Lizalee

One thing I don't miss....having to say "two-hundred...." for my weight. As of today, I'm in onderland! 363 days ago, I went to the mandatory seminar for getting banded - the info session. At that time, I weighed 339 pounds and was miserable - suffering from all the things you've listed in this list, plus diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol. Now, a year later, 7 months after being banded, I'm still 'obese' but on my way to being 'just overweight' and soon thereafter, hopefully, "normal." And I've said goodbye to "super morbid obesity" forever. My list of things I won't miss has turned into "things I don't miss." Sure, I still have 60 pounds to go...but that's a managable number for me. And even if I don't make it to my goal, I am feeling fantastic, don't have those medical conditions anymore, and my life has changed dramatically. So, for all you out there who long for the day you can say goodbye to the obese lifestyle, I'm living proof it CAN be done!!! I'm no different that any of you...it takes committment and hard work, following the rules, and the band can be the tool to get you where you want to be!

Waahooo! I just have to celebrate with you'all today...For the first time in 30 years, I entered ONEDERLAND TODAY!!! I hope to NEVER step foot in 200's again! To all you who are on the way to onederland - Hang in there and keep up the great work! If I can get here, you can too! It feels pretty awesome!!!

Oh, and Orea - I sure hope you get your wish for Christmas! Today I was .3 from ONEderland, which has eluded me again. Can't really blame my scale for the delay - it's been tough for me over Thanksgiving - I gave myself a holiday weekend and ate sweets and other poor food choices. Today, I was pretty controlled for the most part, and stayed under 1300 cals. My band was tight today, and certainly the tightest it's ever been for me - dry turkey, even lunch meat is getting caught up. I need to be careful, but so often forget when I'm in a hurry or with people talking...I forget what I'm doing. I am OK with the restriction though, because otherwise I'd have fallen completely off the wagon! It's been a stressful past few days, but in a good way, as we are in the midst of packing to move next week. Not having moved in 17 years, I forgot all the stuff you need to do & pack...so many phone calls, services to arrange, etc. At least it keeps me busy & out of the frige!

Hi! I agree with the gas - both kinds! I'm always burping after I eat - I think that normal gas bubble in the stomach has a hard time getting out like it used to...makes the burping more obvious. And as for flatus...or breaking wind....gosh, it seems at night when I'm in bed it's just always there! :-( Again...I wonder if it has to do with the control valve (band) just doesn't let the gases flow normally! But, I really have NO idea! It sure is a common problem though from what you-all say!

Wow, wasn't able to check on LBT for a couple days, so sorry to hear about the struggles you great people are having with medical issues, family dynamics, and job/economic uncertainty! Makes me put my daily struggles in perspective. This is always a tough time of year - it's great because of the wonderful Holidays, abut depression can get worse and usuallyl those year-end ecomonic woes, uncertainly about the future. This year is exceptionally tough! Best wishes and prayers to all of you! Each day I check the financial reports and get more concerned about my husband's job in manufacturing, and even in health care we are seeing huge budget cuts and staff cutbacks. Yet, today we are deciding on a offer on our house which will allow us to move to a hobby farm before Christmas! We are concerned...seems like such a bad time to be taking on more debt. But, life needs to go on, this has been our dream, and we pray for continued jobs and the ability to handle the new resonsibilities and challenges of caring for our horses if this deal goes through. We've been in our home x 17 years, and this will be a huge change. But, our housing issue is 'stress' that we brought on ourselves, compared to the stress that many of you are experiencing. Best wishes to you all. We still have many things to be Thankful for, and next week I'll be sure to remind myself of that! And, on a happy note, I am only 2 puonds away from breaking into Onderland, and I can't wait! Will be a tough food week w/ house guests coming as early as Tuesday, and all the feasting that will be going on next week! Glad my recent fill has been helping me.

The thought about checking the bands has crossed my mind too. However, these docs aren't radiologists, and I can't imagine how much the fills would cost if they spent the time to locate the band and check it without symptoms of a problem. Insurance sure isn't going to pay for it! I think a big factor here is the cost--unless some study comes out proving that a high percentage of people have these esophagus problems without symptoms, I can't imagine it will become common practice. But who knows... When I had my pre-band work up, I found that I already had delayed emptying from the esophagus into the stomach. Some people have this dysfunction anyhow. I am careful to watch for signs of swallowing problems, heartburn, acid reflux at night, etc, and haven't had a problem. But, Denise, as you found out, you might not have a whole lot of symptoms, so who knows. I'm sure he wants your esophagus to heal thoroughly, so that you don't develop scars and a stricture (narrowing). Nothing to mess with! Good luck - hope you can manage to maintain weight without being tight. It will be intersting what becomes standard in the future...

Thanks, PJ, and everyone else who replied. I guess I just want those of you out there who may be on the fence or think that you can't have the success that many of us have had to know that we are all just regular people with hopes and dreams just like you...with weaknesses and bad eating habits. If I can do this, YOU can too! RE: All-bran Yogurt bites - gosh, I don't have the box anymore since it's all gone. But...here's web page. If it doesn't work, do a google search for Kellogg's All bran, and look around - you can find it. The have a link to nutrition info. Kellogg's=

Hope you like it. I actually found it was tasteless, so I add losts of Splenda, which makes it palatable for my tastes. It's a fairly dense cereal (lots of fiber). But it does fill me up, which was the point for me! :-) Right now I'm eating All-bran yogurt bites...because DD didn't like it. It too works well, but I think it has more actual sugar (I don't need to add much Splenda.) BTW - Splenda seems to be the most wonderful thing invented except the Band in my book. I love it. Now, I've read that it might not work as well to curb cravings, because the brain expects a sugar load because it's so sweet, then doesn't get it, and craves more...but that was just one study I think. I sure do like the sugar-free fudgsicles, and sugar free foods I wouldn't have touched before because of the artificial sweetener aftertaste, I know can't tell the difference, who it's a good thing in my book.

April - I've been whining lately about cravings and head hunger. But everything is relative. Almost a year ago, I started this journey. I was 339 pounds, had given up on dieting and was on a eating free-for-all. Have never been thin since I was 21, and that was only for about a year - I was a fat kid too. I had tried dietitian-monitored dieting, dieting on my own, etc. I know plenty about nutrition and calorie counting, and strategies to avoid overating,etc., but could never stay on a diet for more than 3 months without dreaming of food and feeling hopeless, since I had so much to loose. I couldn't buy any clothes but what was in extended women's sizes through catalogs. I developed type 2 diabetes, and was on two medications. I had high blood pressure, and my cholesterol count was up, so two more meds. I had severe sleep apnea. My knees were sore, my back was sore. I couldn't walk around the block and not be winded - so I avoided any walking like the plaugue. I didn't want to do anything around the house -cleaning was exhausting, laundry was so many trips up and down the stairs a real challenge. My dream-life way back when was to have a horse. Well, I lived my dream vicariously through my daughters, who were in 4H for 10 years and we now own 2 horses, which I was never able to ride because I was too fat. Horse shows were exhausting to me, all that walking and lugging stuff around. I had completely given up on my hopes and dreams. I was looking forward to retirement, and instead of ever living in the country and having a horse to ride, I was now thinking the only thing life had in store for me was a condo where I wouldn't have to do much physically. I read about the band 2 years ago, and thought I could never do it. I could never give up eating the foods I love. I love to eat, and I love to cook. And then I realized that between the weight, diabetes, cholesterol, etc., I wasn't going to live very long either. I had a hernia and needed surgery, but was afrraid the risks were too great. I feared ever needing a CT scan or an MRI, because I was overweight for the machine - would have had to go where they had a extra-large machine! My oldest son got married 1 1/2 years ago. The pictures make me cringe - so fat!!! Stick out like a sore thumb. I was uncomfortable and embarassed. Then, I decided, enough was enough. If others could do it, so could I. I was 51 going on 70 at the time...and I didn't like it. I wanted to be here in case there were grandkids someday. So, I started the program. 4 months or so later, I finally got the band, but I was already about 40 pounds lighter and out of the 300's then. I felt great already! You can see from my stats that I've done well! It's nothing short of a miracle! I am very close to "onderland!" I can wear 1X clothes now, and am very close to fitting into the regular misses sizes! I can walk 2 1/2 miles now without any problem - in fact, I just got back from doing just that. I have ridden one of the horses now 4 times!!! :-) (but I'm not very good at it!) And - we have an offer in on a hobby farm with 5 1/2 acres, and as soon as somebody buys our house (say a prayer!!) we will be bringing our horses home and living my life-long dream! It will be a lot of physical work, but I'm no longer afraid of it. In fact, I'm looking forward to it, since I'm running out of ways to burn off calories now that it's so cold up here in Wisconsin. I feel like a whole new person! I am not embarasssed to travel for work, meet new people, etc. I am no longer this grotesque fat person, but a happy 'normal' looking person. Sure, I gripe about eating too much - but that means 1400 or 1600 calories instead of 1000 - 1200 I'd like too in order to drop the pounds faster. Not 3000 or 4000 like I used to eat!!! So...only you can decide. What would you like your life to be? And what will help you get there? For me, the Band was an answer to prayers, and nothing short of a miracle! Maybe it's not the same for you ... you need to make the committment for yourself, when you are ready. Nobody can make it be successful. If I chose to eat ice cream and chocolate and cookies everyday, I will gain weight. I work very hard not to, and despair when I have weak moments and do just that. But then, there's another fill, or I have to make a change in my lifestyle again. It will be a lifelong battle, but I'm glad I have the band in my side to help me. It's much EASIER with the band! Good luck with whatever you choose. When you're ready, you will know what to do.

HI PJ, Yeah, I'm struggling too, mainly with head hunger. But one thing I've found is I've stopped the slimfast. Instead I eat a high-fiber high Protein Cereal (like GoLean, or a bran product) and that does keep me feeling fuller, longer. The slim fast slides right through. I also eat a Healthy Choice meal now for lunch at work. My problem is I like to eat often...especially when I'm at work. As soon as I start to feel the least bit empty (not necessarily hungry) I want to fill 'er up. That's where I struggle. I've also tried a regular sandwich - bread and low fat turkey lunchmeat - which again is more satisfying than just lunchmeat alone, which is what I was eating. I try to stick to the rule of protein first (solid types) and then veggies...but that doesn't always work well when you're out, or using "fast food" - it's all high fat, high calorie stuff. But yeah...menu suggestions are welcome!! I too need some help! I don't like the garlicky foods...which limits my choices in frozen meals.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am so afraid of slipping backwards - and I want to enter onederland so bad! The serotonin thing makes total sense - I've been struggling for the past month, and am convinced it's seasonal. The Halloween candy is gone, the caramel corn portortioned in just enough baggies for my daughter's lunches for the week. No more fatty food left from the weekend and I'm ready to get back on track! Last night I looked through a Coldwater Creek catalog that came, and realized I could fit into almost everything in the catalog! That's such a huge thing for me. I'm not buying anything, but it's nice to know that I COULD! On the other hand, the Lane Bryant and Roaman's catalogs I've been throwing away. Since I can actually go to the store and find clothes, no need to pay shipping. Now that's a liberating feeling! Now I just gotta get through today...one day at a time. Thanks again.

Hi Orea,glad you came back. I know what you mean. I can't actually blame the band for my current issues - it works fine, but I can just eat too much anyhow and I've been making poor food choices. But I get the dispirited part, for sure! I've slipped into back into some bad habits. I've been 'dieting' for the past 11 months, and suddenly, I've been wanting my former foods. I think it's the time of year - so many holiday reciptes, cold-weather foods, sweets, family gatherings - and less low-calorie summer foods around. Anyhow, I find myself eating too much. Every day I say I'm going to do better, and yet, I end up eating something I shouldn't that adds a couple hundred empty calories- such as corn puff caramel corn I made this weekend 'for the family." Do you guys find that if you even take a small serving of a sweet, like a mini-candy bar, you want more? That sure has been happening to me - and it's like a cascade of cravings. I keep wishing I could be satisfied with much less, like I was able to eat the first few months after banding. But that same small serving just isn't doing it anymore. I gained 2 pounds in the past week - I was at a conference where they fed us Really well - and this despite using the treadmill to walk at least a couple miles a day. This past weekend with family gatherings, more 'bad' food. And I just haven't been emotionally able to walk away from the food. Gosh...it's so hard to get back in control! I do have a fill scheudled next week, and hope that does it - but think I'll only be able to have a small filll as I don't want to be overly tight / getting protein stuck. My last fill was the first time I ever really had any real restriction - sensation of food being stuck briefly if I eat chicken, etc, too fast. That's eased up now, so I hope I another small fill will do the trick. How have you been able to get back in control and 'on the wagon." I don't want to fall back into my former life!

Yummmm....Popcorn! I thought it was interesting, bochs, that you mentioned you were doing fine until the cold weather hit. I too have been struggling this week. Not only does popcorn sound delicious, but I've been craving butterfingers and milky ways -- because it's almost Halloween, and we ALWAYS eat them this time of year. I really believe that part of my primal instincts kick in this time of year. Could it be fattening up for the winter? Because I feel compelled to bake more, make roasts, stock up on sweets, etc. It's REALLY hard all the sudden to not eat this stuff! It's been a struggle - and this past week I have figured in chocolate candy to my daily calorie count. I know I shouldn't - but last night, the only thing I could think of was eating two 'fun-size' milky ways that I had for the trick or treaters that will come tomorrow. 150 cals. Thank goodness after tomorrow the stuff will go away. But that won't help me with the holiday foods and seasonal things I just want to make -- and eat! I just hope the snow and ice doesn't come too soon so I can keep up walking those calories off. Once the roads are bad and snow high, I just want to curl up on the couch and stay warm. And yes, I miss my insulating fat layer this year - I've NEVER been a 'always cold' person - but that sure has changed. I used to rarely wear a winter coat - all winter & only in the bitterest cold weather - and never a hat. Now, I already need my hat and warmest mittens to work to work on these chillyl mornings. That is a big change for me. However ... I don't want my insulating fat layer back!! :-) I'll just buy warmer stuff!

Hi everybody. It's so COLD out here in Wisconsin tonight - I've been doing so good walking 45 min each night - but tonight I only lasted 15 minutes. It's cold, windy, and so dark! I miss the ldayight until at least 7:30 pm, and mild temps in at least the 50's. By the time I get home from work and have supper, it's getting dark! Anyhow, I should be out walking and here I am sitting at the computer. I didn't see it, but I hear there were snow showers today, even down in Chicago land where my sons are. I'm not ready for this! Some of you down in warmer climates...enjoy your mild weather!! I'm jealous! I've been resisting joining indoor exercise, but I might have to soon. :-( I'm a winter scrooge! (yes, the snow is pretty on Christmas, but that's about it!)

Debbi, I love your line "Taking my life back." OH how true! I too have taken my life back and it's SO wonderful! I can walk for and hour without being tired, with my dogs. I can ride my daughter's horse (not well, but hey, I can do it!!) We are trying to buy a hobby farm to bring our horses home - I had given up on that lifelong dream because I was always too tired and too fat to do the work involved. YES - taking my life back describes it perfectly! Who would have thought that a little silicone band could do all that!!! Well...it didn't do all of it, but helped ME do it! And to think only a year ago I was looking forward to 'retirement' in a condo so I wouldn't have to do anything...what a mistake that was. Now I'm nowhere ready for life in front of the TV.

You know, I agree with you - although I can find clothes I like at other stores with plus sizes - HOWEVER the funny thing is that I am on the verge on not needing the plus sizes, and I feel lost! Those regular misses departments are so HUGE and SO MANY choices! I'm overwhelmed!! I don't know where to shop or what to buy! And, I feel like I don't belong there--like the people see ME in the normal people department and are thinking - wow, who is she kidding? She must be shopping for somebody else... I know - what a terrible problem! :eek: It is kind of fun though...so much nicer than having to pay shipping to buy from Roamans, etc, and hoping things came in EXTENDED plus sizes! Wow! I can try things on!!! You all hang in there - your dreams will come true!

Janet, I must have missed this news somehow (don't always have time to go back and read all the posts.) So sorry for your loss! Thoughts and prayers are will you.

You guys are absolutely right - my refrigerator and microwave are right in my office!!! I don't even have to get off my chair! I"ll have to think about that. I need a lock like the bank vaults have...won't open till the timer says so! I'd like to think that there is some way I can learn WILLPOWER! I guess I think it's personal failure on my part.... Thanks for the insight.

Hi JoannMarie: Congratulations on your date!! Yes, the waiting is awful, but you have really done your homework and I believe my wait helped me be really ready for all these changes, as it has you! I had a fill last week, now at 6cc in a 9cc band - and I'm finally actually feeling some restriction! The past two days I was 'gulping' down my food - grilled pork tenderloin yeseterday, and hamburger helper today - and both times I had to stop - before I emotionally wanted to - because it was getting stuck!! Now I have to actually EAT SLOW and CHEW WELL. I had been getting away with not doing that very well, but no longer. I still can eat a lot of some foods - but the oddest things if swallowed too fast are causing me problems. Like I ate a 3 reduced fat townhouse crackers last night - and nearly PB'd them up. Eventually they went down - but I learned my lesson. Sort of - at least now when I get that sensation, I know enough to stop! I can eat juicy things - like apples - with no problem. As uncomfortable as it is...it makes me so happy that this band is doing its job! I need firm reminders! :-) I'll have to look up that "mindless eating' book. I find that at work during the day is the worst - I sit at my desk and just keeping thinking about what else I brought along to eat. Usually, I stick to my predetermined food allotment, but will eat it all before lunch! I know it's boredom and something to distract me from what I should be doing, but if I'm the least bit hungry, I can't think about anything else. Drinking water doesn't help. I've found that diet hot chocolate helps for awhile, but then all too quickly that craving for a full belly comes back. I'll tell myself 'not till 30 mintues past" but 10 minutes later, I just eat whatever was "next" on my food agenda. Pathetic, eh? How have you all conquered that???

Great to hear that there are just-banded folks on this thread - but sorry you are going to a tough post-op period. The shoulder pain is 'referred pain' - meaning, it's actually from CO2 that the surgeon usees to inflate the belly during surgery so they can see what they're doing, and from pain in the operative site, internal organs, etc. It does get better as the gas is slowly reabsorbed - mine wasn't too bad, but I'd say there was some discomfort for 2 - 4 days. Walking helps distribute it around I think, which can help ease the pain. My guess is also that feeling of needing to burp, but being unable to, is from the swelling and irritation of the stomach. Usually we can burp up excess gas...but since the stomach inlet is now so much smaller, it doesn't come up so easily. As the swelling after surgery goes down, that bloated feelling/ability to burp does get better. (Unfortunely, at that point you start getting hungry again...and then the "bandster hell" period starts - not enough restriction) I do find though that I burp more now - like I'm swallowing more air when I eat for some reason - or maybe I just notice it more because I have to work a little harder to relieve it? I've also noticed that at night I have lots of "wind" - which I wonder is also related to more gases being trapped in the stomach that is passing on through rather than being burped up? And, those narcotic pain meds do slow the bowels down too. Take heart ! You will be feeling better very soon! Within a week I was back to pretty much all my normal activities. Katydid - sounds like you have something more significant going on with that intractable reflux - have they looked inside your GI tract with a scope to see if you have ulcers or inflammation of the esophagus, stomach or small intestine? Perhaps get a second opinion from a GI specialist? How long have you been on the nexium? Bluzbandit - I do believe that liability has a good part in why so much pre-op testing is done in the US, but, I also think there is some good reason to do so. For example, there are risks of anesthesia -- it's stressful on the heart, lungs, and kidneys - best to know about any medical conditions ahead of time so that the choice of anesthesics and care provided doesn't cause problems. Also, testing for h. pylori that causes stomach ulcers is important before the band to prevent worseing problems after the band and endoscopy is harder with the band in place. So, I think there is a measure of science abehind the testing, but also certainly a fear of liablity - since everybody who has a bad outcome wants somebody else to be responsible for it! (Just my opinion!! Sometimes doctors DO make mistakes!) Anyway...welcome to bandland!

No, not since April. I lost weight on the supervised diet I had to be on for 3 months, so it's 120+ since the beginning of December, actually. But I'm still happy with it!! :-)

L2B, Now I can't wait to hear how it went with your Mom!! I think she'll be flabbergasted when she see's you! :-)

Way to go Natasha!!! I echo your sentiment - I can't wait to post my 199 loss - to meet my goal! Meanwhile - it's great along the way enjoying all the NSV's. I mentioned to my family the other day - I feel like I got my life back, and am so enjoying it!

Now that's one NSV I've never considered. But I have to say, I'm so happy not to have to scout out the stalls to find the BIGGEST one anymore - It feels good to fit into a normal stall (instead of the handicapped stall) and still be able to wipe! I realized recently that I didn't have to have the steering wheel at the most up-tipped position and the seat as far back as possible to fit without hitting the wheel. I love it! I can even fit in the back-seat belts now! NSV's are the sweetest things - they are so much more real that looking only at the numbers!

Hi, So today I got a fill, now I'm up to 6cc in 9cc band. I can actually feel the restriction now. I'm on liquids today, but this is the first time recently that I can really feel that there is restriction! I can feel the fluids going down. I have no trouble with water, and just drank a can of tomato soup at hand - and feel full! Yeah! Recently I could eat way too much - like 2 1/2 plates of food at a chinese buffet, and not even bother to chew very well. That's why I'm SO happy to have had a filll! I'm a little nervous about getting things stuck, since it's been so long since I've had to really chew and be careful. Have to keep reminding myself... I am so ready to drop some more pounds...it's been rather slow lately, despite increasing the exercise. (I was eating too much, but hungry all the time) Anyhow, I'm hoping I've found the sweet spot, at least for awhile! Aiming for onederland - 18 pounds to go!