Tonks

Hi, I just find out during an endoscopy that my band has eroded into my stomach. I have an appointment with my doctor on October 8, to schedule a band removal surgery. Has anyone have this problem? How did you feel after the surgery? Is it a long recovery? I have to say I was banded on 2006 and reach my goal about 4 years ago and had no other previous problems with my band. In fact I still consider that was the best decission of my life. I'll wait for your comments.

About a month ago I noticed the area around the port started to swell and went to the doctor. It turns out I had an abcess due to infection. my doctor sent me to do some tests, including the endoscopy (I did it yesterday) and that's how we found out. I have no pain or difficulties to eat. Just the abcess on the port area. this was the first time I had a problem. I hope surgery goes weel and recovery doesn't take long. I just need to continue eating healthy and going to the gym. I really love the gym and working out. That's something I really enjoy. My doctor wants me to get a sleeve, but in my country that is not covered by insurance and I am not sure if I want to have it done.

Hi! I was just looking online for pages to find info and somehow share my experiences after my lapband surgery, since I don't know anyone who has one. I'm from the dominican Republic and currently living in Santo Domingo, and in my country this is not a very common procedure yet and there are no support groups or anything. Looking forward to share and learn from others.

I have a question.... I have been banded for almost 3 years now. My actual weight is 121 Pounds, I can eat almost everything and not have a problem, but I've been having an almost constant diarrhea, it's like one week I'm Ok, and then the other I'm not. I went to my doctor and have some tests done and everything appears to be OK. Could this be band related? Have any of you had this problem? Should I get worried?

I was fat , since I can remember. Once in college I managed to lose a ot of weight then gained it back. The band works as long as you are willing to work with it. It takes effort, but believe me it's worth it!! Good luck on your journey.

Last time I wrote, I was 14 pounds away from my goal (130 pounds, set by my doctor), but I always wanted to be 125, since that was the weight I had in college. After I reached goal, I continue to lose weight, but not on purpose, I excersise and eat pretty much every kind of food. My weight now is 124 pounds, I'm happier than ever. And what you said abut small victories, that is soooo true, I remember the first time I could cross my legs without problems, and the first time I when shopping and got a M blouse, that was just incredible for me! Best wishes to all of you, I hope you reach your goals and keep up the spirit !

I'm at my goal, and ate pretty much everything, never counted calories or kept a journal. I just ate in small portions. Have many female coworkers telling me I'm too thin, and then turning their heads to say: I hope you dont get the pounds back.... I just hate when that happens.

I do as Fort Bend Band and I order apetizers, and serve small portions of food on my plate. At first I never ate out or at parties, but as i was getting used to the band I also started to feel comfortable with eating the small portions, if someone asks, I just tell them I'm not that hungry, and that's it.

I have to say that day came when I saw a picture of me with my newborn niece, and she look so small.

For me it has changed a lot. In my case my mother just don't really get how the band works, she is still trying to make me eat in her case she wants me to eat more but not candy, healthy foods. No matter how many times I have explained to her that I'm full she doesn't get it. She is such a good mother and has helped me a lot. Some female friends... well that is a different history, there are jelous persons all around but mostly at work (obviously they don't know about the band, but somehow they don't like the fact that I'm loosing weight). All my issues are still there, the thing is that now I have to deal with it on a different way, and sometimes is not as easy to do it. Also I have realize that as I was losing the weight I was also getting the power to speak for myself and to defend my opinions an points of view more strongly, that cause me a lot of problems too.

I'm almost at goal, and sometimes worry about things like "what if the weight comes back?", but i also got used to the way I eat now, the small portions, I see normal plates with a normal amount of food on it, and I just think "wow! who is going to eat all that?"

1. How much weight did you have to lose and how long did it take you to get there? I have to lose 100 pound. I am 14 pounds away form my goal and it took me about 18 months, mostly because I don't exercise as I should. but that is a new goal I have set to find the time to excercise properly. 2. What have you found to be most effective things to do to lose the weight? excercise? certain foods? any good tips? etc? I try to exercise but let me tell you that I don't do it on a regular basis. After you are banded (at least it happened to me), you will find there are foods that are easy to eat and digest, I mostly stick to that kinds of food. As Jachut said, I also had my treats. 3. Did you lose the most in the beginning, over time, when? At the beginning. And I have found very hard to lose those las 14 pounds. I whish you the best!!!

There are a couple of moments that made me feel "normal" as you said. I am 14 pund away from my goal, right now I weight 144 pounds. The first time was at my brothers house, my sister in law (she is tall and thin) asked me to go out with her to some party from work, since my brother had to stay and babysit the kids and she didn't want to go alone, but I told her I was not dressed for the occasion. She told me to grab a pair of jeans and a top from her closet. I was like "you are soooo crazy", until I put on the jeans and they FIT !!!, that was a great, great revelation for me. And basically there are little moments like that. Last saturday I was at a friends birthday party and there was one guy just looking at my direction and I was totally sure he was looking at my friend (because you know, sometimes I think I'm still a fat woman), until he came to us and started talking to me and asked me to dance. Also going to a store and asking for a shirt two or three sizes bigger only to realize in the dressing room that the shirt is too big.

I had the same problem. After I was banded i started dating a docotr I met while I was preparing for my surgery, so there was no problem with him because he knew. We broke up and after a while I started to go our with a new guy, and I never told him about it. I decided to tell him only if the relationship worked, but after all he was not the right guy for me and I decided to break up with him. Just wait for the right moment, I think you would feel when is the right time to tell him. Good luck !

And its not only those few victories, it is also about your health. i had back problems, and had to be on physical theray for a while, and as I was losing the wight most of the health problems I had were going away. I think it is Ok to be afraid, after all you are starting a new life, believe me.

I had to pay for my surgery too. I was not afraid of the sugery, but was afraid of the pain after. let me tell you something.... I had my surgery on a friday, and I was working the following monday (obviously not at 100%, but in my PC taking it easy). I am such a coward when it comes to pain and needles and all that, and I do not regret for one second the decision I took, when I decided to have this procedure done. I am 12 pounds away from my goal of 130 pounds. i feel great, I can do a lot of thins I wasn't abel before. I can buy my clothes (beautiful ones) in regular stores, I can cross my legs, I can play with my niece and run with her on the garden. I think I am really blessed for having this second chance to live my life in a different way and enjoy it as much as I do now. Good luck, I know everything's gonna be OK !!!

Hi norcy. I was banded by Dr. González, on September will be 2 years now. My family knows, and almost all my close friends know, I guess I told them because I knew they would not judge me. Also, I told my family two days before surgery, didn't want them talking about it all the time. Well, I will let you know how things end. Thanks a lot.

Hi.... I have a question... and since I am the only banded person I know, I need your help with this. Almost one year After I had surgery I began dating a doctor I met at the hospital at the time I had the surgery, we kept in contact and started a relationship, things were OK, and there was no anxiety since he already knew about my surgery, was familiar with the process, and it was great for me. Things didn't work and we are no longer together. But I started dating someone new, we've been going out for a while now, and things look pretty good, I think this will probably be a very serious relationship... and I just don't know how to tell him about the surgery, sometimes is hard to explain this to people, and to answer all the questions, and besides in my country (Dominican Republic) this is not a common procedure,not very well known. what do you think?

Thank you ! maybe that time will come soon.

Could it be just heartburn??? I don't know, sometimes I get heartburn and have a couple of Tums. I think You should contact your doctor.

Yes!! It was so weird 'cause it was the first time (in my whole life) I was wearing a bikini, at first I felt like naked, and obviously I don't have a perfect body BUT, I decided to do it and it was a liberating experience.

I was a fast eater just like you. Once you have the band, your own body will tell you what to do. i now eat slow and have no problems with it.

I was stuck at 17 pounds from goal for months, but now I am just 14 from it and so, so exited. I started with 230 Pounds. Now I am 144, and my goal is 130. I was so happy last weekend that I felt like crying. never, never in my wildest dream I saw me wearing a bikini and I did that last week, when I spent a weekend on the beach with my friends.... and it felt great ! I feel so happy... I just can't wait to reach my goal !!!!

This is were I buy my bathng suits. The mix and match is great !

I was stretching this morning and it started after that on my way to work. If the pain persists tomorrow, I'll call my doctor. Thanks!