GoingforGoal

B52, accepting you are thin is a whole new topic. Despite all the supportive evidence (ha! like BMI 23, Weight 150, size 4-6 or xs-s, and hearing people say I'm "small" "thin" "tiny") it just doesn't resonate with you that indeed you are thin. I actually have to tell myself, yes you are thin because I'm this weight, this size etc etc. But per my previous post, the mind just doesn't make the connection AT ALL ahah. That and we will forever nitpick at ourselves. I know our original goals are to be healthy, but when you reach your goal weight you can start picking on little things to improve. And until you get those rectified it's just another thing to get frustrated with. But at least I'm at a place that I'm happy despite any future tweaks (ie toning). This is the first time in my life I've been comfortable in my own skin. So much so I wore a bikini this week in Florida for the first time in my life. I was ok with everything but my arm scars from surgery. I have to work on accepting that new flaw..but that's a tough one.

Hello Carolina I didn't read this entire post (sorry), but just wanted to say that I'm one of those who comes infrequently when I use to come daily. I really enjoyed the older format but am struggling with the new site. As a successful bandster, I have different needs. One of them is to just socialize with other vets who don't have the q's, but understand the lifestyle. So when I need a kick in the butt, when I have a q about moderation/maintenance etc I have some one to bounce a q off of. But again, it's the social aspect I needed just as much. Noone understands you better than an ex-obese person who also got a band and also made goal. That is a very hard combination to match in real life. But in the new site I don't see my buds in the chat rooms, emails have died down etc so I've lost that social component. But like everyone else, I too need to keep myself mindful of my band and my wl. I come on here just to remind myself of rules, what I committed to, what I accomplished etc. And when I can, I will extend a thought or two. I'm more of a chat room kinda gal..but still a bandster regardless

Hi there! I wanted to share something I discovered having been both obese and now 'healthy'. One of the reasons we are so unaware of our actual selves, is because our mind is only aware of our core. When I was overweight, despite my dress size increasing, I never actually felt as large as I was. For example, ever try to squeeze between 2 chairs at a restaurant and say I feel I'm thin enough to get through but when you do you hit both chairs and you can't fit after all. It's because your mind is aware of your core (the stuff under the fat), not your true circumference.If it weren't for extrinsic factors like mirror reflections, scales, dress sizes, pictures etc we'd be completely oblivious of our true forms. And because we feel our cores, we dilute ourselves into feeling normal sized and we focus our attention on our positives (especially those that reinforce our normalcy) like collarbones, a pretty face, curves etc. The truth is, those same extrinsic factors are what gives our mind the reality check it needs to keep our bodies in check. I am 100 lbs lighter, have had extensive cosm. surgery. I dropped from a size 22+ to a size 4 and guess what? I feel the same. I still have to rely on mirrors, scales, pictures etc to show myself what I look like because the feeling of my core body is the same and I need those visuals to prove that indeed I'm smaller, curvier, etc than before. The bonus is that when I slide through chairs I astonish myself when I clear a tiny space without touching... if you want to make a good joke out of it..just say 'boy, my core is thinner than I thought' <wink> I hope this makes sense. It's just something I noticed because as the weight came off, I always felt the same. I guess I always expected as I lost weight my sense of body would be different. That only happens when i look in the mirror. I am only speaking about shape, not improvement in things like mobility and stamina or obvious observations like I take up less space in airplane chairs and I can fit my 10 year olds tshirts ha! But it sure explains why I never felt my back fat until a picture surfaced.

Deep tissue bruising usually starts to surface after 4 days, so it is normal since your muscle, fascia and fat was excessively manipulated during surgery. Pain/discomfort is the #1 feedback you should listen to when exerting yourself. If you feel it, slow down and/or stop. Exercise is not the focus at this time, give yourself another week for light exercise (ie walking) and up to 6 weeks for gym exercises. Your body needs to heal. If you overexert yourself you can cause an inflammatory response, weakened immune system/illness, increased pain/discomfort prolonging healing etc. Additionally your intake is poor and should be used for your body's essential energy needs to heal. Stay on top of your pain meds as needed, stay hydrated and take it easy.

I'd recommend some of the larger department stores like Kohls, Macys, JC Pennys etc because they have multiple departments and brands that will allow you to not only choose specific styles, but experiment with sizes. Once I got down to a size 8/10 I was able to fit into some junior sizes (ie jeans) that looked and felt much better than some of the slouchy mom jeans another dept would offer for example. But once I got to the single digits I wanted all the premier brands I was always too heavy for like banana Republic, Michael Kors etc. It was a double reward, fab clothes and the ability to wear a size 4/6 in designer wear- it was just a reminder of how far I came.

Hello and Welcome!! Congrats on your decision to get the help you need and surrounding yourself with those who understand your journey and can share their insight/successes etc with you to help you achieve your goals. I have been banded over 4 yrs and have reached goal. You will hear anti-band comments ad nauseam, but let me assure you, you will find far more positive and successful stories. Just keep your head up and find some mentors you trust who want to see you successful. Good luck

Did you get a barium study? One of the things I think of is esophageal dysmotility. Without a barium study, or knowing precisely where the food is stuck and for how long, it would be impossible to know. But you would definitely want this ruled out

Hello, We are similar in that we started around the same weight with similar end goals. I started at 250 and am now 145-150. I lost 100 lbs and am striving to lose more (but now it's about hitting the gym, toning and body sculpting not really fat loss). Like my peers mentioned, losing 100 lbs was impossible without the band. As I got older, had kids etc it just became futile. And thus I came to the conclusion I needed help and I got the band to do just that. I know that the docs and statistics will show that x % of bandsters lose x % of weight. But in reality, this is a generalization. There is a huge noncompliance issue with the band (imho) and it is no wonder that not everyone is reaching their goal weights. But how sad that this than reflects poorly on the bands ability to do it's job for those who are diligent and determined. One of the things I wanted to mention was the lessons learned while banded. Sure the band helps with appetite suppression, volume control, and in many cases carb control (because heavy carb/starch items like Pasta, rice and bread and can be difficult to eat in large volumes or on a daily basis). But this is not one of those programs where things just happen to you. If you are an active participant in your wl, you will soon learn how to eyeball proper portions and thus you are controlling portions, you reinforce positive behaviors like stopping eating when your band/body signals you are full and so eating small volumes becomes second nature, by respecting the band and not trying to override it with sliders and/or difficult foods you soon lose your taste for those problematic foods thus reinforcing healthier food choices. Some of these new habits is precisely what many of us lacked prior to the band. If you stick with it you are adopting new life habits that will support your bands success as it supports your wl. It's a relationship if you will. Than you get to my place, where it's about maintenance. This is probably the most difficult phase for people (with out wls). The band makes it a cinch. I have been banded for over 4 years now and my habits are second nature. I don't have to overthink what foods are right, how much to eat etc. I allow myself to eat anything I desire in moderation and I have a +3 lb rule (if I gain more than 3 lbs than I diet to keep myself in a target area). I don't feel deprived... actually, I feel freed. I did have cosmetic surgery and now have different goals all together (ie toning is my 2014 resolution lol). Take the steps, stay compliant..you can do whatever you set your heart to do!

I think it's twofold. One holidays and life in general getting in the way. And two, the site changes have made it lackluster to come here daily. The nonexistent chat room, the new topics feature gone, the dynamic of having too many wls's and the fact that I don't see my friends here anymore make it unappealing. Happy Holidays in case I don't see you again before year's end

Hello Desert, Exercising is encouraged with any wls/wl program. The band will not prohibit you from doing any exercise. Typically docs will say to refrain from exercise 4-6 weeks after surgery to ensure a full recovery. All your energy needs to go into the healing process and you want to avoid any further irritation which can lead to complications/infection etc. Exercise + diet is always a sure way to lose weight faster. As long as you understand the principles of how to optimize fat loss through exercise and diet that is. Also, body measurements will be an equally important number to track in addition to the scale because as you build muscle the scale may not reflect actual fat loss. The band itself does nothing for the speed of loss. It's a matter of how compliant you are, how responsive you are to the band and how soon you can get to green and feel restriction. I never focus on losing fast, it's a sure way to self disappoint. Rather, expect the standard 8lb/month loss which are typical results with any healthy wl program. The difference with the band, opposed to dieting, is that you'll be able to lose long term and later on maintain with ease. Fills are typically every 4-6 weeks depending on the doc. Some fill centers are every 2 weeks. Everyone is different here, but I was able to get to green around 5 months postop. Complications. They are low. Some are patient induced (ie noncompliance) some are their bodies rejecting the band. But all together the rates are low. Each wls has their risks and it's a matter of weighing which risks you feel you can manage and having a back up plan if those complications were ever realized.

Welcome. Please ask as many questions you may have. We are all here to help. Thanks for joining us

Hope this lifts some spirits... I was diagnosed with PCOS when I failed at conceiving baby #2. Had to use fertility meds to conceive him. When we wanted #3 we used fertility meds and even IUI but never conceived. This was before the band. A year after the band hubs wanted to try again. Told him no meds, no interventions...just natural. We tried and conceived first time. I was 50 lbs lighter at that point (195#) opposed to my starting 250#. Before my periods were every 2-5 months, now they are annoyingly regular (lol) Give it a year of wl and get reevaluated. No harm in trying to conceive in the meantime (if you are trying). But the further you get from being obese the more balanced hormones become. Good luck ladies

(Deep Breath In....and Screaming at the top of my lungs) HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPYYYYYYY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! Stay beautiful !!! Have the best bday ever : )

Those are your stitches They self dissolve but it's possible for them to surface. Trimming is ok, pulling is not