needtorecover

I'm 6 months post-op and I'm very happy I got my lap band surgery. I was nervous beforehand, too (I think everyone is!). My biggest fear was that it wouldn't work or make me feel any different. It definitely works, and I definitely feel different! In a good way You just have to be mentally prepared to make some big changes. Life won't be the same afterwards. Keep up with your follow-up appointments (very important with the lap band) and once you reach the right restriction it gets easier. WLS is the only proven way to lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off for good so you're making the right choice! Try to stay calm - the surgery will be over before you know it and you'll be on your way to a lighter weight.

First of all, I am so sorry I don't have much else to add here except I doubt the Biggest Loser metabolic crash would happen to you because WLS isn't as severe as the BL diet/exercise regime. What they do to those poor people on the show is stress their bodies so much and to such extremes that the damage is irreparable. Makes the lap band look like a gentle treatment relative to that. I'm sorry you cannot get a revision. I would try to petition with your insurance company (if your first surgery was covered through insurance). Just try to do your best not to gain any more weight. Do you use a fitness/calorie tracker? Find out what your basal metabolic rate is and do your best to stick within the calories you need to stay as you are. That would be the strategy I'd take.

I love to read! Most recent book I finished was Girl on the Train. It was decent but didn't change my life. I kind of guessed the ending before I finished it. Complicit and Damage Done are two very good YA thriller books that area solid enough for adults to enjoy. Both had crazy endings I couldn't guess. I'm reading Delirium (another YA but I'm having a hard time getting into it) and listening to Remember Me This Way while I do my landscaping and gardening (thriller). I love thrillers, YA books, and general fiction. Light reading. I'm much too exhausted to try to do any deep reading at this point in my life but I'll get back to it when I'm no longer raising wild animals (i.e. toddlers).

I'm a life-long fatty but for a couple glorious years I managed to get down to (and stay at) 155-160 pounds. It felt really, really good for me. I achieved this by taking dangerous diet pills, though, so that party ended for me when they were taken off the market. During that time, though, I felt good (and it wasn't just because I was on speed ) It's been 12 years since I was that slender so I may not physically be able to get that small again (I had the Lap Band so I don't have the malabsorption benefits of DS). But it's funny, my doctor thought I was disappointed with my progress (weight loss has slowed considerably since I'm not quite at my sweet spot for restriction) and I said "Honestly, I'm very, very happy with my band so far because I've never been able to keep my weight below 285 for more than a week or two and I've managed to keep it down for 6 months so I call that a win!" He thinks I'm crazy but he's never been fat so I don't think anyone who's never had a weight problem can fully appreciate how difficult the battle against obesity can be.

Wow... Did you keep up with your follow-up care with your doctor? The Lap Band isn't just a one-and-done deal where you get the band and you're on your own. You're supposed to go back once a month until your restriction is correct and then once every 6 months for follow-up to make sure everything's working as it should. No reputable surgeon would've allowed you to get to that point. I'm sorry for what you went through but the Lap Band is a great tool for many folks (myself included). It does require a lot of vigilance and proper after care.

@@katesuccess - I hate when people walk their dogs without a leash, too. I have a mini dachshund. He was poorly socialized when he was young and does not get along with other dogs or small children but he's super aggressive so if another dog approaches him, he WILL instigate a fight. It doesn't matter how well behaved someone else's dog is. He has the ability to get that dog to turn in an instant. And it terrifies me because he's tiny (9 pounds). A mouthful for an 80 pound Rottweiler. There was this stupid woman walking her St. Bernard without a leash and my dog got his attention and went full-on "let's fight" mode. I started screaming at the woman to get her dog away from my dog and she kept saying "He's not going to hurt your dog" but I kept screaming at her and she finally got the dog's collar and pulled him away. About gave me a heart attack. I don't care how gentle your dog is - it's still a dog, with survival instincts, and if he felt threatened by my dog's very aggressive barking and nipping, all the St. Bernard had to do was take one bite and my pooch would've been a goner.

Ugh, I have a friend who keeps asking me my opinion about her horrid deadbeat dad of a boyfriend and the messed up baby-mama-drama she's dealing with. My opinion: dump the man, move on. What she wants me to say: He's going to get a restraining order against his baby mama, he's going to get his kid from her, he's going to move to your town and marry you and you'll have lots of babies and live happily ever after!!! Every time I point out one of this guy's many, many flaws she comes back with some sort of BS defense or rationalization. She's living in a dream world. I've stopped engaging altogether.

Hi ladies! I'm job searching and if I get called for an interview I have nothing to wear. I didn't realize this until last night when I was scrambling through my clothes to find something appropriate to wear for a Skype interview. Luckily I found a classy sweater and a nice necklace to pair with it but it still wasn't as professional as I was hoping for. Could anyone please recommend a clothing store that sells classy plus-sized ladies pantsuits? Men have the luxury of visiting a tailor with easy to select options to look good at work. Us? Nope. I don't want anything with flare or pizazz, I literally want something conservative, simple, and serious. Any suggestions are welcome! Bonus points if I can actually visit the store in person and try something on!

This is some great Monday fun 1) Couples who share accounts on Facebook (i.e. StacyJason Smith). Just because you got married doesn't mean you've completely forfeited your personal identity. 2) Close talkers. Especially when they inch forward as I inch backwards. NO! 3) Being reliant on incompetent people to do your job and then looking like a fool when it's not done correctly because Barb from accounting didn't check her internal queue to process a payment. 4) Men riding loud motorcycles. The louder the bike, the smaller the package. 5) People who go to the beach and bring a radio and smoke cigarettes. I do NOT want to listen to Kanye West while I'm trying to enjoy the sound of the waves, and I CERTAINLY do not want to breathe in your cancer smoke! 6) This year's election. 7) Anyone who starts a sentence with "I'm not a racist or anything but..." Yes. Yes, you are a racist and you know it because you had to preface your thoughts with that statement. 8) Someone mentioned this already but I'll say it again: people standing/walking so closely behind me I can feel their breath. 9) Men who get offended when I hold the door for them. It goes back to number 8, I'm super uncomfortable with people walking behind me so I hold doors for ANYONE behind me because I want to walk without the weird feeling of someone watching my backside. 10) Bad customer service. Just in general. Whew! I feel better now!

This past weekend I was at a restaurant with my family and as we were leaving my pants started falling down my butt. I had several bags in my hand plus my leftovers box so I tried to hurry out so I could put my things down and hike up my jeans. A server shouted "You need new pants!" and several people turned to look at me. Um, thanks a$$hole. You want to buy me new jeans? Maybe take me on a shopping trip to Lane Bryant so you can pay $70 for a new pair of pants only for me to shrink out of those in a couple months as well? I have three "good" pairs of pants and now that these pants are getting too big that means I have two "good" pairs. I am so glad I'm losing weight but at the same time this awkward between-sizes phase kind of sucks. I have a bin full of size 20 pants but I'm still too chubby for those so I have to wear my 22/24 pants in the meantime (which are getting too baggy). The weight loss is a slow and steady burn so I'm stuck in limbo for several weeks at a time. Ugh, wish I would lose weight faster but I know that's not realistic! I wrote a letter to the manager of that restaurant. People need to learn to keep their mouths shut.

My whole family struggles with their weight but I'm the heaviest. My mom was on diets my whole life growing up. My dad was always had a big belly. My brothers struggled with obesity for a while but both of them made big lifestyle changes and are in the normal BMI category (one of them is an ethical vegan and the other suffered some pretty serious mental health problems and he's feeling much better after cutting sugar, gluten, and eating a plant-based diet). Neither of them did it for weight loss but weight loss was a consequence of their dietary changes so it works for them! Part of the reason I had WLS was because I have a young son and I don't want him to fall into bad habits the way I did when I was little. Full sugar soda, lots of candy, processed foods, fried foods... I ate a lot of that growing up because I ate what my parents prepared for me, as with any child. If I fed my boy the way I used to eat, I'd set him up for childhood obesity and after going through that myself, that's the last thing I want for him. I'm not fanatical about it or anything. I just quietly feed him fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, and cheese without being preachy about it. I don't want him to think food is an issue, something you have to control, something to reward or punish yourself with, or have it imbedded into his emotions somehow. I don't know if there's really anything I can do about that because of our culture but I'm doing the best I can at home to give him a good start and enjoy fresh, healthy foods. I also want to be lighter so I can keep up with him. As I lose weight, movement is easier, and it'll keep getting easier with less fat holding me down. I don't want him to perceive exercise as atonement for a poor diet or something he HAS to do to stay healthy. I want him to enjoy moving for the fun of it (like riding bikes, swimming, running through sprinklers, playing games and sports, etc.). He'll be naturally inclined to do these things as a little kid but I want him to keep moving as he gets older and not sit on his butt in front of the TV like I did. I see the mistakes my parents (unknowingly) made with me and I'm doing what I can to avoid these mistakes with my son. I know I'm going to screw up somewhere, but I hope I can at least prevent him from developing a weight problem because once obesity happens it doesn't go away without major interventions, as we all have learned.

@@cbrr - I get what you're saying, and I'd be honest with any obese person who asked me and answer any questions they had about it because I'd want to help if they were interested in WLS. However, I think these comebacks are more intended for folks who've never had a weight problem and are intrusively curious about your weight loss. I hate questions like "Is that on your diet?" or comments like "Well, I know someone who lost 140 pounds through diet and exercise alone and SHE didn't need weight loss surgery." Fabulous. Come talk to me again in 5 years and we'll see who's still doing well with their weight loss. I'm not going to divulge private information about myself to satisfy someone else's curiosity. However, I will happily explain the process to any obese person who asks because they're worried about their own weight and think they may benefit from hearing about my experience.

@@CowgirlJane - certainly, if it was a friend razzing me for looking silly with baggy pants that's one thing. But it was the way he said it (with disgust and annoyance) and the volume he said it at (made sure plenty of other people would notice my sagging butt). Whether your customer dresses in sizes too large or too small for their body is not something one should comment on. Yes, I suppose I need to invest in a belt but I HATE belts the buckle digs in to my belly when I sit down. Any recommendations for a softer type of belt?? And indeed, it is a NSV I'm proud of! I want these big ol' pants to get TOO big so I no longer have to pay the premium plus sized cost and enjoy shopping in the normal section of the store! But at the same time, I don't think I deserve to be mocked while dealing with the awkward in-between.

Hey folks! I'm part of a local lap band Facebook group based off our mutual surgeon and one of the ladies there posted this article: food group from their diet, or replaces 1-2 daily meals with a weight loss shake? Then this part made me take pause: "The truth is there will come a point where you can't happily live any better — where you can't happily eat less and you can't happily exercise more — and your weight, living with that life, is your best weight. In every other area of our lives we readily accept our best efforts as great, and we need to do that with weight and healthful living too." That seems kind of... grim. Especially because he thinks obese folks should aim for a 5-10% reduction as realistic and feasible for the long-term. He didn't make any mention of whether that 5-10% is in excess weight or if it's in total body weight. But even if it is total body weight, that number is not really even high enough to make a difference in how you feel. I started at 317. A 5% reduction in weight puts me at 301 pounds. That's not even a pant size down. Then a 10% total weight reduction is roughly 32 pounds, putting me at 285. Now that's great, but that shouldn't be the end of my weight loss journey... right? Could I be happy at 285 and maintaining? I guess I feel a little better. Move a little easier. Clothes are looser but I'm not quite to a full pant-size down. But if that was the end of the road with my lap band journey would I be satisfied? No way!! On that note, I honestly haven't been paying close attention to my diet or health in general this past month due to some insane stress and busy times requiring 100% of my attention. I admit to drinking a little too much some nights which led to indulging in poor food choices but I knew the crazy period would end and I'd get my life back in May. I got a bad cold, my toddler got croup, and I've been sleeping poorly and generally feeling horrible. I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and mused over how terrible I look... bags under the eyes, pale skin, graying hairline, uncharacteristically thin neck and face... wait, thin? Stepped on the scale and I'd lost 4 more pounds. Even when I "let go" the band still works. I guess my point is THIS is how weight loss should feel. And it's sad to think without WLS the best one could expect is to lose 5-10% of their weight long-term. More than anything, reading this article reaffirmed my choice to have WLS.

Congrats and welcome! Which surgery are you doing?

My strategy is to order something I know I'll like as leftovers so I'll eat half and take the rest home. Or share something with my spouse though she tends to eat much faster than me and eats all the good stuff (meats, cheeses, sauces, etc.) first so I'm left with soggy bread or sauceless Pasta or nachos without toppings so that doesn't really work in my favor I got my lap band patient card so if I ever have to go to a buffet at least I can pay the kid's price. It'll also help if anyone gives me grief for ordering a kid's portion of something if I want it.

I've had 3 fills so far and I'm not "green" yet. My doctor offered to do my next one under a fluoroscope (which means they'll fill my band to 10 cc's, have me drink barium under an x-ray, and slowly unfill the band until the barium starts flowing through and release 1/2 cc further and that should get me to green). I may end up going that route. We'll see. I'm still losing weight but I'm definitely able to eat too much so it's slower than I'd like it to be.

Into the air apparently! I earned a C- in chemistry in high school so this was news to me. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/12/16/371210831/when-you-burn-off-that-fat-where-does-it-go I suppose it makes for a nice meditation. Every time you exhale, you're breathing a little bit of that nasty fat out of your body.

I wrote a post last week (or maybe the week before) about getting to the point where I normally start to fail. Losing the same 15-20 pounds, feeling good, dropping a size, and then BAM, I'm back to my old habits. It's really hard to shake the feeling of "time to fail" now that I'm below 290 (very difficult for me to stay there in the past). So last Thursday I weighed myself and I was 287, meaning I didn't lose any weight in 2 weeks. I freaked out and kind of went on a bender over the weekend. Well, as much of a bender as I could with my new limitations. I stuffed myself with mostly carbs, drinking Water to push them through faster. Healthy, no? Had some Dairy Queen ice cream. Indulged in a mini Cookies and milk binge (those slide through nicely). My brain was telling me it's over, time to gain the weight back, this is as light as I'll ever be able to force myself to be... And it hurt, physically, to push myself like that but I did it anyway. Brains are very, very complicated and sometimes extremely stupid. It's like I was on autopilot. A zombie. Brain told me that because I'm having a bad month I deserved to eat what I wanted to get by. I couldn't make it shut up. But then I woke up today and told myself the lap band is still there. It's still restricting my intake. I can do this. I need to drink more water which helps overcome the carb cravings. I need to listen to my body. STOP BEFORE IT HURTS. Protein and veggies first. I'm getting another fill in a couple weeks and that will help even more. I'm going to exercise tonight. Wow, what a horrible mental and emotional hurdle to pass. But I can do this. This time it IS different. Listen up, Brain, it is NOT TIME TO FAIL. It is time to overcome and move on. These size 22's will get looser and I'll be in size 20 in a couple months! It's go time!

Not sure what I'm looking for here, maybe just some commiseration... I'm at the weight loss point when I usually fail. I drop 15-20 pounds, barely get back in my size 22/2X clothes, feel great, and then completely lose my steam and gain the weight back. It starts with one insidious cheat meal, which snowballs into a binge, which lasts the whole weekend, and then I try in vain to get back to my good habits the next week only to gain a pound or two and then I completely give up. This has been my pattern for like, 5 years. At this time, I haven't given my eating habits the attention they deserve because my job is crazy right now. I'm doing my best to stay focused so I can effectively get my job done and I need to conserve my energy so I can be in good spirits/condition for my students so I halted my exercise regime. I'm not saying I'm giving up. It's just that this is usually the precipice I hang from and then eventually I fall and I fall hard. On top of all this my wicked PMS is back (going on day 9) so I haven't weighed myself in a couple weeks because I know I'm bloated and carrying Water weight. Just wish my damned period would start so I can feel normal again. Anyway... after this week I'll be able to focus on my health again. I hope this lap band keeps me strong and I don't backslide.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I'm doing much better now kept my eating on track yesterday and going strong today. When I stick with Protein and drink enough Water then my cravings go away. I just need to remember that when I have a moment of weakness and want simple carbs. Self-destructive benders are not the best way to cope with stress or set-backs. I didn't know surgeons could check our metabolic rates! I may have to ask for that at my next appointment! I'd be curious to see how much I actually need to eat in a day.

Dang, your dad has some issues Try to remind yourself that they're HIS issues, not yours. Your weight loss is a huge accomplishment even if you regained 12 pounds. Some people feel good when they tear others down. It's really unfortunate that your father would say that to you.

@@LipstickLady - I float like a cork. It is pretty awesome. I've got enormous breasts and a jiggly belly that serve as an excellent life preserver in Water. I can practically lay on top of water. But I will happily give that up for my weight loss! @@Tommy Joe - I, too, wanted to be fat and happy. I was, for a long time. But it's really slowed me down and as I reach my mid-30's I realize the weight is making me feel older than I should. It was all fine and dandy when I was in my 20's because almost everyone feels good when they're 25 I do know that if things feel bad now at 33, they're going to be that much worse at 43, 53, 63, if I don't do something about it now. WLS is THE ONLY proven effective long-term treatment for obesity. All but the very stalwart 5% of traditional dieters ultimately fail. You will have to make changes, and it won't always be easy, but I can say having WLS makes it considerably less difficult to make good choices. I see you've already decided to go through with it so, congratulations! Hang in there. You will find it's worth it in the end.

I'm struggling with hormonal eating right now, too! My PMS is vicious. But like other said, the hunger isn't nearly as sharp as it was pre-surgery. And when I do give in to cravings, my ability to overeat is very limited. I let myself get too hungry last Friday and told myself I could eat whatever I wanted at the restaurant I went to and ended up getting a burger and fries. I decided to eat until I was completely satisfied, and only managed to eat 1/2 the burger and 1/3 of my fries before I felt too full to continue. Now old me? Especially premenstrual old me? I'd have wolfed down the whole burger, all the fries (plus mayo), plus the rest of my partner's nachos, 2 more beers, AND ordered dessert. And probably would've eaten more when I got home. The surgery makes a HUGE difference.

This is in "ladies only" but I don't really care if men read/respond to it (though I have no idea why this would interest menfolk) so... just a disclaimer. Ever since I fell in the "morbidly obese" category my periods have been irregular. Usually I could count on my period to come every other month. Each time I got my period it would come with wicked PMS and menstrual cramps that rival labor pain - funny, when I gave birth and reached 8 cm I thought to myself "Huh, this is what my worst menstrual cramps feel like." Just so people know what kind of hell I've lived with each period! I'd have to take 4 Advil and 1 hydrocodone every 4 hours just to manage the pain. If I missed a dose, I'd be curled up on the floor and weeping. And when my cramps woke me in the middle of the night and I had to wait 45 minutes for the medicine to kick in... unbearable. Anyway, after I had my baby my periods blessedly vanished (probably due to breastfeeding for 6 months). Got my first period 9 months postpartum - no PMS, no pain, just blood. Thought I was just lucky. Periods started up every 2-3 months, painless, just blood. I thought I was living the dream. Then I lost 30 pounds and now it seems like my hormones are sorting themselves out again. I am suffering from my monstrous PMS again and feel the volcanic buildup of menstrual cramps. It's normal to see a regularization of menstruation after losing weight, yes? Anyone here go from periods every 2-3 months to going back to a 28 day cycle? I guess this is kind of a back-handed NSV I'm not particularly excited about this one. My uterus is retiring from childbearing so if anyone can recommend BC methods that stop periods and don't cause a surge in appetite I'd appreciate it. I hate having my period!!!