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Welcome Lap Band Veterans!



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Hi Everyone, I am new but I am a vet. I had my surgery on Jan. 22, 2002. I am like everyone else cos I had tried every diet known to man. Since surgery I feel so much better. I got off of my diabetes meds for 7 years. But since I have a terrible history of diabetes, I went back on insulin. But I take small doses of insulin. I don't ever regret getting the band. I have been able to keep most of the weight off. That is a miracle for me because I was constantly hungry. I give thanks to my surgeon who saved my life and made it possble to help other people reach their weight loss surgery goals. I can help others and learn from the" Vets". I am happy to belong to such great bandsters. I wish everyone continued success in there journey.

:)

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Welcome back Mony!

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Hi mony! Good to hear from a long term successful bandster.

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Welcome!Mony. Congrats on your maintenace!

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I adore hearing veteran bander stories. It seems to be a huge combination of better food. Better exercise. Following your bands up and down moods. Hydration. And just for me. Hanging in there everyday. No overeating or I will lose the food. Then I'm hungry and my band is upset. And me And I don't want to "fight" my band. Seven years last month and still learning from this site. Thank you

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:) I have the Book and this is a reminder to finish reading it! I got interrupted after several chapters and put it in the bedroom bookcase when cleaning. . . . thanks for the flashback.

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July 13th was 4 years for me. I have not been here in a long time and I miss it. Will be fun to see people I have not seen in a long time. Have been doing good keeping the weight off. On some meds that cause some weight gain so trying to battle that but need the med so seem to be managing it. How is everyone? Everyone in my support group has moved on the other operations and I am the only Band but it is working for me so I am keeping it.

cheri

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I'm 11+ years with my original Lap-Band :D

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Hello - I have had the Midband since 2004. I lost all my weight successfully and over the past 8 months I have gained 40lbs. My band will not hold a fill. A fill only lasts about a day or two. I am hungry a lot and don't feel sated after I eat. I have tried eating around 1300 - 1500 calories a day and my weight does not budge. My surgeon does not know what is wrong. I have had a 2 day leak test - no leak. No hernia, no slippage none of the typical problems that can arise.

My port was pressured tested under exploratory surgery and it is fine. I am looking to experienced bandsters for help and support. Am I in the right place?

Thanks!

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2004, yes you are but what's a midband? What do you mean a fill only lasts a day or two? You mean you feel no restriction or satiety after a few days? Or, does the saline leach/leak out?

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Hi - a Midband is the brand name of the type of Gastric Band I have.

My band will not stay restricted which would indicate leaking but my surgeon says it isn't. Have had 2 different CT scans with dye. After a day or two my band does nit maintain restriction and I can eat anything.

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I am going to try the 5 day pouch test. Trying to get to the bottom of my band problems. My band only has a 2 cc fill in it now as it locked at 4cc. Normally I take 8cc.

What is the correct procedure for detecting a leaky band. My fills were only giving me restriction for about 2 days. I have had a 2 day dye test under CT scans and exploratory port surgery. They could only access about 6" of tubing and pressure test the port in this procedure. All looked good. Feeling despair.

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What does your band being locked at 4 mean?

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

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      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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