Lap Band - How does it work?

I had a dear friend ask "What is a fill?" Which of course got me thinking, that some who read this blog may not know either so here is "MY VERSION"



This is a band.
(bottom left to top right)
1. The bottom left circle is the Access Port which is attached beneath my skin and can be accessed for my adjustments . 2. The next circle is a "pillow" that get's filled with a saline solution, it can be adjusted to be tighter or looser. 3. The band is wrapped around my upper stomach, allowing me to feel full faster than normal and when the pillow is inflated it slows hows quickly my food moves into the lower stomach. 4. The top right circle, is silicone tubing that transfers the fluid between the access port and the pillow. (for a longer explanation see: http://www.lapband.com/en/learn_about_lapband/device_how_it_works/)



How will I lose weight?

1. I have to have fills. (adjustments of the pillow)
My goal is to be adjusted enough, that I can eat three meals a day with out being hungry between those meals. If that pillow is to loose... I will be hungry, if that pillow is to tight I will not be able to get food down and will risk pain, discomfort and possible other really bad stuff. So having a band takes some getting use to. I will work with a Doctor to try to get my fill "perfect for me"

2. I will have to watch what I eat.
If I choose to eat unhealthy food, I will have no success with the band. (shakes/ice cream will have no resistance at all to the band and will slide on through the band and I will not get full) The good news is that if I eat correctly I will feel full and be able to maintain a successful weight loss.

3. I will only be able to eat small portions.
I will not be able to eat more than 1 1/2 cups of food at one time. If I do eat more than I will risk stretching out my upper stomach and risk throwing up which can lead to really bad things. (slippage)

4. I will need to exercise.
Just like all non bandster... I will need to maintain my diligence with a healthy life style.


Whew. Does that make sense?

Some might ask. Why not just do all of that and not get banded?
Ahhh... there it is... if I could have, I would have.

I couldn't do it on my own... those of you who know me, know my dedication in the past to exercise and I don't eat alot of junk food. But I still couldn't do it on my own. The Lap Band is a tool for me to do what I couldn't do for myself. Mostly help me feel full and help me stay full... so that I can limit the amount of food I take it.

So there you have it... MY VERSION of How Does It Work?

My Favorite Things

Just call me Vanna White!

I just had to give a HUGE shout out for the Magic Bullet!! If you are a new Bandster, I would suggest borrowing or buying one of these puppies. It has been a God send to my post-op diet.

The last few days when my hunger has gotten out of hand and another Campbell's soup or Protein Drink just sounded impossible to get down... I ran out and got a bowl of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup, added a bit of milk, and blended it to a nice consistency... another favorite is Wendy's Chili... just blend it up and YUM!

Also, I LOVE that I can make a protein shake and if I can't eat it all at once I can put a handy dandy Magic Bullet lid on it and save it in the fridge for later.

Oh, and I can leave it on my counter and it doesn't take much space. But I guess mostly it's my favorite because it is SO easy to clean. I love it when I can find something that is practical and easy to use.

So, there you have it! I LOVE MY MAGIC BULLET!!!