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Don't be scared Oceangirl. For every negative story there are 10 success stories. The best thing you can do is YOUR HOMEWORK. Learn exactly how the band works and you'll have fewer surprises. If you haven't already chosen your surgeon take a look on this forum for advice about choosing a WLS. This forum is full of good information. There are many, many knowledgeable people here. READ, READ, READ.

Elfiepoo, no one would EVER accuse you of cheating! I have read enough of your posts to know how hard you are working to get to your goal. But, here's the thing ... something is not right ... your doc needs to be looking into this because it just doesn't seem possible that you would have gained weight. Have you asked your doc how this could be possible? Can't be "gaining muscle", could it? I wouldn't think so, but ... I am not being sarcastic, I am genuinely curious about the phenomenon. I hope things get better soon and the weight starts to melt off. :thumbup: By the same token I don't think that Kelly was accusing Ayana of "cheating" (and neither was I). My point had nothing to do with cheating. I wish you the best on your journey.

Gracie, you are a mere 4 weeks out. Your body is still healing and you don't have restriction yet. Give yourself a break. Take a deep breath and realize that this is a process. You are not going to change everything about yourself overnight. Don't stress, just make the effort everyday to do better. The closer you get to your sweet spot the easier it will be. Try writing when you want to graze. Maybe write about why you want to eat when you're not hungry, what you're actually feeling that makes you think food will make it better. This helps some people, others it does not. Just a suggestion. Think about what happened in the past when you beat yourself up because you went off your diet. Did that stop you or make you eat more? Beating yourself up usually leads to self sabotage -- don't go there. Tomorrow is a new day, start again. You can do this! ~Fran

Manda87, you've lost SEVENTY-SIX POUNDS!!!! How on EARTH could that be a "stab" at you?????!!! Maybe it's me, idk ... you did a lot of work AND YOU LOST THE WEIGHT. I think you are doing a FANTASTIC job of working WITH your band. @Jaymie, As for being harsh ... I don't think so. Sarcastic, yeah, maybe ... but harsh ... not so much. But, hey, I can take it. I do feel for Ayana not having received good info from her doc. There are a number of people that have come to this forum who don't seem to know how the band actually works. My doc was not the best at giving info either. As a result I had to do my own research, mainly because I wanted this to work. Simple as that. Learning that everything is not going to be handed to you and explained (EVEN WHEN IT SHOULD BE) is a good lesson in self-reliance. Hey, harsh or no ... it is what it is. @Kellydoran, I knew I would catch some flack for not being PC and being sarcastic so, I thank you for your support. LOL I wish EVERYONE well on their journey!

The thing that I like about people like you is that you are looking at this from a positive point of view. :thumbup: You will probably learn, when you finally hit your sweet spot" that 6.75 cc's was not near enough to 1) give you proper restriction; and 2) keep your hunger at bay for a truly reasonable amount of time. But, are you complaining and whining? NO! Keep up the good work and continue getting your fills. Make sure you are getting enough Protein (I find that it keeps my hunger away), Water and exercise. You will be at your "sweet spot" in no time! With your positive attitude coupled with proper restriction you will definitely be a lapband success story! Good luck on your journey. ~Fran

I'm with you Ayana! I would want my band removed too if I had changed my eating and activity habits, exercised 3-4 times a week, and around 1-2 hours each time, hired a personal trainer AND bought the Bodybugg to help me along the way -- and only lost 5 lbs!! Oh... wait ... that was Manda87 ... and she lost 76 lbs. I'm sorry Ayana, I couldn't resist. I am sure you have been doing your part to be successful with your band, right? But, as others have said, you need restriction. Can you lose without restriction? DEFINITELY. But you have to really put in the work. That said, having had the band put in, I would want to utilize it to assist me with my weight loss. ASSIST is a key word here. I guess your doc did not tell you that the band is a "tool", it doesn't do the work for you. Having restriction is important to a lot of us, while others manage to lose weight without restriction. (I'm not one of those). So, GET ANOTHER FILL. Get fills until you have the proper restriction. But, even with the proper restriction, if you don't change the way you eat, you're not likely to lose. Exercise is important too. Read posts on this forum. You can learn a lot. Doesn't sound like your doc gave you much useful information about the band. READ, READ, READ -- then put what you've learned into practice. Don't despair, you have the band and it will mirror the work you do. I didn't get to my "sweet spot" for several months so know that you are not alone. Hang in there!

Be prepared ladies because it will continue to happen! Even at my age! LOL Since losing weight I have changed my hair and bought new, stylish glasses. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. But sometimes it's just cute. A few weeks ago as I was leaving my nephew's football game a very nice man (about my age) noticed that my shoe was untied and told me about it. I knew it was, but I was too tired from screaming and jumping up and down at the game to do anything about it. Well, I was approaching the stairs to the parking lot and the very nice guy says "I will tie your shoe for you, I wouldn't want you to trip on the stairs". And he bent down and tied my shoe! That was soooo sweet. I have to mention something else though, one of my neighbors outed another of my neighbors as having a crush on me. The poor guy (who parks next to my car in our car port) was so embarrassed, I didn't see him for 3 days (I usually see him everyday). But, when I did see him he had cleaned the area around my parking space and told me that he did it for me. I said "thank you" and he said "anything for you". Trust me folks I have ZERO interest in this guy. Add to that he is TEN years younger than me. I am a little uncomfortable when I run into him, but he has been very polite. Until recently I hadn't dated in 5 YEARS! Hope you are all enjoying your new lives!

Me and ice cream are like a bad romance. I keep going back and it keeps making me sick! LOL I am lactose intolerant but I keep saying "maybe this time things will be different". They never are, of course, but some people can't get enough of a bad relationship. I have stayed away for several months now, but, I can't guarantee that if I see Mr. IC at someone else's house I won't try to get back together with him. Yes, I know the result will be the same ... he will reject me and make my thighs fat (as well as the rest of me), but you know how love can be. LOLLLL!:thumbup: I love ice cream but ice cream doesn't love me.

Wow! 1/3 the price is quite a deal! And I guess for you it's not so far, huh? I wish you well on your journey.

Strange thing happened after lapband ... I don't really like potatoe chips anymore. I was a big fan before the band, but now ... not so much. YAY! Have to admit though, I linger at the Frito display before walking away. LOL:wink2:

Yes, my doc gave me my first fill 3 weeks after surgery and then every 2 weeks as need. Not had a problem in over a year. Curious though, why did you go all the way to Belgium to have the surgery? No doc closer? Not my business, just curious because it seems a long way to go. Were you able to stay there to recuperate and then enjoy a vacation? ~F

Reading the latest comments on this topic reminds me of something that I was told several years ago by a co-worker. Let me first say that she was a very attractive, slender young woman about 5 years younger than myself. I don't remember how the conversation started, but I distinctly remember her saying that she would rather kill herself than to be fat like me. Hard as it might be to believe, she wasn't trying to be mean to me. She really felt that way. What I remember feeling when she said it was, pity. I pitied her because ALL of her self worth was wrapped up in her being thin. I knew her well enough to know about her relationships, that she was divorced from a guy that also worked where we worked and that she was dating another guy from the office at the time. I remember her being quite a miserable person. I truly felt sorry for her. I do like it that I am losing weight and that I had the surgery but, I have always known that being thin does not mean being happy. Know matter what you weigh, if you are not happy with the person you are on the inside, you won't be able to lose enough weight in a million years to change that ... prime example: the anorexic. Enough said.

Ahhh, Fred, so sorry to hear that the band just isn't working out for you. :thumbup: But I've got to tell you ... I am really confused: I have not seen a doctor since being banded in March. The doctors in this hospital group only so the surgery and know nothing about the working of the band, diet, and could probably not even do a fill. That is not the way this group works. The nurses do everything - fills and counselling and even fluoroscopy fills. You have a right to see a doctor, Fred, not just a nurse. Perhaps you should switch to another practice. One that is more hands on AND one that gives you better info. Honestly, I did know prior to surgery that the band may not help a grazer. But I decided to have it anyway. I thought it would help some. However, i can't say it is of any value to me. I could not keep weight off before and I can't do it now. It still takes a willpower that I, just like most overweight people, so not have. Okay, you've got me stumped here ... you KNEW that the band may not help grazers but decided to get it anyway? You thought it would help "some" based on what? You said you were told that it would likely NOT help grazers. I don't know, but I just don't get that ... I don't understand your reasoning here. Call me crazy, but if I went to the doctor and they told me that putting a cast on my right arm would not help my broken left arm, hmmm I wouldn't tell them to put the cast on my right arm anyway. Hey what the heck do I know ... The band may contribute to more grazing because I can not eat as much at meals, so I get hungrier later. So maybe I am need some fill removed. However, I did no better when I was less filled. Still I am confused, you say that maybe you should get some fill removed BUT in the next sentence you say it's still not going to help. Are you SURE you want to lose weight? You seem to be knocking every possibilty for improvement. I AM SOOOOO CONFUSED! Okay Fred, I am going to catch a lot of flack for not being PC in my response to your last post. Oh well, that's life. I see we are the same age so I'm going to say this: I got the band cuz I was tired of making excuses about why I couldn't lose weight. I did some research before I got the band but not nearly enough. After getting the band and doing more reading and research (btw, my doc wasn't the best band doc either -- but I kept him because he did all my fills personally, would answer ANY question I had and he gave me a fill whenever I felt I needed one) -- particularly on this forum, I learned that the band is about the work I DO, not the work the band does. My weight loss is slow, but steady. If I exercised more, I would lose faster. I have actually incorporated more exercise into my daily life and it has helped. But I accept responsibility for my weight loss and for speed at which I lose. This is ALL ME! I have the power, not the band. I also see a therapist to deal with emotional eating. She is a big help! You say you are a grazer, well, I will bet dollars to donuts (maybe I should not invoke a dessert food here, but what the heck!) that there are grazers on this forum that have the lapband and have learned to make it work for them. Most likely they changed the foods they grazed on. Whatever they did, it was a change they made in their life because they understand that they can only succeed if they are willing to do the work. You're 54 years old, when are you going to take responsibility for what YOU are doing to yourself? I know that sounds mean, but know this ... I asked MYSELF the very same question ... and the day I was willing to answer it honestly was the day I started changing the way I eat and what I eat and how much exercise I do. I am not sure what you want from the people on this forum. And, I am sorry if I sound harsh ... but we - you and I - are not young people, we are old enough to look back on a long life and know that if we don't change ourselves ... we can possibly die from weight related illnesses in the not-to-distant future. I know I don't want that, do you? Get a therapist that specializes in obesity. It could really help, but only if you want to change your life. Stop focusing on why you "can't" lose weight and find ways that you "can". There are a lot of GOOD people on this forum. Many of them are going to lambast me for speaking so frankly. But, you know what, I can take it. We are too old to play games, you and I. It's time to get down to business and change our lives. Good luck, Fred. I really do wish you the best.

Fred, it sounds like you didn't find ths forum until AFTER you were banded, true? Even if that is true, all is not lost. You have the band and you can still lose weight if you are willing to do what it takes. That you had the idea that the band could stop you from grazing just by being in place leads me to believe that you weren't well informed about the band before surgery. Keep reading this forum and you will learn a lot more about the band. For one thing it is not a miracle device, it is a TOOL, not a magic tool, just a tool. If you use the tool properly it will do its job -- but only if you do your job. Another thing is that -- drum roll -- YOU must change the way you eat. Yeah, sad but true, putting a piece of silicone or plastic or whatever it's made of in your belly won't control your mind OR keep your hands from scooping ice cream (a slider food, BTW) into your mouth and swallowing. Only YOU can do that. But here's the thing Fred, it is SOOOOOOOOOO empowering when you learn to take control of your health and well being. Your lapband helps you do that. Please read through this forum and do other research about how the band really works. Then, make it work for you. Take your life back! The band has helped so many people. As long as you are not having complications there's no reason you cannot succeed. Shame on your doctor for not giving you better information! Don't give up, you can do this! Try a few support groups too, it could help. All the best to you on your journey! ~Fran

I love Muscle Milk. I am lactose intolerant so I use the powder (chocolate). I mix half soy milk and half water. I have it for breakfast every morning -- I cannot get food down in the morning no matter how hard I try. So the Muscle Milk is great. I buy it at Costco for $26 for 40 scoops at 26gr of protein per scoop.

Since "normal" for me before banding was: 1) taking a daily regimen of meds for comorbidities; 2) Not being able to walk very far without being out of breath and having to sit; 3) Being drepressed because I hated the body I saw in the mirror; 4) Being in a daily cycle of eating because I was depressed about being fat and eating more because I hated myself for eating about being fat; 5) Suffering with terrible back pain daily ... the list goes on and on ... so no, I do not live a normal life ... my life is much, much better now! food is not longer my nemesis. My comorbidity meds are gone. I eat what I want for the most part, but I eat much less and am satisfied. I walk for miles and enjoy the scenery. I shop til I drop! YAY! Men flirt with me (and I AM OLD! LOL). I am happy and at peace with myself most of the time. I couldn't say that before. My life is so much better than "normal" now, so much better. All the best to you! ~Fran

I soooooooo know what you mean!!! LOL Sometimes I have to consciously tell myself "this is the bite that will make you throw up, don't be stupid!" This happens when I am eating something that tastes especially delicious and I want more but know I am already full. Oh the torture! Good to know I am not alone. LOL :sneaky: ~Fran

Cleo's Mom, this is very good advice! Even though the first 3 docs I went to when looking for a WLS were actually WLS surgeons (but turned out not to be on my insurance ... even though they were listed on my insurer's website), by the time I found a surgeon that would do it, I was so frustrated I just said "okay!". It did not even occur to me that he was a general surgeon. I am pretty sure he had recently (within the last 2 or 3 years -- I spoke to some of his patients in the waiting room) started building his WLS practice. But still did general surgery as well. That said, it is a REALLY good idea to choose a surgeon that only does WLS. I am sure this suggestion will help a lot of pre-ops that are checking out this forum before making their decision to have WLS.

Yes, I saw the article and wondered if it would be discussed in this forum. The article was bad, but did you read the comments??? It is amazing what people will say about other human beings. There are people on this forum that have spent their entire life trying to lose the weight and keep it off but couldn't until they got the band. I think if those that criticize us for not just "pushing away from the table" (pre-band) should walk a mile in our shoes. If they did they would sit down and shut up!

Patience was never one of my virtues but, with age comes ... hmmm ... reality, I guess. There are things that are out of my control. Is it better to relax and get through it? Yes, I think it is. It is easy? Often, no. 2 stories. A few years ago I had been feeling poorly for days. Ultimately, I couldn't get out of bed to get dressed for work. I called my docs office and they gave me an appointment for the next morning. The morning of the appointment I could barely get out of bed. I managed to get dressed because I knew that I had to get to the docs office. I left home in time to get to my appointment but, getting from the garage to the office (which was a 4 minute walk normally) took me about 15-20 minutes. I had to stop 2 or 3 times to sit down. I was very weak. After waiting for the elevator and finally getting in to the office they told me that I was too late. They said that I would have to reschedule because the doctor had to stay on schedule and I was too late to get in by TWO MINUTES. I was so sick I could barely talk. But I managed to tell the guy at the desk that I was much too sick to leave and could the doc PLEASE see me. He went back to see the doc and he agreed to see me. My doc took one look at me and said "you look awful". I explained my symptoms, he took a quick blood test and I had to be hospitalized immediately. I spent the next 5 days in the hospital. I was severely dehydrated, my blood sugar was 917 and I was fast on my way to diabetic ketoacidosis. At that time I did not know I was diabetic. I was immediately put on an IV for dehydration and my friend that was at the hospital with me had to respond to the questions they asked because by then, I was confused and incoherent. My doc is one that doesn't like to make his patients wait so, if you are late, you must reschedule so that others are not left waiting. But ... sometimes it's necessary. People had to wait while the doc took me in and people had to wait while the doc arranged for me to get into the hospital. I am very grateful to the people that waited while the doctor treated me. My 2nd story was a frustrating experience. I went for a fill one afternoon. I left work at 11:30 a.m. for a 12:15 p.m. fill appointment. My surgeon does all my fills himself. I had not reached restriction and was anxious to get this fill. As it goes with surgeons I had been sent home in the past without a fill because my doc was in surgery. On this day, they kept telling me he was "on his way." After two hours I was debating whether I should stay or just leave and reschedule. I had my iPod with me and the couches in his office are EXTREMELY comfortable, so I stayed. He arrived an hour later. I waited THREE hours for my doc! That's a loooooonnnng time to be patient. Fortunately, I had taken the remainder of the day off from work. Was it the end of the world waiting 3 hours? No. Would I ever want to do it again? No. After that experience I call his office before I leave work to make sure he is already there or nearby. It's not too much to ask that a doc respect your time. But, sometimes it's just not possible. Hang in there folks. As we lose weight our health gets better and better and soon we will only see a doc for our yearly physical! ~F

Jen, It sounds like you haven't had your post op appointment, right? I saw my doc 1 week after surgery, but i believe I have seen people here that have been scheduled at 2 weeks or 3. Everyone here is right, you must call your surgeon. Many people suffer ill effects from the anesthesia and you may be one of them. You also may have problems with the pain meds. It is hard to say since you did not give much detail. The one thing I think we can all agree on is that you should call your surgeon as soon as possible. It sounds like you are going through a very difficult time and I hope you feel better soon. Please be proactive and get the help you need. Do not suffer in silence. Even if your pain and suffering is something that will only abate with time, your doctor should be able to put your mind at ease by explaining to you exactly what is going on with your body right now. Please continue to look through this forum, there is a wealth of information here. ~Fran

Restriction is a person to person thing. One person may feel restriction with 4cc's in a 10cc band while another may not. It's weird, I know. But that's the way it is. I don't really know how much is in my band because I don't think my doc was really getting the saline in the first couple of fills. But, who knows. Anyway, I didn't start to feel real restriction until about my 5th fill. I thought I was at my sweet spot about my 6th fill but it wasn't until my 7th fill that I KNEW I was at my sweet spot. I was banded in June 2009 and I got that 7th fill in April 2010. So, you see, depending on your body and how aggressive your doc is with the fills, you are not there until you are there. My doc told me that I should probably be at my sweet spot by my 3rd fill -- didn't happen. Keep getting your fills and let the swelling go down after each fill before you decide whether you are too tight or too loose. All the best to you on your journey. ~Fran

Now THAT makes sense, and is definitely worth the read. Thanks a bunch Elcee! ~F

AS A VERY LAST RESORT ... ask your doc about a med for sleep apnea called Nuvigil. I think that all the previous suggested are best. You should be thoroughly checked out. Also, give your anti-depressants time to get into your system. I have/had sleep apenea. I don't know if I still have it because I sleep alone ... no one hears me snore ... LOL I was having so much trouble with my new CPAP that I stopped using it ... I kept choking and my just couldn't breath with it on. I had one in 2004 that worked wonderfully, then in 2009 I got a new one and it was terrible. Anyway, my doc gave me a new asthma med that made me lethargic ... I was so tired at work, it was awful. So, he gave me Nuvigil which is a med prescribed to sleep apnea patients when their CPAP doesn't do the job well enough. THIS IS A LAST RESORT MED. I shutter to think what will happen when I try to get off this pill. I've been taking it for about 3 months now. It works well but I don't like the idea of it. I am wondering if any other sleep apnea patients on this forum have heard of/used Nuvigil. Anyone? Good luck, it is literally a drag to be tired all the time. Fran

Mellisande, After being beat about the head and shoulders for being frank - which sometimes includes not using tact - many on this forum have become more PC in their responses to posts. And, I have to admit, this does have its merit. As obese/formerly obese/soon-to-be formerly obese people we have had our share of ill treatment; so I can definitely see the value in asking that we treat each other in a civil/kind manner even when we disagree. The unfortunate part is that sometimes we lose the people that would give the "let's be real" answer in the process. But, oh well, such is the way of the world these days. All in all, I know what you mean about not wanting to check the responses because you are non-confrontational, I am sure you are not alone. No one wants to be beat up for expressing an opinion. Glad it turned out well for you. I am sure that many a newbie will be checking with his/her doc to find out the validity of the article. Personally, I have been banded long enough to actually know how it works for me; so if I read an article that said the band would explode if I ate ice cream for two days in a row, I would know this not to be true. Yes, in the early days I am sure I had ice cream two days in a row -- shame on me. LOL This article just confirms for me that everyone should do their homework thoroughly and check several sources for answers. The question that just won't go away is: If restriction is not an important component of having the band, why not just have a band without a the saline balloon? Just asking (Dr. Simpson, not you Mellisande). All the best to you on your journey. ~Fran