lellow

Lol sorry! I'll explain! A lot of lapbanders find that they get a 'sign' that they're approaching satiety. Satiety is not the same as fullness, it's not the same feeling. And while non-banded people sometimes forget and they eat and eat and before they know it they're eaten too much because their tummies take time to catch up and send that message to their brain, the band sometimes gives you an indication that you're near the point of having had too much, and ignoring it won't make you 'too full' it actually may make you sick. That indication is called a 'soft stop'. And it's different for different people but there are some common ones. Hiccups, nose leaking (because the food is too high in your oesophagus) and shoulder pain are pretty common ones. You will hear the veterans talk about their soft stops a lot, because they have had bands long enough to recognise what they are.

You know what's the lie in all this? The lie is that you are going to be miserable after your surgery forever and long for foods that you will pine for. When I'm in the green zone I don't pine for food the way I did when I was heavy. And yet I will say I enjoy food SO much more now. I don't want to waste my tiny pouch on KFC or crappy junk food when there is salmon and truffles and lamb and lobster. I can only eat a little bit, I want to enjoy it, and I really really do. And the difference is, it's enjoyment and not binging. You have a whole different life ahead of you. Look forward to it!

Lapbandster, I spoke to my dr on Friday and even the band I got as a replacement is different to the one I got 5 years ago. I didn't get restriction with that band until I was 8.5cc and now because the band is different and placed by a different surgeon, I think I may be in my green zone already at 6cc. My port is WAY smaller and deeper in, and I have a new soft stop (hiccups, where my nose used to leak). Banding is not an exact science and you roll the dice whenever you chose to do something, whether it's get weight loss surgery or walk across the road. I think risk and complications need to be taken in context.

Honestly this topic can't die a natural death and it should. I have had band complications, and I take exception to people saying band complications are only possible from non compliance. That's not true, complications are possible even if you get a freakin' pedicure. I should know, I broke my foot slipping on Water while getting a pedicure. What annoys me is this: If you have a complication and it's your fault, own it. If it wasn't your fault, I'm so sorry you're going through it, but it is not the norm and there are many people for whom the band is a godsend. I completely understand bitterness and regret when you experience a complication that impacts the quality of your life, but please don't tell me I'm an idiot because I'd get a band anyway. I have no doubts that anyone would regret something that ended up hurting them, but it's something else to expect everyone to make your regrets theirs too. I went into this believing that I would experience some complication in the lifetime of my band. I hoped it wouldn't be debilitating. I prayed I'd be the 95% of people who didn't have complications, and I got it done. Because if someone said to me, you have a 95% chance of winning the $5 million lottery if you buy a lottery ticket but a 5% chance of losing half of everything you own, I'd buy the damned ticket coz that sounds like pretty damned good odds to me. Complications suck. I should know. I come here talking about my complications to get support not to bash people's choices. And if you think you're doing it to 'spare someone else the pain' look at your motivations again. Because this surgery saves more people than it hurts. And that's a fact that cannot be disputed.

Well I'm booked in for the 8th July for those three areas. He thinks I won't ever have a wasp waist but he can make it look a little more 'athletic'. I originally booked it for the 13th June but my boyfriend really wasn't happy about me doing it so soon after band replacement so I pushed it back a few weeks.

Failing at losing weight was what ALL of us were good at. So of course when we go into this, we almost expect to fail because that's all we've ever known. I psyched myself into believing that failure wasn't an option. That's why, unlike most banders, I told everyone about my upcoming surgery. Because I acted like, from the very first day, that it was going to be a roaring success, and even though I spent a lot of time having to convince myself most of all, I would rather spend my energy doing that than succumb to the fear of failure. I have talked to and made friends with SO many people on this site who all started out thinking they might fail, and along the way, resolving that they wouldn't. That's all it took. Tell yourself you will not fail. Start telling yourself from now. And when we see you in a year, you will have succeeded.

pineapple juice works for me every time when my stoma is irritated. It's my go-to because you can buy it from regular shops (well you can here in Australia) so if I get an unexpected stuck episode, even my partner knows to run to the shops and get me pineapple juice. If you can get some, try it. Slow, small sips. And cold if you can take it.

Yes this place can definitely be a downer. And sometimes I come back to give perspective. I liked my band enough to get it not once, but twice. But my sort of voice will be in minority because if your band is working, and everything is going well, why would you post in the forum about it? It's like saying 'yeah, today I breathed, same as yesterday, same as the day before'. There is only so many times you can answer the same question, only so much support you can give when you don't need support yourself. I have taken hiatuses from this site that have lasted a year or more. So I guess what I'm saying is, this site needs to be taken in context, Forums are where people go to discuss things, and learn, and if the band is working, there kinda isn't much to discuss or learn anymore.

Banded 5 years ago, lost 130% of my weight, maintained easily then sprung a leak 15 months ago, had two port revisions tgat didn't resolve the leak, gained some weight, lost a little on my own, got a band replacement 1 month ago and now hoping to get to the green zone again so I don't have to work so hard to maintain.

I have a few tattoos An angel on my left arm, an armband on that same arm, a rosary on the forearm, a bull on the inner wrist. An angel baby coming out of an egg on my right arm, Bealtes lyrics on my fore arm, a memorial tattoo for a friend on my inner wrist. A pheonix on my back, 13 stars on the back of my neck, a unicorn on my left shoulder blade, a wreath of vines around my hips that branch up to 4 lilies on my tummy, two cardinals (the bird not the religious person) on each side of my body up near my ribs and cherry blossoms on my left shoulder. The 7 deadly sins on my right thigh, 4 flowers on my right calf, my kids names on my left ankle, and a Scottish saying on my left foot. And yesterday I got a mermaid covering my whole outer left thigh. It's only half done (I need another 1, maybe 2 sessions to finish her) but I already love her.

I agree completely elcee. That first 'green zone' feeling settled down and eventually I could eat most things just in smaller portions. Which was great for maintaining but not necessarily losing. That's the part I miss though. The small portions, the not feeling hungry between meals, the ability to graze a little and not feel like I need to wolf it all down! I'm maintaining now but I could easily, so so easily eat more, so it's hard work. And walking away when I'm not even close to satisfied is hard to do 3 times a day. In fact if I'm distracted, before I know it, I've finished a huge plate of food (I did that yesterday ). It's just disheartening when I know the band would have reminded me to stop long before then.

I called last week and tried to get in earlier! He's pretty good in that he knows I know my own body and know when I need a fill. But he was away for a bit so I can't see him until this Friday. I'm just impatient lol. I'm actually not having too bad a time with it I just want to get there already! With the leak it's been 16 months since I've felt real, lasting restriction and I don't want to wait any longer damnit! I've been fighting my food demons on my own for so long I just want the band to take over already.

See, unlike a new bander, I know how good the green zone is to me. It's like those first few weeks after surgery when you don't feel hungry, have no desire to eat, can't imagine eating. That's what my green zone is like. But I also know it took ages to get there the first time. I got to 8.5cc in a 10cc band to get to that point. At 4cc, which is what I have in my band now, I felt nothing. I feel nothing now. I know my surgeon doesn't want to go too fast with the fills. He put in 2cc the last fill and I know that's aggressive, and I understand that it's a sensible thing to do to go slowly. It's a new band, I may have a different green zone, so he doesn't want to just throw 7cc in like they did after my body lift. But it's killing me, the hunger. It's so freaking pervasive. And doesn't it now make complete sense that I used to be big? My boyfriend eats the same amount as me and 2 hours later I'm hungry while he's still coasting. This ISN'T my head. I know better. I lived in my green zone for 3 years. Unless I eat to the brim I'm going to be hungry 2 hours later. So I used to eat way too much to feel as 'full' as my boyfriend does and for as long as he does on half the food. In the green zone, I ate 1/3 what he eats and it lasted 4 hours at least. I'm eating healthy and am exercising to maintain my weight now but it's HARD. No wonder people fall off wagon. It's bloody miserable! It wasn't this hard before. This is why I love being banded. I know it works and works well once you have the right fill level in your band. I miss that feeling so much and I am hanging out to get there!

MsMaui you and I had a small run-in on a thread and you PMed me when I explained why I thought you had been negative. You were lovely and I really appreciated you clearing the air, so I feel like I know some of your motivations at least, and I do believe that they stem from frustration more than anything. But from what I have seen here on LBT I can understand why your posts sometimes gets people's nose out of joint because there have been some that were fairly alarmist for what is in fact a rare condition, or about the inferiority of the band instead of your personal experiences. I think that for anyone who has put their faith in the band (and you need faith to succeed), or had success with the band, this makes them feel like you're insulting them, and their choices. It also makes them feel like you're saying they're stupid for their choice. I am not saying you're actually saying that, but it can be how it comes across. I wouldn't wish what you're going through on my worst enemy and if I were you, I'd be damned angry and hell yes I would blame the band and want to shout from the rooftops so people know what might happen to them. But constant and repetitive posting of stats and opinion pieces on band failure and the band's inferiority *will* make it look like you're band bashing (see paragraph 2 above). You may not be able to see it, but I'm not part of any clique that I know of, and I see it. I have reacted to it, despite my usually cool exterior, so I'm telling you that's how it comes across. I would love to support you through your complications, and hold your hand (virtually) when things get hard or you get down. Other have done that for me and more. I too got some interesting responses that weren't always what I considered supportive (and funnily enough these were more 'why are you not just revising to a sleeve?') but if you're really looking for support, you tell your story, you invite people into your life and empathy will follow. Huge hugs, hunny.

PS appointment tomorrow! Is it bad that I'm leaning towards trying to get it done asap? I just want it all out of the way. This year alone, I broke my tailbone, then the week that stopped hurting, I broke my foot, then just as that healed, I had my band replacement. I would like to get this done and over with so I can get on with healing and actually have some sort of a life in the 2nd half of the year!

I drink. Drank through the whole losing period and the whole 5 years I've had the band. I don't drink everyday but I do have big nights out with my friends drinking. I know they're empty calories but I'm not about to stop living just because of my band. Same reason I still eat ice cream sometimes. If you chose to drink and have those empty calories, either work it off or don't moan if you don't lose fast. Simple. Only once I got to the point of needing to vomit. It was horrendous. That once was enough. I've drunk a lot some nights but never ever to the point of needing to vomit, ever again. I drink slowly and steadily and I don't do shots. Shots are evil for bandsters, mmkay?

This thread interests me because when I decided to revise to another band, I got asked over and over again (here and elsewhere) why I didn't 'just' revise to a sleeve. Jean's blog post is the perfect example of why I chose the band. The sleeve was so unknown, and the band was so known to me. I have had a good experience with the band for the most part, so it seemed the safer route to go. I can live with the band, I don't know if I could live with the sleeve, because I knew nothing about living with a sleeve. A friend of mine has the same fill/unfill dance and she's sick to death of it. We talked last night and she said she was sick of the band not working. And yet what she considered 'too tight' was what I considered my green zone, it turned out. She couldn't eat cookie dough? Naturally she should get an unfill! I don't get an unfill unless I can't swallow my own saliva. And without fail if I baby the band, I'll be able to go back to eating solids after a few days even after a stuck episode. We were also out to dinner when I was well restricted (and when she said she was 'too tight'), and got a piece of salmon and 3 balls of arancini to share. I ate 2 balls of arancini and half the salmon and she ate the rest. Then as we were walking through the city, she stopped at two chocolatiers and an ice cream parlour to get 'treats'. I was well restricted so I actually could not physically eat anymore, but she could! I know my band and I know it well and I know when it helps me control my hunger. I am completely happy with my decision to revise to another band, and I think they would have to tell me that I couldn't ever have another band to revise to a sleeve.

Again snorted coffee out of my nose. Though that's not quite an enema so I don't think it'll help me lose weight.

My son was 2 when I got banded, and I picked him up (because sometimes you just have to) at 2 weeks post-op. The hubby stayed home for the first 3 days post-op, afterwards I looked after my son myself. I just sat down and put him on my lap if I needed to cuddle him. I would say that's not ideal but I managed fine. By 4 weeks post-op though, I had him in a sling on my back and was taking walks around the neighbourhood, using him as weight to make the work-out harder.

You have a band, give it a chance to help you. I know it's not easy getting in to see youor surgeon - maybe find out if he can recommend one closer to you? When you have the right restriction, it can help with youor food addictions. I can tell you now that I struggle with the temptation of food everyday when my band isn't filled to the right level. When it is, I don't feel as tempted by food so losing is easier. Feeling full for longer helps you say no to food. And if you put exercise on top on that? Girl, you're set for success! So try try try to get in for a fill!

Darling, you are not defined by your weight, how quickly you lose, or even if you lose. But I can promise you this, the people around you will be scared of the change in you. They will be scared for you too and it will come out in awful ways that they don't really mean. Or it will be an issue that they're dealing with and the way they deal with it is in ways that make you feel bad. My advice to you is to own this. Whether you lose or not, whether you lose fast or slow or not at all, make this all about YOU. I say this out of experience. My family were and still are incredibly unsupportive of the lapband. Despite the fact that it probably saved my life. They didn't like me no longer fitting into the role of the 'fat daughter/sister' and I've lived with jibes and little passive aggressive comments for years. But I understand that I forced a change on them that they found difficult to cope with. They saw me transform right in front of their eyes, changing a lifetime of behaviours, concentrating on myself more (where I used to be the one everyone depended on to 'be there' and drop everything for everyone else) and it changed the dymanics of the family. So yes he is an ass to have done that to you, but I reckon you need to see it for what it is - he's scared and this is the way he's showing it. I feel sorry for my family more than anything. My life changed for the better, and their's didn't seem to.

I'm not sure how any of us were supposed to know that it was passive aggressively directed at one person. Me? I thought you were just being general. In which case, I chimed in with my two cents. Seems a bit redundant now. I hate when that happens. And I reiterate that if this person is making up names and making fun of people behind their backs, I'd wager she was always a bit of a moll, heavy or thin. In which case, people will eventually see through her, and she'll get what's coming.

I am as nice thin as I was big. I also am pretty damned forthright and will say it like it is, and always have. I don't consider that bitchy. I say my piece because this is a forum, but in the end, I'm only invested in my success and not in anyone else's, so take my advice, don't take it, whatever, no skin off my nose. I come on here and offer support because others did that for me, including smacking me in the head when I needed it. If someone doesn't want that or thinks I'm being 'mean', pfft perhaps they need to say 'only agree with me please, or else don't post'. I'd happily comply. Mean people come in all shapes and sizes. So do nice people. If you get thin and 'bitchy', then I would hazard a guess you always were a b***h. Individual people chose who they want to be and they have to live with that. I don't think it's associated with size if you ask me.

I was the complete opposite. I loved going in to a shop and thinking I was many sizes bigger than I actually was. I went from hating shopping because I could only shop at the big girl's stores, to loving shopping because I could buy anything I wanted because I could get it in my size. When I was losing I mainly shopped cheaply because I knew I'd go down a size in a couple of weeks, but even that felt amazing to me!

How long ago was your surgery? The band has evolved from a 4ml band to a 10 ml band and some even put in a 14ml band. 5 years ago when I got my first band I got a 10ml and when I got my band replaced a month ago it was also a 10ml band. I was under the impression they didn't place 4ml bands anymore.