Sweetness

Just like everyone said above.. you are human.. shoot Ive been banded a long time and have my mess ups often.. 28 lbs in 6 weeks is great!! you will feel tightened tomorrow and wont be able to eat the pizza.. so no worries.. drink lots of Water and maybe go on a walk. youll feel better..

Wow its been a while since I have posted.. having a baby changes your life!! I am now going to stay close to this board.. as I need support to get this weight off! I have just moved to Texas.. havent visited a lapband doctor here yet.. but dont need too.. Im filled to 3.0cc on my 4cc band. Ive lost 53 lbs since having my baby on April 28th, but have 88 more to go! I started a blog.. the link is below Anyways.. wanted to so hello and introduce myself!

julie.. isnt dr. mckeen the greatest? Im so bummed not to be there anymore .. ugh. Yes, I lost almot all of my pregnancy weight. the first thirty came off in about two weeks.. then ive been working on the rest .. My doctor at the time, said that the band got tighter possibly due to the hormones. I guess some women experience band tightness when it is 'that time of the month' the same sort of hormones or similar ones arise during pregnancy and increase.. that and the larger my belly got the more 'compact' my stomach got.. thus making the band tighter

so, you had your baby banded right? did you gain alot of weight? or did the band help you to keep your weight down? did you have to get the band totally unfilled? were you able to breastfeed? (hope that wasn't too much to ask) my husband and i are trying to get pregnant and i have worries and questions about what life/pregnancy would be like banded and if i would have a hard time losing after the baby was born. __________________ yeah i was banded while pregnant. At first I kept it tight. but i could barely get food down.. the more 'into' the pregnancy i got. the tighter the band got.. i had it taken down from 3.5 to 2.5 cc. It felt like i had it emptied out! as soon as i got it unfilled i balooned up.. i gained 60plus pounds. I did breastfeed.. but i wasnt able to produce enough milk for her.. i pumped and tried for 8 weeks but gave it up. I dont know if thats related to the band or not.. but i just endedup formula feeding and froze what i could with the breastmilk and fed it to her with formula. It was funny.. towards the end I got so big.. with the baby.. people thought that the 'port' was her foot! it stuck out of my belly. lol we have a healthy baby girl since day 1!!

Thank you for the recommendations.. I took note.. I had a little girl!

Long time!! How are you doing? Thanks for the responses everyone!!

Husband and I are moving this summer to Dallas area, does anyone know of a fill doc in that area?? Thanks!

Thank you very much for your info.. Ill look into it! Shae

Hey Everyone, Im on my fourth fill, 3.0 cc, for about 1mth and half, and have an appt to get a refill, as i know that some has disipated.. (my guess is im back down to 2.8/2.7) I still have restriction in the mornings, but lunch / dinner i can eat too much and have ot control myself a lot. After you have gotten to a 'fill level that you like' how often do you go and have it redone to keep the same restriction level for optimum restriction/weight loss?? Thanks!

That EXACT thing happened to me.... In January before my surgery... From that point on I only went to Lapband meetings. We Bandsters go through so many different things. .that RNY won't and vice versa. They have several bandster meetings in the bay area..Who will be your doctor?

You both are such an inspiration, congrats ... You look amazing! Thanks for Sharing..

Tamiko, I am experiencing the same thing... its frustrating but I always say nicely, going well thanks. I have only lost 3 lbs since my surgery on Jan 25th, so needless to say mines going at the rate of about .3lbs a week. Getting my third fill has help, we just hav eto keep at it, and I try to remember people only ask because they care about us, not because they are mocking us for not loosing weight quickly ( which is of course what we tend to think first because its how we feel inside) We can do it..

Hey everyone.. just wanted to do a quickupdate... im home and the surgery went well. I am still having a hard time finding a good sleeping position.. ive tried a body pillow .. etc.. Also stil in pain.. but i just keep trying to think of the future.. also the gas has my looking like a hot air balloon. and i havent burped yet.. how will that feel? a little scared of that. I am thankful it went well, and that Im home safe.. thank you every for your support. Shae

Thank you all.. Today i am feeling better. still havent burped.. but have coughed/sneezed and ouch! Im working on following the guidlines and trying to realize when im hungry or not... or full or not.. im a little frustrated cuz my mom is continually trying to feed me.. she and my sister are also overweight.. and i went through the instructions with them several times about how i have Water at what time, and how much to eat. and every single day shes like.. ill make you chocolate moose, how about some ice cream.. and i keep saying no i cant have that.. and she gets upset. a bit frustrating...but, i guess they will understand with each day that goes by.

DeLara, My best friend had gastric bypass 3 years ago and has kept off 150 lbs.. she sits next to me at work.. and I dont ever smell her booty... nor has she complained about it.. Of course there is an occasional fart.. but that can be solved with room spray lol

oh thank you everyone.. im feeling a little better this evening.. not really looking forward to tonight trying to sleep but you right.. it will get better day after day. i have family here helping me out.. and all they are doing is cooking some good ass food.. i want to have what there having but i know i cant.. and i wont.. but what temptation~! I am also missing the sensation of chewing... maybe ill get some suger free gum. Thanks everyone for your support.. im sure ill be back asking questions.. oh.. wait. i have one already ive been coughing. and it feels like my whole stomach is comign apart.. this is bad for the band right.. similar to vomiting? i try not too...

Hey Lauren, I was banded tuesday and know exactly what you are talking about.. the only thing I have been following is what the nutritionist told me.. about 2-4 oz of full liquids three times a day.. and sip Water at 2-4 oz per hour in between meals.. trying to add up to 32. oz a day. i know that feeling you are talking about.. but i think if we stick to this.. next week we will be better... also, i think they said it takes 30 min to feel full.. so take a few oz.. then wait about 15-25 min and see how you feel.. I hope this helps.. my doc said fat free suger free pudding is ok.. but in small portions.. maybe try yogurt? or what my plan is to dilute the cream of wheat single packages with water.. and mix in some protien powder and have a few oz. of that.. better than broth! Take care

Hey Everyone, Ive been learning so much from yall over the past 4 months! I have 2 weeks, and I cant belive my time has finalllllllly arrived! Of course Im dealing with the lovely Insurance company who one minute says they cover it 90% then the next minute drops my claim, but I have faith it will all work out. Not stressin over that. I am SO excited and ready to start this new lifestyle. I am nervous though... I have been trying to gather from everyone's experiences and suggestions about what to take to the hospital, what to have ready at home, Vitamins to take, foods to take in accordance of course with what my doctors orders are. I wanted to run by you guys what I have so far and see if you guys had any other suggestions for me... all is welcome. Pre - op- doctors just wants one day of Clear liquids and nothing 12 hrs prior to surgery. (Ive considered doing low carb one week prior to help reduce the size of my liver, or adding a few days onto the the liquid pre-op) Hospital- loose clothing, slippers, change of underwear, toothbrush, paste, body wipes, deod., brush, ...? First days home- Mom is flying down from or home in Oregon , I got a heating pad( someone said they had a bear with hot rocks in it, thought this might work for the insicions), various jellos, gatorades, carnat. instant Breakfast ( although i hate milk, and dairy products), protien shaker, a lounge chair to sit in, should i get straws? ordered queezy pops from Bariatric Advantage mushy stage: yogurts, Beans cheese, protien shakes, jello's, chicken broths, ..... Vitamins- ordered sublingual b12,chewable Flinstones, and Calcium ...... Entertainment: Movies! When do you think ill be well enough to go in a car, and walk around target or something? Sorry for the long post... just know you all are the best and I wanted to thank you.. I had to attend a 'support meeting' prior to having surgery last tuesday and was so dissapointed because out of 22 people that attended, one person was having lapband... all the rest were gastric bypass patients so Ive been able to find a lot of my information here. Thanks again!

Thank you guys so much... I am sitting here so nervous... i go in at 445 am... Im scared about anesthesia.. and waking up.. but then the pain after... my mom has flown in to help.. and i dont have any kids ... I am never this nervous about surgeries.. do you ever feel somtimes you try to talk yourself out of something at the last minute.. its taken me 6 months to get to this point. .and i think.. oh .. it is going to be a full moon.. not good.. or Oh.. they told me i was denied and i had to fight with them to get approved.. probably just going crazy in my head ... i know it will all be over soon.. thank you guys so much for your support.. ill keep a pillow with me.. and message you all when i return.

Hi Michelle, That is great advice for the Rot... It is my first.. i grew up with Labs mostly... She really is a handfull, and luckily i did read that it is important to show her who is boss... We have also enrolled her and are attending puppy training class... funny enough she acts all bad ass at home.. then walks into puppy training and turns into a little baby and wouldnt come out from under our chair.. LOL She is more work than i had first thought, but i love how she is a great companion and has so much personality.. and I love how protective she is of me. She just got finished with all of her shots and we are trying to take her on walks.. it is VERY HARD... she either doesnt want to walk.. or doesnt want to walk next to you.. but ill keep trying. we have her in a harness. Everyones dogs are so cute.. Becky that picture of your dog on your lap is so funny.. he is a big bear huh! And the lab with the reading glasses on is tooo funny.. ( reminds me of my old lab boomer)

sorry for the HUGE picture.. didnt mean for it to show up that Gigantic!!!

woops trying to get the picture up... here we go... her name is Akira..

awwwwwwwwww how cute! I wanted to share my new puppy... Shes 4 months now!

Congrats Tonya! yipee, Im sure youll get a surgery date quickly!!! I found out last night after three days of arguing etc.. ( i have UHC POS Choice plus) that i was approved for my out of network doctor at 90% YAY. Found out that UHC made two big mistakes and filled out the wrong paperwork for me twice during this whole process... Im sooo glad its over... just got back from the hospital for all my pre-op bloodwork.. they had to stick me in the wrist.. made me pass out! Oh well... 4 more days! Then Ill be offically part of the banded club. lol

I have UHC and have surgery Tuesday... just got notice they denied me when I was approved all along over the phone and actually switched from UHC EPO to PPO to increase my benefits so that i could have this surgery.. After about 30 calls over the past week, it turns out that they filled out the wrong paperwork for care coordination to accept my claim. And that as of 2005 they have new standards for approval for morbid obesity surgery. Today, They are requiring me to provide them not only with the 12 tests that i have completed ( abdominal ultrasound, ekg, bloodwork, primary care work, nutrional, psych exam etc... ) but also need a medical record from at least 5 years ago stating i was diagnosed morbidly obese. Unfortuntaly i have only had my primary care for 4 years and went to college and used the Health Services Clininic there... no primary care. I am praying my family doctor from when I was in High School has some record of this.. they actually are searching through their medical records in an offiste storage facility as I type to find my records... in hopes there might be something in them about me being obese... Geez.. Ive been overweight my entire life.... they just wont belive me.. Its been very stressful and Im not going to give up.. but the stress i dont need after 6months of dealing with them and a surgery date of Jan 25th... The best advice I can give is Call them every single day... that is what i have been doing since Jan. 4th. It has helped because unfortunatly, they change their 'stories' everytime I call and finally i was able to find one agent who gave me their extention and has been helping out a lot. It will be covered.. It should be covered... Keep on them and dont give up.. I wont