kovi2eliana1

Just curious whether there are any St. Louis bandsters out there. Who did you use and where you happy with everything? Thanks!

I just had my first fill last week and I definitely feel the difference. Do you start to hiccup when you are reaching your fill of food? I also burp a little, but mostly I have to stop eating when I start to hiccup. Does this happen to anybody else??

I wrote a long note about my surgery -- and my computer erased it!! One more try! My name is Lynne and I'm a 68 year-old widow. I live by myself. My son was with me for the surgery and then took me home the next day (I stayed overnight). I was a little nervous a few days before the surgery, but I have to tell you that it went so much better than I had anticipated! I lost about 15 pounds before surgery and when I got home and got on the scale, I had gained 5 back. I assume it was from the IVs and all the fluids. I'd like to lose about 70 or 80 pounds. I'd probably be happy with 60! I want to tell you all that I woke up from the surgery without any pain. I think that I had discomfort from the gas. I started walking and walking. I read that this will help to get rid of gas. The next day, I think I had a little more gas, but no real pain from the surgery. You should have seen the grin on my face when I passed a little gas!!! It hurts a little when I bend over, but that's all. I slept on my stomach last night. I had prepared everything that I would need before I left. Day 2 when I got home, I was able to eat ff, plain greek yogurt, strained soup, protein shakes, crystal light. Not bad at all. I wasn't hungry. Today is day 4 and so far so great! I hope it is this easy (at least so far) for all of you. Lynne

I won't be having my surgery until November (really frustrated by the wait!), but I wanted to put my 2 cents in and hopefully, help some of you! For many years, since I've gained weight, I have suffered with awful rashes (maybe even yeast infections) under my stomach where skin touches skin. I also get rashes in my groin area and sometimes under my breast. For years I have used one product that clears it up fast. -- really fast! It is Gold Bond powder (not the cream). Recently, while in the dollar store, I saw a copycat of Gold Bond and decided to try it -- and it worked great! I know that many of you have this problem and I hope you try it. Let me know how it works for you. Lynne

GOLD BOND POWDER is my miracle powder (you can get a "copy" of iin the dollar store. Dry the rash carefully and apply powder generously. It's ususually gone by morning. Good luck!

I'm glad tha the Noxema worked for you, but, this is so easy and works quickly. When I have a rash, I simply pat it dry and apply a generous amount of Gold Bond over the rash. If I put it on in the evening, it is gone by the morning. Those rashes really can hurt and this is my miracle cure!! So easy! So good!

I'm very curious whether I'm the oldest bander out there !!! I hope to be banded in early August and I will be 67 Sept 1st. I kind of figure that this is my "last hurrah". If I don't do it now, it'll be too late. Is it too late already?? My BMI is 38, but I have diabetes (insulin), apnea, hi BP, cholesteral, etc, etc. I desperately want to be healthy, thin and off all of my meds. What do you think? Is anybody out there who banded close to my age?

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I really appreciate the support! My husband died 9 years ago and I just ended my first relationship since then. He liked me just the way I am, but then again, I found out he was a con artist and didn't tell me he had been married 6 (YES 6!!!!) times. He left owing me money, but I figure that I escaped with the most important parts of me intact. This experience has helped to make me strong and emphatic about starting a new chapter in my life -- even at this age! The new chapter is not to have a man in my life, but to become a strong, independent woman with really good health -- and thin!! I read this forum every night and even though I still have to wait until August fo get banded, you all keep me inspired (and sometimes scared!). Thank you again for your support!

I'm going to my 1st group information seminar this week. I have been very excited about having this surgery. Now my brain is working overtime thinking about the possibility of fuiture problems. I'm probably one of the older people to have this surgery (I'll be 67 in Sept and will probably have the surgery in August), but the thought of getting rid of my diabetes and insulin, cholesterol and BP meds and my C-Pap machine for sleep apnea. I already had a stroke 8 years ago and don't want another one! OK, I'm a worrier, so here's my question. What happens if, at some future time, after you get banded, you are hospitalized? How do they handle the food? What if you can't tell them about the band? Do you wear a medical bracelet? If anybody knows the answers to these questions, I'd appreciate hearing from you so that I can stop thinking about it and just look forward to a happy and healthy future!! Thanks! Lynne

Thank you cocoabean and Shirley for your replies. They were very helpful. I'm keeping a folder full of advice and questions for the dr. Lynne

I have researched this and was gung ho --not listening to family naysayers about just dieting! I have been ready to change my life to save my life. I have lost 3 very close friends recently due to diabetes complications, etc. and I didn't want it to be me. I'm 66 years old, 5'6 and 237# and sick of it. I have diabetes (insulin), high blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep apnea, etc, etc. I'm on 12 prescriptions and I want to get off of all of them!!! Believe me, (you all know) that I've tried everything, been successful sometimes, but gained it all back and more! So, now I have cried "uncle" and decided to make a drastic change in my life. I was fine until last night when I discovered this forum. I wanted to read everything about this process, so that I would be knowledgeable and prepared. I read until 5 am (I couldn't stop!). I guess what now really scares me are the stories of many people having a lot of pain following the surgery, the complications (which I had heard were very few) and the people who were having such trouble losing the weight. I guess that I've been so hopeful and naive when I thought that if I had this surgery and followed instructions, the weight would just "fall off". I know that it has worked for many people like this. I panicked when I read about the person who very soon after surgery, had a problem whith his/her port, they had to remove it and he/she had to pack this very large hole until it healed and the dr could reinsert the port. Also, I thought that I wouldn't be getting hungry with this very small pouch, but a lot of people complained of hunger. Please help and advise me. I don't want to change my mind. I'm so ready to be thin, healthy and happy. Give me some good advice about proceding with this and please talk about my concerns. Thank you so much! This is my first post (I think my surgery will be in June or July). I hope to become an active member of this forum!

Thank you for your encouragement. It really helped and I think I have calmed down!! I wish all of you good luck with your weight loss journey and I hope I'll be joing you soon. Lynne (Kovi & Eliana are my grandchildren)