mrsto

You look GREAT! I think that your doctor's goal of 140 is realistic. And based on the way you look right now (which is great), your goal might be pushing it a bit. As far as a tummy tuck, I tend to agree with your doctor, that since you've been stable for quite awhile, it's okay to move forward. The last 7 pounds isn't going to make a difference. If it was 30 pounds, I'd say.....wait. Good work - you should be so proud of yourself

Tara - CONGRATS! That is amazing....good job

How long has it been since you've seen any weight come off? I understand the fear about falling into old habits. Though you are having those feelings, are you staying on target with your food?

Sounds absolutely lovely. I'm envious! Have a wonderful time..... What are the Protein shots that you take? Sounds like something I may want to check out.

Really good idea, Anna.

Thank you for posting your story. I agree with "healthy and happy" above; there are some people who will condemn you, but quite honestly, the way you articulated your experience, I don't know how they can. You clearly take full responsibility for your actions, and your humility makes me just want to hug you We are not perfect people; NONE of us. I've been on this site for about 6-7 months, and it's clear by some of the posts, that some people aren't/weren't mentally ready for this huge life change. It sounds to me like you "found religion" (so to speak), and are ready to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move down a path that leads to BETTER health. I appreciate your post. For me, it was such a reinforcement on how important it is to follow the rules.

I'm not a young bandster, but I'm going to comment, anyway I am 58 years old, and have struggled with my weight since the age of 6. A doctor put me on Dexedrine when I was 9, and I was on and off diet pills and speed throughout my life. I've lost hundreds of pounds, only to gain the weight back; plus some. All of the diets worked when I worked with them, but eventually, my "need" to eat won the battle. From my lowest to highest, I've had more than 100 pound swing, and I'm only 5'2". It wasn't until my neighbor told me that she had weight loss surgery (I had NO idea....she looks great), that I started seriously thinking about it. From the time she and I talked, to the time I actually had my surgery, was about a year. During that time I gained a few more pounds, and it became painfully clear that I needed to do something serious. I agonized over the decision, and had all the fears you read about in these forums. I was initially scheduled for the bypass, but decided it was too extreme. I settled on the band with plication, because it's reversible, and wouldn't permanently alter my plumbing or organs. My surgery was 3/25/13, and I'm down 42 pounds. At my age, this would NEVER have happened if it weren't for this surgery. I'm now able to eat small portions, while feeling completely satisfied for long periods. Pre-surgery, there was no way that I would get through even one week, eating like I do now. And I feel GREAT! Ellexaye, you are doing the right thing by thinking this through completely. It's a life altering decision; one that you have to feel comfortable with. Just know that it's not a cure, and not always easy. You have to work with it; eat as prescribed, listen to the signals, and be willing to put the fork down when you get those signals. The band helps with hunger and satiety, but it does nothing for our heads. If you eat for reasons other than actual hunger (as all of us do), that is where you will have to do most of your work. As they say, the band goes around our stomachs, not our brains - LOL! And lets face it, most all of us who get to this point, have a problem with food. Normal people DO put the fork down when they're done, and they don't go scavengering for more food to numb their feelings. I'm glad that you posted on this forum. You will hear from many people; most of which have had success with the band. Think it through long and hard, and make the choice you can live with. I wish you all the best in whatever decision you make.

Has anyone on Synthroid had to have their dose lowered due to weight loss? Since I dropped some weight, I noticed being a bit jittery. The only thing I can think of, is that my dose is now too high. I have a call into my doctor, but I was just wondering if anyone else had any issues.

I've been wondering about the green zone since being banded; especially after the first couple of fills. I've been doing very well, but could take small "normal" bites, and gulp Water almost like before. A few weeks after the second fill, I wasn't staying satisfied for a full four hours, and still felt (based on what I read in these forums) that I wasn't quite in the green zone. I went for a fill last Monday, and asked her to give me only .25cc. I was already up to 7, and at this stage, want to make very small adjustments. Though the nurse didn't think I needed it, she agreed to do it. WOW - what a difference!! I've actually had a few hurccups (thanks Mis), and after a small amount of food, I'm clearly done; a feeling I felt that I was losing. And I don't get hungry again for at LEAST 4 hours. The way I feel right now, I won't need a fill for a very log time. Yay......I finally get it!! I haven't felt this sense of restriction (for lack of a better word), since shortly after surgery. I'm renewed

I absolutely LOVE to hear this!!

Well, I hope you're able to straighten this out with him in the next couple of weeks. What was his reasoning for having you stay on the lower dose for 14 more days? Maybe he's trying to rule out the possibility that your tiredness is/was from something other than your thyroid? I made a big mistake last week... Went to a health/vitamin store, and told the woman that I'm having terrible brain fog. She gave me this herb called Bocapa. The first day I took it, I felt pretty good in the earlier part of the day; brain seemed to be firing on all (most) cylinders. But in the afternoon, I was freezing cold, and felt a weird type of jittery. The next day I took it, I had a horrible day. Clearly, the stuff was wiggin' me out. I went online and looked it up, and low & behold, in lab testing, it's shown to raise T4 by up to 41%. It also says that people on thyroid replacement shouldn't take it. Unbelievable! I called & talked to the (so called) expert, and told her what happened. She was like......"oh, then of course...don't take it & bring it back". When I go back today, I'm going to tell her that she should ask customers about possible thyroid issues, BEFORE she recommends it. Lesson learned for me..... to check this stuff out thoroughly before I buy it! It took two full days for my body to normalize.

Sharpie - I'm with you on the salad thing. I used to love them, but now can't tolerate much. it's one of the things I really miss.

Mike.... I do not have Barretts, but I would have concern with a doctor who doesn't seem concerned about banding a patient with this health issue. It might be a good idea to talk with another bariatric surgeon or two, for another opinion. Any esophagus issues can worsen. I'm not a doctor, and I'm not saying that they will. But I just think that you need more than one opinion, and should do a LOT of research on your own. I have terrible reflux, and it's been worse since banding. Next week I'm going for a small un-fill, to see if some of it can be alleviated. The band did not cause this issue, but it's been much worse since having fills. The band needs to be filled in order to work, so I'm hoping I can figure this out with my surgeon next week. Good luck......I hope you find all of the necessary information, to make an informed decision.

Yeah......that's not good. Hopefully they'll call in a prescription, without making you come in.

Amen to that!! If we were all able to stop at ONE cupcake, we probably wouldn't be talking here on LBT

Sorry to hear that you're having such a difficult time. I know how frustrating it can be Just curious..... Are you keeping track of your food; calories and Protein?

Tara - didn't the higher dose give you heart palpitations? Or, was that two steps higher than what you're on now? It's such a balancing act. Do you find that you're also having a problem with body temperature; feeling colder than usual? I had that issue when the dose was too low.

Sounds like you figured it out, but if things don't balance out in the next day or two, give your doc a call.

Heather - check with your doctor before taking liquid Motrin. Many doctors (including mine) are completely against taking any type of NSAID after surgery. Not just after surgery, but never again. Others may say something different, but the general consensus is.......no NSAIDS. If you are still having problems, call your doctor. No one can really say how everyone reacts to drinking after being banded. I drank a couple of times, without issue. Many on here talk about drinking; also without issue. I would err on the safe side and run this by your doc. Especially, if things don't return to normal within the next day or so. Feel better.......

Have you recently moved to another phase of your post-op diet? Are you eating gassy foods? Are you constipated or getting your period? Those things could create a lot of bloat and distension. If nothing has changed, and it continues for several days, I suggest that you run it by your doctor.

This is all so wonderful to hear As Mis said, hearing the success stories is a good buffer against all the negative. Congrats on your GREAT success!

I had bad left shoulder pain for 2.5 weeks after surgery. I rarely get it anymore, but once in awhile.....ZING!

Just a word of caution about gummy vitamins.... They are seriously lacking in minerals, as well as minimal doses of major vitamins. They are weak in comparison to a chewable multivitamin mineral supplement. Capsules are easy to get down (one at a time), and a packed full of a lot more of what your body needs. I started having issues, and threw my gummies in the trash. For now, I switched to Celebrate Multivitamin chewable, and seem to be doing fine.

Regarding the cutting of pills, you need to check with your doctor or pharmacy first. Some pills are extended release, and cannot be cut. If you do, you will absorb too much medication into your system all at once. It can be dangerous.

My cc's escalated a lot quicker than some I read in the forums. There was about 3cc's put in my band during surgery, then about 4 weeks later, I had an additional 3.2 added. About 6-7 weeks after that, I got another .8, bringing me to an even 7. Now I'm at 7.25, and have a strong feeling that this will be it for a few months. es1120 - hang in there. As Mis said above, you will know it when it happens