lisacaron

@@jesswls what was your WLS? Drinking Water is so very important no matter what your surgery is. Having an experience like that is not fun and I am sorry that you had to go through that. It is important to keep up your Protein but equally if not more important to keep up your hydration. If you are having shakes, dilute them with water so you get the extra in. Between meals you have to sip sip sip that water. Don't even wait to feel "thirsty" because I didn't and I still don't ever really feel thirst. If I forget to drink I am in big trouble. Constipation can be only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dehydration. It is also important to get some essential fats/oils into your body to help ah..grease the process a bit. They should be healthy, like olive oil or a bit of avocado some nuts which also help with Fiber if you are able to have those things. The best place to start is with water and a follow up appointment with your nutritionist to find out what foods to eat to help keep things moving smoothly. I have this issue from time to time and it's usually because I have not taken in enough water or fiber. (I hate to drink water so it's a fight for me with every sip, I'd rather not but the consequences are enough to keep me reaching for water bottle:)) Feel better soon!!

I have existing tats on my upper arms and I have to tell you weight loss has only made them look better Thank goodness they are far away from the batwing when that needs to be pleated in a bit it shouldn't affect that area. I also have one on my back that is in no danger from weight loss:)

Wow this is a great question...and I don't have an answer! I am spoiled or rather loved so well that I have no idea. This is something really I have to think and brain storm about it!!! Just e-mailed my hubby to see what he would do, cause for me...I can't think of anything I wouldn't do right now anyway....I know, I'm a brat it's OK I can admit and accept it This really has me perplexed! I'm going to chew on it all weekend now I can just see it....

Uh...you do something... You're busy being AWESOME! Boom! We thank you for your service!!!! and for being AWESOME!

That was good for a laugh this morning! I don't like kids much either even though I have 5 ...that could be why though! lol So physical therapist??

Student? How about a hint there lilboo..paranormal investigator? I know animation artist!

Here us the meeting info. I will have to double check the email I think the link was having trouble but should be working now. You can always message Liz it I personally on this site as well. Just a reminder that the NYC/LI chapter is meeting this month on June 14th from 2PM till 4 PM We will be meeting at The Atrium at 805 Third Avenue. The building is on Third Ave between 49th and 50th Streets. The Atrium is at the back of the space on the lower level past the shops. Can't wait to meet you all in person!!

@@LookingForMe Holy Moly what a story! I have to tell you I was cringing as I read some of your story that is no way to live. I really hope that the sleeve work out well for you. No more standing on your head to get food to go down, it's so not worth it just don't eat it. If you have trouble getting the Protein in solid forms, they have all kinds of things like protein shots that are tiny amounts of Fluid with high protein content you can try those and shakes always help when your super restricted as you already know Good luck, and I hope to hear more about your journey soon!

Ha! I wish! Office manager at a nonprofit...have also done office work at medical offices. Oh and I did Apple Tech Support when I was in college! (Close to programmer right? lol) Oh yes Apple Geniuses!! That's what they call them right?! Non profit office manager = Saint

@@ErinMarie computer programer?

Ah wishful thinking..in about 7 years hubs retires though he is partially retired from US AirForce & Air National Guard but still a working Fire Fighter for the State of NY. I'm a Corporate Executive Project Manager; though case worker wouldn't be so far off the mark when it comes to the baby sitting and squabble squashing portion of the job

OK I will play.

Congrats! Love my band!!

@@allthatJez Nice to meet you and congratulations on your surgery date! This is a great place to be for support and information. You will read and hear lots information. The best advice is to always listen to your doctor and error on the side of caution if your not sure of something. Surgery can always be a daunting thing that some with some nerves and some fears. It is definitely something to take serious, but to help alleviate some of your fears I can tell you that I love my band and I have not even for one second had regret for having had the surgery. My surgery was about 2 hours long I had lapband with plication done and I spent the night at the hospital as was my Dr.'s protocol for the surgery. The staff made me very comfortable and I was in minimal if any pain at all. The most discomfort I felt was at the port site and a nice ice pack on the port site even when you get home will help with that so much! You may find you have some gas pain in your back or shoulder after the surgery since they inflate your stomach with gas to help move some of your other organs out of the way and your body will need to expel that gas. Needless to say you will be making "noises" for a bit after surgery Passing gas never felt so good! (sorry if that was TMI) If you have pain from the gas a nice heating pad or hot Water bottle under you back or shoulder will help with that a a bit. I also found that having some warm decaf tea helped to soothe that gas and my tummy as well. You can also try some beano or gas-ex strips to help aid that as well. I'm sure you will do well and if you have any questions or concerns pleas don't feel shy in asking!!

@@tiki luv banded Nothing is unheard of on these boards that's for sure! Your going through what is fondly known as Bandster hell right now. Where you are banded yet not at your optimal fill level and experiencing hunger. The question is not if you "can" get a fill at this point but more "will" your doctor give you a fill at this point and only he/she can answer that question for you. Give them a call make an appointment to see them and discuss how you are feeling and what you can do about it and when they might suggest you start getting fills and how aggressively or not they plan to give them. They may be able to share that information with you. My Dr. was very conservative with doling out the fills and it took me some time to reach any feeling of restriction let alone reach that sweet spot. I can not complain though since I did not gain any weight, and though I have not lost in leaps and bounds the numbers always go down, and I have used the time in between to learn how to live with and work with my band, as well as to break some bad habits and establish new ones. Especially in my choices of foods and times to eat etc. Give your doc a call an discuss your long term plan of care! You'll be through this in no time!

You work from home anyway right? So no one is going to see you or know if you are home in your PJ's working or not...So why take any time off? I mean take the day of surgery off and the the day after if you spend the night in the hospital and then go back to "work" If you can make it a Thursday Friday into Sat-Sunday even better. You can tell work anything you want, you could be going sailing for a long weekend or any other story you want to give them, such is the beauty of working from home.

@@LapbandKAB Yes May 2013 since being banded it's been about 50, and 12 pre-op for a total of 62. I don't count the pre-op I just focus on what I lose now. I don't struggle with my band, my Dr. was very conservative with fills along the way I didn't get my first fill until about 3 months after surgery and all was healed. It was a slow go learning the feeling of what "restriction" or satiety was. What the soft stops are, how much to eat and when. I am like you not so much eating during the day and then hungry at night. I went through the tighter band in the AM then at night. For me the key is to move more, so now that things are a bit calmer in my life (ha those who know me know that is FAR from the truth.) but it has shades of truth at the corners now that the hubby is moving freely about and able to drive again I am able to get back to the gym and do some things to take care of me again. I must say I have been enjoying this Aqua fitness class I go to 3x a week. I am going to have to step it up a bit and get more in perhaps add a Zumba or Yoga night! I don't think you need a fill, your sounding uncomfortable, you might want to take out .5cc relax and take the advice of enjoy and TMF. Up the Protein lower the carbs track your intake and get moving more. I don't like to track every little thing I eat. I'm not a big fan of it, it does help some and I will tell you another trick that helps me at night. I have a large cup of decaf coffee with sugar free flavored creamer and that is my "treat" for the night before I go to sleep. So I stay away from the junk food treats In the summer I make it into a coolata in the blender and in the winter it's a warm treat.

@@Stephy5 as @@Jack said it is an inspiration to hear a story such as yours. I can tell you that I watched my husband who is banded get VERY sick with the stomach flu this past September. Though he has not eaten anything just from feeling an upset, he began to dry heave so violently I feared he was going to bring his stomach up through the band! I called our Dr. ASAP after the first episode. It was getting later into the night by then. We are lucky to live in NY and there are Dr.'s all around, but our bariatric Dr.'s office had us come right to his office at his hospital and opened the office for us to treat my husband. They took out all the Fluid from his band and then brought him into the ER put him on IV fluids for hydration and gave him IV anti nausea medication. They took an x-ray to ensure the band was in it's proper placement and he stayed until he was able to hold down fluids by mouth. It's so important for Dr.'s to understand the needs of the banded patient and so many ER doctors just don't. I'm so glad that you are OK and you were able to get re-banded and you that you are doing well. I'm sure you will be back to your fighting weight again in no time

Broth and clear light liquids is a rough one. Soon you will be on mushy foods and then you will have that texture your craving and it will be oh so good. My hubby and I were banded at just about the same time (3 days apart) and he didn't understand what I was talking about either. Everyone has different tastes and different needs, it's very true. What works for one might not work for another even if you are in the same house had the same surgery with the same Dr. at the same time Don't kick yourself this banded life takes a minute or 20 to learn. There is an ap for your phone eat slow or something like that you can look for and that will help you to time out your meals when you sit to eat them or drink them for now Eventually you will get the hang of it and it will become like second nature to chew chew chew and put that for down between bites and not drink and eat together. Sounds like your doing awesome already!

I have used Dr. Steven Greenberg for minimal surgery, though he is renowned on Long Island for his TT and Breast Augmentation. Stephen T. Greenberg, MD: Woodbury: 516.364.4200 Southampton: 631.287.4999 NYC: 212.319.4999 email: docstg@aol.com

@@LapbandKAB I understand what you are talking about. That feeling you are looking for that tells you that you have had enough, is that soft stop that you feel when you finish your food. You are measuring out your foods and by the way that egg roll stuff sounds yummy I will have to give that a try! For the most part your not really hungry once you have consumed your food. Your body doesn't need the fuel, it's a mind thing. I am very much like you as well. I am great when I am at work. I eat all my portions and I don't snack and I don't over eat and then I get home from work or it's a weekend and all my triggers are set and ready to go. It can be as simple as a bad drive home, or an annoying phone call or just me over thinking something. If I have a super awesome day I might think to myself I "deserve" a treat tonight! I ate well I did my work out, I can have this or that or just one more ice cream pop it's skinny cow after all I'm a self sabotager I am the one that set up those triggers, I set them up every single day. I boobie trap myself sometimes and on days when I remember that I can maneuver around those triggers but I'm still working on it. There are so many I had no idea were so well hidden I still uncover now and then

@@LapbandKAB I understand your frustration, finding that optimal level is not an easy thing but it sounds like you are in that green zone maybe even teetering in the red zone a bit. I agree with @@enjoythetime if you can give us some idea of what your eating on the daily we might be able to give some advice to assist. What concerns me is your comment "I realize I have to do some of the work and the band is just the tool but darn it, if I could control my eating, I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place. So, I just expect the band to do more for me than what it is doing right now." I'm not sure what you expect the band to do for you if you can not control your eating. The band can not control your mind, it won't stop you from putting food into your mouth if you are not hungry. If you are feeling hungry I would ask you is it true "hunger" or is it head hunger or emotional hunger? Are you trying to feed something other than the actual need for food to fuel your body? Those are big issues for all of us, and no matter what WLS you have band, sleeve, bypass you are going to encounter the same issues. These surgeries only affect your stomach not your mind, only you can control your behaviors. We are here for support, trust me I know I have emotional eating issues myself. My band works perfectly it's my head that tells me I am hungry most often when I know physically there is no way I could be. I can feel full to the point of extreme and still want to eat something or snack on something because emotionally something is missing for me. It's not always easy to figure out what it is either...sometimes I am successful at it and other times it's a real struggle and other times a total failure and I just give in. No one of us is perfect that's why we are all here If we can be of help let us know.