lisacaron

Go Walking (Liz) Chasing a dream (Tracy) and I have held our first NYC meet and greet earlier this year. We had been posting on the site for some time, supporting and sharing our journey with each other. We found that not only did we have WLS surgery in common but that many area's of our lives overlapped and we were experiencing similar things. I was fortunate enough to have met with a couple of ladies who reached out to me privately to inquire about my surgeon. We met at a local restaurant and it was so wonderful to put faces and personalities to the words on the screen we became fast friends!! Though I live on the East End of Long Island, I work in Nassau county and my bariatric surgeon operates in Nassau county at Syosset hospital, I am originally from Queens NY, and have worked and lived in the "city" for a good portion of my life. My company also has business interests in NYC and I find myself there often. It was natural for me to reach out to my NYC friend to see if she was amenable to having a get together. I found out that she had in fact been trying to organize a meet up of other bariatric pals in NYC for some time. So we decided to get together to plan the first NYC meet and greet. We met at a cafe in NYC one Saturday afternoon in February, and we were fortunate enough to meet up with Alex himself. Liz, Tracy and my hubby Ken who is also a WLS patient as well were in attendance. The meeting was a huge success and we agreed it was something we would like to do more often, and share with others across the country and in other countries as well. I am very excited to be hosting the NYC/Long Island chapter along with Liz and Tracy. We plan to bring lots of information, on a myriad of topics related to subjects that include, Weight loss surgery, Nutrition, Exercise, Healthy Living, Life style coaching and support and many other topics. We will host meetings in NYC as well as on area's of Long Island in both Suffolk and Nassau counties for those who are interested. Our meetings will be informative, yet exciting and dynamic with an element of fun learning and overall support. I hope to see you at our next NY chapter Bartiactric Pal meet and greet. We have a tentative date of June 14th location and details to follow shortly!

My advice to those who do not have proper support from your bariatric surgeon is to find another one. I know it's not always easy to do, but they are out there and sometimes making the sacrifice to make a longer journey or travel outside of the area for the support is worth it. There are groups in my home town, and they have decent support yet I travel 30 miles to get to my Dr. and his group and his hospital and staff. I do so because they are AMAZING!! Yes it's a trip, but it's 100% worth it and every time I and my husband make the journey we never regret doing so. Search around and find an office that has the support you need and deserve, and come back here for ultimate person to person support we are a great bunch of people

Hi Shirley, You have been through a lot over the last year or so. It's not easy going through what you have and your body really does need some time and space to heal. Emotions and hormones are probably all out of balance right now and it's going to take some time to get back on solid footing again. Taking the time to work on your health is a step in the right direction. My best advice to you is to make an appointment with your lapband Dr. and go in for an assessment. Check on your fill level and get one if you need one to get motivated again. See if you can schedule some time with your nutritionist to help you get back on track with your nutrition and eating habits. They may also be able to offer advice on how to balance your hormones so your feeling a bit more in balance. If your group has a psychologist make an appointment to meet with them so they can give you some guidance and support as you move toward your weight loss goals and heal your broken heart. There is never any shame in reaching out for support, so come back here as often as you need. This is a great group for support.

Oh I am a GUM LOVER!!! I was chewing gum 3 days after my surgery! Yep I was! I took the hubby to the hospital and I was popping bubbles in the waiting room when our bariatric Dr. came out to tell him the surgery went well for the hubby. He was laughing and said that's a no-no...then he patted my shoulder and said it's OK just don't swallow it Sometimes I just need to chew it helps me think, and it's better then chewing on pen caps or pencils imagine if I swallowed one of those! (actually there were a couple of kids in elementary school that did that..and I could never understand how that happened....) I love me some gum gum gum!!

Not everyone is comfortable with giving out their information. That is something you have to decide. Your going to have critics no matter what you decide as you lose weight people will start asking you more and more how you did it and if you had surgery etc. I chose to just be open and up front about it. I don't harp on it I just do my thing, drink my shakes and eat my foods and do what I need to do for me. If someone asks I tell them truthfully and I move on. I don't expand and give huge details. If they ask and they have an interest I will expand up on it, but I'm not here to be entertainment for people. I'm here to educate and support others who might find themselves or a loved on in the same position as I was. Just to sit around telling my story to a bunch of skinny B*tches isn't for me they can watch the Real Housewives or some such drama Most of my co-workers and bosses know and no one harps on it. They all are excellent supporters, I have family and friends who all know and I don't hide it even when I go out to restaurants or other places. If I order something off menu or ask for something different sometimes they ask and I say I have a dietary restriction very rarely will anyone ask what that is..but if they do and do so nicely I will tell them. I find that people who delve deeper usually have an interest for themselves or a loved one. Those who are critics and harpies have more issues with themselves and I don't worry about placating them in any way. I don't know if that rambling helped you but the bottom line to it is that it's a personal decisions and people gonna hate whether you doing bad or good, so just do what feels right to you and don't worry about anyone else issues with it.

Try to take care of as many things as you can pre-op so that when you are home from surgery you can spend that time relaxing and healing. The best thing to have in the hospital for me was my toothbrush and toothpaste to help get the cotton mouth feeling to go away. Bring some comfy clothes to wear home from the hospital with shoes you can slip on and off so you don't have to bend. When you come home you want to some of the following things: Heating pad for gas pains you can put under your back and shoulders Decaffeinated Tea helps to sooth the stomach and helps move gas Frozen Ice Pops these will help you stay hydrated as well as sooth the internal swelling Ice packs that you can place on your port and incision sites for relief. Gas Ex or Beano Small medicine dose cups you can use these to drink and sip from so you don't gulp your Water or shakes. That's all I can think of right now...

@@JustWatchMe recently I have had a very bad cold and sinus infection this last round actually sent me to the Dr. to have 1cc removed from the band since food was sitting above the band for far too long before it would fully digest and it was starting to make me feel horrible. The postnasal is the worst, especially in the morning. It fills up the pouch above the band and irritates the stomach and can swell and plug the stoma. I really had NO choice but to see the doc. I felt 100% better after the un-fill and the plug that was in there was able to pass. Last night, I spent the night with the hubby in the ER he has the "virus" that's going around here. This one included a stomach bug with the congestion and he was vomiting so violently I called our Bariatric Dr. last night. They are so awesome I can't say enough about them. We had to drive about 30 miles to the hospital that treats us, but it was WORTH it. The PA came in and opened the office for us, they drained his band and walked us personally down to the ER where they set the hubby up on IV and anti nausea meds till he felt better and could hold down some liquids. They did a video and x-ray to be sure the band was in good position and all was well thank goodness. So for now he has no Fluid in the band, but once he's feeling better he will go back in for a fill. Getting sick stinks and with the band it can be even a little more challenging. I am so grateful that it's adjustable and can be modified to fit what ever the need is to help you recover and feel better and get back on course. My advice to you is that if you are feeling stuck get a tiny unfill that worked for me and saved me from having to go through what the hubs did last night. Feel better soon!!

Sometimes as we lose weight and our body changes the level of restriction we need in our band changes. If 3cc worked for you in the past you may now need 4 or 3.5. So give your doc a call and go back in for another fill. Recently due to some stress and being sick the level of fill I had in my band was just too much for me after months of being fine, and I had to take some Fluid out to relive the pressure of feeling stuck all the time on nothing. So it's not uncommon for restriction levels to change. Give your doc a call and let them know you need more of an adjustment.

@@parisshel Holy cow lady! Thanks for posting this. I was having some simillar issues the last few days. I had my last fill done almost 2 months ago. I got badly stuck on chicken one night, and I have been sick with flu like cough and cold which only added to the ick factor, on top of mega stress so the swelling feeling of being stuck was feeling like it was all the time. Simple things like yogurt and cottage cheese would take 30 minutes or more to clear the band. I was on liquids for about 3 days to try and reduce the swelling but nothing cleared up. Today it felt like it was getting worse so I called the doctor's office this afternoon popped in, they took me right away I have the BEST Dr. if I may say so! The PA took out 1cc, I had instant relief and feel so much better!! I love the adjustable factor to our bands! Sometimes things happen and you just need to be flexible and I love that the band can do that for us it's one of the main reasons I chose this surgery over the others as well. I almost forgot that until I read your post today and that had me right on the phone and at the Dr. for some help!

Thank you for taking the time to post this article. @@Alex Brecher As some have stated above it should be part of the sign up so people know they are not here to deliver an agenda or fight a war against one type of WLS over another. So it is understood that this is a community of people who meet here in support of each other, to share their experiences and stories and help to encourage and motivate each other in the fight against obesity. There are many different personalities out there in the world and often you may find someone who clashes with you. Those are the times to learn something new about yourself and others, it's not the time to start name calling and comparing. It is also possible to misinterpret someone's meaning as we don't all have a literary degree, and the written word can often come across with cross intent. If your not sure what that person's meaning was instead of lashing out, ask them what they meant by that. Often times I think we just mus-understand each other, and clear understanding in communication is the key to all things. Awesome post!

Oh yes I have had those issues happen also. They are never fun and they happen to me when I am trying to rush through a meal and I eat too fast or I take too large of a bite. It will take just about forever for the food to pass if it doesn't just get stuck. Your right it feels like your gonna die in that moment, I get hot and clammy feeling heart racing nerves going feeling like you can't breath and then once you get hold of yourself you realize you did it to your self and yup lesson learned! Which doesn't' mean that it doesn't repeat it self when necessary

Love it and had to share it with all my WTW peeps here at work.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. OK so I woke up on the same side of the bed I always wake up on, but will say that I was really out of sorts in an oddly wicked mood! I woke up and I had nothing nice to say to the person I passed as I walked out the bedroom door. There she was again in the bathroom mirror so I stuck my tongue out at her. Didn't she know I would rather have my eyes closed then be in the bright lights of the bathroom mirror that just make everything seem garish?! OK so on the way to the kitchen to feed the cat who is now under my feet and giving me the so far silent meow that will turn into an all out annoyingly screaming meow if I don't get that can of cat food on the plate ASAP I told that girl in the hallway get over yourself! Get it together we got things to do today woman! Maybe there are too many mirrors in my house.... I fed the cat and went about the getting ready for work stages. Washed the face, took a shower put the make up on downed the coffee in the hopes that caffeine would chase the fog away for me today, but no even that morning cup of java was not hitting the spot this morning. Can you hear that horror movie music playing in your head about now...no? I could! Now it was time to get dressed, the undergarments well lets just say thank goodness Christmas wasn't so long ago and most of those fit though why I am still holding on to the super sized ones..... I put the pants on and thank goodness one of the three I keep shuffling through the wash and back were clean and ready to wear. The weather is sick, just like me, been fighting this cold/flu bug since last weekend. Today just for the first day of Spring to be extra special it's going to warm up. Last night it was all of 15 degree's so this morning the fog is not only in my head it's out side and less then a mile visibility! Yes! Can't wait to take that ride to work today, I bet I can use a butter knife to carve my way there and it would be moving faster then the traffic that the newscaster is screaming about on the TV. Thank god for the off button! I can't listen to one more thing about the snarled traffic the miserable weather or look at her in her hideous "Spring" dress. It's making me angry, cause I can see my reflection in the blank screen where she was standing only seconds before. Is the bozo the clown look in I'm wondering to myself?! When did the circus come to town and drop all their extra costumes in my closet?! Nothing fits right, I'm not happy...I'm growling...audibly growling now, my grouchy mood is starting to make me angry and the fact that I can't find something to put on and I'm going to be even later to work now as I change time after time. This top is no good, OK not this one either it's just too hot today..(wow did I really say that?!) Now I'm starting to sweat as I find a good enough top, pull out a pair of shoes and WTF!!!!! How can my shoes be too big?! REALLY? Am I in a nightmare here...maybe I am still asleep?? Nope, and yet there she was Clarabelle the clown, in her baggy pants, over sized top scary wet hair sticking out every which way, her face all made up, her shoes 2 sizes too big. All I needed was the honker and a bell! My poor husband came home just then and well.....one opinion (and you know what those are right..every body has one...) wasn't good enough so I had to give him another one just for the hell of it. I apologized he just walked into my nightmare I should have left the house 30 minutes ago but nope still here. I finally tamed the beast and got her into some decent clothes, dried her hair and at least no one would be calling the Big Apple Circus to let them know they lost one of their clowns today. So why did my mood not get any better? It's 5:00...and you know I'm already dreading tomorrow and doing this all over again! My hubby said OK it's time to go and get some new things, but you know it's just not so easy! It's not another pair of jogging pants and sneakers or a smaller tee shirt. I'm great at home on the weekends. I'm finding it very hard to discard shoes that cost hundreds not to mention the clothes, and things that you had to struggle to find before to fit you...and then shop for stuff that's "temporary" since I want to and will lose at least 60-70 more pounds?! I am going to need at least a weekend to clean out that closet, and UGH I hate to shop!!! I thought to myself how over the last few weeks I have been sabotaging myself, eating what I know I should not, and looking for an excuse to be mad at myself and those around me. Why though? Why am I doing that? Why do I feel like I am not embracing this journey anymore and doing what I should be for me? Yeah I have a lot of crap going on we all do. My partner in crime, my hubby he's going through some major stuff and I can't do anything but be there as a support for him and for me that's super frustrating. I would take it on if I could have it be me and not him, but we all feel that way about the people we love. I don't know that this feeling is going to change overnight. I hope that at least realizing that I need to make some changes and sharing some of my frustration and anger at myself with you all is a first step. Maybe you feel or have felt something similar? I don't think I'll ever be a "morning" person, but at least I will promise not to stick my tongue out at myself tomorrow...

@@ccjll how are you doing today? Did the Doc do an unfill for you?

@@amber81499 this is a natural fear to have when your facing surgery. Think about your young boys and if you have a heart attack or stroke from being overweight and you leave them. Think about how they would feel if you had a life long disease that was drawn out and painful for you and them and eventually slowly painfully you left them? Try to turn your fear into excitement for all the things that you are electing to do with and for your family. That is why you are having this surgery! To be a healthier and happier you for your children so you can see them grow up and participate in their lives with them. Fear can be debilitating and tear you down if you let it, so don't let it. Don't turn to what has caused you harm in the past. You are working toward the future now. Your future, your happiness your health. Get back on track and get your head in the game! This is your LIFE. You are not choosing to have an unnecessary surgery, you are choosing your health and well being over a life of sickness and pain. I was banded in May of 2013 and my husband 3 days after me and I have to tell you friend I have not regretted it for one second and neither has he. You got this! Check back in and let us know how your doing!

I know I must sound like a spoiled brat...and I am I can admit it. I am not a big consignment good will share clothes exchange type of gal I just have to bite the bullet and get my butt out there to shop. I'm so pick it's not funny and it's not just from being overweight, there are some tops I would never wear Jessica Rabbit is not exactly my style though my husband would just love it if it were! I work in a corporate office and with lots of roving eyes, so I always feel more comfortable when the girls are tucked away nicely and while they will always be an upfront attraction they don't have to shine bright like diamonds if ya get my meaning Shopping for tops is not always the easiest, and pants..I can totally relate to elastic. For years I had a very sensitive belly button area. Having had several abdominal surgeries for female issues there, however on the last one the doc was able to repair what was an umbilical hernia and that solved my sensitive belly button issue and I went out and bought all these slacks, in size 20 and 22 at the time now I think I need 14...but I am sticking with some nice looking yoga pants! They work, they keep me warm and they can pass for dress pants most of the time. Once the summer is here i can get away with skirts and capris and then hopefully by fall I'll be ready to commit to a few new suits and pants in a stable size. At least that's my current shopping plan. Yoga pants nice ones aren't so cheap these days...at $25-30 each I think they are a bit of rip off...but still once they are outgrown I don't have an issue with ditching them I think it might be fun to shop once the warm weather gets here...it's just this in between right now while it's still cold. I don't want to buy things that are going to be too big by next winter. Trying to make due with what I have for now. What a great way to clean house though I have to say!!!

@@Lindseyrd20 I'm sorry your having a rough time, don't give in!! Soda is one of the big No No's of lapband surgery. You may find some on here that will tell you they have some now and then, but don't listen. If your Dr. told you no carbonation then it's no carbonation. I'm not the biggest Water drinker, so I had to find flavored water beverages to help me out. Mio makes an additive you can put in water and I love the Sweet Tea flavor. There are all kinds, black cherry, watermelon, lemonaid. Just look in your grocery store in the juice or water isles. There are several manufactures now of those, but check the bottles since some have extra Vitamins that might upset you and/or added calories you don't want. I also enjoy warm decaf tea or coffee with flavored creamers. I have not had any kind of soda or carbonated beverage in over a year..and I was once a big soda drinker, it was the only thing I would drink. You can do this

I was a premier Protein girl myself. High protein, low calorie and taste was pretty good. I wasn't a fan of any of the muscle milks and if your going to use them use the light there is a big calorie and sugar difference. Love all the Greek yogurts, when looking at them all I chose by higher protein value and lower calorie and sugar content since the hubs is diabetic and we are both banded. As for Starbucks and coffee... I have a cup of regular coffee a day, sometimes 2 then I switch fully to decaf to get all the "water" values in for the day. I enjoy the warmth and flavor of coffee, it can be a bit acidic and if you have gerd or anything like that it can aggravate those symptoms. If you don't then as long as you get the Water in, and stick to decaf you should be great. Starbucks coffee...and flavors...there is a decaf skinny non fat, no sugar macchiato you can get and it's not bad at all. I limit it to a "treat" for myself since I have seen barrister's make mistakes and you end up with the 700 calorie drink and your supposed be eating only 800-1200 per day, makes you think! For my morning coffee, and my night time decaf I like to use the international or coffee mate flavored creamers. I get them in sugar free they are half the calories, I don't like the non fat ones. Those who are sleeved or had a Gastric by-pass, sugar in any of those mocha drinks or even the fat content of the cream and cause dumping syndrome and upset stomach so probably best to avoid it all together. Lapband does not react the same way.

Congrats and welcome to the banded life! I'm glad you were able to find a doctor to work with on your follow up support. Support and follow up are so important in my opinion to ultimate success with the band, and it sounds like your doing great and right on track!

Hi Crystal are you introducing yourself to the forum?

Hopefully the hospital you are going to won't make you feel herded along on your day of surgery. The biggest thing to do is try to relax when you get there and get ready to be brought in for surgery. Many people let that Oh my God what the heck am I doing feeling get the best of them and cause them to be even more nervous right before surgery and that's never a good feeling when your already nervous. If you have made this decision trust yourself and your surgical team. I don't know if your spending the night, but if you do have a toothbrush and toothpaste with you, that will help you with the horrible dry mouth you have after surgery. Ice chips are great, but you will only have them every hour or so, when your able to get up to use the rest room brush your teeth. It really helps. Keep the booties on while your in bed, they are annoying but they prevent blood clots so keep them on. Warm decaffeinated Tea was my best friend right after banding surgery. It helps to soothe your tummy and ease the gas. Frozen sugar free ice pops are also a great comfort to help ease internal swelling and keep your Fluid in take up. You will want to have your prescription pain medication filled as soon as possible if you can even before surgery so it's at home waiting for you. liquid Tylenol works wonders as well. Get a set of small medicine cups and sip from them in the first few days after surgery. It will help you not to gulp your liquids. You may also want to have on hand an ice pack or two for incision sites especially around the port area as this can be very tender and the ice pack is a great relief. What also is a big help is a heating pad or hot Water bottle for your back and shoulders to help ease the gas pain as well. The best way to move the gas is to get up and Walk walk walk. Remedy's such as gas-ex and beano help but walking will really move things around. Get used to tooting your horn, it's part of the journey Best of luck to you, that's all I can think of right now...

I don't know why it is, but it takes some time for the fill to be fully felt. For me it's about 2 months since my last fill and I feel tighter now then I did before. I think it's a combination of many things, for me I was great about 2-3 weeks into the fill. Then I got sick. Post nasal and cough and that tends to fill you up with ick. My stress levels are on super high with about 101 things going on at home and at work so there is no real "safe" haven and I'm tense often. When I am tense my band is tighter, and if I eat anything of substance during that extreme tense time..well that only complicates matters and makes things worse and adds swelling to the problem after. I thought about going in for a small un-fill but I am right at the point I want to be at in the green zone, and just need to take it easy when I know I'm under so much pressure. I don't know why it is so..but it usually takes 2 weeks for the full affect of the fill to be felt. Maybe it's something to do with the body's reaction to the stimulus of the pressure....