JUNE 2009 Lap Band Surgery

[Padanelle 2]

Well, two years later and I feel pretty great. I am down nearly 90 pounds and have been able to maintain it. I exercise regularly and just completed a hiking and biking trip of Alaska. 12 days of really hard stuff and loved every minute. Some things have been really hard. I divorced my partner of 15 years but am now in a really satisfying relationship. I want to get to my next level this year and feel in a good place to do that. Best of luck to all of you.

Congratulations on the 90 lbs - and keeping it off! WOW!

Exercise is still an issue for me, though I walk a lot more than I used to. A long walk for me is 1.5 miles. But when you consider that just walking a half block was a major effort pre-surgery, that's a major accomplishment for me.

I bought a groupon for 1 month of unlimited dance lessons. I decides I would try all of the different dances the first week, then focus on the one(s) I liked best. So the first week I took 2 - 3 hours of lessons each day. Friday, my last lesson was a Zumba class. I was really looking forward to it. Even went out and bought special sneakers for it. It nearly killed me! Think it was too much to soon. They have free classes in Herald Sq on Thursday evenings, so I may try again.

Joan

[willowcat 93]

Joan, How do you use the 30 second egg timer? I think my two partial unfills were possibly due more to my chewing habits than to being too tight (though one of the medicines I take may have also been the culprit). Do you set the timer everytime you take a bite? Willow

[keamreeves 0]

Maintaining is way harder than losing was! This last year, I had trouble with quite a bit of PBing and have had 2 partial unfills. I've also been less-than-ideal when it comes to exercising. I've gained 10 lbs from my lowest. I was getting all poopie about it, and my husband said that really now, given this current level of fill and current level of exercise that it only makes sense that my weight would go up. He made it sound like a simple math problem that was just a fact--and not a judgement of my character. Does that make sense?

You're down 40 lbs right now from your high. That's 40 lbs your feet and knees don't have to deal with anymore. Get some grocery bags and fill them up with heavy stuff until you've got 40 lbs total in them (that would be 8 of the 5lb. bags of sugar!). Walk around carrying those bags--especially up some stairs! Appreciate what you don't have anymore!

Go back to your lapband doctor--he's seen it all before--and if he's worth anything he knows it's not his job to judge you, but to help you. Hopefully, that's why he went into bariatric medicine. If he's nasty, that's says more about him than about you--time for a new doctor, too!

Numbers suck. Don't get caught up in them. When our self-worth is tied to our weight--or a number on the scale!--then we forget that we're beautiful and deserving. You deserve to get the help you need. Go see your doctor. Talk to yourself lovingly. Hang in there.

[keamreeves 0]

Thank you sooo much for the encouragement and you are absolutely right !! I made an appt today for adjustment next week and I am getting back on track and I will see what he says too.

Maintaining is way harder than losing was! This last year, I had trouble with quite a bit of PBing and have had 2 partial unfills. I've also been less-than-ideal when it comes to exercising. I've gained 10 lbs from my lowest. I was getting all poopie about it, and my husband said that really now, given this current level of fill and current level of exercise that it only makes sense that my weight would go up. He made it sound like a simple math problem that was just a fact--and not a judgement of my character. Does that make sense?

You're down 40 lbs right now from your high. That's 40 lbs your feet and knees don't have to deal with anymore. Get some grocery bags and fill them up with heavy stuff until you've got 40 lbs total in them (that would be 8 of the 5lb. bags of sugar!). Walk around carrying those bags--especially up some stairs! Appreciate what you don't have anymore!

Go back to your lapband doctor--he's seen it all before--and if he's worth anything he knows it's not his job to judge you, but to help you. Hopefully, that's why he went into bariatric medicine. If he's nasty, that's says more about him than about you--time for a new doctor, too!

Numbers suck. Don't get caught up in them. When our self-worth is tied to our weight--or a number on the scale!--then we forget that we're beautiful and deserving. You deserve to get the help you need. Go see your doctor. Talk to yourself lovingly. Hang in there.

[Padanelle 2]

Joan, How do you use the 30 second egg timer? I think my two partial unfills were possibly due more to my chewing habits than to being too tight (though one of the medicines I take may have also been the culprit). Do you set the timer everytime you take a bite? Willow

NYU Medical Center had these made up with their logo. They sell it for $5. Way overpriced, but well worth it. Its like an old fashined egg timer - hourglass with sand, except instead of 3 minutes, the sand runs out in 30 seconds. I just turn it over when I'm through chewing, and don't shove more food in my mouth until all the sand has emptied from the top to the bottom part. Its been a life saver for me.

[paisleypea 1]

Hi all! Wow 2 years! How much our lives have changed. It is nice to take some time to reflect and share and see a 'big picture'.

We all have our own journeys and I am no exception. I struggled to find the right lap band fill the first year, but did manage to lose 38 pounds from my highest.

Then at 10.5 months out, my mom died, very unexpectedly, on May 2nd. It was awful! She was just 66 and it incurred I think as complications of her neck surgery and being sent home too soon, so she was back in the ER the next day and then admitted and a week later was gone. I had had a slight unfill a month earlier, but was going to go get a fill again when she ended up in the hospital. I didn't go in, which was best of course, but I ended up back with my old coping habits - food! I gained back 12 lbs and felt awful.

After 6 weeks, and just a day after my one year bandiversary I went back for a fill. My surgeon was wonderfully encouraging and understanding. Then I started to lose again. Yay! I lost 52 pounds then the 2nd year, which gives me a total loss of 78 lbs. Wow do I feel different.

I am active again! Not good at exercising much, but do walk and bike with my husband as often as I can. I am 5'8" and am now considered in the "normal" range at 160. I haven't been normal in 15 years! Yes, I would love to lose another 20, even 10........but I'm not wanting to work any harder. It is tough, but I enjoy life right now. Normal for my height is 141 - 165.

So - I still mourn food, especially sandwiches! I still eat too fast or too much and get stuck, but.........I know what I did wrong and tell myself to try again. I ended up in the ER at Thanksgiving time when I couldn't even get liquid down for 3 days. Ugh! My surgeon came to meet me after his full day of surgery and unfilled me. Ugh! Embarrassing but painless.

So - there is my update. How about the rest of you?

[keamreeves 0]

sounds like you are doing great I have gained back about 20-25 pounds of the 65 I lost so I am headed back to my surgeon. I had 2 unfills and lost control of my eating but my saving grace was that I am still exercising though not as much due to a knee injury but I can't let that stop me. I am encouraged and I need to get back this site for encouragement and insite too.

Hi all! Wow 2 years! How much our lives have changed. It is nice to take some time to reflect and share and see a 'big picture'.

We all have our own journeys and I am no exception. I struggled to find the right lap band fill the first year, but did manage to lose 38 pounds from my highest.

Then at 10.5 months out, my mom died, very unexpectedly, on May 2nd. It was awful! She was just 66 and it incurred I think as complications of her neck surgery and being sent home too soon, so she was back in the ER the next day and then admitted and a week later was gone. I had had a slight unfill a month earlier, but was going to go get a fill again when she ended up in the hospital. I didn't go in, which was best of course, but I ended up back with my old coping habits - food! I gained back 12 lbs and felt awful.

After 6 weeks, and just a day after my one year bandiversary I went back for a fill. My surgeon was wonderfully encouraging and understanding. Then I started to lose again. Yay! I lost 52 pounds then the 2nd year, which gives me a total loss of 78 lbs. Wow do I feel different.

I am active again! Not good at exercising much, but do walk and bike with my husband as often as I can. I am 5'8" and am now considered in the "normal" range at 160. I haven't been normal in 15 years! Yes, I would love to lose another 20, even 10........but I'm not wanting to work any harder. It is tough, but I enjoy life right now. Normal for my height is 141 - 165.

So - I still mourn food, especially sandwiches! I still eat too fast or too much and get stuck, but.........I know what I did wrong and tell myself to try again. I ended up in the ER at Thanksgiving time when I couldn't even get liquid down for 3 days. Ugh! My surgeon came to meet me after his full day of surgery and unfilled me. Ugh! Embarrassing but painless.

So - there is my update. How about the rest of you?

[willowcat 93]

NYU Medical Center had these made up with their logo. They sell it for $5. Way overpriced, but well worth it. Its like an old fashined egg timer - hourglass with sand, except instead of 3 minutes, the sand runs out in 30 seconds. I just turn it over when I'm through chewing, and don't shove more food in my mouth until all the sand has emptied from the top to the bottom part. Its been a life saver for me.

Thanks! I like that it's so visual. Chewing each biteful 30 times works too--when I remember to count that is. It's so hard to learn new habits--my whole family is definitely part of the speed-eating team! Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! haha! I'm going to look online for a chew-timer. Thanks again! Willow

[lindas0809 0]

Hi! Thanks for starting the 2 year update. I don't come to LBT very much anymore, but its great to hear updates. My 2year anniversary was June 5th. I've lost 110 pounds and have been in the 170's since last fall. I'm not at goal, but I'm close and I've maintained my loss- which what I've never done before.

I'm so glad I had the surgery even though it hasn't been perfect, it gave me hope and the help I needed to lose weight.

[Lizandrk 1]

Haven't seen any posts on this thread in a year! Now that we've celebrated our 2 year anniversary, how is everyone doing? I managed to loose another 10 lbs this year - down a total of a little over 60 lbs. Goal is 80 lbs. Still a way to go, but very happy with the results.

Its been a constant struggle with the band, and I have had difficulty with solid food for months. But recently I couldn't even handle soft foods. I had been hesitating on going to the doctor, as I don't have medical insurance, but when it became a problem to even keep liquids down, I knew I had now choice. I was happy to learn an esophagram was only $175. It showed that the band had slipped slighly, but the NP said by removing 2 cm's it should correct itself. It is so great to be able to eat solid food again. I am afraid I have been going a bit wold all week - cheeseburgers and chips 4 days in a row. Have to get serious again, before I start putting on weight again.

Hope you are all having success with your band.

Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for posting this! I swear =( I'm ashamed I lost touch with LBT. Pre-surgery, this website was my life line, peaking into what everyone was going through, asking questions, getting honest answers. It was such a help! And I believe I was on here daily until about 4 months post-op and I found 1 woman with a Lapband Blog! From there, I found the whole WORLD of lapbandster bloggers! I made my own blog and the rest...is history! But I have def. missed this place!!!

So for my update:

First year banded; I lost 84 lbs!!!! I got down to 211 by May actually, so 11 mths. First, I had a hard time eating right. It took me until Nov '09 to feel restriction. In the beginning I did light workouts maybe 2 days a week, tops. After getting the first 30 lbs off, I felt totally empowered and no longer embarassed to go workout at the gym IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, lol! So I got a membership at a gym that was open 24 hrs a day, so it'd be easy....no excuses! I started going 3-4 days a week, began "jogging" for the first time. The day I walked my first mile it took me 18.5 minutes to complete it. By November I was jogging at a rate of 12 min/mile. In January, I signed up to complete a half-marathon. After being down (no training) for 6 wks due to asthmatic bronchitis, I got back up ready to fight! I trained every day, ran every day, ate perfectly, filling myself with Protein Shakes or Protein Bars 2 meals a day, to make sure I didn't run down my body. Then in March 2010, I completed my first half marathon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN YOU FREAKIN' BELIEVE IT???!!!?!?! Seriously...some days I still can't. I still am the same ol' Liz, same fat-mindset, and looking back I'm just amazed! I did not have wonderful time but honestly, my goal was "completion" b/c I didn't know what was really fair to expect of myself. But I was/am proud of how it turned out!

Then in May 2010, I had gotten bored with the running and didn't have any upcoming challenges, so I began hiking more. I went from "easy" to "difficult" trails. I'd push myself and go the hottest time of the day, I'd go alone, I'd do anything to make it more challenging for me, to be MORE of a workout. Because hiking is something I enjoy mentally and spiritually, it never felt like a workout unless I pushed myself. I was doing SOOO good!!! May and June of 2010 I began adding weights to my workout routine too and during those 2 mths, the lowest I ever got was 211, never dropped another pound BUT I've always done my measurements and I continued to SHRINK! (I was putting on muscle, yay!)

Then I don't really know what happened.....

I lost focus, I hit a road block, the scale not moving deterred me, and I think mentally, I couldn't keep up the fight. I met a new guy then and began dating him. To this day I'll tell you he taught me SO MUCH about myself. He Enlightened me to some issues I had no clue I had. I was with him for 6 mths. During those whole six months...I made no PHYSICAL progress. I did gain up to 215-ish, but not bad considering I cut my workouts probably in half, just because of a new job. So I continued to workout but my eating was poor. I was back to emotionally eating because all these issues and childhood memories coming up for me were so much to handle. But I KNEW if I didn't handle them, I'd continue to be fat, carry weight around, blame myself and think poorly of myself. So I just figured...deal with these issues, if I can just maintain for now, then I'm ok with that. So I did just that. I maintained 215 throughout the rest of the year, got into counseling, confronted some major issues and made true progress on the ME on the INSIDE.

This year...in March 2011 I felt that relationship had ran it's course. We didn't want to still be together, but I have much love for him...we just knew it wasn't working. So I broke up with him. And although I'm the one who made that decision, I packed out a good15 lbs the few weeks following, overwhelmed with sadness trying to detach from him. At the same time, my counselor had recommended I be tested for ADHD and/or ADD because she was certain I had it. So back up to 230-ish lbs, feeling HORRIBLE because at that point my whole wardrobe was SKIN TIGHT and disgusting on me. I was officially diagnosed with ADHD, which I've known since I was a teen that I had, but I had been against medication. Well...I finally thought, why not give it a try and see if it helps my work performance and helps me to focus on school work. So I started medication for it and it's REALLY turned my life around!!!! I'm so thankful! Getting "focused" and back on track, I lost back down to 220 fairly easy. But, the job I've had the last 4 months, doesn't allow me much time to work out. So I've gotten to the point to where I haven't worked out in months, I miss it terribly, and eating OK I can maintain 220. But a few weeks ago I didn't want to maintain anymore. I finally got motivated to get back on the losing track and get down to my FINAL goal of 185. My surgeon says I'll be a knockout at 185! haha! I am only 5'5", but he says I carry a lot of muscle.

So today I'm at 217! I started focusing on food again a week ago and went from 222 to 217. So it's possible. Replacing 1 meal a day with a Protein Shake and no snacking, my band even feels tighter. Oh and that's another thing, I haven't had a fill since May 2010!!!!! Not by choice, I lost my health insurance! BUT......praise baby Jesus, I got a job offer 2 wks ago that I start in a few weeks and I get insurance again....so by September I'll be at the doctor for all my official check-ups!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so that's where I'm at today, pretty much took the last year off of focusing on weight loss to try to stay/get mentally healthy! Although I do wish I was smaller, I'm so grateful for all this last year has taught me about myself. It's been completely necessary for me to be successful!!! I'm proud! Today I can at least say I'm 78 lbs down in 2 years....most people just don't know that I lost all that the first year, lol! I think I may need to get back to running....that seemed to be a key factor in my success and motivation! Wow, that was long! I'm glad everyone is doing ok, still gettin on here, and keeping in touch! It's so great to hear everything everyone has to say. And even the people who have had some set backs, I think that's TOTALLY NORMAL! I really do! And we are ALL here because we can relate and because we don't judge!!! Virtual hugs for everyone!!!!!!

[SandyT 5]

Hi, everyone.....

It's great to hear from some of the folks who have been on the same wild ride as I have. I haven't been here in so long, but like some of you I spent a lot of time reading about other's experience before I began my own. I was banded June 4th 2009 and have lost 120 lbs. I'm not sure how much farther I will go, I have some telling me I don't need to lose more but the scale tells me otherwise at 179. From almost 300 to here, I can hardly believe it. I am a totally different person, and even now, 2 years later, I still have people telling me everyday how good I look. I thought I was losing slowly at first, but finally got to a point in my fills that the weight came off faster. I have struggled with my band for a couple of months now, have to be so careful because I have trouble with solids and can only eat very small amounts. I use a lot of Protein Drinks, but I know I should eat more solids. I am thinking about getting some taken out, but I hate to mess a good thing up. I struggle with sweets, and love ice cream, so I will really have to be careful from now on. I am 55, and I feel better than I did at 40. I have been able to stop taking arthritis meds and have decreased my blood pressure meds. My blood sugar is perfect, my mother was a diabetic and I want to avoid the trouble she had. I don't knock myself out with exercise, but enjoy Zumba and take a class a couple of days a week, and just try to be as active as I can. I am so glad I did this, and hope those of you struggling will remember where you came from to get here, and keep up the battle. We are all human and have our weaknesses, we slip and fall, but just have to get up and keep on truckin.

Sandy

[Padanelle 2]

So great to see so many new posts - and comforting to see I am not alone with my struggles and experiences.

Louise, hope the finances for medical worked out. I was laid off the week before my surgery, and have been unemployed for 2 years. At first I had COBRA insurance, but that is over, so its a real worry. And being out of work has been depressing. Normally, I would binge eat, but a too tight band that I couldn't afford to loosen kept me from that. Though I am amazed that ice cream and wine (not together) did not put on more weight.

I admire all of you who continue to exercise regularly. Last evening, despite the heat, I went for a walk on the highline with a friend. A little over 2 miles. Was quite proud of myself. Though i think I probably should have skipped the nice cold beer afterwards. But it was sooooo gooood.

Joan

[elleaitch 0]

Hi Joan,

I'm still working on the funding but only one more tick in the right box and I'm sorted! I will keep you posted

Louise

So great to see so many new posts - and comforting to see I am not alone with my struggles and experiences.

Louise, hope the finances for medical worked out. I was laid off the week before my surgery, and have been unemployed for 2 years. At first I had COBRA insurance, but that is over, so its a real worry. And being out of work has been depressing. Normally, I would binge eat, but a too tight band that I couldn't afford to loosen kept me from that. Though I am amazed that ice cream and wine (not together) did not put on more weight.

I admire all of you who continue to exercise regularly. Last evening, despite the heat, I went for a walk on the highline with a friend. A little over 2 miles. Was quite proud of myself. Though i think I probably should have skipped the nice cold beer afterwards. But it was sooooo gooood.

Joan

[Padanelle 2]

For those of you with PB and too tiht band problems, there was just a post under "Slipped Band" that I found quite informative. here's the link:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/132186-slipped-band/page__pid__1642798#entry1642798

[Padanelle 2]

It's been over 3 years and I am not where I wanted to be. Over a year ago, I was unable to keep any food down, and although I was thrilled that i had lost 7 lbs in a week, knew I had to get my band ajusted. Turned out, my band had slightly slipped, and the adjustment corrected that. Unfortunately, I was then able to eat foods I had difficulty with since getting banded (pasta, bread, etc), and in the past year, have put back 20 lbs. The worst part is that I have developed bone spurs in my feet, making it quite painful to walk - a problem I had before banding, but resolved itself after loosing weight.

I have avoided getting an adjustment, as I don't have insurance, and the fee for a fill has gone up to $200. But I can't take the pooy pain anymore, and I am now determined to get back on track. I made an appointment for a fill and to see the nutritionist on Monday, and have dug out my old info on living with the band, making grocery lists for healthy foods. Wish me luck!