Hey fellow MA bandsters,

SherryW and I are interested in starting a thread for all our MA bandsters so we can get to know our neighbors! We hope you join in!

I'll start.....

My name is Chris, I am 32, have been overweight since I was 5 years old, although I am at an all-time high right now. My band date is October 2nd, and I cannot wait!! I am single and dating, I work in insurance, and I have a great and supportive family & group of friends - including SherryW and her DH. lol. Oh yeah, my mother is also getting banded, and she is having surgery one week before me.

I'd love to meet my other MA bandsters and hear about your progress!

Chris

Sherry,

Quite honestly, no I didn't. I started screwing around eating bananas and whatnot, and I confessed to the dietician and was duly scolded, but nothing else. No PB'ing, no gagging, not to say I'm advocating it. I'm still technically on mushies, and I'm sticking to that, although it's my own version of mushies altogether. (read, no sirloin steaks and hard chicken).

I don't mind the shakes so much because I've been drinking them for so long, but man do they get old quick.

I have a VG band, which from what I understand is the big one, so I'm hoping for a 4-5 cc fill, and I hope I gag on it, because I'm feeling a bit nervous as I'm sticking to the diet via sheer willpower only right now, and it's really tough.

I was away on business last week in Minnesota at this conference center in the middle of nowhere, and all there was was FOOD FOOD FOOD. I ate poorly (although not much) and I paid for it by packing on two pounds.

So, back to the drawing board for now. Good luck and keep grinding away no matter what!

Ahhh...bandster hell is what we like to call it. You are hungry, really really hungry, but have to stick to the dreaded liquid & mushie diets. We've all been there and we feel your pain! lol. Hang in there, it will get better. Although I'll tell you that at 6 months out I'm really starting to live the fact that if I don't exercise and I'm not careful about what I eat, I will not lose any more weight. So hold onto that willpower. You'll need it! lol

bandster hell.....gosh I have to tell you right now I'm strugglin. I'm 13 months out and it's harder right now than its ever been and I'm not schedule to see my doc until May 30th. I really don't think its stomach hunger...I think it's head hunger. I've put on 9 pounds and struggling. In January I saw 200...and was so excited and waiting for Onederland when the next thing I knew the scale said 206 then 208 then 204 and then yesterday 210 and today 209. WTF! I'm so dissappointed and scared! Yes Scared! I'm not in a good place right now...I'm so thrown off. I need to move my ARSSSS to the gym but do I do it noooooo. Why? Do I not want onderland bad enough? I wish I knew! Up until January I was doing well with the weightloss now I'm stuck. Well I wish I were stuck it would be better than going in the wrong direction :bolt:

I need to get it back together but not sure what's going to give me that push. I need to go back to basics but, hell shakes again? Ohhh lord I don't know if I can do that right now. I'd need a fill and I don't know if he'll give me one because I've had trouble with reflux. UGH the agony of it all or as Bugs Bunny says...Ohhhh the AG-OOOO-NYYYYY lol. I'm sure I'll get it together ..hopefully the good weather will do it. Wish me luck folks!

John and Chrispy you're both doing great! Welcome Sherri and you'll love the next stage when it comes

SherryW, and the rest,

I think I read somewhere on this board, or somewhere...doesn't really matter, but I've started taking it like this:

I think about every single thing I put in my mouth, and every decision I make regarding my physical activity, and decide whether it will bring me closer to, or farther away from, my goal.

It's a tough miserable thing to do, but it's saved me a few times. Yesterday, I let myself get too hungry, forgot to bring lunch to work, and I wound up at the pub around 1pm, and was THIS CLOSE to hitting the beer and shepherd's pie, but I didn't. My mouth was watering, every fiber of my being was screaming to eat, but I got some crappy soup and salad instead with some more crappy low-fat dressing.

That night, I almost made the decision to lay on the couch, and watch TV that I'm not even into. I dragged my ass off the couch, however, and went to the gym. Once I was there, there was lots of eye candy, and I started imagining (like I usually do) what I'll look like out at a nightclub or in the sparring ring minus a hundred pounds.

Like they say in AA, which I've never been to but the rest of my social circle has, "One Day at a Time". It works. It's hard, harder than anything you'll ever do, I think, to keep it up, but do it. And, if you fail, get back up, dust yourself off, and START AGAIN.

Good luck,

John

Great pep-talk John! I think you hit the nail on the head. Thanks!

Hi all, I just moved to Boston last summer from the midwest, where I was banded in June 2003 by Dr. Santiago Horgan in Chicago. I've been lax in keeping up with adjustments and am anxious to get back in control.

My primary is wonderful and actually knew about the band and wasn't shocked when I told her I had it (a VERY rare occurrence). She referred me to Dr. Vivian Sanchez at BIDMC. I met with Dr. Sanchez, she agreed to take me as a patient, and I could not be happier with that decision. I had my first fill with her yesterday and though I'm feeling very tight and a little nervous, I'm ready to be back in the bandster world again.

So, if there are some folks around there who have been banded a while and have advice for folks like me who kinda fell off the wagon, I'm happy to hear it. I think I could use a little reassurance. On the one hand, I'm glad I got filled after spending so much time with too little restriction (and subsequent re-gains and testing of the band). On the other hand, I'm a little scared that my comfort mechanism is gone again. It's hard to deal with that, you know?

Thanks in advance for the help.

-Sunflower, age 34, banded since 2003, lost 80, gained back 30, am on the path to going down down down...

you guys are making me very nervous about my decision to get banded! I got a April 26 date with the band but it's not sounding like anything will change. I mean, I'm hungry all the time now, my willpower sucks , and it's a struggle all the time. I'f I were good at all that and exercised too, then why get this??? If life is going to be hell with it anyway, then why go through all this? got hell now! I believed that "tame the hunger" add on TV, is it a lie???:phanvan needing a little reassurance here! Anyone?!

Oh no Cheri, don't get me wrong. I am THRILLED with my decision to get the band. It does help with hunger, the physical hunger, but not with the head hunger. And sometimes it's not easy, but it's always worth it. It's a journey, and all the changes you need to make to be successful don't happen overnight. As long as you've come to terms with what being successful will take, I say go for it!

Ohhhh don't regret your decision. I've never EVER regretted getting my band. I'll break through this plateu I know I will :welldoneclap: I do know that if I didn't have it I would gain weight right back immediately!

Hi all

Had a great time at the BI thing last night. Of course hooked up with Chris again and got to me Dez. Glad I made the trip! The gang at BI put on a great bash!

Folks like ourselves got up and spoke how the bypass and band had changed or saved their lives. I was so moved I even got up and spoke a dribble. It was great to be around so many real people.

Of course I would love to hook up with the rest of you. The only weekend I can do in April id the 14th. Then in May I have off the weekends of the 5th and 12th

Deb

I'm glad you had a great time. I'm sorry I missed it but, couldn't be at two places at the same time We'll meet one of these days Deb

Chrispy and Sherry, I really appreciate your input, and I know in my heart this is the only way to go! I sure haven't had any luck with anything else. Looking at your charts , starting wt. etc. that is exactly what I am hoping to do myself. :dance: So, guess we got that solved! I'm actually not exactly sure what it is that it will take,they do hint about it but I think they don't want to scare you off so untill you got a lot invested its a little vague. but that is what my next apointments will be about , I go back 4/10 & 11 for more classes with the nutritionist ( and a bunch of other tests) before my preop apt.on the 25th. This sure is a long process!!! I'd almost rather go to the dentist!

I can agree with you Cheri about them being vague. I felt the same way. The same with after surgery. They don't prepare you for what type of symptoms or pain you will have when you get home. If I had a list of all the possible symptoms before coming home, I would have been more prepared and not as scared. But doing your homework through this website will help you. Keep us posted!

Cheri just remember you can ask ANY questions you want to the surgeons, staff, and nutrionists. I knew EXACTLY how things were going to be every step of the way because I asked loads of questions. It's your body, your life they are working on so ask away! This is another great resource to ask questions from as well. Prior to this surgery I had never had surgery before. I have to say I was pleasantly pleased how it all turned out and with the hospital and the bariatric center folks. Never ever be afraid to ask any question! Only YOU can keep yourself informed and do the homework you need to make yourself comfortable with your decision. Best wishes with your journey.

hi guys! great to see chris again and to finally meet deb last thurs at the bidmc nite! deb even won a prize! how was your trip back? did you stay with michelle or go on home?

chris said something that made me think on thurs. we can buckle down, make thr tough decisions that are not easy (or we wouldn't need wt loss sx would we?!?) and get to our goal or get to our goal several years down the road!

i agree with you john, i go for a check up next wed 4/11 and i don't care if i am pbing h2o i need a fill!!!!! my will power is waning and i NEED to lose 5 lbs by april 25th for my fertility doc so i will do it if i have to put myself back on liquids!!!

sherry keep on pluggin! you ARE doing great! i think i may have put on some wt and right now i really cant. you will hit onederland soon! i am 36 lbs away so you are my inspiration! on thurs there was someone who had dx in july like i did and she is down 110lbs. after the urge to beat the crap out of her passed i think she can be a goal to shoot for.

so MY challenge is to get to 225 by mother's day.

so here is my challenge to you all...whoever has lost the most weight between next saturday 4/7 and our next get-together gets a surprise from me! email your totals the day before our gathering and i will bring something special for our winner...deal?!?!

hugs and encouragement to all!

dez