Twillwood

I get "port-pains" too. However, mine don't seem to be related to fills. I always get pains in my port when it is my TOM. I have read extensively on this, and what I experience appears to be normal. My port is very shallow and visible, it kinda sticks out. I always thought that its shallow placement had to do with its propensity for pain. For example, sometimes I get port-pains when I am sitting and slouching too much, so it reminds me to straighten up. So when you do get a fill, is the actual process really painful? Or does the pain occur only after the fill? I have had three different nurses give me fills...and each experience was completely different. One nurse left me with a bruise over my port. My best advice is to tell your doctor about your pain...and TRY not to worry. ~ T

Hi Terri, Don't feel discouraged! I was banded in March of 2012 and I haven't lost weight since last summer...I was considered low BMI and my doc said that my weight would just fall off...ha! I haven't been for a fill for a really long time (like since last August). However, I am really tight...like cannot eat until past noon. I blame my lack of weightloss all on myself (and if I am really honest, I also blame my family...I am often roped into eating when I am not really hungry, just because the fam wants to go out to eat or wants me to cook dinner). I eat bad things and don't exercise enough. I highly doubt I will ever lose my last 20 lbs. - I just look at it this way, without the band, I would have been much worse off! Sounds like you still haven't found your sweet spot. If I were you I would NOT skip your doctor's appointment. Just go and be very up front about what is happening. Please don't be embarassed!!! Do exactly like you said...go back to the basics! Thank you for sharing...whenever I feel really off-course, stories like yours really help me!! ~ T

I was considered a low BMI when I got banded last year. I only wanted to lose around 50 lbs, give or take. Have I accomplished that? No, not yet. Am I the perfect lap band patient, nope not yet. Would I do it again...that depends on the day. I am an emotional eater and when I eat for emotional reasons I want super large quantities of real food. Having the lap band took that away from me. So...if you are an emotional/quantity eater be prepared to have that taken away from you. On these days, I wish I was band free just so I could eat my stress/sad/angry feelings away. Now, on the flip side, you can still ingest large quantities of "slider foods" - so that means all the chips, candy, and ice cream that I want. Have I gone down that path..unfortunately, I have. That would be why my weight has been creeping back up this spring. As for portion control/restriction when eating "real food"...yes, I have it, and it works splendidly! However, getting used to the rules of eating as a lap band patient that is a whole different story. Sometimes I eat too fast...and ta-da I am running to the restroom to throw up gobs of slime and food. You would think that after almost a year and 1/2 I would have learned not to eat too fast by now. I chose to get banded because I struggled my entire life with my weight. My metabolism is slowed from yo-yo dieting and my exercise is minimal because I work part-time and attend grad school full time (lots of time spent sitting in front of a computer). One of the good things that the band does is that because of where it is placed it sends messages to your brain that tell it that you are full. These are chemical responses, which is the reason a lap band patient can eat so few calories and lose weight without the body going into starvation mode. I know that if I were not banded and ate so little calories my body would slow my metabolism down even further. Being banded is no cake walk, but for me it has been worth it.

I personally don't really see anything wrong with taking phentermine while banded...just as long as you stay hydrated and take your Vitamins. I currently do not take phentermine - but I do have some left over from a prescription that my primary care dr gave me right before I made the decision to get lap band. I use them for what I think of as food emergencies. For instance, when it was my brother's birthday my mother had the family over to her house to have a big dinner and cake. I am a sucker for cake...I knew that I would not be able to say no. So I took 1/2 a pill to help me with will-power. Because I use my phentermine just for emergencies, I have zero tolerance built up and that 1/2 of a pill was just what I needed...I never even thought twice about the cake! My husband and I are taking a cruise in August and I plan on bringing my phentermine to help me "say no" to all the fattening cruise ship food!

I like to run/walk, meaning I walk and then pick landmarks along my path to "run to". I would love to one day become strong enough and in shape enough to run my entire route. However, in the meantime mixing running with walking has proved to be great exercise and everyday I push myself a little further. It also helps that my husband likes to exercise with me. Love the idea of looking for exercise videos on netflixs! Great idea! Currently I enjoy watching the seasons of The Biggest Loser that are on netflix...talk about motivation!!!

My biggest downfall isn't actually an eating establishment...my biggest downfall is going to the movies. I have figured out that even with restriction I can put away popcorn by the buckets. I always start out with the mentality that I will be strong and NOT eat the popcorn. I buy a bottled Water instead of soda and add my crystal light to-go packet...but then my husband looks so happy eating the salty-buttery-puffy-kernels and then I give in. So...I try to really limit my movie theatre going, which is difficult for me considering it with the summer heatwave there is nothing like a cool dark comfy movie theatre in the middle of a scorching 100+ degrees day.

Hey there mangojoy, I was reading your last post where you talked about the number of calories you eat a day. Well, I know we all have been given different instructions regarding food from each of our Surgeons/Doctors/Clinics, etc. and I know we should all listen to our own respective Surgeon's/Doctor's/Clinic's advice to caloric intake. So please take what I say with a grain of salt. Well, I wonder if maybe you are eating too many calories? Between 1100-1400 calories a day seems a little high. The clinic that performed my surgery tells everyone - regardless of weight to stay at 800 calories a day - at least until we get to the maintenance stage. (and let me just say...OMG!...I was quite shocked at first) But, I have to say, that it definitely has been working and I HAVE been losing weight. I know all diets and Doctors are different...so ultimately you need to do what works for you.

Looks like it has been awhile since anyone has posted on this topic...but maybe someone from Dr. Wellborn's clinic can help me. I just finished the post-op class where they teach you about portion size, Protein, and the number of calories you can eat. Loved this class! However, I forgot to ask them about what to expect as far as my first fill. So I am posing this question to other Wellborn patients: what should I expect for my first fill? How many cc's? Etc. So...Wellborn peeps...tell me about your fill experiences! On a side note, I have been so happy with Dr. Wellborn and his staff. While it was expensive because I am self pay...I am kinda glad I decided to self pay and not pursue insurance, because if I had I would not have been able to use Dr. Wellborn.

I agree with @readytogoforit with regards to " not making the numbers the only goal"! (like fitting into smaller sizes, or bras getting more comfortable, etc) However, I do have to admit, I weigh a couple times a week. I am still trying to decide which day of the week should be my "official" weigh day. I am leaning towards Friday...but for now, whenever I see a loss it makes me happy and I consider it "official". hehehe

I was banded on Feb. 16, 2012. My BMI was also 30. I am very proud to say the within the first 2 weeks I lost 12lbs. (i need to update my ticker, cause this past weekend i weighed and i lost another 2lbs) I still can't believe it. Especially being on the low end of the BMI range. I accomplished this by following my doctor's directions for eating to a T. I didn't cheat and have solids before my 2 weeks of liquids and mushy foods were over. I didn't eat sweets (no ice cream, milk shakes,, etc.) I wrote everyting down that I ate and stayed in the 800-900 calorie range. I don't plan on writing all my food down forever, I just needed to get comfortable with what 800-900 calories a day looks like. Keep your choices high Protein and low calorie and drink tons of Water - and the weight will melt off.

I have totally loved reading everyone's skinny bucket lists!! Here are 10 of my to-do's once I reach my goal weight: 1. Fit back into my wedding dress and have a "trash the dress" photo shoot! I totally want to do this: http://www.libbyjamesblog.com/2011/01/13/trash-the-dress/ 2. Go on a float trip (where I live folks get together in large groups, rent canoes, drink adult beverages, and float down the Buffalo River) and wear a bikini and look DAMN GOOD in it! 3. Skip my high school reunion - NOT because I am fat, but because I am just way too busy with my life! 4. I want to fit back into my seven and citizen jeans...and then I want some new pairs! (I just can't see spending the money on designer jeans right now...but when I get down to my goal weight...some new jeans are mine!) 5. Not feel embarrassed when I run into old friends...'cause I will be looking soooo good! 6. Re-energize my love life with my husband 7. Shop, shop, and shop some more! 8. Actually take friends up on their offers to come over to their house to hang out in their pool 9. Wear dresses in the summer heat and not have my thighs stick together...mine don't even rub they just don't separate, it is like they have post-it note glue on them or something 10. When I hit goal...hello tummy-tuck!!!

I read a post here lately at lap band talk (LBT for all you old-timers...us newbies are still getting used all the lingo) where a someone wrote about having a hard time sharing with their husband that they wanted the band. I have also read here at LBT that there are folks who have kept their band a secret from their spouse. My first reaction is...that's crazy!!! Then I stop and think about it, and I totally get it. Mostly I understand the fear aspect of letting a significant other know you have the lap band. For instance, my husband has been very supportive of me getting banded. He went to the information seminars with me, he sat at the surgery clinic the morning I had surgery, he is even going to my first post-op appointment with me this afternoon. On the one hand, it is really nice to have him so involved. On the other hand, I kinda wish it didn't have to all go down like that. Like, does he think less of me because I couldn't lose the weight and keep it off on my own? It's kinda like you want the person you are in love with to see you in a certain light. It is difficult to let someone see you as vunerable. For me, it is difficult to admit defeat with past diets that have failed. Because being defeated just isn't me! I like to think that my husband sees my decision to have the band as way for me to succeed when it comes to getting healthy. I have a habbit of worrying about hypothetical situations. One game I play quite often is the "what-if" game. This game can be fun when thinking about positive things, but it can be rather depressing when thinking about negative stuff. Anyhoo...so I have a pretty bad scenerio that I play out in my head which involves the whole: what if my husband and I are not together in the future? Well, then I wonder, would he tell his new super-skinny-hot (hypothetical) girlfriend about my lap band? Would my band be something he would talk about as if I was such a failure that I had to get a lap band to lose weight? I worry about that, even if it is just hypothetical. I know I shouldn't make crap up for myself to freak out about...but I do...and I guess that I why I really "get-it" when I read about folks who have kept their band a secret even from their significant others. This tool (the lap band) that I have chosen is an advantage to me. I chose it because I have seen how it works for others and how it can help me to get healthy. I would hate for it to be something that can be used against me. I think that is why I really like Amy's blog http://cheeseandsunkist.blogspot.com/ because she has been so freaken open about her lapband. Maybe she is onto something? Be the first to talk about it, therefore you get YOUR story out there before others make one up for you?

Well, last night I finally called one of my best friends in the world (she lives in Nevada and I live in Arkansas) and told her that I got the lap band. She was soooooo awesome about it. I don't even know why I was nervous about telling her. Especially when she and I have been diet buddies before. When she lived here in Arkansas she and I did all kinds of diets together (not to mention all the exercise we did). We even got diet pills together...oooh...those were dark times. At first it was rather innocent. We found a Dr. here in town that has basically built his practice around prescribing diet pills. But then we wanted more...so we used an online pharmacy...sweet cheese and rice...I am so glad what we got in the mail actually turned out to be the real deal. Anyhoo, we basically starved ourselves down to nothing. But of course it all came back with a VENGEANCE. @shues138: I totally understand your reasons for not telling your boyfriend. I think I would be the same way. Like, in my past when I was wasn't married and dating...I didn't tell everyone that I dated that I had a boob job. Not mention mine turned out looking quite authentic...so why should I announce it? However, like garfield461 said, at some point as your relationship moves forward you might have to tell him...hmmm...or do you? This is just one of those things that I really think each person needs to decide for themselves ((HUGS)))

It has now been a little over a week since I was banded and I was just thinking about something kinda funny that had happened before my surgery. While I was still just learning about the lap band I went to a seminar held by my surgeon's office (Dr. Wellborn, Little Rock, AR). After the seminar my mind was racing, I was so excited - like I was so excited that if I could schedule my surgery that day I would have! My Mom, husband, and brother went to the seminar with me (my brother is looking into getting the lap band and my Mom has had gastric bypass). Anyhoo, we were all talking about the lap band and all the sudden I freaked myself out about how basically I will be getting something implanted inside of me! My family looked at me like I had lost my mind, and then it hit me...duh...I already have "stuff" implanted in me...I had a boob job in 2005! Can you imagine if I were to be abducted by aliens and they did an autopsy on me? Wouldn't they be oh so confused by the two bags of saline in my chest and the plastic cord they would find in my torso? I digress... Speaking of the seminar... Here is one thing I remember the Doctor talking about and that is how the band helps with weight loss because it helps to control the "hunger" chemicals sent from the stomach to the brain. As we all know the constriction creates a smaller pouch that when you eat you fill up and not only do you feel full on less food for longer, however this actually tricks our brains into thinking we are really full and prevents it from sending our body into starvation mode. That is why with the band you can eat such low amounts of calories and lose weight - if it weren't for the band and a person tried to eat 800 calories a day they would send their body into starvation mode and not lose a pound. (not to mention one would be so hungry that they could possibly eat their own hands off) I haven't read where anyone has talked about this...so thoughts?

I just really feel like I need to get this out there...I have been feeling SOOOOOO many things since my surgery. 1. Lucky, I feel like one of the lucky ones. My Mom helped me to pay for my band and without my Mom being who she is I could not have afforded to get the band without her (my Mom had gastric bypass 6 years ago). It has been such a struggle for me to lose weight. I have fought this battle all my life. Sometimes I have won, but mostly I lost. 2. Guilty, I feel so guilty because I really do have REAL help for losing weight - but I don't know why I feel guilty. 3. I feel like shouting from the mountain top - AND at the same time - like my band is top secret. I feel very conflicted. I want to tell everyone and then at the same time I don't want ANYONE to know. I thought I was going to be a very open bandster until I told a friend at work...first words out of her mouth: "but you're not that big!" then during our conversation about my decision to have the band I learned that she has been one of those people that have never had to worry about their weight and that although now she is heavier she is ok with it because she is in her 40's and married (and then she proceeded to tell me about her walking regimen and lean cuisines: all the ways she attempts to lose weight...but I have to tell you, I have known this woman for a year and I haven't seen her lose one single pound). One little negative experience and I am ready to keep my band top secret. (*side note* --> I am freaken married and I am NOT ok with being big)...so now, the lady at work has been the only person I have told outside of family...my best friends don't even know...I feel like I could bust. While at the same time I wish I could throw out lap bands like beads at a Marti Gras Parade. I wanna have a lap band parade. 4. I feel like the lap band confirmed all the mean stuff said to me by mean people in my past. I know this is stupid but, why do we hang so tightly to the most ugly things said to us? Why does it matter that an ex-boyfriend called me fat (FIVE years ago!)? So in my mind in a really sick convoluted way I just confirmed my fatness by getting the lap band...because after all if I weren't fat, then I could not have gotten the lap band. 5. Like a weenie...I am such a p***y when it comes to pain, but because this surgery is elective I feel like no one has given me the sufficient amount of sympathy that I so desire. I know sound stupid...but dang this crap hurts! 6. Because I have been thin before, I know that people treat you differently. I have been thinking a lot about that. I have been thinking a lot about how I will handle that THIS TIME. I am in school studying for my doctorate and I am excited to feel good about myself. I have also thought about how this time I will not let the "skinny monster" surface - you know the horrible weird personality change that can occur and has happened to me before when people loose weight. Ok...that is all...I must go take a shower.

Thank you so much for everyone's responses. Thank the Lord for this message board, right?! I feel like I would lose my mind without this place. Side notes: I went and had my hair colored (needed to get my gray covered) and trimmed today. After my appointment I went to GNC to check out their Protein shakes because I am paranoid about getting all my protein in. Anyhoo...so the young (and buff) sales guy was helping me and I was trying to explain to him how I needed some super Protein Shakes and I just blurted out that I have just been banded. Just like that...I was like, "look I just got the lap band and I am so nervous about protein". It was one of those moments where I was like, OMG, did I really just say that out loud!? Surprisingly he was sooooo nice about it. So that was a very positive experience. I was honest and straight forward and the person didn't even flinch. However, the most awesome part of my day occurred when I went to pick my daughter up from school. When she got in the car she looked at the slacks and the shirt I was wearing and told me how nice I looked. She then told me that it was nice to see me in something besides workout clothes. Yoga pants and Nike running suit jackets had become my uniform just because I could no longer fit into my regular clothes. I had been running around the last couple of months as the workout imposter. It's nice to be fitting into regular slacks again (even if they are my "big" pants). Hurray for small victories! You all are right...I am strong. I AM facing my lifelong battle with my weight head on and by-gosh, this time I will win. I will get to be healthy, I will have more energy, more confidence, and the comfort of knowing that my band is there to help me. Hugs...no, I take that back...Hive-fives all around!!!

After my surgery (I was banded on Feb 16) my Doctor came out to the waiting room to speak with my husband and tell him how my surgery went. My husband told me that the Doctor told him that he used the smaller Allergan band on me and that it would mean that I would lose more weight. I am wondering if maybe my Doctor meant to say that it would be easier for me to lose weight because of the smaller band? I am just wondering if anyone else has heard this? Does band size really have any effect on how one loses weight? I figured I would post my question here amongst the lap band experts! Also my Doctor fixed a place where I had a hernia as well...has anyone else had this done? and does this make the recovery more painful? I am back to work and school, but boy I am beat --> and I am thinking that the hernia "fix" may have more to do with the lingering pain. Thank you in advance for everyone's feedback!

Thank you so much for everyone's responses. I am actually so happy that my work week is now over...I am super exhausted. In my head I just expected to power through the post-op stuff...but in reality I am a weenie and I don't like to admit that to myself. This recovering thing is a lot harder than I expected! It totally makes sense about healing from two procedures rather than just one because of the hernia repair plus the lap band. I am now officially 1 week post-op and I can honestly say....whew...glad that part is over (needing pain medication all the time, wishing I were in bed while I was at work or sitting in class). I am so ready to keep this journey moving along and keep on healing. I guess I was curious about the band sizes because I am surprised to feel restriction, especially when everything I have read and been told says that I would most likely not have restriction until I get a fill. Of course this could be because I am still swollen from surgery. Anyhooo....back to making sure I get enough Protein and healing!

I was banded yesterday and I slept on my tummy last night. I was really careful about getting into the tummy-sleeping position, but once I was there all was good. I have to fall asleep on my while laying on my tummy.

Well...this is definitely NOT the first time I have heard that! Let's see, since I have scheduled my lap band surgery I have had folks exclaim, "but you are NOT THAT big?!"...or "jeeze, just go on a diet"...or "but YOU don't need it!" (this last one typically comes from folks that are bigger than me). *sigh*...deep breath...OK, it took me a minute to think about whether or NOT I should even reply. I mean, come on! I am ashamed that I am unable to diet and KEEP the weight off. I feel like a total failure. Sure, I can diet and I will lose some weight, but then my willpower cracks, I get hungry...and the rest is a history of up and down. If my weight is down, I feel great about myself...but if my weight is up...forget it, I am miserable - God forbid I run into someone I haven't seen in awhile, I just feel like a pile of failure. Trust me I have tried EVERYTHING! (here is a quick sampling) * I am a lifetime member of Jenny Craig (bought my membership when I was 21, I just turned 38 yesterday) * Starvation * Sensa (that stuff is disgusting, makes me extremely jittery) * 7-day miracle diet (not what it sounds like, it is a diet where you eat every 2 hours, very low calorie, and quite balanced, however, like I said, VERY low calorie) * Atkins diet * Stopped eating dinner (for years...because doctor recommended this in order to lose weight) * Diet pills (worked great, until you stop taking them...but I was basically high all the time) * Lots of exercise (I was teaching aerobics twice a day...lost weight, but I wasn't able to spend the time I needed to spend with my daughter, she was 3 at the time) * Cabbage Soup diet * Diabetic Diet * Weight Watchers * Ali (gross) * Relicore So I have made the decision to get the lap band. I am only about 40 lbs away from my goal weight. But I am tired of never reaching my goal. I am tired of never having enough willpower to succeed. I decided on the lap band because of the way it acts like a tool to help you achieve your weight loss goal and most of all maintain it! Yes, I can make the decision to eat only 800 or so calories a day without a lap band...but I already know the outcome if I were to take this on without the lap band. I am choosing to be proactive. I am choosing prevention over reaction. Why would I want to put this off until I am diabetic, or have high cholesterol? Why would I wait until I destroy my knees? I don't think I SHOULD have to wait. I don't think that SOME people are more "deserving" of the lap band than others. It is a personal decision. I think it is quite thoughtless and flippant to say to someone in my position that since I only want to lose 40 or so LBS that I should just go on a diet. Trust me when I say, I WISH, I really, really WISH it were that easy!

If you are looking to self-pay you can definitely find a doctor who will band you. Especially considering that the FDA has approved the use of the lap band for BMI of 30 and up. I am self-pay and I am scheduled to have my surgery Feb 16th in Arkansas. I've struggled all my life with my weight...done every diet under the sun...only to gain the weight back --> EVERY TIME. Just like what others are saying, I can get the band now or 50-100 lbs down the road. I'd rather take the path of prevention.