I started this journey about the middle of 2014. My insurance required that I have a 6 month doctor supervised diet. I was able to go to the dietician and she reported to my PCP. I saw the actual surgeon for the first time in January. I had a attended an informational meeting back before I started the 6 month wait that the doctor spoke at. So I was familiar with him. The staff at the weight loss center was very good and informative. I had my lap band surgery Feb. 20, 2015. I went in on a Friday for the procedure and was home by noon that day. I had very little pain and did not use any pain medication. I did have the referred pain in my Left shoulder that lasted about a week. It was pretty intense at times and I used tylenol. Helped a little!

My surgeon required a 10 day liquid diet prior to the surgery. This was mainly Protein shakes, juices, broth, SF Jello, and popscicles. That was tough. I just kept telling myself, "You can do anything for 10 days". I lost 11 lbs before I even had the surgery. The worst part is I got tired of everything being sweet. I did get some V8 and tomato juice and drank broth. That helped some. I also quit drinking diet soda and caffeine. I drink tea and SF lemonade mostly now.

After, the surgery I was on a liquid diet for one day and then could have full liquids or mushy foods like Cereal soaked in milk mushy! Protein Shakes, yogurt, Soup, etc. It was then I really grieved for food. I wanted something real to eat sooo bad. I was eating around 600to 800calories per day and I was not losing much weight. Couldn't figure that out, except my body was in starvation mode and was afraid I was going to die!

Finally, I progressed back to real food. about 2 weeks later.

I had my first fill at about 2 and half weeks out. I have had a fill every 2 weeks since and had one this week and I finally think I am getting somewhere. I can eat about 6 oz of food now and not get hungry for 4-5 hours. I was getting worried as I was getting hungry too soon. Hoping for the best. I have lost 21 lbs since surgery, 10 weeks out now.

The reason I called this last chance is that I will never have the full bypass surgery and if I can't lose the weight this way, I will just have to learn to live with it. I have tried every diet in the book and know what I am supposed to do but cannot stick with it long enough to lose enough weight. I have about 125 lbs to lose. I am almost 60 years old and have knee problems ( one has been replaced) and low back arthritis and stenosis. I was worried I was going to become disabled several times in the past year. I have grandchildren and want to be active as I get older. I want to enjoy my retirement. I have been overweight all my adult life and this is my last chance to get healthy and active before its too late. I am very motivated to make this work but the food still looks good. Even though I'm not hungry, sometimes I still want to eat. I also hate to exercise and have not found anything I like to do. So those are the challenges.

I received my lapband in December and have had a fill every two weeks since then. I am now up to 7.2 cc and just barely starting to feel like I'm in the green zone. It's been extremely frustrating, but I'm not giving up. I can finally go about four to five hours in between meals and not feel hungry. Just like you, even when I'm not hungry, I get brain hungry and still want to eat. I'm still working on that. I felt exactly how you did with the liquid diet. It was hell and I was so tired of sweet food, such as Jello. I've only lost 9 pounds since December, so you can imagine how frustrated and discouraged I've been. The bright side of this is that I've kept that 9 pounds off and haven't gained anything since Christmas, which is a flippin' miracle in itself. Today was a really good day as far as keeping my calories down, so I'm feeling happy right now. I think this latest fill might actually have me at a good spot.

Best wishes to you in your lapband journey.

It is discouraging but I'm not giving up. I eat so much less than I used to, I know it has to start working soon. I am hoping for just a little more fill next time and hopefully will hit that sweet spot. wish there was some way that food didn't look so good.

Hang in there....It DOES WORK and from what I have just read so far, everyone's thinking is spot on....

LAST CHANCE???? My Health was deteriorating fast! My family history was grim, having lost both my brother and sister from obese related illnesses...sister was the worse going through amputations, cardiac and other circulatory surgeries, finally renal failure....they flat out said she had too much going on to qualify for kidney transplant.

I started down the same road, diabetes out of control, my blood work was all over the place, nothing was normal. Had clogged arteries resulting in one hart attack, had to undergo cardiac surgery...

My PCP was very blunt and honest, told me I was a walking time bomb and did not have long to live. Stated if I could but loose 50-60 lbs, this would all start to reverse itself.

Knowing that I have tried every diet under the sun, and failing miserably at every one of them,

He recommended weight loss surgery and referred me. WLS was my LAST CHANCE!

That is why I have never taken this lightly...full steam ahead...I want this band to do the maximum performance, everything I anticipated.

And it did!!! Lost over 100 lbs in a year......all my illnesses have been reversed...no more medications or insulin injections.

I go to the gym every chance I get.

My hunger/cravings are in check, have no interest in food or eating most of the time. And when I do eat, the band limits my portions, making it impossible to overeat or binge. And when I do eat, all I do is eat wisely, making healthy choices.

No more diets, no more calorie counting.....

Does not mean I don't enjoy the treats in life...I do! It's just that I don't make a pig of myself...all things in moderation thanks to the band...

Head Hunger....perfectly normal, but it goes away eventually....I have gone out of my way to purchase something I was craving, only to throw it away after one or two bites.....

The band turned my life around...all my Dr.'s are astounded...(and I have/had a lot of them)

I do not, have not, any weight loss goals...how can I ??? I was OBESE because of a lifestyle of bad eating and being a coach potato....NOW my lifestyle has changed, and the reverse happened, I went on the opposite direction and lost weight until I was back to what my body determined was normal...where it should be for someone who eats right and gets plenty of exercise.

Maintenance?? I don't get it...I have been on many, many diets so I understand what maintenance is in terms of dieting programs.

But I am not on any diet program....simply put, because of WLS, my eating, what and how I eat, has been changed...and it will stay that way for the rest of my life....it is the New Normal for me. So there is nothing I can do differently.

I should say, concerning my health improving and illnesses reversed, a Heart Attack, (MI) the damage is down to the cardiac wall - muscle and cannot be fixed, and with this, there are 2 medications I will take for the rest of my life....

BUT that does not stop me from running 3-5 miles 5 days a week, and strengthening what I do have.

Don't ever give up on yourself. You sound like you are on a successful path. My band has given me a chance at a normal life. I'm 54 and I am healthier today than I was at 35.

It is working! You are doing beautifully -- it takes a little time but you are headed in the right direction. I still love food -- it's not my enemy now. I have always had a healthy diet but just ate way too much and despite being very restrictive (diet after diet) I could not get the weight off and just kept getting heavier. Now I have dainty portions at appropriate intervals -- I'm not obsessed with more, more, more or focused on what's next. This is my last chance, too, because like you I would not do a more drastic surgery.

Thank you all so much! This a great site and I am so glad I found it. I am going to tell everyone at my support group about it. I'm sure many know but if they don't, they need to check it out. So wounderful to find people that know just what I am going through to support me. My daughter and one of her friends are getting ready for lapband and I made sure to tell them to get hooked up. I watched some videos from Dr. O'Brien in Australia that have helped me so much to understand how this all works in inside me and it has really changed my thinking! I am so excited about this whole process again and ready to lose more weight and be healthy. Now, if I could just love to exercise, I'd have it made!

I just updated my weight and wanted to see if it took.

@@Sue Can Do if any one had told me I would turn into a person who likes to exercise I would have laughed uproariously. But it's happened! I took the faking it until making it approach. I watched a Ted Talk about success and how if you hold your hands up like you're crossing a finish line something happens to the brain (boy am I paraphrasing here, but you get the idea). I started doing that when I'd approach the treadmill or even just for a walk -- or while I'm walking -- the hands-up in the air, YIPPEE! -- pose. I think it may have worked. Anyway, something worked and I am just back from my daily walk and feeling good about it. Before I was always looking for a way not to exercise and now I look for ways to get more. If It can work for me it can work for any one.

I must be close to the green zone. I am going longer without being hungry and eating less and feeling satisfied. Weight loss has been great since my last fill on 4/28/15. I've lost 6 lbs! I'm so excited! I hadn't lost more that a pound in the last month. Couldn't wait to update my weight and see the ticker.

Went to the doctor today. His nurse is who I see for fills. I am doing better and can go 4 hours, sometimes more, before I get hungry but food is still on my mind at times. I had problems over the weekend eating small Snacks. She thought the fill could use some tweaking. she said she was just going to add a little. I'm not sure how much she added but I noticed after I ate supper tonight, I actually feel full now and don't want to eat more. So it must have worked! I really haven't felt full since surgery. I know I'm supposed to learn to listen to my body and just feel comfortable but I guess I don't listen too well and this sure helps me know I don't want to eat more!

Edited May 13, 201511 yr by Sue Can Do

I think I may be close to the elusive green zone. The nurse put in a little more last time (2 weeks ago) and it really seemed to work until this weekend. When I went in today, I had lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks. I do seem to stay satisfied longer with a smaller amount of food. I wanted a little more but she wanted me to wait another week and see if I could stop snacking. I'm willing to try. Actually today was a good day. The weight loss really gave me hope, I hadn't lost any for over a month. This is slow process but better than gaining for sure. I am down 2-3 pant sizes (depends on how they fit) and one top size. Have had to buy new bras and panties. :-)