kirafiki

I am 40, and have been on and off diets since I was six years old. I didn't make it through puberty without stretch marks. Not to mention, my boobs were never good looking... you can't loose and gain and loose and gain during their development and expect them to be fine at 40! I have a CRAZY amount of extra skin. The cost of all the plastic surgery I want is outrageous, so now I am coming to terms with the extra skin. I try to look at it in that its better deflated and I am healthy than full and on my way to an early death. Every one is different. Regardless of age and dieting history. Skin elasticity is genetically determined and influenced by the environment. Just focus on treating your body the way we all should, with love, care and respect. The mind will follow.

Unfortunately, the more I lost the more I felt it... and now I can see it. It pokes me when I bend over. For me, its a small price to pay to save my life. Down the line, when I finally save up enough for some good old plastic surgery I will have it relocated. And yes, mine also feels like a circle. I like to feel it... it reminds me regularly of the good things I am doing for myself!

I always kind of thought the sweet spot was where you and the band had become good friends. It sounds like you are there. Enjoy it! And congratulations!

Ok, so I started this I was 315 pounds. I am now 175 with a Realize band. I was un-insurable at 315 and now I am having trouble finding insurance (I am one of the millions of uninsured Americans) on my own (no employer plan to join). Does anyone know what companies will approve me now that I have been banded? I don't really care if they call it a pre-existing condition, I just really need healthcare coverage.

STARTING SIZE: 30-32 CURRENT SIZE: 12 I FEEL: Accomplished Need to work on: How to get rid of the last 25-30 pounds, and how to NOT look at all the extra skin and still see 315 pounds.

Thanks for all your suggestions! I really appreciate them!

And I don't think its all that appropriate for the fitness and exercise forum, so here goes... I do spin class ALOT. Here's the problem. My inner labia are HUGE and become very annoyed by the bike... but NOTHING has ever given me the same exercise high as spin, so I refuse to quit. Any ladies out there spin or bike a lot and have this issue? Any suggestions about how to deal with it? Thanks, and thanks for putting up a little TMI about my anatomy.

It does take a while for the band to assist most people. My surgeon was also very conservative with my early fills, and I only live a half an hour away. Regarding it becoming a lifestyle... that is different for everyone. I still weigh and measure, over a year and a half later. Still getting fills, just had one today. I hadn't had one since last March, so I was unrestricted since at least October. That meant weighing and measuring for the last six months or so. I kind of look at weighing and measuring as part of the lifestyle. I don't call it a diet though. It took me a while to not look at it as dieting, since that terminology had been pounded into my head since I was six years old. It will get easier, I promise. Just be good to yourself, and follow the new rules that came with your new lifestyle, even if it looks a lot like dieting right now. Keep up the good work!

I have had two weeks of a real emotional rollercoaster... Possile cancer diagnosis being the worst of the information that was given to me in this time period. About a week after I got that news, I realized that the stress from it was bringing up all the old feelings, emotions, thoughts and behaviors of my compulsive eating disorder. A year and a half after surgery, and I had mostly gotten control of them. I have been without a fill since April, so basically unrestricted since at least October of last year. I called for an appointment for a fill, and the first available was two and a half weeks away. I was afraid of two weeks of this emotional junk without restriction. I just got a call from the doctor's office and it seems that they had a cancellation Monday, this coming Monday!!! Now my mind can get away from the hunger pangs, and be allowed to focus on keeping myself healthy while I wait the weeks and weeks before I find out about the cancer issue. I must say, contributing to the posts and questions here has been very theraputic.

Uh, I think you can post your "thing", as often as you like. I was raised by lesbians, in the 70's when it wasn't 'cool' to be a lesbian. It's great to see a bariatric support group specifically for the LGBT community. There weren't many support groups of any kind back then, even in crazy old California!

Hang in there. I had the shoulder gas pains too (I won't tell you how long, but I was so happy when they were gone). Luckily I had no family to cook for though. I did have a housemate at the time, who two days after surgery, went to the grocery store and bought a whole fried chicken and ate it two feet from me. The entire time she smacked her lips, licked her fingers and declared how delightful it was to be eating it. I just sat there and stared at her in disbelief, while I sucked on my sugar free popsicle. The oddest part? She is a recovering food addict too, she just took another route, the eat what you want when you want it in the quantity you want it.... just as long as it is satisfying whatever need you have at the moment so it won't leave you wanting more. It worked for her, but that would have never worked for me...

What I found very helpful to me are Protein bullets... I think they are called New whey. But some people don't like whey protein. They come in two different protein amounts, 42g and I think 21g or so. They are a bit pricey, and they are really pretty sweet, some people add them to Water or propel or something. Look them up online... they were invaluable to me in the beginning. Good luck!

Please don't feel like a failure! You are not! For the month after my surgery, before I had my first fill, I was starving ALL THE TIME. I just tried to remind myself that every day I made it through that phase was one day closer to my goal of living a life that was healthy, and how I will FINALLY be taking care of myself the way I should be. I also lost no weight during the first four weeks after surgery, which made it very difficult to remind myself of these things... but I made it. And have had nothing but success since. Just try to be kind to yourself. You are making steps to a happier, healthier you. The hardest part is almost done... the rest is an amazing journey in which you have the opportunity to learn so much about yourself, especially how strong you are! Hang in there... it only gets better, and I have found it does so exponentially!

Goodness! I would drink lots of decaffienated tea then! You might get dehydrated! It is very weird, I have never heard of this before... I would be interested in what the doc says about it... I am always looking to learn things!

Ladybug: Stress ABSOLUTELY affects a lot of people's bands. Melliecat: If you can't keep anything down, contact your doctor... not being able to eat is just as much of a problem as being able to eat too much.

Hi there! We can all associate with this experience. Let me tell you my worst story of a stranger's comments (I won't go into how much my "loved ones" have said over the years). I was in a local grocery store one day. Its a store known for being frequented by health nuts. I was about 70 pounds into my weight loss, and was feeling pretty good about myself. I was in there to get a little fruit and some crackers. Now mind you, a box of crackers lasts a month! So, there was some issue at the register so we were all there waiting for it to be resolved and I started looking at the dark chocolate bars, reading the nutritional content. I wasn't planning on buying one, but was taking a moment to inform myself. The guy behind me, who looked like he had been a vegetarian, raw food eater for years said "you know if you are worried about carbs, you shouldn't be buying crackers". For just a second, I was dumbfounded and went to the place I always used to go when strangers made comments... the sad, fat girl. And then something in me clicked. I looked directly at him as said "Who the f*** do you think you are, and why do you think you have the right to make comments like that to a complete stranger. You have no idea where I have been, my personal history or what I have done to get here". He immediately went on the defensive and tried to make me feel bad. I told him that he was rude, and out of line, and that he should, in the future, keep his nasty comments to himself. He said, "fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then let's end the discussion". I said, "I never wanted to talk about it with you, and it's not in your power to end the discussion... you started the discussion, now be man enough to finish it". He said no. So I paid, and waited at the door outside, and when he came out, I followed him to his car, to continue the discussion. That was the moment I realized that the power had been shifted back to me, and that I was finally in a place where I would no longer take that kind of abuse from strangers. As for my family... when they say things, I always tell them that since I don't obsess on their weight, I think they should find a way to stop obsessing on mine. Weight is one of the last socially acceptable forms of descrimination. That being said, I am not a "fat acceptance" kind of girl... I am a "human acceptance" person. Treat others as you want to be treated, or suffer the consequences. I always wonder if that rude man in the store thought twice before doing that to another fat person. Probably not, but I like to hope so. Another favorite of mine: "Weight can be changed, but base personality can't. I can lose weight, however you are stuck with your awful personality forever"

I do think you are definitely over filled. I think its a very good thing you are going in to see the doc next week. I have a friend to tries to be really aggressive with her fills, and then gets stuck like this and can't eat... always has to have some removed. Good luck!

I believe that a stretched pouch usually causes heartburn or acid reflux... I haven't researched it much. Let us know what you find out? I will look around too!

Usually, when I start thinking this its time for a fill. I can't guarantee you haven't stretched your pouch, but every time I worry I have, I go in and its just a fill I needed. Hope that helped!

Thanks so much! I might try the scuba seat thing out. Funds are a little low though, which is why I haven't gotten myself some bike shoes yet. Been spinning for a year now, you would think I had gotten them already. I do love spin though... it really is the best. I am up to four or five days a week, with other workouts mixed in. Very very very cool I think.

Ok, when I am on a plateau, it really is usually because I have slipped into being lazy about my eating habits. In order to "re-set" myself, I do a few days of liquid, then move to mushies, and then work back to Proteins, the way I did in the beginning after surgery, but not the same length of time. For me, it helps me get re-acquainted with my band, and I spend that time listening to my body and my band so that we have a better relationship. That is just my method. I have had so many plateaus, I can't count them anymore. I wish you luck!

For me, one serving of oatmeal every day keeps me totally regular. I am sure it wouldn't work for everyone, but it does wonders for me!

I agree, it might be time for a fill. I do want to stress the importance of upping your Water though. I am sure you have heard it before, but I am a big "drink your water" kind of girl and couldn't help mention it. You are doing great!!!! Keep it up!

After I hit enter, I realized how short that response was, and I usually don't do that. I feel badly for doing that. It really is a pretty intense workout. I currently do an hour of spin class four times a week, an hour of aqualogix twice a week, and an hour of kickboxing once a week... I wouldn't even consider the P90X if I hadn't been doing that regimen for a year now. I don't know your situation, but when I started with the band I weight 315, was 38 years old, and hadn't exercised in at least 10 years. P90X would have killed me if I tried it then. Good luck!!!!!!!

I think the best thing to do without the manuals would be to follow your lap band eating plan... From what I can tell the P90X plan increases volumes, so I am going to make sure I get plenty of Protein in the form of supplements. For you though, I would wait to start for a good time after you have already healed from the surgery, tackle the new eating program first, it is the hardest part. When I first was banded I was in such bad shape I started with lots of walks every day, 15 minutes at a time, and I was out of breath and sweating from just that. Don't do too much all at once or you will go crazy. Even with the walking only, the weight FELL off of me in the beginning. Good luck!