coolcrystal

Man, I don't miss that part of the band. lol. But, I loved Isopure Clear.. the apple melon or the fruit punch one.. I thought those tasted like candy. I only had to do those for a week though.. then I went on to mushies... so it wasn't something I worried about for a long time. For vitamins I still take Flinstones. LOL. It always takes me back to my kiddy days!

The only people that I know that have gained back all of their weight from wls were my friends who got the bypass. They have all gained back all their weight or almost all of their weight and their pouches are stretched out. One of my friends said it started with some McDonald's fries one day. She pushed herself and ate a large fry and from their she stretched her pouch out and gained all of her weight back in like 5 months she said. Now, I know a few lapbanders who have gained back some weight.. but it's been only a small portion, like 5 or 10 lbs and it was mostly because they stopped getting the fills or something happened and they had to get an unfill, but usually they can get back on track. So, I'm not sure which surgery you are speaking of?? I had some complications with my band due to stress and I had to get half my fill taken out and have been slowly adding it back over the last two months. Now, i could have went and had 10 cheeseburgers if I wanted to, but I didn't. I haven't lost any weight, but I only gained about 2-3 lbs during this time of being without restriction. For me this is huge, because in the past I easily could have gained 10 lbs a month. I think staying on track is looking at food differently. Before my stress inducing week I had, I was at my sweetspot and losing about 8 lbs a month and honestly, I just lived life... I was working out about 3-4 times a week, but you know, every now and again I would have a shake... or an icecream... or a cookie.... I didn't keep myself from enjoying things like this because if you make it a big deal, it will be a big deal. And my lapband doctor told me not to deny myself these things every now and again and I think just knowing that I could have it, but chose not to most of the time got me in the good frame of mind. To where now, I could eat whatever I want without my restriction, but I just don't want it. And that feels good. So, frame of mind = don't ever make yourself feel like you are denying yourself something that your body needs. Reach a good restriction to where you aren't looking around for food and food isn't your top priority anymore. If you have a month or two where you aren't losing, don't give up... lord knows I felt like I did. And never lose your support system on here. I have gone through periods where I've gotten away from this forum and I think it just hurts me in the long run, because I get out of the lapband zone, which is a shame, because I like it here and need this support. Good luck! DISCLAIMER: I wasn't trying to knock the bypass, because I'm sure there are plenty of people that it has worked for, it just didn't work for my three friends. Just as, I'm sure there are folks that didn't do well with the lapband. Everybody has different bodies...

I enjoy red wine every now and again and the occasional long island ice tea, but very rare and the long island usually makes me gain a pound. lol. but, the red wine never made me gain any weight. I don't drink much though.

I like everything you wrote!! Especially the part about PB'ing so quickly nobody even notices and you can go back to working a second later. LOL. That part just cracked me up because I can totally relate, especially when I got too tight. My only problem is, when I got too tight and couldn't eat my body went into starvation mode and I stopped losing weight. And that totally sucks.

Humm, I have thought about this stuff too.. Let me ask you, do you think it would be cheating to go on the Biggest Loser tv show with having this surgery and compete against all those people for 250K? It's weird because I saw one contestant that looked like they had the lapband scars, but it could have been any surgery, but it made me wonder about it. Because it would give you a pretty big advantage over others who don't have that restriction. I wonder if they would be asked to get a complete unfill to be on the show so it's fair. I guess this didn't answer your question though.. lol. I don't think it would be fair because a lapbander - at their sweet spot - would have a big advantage and at that point ones morals would be questioned. But, just because one has the lapband doesn't mean they have restriction. This is just my opinion though...

I didn't have any restriction until the third fill and for me, at first it felt like I had two stomachs. The one below would grumble like it was hungry, but it didn't hurt. The one above was satisfied. Then I think the one below just sort of shrank up a bit and then never grumbled and always felt satisfied on , just to give you an example.. a small chili from wendy's.. or a can of tuna (the good kind - Bumblebee lemon pepper). Or half a chicken breast with a scoop of blackeyed peas. Also, when you have decent restriction you aren't running all over the kitchen looking for your next snack. food isn't your top priority anymore. This is how it was for me anyway when I had that sweet spot. But, again, it is different for everybody.

I think its sad that people are scared to say anything bad about the band for fear of being ridiculed about it or scaring people. I think newbies need to see all aspects of the possibilities of the band. I'm glad that a year before I got the band I researched the heck out of it and especially on here that way I knew everything that could happen. For some the band has been perfect the entire time, for some it hasn't. The truth is, some people can never find the perfect sweet spot with it.. it will either be too tight or too lose. People will say "get an unfill".. then you get an unfill and you are too lose... then they will say "get a fill" and you get a fill and you are too tight. lol. It will be a neverending cycle of fills and unfills. This is why I honestly believe the band doesn't work for everybody. For a majority, yes, but not for everybody. You have done amazing really with the 40 lb loss, but if one isn't getting any Protein in or eating good foods, how healthy can they be in the end? I don't know.. I'm rambling right now.. forgive me.. lol.

Oh thanks!! I need to make a better effort to come on here and get involved again!! I love being in the lapband zone, as I call it.

My bandiversary isn't until the 25th, but I can already tell you, I haven't lost crap for over two months. My band reacts to stress in a bad way, to the point of if somebody even tells me something upsetting right before I eat, I can't eat. Due to a big arguement with a friend back in October that lasted a week when I was finally at my sweet spot and doing very well, it caused my band to close up and cause me severe issues. I had to have half my entire fill taken out in November and nothing has been the same since. So, I'm just going to say that my weightloss is between 60-62 lbs. I continue to work out and watch what I eat, and I'm getting fills put back in every month, but only getting .4 each time, so I still have one more to even get to the place I was when I was at my sweet spot before. My body has actually enjoyed this break, simply because my skin has caught up with the weightloss and I feel much firmer now. But, my goal was to be down 80 lbs by my one year mark and I failed at that. But, on the good side, in the past I easily would have gained 10 lbs a month without the restriction, so I feel successful in that aspect. I do know that when I come on here, I get back on track, and that it energizes me to get in the gym. Some happy changes: 1. I can jog on the treadmill now! 2. My hips don't dig into the car door when I'm driving 3. I can fit comfortably into a movie seat 4. I don't feel like I take up the whole bed at night with my husband. 5. I can run up and down stairs 6. My wedding dress practically falls off me 7. I can wear my wedding band WITh my wedding ring now. Before I couldn't put the two together cuz it was too tight. 8. Men actually hold doors open for me now 9. When I take a bath my butt doesn't touch the sides of the tub, lol. 10. There is tons of space between my belly and a booth at a restaurant! So, lots to celebrate! My present is, a cruise in April. LOL.

Girl, you aren't alone! I'm going through the same thing. I haven't lost anything for like two months. Haven't really gained anything either. I had to get that big unfill and have been putting it back in so slowly that its just not making any difference when I get the fills yet. But, I notice when I come on here, I usually get back on track and feel better about what I'm doing. we should do it together!

This is awful! I just saw your blast on myspace and decided to come on here to see if perhaps you had posted what happened. I think this is every mother's biggest fear when they are pregnant; and sadly it happened to you and your family. I can't even imagine the pain you are going through.... but she is in God's hands now.. My prayers are with you and your family. This is absolutely tragic!! I just can't imagine going through this...

I have an office job, so I was fine to go back to work after 5 days. Really, by the 5th day I was going to the movies and playing with my friends dog, but my boss told me just to stay home until that following week.

I told everybody. Sometimes I regret it.. simply because I hate it when people watch me eat.. waiting to see what will happen or how much I can get down. I also have friends who won't eat what they want around me. If I order a salad then they feel they have to order a salad, so I get that a lot and I hate it. I've only had one person tell me I took the easy way out and say they thought I had done it on my own and were disappointed at me and then I chewed him a new a-hole and then he begged for my forgiveness . lol. Especially since I haven't had any restriction for two months. I guess each their own. But, I was too excited about the band not to blurt it out to almost everybody I knew. And I do love talking about it with people.

I'm still around and I notice that when I come to this site I tend to get back into the swing of things and lose weight. I've already dropped 3 of the 4 lbs I gained since my unfill and have put working out back into my life, so I know it helps coming here. I think a lot of people just go on with their life and perhaps forget they are banded or just don't need the support like they use to. But, I know that I just do better having this site in my life.

Yes, stress is a big trigger.. I remember one time I went to have Soup with my husband and he just said something upsetting and suddenly I couldn't eat, soup got stuck and so it's to the point of hearing anything upsetting at all swells me up. My poor friend still blames herself for all my band problems due to the fight, but it's not anybody's fault. The band just becomes like part of your stomach almost and it feels what you feel. I remember in highschool when me and my first true love John broke up I lost 15 lbs in a month because I just couldn't eat. And I had no band then as I was like 130 lbs or so. So, I know this is how my stomach was before getting the band. But, I know I'll get back on track :thumbs_up: and just try to live a stress free life the best that I can. Thanks for the encouragent and St. Louis gal, you are right. In the past I would have gained easily 10 lbs by now, but I haven't. Which really surprises me. There are positives to it all. And, I didn't gouge myself at xmas and thanksgiving either. I thought I would, but I didn't.

I'm in the same situation as Rhapsody. I was doing so awesome with this lapband.. but I had actually found my sweetspot and then me and one of my best friends got into a horrible fight that lasted a week. We had never had something like this happen before and it stressed me out so bad that my band reacted. I couldn't eat, I got week, my band closed up. From then on my band has never been the same again. A week before Thanksgiving I had to have half of my entire fill taken out and they have slowly been adding it back, but I'm still wide open and can eat whatever, whenever. I haven't lost a single pound in two months, but thankfully I've only gained two pounds. It has been very depressing as now I think I'm the lowest losing VV on here. But it's like I've forgotten all the stuff I use to eat or something. I don't eat fast food or anything like that, but like with salads, I've been drenching them with ranch, and when I ate tuna and whole wheat crackers, I'd only eat 4 crackers and now I eat like 10 or more! On the 21st I'm getting another fill and my biggest fear is that I won't be able to reach a good restriction or that my body just doesn't agree with the lapband anymore.

How funny.. I just responded to your other one and then saw this one with the PS. LOL. I'm just curious if your doctor is going to pay for this surgery since he put the wrong size in. lol. Or if you are stuck paying the bill. Are you getting a different doctor? Huggs!

It makes total sense to me. Honestly, with you starting pretty low, I think they should have given you a 10cc band to begin with, I know everybody's stomach is different, but usually people under 300 lbs only need the 10cc, at least, from the research I've seen that is. Heck, I've seen a few folks starting over 300 lbs that still got the 10cc. My friend was about 355 and she got the 14cc band and she's down to 245 now and her 14cc band is completely filled too, but she still needs to lose about 50 more lbs. Her larger band did help her lose over 100 lbs, but now she's sort of stuck in this limbo. I don't think you ever should have gotten the larger band, but we have discussed this. Your band was always too big for you from the very beginning. Congrats on the new surgery and I know it's gonna go well for you sweetie!! :smile2:

Let's see, I had to get half of my entire fill taken out like 3 weeks ago and have had the ability to eat whatever I want. So far I've gained 2 lbs total. Which isn't bad. I got half of the half put back in on Thursday, which puts me up to like 4.8.. I still don't really have any restriction though. lol. And I get another fill the week after xmas. So, my goal is to just maintain what I have right now. And not panic. I didn't get a slip or anything, I just developed some type of sensitivity to the band and kept bringing everything up even when I wasn't tight. So, to be safe, my doctor wanted half out. Originally my Christmas goal had been to be 220 .. lol.. yeah, that aint happening. oh well, I'm still happy :-)

I'm down a little over 60 lbs now. I had to get half of my fill taken out (no big emergency) just had a bad sensitivity to it and my doctor wanted to take caution so he gave me a break for a few weeks. Anyway, here is a before and after headshot so far. Obviously the one on the left is me 2 weeks before my surgery. And the one on the right was taken last week.

I'm curious.. are you too tight? Because, it sounds like the foods you are eating are foods that go down well for most bandsters when they are too tight. like Cookies and chips. Eating doesn't have to be expensive if you look for good deals. Like getting a big bag of chicken breasts from Walmart. or a large thing of salad mix.. cans of Soups. A lot of times I go to Wendy's and get a small chili and a small side salad with Water. it comes to 2 dollars and something. If you are too tight, consider getting a slight unfill so you can eat healthier items. Good luck.

I had to get half of my fill taken out, so I'm gonna eat a normal thanksgiving meal. not too much, but not too little. Turkey, taters, bean casserole, ect..

Yes, my weight does this as well! My weight is up and down ... up and down the same 3 lbs and then BAM, I'll drop 3-4 lbs over night and keep it off permanently. I had to get an unfill yesterday because I hadn't been able to eat correctly for the last 2 weeks. My body was stuck and going into starvation mode. I was able to eat a chicken salad last night and then I weighed this morning and I lost a few lbs... I think because my body finally got nourishment.

I am 8.5 months out and have not lost any hair. I already had rather thin hair, but luckily, did not experience any loss. But who knows, now that I wrote this I might have jinxed myself and will lose a bunch of hair. lol. But, from what I have read, I'm out of the danger zone which is usually 3-6 months after surgery. The good thing is, everybody I know who lost some hair got it back within 3 months, even without the Biotin and gimmicky stuff to stick in there. It just naturally comes back.

Lipstix had some great suggestions.. Just be careful with scrambled eggs later on. Did you know that 50% of bandsters have problems with scrambled eggs? after about my 2nd fill I could no longer get them down and they are really my only problem food. The mushies that I ate the most was: Refried Beans with cheese and light sourcream Tuna with mayo and whole grain crackers (chews up nicely into a very thin mixture) Any type of canned Soup blended with a bullet. Those bullets are totally awesome. You just stick it in the pan and it blends up the soup. Good luck.