Iwantthis

Probably can wait but you may stay miserable until you see him.FYI, I have a little baby ulcer which I have named Hector, I have no h.pylori so Hector came from too much ibuprofen chewing on my stomach lining. Gives me the same sort of pain, he gets especially peeved from coffee and some foods.[emoji26] And the little stinker enjoys reminding me he 's down there. I have to take Dexilant to keep him napping. [emoji12]

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See ~5-6 of my most recent posts. I'm ~ five years post VSG and gained ~22#s. I am so mad at myself; I didn't want to EVER AGAIN see 200#-anything!! I crossed back to 204 pounds!!!!!!!!
BUT...THIS WEEK (that "It's Monday, so I'll start today" thing), I DID start again, and already I've lost four pounds. I've been very strict about protein; and have had no white stuff--no bread, rice, chips, or ice cream. It's been eggs, chicken, hamburger, steak; some bell peppers, onions, cheese and almonds. Plus sips of a Protein Drink (Lemon-Tea flavored, to which I add some vinegar and a S&L). My cravings for crap has waned greatly.
Ghrelin returns around the 5 year mark.
Recommit to the Protein plan. Resist the bad carbs. I'm not an exerciser, but if you are, even better. You can begin again. But catch it now; 45 is a lot (as is 20), so it's easy to see how resorting to old habits (and food volumes, and eating too fast, etc) can mess us up.
Get back on program. You can do it!!!
PS: It is not me underlining certain keywords in my posts. I know it's good for the BP store, but [note to Alex B] I personally find it minimally...distracting [yea, that's a good word]; and it makes it seem that the poster is highlighting those words, when it's a BP link to a product. Just my observation.

You will feel like crap for a week while you detox from slider foods, but then substantially better after that.
At least 60gr of Protein, at least 64oz of water/fluids. Take your Vitamins and Calcium. How are your labs - Iron especially? Get a full panel done. Schedule an appt with a nutritionist and maybe a therapist. Are you walking 10,000/day? Did you become sedentary lately? Menopause or peri-menopause? Use an app like Baritastic or myfitnesspal to track food and exercise. You can do this.

Might be silly, but why would you want to risk it. There's a reason why surgeons want you to stop smoking before surgery. In my program, they would even cancel the surgery if they discovered you were smoking (they run tests). You're taking HUGE step to change your life. I wouldn't do anything to sidetrack or derail it.

I work for a national home oxygen and respiratory company so I really shouldn't be saying this because smoker's pay my wages but... If you are taking control of your health through surgery, why are you still smoking? I see people every day who are dying from their choices. I was also slowly dying from my diet choices. That is why I did something about it. I know that you won't stop until you are ready but with giving too much detail, I have patients in their 20's and 30's on oxygen 24 hours a day. I also watched my mom die of lung cancer. She just turned 50. The choice is yours...

I would find a therapist ASAP!! Why risk your life by damaging your sleeve/pouch by lighting up?? You need to STOP now. It could be a matter of life and death. If you weren't ready to stop smoking for good, then I think the surgery was probably a bad decision.

A true "safe space" is one where people tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear. That's the diff. IN MY OPINION.

I think there is a clear distinction between sitting in judgement and enabling behaviour. Adults should be able to criticize behaviour without being accused a bullying or sending someone off the emotional deepend.
I worked with youth in a Cadet program, and most of my 12-18 year olds could handle criticism better than some of the people on this forum. We taught the. No excuses, take the advice and make the correction and move on. No hard feelings.
I consider food to be a bonafide addiction. Withdrawals, denial of the problem, denial of the consequences, inability to accept the finality of quitting, inability to
imagine life without the comfort foods they are so addicted to.
When I see people seeking validation for cheating their "rehab" from food addiction, I mentally replace the Halloween candy, chips, or whatever with alcohol, smack, crack, cocaine, meth, morphine, heroin, cigarettes or whatever.
If someone was attempting to quit one of those addictive and destructive substances after years of abuse and destroying their health, how understanding would you be? "it's ok, a little won't hurt, get back on the wagon tomorrow, we all have setbacks, it happens to everyone, try not to be too hard on yourself, etc etc"
Or maybe a "what the hell are you thinking? Are you crazy? Why would you set yourself back to day 1?"
Just my opinion.

Funny because I just had this very conversation with my surgeon this week. He has seen people gain in the first 6 weeks after surgery and then ask him "why isnt this working for me". People are like this in all aspects of humanity, not just WLS. I have patients that I counsel about smoking because they have COPD. They tell me "i cant breath" "i cant afford my meds" but spend 50$ a week on cigarettes. They expect me to fix their problem while taking no responsibility for their actions.
We have a choice...it may not be an easy choice but its still a choice. We have an opportunity to change after WLS and we should seize it to make better choices. Not ruin it by continuing with the same bad behavior.

I agree,..I'm 8 mo post op. I personally discovered my personal addiction to food when i started my pre liquid diet. I seriously didn't realize the magnitude of my addiction. I also didn't realize i was that huge!!! I recently held up my sz 28 shorts against my now sz 14 body and asked my husband.....why didn't u tell me i was this huge? He replied by saying. ..thats why i let u blow 18 thousand in 1 day. Lol.....
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@@shani1970
Girl, you'd messed up with the pork chop but that's already been said and doesn't need to be repeated. I'm super glad you're ok and it sounds like you've learned from your mistake.
I need to give you a virtual high five for taking the responses on this thread like a champ. You owned your mistake, you thanked the people who cared enough to respond with grace and you didn't take offense to any of it.
Good for you.

I'm long past the Protein supplementation stage, but I asked my daughter about GENEPRO (she's a doctor). She could not find any clinical studies or nutritional analyses that support the company's claims. The science behind the product is based on insitu experiments (meaning in a test tube) and theories projected from studies of other products. She couldn't say if it was good or bad, just that there have never been any published trials that measures the actual bioavailability and absorbability of GENEPRO. These are very basic, simple studies that even dog and cat food have to go through for the nutritional profiles printed on the bags. It is not an FDA approved product and Until this company proves their claims with clinical trials, she considers it just snake oil.
Seems to me the company could legitimize itself and its product by simply conducting these basic trials (if the product really is what they claim). But on the other hand, they've got millions of customers buying their products with no proof whatsoever that it's anything but a white powder that dissolves in Water, so I guess strategic marketing trumps science in this case.

Ive read more than one poster reference a concern of sorts with this product. What are some of the key "science" concerns with GENEPRO?
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There is no comparison. I was banded in 1996 and struggled every day for 20 years. I threw up daily and struggled mostly with healthy foods like fruit, veggies, and meat. I had RNY on 4/6/16. The doctor found that the band had eroded my stomach and adhered to my spleen and liver. 3 months later, I am eating veggies, fish, and fruit. No throwing up and no pain. I've lost over 40 lbs and have 60 more to go.
I weigh all of my food but I can tell I'm full because it feels the same way as when you eat a huge plate. So...stuffed.
If I'm eating in a restaurant, I don't weigh my food but I know what 4 Oz looks like and I know when I've had enough. I only eat at places I know I can order something that works for me. I suffered for 20 years and I regret every day of that band. The past 3 months have been awesome.

For me there is no comparison. No problems like with the band. Gastric bypass offers great restriction and no hunger. I have surpassed my goal something I could not accomplish with the band. I have not puked once and can eat salads and chicken. Remember the bypass is just a tool you technically can gain weight back with any weight loss surgery however I believe gastric bypass offers great restriction and dulls any hunger you used to have.

I was banded for nearly 11 years before converting to bypass in Sept 2014. My experience with the band was very much like yours. I can tell you that for me, the bypass is night and day compared to the band. Here are my answers to your questions?
Can you eat in a restaurant? Absolutely! I remember one of the first times eating out with my hubby post bypass, I got up in the middle of the meal to use the restroom and had to tell him it wasn't so I could puke! I do have a lot of leftovers, though! What does it feel like when you reach restriction? I just get full and satisfied. If I push it, I feel sick. Can you eat almost anything just very small portions? Yes! And nearly two years out the portions aren't miniscule. Just smaller than before. How common is it to fail at weight loss after a bypass? I know people who have and that does frighten me a bit. I am struggling a little myself because I vowed to not let myself gain more than 3 lbs without hitting it hard again and I am up 7 after vacation. I feel like that is what "normal" people experience, though, and I have a tool to help me lose it again. I think it is vital to remain physically active. I know I will need to work at it forever but will bypass make my struggle easier? For me, absolutely, so far.

I was banded almost 5 years ago and have managed to gain just about all the weight I lost (which quite honestly I don't think the band helped me lose all that much).
I still have port discomfort after 5 years and I hate that sometimes I can get stuck on one bite and sometimes hardly feel restriction. I've found a way around the band by eating slow or waiting till the food goes down and continuing to eat.
I hate the feeling of the discomfort in my chest and I hate that healthy things like chicken and raw veggies are close to impossible to eat with a band.
I feel like I would be better off without the band and no further surgery. I could eat healthier but I want to lose a lot of weight (probably 120lbs to lose) and I'm turning 50 this year. I currently have no health problems except feeling like crap because of the weight but I'm sure they are coming.
My question to those of you that have had both is what is the daily difference? Can you eat in a restaurant? What does it feel like when you reach restriction? Can you eat almost anything just very small portions?How common is it to fail at weight loss after a bypass? I know I will need to work at it forever but will bypass make my struggle easier?
Thanks in advance for your advise!

I am happy to tell you that I will be having a revision to bypass. I'm reading all about the good and bad and I'm still so excited!!

Hi Everyone,
I would really like to see this thread get up and running again.
To all of you original, earlier posters out there - where are you??
I think I have just "ignored" the fact that I'm banded. I have stopped working it, stopped thinking about it (except when I can't eat, which is rare anymore as I'm not filled), stopped seeing it as a tool for weight loss, and have even stopped mentioning it unless medically necessary. I don't even consider myself as a real WLS patient anymore. However, I am just fooling myself.
I have joined and quit weight watchers 3 times since I've been banded (February, 2008) and have not lost a pound, been on numerous reduced calorie diets and have not lost any weight, seen a dietitian for years and even currently have a trainer and my weight has even been slightly increasing. Been told my metabolism is shot.
I'm trying (again) for a revision with my insurance company. I was denied last October. I remember what happened when I was approved for the band back then - my confidence, motivation and self esteem returned. My drive grew and I found it easier to make better decisions about what I ate. It was a new day!
Calling fellow banders for support and camaraderie!
Where are you?

I agree with Tabithan IBBANDED......you have done GREAT so far! Stop at the 30 gained and go from here!
As for snacking at night, I have completely removed any Snacks from my place. The only thing that I have and have found that helps me is sugar free popsicles. They take longer to eat so by the time I'm done with one, I don't really want to eat anything else. I also try to stay busy in the evenings so that I don't have much time to snack between dinner and bedtime.
Good luck IBBANDED and you can do it!!!!

That is a great idea. I don't either, but I do sit with the family in the evening for a couple of hours. Plenty of time to do something.

Does anyone else have an EXTREMELY hard time maintaining?
I have been at goal for 2 1/2 years, but it requires constant vigilance!
EVERY morning I do 20 minutes recumbant bike at 4 mph and 20 minutes treadmill at 303 mph/8.5% incline
In the evening I do 15 minutes of each. This is SEVEN days a week!!
I have disabilities, so this is the maximum I can push without hurting myself
My diet needs to be extremely controlled, also.
I limit fat, avoid carbs and mainly eat fat free/lean Protein and non-starchy veggies.
I usually start my day with an EAS AdvanEdge while on my recumbant bike
Mid morning is usually egg beaters, with veggies, and fat free cheese or laughing cow wedges, maybe some turkey bacon or sausage
Lunch: salad with lean meat, non-starchy veggies and vinegar and/or light mayo or fat free dressing (I only use about 1/2 a serving)
Dinner: lean meat, non-starchy veggies
2 Snacks: fat free sugar free Greek yogurt, or a handful of Quest chips (not the whole bag), or baby carrots, occasionally a rice cake etc....
My nightly indulgence is 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts measured with the shell
I should be skin & bones!!
Why do I need to be so HYPER vigilant to maintain? If I skip ONE workout or eat a piece of bread (which rarely want) I am a pound or two he
Is there anyone else with such a low/non-metabolism?? Oh and btw, my doctor says I have a HYPER-active thyroid! WHHHHAAATTT???!!

Thank you!