sheryl

I have the same feelings about school. It is hard to take a break when you have a goal set (to become a nurse) and you know that you have to take X amount of classes to reach that goal. I have two beautiful children and I was off from work for 8 months (that was all the time I could take off from work). My girls were all I wanted, but I was so happy to get back to work. Being a SAHM is great for so many women, but not for all. Don't feel bad about it. It is just what it is... For many women, they are better moms when they are being fulfilled with interests outside the home. Don't beat yourself up over your feelings. What you are feeling is totally normal for so many women. It may not fit into your idea of being the best mom, but for many women being the best mom means finding what they need to do to feel fulfilled. For many women, it is being a SAHM (which is really the hardest job in the world, IMO).. For others, it is getting their education and/or finding work outside the home...

Down 4 for me this week... Yeah!

Hi Susan! My advice is to make sure you understand everything before you have the surgery. Read all you can about what life is like when you first get banded, and after that. The more you know, the better it is... When I first started to research the band, I was very leary about it. But after doing all of my research, I knew it was right for me. Yes, I was nervous to have surgery, and to be forced to change my relationship with food. But I knew that I needed some tool to help me to become healthy, that I couldn't do it on my own. I failed too many times... Good luck!!!

How adorable you are!!!! Those pictures speak volumes!!! You ought to feel so proud of yourself. And I LOVE the hair cut!!! So sassy!!!

Excellent!!! I know, I was nervous too. To think that they will stick that big old needle in your tummy and not have it hurts seems pretty unrealistic. But it is true!

EXCELLENT!! For me, my restriction took about 1-2 weeks after each fill. But your doctor may just be more conservative with his fills. Some doctors will totally close you up, then remove a little to give you a tight fill. I think the conservative way makes sense...

It takes time. 20 pounds in 1.5 weeks is not normal... Wonderful, but not normal. Personally, I like to shoot for 2 pounds a week, though lately I have been doing 3-4 pounds, only because I am working out so much and eating properly. Do you track your calories and Protein in www.fitday.com? It is a great tool to see how much you are consuming. Make sure you are eating enough (like 1000-1500 calories) and you are getting in at least 60g of protein. Also, for me, it depends on my monthly cycle. Some days, I am so bloated. And I have noticed that at times, the scale takes time to catch up. If you take your measurements, you may see a better indicator that you are losing weight. The scale is fickle at times. When you see inches lost, you will feel better...

Excellent, Mary... I love Dr Ortiz, as well. And I LOVE Dr Martinez! I remember back when I needed my 2nd fill. I KNEW I needed it, but I wasn't ready to make the commitment to have the tight restriction right away. It took a month or two to finally be ready. Once I was ready, watch out!!! Mary, I went off of the program for 2 years because of personal problems that were not related to the band. It was the most difficult time in my life. I finally got it together and got back on the "band"wagon... In the 2 years, I regained 55 pound (I had lost 80 after being banded)... That seems like a lot, but I would have gained a ton more if I didn't have the band... Well, in a little more than 2 months, I have lost 46 of the 55 pounds. The point is, once you get your focus back on this (like getting the fill, etc) then you will be back on your way. But you have to be ready. And it sounds like you are just about there. Great job about losing the pre-AF pounds... I can totally relate!!

Way to go!!! That is a HUGE goal... You are doing so well... What a great role model!!!

I have asthma and I got broncitis about a month before my surgery. I went on Singular and I got a bad case of thrush (I can only be on Singular for 4-5 days max, or I get thrush)... I used my Albuterol faithfully until surgery day. The morning of my surgery, a lung specialist (don't know the name of the kind of doctor) came by my room and did a few breathing tests. He gave the approval that I can handle surgery. I also had the breathing thingy (you breath to move the balls to the top of the thingy) for before and after surgery. I was fine...

Well, what is the % of people actually losing and keeping it off from a diet. Something like less than 5%? And the majority of people who get the band actually lose weight (the average is 50-60% of their weight needed to lose)... The band is just not another diet. It is a tool (when used correctly) to help you stay on your diet, but will also help you change your eating habits. Yes, you can cheat. But you will not eat a giant bowl of noodles, a entire package of Cookies or chips, etc... For 2 years, I went off my "diet" and gained weight. I didn't gain as much as I would have without my band, because I can't eat a ton of food at once. Even with ice cream, I can only have a little bit at one sitting. I gained 55 pounds by eating continuously... Well, I am back to using my band and I have lost 46 of those pounds in 2 months. The band is more than a diet. It forces you to eat slowly, and just a little bit of food at a sitting. Yes, you can choose to eat those cookies, etc, but once you make the commitment to get the band, I think you are more motivated to making better choices... Also, what I have experienced is that I really am not on a diet. For the most part, to lose the weight, I do limit my calories and keep to eating 80-100 grams of Protein per day. I exercise daily. But I also have cake and chips/dip at parties (occasional), but it is just a small amount. I go out to dinners and lunch and have what I want. But it is just a small amount and I try to get something close to what my body needs but still remain satisfied. I feel like I am beginning to eat like a healthy thin person, instead of just being on a diet. Make sense??

I get that all the time. I do the warm liquid thing when I am out in a restaurant. It never fails, my band will clamp down after the first bite, no matter how small or how much I chew. I have to wait sometimes 30 minutes before I can get anything down. But when I am at home, I just wait a bit until it unloosens, sometimes 10-20 minutes, then I will take another bite... The signal that I get is so subtle. Perhaps it is me feeling food move out of my band, but I don't know if that is what it is. It is more like a green light that switches on. It took me a long time to feel this signal, perhaps 8-10 months after getting banded... But I know it well now, and I listen to it.

Haha... I thought I was special and it would have some magic for me, as well. Reality sucks... Honestly, you just need to do something different. Get the fill, even a small one will help. Perhaps start exercising if you are doing so now. Anything different. Take a look at the spring bootcamp. That has been motivating to me... Hugs to you!!!

1. how long have you been banded? 3 yrs, 1 month 2. rate your level of restriction: C. Moderate (have some restriction but not much!) I like this level... 3. how long after you wake do you drink your first liquids, are they hot or cold: I drink room temp Water when on my exercise bike, but in small sips. If I don't ride my bike first thing in the morning, I drink coffee. Again, small sips at first. 4. how long after you wake do you eat your first food, is it solid or mushy? I have my Protein shake every morning, a couple of hours after I wake. if it is mushy, when is your first dense protien solid? I have my first solids mid-morning for a snack, or at lunch. 5. does your restriction change throughout the day? a. slightly tighter in the AM looser in the PM 6. how often do you PB? Every other day (bad, I know), but it usually is very small. Usually on a piece of lettuce that I didn't chew enough. 7. is it mostly Slime/Saliva or is it the offending food or liquid that comes up? Just the offending food. 8. why are you PB'ing? c. i didnt chew good enough

I paid $10k, plus airfare... Wow! I have noticed that the prices are coming down. When I was researching this in 2002 and 2003, many US doctors were $20-$30k ....

Mine kick in 1-2 weeks later. And for me, it really goes with my monthly cycle... Just wait a few weeks and see where you are... And for many, it does take a couple of fills to get the right restriction... 25 pounds is GREAT!!! You can keep it up, even if you don't have the perfect restriction.

You do get the hang of it, evenually. For me, I have learned to take a small bite, chew, swallow, then wait for the signal that my body gives to say I can have another bite. If I don't wait for the signal, then I have a great chance of the golfball feeling, or a small PB... Learning to hear or feel that signal is what takes time. Good job of trying this before getting banded. Just being aware of what you are doing is a great step in the right direction...

I have had several surgeries, including a c-section. This was the easiest by far!!! I was up and walking within hours of the surgery. I had no pain, just tenderness. I didn't have any gas pains (I had awful gas pains with my csect as well, so bad that it was more painful than labor!) For my other major surgeries, I was moving so slowly for 5-7 days. I think that walking around really helped. Get up and walk as soon as you can. Make sure you have Gas-X (chewables) on hand, just in case... I think they may have put some pain meds in the IV, though I was never drowsy. After leaving the hospital, I never needed any meds, not even Tylenol. For me, the surgery was SO EASY. I think it is the norm for most people. Don't get too scared with the possiblity of any complications. The risks for complications are very small. Let us know how you do!!! Good luck on the pre-op diet!!!

I think it is totally normal to have these feelings. I remember feeling the same way. I even thought if I just try one more time, just to diet, then maybe I wouldn't have to go through all of this. But I know I would fail yet again. Just like any serious diet that you were ever on, you will be forced to make what you eat/drink/exercise the top priority. But it doesn't last forever. As you lose weight, you begin to change your habits, and you evenually deal with food differently. For me, food is not the most important thing on my mind as time goes on. As you start to lose the weight, you will look back and thank the heavens that you did this. But what you are feeling now is totally, totally normal... Good luck!!! Let us know how it goes!!!

I never experienced hair loss...

It depends on how experienced the doctor or tech is. For mine, the doctors are very experienced and they find the port really fast and it never hurts. Getting a flu shot hurts 20x more... But the needle looks scary because it is so long. It actually is a very fast process. Also, my doctors use floroscope (sp?), so finding the port is a easy. Perhaps it would be harder if they didn't have that... I didn't get my restriction for 1-2 weeks after the fill. I was somewhat restricted right away, then very restricted later.

Good for you, Bug! You are making a wise decision. The fact that you lost 70 pounds on WW shows that you have the determination to do what it takes to shed the weight. With the band as your tool, you can keep it off. My twin girls were 18 months old when I had my surgery and my recovery time was hardly anything. The only thing that I couldn't do is to lift them into their cribs. But my dh was there to help out. As long as I had a pillow protecting my tummy, they were able to climb on me and I was able to rock them, etc... I was very mobile, but just very tired for the first couple of weeks. Piece of cake, really...

Many infertility issues are helped with weight loss. It doesn't matter what surgery you have, if you have any surgery... And I believe that you have to decide what surgery is best for YOU. You have to do all the research and decide based on fact, not from the opinion of a surgeon. For many surgeons, they are for RNY and DS because it puts more money into their pockets, require less maintenance (bands need adjustments), and they are less experienced (here in the US). If your surgeon is pushing for bypass and you are not 100% comfortable with that, find another surgeon. Go outside the US, to Mexico, and be self-pay. It was the best $10k I ever spent.

For me, I went through a very difficult time in my life where I put my weight loss aside to deal with other issues. For 2 years, I was able to put it aside. I gained, but not as much as without the band. Once I got back on track, my band was waiting for me. If I had the RNY, I would have gained the weight back, then been back to square one, but with rearranged insides... I like knowing that you can put this aside if you are dealing with medical issues, etc and come back to it when you are ready. I do believe that the RNY/DS is the way to go for some people. But I think that no matter what surgery you choose, you HAVE to learn to eat properly and totally change. For RNYers, they have to learn before their window of opportunity closes, or they are fighting the battle of losing more or just keeping the weight off. For bandsters, it can be more gradual. You may not lose as fast, but you kind of learn as you go. And after a couple of years, we should be in the same boat, though the band is still adjustable and the body is intact. For some people, they don't realize that it is the journey of losing weight that will make you successful, not the actual surgery. You have to change the way you eat while making the correct choices of food and movement. Or else you will feel frustrated and defeated that the tool that they chose does not work. I have a friend who lost 196 pounds using the lapband. Her doctor is removing some of the fill because she is still losing and she hit goal a while ago. How sweet is that? The band is adjustable. If she had the RNY and she was losing past her goal, she may be in trouble medically, like some RNYers find themselves. For me, the lapband was the best option.

Yeah! Down 4 more pounds! Rode my exercise bike 6 out of 7 days, 45-60 minutes per day. Walked M-F for 20-40 minutes/day. Drank a ton of water. Stocky, I have been filled twice. Both times, my restriction kicked in 1-2 weeks after my fill. Hang in there! Great job, all my fellow comrades!