katie2244

Congrats! And thanks for sharing you success!

Congrats! And thanks for sharing!!!

Hi there...just stumbled across this thread. I was banded june 24...i. Can't believe it's been almost 4 months...and how much has changed for me. I decided to get banded with the hopes of reducing the number of meds i have to take, and already i take one less blood pressure med, and i have reduced the dose on two other meds. I've had one fill, not sure about this green zone thing yet... I also have been tracking everything, and following the rules as best i can. I had one stuck episode - i think i was eating too fast, but it was scary..., so I too can relate to the fear of being too tight, so i haven't been in a hurry for more fills. Congrats on getting through Thanksgiving...i took the easy way out, and returned home Sunday, skipping the family get together Monday. I am sure i would have been fine, but i was dreading the looong meal. Congrats to all on your success so far, glad i found this thread!

Thanks for taking the time to share this inspiring and wise post. I am in early days yet, and am grateful for those here who share their experience as you have. Thanks and congrats!

I too drink alot of crystal light, but I am not a fan of the aftertaste of aspertame, and it can sometimes lead to heartburn for me. I have recently found that there are a handful of flavours made with splenda, so i keep my eye out for those.

I've only told immediately family and two close friends. I was scheduled for a hernia repair during the band procedure, so those know knew i was having surgery...i just said hernia repair if they asked. It's been interesting to find that most friends say nothing, where people i know less well have been the ones commenting...and usually just "you're looking well". People like cashiers in stores i frequent, or friends of friends that i see occasionally have been the ones saying anything. As for work...there is the gossip thing that i wanted to avoid, but there is also a judgmental thing...there is a health promotion team that has no qualms about commenting on everything people eat and do. So i am fairly sure people may have noticed, but only one person has said anything...and she is a co-worker that i am fairly close with, and who has been nothing but supportive and encouraging about everything, as she was before i had lost weight...so nothing really different. Although there was my nephew's comment. Now this kid is all about unconditional love and non judgment, and he is too young to know about the health risks that comes with being obese and having diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and all the other things i have. I saw him 5-weeks post surgery, down about 40 lbs at the time, and he says "you look like spaghetti, i don't like it, i am worried". He hates the idea and doesn't understand the idea that anyone would feel badly about themselves for being overweight...so he was worried that i was losing weight because i felt badly about myself, or felt pressured by others somehow to lose weight, and he wanted me to know that he loved me the ways i was before. My plan for when people asked was to go the whole "more Protein, fewer carbs, better workouts" routine ... but so far no one has asked. To the one friend that did say "you've lost a lot of weight" i replied "thank you" and he smiled and that was the end of the conversation. I like to be prepared...so i had my plans...but what's that expression...the best laid plans? Well...they may come in handy in the months ahead...who knows. I'm just glad i had the choice whether to tell or not...and that i have an incredibly supportive family.

I'm curious about how long people leave between eating and drinking? This is the hardest part for me...i seem to always be thirsty. My nutritionist had to wait an hour after eating and stop 30 min before. I keep forgetting to ask the doc about what to do about my diabetes meds, which i am supposed to take with meals. I have been waiting the hour after meals to take them. Thanks in advance!

Thanks everyone! So interesting how different the answers are.

I haven't told anyone at work, but i work offsite. I was suposed to be getting my hiatal hernia repaired during my surgery (they were unable to complete that part due to a complication with my liver) so HR things that's all it was...a hernia repair. I am going to the office in a couple of days for the first time since my surgery...will be interesting to see if anyone notices anything. Hoping not as i'd rather avoid the questions. Lol.

Thanks for sharing that link Mis73. Very helpful information. I am finding that I have a lot of fear about eating too much and having the complications i have been reading about like dilation or slips. I had a healthy fear of vomiting before the band, now the idea scares the daylights out of me. I have been lucky enough not to feel much hunger since being banded, and i feel satisfied with the 3/4 to a cup my nutrionist recommended...but doing that three times a day doesn't get me to the calorie count they want me to get to (min 1200)...so i had been eating 4 small meals...but at my 7-week follow up, the surgeon felt i should try to go to three meals. I find myself wondering if i am feeling "full" physically or if it's the fear i have of eating too much. I feel like I have so much to learn...

I also have fibro, and i was banded June 24. I haven't taken NSAIDs for year, but rather have been on Cymbalta for probably the last 4 years. I am sorry to hear you are struggling with your fibro pain post surgery...that was also the case for me...it started in the recovery room...not incision pain, but that whole body pain that keeps amplifying. They had to give me more pain killer before i left the hospital. I'd had the same issue after a previous surgery, so i had talked it over with my surgeon...as much as i prefer not to take anything narcotic, i took the pain meds he prescribed as prescribed to try to keep the pain from getting away from me. I found my heating blanket was a godsend for that time. The good news has been that I'm two months post surgery, and I'm down 50 pounds since i started the pre-op diet, and i have actually decreased the dose of Cymbalta i take and am considering stopping it. I've had no real pain to speak of in the past month or so, and i am back at the gym and loving being able to do that pain free. Before the surgery, i was feeling that my weight and my fibro were the two things that were limiting my life substantially, and preventing me from doing the things I wanted to do. During that post surgical flare up, i just kept telling myself to keep my thoughts on the future and the possibilities. The way I feel today, it was worth it. I hope you feel better very soon...

Congrats! Thank you for sharing your news.

Hi everyone...I am fairly new here and I was banded on June 24. I am scheduled for my first fill appointment tomorrow, and have been feeling really nervous about it. It took me until 6 weeks after surgery to be able to eat close to the 1200 to 1500 calories my doc wanted me to get to (I can now get close to the 1200 in 4 meals)... And I am finally feeling like I am not struggling with weakness everyday...the only time I feel hungry is if I am up really late at night, and it's been 5-6 hours since I last ate. I'm still losing about 5 lbs a week since the surgery. I am wondering if a fill is always done, or if maybe I could wait a while longer. I was also wondering if people can feel their ports. At my 1 week checkup, the nurse said I shouldn't be able to, but I have this hard sort of round thing under one of my incisions that is still a bit uncomfortable...I'm wondering if that is the port. Thanks.

Thanks for the info everyone...I appreciate it. Looking forward to my appointment being over!