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Hi everyone! I'm having surgery on January 10th and created a group in the groups section "January 2012 bandsters". Would love to get some discussions, support going.

I hope its ok that I started this thread over on the post-op side! Just wanted to check in to see how those who have been banded are doing? Im 5 days post op and Im HUNGRY. This all liquid business is really getting annoying. I think Im dehydrated too but Im going in to see my doctor today just to make sure everything is ok. I was feeling nauseous and still running a low grade fever. I talked with the doc last night and she said she didn't seem too worried about it but wanted me to come in today just to followup. Im going to ask her about starting some applesauce, pudding or thinned out cream of wheat. I need something more solid in my stomach. To top everything else off- Im having female issues and bathroom issues. I started my period a week early 3 days before surgery even though Im on the pill and technically not supposed to start until this week. And I have a yeast infection from the antibiotics I got in the hospital. And then with nothing but liquids coming out I have a hemorrhoid. SHOOT ME NOW. And the worst was last night when I was taking care of some lady business and was trying to be real gentle with my insicions so I didnt stretch too much and hurt them- well I got the MOTHER of all cramps in my lower abdomen (down below my belly button) that would not go away. I was in EXCRUCIATING pain and it hurt so bad that I really thought I was going to black out from the pain. After what seemed like 10 years (but really only 30 secs) things started getting better. But I called my husband upstairs and had him lay down iwth me just to make sure I wasnt going to pass out. Anyways, after last night Im glad Im going in to see the doctor. I think I need to get some gatorade to drink because im probably dehydrated but just want to check with her to make sure its ok. And hopeing she will clear me to eat a little something. Im tired of feeling so weak and tired all the time.

I promised myself, that when I hit a year, I'd post a "success" story. A year ago today, I lay in the "big" hospital bed at 274 pounds and completely miserable. The two days prior to surgery were the worst ever. I called my Dr's nurse the morning of surgery and told her "I think I need to cancel, I can't do this." She told me that she wasn't going to listen to me and that she expected to see me at the hospital in a few hours. I'm so glad I did. There are very very few things in my life that I'm more happy about than my decision to have Lapband surgery. I was 32 and miserable. Couldn't stand to look at myself, even more, couldn't stand to have my husband look at me. We got together when we were 17. I was fit then, always the bigger girl, but very active. Softball, cross country, track, etc. Almost immediately after HS, the weight just piled on. When we got married at 20, my wedding dress was a size 16. I hated my wedding photos, they are horrible. To this day, very few people have actually seen them. I still have them in proof form, in a box underneath my desk. I have no pictures of my wedding out on display. For that matter, I have very few pictures of myself in the last 14 years. We have two kids, two boys, who are very active. It was so hard to want to do anything with them. My husband, thank goodness, is one of those people who could eat the world and couldn't weigh more than 160 if he tried. So, while I always took the pictures or sat on the sidelines, they had the fun. I spent my 20's with no sexual drive whatsoever. I was disgusted with myself. If I couldn't even look at myself, how could my husband want to. It made him sad, he always said he didn't see me the way I did. I couldn't believe him. So, after three years of research, I initially tried to get the band in 2007. My insurance changed at year end and no longer covered it. So scratch that. In 2010, I went to my GP and he asked if I'd thought about it. Yeah yeah, I did, but insurance. He encouraged me to call and check again. Unbeknownst to me, they covered it again. I cried and cried and cried. That was in Feb 2010. I quickly researched the two Dr's that I had chosen and decided on one. Went to the seminar, got my 6 month supervised diet in, all the other pre-req's and next thing I knew, I'm laying in the hospital bed seriously thinking I shouldn't be doing this. Recovery was HARD, not hard hard, but not what I expected. The first week, I was sure that this was the worst decision I had ever made. Only a clinically insane person would put themselves through this, I was sure of it. However, things started getting better. I was losing weight and I was losing it quickly. When I was around 3 weeks post op, I started walking/running. Eventually, I was running a mile, then two, then three. I was actually able to RUN and ENJOY it!!! There have been some bumps along the way. Mainly mental. Around September, I was sure I was going insane. I was okay, but, it wasn't until then, that I actually realized my crutch, my addiction, was food. I was going through a "detox", lol. It made me for one very very grouchy and irritable woman. I believe, I finally hit onederland on December 8th. 75 pounds gone since July 29th, a little over 4 months. By the end of 2010, I was down 80-85 pounds. Now, today, I'm down 106 pounds. I still have 15-20 pounds until I reach goal but I'm happy. I'm so happy! I'm plateaued, but I'm happy. I run 5k's WITH my kids and husband now. I have energy. I'm the person, I think I always knew was inside of me. Make no bones about it, it is difficult. It is a huge mental mind screw. There are days I look in the mirror and I don't see me now. I see me as I was a year ago. It's hard. But there are days, I look in the mirror, with the biggest smile on my face and I see me as I am now. I've made it and I've done it. Hugs to everyone who does this journey. It's well worth it. I was going to post some pics from my gallery, but they were insanely too big. Here is the link. http://www.lapbandta.../7195-new-pics/

Im confused why some people are continuing to stay on this website when they SAY "the band didn't work". It looks like they are here to cause trouble and bash the band? If you SAY the BAND is the reason you didn't lose weight. Then move on. right? Not that I can say leave, because obviously I can't and wouldn't do that . But i've noticed the same person going post to post arguing with people. Honestly, how do we know the band is preventing you from losing weight? How do we know you didn't eat right ? Just saying. The band helps with over eating. It does not make you lose weight. They don't place the band and the weight just comes off. It's all about your diet. Sounds like some one needs something to blame it on. Im new WITH the BAND, but im not NEW when it comes TO the band. Ive done a lot of research on the Band.

Back when I was one week post-op I asked why wasn't I losing weight????? I was so very frustrated. I had 'only' lost 4 pounds since my surgery the week before. Boy, was I young and naive. Those 4 pounds were just the fluids from the surgery, and about the only weight I lost until about 5-6 months post-op when my fills finally kicked in and started working for me. But, the nice people here at LBT boosted my spirits and reminded me that until I got to my green zone, my weight loss would be limited. Then I starte getting my fills, and the weight started coming off...pretty easily too. Easily if not consistently. The Lap Band literature tells us 1-2 lbs per week. That was a pipe dream for me. I averaged 3/4 lb per week. Yes three quarters. Some weeks were more than others, some weeks were gains, some weeks/months were plateaus. But the overall trend was down. I stuck with my new portions and habits, and I got to a healthy BMI, my blood pressure normalized, my cholesterol normalized, and my blood sugar improved. Sometimes, when the short-term is sucking...look at the long term...focus on portion control, food choices. Even if your portions are not tiny, make them better. One of you was banded in November...you've had what? 1 maybe 2 fills? The band isn't helping much yet. But it's there, and you are working on it. The July bandster, DON'T compare yourself to bypass patients. We had completely different procedures. That will mess with your psyche and set you up for failure..."why should I get a fill, it won't help..my brother's lost 100 lbs already...there's no point, I'll never catch up." We are in this for life, being banded is not really about losing the weight. It is about making changes forever that help you become a healthier, thinner person. Work on the habits...the weight will follow.

Yay for everybody's progress so far! My first check-in weight is 151, so down 2 from my start weight of 153. I hear those 140s calling my name! :-)

Weighed in at 285 this morning, so -5 lbs from Jan 1st. I am pretty sure this is all water as I have a stomach bug right now. However, I will take it.

As a former football player and former power lifter, I have always been a large man. It never affected my health until age 35 when I developed high blood pressure. Everything else health wise was always good. Then about 2 months ago, my pcp had to put me on another pill for blood pressure and told me that I was very lucky so far, but the weight was starting to take over. He told me that "I WAS GOING TO DIE A YOUNG MAN" if I didn't change something very soon. He had suggested lap band in the past, but he was pushing it as save your life kind of thing at that point. I had lost 80 lbs a couple of years ago on Atkins, but I couldn't do Atkins forever and had gained it all back plus 15lbs. I scheduled my surgery, insurance denied it (GHP doesn't cover weight loss), and made the choice to go ahead with it. My doctor was trying to scare me and it worked. I'm on my way.

Hello! So I was banned on the 4th and it is now the 7th and I am off the pain pills. I take Tylenol every once in a while due to my stomach being sore. I have not vomited and the gas pain has been minimal. I am having a hard time getting all of my required fluids down and get all of the walking in. I plan to get up at a reasonable hour tomorrow, giving me more time in the day to get the fluids down and the 3 10 min walks completed. So far I have gotten the water down and about 60 grams protein and 2 10 minute walks. Of course I still have the stomach jiggle making the incision areas hurt when I walk, I feel like wrapping myself in an ace bandage to lesson the jiggle! lol!! Part of me just wants to use the excuse I had surgery to avoid walking, but I know I feel well enough, just lazy. I need to find a new motivator, any ideas???

I think you may find it useful to read a British article on the band fluffy http://www.bospa.org/Information.aspx?Page=2 I quote directly from that report.. Risks and Side Effects Fortunately, complications are rare but it is important you learn about the potential problems before you decide to proceed with the surgery. Firstly, being obese makes any surgery more risky. Anaesthetics are more difficult, and obesity–related diseases that you may have can add further complications. Statistics show the death rate associated with gastric band insertion to be about 1 in 2,000 operations. The most common cause of death is the development of a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). Occasionally patients may develop other complications at the time of operation such as an infection in the lungs, stomach or at the site where the reservoir is placed under the skin, which may delay recovery. The placement of the gastric band laparoscopically helps to reduce the risk of complications, and the team who manage your surgery and anaesthetic are specially trained in the treatment of obese patients. They will monitor you closely in the period immediately following your surgery, and take a range of measures to prevent complications from arising, including giving you medications to help prevent vomiting (and dislodging the band) and blood clots and getting you up and about soon after the operation. Overall, international studies suggest that 1 in 10 people with a gastric band will need a further operation at some time in the future. This may be due to: Slippage. Months or even years after the operation, there is always the risk that the stomach will move up through the band and the upper pouch will become enlarged. The band can be re–fixed in the correct position. Erosion. Very slowly, and particularly if the balloon is tightly inflated, the band can work its way into or through the wall of the stomach and cease to be effective. In this case the band would be removed and and replaced if possible. Leakage. This may be due to damage of the reservoir or tubing if fills are not carried out with extreme care or if two of the band components come apart. Again, this would necessitate replacement of the damaged component. Infection of the reservoir/port or tubing. It may need to be resited or replaced if the infection persists and in the case of severe infections which have been resistant to antibiotic treatment, the band may have to be removed. The band itself is made of silicone and there are no known side effects to this material inside the body. However, you do have to bear in mind the possibility that some time in the future your band may need to be replaced simply because it has worn out or newer, better bands have been developed to replace current ones (hip replacement prostheses are replaced for these reasons). If you have a lesser known brand of gastric band from a small company, they may not be around in 20 years time when you need your band replacing. Some people will fail (lose less than 25% of the excess weight) with a gastric band and in these cases, the surgeon may advise that a gastric bypass operation is performed. However, don’t give up too soon on your band if you are one of these people – experience in Australia shows that it can take a full 2 years for people to get their heads around how to live effectively with their gastric band, and when they do, they start to lose weight. The most common cause of the worst risk which is death comes from pulmonary embolism which is a result of any surgery, the lapband and sleeve gastrectomy actually are the safest forms of WLS its bypass surgery which carries a 1:200 death risk ( according to statistics) resulting from complications of the bypass, this is not the case for lap bands. Of course you are entitled to your opinions Healthy informative discussion is good, but the US is only 1 country and if you really want to start down the line of facts and figures then you need to look at things on a more global basis.