Kinley7390

Wow! Congratulations!!

Some people on this very site have lost weight each month for several months, some up to a year, without a fill so it really does depend on the patient. Most who do get fills are usually required to wait at least 6 weeks post-op for the first one. Some doctors fill very conservatively, and others not so much. There are many factors a doctor considers in determining whether or not a fill is warranted, two of which obviously include your rate of weight loss (they shoot for 1-2 lbs/wk) and appetite.

I am sorry to hear you were in an abusive relationship, but congratulations for getting out. I hope your daughter is okay... To answer your question, the psych eval, from my experience, consisted of a long questionaire which it sounds like you completed as well, and a face to face meeting where the psychologist asked questions about my life, relationships, views on food, self image, etc. It would seem that they want to be sure that potential lap band patients will be able to commit to the lifestyle changes, are motivated to succeed, and don't have any emotional issues that might prohibit success. Given what you've been through, it is commendable that you were honest on the questionaire. The truth is, there would be no point in trying to deceive anyone anyway, because the only person that would hurt is you. You want to go into this confident that you are ready to embrace all that the lap band lifestyle requires of you. I don't think that being in an abusive relationship in and of itself is reason not to be considered for lap band, but not knowing the details of your particular situation and how it may have affected you, I can't say whether or not there are issues that may cause the psychologist to be concerned about your ability to make this big decision and commit to it. Actually, even if I knew the details, I am not qualified to give an opinion one way or the other, so trust the professional. They are looking out for you. You sound pretty level headed and strong, so hopefully things will work out for you. I wouldn't worry too much because there is nothing you can do to alter the reality of whether you are a good candidate or not. Leave that up to the psychologist and trust that if it is right for you, he or she will approve you, and if it isn't, he or she has the experience and knowledge to be able to make the decision that is in your best interest. Good luck.

Oooh, that sounds good! I love cafe mocha! I was practically addicted to the k-cups prior to pre-op but haven't had any in almost 8 weeks, mostly b/c of the sugar, but this sounds delicious. Can't wait to try it tomorrow morning!

I too am an Unjury fan. I love, love, love their vanilla protein powder, and have been getting it delivered since my pre-op diet started eight weeks ago! Mixed with skim milk, it is sooo delicious and I will add a banana to keep me fuller longer and it is a delicious banana shake! The chocolate splendor is great too. Blend in a blender with ice for best consistency. So good!

Fantastic!!! I bet your husband is happy too!

Wow, you have come a long way! You look great. Congrats on your achievement!

That is amazing! You only had surgery in February of 2012 and already met (superceded) goal! That's fantastic. You must feel like a new person.

Wow! What a difference! Congratulations. You look great!

I soooo needed this reminder to be mindful. Ate a few too many soy crisps yesterday, and realize I am better off to not have them around as I have difficulty not overindulging and slipping into bad habits. I think it is the crunch and saltiness that gets me hooked. Getting back on track today. Needed a kick in the butt, but happy to get your gentle reminder. That works too!

Congratulations! That's fantastic!

I was just like you. My port soreness lasted a full two weeks. I even had my pain script refilled once (had to call the surgeon when it ran out). Every person is different, and each surgery/surgeon unique so while one person may feel little discomfort post op, another person may feel extreme discomfort that last a few weeks. Hang in there. It will get better. I actually cried one night to my husband b/c I didn't believe I would ever be able to sleep on my sides again, and that is the only way I can sleep comfortably! Well, I am sleeping on my sides fine now, so I can only imagine you will find relief before long too. It is worth it in the end! Good luck!

This is a huge life change! It is okay to vent and to feel how you are feeling. It isn't easy, and the stages we have to go through until we are able to eat solid foods can be very, very challenging. This is a huge sacrifice and a major life altering time. The good news is, you aren't alone. Many people struggle with the changes they must make, even if you really wanted the surgery and even if you don't regret your decision! It is just plain hard sometimes. However, it will get easier. You are not doomed to fail just because you are feeling discouraged, hungry, cranky, or sad! You can still succeed. You just need to journey on and get through this difficult time. I felt pretty awful post op myself, so I can understand the myriad of feelings! So many emotional and physical changes happening during this time. I can tell you that in my own personal experience, it got easier and although I still have days where I struggle, I am finding my way, and you will too! Also, I think it is unrealistic for any of us to expect every person to be positive in their posts. We all have up and down days. None of us are perfect or optimistic all the time. We are human, and it's okay to vent. Hang in there!!!

Love it! Esp. the sassy shoes! Congratulations!!

Hmmm...well, I just had my first fill for 5cc. Staying full for about 3 hours, so I'm thinking maybe one more fill with a couple of cc's should do it and carry me to the point of feeling full for 4-5 hours at a time. So I'd say my sweet spot is probably around 7cc...

When you lose weight, you are mobilizing energy stored as fat, and that fat is mobilized as fatty acids and triglycerides into the bloodstream. This flood of fatty acids, which interact with other elements in the bloodstream can block insulin, increase triglycerides, decrease HDL (good cholesterol), and can make LDL levels fluctuate. Many doctors recognize this as a normal part of weight loss (the inevitable mobilization of fatty acids) and feel that decisions regarding this should not be made immediately as usually these values are transient and won't last forever. Although as we know, every doc is different, so obviously discuss with your doctor, but this is what I've learned through nursing and research. Hope this helps.

I just had to pick up my poor son from school as he is vomiting and feels just awful. The nurse said there is a stomach bug going around that hits kids out of the blue first thing in the morning, and most kids go home, rest and are back the next day. Obviously some kind of 24 hour bug. My concern is that the P.A. at my surgeon's office said that if anyone in my house gets sick, I have to call them and arrange to come in and have all the Fluid pulled from my band. I just got my first 5cc fill yesterday! I am so disappointed, but obviously don't want to get sick and risk dislodging the band. I have four kids, so usually viruses like this travel through our house and this could possibly drag on for a few days. Has anyone else had to have the fluid drained due to family members being sick? Just curious. I have a script for Zofran, but I know I should still call and have the fluid removed. I am just so bummed!

Thank you Karen. I am hoping that's the case. When I used to do school nursing many years ago, I never got sick, probably because I developed immunities as you suggested, but now, it's just me and my kiddos. I hate this time of year because my oldest son is immunocompromised, so he tends to get sick a lot with viruses. So far, everyone else is healthy, so I have him quarantined to his room right now. lol! (He is a teenager, so he is perfectly content with that!)

Lucky you to be able to swim so soon! I just noticed your surgery date in July, and you've already lost 71 pounds! That's really impressive. Good job!

Thanks for sharing! I hope my son recovers quickly because if that was the only vomiting episode he has, I feel I'll probably be fine. Keeping fingers crossed and going to see how things go over the next few hours.

Just when ya think the docs are all on the same page! LOL! Thanks Floridays for reminding us that every doc has their own rules and advice. I agree with her that it is probably best if you just call and ask how your doctor feels about it. As long as you follow your doc's recommendations, you can't go wrong. Good luck!

Like everyone else has said, you have to wait until your incisions have healed. There is such a great risk for infection if you go in the hot tub before they are fully closed and healed. Even with scabbing, if the scabs are new, sometimes the water in the hot tub can soften them and cause them to slough off which occasionally can leave the wound susceptible to infection again. I specifically asked this question of my surgeon as I have a jacuzzi in my bathroom and like you, couldn't wait to get in it! It really does alleviate aches and pains, but not worth it until you are fully healed.

Wow! And you should be happy! That is fantastic! Your hard work is paying off. Slow and steady is great, and more importantly, it is working! Very happy for you. Treat yourself to some pampering today. You deserve it! Congratulations.

Genny, I am a type II diabetic with a significant family history for this. Prior to lap band, I was on 1000 mg of metformin twice a day, and on 6u of humolog insulin in the am, 6u of humolog insulin with meals, and 60 u of lantus in the evening. I had a problem with high am sugars as well. Once I began the liquid pre-op diet, I monitored my sugars closely. I stopped taking my insulin and meds because my sugars were normal! I couldn't believe it. I worried they might creep up again when I started eating solids, but that has not happened. My A1C was 7.7 in June. I had lap band surgery on Sept. 6th. My A1C was drawn again this past Wednesday (October 10th) and it was down to 6.2. My doctor said it will continue to decrease because that A1C wasn't even based on a full 12 weeks of this new lifestyle, but rather almost 8 weeks of it. I am ecstatic. I don't know what I would have done if not for lap band. My cholesterol also went from 201 in June to 185 as of October 10th. I could never have come off of all of these diabetic meds if not for this surgery, and certainly, this committed lifestyle is improving other aspects of my health like my cholesterol, for example. I have lost 25 pounds since starting the pre-op liquid diet almost eight weeks ago. I feel great. I hope this helps! Best of luck on your journey!

Today was my first fill too! I got 5cc. Might sound like a lot, but when I asked my doc what size lap band I had and he explained that there are only two sizes of the Lap Band AP System, standard and large and said he uses large in all of his patients b/c he feels it is easier to make a band smaller (with fills) but you can't make a band larger. I sipped a small cup of water in his office and it went down fine. I came home and had a protein shake blended with a banana and that went down fine too. Several hours later and I am still feeling full and content, so I think my fill was a success. Are you feeling full enough between meals? Prior to this fill, I had been feeling hungry every couple of hours, so I am happy now. Best of luck to you!