Kalipso2

hi ashley... you're doing all the right things by researching and asking questions.

you asked about throwing up because of the stomach flu and what that can do to the band. in february, i got sick. it started with my nose draining down my throat which gave me a sore throat. my nose was draining so bad that whenever i tried to drink something i'd throw it back up. even being 3 years post-op, i still get scared about my band slipping. i emailed my surgeon to ask his opinion (i live 4 hours away from my surgeons office). even after all these years, i still lean on him for support and you need to find a surgeon you feel like you can call at any time. he called in a prescription for my nausea. turned out i had bronchitis but things with my band turned out fine.

as for you never feeling full... that IS something you will need to work on. that's when the phrase "the band is just a tool" comes into play. you DO have to still work at losing weight. you have to make healthy choices and not over eat. that's why you measure and weigh your food for a long time. you don't eat off a big dinner plate, you eat off a salad plate. you eat slowly to give your body the chance to actually feel full. you will have to work at it.

i wish you the best of luck on your journey!

I'm almost 3 years post-op, so here is what I feel:

• What does it feel like after eating the 1/2 cup of food? it takes awhile before you learn how your body is going to feel after eating, that's why it's a good idea to weigh or measure your food. and it will take awhile before you're able to tell because every time you get a fill it will feel different. once you're at your sweet spot, your body will tell you when it's full.

• What does it feel like to be full? i've learned to listen to my body. i literally know that if i eat ONE more bite i'll throw up. you have to learn to listen to your stomach and not your head. your head with ALWAYS tell you to keep eating!!

• What does it feel like to be stuck? to me it feels like someone has a fist in the middle of my shoulder blades. and it hurts.

• What does it feel like before you throw up? the "sliming" starts. your mouth will begin to fill up with saliva rapidly. you'll know it when it happens!!

• What does it feel like when you are throwing up? usually its just emptying the top part of the stomach and it's relatively easy (no wretching) but it is NOT recommended that you throw up.

• What does it feel like when you drink Water and if you drink it too fast? if you drink after you're eating, there is no place for the Water to go except back up the way it came.

I also have not seen much from people who have actually reached goal:

• How do people deal with reaching goal? Currently (probably because I am barely starting to live the lifestyle) I imagine that when I reach goal I might be the person to say, "OK I can enjoy myself a bit now and if I gain a few lbs its OK because I can lose it again." But then I will get out of control and gain it all back. i still weigh myself every morning. it's habit now. it keeps me on track. i allow myself 2 pounds.

• What is the thought process like once a person reaches goal? i just recently reached goal or i'm still basically eating the same way i've been. nothing has really changed yet.

• What is it like to stay on maintenance? it's like any other day. you get in a rhythm of what you eat and the times you eat so it's pretty easy.

• How do you exercise during matinence? For example if you do 2 hours of exercise per day while loosing weight do you have to continue to do that much exercise during maintenance to keep the weight off or do you pull it back a bit so you don't continue to loose weight? i have not exercised at all... which is why it took me almost 3 years to lose 70 pounds. i just know myself and know that i would never keep up with any exercise regimin if i started and then stopped i probably would have gained weight back. i've never gained any weight back by just "dieting".

i've been banded for almost 3 years now... before my surgery, i had so many "last meals" it wasn't even funny. i was to be on a 2 week pre-op diet (medi-fast) and i only lasted 1 day. to me, the pre-op wasn't as important as the post-op eating plan.

i'm going to be honest with you and how things are with MY band and how my eating has changed the past 3 years.

i'm a VERY picky eater. i don't like veggies. i don't like many fruits. i'm a big fan of all the unhealthy foods and fast food chains. i was also a binge eater, meaning i wouldn't eat 1 donut, i'd eat 6.

after my surgery, there are SO MANY foods my band don't let me eat anymore. bread and ground meat are the big ones which means no burgers, no pizza, no sandwiches of any kind. the only Protein i really eat is chicken and eggs with occasional pork. Protein shakes are my best friend. i still crave pizza and just can't be around it. i can now be out with family and don't feel like a drug addict when i'm around someone who eats a hamburger. there really isn't anything i can eat from any fast food place anymore unless i take the chicken off the bun. i can't eat french fries. i can eat 1 chicken soft taco but no rice.

what i find more difficult than the limited food choices for me is the amount of food i now eat. i eat about half a kids meal when i go out to dinner. imagine having the biggest, best steak in front of you and HAVING to stop after 6 tiny bites because your stomach is full... but your brain is still ravenous. i get depressed when i have to stop eating and throw up if i continue to eat.

on the other hand...

food isn't exciting to me anymore. i don't eat to enjoy, i eat to stay alive. food no longer holds any enjoyment for me... it's just something i have to do 3 times a day like taking a shower and going to the bathroom.

the results that i've achieved from the band are tremendous. i've lost almost 70 pounds and i'm at my goal weight. i fit into size 8 jeans, size 6 skirts, size small tops. even my feet have shrunk. i get compliments almost daily. i feel good about myself. i'm healthy being at a normal BMI and i'm happy!

do i recommend the surgery... YES but just be prepared for the most difficult journey of your life. it is doable... i'm proof of that!

i didn't have any problems after surgery but just remember... it's liquids IN and liquids OUT. i would call your surgeon to see if he can prescribe you something to help.

while i value peoples opinions here... none of us are doctors so i'm a firm believer of talking to the surgeon with any concerns. you just never know why the body is reacting the way it is.

i'm 3 years post-op and i still contact my surgeon. i had the stomach flu and called him with my concerns. he called me in a prescription to help with the nausea so maybe your doc will call you in something...

hope you feel better soon!

congratulations on your journey! i've been banded for almost 3 years and there are so many cool people here... don't be afraid to ask questions

i didn't have one but i kinda wish i had. that was my first memory waking up after surgery. i had to pee. the nurse assured me i didn't have to go and i insisted i DID have to go... but i wanted to get UP and go. she put me on a bed pan. needless to say, i couldn't go. and she said "i told you so". when i was in my room after surgery, it hurt so bad to stand up and lay back down that i would have put up with the pain from the cath being taken out. and it seemed to take forever to even GO pee. anyway... probably too much info lol

wow, 2 days might be pushing it. you'll more than likely still be on pain meds! i had my surgery on a monday, spent the night in the hospital (my choice) and didn't feel "human" gain until day 4. i also have a desk job and i didn't go back to work until the following tuesday. with the bending and leaning and pushing with your job... you might need more time off.

my question is... are you losing weight?

i like that your doctor is encouraging you... when i hit 171 pounds at my 2 year anniversary, my surgeon told me i wouldn't lose any more weight and he considered me a "success" because i did lose 60% of my weight but i wasn't happy with that. so the past 10 months i've lost an additional 26 pounds bringing me to 145 pounds which is "normal" on the bmi chart.

it's funny because people are starting to say "you're getting too skinny" and i make them clarify... am i looking skinny or TOO skinny? that makes me smile inside because it's been over 20 years since i've been skinny!

YOU need to be comfortable with who you are. if you're happy now... just start maintaining. you can always lose more weight down the road!

to be honest with you, i didn't follow the pre-op diet either BUT it is VERY important for you to follow the post-op instructions your surgeon gives you!!

a slight unfill of .25ccs could possibly fix the problem!

just think of what you're going thru right now as a learning experience and it can only make you stronger!!!!!

i was the only overweight person in my family and friends... even coworkers. thankfully, my friends were VERY supportive and my family had accepted my decision to needing more help other than willpower.

i'm almost 3 years postop and i've never exercised. it took me 2 years and 10 months to lose 68 pounds though since i didn't exercise. so, you CAN lose weight without exercising but it will come off much slower.

i grew up skinny but as i entered my mid-20's the weight started sticking. i tried every diet under the sun and they worked... while i was on them... but once the diet stopped the weight came right back.

almost all of us can lose weight, it's keeping it off that's the problem!

being banded by no means is an "easy solution". this is the most difficult thing i've ever had to do. it's not a diet at all... it really is a lifestyle change.

i will never be able to eat an entire pizza ever again. i will never be able to eat a regular meal at a restaurant ever again. i will never be able to have cocktails with my friends and eat at the same time ever again... i have to choose one, eat or drink. it's a struggle every single day.

with that being said, i couldn't be happier with my new body. i can cross my legs without having to pull my leg over. i now wear a size 8 or smaller. i don't diet but my band won't let me have bread or hamburger but i can eat small amounts of what ever i want.

and... the surgery is reversible if it just doesn't work for you. no other weight loss surgery is reversible!

congratulations!!! just be careful... i'm now addicted to shopping! i now fit into size small tops and the thought crossed my mind... what happens if i lose more weight? if i'm in a small now how will i find anything that fits right?? such a dramatic difference to once trying to just find jeans big enough to fit over my hips!

ohhh the bat wings! i've been lucky... i don't have any saggy skin except for my arms! ugh... i pull the skin back and look to see what my arms would look like after a bit of Lipo but i doubt i'll ever be able to afford that since my surgery was selp pay!

it's acid reflux... i had the same exact thing happen to me! i would wake up choking on my own vomit and it would scare the crap out of me! i got a slight unfill and i take an acid reflux over the counter medication just to be safe.

i seem to get that pain only when i've over eaten... i actually have it right now because i ate way too much at lunch.

it should eventually go away after the food passes thru the band.

there are no guarantees in life but most people lose weight all over.

in the past, i always lost weight from my face, then boobs, then tummy, then thighs.

after surgery, my boobs didn't get much smaller but the rest of me did.

i had 70 pounds to lose and its taken all of the 2.5 years that i've been post-op. every one is different when it comes to how fast the weight falls off.

good luck on your journey!!

i think we all "fall off the wagon" at some point. i'm just so glad you're back on track!

you have a rough work schedule so i can definately understand your struggles!

i was the only overweight person in my family so i knew i was going to have a lot of explaining to do.

1. do as much research as you can so you can answer every question that they can possibly ask.

2. don't make it sound like you are asking for their approval... you don't need it.

3. be confident in YOUR decision.

4. have your fiance there for support. having him by your side will strengthen your decision.

i found that my friends have been very supportive. hopefully yours will be too. from what i've read from others, skinny friends are accepting but overweight friends get angry, jealous, envious, etc.

just remember... this is your journey and you deserve to be healthy AND happy!!

it's sad to say but i've never worked out. i'm almost 3 years post-op and it's taken me that long to get to my goal weight probably because i haven't exercised. but... i haven't gained any weight back either.

i guess i just felt this was a more realistic goal for me. i knew i'd never keep the exercise up and i didn't want to gain weight when i stopped.

shopping is my new addiction too! i started my journey in april 2008 and each spring and fall since then i've had to replace my entire wardrobe, shoes included!

i'm seriously out of control! to the point where my one credit card company lowered my credit limit to the amount i have charged on it even though i pay on it religiously every month.

my entire taste in clothes has changed too. not only am i wearing more form fitting clothes, i'm wearing patterns and bright colors! i LOVE getting dressed every morning compared to dreading getting out of my pajamas 70 pounds ago : )

i had a lower BMI before my surgery so i knew my weight loss was going to be slow. i had 68 pounds to lose to be "normal" on the BMI chart and i just hit my goal this week... almost 3 years after my surgery.

it was frustrating in the beginning and i've had to work for every pound that i've lost but it's been worth it!

it's only natural to be scared... especially your parents. i was 37 when i had my surgery almost 3 years ago and my entire family tried to change my mind. not that they didn't want me healthy, they were afraid of the surgery itself. i'm the only one in my family that is overweight so they didn't really understand the concept behind the lapband. i had dinner with my older sister the other night and she said, "you don't eat enough" so she still doesn't really get it. thin people usually don't "get it". i NEED the band to help me stop eating. luckily all my friends have been supportive and i get teased as being a "cheap date" because i either order off the kid's menu or i share their meals.

just do as much research as you can before you have the surgery. you may think you'll be okay only eating a half to a cup of food at one sitting but it's more difficult than you think! your brain wants you to keep eating because the food is good or there's so much left on your plate but if you don't "listen" to your band you'll throw up. it's a total mind game for me... even after 2.5 years.

also, you might not be able to eat the foods you love anymore, even in moderation. i can't digest bread or ground meat so that means NO pizza, NO burgers. EVER. my 2 favorite foods in the entire world. i've gotten over hamburgers but pizza is still hard for me because it's everywhere... at every party, every family meal, etc.

BUT, i love my new body! i went from a size 18 to a size 8. sometimes i can even fit into a size 6 pair of jeans! i haven't done that since high school! its nice being able to cross my legs without having to grab and pull the leg over. i love walking without sweating. it's amazing how i can take the stairs at work without a second thought. it's life changing!

when a band slips, the lower part of the stomach pushes upward past the band. usually the doctor will unfill the band completely in hopes that the stomach that slipped up thru the band slips back down past the band.

if it repositions itself, you can get fills again. if the stomach doesn't reposition, surgery is necessary to fix it.

i'm almost 3 years post-op and have had no "equipment" problems!