sghatl

Just an update. I had my band removed on April 6 and revised to a Gastric Bypass at the same time. This was the best thing I ever did for myself. I am so happy with the results and realize now that I should have done this a year ago. I had trouble with the band since day 1. I had a lot of scar tissue built up around the band and it was rubbing against my liver. I am enjoying life so much right now. I am sleeping through the night which I haven't done in over a year with the reflux and pb'ing every night. It even gave me pneumonia once. And I can EAT. I am having to be careful because I am od'ing on fruits and vegetables which I could not eat the entire time with the band with the exception of bananas and pureed veggies. I have been able to eat everything I have tired without any issues. I love my bypass. I haven't lost much since surgery (20 pounds) but I am near the end of my journey. It's been a long 3+ years but so worth it.

If you get it fixed, I would insist on future fills under fluro. My doctor does it that way routinely.

Hello, everybody. I haven't been checking in here enough lately I see. I am glad to see those of us still here. I have had an interesting second year. On the positive side, I had a hernia repair and a tummy tuck in June of last year and an arm lift and a breast lift in October. I am very pleased with the outcome. On a not so postive side, I continually have problems with reflux at night so that I can no longer eat after 4 or drink after 6 at night or I will be up all night. Ingesting reflux has given me pneumonia once already. It continues to get worse and I have been totally unfilled since last September. Luckily, I have continued to lose minute amounts of weight per month - at least not gain. But my diet is mostly liquid or soft foods. My ticker below reflects my current position. I have had an upper GI and and endoscopy in the last month and when I saw my bariatric doctor this week, we looked at the films together. I have pouch dilation without band slippage and scar tissue between the band and stomach which is why I have restriction despite the band being empty. Bottom line - band has to come out. I can either have a band placed back in with no guarantee it won't happen again or convert to gastric bypass. I think I have decided to get the GB. That said, do I regret getting the band? Hell no. It has been hard work for two years and no easy road. I have had reflux almost the entire journey. I never could really eat the types of food others could. Dense Proteins were a problem for me. I had constant follow up care at the doctor's. I followed band rules. I will get a surgery date when I get back from a trip to Pennsylvania next week. It's not my ideal choice but a better one none the less for me. I don't want to lose but 10-15 more pounds and would be happy to stay where I am for the rest of my life. BUT, I have a history of not being able to keep it off so I will have the surgery.

Just got back from my pre-op with the plastic surgeon. After signing and initialling 25 pages of precautions, warnings and possible surgical risks, I should have just run out the door. It is really scary to undergo something like this - 6 hours of surgery is not something to sneeze at. I have to have the hernial repair so I might as well get the PS at the same time. Looks like I will be laid up for quite a while aferwards, drains could be in for months or weeks - no way to predict. Healing will take at least a year. Did I say I am scared. This too shall pass.

Kat, you've got mail. Laura, I need your email address. You can send it to me in a private message if you would like.

I am having a TT and lipo on 4 parts of my legs on Thursday. This is being done in conjunction with a hernia repair. My insurance is paying for the hernia surgery and my stay in the hospital. I am self-pay on the TT and lipo and the additional time (4 hours)needed for the operating room and anaestheisiologist. My hospital part to pay was $2400 and the PS's fee is $8750. What were you quoted?

love your new pic Christasha

I'll be supporting you. I really admire the effort this is going to take. I don't think I could ever do something like this with my knees. Maybe next summer I can take care of them when I am closer to or at goal. All of this hard work will pay off. Just think how proud you will be of this great accomplishment and it should help you get closer to goal.

I am utterly and completely in love with my band. I am 17 months out and haven't lost much of anything the last 6 months but I am still in love with it. I haven't gained and eat pretty much what I want (obeying band rules of course). I just returned from a 12 day trip including a 7 day cruise in the Galapagos Islands. I ate everything I wanted including up to 3 milkshakes a day and I didn't gain an ounce. I have to say it was a very physical trip - more walking than I have done in 5 years. I had to walk the stairs between 3 floors constantly for the week. The first day out was a city tour over cobblestones and up and down stairs for almost 2 miles. I hung in there with them. We did two excursions every day while in the islands. The band and activity contributed to my not gaining I know. Next week I go in for hernia surgery and a tummy tuck. The PS is going to do some lipo on my legs also (that is where I carry my weight). I haven't had a band adjustment since I was unfilled slightly last November. I can't wait to get an adjustment after my surgery so I can pick up and lose some more to get closer to goal. Hang in there, the band can be your best friend.

Christasha, is the other lady having a revision because something is wrong with the band? I have heard that happens often.

Great!!!! I cannot even run a block and have never been able to. I have very flat feet and someone once told me that's whay I can't run. I don't bounce. I finally lost a pound and have reached my lowest point this morning. For 5 months I have been fluctuating within two pounds since I had a slight unfill. I think I need a fill but I am afraid since I had been too tight for 3 months and ended up with pneumonia from ingesting reflux. But for today I am celebrating my lowest weight. I feel like my metabolism has kicked back into gear too.

Welcome to Georgia and the forum. Have you attended any seminars yet? Where in Atlanta do you live? I live in Lilburn. What doctor(s) are you considering? Good luck on your journey. I don't regret for one second that I had the surgery.

Welcome Linda. Some of us are still around. Congratulations on your band success. I, for one, am stalled right now. Have not really lost much lately and really can't seem to stay at my lowest or get any lower. I keep gaining and losing the same 2 pounds. But it stays at 2 pounds at least. I had a consultation with a plastic surgeon on Monday. I have to have a hernia repair this summer and will now be getting a tummy tuck at the same time. Even though I have a lot more to lose, I don't think anymore can come off from my waist up. I already fit into a medium top. I will be getting some lipo in my legs at the same time to get some weight off my knees (with the benefit of getting into some smaller size pants). My goal here is to just go into any store and buy some pants even if they are XL. I can wear some XL's now but not in every store. Down the road I will get my arms done (outpatient surgery) and I think that will be all I do. My boobs, although rather stretched, still fit nicely into a bra without any overhanging. At my age, I just want to fit into clothes, not wear a bikini.

Are you feeling any better, Katie?

Congratulations, Katie. I hope all goes well. Let me know about your experiences. I will one day be looking at getting that surgery too along with an abdominal hernia repair. Like Christasha said enjoy your youth. We are having a much harder time losing because of our age I am sure. I see the doctor tomorrow and I've lost 2 pounds in 2 months.

My nutritionist said they were a good protein source especially after exercising and they taste pretty good too. I have picked them up in the grocery store and at Walmart.

You are wearing your weight loss well. You look fantastic.

All I can say is wow to all of you. Let's pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. I, for one, am so glad I did this and wished I had done it years earlier.

Are you sure you Protein intake is high enough? I read that this condition could be caused by not eating enough protein. My hair hasn't changed at all throughout my journey.

You look fantastic.

Examine your water intake. I, too, found myself gaining a few pounds (4) over the holidays. The first thing I realized was that with being busy every day for almost a month, I was not drinking the amount of water that I should. I, too, had started to eat everything and anything at any time. So I started making sure I drank at least 64 oz of water or non-caffeinated beverages a day. In two days I noticed a difference. I started eating better and staying satisfied. I not only have take off those 4 pounds but I have lost an additional 3. Go figure.

Hi, Christasha. I'm still here. I don't post much but I lurk a lot. I guess at my highest I gained almost 5 pounds during the holidays and today I weighed my lowest yet. So it came off fast which is very encouraging for the future. With the band we can live like normal-weight people. I see the doctor again on Friday - first time in 2 months since he slightly unfilled me to correct reflux problems. I think I am at that perfect spot for lifetime maintenance with the band. I'm not sure I can lose much where I am and I still have over 30 pounds to go but I am afraid of getting a fill and the reflux coming back. Remember, I had it badly for 3 months and it culminated into pneumonia from ingesting what came up. Hopefully, he can reassure me on Friday. I think we are all doing very well and are far healthier than we were a year ago.

Thank you for the kind words. I do love the new me. Did everyone else relax their eating during the week of the holiday like I did? I used the restriction of the band but did make bad food choices. The scale is showing it too. BUT, today it is back to the grind and I know the couple of pounds will come off quickly.

I had that problem for almost three months before I decided that something had to change. Turns out my band was tight. I had a slight unfill and it all went away. I still have restriction and can now eat most things. Before the unfill I was pretty much on a soft diet.