Jugido64

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

Just wanted to say I should've trusted my surgeon first time around! I had my band done 2014. At first I was very successful. I was working out, eating really well, letting this tool assist me. Then my back went bad...horribly bad. Three blown discs put me on the ground...litterally. (I'd blown two discs previously but had learned to adapt). Now with five blown there was no way for me to recover the level of exercise needed for my band to be all it needed to be.
My tool could not save me from myself at that point. Not working, extreme pain, heartache and frustration. I started reaching for carbs, soda, and sugar. Even 3-4 ounces of these 2-3 times a day will put any weight loss far behind you. I even went back to phentermine for three months. Nothing was going to work. I was not going to have the health, life changing results I needed. Fortunately my gall bladder decided it was time to go and my band left my body at the same time.
Now the real mind bending changes started! Health insurance cares about criteria not about the toll taken on your body. Regaining weight to meet criteria is not only incredibly hard on your body. It's even harder on your mental health. Having switched up my thinking, my eating, my mental image of myself...gaining weight back nearly broke me.
I had my revision surgery August 2016. I started with my health as my greatest concern. My blood pressure had gone back up. My cholesterol was dangerously high again. My heart, well my heart had some of its own issues prior to the sleeve surgery. Within the six weeks I took off from work I was able to drop about 25 lbs. My blood pressure was back to 110/70 without medication. In the next two months my cholesterol was back in normal range so I dropped the medication. My heart issues had completly resolved as well.
I'm finally continuing to lose fat while building muscle. I'm still losing weight though it has slowed down. I'm 50 lbs down at 6 1/2 months and I could not be happier. Life below 200 is healthier than I thought was possible at age 53. Revision was truly the best option for me...unless of course I would've trusted my surgeon in the first place.

I had a band then went back about 9 months later for a gastric sleeve. I did so because having a band requires extremely vigilant eating and a lot of exercise to make the band work. I had an extremely damaged spine so once it let go....no more exercise.
Two weeks isn't enough time to "plateau". If you're still doing 2-3 Protein drinks daily and maybe 2-4 ozs of cottage cheese or greek yougurt....you'll still be losing. Your body must adjust and if you're sneaking in any carbohydrates your body could be clinging to any empty calories.
I hope your body, mind adjust to this tool. Best wishes

My physician didn't "test" for nicotine however there was extensive talk around the subject. There was also a requirement to be tobacco free for at least 3 months. That being said I am a reformed smoker and a previous surgery while smoking cured me. Hacking your lungs out is not good after abdominal surgery....just sayin.

I haven't seen much about the co-morbids coming into range or getting resolved etc. I am not sure a forum such as this is for me. It all still seems to show that WLS is about the aesthetics. It's all about how much weight people have lost or what clothes size they are or if they need plastic surgery or a makeover etc., etc. This is frustrating to me because I got a band to save my life....not to wear a smaller size or be this or that to whomever wherever. I feel like I'm the odd man out here. It's entirely frustrating and part of me is disgusted with being angry about people and their superficial view of themselves and others. Didn't anyone here get surgery to prolong their life???

A fill may or may not work. Do as your surgeon and coordinator instructs and follow the rules: Protein first, anything else second, no fluids 1 HR before or after meal, 64+ ounces of Water per day. 15 - 20 minutes to eat meal. When you feel done you are done! Not another bite.

I recommend you don't have one at all. I use the one at my dr's office. Seriously. I also use the electronic one at the gym. Dr's office is once a month. I'm just now coming up on 4 months post op from banding. I use the one at the gym if I think about it. It's so easy to become obsessed with your scale just like before WLS. It becomes another way to "scale" your success or failure. I personally prefer use of a scale in a "safe" place where I have support if it's not what I had hoped to see or even when it's better than what I hoped to see.

I love yoga. A few simple poses and some good clean deep breaths and WOW I am back to center in about 15 minutes. I love this quick smooth way to be brought back into focus.

Right after surgery, everybody looses weight...lap band or no, we are on a strict post-op diet starting with Clear liquids and slowly progressing. Who wouldn't loose weight? And yet people give credit to the band.
At this stage, the Lap Band is doing nothing, IMO....it was installed and nothing more.(there are a FEW EXCEPTIONS...very few)
And let's face it...people who have much to loose, will loose more than the next person not quite so heavy.
So when someone says "I Lost 50 lbs, blah blah blah, the next person should not feel bad only loosing 10lbs.
I know people who could loose 50lbs if they skipped dinner! (only joking)
There are people here who start at 400lbs and loose over 200, and people who start at 225 and only loose 75....so which is more difficult?
So don't let the #'s intimidate you...it's all relative.
I had my first fill 4 weeks after surgery, and it was 4cc's....after that, I began to gain weight because it also the time I came off the post-op diet and began eating normal food again. DUH!
That first fill did absolutely nothing.
Had my second fill of 2cc's, 4 weeks after that, = 8 weeks from surgery.
The band began to do something....I didn't loose weight, but I did not gain either.
All this time I was being told and reminded to count calories, measure portions, stay away from certain foods/drink, etc...ALL the things I could have done (and have done) without surgery, the time and anxiety put into preparing for this, not to mention the $$.
Talk about Frustration!! I felt it was a big Rip Off!
Came back 4 weeks after that, = 12 weeks from surgery for my 3rd, (and final) fill. THAT one put me over the top.Pushed me off the edge!
Could not keep anything down. Feared I was going to be malnourished, etc. I was free falling!
Many people would have gone back to get it taken out, get back within their comfort zone......but my Dr. (who knows ME and not YOU) talked me into sticking it out, talked me into slowing down my eating, choice of foods, all those thing etc, etc.
Also said if I did get that last (small) fill removed, it would put me back to where I was after my 2nd fill...did I want that?
I'm glad he did...it took weeks - months for things to start to find that groove, but it did all start to fall in line.
That elusive "Fine balance - Harmony" where the band performs splendidly. The true "Green Zone"
I quess my point is, this thing DOES WORK, but it is not going to work immediately...it is adjustable and it takes time, sometimes with trial and error, to get it right.
And it is not just the band that gets adjusted along the way...we too have to get adjusted to the Lap Band. And that is key to success.
Lap Band Surgery will "Change Your Life" but you have to ready and willing for change. And that can be very frustrating and take some time. Even though my last needed fill was 12 weeks from surgery, and the weight began to steadily and consistently come off, a year later I was still learning lessons, Life changing lessons...most times the hard and unpleasant way. Did not mean the band is at fault.
I'm 4 years out, and I can do something right now, this moment, that would cause a very negative reaction with my band. Does not mean my band is at fault...it means I just did something I should never do...simple, yet it did take time to learn the difference.
If people told me 4 years ago what and how little I would be eating today, and still be healthy and full of energy, I would have said they were blowing smoke up my you know what.
And yet here I am at that place, and to tell new people this, would be accepted the same as I would have 4 years ago.
This is the internet, and 1000's of people come and go here all the time. And I have read people's posts about frustration and feelings of failure (many of which are way pre-mature...give it a chance) when in fact I sense they are not willing to accept change. (still talking about pizza and cheese burgers, etc? Really?)
Not all, but some. There are people who legitimately have problems, complications. But we, strangers on the internet can ever tell what is going on.
They can't understand why they keep getting stuck...There's something wrong with their band...maybe there is, and maybe it's not the band....no one on the internet can tell for sure.
That is why it is best, IMO, it's best for people to simply share their own experiences, AT ALL LEVELS, good and bad, positive and negative...
Ok, it's 4am on a Sunday, I'm rambling on with my morning coffee before heading to the gym at 6...nothing more, just rambling..and pehaps ranting.

Seriously count 60 seconds between bites! It may feel foolish at first but it'll save you from slimeing or vomiting.

I recommend you don't have one at all. I use the one at my dr's office. Seriously. I also use the electronic one at the gym. Dr's office is once a month. I'm just now coming up on 4 months post op from banding. I use the one at the gym if I think about it. It's so easy to become obsessed with your scale just like before WLS. It becomes another way to "scale" your success or failure. I personally prefer use of a scale in a "safe" place where I have support if it's not what I had hoped to see or even when it's better than what I hoped to see.

@@JerseyJules, most of us were on a two week pre-op diet which included two Protein shakes and a small salad per day, followed by two days of Clear Liquids, then nothing 24 hours prior to surgery, so trust me, we know how many food commercials there are. If you only had to go on a restricted diet for a day or two, you're very lucky!

For a food addict as I am it was terrifying! Until I realized it was not about giving up anything. It was about simplifying everything. Taking a few steps back from food has allowed me prospective on many other things in my life. How I view my own life and how I view others. I thought for many years if I was able to "control" my eating ie not overeat to the point of being sick, I was doing just fine. I now know that is another belief that had to be smashed.

For a food addict as I am it was terrifying! Until I realized it was not about giving up anything. It was about simplifying everything. Taking a few steps back from food has allowed me prospective on many other things in my life. How I view my own life and how I view others. I thought for many years if I was able to "control" my eating ie not overeat to the point of being sick, I was doing just fine. I now know that is another belief that had to be smashed.

My name is Jenn and I'm 30 years old. I'm 5'1" and I weigh 226lbs. I'm scheduled for the sleeve on Feb 9th at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, NJ. I wasn't always overweight, but I have been for about the past 10 years. When I started college it was easier to stop at fast food places in between classes than it was to go home and eat. I didn't think it would be a problem as I never really had a problem being overweight. WRONG! I didn't know that I had an underlying thyroid condition until I really started gaining. Once I got my thyroid levels under control I thought that it would be easy to take the weight off...WRONG again! The past few years have been the worst with my weight. I've tried WW, low carb, low fat, counting calories, meds, and I even went to the Center for Medical Weight Loss. I was always able to lose the weight, but I'd be killing myself in the process. I'd wake up really early to exercise and follow the diets and by the time work was over I was ready to crash. I felt like I had to work 10x as ha d to lose half the weight a normal person would lose.
I started thinking about WLS and was going to get the band, but then my sister who is a nurse came to a seminar with me. She said that if she was going to do surgery she would do the sleeve. I began doing more research and decided this was best for me. I had my first consult on Dec 11th. I've done all my required things for ins and was approved on Jan 6th. I have to do pre-admission testing within the next week or two. I'm scheduled for Feb 9th and I can't wait to get my life back! I have the best support system. My mom is excited for me, my boyfriend although very nervous couldn't be more supportive, and people who I thought would be negative surprisingly weren't. That definitely made this wait til surgery even easier.

I was a HUGE fan of cream of wheat prior to my surgery, and I have only tried it once since. I was only able to consume maybe two teaspoons of it, broken up into very small bites before I felt ridiculously full! Now I am afraid to try it again but It has been a horrible craving of mine ever since surgery, I believe because during my pregnancy with my daughter I was sick the entire time with constant nausea and vomiting. Cream of Wheat was one of the only things I could keep down and now whenever I am sick I want it. For me it's a comfort food and as most of you know, this surgery takes away most of those!

I don't use mine. I eat what I can. I do however use measuring cups. I will measure. 3/4 cup of Soup and tolerate it just fine. But solid more dense foods ie chicken I am lucky to get 1/2 cup. 3oz of beef or Chx seems to be my limit. I still log every bit of food but I "guesstimate" a lot of it. Don't sweat the small stuff. Your sleeve won't let u over eat. Just don't fill it with crap food

I just got my surgery date today. It will be January 12. I started my liquid diet preop yesterday. Hope I get a better understanding of it as time goes on. I am so overweight I have to have the surgery. i'm not at all afraid, I think it's because I've listened to so many people who've had it and been successful. Fear only complicates my life, so I'll try not to go there. Hope you won't let fear get in your way of a new life opportunity.

I, too, was nervous prior to surgery because I thought I hadn't lost the required amount of weight. [somehow, my brain didn't remember my starting weight or even my weight on the day of the surgery]. So I asked. They didn't know of anyone that had been denied due to not loosing. My op team said they would like to see at least a loss of 10 lbs. which helps the surgeon when he/she has to flip the liver to get to the stomach.
I think the important thing, which they also said, was that a person really attempt to stay on the prescribed pre-op diet since it is good training for post-op diet and beyond. What better way to start learing to re-order your thinking about food intake with a liquid diet and a sensible meal each day.