JustWatchMe

Three things. My surgeon offered me sleeve, but fully supported my choice for LapBand. My reasons were many, and he enthusiastically continues to band many patients every year. In my opinion you should choose a surgeon and surgery that both of you are excited about. If my surgeon was lukewarm about my chances, I would have run out the door. Instead I know he's there for not just me, but for many future banded patients as well. Second, I hate these personal comments about celebrities. I am sure some celebrities are on this site under anonymous names just like I am. They are here for the same reasons I am. I don't mind when someone disagrees with a celebrity's public WORDS, but for Pete's sake, stop the name calling. Third, I enjoy healthy contrast-and-compare dialog about the different surgeries. I learn here daily, and I never know if my life will include changes down the road. But your surgery is no better or worse than mine. My surgeon and I are thrilled with my outcome so far. And don't kid yourself folks. It is "so far" for all of us, no matter what road we chose. When we are at the end of our lives and face THOSE new medical uncertainties, we can then decide if we chose the right WLS all these years earlier. But I respect your choice today, and if you don't respect mine, please just shut up about it. I'm here for support and learning. I can learn from your trials and successes and feel free to learn from mine. Keep this a welcoming place for all.

Go, go, go! Woo hoo! No regrets here. You're gonna love your new life!

I was eating too fast and not chewing enough. I discovered this trick by accident. I took a phone call at work during my lunch and it was a revelation : Interrupt your meal. Three or four bites of Protein first, then STOP for five minutes. Get up. Go to the bathroom. Walk around the office. Make a phone call. Just interrupt the eating for five minutes and then resume slowly. The extra time starts that clock in your brain that signals satiety. Listen hard for those body cues. The sigh, the hiccup, the burp. Stop eating as soon as you think you are no longer HUNGRY no matter how delicious it is. Promise yourself if you want the rest of it at your next meal you'll have it. Slowing down is the hardest thing for many of us. Definitely for me. Also with my band in the green, if I don't slow those first bites a LOT and chew to mush, I now get stuck. I don't know how many times I need to learn this lesson. Good luck!

I have been following the 5:2 intermittent fast for about a month and it helps my restriction. Google it for some info. Basically to give you a simple summary, I eat regular healthy food aiming for 1200 calories five days a week. Two days a week on Mondays and Thursdays I do a modified fast. That means for me, nothing at all but water or coffee up to 1pm. At 1pm a lunch of 500 calories, heavy on solid protein. Then nothing but water or coffee until my normal breakfast the next day. That's it. Two days of 500 calorie days. No snacking. It snapped me out of a rut I was in and my weight loss started up again. I also feel much better restriction with doing this. Good luck.

I have a small hiatal hernia that the doc planned to fix if needed. He decided it wasn't needed once he was in there.

I think your experience may be why my surgeon had me on such a strict post op protocol. I was banded in March 2014. My regimen was six weeks of full liquids post op then a fill. At that fill I was told to eat 800 calories a day. It was not easy and most days I was around 1000. It took some discipline to stay compliant but I was lucky and I felt my band working pretty early on. Now at 6-1/2 months out and four fills I'm pretty sure I'm in the green. Most days it's easy to eat well. However if I choose the wrong foods or don't start a meal with solid protein I can overdo it.

My FitBit One clips to my bra.

Thanks!

I'm so much happier since I started weighing weekly instead of daily. It was affecting my mood every morning.

@@roundisashape, can I steal that cat lady idea? I love it. I've been trying to figure out what costume to come up with this year.

Don't ever apologize for rambling! I love reading the everyday awarenesses and discoveries of your newly thin life. I keep doing double takes in the closet mirror doors each morning because the way the doors join and fold, sometimes I get a funhouse type image. Too skinny. Lol. Well I thought that was happening again this week but then I looked again, and I wasn't looking at the joined door but at a solid mirror. My body really was as narrow as it looked at first glance. I'm in shock. I also look down at my thighs when I am sitting and can't believe they are as narrow as they are. It's like an out of body experience. I know I'm close to Onederland, so that's an objective measuring point for me. It helps to reset my brain. I objectively know that 200 pounds has a certain look to it and therefore I must look close to that mental image. But it's so hard to internalize ! Like you, I am working on issues underneath my eating addiction. I'm dealing with emotional issues now but I truly see the benefit of working with a therapist on body image issues in my future. Keep posting and giving words to what we are going through!

Just chiming in to wish you the best with your surgery!

I was a Weight Watchers retread for decades. The same thirty pounds lost over and over and over and over. Always regained with some bonus pounds. I'm so happy that this loss with my LapBand is the last time I'm doing this! And I've lost three times that thirty so far.

Welcome to Bandland. I didn't have those sensations but it should improve each day. I recommend that if you're at ALL uncertain about symptoms heading into a weekend, don't hesitate to phone your team before they leave for the weekend. They are there for you. It's harder to get questions answered on Saturday and Sunday. You're not bothering them. An engaged patient is a successful patient. Much success to you!!!!

I admit that "feck 'em" has become a nearly daily mantra for me. It's so refreshing.

It's been a hard week for me emotionally but I have held on. Monday and Thursday were difficult fasting days. I was really hungry Thursday. Not head hunger either. But so close to two milestones that I was able to stay very motivated despite the stressful week. I am four pounds from Onederland and two pounds from my 100 pound loss. I am going on a girls' weekend with my BFF Saturday and Sunday. I won't be weighing in on Sunday due to that, but I'll weigh in Monday at home instead. The weekend will have special food and wine, but I will keep it in moderate portions. The emotional aspects of all of this are equally important. This weekend is a hard one for me as I endure my wedding anniversary while going through a divorce. The best thing I could have ever done for myself was become physically healthy, drop close to 100 pounds and wave at the Onederland gates. I've done all that and am capping it off with a fun weekend with my best friend. Self care, baby. I may or may not check in before Monday but I'm in a good place, and no matter whether the scale tells me Monday that I met either of my two goals or not yet, I am already a winner. The best part is today I really believe that. Happy weekend, everyone!

@@maygoddess, I'm sorry you're going through this. I hope it turns around for you quickly.

You will be so happy you did this! Welcome to our crazy band of banders!

Your success is inspiring! Congratulations !

I eat anything for breakfast. Cheese sticks are my usual. Also deli meats like turkey or beef.

I'm glad things are looking up for you!

My doctor told me to stay at 800 calories a day. It was hard but he wanted my weight loss maximized before my first fill. It helped me build good discipline.

Wendy. 20 pounds!!!! You're doing fantastic! Relax. Your body is recovering from surgery and trying to figure out what you did to it! Keep following the rules and I promise the scale will move again and it will shock you. Don't worry. This is normal.

Go for the costume. You'll be down a bit in weight between your pre and post op diets and entitled to a new dress for New Years!

Happy anniversary! You are an inspiration !!