crzytchr

Congratulations! You are indeed lucky to have people around you who are banded. A mini support group! My friend was banded 2 weeks before me. I called her my guinea pig.

I am not near New York, but I can say welcome to lapbandtalk. I think this will be exactly what you are looking for. Be sure you go to the FAQ section also. It may be able to answer a lot of questions for you. Lap-Band Surgery Frequently Asked Questions - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum I was banded 6 months ago and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I no longer hurt when I walk. I can walk in the mall without becoming exhausted. I have gone from a tight size 26/28 to a 18/20 so far. I have not attended any local support groups, I just come on here and it has been enough. Good Luck!

Congratulations! You are doing great.:crying: Your daughter's wedding is in the spring of '10, you got that made. Piece of cake, ...wait, not cake....ummmmmm....piece of good protein.:tt2:

bowel movement:tt2:

Candicane, I also use fitday and log in every bite and drink I put in my mouth. If you do this and find you aren't consuming too many calories, the possibility exists that your metabolism has slowed and you need to jump start it. One way would be to vary your exercises and your calorie intake. If you and your doctor say to stay between 1200-1500, you may do 1200 or even down to 1000 for 2 days then on the third go to 1500. This may trick your body into letting go of some weight. It works sometimes. Good Luck!

You may want to check with your PCP about this problem. I have heard other people recommend benefiber. The extra fiber in your diet should help you have an easier time having bms once you are ummmm, well, cleaned out. You may want to use colace to help you get the process going, then use the benefiber to prevent the problem from reoccurring.

Barry, I had the exact same fears that you do. I had reached 40 years old and had never had surgery. Now, six months after being banded, I have had two! Both were no problem at all. I told the anesthesiologist (prior to both surgeries) that I was worried about nausea from the anesthesia, so they gave me medication prior to surgery and immediately after, so I experienced no nausea with either surgery. I don't remember ANYTHING after being wheeled into the operating room. You always hear about being asked to count backwards and crap. Nothing! Wheeled in and then I woke up in recovery. It was a piece of cake. Try to think about the medical personnel that are with you and the training they have. They will be able to anticipate and handle anything that comes up. You will be in good hands.:biggrin:

Welcome to lapbandtalk. This is a wonderful place to meet new people who know exactly what you are going through. There is a thread for people banded in October '08 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f282/ctober-dyssey-2008-a-73717/ It may be helpful for you to be able to talk to people who were banded when you were, so you can share and compare your experiences.

:biggrin::thumbup::smile::wink:

Have you at any time felt restriction where you ate less? Is your doctor doing your fills under fluoro? It is always possible for them to miss the port an not actually fill the band. It is also possible that you just need a little more. Sometimes it take 3 or more fills for people to feel restriction. Don't give up yet.

Don't start any exercise until your doctor says it is ok. Call the surgeon's office and see if walking a couple of miles a day is appropriate.

Welcome to lapbandtalk. This is the place to come to get support during your lapband journey. I have found it to be a valuable resource during the last 6 months. Good luck with the rest of your preop diet during the last few days. :thumbup:

I would love to experience being addicted to exercise, but alas, that isn't the case. I haven't really traded addictions, thankfully. I have alcoholism in my family so I stay far away from alcohol. I never really thought about it before, buy maybe the trading of addiction is what leads to many marriages failing after bariatric surgery. That or maybe people leave relationships that weren't healthy to begin with...who knows.

I think 4ccs is probably standard for the 10cc band, that is what my friend got at her first fill. I asked for less because I didn't think I needed 4cc. The PA put 2ccs in and had to immediately take 1cc out because Water wouldn't go down easily. Everyone is different. I still only have 2ccs in and I was banded 6 months ago.:thumbup:

I think it is because the crunchier breads disintegrate better. The softer breads are sticky and gluey.

I am so glad to hear the good news.

If you couldn't handle the pizza, I wouldn't go NEAR the English muffin. Just think about what it may feel like.

Jeez bloom, just how much did your surgeon put in your band when he did your surgery? You have had almost as much taken out as put in and you still had 7 in you? No wonder you are having problems. I am so sorry. I hope things are getting better. Don't give up. When it is filled to the right spot, the issues go away. But....52 lbs since September is AMAZING!!!

Donna, I am at a standstill also. I haven't lost anything in almost 3 weeks. I think my hysterectomy is to blame.:thumbup:. I am not able to exercise at all right now and it made me too tight for a few weeks so I began eating more carbs...cereal (Special K with skim milk, but still), beans, and my proteins starting sticking. :laugh: It is loosening up now, so hopefully it will get better soon.

You have comorbidities, so I don't think your PCP will tell you that you aren't a candidate. It is more likely that you insurance company may not think you qualify or may require you to jump through a lot of hoops before approving you. Speak openly to your PCP and see if there is a surgeon that he/she feels comfortably referring you to. Attend a seminar and ask questions. Any bariatric surgeon's office should have people that can contact your insurance company to see if there is coverage, the requirements and what documentation that you need to submit for approval. Good Luck!

Congratulations on your 30lb weight loss. That is great! Also smart to vary your calorie intake, that is what I do also. You may want to eat up to 1500 every 3rd day or so, it will give a shock to your system. If you haven't started exercising, you may want to start by walking. The fills will help you when the calories you are consuming aren't keeping you full any more. The food will stay in your pouch and you will be satisfied longer. It will make what you are doing not feel like a diet as much. Don't get discouraged, it is way too early for that and you are doing a wonderful job.

Please don't beat yourself up over it. You messed up, learn from it and the worry it is causing you now, and move on. Finish your preop diet faithfully and you will probably be fine. No more cheating!:thumbup:

I have not regretted, for even one moment, getting my band. I am only halfway through my weightloss journey, but I feel so much better. If I didn't lose another pound I would still be happy. It is great to feel in better control of what I am doing. I am more aware of what I put in my mouth, thanks to the $2500 copay. I log every bite that goes into my mouth. Sounds like dieting, huh? The difference is that I AM NOT HUNGRY ALL THE TIME! It is a very freeing feeling. :thumbup: I still have to make good food choices, but it isn't as hard as it used to be. If you realize that the band will NOT do the work for you, you can be successful. It isn't a magic fix, it just helps you to succeed. Read posts from people who have take off 100 lbs or more. They used their band to help them. They made good food choices most of the time and the vast majority of them work out regularly. Congratulations on researching the band and continue to read the good and the bad and decide if the band is right for you.

This is a difficult time, I am sure. Paying COBRA premiums is ideal, but I don't know anyone who can afford that. Check with the medicaid office again. You DID make too much money when you were employed. I am pretty sure your unemployment will help qualify you. It depends on how many previous months that are factored in. If you can get qualified for medicaid, is there a surgeon in your area that accepts it? Don't give up. Even if you have to postpone the surgery until you are insured again, you can make this happen. Use this time to learn everything you can about the surgery and prepare yourself mentally and physically for it. Start working out, if you don't already. It will help you feel better. Start logging your food intake on fitday.com or dailyplate.com so you can have an idea of what you are consuming each day. If you can afford it, you may even want to join Weight Watchers if you have never followed a program before. Many insurance companies require a diet history and this may help you get it covered with any new policy in the future. Good Luck and don't forget to check with the medicaid office again. You may not want to mention that you want this surgery.:thumbup:

I am so sorry to hear about your trouble, but glad to hear you were able to get it corrected. Congratulations on getting back on track.