Humming Bird

I understand the frustration when you see posts that go against all the "rules" you have been told and are trying to stick to. I also understand how you may feel being an RN and have more medical training than other folks. BUT........ Every surgeon has their own set of "rules". For example, I see so many posts about people "cheating" on their liquid pre-op diets. This makes no sense to me as I did not have a liquid pre-op diet. My pre-op was 2 weeks of Atkins to shrink the liver and it worked great. I don't understand why people are being put through all that, but that is what their surgeon wants. It seems like a punishment to me. Another example: I've heard many people say their surgeon told them no alcohol for the rest of their life and other surgeons say none for the first 6 months. Another example: I was not required to jump through any pre-op hoops except the Atkins. I do mean zero.... no blood tests, no sleep study, no shrink ........ nothing. Another example: Many surgeons require patients to stop smoking, others do not. I could go on forever with all the different rules......... My "rules" may be very different than your "rules", but we both can see success with this band

Great post. I hope posting your ramblings helped. It may take a very long time to work through the depression when you lose someone you are so close to. I am so glad your mom got to see that you got banded and were dropping wieght. I do think your head is in the right place and you are going to do well on this lapband journey. My mom and I were very close as well and it rocked my world when she died. I was so depressed I packed on 40-50 pounds on my already obese body. She was thin her entire life and I know she worried about my weight and my sister's. She died in 2005 and I didn't get the band until 2009, but I do think she would be thrilled with the weight I've taken off. It's bitter sweet because I ended up with many of her clothes and now many of them are too large for me.

I started out at 246 pounds, 43 BMI, and size 22 or 24. What I did was set my major goals at a normal BMI and a size 12. It's hard to work with those the entire time, so I set little mini goals along the way. 5 or 10 pound goals at a time or one size at a time. I think I skipped right over size 16. I would set out a piece of clothing that was a tiny bit too tight and try it on once a week. It's a thrill on the day it is no longer tight and can be worn.

It just sounds like you are eating too close to the time you lay down. I would say try to avoid doing that, but if there are a few times you feel you need to, just don't eat something that is very solid.

I have always felt the effects immediately, but have seen many others post here that it takes some time to feel it. I don't understand that concept, but that is just because it's not how it works for me.

"Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have worried twice." I love that quote. Of course it's in the back of our minds that something could go wrong, but I refuse to let the worry eat at me. If I had not been banded, would I live a sad and depressed morbidly obese life for 10 years? Would I have died in those 10 years from obesity related conditions? All I can do right now is be thankful the band worked for me and enjoy each day as I live it. ( I'm not even close to the 5 year mark)

Welcome to ONEderland!

I had 2.7cc put in during surgery, but I did not find that out until my first fill appt. I think it really helped so I didn't go through much of a bandster hell and reached my sweet spot very early.

It sounds like you need another fill. You will have to "diet" until you reach the green zone.

Too cute! Kids, gotta love em!

Welcome to "Bandster Hell". You will have to "diet" during this stage. If your doc is one who does many tiny fills, this may last a long time. If s/he does a couple of larger fills, you will find the green zone quick and the weight just may melt off pretty quick. Hang in there. You are still well on your way to skinnyville!

I agree with B-52. In my case, after eating something like your biscuit the bad experience makes me lose interest in that type of food. The next biscuit I see no longer looks as yummy as it did before. With some foods it takes a few tries before my brain gets that clear message and it's a harder lesson.

The band is a very crude learning tool in situations like this. After a few episodes like you had, the lesson is learned. Bummer, but all in the process. Take it easy after something like this with some liquids and then go slow with more solid stuff. ......lesson learned. This is one of the reasons the band works for me.

I have heard of several people who had this "band over by-pass" done. I have a friend that should have it. Hey! Did she do her research here at LBT!? Is she a member? Is she already one of us? If so, Welcome to bandland Carnie

It could be from being in Ketosis ...... it will get better, but beware ........other people can smell it and it is not a good smell. Yes, it is normal with weightloss.

The list of foods I can no longer tolerate is quite long, but I have had plenty of time to get used to it and no longer miss any of it. I thought I would miss pizza more than I do. After I have a problem with any type of food, it just no longer even sounds good. From day one my stomach was very sensitive and I also reached the green zone very early. There was not much of a bandster hell for me. Some of the foods on my can not eat list: Dense meats like steak, ribs, pork roast, chicken breast..... Pasta rice bread pizza (may be able to do a very small slice of very thin, but doesn't taste good anymore) fried or breaded foods eggs tortillas I'm sure my list is longer, but these are what comes to mind.

If I remember ..... There was a thread here at LBT about the show when it aired. I think many people were pretty upset that the lapband experience was not shown the right way by Dr. Oz. I know it sure didn't show how it has worked for me.

Thank you for posting. I'm sure this topic is on the minds of many bandsters even if we have not had complicaition. I wish the best for you.

While you were busy judging others you left your closet open and your skeletons fell out.

Life is too short to stress yourself with people who don't even deserve to be an issue in your life. -Anon

Is fat really the worst thing a human can be? Is fat worse than vindictive, jealous, shallow, vain, boring, evil, or cruel? Not to me. -J.K. Rowling

The feeling of fullness is very different post band, but after time I have forgotten what it used to feel like. The new way of feeling full is now "normal" to me. I hope that makes sense. I don't like the word restriction much because it can have different meanings. I like "green zone" or "sweet spot" much better. I reached my sweet spot very early in the process and it has helped me feel full or satisfied on toddler size meals. Now that I say it, I don't like the word "meal" very much either.

I pay $25

I am having the same problem. I can't read the last few posts in a thread and I can't make a post either. I'm having a few other problems with it too.

I agree with B-52 on this one. I think the key to my success was reaching the green zone early in the process. I put in very little effort, so I give the band and being properly adjusted most of the credit. I'm not sure where they get the success rate figures. They are not following every banded person. They don't include me in the rates. My % of weightloss has not been tracked by anyone but me at this point. When we reach the normal BMI weight range (25) it is 100% of excess weight gone. I am sitting at a BMI of 24, so I have lost more than 100% of my excess weight. Wooo Hooo!