Ladybandito

All the time and work was worth it!
Fun and drinks and food. Oh my. Ok. Five lbs to get rid of
Ps this is not the most flattering pic. But a friend had it. No professional photos yet. Loved how happy we are

Some of us old bandsters are still around. We hide at times bc we have been through a lot of questions and answers in my opinion...
???????? my band. This year will be 9 years. I'm am compliant. And I do have liquid days ( thanks B-52) that help ... But very occasionally
Happy and healthy. With a TT thrown in this year which helped me to lose my last 10 lbs I was aiming for... But willing to concede if needed.

I haven't been on the site for a very long time, so I figured I would at least check in with this topic.
I was banded in July 2009 and have lost a total of 118 pounds. No complications!
Love my band

Shakti,
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice here. As the others have said, there is no single right answer for everyone – do your research and make the decision that seems right to you.
For me, I chose the lap-band and am completely happy. It worked for me. I learned about it because it was working for my friend. I chose it because it seemed less invasive than bypass. Sleeve wasn’t common at the time. I didn’t like the idea of rearranging my insides, although I can understand the perspective of people who don’t like the idea of having a foreign object (the band) permanently placed in their insides. I also like the adjustability. I only felt like I needed the restriction, and didn’t feel like I needed the malabsorption like you get with bypass.
Of course, the band means more trips to your surgeon. You need to go after surgery at least a few times to get it filled and probably adjusted. If you go on vacation, you should always know where you could go if necessary if you have a band emergency. In that sense, the band’s a little more labor intensive.
Also, keep in mind you may want – or need – to consider the financial aspects. Your health insurance plan may not cover all of the different surgeries – some health insurance plans still consider the sleeve to be experimental and therefore not reimbursable.
Good luck with your decision!

I was banded just over 3 years ago at age 54. I didnt look at anything besides the band because I didn't want my insides rerouted. From surgery day to now, it has been very easy without a single complication. No more sleep apnea, digestive problems or anything else. I look and feel better than I have in years. Yes , I have to choose my food a little more carefully, eat slower, chew well etc but the 5% n inconvenience of being banded is NOTHING like the 100% inconvenience of being obese. Best decision ever ! Good luck !!

So nice to hear a positive band story.
Many people have luck and just don't post...
Lots Who have issues post all about them .
Happy bandster here

Like B52 and Bandista I miss Lapbandtalk. I am sure that is why some of our veterans have signed off. It gets very discouraging to have your choice to have lapband talked about negatively all the time. There are a very few of us who still come here for any advice or encouragement. I check in some but mostly get aggrevated. Even though I chose Lapband over the other WLS forums I still get the same ole "My surgery is better than yours" on here. There are many , many successful lapband patients who were here at the beginning but have since moved on. Sadly sometimes change is not for the better and I for one loved the lapband site. I don't think that there are any bad surgeries and I encourage everyone no matter what type of surgery they had or are going to have but my choice should also be respected.

Welcome back......
I can certainly understand the reasons to stay away...I did for about a year, then came back....a lot of veterans don't stick around here and move on..... it does start to get old.
I'm about to take a leave of absence again.....(can't believe I'm even posting this)
This surgery, IMO is for life....forever changing how and what we eat....we just have to get out of the way and let it do what it was designed to do.
Congratulations upon your success....we need more Men on this forum...

Hi there, I miss Lapband Talk -- great to have more banders on here as we are such a minority. Sorry about your back. My husband had PEEK cages installed a couple of years ago after some horrendous years -- this was his third surgery L4L5S1. He's doing great and it sounds like you are, too. Way to go regrouping to get the weight back down. I am working on the last chunk. You know how that is. I have become a major walker; don't think I can run due to joint issues. Love being an exerciser now and cannot believe that's me saying it. Band has changed my life.

Welcome back! Never ever ever give up on yourself. Keep posting!!

Keemi, I find that I get a sore throat -- usually at night -- and sometimes on one side only, when I have not taken in enough fluids for the day! Never noticed this before the band, but now after, I can tell I need more hydration by the way my throat feels. In all my years on this forum, I've not seen anyone else mention this -- but for me, keeping up on my Water intake keeps the sore throat away. Go figure, but you might try upping your water intake. :-)

LOL ... I first thought this was for bandsters who had served in the military!! I'm a year out, doing great, glad to be here.

I'm a Bander, so I cannot talk about other surgeries, and that is why I'm posting this under the lap band section...
A lot of people talk about the fear of overeating by going with too much "Slider Food" The theory is, at least the way I understand it, is that no matter how much restriction you have, these type of foods will pass right through easily, thereby cheating the band, and eating around the benefits of having the surgery in the first place.
Yes, I get it...makes perfect sense to me....but there is something people fail to mention, and I remembered it the other day when I sat down in front of the TV with a pint of Ben and Jerry's "Cherry Garcia" Ice cream....
Over time, we loose all the weight, loose all the belly fat, exercise and get those rock hard ab muscles back, and in the process, from eating so little food for so long, our actual stomachs shrink in size!!!
So sitting there with the pint of ice cream, I would have polished off the entire pint, but I couldn't....just as the band prohibits me from overeating regular solid food, the fact that my stomach has gotten so small makes it impossible to overeat slider foods that get past the band with no problem.......
1/3rd of the way in, and I started to get a good old fashioned "belly ache!" I HAD TO STOP! As a matter of fact I felt a little miserable for a hour or two afterward....
And just like lessons learned with the band, I've learned another lesson, and unless I like like pain and feeling miserable, I won't attempt that anytime soon....behavior modification!!
I've noticed this with a few other things also, like beer....,Yes, I drink beer, my Dr knows it, I know how to do it, and I AM NOT saying you should do so either...follow your Dr.'s directions!!!! (you also can't do it if you're tight)
Anyway, back in the day I could drink beer all day...and I had the stomach size to prove it! Now, one beer and I'm finished....just don't have the stomach for it anymore.......
So it's a Win-Win situation....the band will help you (force you) to adapt a new lifestyle, and in return with that new lifestyle, many other benefits will follow. Things will develop into a NEW NORMAL.....no more eating like a pig....first because the band won't let you, and then, if you attempt to cheat and eat around the band, your improved smaller stomach won't let you!!!!
It does not get any better than this!!!! I love my band!!
And I quess I should say, if you are just starting out, it will take some time of eating very little food before your stomach shrinks....and you get that additional safety net.

So true B
No one could have convinced me how little amounts of good food would satisfy me now.
I usually try for at least a four hour window between meals ... That seems to work for no PBing
It is the afternoons I need to have the time between meals AM Is fairly easy. Not too interested in food. A little Protein
Like I said. NO ONE would have been able to have me believe this 8+ years ago.... Keep going successful banders. I truly get a lot from this site thank you

That in itself is reason enough to learn an important lesson....the pain!Have you imagined what that pain might be?
Read enough posts here and you can get a good idea.
I now stop with earlier signs, before it gets to any pain.
Again, the band controlling my eating, from overeating.
As to how much to eat, and how often, it differs from person to person.
I eat not because I'm hungry, but because I know I need to.....as far as how much, all I can say I s very little.
If I somehow knew just how little food I can get by on, and still be as healthy and fit as I am, I would have said it was impossible and that they were just trying to sell me on the idea of surgery.....but yet it's true.

What the hell?? Now I'm down to a size 7. The weather is finally starting to ease up here in the Northeast so last weekend I started changing over back into warmer weather shoes and OMG....the 7 1/2's are falling off my feet. I don't get it. I know my feet got narrower and I already went down from an 8 1/2 to 7 1/2 over the course of two years but I didn't expect to go down another half size. Some of these shoes are really nice and I don't want to get rid of them. I tried cushions and other things to be able to wear them, and some of the shoes still fit, but many do not.
How in the world did my feet go from an 8 1/2 to a 7? The only good thing is that I've spent so much money at DSW that I got a pair of shoes for free. I hate to think what I've spent on shoes these last two years.
Oh, and for those folks who doen't see the scale move and get discouraged...take it from me...no weight change does not mean no change in clothing sizes. I've been fairly stable at the 113 lbs for a while now...and have lost a total of ten pounds in the last six months...not much, right? Well, I've noticed some of my clothes are getting loose on me again. I have several medium tops with short sleeves that I suspect I will need to replace for this coming season. I know I need some new jeans....my size 6 black jeans are falling off me and I just bought them about three or four months ago. So remember that the scale is just a number and you can't live and die with it. Use your clothing as a better indicator of how you are doing in the weight loss department.
Have a great Friday and a great weekend everyone!

LOL!! I remember being able to clip my own toenails about 6 months after surgery without nearly passing out from holding my breath. Good job!

Good news, I finished my lunch about 4.5 hours ago and am just getting hungry now... I like this feeling...

Horror upon horrors I had to video-conference today for a new job. Eeek! Not only do I have telephone anxiety (conference calls were a major food trigger for me prior to my band) but being seen on camera? Oh. My. God. There are hardly any photographs of me in our family albums and certainly no video. I've always been too ashamed of my weight and how I looked. So today, ta-da! I was fine. Not that I wasn't a nervous wreck -- I still felt anxious but I didn't need food to tamp down the feelings (thank you, Band, for the dimmed appetite). I set the equipment up ahead of time and chose my outfit carefully, positioned the camera just right with all my notes just above and behind. When the conference got going I couldn't believe how good I looked. I am not only acceptable, I'm more than that. I look like some one I'd really like -- and that makes me laugh because now I really do like myself and I like how I look. I've still got some weight to lose but you know what, I don't have to hide anymore. It's okay for me to be out in the world. Yippee!

Just packed up all my oversized towels to bring down to Florida to use on the chaise lounges down at the pool. I replaced them all with 'regular' bath towels because the oversized ones are way too big for me. I can wrap it around me almost twice and I can't tuck it in because it's too heavy now.. Never thought I'd have to replace my towels of all things...

Today I had my routine visit with my PCP.....
After the usual Q&A, he said I looked good, I'm going in the opposite direction of most people my age.
He then started to reminisce about our visits before I had WLS...(He referred me)
He asked me what was my highest weight...I told him I didn't have a clue, it got to the point where I was too embarrassed to step on the scale, didn't want to face the music.
He then went way back in my very thick chart and said "I have it right here, want to know?....would you believe you where in the 80's? As in 280?" (I'm only 5'8")
WOW! I really didn't know! Right now it is blowing my mind just thinking about it....
Second thing that happened, during our conversation I said something to the effect that my Cardiologist does this or that way with me "because I'm a Diabetic"
He stopped me right there and said "You mean you USED to be a Diabetic"
Those two simple things are having a profound impact on me right now....I can't believe I was actually that heavy, and I USED to be a Diabetic....
His words, not mine.

Hello all. I just wanted to give a little encouragement to the newbies out there. Today I am 4 years post op. I am still in love with my band. I have been filled and unfilled, I have pbed. I have gotten stuck and yet I still love my band. It has taken some time but I have learned to live with it as many of my fellow veterans have as well. I have learned what I can eat and what I can't eat with my band. I do drink a little sprite or orange soda every once in a while. I can't stand coke any more which used to be my favorite soda. I can honestly say I haven't had it in over 4 years. What I do drink on the regular is orange juice because I can't eat oranges any more. I can eat apples but I choose to drink apple juice. I still have my coffee every morning and tea every week as well. In regards to foods, well I eat just about anything except Pasta that you use for lasagna. I do eat spaghetti every blue moon and I will eat a little mac and cheese only if it's really cheesy. Other than that, I eat bread, rice, etc. I actually had a couple slices of thin crust pizza for supper yesterday. Speaking of supper. I have learned that I can't eat past 8 p.m. If I do, I will fall asleep but in the middle of the night I will start coughing and coughing and then I'll fall back to sleep. Later I will cough some more and eventually Water will start coming out of my nose. That will go on until I finally throw up the last whatever that was in my stomach before I went to bed. So that means I have to get in all my food and drink by 7 p.m. 7:30 at the latest. When I do eat before 7, I have no problems. I sleep like a baby. What can I say, my band doesn't want me eating late I can dig that. That was a problem before I was banded that aided in me gaining weight in the first place eating late at night and snacking watching tv. Well I can honestly say those days are definitely over. I do eat chips but only when I crave them. I eat popcorn as well but only when I have a taste for it and that isn't often. My last fill was August 2012 which put me at 7.1 ccs in my 10 cc band. So I will leave you with this final note, don't give up. Don't get discouraged. The weight isn't going to fall off over night, every week, everyday, etc. Stop stressing. Follow your bariatric team's instructions/guidelines because all our bodies and problems within our bodies are different. We all have different medical issues so what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Sometimes it will but in other cases it won't. If you aren't sure about what's happening in your body, don't be afraid to call your doctor and find out. After all, it is YOUR BODY. Take care everyone and happy holidays. I'm 95 lbs down and loving it.

Hello? hello? hellllllloooooo???? Miss you guys!

I used to mix butter and white sugar together and eat it with a spoon. I'd usually just make a small amount, and then sometimes go back for seconds. Ugh!! And Coffeemate Creamer powder, by itself. Looking at what we were all drawn to really shows there is a neurological or chemical connection here ... Fats and sugar, fats and sugar. I haven't seen any posts about spinach or tangerines, haha. It's funny, although I am no longer drawn to the butter/sugar thing, I can still "feel" the euphoria I felt eating it at the time.

Bump. Great info.