MamaMichelle

In 5,000 surgeries I do not believe Dr. Ortiz has ever have anyone die on the table and if you google lap-band deaths you might find some national stats on it but again Dr. Ortiz is the best!

I found a great quote that was someone's signature line on another board: This is my band. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My band is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My band, without me, is useless. Without my band I am useless. I don't LOVE the last statement because I don't think anyone should ever say they are useless, band or no band. But just having a personal motto that you get up and say to yourself every morning or when you are standing in front of the fridge wanting to graze is really helpful.

Great Story Paula!!

Thanks for your bravery in sharing your tribulations with the band, I have never seen any exact statics about the over all success rate of the band but logic tells me that while most people are successful there must be some percentage that struggles. Just the other day I read a similar post by bev4life (found here: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=5245) and she shares your story and the common problem was waiting too long to get that fill that makes the difference between being able to eat anything and PB'ing on water. I think that both stories will help us newer bandsters follow the rules and listen to our bodies when in doubt!! I bet you can contact her for some additional support!! As for any tips I can offer, I would have to say my obsessive calorie counting using http://www.fitday.com it tells me how many calories my body burns daily (doing things like breathing etc) and how many calories my lifestyle/job burns (not that many since I sit on the computer all day) then it adds in calories from the foods I have eaten that day and subtracts any calories burned through exercise to give me a daily calorie deficit. Since there are 3,500 calories in a pound if I burn 500 calories more than I consume per day I would lose 1 lb per week, if I burn an extra 1,000 calories per day then I would lose 2 lbs a week. I know it might be a little to much for most people but the only way I can keep myself accountable is to enter in everything that I put in my mouth, and it only takes maybe 10 min a day to do!

Here a link to download (for free) the 25 min relaxation/self-hypnosis audio CD that usually accompanies the purchase of his book (It is now in .wma format) http://rs137.rapidshare.com/files/43512707...makeyouthin.wma Here are the Download directions for those who have never used rapidshare before: 1. Click the link above (should open in a new window) 2. Once the page opens click on the "FREE" button at the bottom right corner of the screen 3. In less than a min it will redirect you to a page where it will auto-select a download taxi for you, just type in the 4 letter Code and click the "DOWNLOAD" button. 4. You will then get the pop-up download box asking you if you want to save the file or open it (I suggest saving it so you can listen to it whenever you'd like) 5. Once the download is complete open the file you saved and it should automatically play in windows media player (or whichever music player you use) I will be watching part 2 of the show on TLC tomorrow and will report back with the notes from that show within a few days!

Sorry to hear about your struggles Cindy, Take a look at this post about Paul McKenna and his diet tips: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=5281 especially the very last post that gives some really great tips about how to control your eating (it's written for anyone to use but I think his ideas are especially helpful to bandsters). Just an example you said that you were famished after working out his method tells you it is ok to eat, but if you are anything like I used to be when I was doing a kitchen raid I would stand up and eat right out of the pantry or fridge not stopping for anything. A big part of his method is for you to sit down and eat slowly- put your knife and fork down between bites. This way you can better listen to your body's full signal, this way you're less likely to overeat. From what I understand once reaching solids it is really common for your weight loss to plateau and yes some people even gain a few pounds, but once you've got your first fill you won't have to worry so much about listening to your body, the lap band will be an amplifier so instead of a whisper your band will be a bull horn letting you know you are full!

I did a quick search for GERD and here is a thread that might help: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?show...051&hl=GERD

I think that everyone's recovery is different, depending on age and a few other factors. I walked a mile on the treadmill 36 hours after my surgery and everyday since I have had no problems being active. I even went jogging a few days before recommended (after checking with my doctor) so I think each person needs to wait and see how well they feel after surgery before making any big choices about when the are or are not ready to return to work!

I ended up Tivo-ing the replay of the show so I could take some notes for myself and for anyone else that missed it! Golden Rule Number 1: When you're hungry, EAT!! When you starve yourself your body freaks out, you may lose weight short term but when you go off the diet you gain all the wait back. If you starve you will end up binge eating. There is a difference in physical hunger (which comes on gradually) and Emotional Hunger (comes on very suddenly). Consult the hunger scale: (You NEVER want to get into any of the RED ZONES) 1. Physically Faint 2. Ravenous 3. Fairly Hungry 4. Slightly Hungry 5. Neutral 6. Satisfied 7. Full 8. Stuffed 9. Bloated 10. Nauseous Golden Rule Number 2: Eat What you Want (Not what you think you should) Once you make a food forbidden it becomes all you can think about! Get rid of all the foods in your kitchen that do not totally inspire you. Don't worry about what you are "supposed to eat" just throw it out! Then make a list of your 5 favorite foods and stock your fridge with the foods you love! Golden Rule Number 3: Eat Consciously Naturally thin people eat pizza, chocolate, chips and fries just NOT to excess. Eating consciously means eating SLOWLY, savor and enjoy every mouthful! Overweight people think about food all of the time EXCEPT when they are actually eating it, instead they shovel in the food as fast as they can! Imagine eating your favorite food in your mind, pretend to cut the food with your imaginary knife and fork and then PUT THE KNIFE AND FORK DOWN!!! Chew the food slowly- Sit on your hands if you have to! Research shows if you are watching TV, reading a book, listening to the radio YOU WILL EAT MORE! You can't hear your body's signal that you are full if you are eating while distracted or are shoveling food in so fast that your body can't catch up to say it is full. Eat at 1/4 your normal speed and chew every bite at least 20 times. Golden Rule Number 4: When you THINK you're full STOP! Most people in the Western World decide how much food to eat based on what they SEE not on how full they FEEL. Interesting experiment: 6 people go into a diner and are given identical plates of breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausage, and hash browns... ALL 6 people CLEARED their plates!! On day two the same 6 people returned to the same diner and are given the same meal to eat but this time they have to do it BLINDFOLDED! Almost every person had at least half a plate of food left over when they said they were full and all were surprised that they left so much food on the plate. If you aren't sure that you are full or not close your eyes and focus on your stomach, even if you aren't totally sure STOP and if you feel hungry 10 min later then EAT (as per rule number 1). Don't feel guilty about not eating everything on your plate because your parents told you there are starving children somewhere, or because you don't want to "waste" food (would you rather have have that extra piece of fried chicken leftover on your plate or forever stuck on your thighs?) This is just the first part of his method, over the next weeks he will cover how to knock out emotional eating, tips for beating specific cravings (for all you chocoholics) and how to motivate yourself to exercise. I have been out to eat twice since I saw this show and I think the putting the knife and fork down is the most important part of the program, I think that it really helped me listen to the band and feel when I was full... Of course I couldn't help looking around to watch others eat and NOT ONE single person I saw ever put their fork and knife down. It is really a fascinating show!

There are plenty of low calorie protein powders you can buy to help keep the protein in your liquid diet. I like Unjury Unflavored it has 80 calories and 20 grams of protein you can get it at: http://www.unjury.com I don't recall seeing anything in Dr. Miranda's post op guidelines about sticking to 600 calories, I ate between 800-1100 calories every day for the post op diet and have lost 12lbs in my first 2 weeks! I posted a scanned copy of her exact post op guideline, use the search feature at the top right of the page and you can find it!

These sites are such a great way to keep yourself motivated and to track what you are eating... I use http://www.fitday.com almost obsessively, lol and it really keeps me accountable for my daily calorie and workout goals. My favorite thing is how it calculates how many calories your body burns in a day just performing normal functions, (like breathing, sleeping, or eating) I think my body at this weight with a minimal amount of activity from my job burns around 3,000 calories per day so when I think about how many calories I had to have consumed in the past to gain as mu ch weight as I did- it is pretty mind-blowing!

I posted these instructions before but it was buried in another thread so here it is for those who still want to add a ticker! Here is how to make the weight loss tickers (for those who are still trying): First visit this link (I suggest doing it in a separate window) http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/tick...gner.php?type=3 Select your ticker ruler- click next Select your ticker slider- click next Enter in your weight information and create a pin- click next Use Ctrl+C to cut the text from the first box (aka the bbCode box) Return to the lapbandforum.com site by clicking on this link to Edit your signature: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?act=UserCP&CODE=22 Use Ctrl+V to paste the ticker info into the signature box Click- Update my signature and you should see the ticker image at the top of that page, if you see just text something is wrong! Hope this helps!

you can go to http://www.youtube.com and type in "lap band fill" to see actual procedures as they happen!

Kim- Talk to "kissyfur" she had hers done the morning AFTER the surgery and she said that because it took so long, and the taste of the bleach made her feel really sick almost the whole day while we were shopping! She can give you all the specifics on price etc...

Thanks Kim! Just got back from running while my son rode his bike, we went to a smaller park that's only .25 miles from our house but once we got there I did 30 laps around the half-basketball court they had there, I ran 4 laps then walked 2, ran 4 laps then walked 2... I did 5 sets of that and really wasn't that tired! Now I get to relax before Big Brother comes on tonight- I think I read on your myspace that you are a BB fan too!

I do weigh myself daily but only update my ticker once a week, which will be tomorrow... I lost 6lbs the first week and 6lbs the 2nd week but since I am on my period right now and I have been working out with weights for the first time this week I am thinking that the water weight and new muscle weight will prevent me from having another big loss this week but who knows! I was watching "The Biggest Loser" last night and was thinking that those people are working out 6-8 HOURS per day and some of them only lose 1-2lbs in a week, so if I can match that and lose 1-2lbs with a little exercise and mostly by watching my diet then I think I am doing pretty good! We shall see!

Very True... My personal motto is "Thin tastes better" you can fill in anything that you want after that (i.e. Thin tastes better than that cookie) Hanna- The story above is not mine, it was forwarded to me from a woman who has been banded almost 3 years. Obviously I have only eaten 1/4 cup of salad since being banded almost 3 weeks ago. I have no idea how shrimp or chicken will work with my band, and I have never PB'd yet so no need to scope out where the bathroom is, yet lol!

Scary? What? I thought it was hilarious!!! I think it shows how this "tool" inside of us not only controls our stomach's but our minds as well... From what I understand everyone has those foods that they can't eat but old habits die hard and you have to have these internal dialogs with yourself to rationalize between what you "want" and what your band will allow. As for what Snowbird said about only being this way after a fill this dialog came from someone who was banded in 2005 and has lost 200lbs in less than 2 years, and this post was made about 1.5 years into her journey- for me she is a bandster role model if I have ever seen one!

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO ORDER FOOD IN A RESTAURANT AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY NOTE: the bulk of this conversation takes place inside the head of a postop WLS patient. Although reading it may take but a minute, the actual thought process may run from a few seconds to a number of minutes. WAITER: Evening, folks. My name is Steve and I’ll be your waiter tonight. I have a couple of menus for you. (hands over menus) I’d like to let you know the specials for this evening: our soup tonight is lovely, rich Maryland she-crab bisque. Our salad is Cajun Mahi over Caesar Salad and our entrйe is Chicken Piccata with your choice of pasta. Let me get your drinks and I’ll be back to take your orders in just a sec. HUSBAND: Thank you! ME (as WAITER hurries off):WAIT! I don’t . . . need . . . a . . . drink . . . (trails off.) ME (perusing and thinking then, aloud,): Mmm . . . yeah. Okay. Anyway . . . ME (beginning self-discussion): Well, let’s see – how hungry AM I, anyway? Lunch was five hours so, as the saying goes, “I could eat.†But not too much. Something simple. Something light. Cajun Mahi sounds good, but that’ll be too big and I don’t want to lug leftovers home. Besides, we’ve got too many errands to run, and I’ll end up growing E coli in the takeout container or something. Chicken? Uh-uh. Nope. What if it’s too dry and I can’t get it down? Or worse, it goes DOWN and comes back UP. Ew. No. And with PASTA? Forget it. Where IS the bathroom in this place, anyway? Dammit! Oh, okay. There it is. Better not be a “one-seaterâ€! And I hope no one is in there, just in case. Hell, I’m not proud: I’ll run in the MEN’S room if I have to! I’m not barfing out in the parking lot again. Anyway . . . Hamburger? Steak? Not gonna happen. Maybe I can order something small off the kid’s menu. (looks, hopefully, at hostess) Nah, doesn’t look like that’s an option. She doesn’t look the type to bend the rules. ME (to WAITER, as he runs by): Steve? Hi. Um, do you ever let adults order from the kid’s menu? WAITER: Not unless you’re under twelve, honey! ME (aloud, under breath): I knew it. Dammitall. (looks to neighboring table) And look at the SIZE of that “kid’s†portion, anyway! Dang! ME (self-discussion continues): Okay, moving on! Breakfast menu? French toast. Pancakes. Waffles. Croissant. Too doughy. Breakfast specials? Nope. Bacon almost killed me last time. And always too much extra stuff, and god knows, I hate to throw food away. Omelet? I could take the extra home, but it won’t reheat very well. I guess the dogs could eat it, but they’re getting too fat as it is. Maybe an appetizer: shrimp cocktail? Not bad size-wise, but is today one of those days when shrimp will “agree with meâ€? (rubs stomach, pauses, assesses) Mmm, probably not. HUSBAND (seeing tummy rub): You okay, honey? ME: Huh? Yeah. Fine. Thanks. (back to inner discussion) Potato skins . . . onion rings . . . French fries . . . fried clams . . . fried chicken . . . fried calamari . . .fried zucchini sticks . . . mozzarella sticks? Nope, too stringy. Anything NOT fried? Chicken Fried Steak? You gotta be kidding me. Oh! How about fish and chips. Still fried, but the fish would be good if I pick off the crust. Nah, the fries and slaw are wasted. Oh, how about a drink to take the edge off? Nope, I’m driving, and you KNOW that one drink goes right to my system! Side dishes! Let’s see: mashed potatoes. No. Rice pilaf: no. Baked potato: no. Pasta: no. French fries (again?) No. Steamed veggies? Okay, what’s in there? 2 kinds of squash, that’s safe . . . oh, no! Broccoli. Sigh . . . AND cauliflower. That’s great, if I can load it up with butter. Or cheese sauce. Or both . . . WAITER: So, you folks ready? ME (sighing): I’ll have a cup of the bisque.

Well I did my optifast for breakfast and lunch and I wasn't really planning on having real food for a while but decided that after my son's baseball practice since my husband was off of work we should go out to eat and "celebrate". My son choose Sweet Tomato, one of those all you can eat salad bar places- I love their Cesar salad and I used to eat a LARGE plate of salad, plus a baked potato and 2 glasses of sweet tea. Today for dinner I had maybe 1/4 cup of salad and that was it, chewed until the lettuce was almost liquid which made it taste a little bitter, so it was honestly not as good as I remember and I doubt I will be back- there's not really any point to going to a buffet anymore!

Glad I could help! P.S. The date written in pen March 20th is when I can resume eating normally!

Still doing the Optifast here, I was doing the 5 "meals" per day but I just didn't like having to eat so much so now I am doing 4 meals per day (3 shakes and 1 soup per day) and I add 1 scoop of additional protein powder and 2 tsps of Benefiber to each meal. Each meal has 265 calories and 34 grams of protien for a total of: 1,065 calories per day and 136 grams of protein per day. For now I am fine on this plan but eventually (I am thinking sometime after my first fill) I will move on to real foods but keep doing a shake for breakfast and one for lunch so I will know I am getting the suggested amount of protein (68 grams) and 580 calories, leaving me 400-500 calories to play with for dinner.

Here's a schedule of when they will be replaying the show, I think it is really helpful for anyone that has been banded to watch! http://tlc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/seri...4.55929.35324.2

I am so happy for you both! It is such a wonderful thing to know that the first day of your new life is marked on the calendar, lol~ Glad you are enjoying the blogging on myspace, personally I love reading Hanna's (aka WAgirl) blog on her myspace... One thing I did want to say on that topic is that while my profile is restricted to "friends only" I have no restrictions on who can be my friend, since I haven't told anyone about being banded I just don't want my pictures or profile to be accessible to the world, only to folks who found me through this site! So anyone can add me just mention OCC or this forum!

Here is a visual image of what the difference in a 10cc VG Band and the 4cc Standard band: How I understand it is that depending on how much fat you have around the stomach determines what size band the doctor puts in place. You can see why some with the VG band need more fills, since most doctors won't put more than 2ccs in at a time you would need 2 or 3 fills to get the same level as a 4cc band.