okiekatt

Hello family, how has your journey been so far? I have been in this 1 ½ years and it’s been a struggle with a few complication, I am trying to hang in there but the weight just doesn’t want to let go…. but I also know there is no way in hell that I would have been able to keep the weight off that I have lost without this band. Everyone else seems to have it so easy and have lost so much more than me by now or maybe those are the just post that sticks out lol

Just checking in, wondering if you went on your trip yet? hope all it well!!

Normally I have always done very well with Atkins but usually start missing a thing here and there and one cheat day turns into a month, after some reading I realized there all kinds of Atkins carb substitutes shakes, meals, drinks, treats and low carb alternatives (pasta, tortillas, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, Carb Quick etc. ) out there which made me extremely excited….jumped in there with my low carb recipes and great workout regime, took pics (for my before & after photos) and after 3 weeks I freakin GAINED!!!! The only difference I made this time was all the alternatives I used and the working out, freaked me out so bad I stopped and will start back to calorie counting ..I guess long story short it works but gets old and it feels like the weight comes back as soon as you stop or cheat. And all the carb substitutes and snacks out there I think are meant for occasionally defiantly not daily

Sunshine, thank you for posting this question, I too was wondering what our lapband family has had the best success with….Low carb? Low Cal? smaller portions? Exercise a lot ? occ? Little or never? I was too tight and had a small unfill and now I have little restriction, so until I can afford to get another fill, I started a very strict exercise regime and low carb diet, crappy thing is I have actually gained I am only 16 days into it and after reading this I am thinking that maybe calorie count might be the way to go…….

AmyBK, yes I am better now, really as soon as they started the ivs I was instantly better, thank you for asking, just not much on restriction or weight loss now, at the first of the year I started another diet and exercise regime, can’t really go in for any adjustments until I can get caught up on all the money I owe, trying to be hopeful about this whole process but it has been almost 2 years and really haven’t lost much, but I still weight less then when I went in for surgery the 1st and 2nd time(had a leak). I hope you are feeling better, I know it hurts soooooooo bad, I just cringe when I think about it.

The exact same thing happen to me, I kept trying to tuff it out , thinking as I lose weight the band would get looser, I even called my doctor’s office to confirm this, it took me soooo long to feel any restriction I was so afraid of having any fluid taken out, after my second ER visit I finally gave in went straight over and had some taken fluid taken out, it was such a small amount and as I guessed, I am now back to no restriction and have gain back 11 lb in a month, not to mention the money that has mounted up from the 2 ER visits and a charge for my adjustment which would have been free if I would have went in within the week of getting the one that made me too tight. If you are like me a decide to tough it out the only thing I would strongly encourage that you drink all the water you can because if you get the tiniest bit dehydrated , your stoma will swell and absolutely nothing well go down and the only sure fix is IV fluids, also make note anything caffeinated will make you loose and extra ½ cup of fluids for every 1 cup you take in. I had no ideal and had recently changed over to warm coffee with powder protein in the mornings and warm tea to relax the band not to mention the 2,3 or 4 pieces of chocolate Halloween candy that fell in my mouth, totally screwed me over when I had no ideal, could not understand why I would start feeling better as soon as they started my iv, so when it happen the second time I really put it off thinking I just needed to give it some time after 48 hours of throwing up every 15-30 mins then turning to blood it was time to go, what I did learned was dehydration caused my insides to swell and ivs was the only thing going to help me.

Yes, I would have to agree, and the most Precious Princess at that!

Yes, I was told that little figure as well. But as it was explained to me, out of a 100 people with lapband 50 lost to goal and 50 did not making the average weight loss 50%(think I was actually told 48%)......did not really make since to me either but I’m sure if they would have only used compliant patients and those without complications the figures would have been much higher

What? I love Unjury! just can't afford it, I will give you my address, so it can be disposed of properly lol Can you buy Optifast anywhere?

I can sense your excitement, mine has been a very slow process with many setbacks, but I remember this first thing I noticed was my clavicle/collar bones, all day I would reach up and feel such an unfamiliar part of my body and then my shin bones when I was shaving, then crossing my legs became comfortable and not something I would have to use force to get done and a table propped against the leg to hold it in place, and then my HIP bones, even now before falling asleep I run my hand cross it thinking WOW, but when I put my bathing suit on this past summer from the previous one it, just hung on me I seriously had to sit down for that one, and just last week I noticed my weight is lower than what my driver’s license states…the whole saying about how nothing changes day to day but when you look back everything is different, I can really relate to, it is such a slow process that I feel that I am never going to lose this weight and then I look back and go WOW! Btw I lost 40lb before anyone noticed and now at almost 50 I get compliments at least once a week : )

I WEIGHT LESS THEN WHAT MY DRIVERS LICENSE SAYS!!! I just noticed this, I can remember it being as high as 40 lb. over, but too embarrassed to update it, Always thinking by next renewal I will loose it only to have gained a few more. I am so happy right now! What is your latest NSV? I really LOVE reading them!!!!!!

They say It is very common to experience hair loss after surgery, although they do not know if it’s the surgery itself or the anesthesia that causes it, but normally you will start noticing a loss 2 to 3 months after a surgery, they say as scary as it is, you will not go bald but in the 3-4 months it can get pretty thin, that after the 4th month new hair is coming in and that its just pushing the old hair out and this whole process can take up to a year to resolve. Which was exactly what happen to me I never took any additional biotin just my standard gummy vitamins and morning protein powder coffee, sure is freakie after the bath water has drained and the tub is covered.

My Doc told me this time of the year he receives the most request for unfills, due to allergies, sinus infections and common cold increasing the tightness of the band, also he stated caffeine, drinks, coffee, tea and soda makes you lose 1 ½ a cup of fluids for every cup you drink and even the slightest dehydration will make your stoma swell (really everything inside). So if you are one of those that have a hard time with the water intake you might think about changing to decaf, as far as the eating getting stuck , unstuck then eating more…..are you eating because you are hungry? This band of ours is a very tricky thing, the simplest little things can make a HUGE difference, just a drop of water can put you over the edge or in the green zone, lack of it you can be hungry as hell one minute and stuck in the next, And that mucus stuff is nasty! when I have been stuck dehydrated and swollen that stuff does not stop. And the pain OMG!!!!!!! ER visit and IV’s please. Good Luck you will get there, just don’t give up some of us just take longer to do it ; )

Funny that you mention this, I was just in the ER Monday morning, I had been a little on the tight side for a few months and had been trying to wait it out , Sat I had a stuck episode hoping it would just get better, by sun it was hell in a handbasket NOTHING was going down, was trying to ride it out until Monday when I could run in for a slight unfil, almost made it 3am monday was in the ER, BUT what I learned is decaf is better for you, that for every 1 cup of caffeinated fluids that you take in, you pee 1 ½ cups which in turn can make you dehydrated and even in the slightest case of dehydration it makes your stoma swell (really all your insides) so my doc suggested that I switch my morning coffee and protein to decaf and the several glasses of tea throughout the day needs to change as well. funny how the littlest things can really jack up your day.

I mix the vanilla with coffee in the mornings the warmth helps loosen the band for lunch, a little pick me up, plus helps moves things through the system a little faster, I did talk to my Doc yesterday and he suggested to switch to decaf because I am not real faithful at getting my daily water intake, reason being for every cup of caffine we drink (tea included) we pee 1 1/2 cups. And causing slight dehydration will make the stoma swell which means more stuck episodes and ER visits for IV's

hi laurendevins, sorry about your bad experience, not a good way to start off this journey, seems like its doesnt take much to make it swollen and once its pissed off, its takes a while for it to be your friend again, and the more madder it is, the longer it takes, lol I was on liquids for almost a week after a stuck episode, throwing up blood and an ER visit. I learned a lot that week #1 Laying down will not make anything go away #2 When eating if I ever EVER feel the slightest discomfort STOP! I hope things get better for you, it is a very sucky way to start off, and that pressure pain is breathtaking, I have been there and for a breif moment I think if I could have taken it out myself I would have. lol

yea! for you! yippie yippe yippie! So now what is your next goal?

OMG! yes, we do have the same Dr.........and I'm telling lol j/k You are alot stronger then I was at 5 weeks post op, have you had a fill yet? girl, pat yourself on the back, I give you kuddos for knowing what not to do and feeling remorse, that means you will hesitate before you do it again lol and it also means that you will see results alot faster then .....some people lol

Great job! love reading NSV

OMG! YOU ATE AT Chick-fil-A?!? WT!?!?!? ohhhh wait that whole thing is over nevermind....lol

Hello Marketingdude, No slips was really affraid that was going to be an issue, guess im not as delicate as I thought I was, Doc wants to do an EGD money is really tight right now and things have been well after 5 days of liquids then mushies and today was the first time I had solids and all is well, not sure what set it all off but when I seen blood that put me in a panic, going to take it easy and hope all is well if it happens again I will go in for the EGD. thank you for asking!

I had a stuck episode Friday did not want to throw up so I had fought it for about 4 hours and it finally cleared on its own, later I ate some cream of chicken soup, and it was horrible felt like someone sitting on my chest hard to breathe, after about 3 hours I ended up throwing up the soup at first, then clear flem, the more I tried to fight it the worse it would be and then it was blood every 15 mins for 4 hours, it wasn’t a little steak it was handfuls after 3 hours of freaking out I woke up my partner and off to the ER we went. What I have learned from this experience: #1 ER nurses and doctors do not have a clue about lap bands, AT ALL #2 Throwing up blood does not mean you are dying (my bad) #3 If you have a sever stuck episode it needs to be followed with 24 hours of clear liquids. #4 After a stuck episode never ever try to drink or eat in a reclined position. #5 As much as you want to just lay down and die, walk walk walk vacuum do laundry etc. laying down it only gets worse, #6 Morphine is not all that yesterday I was unable to keep anything down, this morning so far I have had 1/2 cup water and 1 cup tea, I will take is slow, and see what tomorrow brings if it isn’t better or gets worse I will call band doc and have it checked to see if it has slipped, but as of today I am hoping it has just gotten irritated and swollen. Of course all this is my very unprofessional opinion just my very personal experence.

Not sure if this is your situation but they say It is very common to experience hair loss after surgery, although they do not know if it’s the surgery itself or the anesthesia that causes it, but normally you will start noticing a loss 2 to 3 months after a surgery, they say as scary as it is you will not go bald but in the 3-4 months it can get pretty thin, that after the 4th month new hair is coming in and that its just pushing the old hair out and this whole process can take up to a year to resolve. Which was exactly what happen to me I never took any additional biotin just my standard gummy vitamins and morning protein powder coffee, sure is freakie after the bath water has drained and the tub is covered.

Stupid Itch, I think we all have, few years back I signed up to the toning tables, I would go late in the evenings after all the skinny chickies were done, I was feeling pretty good had my tan on, new hair cut few pounds gone, thought I was on my way to the new me, then in comes momma with her precious son who after staring at me for 30 mins asked me why my butt was so big.....Never went back

Sitting in the same boat, your story sound so much like mine, last weekend I actually ended up in the ER throwing up blood, they were not concerned with the blood and didn’t call my band doctor because he is no longer with that hosp and to be honest I really didn’t feel they knew anything about the band, they gave me a glazed look when I stated this all started after a stuck episode, so five days later we have decided that I am just going to baby this band that is a little on the tight side, my band office stated that as I lose weight the band would loosen, I read some of the post on here about being too tight causing erosion slips etc. and it gets me all worked up, and then I call my office and they act like I am overreacting, it is such a learning process.