*Cal~Girl

I am also on my second round of this for the exact same reason you are. I don't know how I am doing because it has been over a month since I weighed in. I have 6 out of 11 fill on my band. I think I have dropped about 30 pounds. It's scary.

Hi, I have side pain on the left side. Feels like gas ---an ache and if I stand up it feels like a muscle pull or a bunch of gas. What is this pain? My port is on the other side. The same muscle on the side that is used to bear down is what hurts. It has been going on for days now. HELP!!!!

I've found that I really have to listen carefully, feel carefully, what my tummy is telling me...for example burps mean slow down because I am nearing the full tank stage so I start to take more time before each additional bite so that my food does not get stuck. Lower stomach hunger versus upper stomach hunger...there is a big world below my band and it doesn't need filling--only my small stomach needs filling. Dry food is bad, chicken skin is a waste of precious room in my tummy for nourishment before I fill up. I was banded on August 13th of 2006. It is now January of 2007 and with the band I have lost about 33 pounds, 66 pounds total since I decided to have the band and began preparing for it. I am just now figuring out that I have the same feeling about food that men must have about .......well you know.....I spend time looking forward to a meal and I am full before I know it ) I try to focus on nutrition first when I eat. I don't want to lose my hair because I didn't get enough Vitamins and nutrients so I take a Flinstones chewable or two everyday which allows my body to absorb and be able to use the vitamins and minerals I need. I know that I need more Iron around, "that time of the month" so I will take two Flintstones then and eat more meat. Protien is important all the time so my body doesn't waste away muscle and I know I need muscle to burn fat so I don't want to lose any. Especially since I know I gained so much muscle getting fat and being a couch potato ) Variety is important when choosing foods to eat. A little of everything. I eat what I want and I don't stress about calories or dieting. I let the band control me when I make stupid choices like chocolate. The band has been good to me and for me. I give it the respect that it deserves and my body as well. This lap band is not a way for me to see how much crap I can get away with, it is a life saving, and very expensive tool that will last a lifetime if I take care of it. Sometimes, it's important to step away from the scale. Don't worry yourself with not always losing or losing enough. If you push this you worry yourself silly and stress is not good. I don't worry about the scale alot or if I am constantly losing......no I don't, because I don't want hanging skin and more surgery just because I lost weight too fast. Give your body the time it needs to do this........however much time that needs. A year, two years, three years. Just take in enough nutrition all the time so that you don't hurt your body. The environment I eat in and how I feel emotionally when I eat, I have found to be important beyond words. If, for example, I choose to eat lunch at my desk at work during a stressful time, or if I am angry or worried about something, my food WILL get stuck and have problems going down. I try to eat as privately as I can at work where I will not draw a lot of attention to myself or be interrupted. Lord knowes that since I am the only gal in the office with a lapband that I can attract alot of attention. I specifically remember one incident, right after returning to work from my lapband surgery, I was eating a jar of baby food for my lunch. I was questioned by a very thin woman and had to explain why I was doing this. She didn't know I had surgery. When, how much, what kind of food and how much weight have I lost are all potential topics of discussion during my eating time. Also, not to mention, women comming up to me during my mealtime with their stories of where they are going for lunch, or what yummy food they just had, or how much trouble they have controlling their eating, or their wishes about how they want to control their eating, or thin women who just look at ya crosseyed as they chow down on pizza from the night before. It's a catty world we women live in and I got issues man I'm tellin ya, issues with it LOL :girl_hug:) People are nosey and curious about this procedure we've had. Anyway, I feel that if I don't pay attention to my eating environment, that my stomach is tied up in knots and my food gets stuck and I can't concentrate on chewing and it's a mess. So, that's why environment is important. Spandex....buy it, wear it!!! It feels great and I think it helps keep skin in place as I lose weight. I have some business pants that I wear to work everyday, in different colors. They are kind of like equestrian pants but they are not as form fitting. They hold just tight enough to be legal as business attire and with a slightly flared leg. Wal-Mart carries them in their White Stag line in the women's sizes department. Email me if you need the product code and I can send it to you. They are wonderful and I feel so very 80's in them with my big hair and stuff LOL ) Just take it easy and the fat will come off. Relax man!!!........see, what happens when I try to be gender non-specific LOL ) Life is great and we are fortunate to be alive!!!!

I have had about 3 fills now. I have a question. Does the saline slowly move out of the band and go back into the tube or port, causing us to need to get another fill or does the band keep the fluid in it and our stomach just stretches to make more room, thus causing us to need another fill? What happens that we need to be filled all the time?

My doctor put me on liquid diet shakes for 2 weeks prior to surgery. I bought the Kirkland brand of diet shakes from costco and they worked just fine. Shrunk that liver right down. I had to go through the surgery twice. The first time the doctor could not put the band in place because my liver was so large he couldn't move it to get the band around the stomach. After the liquid diet, I went back and he did surgery again and it was a success.

My husband once told me that 95% of men find thin women attractive. This floored me comming from him to his heavy wife. He admitted that he was one of those men. Hmmm....but, he never complained during sex.........ain't that funny )

Hi, I've noticed some different reactions. Before my surgery it seemed everyone asked when I was going to have my surgery. Now that I have had my surgery, some don't speak to me, some ask how I am, some say I look great, some are very catty and bring in things like donuts and eat bad food right in front of me seemingly taunting me with it almost, some are just plain rude and very argumentative. It's very strange but I love every minute of it!!! What have you honestly noticed about people since your surgery?

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to post and say hi. I was banded on August 13, 2006. I love my band and it has changed my life!!! My weight is as of June 2006 when I first decided to have the LapBand.