What did you expect or assume you would see with the band, that actually isn't the case? This will be an interesting way to see how different our indiviudal "band realities" are.

I expected that my restriction would be random in terms of the food it would pass at any point in time, but continuous throughout the day. In other words, I assumed I would be as restricted in the evening as I would be in the morning, but that sometimes I could eat chicken Mon but not Tue.

That's soo not the case for me. My "sweet spot" seems to include extreme restriction in the morning & afternoon, and almost none in the evening. I used to try and combat this with fills - I need more because I'm too open at night, I need less because I'm too tight in the morning. Now I accept that my restriction has its own patters, and that by being careful in the early part of the day, and careful (in a different way) in the evening, I can accept some version of a sweet spot being different than what I had expected.

I assumed I would have a soft stop. All the other stories I read about had them, so why wouldn't I?

I don't have a soft stop. The closest I have is pressure in my chest. Food eotiehr goes right down, or I get pressure. If I stop at the first sign of pressure and wait for it to clear before taking another bite, I'm fine. If I keep eating after the first sign of pressure, I'm probably going to have a problem. The pressure feeling took me a while to notice - it's not very prominent. About 10 months in the concept of really listening to my body struck home, and I picked up on this tiny whisper. Life has gotten a lot easier since.

I actually expected having something stuck to feel like a "golf ball," and that when the food needed to come up it would just come up, unexpectedly.

I don't know what "golf ball" all you guys out there are referring to, because when something is stuck with me, it feels a lot closer to needing to burp but not being able to (in fact, that's exactly it - a burp tries to move but can't, tho occasionally a tiny one can squeeze through), coupled with a hand squeezing my esophagus. And that's before the straight-up pain kicks in. In my world there is no such thing as, "Oopsie, look, a PB!" My PBs HURT. From the time that I know I have to PB, until I'm done, we're looking at 20 - 45 mins (that's if I can clear the stoma on the first 1 - 2 tries... the last time I was stuck it was 8+ tries). I have a high pain tolerance, but in the last few minutes before I can actually get anything up, I'm nearly doubled over. I attribute it to esophageal spasms, which would make sense since I can have the same pain if I wretch but cannot produce.

So what sort of incorrect assumptions did you have? What's different for you than the 98% of people you read about?

I know EXACTLY what you mean -- i feel the same way. Funny thing is, i went to my dr and she told me to try and get 200 - 300 more calories in per day -- and i looked at her and said "EAT MORE???" Guess what - i did and the i lost weight immediatly -- i did this for 1 week the slowly went back down to my norm 1000 cal per day. Kind of like kick starting your body i guess, but it worked

Lisa,

I think we're on to something here! Been reading up on the "theories" behind this logic, and all points in that direction...eat more! Add more exercise. Keep the weight coming off from the fat stores, not lean muscle. Not letting the BMR slump.

I go in Thursday for a fill/unfill and will ask about it. I will try this ...making those extra calories be of the Protein variety.

Do you plan on alternating...below 1000 one week, above the next?

My surgeon said something interesting today at support group.

He said we all have the disease of addiction. Addicted to food.

This is a chronic disease. The band just keeps it under control,

but if we let head hunger take over, the disease of addiction

will always win.

I've got to thinking about myself as one who has a chronic illness, morbid obesity, and I need to follow models out there of how others deal with their chronic illnesses.

It wasn't as depressing as it sounds when I had that aha moment, it actually gives me comfort that I'll be able to function normally but with some constraints, which is much better than being out of control.

just sayin'

WHAT IS PB'ing!! I've read of it in some posts but can't figure out if it's puking or what.

WHAT IS PB'ing!! I've read of it in some posts but can't figure out if it's puking or what.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/abbreviations-what-they-mean-7959/

Wow... I am getting banded on 12/17...

I think I better stop reading this thread!

...that I would lose weight more quickly. I've only gotten two fills (surgery was on September 6th) totalling 1.5ccs. I had a doctor say (there are two doctors in my building) that he was going to have me sit up with the needle in me and fill me up until I couldn't drink any more Water. Then he was going to take out a bit and that should be my sweet spot. However, I saw the other doctor that day and I think I accidentally got into the middle of a power struggle. He told me that HE was the one in charge (rather than the other guy) and that wasn't how they do things. So he put in just 1cc. I don't feel very much restriction at all, but have PBs all the time. I guess I'm just not used to eating slowly yet.

I have an appointment for another fill on 11-21, so we'll see how it goes!!

My surgeon said something interesting today at support group.

He said we all have the disease of addiction. Addicted to food.

This is a chronic disease. The band just keeps it under control,

but if we let head hunger take over, the disease of addiction

will always win.

Thank you for bringing up the word addiction. It's not just head games, head hunger, or getting your shit together. For some it is an addiction.

~this is my personal opinion, take what you like, leave the rest, I'm not pushing my thoughts on anyone, just sharing my experience~

I heard someone once say "I could have just as easily become an alcoholic, but I was mugged by Sara Lee and the Pilsbury dough boy before I was old enough to be seduced by the Jose Cuervo and Jack Daniel's." - Anonymous

My dad and a few others in my family have struggled with substance abuse with drugs and alcohol. I am the only fat one. I feel that I chose food to cope. I saw what drugs and alcohol did to my family and thought I would never be like that. Then facing 300 pounds, one day I realized that I had simply chosen a different drug. A more socially acceptable drug.:hungry:

Sometimes I think it would be easier to be an alcoholic, you just STOP drinking all together, stop going to bars, stop hanging out with drunks. You cant stop eating, stop going to the grocery store, stop going out to eat, stop being around food.

When I hit 280 I considered gastric bypass, at that seminar, I realized the problem is in my head and not my stomach. At that point I joined OA (overeaters anonymous) and over the next two years, I worked the program and lost 90 pounds. The obsession had been lifted. I started changing my life and dealing with old shit and the weight fell off. Then last year I got married, graduated and lost my job. It was a lot to handle, I stopped working the program and gained back 80 pounds in a year.:whoo:

Last April my Dr. Suggested the bypass again, I decided on the band. I figured that with all of my knowledge of working the steps in OA that had helped so many other drunks/foodies the band would be one extra tool in my tool belt. I know it will be hard. I have to do the foot work and USE my tools. I got myself into this mess, and now with help I can get myself out. I am looking forward to my journey with the band. I also plan on going back to OA and working the program again. My addiction/disease will always be there. I simply need to change the way I handle and give in to this disease.

Thank you for letting me share my experience.

I Assume that the band will help me if I use it. This thread has been very insightful and helpful! I'm on this site daily soaking up as much persepective and experience as I can.

Sorry this went on so long.

I've got to thinking about myself as one who has a chronic illness, morbid obesity, and I need to follow models out there of how others deal with their chronic illnesses.

Hi Oh Juli

Thats interesting too.

I get panic attacks since an incident at my workplace several years ago now, and it never leaves, not totally. And it sneaks up on me, and I cope, sometimes with medication sometimes without.

With my weight, this was badly affected - hand in hand with this incident. I sort of look on that attack and repercussions that is a form of disability that i just need to live with.

With weight, I have always viewed it something that will be with me all my life, but perhaps I should take that a step further, like the panic attacks, as a sort of disability/illness that needs to be constantly dealt with but that I CAN DEAL WITH now I have a band.

Thanks for that insight