fluffycat

Gloria, If you go to the forum & scroll down to other weight loss surgeries. Look for VSG. I follow Susan's thread on the revision. Its good reading.

You know my 1st choice was not the lapband--it was the "sleeve." But my friend and this website changed my mind because the sleeve was relatively new and not a lot of data on it. Well, this website has a forum on "lapband to sleeve revision" which I have been reading. I know its costly but maybe insurance might cover it. Anyway, read that forum to get an idea on why those banders changed their thinking on the band and went with the sleeve. It mostly has to do with food getting stuck and not having the quality of life they desire. Its just a thought--an alternative.

I am almost 1 year out and still get hiccups from time to time. I don't know why--always after easting. Nausea--well, I guess your body is fighting that foreign implant and changes internally you put it through. That should settle down with time. Today is the 1st time in about a year that I have heartburn. But then I had a late night snack of pepperoni pizza before bed. Not really smart!

I was thinking over my decision to band vs sleeve and after reading more on this forum, I have decided the band is for me. I don't have those complications and I only needed 2 fills. I know my weight loss is slower but hey, it took a long time to put it on. What's the hurry now? So I was wondering, with the sleeve, since your stomach is smaller, I would assume your body works less to digest food--it shouldn't take as long either. So for those of us with eating disorders, what keeps you from grazing every couple of hours? What changes your eating behavior other than the portion size? For me, the utter physical misery of PB slime hack gag vomit spit foam for at least 2 hours after a "bad band episode" definately reinforces change. I have to change my eating behavior in order to avoid that! I either have to chew more, slow down, and be more conscious about eating to avoid negative, physical pain. I'm kinda like Pavlov's dog I guess. Isn't that a distorted wierd way of justifying it?!

WASa, My friend never did have WLS mainly because her husband said no. She has serious health issues and many women in her family have had problems with WLS over the past decade. Her sister almost lost her life twice after RNY! The military insurance paid for WLS & PS. She developed staph infections in the hospital after PS. The military kept moving her family around and it got to where no one would touch her. My friend looks to me as a role model but I am not the bandster to provide encouragement. My results are not great but that's my own fault. So, I feel you about social eating and the band. But can you tell the doctor how large you want your stomach to be with the sleeve? What if it only holds 4 oz and you are at a restaurant. Wouldn't you have to choose--do I eat the salad first or leave it? Doesn't it look like your whole meal goes home in a doggy bag? And the stomach will always stay the same size right?

You know when I first researched WLS at the end of 2007 I was all for the sleeve. My friend from work totally convinced me the band is better. I did more research on this site and by far, everyone raved on the band. The sleeve was "new." I couldn't comprehend how a foreign object in your body would last for years with no complications. And now, you all are swearing by the sleeve. If only I had trusted my gut instincts. So I am coming up on my bandiversary and down a whopping 25 lbs. I really am thrilled to be down anything since it has been years of putting on weight. And my WLS & the band have not been a medical problem for me. I have had 2 fills and have been at onederland since the holidays. But I hate sliming & PB'ing. And you never know how the band will react in certain social situations. And how can you get enough dense protein when the band will often prohibit it? Well, at least I know there are alternatives. My question is this: How can you go thru sleeve surgery if you are close to goal? Wouldn't the liquid diet & surgery make you lose too much weight? Also, WASa, I would love to see before & after pics. Are they on this site anywhere? Thanks.

Just relish in the fact that you took positive action towards a better person. Be patient. How long did it take to put on? Why are we in such a hurry. Enjoy every moment because you did the right thing--don't dwell on the negative. It will tear you up inside.

I started back to Curves in December and get weighed & measured every other month. I used to avoid this & only do it a couple of times per year. I lost over 12 lbs & inches in Feb/March! I am the top loser in the club for the very first time. Unbelievable!

I have lost 25 lbs in 10 months--10 of that was during surgery. I expected to lose at least 50 in a year so I have been disappointed. But its a loss and I'll take it. I have good restriction and it has taken me at least this long to figure out how I should eat. I only started exercising again in December at Curves. I didn't want to tell anyone about my lapband and have been getting weighed and measured every other month. My name goes on the board and I am usually in the top 3 for biggest loser of lbs & inches. Of course the ladies ask how did I do it. I stay quiet. This month I lost a total of over 12 lbs & inches and the ladies really pressed me. I gave in and told about my lapband. Oh, like its a cop out. Of course you would lose "that way." But you know, all those years of being weighed & measured and it really never added up to much. And then avoiding the scale, not tracking my results, not wanting to know. Just smack me around for not jumping for joy at my 25 lbs in 10 months. When have I ever done that before lapband? Its not a cop out. It takes work and effort. It is not an easy fix. And guess what else? It will take a long time--maybe even the rest of my life.

Hi everyone. Haven't posted for a while. I am coming up on 1 year bandiversary and have lost about 25 pounds. That's about half what I expected to lose when I decided on LBS. But you know what? I'll take it because if I didn't have LBS, I would have continued gaining. I am still relearning how to eat! Pavlov's dog caught on faster than me!!! It is such a slow process for me but I didn't pack the pounds on overnight--it took years. And it will take years to get them off. Oh, and I told all my friends and now have to face them all and explain. That's ok. They are more heavy than last year and grousing about diets and exercise and weight loss contests they can't win. Two points I would like to make: 1) I have been losing weight-albeit, slowly, but none has come back like in the past; and 2) when I added exercise to my routine a few months ago, the results were dramatic. The inches really came off even though the weight loss was still slow. It's a journey for the rest of our lives. There is hope, it will be different than in the past because the weight will not return. Be like the turtle--slow & steady to win the race.

yum!!! You get to enjoy it twice!!!

Its been 7 months since banding for me. I don't really PB anymore unless I want to. I finally figured out what I need to do to avoid it. If I overeat to the point of uncomfortable; than I know how to PB for relief. Its optional now--not mandatory. If I could only discipline myself to consume mostly protein and leave all those other empty calories alone!

Sharona, You said it all girl. Relearning how to eat after 50 years of bad habits takes a while and a lot of effort. But at least we are going in the right direction. Just having surgery proves our commitment to ourselves. WTG! I look at my lady friends now and guess what? They put on holiday pounds!!! This is the first year I haven't and I really don't feel like I sacrificed anything. I ate goodies, I grazed, drank and was merry. But in moderation. No more stuffed feeling for me. No more napping after a big dinner. (I can't eat a big dinner.) I also think I finally figured out that PB thing. I eat soooo sloooow now. And chew it to pulp. I also stop eating after 2-3 bites. That's right. Try it. 2-3 bites and stop. Enjoy the company or tv, whatever. Time yourself. Then try another 2-3 bites. No more PB'ing. It's a new year. I am going to resolve to work better with my lap band. I don't care if I'm a slow loser. I just want to be a loser. Ha!

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread. I was feeling bummed reading the other threads because I am not losing weight like the rest of the lapbanders. But I don't regret my decision -- yet. I'm still learning how to live with the band. My fills have given me restriction but it seems to "go away" after a while. But then again, I PB quite a bit and have that painful feeling in my chest on a regular basis. I too blame it on myself. I have to change. I need to go with the band flow. Mornings--forget it. Maybe liquids will go down, really slow. Afternoons, I am hungry and want to snack. I can eat a small, healthy lunch but I still want to snack later. (That's a mind game though.) Dinner is also hard. One to three bites and then I am miserable. So that's what I do. 1-3 bites, stop. Continue 1-3 bites later in the evening. Yes, the weight is slow in coming off. Of course, in the back of my mind, I knew this would not be easy. It never has been before and I am in my 50's. So, the band was my decision and I will learn to live & work with it. And I will take a slow weight loss any day because that's always better than the continual gain I had been experiencing over the last 2 decades. Most of the effort is psychological. This can work. Think positive.

I only weigh once a week if that and I always dread that darn scale. Of course, last Friday when I weighed the scale did not drop an ounce. How disappointing is that? We had fresh fish for dinner and I guess I hurried up a bit and paid for not chewing that fish up for the next 3 hours. Just for kicks, I weighed on Saturday morning and was down 3 pounds!!! How could that possibly and scientifically happen? I didn't burn 10,000 calories overnight. I sure didn't lose 3 pounds of "water weight." But you know what? I'll take it!!! That scale plays such mind games with me and usually wins.

OK, this 2nd fill has done the trick so far. I am restricted and feeling it. I have never really been hungry since being banded though. Not like I was before the band. I have to change my habits. Instead of mind over body; its now body is controlling the mind. I see it and want it, but can't have it--physically can't have it. The chest pain is unbearable and lasts so long. Now if I don't chew well enough--it has to come back up. There's no other way. But then if I eat too fast or eat too much, I am still totally miserable. It lasts for 1-3 hours depending on what it was I ate. Dense protein is the worse. The hard part is knowing how fickle my band is -- sometimes I can eat and sometimes I can't.

I had my 2nd fill 2 weeks ago and I am now restricted. Oh I thought I was restricted before because I did PB many times. But this time is different. I physically can not eat more than half a cup if that. Different foods react differently. I can't gulp down more than 4 oz of water at a time. My chest just wants to explode and i feel so miserable. I have 2.5 cc in a 4 cc band. I am now starting to lose 1-2 pounds per week. Be careful what you wish for though. I enjoy cooking. Imagine making lasagne, sitting down with the family and having just 3 small bites. Smelling food and not being able to eat it. Going to a restaurant. getting through an appetizer or salad and then boxing up the entree without even trying it. And the worse part of all -- being so hard headed in breaking habits that you force the food and end up for the next 3 hours in pain and misery all the while trying to chuck it all back up. This is not good. When will I learn this new lifestyle?!

This is soooo true! I have only lost about 15 pounds in 5 months. So last month I started exercising. I have had 2 fills -- 1.5 cc & 1 cc 2 weeks ago. The 1st fill didn't really change anything. I have seriously been trying to figure the band out and work with it but it can be very fickle. Now after that 2nd fill -- things have changed. I am now losing weight. I can't gulp water. I can only get down 3-4 bites of dense protein. I can never over eat. Oh, I still try. And I pay for it dearly. I am like Pavlov's dog -- how many negative reactions will I have to have before i give in and eat the right way?

Spunkey1 I too am a very slow loser. I went for my 2nd fill on Saturday. My 1st fill was 1.5cc in a 4cc band and I must admit I had several vomitting attacks. So I was leary as to whether I should get another fill. But she told me my band was wide open with no restriction. So how come I am PB'ing? I take too large of bites, don't chew enough, and eat too fast. When I got on the scale I was down a whopping 1 pound over the last 2 months! I felt restriction so what happened? I started exercising this past month. My clothes have some room in them now. She put another 1cc in my band. Now what?! If you look on this forum under "slow losers unite" you will find others like us who are struggling. Not everyone drops 1-2 or more pounds per week. My weight has always been resistent and I knew this will be a long slow battle; but, slow and steady will win the race. Good luck!

My wedding band has been so tight these last few years that my finger seems to have grown on to it. Now it moves freely and I can get it off (still somewhat challenging though). I lost my really nice band years ago and settled for a much cheaper one since my husband thought it was my carelessness. We will celebrate our 20th in June 2009. I sure hope this one is falling off by then -- I too want an upgrade!

I must be either eating too much or the wrong things. That scale won't budge! I know i am losing inches though.

ok, I'm still trying to figure out this lapband eating thing. Since I am due for my 2nd fill in 2 weeks and it takes 7 hours for the round trip; I really need to get a grip on the PB'ing. I actually analyze my throw up to see how small my swallowed food should be. Yesterday, meatloaf came back up and it was really chewed up fine. So I am thinking it is not only how much I chew but maybe it's also how fast I am eating. Is it possible that if I eat too fast and my pouch fills up really quick that I am getting stuck? Any thoughts on this?

Janet, Congrats GF! Go with the white pants--you look fab in that!

ditto! slow and steady wins the race. now if I would lay off that ice cream!

I finally went shopping and the same size fit.:biggrin: Went home, took off tags and wore that outfit to work on Monday. It was too big! how did that happen? maybe I am smaller in the morning! now I'm stuck with an outfit that I won't wear much. I wish there was a clothese exchange for lap banders close to me.