neenee717

I would inform them(or remind them) , point blank, what you've been through and remind them how unhealthy you were!!! WTH? And that "easy way out" phrase ticks me off!!! What is easy about it. It helps a lot, I honestly could not lose the weight I've lost without it, but it sure as hell has not been easy. I've changed my entire life to get healthy and along with that comes confindence and feeling good about yourself. Good for you! Keep up the good work! (sort of wondering about my sisters, they never even ask how I'm doing)

Im sure they can see how youre doing. Im done with explaining myself. I work my but off, make better food choices. And they know from where Ive come from because I spend time around them almost daily for years. Good for you with your loss as well. This crap aint easy, the band is a God send I believe. Im tired of dealing with people that dont want nothing for themselves and hate that anyone else is trying to take better care of themselves. Whats so funny is that Im a psychotherapist and dela with this crap almost daily and now its manifested in my personal life

I can totally relate along with the others. My family thought I was nuts even though all of my sisters and even mother is obese. I didnt speak to my step dad for about a month after because he was so hurtful to me. He didnt want me to do it. I tried to explain procedure and they have their own opinions.

Seriously at end of the day, you have to pray about it, evaluate why youre doing this and make the decision. The consult was not bad at all. Its scary but they give you so much info and we have this site which is wonderful and I stumbled upon it after a post surgery melt down. This may happen to you as well. I felt like I made a mistake because my family didnt want me to do it.my total loss between 6 month preop period and 6 month post op is 63lbs. I havent been this size since I was in the 6th grade and thats sad seeing that I will be 40 in a few months. Search your heart and I believe it wont steer you wrong. I had 6 months pre op to make my final decision. This is the hardest but BEST thing ive ever done for ME!

Ive had the same problem. I am scheduled for my 5th fill next week. Im not at restriction and only get stuck on bread and Pasta at times. Thats how you know you need fill if you get ravenously hungry. And as stated earlier it takes willpower and self control. Do I blow it plenty of days? absolutely, But im gone keep trying to get it right. Just keep trying and you will get there. Also I will say get the junk out the fridge and pantry. I dont buy it! If I "pig" out it will be on stuff thats healthy for most part

LOL. Yes and yes as previously stated. I had several accidents not knowing that your bowels get loose. My doc says perfectly normal and it will balance out. My port also aches sometimes for no reason and Im 6 months out. Its also really sore to touch after I get a fill.

Thanks for support. In context I will tell you, Because I have changed so much I started a fitness portion to church I attend because so many people wanted to know what I was doing. I lost about 30 or so lbs in my 6 month pre op waiting period. Im paying it forward. I work out with the people in the group send inspirational emails and make blog posts about various fitness topics. I use info that ive researched and also info that I get from nutritionist. I agree some people can get cocky and arrogant when they lose, BUT I also believe people can perceive it that way when you now have improved self esteem. I cried about it and my son caught me crying. My son is 11 and tells me how proud he is of me and he says, mom you stand taller, you smile alot more and he says mom slow down your walking so fast now :-). Those are the things that keep me going. The person that said the hurtful remarks would tell me every time they see me how great I look. BUt yesterday decided to say "how you gonna give people advice about being healthy and not doing fad diets when you had surgery, how soon you forget!" My response was I can never forget where I came from because Ive been fat my entire life, and many times have been ashamed.

I have more stamina, pep in my step, I look darn good in my clothes. Have I arrived? Heck NO! But im getting there and starting to love me more and more, as well as paying it forward to others without asking them for anything in return. If I can help you stop the train before it derails and you dont have to go through what ive been through and wasted tons of money and time then ive done my job

Thanks Tracy. I'm gone press forward. They apologized this morning, but it falls on deaf ears. U hurt me becaus you don't like yourself, is not cool and u won't get the chance to do the crap again. I've been nothing but nice and like you I say heck yeah I've worked hard to look the way I do, after all the hell I've suffered, losing my grandmother and best friend months apart

True. It's just amazing that people would rather you stay the way you were so they won't feel uncomfortable. I'm not keeping company with misery anymore! Thanks for sharing.

Ok, Its late and Im so P'd off right now. After the hard road ive had over the last year, and not even having restriction, I I was quite taken aback and hurt when a friend or who I thought was one decided to post my info about my surgery online.

I thought they were happy that Im losing weight and helping other people in their journey to be healthy. They are still very overweight and caught in cycle of excuses, YET I do not judge them or offer any advice because I know weight can be touchy.

I was told that I think im all that now in not so many words and I must have "forgot" where I started from. I was completely blind sided. The band is a help dont get me wrong, but Im not at restriction by a long shot and I work my but off everyday to make better choices and to be active.

Its ridiculous that someone close, that has seen how sick I became physically with my weight and had some serious heart attack, stroke scares because of my size wouldnt be happy for me. And whats so funny I am still considered obese for my height!

The psychologist told me this could happen and I thought no way, not to me! WRONG ANSWER! People think that when you get the band its magic. Its far from it and you STILL have to work at it.

Has anyone experienced changes in the attitudes of friends and family members because you are losing weight and are more confident about yourself?

Lessons I learned today:

1. Dont be mad when people show you who they really are. Consider it a gift.

2. Everybody that tell you they're happy for your weight loss and good you look, arent always telling the truth.

3. Stay focused and use this mess to push me to run even harder and reach my goals

Glad many of you are doing better. Felt like I've been in hibernation. Weight loss been slow although part of it is my fault. Still no restriction. Last fill in January. Layed off, then got new job, hospitalized b/c doc thought was having heart attack. false alarm but stress induced. Getting it right and now down 63lbs. 41 lbs left. I started fitness program at church and also recently got licensed as zumba instructor. God is good! If I stay focus I will achieve my goal. Will have to self pay for fill but I'm eating way too much

Im in that Zone now. Was banded 9/16/2011. I have had 4 fills. Im still not at restriction and cant eat alot still. I do however get stuck with bread, crackers etc and the band gets tight sometimes. So I know Im near the sweet spot. Im at 7cc in a 14cc allergan band. Hoping next fill will do the trick. But others are right, you have to stop yourself sometimes. And also depending on how long ago you got your band, I would kick up exercise a notch to break through plateau

I had it happen briefly and it came out for all the above reasons. I will add that Iron deficiency/vitamin deficiency contributes to hair loss.

And Protein DOES play a part in Hair loss. If you notice people that are Protein deificient from eating disorders etc do have porblems with shedding hair.< /p>

Anyway I made sure I got in at least 60grams of protein per day and NOT at one time. I drink Body Fortress whey protein. I buy from Walmart. I love it. I use strawberry. It blends easily and has smooth taste versus gritty like some. I also take Biotin daily when I take my Multivitamin and Iron tab. Hair loss subsided after about 2 months. I also went proactive and cut my hair short as you can see from my pic so I wouldnt have a melt down

unfortunately this is waht they consider to be entering into bandster hell. Im 3 mos post op and think most go through this. doc says appetite comes back once swelling internally has gone down and band starting to heal in place. its something we have to go through. talk with doc. mine let em add more food after 3 wks cause I thought I was gone pass out from hunger. He made me promise not to gain weight. and also the weightloss post op levels off and often stalls. dont be surprised once u get back to full diet if you gain a few pounds back. its normal. I gained lost the same 4lbs for 6 wks

doc determines the amount. far as I know. Most only give u between 1-4cc on 1st fill depending on the band size. dont be nervous about fills. they dont hurt. I have had 3 I am 3 months post op. Its like the pinch of getting an injection. the needle is huge but thats to reach the back of port. My doc says 2 days of liquids then on to reg diet

Yes for most part. It healed good and anyone looking could tell a thing. I got some scar tissue though from pulling I guess when I would try an go from lying down to standing. I was told takes longer for belly button to heal than your other incisions and it does

I agree with SFL. I was told no soda ever! I was told it erodes the band over time with acid and carbonation. If you just have to drink a soda Im sure it wont kill ya, but then why bother if it can negatively effect you over time and cause you to need a new band. Its not worth it to me. Now ive had punch at a party that had soda in it but once I drank it I didnt mess with it after that

it depends. I didnt go for a while and forced my body o do it. dco says leave it alone. being on Clear Liquids and then Protein Shakes is not enough to produce solid stools right away. there is nothing wrobg with that! your body is also adjusting from surgery etc. before you take the advice of others and mess yourself up call your surgeon, nurse of GP and see what they advise. youll see up her different surgeons make different recommnedations for there patients. I took mirelax and only went a little cause i felt "I should" be going. bowel habits should return to normal once u eat more solids

just had experienced stuck 2 times this week. and it HURTS. i was eating french toast which i know now i cant have. i tried to sip something to dislodge it and made it worse. I started jumping up and down and it went through and I felt better. thats not a good feeling at all

NeeNee- I am 1 week banded and have not had a BM I am glad to see that this is normal - also what type of protenin shake do you drink

I drink body fortress starwberry whey Protein. I get it from Walmart. I also like EAS ready mixed shakes they have smooth taste and bot brands are low in carbs and u dont get the gritty taste. the BMs come when you get more on solids. your body has to adjust to surgery, swelling etc. TMI but i got really loose bowels about a week or so after surgery with little to no warning. Once I started eating it went back to normal for me.

I have started running and it has changed my body. I did the c25k program on my iphone. And I never ran a day in my life. I waited 4 wks after surgery and got docs okay. lost more inches than lbs. I eat about 1000-1200 cals on my good days

I dont know when you had your surgery but if you did recently thats not unsual to go days or even a week without a bm. doc told me thats normal. Also normal is bowels get a little loose and they will.

now about the mirelax, its meant to work gradually. I took it as well and didnt really go to bathroom. doc says there was nothing for it to really push out. whats your diet like right now? are you on Protein Shakes? liquids? etc etc. I didnt have full bms until i was on regualr diet and eating 3 meals a day

I agree with Dave. Just relax. I am 3 months post surgery and no one but a few people know about my surgery. You will not stick out in social settings. Yes you will be eating less but not where its noticable. people ask me all the time what am I doing. I tell them the truth which is I watch what I eat and I exercise a lot. The band is our aid. The real work is what we put into it. and besides that you dont have restriction at 1st. I have had 3 adjustments and still can eat a full meal, but I chosse on my really good days to get up from the table. No doubt the nerves are gonna be there and dont think it strange if you regret having surgery the next day. I cried for days and wanted band out immediately, but felt much better after talking with some other bandsters. I went through with it ultimately because my desire was to live a healthy and fit life and give my self the chance to be all that God created me to be. We cant do that if we are unhealthy, overweight, sickly. we are not operating at our full potential. and let me tell you, I feel and look great and im only half way there!

Just finished this program yesterday. I ran a 5k thanksgiving morning! Icpromise if you stick with it you can do it!!! This is coming from a girl who mever ran a day in her life and couldnt even walk a 5k much less run. I pushed myself. U gotta vary it up. Sometimes I ran in gym or in garage on treadmill but also outside. I liked the outdoors cause it felt different and made run go by quick. Running has changed my body and I'm gone stick with it. Lost 12lbs and went down dress size with c25k

Update: completed 5k thanksgiving mornig and ran the whole thing. I completed the 9 week C25K running program yesterday. I'm so excited to be doing things I've never done. I agrees to loae 15-20 lbs for christmas challenge. As of today I'm down 12 more lbs. 54lbs loss and 50 to go. Now I wanna do p90x but I hear its hard. Anybody try that yet?

Okay I am 12lbs down of the 20 I wanted to lose in this challenge :-)

So I'm in a dilemma. Got new doc today. My surgeon relocated to Chicago. I've had 2 fills and doc assured me I was now up to 6cc. 3.5 fir 1st and 2.5 for 2nd. Anyway went to new doc and he gave me a fill and said he would put in 1cc. He decided to check and infomeed me I only jad 5ccs and with his fill made me 6 in 14cc. Now I'm wondering is my band leaking, did fill evaporate or did previous doc lie just to pacify me? I don't have restriction yet but new doc does fill cards to keep track of weight and adjustments at every visit. I have appt next month to see if I need fill#4.