sandi2004

Been off the boards for a couple of days working very hard. In and out of the office, meetings, oportunities for bad choices and I have to say, knowing I will feel accountable to myself and everyone else out there helped me make decisions that were pro-health. so thanks to all of you for being out there. We can only do good things supporting each othe. My six year "bandaversary" in soming up on 5/28 and I am going to celebrate. I have NEVER in my life maintained a weight loss of any kind for this long, let alone a 250 pound weight loss. Jersey girl- congrats on your success moving that scale down. Old one, how are you feeling? Everyone else- check in when you get a chance.

Thank you for the kind words. while you are in hold and waiting mode,check out my blog at: Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Let me know if the info is helpful

Sound slike you are ready. I'll be here to help so reach out by post, PM or email anytime you like. With 6 years under my belt (should I say band) and maintaining for 4 I hope I have some words of wisdom along the way for those learning. By the way I learn something new every day. The great thing about this journey is it brought me even more in tune with my body thatn I was before. You may find some useful information on my blog of my journey at : Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Good luck and best wishes for a great new stage of your life!

please join us and be sure to post your questions as well - it helps us...

You should be back eating solids by now. That would include tuna, scallops, shrimp, chicken, other fish, turkey, etc. Softer foods would include yogurt, pudding, oatmeal, cottage cheese, refried beans,hummus, eggs, lentils, peanut butter etc. You can also use high protein bread, quinoa, couscous, corn tortillas and softly cooked vegetables to supplement the dense proteins. If you like, you can send me a PM or an email so we can converse one to one. I'd be more than happy to... Can you make an appointment with a nutritionist or dietician? since you are early in the process it would be a great time to get some expert advice. We all do our best, from our personal experiences and the knowledge we have gained.

Hi Millie: You can come on down and walk at the beach here!:wub: Seriously though, I'm here to help. It is very common sometime in the first 2-6 weeks to suddenly start feeling hunry again. This happens primarily because all of the surgical site has healed and any swelling that provided restriction is gone. It doesn't mean anything is wrong- it just means you are probablyr eady for a fill. Can you call to see if you canget in to the doctor's early? You may find some useful information on my blog at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Take a look around and let me know.

Thanks for the kind words- please keep asking questions of everyone. We're all here for you! Good luck on your journey. Keep me updated on your progress.

I wish you luck and God's grace, but remember, it is not about luck, it's about choices- it IS IN YOUR CONTROL, once you have the band.

Thanks for the kind words about my blog. Yes, taking off the weight is "easy" - to a point. Every year we get older it is more and more difficult to get it off and keeping it off has ALWAYS been the issue for me, my entire life. Diets work. Sticking to them is difficult and the band gives you the tool that assists in keeping you eating smaller portions, but we still have to make the choices. A steady diet of ice cream would not result in any weight loss and our bands do not even begin to restrict the amount of ie cream we can eat. We just learn that ice cream is not a good choice (I know,, we already learned that years ago) and select something else that has less sugar, more protein and may actually be good for us. Take a look at this post about it being easy: Maintaining # 006: Banded Living — Is It The Easy Way Out?

Hi Lucy: Every doctor has their own rules for when you can go back on solids...My doctor has us on liquids for the rest of the day, then soft foods for the first meal of th enext day, then progress to solids. Just make sure you take small bites and chew everything very thoroughly. It's just like after surgery. Everything a little bit at a time paying close attention to your body. Your band will certainly give you a signal if you ate too much, too fast or too big a bite. So little bites and very slow and steady when you do go to solids. What does your doctor say? I suggest you follow his/her rules. Since this is new to you you may find some useful information on my blog, which is my story, starting from the beginning of my journey almost 6 years ago. You can find it at: Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Let me know if you find it useful.

Hi Heidi: Welcome - I would be delighted to help you any way I can. i see you have already been out to my blog, I hope you find the information there useful. As you have questions or concerns please feel free to post, or PM, or send me and email directly to sandi@bandedliving.com. It is a journey, with hard work and great rewards!

Welcome Old One - It's never too late! You will find this journey to be hard work, but fun and rewarding at the same time. Your only regret will probably be that you didn't do it sooner.:thumbup: Cat Lady: Hi. Everyone is correct- erosions and slippages do occur but they are rare. Have a conversation with your surgeon and ask him/her point blank about the complication rate of the bands he/she places. Also ask how often he sees slippages and/or erosions. The doctor should be very forthcoming with this information which will then increase yoyur comfort level a little. don't know if you have ever seen my blog, but I am blogging my entrie journey over the past 5+ years with the band...You can read it for both information and inspiration. I have put up some information that I hope is useful to all of you out there. You can find it at: Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story I'm interested in your feedback.

It's not about at what weight you haveyour plastic surgery, but about being weight stable for at least 6 months. I had a lower body lift, and then many months later had my breasts and arms done. I can not have any work done on my legs due to having had a blood clot many years ago, so I am stuck with flabby legs and lots of loose skin.:thumbup: But, I have a flat tummy, great boobs for a 61+ year old woman, and my arms are "cut" because I also work out. I have my before pics (in the buff)- that's before plastic surgery, so if I start getting hard on myself because of my legs I just open up that private file and look at the pics and then at me in the mirror...."You've come a long way baby!":biggrin: I have written about my plastic surgery journey on my blog, and just in case you haven't seen the posts yet, you can find them at : Maintaining #002: Plastic Surgery After Gastric Banding Or……. To Nip And Tuck Or Not To Nip And Tuck Please keep asking questions. It is the BEST way to start getting educated.

Please be careful to not set your goals too high (or too low, as it were). I had to make sure I wasn't sabotaging myself along the way by making the weight goal unattainable. I am happy to see you have clear understanding of the milestone moments - under 300, under 200, but remember not to be too hard on yourself. It is a long journey, and I speak from my personal experience. I will help you in any way possible to reach the 140's, but that is going to take alot of work and is a ways off for you. focus on today and tomorrow and Celebrate every achievement! I'm blogging my entire journey from 424 lbs to 175 pounds at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story You may find some useful information or inspiration there. This is an awesome journey. Welcome!

Hi - my doctor has dealt with numerous pregnancies after banding. whjat he says is that he just removes all the fluid from the bands so that the women can eat what they need to. No problems, but he does caution that you want to look at when you plan to get pregnant vs when you are planning on being banded. If you plan on getting pregnant 6 months after you are banded he might tell you to wait f0r one or another. Please discuss this with your doctor.

I look forward to your PM's...you go girl!

If you have about 70% fo your calories come from good protein sources like chicken and fish I bet you could. I'd love to help you out. Send me an email or a PM....I'm here, have been successful and willing to help.

I am here for you. Please feel free to email me or send PM's. To get back on the "bandwagon" I go back to basics and that may work for you too. You just want to decide how far "back to basics" you want or need to go to get your weight loss in full gear again. A net gain of 20 lbs after 2 pregnancies is really pretty good and I'll bet it will come off pretty quickly once you get going again. If you want to start jounraling what you eat and how you feel you can send it to me daily or weekly.Whatever works for you. Or just keep talking...

That is fabulous. I laughed so hard I cried! May I share the BEST WOW moment I ever heard from anybody else with other people? Thanks for sharing.

It sounds like you are either too tight or are eating too fast, or a combination of both. There is no reason you can't make chili that you can eat. I make some great dishes like that- chili, stews, chile verde using pork loin or turkey or chicken and small amounts are very satisfying..Now the cornbread- that's a weakness for me too so I avoid it. what are you eating? This could be a large part of your problem with head hunger. if I don't get tasty, satisfying foods that are also protein dense I feel hungry and deprived. As to when you "should lose all the weight by" that is an individual thing and just don't set your goals so high that you sabotage yourself in the process. don't give up- you've ost 60 pounds- that's great...Go back to basics..Please feel free to PM or email me and since Imanaged to knock off 250 pounds while eating good, tasty foods you may want to take a look at my blog and see if you can find some useful information there. It's at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story

I'm here to help. Is there a support group that you can go to, and/or is it time to go back to the doctor for a fill or a "head adjustment"? In addition to that what I have found that works for me is to go back to basics...3 meals a day, 64 ounces of Water and at least 30 minutes of exercise. Plan the meals around 70% Protein. empty your cupboards of your trigger foods which are either carbs or sweets (or if you are me, both). Put your food on small plates, make sure your portion size is appropriate (the small plate- dessert size - helps) and start writing down everything you eat and drink. As you become accountable to yourself again you will find making your food choices good ones a little easier each day. It takes planning. Plan your meals. Always have protein and water with you so if you get causght somewhere when you are hungry you don't make the easy bad choice, but rather the easy good choice of eating what you have with you. For me it's getting carbs out of my system and back on mostly protein that realy helps. Take a look at my blog on what I did after the holidays to get back on track and see if that is helpful. you can find it at : Maintaining #001: December 26, 2009 or Making It Through My 6th year of Holidays After Lap Band® Surgery You can also email me or send PM's here- sometimes having a buddy to be accountable to also helps. let me know.

PS is definitely worth the investment. If you haven't had the chance you may want to read my blog entries on PS as you start pursuing this part of your journey. You can find them at:I’ve mastered my tool and I am maintaining my success. I hope you find them useful.

I'm here to help

You guys are awesome- so blatantly honest and out there. I admire that. In my sixth year, and maintaining a 250 pound weight loss I sometimes still look for the positive input I was getting every time I saw someone I hadn't seen in a while. I am not getting the - You look great- did you change your hair? Or, OMG you look awesome. My brother who I hadn't seen in over a year at one point told me husband to be careful because in his workds, "my sister looks hot".....great ego boosters, just as the I could do it if I had surgery" remarks are great ego deflators, but the bottom line folks is I DID THIS FOR ME! The outside acknowledgement is great, but the fact that I now fit in size 10/12, do not take any medications, do not sleep with a C-pap machine, and can get my own luggage out of the overhead on a plane by literally hopping on to the seat and reaching up is all the reward I should need. There are days that the knowledge that I am in the best health of my life and I am 61 years old is enough, and there are days that I need someone to remind me how far I have come. I'm not sure I will ever be fully "adjusted" to how I look today in terms of my size. I try, but I still forget and go straight for the handicapped restroom so I will have enough room at restaurants....I am coming to terms with it on a daily basis. The journey continues.

Easy - I don't think so. The decision to have surgery, the surgery, the recovery, the changing my eating patterns, learning not to drink with meals, learning to take small bites and chew everything thoroughly,eating slowly, planning every meal, getting in all of my fluids, adding exercise to my daily routine, giving up foods that are too difficult to eat with a band, not using food for comfort or reward - these are all VERY HARD to do. Feeling full after eating a "normal" size portion,finally seeing hope materialize into the reality of losing weight and keeping it off, having a tool that will give you signals as to when to stop eating- these are Easy by the definition of the word. They pave the way for the Hard things to become "doable". I chose banding, much as the cancer patient chooses chemo over death, as a means to an end. I am happy to say, I made the right choice for me!