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Pat, if you are walking around the house, doing laundry (you're not lifting the laundry are you?) then you are most likely moving enough to prevent blood clots. When I was in the hospital, I had only gotten up to walk a little in the hall and go to the bathroom and when I mentioned a concern about blood clots, the nurse told me I had already moved enough to prevent it. Just make sure you're out of bed and walking around a little every few hours that you're awake. I don't know what the pain in your neck might be. Maybe one of our nurse friends might know. But I do know that there are a lot of new sensations, aches, etc. in the early days and it is easy to get worried about them, but try not to. Most likely it's nothing serious. Nancy

Does anyone track their body fat percentage on one of those Tanita scales? I have been from the beginning and I am somewhat puzzled/troubled. My weight has decreased by 67 pounds or 26%, but my percentage body fat has only decreased from 52% to 47%. I think normal is about 15 or 20%. Does this mean I've lost mostly muscle? I know I don't get the recommended amount of Protein, but I do try. I drink at least one protein/soy milk shake a day. I'm curious about what thoughts anyone might have or any suggestions you might have. Thanks. Nancy

I think another reason that there is less of a risk of blood clots with this surgery is that it is a much easier surgery. With the others, people are in more pain and they are sicker after surgery. That interferes with their ability to get up and walk. With my surgery, I was out of bed and almost pain-free as soon as I woke up. I know I was lucky as far as the pain goes, but I think it is true that most people are able to get up and walk very shortly after surgery. Nancy

Oh, I definitely agree. Especially if it is someone who made threats. Nancy

HarleyNana, I read in another thread that you feel on the verge of a panic attack. I had some of those same feelings myself prior to surgery and it was very uncomfortable. I recommend exercise to help calm your nerves. It really works. Any surgery has its risks of course, but honestly, this surgery is very safe as surgeries go. And it will be all over tomorrow. Pamper yourself today. Try as much as possible to live in the moment and remind yourself that all is well and that you are safe. Nancy

Oh, and one more thing: What the H does 9/11 have to do with calling your doctor for a cough medicine refill? He stopped letting you do that because of 9/11? Does he think you're a terrorist who's going to poison everyone with cough syrup? And just how many serious coughs are you getting? I'm starting to wonder about a cough syrup/bizarre postings connection, but since we're all being nice now, I won't mention it. Nancy

And just when everyone is walking away from this thread and kissing and making up, I, like Teresa just discovered it and I can't believe I read the whole thing, but it has been very interesting. The oddest thing to me in this thread was Marg's offer to make a Lopez appointment for anyone who wanted aftercare. How could she do that if she doesn't work for him? I mean, I can't exactly call my surgeon and make an appointment for someone I'd just met in cyberspace. They'd call the paddywagon if I tried to do that. Also, just out of curiosity, how does a person mess with another person's profile and how would one know that it had been done? Nancy

Greg, you are a good son. I hope your mom recovers soon and that your aunt suffers no pain. Nancy

Conratulations, Blossom. I'm so glad all went well for you. Nancy

Lisa, I can't tell you how happy I am for you. I thank God that your wound is finally, finally healed for good. But of course, you are largely responsible for it because you had such tenacity in pursuing a medical answer and in caring for your wound on a daily basis. I hope that part of your feeling of elation is the knowledge that you have been so very responsible. I am praying that a way will be cleared for you to get a new port and that you will be able to keep your band. Nancy

I really agree with what everyone else has said. Check out the "burping and farting thread." To expand upon what Paula said, I would just add that the band is a complicated thing to figure out, especially in the beginning. There are a lot of new sensations that you have to learn to decode. There are also particular foods that I miss - especially bread. And I agree with Babs that the first 50% of my excess weight came off effortlessly, but now I am having to be more careful about my diet. Remember, too, that you asked to hear the bad, so we are telling you the bad. Stack it all up against the promise of better health, more energy, improved appearance, longer life, and improved mental health and the "bad" is almost insignificant. All of those things are a very prominent part of my day to day life. Nancy

If you do, you can PM me and I'll tell you more about what I have. Some are work clothes, but not too dressy. Some are weekend clothes. Nancy

Super-duper awesome job! :banana :banana :banana Nancy

That's great, Babs. Do you realize how many people in this country have 19 pounds to lose? You're normal now! Nancy

I am having so many NSVs, it is really exciting. It seems my body is changing so much so fast. I've lost some weight to be sure, but I think a lot of it is the effect of exercise and I am "compacting" (I believe that was Alexandra's word). Bandster friends, I struggled for so many, many months after my initial weight loss post-surgery. I ate all of the wrong things. I didn't exercise. I didn't lose a pound for months and months. And even though I had lost a lot of weight initially, my clothing size hadn't changed at all. So I hope you don't feel I am bragging or tooting my own horn now, but I just feel the need to express my excitement to someone and I figure you all can understand better than my thin friends would. I love that the band was patient and waited for me to get my act together while at the same time not allowing me to re-gain all my lost weight. The recent NSVs are too numerous to mention, but here are a few: I finally caved in and bought new clothes about a month or so ago because my clothes were finally getting too big. Now my new clothes are too big. At work there are about 2 people a day - usually people I don't really know - who comment on how much weight I've lost. Most miraculous of all, I've had a lot of photos taken of me recently at parties and such and I didn't hate most of them! I'm just so excited and thrilled! Nancy

Leatha, you're so right. There are times (like this one) when the weight doesn't change that much, but your life does! Nancy

Great work, Leatha! And six miles is a lot when you are just starting out. I think six miles is about the most I've done. I've been walking daily, but sometimes it is no more than a mile. Somtimes three or more, but usually just between one and two miles. Nancy

Lisa, you slay me! I can now go down the aisle of the bus facing forward instead of going sideways. And someone can sit next to me comfortably on the bus and we don't touch. And when I have to run to catch the bus, I don't even get out of breath. Oh, and I lost my wallet on the bus and someone turned it in and I got it back the same day. OK, nothing to do with weight loss, I know, but I thought as long as I was talking about bus victories... Nancy

Good luck, Pat. Let us know how you are as soon as you are able. Nancy

Pat, my port is a sternal port also. My doctor told me that research has shown there are less complications with the port placed there. I do sometimes feel it when I am laying (or is it lying, I can never remember) on my stomach, but not to the point that it is really uncomfortable. At least not yet. I totally understand about the butterflies. I think we all had them. Don't worry about blood clots. You should be up and walking at least a little very soon after surgery. Keep doing that and the blood clots won't form (unless you have a known clotting problem, in which case they will give you medicine to prevent the clots from forming. I'm pretty sure you will be successful, too. After all, we all were failures at dieting or we wouldn't have gotten the band. But look how many successes there are on this board! They're not really any more disciplined than you are. The band is helping them! As for the changes you will need to make, well, yes, there is some work and some uncomfortable change involved. But you already know that. We all get through it. I wish you a very safe surgery and a speedy recovery. Nancy

Congratulations!

This is great info. And of course if you want to lose faster than what it says, I suppose you could increase the exercise. Nancy

My doctor in Houston charges $12,000 for a self-pay. I am not sure whether that includes follow-up. A 15 months ago, he charged $14,000 and that included a year's follow-ups and fills. Nancy

Carmen's post (Lioness81970) has really gotten me thinking and I feel moved to write more about my own feelings on being banded. I had surgery exactly 15 months ago today. My primary reasons for doing it were that I wanted to get healthier and I wanted to look better. I could not have imagined then that the changes I was hoping to effect in my body would be nothing compared to the changes that would evolve in my mind and soul. I expected some psychological changes of course, but I was anticipating that they would be somewhat negative: I thought the behavior changes I would need to make would be difficult and that there might be some difficulties in relationships that could arise. It hasn't always been easy to make the needed changes, of course, and those of you who cyber-know me, know that I've had my struggles with food and exercise. And my weight loss has been slow. But I am thinner and I am healthier and I do look better and it wouldn't have happened without the band. More importantly, however, is that I now feel so much stronger on the inside. I am more confident. I think more of myself and I expect more of myself. I also expect more from the people around me. I expect to be treated with the respect I now know I deserve. I had a couple of friendships in which I was the one doing all the work. I telephoned them. I suggested outings. And sometimes they wouldn't call me back. It made me feel bad. After getting banded, I stopped playing that game. I stopped calling them. It took over a year in one friend's case, but she eventually started calling me and we began to have the most honest and heartfelt talks we'd ever had in years of friendship. I don't see her or talk to her as much as I did before, but when we do get together, it is more real and more satisfying. I'm still working on the other one. If eventually I lose her altogether, I will be sad, but I will still have me. also have begun to make new friends. I've met some wonderful people through this board and through other activities as well. Prior to this last year, I felt old. At 50, I was beginning to have health problems and I fatalistically thought that it was the beginning of the end. I saw nothing in my future but further physical decline. Though I still have to be attentive and take care of myself, my health has improved and with my new-found physical and mental energy, I've taken on new activities and made plans to go back to graduate school. I now know that for me, 50 is just the beginning of the beginning. I've struggled with depression for many years and have been seeing a psychiatrist for over ten years. Lately every time I see him, he says I'm doing better than he's ever seen me do. The bottom line is that I'm happy now and I wasn't before. To those of you who are still thinking about getting banded, who are struggling with insurance companies, impatiently waiting for a date, or wondering how you will afford to self-pay, To those of you who are disappointed that you are losing weight so slowly, To those of you who are newly banded and are wondering what all those strange sensations mean, To those of you who are beginning to realize that the band is a complicated device with a mind of it's own, I offer my story. Pre-surgery testing: $400 Lap-Band surgery: $14,000 Finding Nancy again: Priceless I thank God that I found the Lap-Band and this board and all of you. Nancy

Marie, Marie, you're embarassing me! Nancy