NEONATAL RN

I have been banded for nearly 3 years, haven't had a fill in months. I still have a problem of overeating then PBing to elimminate the pain. Last Wednesday this happened, I ate too fast, and after getting rid of the excess, I had SEVERE head pain, as if my head inside my skull was in a vice and being crushed. It took about 6 hours for this to pass, during which time I couldn't move around much and needed darkness and quiet, as in a migraine. I had a"hangover" from it for a couple of days. Then Last night, Saturday, the same thing happened, but more severe. I am a little scared, has anyone experienced this? Of course it is the weekend, so I can't call my doc till tomorrow. I am afraid to eat anything now, other than liquids, I can't tolerate such severe and intense pain. Can anyone give some advice? Judi

It seems I had a interventricular bleed in my head, a sort of stroke. Seems my electrolytes were out of what and the vomiting burst a vessel in my brain. Not something I thought could happen, but there you go. Have had MRI's MRA's, cat scans and other annoying tests. Am home from the hospital, my GI Doc came in to the Neuro ICU and loosesned my band completely. So we will see what happenens next. Will keep you all enformed. Judi

Just had to reply to all you young ones. Your skin will probably snap back, but if you are like me and over 50, well, the luck has run out. Not only do you lose slower after menapause, but the skin has gravity and age to deal with. And lucky me, my Doc says I have what a lot of older bandsters have, my body is holding whatever I have left [about 25 pounds] in my abdomen. So as soon as I get some ambition to lose the rest and pay attention to what I put in my mouth and do some exercise, then maybe it will come off. i am still so happy I did the band, I am healthier and feel so much better than ever.

Anyone Know Of Any Experienced Doc In The Orlando Area? I Have A Friend In Winter Haven Looking For Someone P;ease Repond Thanks

I just had my 55th birthday, and along with my very first tattoo, I have lost 75 lbs. in the last 2 1/2 years. I find that the young ones lose faster, probably because they have better metabolisms, not menopausal. And their skin seems to jump back as opposed to mine, which just sags. But I would do it again in a heartbeat, just the knowledge that what has come off will stay off, not like the rest of my life with off and then back on, only always a little more. My knees don't hurt anymore, I am a nurse on my feet for 12 hour shifts and I can move around a lot better. And my bra doesn't hurt anymore! These may sound like little things but they certainly make my day to day life a lot more pleasant. So if I am never a size 8 again, so what. I have about 25 more to go and have the great knowledge that it will eventually come off [especially if I get off my butt and exercise] Good luck on your journey

I was stuck for a couple of months before Christmas, indulged over the holidays, and just went for a fill last week. I was a little afraid because in Oct., I was filled too much and ended up in the ER for dehydration. Now I feel the band is working, I can drink, even eat a little, and feel truly lucky. But then there is the times when I want to eat something, having nothing to do with hunger,and don't care if I PB. In fact I feel like good, I had what I wanted, it tasted good, and now I don't have to worry about the calories. This is truly a head thing. And now that I am tighter, if I eat too close to bedtime I get terrible reflux all night. Of course, I can't get myself to exercise either. Maybe it is just winter? Anyone else play head games with themselves? I should be so happy that I have come this far(80 lbs), but thought I would be so much farther by this time(banded 9/03) Thanks for listening.

I subscribed to it when I was first banded, it is for bypass people, not us. Thank God we have this website for info and support.

I am a registered nurse working full time in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Oh, I am so glad someone else knowa the pleasure of deep fried dill pickles. I live in NYC now and they have never heard of such a thing. It is amazing how anyone in the south lives past 50, and that they are all not 300 plus pounds. My band has helped me stop the overeating but I still don't know what "full" feels like. Either I am eating or I have overeaten and have to PB. Maybe there is no happy full feeling anymore, but thats okay. I have 3.3cc in, have lost 80 and am struggling to lose the rest. Of course if I would exercise it would happen, but.....

This is my first post, although I have been reading for a while.I realized today I am only 22 pounds away from goal, have lost 78 so far and fit into size 16 with room to spare. I am 5'10''. I had my banding done in Sept 2003 and it is the best thing I ever did for me. My knees don't hurt, I can walk up and down stairs, my brain is taking a little more time to catch up with the reality though. The best is that I know that this time it won't come back, I was a great dieter, could lose lots of weight, but it always came back with a little extra. Food was my great comfort, now it is just, I don't know, I guess I am still discovering my relationship with it. I am going on a cruise with a friend in May and some people asked me if I was going to open my band and enjoy the food. I think that is such a defeatist attitude, I will enjoy the food, just not as much of it as pre-surgery. Why go back to that way of life? The mind is the main problem, but we all who battle weight know that. I have 3.8cc in my band, and I am limited. But I want to get the rest off and go on with life. The max for my band is 4.5cc. Thanks to all for this site, it really is helpful. Judi;-)