ElfiePoo

I've been researching for 14 years. It sounds as if you haven't read a word I've said. Please feel free to reread my posts and then we'll discuss what I actually said.

This whole thread has gone askew from the original questions in my OP, but that's ok. As for all the rest, I don't disagree that an active lifestyle is healthier than sitting on our butts and just eating less. I also don't disagree that increased activity creates muscle which burns more calories when at rest than fat does. I also don't disagree that increased activity raises the metabolism allowing more calories to be burned rather than settle on our bellies and hips. I merely disagree that exercise is the only way to do it. We can also just live an active lifestyle. Instead of spending 4-6 hours in a gym every week, we can take a brisk walk in the evening and enjoy some social time with our partner while doing so. Instead of sitting in front of the tv on weekends, we can do something that actually requires us to move...whether it's playing on a Wii Fit, chasing the kids around the yard, playing tennis, swim, etc. My husband and I did the boxing game on the Wii and I have to tell you that after 2 hours, my arms were like rubber and there was no doubt the next morning that I did a serious upper body workout. Lots of fun...particularly when I got a good solid punch in. :thumbup:

Exactly. I'm looking forward to going out walking every evening with my husband. I'm looking forward to swimming laps again...to cross country skiing and backpacking. Heck, I'm looking forward to just being able to wash/paint walls, rake the yard and other 'active' chores. My husband and I have even started looking at the Wii Fit but that's 'fun', not 'exercise'. :thumbup:

I know how you feel. I just found out my surgery date is Nov. 3rd...but if I had a choice of postponing and going to Jamaica...oh yeah, baby! .

All you can do is research and ask specific questions of your doctor...and then decide whether it is right for you. I am thankful for all the posts here, particularly the ones from people having difficulties because I was then able to go to my doc and ask, "What's up with this?" His answers reassured me not only that I made the right decision, but that I had also picked the right doctor. As a lap band recipient himself, he knows exactly what we're going through. Will you have issues? Maybe, but you should always expect the unexpected and make up your mind from the word 'go' that you're just going to deal with it and move on. That doesn't mean you don't get to gripe about things that go wrong. It just means it's ok to vent, but then you need to deal with it. The minute my approval came through this afternoon, all of my anxiety regarding this whole process dropped away. Will everything go perfectly? Most likely not...but I accept that and will deal with any problems that crop up along the way because it is, in the long run, the better option. Better than fighting this losing battle with my weight and having to deal with all the weight related medical issues. Onward and upward! .

Woohoo! My surgery is set for Nov. 3rd assuming all the bloodwork (which I don't do until Oct 21st) comes back as normal and I don't expect it won't. I am so geeked! I've been 'attempting' to eat low carb this week, but now I'm really motivated to watch what I eat. Since my doc doesn't prescribe any pre-surgery diet, I think I'll do my Isopure Protein shake for Breakfast, salad with some low fat cheese in it for lunch and low carb green vegies and protein for dinner. Three weeks of that should make it easier for them to grub around my liver and so I won't feel so bloated going into surgery. Well, after tonight. I know...I shouldn't say 'after' but my son is going to school to be a chef and tonight is one of their quarterly international dinners. Since this one is French, it stands to reason that it will be high in fat with all the sauces that are typically French, but hopefully I can keep the carbs to a dull roar. Perhaps it's time for a ticker...and yes I am going to put my highest weight because I am very proud off the fact that I took of 70 lbs and kept it off.

A week or two on a low carb diet and your levels will drop right down. I'm surprised they didn't suggest it. I've been a Type II diabetic for the last 3 years and one of the reasons I'm getting the band is for blood sugar control. I never feel full and the only way I do is to bulk up on carbs, which elevate my sugar and I'm terrible about remembering to take my meds. After a week on a low carb diet, my readings drop from over 300 to normal. Good luck at the endocrinologists! .

SlimFast makes a low carb version that only has 2 grams of carbs per can. I know Sam's Club carries them in a 12 or 24 pack but I've also seen the 6 packs in some grocery stores. Another option is Isopure's Dutch Chocolate protein powder. Two scoops in 12 oz of water is only 3 carbs and you can get that at GNC. Some CVS pharmacies carry it as well. It's a bit thinner than SlimFast, but has an acceptable taste...and I'm really really picky. .

While that was a nice little 'rah rah' tough love post, I thought this was a place for people to find support and acceptance. This thread is actually a healthy outlet for the anger and frustration people are feeling that their bands are not working the way they thought or because their health care providers are not explaining why they are still hungry...or worse because they have doctors who are using their band as a placebo. This may be their only outlet. If they're doing this against the wishes of their family, they can't voice their dissatisfaction to them without hearing "I told you so." They're working out their anger and frustration which is much better than burying it and using food to assuage these emotions. To all those who are 'pissed off'...the anger and frustration are healthy but it is a process. At some point, you need to move in a forward positive direction. Let your anger and frustration motivate you to *do* something. No fill, no restriction and hungry? Call your doctor and *demand* an answer. If they say you need to go on WW or exercise, and you don't even have restriction, I'd seriously look at finding another doctor to take you on but if that is not possible, sit on your doctor's doorstep until you get some action. Take control. .

Thank you, Missy. That is what I expect the band to do and what I expected I would have to do. I know it may seem like I'm looking at the negative, but I want to make sure I go into this eyes wide open.

There are a number of factors that will determine whether you will have to deal with sagging skin and they work interactively: Age - the younger you are, the more elastic your skin and the more likelihood that your skin will 'snap' back. Weight lost - the more weight you lose, the more likelihood you will have sag. Length of time overweight - the longer you've been overweight, the more likely you'll have sag afterward. They say that the more quickly you lose the weight, the more the sag, but I lost 70 pounds in 5 months at the age of 47 and while I did have a lot of sag at first, that has reduced quite a bit over the last 6 years. Granted, I drink a lot of water so my skin has good hydration and I have good genetics in that the women in our family appear 10-15 years younger than we actually are because our skin stays elastic longer than many women our age so genetics probably has something to do with it as well. I'm afraid I probably didn't clear up your confusion. :thumbup:

I *hate* exercising. Fortunately I'm not averse to activity...or wasn't before I gained this last bit of weight (cuz now my back hurts) and am looking forward to just getting off 30 pounds so I can go walking with my husband again! .

I have but thanks for the thought. The Lap Band is what I'm interested in as long as there is 'truth in advertising'. In other words, if it will allow me to be 'full' long before I am now. I'm getting the distinct impression that those suffering from hunger have not yet reached restriction and if they have, they may be filling up on things that slide through (shakes) rather than real meals. That hunger is not necessary. .

But isn't that what I've been saying? If my goal was to 'lose weight', I'd sign up at the local gym and work out as many nights as I needed to get to goal. My goal is not to 'lose weight'. It's to be healthy...and I can do that without 'exercising'. We (used to) love to camp and would hike miles, cross country ski, backpack, kayak and swim. I used to go to the local high school and swim laps for an hour 3 times a week. I don't see this as 'exercise' but as living a healthy lifestyle. My doctor told me I was healthier and more in shape at 200 pounds than most women are at their goal (read: insurance chart) weight. Unfortunately, the birth of my youngest and starting a new business 2 years later led to a more sedentary lifestyle which caused an ever increasing spiral downward. .

I never said they didn't contribute to a healthy 'lifestyle'. My remarks had to do with those who say you can't lose weight without exercising. That's just not true and recent research backs it up. Perhaps you live a more sedentary life the rest of the time and needed the exercise? I've never 'exercised' but at 200 pounds I was hiking in much the same terrain in the Rocky Mountains a mile plus above sea level. Then again I had a fairly active lifestyle which included backpacking and cross country skiing. I'd much rather stay in shape through fun activities. Working out at a gym? Not going to happen. The hanging skin isn't affected by exercise...just the muscles underneath. Hanging skin is more directly affected by hydration, skin elasticity and age. I see the healthy benefits of an active lifestyle. One does not need to exercise if they have an active lifestyle. If someone's lifestyle is sedentary, then 'exercise' may be the way to go. Also, please do not put words in my mouth. My comments were related to exercise being necessary to lose weight and had nothing to do with contributing to a healthy lifestyle. .

Thank you. This post answered my question. I don't plan on exercising though. I plan on living and I can't wait to get to the point where I can back pack and cross country ski again!! My apologies if any of my posts seem a bit 'irritated'. I'm not...just in sort of a hurry as I'm heading out the door. Thanks!

I disagree. If exercise was the answer to losing weight, then why are those who are exercising 3-4+ times a week still having trouble losing weight? As I said before, I lost 70 pounds...and have kept it off...with nothing more than diet. I have *never* exercised with any diet I was on and I still lost weight. Some 'experts' are now saying that exercise is not the key to losing weight and, in fact, may actually be the cause of weight gain because hunger increases. Logically, the Lap Band creates a situation where we should not be able to eat the calories we were prior to the band. The decrease in calories alone should cause weight loss. If not, then there's something wrong with the whole idea of how the Lap Band works. I've received a number of private e-mails from people who have shared with me that they eat just as they did prior to the lab band...but less. They eat like people who are not overweight. They don't count calories. They don't exercise. Their lives no longer revolve around food...either by overeating or by obsessing about calories and exercise. They've lost weight and they are happy. Sounds good to me. Please read my posts again. I don't care if I ever see 130 pounds again. I just want to be at a weight where I can Live! Live! Live! as Auntie Mame says...and that doesn't involve being a gym rat several times a week. I also don't care how long it takes. I'm changing my life...not 'dieting'. The point of this thread though was to find out whether the Lap Band did what it promised...or whether it was nothing more than a mental placebo where diet, exercise and hunger was still the rule of the day for losing the weight. Only a few have answered that question. .

I followed Atkins for 5 months and lost 70 lbs...no exercise. In fact, when I exercised, I became ravenously hungry. It was nice to read in Time that it wasn't 'all in my head' as I had been told. So I expect to lose with the Lap Band without exercising since it ostensibly reduces my ability to chow down as I did before. I do not disagree, but what I'm seeing is lots of people who are stomach growling hungry. Now, perhaps this is because they're making the wrong choices or perhaps they haven't reached restriction, but my question is...after restriction can I expect to not have to deal with hunger because that is what I have been given to expect. Ok...so you're saying then that the reason these people are hungry is due to not having enough fill or not making the right 'good food' choices which means they're filling up on empty calories? Thanks for helping me on this. .

I am a carbonation addict. I love Perrier because of the fizz. So in preparation for the lap band, I gave up carbonated drinks a week ago. It's been tough but as time goes on, it becomes less important. One less thing to deal with postop...if I go through with the band.

I absolutely agree but it also sounds like for some of these people, their doctors aren't using the tool in the right way. They're sticking a band on these people and then expecting them to lose weight sans restriction...as if the presence of the band is a magic wand. .

I'm looking for some feedback, particularly from those of you who have had your band for more than 6 months. I'm seeing an awful lot of posts here and on another forum from people who, post band, are still hungry and not losing weight and are being told it's because they need to suck it up regarding the hunger, exercise and go on a diet (like Watchers), implying that unless they do, they won't lose the weight. This is becoming a serious issue with me because I'm not going to go through surgery, put a foreign body into my stomach and deal with all of those issues, just to be told I still have to "go on a diet and exercise program and 'suck it up' re: the hunger." I can do all that without spending $20k or going through surgery. I don't expect the band to do it all *but* I do expect to be able to eat smaller portions of good food choices without hunger. I do expect to lose weight on these smaller portions and without spending all of my spare time exercising. In fact, I expect to lose weight without exercising at all since (a) I will be eating a fraction of what I did to keep my body this size and ( recent reports show that while exercise is good for you, it's not necessary to lose weight...it really is all about the food. I'm not saying you might not lose more, faster...but that's not the same as just losing. If these are unrealistic expectations, I'd like to know now and save myself the aggravation of the surgery and follow-up. Having serious doubts here... .

I don't think anyone here has even come close to suggesting that it is a magic wand. We *know* it's a tool but in order for it to be an effective tool, it needs to actually work and not be used as some sort of mental placebo. .

Head hunger doesn't make your stomach growl or pain in the pit of your stomach. :thumbup: .

One of my big concerns was that I read a report that said that 40% of bands had to be removed within 12 years. This was from a pro-Band information site. They did make the point that the technology is improving all the time so this stat would most likely improve as well. I almost chose against the band, but then I looked at it in a different way. I can either have the surgery now and take care of this weight and *maybe* have another surgery within the next 10 years to replace a faulty/old band or most likely have surgery within the next 10 years for an obesity related condition (loss of a limb due to diabetes, heart attack, etc.)...which will not get better as time goes on either. The band has a better prognosis than remaining obese. .

Neesh, Just hang in there, girl, and do your best. As someone said previously, if you really really must take a bite, do it of the no carb foods since (if) the preop is to deal with the fat around the liver. I was watching a lap band surgery on YouTube and I can certainly see why this would help the surgeons. Don't let the hardliners get you down. Their approach may suck, but their heart is in the right place. They want you to be just as successful as they are.