Hi all! I am what you call a lost lap bander? I had my surgery Dec 08. Not much has changed for me though. I realize it has taken me this long to find out the why's. Sometimes we go into this thinking it will just happen, but it doesn't. So I am hoping with the help and moral support from this group I can find a light at the end of the tunnel. It has taken this year to learn so much about myself and that the band is just the beginning and the tool. I am finding ways to mold my life and make these changes no matter how hard. Any advice, especially nutrition tricks that save time would be welcome! Looking forward to meeting a great group here!

You aren't lost you are just taking more time to adjust than most.

The lapband is a tool and comes with instructions. Your surgeon should have made sure you were clear on everything before opening you up and installing the band.

You're still young and have plenty of time to learn to use the tool that you already possess.

You lose weight by burning more calories than you consume. The lapband is a tool that when properly filled will make you feel full after eating a fraction of the food you are used to.

Have you had any fills yet?

Arte you still in touch with your surgeon and/or his staff? If not, call them Monday morning and discuss your situation.

Make sure you drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. This is needed to purge the waste from your body among other things.

Log everything that you eat. By doing this you may see that you are eating more than you thought you were and it will come in very helpful when you consult a dietitian.

Do not drink anything that contains calories.

Do not drink within 30 minutes of a meal. This only makes the food go down faster and defeats the purpose of the lapband.

Eat slowly, cut your food small and chew the hell out of it before swallowing.

Stop eating when you are satisfied or no longer hungry. Do NOT wait until you are full.

Eat only 3 meals a day spaced 5 hours apart.

Try and walk at least 30 - 45 minute 3 - 4 days a week.

If you do all of this, you will lose weight but there is no hurry. Take it one step at a time if you must. This is not a diet plan, this is something that you must be ready to do for the rest of your life.

You can do it!

I am there with you. I had my surgery 12-05. I had some problems with gastric reflux, and had to be UNfilled. I just rec'd my first fill after 8 months and so far so good. But it's like learning all over again. So I have come back her for support and encouragement. We can do this together.

Yes we can do this togerther! I was banded 2-09. I had reflux so bad it was causing me to run fever for 4 months. I didn't think the fever was because of my band, and I didn't want to go back the Dr. because I know he would unfill me. The fever was because of the reflux and I did have to get unfilled. I went though the Holidays with no fill and gained 10lbs back. I am not happy at all! I have rec'd a few fill know, and so far so good. It is like learning all over again. I want to work hard at this more then ever. We can do this together!

Edited January 15, 201016 yr by NOLA's food did it!

A few things I've learned include you really aren't at your sweet spot unless you can go at least 4 hours without being hungry. If I have to go more than 5 hours, I need a small snack of Protein, something like a boiled egg, an ounce of low fat cheese or a little deli sliced turkey, about 70 calories. This keeps me from eating really fast and not being picky about what I eat ... and end up eating too much and the wrong stuff.

The other thing is to have the ability to prepare a meal for yourself that is quick and meets your dietary requirements. If you have a family, it's really nice if you can all eat the same thing.

There is a french technique called "en papillote". Sounds really complicated, right? Well, it means the food in cooked in parchment paper. I can do that, crimping the paper and such but I figured out I could do it in foil!

Take a piece of fish, put in the middle of a square of foil, add a little lemon, some butter buds, seasoning of your choide (and you can avoid salt if you pick your seasonings well), a tablespoon or two of white wine, seal up the package, put it on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or so depending on how thick the piece of fish is, and you have your entree.

Step it up a little. Take the sheet of foil and put a lean ground beef patty, like a Bubba Burger light, in the middle. put a little worscestershire sauce (which has soy sauce as one of its ingredients and is, therefore a little bit salty), put a few slices of potato, some carrots and broccoli, a tablespoon of Water season the vegetables a little, seal it up and bake at 350 for abouto 25 minutes. Do this with a piece of chicken. This only takes about 5 minutes from start to in the oven. Then go change your clothes, short walk with the dog, visit with your spouse and/or kids....and dinner is ready.

And the best part about this method is that youo take the food out, put it on your plate and THROW AWAY THE MESS.

The other thing I find important is to JOURNAL what you eat and what time of day you ate whatever it was. Even if you were "bad". After about a week, you may see a pattern to when you run off track. It could be because you wait too long to eat (see above, about the snack) or you hit a quiet time in the evening when you are bored. Once you know when the problem it, you're halfway to fixing it.

Wow, your story sounds too much like mine. I was suffering with the acid reflux for a long time and I too was having fevers, becasue I was aspirating food into my lungs at night when I was coughing. I didn't want to believe it was my band, and didn't until I landed in the hospital for a weekend after waking up in the middle of the night with chest pains. I was completely unfilled in July 2009 and dr didn't want me to start with the fills agin until after she was sure there were no heart issues. I was cleared from all that in November, and then just had my first fill in about 9 months on Monday. So it is like starting all over again, and I 'm finding myself being much more cautious of what I put into my mouth. I too am fearful of the reflux coming back. What about you? Have you heard about this happening with other people? I have gained about 15 pounds and really need to take it and another 20 -25 off. So let's get back on track and "just do it!" Criss

Your are the first person that I have found to have the same store. My band was to tight that's why I was getting reflux. How about you? How long have you been banded? It sounds like you are close to your goal. I was banded Feb. 18th 2009 and I am getting close to my year anniversary and have only lost 42 lbs. Being laid up for 4 months trying to find out what was wrong with me didn't help in the weight loss journey. I fell like a failure. I have lost 42 lbs before and I wasn't banded. I have started exercising and eating better. I want to do this!

Edited January 17, 201016 yr by NOLA's food did it!

OMG, I'm so sorry you've had such a tough journey but glad you're getting back on track. I'm new to this and just figuring it out myself so I don't have a lot of advice. I have discovered that when I get home from work in the evening and start dinner I tend to be ravenous and have a hard time not nibbling on everything I can get my hands on, so, I've started eating either a 4 oz container of low fat yogurt or a string cheese as I'm leaving the office....it's not enough to fill me but it's enough to keep me from feeling like I'm starving and nibbling on everything. Once I'm "hungry" I'm virtually unstoppable so I'm trying to avoid getting hungry. (I've had 1 fill and am doing well but obviously not at my sweet spot just yet!) Good luck with everything, we're pulling for ya!

Thanks! Good Luck to you too! We can do this!