DeniseG

I couldn't remember how much I had lost the first month until I looked at the back of a picture I took, I only lost 12 pounds the first month so, really you are doing very well, especially since you haven't had your first fill yet. Most liquidy foods you have to have in the first month have a lot of calories/carbs/sugars anyway so it is hard to lose that way. Just think, you weighed 10 pounds more a month ago. You are right on track........keep up the good work.

If I did this right, you should see my photos at the following address http://geocities.com/denisepgalloway/weightloss.html

I was wondering how many lapbanders have experienced keiloid scarring (raised scars that itch and are very unsightly) as a result of their lapband surgery?? I have had my lapband for over 6 months and most people I have talked to have said their scars are fading and they don't have a keiloid scar (including my husband whose scars are almost invisible now), I have really been depressed because 3 of my 5 scars are keiloids including the scar near my port---it looks like a stab wound. If you do have a keiloid that is healing, what have you done that has helped??? Thanks Denise

Besides of course, eating slowly and chewing thoroughly, anyone have advice when you know something is stuck that you can do before throwing up??? I have had my band for about 6 months, and am on my 3rd adjustment, and having a hard time now with getting everything stuck, I just had it done last week, so it may still be swollen. Anyone have any tricks to help the food slide down??? I've tried warm water with salt---didn't work, tried to wait for it to go down on its own (too painful), if I want to throw it up I just drink a sip of water. I tried a cough drop with menthol and it seemed to help once, but, it may have been in my mind. Sometimes before I even swallow the first bite, I have a stuck feeling.

my doctor normally does fills in the morning........I guess because he thinks it will be easier to go four hours of not eating. It seems like most people are tighter in the morning than afternoon, if so, wouldn't that mess up how much to increase the fill to?? My husband who has also had the surgery had his fill last week, and can now eat more than he did with the one before. During the procedure the doctor took some out, and added some back, do you think, that because it was the morning it might have messed up his tightness??? My doc doesn't announce the percentage in the fill.

I know what your saying about holding on the the bad comments, it's harsh when someone says they can't see the weightloss, I have been pretty lucky in the fact that no one has done that since the band, I have a tendency when someone says"I can tell you have lost weight" and I haven't........to say "really? I haven't lost weight in a few weeks now" I have got to stop doing that, and just accept the compliment I guess. My husband and I have both had the surgery so, thank goodness we have a support system there with each other, but, I think he has become a little more insecure with my weightloss, that, I will lose it and leave him.......Definitely, not how I feel, he's the best thing that has happened in my life. Maybe that is what is wrong with the guy you are talking about, as one poster put.

I tried the adkins diet before sugery and found for my self to be full, I had to eat 8+ pieces of bacon plus eggs, a huge steak, a huge hamburger (not in one sitting, of course) I was losing weight to some degree but, making unhealthy choices as far as fat and calories, with the band, I can only eat a small piece of meat and it usually fills me up, and on a good day, I pick healthier choices of meat. Only bad thing, I usually have a problem with meats getting stuck ex. bacon and sausage. I still have a bad habit of wanting to save the meat for last (best for last) and going for the carbs first, hopefully one day I'll break this habit. So, technically, many people with the band are following a low carb diet, but, mostly because they are full before they get to the carbs

I try to watch what I eat, but, do not diet per say, I try to watch my carbs. I thought when I got the band that, that would make me lose weight, no matter what I ate. Now granted, I have lost 39, but, I have had the band for 6 months. I know a guy that had his done a week after me and has lost 80 pounds, but he works out 3 times a week and diets too. Personally for me, if a diet had worked, I wouldn't have gotten the lap band, but, I admire his willpower. Of course, after a while your metabolism slows, and it is almost impossible to eat whatever you want. I just had my 3rd adjustment this past week and can't get solids down right now, so I assume I will lose more, but, then gain it back when I can eat solids again. Just be reasonable, you'll lose more eating healthy even if M&M's go down better lol

sounds pretty typical, the swelling in your band area has probably gone down some. From what I have heard, it is very hard for your band to slip, just follow your doctors instructions, and don't move onto solids until he/she instructs you too. I agree with sassay, it is possible you may gain a few pounds back after you go to solids, I didn't, but, I lost less than 10 pounds before my first fill. Don't get discouraged though, it will all come off in time.

such helpful advice, that has been one thing I have been discouraged about, I will try the curad product you recommended, it can't hurt right??? I don't remember having keloids until the last 5 years or so, with this surgery, and when I had a couple moles removed. someone told me about a product made from the extract of snails that might work. EEyew, but, it might be something to try too.

wow, I have had the lapband since August and just now lost 39 what's your secret?? congrats

It is good that when you feel the pain in your chest to stop eating. Wait a few minutes for it to subside, this usually means something is getting stuck. Sometimes, it will go down on its own otherwise you will have to get rid of it. I find when something is stuck and I need to get rid of it a sip of water will bring it back up. The first time I felt the pain I thought I was having a heart attack, because my husband had the surgery too, and he said when his food got stuck he felt like he couldn't breathe. I never feel that way, it feels like heavy heartburn with a sorta gas feeling in my throat and chest. I guess different people experience it differently. Again, don't continue to eat after you feel the pain, it will make it worse instead of better in my opinion.

There are some foods on the list I was suprised I would be able to eat, for example, nuts, and I thought junk food wouldn't go down as easy lol (I have a friend who had gastric bypass that can not digest sugary foods and I thought the lap band would be similar, but it isn't-chocolate, cookies, and chips unfortunately go down fine) I have no problems with pasta in fact, with the second adjustment, I found it hard not to PB unless I ate pasta, it was a safe food for me, unfortunately, it is not the best food to lose weight with when you are trying to watch you carbs. I have problems with potatoes now (not on first adjustment but after 2nd-I am now on my 3rd as of today so I don't know) I can't eat them baked, although baked sweet potato goes down fine. Basically if it has sugar it goes down fine if it is healthy lately, I have had a problem. I do miss french fries, but, in some ways I am happy I can't eat them because they were one of the reasons I gained weight in the first place. I hope that helps, I know everyone is different Denise

I am suprised I have read people on a liquid diet before surgery.....maybe it is something new. I really got burnt out of liquids the first month after surgery. Of course I gained weight before the surgery pigging out on foods I didn't think I would ever be able to eat again the week before my surgery

I had my surgery on Thursday and went back to work on Tuesday. I had wished I had taken a couple more days off. I was really tired. Working kept my mind off the soreness, but, in my job I had to sit all day and it was really hard to do that. I felt like I needed to move around. I am sure your clients would understand if you took more time off, or at least had less clients in a day with huge spaces between them for rest

I am suprised that your insurance will let you have the band at only 240 and being 5'7. Was your BMI index high?? My husband was 250 at 5'6 and they didn't want to cover him even with health issues. I was 282 and 5'7 so a better candidate as far as my insurance goes. They have since stopped letting people get the lapband so I am glad I got mine before the cut off date. Good luck on the surgery!!!

I have PCOS and have had the band almost 6 months. I was not on any blood sugar medicine before. (Maybe should have been, but, I felt drugs made me feel weird........my doctor did blood sugar test and said I was in the normal range) I had other PCOS symptoms though. Including no period for months. I too did not know about PCOS until my third gynegologist (sp) and years of wondering why I wasn't having a regular period and hormonal problems. I have my period now a little more regularly but, I have noticed it has been real light and dark colored. (I guess I need to get that checked) My hormones have been crazy too. I have only lost 35 pounds, I don't know if that is because of PCOS or maybe I just need to excercise more

thank you so much for the support. Sounds like we had the lap band done around the same time. Everyone seems to have adopted fairly well in my support meetings but I still struggle daily

Hi, I just discovered the board. I have had my lapband for about 6 months. I love my surgeon and he did a great job, but, I have been disappointed in it, to be perfectly honest. I thought it was going to be a lot different. It seems like healthy food won't go down but bad foods go down really well. I try to stay away from them of course. I have only lost 35 pounds, which granted I am happy about, and I try not to judge my weight loss against some one else but, it is hard not to. I was told I would really start to see the weight come off after the second adjustment, and since which has been about 6 weeks, I have only lost 5 pounds and that is when I was on the liquids for the first couple days. I am trying to stay optomistic, but I have been really depressed about it

I am so glad to see my 35 pound weightloss seems to be normal at 6 months. I had been so depressed. I went to a support group in my area. I thought it would make me feel better, but it made me feel worse. You can always see others weight loss before your own I guess. My husband had his done the same day as mine and he has lost 48 so, that depressed me too, of course, I am happy for him and he has a lot less to lose then me. I started at 282. He was 250. I had my second fill about 6 weeks ago and everyone told me I would really lose after that one and I have only lost 5 and that was in the first few days. I have been up and down since then. I have to admit though I think my husband's second fill was larger than mine. I don't know the percentage of my fill. I have been trying to not get a fill until I feel I can't handle it anymore, I think though i will have to get my third soon. Main problem I have with the lap band........unhealthy food goes down great. Stuff that is good for you I have a problem with

I second what you said babs I did believe in the beginning I would not have to do any work with the lapband but, that is not the case. I really feel I am on a diet all the time just like before, but, the band makes me feel fuller at a sitting (granted after a couple hours I am hungry again) My family-same thing...If you just excercise and eat less you'll lose weight.....well technically they are correct, but, it was more than that for me. Food is an addiction. Very few friends know about my surgery. My mom doesn't even know (I had it 6 months ago) I will tell her once I get to my goal weight though, or if there are complications. If I had to do it again???? I don't know.........ask me that when I get closer to my goal. Sometimes I feel like a failure that I had to do it, but, then sometimes I feel with my health, i had no choice

I wonder if sodium is what is triggering it. I haven't had a soda since surgery.......Like bread I tell myself I can't have it or something bad will happen (lol) but, I wonder if sodium triggers food cravings. Dr Pepper has alot of sodium. I have been craving nuts like craaazy!!! I think I am going to have to go on a low carb program. Once I weed myself off sugar and carbs I feel I do better at not having cravings. One thing the lap band has done for me.........I notice that I eat most when I am worried about money (or lack of it) Before band I would eat and not even notice I was eating. At least with the band, I have to chew so thoroughly I take notice of how much I eat and when I eat. I guess that is the weakness of the band. It may fix you physically but, not psychologically

Hey Bobby, We may have had the same surgeon. I got mine done in Chattanooga in Aug 2003 too. I am so glad what you said about the "if I wanted to diet..." I felt the same way. I am trying to go back to the doctor to reschedule another fill. I don't think #2 did much of anything. I seem to be stuck at 35 pound loss. Not that I am complaining, about that, but, I have only lost about 5 since #2 and that was in the first initial 3 days. My hunger is definitely back, and it doesn't seem I can eat anything well unless it is bad for me. I have been craving salty foods. Maybe my iodine is low. I am hoping more excercise and another fill will help me because I have been depressed about the lapband lately. Wishing in some ways I had the bypass