I'm new here & I can't wait for a new beginning!

Thank you very much for your kind words, Kate P. I truly appreciate it. From browsing around I've actually seen some of your other comments on other threads and I think it's great that you are so involved and supportive of others! I look forward to hearing from you again in the future and at this point, I do plan to keep up on this site as I progress from surgery! 

Have a wonderful day! :-)

Do take care how you come across if you want support. I did not read your original post as aggressive but Hislady is one of the nicest. kindest people on these boards and to her it was clearly aggressive. As was your reply.

Welcome!
Welcome MAB!
I am 5 yrs. out , and l LOVE my Band, of course as you will tend to hear so many say " I wish I would have had my WLS sooner" is what I also echo. This is definitely NO quick fix, it's about installing those good life style habits in place early in your journey.

Consider seeing a counselor who deals with eating disorders, even if you dont think that you do. I didn't realize I had a problem until I got closer to my goal . And of course counseling will address emotional eating which we all all have and many stumble and regain " they band our stomachs not our heads". Be proactive in this area.

Do you have a supportive system in place at home? My family members who lived in my house knew about my upcoming surgery. I was very slow and particular who I chose to tell, I didn't want the "diet police" to be critiquing my eating. You learn a lot about who your friends are on this journey. So again be selective. sadly I lost a few "friends".

Start detoxing from any of your soda drinking. Practise eating slowly and chewing thoroughly. Small spoons and plates really do help.

Again welcome,
Prek3

Well, it appears that you've certainly made a splash! It may be helpful to review a thread posted recently by Bette B. entitled "For Newbies: Getting the Most Out of the Forum."

That is great that your sister has enjoyed such success with her weight loss! I am sure she must be an inspiration to you.

As for hearing about my successes and difficulties...I started out with the lap band and had a great first year with it. After that, I began to experience complications. I would have random tightening of my band where I would be unable to eat anything healthy, sometimes even having trouble drinking water. I was lucky that I had great insurance and a local surgeon, so thankfully, I had no trouble getting immediate unfills. My band seemed to have 2 settings no matter how small the adjustment: slammed shut or wide open just like pre-op. 

When this roller coaster started, I began to regain any weight I had initially lost.

Finally, I revised to the sleeve and it has been a dream for me. It worked like I thought the band would. The sleeve let me eat a healthy diet, but offered consistent restriction so I was full must faster.

With my band, nearly everything seemed to impact how "tight" it was...it was harder to eat in the morning than at night....harder to eat when it was hot outside...when it was that time of the month...if I had traveled by plane...etc. etc. etc. It was kind of exhausting thinking of all the things that could change the band's restriction.

I love my sleeve because I can eat in the morning or at night, any time of the month, on a plane, in the summer, wherever whenever....just less.

I love being a normal weight and am so thankful I found something to work for me. I think many of us who have reached goal weight would tell you that it feels so great to be here. You deserve to be a normal weight and I would encourage you to do what it takes to stack the deck in your favor of reaching your goals.

How much weight are you hoping to lose?

Best of luck in your journey!

Lindsey

I just love it when people work things out and move to a better place in communication. Classy ladies! 

You will find some really great folks on this site!

Oh, and I tend to be pretty wishy-washy about the whole thing, being a Pisces.  You know, two fish swimming in opposite directions and going nowhere. I am neither overwhelmingly successful nor a total failure with the band, and try to leave the decisions to the person and their doctor.

Good luck and welcome.

 

Welcome and I applaud you for working things out with Hislady!

There are a lot of good people here, some with good experiences and some that have not been that fortunate. I have learned from them all!

I am coming up on my one year bandaversary 1/30. I have been very successful so far, almost at goal.

Wow! What an amazing year you've had! Goal is just around the corner!

Like Hislady, I, too, have had difficulties with the band and yes, even tho I put a post here this am I was bashed because I am revising. See, back in 2006 when I first came across this board I did not see a lot of negative posts on the band. Because it was all in the woodworks. And here we are today. 7 years later. And my job is to care for people and that is what i do. It is not in my chemical make up to tell you that the burning stove will not hurt if you touch it...I am a wife, mother, sister, aunt, nurse, friend....Hislady is right. You will not get what you are asking for. I wish nothing but the best for you. My first username is thinlizzie and my new one is thinlizzie12.....if you read my first account. You will see how I did love my band. Read my story on the second. I think it is great that your sister lost half her weight. It does work for some....it worked for my bestie and I am sooooo proud of her. She wants her band out because we do have differences...I can purge the food I am stuck on. She can't.....she is stuckfor hours. She also foams. I never have foamed before so when she came out here to visit the hubby and I , I was flabbergasted on watching it happen. Good luck to u.

All I can say is good luck with the crapband and I wish you the best.

I have had my band for a little over a year. I have lost about 65lbs. I am maintaining now. If I want to actually lose weight I have to "work" at it. I've been busy with the Holidays and moving and haven't been eating right or exercising regularly. But I haven't gained either, which if I didn't have the band I most certainly would have. I am very grateful to have it.

What I have learned with having the band is that it takes constant maintenance. Your stomach is always expanding and contracting and so that will always affect your "tightness". I start out every morning wondering what I can or can't eat today. 

But I'm OK with that. It is a tool, and it is doing it's job.

The best of luck to you! I am so excited for you! You will do Great!