Socalbandit

You may not necessarily agree with what I am going to say but here it goes. Do you really think that going out is the best thing just 8 days out? This is how I feel about eating out. I am 10 weeks out and have not gone out at all. I miss it, but I still don't feel like I could control myself yet. I am going out for the first time on Easter and am a little nervous about it. I am going to share a meal with my husband but that is still more food than I normally eat. It is hard to sit in a restaurant and not eat what you want. Then you get on the pity pot and don't have a good attitude about your weight loss. Also, I feel like my conviction has to be the strongest in the beginning or else I will start to cheat here and there and before you know it, I have fallen off the wagon. I am down 37 lbs and it just feels so good to be in such control. I know it is hard but just keep your eye on the prize. I hope this helps. Have a wonderful Easter regardless of where you eat. It becomes so important to take the importance off the food. It is a daily struggle but one I feel like I am winning with each day that I don't give in to temptation.

I am not sure how many fills you have had at this point. Just for reference I was banded on 1-7-08 and have lost 34 lbs. You also didn't say what your BMI was so not sure how much you want to lose. Mine was almost 40. I have had 1 fill and do not feel a lot of restriction. I have however changed my eating habits. I stay below 1000 cals a day. I also work out at the gym 5-6 days a week. I haven't overeaten yet so the band is not really doing what it was intended to do yet. I just want to be very conservative with my fills. Not looking forward to sliming or pbing so trying to work on issues without the band for now. It will be more helpful to me as I get down closer to my goal and just maintaining. Are you for sure getting in 60 grams of protein and 64 oz water a day. Very important for continued loss. Are you eating out a lot? Lots of hidden calories there. Hey be happy 33lbs is a good amount. Just stay the course.

If you trust your surgeon and your insurance will cover it then it seems like a slam dunk to me. Why take a chance of developing problems. It is a very minimally invasive surgery with a band that is more advanced than the one you had put in 4 yrs ago. I say why ask for trouble. Good luck.

I am not sure if you checked with your doctor on that but no tuna was allowed for me until I entered my full food stage. It was not even allowed on mushy stage. You want to be very careful that you don't irritate your stomach or stretch the pouch. Liquids is generally broths ,proteins drinks, milk, water and jello. Just giving my 2 cents. Good luck, I know that is a tough 2 weeks.

Journaling is such an important part of your life. Not only to track your calories but also to be sure that you are getting the adequate grams of protein. It is my habit to decide what I am going to eat the day before and journal it even before I eat it. That way I don't come home after the gym starving and start grazing in the kitchen. I know exactly what I am going to eat and know what I am eating is the right calories and enough protein. Some people might find this too rigid but for me to be successful this is what I need to do. Good luck.

I was banded on 1-7-08 and chose not to have a fill my first appointment also. I am about at the same wieght loss, 33 lbs. I did get my first fill last Fri. though. I have not had any problems with pb's or anything getting stuck. I too am ok with my loss at this point. I am a little hungry but am just used to eating a small amount from before my fill. I want to go very slow and conservative with my fills. I don't want to be at the point where I can't eat any bread or a slice of pizza every now and then. If I committ to exercise 5-6 days a week and keep my calories at 1000 I think it should be pretty steady loss for awhile. Sounds like you may want to chew bettter and sloooow down. I know old habits are hard to break. Keep up the good work.

I was wondering why you had to wait 5 months for a fill? My doctor doesn't need to use flouro to do a fill. I would just try to keep my meals at 1000 cals a day or less. Good luck.

When you met with the doctor prior to your surgery did he not tell you that the band is only a tool. The doctor told me he could not guarantee success because he cannot control what I put in my mouth. It was also made very clear to me that I would need to make lifestyle changes. I know it is not easy. I hate going to the gym everyday. But I hate being fat even worse. When I made the decision to get this band, I promised myself I would be successful no matter what.

Hey Midnite I was just wondering what your daily caloric intake is and if you are exercising on a regular basis. It seems impossible to me that if you were at 1200 calories as recommended that you would not have lost any weight in 2 years. Have they checked to make sure you are not leaking at all?

Hastings, You have hit the nail on the head!! Sometimes I question how serious people are about wanting to lose weight. No one could want a hamburger and fries more than me but that is exactly the kind of food that got me into this mess. Not to mention how bad it is for me. There needs to be more changes made inside each of us than just having a band around our stomach. I personally would not be happy with losing less than 6 lbs a month at the minimum. My doctor always says to me "Peolple tell me they can still eat a whole hamburger and I tell them I could steal from Target because they have lousy security but I don't." If you are journaling your food like you are supposed to and not going over 1200 calories a day, then losing at least 6 lbs a month is very easy( as long as you are not near goal weight). We need to be empowered to take control of the food and not continue to let the food control us because we like to eat.

Don't worry. This is nothing to stress out over. For lap band they usually water it down even more than if you were having like an upper GI. It is not bad at all. Good luck.

It is so true that you must committ to making changes in why, what, and how much you eat. You also have to make exercise a part of your life forever. I hate the gym but 5 days a week I am there, literally working my butt off. At support groups I attend it really iritates me when people act like they are just this passive passenger on their weight-loss journey. If they are not losing it can't be their fault, it has to be the band. That is such hogwash. If they would stop stuffing their faces with pizza, ice cream, and hamburgers then I am sure they would lose weight. Believe me I could kill for a burger or a brownie but I refuse to sabotage myself. This is a lifestyle change and the band can only do so much. I am convinced for the first time in my overweight life that I will be thin sooner than later. For me that is nothing short of a miracle. I have to limit going out to eat because for me that is a trigger. I am 9 weeks post surgery and am happily looking forward to a meal out on Easter. Christ is risen and momma's gonna eat out. But then the next day right back on the wagon. You have to really want to lose and dedicate yourself to doing it. If you put the effort in, it will come back to you ten-fold but your doctor is absolutely right. Good luck to you on your weight loss journey.

We are all here for the same reason. I knew I needed to do something when I was afraid to go to the doctor because of being embarrassed about my weight. I did research and decided the band was the answer for me and I have not wavered once in my committment to change my life and health for the better. I also had to pay 10,000 which has given me all the incentive I need to succeed. I am 9 weeks post op and have lost 33 lbs. Failure is not an option for me. I have not eaten at a restaurant even once, so there are sacrifices. As my foundation gets stronger and the weight loss gets greater I will venture out into the world of normal eaters. I am at the gym 5 days a week and journal every calorie I put in my mouth. It may seem very regimented to some, but I was so out of control that this is what I need to do to be successful and maintain a good weight loss. Even though I have only had 1 fill, 5 days ago, I know I could not have accomplished this without the surgery. For me, the band will be the most helpful in just keeping the weight I have lost off. For some reason it always finds me after I lose it. Good luck in your journey and when you are ready to make that committment to yourself.......you will be thin again.

So sorry to hear of your discomfort. By all means call the doctor. You could have an infection or it could just as easily be a bug you picked up but he would want to know. As far as the gas and bloating goes, that is totally normal and to be expected after surgery. The tenderness in your abdomen could be just related to the surgery or it could be a sign of something more serious. Be sure to continue to get your 64 oz of fluid in a day which will help with your constipation. You are not bothering the doc, he works for you. He does not want you to suffer needlessly. Godspeed in your healing process.

Good for you. Life will only get better. I was banded 2 months ago and it was a breeze. i am down 30 lbs and go to the gym 5 days a week. My biggest complaint right after surgery was the gas, but no biggie. My first fill will be Fri. and I am hoping it will help with my hunger. I chose to not get a fill the first month and work on changing my mindset but 900 cals a day is tough with no restriction but I am doing it. It is kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy, the more you lose the easier it is to give up the food because you see results and then you want to move more and so on. The bills are now coming in and that is a pain but worth every penny. Best of luck and keep us posted.

Change is very difficult for everyone. Food is our comfort, friend, our drug and the root of all our problems. Giving up the way we used to eat is so hard. We can still eat just not the same way. Haven't you ever changed jobs and it just feels so awkward at first but over time it starts to feel like home. You need to allow yourself that time. Try to remember why you chose the surgery in the first place. Food can kill us if we allow it to. I had my surgery 2 months ago and have never regretted it once. I have not had a fill yet so believe me I have had difficult days. Living on 900 calories a day is not easy but I made up my mind that this was the only answer left to me. I went from no exercise to 5 days a week for at least 65 mins a day. I feel so much better. 30 lbs later I know that in less than a year I will be at my goal.....to be healthy, happy, not a burden to my family, and actually like what I see in the mirror. Please give yourself a chance. You may want to talk to a therapist. It is normal to grieve the loss of food but you will eat again very soon. Godspeed.

Kalipso2, You sound like you really need a hug. You are on a very dangerous road with the laxatives, bingeing, and purging. Your health can be affected in a very dangerous way. The fact that your family is not supportive does make it more difficult, but perhaps when they start seeing the results they will get with the program. You take care of you. Don't let others dictate your happiness. Be excited about the appointment. Be proud you want to change your life. Do you cosign everything your family does? I am so proud of myself for what I have done. I know that I will live longer, and be so much happier, not to mention hotter! Take care.

You have to do what you feel is right for you. I guess you could always use the money to pay for an early funeral or like 1 hour of care after a stroke or heart attack. That is where I was heading and probably you as well which is why you are considering this. Sometimes we need to be selfish for our own good. Noboby walks in your shoes. You are doing the right thing. My family was not so sure at first but then they rallied around. They are very supportive. They want me to be healthy and happy. You deserve to be happy. Screw them if they can't understand. I wish you all the luck and God's Blessings

Was this experience after you had just 1 fill? I am having my first fill on Fri. so at this point I don't have a problem with anything going down. I just wish I wasn't so hungry. My friend has had 2 fills and she can still eat anything without a problem.

Kris, Congratulations on deciding to improve your health. I also was nervous, scared, excited and many more emotions before I had my surgery. Just make a committment to yourself and follow through. You deserve it. I am so glad I did it and it has only been 8 weeks. I am down 30 lbs and have so much more energy already. Things can only continue to get better for you. The sooner the better I say. Good luck.

Conratulations for making the decision to change your life. I was banded on 1-7=08 and have lost 30 lbs. I am going for my first fill end of the week. The liquid stage is tough but hang in there. Concentrate on the positive changes you can make by adding exercise each day. It is like a self-fulfilling prophecy... the more you lose the more things you want to do to continue to lose. It is a win win situation. Welcome.

I think we all feel pretty much the same. I ate everything that was not nailed down prior to my surgery. I did however remain committed to my goal of getting healthy and losing weight. If we could do it without the band we would have. It will be my gatekeeper forever. It will help me lose the weight but more importantly to keep it off. I was banded on 1-7-08 and have not had a fill yet. To date I have lost 30 lbs. I exercise 5 days a week without exception. I log every bite and stay below 1000 cals a day. I am getting my first fill next week and can hardly wait because I am hungry, but will succeed no matter what. When I made the decision to be banded I made the decision to change my life. But until that day came I was like a kid in a candy store. Enjoy the food now but once you are banded remember why you put yourself through this. Good luck.

In no way do I feel like I am keeping a dirty little secret. I just know the attitude of so many people is that this is the easy way out.......due to their ignorance. I won't lie if someone asks me outright but I also do not feel the need to tell acquaintances all my private business. I have literally been working my ass off without the help of a fill yet so to each his own. My friend felt different and told everyone. I just do not want to be scrutinized by people who don't have a clue what this procedure is all about.

Well congrats on that. It won't be much longer for you. I was banded 1-7-8 so am pretty new to all this. I have not had my first fill yet but will next week. I am down 30 lbs. now. I am so glad i made the decision to have this done. I feel so much better just losing 30lbs. I still have about 76 to go but now I know for the first time in my life that I will get there. The surg was a breeze. Best wishes to you.

I totally agree with you. I had my surgery on 1-7-08. I have not had a fill yet but have totally changed things about myself. If someone asks me I just say I am limiting my calories to 1000 a day and working out 5 days a week which is totally truthful. Anyone that says this is the easy way out is uninformed. This is the hardest thing I have ever done without the help of the band. I figure if I can be satisfied with this small amount of food without a fill, when I do get a fill it should be a piece of cake.(ooh to have a piece of cake) I have lost 30 lbs. in about 8 weeks. We do not know all the private details of everyone else's life so why should we feel obligated to share everything about ourselves.