A spit up is just that. I compare it to a baby spit up. It should never be what you classify as vomiting. This is hazardous for a Bandster and should be avoided as it can cause slippage. There is a very large difference in spit ups and vomiting. How to avoid them? Well, that comes with experience and a willingness to acknowledge when your “food police” tells you to stop. Very quickly you should learn when your band tells you to stop. I found that after my 2nd fill my band was at attention and told me when I was full. This is when I experienced my first spit ups and found foods that I could no longer tolerate. One of the most difficult things to get your mind around is just how little you will be eating. Your band tells you that you are full but your brain engages and says, “You haven’t eaten nearly enough!” So you take that extra bite or two. Then there it is…the feeling in your chest…your eyes get big…and saliva fills your mouth. The biggest point I want to get across to you is that, while normal, spitting up is not necessarily a good thing. You don’t want to be doing it every day and certainly not every meal. If this is happening you need to take a good look at what you are eating, how big your bites are, how much you are eating and to what level you are chewing. Be aware at the beginning and it and it will become more of a habit soon enough. Surgery Is Not a Magic Pill: Surgery is not the magic pill we have all been waiting for. You will not wake up thin. You must be willing to meet the band half way. You will lose weight at a different pace than your friends. You must change your behavior for this to work. It is a tool—and nothing more. An electric mixer is easier than mixing by hand but you still have to follow the recipe for the cake to taste good. Right now you should be asking yourself one question—“Am I ready to go the distance?” It can be a joyful journey with the highest of highs. Moments that are so thrilling and uplifting that you don’t think you will ever come down. It is also a frightening journey as we venture into unfamiliar territory of who we are and where we are going. You are not going down this path alone. There are many Bandsters ahead of you on this path that are ready to help you along the way and take you with them to the next level. So I ask, “Are you ready to go the distance?” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Best wishes, MMT

Hi topdownbug, I too wondered what PBing was at first. It is not like there is a banding owners manual and if there was, it would not address every issue. Here is a link to some banding lingo that will help. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/abbreviations-what-they-mean-7959/ I am constantly learning new things about the band. If you no longer learn you no longer grow. Keep asking those questions!:whoo: Happy banding, MMT

Hi Robin, First, let me say welcome back! This is a fantastic and brave step you have taken. I believe that support is one of the most important steps you can have in being successful with the band. Get it where you can and glean all the good stuff out that you can. One of the nice things about the band is that it is always there waiting for you. You can always come back to it and continue to work it. Every bandster is different and everyone has their own path to success (how you measure it and how you get there is up to you). You are still on your path, good work. As opposed to criticism, if I may offer some of the things that helped me: ~you have to do some of the head work. That is that you have to learn to think like a fit person. Now how do you do that? One thing that really helped me was to read the book, "Feeding the Hungry Heart" by Geneen Roth. I learned from it some ways that I defeat myself and how to overcome that self defeat. Also, one of my favorite things to do is "fake it till you make it". Act like a fit eater and at some point, you may just find yourself being a fit eater. Remember the bandster road rules (I will post out here when I am on my PC and can find the verbiage). They are rules to live by. PBing...I have this issue from time to time and it is always for one of two reasons...I eat too fast or I don't chew enough. Things that help me with that...using baby spoon and seafood fork to eat with. Hard to put too much on those kinds of utinsels (closer to a bandster bite). To slow down I chew 30 times to ensure the bite is almost liquid, then swallow. Then push my plate/bowl away...wait for it. Then pull the plate/bowl back take the next bite and repeat. If you are still at the table 60 minutes later, STOP. It has been long enough. Go and brush your teeth. I find that brushing my teeth leaves that minty fresh taste and I don't like eating with fresh brushed teeth. Do you have a local face-to-face banding support group? If yes, get involved. If no, get back to this or other banding forums and get the support you need. Tell everyone...I know there is controversy over this thought, but I find it makes me accountable for my actions. Sometimes I get mad because someone is calling me on my actions, but that is what I want in my heart because the person calling me on the carpet has my best interests at heart (only my DH, BF and brother are brave enough to do this and I love them for it...when I get over being mad at them:)). Find a friend to be available for that desperate phone call that you are craving a brownie and a mocha frappucino (I had this happen this week). I called my BF (she fields these calls for me) and said no. She is a brave woman that wants me to succeed and I appreciate her for it. She always gets a thank you before the conversation ends for saving me from myself. Stay active on this board, even if it is just lurking. PM folks that you find helpful and ask specifics. You can do this. It is wonderful that you are brave enough to get out here and share your story with us. Thank you. Stay the banding course, Mary

Hi michiganer & sassy780, Congratulations on your approval for the surgery. CIGNA was my provider and they denied me twice before giving verbal approval and then they refused to give the approval letter, but it all worked out and they gave written approval. Just keep on them. Again congratulations! :whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo: Mary

Hi April, Congratulations. It won't be long now! I personally eat green veggies, once I get the protein down. Sometimes, I crave the veggies and have them first (weird to say I crave the veggies, but I do). I definatly eat a more carb conscious diet. Good luck, Mary

Hi, I agree with the pictures. I do not see the same thing in the mirror that I do in pictures. Take pictures. Don't just rely on the visual to measure your results. Use ~ the way your clothes fit ~ your fitness level ~ your measurements with a tape measure ~ your lipid panels (blood work) to look for progress in triglycerides, LDL & HDL cholesterol ~ Body fat % via a scale that measures that or fat calipers So many way to measure your progress. Most importantly keep a good attitude and come back from your lows as quickly as you can, like you did today. It is a long journey and we ge so impatient. You will get there. Happy banding, Mary

Hi Beau, I wanted to share a book that I found helpful in my preparation for life after banding. The book is "Feeding the Hungry Heart" by Geneen Roth. It is an older book that I believe is out of print so you will have to find it used (try amazon, barnes and noble or half price books online). I found the reading and implementation of many of the lessons to be a great booster to learning to love myself. Doing the head work has been one of my biggest challenges and one of my greatest successes. I had to answer the question, "Why am I fat?". It started in my childhood and getting back to it and facing it was instrumental in my ability to manage my improved life. Please, please get your infection looked at (if you haven't already). You have made a wonderful step in the right direction to become a more fit and healthy person so do not delay it any longer by avoiding care for the infection (antibiotics anyone). If you have a local in person support group for bandsters, get involved. I like the face-to-face meetings as an additional support. When the doctor releases you for it, get exercising. This has made a huge difference for me. Don't fear the exercise, it really helps me in stressful situations. My band tightens when I get stressed (this is good because I can no longer use food to deal with stress) so I had to find other ways of dealing with stress and exercising is one of them. Cardio and resistance rock. You have support for your band here! You keep your head up and get yourself through this time of healing and the time before you have restriction. You are worthy of happiness and you have taken a step toward that happiness with getting banded. Happy banding, MMT

Hi, I use music as a motivator. :music: Usually it is on the treadclimber, but sometimes I just need to hear a pick me up song. Here are the lyrics from one of my favorites: Lyrics from Bounce by Bon Jovi I been knocked down so many times Counted out 6, 7, 8, 9 Written off like some bad deal If you're breathing you know how it feels Call it karma, call it luck Me, I just don't give a This ain't no game; I play it hard Kicked around, cut, stitched and scarred I'll take the hit but not the fall I know no fear, still standing tall You can call it karma, call it luck Me, I just don't give a Bring it on, I like it rough In your face, I call your bluff It ain't karma, it ain't luck Me, I just don't give a [Chorus:] Bounce, Bounce Nothing's gonna keep me down Bounce, Bounce Stand up, shout it out Bounce, Bounce I play hard, I play to win Count me out, count me in I'll be bouncing back again:bounce: Happy banding, Mary

Hi losingjusme, I wish I had some advice to set this right for you. You are an incredible person and you deserve happiness. You have given wonderful advice in posts and been an inspiration to me. Even now you inspire me with your honesty. It is good to know there is a struggle coming (though I am not looking forward to it). I am still a band newbie and I have been hanging out primarily on one thread. Today I got brave and landed on this thread. There was a reson for that. We really have made a life long commitment and there will be incrediblly difficult obsticles in our paths. I still have so many times when my pre-band head gets to me. I spent 43 years learning how to be fat. I hope it does not take 43 years to learn to be fit. Still working on the why I over eat which always boils down to my not feeling loved (at the root of the issue), usually love of myself, not love from others. I don't know if working out something in your head will help, but I do hope you find the motivation to get on track. Wheetsin has also been an incredible example to me and I have gleaned so much good stuff from her posts. She gives good info on the difficulty of her journey and I find inspiration in her perseverence. I have always found something inspirational about Rosie the Riviter. She is a lone working woman and even though the slogan goes, "We can do it", it is the individual that achievs the goal. For you, please click the link below... http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u131/mmcbelle/losingjusme.jpg Keep with it, you can do it, MMT

About six weeks ago I decided to perform an experiment. I decided to really give exercise a chance. I began on my own and in week two added help from a professional personal trainer. After my first session, he took measurements, I tell him my weight every session (and never cheat even when it goes up). He stated we would take measurements again when I broke 350. Finally five weeks after that, I broke 350 and made the goal. We both were excited to see the results and here they are: 9/10/07 10/15/07 Difference weight: 364 lbs 346 lbs -18 lbs Chest: 63.75" 62.5" -1.25" Waist: 63.25" 62.25" -1.0" Hips: 63.25" 62" -1.25" Arm: 19.25" 18.75" -0.5" Thigh: 29" 27.75" -1.25" Now for the amazing stats: 9/10/07 10/15/07 Difference Total body fat: 191.4 lbs 147.3 - 44.1 lbs :faint: Body fat %: 52.6 42.6 -10% Lean body weight: 172.6 198.7 +25.1 It took me a minute to really look at my total body fat. The scale showed a loss of 18 lbs for the time frame, but what the scale did not show was that my body fat went down by 44 lbs (not just the 18). WHOA!!:bounce: So I am thinking that my temporary six-week experiment in exercise has proven that exercise is a worth while thing in my effort to be a more fit me. Also that the scale does not show all that is going on inside my body so I need other ways to measure how I am doing on this journey. So I am extending the experiment. I think it deserves a one-year study.:thumb: And the really amazing part is that I like this kind of exercise. I look forward to Monday and Wednesday. I have always despised exercise and now I look forward to it. My trainer tells me what to do and I do it. No thinking required on my part and look at the results thus far. :whoo: The next goal he has set is at 300:eek: Just wanted to share a part of my banding journey. Cheers, MMT

My progress has pleased me thus far and I keep discovering things that just blow my mind at times. One of my latest... Usually I go to bed between 2 & 3 am and up at 9. Since last Thursday, I have been going to bed by 12 and getting up between 7 & 8. Since that time I have consistantly lost a minium of 1 lb each day (my losses have never been this consistant)...is there really a correlation between good sleep and weight loss? Well, my results say yes. I just wanted to share my latest observation. Just as I think I have learned so much...there is always someting new and exciting around the corner. Happy banding, MMT

Hi Cherlita Congratulations on the surgery date. You are embarking on a great an wonderful journey. Why is because many overweight people are depressed and miserable, but so are lean people, just easier to lable us. Don't sweat the psyche consult. Easy peasy, you will walk out and say...that wasn't bad (I liked it so much I had two:o. You hit on one of the biggest advantages I belive the band will have for me...permanant weight loss. When it gets off, I believe the band will help me keep it off and the yo yo ing will be over:clap2: You already have a positive attitude and that will help very much. Get a good support system and you have one of the other best advantages. My preop was basically a two protein shakes (breakfast and lunch) and a serving (6oz) of lean meat and a veggie, with that all important 64 oz of water daily. Welcome to the kingdom, glad you are here! Good luck! MMT

Hi whosyadaddy, CONGRATULATIONS, what an amazing accomplishement and to be rewarded for it too. You are incredible and keep up the great work! Happy banding, MMT

Hi lizrbit, I don't know quite what to say, but how can you view any weight loss as failure? If you were gaining because you were eating junk and not following up on you fills, maybe be. You have lost 25 lbs...congratulations. I am finding that this experiment of the lap band is just another in a long line of personal experiments. If you feel your experiment could return better results, then change something. Are you eating enough...this seems a weird one to review, but it is how the body works. Are you progressing on exercise...for it to work optimally, you should be increasing in some way (longer, farther, faster, etc. over time). I had this realization recently, to keep my physicality progressing, I have to do more in less time...yikes, in a good way. You have already made a change in that you got a fill (which was too tight) and corrected with an adjustment in your band. Lizrbit, you can do this. Stay the course and change something, you will get there. Cheers, MMT

Hi Artzygirl, Your fear is VERY natural. My big fear was what if the band works? I have always had a fear of success with weight loss and fortunatley (I'm only 3 months post op). It is working. Insubordination had wonderful things to share with you. My thoughts... What if this does not work for me? I do have this fear still. I feel like WLS was almost a desperate measure for me, but I was 7.5 lbs away from 400 lbs, no matter how you slice it that is unhealthy. I have tried many things and have discovered that the most important thing is to NOT GIVE UP. I can tell you that with the band, I am approaching this with a better attitude, more informed and healthier approach than ever before. I believe anyone with the band can be successful. You just must work the band and perform all the follow up (get those fills on schedule). What if I don't know when to stop eating? The hardest part so far has been "bandster hell" when the swelling from surgery subsides and the band has no effect. You may gain and wonder why did I do this, be patient. You are learning a whole new way to live and it takes time. As you get fills, you will learn. I am still learning and do not have my sweet spot, but I will. I am reminded that I eat too fast often. I either get a pressure in my throat and have to wait for it to pass or I PB, which puts my band at risk of slippage, but I am learning. You will too. It is amazing the head work that occurs as a part of the band. What if I P.b. all the time? If you do this, there is something wrong and you need to get to see your healthcare professionals ASAP. Each person is different and some PBing may occur, but doing it at every meal, every day is not a good thing and you would need to seek the doctors expertise. I think you will be fine just because you are aware. Rememeber that sometimes we post when we are on our last legs and need some support and then we get it and it gets better. What if I can't keep anything down? This actully happed to me the day after surgery. Call your doctor. I had to suffer it for three days. It took supository meds and an ice pack to my chest to reduce the swelling from the surgery that had caused me to swell shut, but calling my surgeon was the first and best thing to do. The fourth day I got IV fluids and was able to drink liquids and was just fine. It does NOT happen to most people...it is an exception not the rule. Your surgeon will know how to proceed if it happens. Will I miss food? There is nothing, at this point, I can't eat. I just can't eat as much. Sometimes it is just the bite and taste I crave. When I have trouble with a food, I chew what I can and remove the rest from my mouth. I get the taste, but not the fiberous stuff. I revisit my relationship with food becasue it changes constantly. Yes I do miss food, but I can tell you it is in my head, not my stomach. Will my urge to eat really go away after a few bits? I still fight with my head over my stomach. Yes, a few bites will satisify my tummy, but my head pushes me farther. I find that if I only put so much on my plate, it helps. Once the plate is cleared I am usually finished (I did not grow up being told to clean my plate). If I want more in an hour, then I can have it, but I usually don't want it. One thing that helps me is to curtail how much TV I watch. TV watchin induces hand to mouth disease for me. So I avoid the trigger until I figure out how to manage it. Can I sleep in any position? Not at first. I am a stomach sleeper and whith the port, I could not sleep on my tummy, but as it healed...I can sleep in any positon. Congratualtions you are human and yes, I had fears. It was at its peek the week before surgery and the week following surgery. I have to say this is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I am only three moths post op, but I have made permant changes already. It has made me realize there is an inner athelete inside me...that is amazing. I can eat in small quantities. Water (with propel) really is my friend. And my getting healthier has had an unexpected side effect in that I may now not have to have an additioanl surgery to correct another issue because my body is healing itself...something it was not doing for two years before lapbanding. You are not being a big baby. You are being very brave. You are one of those people who keep trying and you will succeed. There will be scary moments and you will get on the other side of them and realize that you managed it and you are an incredible person worthy of this happiness. Good luck and keep us posted! MMT

Hi, I have had a weird week. I have felt that in my training sessions I am not performing optimally. I feel like I am not getting to goals fast enough. I hit a milestone this week on Tuesday only for it to be taken aback on Wednesday and back at the milestone on Thursday. Finally after reading several of the posts in this thread from twenty something to thirty something (and feeling much better thank you) I am realizing what it is. It is something I am learning more and more about. I am so used to the instant gratification that food gave me:hungry:. It always made me feel better...for a while, until I needed another fix to make me feel better again. I am so used to that feeling better instantly, it is sometimes hard for me to take a step back and realize how far I have come. How long it took me to get myself in the unhealthy postion in the first place. Most importantly, life is not about instant gratification...I have to become familiar with the concept of...ENOUGH. It seems we are taught from an early age that it is never enough...in most circumstances in our lives. It is no wonder I could never get enough food. :cool: Now I am having to exchange instant gratification for delayed gratification. Also having to make the paridigm shift from it never being enough to understanding that enough is perfectly acceptable. I talked with my trainer on Wednesday, telling him that I just did not feel like my work outs this week were as good as my past weeks work outs. He tells me that the work out I just completed was the most difficult and most accomplished so far:wow2:. This is a prime example of enough. I want instant gratification in that I want my physicality to become improved now. I just began working with the trainer five weeks ago. You know what, I carried myself up and down a flight of stairs last week without getting winded and without pain. Five weeks to greater lung capacity, no knee pain, and virtually no effort to climb up and down a flight of stairs twice. Five weeks for the turn around and I want more...well it is enough. I also wanted to break 350 this week and I have, but I also rose above 350 and now am back down below 350. Usually the scale does not effect me, but I was reaching a milestone and when I rose above it after reaching it...again, not enough. I have to look on what I have accomplished. I have lost 43 lbs since July 9 (pre-op diet weight). Essentially, 43 lbs in three months. That really is enough for where I am. Why is it we have to have more and have it now and think we are failures if we don't reach lofty goals. What I am trying to say is be gentle with yourselves:waytogo:. I have to keep coming back to the fact that I am an individual that is unlike any other and my progress it just that, my progress. I should not compare myself to others. I must concentrate on my personal best and know that instant gratification is what got me to the point where I needed to consider WLS. So I declare that 43 lbs today is enough for me for this instance:clap2:. That walking two flights of stairs and not getting winded and pain free is enough for today:whoo:. I celebrate these accomplishments and know they are ENOUGH:amen:. Thanks for reading:thankyou: & :Banane20:! Happy banding! MMT

Hi Sassy, Congratulations! You are about to go on one of the best rides in the park! Cheers, Mary

Hi lisa, Banding is one of the best decisions I ever made. I am only three months in, but am feeling very good about it. I have never eaten so little for this length of time and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon. One of the best things for me about the band is that it is always there. When I reach goal, the band helps me keep the weight off and that is something I have never done before and look forward to it very much.:whoo: Good luck and keep us informed. Cheer, MMT

Hi denise_g, 20 lbs is great, don't sell yourself short. Each person progresses at their own rate. I have had two fills and at first they are doing the job and I get close to restriction. At the end of my 30 days (I currently schedule a follow up every 30 days) on the first fill I was able to eat, eat, eat. It is only two weeks after my second fill and I am able to eat too much, but notice that I am beggining to stop myself at a reasonable point, but I still eat more than a 1/2 a cup of food. I know I will need that precious third fill I will be getting on the 15 of this month. It really helped me to know everyone is different with thier band. It may take me 9 fills and if it does 9 fills I will get. Hang in there and keep your fill appointments. The only reason I am where I am at this point is because I have chosen to get a personal trainer. He creates my session and I complete my session. Try to look at what you have accomplished and look forward to when you find your sweet spot. Oh how sweet that will be. All the work you do now will only help you when you are there. Good luck and you can do it! MMT

Welcome and congratulations on your decision. The band has been a wonderful decision for me. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Good luck! MMT

Hi there, This is such a personal choice. It depends on where you are in life and who you have around you. I did not waffle on this issue at this point in my life. For me the decision was to tell. I have "hidden" the fact when I have tried before. It bought me nothing. What has telling bought me? ~I have found out that 98% of the people I tell are supportive. 1% are neutral and express no opinion. Of course there is 1% that is less than positive and he is a gastric bypass who is less than a year into his journey. ~It has made me responsible and accountable for my success. I actually enjoy reporting how I am doing. I usually wait until asked. ~ I have found that I have been given several opportunites to talk about the band and educate people on what it is, how it differs from gastric bypass and how it is working for me. All that said, it was my choice to blab. I don't live in a small town. The majority of my friends and family are positive people and truely want the best for me and believe I am on a path that will be successful. My whole attitude is different about this. It helps that I had to wait 18 months to get approved for it and did not back down from having it. Each person has to make the choice for their situation. Good luck! Cheers, MMT

Hi, I just wanted to share. I met my first major goal Saturday. My first (of many) major goals was to rid myself of 39 lbs (10% of my original body weight). I met that goal on Saturday.:first: Less than three months and 10% of my original body weight is gone. I am now looking to do my best to ensure that weight going forward is a high percentage of body fat and not lean body mass. I also had lipid panels done and my cholesterol (total) went from 215 to 160, just another way of measuring progress. :wow2: Thanks for reading.:clap2: Mary

Hi Trisha, Hang in there. I was denied by CIGNA twice. And with the second denial, my caseworker contacted CIGNA, got the peer review and I was approved three days later. CIGNA has the worst reputation, but they do approve (I am living proof). Hang in there. They think it is their job to deny and do so without a thought. Keep fighting the good fight. I got my band July 23, 2007. It was well worth the wait! Good luck! Mary

Hi April, Good to hear how you are doing. You just vent away, that is what this board is for. Honestly, your venting helps me. I struggle some days and don't get on the board, but it always help me to see that I am not alone. I love my Starbucks too. I use Starbucks as my reward. I get a tall SF-flavored NF latte. I just love it and it feels notty, but really isn't. I knew I had to work on my Starbucks addiciton, so I went from Venti full sugar frappucinos to Venit SF frappucinos. Then from Venit to Tall, then from Tall frappucino to tall SF NF latte. It worked for me. I am tempted when I go in, but I usually have my dog with me and she can't be left alone for long, so I am in and out and totally plan what I am having before I go in. You can do it! I did want to share something that happened to me yesterday. I was having a really good day:) then something happened and it went instantly bad:mad:. I messed up a reservation for my DH and my anniversary. I had to pay a fee, change it up, admit I messed up, etc. Traditionally my response would have been to stuff my face:hungry:. I did have two pieces of turkey bacon and my band let me know in no uncertain terms that that was too much when I was stressing (a little PBing ensued:puke:). I had a tightness in my chest that I had not felt since the first week of banding. We had discussed in our last group support meeting that stress effects the band, but this was my first encounter with it. It just seemed to tighten up on me. Well, a good cry:Cry: in the shower:rain: and some concentration on calming down seemed to do the trick (I hate PBing). About two hours later I was able to eat a little something and not overeat. It was amazing that my band was able to help in a stressful time so I avoided one of my usual traps and had to find another coping mechanism. Each victory counts!:whoo: So the band is helping in ways I didn't even fathom. :cheer2: Happy banding! MMT