GayleTX

I chose the band for the very reason that I was over 300......350 to be exact. I knew that the 'window of opportunity' with the RNY is for most people (I realize not all, but most) is about 24 months. After that you need to have changed your lifestyle and eating habits to lose the rest of your weight or to keep off what you've lost already. I did not trust myself to do that.....I wanted a tool that would last forever, not just 2 years. Also, I am older, had serious health problems including heart trouble and feared the radical nature of the RNY surgery and malabsorption. So for those reasons, I chose the band. Was it the best choice? I dont' know.....but I do know it's working. I'm 18 mo out, have lost 160 pounds, am off all my meds, threw away my CPAP and my walker. I also realize that I'm very compliant with the rules and that much of my success has come from using my head, not just my band....but I tried that pre-surgery, too, and it didn't work. The lapband is working for me and with me and we are doing a pretty good job!!:clap2:

Did you not have to see a Nutritionist before your surgery? They should have given you a food guideline. Have you looked good thru your discharge papers to see if there's not one there? Usually the surgery swelling takes care of restriction the first couple of weeks. I'm surprised they put so much saline in your band at surgery....that's as much restriction as I have right now after 18 months with a 10 cc band and I have good restriction (altho everyone is different). Was your surgery in the US? I notice you are a lightweight in wls terms. Did your surgeon require you to be on a certain diet or lose weight before surgery? If not, then .....and this is just a guess....your body has not been detoxed from carbs and they are still making you crave your old foods, which, if you are like most of us, was heavy on the carb intake. Once you eliminate them (the starchy ones) from your diet, the cravings will subside and be easier on you. And yes, head hunger is just as real as tummy hunger....maybe worse!! It's a battle in yourself during this post-op period. Check your PM's.........

bigbaby.......no, Dr B never mentioned to me and I didn't ask even tho I was aware there is such a thing. I also see Dr Maese and he hasn't mentioned it either. Are you in Dallas? If you're interested in our No Dallas area support group, send me a PM. We usually meet somewhere between Plano and Grand Prairie every few weeks.....very informal group.

I'm convinced that little piece of plastic is really alive and has a mind of its own and loves to play tricks!! Every day seems to be a new world....it was especially that way when my band was a little tighter. It's looser now and a little more cooperative. I've also learned to drink a warm drink in the mornings before even trying to eat.....and even in the evenings I'll do that if I'm going to eat out and don't want to embarass myself or ruin everybody's meal - I'll have a cup of coffee or hot tea before eating and the food goes down a little easier.

LOL! I've had the same experience many times.....I guess they are worried they won't get their tip if you don't eat it all! And you know they can't believe that a 'big girl' like us isn't licking the plate clean and ordering dessert!! :hungry: My most 'memorable' dining out moment was going to a Chinese buffet with my family. Everyone else hit the buffet and I ordered a pot of hot tea.....they waiters stalked me and eyed me the entire meal......guess they thought I was going to swipe an eggroll off everybody else's plate and cheat them out of a couple of bucks. I never did that again. :paranoid

I feel exactly the same way, Wasa. I don't like paying for something I can't eat, but I figure it more than balanced out over the years

Make sure the protein powders you are using are appropriate for bariatric patients, not made for jocks. A good one should have more than 20 grams of protein in a scoop and no carbs. And it must taste good....there are good ones on the market, you don't have to settle for yucky-tasting stuff (and there is a lot of that on the market!). EAS & Whey Gourmet are two of my favorites.

I went in at 10 am, walked out at 2:30 p.m that afternoon and made a 2 hr ride home. Never had a pain of any kind.

All bodies need some fat for hormone health and to prevent dry skin. I was told to try to keep the fat percentage less than about 35%.

I'm 19 months out........not one little regret. And even tho I've still got a ways to go to goal, if I never lose another pound after today, I will still have so regrets.

PB = Productive Burb. a nice term for vomiting.:sick But it's not a normal vomit, there's no projectile to it.....more like just slime coming up and sliding out on its own...thick mucus stuff that sometimes will have bits of the offending food in it and give you some relief. Any better descriptions? That's just my experience talking. And it's not always going to happen right away.....sometimes it's an hour or so after eating when the food tries to move from the pouch to the lower stomach......it gets stuck in the stoma (the little channel that connects the two).

If you enter your food intake on a program like fitday.com it'll figure the percentages for you. Only problem is, is can't tell the difference between good carbs and bad carbs (but I'd don't eat any bad ones so it's ok with me). I try to stay under 30 carbs (which is not to say I always make it) and under 30 fats (we need fats for our hormones, and to keep our skin from getting too dry).

No, you didn't damage the band. About the only way to do that is to have violent vomiting for a long period of time, and it doesn't sound like you did. It does hurt like heck, though, doesn't it. It takes most of us months to learn to chew and to quit that mindless "popping it in while we're cooking or cleaning off the table" stuff we've always done. Take Tiny bites and chew til they are pulverized. You might also try using sauces on the meat. I can't eat an egg unless I pour a little warm cheese dip over it....or sometimes some salsa. A few bad 's stuck episodes and you will be trained to remember. BTW...when something gets stuck you're first reaction is to grab a drink of water - that's usually the worst thing you can do because the stoma is blocked and the water will come right back up. (Also, if you have a bad PB or stuck episode, you might need to stick to warm liquids for the rest of the day and let the swelling go down in your esophagus....let it heal +_

Wheetsin........you and I have stayed at just about the same all thru this journey. We had surgery at the same date and have lost about the same amount. Proud of you and proud of me and everybody else who is giving it their all:clap2:

Well, it can be done. I've lost 160 and still going.....much more slowly but still losing!! don't let them discourage you.

I'm 5'2"......192 lbs....wear 18/20 (L, XL)....I'm still so big thru the waist that it puts me up a size....makes the legs/butt of my pants too big. But I didn't ask for perfection.....just to be smaller. It's still frustrating going shopping, but at least I can find something that goes all the way around me.....that's an improvement!!

For some reason it seems to take a week or more for a fill to take effect on some people......no one I've ever heard of seems to know the reason why, but it does happen.

That happened to me a number of times. What I assume happend is.....the chicken blocks the stoma that goes from the pouch to the lower stomach, then when we drink, the liquid can't go thru the stoma and it just right back up. That's how it feels to me, anyhow. :paranoid

FYI: When you add protein to your coffee there is a little 'art' to it......mix the powder with a little cool water or milk in your cup and stir till it makes a slurry......then add your coffee. If you don't, the hot coffee will cook the protein and you'll have lumps in it....not real appetizing.

Should be no problem at all doing it during Christmas break. Good time to get a jumpstart and avoid all the evil foods of the holidays besides! Most LB people go back to work in 4-5 days, just no heavy lifting for a few weeks. Gas pains seem to be the biggest complaint for a while afterward (from the gas they pump your abdomen up with during the procedure) but I never even had a gas pain. I've often said that I've had haircuts that were more traumatic than my lapband surgery!:cool: 1 or 2 lbs/week is very doable for several months, and then it will slow down a little. I slowed down after about 100 pounds. I'm 18 mo. out and have lost 160 lbs and am still losing about 1/2 lb a week on average.

<p>It is vey common for people to get completely off their diabetes meds after wls. I had been on diabetes meds for 20 years, took several a day and still had unstable readings (and yes, they made me gain weight)...........within 6 mo. after lapband, I was off all my diabetes meds. I'm now 18 mo out and my sugar is very stable. BTW....I'm also off my blood pressure meds after 30 years and several other meds also (I was taking 11 scripts at time of surgery....now I'm on none at all<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/clap2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Clap2" smilieid="217" class="inlineimg" />).</p>

Are you putting flavored protein in your coffee? That helps a lot with the hunger pangs and keeps up your energy level. I love the Nectar Cappacino in coffee as well as chocolate protein. :ranger:

A warm drink usually helps me with the late-evening head hunger.....a big cup of warm protein drink (decaf coffee with Matrix chocolate protein or vanilla protein powder and some kind of SF Davinci syrup; or warm tea w/orange cream protein powder; etc). Or a thick protein shake made in a blender with crushed ice and SF Cool Whip.

I understand it has little to do with your weight....it has more to do with the size of your organs - the surgeon doesn't make a decision until he gets inside and looks around and sees what size is most appropriate for your body parts. All sizes of bands work the same, the only difference is the amount of fills that they put n afterward.

To begin with....mortgage processing alone is enough to give anyone migraines and ulcers and make them go nuts regardless of their personal health.....:angry But if you are good at it you are a valuable commodity to your boss. However.........because of your working conditions.... I would say that you need a the lapband AND a new job!! Those conditions are dangerous. I have a relative who is in a class action lawsuit right now because of working in a molding, asbetos facility...and most of the long-time employees have myriad lung and allergy ailments. She is in her 40's and is almost disabled because of it. She's just trying to hang on and work til the lawsuit is settled. Otherwise.....the weight loss completed overhauled my body - inside as much as outside. I'm much older than you, but I had health problems since I was about your age when I started gaining weight. I was a professional, loved my work, was good at it but had to retire early because of just not being able to get around. At the time of wls, I had been hypertensive for 30 years, diabetic for 20 years, had had a heart attack and 4 heart stents within the previous 4 years, took meds for all of that plus gout, depression, cholesterol, triglycerides, arthrtis, etc etc. etc. I was using a walker part of the time and shopping for a wheelchair (size extra-wide, of course). By the time I lost 50 lbs, I was off my diabetic meds, another 25 and I was off my b.p. meds...the other meds went away gradually and now (after -160 lbs) I'm off everything!! I feel wonderful, I can walk, I can do my work.....I now have a life. I hope things work out well for you, sweetie. You are young and you already have several tough battles to fight.....you need all the weapons you can get to win the war. Best wishes to you.