sandi2004

I think the description of bandster hell is totally on the mark. Rather than expecting it, or worrying to much about it, just know that it may hapen to you, but you can make it through it without too much trouble. Just keep your Protein high so you are as physically satisfied as you can be, don't drink with meals but do get in all your fluids, and journal so you know exactly what you are eating and when you are hungry (this will help you learn the difference between physical and emotional or head hunger) If you would like some more information about how to use your "tool" to optimize your success with your lap band you may want to join in our free call tomorrow night, Wednesday January 5 atThe Ten Lessons of Successful Lap Band Patients. By the way, I didn't need a fill for over a year after my surgery so not everyone goes through bandster hell. I am definitely an exception though.... Good luck to all of you having surgery soon.

OK so first of all, quit beating yourself up! Be gentle! You are learning a new way of life. My question is - where did you get the "junk food" you "binged" on? If it's in your house I have a suggestion - get rid of it! If you are going to the store and buying it that becomes a bit more problematical - can you set up a jar at home with something you want really badly (may size_____ jeans) and every time you want junk food drop the cost of the junk food into the jar so, not only will you have th emoney to buy what you want, but you will be supporting your efforts to get themin the size you want- and PLEASE, don't make it a huge size difference- make it achieveable - say even one size down- or a massage, or flowers, or a haircut and style......this will help you retrain your brain. The other thing you may want to look at is before surgery would youhave stoped at a 4 ounce bag of Combos? would it have been 2 or 3 times that? I'm not giving you "permission" to eat the 4 ounce bag, just pointing out that your "binges" may very well be less than before surgery so acknowledge that and the whole thing suddenly can become a little more manageable for you. What do you think? Any of this sound useful? Also, you may want to listen to our teleseminar - it's a free call. Go toThe 10 lessons of successful lap band patients and register. Good luck. You can do it because you are asking all of the right questions. Remember, it's a new way of life and you need to teach yourself new habits - try some warm, flavored herbal tea when you "have to have " something, or a walk around th eblock. Substituting bad habits with new, good ones also may help. What sounds like it could work for you?

Hi: I understand excited and nervous. so was I. Here's a link to my blog about that appointment that you might find helpful. Let us know how it goes.meeting my lap band surgeon

While I have never personally experienced this it sounds like you probably should give your surgeon's office a call and see what they have to say. Just let themknow what you have been experiencing and folow their lead.

Hi there: I would be more than happy to help you get back to the basics. First, don't minimize your 30 pound weight loss. As you can see, you haven't gained it back so that is great! You may want to check out this section on my website and see if you can find some useful information about getting back to your weight loss journeySetbacks, Regain, and Plateaus Please feel free to send me a PM or just a direct email with your questions and concerns. good luck!

I'm up in Ventura County, have been banded for 6 1/2 years and would be happy to walk you through this process. In addition to this site you may want to check out Lap Band Support, Lap Band Forums and Information for some information about the process. If you can, bring your family either to an informational seminar withyou or to a surgeon's office visit with you so they can get their questions answered too. Often, they are just worried:crying: about YOU have surgery and express it as being unsupportive when they are really expressing love and concern. I'd love to stay in touch with you. You can email me directly or send me PM's...

No, but I did hit plateaus and veered off track and continue to do so and have to get back to basics on a regular basis. You may find some help in the following article Lap Band Surgery - Re-Booting To Get Off That Plateau Or Reverse That Set Back. Staying in touch with your surgeon's office, having a plan for what you are going to eat, not drinking with meals, exercising, going to support group meetings - all of this helps me get back ont rack when I have strayed. Let me know if this helps please.

You're welcome. I understand. It is a long road and we have all been down it before and failed....Keep the faith and keep planning your meals and you will get there. what seems to get in the way for you? For me it was night time eating. i had no trouble not drinking with meals, I planned my meals around protein first, didn't snack, but 2 hours after dinner it's like someone turned on a switch. I had to actually NOT watch TV for a while so I could break the habit of eating in front of it. Let me know how I can help. I'd love to be able to contribute to you finding the right mix....I enjoy paying it forward as you can see by my web site Lap Band Support, Lap Band Forums and Information

A band being "full" is a relative thing. The goal is not to fill it with as much fluid as possible, rather to find the place where, when your food choices are appropriate, you can push away from the table after having eaten a small meal feeling like you have had enough. I thought the article on how I use my tool might be helpful to you gaining an understanding of how to optimize using the band as a tool. It is an interactive device. But, you can defeat it's proper use by your food choices and other habits. I was suggesting that you review the article and then look at your habits and maybe you can get to where you want to be. My thoughts are, if it could work for me, it could work for anybody. Does this make sense?

Welcome and congratulations on your success to date. This surgery can "work" for you as long as you are willing to "work" with it. You may find the following article interestingLap Band Rules Or How I Use My Tool I have managed to lose and keep off 250 pounds, and believe me I was first in line when they were handing out the skeptical buttons. It took alot of work, but I've been maintaining for over 4 years now (I am 6 years post op) am 62 years old and feel better than when I was 40. Let me know what you think.

I would be happy to help calm you down- look at things one day at a time right now- You are headed to the first day of the rest of your life- when you will be able to control your weight because of this wonderful tool. Regarding what to eat the first month. different doctors have different programs as to what they want their patients eating starting from Clear liquids, progressing to full liquids including Protein drinks, then to soft foods and finally back to solids. I can offer some suggestions if you would explain your doctor's food progression. regarding social situations, while you are on liquids and/or soft foods I would try to avoid restaurants, but if you must just order what fits the bill of where you are at and then don't explain unless someone asks you. Then you can either tell them you have had surgery, are on a new diet, or just tell them what you ordered is what you feel like eating...You choose. Don't obsess about it, you will probably be more comfortable answering when you are in the situation than you expect right now. If there are local support groups I suggest you participate in them as much as you can, if not, use the message boards and forums to reach out to people who have lap bands to get you through any hard times, and just to validate you. Be sure to Celebrate every little success you have. This is about you taking care of you! If you like you can send me a PM or email me at sandi@banded living.com, I am happy to provide support for you! It helps keep me on track after 6 years.

Hi Melanie - I'm in Ventura so I am pretty close to you- I was banded in 2004 and have lost and kept off 250 pounds. Yes, your down feeling is probably both post anestehetic and mourning food and is not an unusual response. Feel free to email me, send PM's, reach me on this board, or you may find some additional useful information at Lap Band Support, Lap Band Forums and Information You are not alone on this journey!

Hello to all of you getting banded in September. You are starting the rest of your life and i wish you all the best. This month is special to me because it is my birthday month. On September 15 it is my birthday. I will be 62 and I have more energy, am more active and healthier than I have been since I was a teenager. I have lost 250 pounds and have kept if off since surgery in 2004. Of course, my other favorite day of the year is May28, which is my bandaversary, the first day of the rest of my life. If you are interested, check out my surgery day story at Sandis Lap Band Surgery Day Story - May 28, 2004

Hey Sherry, I hear and understand your frustration. You have not said anything about what you eat, what you drink, your exercise, etc. My understanding of the band has always been that it is a tool to help you eat smaller portions and deal with the hunger issue, as long as the food choics that I made were appropriate and my doctor and his staff helped me to learn what those choices were. You do NOT need to vomit to have restriction, and if you want, you can always outeat your band. You didn't have surgery to learn how to defeat it. At least I didn't. I had surgery to learn how to use the tool to help me and it has. I still can eat more than I want if I choose to, and I can still make poor choices, if I choose to, and none of them have anything to do with milkshakes. If it were me I would make an appointment with the doctor, the nutritionist in the doctor's office and before I go in I would keep a food journal for a week or two so they can see what YOU are doing and help you learn how to work your tool. The final choices are yours. See if this article Lap Band Rules Or How I Use My Tool can give you some isnight. Good luck.

I am sorry that your success has been so limited. Do yu attend support groups? They really helped me learn how to use the lap band to achieve my weight loss and to keep it off. If you have the time and inclination take a look at this article about using your band atLap Band Rules Or How I Use My Tool and see if you can get some insight and maybe you will not be so quick to give up. There really is hope. Let me know what you think.

You are probably right - you are not at your sweet spot yet. It is critical in the first year to get to see your doctor about once every 4-6 weeks so you can: 1. get to proper restriction 2. review your eating habits and get suggestions on improving and breaking old habits 3. make sure you are following the doctor's "rules" 4. make sure everything is good with the surgery - no port problems, etc. So, to give you a kick start, make an appointment with your doctor! Next, are you drinking with your meals? If you are, this could account for the volume increase. If not, try putting down your fork/spoon between bites, and putting your appropriate amount of food on a small(dessert size or kid's size ) plate. When you have finished eating what is on your plate, you are done. Since you're not hungry this will probably help you get your portion size down. Next, if you eat in restaurants, and do not order a kid's meal, have them bring you an extra plate and just take what you are going to eat on the plate in front of you.(same idea as the dessert size plate) Either have the rest put in a "to go" box, or have it removed from the table, or you can, as I often do, put salt, sugar or ketchup on it to ruin it totally so you will not be tempted to eat more than is on your plate. Finally,(for now anyway) look at your food choices - are you using "food lube" so you can get down higher volumes? Are you choosing good dense protein? Those are just a few ideas. I'll be glad to offer any other help I can. Check out this article about using your tool at Lap Band Rules Or How I Use My Tool You may find it helpful.:thumbup:

Hi Karen: You will do fine. As long as you continue doing what you have done to get to goal you can maintain. If you ever feel "out of control" just go back to start and begin journaling again. it really helps. You have your tool, and you have all of us so you are never alone. Good luck!

don't understand why some doctors get hung up on what you can't do, rather than helping and supporting you through what you can and are able to do. I am so glad my doctor supported every one of my decisions along my journey (and he still does) so that I was able to reach for the stars- and succeed in touching them. I love my new life!

I certainly was scared 6+ years ago when I made my decision - I even had some buyer's remorse - take a look at Lap Band Surgery - What Have I Done? Buyers Remorse Is Not Uncommon If you weren't nervous and excited at the same time, now that would be outside of the norm:smile: Everyone on all of these boards is there to provide help for you. Please feel free to PM or send me emails with specific questions or concerns. Best of luck to you:thumbup:

Thank you. Amazing, perhaps, motivated and blessed by all the support I have had and this wonderful tool- definitely!

Hi there: I was banded in 2004 and have been keeping my weight off. I do have ups and downs, and I am far from perfect, but I'd be happy to offer all the support I can. Congrats on the new baby. You may find someuseful information at Life With My Lap Band - Re-Booting To Get Off That Plateau Or Reverse That Set Back. Let me know how I can help. Go0d luck!

I am certainly not recommending that any cocktails are lap band friendly:lol:but I recently posted about how I get through vacations successfully with my band and ENJOY myself so you may find a few hints at: Lap Band Success – How To Enjoy Vacation With Your Lap Band If you have not had any alcohol in a while I suggest you REALLY LIMIT yourself. One glass of wine took me for quite a ride after not having any for 9 months after I was banded. Getting your Master's is certainly something to Celebrate. Good luck!

Hi: First of all congratulations on your loss to date! You have done an awesome job. The weight you are at right now is a place where people frequently plateau and have to assess just how much weight they REALLY want to lose and what they are willing to do to achieve their goals. so, from the sound of it, you are right where you should be. Don't be disappointed in yourself. Even 6+ years post op I still have questions come up. I would like to suggest you assess whether or not you may need a fill- that will require you making an appointment with your surgeon's office. Are you ready to do that? Also, see if you can have an appointment with their dietician or nutritionist at the same time. You may want to journal what you eat for a week so everyone (including you) can get a handle on what you like to eat and perhaps help you design a program thatcan get you kick started- and it doesn't have to include Protein Drinks (yuchh@!) Take a look at the following article on the Banded Living website and see if it might have some useful information for you: http://http://www.bandedliving.com/public/Lap_Band_quotRulesquot_Or_How_I_Use_My_Tool.cfm I'll be happy to share ideas, recipes, etc weith you. You can send me a PM or email me directly .

That's part of it- but the other part is you need to learn to eat slowly, take small bites and chew thoroughly to keep fod from "coming back to bite you" Glad you liked my blog- now check out the web site atLap Band Support, Lap Band Forums and Information and let me know what you think. I am really enjoying being able to "pay it forward" to the community that helped me reclaim my life.