LeeB1946

Was told not to expect much until I had 2 or 3 fills. Get second fill tomorrow, but have already lost 55 pounds from when I started this journey. 16 pre surgery and 39 post surgery. Hope I get a good kick start tomorrow.

Totally agree. OA is great support as well as support groups from my surgery group. Support is very important from the outside and from family and friends.

I had the hernia thing too. I had two doctors working on me that day. One for hernia and the other for lapband. I was on liquids for 3 weeks and the soft food for 3 weeks and have had not "stucks," but get second fill tomorrow and expect that solids will have to be in smaller bites and chewed a little more after that.

Was banded on 2 19 13 and have lost a total of 55 pounds. 16 before surgery and about 39 total post surgery. I have had not serious issues except cold. Everybody who has weight loss surgery gets cold and stays that way for a while. Seems it has something to do with the weight loss and metabolism. Finally warmed up 2 weeks ago when I went to AZ and it was 98. Recovery time was about 1 week for me. Did not do any heavy lifting for about 2 more weeks. Practice the drinks, chewing slowly, and the one I have most trouble with is don't eat in front of the TV, computer, etc. I still can't totally break that one. The other one I have issues with is eating slowly. I eat like there is no tomorrow and get some pain in the tummy if I eat too fast. Have to eat at least 3 oz of food every 3 hours or I can get ravenous. Other than that all is well. Go in for second fill tomorrow so hope that will kick start another round of weight loss. Good luck in your journey. It is a journey and sometimes I felt I was on a roller coaster at first, but got everything under control. Make sure there are good support groups for post surgery and attend them before your surgery and hear what others have to say. Do your fills on time and follow the doctor's orders. It has been a good experience for me and hope and wish for you much luck.

I was a little concerned about making the trip,but all worked out. I get motels with refers and microwaves so I can order one meal at a restaurant and then have leftovers for a couple of meals. Glad to hear you had not problems with the band . Heard of one person that went fro Seattle to Chicago and could not eat or drink anything for nearly 3 days hers tightened so badly. UGH!

I was ready for my 2nd fill when I told the PA I was flying from Seattle to Tucson in 2 weeks. This is a 3 hr flight so he did not fill. Said he did not want me to have any discomfort from the flight. I got to Tucson and the band had tightened in flight. Actually, the the stomach swells up during the flight, but I decided not to eat solids for the rest of the day and into the next morning. By afternoon of the second day I was OK. Did not have the same experience coming back 8 days later though. I even lost some weight while in AZ for that week.

got my band the same day have lost 40 pounds post op. I too feel there is no change, but people tell me there is and my clothes are getting larger so I cloths shop in my closet yesterday and got some pants a size smaller. Yippiiee. I wonder if it is my psychological that we can't see the change. My shirt size has gone from 17.5 to 16.5 and pants from 42 to 38 so I know something is working. Keep up the good work.

I had 2 cc at surgery and got 2cc 6 weeks later. Went in 6 weeks after than and PA would not fill due to a plane trip I had scheduled. Glad we did not fill. I tightened on the flight and spent next day and half on liquid before I could get down any solid food. Have fill coming in 2 days and really glad as I am having some issues with eating more than I need. Green zone can't come too soon, but I am not really hungry. Eat a lot of sugar free popsicles to satisfy any hunger.

4 months post op and went to a bar ordered gin and tonic. Drank about 1/4 of it. 2 days later had one entire drink and then just before I left Tucson I ordered another and drank only half. Did not feel the effects, but got full on the liquid so probably only do this on a very rare occassion.

My dietitian explained too few calories will stop weight loss. As soon as you are back on solid food you will take in more calories and the weight loss should start up again. 5 pounds in 2.5 weeks aint bad baby. Walking helps a lot too. I am not a gym rat. I think "gym" is just a four letter word short one letter. It gets better. 4 months post op and have lost 40 pounds. 16 before surgery and 40 after so total lost 56. Get second fill in 2 days. Good luck and keep up the spirits.

Put it in the garage and drag it out once a month.

Just love to clothes shop in my own closets. Have several suits that did not fit for several years and now I can get into them. I where a different one each time I go to the PA for a band fill just to remind me why I am doing this. When I get discouraged I look in the closet and see something that I am only a few pounds away from wearing. Now, if they are out of style that is another issue to deal with. In about 10 more pounds I might go buy a new suit. One that has never fit me before and I can start fresh.;

I hope your surgeon had you visit a mental health specialist of some sort before surgery. If you did see someone you might contact them again for some suggestions. I find writing down my thoughts, good and bad, and my food choices and amounts sometimes helps me. There is probably nothing I can't eat, but there are some things I chose not to eat. You are headed in the right direction. I get a lot of help and support from my surgical support groups as well as my 3 times per week Overeaters Anonymous meetings.

I found out about mine during endoscopy for lap band surgery. then got referred by weight loss doctor to Thoracic surgeon and had a second endoscopy and on my day of surgery I had to doctors working on me. Have had not problems with the band or hernia that I did not know I had. Seems as if this is common.

Don't get down on yourself. Everybody loosing differently. I am 4 months post op and have lost about 55 pounds. I need to throw the scale away or put it out in the garage. I know better than get weighed every day,but I still do it. Get my second fill next week. Have gone 10 weeks without a fill due to a plane trip and PA did not want to fill before my trip. Glad he did not do it as the band tightened in flight to AZ and I only did liquids for the first day of my vacation.

My what a way to give up coffee speciality drinks. At least you were not wearing white pants, I hope!

I will ask my PA about Vagus next week when I go for a fill. "What happens in Vagus, stays in Vagus!" Oh, sorry, I sometimes think I have a sense of humor.

I get a pain that runs from the lower left side to about middle of the back after I have had a fill or fly in a plane or eat a little too much. Also could be eating too fast. I had the backache after surgery for about 2 weeks and then get it after a fill and was told my band might tighten up in flight and it did.I got off the plane in Tucson after 3 hours in the "friendly" skies and the next day the pain was back so I only did liquids that day and was ok later in the PM. Did not get the same reaction on my flight home though 8 days later. Maybe only on South bound flights.

I had my first drink 3.5 months post op. A gin and tonic that I sipped slowly and go about 1/4 way through. 3 nights later at the same bar I took an hour or more to finally finish one and then again 3 days after that. It was too much trouble so won't do that again for awhile. I am not sure if I could cross addict from food to alcohol but don't really want to try. I go to enough 12 step meetings and then with the bariatric support meetings I am never home. LOL!

Don't worry about family support. Remember you chose your friends and not your family. Pick out friends that support and get on with it. Now, for the skin. I have lost around 55 pounds and the bat wings are forming in the arm pits. I did not know I would have some sagging between the elbow and wrist. The bat wing is Batman and the smaller patch between the elbow and wrist is Robin. Surgery is a possibility but I have around 50 more to go and then will discuss with doctors. Don't get discouraged. There will be pro and con no matter what you do. I am 4 months post op and have no regrets except I wish I had done it sooner.

At first I could not find mine. The PA and to feel around for it when I had my first fill. Now that I am down about 55 pounds I can feel it and if I stand up straight I can see it too. Oh yes, they show up in airport screening x ray. Went through the x ray and got the pat down. Then the TSA guy showed me the x ray and I explained that one of the yellow squares was the lap band port and the other the lap band. My bus pass was the third yellow square. Forgot to remove it from my pocket. He looked at me as if I was really dumb and let me go catch my plane.

Remember Pizza? It was one of the many foods that got me to surgery. I dn't want it back for sure. Anything with a crust is a "no no" for me.

Was told not to drink the red colored laxitives. They could leave red residue and that can be mistaken for blood. Have had several of these joyful things done in the past, but not since my lap bad. Just drink the stuff slowly and the pills I was given were so small I had to put on my glasses to see them. I use them today if I am having a problem with bowel movements post surgery.

I found some relief by using sugar free Jello choc instant pudding. The cooked is ok too, but who wants to wait?

Get started as it took me 6 months of preoperative testing before I had my surgery. They doc gets backed up and then he found Hiatal Hernia and that took more tests. Good luck.