LisaB68

I must say that at this point I thought that I would be down more than I am. I am not say that i regret having my band placement at all. I am down around 43 lbs since July 7th, 2011 placement. As that I am 5 ft 10in, and was at 240, so to say that I am disappointed in now being 197 wouldn't be a reality for me. I am happy with any loss of weight. I know that my band will help in not gaining my weight back. I has always been very hard for me to loose any weight at all, so if it takes another year to loose the next 20 lbs. so be it. I knew when i went into this that this was a lifelong, never ending journey. I am feeling well, looking good, and being more active than ever and at 44, must say, that I am giving those chicks a bit younger than me a run for their money!!!!! Good luck to all us July 2011 bandsters, may you always have a wonderful experience with your bands. Lisa Booth

Hey everyone, thought that I would check in. Everything is ok. Have only a had a couple of "sticking/sliming" incidences. and Lordy, I am not a fan of that! I have not had a fill yet, as that I had to reschedule my first one until Sept 14th. However, I am down 22 lbs without it, so I think it may be slow but sure. and I am ok with that, as long as the scale is going down and not up! I am still not eating bread, rice or pasta yet. I am visiting my doctors office's nutrtionist and exercise periodically, which is a part of their program. Very helpful. Good job, everyone and stay in touch Lisa B - Northern Va

Hey There, Just looking for any July 2011 banders. I just started my process, but as that I am "self-pay", I am on a fast track to surgery. Although, not terribly obese (bmi 34), I am using lap band surgery as a tool for continued success after loosing weight. I have always been able to join a program(diet or exercise or prescription) and loose weight.....I've done it several times with several different programs (not a good thing), but I always gain the weight back and more. Now that I am in my 40s, it is harder to loose and faster to come back. No more, I say! I want to be heathy in my future - family history/genetics dictates that I will/can be using a walker or wheel chair from degenerative bones and joints, heart disease, diabetes. I am trying to steer clear of that but still keep seeing myself heading in that direction, so now is the time for further action. Although apprehensive about going under, I am reading all the good things about the lap band procedure and am hoping that it is just a little more than the tubiligation and endemetrial ablasion that I had done last year. At least, I am thinking of it that way, so as to not scare myself too badly! Lisa B - Northern Virginia

Attention Self payers - Did anyone else have their pre surgical testing denied from their insurance? I went into this thinking that my presurgical testings would be covered under my insurance plan - having them be a part of a health physical, no biggie, right? Now I am getting bills from all over and calling into my insurance, I am finding that my abdominal somogram should only be recommeded for people above 65 who smoked, I am neither of those things!!! uuuggghhhh. So here goes another couple thousand dollars. Lisa B

Hey Kate, I am doing ok, very little weight loss, but no weight gain, either. So i am ok with where I am at for now. still on mushies. I would kill for a sandwich or salad. don't go on regular food til the 17th. trying to be good. chew, chew, chew. I am down 19 lbs and look pretty good, but then again, at 5'10, 217 isn't too terribly bad, but neither would 170!!!! I have only had that one bout of "sticking" that you helped me through. Take care, Lisa

I was banded on July 7th and I am down 18 lbs. It seems that we are all keeping fairly the same pace. I am finding that i am not getting enough calories in (shocking) I do best when I get around 800 calories a day. Lisa

So, its August 1 and all of us July Banders should be over on the post op side by now. This has been a really great group of folks to get information and support from. Little did I know when I posted in June about finding a couple people to chat with would I be a part of nearly 20,000 people looking at our postings and nearly 1000 people responding. Let's keep up the lines of communication over on the "other side". Amy, Shauna, Kate - I have been blessed with the support that you have given to me and the rest of our crew. Cheers to our health and well being - no matter how long or how many little set backs that we will all have, as long as we are going forward and loosing - we are on the right track. Lisa

Kate, At least you know you are off the wagon and there isa reason for weight gain. You know that you can get back in gear, get ready for your fill coming up and you can start to fill up faster with less food. I haven't lost anything for over a week and I am still on freakin mushies. Hang in there, Kid. Lisa

I ate steak last night and had it with mashed potatoes. I cut up rare steak and put it and the mashed potatoes into a tupperware chopper and it made it very small. went down well. Lisa

OH MY GOD - how long does this sliming - blocked up feeling last???? Just ate one tablespoon too much and I feel like exploding!!!!! Cannot do a PB - no gag reflex - so I am feeling rough - help me someone. email at lisabooth1968@hotmail.com to help a girl out. Lisa

I guess it all depends on the person. I have been sleeping on my sides since the night of my surgery. I am a side sleeper so i just drifted onto my sides while i was a sleep anyway. I did place a pillow beside my belly before drifting off a couple of times, but I have not had any problems there. Lisa

Polly, Please don't fret about the 1 pound up. It is definately the air they pump into you for surgery, mixed with the IV and other medicines that they keep running in you the whole hospital stay. I was up a couple of pounds when I got home, too. Keep drinking the water and getting your liquids in. The weight will come off, but more importantly than that, you will start to geel back to normal shortly. Give it 10 days or so, and don't rush it. Days 7, 8, and 9 where rough for me. I was wondering if I would request a removal of the band on my first recheck!!!! What you are feeling is normal, no biggie. As soon as I questioned "what have I done?", I started feeling better each day after. When you can get a little more nourishment in, protein and such, you will find the weight coming off. Concentrate on healing for this next week and it will get better and you will feel better. Oh, and by the way, we have a July banders posting going on in the post surgery section also, you can go read some post surgery stories over there. Lisa - lisabooth1968@hotmail.com if you need anything.

Hey Brandiabarnes, Welcome to the site. I hope that you have taken time to go back through all 45 pages and take a look at all the wonderful foks having bands done in July. I had my banding done on the 7th of July and now on mushie foods. I had a week of liquid diet to prepare for the procedure. The pre diet is to reduce your liver when going laproscopically. I am now about 90% back to "Nornal" since having teh procedure. I had a hernia repair too. The first 7-10 days are ok, but can be rough with gas pains, hfealing pains, hunger pangs, and other things, but all in all, I think that you will find most of us on this site to have handled it pretty well. Let mw know if you need any other information or just post, there are plenty of others on here that can help you. Lisa

Hey Jersgirl, The appearance of heart burn is completely normal. I have never had heartburn or indigestion in my life, but had to live with that feeling for 10days or so after surgery. I have read so many other posts that say the same thing. It seems to be the co2 that is pumped into us at surgery and it will find its way out - I could't burp or "let air" to move it out, I had to bide my time. Just remember, as soon as you think you can't take any more of this feeling, it will be gone!!! Lisa

Hey April, I am sure that everyone has set your fears to rest, but thought that I would add too. I am 13 days out and although my stomach has been growling forever, I am not wanting to eat too much food. At the one week mark, I could get full on a half container of sugar free pudding. I was probably getting 300-400 calories a day and only around 20 ounces of water. If you read my rant on the forum last Friday, you will find that I truly has a couple of "what was I thinking days" I cried over a stupid KFC commercial!!!! However, as soon as I gave myself my little pitty party, I started to turn a corner on feeling better and knowing this was a good choice for me. So Hang in there, If I can say it gets better, than it must. Lisa

Hey Melissa, Welcome to our group. If you go back through all 40+ pages of our little forum, you will find wonderful information from a bunch of wonderful folks. It is very supporting information. We even have a list of who is going when on our July month, but I am sure you will find some folks in August at some point. Most of us who have gotten our surgeries done already are over on the post surgery forum now, but we do check back and forth. I am in Northern VIrginia and the practice that I am going through couldn't be a better run organization. that makes it a lot easier. I will say to be prepared for your before surgery liquid phase, it can be a real interesting time, but useful to shrink your liver (if you are going laproscopically) and keep in mind that after you have your procedure that the first week to 10 days are tough (as you will read, if you go back a few pages, I was not in the best shape) but as the days go by, so does the recovery. My email is lisabooth1968@hotmail.com if you need anything. Lisa

Ally, I have restriction at this point. I keep reading about some folks eating out already, or so hungry already and I am thinking something is up with me. not that I am complaining, yet. I am still getting full on 2 ounces of pudding, but get hungry again in an hour or so, but I just ate about 6 ounces of tomato soup and it's about to go right through me. I go in for a recheck tomorrow and can go on mushies after that. Lisa

Lizzy, I don't know if this makes sense or not, but my stomach is constantly growling likes I'm hungry, but when I try to eat any more than a pudding cup, I get too full......which is not making me very happy, since in 15 minutes, my stomach will be growling again. I get to go to mushies on Wednesday, but think I may hit up the cottage cheese tonight for dinner. My fear is that if I put too much in my stomach at one time, the band won't heal correctly in the correct spot. UUGGHHH. Lisa

Hey everyone, After having my little mental breakdown at the end of last week, I can say I am feeling better at this point. I have my recheck on the 20th, and am looking forward to mushies.......I can't believe I said that! Thanks for the support everyone! Lisa

Hey everyone, After having my little mental breakdown at the end of last week, I can say I am feeling better at this point. I have my recheck on the 20th, and am looking forward to mushies.......I can't believe I said that! Thanks for the support everyone! Lisa

Thanks, Kate. I have my first re-check on the 20th, hopefully will be better by then, I don't want to be Dr. Nain's first removal at the first recheck!!! Lisa

Thanks, Amy I needed that!! Lisa

I am thinking of you Shana. Good Luck. Lisa

Hey all July Banders, I apoligize now if I upset anyone.....but I am at the point of saying "What have I done?" I know this feeling will pass, but I don't feel well, I don't feel "right", I always feel like I have indigestion or heart burn (i have never had either), I still don't know if I am hurting from hunger, healing pains, or gas, or hernia repair and since Wednesday evening, I am pouting even watching a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial!! Again, I know this will pass, but I do hope that this "not quite right" feeling goes away soon. On the up side, I am down 15 lbs since last Thursday, but I still can't hold in my stomach and walk up right! Please, early banders, tell me it will get better!!!! Lisa

Don't be surprised if you still feel somewhat icky after 4 or 5 days. Each of us takes a slightly different direction in healing. But, it seems like for the first week, we all go through similar sensations - gassy, bloating, stomach singing to you, if not hollering at you. can't eat much, can't get in enough water, discomfort at port location. But fear not, I hear (I haven't expereinced it yet) just as you are about to say, "what have I done to myself", you start to level out with food intake (liquid/mushy) and water. Don't forget the protein!!! Good Luck Lisa