general_antiope

Yeah when I've got the right fill, I'm never hungry.

B-52, that 5 day pouch "reset" is a great thing

Sounds like your doctor made some crappy choices. Did you research this fool and interview him before going with surgery? I asked my doc how many people died on her table and why at the first consultation. And I've had many problems with my band, but I trust her and she is one of the top docs in the nation for lap banding. Glad Topomax works for you. Sounds like it functionally does the same thing as the band, by eliminating hunger signals.

Floridays - oh and I agree with you too, I was writing that on my phone while one handedly feeding my kid, lol. Hopefully didn't sound terse. The band worked for me when it functioned because yes, I chose to follow the program. Another woman I know got banded after me and would continue to eat and eat past her restriction and would throw up constantly. That's a psychological issue that I don't face...willing to be uncomfortable and in pain and knowingly circumvent the tool. Maybe she'd be better with a bypass, or something else permanent (but you can destroy those , too). My point is, the band works if you follow the program, yes, but again, not for everyone. Everyone's not capable of following the program. So therefore the band isn't a perfect solution for everyone. Otherwise the millions of diets I've been on would have worked for me The band is a perfect solution for SOME people, not all, is what I'm saying. I have "thin" friend who's at 141 lbs and stressing because she needs to be at 135. She put herself on Weight Watchers and has no problem with her points or food choices. She's done this over the years and it works for her. It has never worked for me. God, to have her problems! LOL

Congrats to your daughter! I was banded in 2004 and lost 100 lbs the first year, then I began having leaks and malfunctions. I played with 20 - 30 lbs over the next few years, but never got past the 100 lb mark again (I needed to lost 130). I'm getting my band replaced in Feb - since 2004 I've got a net weight loss of 40 lbs But I know the band works well for me *when it works*. My surgeon says my issues are rare and she will put my port in a different place.

This really is a LOT to go through in 2 months. Maybe one way to deal with it is to accept you can't exercise as much as you want, but only focus on the food. Tell people what you do and don't want if they're going to bring food over. If you're good with controlling your portions, control just how much you eat. The Lean Cuisines is a good idea but be careful because the sodium and preservatives in prepackaged foods can hurt your healing process and weight loss process. One thing you might want to try is to cook foods you will eat and freeze them if possible. Roast up a whole chicken before surgery and cut it up into meals you can microwave yourself, for example. At least mix in some natural foods with the prepackaged, is all. After these surgeries you'll feel pretty crappy for a few days and may not want to eat, anyway. Also, your "exercise" can be modified to just be walking up and down steps, or doing 1 load of laundry, or anything around the house that takes energy and doesn't hurt your post-op status. Remember....the "all or nothing" mind set (I have this too) is just a symptom of food addiction. bust out of that mind set. You can still follow band rules, temporarily modified Last thought, if it helps - the more you verbally communicate to people about your needs the better you are setting yourself up for success. Your husband, your family, don't sabotage you. You are in control. They can't force you off your band diet...if you think their food will tempt you, tell them you don't want it. If they bring it, threaten to throw it out, lol. Fight for yourself!!

No, it's not worth it! I can't believe how huge my world got once I got smaller I gained weight from a broken band and pregnancy and I HATE being this heavy!! I can't believe I lived with it so long. But I love eating more, and can't control my hunger and food choices on my own the way I can with the band. Cannot get re-banded fast enough!!

The port goes on top of your ab muscle but under your skin (and fat ) So you won't feel it unless you're pressing on it. I never felt my port when sleeping - if I leaned over the back of the couch or laid on my stomach while on a hard surface I could feel it, but it didn't hurt. Hope that helps.

Good plan!! And I'm getting rebanded on Feb 4th too - I've been down this road before just as exciting! Please msg me if you would like a band buddy, I'm looking for someone to connect with. It really helped me stay focused to have someone to yap with

It's true that people who lose a lot of weight end their marriages. But there are so many reasons for that. The common denominator is that the shrinking person is having a life altering experience that is making them grow. If your partner doesn't grow with you or grows in the opposite direction, the shrinking person has less tolerance for misery and pain. I got divorced from my first husband after I lost my weight with my first band. I stayed in that relationship for 12 years trying to make it work. Being a normal sized woman made me feel less inclined to deal with his BS when there were more people out there and I had new confidence. I tried to hold on to my marriage, we went to counseling. He refused to keep going and said he didn't care that I felt unhappy with our relationship and he had no intention if changing. I'm now remarried and just had my first baby at 37. I love my life!!!

There's a psychological component to why we are all SO obese that we had to go through freaking surgery to fix it. if it were that easy for everyone to stay on track with the band, maybe we could have done this without it. Your post reminds me of people who have told me over the years to "just stop eating" or "just work harder." People's battle with obesity is individual. Your reasons for eating may not be mine. Your path to success is true for you and you alone and I'm glad you were able to succeed! But the "one answer fits all" attitude just doesn't apply here. It's why the diet industry is so huge - one diet doesn't work for everyone.

Hi Twin, there is vomiting and then there's productive burping. Vomiting is a normal reaction if you don't chew food well enough and a piece gets stuck in the band. Vomiting involves your body emptying your stomach.To avoid that, chew well and follow your doctors guidelines. Thick chewy food will get stuck. Productive burping is less intense than vomit. You basically burp and food will come out but you won't keep going. It doesn't hurt and once the food is out you feel perfectly fine. This usually happens if you have air trapped under some food - so eat slowly!

Hugs - it all comes in a big mess then theres smooth sailing. Even nature cannot make a storm that lasts forever!

So i'm getting rebanded since my band has leaked or become disconnected several times over the past 8 years. My surgeon thinks that the port placement (on the right under my ribs) was putting strain on the band and causing it to crack, leak, and become disconnected. Has anyone else heard of this or experienced this? Did you get your band replaced or removed?

Lee, thank you for posting! I watched your video and shared it on Facebook Thanks especially for the thought regarding "if you don't replace what food does for you..." - It is absolutely true.

Hah, my first time around I cried and had tantrums, screaming in my car alone going "IF I COULD DO THIS I WOULDN'T NEED THE BAND!" hahaha. and I only had to do 7 days. I start my pre op diet in 10 days. It's hard not "getting the pizza in while I can" but I can't seem to help myself.

Does everyone have an in person support group they will attend? My doc is 2 hours away in NY so I don't. The local docs here are complete jerks and want nothing to do with anyone else's patients, so I'm without real life support. Will definitely be hanging around here a lot more to connect with other LB folks. That's the one thing I want to do better on this time around is the connection with other people. I was very isolated with this journey. (I got a divorce right after surgery)

I'm on my second tour with a new lap band - getting a replacement on Feb 4. I lost 96 lbs eight years ago in about 8 months. It was RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. Every DAY I would weigh myself and be down 0.5 lbs or something, and every week I was losing 2-3 lbs steadily. I had to keep buying clothes, but it was funny how I would go pick up 18's and realize I was a 12 by the end. I had a big problem looking at the waistline of 12's and realizing I fit in them, and needed belts. I never wore belts. I never tucked anything in...it was surreal.

I notices my band would get right during PMS or if I was sick. I thought I was crazy my doc told me that within a 30 day period my band can certainly fluctuate. it will calm down again, drink fluids, etc. your stomach may be aggravated or inflamed from the cold. I'd worry if it lasts more than a week or two but it sure wouldn't hurt to check with your doc.

Depends on your doc ... But if in 2 weeks you're still hungry and able to eat big portions and bread you may need a bigger fill. FYI - my first banding it took 4 months of incremental fills to get the right one. I lost only 11 lbs tul the right obe, then BAM! There went 100 lbs Many people I was banded with got the right one within 1-2 months....everyone is different but NO you shouldn't be hungry! You didn't sign up for this surgery and lifestyle to suffer with hunger and lack of weight loss. Your doctor can fix it! This is totally different than how you have probably lived your life up until now. Call, call, call.

Grats!!! Yay!!!

I didn't read the comments because I have had enough of them to last a lifetime! But obesity is the last safe publicly permitted bigotry. Racism, sexism, homosexual disparagement are not politically correct anymore, but fat people are still allowed. Cause they're weak, and self indulgent. High functioning alcoholics or hot chicks with drug problems are OK because at least they're not FAT. Society sucks.

Call your doc and get a fill! You will be shocked at how you feel with the right fill promise.

The math will always owe you:) if my scale gets stuck I'll drink more water, too. Helps move fat out.

Totally makes sense my therapist told me pizza hut was my boyfriend. Consistent good feelings, every Friday night I would have happiness. Not being able to eat was like losing my best friend.