mjsafari

Weight Loss - 39lbs since pre-op Clothes - no change in size, but what I have fit better Food - before today, not enough restriction, so I had to make the choice to stop - definitely understand, "I will just finish that". I had my 2nd fill today, so I hope to have a better stop now. I have tried really hard to make good choices, but if I want something I eat a little of it. It helps not keeping junk in the house. Emotionally - good this week, I was a little angry when my mother was here visiting - she kept asking my husband why it was working for him but not me! Like 35lbs in 4 weeks wasn't good enough. I finally said something just before she left - when was the last time you lost 35lbs in 4 weeks? She called yesterday to say that she and my sister were clothes shopping for me, because they knew how much it was going to cost me to keep replacing clothes. I said you guys keep saying this isn't going to work, so why would I need new clothes? I know a snotty thing to say, but they have not been very supportive. Now I am determined to prove them wrong!

Back from my 2nd fill - will post on 2nd fill thread, but wanted to let you know what they said about the pain when I bend over. The nurse said that is very common and usually goes away in 2-3 months. It takes time for the port to scar in place. So no worries for now, will just see if it goes away. I was down 7lbs since my last fill 2 weeks ago, so they were very happy with that. The nurse said that was really good for a month, so 2 weeks was great. I didn't think that sounded so good, but I guess I just want this to happen faster. Glad to be losing.

thanks for the answers on the port pain. Mine does not hurt all the time, just when I bend to the right - like Stella said, I can touch my left toes, but not my right without pain. I will let you know what my doc says Monday. I couldn't do any abdominal exercises even if wanted to because of this pain, but I haven't asked about any restrictions. I am having a hard time getting motivated to exercise! I am still losing well, but I know I need to get moving. My husband is doing amazing! Down 71lbs in 2 1/2 months without a fill - I told him people will ask why he needed the band! He knew he could lose, but couldn't keep it off, so it is a good choice for him. He only has 77 more lbs to goal. He does have all the issues that can come with band though - not being able to eat in the morning, sliming and PBs. He has an upper GI scheduled next month (as a follow-up on Barrett's esophagus), so we will know if his band is ok. Happy Losing, everyone!

Janine - good choice for mexican! We finally went out the other night to a mexican restaurant - first time since banding. I had 4 chips with cheese dip, grilled chicken breast with cheese and a creamy red sauce and black beans. I ate less than half and took the rest for lunch the next day. I think I looked at the menu a hundred times before I decided that was the best thing, thankfully it was very delicious. I do have to make the choice to stop most of the time still, I am hoping my 2nd fill on Monday will help. Is anyone have issues with their port when they bend over? If I bend over repeatedly or draw my legs up in bed at night, I get a burning pain where my port is. I thought it was my incision until I had my fill and realized it was my port. I am going to discuss with the surgeon on Monday, but just wondered if anyone else had that issue.

My husband and I were both approved by Aetna PPO - so there is hope. Remember though that your employer may be setting the rules for each surgery and can even exclude it, so as someone else mentioned, you may want to get your HR involved. I think what helped me the most was a letter from my GYN. If you don't see a family doc regularly, but you see your GYN every year - ask them for a letter of recommendation and have that chart sent over. She had documentation on all my fertility and PCOS issues as well as a annual weight.

Diet - didn't we all get the lapband to try and get away from this word! :grouphug: I know I did, but all this worrying about what I am eating is worse then any other diet. I found info from Dr. Ortiz's, "LapBand for Life" helpful. It really is about making good choices - lean meat, veggies, fruit, then carbs and avoiding unneeded fat (butter and mayo) and processed sugars. I started with an Atkins type diet - because I know that I can lose weight, but after reading something from the book, I think that may be the wrong approach. Basically Dr. Ortiz says - your body needs some carbs or it will rob protein for its energy. It may not take the protein you have eaten though, since there is already processed and stored protein available in your body. I have decided to stick with the basics and not count anything, if I make good choices, eat 3 solid meals a day, minimize snacking, drink a lot of water, and the band helps me control my portions, I think I will do well. We can do this Junies! :confused:

I have yet to have anyone say anything about my weight loss. My mother kept asking my husband why it was working for him (down 68lbs) and not for me, when she was here on vacation. Even my wonderful husband has not said anything. I hadn't noticed much change in how my clothes fit, but I have been wearing shorts and big t-shirts for 4 weeks now. I started back to work this week and can button all of my scrubs! I have been wearing them open with t-shirts under them for a long time even though it is against our dress code. I had to replace a couple of buttons, so I could wear them - didn't matter before. I think I will be able to wear my old clothes for quite awhile, but I am starting feel like I don't have to pull them down or rearrange them to cover something up. At 5'1" I will probably have to lose 150# before anyone will notice, but as long as the scale keeps moving in the right direction I am happy.

You got the AP (Advanced Platform) band then. The balloon goes all the way around and it is easy to open and close. The small holds 10cc and the large holds 14cc. I have the small AP.

I agree with Glinda - I was thinking just us Junies. I look around some, but only read the June page daily. Whatever is cheapest works for me. ME

I haven't been to Vegas for 10 years, so I can't help with where to stay. We stayed at the Sahara when we got married and it was nice then. I would vote for late spring - April, May for a 3 day weekend.

Went for my first fill today - nothing to it. I had lost 11lbs since my post-op appointment - Dr. Malley said that was great. I told him I was hungry quite often though. I have been trying very hard to control my portions, but the other day we went for Breakfast. I had 2 eggs, hash browns and 3 sausage links. I knew then I needed my fill! He said if you are eating breakfast you need a fill. He had me lay down, probed for a second on my abdomen, said you will feel a little stick, then he injected 4cc's of Fluid. I really didn't feel anything. We were talking the whole time, so I am not sure if he used local or not. He said I didn't have much in my band from surgery, so most of the 4ccs will be to prime the tubing between the port and the band. I go back in 2 weeks for another fill. He will aspirate at that time to see how much fluid is still there and add more if I still don't have enough restriction. I sat up and drank some Water. Everything went fine and I was out of there. I am to be on soft foods for the next couple of days and then back to normal food. Since the AP band is so new, they don't know exactly how fills will work with it. I may get some restriction for awhile and then it will go away, I may get all the restriction I need or none at all. No need to say what I am hoping for, but I haven't felt any difference yet. Here's wishing everyone has easy fills like mine!

Hi all - just checking in. I have been reading every day, but I guess I haven't had much to say. I am glad everyone is doing well. I would be up for getting together in '08. Vegas sounds great! It will be our 10th anniversary next year and we were married in Vegas, we have talked about a trip back in '08 anyway. I had my first fill today. Doc was happy with my 11lbs lost since last seeing him - he said is that you or the band? As much as I love my band, I did take the credit, because I didn't have much restriction at all. I could eat way more than I should, I have just been trying really hard to control my portions and make good food choices. I have to keep up with my husband - he is down 65lbs and 2 pants sizes! :) He also has the ugly side of the band though - sliming and PB's and he hasn't had a fill yet. But he is learning to work with it. He knows he has to drink a glass of water when he wakes up and then wait awhile to eat, then stay away from bread. My biggest struggle has been not snacking in the evening when I am watching TV. That is really the only thing I miss. I found dill pickle sunflower seeds - great replacement for salty high fat potato chips. I have a few through-out the evening to satisfy that craving. keep up the great work! :clap2: Have a good week.

Suzzie - we found grilled chicken breast strips at Sam's club. They came 3 bags in a box. Each bag can be microwaved. They taste great on their own or with a little BBQ sauce. Very quick and easy. Nina - thanks for the great info! Congrats everyone on the great weight loss! Missy

PB - productive burp - meaning you bring something back up when you burp. Sliming - I saw it described somewhere else - when something gets stuck, your body produces saliva to try and get it back up. The saliva is evidently really thick - thus slime. I am sure there is a thread with a better description on here somewhere.

thanks everyone for the well wishes! How did everyone fair today? I did pretty well. 1 rib, a spoonful of beans, a spoonful of cheesy corn and 1 deviled egg, then 1/2 a plain hamburger patty later in the evening. I could have also had - chips, dip, hot dogs, brats, potato salad, brownies, cheesecake, and white cake. I am the proudest of not having one potato chip. Potatoes are the reason I needed the band! LOL Hope everyone had a great 4th!

SimplyMe - I agree, on mushies and liquids, I didn't feel like I had any restriction, but on solids I do. I had a pork chop yesterday and WOW, was there a definite stop and I was full for a long time. I have the new band also. My husband has the new band and didn't get his first fill, because he has so much restriction. He is down 56lbs since preop in May. Janine - I am sorry you are having issues with meat. That is what seems to keep me full, so I am glad to eat it!

thanks - now I can't see it again on my post! I am just going to leave it alone! have fun at the game! did it finally quite raining? We are looking fine now, but may have some showers this evening.

okay I guess cussing and complaining about the ticker makes it work! :-)

dang, I can't get my stupid ticker to stick! I just wanted to celebrate - I am under 300! I was 299 this morning, which puts me down 29lbs since starting my pre-op on May 31st. I am cooking brownies to take to our family get together later. That will keep me away from eating them! I will proably just have a couple of ribs and a deviled egg.

Another satisfied Malley patient here! He is very quiet, so if you are looking for a lot of conversation, he is not the guy. He will answer any question and give you good advice though. He is a very good surgeon and well thought of by the staff at Menorah, so that says a lot. I mentioned how quiet he was to one of the nurses when I had my surgery - she said he is quiet unless he thinks his patient is not getting what they need. He was the first surgeon in town to get the new AP band also, since he is a proctor for Allergan he had them in May. My husband was one of his first patients to get one and he made sure they had one for me when I had my surgery in June, because he knew how much I wanted one.

BigBaby - I agree about the Brookhaven show. The director of the facility is not even medically trained. I have yet to see a success story from that place. He has called surgery the easy way out more than once. I keep saying that I am not going to watch it anymore - but it reminds me of where I could be if I didn't have surgery. I am very interested to see what they say about the Band on Big Medicine next week.

thanks Toni - I have been struggling with my ticker so much I forgot about that! I like the show, but I am disappointed that they don't use the band more. The psych was making me mad saying that guy was not ready for surgery. He is over 700lbs - get him losing weight and then work on his issues while he is losing like "Big D" said. He is going to die if they don't do something for him. I will be interested in his progress.

Hi everyone just checking in. Glad everyone seems to be doing well. My husband went for his first fill yesterday and didn't get it! He is down 56lbs and having restriction. He can eat about 3 bites of anything, but has to chase it with water, then he can eat a little more. He is doing great and has plenty of energy. He sticks to solid protein mostly, but has some greens and fruit also. He will go back again in 2 weeks to see if he needs a fill, but I doubt he will. Me on the other hand - I am ready for a fill! I feel like I can eat way more than I should, but I do have restriction or at least a stopping point. I am probably not eating 1/4 of what I used to, but it still seems like a lot. My weight is not dropping off like my husband's, but that is typical of men I think in the beginning. I am struggling with snacking. I was watching Big Medicine last night and thinking about what I should eat! YIKES - I wasn't hungry, but sitting watching TV at night is when I would usually be snacking on something. I resisted though and just kept reminding myself that I was full from my very yummy pork chop! Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th and July! Be has good as you can and don't beat yourself up!

Big Sexy and Captain Danbo - I am sooo glad our guys made it through okay. BigSexy I am so sorry you had that scare! I hope it doesn't make you regret your choice! Keep Moving it definitely helps, even though it hurts!

I am 2 weeks out and on regular food. I was on liquid/mushies for a week, then my surgeon said soft foods this week and start on regular foods yesterday. I have been eating mostly chicken, chewing well and it is going down fine. I do have some restriction or at least a stopping point, but I wish it was sooner. I am eating off a small plate, but I can finish that. I can't wait for my fill on the 16th!