OnMyWay07

Hi Ruby! Thanks for answering all of my questions. I may have to consult with my doctor about my port, I was just curious if anyone else might have experienced something similar. When I mentioned fasting on the day of my fill, I mean with clear liquids only. No food or even full liquids. I am sure that is what they told me. I even called on the day of my first fill to verify. They said nothing but clear liquids. I know what you mean about not wanting to get discouraged looking at the before pics yet. I tried to take progress pictures 6 weeks post op, but I forgot that nearly 10 pounds of my weight loss had happened prior to my "before" pics, taken the week of my surgery. I had lost 10 during my pre-op diet. So when I thought I was comparing pictures after a 20lb. loss, I was really only seeing pics covering a 10 lb. loss and it was EXTREMELY disheartening. Once I realized my mistake, I felt better. But either way, I realized I need to wait until my weight loss is more significant before doing another set of progress pics! Thanks again for your post!

Hey everyone! I am a bit over 2 months post-surgery. I am down almost 25 lbs. Not bad for getting started, I guess. I have a couple questions for everyone. First of all, does your doctor tell you how much he is putting in the band at each fill? I found out with my first fill that I have to ask if I want to know. I am not sure how much my band will hold, but they told me they put in 2.5CC the first time and added .75CC the second. When I told my friend who got banded in December, she said that was a lot. I have felt restriction even with my first fill, and that doesn't seem to usually be the case with others. Yesterday I could hardly eat anything! I was having to eat one bite, wait 15 minutes, then eat another. I was getting full after the second or third bite, too! Is anyone else feeling restriction after only one or two fills? Also, it seems with my friend and me, that each day is hit or miss. Some days it seems like I can eat pretty well, still not as much as I used to eat - not even close, but at a normal rate and such. Other days, I can barely eat anything. I don't see what is making the difference, either. I have been starting my days out with coffee a lot, but I still can't seem to eat until the afternoon. I was just curious if this is a pretty normal experience. Also, is there any way the port could get dislodged or anything? I am having sharp, shooting pains at the port site when I sit, bend a certain way, or stand up too quickly. I can feel the port very easily under the skin, too, which I haven't always been able to do. I have never heard any stories about the port becoming a problem. Just wondering if anyone has, or if any of you have experienced pain in the area like me. I am not sure that it is normal at 2 months post-op. You guys are much more brave than I am with the carbonated beverages. I have avoided them like the plague. In fact I had gotten some tea for myself and a coke for my husband the other day from Whataburger. Later, I accidentally took a sip of his coke. As soon as I realized what I had done, I ran and spit it out! Oh, and that reminds me of something else...are you guys not allowed to have anything but clear liquids on fill days? I am getting my fills around 4:00 P.M. and it really stinks to be on liquids only while am at work all day. Then, after the fill, I still am restricted to clear liquids only for 24 hours!!! I am starving by the time day 2 rolls around and I can have thicker liquids. Then I am restricted to those for another 24 hours! I am wondering if all doctors are this restrictive. I will say though, that fasting before my second fill was noticeably easier than with the first fill, but still rather miserable at times. And now for an entertaining story: I went to my nephew's birthday party the other day at Chuck E. Cheese. When we left and got to my car, somebody had busted out my window and stolen my purse and tote bag. (I know - not really entertaining yet, but keep reading.) So, my purse was an old purse that I don't even use anymore but I had it sitting in the floorboard of my passenger seat. It only had junk in it. My tote bag was a sad thing because I use it for work. They got nothing of real monetary value, but made my life more difficult because they got my wallet with my driver's license, insurance cards, important business cards with doctor's phone numbers, and my SS card. (I know I was stupid to leave it in my car...) It is kind of cool that they didn't get any money because I only have one credit card and it was in my pocket (where my wallet should have been). So here is the entertaining part: In my tote bag happened to be a CD. It is my CD that I record my weight loss pictures on. The horrible part is that I have only put my before pictures on it. And some pics are of me in just my bra and panties!!! YIKES!! My wallet also had my little weight loss tracker, so some low-life out there knows exactly how much I weigh now and how much I use to weigh!! I doubt they took a second glance at the CD or weight tracker, but it still creeps me out. Oh well, live and learn. I was a dummy for leaving my stuff in the car. :phanvan

Maria, I have been dreading my second fill, too, due to pain in my neck and shoulder. Mine has been in my left shoulder. I haven't read your previous posts, so I wasn't sure when your pain began. Mine began the day after getting my first fill. I had a horrible stomach spasm and now I have pain every day in my neck and shoulder. I decided to visit my regular family doctor, a D.O., and she did some manipulations on the vertabrae in my neck. It hurt a lot that first night, but since then, I have had very little pain. She said that the stomach spasm probably made me tense up in a way that caused me to pull a muscle or something. She also said that I had a vertabrae all out of line in my neck. I am scheduled to go again next week and have her work on my neck for about 30 minutes. she called it an OMP session. Not sure what it stands for... I hope you can get your pain relieved. When I read your message, it sounded exactly like what I have been going through. Good luck! Christina

I know I didn't exactly have a whole lot to get here, but this morning I dropped under 300, weighing in at 299!!! I just pray I will never see the 300's again now that I am out. My next exciting milestone will be 285, which was my weight right after both of my pregnancies. Even better will be when I hit 250 again, my pre-babies weight! I know I need to lay off of the scale obsession, but I am so happy I weighed this morning!

Actually, I buy mine from either my doctor's office or The Vitamin Shoppe. At the Vitamin Shoppe you can also buy single vials in the different flavors to try them out before you buy the entire cases. Ask for New Whey Protein Shots and they should know what you are talking about. The single vials are in the refrigerated section. I suggest doing that if you can so you don't get stuck with $30 worth of a flavor you don't like. I have a case of the grape. My friend and I are band buddies and we are planning to each buy a case and split them 1/2 and 1/2. Each vial is only 3 oz. but can have either 25g or 42g of protein! And like I mentioned before, I have tasted both and you can't tell a difference in taste between the 25 and 42. There is no sugar, no fat, only 2 carbs and 176 calories in the 42 gram tubes. In addition to the Vitamin Shoppe, you can purchase online at several places. Type in a search for New Whey. Here are some links: Product - IDS - New Whey "42" Liquid Protein (Case of 12) New Whey, Liquid Protein 42g, IDS Sports, Whey Protein http://www.nutritionexpress.com/protein/whey+protein/concentrates+80+protein/ids+sports+new+whey+liquid+protein+42+fruit+punch+12+each.aspx

NewCC, Did your doctor prescribe an antibiotic for you to be taking immediately following surgery, too? My doctor did. He prescribed an anti-nausea, pain relief, and antibiotic. I have been taking the antibiotic 3 times a day since surgery! I am sorry you are having such a hard time with all this. My friend who got the vertigo was really uncomfortable and in a lot of pain immediately following surgery. However, she is nearly 8 months out, 80lbs. down, and she compares it to the experience of having a baby. She says she has already forgotten the pain and discomfort and has no regrets about getting the band. I hope you are feeling better very soon!

The shots are pretty good IMO. If you buy the cases of them, they only come in one flavor per case. If you have a band buddy who could buy another flavor and then you split so you have a selection, that would be nice. The cases run about $30 for 12 vials. Like I said, they are great for liquid stages as they are a small amount of liquid with a lot of protein. The 42g. and 25g taste the same, so I stick with the 42g for more boost for my buck! They have orange, fruit punch, grape, and blue raspberry. I think the grape and fruit punch are the best.

:update: At 5 days post op I thought I would give an update. I was reading everyone else's experiences and thought I would throw mine in. The shoulder pain (gas) subsided by the second day for me. I did a LOT of walking. (Thank God for pain meds to make that more doable!) My port incision is the most sore, but seems to be healing nicely. Is anyone else itchy all around your incisions? I think the band-aid adhesive caused it. I am feeling hungry on occasion, but I can only take a few bites at a time to feel full really, then take a break and come back for more later. I can, however, eat a whole Sugar Free pudding cup pretty quickly. I found a SF Banana Fudge flavor and I love it! I am so totally over soups and broths. I am getting desperate. I even put some chicken salad in a blender with extra mayo and mustard to make it creamy. It was...well...different. I was also able to finish off an entire protein shake today. I use Pro Complex Vanilla powder and mix it with FF milk, frozen berries, and a scoop of Splenda. Not bad! Is anyone having the New Whey protein shots? They come in these containers that look like giant test tubes. They have 25g or 42g bottles and they come in different flavors. They are great for liquid only stages because you get all that protein in a very small amount of liquid! You can find them sold online and at The Vitamin Shoppe. My doctor's office sells them. My friend who was banded in Dec. drinks them still, especially after getting a fill. Also, is anyone else weighing themselves compulsively? I feel like it is a ritual everytime I step foot in my bathroom now! I have never been this way because I was scared of what the scale would say. I think it is nice now to be hopeful as I approach the scale so I do it all the time! I lost 6 pounds on the Pre-op diet and I have lost another 4 pounds since surgery. Off to a pretty good start I think. I have my post-op appt. this Tues. and I really hope they will tell me I can start trying some solids again soon. My blender is going to burn out otherwise! My mom is so sweet and took my girls to spend the night with her tonight. They are 2 and 3 years old. It is a nice and needed break. I think I overdid it a couple nights ago trying to clean up around the house. It just gets so messy so fast with 2 little ones running around and stir crazy! After having "a talk" with my DH, he is helping out a lot more now. Well, I am off to bed now I think. I am so pumped about sleeping in tomorrow!

NewCC, I hope you are feeling better. I am just now catching up on posts from the last few days and I read yours. I was thinking that you sound pretty sick for already 36 hours out. My friend was banded in December and had similar symptoms as you and ended up at the ER. She was diagnosed with Vertigo. They treated her and she felt much better pretty quickly. Just thought I would let you know that in case it might be what you are suffering from. Either way, I hope you are feeling much better now or very soon!

As recommended through my LapBand doctor's office, I make Protein shakes with ProComplex vanilla flavored Protein powder. My friend came up with the mixture. SO far I have stuck to fruit shakes. I blend together 8 oz. FF milk, 1/4 - 1/2 c. frozen fruit (mixed berries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, etc.), 2 scoops of Vanilla Pro Complex powder (55g protein), 1- 2 TBSP of Splenda sweetener, and sometimes a TBSP of Light Cool Whip for added flavor and creaminess. I think the vanilla powder has a malt flavor. My doctor's office also sells New whey protein shots that come in several flavors and either 42 g. or 25 g. These have been great right after my surgery and my friend likes them right after she gets her fills. With the 42 g. shots you get a lot of protein in a small amount of liquid. You can find these online. They look like giant test tubes.

CeCe, I think a lot or even a majority of people having lapband are yo-yo dieters. I know I am. THat is why I chose this to help me stop. Your current hungry self is telling you this won't work and you will do it only until you lose weight then get a deflate. But remember, what this surgery will give you that no diet can, is feeling full. I was on clear liquids the first 48 hours, but today I got to try out some grits. Even with the band deflated, I was only able to eat about 4 bites then I had to wait 15 minutes to be able to take a few more. It is the first time I have ever felt full after a few bites of something. But I didn't even want to take any more bites. I know most of my restriction now is due to being swollen from surgery, but it gave me an idea of what to expect. You will do great. So many people have with the LapBand. My BF had her LapBand put in back in December and she has lost 80 pounds! She has not yo-yoed at all. She use to be the world's worst! She also used to struggle to work out consistently, now she loves it and feels empty when she doesn't. She was so desperate that she even tried out to be on The Biggest Loser. I helped her make the video! I have seen her life completely change. Yours will too! Good luck with your surgery tomorrow!

A few days ago I posted about being afraid I wouldn't get banded since I cheated on my pre op diet, too. I think my post kind of got lost and overlooked, though. It was the day before my surgery, too. Well, I was banded yesterday and the doc said everything went great. I am sure you will be fine. I look forward to reading your post op update soon! Good luck!

My banding went great today! In fact, I read somebody else's post from today that said they found a hernia that they had to fix first. That is is funny, because the SAME thing happened with me today! Maybe it is more common than we know. The doctor said that it should help with acid reflux problems! I was pretty miserable right after surgery with the pain in my shoulders and my nausea. Once I got home and took some pain meds. and slept a few hours I began feeling much better. When I was hurting so badly right after surgery I was beginning to wonder what I had been thinking. I am better now and I can definitely attest to the fact that walking around helps with the gas pressure. I feel better after every time I walk. The barium swallow wasn't as bad as I had imagined. In fact I liked it because it seemed to settle my stomach and I was quite worried about vomiting. I have 2 and 3 year old daughters and they have been so sweet "taking care" of me. They are good little girls and big helpers! I also have my mom, hubby, best friend, and 2 aunts to help me out over the next few days. I am glad it is over and I can really get OnMyWay now! Good luck and lots of prayers to everyone up tomorrow!!

Okay, 8 and 1/2 hours and counting.... Getting a bit nervous. I have cheated a few times on my pre-op. WOuld hate to wake up from surgery and find out they didn't do it...... My friend said she was scared too. I did pretty well on the diet for the most part, but couldn't resist a few temptations here and there. Crazy, but that is the one thing making me nervous.... Oh well, I will be praying hard tonight!! I have lots of others praying too. I will update when I get up and going again. Wish me luck!

Hi everyone! My name is Christina and I just got my date for surgery scheduled today. I will be having the surgery on July 24! I am thrilled. Actually, the real joy came when I found out 3 days ago that my insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield) approved my surgery. It was so gratifying when they told me that my surgery had been deemed medically necessary. Until that day, the last few months have been a mixture of hope and dread. I really wasn't sure what they would say. I am a teacher and on the Active Care plan 2 and they often require 6 months of medically supervised weight loss. I have not "technically" had that but I had lots of Weight Watchers documentation (I have done that 4 times since i was 16 y/o). I also submitted a 2 page typed history of my weight loss and gain since I was 10 years old that also included a lot of family history of obesity. I am currently weighing in at about 310 lbs. I have been pursuing the LapBand option for about 4 months now. My best friend had it done in December and she has lost 75 lbs.! It has been so amazing to watch her lose her weight. SHe looks wonderful, and even better, she has changed inside in so many ways. I have never seen her so confident and happy. Well, I am excited to begin this journey and share it with everyone here. My doctor is Dr. Adam Smith with LapBandSolutions in Fort Worth, TX. I do have one question for anyone with some experiences to share. I know that there are different sizes or types of bands. Any ideas on which size is best? I am unsure about how all that works... Thank you and I look forward to getting to know everyone here!

Hey guys! I am only 10 days away from my surgery. In my preop directions it says I should quit smoking but I am having some trouble doing that. I have been sticking to my high protein/veggie diet and I have lost 5.5 lbs already! However, I am worried about the smoking. I am down to about 5 cigarettes per day, and I am aiming to get down to 2. Do you think they will try to postpone or deny my surgery until I quit? If so, I will just quit and do what I have to do. I am just really struggling. I have not been a heavy smoker. I am a teacher and during the school year I often only smoke about 3 per day and don't have my first until around 6 PM. During the summer I range from about 3 - 5/day. Any advice, shared experiences, or support would be great! Thanks!

I had my pre-op today. My surgery is a week from yesterday! 13 days! I have actually been doing my pre-op diet since Monday. It is so different to just eat protien and veggies. I thought it would be really hard, but it isn't too bad. My body feels different without carbs, though. I didn't like it the first couple of days, but today I am excited about it. Going grocery shopping and getting lots of foods i can eat helped. And I guess diets aren't so formidable when they have an ending date! I also wanted to ask where I can look at the calendar that has been mentioned on here? I am missing that somehow. Congrats to everyone recently banded and all the weight loss successes and NSVs! I can't wait to join the ranks!

Frustrated, I live in Ft. Worth. Are you in TX, too? Whereabouts?

I am being banded on July 24! I am 28 years old with 2 daughters, age 2 and 3. I am doing this for myself first and foremost and then for my husband and daughters! I can't wait to be able to do things like take my daughters to Six Flags without worrying that I can't fit on the rides. I am at 310 and I begin my pre op diet this Monday, July 9. I am rather nervous about the diet, anxious at the same time. As for the question posted....I can't wait to be able to wear sleeveless shirts again! Being in Texas, I am sick of wearing hot clothes because I am ashamed of my body. I am happy to be joining the Lucky 07s! Counting down the days to my new life!!! Christina

Thank you to everyone for the congrats and welcomes! I feel like this is going to be a very supportive group! Thanks also for the info. on the band sizes. Glad to know it isn't something I need to worry about. According to my friend who had the banding in Dec., I will be doing 2 weeks of pre-op dieting. So I guess the next week is my last opportunity to enjoy some of the foods I will be saying good-bye to. (And saying good-bye gladly, at that) There is only one place I want to visit one last time.... Simply Fondue in Arlington, TX. Anyone ever been? Did anyone else have a special place they wanted to visit before the surgery? Again, thanks for all the warm welcomes. I am excited to be a part of this group!

I live in Fort Worth, too! How about you?