crossroads

My port is in my upper left side of my chest and my incision is just under the edge of my armpit. That is where my Dr. puts all of his and they are easily accessed for fills and don't have to worry about bumping into something with your stomach and hitting it.

This was so funny to me.............It sounded just like me! I didn't know for sure how my husband would react and so I didn't tell him until about 3 weeks before my surgery. He was very calm and said "well, if that's what you are sure you want to do, fine." He has been very supportive and I also am very choosy about who I tell. I did finally tell my daughters about a week before the surgery. Good luck to you on this journey. You won't be sorry you did it.

I have thought about this many times and would be so happy to participate, but unfortunately I am in S. GA!! I do have a friend who has had lapband too and I have given her a lot of my clothes, the only problem is that I have no one to give to me. I am down to a size 14 pants and a L top. Good luck to you in this quest for clothes.

Have realized it is not always the scale that makes me know I am doing good. This is a great testimony! I was wearing 18/20 before surgery and yesterday went and bought 2 pair of shorts in 14 and they fit perfect!! Like you, this is what keeps me motivated at times! Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing.

I bought that in the Mesquite Grilled flavor and also bought the Pink Salmon Teriyaki. They are from Bumble Bee. I am hoping they are good as I have not tried them yet. Was glad to read your post saying they are good.

Ok, tonight I am trying something new. I froze Silk Almond Milk in ice cube trays and plan to use them in my smoothies in the mornings. I make a smoothie every morning and usually put crushed ice in it, but it tends to water it down some. Thought this might solve that problem. I measured it out so I know how many cubes to use and still get the same nutrition. Thought I would use 1/2 c. of cubes and 1/2 cup of the liquid milk. Has anyone tried this before and if so, how does it work?

It worked great!! Made my smoothie thicker and was not diluted at all!! I don't have time in the morning to make the smoothie and let it sit in the freezer, but I am sure that works really well too. I'm just not a morning person and since I have to leave the house at 6:50 in order to be at work on time this just worked great for me.

I just looked at your blog and found out we have the same surgeon! He is great!! I am 7 weeks post-op and doing great. Just went this past week for my first fill and it was a piece of cake. I am from near Valdosta. Good luck to you on this journey. I will check on your progress from time to time.

WOW!! I fell like the odd woman out here!! My port, and all others that my surgeon bands, is on my left side, but in my CHEST!! Yup, just out from my left armpit!! My incision is just at the edge of my armpit and the port just out from that. You really can't see it, but it is easy to feel and they say it is easy to access. I know from my first fill experience that it was easy for my NP to get to. Just one less belly incision I guess and all of the belly ones were very small.

You are absolutely in the most difficult stage right now. It will get better, I promise. The first couple of weeks are for healing and for the swelling to go down. I am 7 weeks post-op and have been able to eat anything I want, just not much of it and be sure to chew, chew, chew when you do start on regular food. I make a protein smoothie every morning for my breakfast. It takes me a couple of hours to drink the whole thing tho. I use the Wheybolic 60 Extreme from GNC and I use one scoop, ff milk, some Greek yogurt, 1/2 banana, strawberries, (fresh or frozen) ( or other fruit that I have such as peaches, blueberries, mango, etc.). I love them and try to make them a little different each day. I use the vanilla or chocolate protein powder and have just tried Silk Almond milk and it is REALLY good in them. Good luck to you.

I am only 7 weeks post-op so am no expert, but I have found that all of the "rules" are really just guidelines and you have to tweak them to your body and lifestyle. I do what makes me comfortable and happy while using the "rules" at a guide. Good luck! There is definitely a learning curve to this and you have to find what works for you and makes you successful.

I had my first fill this week and I was a little nervous since I didn't know exactly what to expect. She gave me a shot of lidocain (sp) which she was very careful to push in slowly so it didn't burn. Then she did the fill and I had no pain. I am really glad they give the first shot tho because I could not swallow the water with the 3 cc fill and so she had to go back in and remove 1/2cc!! I don't think I will be so worried for the next ones now that I know how caring my NP is at my bariatric center. She herself is banded and a whimp (her words) so she is all about zero pain!! That's my mantra too!!

I know that most people's port is in the abdomen, but my Dr. places it in the chest. I have a small, thin incision just out from my armpit and the port is just out from it. It is really in a great place I think. Does not interfere with bra strap and will not interfere with a bathing suit this summer. I don't know if any other Drs. do this or not, but it is really easy access for fills and was never a bother when sitting of bending since it is not in the abdomen. Oh and it is on the left side!!

That was really smart of you!! I am now 7 weeks post op and wish I had taken my measurements before surgery! I have lost about 30-some pounds total since the pre-op diet, but I have gone down a shirt size and 2 pant sizes!! That tells me I have really lost the inches and wish I knew how many. Congrats to your great success!! I love my band too and love being healthier and more energetic! Had my first fill yesterday so am looking to lose more now.

I make a smoothie every morning and have found (thru trial and error) that the ones I like the best are made with the Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 from GNC. I use the chocolate and the vanilla and mix with fat free milk, banana, and other fruits like peaches, mango, strawberries, etc. I also use Greek yogurt and sometimes I add almond butter. You can use peanut butter, but I prefer the almond butter. Add ice and blend well. It makes a lot and is very filling and gives me about 30+ grams of protein depending on what I add. I use 8 oz. of milk. I might try some of these other ideas too. Thanks for sharing.

I was banded on 12-28-10 and have found that this is a constant learning experience. You have to learn what works best for you so you will be successful. After losing 20-some pounds I stopped, BUT I could tell the inches where going! I have actually gone down a shirt size and two pant sizes!!. SO, you might want to think about how your clothes fit instead of what the scale says so much. This is just my experience and everyone is so different. My medical support people always say the band is different for everyone and they are so right. I would talk to your Dr. office and see what they advise. My Dr. office staff is awesome and are always so helpful when I have questions or concerns. Hang in there and follow the advice the others who have posted gave. They are all right about the band being a tool and you have to learn how to use it and do your part. I look at it as not a diet, but a help with portion control. Good luck to you and don't give up.

So glad to have found this thread!! I am one of Dr. Bagnato's bandsters too!! I was banded on Dec. 28 after having Esophagus surgery the day after Thanksgiving to rebuild my valve. I also had a hiatal hernia that he repaired when he did the band. I was one of the lucky ones tho. I did not have the gas pains for some reason and have done really well. I was able to stop my blood pressure meds a week after my surgery which made me so happy. I have lost about 27 pounds but a lot more in inches and really wish I had taken my measurements before surgery but I didn't. I live near Valdosta and am so hoping that Dr. B does not leave and go very far away. I really hate that Phoebe bought Palmyra out. I think the hospital and all of the staff there was the nicest of any hospital I have ever been in. Dr. B's staff are also the greatest and so willing to help and answer questions. It took me six months to get approval from United Healthcare but it was worth the wait and is an amazing journey we are on. Congrats to you on your approval and let us know how you do. To excitedmama, I don't journal (but probably should) but I do watch what I eat and am aware of the calories, sugar, and Protein in everything I eat. I also am working out on my Wii Fit 2-4 days a week now. Had to wait for awhile after surgery to start working out tho.

I ordered a Subway turkey on wheat bread the other day since I was in a meeting and the boss was buying them for all of us. I was really concerned about how I would manage to eat it, but I solved the problem easily. I took the think top piece of bread off and then folded the bottom piece in half and it was perfect!! I was able to eat most all of it that way. I have not had my first fill yet and may not be able to do that after I have one. I am learning that this whole process is a learning process. Is interesting what works for some and not for others. Good luck to all of you.

I also use the "Amplified" and so far it is the best I have tried. I use the vanilla in smoothies with Greek yogurt, fruit, almond butter, and skim milk. I pour it over some crushed ice and it is yummy! Have used the chocolate too with banana, yogurt, and the skim milk. Both are really good. I bought the membership card and it saved me a lot! Good luck.

Congrats to both of you! I was banded on 12/28/10 and was in a 16/18 and am already into my 14's and they are fitting me like they are supposed to! I have now lost about 30 pounds total and have a long way to go. A size 12 would make me on top of the world too, so you just go on and on about how happy you are! Losing is the goal and every pound counts! Keep up the good work!

I have the Wii Fit and really like it, but today I bought the Just Dance 2 and I could only do 4 of the dances and I was worn out!! Talk about a workout!! Those were the easy ones too!! I am planning on using the two or these and switching up each day and see how long it takes me to get coordinated with these dance moves!! I am not a young person, so I have to work on my mojo some!! Someone said that any moving is better than no moving and I have to agree with that so even if I am not doing the moves exactly right, at least I am moving.....................

Congratulations!!! That is great!! I was banded on 12/28 and have lost 21 pounds and I am so excited about it!! I think we are all trying to figure it all out and we are all being successful!! Glad you had such a great Monday!!

At the beginning I thought it was FOREVER! However, in retrospect, I think it was a good thing for me. It gave me time to really get my head around everything that was going to happen and understand how my life would change. Even tho I was upset that I had to wait so long, I am glad now that I did not jump into this on a whim. It is a significant life change and you need to really research it well and understand all you can ahead of time. This is just my 2 cents. :-)

I was just banded on 12/28/10 so I am relatively new at all of this. I also have United Healthcare and am in GA. Their guidelines may vary by state. In order for them to pay for my surgery I had to go through 6 mos. of seeing a Dr. once a month and discussing weight loss and diet, 6 mos. of seeing a therapist once a month, a psych evaluation and a few other minor things they required. I went to see the surgeon that I had chosen at the beginning of my journey and actually ended up having to have an esophagus surgery done to build a value prior to my Lapband surgery. Once I fulfilled all of the ins. companies requirements they paid for my surgery with not problems. The other thing they required was that I have my surgery at one of their approved Centers of Excellence. I think I have been very lucky since I have not experienced any of the gas pains that others do and I have really had a very easy time since surgery. I go back for my post-op tomorrow and will see what he tells me is the next step. Good luck with your journey and hope this has been some help.