shortgal

I worked in a Primary CAre office and we routinely did the T3 T4 plus the Tsh for female patients for annual bloodwork for physicals. We also routinely did B12 tests for male and female and were surprised how many came up low and needed monthly injections to get their levels up. I was one of the low B 12 people. I am suspicious their is a correlation between low B12 and reflux or heartburn, which I had. Now that my hernia is fixed and the reflux has stopped, My next few blood work tests will determine if their was a correlation or not. What a joy it would be to stop my monthly B-12 injections!

Sizes vary of course and there is a difference in the size of an 18 in Women's (or plus) and an 18 in Misses sizes. So after losing 20 pounds you might find you go from an 18 plus size and still be in an 18 but in misses sizes. Look at the difference in the size charts and the measurments and you'll see what I mean. I am short at five feet and it takes about 12 to 15 pounds right now for me to go down a size. As I get smaller, it will probably be 10 to 12 to go down a size. The brand name etc can make a difference, too as some cut their clothes a little generous and some very narrow and tight. Right now I am at 202 lbs and am just ordered an 18 womens pant.

Jayne, If we go through life always afraid of everything, in the end have we really lived well anyway. I had a sister in law that was always afraid of flying/going over bridges etc. she died suddenly at the age of 56 and I just kept thinking she didn't live life to it's fullest while she WAS here. My motto when I travel is, if the plane is going to go down, I just hope it's on the return flight, so at least I got to see one more place! P.S. shortgal turned 56 the day I was released from the hospital, one day after surgery. If you truly feel you have tried everything else to lose the weight, then what's left to try but this. Look how many other people on this forum have also tried and this was the only way they could reach theri goal. Hope the pep talk helped. Still working on my journey, too!

I've only had one fill 2cc in a 10 cc band and have no restriction yet, Next fill is 1/3/08. My Dr. fills based on hunger, not weight loss. I like that b/c I did lose a little more at my last visit, but that is b/c I am restricting myself depsite the hunger. I am hungry! I had just gotten to the real food part for two days when I got my fill and had to go back to liquids! On full liquids yesterday and today after the fill yesterday, then onto soft food for two days. Those restrictions always help me to jump start another pound or two weight loss. My next goal, under 200 by end of month. 2.5 pounds to go in 10 days. I can do it! Second goal 6 to 8 pound weigh loss for Jan.

Nice to hear from other height challenged people! PHYL, Palm Springs area is beautiful. Lucky you. Our daughter lives in Vegas, but we can't retire yet. When we do, we'd love to spend 1/2 the year with her. Good for you, changing sizes feels so good doesn't it? I just ordered a smaller size pant ( 18w), the 20W are getting loose. Just anxious to be in the "regular" petite department. It's been a long time!

I had a hiatal hernia, too. I knew about it as I had an upper GI series a few yeas back b/c of acid reflux. The hernia was repaired at the time of surgery. i was self pay, no add'l cost for the hernia, but then the lap band surgery was $17,800! Ouch. No more reflux, so far.

Hi, I was banded on 11/27. I had bad gas pain for the first four days. Felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and radiated to my left shoulder. Try to move around. Get Gas X chewable tabs or strips. My incisions never bothered me and I am now able to sleep on either side or my stomach, so it will get better! Hang in there!

Phyl, Well congrats on your weight loss. Almost 6 lbs a month. I'd take that! i was banded on 11/27/07 and just had my first fill today. My next one is in two weeks. they told me not to expect this first one to do anything. After fills, I am on full liquids again for 2 days and then soft for two days, then back to normal foods that I can tolerate. Just working the process and trying to be the 'leader of my band". I'm in the Northeast, where are you? I am obviously new but learning fast and praying I don;t have complications along the way. P.S. I used to be 5 feet and 1/2 inch. I guess I shrunk the 1/2 off! My husband is 6'4", what a pair! First Surgeon appt/ Day of Surgery/ Current/Goal 216 212 202 140 (fingers crossed)

You might want to check online for some diabetic dessert recipes. Those are usually creative in eliminating fat and sugar to keep calories lower. Many use Sugar Free/fat free instant puddings mixed with skim milk and with cool whip light.

I don't fit into your thread of starting at a BMI over 50, but while you know you're trying to get to a BMI that I started at, I'm drooling over all your heights! LOL. We all want what someone else has. No matter how much I lose, I still be very short and it will probably be harder for me to get to a normal BMI at a height of 5'0" (I have to be less than 128 lbs to be at the high end of "normal" weight) then it will be for most of you at 5'7" to 5'9". I am just trying to achieve and maintain the lowest healthiest weight I can. So many of you have had incredible weight loses. Good Luck to us all!

Call your ins company and ask. Mine required a five year history of obesity with documentation through Dr's office notes, showing weigh ins. I did not have that and ended up self paying. Even tho' I had been over 40 BMI for over 5 years, I just didn't have the proof they wanted. My ins. also required a BMI of 40 or more with no co-morbidities and 35 and over with co morbids, such as diabetes etc. The five year history is difficult for many people ( that's y the ins. co. asks for it) because if you go below the 40BMI once during the five years, you start over again from where you were above 40. Plus many overweight people avoid or refuse to be weighed at the Dr's visits and then they have no records. I'm sure my ins co. knows that, too and that's y it's so hard to get approved by some of them. But you need to at least know their requirements! Don't take the nurses word for it!

SVM, If you were just banded, why would you worry about the holidays? Aren't you on a post op liquid diet? Just follow the rules and remind yourself that you're the "leader of your band" and you can only eat what's approved by the DR. I was banded 11/27 and I have not had one treat/snack etc that is not allowed. I am helping my band b/c I want to succeed and b/c I'm afraid I'll screw something up, if I don;t obey Doc's orders! You can do it! Come Jan 1st. when everyone else is starting their new years diets, you'll be a month ahead!

Thanks! The little "weird" feeling has gone away. Maybe it was just from the PA pushing to find the port and inject. I was able to drink an Atkins shake and just had a sugar free pudding. That's all I've had today. Getting a bottle of Water now! First Fill (Another milestone accomplished!) Banded 11/27/07 5'0" First fill Today! 12/20/07 2cc in a 10cc band Next fill 1/3/8 1.5 cc if I need it First Appt/Surgery/Current/Goal 216 212 202 140?? Fingers crossed

So grateful my husband has been VERY supportive of the band. He has of course witnessed first hand my unsuccesful struggle to lose and keep off weight using diet and exercise. I was a self pay patient, so I really needed his co-operation. We tried going through insurance but we have United Healthcare and I was unable to meet their five year history requirement. I HAVE been overweight for more than 5 years, more like 25, but I could not get the proof they require. (Long Story). For whoever posted that they cannot lose even on 1500 calories a day. No kidding! That is way too many calories for me to lose. The surgery itself restricted me to about 500 calories at first. As I healed, and felt better I gradually more food and calories. Today, at 3 1/2 weeks post op, I am consuming between 800 and 1000 calories daily. Weight loss is still slow, but I'm short, I'm older and I'm a female. But I still managed to lose and that's a good thing! I am not yet restricted so getting by on that amount of calories is tough, but I am very motivated at this early stage, so I'm working with it! Until this weather gets better ( I'm in the Northeast) I will not be out walking or working in my yard, so exercise, well honestly there's not much of that happening. Can;t wait for Spring! Gastric bypass was just not an option for me. I just couldn't bring myself to do something so drastic. And my husband didn't like the sound of it either. So far I am happy with the band. Long term, well we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, no complications and prayiing for just the right restriction so I can maintain a reasonable weight on my short frame.

Just let the process take place. Have the consult or go to a local dr's seminar and then schedule the appts with pysch and nutritionist. Ask the Dr. questions and at many seminars you will meet previous lap banders. Many Dr's also have support groups that you can go to and see what topics come up. Things I didn"t know to ask before: What brand name band and what size band would be used? How often are fills done? And what method is used to do the fills? What is the pre-op diet and for how long? What is the diet after fills? Are there certain foods once I'm into maintenance that many patients have difficulty tolerating? What are they? Are most patients able to sleep on their side or stomachs after healing? ( I can) Some of these questions were answered in the package they gave me (mostly the diet ones were answered). The more you know and understand the better off you'll be. My surgery was on 11/27/07 and for me the first four days were the hardest due to the gas pains. The incisions never bothered me at all. I am a little older than many on this forum. At 56, I probably recovered a little slower than the younger patients. I have had little trouble sticking to the post op diet restrictions as it progressively adds more food each 5 to 7 days, so I am only a few days away from adding something new. I just got my first "fill" today and that went smoothly. I highly recommend you understand the nature of a "fill" and how it works. Search over the forum for anything regarding fills. But remember each person is different and you might have a different reaction to a fill than someone else. I also recommend that you follow YOUR doctors instructions. Each Dr. is different and has a different protocol, but following your Dr is the best thing you can do to be successful. Good Luck on your journey. Finding my Way! Banded 11/27/07 5'0" Consult/Day of SX/Current/Goal 216/ 212 202 140 (Fingers Crossed) First fill 12/20/07 2cc Next fill 1/3/08 1.5cc if needed Inamed 10 cc band

THe PA put a pillow under my back so it arches up the midriff, she said that helps her find the port better and as I lose more weight it will be easier to find.

This was/is my biggest issue with the whole process. I have always been a slow ( I mean really slow) loser. I was reluctant to tell people, but when you see people and can't eat, it's kind of hard not to say something. I find most people still don't understand the band at all. My manicurist just thought the band goes on and that's it, you can't eat a lot. I had to explain it's a slow process of being filled etc. ( The commercials on TV don't explain that part). Almost everyone knows a gastric bypass patient and they expect us to have the same fast weight loss. So right now I am avoiding family and friends for awhile, that way if they don't see me often, when they do see me maybe there will be enough change for them to notice. I truly believe everyone's expectations ( and sometimes our own) is THE hardest part of this journey. We just have to hang in and do our best and be the "leader of the band".

I was banded on 11/27 and was on very small , slow sips of clear liquids for the first week. Try going to clear liquids first and only tiny ( 1 oz) sips for a few days. things have to heal first.

Gas X. I had chewable tablets, but I hear they have strips, too.

This is a good place to vent the frustration. I think we all have someone in our lives that is just NOT going to be supportive in a way we need. For me that is a sister in law, that still doesn;t know I had the surgery. I will see her christmas and will have to "spill the beans" then. Each time I see her I know she will "look me over" and then ask how much weight I've lost. I intend to not see her often for awhile after christmas. When she eats a dessert, she always has to announce that she worked out an hour and 1/2 so she could indulge in the treat. I'm sorry your immediate family is not being more supportive. You can find it here, ignore them at home and just get on with your new healthly, slimmer life. Today, I just told several people ( previous coworkers and my manicure place) that I haven't seen in over a month that I had the surgery 3 weeks ago. They said they could tell I had lost some weight. Not sure if they meant it, but that's ok. So many people confuse lapband with gastric bypass, so they really have no idea that this process is diffferent from gastric bypass. I try to explain the difference and explain that the weight loss will be slower, so they don't expect me to drop 50 pounds in 2 1/2 months. So hard to keep up with people's ( and sometimes our own) expectations! Good Luck and try to stay positive.

Hopefully, you'll feel well enough after one week, but everyone is different. I'm a little older ( 56) so my recovery was probably slower than someone that's under 40.

I can sleep on either side and on my stomach. Occasionally, when I'm on my left side it feels a little weird and then I shift to right side and later I'm ok for either side again! 3 weeks post-op yesterday. Banded 11/27/07 First fill 12/20/07 Tomorrow. I know I need it. Self Pay, That hurt the most! Highest/At surgery/Current/Goal 230/ 212 / 202 /Whatever I can acheive and maintain. Fingers crossed it's 140 5'0" Goal should be at 120 but that will never happen. I'm a realist!

Figure at least one week, ten days would be better. Good Luck

My gas pains lasted four days and that was the hardest part so far. Try to move as much as you can should help, but I know all too well that can be hard to do when you ache. You can do it! Banded 11/27/07 First fill 12/20/07 Tomorrow! and I know I need it. Highest/Surgery/Current/Goal 230 212 202 Whatever I can acheive and Maintain fingers crossed it's about 140 5'0" Goal should be 120 or less, but I know that will never happen. I am realist!

Hope everthing went well! Anyone else afraid, please remember surgeries are done everyday and the majority of them go so smoothly and many are much more invasive than lapband surgery. The process of sedating you before the anesthesia starts really helps relax you. Just breathe through each step and you can get through it. The first four days were the hardest for me. Gas pains were like a heart attack. After that things were better. As I healed and felt better, i found I was gradually increasing my food intake from approx 500 calories a day and now up to 1000 a day. That's why I know I'm ready for a fill and glad the Dr. doens;t wait too long for it. LapBand placed 11/27/07 First fill tomorrow 12/20/07 I need it! No pre-op diet required, 2 days Clear liquids before surgery. Highest/Day of Sx/Current/Goal 5'0" (shortgal) 230 / 212 / 202 /Whatever I acheive and MAINTAIN! Current Goal to be under 200 by end of Dec.