catfish87

I've had my band for 5 years. I'm 44 y/o. I haven't had any band caused problems. I started at 324 and have lost about 130 pounds. I bike and run now. I feel "normal". Life is good!

Hoping you find that this fill, USING FLUOROSCOPY, will be the one that provides you with satisfaction. There could be many reasons the Fluid numbers don't add up...possibly there wasn't ever as much in there as they thought to begin with, maybe she didn't get it all removed during this latest fill, maybe one or some of the other adjustments missed the port, etc, etc. One thing is for sure, they SEEN your band wasn't correctly adjusted, instead of just guessing this time. I wish everybody had that option...... Best wishes!

Congrats! Not only on your weightloss success, but also on your acceptance that WE may never reach "that" number on a scale. And just look at all those NSV's!!!!! Kuddo's to you for enjoying your healthy life.

For me, it was getting my band PROPERLY ADJUSTED. And that only happened after my surgeon started using fluoroscopy. I have had my band for almost 5 years now, and like many others, I could diet for some period of time....actually did quite well at dieting for the first few months post banding. Lost 90 pounds during the first 6 months or so.. I followed all the rules, lost lots of weight, life seemed good.... Then like so many times in the past, my willpower started dwindling...eating more than I should, getting frustrated, then actually was ready to give up and say it wasn't gonna work for me. I couldn't even tell I had had surgery!! Nothing was different than before....FRUSTRATED! Almost.....almost, ready to give up. Even stopped going to my surgeon for over a year I was so frustrated....felt like a failure. I had surgery and thought even IT wasn't gonna help. But I did go back..... My surgeon started using fluoroscopy for all band adjustments, he immediately understood why it wasn't working, corrected it, and NOW.....I couldn't be happier with my band. It does EXACTLY what I was told it would do....LIMIT MY PORTIONS, therefore I eat less....sounds kinda simple. But thats my experience. In 5 years, I've never had one band caused problem. But without fluoroscopy, I'd have never been where I am today. Best wishes!

Congrats!

@@Anume 937 Congrats on your loss!

5k run for me today. Been a while since I ran....I had been having some lingering calf muscle pain. Today felt good. @@Bandista Those Saucony shoes are very popular...hopefully they'll work good for you and eliminate your IT band pain. The one I use is to stand feet together, touching a wall with your fingertips (sideways), and try and push your knees towards the wall. Then switch sides and do the other way....seemed to help me. Here's a youtube video of some suggestions.

Rode my bike into work, 12 hour night shift, then ride home this morning.....39 miles round trip.

For me, your answer to your question was how I dealt with it. I didn't want to screw anything up. I wanted it to work so bad, I did EXACTLY as I was told during those postop healing weeks. I know it's tough....we've all been there. But the benefits of the few short weeks of strict compliance are so worth the longterm results. Best wishes!

New Whey liquid Protein shots are 42 grams of protein in 3.8 OUNCES...just a thought. Maybe not the best tasting, but they certainly pack a lot of protein per ounce. I use them occasionally if I'm not hungry. 5 years post op.

Maybe one day we'll all get together for a ride....it could happen. IT band pain is something I had about 3 or 4 months after I started running...and for me, it went away after I got different shoes. Everybody told me, "go to a real running store and have them put you in the correct shoes for you".....but I DIDN'T listen, I went to a generic store (shoe carnival).....and my IT's hurt so bad for a while. My new shoes and some stretching exercises the running coach at the store had me do, eliminated ALL of my IT band pain within about a week! It was almost too good to be believed. I used K-tape for a while before switching shoes and it seems to help some. I have foam rollers and the one that has ceramic beads on it as well. I use them occasionally now....supposedly it helps "roll out" lactic acid buildup....supposedly. Also, when you use your shoes often, you'll need to replace them "often"...whatever that is for you. For me, it's about every 3-400 miles it seems. I run 99% of the time outdoors, and they still look almost new....except the bottoms/tread/lugs. I keep track of milage on shoes with my garmin tracker...I've even got numbers on them with sharpies to let me know which pair is the oldest....sounds dumb I know, but I have NO IT band pain now.

Got in a nice 26 miles on the bike today. Happy Monday all!

Almost 5 years for me. After finding the correct adjustment for me, it has been fantastic. I've never had any band caused problems. I've lost about 130 pounds...and enjoy my new life. NORMAL....that's all I ever wanted, and the band has given me this. I'd do it again tomorrow, knowing what I know now. Best of luck on you decision.

50 miles on the bike today. Happy Monday all! http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/557323424

Just curious...what were YOUR expectations on the amount you'd have lost 5 weeks post op?

I'd suggest as long as you're losing and your NUT/Surgeon are satisfied with your intake, why change? I agree with TMF, you are burning a lot of calories and they may choose to have you up your Protein above 60 grams. I also don't believe in any starvation mode as long as we've got excess fat reserves. When I weighed 250, I'd burn appx 2000 calories in a 2 hour bike ride, WITH A HR in the 140-150 range. 4000 calories of output (including your BMR) every day of the week while taking in only 800 will give you a loss of a little over 6 pounds per week. Almost exactly what you say you've lost.....KUDDOS!

Great job everyone! I've been nursing a pulled calf muscle the last few days, just walking and stretching it some. It finally got better Monday and I got in a little jog last night with no pain. Today is beautiful here in the midwest, so got in a nice bike ride. 42 miles at a nice easy pace.

I love my bike! I ride often and it's the most relaxing "exercise" I could ever do.

Just wanted to share this today....It doesn't take a marathon! http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/07/28/even-a-5-minute-run-can-help-prevent-heart-disease/ Even a 5-minute run can help prevent heart disease Good news for runners: A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests running, even for a few minutes a day, can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease – whether you plod along or go at race speed. Researchers studied more than 55,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 100 over a 15-year period, looking at their overall health, whether they ran and how long they lived. Compared to nonrunners, those who ran had a 30% lower risk of death from all causes and a 45% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, investigators found. In fact, runners on average lived three years longer than those who did not hit the pavement. When data was broken down by age, sex, body mass index, and smoking and alcohol use, the benefits were still the same. “That’s important to note,” said Dr. Warren Levy, a cardiologist and chief medical officer of Virginia Heart in northern Virginia. “Even with all the negative factors, such as obesity, smoking and diabetes, those who were, let’s say, obese and ran had a less likely chance of dying from heart problems than those obese people who didn’t run. Same with smokers, diabetics, etc. ” The speed and frequency of a person's running routine did not make a huge difference either. The data showed novice runners who ran less than 51 minutes, fewer than 6 miles, slower than 6 miles per hour, or only one or two times per week still had a lower risk of dying than those who did not put on running shoes. D.C. Lee, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at Iowa State University's kinesiology department in Ames, Iowa, said the researchers found runners who ran less than an hour per week have the “same mortality benefits compared to runners who ran more than three hours per week.” So more may not be better. “Its been shown that after a certain amount of running over a certain period of time, the benefits seem to wane,” said Levy. “We aren’t quite sure why.” However, researchers did discover that consistency was key. They found participants who ran consistently over a period of six years or more gained the most benefits, with a 29% lower risk of death for any reason and 50% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke. There have been many studies that have shown the benefits of exercise on the heart. But this study is one of the largest to pinpoint the positive effects of running, especially for nonmarathoners or nontriathletes. "Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity, the study may motivate more people to start running and continue to run as an attainable health goal for mortality benefits," Lee said. Activities like running can lower your blood pressure and decrease the production of glucose, which cuts your risk of developing diabetes, according to the American Heart Association. Running also seems to protect the innermost lining of the arteries, keeping the walls and cells intact, which cuts the risk of blockages or clots that can cause strokes or heart attacks. Levy, a runner himself, said people considering taking up running programs should talk to their doctors first, especially if they have chronic conditions. “A lot of weekend warriors just go out without preparing for their run. It’s the runner who takes it gradually and trains correctly, even for a run around the block, who's the one who avoids injuries and other complications."

Even a 5-minute run can help prevent heart disease Good news for runners: A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests running, even for a few minutes a day, can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease – whether you plod along or go at race speed. Researchers studied more than 55,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 100 over a 15-year period, looking at their overall health, whether they ran and how long they lived. Compared to nonrunners, those who ran had a 30% lower risk of death from all causes and a 45% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, investigators found. In fact, runners on average lived three years longer than those who did not hit the pavement. When data was broken down by age, sex, body mass index, and smoking and alcohol use, the benefits were still the same. “That’s important to note,” said Dr. Warren Levy, a cardiologist and chief medical officer of Virginia Heart in northern Virginia. “Even with all the negative factors, such as obesity, smoking and diabetes, those who were, let’s say, obese and ran had a less likely chance of dying from heart problems than those obese people who didn’t run. Same with smokers, diabetics, etc. ” The speed and frequency of a person's running routine did not make a huge difference either. The data showed novice runners who ran less than 51 minutes, fewer than 6 miles, slower than 6 miles per hour, or only one or two times per week still had a lower risk of dying than those who did not put on running shoes. D.C. Lee, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at Iowa State University's kinesiology department in Ames, Iowa, said the researchers found runners who ran less than an hour per week have the “same mortality benefits compared to runners who ran more than three hours per week.” So more may not be better. “Its been shown that after a certain amount of running over a certain period of time, the benefits seem to wane,” said Levy. “We aren’t quite sure why.” However, researchers did discover that consistency was key. They found participants who ran consistently over a period of six years or more gained the most benefits, with a 29% lower risk of death for any reason and 50% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke. There have been many studies that have shown the benefits of exercise on the heart. But this study is one of the largest to pinpoint the positive effects of running, especially for nonmarathoners or nontriathletes. "Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity, the study may motivate more people to start running and continue to run as an attainable health goal for mortality benefits," Lee said. Activities like running can lower your blood pressure and decrease the production of glucose, which cuts your risk of developing diabetes, according to the American Heart Association. Running also seems to protect the innermost lining of the arteries, keeping the walls and cells intact, which cuts the risk of blockages or clots that can cause strokes or heart attacks. Levy, a runner himself, said people considering taking up running programs should talk to their doctors first, especially if they have chronic conditions. “A lot of weekend warriors just go out without preparing for their run. It’s the runner who takes it gradually and trains correctly, even for a run around the block, who's the one who avoids injuries and other complications." http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/07/28/even-a-5-minute-run-can-help-prevent-heart-disease/

Thats where mine is. My port is just to the left side and just about an inch above the bellybutton.

Struggle to get in "enough calories". enough per? Possible the band is working with nothing in it? Yes, there are some VERY successful people on here who have never had a fill postop. Some just don't seem to need it. Getting a fill later? My surgeon would. Why get one now if you think everything is working good and you're losing weight......thats really the only goal. Congrats! Sounds like you're off to a great start!

Congrats Jess! Great job

Welcome to the site! Fear of the unknown is quite common with everything we do in life. You sound just like I was....wondering if this is gonna work? Will it work for me? What will the complications be? What if I don't wake up?.....and on and on and on. My surgery was WAY easier than I was expecting. (after watching all those YouTube videos, etc) Within a couple of hours I was walking the hospital halls, no dreaded gas pains you hear about often, but I was sure to take my painkillers...whether I needed them or not! Home the next day and took it easy for a few days. Fast forward 5 years to today, I have not had any band caused problems or complications. The band has completely changed my life. I wouldn't have ever dreamed it could have really been this good. If I could offer some advice, 1. Think of this for the long term....YEARS....not days or weeks. It is the Number one complaint you will see on here..."I didn't lose any weight TODAY!" It takes some of us longer than others to find our way with this banded life. 2. Regular, scheduled followup might just be the most important part of all this....after all, the lapband is designed to be adjustable....for a reason. Keep those post op appts. There will come a time down the road, when this just becomes your new NORMAL life....and it's great! Congrats on your decision and best of luck on your upcoming surgery.

Congrats! Sounds to me like you've done extremely well. Best wishes on your continued success.