♕ajtexas♕

If I had to I could. Fortunately I am able to take 5 weeks off.

Remember starting a new school? Having to make new friends? Trying to find your way around? Everything was so different and you hated it…. Remember moving to a new town? Not knowing anyone? Having to leave all your friends behind? Everything was so different and you hated it…. Well here we are, starting a new school….. Alex has built WLS University (BariatricPal) and within that university are the specialty colleges (Lapband, Sleeve, Bypass). It is all new and SCARY! We don’t know where to go, we don’t know where our friends are…… and we are expressing feelings of dislike. What if we meet some new friends? Learn about their struggles with their WLS? What if we gave them support? We all know the one similarity we share is that WE have a problem with our weight and WE had to do something about it. That problem didn’t go away when we had surgery. We just started a new journey of healing. A journey that is for life. The same journey for all of us. Let’s embrace what Alex has provided us, a place to go for support, for help and for education. I know it is scary right now, we are only 2 weeks into the new school. (Don’t know about you but I keep getting lost.) But, in time this new university will be our old familiar stomping ground. We will be running into all our friends all the time. We will know the layout like the back of our hands…..If only we give it a chance. Thank you Alex for building us this beautiful WLS University called BariatricPal.

Had my 2 week post op appointment today. Doc removed my drains and said everything looked great. Was able to take a shower tonight. First one in 2 weeks. Man did it feel good.

Hey Floridays. Great to hear from you. Glad you are doing well. Miss you.

Everyone loves drama.... keeps it real, lol.

Congrats on reaching goal! We are all learning this new site and Alex is still working out the bugs. i don't think he has all the bugs worked out for uploading pics, but you can always PM him and ask. Again, congrats!!!

Looks like a lot of fun. Congrats on your first 5k! You look great!!

It took a couple of weeks, about a month before I realized that my leg/foot wasn't going numb anymore. I think I got use to it.

I had the same problem. Doctor said to stop crossing my legs and it will stop. Easier said than done, lol. I try very hard not to cross my legs and the numbness has gone away. It does come back when that old habit sneeks back in though.

You post was honest and sincere up until you said this: "If you are the type of person from a small town and DON'T like diversity or opinions of others and only like to get YOUR advice from people that you *LIKE* AND CLICK with, please block me, because that will surely help me, because I don't want to waste my fingers helping someone that have other agendas here. " Why did you feel the need to insult us? Did you ever consider this is why people don't respect you and your opinion? Try sticking to telling your story and keep the insults out....it might help.

I was worried about my port, would it be in the way, etc... I researched surgeons and picked one who has years of experience doing TT on banded patients. Yes the port and tubing are in the way, the doctor has to work around them. The port is attached to muscle (not the skin) so it doesn't have to be moved. I no longer have the scare on my stomach showing me where my port is, I have to feel for it, lol. At my week post op appointment my doctor asked me if I had any troubles with getting fills. I said no why? He said that my port was tilted sideways.... He straighten it and added a few sutures to it. Fixed it while he was in there, lol. It could of never become a problem but didn't hurt to correct it now. I am thankful my surgeon is so familiar with the band and yes he did send a report to my Band doctor regarding the port.

I had my one week follow up appointment today. Doc said everything looks great. I still have both drains (one more week). Asked doc how much skin did he remove.....he removed almost 6 pounds of skin. Holly cow! I have not stood on the scale since surgery (& don't plan to until all the swelling is gone). Can't wait to go cloth shopping!

I am feeling really well. I take Tylenol during the day and a pain pill when I go to bed (I still hurt at night cause I keep trying to sleep on my side and stomach). I am walking as much as I can, even logged 5,000 steps on my fitbit yesterday. The hard part is going from standing to sitting and vise verse, My follow up appointment is Wednesday morning, I'll post an update after that. Thanks for asking.

I already had the lower profile port so that wasn't an issue.

I was banded Feb 2012 and lost 80 pounds, I reached my goal Dec 2012 and have maintained for almost a year now. My insurance doesn't cover plastic surgery (didn't cover the band either) so I paid cash (approximately $7,000 for a full TT).

I'll be honest, Alex, combining the forums makes me nervous. I understand from the 'business' perspective, but does that make it best for us? I trust you and and knowing that you are a Bandster eases my mind. (I Just needed to voice my concerns). I look forward to the new changes (& being able to blog again!!!). Thanks for the update.

I follow several different rules. 1) the LapBand rules on eating (cause if you don't it means trouble). 2) During my weight loss stage I set personal rules that I followed (low carb, exercising, no eating after 9pm, etc...) 3) Now that I am maintaining I have created some lifestyle rules for myself. But I don't see them as rules, more as guidance. I don't deprive myself of anything but I do make health choices that others would see as being deprived. When I post about following the rules I am referring to how to eat with the band. In my opinion the biggest problem with the band is the patients not learning how to eat/manage their band. This is a high maintenance tool, we cannot ignore/abuse it, if we do there are consequences. Almost two years banded, I have learned to listen to my band and not to push it. I learned to "follow the rules".

It get's better & better!!!

Oh so very true, love it!