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I went back to Curves three weeks ago and last week I started back to the YMCA (figured four weeks for Curves and six weeks for the YMCA). (Two days each weekly) So my question to all of you is: have any of you had issues with lower abdominal pain? I've been to the Y 3 times--I workout for an hour on the machines--and now I'm having severe pain in the area below my port. It IS easing up since Thursday morning (I last worked out Wednesday) but it's still there. I'm blaming the leg press, because when I work that, I do experience pain in that area and end up holding that area while I'm pressing. Could this be it or do you think it's just working with too heavy weights?? (I've severe kicked back from where I was before surgery) I am such an idiot--I'm considering waiting until January to go back to heavy weights again and kick Curves up to three days a week. What's your thoughts??

At the pre-op surgical visit, my surgeon DID encourage me to go the bypass route: because of my history of acid reflux. He said acid reflux is enhanced with the band and if that happened, his only alternative for me would be a "sleeve". But at my age, I opted for the less invasive surgery and guess what? I have had NO acid reflux in almost eight weeks! Of course, I also haven't had my triggers: tomato products and chocolate!! I love my band and could not imagine going the bypass route! (Did you know that the early bypass patients are now having their livers fail??? Learned that from my brother the doctor!)

Well, we all learn to deal with our bodies ourselves, don't we?! When I was first banded, I naturally assumed that to get something unstuck, you would just drink liquid to flush it down. And then I read that it forces it farther down and can make a bad situation worse! Boy, I LOVE reading these threads! Your "island" thing works for me too, after my aerobic dance I hunch over my island and just stay there and I feel better!

Wheetsin is right on the money! AND do you know what your surgeon's do to close the incision areas? My surgeon uses staples and they weren't removed for a week after surgery, so it was extremely uncomfortable. Just be careful, because children generally love to run up and hug--it may just be very scary for them to NOT know what's going on. You guys know what's best to tell or not tell your children, so good luck to both of you...

Wheetsin, someone on one of these threads said if you get pain to stand up and walk around with your arms in the air--so I kind of make it a daily aerobic exercise!! One or two hours sounds like a long time--usually I'm over it in about 20-25 minutes! And I'm surprised that you have issues before evening--that's when I seem to have all of mine. At dinner, I think I'm always expecting that I will eat more, since that was my normal routine before. Why do you think you have issues before evening? Like you, sometimes I just don't want to sit down and eat dinner for fear of the pain--hey, maybe that's a good conspiracy theory: the band-makers dreamed this up as a psychological consequence... LOL

I was eating too much and too fast--and finally learned to TAKE MY TIME! When I go slow and concentrate, I can listen to the band to tell me when I'm full. (If not, I continue eating and then have a wretched pain afterwards!) I'm fortunate to have a husband who is constantly reminding me to slow down! It definitely IS a learning process! :hungry:

Yes, 2 oz (1/4 cup) to 4 oz is about IT for me: I eat 1/4 cup oatmeal for Breakfast, 1/4 cup tuna for lunch, and 1/2 cup of chicken, etc for dinner. I'm getting in 600-800 calories a day. If I eat more than the above portions, it (the band) really tells me I've eaten too much. I've just had one fill and am going in for my second on December 21st--I want tightened before Christmas. You will be amazed at how little you will do with!!! :hungry:

I've done coffee from day one post-op--not sure why some doctors don't permit it (I read one today who said she can't have it for six months!!! OMG) Rice and Pasta I'm careful with--while gum, carbonated beverages and bread I stay totally away from. I have to tell you: By the time you eat your Protein first, you don't have much room left for ANYTHING ELSE! You'll only be able to eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup for each meal--so you make the very best of every meal, protein-wise! :eek:

I know the last week before surgery I was ready to jump out of my skin! I think everyone in December (who really wants surgery) will be moving up because there are those who will postpone "until after the holidays". So with any luck, maybe you will be moved up again. How lucky you are not to have a pre-op diet--but I must tell you that it prepared me for post-op and the band's rules. Best wishes to you in your upcoming surgery! :eek:

Hey Hasta, guess what? Our 1/2 cup of food is 4 ounces!! Yep, your doctor's right: initially 1/4 cup of food will be more than you can take in (you may actually leave some!). I eat 1/4 cup oatmeal for Breakfast, 1/4 cup tuna for lunch, and then 1/2 cup of whatever for dinner--but I must say after dinner I hurt sometimes (eaten too much!) Surprising, huh?!!! :omg:

TulipStar's right--I've been to the YMCA three times now and just discovered that the leg press is what's been killing my port area! I just didn't realize how much I was using my abs in working on that machine. So, go slow on the treadmill and in a few weeks, up the speed and see how it works out!

It's a trade off we've all made here! Head hunger sure does play funny games with us! I must admit, I've been on solids since November 16th, and I can count on one finger the number of times I've had red meat (a hamburger)--I just can't bear to continue to chew and then pray it goes down well without pain! I've fallen back on the softer foods, chicken, fish, beans--but beef and pork are out completely for me. I wasn't crazy for them, but it makes cooking dinner for my husband a little harder (he does his thing and cooks me my little bit--what a lover!) :hungry:

4jin, OMG I am so PROUD of you!!! Way to go, girlfriend!! It certainly showed everyone that you had totally researched both and made a choice that was right for you. My surgeon (two weeks before surgery) told me I should opt for the bypass instead of the band, because of my acid reflux (which he said becomes worse with the band). He said "You'll lose weight whether you want to or not--you'll lose 100 pounds in a year!" And I KNOW this is the reason a lot of bypass patients opt for it--with no real thought given to the real consequences in the long run. (Did you know that the first bypass patients are now having their livers fail? Found out from my brother the doctor) Anyway, just wanted to say to you how you stood up for all of us!

At first, I was doing my old tricks of eating quickly--chewing well, but still eating quickly (My husband is always telling me to slow down!) Then suddenly two weeks ago I realized that sometimes when I finished, I would have severe pain--I was eating too much!!! :hungry: So now I know that I have to go very slowly, so that I can listen when the band tells me I'm full. (And I'm still doing a lot of softer-type foods)

TXbandit, you are just too funny!! (Even in pain!) You know with each day you are healing, healing, healing! Just remember to walk, walk, walk every hour--it will dispel those gas bubbles for you! Yep, I did away with my liquid pain meds after three days--who needs that stuff--we can tough it out, right? Glad the surgery went well and you are okay...

My heartiest congratulations to you on starting the new year out right!!!

Here's the answer I found in LapBand FAQ: There are two types of slippage; anterior and posterior. This refers to whether the front or back side of the stomach slips. There is something else called concentric pouch dilation, but this is not the same as slippage. Slippage or prolapse is when the stomach slides up through the Band, making the pouch bigger. If this happens the Band usually becomes too tight, and patients experience symptoms of reflux (heartburn) as well as nausea and vomiting. This is because the amount of stomach being “squeezed” by the Band is increased, thereby obstructing the Band. There are several causes. Posterior slippage was more common when the Band was placed by the “perigastric” technique. With this technique the back side of the stomach was free to slide up through the Band. These days most surgeons use the “pars flaccida” technique, which was developed to prevent posterior slippage, and has more or less eliminated the incidence of this problem. Anterior slippage is when the front of the stomach slips up through the Band. We try to prevent this by suturing the stomach below the Band to the stomach above the Band, “locking” the Band in place in the right spot. In spite of this, slippage still occurs. It can happen because we haven't placed enough stitches, or they haven't been placed in the right place. Slippage can also occur if patients eat too much and vomit frequently. Of course, all the other sites I visited stated drinking carbonated beverages as a cause--but it may have been the "technique" your doctor used in placing your band. My very best wishes to you......:cry

Like you, I looked all over and don't see any options for the title line. But also I don't see any title lines that have the bolding or underlining. Are you sure it's available? If nothing else, you could email the site and ask them...

We all KNOW that we DID diet and did not get ANY results--and then we dieted over and over again, and over and over again we had no results! You hang in there because before you know it, it will be week six, then week seven, etc. and you will forget all the trials and tribulations you had in the beginning--especially when those pounds just come off--slowly, but your weight will actually go DOWN! You know you've made the right decision--it's just tough times now. Michelle is totally correct when she said, "This too shall pass!"

Psalm20, to change your message editing, go to UserCP in the Menu Bar. Then click on "Edit Options". Go down the page to "Message Editor Interface" and in the first box, choose "Enhanced Interface - Full WYSIWYG Editing". Then be sure to go to the bottom of the page and click on Save Changes. This will give you the ability to underline and bold, etc...

I do know that it will take us three years to lose the amount of weight that a bypass patient will lose in one year, so if you were to have lap band, you would have to have patience. Being 60, I felt that this (band) surgery was less invasive for my older body but at 38, this is probably going to be totally your decision. What I would do is talk to my surgeon / Bariatric Center about the risks and rewards of each. With either surgery, you certainly are taking the right step to a longer healthier life with a lot more quality to it! Congratulations!

Looking down the line, isn't it amazing all the different tickers we chose?!! I guess that's what makes this crazy world go around!!

Curves is a "circuit-weight" training and here's how it works: The initial Curves store has eight machines and eight "resting stations". (The eight machines are preset on the weights, so there is no changing them each time and the "resting stations" are pads that are used for walking, dancing, jogging). You do 30 seconds on each machine (a sound system tells you when to change) and you go around the circle three times to hip music. (so it makes 8 minutes for each complete circle and equals 24 minutes for the entire three circles). As the Curves store gets more members, it can 'earn' up to three new machines and three more resting stations--so you would then go around 2+ times. Each store is individually owned, so you can get a great owner (like ours is--and he's a guy) or I heard of one near us where the owner does not allow anyone to talk--OMG!!! Regardless, the $29 a month is totally worth it--our store is always having games and promotions to win prizes. In February, there is a membership / food drive--bring in a few cans of food, and they waive the enrollment fee (I think it's a one-time $75) And that's what I know and love about Curves...

You certainly are lucky not to have had many fills and are doing so well! I had my first fill November 16 and go for my second on December 21st. (I want to be restricted before Christmas!!!) Welcome!

Sheila, don't beat yourself up over a few olives!! The real accent on the pre-op diet is to limit sugar and deplete the glycogen stores, to shrink your liver and make surgery easier. However, that being said--this is not a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for foods. Get back on that horse and only follow what your surgeon / Bariatric Center tells you. I know it's tough--but we need to follow the rules--because the Band has lots more rules after surgery--but it's totally worth it! Hang in there!