tonya66

I had a hard time turning 40, I was so depressed about it. I weighed the most I had ever weighed and looked like I was 60 instead of 40. I felt like I was 70 too.
I am now 1 year post op, and am 41 (will be 42 in August) and I feel better than I did when I was 30. I look better than I have looked in so long. I walk with my head held high and people are shocked when I tell them I'm 41. I'm proud to say that I am a member of the fabulous forties now!
Although my last 6 months have been so rocky for me, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm back on track again and I know that I will reach my goal this year and I will be at my goal when I turn 42!

this has been a touchy subject for some. My personal opinion is it is up to the individual.
There is a law, called HIPPA, it gives each and every patient the right for their own medical privacy. So if you choose not to tell, doesn't mean you are ashamed or anything, just means you choose to keep your medical history private - thats your right.
If you choose to tell, again, that is your right too.
I personally decided not to tell, I figure I can always go back and tell, however, I could never untell.
Well - there is a coworker I work with who has suspected it and she freaken googled something I typed on here (it was a thread I started regarding a type of plastic surgery), and she found out. She called me over to her desk and asked if that was me because it was so similar - my name was at the bottom of my signature, my age was over to the left, it said I was from Oklahoma - and I talked about the type of PS on this forum and I've mentioned it to her. Geeze, there are some nosey people. I begged her to keep it a secret, but I know she has already blabbed.
The one thing I was not expecting was for people to come out and ask me directly "Did you have the lapband". I was prepared to answer questions on how I was losing weight, but I never dreamed people would come out and ask if I had the lap band. I would never come out and ask someone that. But some people are just plain rude!
So if you do decide to keep it a secret, be prepared to answer questions.
I still have not "come out of the closet", and not sure if I ever will. I might when I get to goal if someone I know is looking into it. I might share my experience. Still undecided on that.
My doctor asked me to be in a calendar he produces, but I declined because I know someone that I know will see it.

I have learned your body is going to do what it's going to do. I'm 7 months out and am down 45 lbs when a lot of people have already reach goal. I'm also a revision patient, had the band in 2007 and converted to sleeve November 20, 2013.
Just stick to the rules and you will lose, slow sometime and sometimes fast. I will give you an example, for the past 3 months I have not done anything as far as weight loss goes, I've bounces around with the same 5 pounds for months. Everyone says after month 6 it slows down and I was really worried because it was already slow but suddenly from month 6 to 7 my weightloss has done the opposite and I'm almost down 10 lbs this month, so everyone is different. Focus on you and your journey, that's what I have to keep telling myself as well because it's easy to compare yourself to others. Best wishes to you!

I was banded in January 2007, I loved the band in the beginning, but after losing a lot of weight needed more fills, anyhow, long story short I never could find the sweet spot after 23 fills, lost all restriction and gained about 70 lbs back. Finally converted to sleeve on November 20, 2013.
Band weight 248
Gastric sleeve weight 214
Today's weight 165
Goal weight 145
Happy? Heck yes I'm happy. Best decision ever.

I have read that people that revise surgeries tend to lose slower, and I am compared to many, a slow loser. However, with that being said, I am happy with my results and I continue to lose. I figure Im not in a race but on a journey.
My stats are:
Began the lapband at 250
dropped down to 145
Complications arose, and got back up to 214 which is what I was on my date of surgery
Gastric sleeve sugery 11/20/13 at 214.5
Today my weight is 165, Im almost 7 months out, so about 50 lbs in 7 months
From what I read, most people start to slow down at about 6 months, for me its been the opposite. Ive been at a stall for a few months and barely losing, this month Im going to hit around 10 lbs I think. So I've actually started losing more after 6 months.
The thing I like about the sleeve is no more "stuck" feeling, I can pretty much eat whatever I like but not much of it. I try and make healthy choices though and stay away from the carbs and sugar.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

I personally took off 2 weeks, the first week was rough, very nauseas the first 3 or 4 days. I think I could have returned after a week but glad I took the 2nd week off. I personally would plan on 2 weeks to give your body time to heal.

I personally took off 2 weeks, the first week was rough, very nauseas the first 3 or 4 days. I think I could have returned after a week but glad I took the 2nd week off. I personally would plan on 2 weeks to give your body time to heal.

Beans, no carbs for the first six month - even nuts. What do I eat today? Anything I want.... just still small quantities. And I do have to admit that I should not eat as much sugar as I do now but I'm having no trouble maintaining so really just am keeping an eye on it and will absolutely return to my post op diet if needed.
What could/should I have done better? Absolutely #1 would be I should have done some strength training and exercised more. The loose skin is much worse than I expected it would be - so to those who feel they are losing slowly consider it a benefit that your skin won't be as saggy. I look like an 80 year old woman underneath (I'm 54). To be honest my tummy is the best of the 3 saggy areas - tummy, thighs and arms. My arms are by far the worst; I had larger than usual upper arms all of my life - inherited from generations on my mothers side. When I consider plastic surgery that is really the only part I definitely want to address. My tummy is always covered; my thighs are most of the time; when I wear a bathing suit I still wear shorts over it - which is what I did when I was heavy so no change there. I also should have done a better job of consistently using skin firming cream - I think it would have helped more. My favorite is Jergen's Skin Firming - it does a nice job and costs no more than any other lotion - and even less than most.
What do I feel I did right? I was absolutely faithful in sticking to my surgeon's post op diet. Having failed at the Lapband I was overly determined to succeed. I never want to feel the way I felt as a failed Lapband patient again - seriously! I did make sure that I exercised regularly while the weight was coming off. I used a Fitbit - I tracked my food every day on MyFitnessPal. Those were both invaluable tools. I came to coin my 'eating plan' that worked best for me as the '40/60/100' plan. What I found was that if I ate less than 40 carbs a day, 60g+ of Protein and drank 100oz+ of Water, I lost consistently every week.
I regularly read these forums as well as obesityhelp.com. I have met many new friends here - mostly virtual but even some in person. One has really become a very close friend which has been great. Another started a separate Facebook group for those of us who had surgery from January through March 2012 and it is just an incredible group of women (and one man) across a wide range of ages, though mostly younger than me - and we have become so close and been there for each other. The great thing was that as we were coming down we were going through the same stages of the post op diet and the associated challenges, successes, emotions, etc. I would highly encourage others to start or belong to a similar group after you have your surgery.
Well I really need to wrap this up now so I don't start putting people to sleep.....
To those of you embarking on this journey - I wish you much success. If you are still trying to choose which surgery you should have it goes without saying that I absolutely 100% recommend VSG and already had Lapband so learn from my experience.
To those of you who just had surgery - hang in there - the first four weeks were the worst. It really does get better... and better and better. Stick to your Dr.'s orders. Do not test foods you know you shouldn't eat to see if you can eat them - that was one of the major mistakes that I made with the Lapband.
To those of you farther out and struggling - go back to your roots - try your post op diet again - or my 40/60/100 plan for a week... hopefully it will give you the jumpstart you need.
And to the many people in this group (well really from the old verticalsleevetalk.com group) who encouraged me and led by their example - please accept my sincere THANKS!!! for sharing your experience and encouraging me throughout my journey.
Susie (2.0

Well I finally saw a new "lower"number on the scale today! I have been bouncing from 156 to 159 for the past 2 months. Today I saw 155! I actually weighed myself twice to make sure I was seeing the right number.

Today is my FOUR YEAR SURGIVERSARY! It's hard to believe how fast these years have gone by! I'm very thankful and grateful that I was able to have VSG and it completely resolved my weight and health issues including High Blood Pressure, sleep apnea and knee/joint pain.
I'm at my original goal 148-150 and even though I've hit a few "bumps" along the way (regain of 27 pounds in year 3), I've managed to get back up, figure out a way to succeed and continue on!
I'm at a stage now where, knowing me, I've got to continue to make wise food choices. I tend to do really well for a while and then slowly allow junk to sidetrack me. I know by the way I feel now (tired) I am eating too many carbs and sugar!
BUT - I am four years out, completely a new woman in MOST WAYS and so very thankful for this day!!!!!

I had BCBS, but when I had the Band in 2007, I had United Healthcare. So when my doc and I discusses a revision his insurance coordinator did her research and found that Anthem BCBS treated it as a total new WLS, they didn't require the 6 mos diet, but required all the test, it took me about 2 months to do everything but once the paperwork was submitted, less than 48 hours to
Get my approval. It was worth the wait! Best wishes

I have learned your body is going to do what it's going to do. I'm 7 months out and am down 45 lbs when a lot of people have already reach goal. I'm also a revision patient, had the band in 2007 and converted to sleeve November 20, 2013.
Just stick to the rules and you will lose, slow sometime and sometimes fast. I will give you an example, for the past 3 months I have not done anything as far as weight loss goes, I've bounces around with the same 5 pounds for months. Everyone says after month 6 it slows down and I was really worried because it was already slow but suddenly from month 6 to 7 my weightloss has done the opposite and I'm almost down 10 lbs this month, so everyone is different. Focus on you and your journey, that's what I have to keep telling myself as well because it's easy to compare yourself to others. Best wishes to you!

I too had great success with the band, was banded in 2007 and then after a slight infill I lost restriction completely, after 23 fills, still no restriction. My doctor recommended switching to the sleeve and said my band simply quit working, they could not find a leak.
I started with the band at 250, got down to about 145 and gained back up to 214, that was my weight on my surfer date for the sleeve.
I was sleeved 11/20/13, losing weight slower than those younger than me, and those that are virgin bariatric patients (no precious WLS) but I will take it. I'm almost 7 months out and down to 165, 50 lbs in 7 mos.
I do have reflux, I have Barrett's esophagus and had this before the sleeve, so I can't blame the sleeve.
The only con I can think of is you can't take ibuprofen, ever. And u do have Vitamins to take for the rest of your life. I have arthritis in my knee and the ibuprofen really helped with inflammation. But losing weight is also helping.
The pros, (which I used to think was a con) is it's permanent. Once they cut that stomach, it's gone. Dealing with the band and all the fills, I'm glad it's a permanent solution.
I can eat anything, just not much of it. I can eat about 3 oz of food at a sitting and I am 7 mos out. For example, I split meals with my hubby and the other day I had my first hamburger since 2007, and I ate 1/4 of his burger and that was all I could eat and about 5 ff. I normally don't eat bread, but I wanted to test the sleeve and see if I could eat it. I never could eat a burger when I had the band.
I haven't thrown up once with the sleeve, I have got nauseous a few times, especially in the beginning which is usually due to eating or drinking too fast, according to my nutrition or it's something my sleeve doesn't agree with. Everyone is different.
Feel fee to ask any questions.
Best wishes to you

Thanks. I lost 133 the first 12 months. It took me 14 months to lose 150# and get to my goal of 158. That goal put me at around a size 10 non stretch pants/medium top. (although with size variation I also wore some 8s).
Now I wear more like a size 6 pants (although i own some 4s) but because of my boobs I still take a medium in most tops - small if they are stretchy or generously sized.

Banded in March 2001 at 272; lost 30# in the first month on an all liquid diet and took another 11 months to lose another almost 40# and got down to about 205.
All time highest weight was in 2005 - highest recorded was 332
Band removed in Sept 2011; sleeved December 2011 at 308.
Hit goal of 158 in February 2013
Current weight around 140-142.
That is a loss of over 160# - about 190 from my lifetime high. unbelievable, even to me!!!!

First of all let me say, I certainly understand financial problems and understand that you are going thru some very rough times.
I really admire those who are able to be self pay, I was not a self pay, and without my insurance I would not have been able to get the band.
I know when stress comes my way, I just eat junk. Its a bad habit I still have not been able to overcome and I work on it on daily.
I know things seem bad right now, It seems when it rains - it really does pour.
Okay, a few questions for you - you sound like a level headed woman (perfect credit, and all - so I know you are a smart and think ahead). How about finding another job? You can continue to work where you are, but maybe looking for another job in the meantime, one that may pay more?
2. Have you talked to your brother? What are his intentions with the car?
3. Okay, lets get down to the band. 1 fill did not give me restriction, sorry to say, it took 7 fills to get me there. I wish docs would be more upfront with the patients that are self pay about this. How much does your doc charge for fills for self pay? Little Rock is not too far from where I live and my doc charges a flat fee of $200 under flouro, if your doc charges much more than that, I welcome you to come to my hometown and get a fill here - I'll take you to lunch - on me! I think you deserve it.
Hang in there, and I'm serious about lunch, you let me know, and I will give you the number of my doc. He does do fills on other patients, and he is wonderful about trying to get you the best restriction on the first fill. My problem is I have spasms and its hard to get my fill right - I'm a rare case they say.
PM if I can help in any way.

There have been times I lost weight really fast, then other times I don't. I find that when I really take a look at my plan, when I'm not losing, I find that I'm not following the rules. When I'm losing weight, I am following the rules to a T - even the exercise part.
I am on my 10th fill and at 3.9cc in a 4cc band and finally have some good restriciton, not sure if I am at my sweet spot or not, but it seems to keep me satisfied. I don't PB - I don't take small bites of food (don't have too), and I don't have to overly chew my food. However, I do get full on a small amount of food - or should I say, I am no longer hungry, then I stop eating. I eat about 2 to 3 oz of food per meal.
I wanted to share with you a post that find helpful below, when I follow these rules, the band seems to work for me:
Rules of the Road
What you need to know about living with the band
By Robin McCoy
When you begin the decision-making process to have Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), and specifically Lap Band® Surgery, it is vital that you fully understand the changes you must make in your lifestyle. WLS is not a magic pill. Weight loss is something that you must work at to be successful. There are several rules and circumstances that someone who has undergone LapBand® Surgery, a “Bandster,” must follow and understand to see success and have a high quality banded life.
Drinking Before and After Meals
Not drinking during meals is, by far, one of the most important things to learn and is vital to your weight loss success. It is also one of the most challenging.
Stop drinking all liquids at least 30 minutes before your meal. This allows all that is in your pouch to drain through to the lower stomach. Therefore your pouch is empty when you eat allowing the food to fill you up properly.
Forgo all beverages during your meals. Drinking during a meal flushes the food through your band and the band is unable to function properly. Most people will have 2, 3 or even 4 glasses of liquid with meals. Servers in restaurants, trained to keep customers happy, will keep beverage glasses full throughout the meal. This is unhealthy for bandsters and sabotages their success. State firmly and clearly that you do not want a beverage. From personal experience, I know the often bewildered looks that follow the statement: “nothing to drink for me,” but diligence is the key. Like most changes required after the Lap Band® procedure, not drinking with meals gets much easier with time. Having now lost over 100 pounds, I no longer have difficulty asking my server not to bring me a beverage!
Do not drink for an hour after a meal.The main reason is the same as drinking during your meal. liquids wash the food through the band defeating its purpose. Another reason not to drink after a meal is if your pouch is full the beverage might not have anywhere to go…except backwards resulting in a spit-up. Suffice it to say that food and liquids making a return visit is not satisfying.
By starting this practice immediately, at the next meal, you will be well on your way to a successful banding experience.
Smaller Bites. More Chewing. Slower Eating.
Begin to recognize and understand what a Bandster Bite is. At your next meal look at your bite size. Look at the amount of food on your fork and remember it. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the Bandster bite size after surgery. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the size of a Bandster bite after the first fill or adjustment. After each fill the bite size will get smaller until the bandster is eating toddler-sized bites. The reason for this is so the bite can be chewed completely to a liquid before swallowing.
The next point is chewing. It is very important that food is completely chewed. Before swallowing ensure the food is a liquid. As the weight loss progresses the opening from the pouch to the lower stomach will be getting smaller. Therefore the food needs to be chewed more thoroughly. If a piece of food is too big to go through the stoma, or opening, it will get "stuck". This can be very painful.
Slower eating becomes inevitable. Eating too fast encourages bigger bites. The bigger bite means the food isn’t chewed properly and it can get stuck. As a Bandster with over 18 months in, I still find myself falling into this trap. I get excited, chatting with friends and just forget to pay attention.
A Bandster’s Eating Order
Lap Band patients have a specific order in which to eat their food. It is important that there is enough Protein in the diet to keep the bodies moving properly. Therefore, the Protein should be eaten first. WLS patients need 40-60 grams of protein every day. This can come in a variety of ways. Protein shakes, cheese, fish, beef, chicken, soy. The challenge comes when only certain foods can be tolerated. Also, it is important that the protein is a “hard” protein (chicken, beef, and fish) if possible. It shouldn’t all come from Protein Shakes and cheese.< /span>
The vegetables should be eaten second, and carbohydrates/starches last (if there is room). Proteins last longer in the pouch and take longer to process through the band allowing you to feel full sooner and maintain satiety longer.
Hard Proteins are the most difficult for a Bandster to consume. The hard proteins need to be more moist, more tender and chewed more completely than any other type of food. Generally speaking, proteins are the foods that get “stuck” most often and cause spit ups. This happens because the bite isn’t small enough and/or, because the protein hasn’t been chewed sufficiently before swallowing.
For the record, beef is generally the most difficult food for Bandsters to eat. Beef is one of the most difficult foods for humans to digest. It can take several days for a piece of steak to actually work its way through the digestive track. And that’s on an un-banded person! So, if you eat a piece of steak and it isn’t chewed it up completely, it can sit in the pouch for an extended amount of time. Further, the stomach acids that help an un-banded person process beef are not present in the pouch and therefore are not there to help the body break the beef down.
Remember each and every person is different so you will have to test your own waters. Some Bandsters have no trouble with beef whatsoever; others won’t go near it. From personal experience I know that each Bandster will figure out what he or she can or cannot tolerate through trial and error. Trust me when I say that tolerances change; one day ground beef is fine and the next you realize it isn’t any longer. You must be willing and able to adapt to sudden changes in your body’s ability to process certain foods.
The Constant Quest for Restriction; Not enough vs. too much
Restriction.No one can really describe it but everyone wants it. You have restriction when your band is adjusted to the point where you can eat 3-5 bites of well-chewed food and you are full. When this happens you have what is called good restriction.
You are too loose, or open, if you don’t feel full after just a few bites.You are able to eat more on a consistent basis than before. Maybe your weight loss has slowed or stopped. This is when it is time for a fill, or adjustment, in your band.
You are too tight when you can eat very little solid food or worse—none at all. If you are so tight that only liquids go through your band or you are spitting up too often this is too tight. If you can’t keep liquids down this is a medical issue and you must get some removed. You run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Being too tight is not a good thing!
Not only are you not getting the nutrition your body needs to function properly but it can also bring on a slippage in your band. If this happens you will require minor surgery to repair it.
Now that you know a little about what restriction is, let’s get a little deeper. There are three points to learn:
1. The first thing to understand is that every banded person feels restriction differently. So to compare yourself to others is difficult.
2. Also the amount of Fluid in the band and the stomach’s reaction, or restriction, to it is a varied as the Bandsters reading this now. Everyone’s stomach is a different size and reacts to the band differently. It is fine to compare Fluid levels but don’t get too caught up in “I have this and they have that”.
3. Finally, your level of restriction can change day to day. It can change meal to meal in some cases.
You are now asking, “How in the heck do I deal with that?” My answer is trial and error and learning about your band.
Let us go back to the beginning. Immediately after surgery you will feel restriction. The surgeon usually doesn’t put any fluid in your band during the surgery. The restriction you feel is the swelling of your stomach and it’s adjustment to the band that has suddenly been wrapped around it. You won’t get your first fill until 4-6 weeks after surgery.
You will be on Clear Liquids and they will fill you up quickly for the first few days. Then they will stop filling you up you will begin to feel hungry. About this time you will be allowed to eat mushy foods like mashed potatoes, creamy Soups, etc. You will find that you eat just a few bites and you are full. This is great! Who knew a ¼ can of Soup would be enough? This is going to be a piece of cake.
It isn’t going to last. Shortly this won’t satisfy and you will be moving on to solid food. That feeling of restriction comes back. A slice of turkey and you are stuffed!
This doesn’t last either. At about 4 weeks, sometimes earlier, you will start to feel hunger again. You feel like you are eating everything. Your weight loss has slowed or stopped. You start to freak out. “Where is my restriction?!” you cry.
This is a difficult time but one that every Bandster gets through.Just be patient and let yourself finish the healing process. Watch what you eat and know that you are not eating anywhere near what you were pre-band. The unfilled band supplies a certain amount of restriction and you won’t hurt your progress.
Your first fill will bring you back to the restriction point right after surgery. You will eat a few bites and feel full. You will start losing weight pretty quickly. You want to make sure you are eating your protein first, vegetables second and any starches last. This will ensure satiety.
This fill will usually last several weeks. Then it starts to loosen up. Your second fill is the one that usually kicks a Bandster in the butt. This is where they learn what not chewing thoroughly and taking bites that are too large can do.
And so it goes. Some Bandsters need one fill others need more. I had 4 over the course of the first year. I heard of one woman that lost 80 pounds on her first fill. This is why I stress not comparing yourself to your banded friends. It brings on frustration and we have spent enough time in our lives comparing ourselves to others. Now is the time to stop.
One of the largest environmental factors that make our band feel tighter is stress. I never truly understood what Bandsters were talking about when they said stress was tightening their band. That is until I started the process of buying a house. The stress of the pending inspection and what they might find had my band so tight I was barely eating. My band was so tight I cancelled my fill appointment.
Let me say right now that I learned from this experience and you need to make sure you are getting the right Vitamins in to ensure your health. I wasn’t in any danger but I was very tired and was bruising like crazy! Well, the inspection went well. I got my house and my band opened back up. Food started going through more smoothly and I started eating better.
Other environmental factors can be tiredness, excitement, sadness, or just the fact that it is morning. Many Bandsters find they can’t eat until after 11 AM every day.
I don’t know if this satisfies your curiosity of what restriction is or what you are to do with it. I do hope you understand that everyone is different and it is a learning process. You will learn what it feels like for you to have good restriction and when your band is talking to you.
Being “stuck” and “spitting up”
As WLS patients we have a few fun words we use. Some are nice and some are not. You will hear “PB” which means “Productive Burp”. I prefer the simple term “spit up”.
What does “stuck” mean?Stuck means that what you have eaten won’t go through the opening between your pouch and lower stomach. This is called your “stoma”. The bite is too big to go through (meaning you didn’t chew it enough), it isn’t something that moves smoothly through the band (lettuce), or you just ate too darn much. When a bite of food goes through your esophagus and hits your pouch it has one of two places to go…through the band or back. If all is well it will go through with no problem either now or later. If it can’t make it to the pouch or through the stoma it will result in a spit up.
Understand that this is something that will happen to you and to every bandster out there. Call it a side-effect or whatever you like but it will happen. The questions are what causes a spit-up, what it feels like, what to do when it happens, and how to avoid them. Remember, things can change day-to-day, heck even meal to meal. This is the nature of the beast. Frustrating? Yes. Small price to pay? I think so.
What causes a spit up is easy.The bite it too big, you took one or two too many bites, you didn’t chew properly, or it is simply a food that you can’t tolerate right now. It is up to you to determine which of the above it true. Trust me… you will learn to determine this.
What does if feel like?You will know. The best way I can find to describe the feeling is when you drink a big gulp of Water and it goes down with air. You get this pain in your chest that makes you feel like something is going to bust out. That is what it feels like when something is stuck. It can be minor or it can hurt like a son-of-a-gun. Some bandsters say their bodies tell them when they are finished eating and need to stop. Some Bandsters start to salivate which is their body’s way of washing the food through. Some, me included, get a heavy sigh or exhale; this tells us we are full. Don’t worry; you too will learn to read what your body is telling you…even if you don’t now.
What should you do when it happens? Stop eating is the first thing. It doesn’t matter if it is your first bite or your fifth. A spit up is your body’s way of telling you that you are full. This is your band in full-alert. It is telling you that you are done and to put the fork down. Many times you can stop eating and just wait it out. Until you are used to it you might get the “deer in the headlight” look. Soon you will just adjust. If it doesn’t go away then you need to deal with it.
Dealing with it means excusing yourself and heading to the bathroom. A spit up is just that. I compare it to a baby spit up. It should never be what you classify as vomiting. This is hazardous for a Bandster and should be avoided as it can cause slippage. There is a very large difference in spit ups and vomiting.
How to avoid them?Well, that comes with experience and a willingness to acknowledge when your “food police” tells you to stop. Very quickly you should learn when your band tells you to stop. I found that after my 2nd fill my band was at attention and told me when I was full. This is when I experienced my first spit ups and found foods that I could no longer tolerate.
One of the most difficult things to get your mind around is just how little you will be eating. Your band tells you that you are full but your brain engages and says, “You haven’t eaten nearly enough!” So you take that extra bite or two. Then there it is…the feeling in your chest…your eyes get big…and saliva fills your mouth.
The biggest point I want to get across to you is that, while normal, spitting up is not necessarily a good thing. You don’t want to be doing it every day and certainly not every meal. If this is happening you need to take a good look at what you are eating, how big your bites are, how much you are eating and to what level you are chewing. Be aware at the beginning and it will become more of a habit soon enough.

Surgery Is Not a Magic Pill
Surgery is not the magic pill we have all been waiting for. You will not wake up thin. You must be willing to meet the band half way. You will lose weight at a different pace than your friends. You must change your behavior for this to work. It is a tool—and nothing more. An electric mixer is easier than mixing by hand but you still have to follow the recipe for the cake to taste good.
Right now you should be asking yourself one question—“Am I ready to go the distance?”
It can be a joyful journey with the highest of highs. Moments that are so thrilling and uplifting that you don’t think you will ever come down. It is also a frightening journey as we venture into unfamiliar territory of who we are and where we are going. You are not going down this path alone. There are many Bandsters ahead of you on this path that are ready to help you along the way and take you with them to the next level.
So I ask, “Are you ready to go the distance?”

There have been times I lost weight really fast, then other times I don't. I find that when I really take a look at my plan, when I'm not losing, I find that I'm not following the rules. When I'm losing weight, I am following the rules to a T - even the exercise part.
I am on my 10th fill and at 3.9cc in a 4cc band and finally have some good restriciton, not sure if I am at my sweet spot or not, but it seems to keep me satisfied. I don't PB - I don't take small bites of food (don't have too), and I don't have to overly chew my food. However, I do get full on a small amount of food - or should I say, I am no longer hungry, then I stop eating. I eat about 2 to 3 oz of food per meal.
I wanted to share with you a post that find helpful below, when I follow these rules, the band seems to work for me:
Rules of the Road
What you need to know about living with the band
By Robin McCoy
When you begin the decision-making process to have Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), and specifically Lap Band® Surgery, it is vital that you fully understand the changes you must make in your lifestyle. WLS is not a magic pill. Weight loss is something that you must work at to be successful. There are several rules and circumstances that someone who has undergone LapBand® Surgery, a “Bandster,” must follow and understand to see success and have a high quality banded life.
Drinking Before and After Meals
Not drinking during meals is, by far, one of the most important things to learn and is vital to your weight loss success. It is also one of the most challenging.
Stop drinking all liquids at least 30 minutes before your meal. This allows all that is in your pouch to drain through to the lower stomach. Therefore your pouch is empty when you eat allowing the food to fill you up properly.
Forgo all beverages during your meals. Drinking during a meal flushes the food through your band and the band is unable to function properly. Most people will have 2, 3 or even 4 glasses of liquid with meals. Servers in restaurants, trained to keep customers happy, will keep beverage glasses full throughout the meal. This is unhealthy for bandsters and sabotages their success. State firmly and clearly that you do not want a beverage. From personal experience, I know the often bewildered looks that follow the statement: “nothing to drink for me,” but diligence is the key. Like most changes required after the Lap Band® procedure, not drinking with meals gets much easier with time. Having now lost over 100 pounds, I no longer have difficulty asking my server not to bring me a beverage!
Do not drink for an hour after a meal.The main reason is the same as drinking during your meal. liquids wash the food through the band defeating its purpose. Another reason not to drink after a meal is if your pouch is full the beverage might not have anywhere to go…except backwards resulting in a spit-up. Suffice it to say that food and liquids making a return visit is not satisfying.
By starting this practice immediately, at the next meal, you will be well on your way to a successful banding experience.
Smaller Bites. More Chewing. Slower Eating.
Begin to recognize and understand what a Bandster Bite is. At your next meal look at your bite size. Look at the amount of food on your fork and remember it. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the Bandster bite size after surgery. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the size of a Bandster bite after the first fill or adjustment. After each fill the bite size will get smaller until the bandster is eating toddler-sized bites. The reason for this is so the bite can be chewed completely to a liquid before swallowing.
The next point is chewing. It is very important that food is completely chewed. Before swallowing ensure the food is a liquid. As the weight loss progresses the opening from the pouch to the lower stomach will be getting smaller. Therefore the food needs to be chewed more thoroughly. If a piece of food is too big to go through the stoma, or opening, it will get "stuck". This can be very painful.
Slower eating becomes inevitable. Eating too fast encourages bigger bites. The bigger bite means the food isn’t chewed properly and it can get stuck. As a Bandster with over 18 months in, I still find myself falling into this trap. I get excited, chatting with friends and just forget to pay attention.
A Bandster’s Eating Order
Lap Band patients have a specific order in which to eat their food. It is important that there is enough Protein in the diet to keep the bodies moving properly. Therefore, the Protein should be eaten first. WLS patients need 40-60 grams of protein every day. This can come in a variety of ways. Protein shakes, cheese, fish, beef, chicken, soy. The challenge comes when only certain foods can be tolerated. Also, it is important that the protein is a “hard” protein (chicken, beef, and fish) if possible. It shouldn’t all come from Protein Shakes and cheese.< /span>
The vegetables should be eaten second, and carbohydrates/starches last (if there is room). Proteins last longer in the pouch and take longer to process through the band allowing you to feel full sooner and maintain satiety longer.
Hard Proteins are the most difficult for a Bandster to consume. The hard proteins need to be more moist, more tender and chewed more completely than any other type of food. Generally speaking, proteins are the foods that get “stuck” most often and cause spit ups. This happens because the bite isn’t small enough and/or, because the protein hasn’t been chewed sufficiently before swallowing.
For the record, beef is generally the most difficult food for Bandsters to eat. Beef is one of the most difficult foods for humans to digest. It can take several days for a piece of steak to actually work its way through the digestive track. And that’s on an un-banded person! So, if you eat a piece of steak and it isn’t chewed it up completely, it can sit in the pouch for an extended amount of time. Further, the stomach acids that help an un-banded person process beef are not present in the pouch and therefore are not there to help the body break the beef down.
Remember each and every person is different so you will have to test your own waters. Some Bandsters have no trouble with beef whatsoever; others won’t go near it. From personal experience I know that each Bandster will figure out what he or she can or cannot tolerate through trial and error. Trust me when I say that tolerances change; one day ground beef is fine and the next you realize it isn’t any longer. You must be willing and able to adapt to sudden changes in your body’s ability to process certain foods.
The Constant Quest for Restriction; Not enough vs. too much
Restriction.No one can really describe it but everyone wants it. You have restriction when your band is adjusted to the point where you can eat 3-5 bites of well-chewed food and you are full. When this happens you have what is called good restriction.
You are too loose, or open, if you don’t feel full after just a few bites.You are able to eat more on a consistent basis than before. Maybe your weight loss has slowed or stopped. This is when it is time for a fill, or adjustment, in your band.
You are too tight when you can eat very little solid food or worse—none at all. If you are so tight that only liquids go through your band or you are spitting up too often this is too tight. If you can’t keep liquids down this is a medical issue and you must get some removed. You run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Being too tight is not a good thing!
Not only are you not getting the nutrition your body needs to function properly but it can also bring on a slippage in your band. If this happens you will require minor surgery to repair it.
Now that you know a little about what restriction is, let’s get a little deeper. There are three points to learn:
1. The first thing to understand is that every banded person feels restriction differently. So to compare yourself to others is difficult.
2. Also the amount of Fluid in the band and the stomach’s reaction, or restriction, to it is a varied as the Bandsters reading this now. Everyone’s stomach is a different size and reacts to the band differently. It is fine to compare Fluid levels but don’t get too caught up in “I have this and they have that”.
3. Finally, your level of restriction can change day to day. It can change meal to meal in some cases.
You are now asking, “How in the heck do I deal with that?” My answer is trial and error and learning about your band.
Let us go back to the beginning. Immediately after surgery you will feel restriction. The surgeon usually doesn’t put any fluid in your band during the surgery. The restriction you feel is the swelling of your stomach and it’s adjustment to the band that has suddenly been wrapped around it. You won’t get your first fill until 4-6 weeks after surgery.
You will be on Clear Liquids and they will fill you up quickly for the first few days. Then they will stop filling you up you will begin to feel hungry. About this time you will be allowed to eat mushy foods like mashed potatoes, creamy Soups, etc. You will find that you eat just a few bites and you are full. This is great! Who knew a ¼ can of Soup would be enough? This is going to be a piece of cake.
It isn’t going to last. Shortly this won’t satisfy and you will be moving on to solid food. That feeling of restriction comes back. A slice of turkey and you are stuffed!
This doesn’t last either. At about 4 weeks, sometimes earlier, you will start to feel hunger again. You feel like you are eating everything. Your weight loss has slowed or stopped. You start to freak out. “Where is my restriction?!” you cry.
This is a difficult time but one that every Bandster gets through.Just be patient and let yourself finish the healing process. Watch what you eat and know that you are not eating anywhere near what you were pre-band. The unfilled band supplies a certain amount of restriction and you won’t hurt your progress.
Your first fill will bring you back to the restriction point right after surgery. You will eat a few bites and feel full. You will start losing weight pretty quickly. You want to make sure you are eating your protein first, vegetables second and any starches last. This will ensure satiety.
This fill will usually last several weeks. Then it starts to loosen up. Your second fill is the one that usually kicks a Bandster in the butt. This is where they learn what not chewing thoroughly and taking bites that are too large can do.
And so it goes. Some Bandsters need one fill others need more. I had 4 over the course of the first year. I heard of one woman that lost 80 pounds on her first fill. This is why I stress not comparing yourself to your banded friends. It brings on frustration and we have spent enough time in our lives comparing ourselves to others. Now is the time to stop.
One of the largest environmental factors that make our band feel tighter is stress. I never truly understood what Bandsters were talking about when they said stress was tightening their band. That is until I started the process of buying a house. The stress of the pending inspection and what they might find had my band so tight I was barely eating. My band was so tight I cancelled my fill appointment.
Let me say right now that I learned from this experience and you need to make sure you are getting the right Vitamins in to ensure your health. I wasn’t in any danger but I was very tired and was bruising like crazy! Well, the inspection went well. I got my house and my band opened back up. Food started going through more smoothly and I started eating better.
Other environmental factors can be tiredness, excitement, sadness, or just the fact that it is morning. Many Bandsters find they can’t eat until after 11 AM every day.
I don’t know if this satisfies your curiosity of what restriction is or what you are to do with it. I do hope you understand that everyone is different and it is a learning process. You will learn what it feels like for you to have good restriction and when your band is talking to you.
Being “stuck” and “spitting up”
As WLS patients we have a few fun words we use. Some are nice and some are not. You will hear “PB” which means “Productive Burp”. I prefer the simple term “spit up”.
What does “stuck” mean?Stuck means that what you have eaten won’t go through the opening between your pouch and lower stomach. This is called your “stoma”. The bite is too big to go through (meaning you didn’t chew it enough), it isn’t something that moves smoothly through the band (lettuce), or you just ate too darn much. When a bite of food goes through your esophagus and hits your pouch it has one of two places to go…through the band or back. If all is well it will go through with no problem either now or later. If it can’t make it to the pouch or through the stoma it will result in a spit up.
Understand that this is something that will happen to you and to every bandster out there. Call it a side-effect or whatever you like but it will happen. The questions are what causes a spit-up, what it feels like, what to do when it happens, and how to avoid them. Remember, things can change day-to-day, heck even meal to meal. This is the nature of the beast. Frustrating? Yes. Small price to pay? I think so.
What causes a spit up is easy.The bite it too big, you took one or two too many bites, you didn’t chew properly, or it is simply a food that you can’t tolerate right now. It is up to you to determine which of the above it true. Trust me… you will learn to determine this.
What does if feel like?You will know. The best way I can find to describe the feeling is when you drink a big gulp of Water and it goes down with air. You get this pain in your chest that makes you feel like something is going to bust out. That is what it feels like when something is stuck. It can be minor or it can hurt like a son-of-a-gun. Some bandsters say their bodies tell them when they are finished eating and need to stop. Some Bandsters start to salivate which is their body’s way of washing the food through. Some, me included, get a heavy sigh or exhale; this tells us we are full. Don’t worry; you too will learn to read what your body is telling you…even if you don’t now.
What should you do when it happens? Stop eating is the first thing. It doesn’t matter if it is your first bite or your fifth. A spit up is your body’s way of telling you that you are full. This is your band in full-alert. It is telling you that you are done and to put the fork down. Many times you can stop eating and just wait it out. Until you are used to it you might get the “deer in the headlight” look. Soon you will just adjust. If it doesn’t go away then you need to deal with it.
Dealing with it means excusing yourself and heading to the bathroom. A spit up is just that. I compare it to a baby spit up. It should never be what you classify as vomiting. This is hazardous for a Bandster and should be avoided as it can cause slippage. There is a very large difference in spit ups and vomiting.
How to avoid them?Well, that comes with experience and a willingness to acknowledge when your “food police” tells you to stop. Very quickly you should learn when your band tells you to stop. I found that after my 2nd fill my band was at attention and told me when I was full. This is when I experienced my first spit ups and found foods that I could no longer tolerate.
One of the most difficult things to get your mind around is just how little you will be eating. Your band tells you that you are full but your brain engages and says, “You haven’t eaten nearly enough!” So you take that extra bite or two. Then there it is…the feeling in your chest…your eyes get big…and saliva fills your mouth.
The biggest point I want to get across to you is that, while normal, spitting up is not necessarily a good thing. You don’t want to be doing it every day and certainly not every meal. If this is happening you need to take a good look at what you are eating, how big your bites are, how much you are eating and to what level you are chewing. Be aware at the beginning and it will become more of a habit soon enough.

Surgery Is Not a Magic Pill
Surgery is not the magic pill we have all been waiting for. You will not wake up thin. You must be willing to meet the band half way. You will lose weight at a different pace than your friends. You must change your behavior for this to work. It is a tool—and nothing more. An electric mixer is easier than mixing by hand but you still have to follow the recipe for the cake to taste good.
Right now you should be asking yourself one question—“Am I ready to go the distance?”
It can be a joyful journey with the highest of highs. Moments that are so thrilling and uplifting that you don’t think you will ever come down. It is also a frightening journey as we venture into unfamiliar territory of who we are and where we are going. You are not going down this path alone. There are many Bandsters ahead of you on this path that are ready to help you along the way and take you with them to the next level.
So I ask, “Are you ready to go the distance?”

Paulax - I'm what you call a "career dieter". I've been low carbing for 6 years, (off & on) and I can only get down to 190 lbs, that is the lowest, then I get discouraged and gain back up to 235, then back down to 190 etc. I've been doing this for YEARS. Now I have the band, and I'm down to 193, the doubts are building up, will I get below 190? I have that unbelieving sensation and I have even "tested" the band, I would stuff my face then race to the scale to see how much I gained. I am playing horrible head games with myself - so weird.
I am to the point that I am forcing myself to stay off the scale - (so far I've only made it 1 day, lol, but this is huge for me).
I just wanted to pop you a line to say I know how you feel and I can tell you, that even though one part of me doubts I'll really break the 190's, another part of me KNOWS I will do this, and I know when that happens, tears will be streaming down my face. So, I do know how you feel and your not alone. I must start thinking positive too!

Paulax - I'm what you call a "career dieter". I've been low carbing for 6 years, (off & on) and I can only get down to 190 lbs, that is the lowest, then I get discouraged and gain back up to 235, then back down to 190 etc. I've been doing this for YEARS. Now I have the band, and I'm down to 193, the doubts are building up, will I get below 190? I have that unbelieving sensation and I have even "tested" the band, I would stuff my face then race to the scale to see how much I gained. I am playing horrible head games with myself - so weird.
I am to the point that I am forcing myself to stay off the scale - (so far I've only made it 1 day, lol, but this is huge for me).
I just wanted to pop you a line to say I know how you feel and I can tell you, that even though one part of me doubts I'll really break the 190's, another part of me KNOWS I will do this, and I know when that happens, tears will be streaming down my face. So, I do know how you feel and your not alone. I must start thinking positive too!

Krystal,
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Your so very honest and I know it will help someone. The beauty of the band is it is there for you when your ready. Your not alone in the battle and thinking, many people go into the surgery to "fix" their problem and it just doesn't happen that way. My cousin had Gastric Bypass in November, I had my lap band in January, I've almost lost what she has lost. The difference is I'm working with the band, she is still waiting on her bypass to lose the weight for her. I've tried to explain it to her that she has to do some of the work, maybe I will direct her over here to your story.
Keep us posted in your progress, we are all cheering for you!

Everyone loses weight at different paces, and it depends on what you weigh, your stats are not included. The heavier you are, usually the quicker you lose. Also, the yournger you are the quicker you lose.
You can only do what is right for your body, if you are eating the 800 to 1200 calories a day, or 6 - 8 oz of food, (good quality food, no junk), exercising at least 30 min per day (I see you are doing that), and not eating but 3 meals a day, you have to accept what your body is willing to lose.
I know it is not what you want to hear, but its the truth. Sometimes you have to take your measuremets and judge by those. Here is an article about scales http://www.carbsmart.com/outout.html
I was losing really fast, now I've slowed down to 5 lbs a month or so, very slow for me. However, I know it might take me awhile to get to my goal, but I will get there. So don't get depressed, just continue to eat right and exercise. Also, success is not always measured by the scales, how do you feel? Is your energy level coming back up? Do you feel skinnier? These are great ways to measure your progress as well.
I wish you the best!