mini

JSRICO!! We havn't heard from you in a long time. How are you doing...and everybody else? Mini

Manatee. So glad all is going well. Can't wait to hear about your journey...don't forget about this thread please. Who knows, some of us may one day have to revise our surgs too. I can't wait to get my flouroscopy next month so I can have a fill. I am eating way too much food!!! Before I know it, I'll eat my way back up! EEEEEEEKKKKKK! Mini

Manatee! What a journey you've been on! I am so happy for you. How much weight do you have to loose at this point. Mini Oh, I am having a strange symptom since I have had my band completly unfilled and wondered if you have ever experienced anything like this. I have a taste of salt in my mouth. No matter what I eat It tastes like I have been licking a salt lick. I hope it is not actually a blood taste and that I have a bigger problem with my band than I know. Any Ideas? Mini

Kelly, Thanks for responding. I have Aetna so I will be waiting anxiously to hear what goes on with you. Please keep me updated! Good Luck! Manatee, thanks for the info. Coding it as a obstruction. I will let my doctor know. I go in for my first fill on the empty band under floroscopy Nov. 12th. It I still have the bit of dilitation, I don't know if he'll let me have the fill and then that is when he will decide if he wants to remove it or not. The first couple of days that I had the fill removed, I lost controll ..yes, I started pigging out on all the fruits and veges that I have not been able to eat since 2007, but I also went crazy on candy! But, with the help of my very supportive hubby, I finally am under controll again and am sticking with a lot of proteins and veges. I am eating much bigger portions than I am used to eating. And..I am eating so fast..oh my gosh, and the sized of my bites are so much bigger! Very strange to eat like I used to. I am determined not to gain any weight before my first fill...I would be so embarrased. Kelly, please keep me filled in on your journey! Hopefully I can follow in yours and Manatee's footprints. Mini

Kelly, Will your ins. pay for a revision? My doc says mine won't unless I gain back all of my weight. What ins do you have? Mini

Hi everyone, Mini here. Can't wait to read the posts. I see some of you have been doing great and some are having problems. I can relate to the problems. I had to go and have my fills all removed. Had a huge problem with acid reflux since around last march. Then over the past weekend while on vacation...lost 4 pds..couldn't eat anything..nothing would go down..pb's 3 to 4 times per day...even on fluid. Went to doc on tues and he sent me for xrays..yup, nothing would get through band while they were watching on the xray machine. He withdrew all fluid and I go back Nov 12 for a fill under floroscopy. He said that I may have to have the band removed. He is willing to try and give me a few more fills but at the first sign of trouble he is done with fills and will remove it. The ins won't cover a revision because I am at 29 BMI. He said if I regain the weight..then maybe I can get a revison. I don't want to regain the weight...but am very depressed, because, I am already starting to overeat and it's only thursday. I see my self looking like my old self by Jan. Sorry to be a downer.

Hi! So what is your fill level now? I wonder if that cold feeling you had was the saline solution from him missing the port. Now you will be on the road to losing weight! I wish I was too. I have eaten really clean today. I swear I can eat anything now..cept drink liquids too fast. I had a big old fried chicken sandwhich from sonic last night. I am afraid that I have streched out my tummy! I made an appt with the doctor fot the 21rst regarding the possibility of a revision to a d switch. I don't know if someone under 200 can have one though. I am sure he will want to see what level is in my band. I may have a leak and that may be the problem. That would mean a revision to a new band. I so don't want to go through that. I'll let you know. Keep up the good work...you had a very good reason to gain the weight. Now, like you said..you did it once and you can do it again. Let me know how it goes and what your fill level is. R we the only two of the may 2007 bandsters having trouble? Where r the rest of you guys!!!

Morning, I'm not sure if I've ever felt that cold feeling aroung my port. Do you think it's leaking? Maybe u need a floroscopy to see. Now r u pbing with food..but not water. One thing I have never been able to do is gulp any kind of fluid. Also, I find if I have been really good with my eating...my band seems to get tighter. If you can afford it, I think it's time for you to get this floroscopy. It will releive your mind. One question, are you over eating..r u eating the wrong things? I know I am. I am eating way too many sweets. Hang in there, we will find the answers to our problems..my husband would throw a hissy fit if he new I am considering a revision. Mini

Hello Sweetie, Don't let that doctor defeat you. You lost a lot of weight after you had the lap band. Then you got pregnant and had a baby. It worked for you the first time..it can work again with hard work on your part. I understand what your going through. I can't really have anymore fills (unless I loose some of the fill over time). I just can't swallow spit when I'm over 3.5 cc's. I am no longer loosing weight..I am 13 lbs up from last January..although I got married and I blame him LOL. I don't know if i will ever loose andy more weight and I am actually considering a revision..a gastric sleeve. I like it much better than a bypass, look it up. But, I think the two of us with hard work could loose the weight without further surgery. Also, I work in a emergency room and one of the nurses told me she would never ever have a surgery that cut your stomack because you will develope scar tissue which can lead to so many problems in the future. She was amandant! Blessing girl, I will be so glad to be here for you if you need to talk. Mini

Violeteyes, Just like me you have put a bit of the weight back on. But, like you I am so grateful for the weight that I have lost. I honestly don't think I could put all the weight back on that I lost because I just can't eat near as much as I used to. I need to learn to live without ice cream. I swear I could eat it 24/7! Nope, this is not magic. The band takes work. I think before I got the band..no matter how many times I read that..I still thought of it as a magic cure! LOl! Mini

Hi Laura, So glad you are feeling better. I had a problem last month and had to go to the ER to get a unfill because they put more in it than planned. They had me up to 4cc's in a 4cc band. I couldn't swallow spit! It was a horrible, uncomfortable feeling. Now I'm up to 3.25 or 3.5. I have a hard time remembering. I can't go over 3.5 or I choke. This is the first time since I've had the band (2 yrs) that I am starting to not like it. I am not losing weight and I am so tired of puking! I really wish that I could get it revised to the gastric sleeve. Courese, I was doing so well before I got married last January. We have food in the house that I never had in it before. My new hubby loves to eat 3 big meals a day. He wants there to always be home made cookies in the cookie jar and he loves ice cream. Ice cream is my weekness. It is so easy to eat.. Well, I just hope your doing better than me. I've gained 10-12 pds since I've married!! Yikes Mini

Laura, What size band do you have. How many cc's are in it? Mini

Hi Manatee, Yes, I am one of the May 07 bandsters who dropped off. Honestly, I have been doing really good until I got married in January. I am a bit discouraged now because I have gained 10-12 pds since I got married. I was doing really good on my own. Only keeping the right foods in the house. Now I have tons of stuff in there that's fattening and not good for me. Gaining the weight makes me feel like a failure and I am a bit down on myself. Still, I am very glad I had the band done. I am healthy again and I feel good about how I look. But, I feel like I am loosing controll and I don't ever want to gain back the 60 lbs that I lost. Help! How are you doing? Mini (Weazer):laugh:

Macy'sgranny1 How exciting! Another wedding. I had given up on meeting the right man too! I was just looking to date! Isn't it funny how it really does work out when you give up! Congrads to you. Hope you'll be as happy as I am! Weezy

Hi y'all, This is Mini, do you remember me? I think it's been over a year since I posted! A lot happened at the end of 2008. I met someone really special and I got married in Jan 2009! I like to think that the band was the start of my new life. Losing the weight gave me the confidence to go onto a singles website and start dating. Good thing is I didn't have to date anyone, He is the first one I met in person and we fell in love. I told him all about the band right away and he is very supportive. Anytime something gets stuck, he pats my back like he is burping me. On our wedding day I weighed 169lbs. Now I've put on a few and am in the one seventies still. But I am wearing 11's or medium bottoms and a large top (still have that chest to deal with). But, I feel like I look good and my health is great. I tried to get on track a couple of weeks ago and went and got a fill. Well it was too tight and I ended up in the ER. They unfilled it. Oh my gosh. I could eat anything..scared the pee out of me. So two days ago I went and they filled me back to my 3.25. I am back on track. Blessings all, Weezy

Hi Y'all! I haven't posted in awhile. I think partly because I haven't lost any weight! Happily I haven't gained any either. The neat thing is that I am not a food addict anymore. I don't think about my next meal. I just eat 2 square meals a day. I know I should eat breakfast more often but my coffee and creamer just seems to be all that I want. I can still manage to eat anything pretty much if i eat real slow and chew real good. I even managed about a fourth of a hot dog on July 4th. But, I noticed they are not as good if you can't take a whopping big bite! I usually end up giving someone at the table the rest of my plate..eeeww I know but we call ourselve's Helen keller at my table..and just grab what we want some off the times! But, we do act proper when in public So from reading the posts it seems that most everyone else is in the same boat. Not too many of us reached goal. But, we have all done good and made a huge impact on our looks and health. I couldn't ask for more. I am a different person on the outside and inside. It feels really good. I think I will lose more weight..but it might only be 10 - 20lbs slowly. Blessings all! Weazer

Leg, Thanks for the info. I intend to try it soon! You look so fantastic! Whoo Hoo! Weazer

Wow you guys! You look fantastic! I am so empressed! If I could figure out how to send them, I would send mine too. Maybe my daughter will help me with it. This year is so much better than last wouldn't you all agree! Blessings, Weazer

Laura! I am so happy for you guys! He sounds like a beautiful healthy baby! Congrads!!!! I can't wait to be a Gramma too! Lisa

Legster, That is so cool! you are this close to goal! My next goal is to be at goal by one and half years. By November, I should be there! Blessings, Weazer

Lillyanya, That cracked me up! Blessings, Weazer.

Hello Amazing Bandsters. Gosh, once we reached our year, I guess we got it pretty much figured out and don't need as much support. This is where I am today. Maintaining my same weight loss since March. Still hovering around 180. I am plateaued for sure. I went to my family doctor yesterday and she was really happy about it even if I'm not. She showed me a graph of my weight ranges since 2005 and I've always hovered between 200 - 220 then for a three month period I got up into the 232 range. (I admit I did gain some so that I would be approved for the surgery). So she was very happy with 180 and showed me my graph of blood pressure during that time too. She showed me how it has gone down to normal after always being so high. So I have allot to be happy about. I am going to keep trying to get my last 30-35 lbs off. I may even go get some of that ALI (fat blocker) that has just come on the market. My other friend had the lap band and her doctor suggested it. I'll let you know. Blessings, Lisa

KC Denton is in far North Texas in the Dallas-Ft Worth area..only about 30 miles till the Oklahoma boarder. Some doctores don't want to let you get to 3.5 but my doc trust me to tell him what I need. I am thankful for that. I didn't have enough restriction when I was under 3.5, but everybody is so different. Some people would be stuck at this fill. I really think I could use just a tad more..but it is fun to be able to eat anything..but just small bites and portions. I don't think my pouch is strectched out. Just love my band! It has changed my life! No more obsessing about food. It feels good to be normal. I love how I eat so much slower. It is hard to watch people shove giant bites of food in their mouths and realize that I used to do the same thing. I think if I lost my band today I would not eat as fast as I used to. I think that's where we run into problems of over stuffing ourselves. I don't know how much of this last 30-35 pds that I'll loose..but, I feel pretty and sexy right at this wght. If I have to stay here no problem. It's all about how you feel about yourself. Blessings, Weazer

Hey KC My doctor is in Denton Texas, Doctor Stewart. I am from North Texas Denton area. I was raised in Houston though. Thankfully I had good insur and it paid all the bill and the fills were only around 25 bucks I think. So I am up to 3.5 ccs. Now that I made the silly choice of changing my ins. I can't afford the fills. I will have to make do with what I have. I really need to be at least at 3.5 or i can eat too much. I can still eat anything I want. I had a big peice of liver for lunch. I no that sounds yukky, but I fiqured it would be good protein. Had no problem eating it. Also had a couple of bites of mashed potatoes. I did not eat breakfast today..my coffee and creamer usually suffice. Some days I make myself eat some dry cheerio's or something because I know it's healthy. I think I will go with more protein tonight after my fall off the wagon yesterday. It will help me get back on track. I am glad you like the 5 day pouch test. It was good to get back on liquids and it wasn't hard at all because you can have all you want. Good way to restart your motivation. It's great all the info we get from each other. Glad to get to know you too! Weazer

Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test This can be used to just get yourself back into eating right. Instead of using it to test your pouch. Really works good. Plus that's a good website to puruse. Weazer