Search the Community

Now I have had a totally different experience! Yes the band is simply a tool to help you, like has been said. But it has made a HUGE difference on how I am able to eat...and has made all the difference in the world in my ability to lose weight! I have had 2 fills/adjustments. And I am no longer hungry. Dieting, or simply making wise food choices when you are not hungry is something I found very easy to do! When I would walk in the house at the end of a day and was starving--I'd grab a bag of chips or cookies and snack as I prepared the quickest thing I could that would make plenty. Now I am not hungry, so the effort is much easier to spend the time making something a little better for me health wise---and we don't need a ton of it anymore. I eat small amounts, so prefer to have something really good tasting for that small amount! I can afford to buy the healthier snacks now that one is going to be all I need or can eat, as opposed to being able to eat the whole box/bag. Water is free, tea is cheap to make, all the soda pop we were going through was neither healthy 9even if it was diet) nor cheap. I researched and studied all the different WLS, for months, before making my decision, based on my own health issues, and desires for my future. I spent hours a day on line, and reading, and researching. I have not regretted it at all. I am not losing as fast as some are---a couple who were banded the same time I was have lost over 140 pounds!!! But I do not follow a strict diet, I try to live as normal of a life as I can, and to now move some each day. I didn't (couldn't) do much exercise early on, but now with 85 pounds gone, it actually feels good to get out and DO things!! I don't feel people staring at me, I "blend in". And my body feels great after getting my blood pumping, and the knees that hurt too bad to exercise have reacted wonderfully to the lesser weight to haul around. It sounds like we fall on opposite ends of a spectrum, and in actuallity you can fall anywhere as well. It is only my opinion, but if it were me, and I was banded, and had proper restriction, and was still dieting so seriously Mary---I would see another Dr. and have some tests run. It could be any number of issues, and maybe something could be done to help, or at least ease your concerns. Good Luck to both of you! Kat

Like weight. I could eat a whole Lean Cuisine and still be hungry :-( I don't ever "pay" for overeating-- only when I eat too fast or don't chew thoroughly. I have my 4 month post op appt on Tuesday. I really need to find out if I'm just one of the lucky ones or why I don't get that terrible pain when I have one bite too many. It is not making any sense to me :-(

Hello everyone, quick story about me before the question! My husb and I are ttc #2 so i went off the pill around feb 25 or so. We had no prob getting pg with #1, although we weren't tracking or anything like that. We conceived her on about the 5th day of my period- yea I know this cause I was not at all happy with him or where we were living so sex was a verrryyy rare occurrence! So usually every month (seriously every one) I can feel what I always thought was O pain, and doing some research didn't think it was cysts cause ppl were saying they are really really painful (aside from rupturing pain) well mine are not at all debilitating or anything just pronounced. I was diagnosed with pcos many yrs ago- but never had ultrasound to see cysts) Ok, so we tried on all the days I felt the o pain (and the 5th day of period). I also bought opks and haven't gotten a positive ( i prob started too late in the cycle) I even got a neg yesterday when I felt the ovary "pains". O and took a pg test-neg. So for the passed few days, all I've been feeling is the intermittent pinching and pulling and stuff, just annoying and sometimes stabbing. Are these just cysts on a rampage?? Maybe pg but tested too early and these pains are stretching pains?? Sorry for the length

crossover addiction is a real issue to be sure. Money was already an issue for me, and so I'm trying to work VERY hard on the emotional issues behind why I want to soothe myself with food, spending, etc. For me, I will be trading one kind of misery for another if I don't stay focused on the issues below the behavior. What is super hard right now, with changing weight so fast, I HAVE to buy clothes, but the really hard thing is what I HAVE to do versus what I want to do. I definitely "impulse bought" a kenneth cole top this weekend. No reason to buy it atall, it was just cute and it was fun I could buy a regular old XL. I'm realizing, hard core, that just because my stomach is smaller, doesn't mean my reasons for using these behaviors has gone away. It stinks!

I can guzzle water ,but if I do it to fast it will come back out ,so I take my big gulps ,but nothing like before banding ,so when I feel like I should stop I do & wait a few minutes ,but I still can't & won't drink with food , I still wait minutes to take a SIP & 30 minutes to be able to drink after food.

If you haven't already - contact your doctor!! This is not normal. You may be dropping weight fast, but it's not healthy. You need to find out what is going on.

It's a hard fight & some lose fast some slow. You lost more weight then me in a shorter time.

I'm 4 weeks post surgery and I still have yet to have a "normal" bowel movement. I am far from constipated. I'm eating soft foods and some regular foods and still have this "issue" with bms. I told my surgeon about it and she said it's because of the foods that I am eating since they were pureed and are soft it's not a problem. I'm not so sure. I also have major issues with the need to go to the bathroom about 1/2 hr after I drink a Protein shake. I won't get into details other than to say when it hits me I need to act fast. Has anyone else had these issues? Will it go away? Do you think my history of IBS has something to do with it? Any advise or thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Sometimes it's just easier to not tell when you don't want to listen to everyone's comments. I have told people the truth. I exercise, and I have reduced my portion size. I told people that I did Slim fast low carb for a month to jump start my weight loss. None of this is a lie. the people who I knew would be supportive are people I told. The ones I knew would be judgmental are people I just don't feel need to know. It's definitely a need to know basis.

Little sips are difficult for me too. If I drink too fast I get this crazy burp type of gas.

It's probably the MMPI which is just a test to make sure you don't have any serious psych issues. It sounds horrible but the questions are very easy and I did it on a computer so it went real fast. Just bang it out so you can get approved!

I hope what I have to say will be helpful to you and other pre-ops. I was banded in June 2009. First I would like to say that if you are an emotional eater (i.e., eat compulsively, eat because you are happy, sad, depressed, angry, lonely, tired, etc.), then the fact that you paid good money for the surgery won't really matter. When your emotions control your eating -- YOUR EMOTIONS CONTROL YOUR EATING. BUT, don't lose heart because the lapband can help. I know it has helped me. I am/was definitely a compulsive eater. After years of yo-yo dieting I got to my highest weight of 307 (when I went in the hospital for diabetes BG 917), once my sugar was under control I got down to 294. 294 is what I weighed on surgery day. Some people get the lapband and are pretty much "perfect". By that I mean they follow all diet instructions, exercise, journal, etc. Then there are others (like myself) that are not quite as focused and have stressors (i.e., teen/young adults in the home, stressful job, health problems, etc.) that conjure up old eating habits. So, suffice it to say that my weight loss has been slow. But, the important words here are WEIGHT LOSS. I am consistently losing (with a stall every now and again). I am getting exercise in (though not as much as I should). But the biggest thing is that the way I think about food has changed! I am no longer a slave to food. I credit my band, I really do. I credit my band because, with proper restriction, I have not been able to binge when I am overwhelmed by life. As a result, I am able to get back on balance and eat properly before I have done severe damage. BUT IT GETS BETTER. I have stopped reacting to stress in my life with food about 90% of the time! This is HUGE for me! I credit the band. Last night my kids made me very sad/mad. I was still thinking about it as I drove to work this morning. I had my Protein drink for Breakfast and had the forethought to bring another just in case my band was too tight for me to eat food at lunch (my band gets tighter when I am stressed). By the time lunch time came I was in the tank, on my way to being depressed -- a sure sign that Cookies were in my future. You know what I did instead? I put on my sneakers (I keep a pair at work - no excuses for not exercising while at work LOL) and took a good long walk. When I got back to my office building I sat in the sun (it's a beautiful day here) and tried to decide what I should eat for lunch that was healthy. In the end I went back to the office and drank my Protein Drink ... wasn't in the mood for food. Before the band, I couldn't have done that. The thing is, the band is a tool. You can learn to use to your advantage. Learn everything you can about the band. Be prepared going in ... and you will still be surprised. Know that you lose as fast or as slow as you are willing to work. ALL the power is in your hands, the band is just there to help you do what you really want to do. If you REALLY want to lose weight the band can help. If you don't really want to lose weight, the band won't stand in your way (ice cream and cake go down with ease). There are a few people that have problems with the band, but the vast majority of people have a tool that works. All the best to you on your journey! ~Fran

I am a little surprised that your surgeon moved you to mushy so fast, too! But, if you mix your protein in the blender, you can make it the consistency of mashed potatoes. Stay away from starches as much as possible. If you are still bloated, you might have moved to the mushy stage too soon. By the way, for you folks still in liquid stage, I had hot and sour soup from my Chinese restaurant. It was excellent and makes the missing food feelings go away. Best wishes, Karen

I try to "eat" at least 10-20 grams of Protein each meal... and then drink one or two protein drinks to reach my goal of 100 grams per day. Personally, I do not like the "milky" type Protein shakes... I have always been more of a gatorade type girl. I tried a lot of protein drinks before I had my surgery so I would know what I liked and didn't like. You can buy samples of protein drinks at Vitalady.com - Protein supplements, Vitamins & Minerals, and Safe Snacks!. I think she has a few hundred different types. I paid $1.50 for each sample (which was one serving... 34.5g of protein). The "Nectar" lemonade flavor is really good She also sells this really cool battery operated mixing/drinking cup. I bought one... just to try... then went back and bought FOUR more! I absolutely L-O-V-E "CytoSport" Protein drinks (the tangerine tastes just like Sunny-D). This brand also has the highest amount of potassium that I have found. 40g of protein per bottle, zero carbs, 160 calories (I think). You can buy them at the VitaminShoppe, GNC, etc. The "ProteinSLAMs" are also pretty good. I like the peach flavored one. Sometimes they seem a bit too syrupy though and I have to dilute them. I also make popsicles out of these protein drinks for when I am feeling "snacky". I have discovered that diluting them with a little with Water before pouring them into the popsicle molds prevents them from melting too fast.

@@James Marusek hi james. If you don't think my above-mentioned episode was not caused by drinking too fast or from drinking the air bubbles at the top of the shake, what do you think caused it?

One more thing regarding hunger. I was told to eat more even though ur not that hungry. ? It will make u lose more weight. I try to eat Breakfast and usually not hungry till dinner. If I am I will have hummus and crackers or string cheese. I don't feel lbs coming off as fast as it did in beginning Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Remember 50 off is better then 50 on!!! Not everyone drops it fast, you read it all over the board. I think your doing great because you are heading in a better direction then if you were doing nothing! You are on a journey to a better life! Your doing great <Thumbs up>

I've been on the preop diet since Monday. I started two days early to combat Thanksgiving meals. I has been really difficult. The first day I was all hyped up to start, so it wasn't that bad. The toughest thing is just wanting to chew something. I am on three Labrada Body Lean shakes a day. I have a cup of broth in between when my hunger spikes. My paper didn't specifically say I could have broth but it said choose sugar free water flavors, and I just assumed broth is a sugar free water flavor... My minimum water intake is 64 oz, but I usually get in a gallon. My hardest times are watching food commercials (I never noticed just how many come on during commercials breaks). Second hardest thing are when other people in my office are bringing in fast food, and using microwave to heat up their lunch. I wish my diet included a high protein/low carb meal, like chicken and broccoli. I think just having some actual food to eat would help. I don't actually crave sweets or carbs, it's proteins like chicken, tuna, or beef.

Zumba will kick your hiney. It's fast paced, high impact movement with lots of moving. It's great cardio. I did love it, but hated the instructor. Zumba will help with endurance and stamina as well. Don't try to kick ass and take names at first, ease into so you do not hurt yourself or burn yourself out. Do you have a local YMCA? Usually they will do an assessment with you, take measurements, and then teach you to use the machines and weights. That's what I did when I joined the Y, and it rocked. They set me up on a weight lifting program that isolated certain areas of the body on different days. Cardio is great for weight loss, and building muscle mass really helps keep you tone, and losing inches. Remember a pound is a pound so when you start working out do not freak out over the numbers on the scale. Take your measurements at your calf, upper thigh, waist, hips, bust, neck, bicep. When the scale doesn't move, remeasure because fat is lumpy, bumpy takes up lots of space in our body, while muscle is lean, and takes up less space, so you'll be gaining muscle mass, but losing the bulky fat.

From now on, when we don't comply with band rules, we must succumb to one day of the following: (Add your torture treatment.) Boil liver in pot of Water with no seasonings. Cool. Remove liver and feed to dog. Do not remove chunks from water. Or that weird goop. Drink liver water at not-quite-lukewarm temperature. Fast on this one day. If you were bad two days, only liver water for two days, and so on.

I checked in at 7:30. Next stop was Outpatient 2. Did all the stuff to get ready for surgery, IV, etc. I'm not totally sure of what time it was when they took me into surgery. By this time I had been stripped of my watch and was really missing it. I was #2 on the surgery list that day. I think it was around 11 when I woke up in recovery. Dr. Weiss is getting a lot of people having surgery there in Hazard. I think that I heard on that day (13th) that there were 6 !!! My husband had his 3 weeks to the day before I had mine, also Dr. Weiss. He goes back to Hazard this coming Monday (23) for his post op check up/support group/possible fill. The worst part? Sore at the port site. BUT I will say that every day it gets less and less. I've drank some of the liquid Lortab that they prescribe. Horrid tasting stuff, but boy does it work wonders! AND FAST TOO! So far today I've not taken anything for pain, if that tells you anything. AND I drove to town to get a few groceries. I'm not doing that bad at all.

Hi everyone, I just wanted to say Hello and introduce myself. I have been reading this forum for quite sometime and finally decided to register. I am 30 years old and live in Dubai. I have my consultation with a surgeon in two weeks to discuss the band. I am planning on getting it in January when I return from the UK christmas holidays. About me, well I work in events, am Single and have been on a major weight-rollercoaster over the years. I have finally decided enough is enough and need to do something to finally control my weight and ensure it stays off. I am 97kg, 164cm and have in the last 2 years gone from 74kg - 97kg after a Meal Replacement diet to lose weight fast for a wedding. After 4 months of no food, it's no surprise the weight came right back on and I am now pretty much at the weight I was before that. I work out 3 times a week, have given up alcohol and would say I am at least 70% good with my food. I work out way too much to be this over weight my muscle-mass is above average and so I have decided to take control and do something about it whilst I have the financial means to do so. I still have a lot of questions but it seems this forum is the perfect place to ask them! I look forward to making some new friends on this journey! Thanks for having me x

I decided to just ask him. He seems to think he will miss it. He may, but he won't miss all that comes with it. Mainly the naps and me being in pain all the time. I had to make sure he knows I am not doing this because I think it will make him happy. I am doing this for me. So I can play with my kids without SOB. So I can catch my daughter if she tries to run out into the street, cause, Man, is she fast....and sneaky! I am doing this so I can keep doing the job that I love, because, right now, It hurts so much and a job higher in management with paperwork and meetings is actually looking good, and I don't want that. I think he just needed to know that if something happens to me during surgery, it's not his fault. He has never said anything negative about my weight in seven years, not even when we fight. (Most of our fights are about me sleeping all the time). In short, even though I don't think he will miss the fatness once its gone, I'm glad he felt the need to tell me he loves me just the way I am.

Everytime I come to the forums, there's a perfect conversation! I'm 1 week out and still on liquids till i see my surgeon tomorrow, then one week pureed, then one week mushes. Today is the first day I've felt as if i wanted to eat something - and not even a lot of anything - just some hot thick soup or a soft boiled again. I too am afraid of overeating when I can eat, so I'm going to be sure to measure everytime! I'm going to ask my surgeon tomorrow if he wants me to drink my protein or eat it (after pureed stage). In any case, love reading all of the advice offered here. Hmm. Shall I break my liquid fast with pureed bean soup or hummus (on a spoon?) Wonderful! Have a good night all!

Congratulations....that is great....hang in there....I did the two week liquid pre-op....same diet...slim fast for four days, then able to have a small green salad, with ff dressing....I lost 14 lbs on pre-op diet...that just gave me a jump start and I was so anxious to have the surgery...you will make it thru the liquid diet....just stay well hydrated...drink as much water as you can....and again, congratulations....come to the site often....you will get lots of support from everyone here...