Katness

I was banded on the 5th of December but in 2007. After a rough start in that time I have lost 25 kilos or 55 pounds for those in the US. And I'm still going. Yes, by the time I got back to solids I was practically drooling. But after reaching a good tightness everything is good. But bare in mind you will have days where you will be frustrated and feel like not everything is going according to plan. But DO NOT I repeat DO NOT give up. Keep in mind and keep focus on what your goal is for losing weight. Frankly I'm glad I came back to this forum. Last few days my anxiety and depression have been exacerbated by worrying that I'm not losing weight fast enough. But, taking my own advice, I'm losing weight and battling my childhood obesity so that I can feel more comfortable in approaching a potenitial partner. You have to be a bit patient, and find your own comfort levels, and relearn how to eat. But you will find your pattern that works in sync with the band. And hey, I can now not only legitimately call myself a heathen but a bandit too. :tongue2:

I went through a similar period of not losing weight. That was also the time my muscle structure changed and became stronger. I also re adjusted my diet. But one point I'm trying to make. Is it could partly be changing muscle structure and getting stronger making scales give a "false negative".

I too went through those emotions after surgery. But I was also having my period at the same time as my surgery. Which was bad. However, that was a few months ago for me now. And let me just say that it does pass. Right now, I'm the best I have been in a long time. Which is saying something considering my history.

Don't be discouraged. 50 is a lot to lose. I know this is easier said then done but. Hold your head high. And revel in the feeling of more freedom of movement, more energy to keep up with the ones you love. But, also remember the love of your immediate family. Husband, kids. They are the ones that matter most. And CONGRATULATIONS! I look forward to the day I reach the 20 mark. Which is not far now. But not that close either.

Well, I was like that before I got banded back in december 07 myself. But these days I look at it more like this which helps me keep the head space. The goal. You want to feel more comfortable in your own skin, and out live other family members. And in my case be less anxious about approaching another woman as a potential partner. Before I got banded, I hated myself so much for being over weight that I treated food as an emotional thing. And part of it for me was too many choices. Both junk wise and more nutrition wise. However after the band I though Ok, this does it, I'm more pissed of, I want a partner and the only way I'll ever get the confidence is if I have help. After it I looked at what I was eating. And I think part of weight gain is not only what sorts of foods you eat but what is in them preservative wise too or how they are manufactured, which is why I now have a mincer with which I make my own burgers. Not to mention a mincer works great on chickpeas too for chickpea burgers. However, Bread deals me damage, along with rice and soda I stay away from. And that is three of the main culprits of carbs. Also, it helps to find the more nuritional foods you absolutely love. I don't have many but some and so I stick with them. Besides it means I don't even have to think about it. As I already know what I may want out of the things I love and so my question as to what I'll make is answered. It may be a bit repetitive but I don't mind. As I'm also on the autism spectrum so yeah. Cooking the way I tend to does take more time, especially if you study. But it does mean you are better off. I also tend to hold onto the joy that I get when I find out how much I've lost each visit. This past 4 weeks I've lost 3.24 kilos. Which is 14 kilos about since december 07. And I'm still going. There was a time I slowed down at one point, but then I altered my diet again and it sped up. Basically my rules (except on the special occasin I get Chinese or pizza which is either once a week to once a month at the blessings of my dietician) would be A) home made, as there are no preservatives. you know what foods/ingredients you love and don't love. C) you know exactly what it going into it. D) I always stick to the low fat stuff. Like sour cream. I don't usually eat cheese anymore unless it is a birthday, a graduation, or Christmas. Other then that, I don't really miss having it. Other things I like I find alternatives to that I like just as much. Like Ice cream, I now eat yoghurt instead of which I have several favourites. However, that just a bit of my story, I could go on but I don't want to bore people with anymore. And I myself are still in the experimenting phase some what. I do this too. A lot of the things I love like Beef or ham, I'll only have very occasionally. In the treat section. Chicken or chickpeas or lentils are more often then not. Sincerely, Kat.

A lot of the time I usually feel fed with one jaffel. Almost to the point of being satisfied but not quite. I then get distracted because I'm thinking about it, rather then being able to concentrate on what I want to do. But I also have those feelings where I tend to confuse something else for hunger (if that made sense). I have a feeling that it is that that is making me feel like I'm not satisfied. As I usually wait 5 minutes and tend to feel ok. I know I overreact to a lot of things. But I've always been a worry wart and a bit of a paranoid person. With the tinned fish. I would mash it finely and keep a bit of the juice in it and eat it slowly but I would still bring it back up. About the only thing I could eat was Soup or mashed potato. Or really hot pizza that was mushy and gooey. Everything else I'd have pain and have saliva threatening to come up. With the first fill, tinned salmon was fine. But then that was less saline. I'm feeling slightly better after reading some of the other threads. Which is why I'm still reading. Sincerely, Kat.

I had my second fill of 2 milliliters last week after 1 milliliter 4 weeks before that. With the fill of 2 mls after the 1 ml I was getting indigestion and not being able to keep even mushed fish down. So yesterday (February 18) I went down to my clinic after calling them and got one ml taken out. Leaving me with two. I had my dinner of a jaffel last night and ate it faster then I should be able to. Then felt I could have another one but opted not to. But I did get frustrated. But I also kept in mind everyone is different. But I also got paranoid. I am somewhat worried though. As I thought it would take a bit more to get restriction, or a good amount of restriction I think I have some restriction but it is nowhere near enough. But, considering I'm getting heartburn with three milliliters and not being able to keep mushed tinned salmon down. Well, I don't know. I guess I will talk to my surgeon in three weeks time when I see him again and talk to him about it then. I want to ask a question though. Or rather the opinion of people here. I'm thinking I might ask for a half milliliter more of saline and see how that goes. As I had too much restriction before. And not enough now. Although having not had these sensations before I'm not too sure what to make of some of it and I'm sort of doubting myself. I would go to the support group at the clinic but that would mean taking a one to two hour trip just to get there. I don't mind making the trip for the appointments every few weeks. So that's why I come here. For the support group bit. But all last night I was feeling frustrated. And my being on the Autism spectrum as well, that led into my feeling depressed then extremely pissed. But rather then sitting and letting fester. I thought I'd ask what you guys make of it? Sincerely, Kat.

Yes. I have been having the exact same problem. Although, I had some of the pizza that I got left over. I reheated it the next day then had sliming and pain for quite a while. After that I went back to mushies and Protein shakes and worked my way back to solids. Still got sliming and pain. I couldn't even eat fine meat pie filling (that was minced beef) without sliming and pain. There is more about that in the fills section where I'm asking for advice and/or opinions. Sincerely, Kat.

That happens to me on a regular basis.

I woke up really groggy. And went to swallow, noticed my mouth was bone dry and I had a tube down my nose which made it uncomfortable. Then a nurse pulled the tube out and I drifted between slumber and awake. I was then moved to the ward where the oxygen mask was replaced by an oxygen tube that sits in the entrance of your nose. I didn't feel much pain. Though it took me quite a while to have the sedative wear off. Long enough that I ended up not getting up till quite a lot later that night. However I did get up once to pee. But that was ok. Although, I did have pain in my shoulder tip. Which I was warned of, however it wasn't quite what I expected in degree wise. However, chest pain and ribcage pain was not nearly as bad as my shoulder pain.

I had actually looked at that list. But opted not to get anything until I needed it. Also, my parents who helped me financially I knew I could depend on to get anything if I needed it. Which is why I made that decision. However, turned out I didn't need the ice packs or heating pad or any of that stuff. I didn't even use the pain killers I was given when I was sent home. All I had in hospital was some liquid panadol. Hmmm.

What my nurse at Sydney Obesity Clinic told me was: Bread - yes, not the fresh dough kind as that can gum up. But toasted is fine. Gum - Don't know, she didn't say anything and I didn't ask as I don't chew it. Carbonated beverages I've been told is a no as the gases can cause your band to shift. Caffeine yes, as I'm told coffee if fine. Pasta - yes, but depends on the person. Some can eat it some can't. Rice - same with Pasta. But be careful as it can sometimes expand in your stomach. Edit: now that I have been back on solids for a while. Rice for me is a no no. Carbonated beverages if I let them go somewhat flat are fine. And pasta, is ok too. Just keep in mind to chew, and eat slowly. Sometimes still I forget then feel like an Alien chest burster from Aliens is trying to get out.

I haven't actually had the surgery yet, and I went to a seminar (free) about it last night. And today I called the Clinic to make my first consult appointment. But right now I feeling a tad overwhelmed. I'm probably getting a head of myself though. Anyway, I was looking at the paper work in the information package from the seminar, and the Clinic I'm with only charges for the Surgery. And if you happen to have gone to one of their seminars they bulk bill you for the other appointments.

Ok, so I have not been banded as of yet. But I'm seriously considering it. I'm going to give a bit of background, and the reasons I'm considering it then ask my questions or question: Ok, so I've been overweight all my life. As a kid I always had a big appetite but never really noticed it until my late teenaged years. Also when I'm stressed I eat a lot more. I think it was about a year or two ago I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. So now I'm on Metformin, I'm also on Thyroxin for an underactive thyroid. Anyway. For the last year or few months I have been trying like hell to lose weight, and I was doing good at first too. But now it has sort of stopped or slowed down to a snails pace so much so that it has become extremely tedious. I've also been on anti-depressants and Anti-psychotics all my life and have only recently been able to get off them all together with little to no consequence emotionally or mentally. My appetite is as big as it always was, and after being told by my Endocrinologist that I have to lose weight I started paying very close attention to what I eat. And I realised that my appetite and hunger get so bad that I can eat a whole tin of the soy sausages (that I love) which is about 8 of them in one tin and two eggs before I feel remotely satisfied. It is not so much cravings as just plain old appetite. I've tried everything else, and I'm doing all the things I need to be doing like exercising and eating right. Just my appetite is a hinderance. And I firmly believe that my appetite mixed with the battering ram my system (maybe especially my metabolism) has taken from the anti-depressant and anti-psychotics I've been on since I was about 6 is what is making it difficult for me to lose weight. Thats why I went off my meds, now I'm tackling the appetite front. I was getting so worried that I started looking for things on the net to help me and found the Obesity Clinic in Sydney that does these surgeries. Well actually my sister found it and pointed me to it, so I've been up half the night reading, but I have at least one question I have not found the answer to, and as I write this I may think of more. So for my question, After the surgery is done and you wake up and move for the first time. Is the band that is now there detectable in a sensation of tightness around your stomach or is it more like a, say, if you are a woman, a tampon in that you don't feel it? Or if there is a sensation of tightness, is it the sort of feeling you get so used to after a while that you start to not notice it? and if it is the latter, how long has it been for most of you before you start to not notice it? I'm also beginning to think that maybe I should not read anymore of this forum except for this thread, as having read about the port pain, I'm feeling slightly scared of the idea. At the same time though I'm also thinking that this could be, if not the only way I can control my appetite effectively and not feel like to have the feeling of not being satisfied. :noidea: :eek I'm also considering this because I want to find a partner/girlfriend. But because of my weight I'm too self conscious and have absolutely no confidence. And partner, weight wise I'm now frustrated, pissed off and at wits end. So any answers or advice in the slight case of fear and cold feet would be muchly appreciated. As I refuse to let my own life just slip past me and I finally decided, hey! I'm only 23, I'm still young enough to fight this and get to be where my heart desires.

Actually, I now keep the tab for this web site open all the time. Also, I'm more then emotinally ready. And, thank you to everyone who replied.

Heh, ok sorry.Let's see. Basically my main question is after the surgery and all is done is there at all a feeling of tightness? If so, is it something that you start to not notice after a while? It may be a stupid question, but it is one that keeps coming into my head.