balletgirl

You are NOT a failure!!! Before any discussion of food, lap bands, or weight loss you MUST change your self talk or it will never work!! I am a compulsive overeater so I know all about the destructive self talk and the mental abuse I put upon myself. I have learned with therapy to learn to accept myself and my shortcomings and to learn to love myself for who I am. You can change the way you talk to yourself. When that voice says "you are a failure" you say..."well, actually I am a really great person who is taking care of myself and I may have slipped up a time or two but I am on the track to becoming all that I can be and give back to this world because I have a lot to share with this world - my gifts and talents. The past is the past and with the choice of the Lap Band I am moving forward to a happier and healthier me - thank you very much. Nope, I'm not a failure - I am a success!" Good luck. Now - tell yourself right now - yes right now - that you are taking care of yourself one day at a time. It takes time to change and patience will pay off. After you tell yourself that you love yourself for taking control of your own life and happiness with the Lap Band buddy (oh, I call my band my buddy), then go talk to the doctor about the restriction, weight loss, etc. - What you are doing, eating, etc. and come up with a plan with the doctor for a sensible time line for your weight loss goals. Make it all positive - make it about you! You deserve the best life has to offer! You really do!!! There's a reason why you are still here!

Let the doctor know you are nervous before you get the fill. You will be fine. The first time is scary but it's like a bee sting and very short lived. I was so nervous the first time, I almost passed out. The doctor said it was nerves and I wasn't the first patient to get queezy (sp) - it had nothing to do with pain or the shot - just straight nerves! After that first time you will see it isn't a big deal at all.

Hi Lap Band Friends! I want to promote a yogurt I found - "Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr Yogurt". Why? It's very high in Protein - 16 grams! All natural and low in sugars (I won't touch artificial sugar). It's super thick and stays with you longer than the regular, sugary yogurt you find in the grocery stores. Along with a banana, it lasts me all morning!:thumbup: Yes it is pricey, but since you are eating less food anyway the price is right! You can find it in the natural food grocery stores (go to the siggisdairy.com website for locations). Hope y'all are happy and healthy out there in Lap Band land!!

Why did the doctor say only plain greek? I eat the Oikios greek yogurt found at Safeway and Albertson's plus two local grocery stores in my area. The vanilla is quite good and doesn't add a lot of sugar. The strawberry and blueberry are good too. The plain? I add it to my protein shakes with a banana!

Ok, first of all, you are just fine! You are not bad and you are not doing anything bad! I understand!!! I am a compulsive overeater/binge eater so I completely understand the mental abuse you are putting yourself through so I am telling you it is ok! You are in the adjustment period and what you are experiencing is just what foods will work with the band, and what won't. I was banded 9/24/08. I learned right away that cake won't work for me. I have the pain - excruciating (sp) pain with foods that I can no longer tolerate. Cake being one of them, and all breads and meats. It is difficult at the beginning and your brain is playing games with you like "why did you do this?" blah blah blah...But PLEASE believe me that over time you will adjust to this new lifestyle. The nurse at the office told me it takes about 6 months to get used to the band, what you can and cannot eat, etc. Well, she was right. It took about 6 months. Don't worry right now about what is healthy and what isn't. The lap band will tell you. Well, ok obviously eating chips or candy over a banana or yogurt isn't a wise choice, but you know that. And if you do eat the wrong food than just say to yourself that it's ok and that you're in a learning period! You are doing great! You did the right thing getting banded! Do not give up and GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! Don't beat yourself up! You got the band for yourself to create a different outlook on life and to be more healthy. What a wonderful gift you gave yourself! It takes time, but hang in there because it works. I have lost 60 pounds and am so happy I chose the lap band. It saved my life. As far as family... Well, I understand that too. I went on vacation this summer back home to see people I haven't seen in ten years. I ate! And I ate! And I wrote for support here in the lap band website, and I got the support I needed from those in this community that understand. You are on the right path. Keep posting here for support from those of us on the same path. One more note I'd like to pass on. I have been in counseling for the entire time I have had the lap band and it has been tremendous. I recommend finding a therapist to talk to if your brain keeps tormenting you because therapy is great to help eliminate these disruptive thoughts. All my best to you and have a really wonderful weekend ok! Remember that you are being kind and loving to yourself for once and this is all about being good and healthy to yourself.

I am wondering if anyone else has had the lap band, but also has had their eating disorder come and "slap them in the face". I am a compulsive overeater/binge eater. I am in therapy, but my current counselor doesn't have much experience with working with eating disorders. I have previously been to Overeaters Annon. but I left after a year because I was tired of talking about food! I have been banded for a year, and now that I have lost weight my eating disorder has become stronger and louder (or should I say the "voice" in my head). I am reading a book called "Life without ED" which has only made the voice louder. Is anyone else dealing with this crazy voice? I was doing great until July '09 when I got so tight that the doctor had to remove 1cc. For the following month I could eat anything - and ate everything in site. So I went back to him and said I have no restirction. So he put 1cc back in - after he said he would only put in 1/2 cc. So guess what? I am so tight again that I can only handle liquids and even trying to eat plain vanilla greek yougurt is painful! I have this feeling of a huge gas bubble in my stomach! So now ED (eating disorder) is yelling at me saying "hey, skinny people don't eat so what's the big deal!". Many people I see now are saying that I look great (I've lost 70 pounds), but then they secretly ask my husband "is she ok? is she sick?" I feel like I'm going insane. I don't see my counselor for another week and a half. Does anyone else deal with this eating disorder? I am struggling right now with having to go back to the doctor and feel guilty for having him take more saline out so I can eat, and the other voice in my head who says "You don't need to go to the doctor, just deal with it"! Any advice? :thumbup:

Yes, I had 1cc taken out in July because I was so tight I could not even swallow water! Well, for the last two months, I wasn't feeling restriction, nor was I getting full after even eating a high fiber food like an apple or salad. I was eating too much and was hungry all the time. I went in yesterday and the doctor put one cc back in. He said he was going to put 1/2 cc in, but when he was done he said he went ahead and put a full cc in. Oh well. Now I wonder if I'll go back to being too full? Gosh, I feel like it's the yo-yo thing all over again!! Only not with dieting, but with saline! Good luck!

Thank you!!! I needed that support! I did go back to eating healthy so I feel better! I even RAN on the beach and got my heart pumping the other day!! I could not have done that 9 months ago! Thanks for being there for me. Makes it easier to know I have support as I'm stressing about seeing family and friends. Take care!

You're not alone!! I am on vacation right now and guess what?! I have been eating all the wrong foods and just now - literally right now - I was sitting here at this laptop eating a huge bag of chips!!! I am panicking because I am headed home to see my parents and friends that I have not seen in 10 - yes 10 years so I am freaking out about seeing these people. I left home 25 years ago a skinny person, gained the weight and now that I have lost the weight again I am freaking out. I had nutritious food in the camper but I went straight to the chips!!! Talk about a guilt trip!! I've been sitting for hours as we've been driving so I am not burning calories or exersizing like I want to, so I am right back to bad behavior. I'm with you. Sorry for my ranting!! I guess I just needed to confess too....

I've been shopping at Walmart as I drop sizes because the clothes are cheap so I don't feel so bad when I don't wear a size for long.

If you are wanting to measure ounces, use a scale. It's the most accurate (make sure it starts at zero - sometimes mine gets mis-aligned). Once you get used to how much foods weigh or measure with measuring cups, you won't have to use a scale or measuring cups much anymore. For instance, I might measure a liquid portion of tomato soup using a measuring cup. After putting the soup in a bowl, I then know the soup comes to a certain level in that bowl so I no longer have to measure it every time. After time you will get used to smaller portions anyway and your lap band will tell you when enough is enough. Good luck!

I've been banded since Sept 24, 2008 and now have lost 60 pounds. I have 15 more to go until my goal weight. Things are going great, but now that I'm used to eating healtier and smaller meals, I'm fighting mental anguish. I am a compulsive-overeater (now I guess they call it binge eating). My disease hasn't gone away with the lap band. Therapy has helped, but still my mind plays head games with me every day, all day long. I have lost more weight than I have in 25 years - since the birth of my oldest child so I'm alittle freaked out when I look in the mirror and see this body that I haven't seen in 25 years! My fear??? The yo-yo thing again. As I am sure many of you have experienced (that's why we did this right?) there is always this nagging in the back of the mind of gaining it all back! Yes, I know the band is a tool, but I still am so fearful that something will go wrong and that I'll just gain it all back again! To believe this is permanent is scary for me. Somehow I think that in the future something will go wrong with the band - erosion, slippage, etc. and they'll have to take it out and bam - there I go back to being obese. I did say I have an eating disorder so you can see where my obsessive thought is. I've explained this to my therapist, but I am not sure she truly understands my fear - she had me read a book "feel the fear and do it anyway". Why am I writing? I guess I just need some support and understanding from people who may be feeling the fear of the yo-yo thing too. Is there anyone here who has been banded for years that can reasure me that I won't yo-yo? I AM so much happier eating healthy! I am getting comments now from family and friends about how skinny I am. Now they ask - when are you going to stop loosing weight! You're skinny enough! (No, I'm fine by the BMI and CAN loose more weight). These comments don't help. I tell them I eat lots of fruits and veggies - which you should anyway! and they still tell me I'm too skinny. Sheesh. The mental anguish! Sorry I'm rambling....you can see my mind is really messing with me....:thumbup:

I completely disagree with this advise! I have had to give up meats and all breads because they don't work at all with my band. What I CAN eat are fruits and vegetables! (Go figure - that's what we're supposed to eat to stay healthy!!) So salad is a big MUST for me! Green leafy salads are so important to get those vital nutrients from vegetables! Chopped eggs can be added for Protein. I've even added low-fat cottage cheese to top off my salad instead of dressing! Yes, dressings are the part of salads that can ruin the benefits of eating a salad by overloading with fat and calories, but there are many many options to top off your salad! Lemons, salsa, yogurt, etc. The only salads I think you should NOT eat are those pasta/potato type salads loaded with mayonnaise that have few nutrients and far too much fat and calories. Sorry Doc, but I gotta disagree completely with you. A yummy green salad loaded with crunchy vegetables is filling, tasty, nutritious and overall healthy. They're excellent on a hot summer day. I think your advice should have been to eat vegetable salads, but make sure you chew thouroughly and pay attention to what topping you put on those salads! Read the Prevention magazine! They have great advise for nutritious healthy food!!

I haven't had a fill since January and I still feel restricted. I cannot tolerate any meat, processed meat, fish or any bread product whatsoever. I am down to 157 but I haven't lost even a pound in an entire month! I do not eat sugary Desserts either. I can pretty much eat fruit, vegetables, yogurt, Beans, eggs and sometimes salads. Some days I cannot eat until noon! So....my question is this. Exactly how many calories am I supposed to be consuming now? I'm not eating junk food, sodas, coffee drinks, etc so how come I'm not loosing! Yes, I exercise. I'm still restricted - even cottage cheese is hard to swallow sometimes! Anyone got an idea for me?? Thanks!! :laugh:

Yes. I am a beer drinker and have not had any problems with beer at all. Yes, I know it's empty calories. But be careful!!!! Because you are consuming less food, the beer will affect you differently than before. I've noticed it only takes one beer now to "catch a buzz" instead of three! Enjoy!

Yep! I have had the same thing! Almost two months ago I had a fill with massive restriction after. Lost 9 pounds in a month, so he didn't do another fill. I go back in on March 31. I'm getting real tired of eating soft food! Seems the only thing that doesn't hurt is yogurt! Last night I tried a very light pasta (angel hair) and veggie with two bites of meat and was I in PAIN! I too have had to completely give up meat and fish! I'm also frustrated because solid foods are outright painful for me to eat and I burp the whole time while swallowing! Have you experienced the burping??

Hi! I got my lapband Sept 24, 2008. My husband thought I should not tell anyone. But I made a decision to tell mostly everyone right away because you are right. You will drop weight and people will notice and question you about it. The biggest thing is the change in the way you will eat from now on. I did not want to have to come up with some weird explaination as to why I was doing a liquid diet (always the first two days after a fill) or a soft food diet (the next days after a fill). It makes it a lot simpler during the holidays and since everyone knows you are limited on the amount of food you are consuming they won't bug you to over eat nor will they be offended if you aren't eating their food! Some foods are not easily tolerated, so if you go somewhere that that food is served then you can avoid it and not offend that person if they know you've been banded. I found everyone to be extremely supportive of me! Only one friend thought she could no longer give me any sweets and I said "that's not true - I can eat a little bit, just not a lot"! (Obviously you won't make it a habit to eat sweets since it defeats the purpose of the band!) My biggest concern was eating out with my family because I did NOT want to tell servers my personal business of having a lap band. I have only once had to tell a server that I had "stomach surgery" because she was adamit that I could not have a child size meal. Other than that, I have found plenty of things to eat when going out with my family. It's almost an adventure going to different restaurants and finding something unique on their menu that I can eat. For instance at TGI Fridays they serve a wonderful side of mashed potatoes! Mexican restuarants are great for refried beans! My husband and I joke that now I'm a "cheap" date! Soup is always a good choice eating out and then just telling the server that you aren't hungry. That way you aren't forced to tell them your private affairs. And nowadays so many people have food allergies or things they do not want to eat, most places do not question me when I ask to eliminate something from a food item (i.e. the bread topping and cheese from french onion soup). Good Luck!!

After the strictly liquid requirements go to yogurt (I have fallen in love with Oikos Greek Yogurt at 16g of protein). It takes a bit to get used to greek yogurt but the texture is like frosting. Cottage cheese, refried beans, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables that are soft - zucchini works well. Green giant has boxes like "Immunity Boost" which are the perfect size for banded folks like us. Bananas are perfect and cantaloupe. Good ol' Campbells chicken noodle soup is always great if you're feeling constricted! Take it nice and slow and don't rush - ever. Don't EVER take big bites without chewing thorougly!! I took a huge bite of banana once when I was rushing around and wasn't paying attention! I paid dearly with pain for about 6 hours! Take your time and eat small bites and chew chew chew before swallowing. Good luck!

Hi Everyone! I was banded 9/24/08. I've been feeling kinda lonely though in my progress since I don't know of anyone else around me who has a lapband. That's why I've signed up there. So far things are great, and thanks to a wonderful and super supportive husband I've been making it ok! I started at 209 pounds and am not loosing as quick as I want, but I am loosing safely. I am also a compulsive overeater (I think they've changed it to binge eater?) so this lap band has been a major adjustment - mentally. At least I am in therapy which is good. My therapist does not specialize in eating disorders, but at least she is helping me figure out why I binge. It is a major struggle on days that my mind wants to take over and binge because I simply cannot physically do that! That's where the lap band is saving me, but still it is a major disruption in the brain! So far just looking at posts I know I'll get the support I need here from those of you who are experiencing the same things I am!