Momto3redheads

Wow - I am sorry you have had such a bad experience with the band. I know my first 6 months or so were not the funnest - I was learning what foods I could eat and what would make me PB but I knew once I hit the "sweet spot" as I wasn't as hungry between meals and I started dropping a couple lbs a week. That didn't last forever, tho...by the time I hit my one yr I was stuck at 75 lbs lost, but by wearing my Body MAgic and taking 2 oz of Levive every day I have managed to get to 97 lbs lost and I am happy with that. (if you have questions on the body magic or levive just PM me) Hang in there - you will find what will work for you - above all don't give up!

Holy smack - 60 g? YIKES! I am struggling to get in 40 at this point....UGH! I am addicted to Wendy's chili - a large has 28 grams of protein....and it is so yummy. Guess I will start sampling some shakes and see what I can find that I like - my mom like the atkins ones...but I got burned out on them pre surgery........

I have found that when I don't forget to take my 2 oz of LeVive every morning my sugar cravings so RAMPANT. It has fruit antioxidants in it and it is wonderful for helping me not crave sugar, gives me energy, and maintaining overall health as well as helping with losing weight. (immune system, blood pressure, blood sugars, etc) I became a distributor so that I could get it delivered to my door - I have all my family on it....and for the first time ever we are ALL (even the 19 mos old) off all allergy meds. So I am sold on it's benefits. :-) Anyhow, if you wanna know more just PM me...

I think a lot of folks have trouble eating out - I know the first 6 months or so that was pretty much the ONLY time I would have issues....so I think we are wired to talk and eat and not pay attention to how much/fast we are eating. This is a problem for bandsters! I don't find myself having as much trouble now, but I try and be mindful when I am out and eat SLOW and not drink anything. I do tend to stick to the usual foods when I am out, those I know I won't struggle with as much....and I always try and have "sauce" of some type along with my meat....be it chicken and BBQ sauce...hamburger and ketchup...or pizza topping with pizza sauce on the rare occassions I am out with the fam at a pizza place. Ya gotta just re program your mind - it takes time....we didn't get programmed this way overnight...so now we are trying to un do what we have learned thus far in life! Hang in there - you can do it! Kim

Hang in there....bandster hell is the worst place to be, but know that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel! I remember I gained a few lbs prior to getting my first fill...and it wasn't until after my second fill that I started losing, and very slowly at first. Don't get discouraged, know that you are on a trek and it will take TIME, it won't happen rapidly, but you are on the path to healthy-ness!!! You can do it!!!

Hang in there - for me the pre op diet was MUCH harder than living with the band afterwards.....you can do it, just start afresh and know that quickly it will all be a thing of the past....and you are focusing on the future! Good luck!

Don't let that get you down - I had the same thing happen when I went to our seminar....they were actively talking up the bypass surgery and stated that the stats were not as encouraging for the lap band............but when I met with my surgeon and talked to him about it he said that the reason the stats aren't as good is that sometimes people don't follow up with their doctor -- either b/c they have gained weight and didn't get their fills, or b/c they are losing well and don't need to......he told me that as long as I understood it was a tool to be used and not a quick fix that he felt I could do very well. Surgery was March 2009 - I have lost almost 100 lbs now...inching closer to it every day! LOL When I do make it to the support group I noticed that the majority of the folks there are bypass folks, too, and not as many banders....I am not sure why....but it is that support group that walks down to the seminar to talk to the folks thinking about surgery....so now I feel like I need to go and be a lapband example, know what I mean? Not to brag or anything, but I hate it that folks get the impression it can't be done as well with the lapband! Good luck!

Yep, mee toooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! Frustrates me to no end...stays the same and then a few days after I start I drop 3-5 lbs. WIERD! Oh well...........

I have noticed I am tighter now that it is summertime and soooooooo hot and humid --- I can eat way less now than I could prior to the heat onset, but I haven't had a fill. I remember reading somewhere that travelling by airplane and altitude changes can make it tighter, so I kinda figured that was what it was due to.....

I eat a lot of chili from wendy's still...as it is an easy protein and YUMMY. I sometimes have trouble with hamburger patties, but for some reason the burger in the chili doesn't bug me - and it is full of good things!

I did too! MY year was in March and I was stuck! I didn't think I needed a fill, though, as I really cannot eat much quanity wise...I think it is just that I need to exercise more. I did find that by wearing my Body Magic and drinking my LeVive seemed to spur my weight loss on over the plateau - I have lost 20 more lbs and 6 inches since March when I started them. (and yes I am an Ardyss distributor for those of you that wanna freak out about me saying that the product does work. I don't see anything wrong with telling you what helped me through my plateau, tho....) It is so frustrating, though, when you get stuck....hang in there --- this too shall pass! Kim

Hang in there....I remember that starving feeling! You want something "real"! (especially if you had a horribly strict pre op diet like I did) I started with the chicken soup at hands with the mini star noodles....that really helped me get thru the liquid/mushy stage. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the same problem...your body may start to get small and everyone thinks you look great, but that fat person's mentality is still inside you...and doesn't wanna leave, apparently. I haven't figured it out either, but I am sure it takes time....hang in there!

Hang in there - did you try soup? I found that drinking those campbells soup at hand ones with the mini star noodles worked well for me after surgery....gave me something to calm my stomach more. Also I drank the broth from other soups...as too much dairy can upset your stomach worse, too. Hang in there - you are in the healing phase for six weeks - don't focus on weight loss, focus on letting your body heal so that it can then proceed full steam ahead on your journey!

I don't measure anything.....but I do try and stay away from carbs as much as I can. I have noticed that I do much better when I vary my diet ---- I remember when I was on weight watchers they said to never eat the exact same amount of points every day as your body gets stuck....to make sure to vary it. So I just try and vary my diet - eating mostly Protein as that is what I crave the most anyway. I do sometimes have a scoop of ice cream or a piece of thin crust pizza - but overall my weight loss has still been steady....so I think it is all in the quanities we are eating and trying to make good decisions to give your body the fuel it needs. Good luck!

Hang in there - people can be frustrating. I guess the part that I love about the band is that it helps me to control portion size - so even when we do order a thin crust pizza I can have a slice and feel like I am not being deprived....and I find that I don't really miss the bread all that much. It does make it harder to eat on the fly - since most things you eat quickly are sandwiches and stuff like that...but you learn to get creative and find what works for you. I personally am addicted to Wendy's chili - so that is my fast food of choice! LOL :tt2: Don't worry about what people say --- I have learned over the years that it doesn't matter in the long run anyway....and if this truly were the "easy way out" that I think society seems to think it is, then wouldn't everyone be doing it? Why would they require a psych eval, etc, first? It is hard work and you still have to work at it....it is just a fantabulous tool to help us reach our goals....and stay there! :thumbup: Hang in there....and don't let anyone else's opinions get to ya!

I actually gained a few lbs in my first 6 weeks post surgery! My doc stressed that it is the time to heal, not worry about weight loss. So I didn't stress over it - and after my first fill it didn't seem to do anything for me....so I got my second and it has been great ever since, steadily losing. I was banded in MArch 2009 and I didn't really start losing steadily until July 2009...so be patient and hang in there! I think we tend to want it to be like the gastric bypass and just start falling off right away....but the band is much different.

Hang on - so we don't deserve the band unless we work out? I guess I shouldn't have mine, then - I am a fulll time working mother of three (meaning I work darn near 24 hrs a day) and I don't go to the gym - haven't since college, probably. Thankfully my insurance company doesn't have your view and approved me! I guess on one hand I can sorta kinda understand why you feel the way you do - as folks do seem to portray the you gotta earn it attitude on here, but on the other hand I agree it is none of our business who has or hasn't done "enough" to qualify as being band-eligible. You know? Focus more on the fact that she wants to get healthy, regardless of what she has/is currently doing - and be a good friend and support her. That's what she needs. I can't tell you how many people make comments like "well if you really TRIED to lose weight you could do it without surgery..." etc.....and most of them have absolutely NO CLUE what I tried or have done. I just blew them off - as little do they know getting the band was the hardest thing I ever did - no easy fix, like I think they all seem to think it is! I guess my advice would be not to judge her...be a true friend and support her!

Hmmm...I had to have mine removed as the hormones were reacting with my body....but that was all prior to my getting my lapband. Could be something about how your body reacts to the hormones in it, though? Just like any other birth control.......... (that's why I had my tubes tied when they put in the lapband as we knew we were done - LOL)

I had that feeling right after I started on real foods after surgery....when something got stuck or I was full I would get a slight "pain"/twinge right there...it was wierd. I have heard the meat tenderizer trick does work.....you might try that! Hang in there!

Hang in there - I have a friend who went through a similar situation....her doc made her feel like a complete loser of a patient. I don't think that this is their job, they are to educate and assist us in our journey...not beat us down. I had surgery in March last yr - and I wasn't at my sweet spot until June/July that year....it was a long hard road until then, of feeling hungry and thinking that maybe something was wrong with me and the band wasn't going to work, etc....but once you get your sweet spot, you will be fine. Just hang in there! (and you might look for a new doc...*I* would if it were me!)

Well for me I have a desk job - I just had my surgeon fill out FMLA paperwork for the time I was going to be off work. Most folks I know are off work at least a week, some two.....I had my tubes tied and a hernia repaired, too, but I was still OK to carry my baby and do most things after a week or two. I would just ask your doctor what they recommend. The diet didn't upset my stomach, but I don't tend to be really suceptible to that sort of thing, either. Drinking chicken broth helped me avoid getting dairy overload with Protein shakes...evened it out a bit. Good luck!

I am over a year out....but I can pretty much eat anything except bread. I have had two fills, so the quanity I can eat is limited...but I find that I mostly crave Protein when I get hungry, so I try and stick to mostly protein stuff. I eat yogurt, string cheese, smoothies, am addicted to Wendy's chili, chick fil a nuggets....as I have kids sometimes I have to be creative when we are out and about - so eating the meat and cheese off a small cheeseburger is a good alternative at places like mcdonalds - tho I love their fruit parfait, too! You will quickly find what you can and cannot eat....go slowly and don't stress too much....make sure to get in enough protein and take your vitamins! Good luck on your journey! :thumbup: Kim

Hang in there - this is just a little pothole in your journey, you can climb right out and get going again! Variety is definately the key....I find sometimes I get really into a rut eating the "safe" foods....so I have to look for something different and exciting. Good part for you is that summer is here and with it comes lotsa fresh fruits and veggies! Try making some yummy smoothies with fresh fruit --- they taste like a dessert and not a healthy breakfast! Hang in there --- you can do it....your band is still there waiting to help you out. I wouldn't be ashamed to go in for a fill --- you figure the docs have seen it all, they would rather you come in and get back on track....rather than put it off, I would think? Good luck! Kim

I find I am rarely ever hungry, too.....but I make sure to get some protein at least 4 times a day....even if it is string cheese and a yogurt for lunch, I know I am getting what I need. We have to be careful as if we don't eat anything then our bodies will go into starvation mode and that will counteract our weight loss! Hang in there - you will find a good balance!