onemoment

What a wonderful idea. Maybe you could set up a email and people can send theirs stories. I really think this could take off and really make a difference in someones life who could not afford their band. Wonderful, wonderful idea !

I too do not post often but come every day to read. Your words have kept me going when I didn't think I could. It took me several days to come back and read after your post on your removal. I was so saddened by the news. My heart just went out to you. When I came back your words inspired me again. You are a strong women. My thoughts and prayers are with you. This too you can do. You are a inspiration to us all.

Heaven spelled backwards Beautiful name for a beautiful little one My sister was going to name her little girl this BUT she had a boy

sleep.net.com this site was very helpful to me when I was first told about my sleep apnea. As like you I knew nothing of this. I have had a auto pap for the last 4 years and have tried every mask out there. It is hard to get used to the mask and the air blowing but I wouldn't trade my machine in for anything. I felt near dead before it. stats : 50 events per hour 81 oxygen level I have heard that alot of people who have sleep apnea after losing weight have been able to get off the machine. This is what I am hoping for but until that time my machine and I are best friends.

Goodmorning Just wanted to update. I am 16mths postop. I had my surgery done at Northwestern Hopital with Doctors Murayama and Nagel. Sad to say but Dr. Murayama is no longer with them but Dr. Nagel who took over for him is wonderful. This surgery is the best thing I have done for MYSELF in my life. The surgery itself was one of the easiest surgeries I have gone through. I had a rough day the day of surgery but that wasn't even that bad. And every day after was easier. It was only a few days before I was feeling pretty good a little stiff but I still took it easy for a couple of weeks. My weight loss to begin was very good and lost 60 or 70lbs. the first 7 mths. And then it really slowed down due to personal and emotional reasons. I just had to regroup. I am now down 93 lbs. and steadly loosing again. Can't wait for the century mark. My first major goal. And this is just one of the good reasons for this band (my thinking). I needed some personal time for my head and the band just sat there waiting for me to get it all together. If you have any question please email me I would be happy to hear from you. 340/247/living life to it's fullest Dr. Murayama, Dr. Alex Nagel Northwestern University Hospital Chicago, Illinois

I have to start by saying this has been the hardest, easiest, fastest , wonderful, exciting most emotional year I think I have ever spent. I think this year I have learned more about myself then I ever have (44 years and counting) . I researched surgery years before I had my date. I quit smoking (30+years) so I would prove to myself this surgery was that important to me. Talked with doctors and counselors before I even went and saw the surgeon and started the process. Spoke hours and hours with my family and friends, some who were not happy with my decision and even won them over with all the knowledge I had and my determination. I thought I had all the answers.... NOT. You can not have the answers until you have lived it. I have spent the last year on this crazy rollercoaster. Up when I was losing and down when I was not. I think I became more obsessed with food then I was prior to the surgery. Before I never thought about foods I just ate. Then after surgery it was , what can I eat, when can I eat, what if I am traveling somewhere where can I stop, you name it I was thinking about the food. I learned that I have alot of my past to deal with. It can no longer be hidden away. The fear of failure has taken me high on this ride. That and the fear of losing the band (something going wrong and the doctors having to remove it). Sometime the fear of just not knowing what was going on with me. You would not believe the number of times this board has saved my sanity, made me smile a time or two. I don't know if some people understand how much of a life line they are for some of us. On my anniversary date I came to the understanding of why I had this surgery. I put away my scale and made a promise to myself I would not think about how much I lost or something happens to my band then what or what can I eat. I got off the rollercoaster I had put myself on for the last year. I had a wonderful holiday and have truly discovered what my band is for. MY BAND IS A TOOL... not a miracle and I need to work with this tool. My life has changed this past year. Family and friends have asked me would you do this again. YES ! I sure would. I can only explain it this way. I was in total darkness and in this darkness you do not know where to turn because every where you look is just blackness. Now I have a light, somewhere I can turn to. I have HOPE. It might take me alittle longer for my light to get brighter but at least I know which way to go to reach it. I wish for you all a very HAPPY and HEALTHY Year. Smile and live your life for you. And for all I wish that your light burns bright.

Hi, I am not sure if this is common with everyone but I experienced the same type of pinching, pulling pain near and between port site and another entry site. I still experience some pulling or pinching at port area on occassion (but now ONLY at the port area). I am 13 months out and the feeling has lessened over this time. Every month it became less and less. I think you still are in the healing process. Take your time and move a little slower. If the pain continues or becomes worse please contact your doctor immediately on this matter (just to be on the safe side).

Hi, My experiences have been very similar to yours. My first fill actually was a breeze but... the second and third was just as you experienced. And then the fourth was not so bad. My doctor has done all my fills under floscope. But scar tissue build up and a slight tilted port makes it a little harder. I swear I have come out of there a couple of times looking like a pin cushion (I also have bled alot). My husband will not go in there with me cause he has seen all the needle marks , he said he does not think he could handle it. The second time we almost didn't end with a fill because he just could not access the port. The doctor said this is due to scar tissue and the needle just has to be moved around some to get in. Anyways since it is a teaching hospital and I am the first band ever done there, there are always alot of doctors around to observe. So we got it taken care of. So I don't think all your fills will be the same. I pray that your next is a breeze.

Donali During this time of tight restriction what do you eat ? I know we have to be careful with empty calories and soft food syndrome. There are time I am tight and anything besides liquid gets stuck but then the very next day I can eat whatever. How do you avoid pb's if you do not know when you actually are able to eat certain foods. I had a fill done in August and was very tight and made the mistake of not having some removed (thought it would loosen up after some time ) I had a very hard time and even thought I would loose more weight because I was unable to eat. Well....surprise surprise I did NOT loose a pound from August 22 until November when I went in and had a unfill and then a refill. Right after the fill in November I am again on my weight loss. Since November I have found to have some restriction and having a much easier and better food choices. But... The last 2 days I feel much tighter and have pb'd several times. I think this is what has happened to me also and I have gotten tighter several weeks out of the fill. Since I do much better having a looser fill I will not wait much longer if this fill is to restricted. Right after the New Year I will be back in to get a little taken out

How wonderful !!! You are doing soooooo GREAT. I believe you will make your goal and then some... My one year is coming up soon. I would also like to make the goal of -100 pds. The problem is I have one month left to go and have 20pds. to lose and have hit a very long plateau. I will be seeing my doctor in a day to see what we can do to get me started again. Let us know what you are doing that is working so well for you. Maybe you have some great tips to share.

Can this be dangerous...like say... if you have the flu or food poisoning? If the body is trying to reject what is in the stomach and can not pass through the band , then does this get stuck going back up ? Since hearing how bad vomiting is to the band and possible slippage.... I have been scared to death to get the flu and since the flu season is coming. I have thought of getting the flu shot but have also heard many bad things about the shot also. Soooo I really don't know which way to go with this.

Hello, I am from Illinois also. Was banded 12/11/02 Northwestern Hospital Chicago, Illinois.

Lots and Lots and lots of Water !!! Water is a very good source to flush your system.

Help !!! I am stuck on a long plateau. I was banded on 12/12/02 and have lost 68 lbs. 8 months. In the first 5 months I lost 58 lbs. In a 3 month period I have only lost 10 lbs. I have had 3 fills. Can't remember the date of the first fill but it was appx. 6 weeks after surgery. The second fill was May 22 and the third just recently on August 6th. The second fill and the third were pretty bad. They had alot of trouble finding the port. I wondered (and still do) if they might have done something BUT all fills were done with xray (Dr said everything was great) and I have restriction. My appx daily food : Breakfast : Protein Drink 50 grams (sometimes added coffee soy milk for favor) lunch : Soup and/or 4/5 oz. chicken salad snack : fat free pudding dinner : soup and/or chicken salad or ham salad or fish or something mushy (I am still in the mushy stage right now because of the recent fills) snack : fat free ice cream bar this is not what I eat everyday but close enough to give you an idea. I really do have more variety in my life My Water intake is good as I have always been a water drinker. I take a Vitamin every morning. I do not drink soda's (haven't for years) I do not eat white : no white bread, flour, rice etc... Now I know some of the problem is my mobility. I have spinal stenosis and have also had a severe neck trauma. Which I am limited to movement. Right now the only thing they (Dr's) want me to do is stretching. No weights. I can do walking but this is still difficult for me but I am trying more everyday. I need some more of this weight off to help me get more movement into my life. Anyone with a long period of time with no weight loss and has any suggestions, advise or anything to help me get going again would be so very appreciated

Thank you to all who answered my post. I am going to try the suggestions and get in more solid foods. I am still having a hard time getting in the solids. Since this last fill it is the first time I have ever pd'd maybe the last fill might be a little aggressive. I think that is why I have stuck longer with the liquids and mush stage. I was concerned about the weight loss as my doctor said I should loose appx. 10-12 lbs per month. And I was thinking "Please don't let me fail again" I know that 68lbs is alot of weight (it's more then the weight of my son, a whole nother person) but I think I was looking at "the glass being half full" because I was thinking of the other 100lbs I still have to go. And if my weight loss goes as slow as the last few months...well....I am not getting any younger here I am thankful I am at where I am...took two+ years and I have now had the surgery and have experienced weight loss. I know there are people out there still in their fight. My life has changed. I am able to walk for longer period of time. And I can do housework again (now who would think doing housework would make you happy ) I am thankful for my family and friends and for the people on this forum who have taken the time to help and share their experiences with others. Sometimes I just take from the past and all the disapointments. I need to rethink and regroup and KNOW this time I WILL make it. Just learn and keep going.

I second Larry's words. I am so sad to hear about your dog. And all the other troubles you have been having. I don't think a little ice cream is going to hurt you. And do not beat yourself up over it because maybe you needed an old friend (comfort food) when things were stressful for you. Just think of it as a hug during a time of need. BUT just remember to get yourself back on track and you will do great. I myself have taken nothing off my food list. I am able to eat anything I want BUT the difference for me now is that because I can have anything I do not crave it as I have before when I have been on diets. I also can just have a taste and I am done. Please keep up posted on how you are doing.

CONGRATS !!! So happy you are doing well. Take it easy and put the feet up, you deserve it. Now me...well I did great after surgery BUT I did milk it a little as I like the extra attention I got from my husband and family :D And I was never one to pass up the pain med's Keep us all posted as we are all very excited for you and look forward to your posts.

Thank you nickyjs Sometimes just a few nice words (good luck) or that someone took the time to write, well it just makes a person feel better. So Thank you. Hope everything is going great for you.

Alexander My prayers and thoughts will also be with you. Everything will be fine. And we all look forward to hearing from you about your experience.

Thank you, thank you, thank you I am soooo happy to find this forum. The other night I was feeling very down and pretty lonely. A little bit of history of myself. I am a 44(yikes when did that happen ) year old women:confused: I am a mother: daughter 25.5 yrs and son 5.5 yrs , a grandmother : 9 month old little guy : a wife, a sister 9 brothers and sisters, well my life is full. My weight began as I hit the dreaded puberty ages, lost weight when I was in the second year of high school and kept it off until the birth of my daughter. Thats when the fight began, up down and back up again, more and more each time. Then 20 years later I had my son (my little miracle) but I suffered from what I thought was terrible post partum depression , as my son turned almost 2 I knew it had to be more. After speaking with my doctor on several occassion he finally sent me for a sleep study and as it turns out I have severe sleep apnea and am now on a machine. Ofcourse the numbers on the scale just kept climbing (threw 5 scales out at this time , they just had to be wrong ) 3 years ago I started my search on weight loose and came across gastric bypass, was very unsure of that but knew I needed something to help in my fight, then I read about Lap Band and knew I had found what I was looking for. Ofcourse I live in a very small town (nothing available here ) but I am 2 hours from the big city of Chicago. I was Banded 12/12/02 the very first ever at Northwestern Hospital. It took 2 years from the first time seeing the surgeon until my date. Until this forum I didn't know what was going on. I was depressed because I was not losing the weight I saw on other people (all were RNY) I have lost 68 pounds . I couldn't ask others about fills or my port. Even my surgeon ,whom I adore, was unsure how to answer, as #1 he has never had the surgery and #2 we both are learning this one together. Then I found you :banana I came in the other day and just started reading . I found myself saying , yeah yeah me too me too, I have experienced that also, and oh thank you wonderful advise I think I will try that, and oh that's what those crazy hiccups are. I have the found the people to be very helpful , informative and funny. Alexandra you are amazing Wednesday : kudos to you for sticking around after your wonderful success and helping others Everyone seems so very real and down to earth here. So after this long page I say to all.......THANK YOU :laugh

Thank you The site was very helpful and answered some other questions I had

Goodmorning to all This A.M. Protein drink in hand I sit here reading the forums. I kept reading about something called pd's. I guess I am just not understanding what that means except that it does not sound good. The reason I ask is that I have these crazy hiccups I get when I eat , usually right at this time I know I am done. I even hiccup drinking liquid sometimes. My family says it is my sign that I am full. I spoke with my doctor about this (can be embarrassing when you are out) and he said it was fine. Nothing comes up, no pain, nothing. Just 3 to 4 strong, loud hiccups, then they just stop. Can this be the pd's ? and something I need to be concerned about.

Hi I use soy milk in my Protein drink in the am. It's a brand I buy at Walmart Silk Soylatte coffee favor. Tastes like those cold coffee drinks. Whats funny is that I am not a coffee drinker, never have been. But this stuff is good.

Hi I take Adult liquid Tylenol. You can pick it up at Walmart. Hope this helps