lisacaron

LI lady keep following this thread and we will post updates soon.

Perhaps we could have a small get together when your in town

Would you think that others that might join the contest and might know about your WLS would think you had an unfair advantage over them? It is a money pool and it's based on the percentages of weight lost, in teams and individuals so it's pretty fair all around. Unless of course you weigh in on the first day with weights in your pants

Congrats Kandy. Your surgeon knows what he needs you to do before your surgery so have confidence in that. Not everyone has to be on a liquid diet for a few weeks or even on any at all. So don't worry about that, and just follow what your doc's told you to do and your going to do great! Keep us in the loop as you move forward and come back for any support you need. See you on the banded side soon!

Hi Rick, As I approached the green zone or sweet spot as you call it in the very beginning I was able to eat as I always had with my band, a little smaller portion perhaps and a little longer between meals. As I truly crossed into the green zone a week or so after my last fill, I notice that I am totally eating smaller portions and going longer between meals. I also have noticed, that when I am stressed, or if someone upsets me or just looks at me the wrong way sometimes (it's usually my kids or one annoying co-worker) my stoma will cinch up and that first bite is miserable. Often times when that happens I discard what ever it was I was about to eat because I have now lost all appetite for it. When I do resume an appetite and/or I need to eat something, I will often give myself a primer as you call it and have a cup of tea or decaf coffee before sitting down to eat. I know the warm feeling relaxes my insides, and mentally it helps me to unwind a bit so that when I eat even if I was upset and uptight before I am now relaxed and ready to eat something. For years my meals were always wrought with frustration, at the table or jammed on the run from one thing to another. I can no longer do that. That said..however I do not "always" need to do that. I am usually able to eat without needing something warm before hand. My advice would be to make an apt. with your doctor and have your band checked under floro to see how things are moving in there and then decide with your doc if you need an un-fill or if things are working as they should be for you.

Ditto that! Well said!

I'm sorry to hear that you are having these issues. I honestly hope that your doctors can help you to resolve some of your metabolic issues and that in the future the band surgery might be something that can assist you further, or perhaps even be revised to another surgery. That is the beauty of the lapband surgery it is not permanent and you are not stuck with it for the rest of your life. It can be removed and/or modified to another surgery option if one is right for you. Had you chosen another surgery you would be stuck with it for the rest of your life. I wish you much health and happiness in your future, don't give up on yourself.

Many on the site have had great success with the band. Myself and hubby included, I'm sure you are going to learn how to work your band and be a great success as well. What I have found is that it takes that mental mind set to learn and understand yourself, your eating habits and once you have the band how it works best for you. It does not happen over night. It is a process, for me and the hubby we have taken that process slowly and not rushed it through. That is the way our Dr. works, we are evaluated once every 4-6 weeks and go from there to determine if we need/want a fill or not. The first 8 weeks we were in our healing phase after surgery and no fills were done. For as many people and as many doctors and surgeons you will find on the site you will find different ways to work the band. No one way is all right or all wrong, it's subjective to each and every person and the best judge of it is your own doctor who will be caring for you and your band post op. I love being banded it was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself and I know my hubby echos that for himself. Congrats on your decision, and we are all here to be supportive each other even when we agree to disagree.

Hi Butterfly, When I was having lots of issues with my BP my Dr. did a check on my kidney function and found that my output was low. For me it was dehydration issues and electrolyte balance issues due to some digestive issues I was having at the time. (Pre-band) I'm just putting this out there, maybe ask your doc to run a panel on you to be sure that is all working well. It was my vascular surgeon who caught the kidney issue for me while checking on an aneurism I have. All this is pre-band and not band related, but you never know what can help so I wanted to share.

Tara you look great!

Your a beautiful woman, and you have worked hard to be where you are! Shame on those who make others feel that they are somehow less. Don't let it rob you of your happiness, it has been hard earned and we all know it!

I agree. We are all usually a very good natured bunch of supportive people. Once in a while we do come across the wrong way, and get under each others skin as we all do have our opinions. Sometimes the BS that comes from them can create an awful stink (sorry just had to go there and lighten the mood a bit!)

Do you REALLY THINK I'm giving other people medical advice? And worse yet, telling others what to do? There's enough of that going on around here and I'm not one of them...lot's of self proclaimed EXPERTS who can talk the talk, but have never walked the walk.....telling others HOW to do this, yet have not actually done it themselves.....I'm simply sharing MY experiences...that's all anyone can and should ever do..... PLUS anyone who actually listens to other peoples advice on this forum (the world wide web filled with strangers) should have their head examined.... I take issue with your offensive comments....but then maybe you're one of those EXPERTS? Do you REALLY THINK I'm giving other people medical advice? And worse yet, telling others what to do? Yes I do. I think your comments through out this forum indicate such. There's enough of that going on around here and I'm not one of them...lot's of self proclaimed EXPERTS who can talk the talk, but have never walked the walk.....telling others HOW to do this, yet have not actually done it themselves.....I'm simply sharing MY experiences...that's all anyone can and should ever do..... I agree with that statement 100% though often your comments are not written in such a manner, and come off rather like you are an expert and have walked the walk of a thousand men who could never measure up to your perfection. PLUS anyone who actually listens to other peoples advice on this forum (the world wide web filled with strangers) should have their head examined.... If anything should be taken as an offensive statement it is this. Often there are those who are not as perfect and might take a misleading comments as fact especially when quoted by a "Host" and a "Veteran" bander such as yourself. I take issue with your offensive comments....but then maybe you're one of those EXPERTS? My comments were not offensive or written to demean or demoralize anyone. I wrote what I did as a matter of opinion after reading what you wrote in reply to someone who has a life threatening condition. I am not an expert I am me and never claim to be anything more or less. I know how to walk my talk, and I have been there, most everyone on this site has been there and is walking their talk the best way they know how. For you to demean them and look down your nose at anyone else is what is offensive. Having had a longer time of being banded, having lost more or less or kept your weight off for longer or what ever it is that you think makes you better then others, is your problem don't make it mine or anyone elses.

I don't think it's off topic as skywalker mentioned her husband was on blood thinners. However I don't think it's wise to encourage anyone to stop their medications without the consent and advice of their treating physician. What worked for you may not work for someone else and could cause serious complications and issues in their lives. Sharing your experience is one thing, but I don't think it is wise to tell anyone that its no big deal to stop medications like blood thinners with out the supervision, consent and guidance of their physicians. As I was typing this skywalker commented and her husband has a solid blood clot in his leg...nothing to do with his heart....so your advice on that point was a bit misleading. Skywalker please no matter what you or your husband decide to do, the very BEST advice is always to work with your doctors and let them advise you. What you read on this site is our opinions and experiences only and it is subjective to each individual. Your doctors and surgeon know best! We are here for support and friendship and to share our experience and journey's not to give medical advice.

Out of curiosity how were you diagnosed with adrenal fatigue? I also have read that it comes from prolonged chronic stress. How does your doctor treat for adrenal fatigue?

This card and saying was part of my Valentines day gift from my husband. It is part of the Essence collection for Pandora if you wanted to look it up. This was the card that came with the Courage bead. I loved the whole gift, and I found this card to be very inspirational I wanted to share it with you all.

Good to meet you skywalker. Hubby is an AF vet retired now after 25 years of service. He and I are both banded and having great success with our bands. Welcome to the forum, wish you the best on your journey!

Biotin is a B Vitamin that helps with the production of collagen. It will help you to keep the hair you have strong and it will help the new growth of hair that comes in to be strong and not fall so easily. I use Nioxin shampoo and conditioner you can find everything at CVS and/or Walgreen's pharmacy. I take one sublingual (melt in your mouth) tab of Biotin a day 5000 mg (mcg same one is vitamin measurement since no supplements are FDA regulated) The stress of surgery, stress of diet changes, and stress of restriction in calories sends your body into a tail spin for a while. Once your body acclimates to it all your hair fall will stop and you will start to see re-growth. For me it took about 6 months, but the supplements and the shampoo/conditioner really helped to stem the fall of hair. I also dye and highlight my hair (it's an age thing. Grey is just not my color) so those products helped even more. Don't sweat it ladies...for this too shall pass and the pounds that leave...are worth a little hair in the drain

Taking the time to unwind when you get home from work is not a bad thing. If TV is your usual go to thing switching it up a bit won't hurt. Also take some time and think about the hours you are awake, and the times that you eat your meals. If you are like me...I am up at 5 am. I have coffee in the am and then nothing until around 10 then I have a Protein bar. Around 1 I'll have something for lunch this is usually my largest meal of the day. It might be Turkey chilli, or grilled chicken or today I had 4oz of pot roast beef. around 4 in the afternoon I will have a Protein Bar or a shake since I won't be home until 7 for dinner. This is too many hours to go before dinner so I throw a snack in or I'll gorge when I get home and either over eat or get stuck from eating too fast and now chewing enough. If you have to break up your meals into mini meals through out the day to keep you from mindless eating, do that and then you won't feel like your "snacking" on empty calories or eating something "just because". I also wanted to add that sometimes when I get home early (which is mostly never) I will enjoy a nice cup of decaf coffee and de-compress in front of the TV for a bit. The coffee is soothing and the creamer (sugar free of course) helps me to feel like I've had something and then I am usually content until I cook or prepare dinner. If I don't get home early, (which I rarely do) I will have that cup of coffee/tea after dinner and before bed. It really is my guilty pleasure these days to help me unwind my day.

Ah friend I've got some news for you....you are going to get snide remarks from lots of people. Even people that are banded might make some ignorant snide comments on the way you work your band vs. the way they choose to work theirs. It's just the way the world is. The truth is that the people/person that makes the snide comment is saying more about themselves then they ever could about you! They are showing their ignorance and insecurity about something that you have found confidence and belief in. These type of people want to introduce doubt into your mind, so you can be more like them. However you are not like them you are YOU. Your doing what's right for you, you have walked this path for a long time and your just near the end ready to schedule your big event. You could be talking about your wedding for just as long or longer, and would people be questioning you about it with snide comments? Maybe......but you would not let them affect you and your vision for your big day. So don't let them steal your happiness or underscore it with snide comments. You've come a long way, and the big day is in sight! Getting banded was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself, and I do not regret it for one second. My BEST advice to you as you move forward is to listen to and follow your Dr.'s orders, and if you have questions about anything that is the place to turn for the most sound advice. Congrats and good luck to you as you move forward!