ugagirl

Where did your surgeon place your port originally? You poor thing. I'm sure once your doc goes back in and replaces it, it will be much better. Best of luck!

The only thing I avoid now is bread. It's too difficult usually to try and eat. I've not tried shrimp as my doc said to avoid it, but everything else has been fine!

It's probably a combination of a drastic change in your diet and maybe a little anxiety about the surgery? What kind of liquids are you drinking?

No. Product is fine but it's not so drastically different than anything I've been able to find in the store. That being said, I think after a month of practically nothing but protein shakes I'm biased. I can't stand seeing anything protein powder related now!

I take calcium and was told by my doc 3 months post-op that my Vitamin B-12 levels were SEVERELY low so now I have to give myself shots! I give myself a shot every other week. It's definitely helped my energy level.

*Bump* Hello out there! How is everyone?

I'd love to meet up with some lap-banders in the Atlanta area! I know I'm way late on this though... I live in Decatur and work in Norcross...not sure if that meshes with anyone.

I am still in the dark on that one! Listen to your body and the cues it gives you.

Good luck to you all! I know it seems overwhelming...what you will be going through but it is totally worth it! :rolleyes2:

Hello all! Long time no post it seems. Good to see Newnan representing! I grew up in Carrollton and my pediatrician was in Newnan so I practically grew up there too. Hope everyone is doing well. I am plugging away...feeling back to normal (I guess that's why I don't come on here as much anymore). THAT being said...I had my first experience with sliming today! Lovely...:rolleyes2: I was *really* hungry by lunchtime, not sure why and I went and ate a pita. I haven't had much bread since the surgery and I guess my hunger swayed my good judgement!! I don't know what I was thinking eating something that doughy. I had a hard time eating it, yet kept eating b/c I felt like I was so hungry. By the time I gave up, I made the HUGE ERROR of drinking a swig of water...human nature I guess. I didn't even realize I'd done it and then I realized I was stuck...bad. :scared2: Needless to say, I sat in my car for about 15 minutes praying it would go down. The food didn't come back up thankfully but yeah that sliming thing was interesting. :tongue2: Other than the other experience I had with getting stuck, things are going smoothly. I am tight until dinnertime. I swear I could have eaten that pita tonight for dinner with no problem. Oh well, it's a learning experience. Everyone enjoying this amazing weather??? :thumbup:

What's happening peeps? 4jin?? How was your first fill? I'm getting used to mine. I got something stuck for the first time on Friday! Thankfully it eventually went down. I had to sit in my car for 10 minutes at Target waiting for it to go down...not a pleasant feeling!

I don't think it's the $$$ that motivate them to tell you to go for RNY. I was self pay and I got a breakdown on the cost for both surgeries from my doctor and RNY was about $3K more. I think a lot of the doctors are more familiar with RNY and the long term results they've seen with their patients. My doctor has done over 7,000 RNY surgeries, but less than 100 lap-band. You speak of which you know. I honestly think that is a big reason so many docs push for the other surgery. This is your life. You should do what is best for you. I would never have considered RNY personally...something about having a major organ in my body altered in such a way would not sit well with me. I'm thankful lap-band was an option. Not to mention, there are plenty of people on this board who have successfully lost more than 150 lbs from this surgery. Best of luck in whatever you decide and if my eyes don't deceive me, you're a fellow Georgia fan right? Go dawgs!

:biggrin::cursing: Come back and talk to us once you go for a fill and go through the stress of getting stuck with a needle over 20 times before the needle finds it way into your port.

My favorite is the Wal-Mart version of Crystal Light in Grape. YUM!!!

My port is right underneath the skin under my left boob. I don't even think about it or feel it.

4jin-You'll be fine!! Please let us know how it goes.

Hey there I'm in Decatur. I had my surgery in Alabama because I am self pay and it was cheaper for me. Come visit us in the Georgia section in the local bandsters section!

Love love love reading everyone's NSV's!! I had one last week. I went to Target on my lunch break just to browse/kill time and as I wondered over to the clothing area I of course started walking towards the "Plus" area. I stopped myself and went into the regular (or whatever the heck you call it) size area and looked around. I tried on a few tops and they fit! I bought one and was thrilled that I can start shopping in the other area! All those clothes that have been off limits for so long! Oh the selection...it's mind boggling.

Thanks zeta and Candy! Feeling fine today. The physician's assistant at my doctor's office called today to check on me, which I thought was really nice. Not sure if I'm feeling the restriction from the fill yet. I swear half of this is a mental game. I haven't had that much to eat today but in general I haven't been as hungry since before the surgery. I went to Jason's Deli and got a bowl of the chicken chili and ate half of it for lunch and the other half just now. Hope everyone is having a good week! No more tornadoes please!!

Well I got my first fill today... Found out that my doc put in 2cc in my 10cc band during surgery. Who knew? It was a pleasant surprise. The fill was not pleasant but it was a surprise. Surprisingly difficult!! OMG. I kid you not...I had to have been stuck with the needle 20 times before he found the diaphragm in the port to get the saline in the band. Started out at the doctors office. After about 12 attempts, complete with my surgeon, the PA and the nurse all hovering over me they decided something was off. At one point the doctor was sticking me with the needle, the PA had both hands PRESSING down hard on my abdomen, and the nurse was holding my legs up at an angle. I felt like a science experiment gone wrong. Then I hear my doctor say the word "flip" and I wanted to flip out. He then clarified that he did not believe the port had flipped, it was probably just on it's side at a weird angle, but the damage was done. Out came the tears...it was just a nerve wracking experience. I'm not a fan of people hovering over me in any capacity, let alone applying lots pressure on me and randomly sticking me with a needle. :thumbup: His office is across the street from the hospital where he does the surgery and they called over and got some tech to stay late so he could look at my port under flouro. After standing at a 70 degree angle with one arm holding me shirt up, the other bracing myself against the wall and about 8 pokes he found the diaphragm. He put in 4cc. I was surprised, as the nurse had said it would be 2cc. I think he felt bad about the whole situation and frankly, probably wants to get me at my sweet spot and soon after that whole ordeal! I know it is not his fault, lord knows our bodies are all different and I know he put the port in a good spot, things just happen. I just never expected it to this difficult the first go around. Sorry to be Debbie Downer. I am happy that I went for a fill. I'm ready for some restriction. I love my doctor and I am so glad I went back to him for my fill. I can't imagine going to someone who didn't do my surgery. Oh and I hope I didn't scare anyone! I think this is a rare event in the world of lapbandom.

I hope I'm putting this in the right section... The other day at work we had wellness exams...totally voluntary and easy. I opted to take the exam because for each section I passed, I got credits of $$ amounts to use against my annual insurance deductible. There were 4 general health sections: Blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, body fat/BMI, and the 5th section was just filling out the questionaire. You can guess which one I failed... I knew going in that I would get 4/5 at best. When the nurse administered the body fat test (the machine that you hold onto) I stood there and watched as the little thing was calculating my body fat and the little ticker went from below>>average>>high>>very high. *Sigh* I knew it would be high, and I actually chuckled as the machine was shaming me to my face! :tt2: Here's the kicker. When it finished, the nurse took down the results and actually looked at me and said "Just so you know, these numbers are really high." NO shit sherlock! I mean, I had no idea...what with the extra 90lbs I'm carrying around, and the damn machine registering on VERY HIGH right before my eyes. Thank you for telling me though, and for not saving your judging tone or look. I was ready to say-Listen bitch! I've already lost 70lbs in the past year, I'm doing the best I can!! I was happy to see that my BMI is down to 36! I started at my initial consultation appointment at at BMI of 40.5. Oh and the other tests came out EXCELLENT according to the test administrator (who was not the nurse). Blood pressure was great, cholesterol was below average and glucose was 'spot on' to quote the administrator. They had no idea I'd just had the surgery, or that I'd lost 70 lbs in the last year and it really irks me sometimes when folks pass judgement on you, knowing little to nothing about you. I am not easily sensitive about my weight issues anymore. I think I'm doing fabulous so I honestly do not think I was reading into that nurses reaction...she was quite clear in my opinion. The look, and the tone of her voice said it all. There was a woman waiting to have her exam that probably weighs over 400lbs and that is what concerned me...her acting like that to someone else who may already feel bad about their body and do not need someone shaming them.

Thanks for the kinds words! You know gkeyt I totally understand what you are talking about in hoping your new doc wouldn't chastise you. Lord knows, it's their job to help us be as healthy as possible, but there is a right and wrong approach and unfortunately many take the wrong route. K@t- My lapband doctor smokes! LOL!! When he was doing my pre-op stuff and asked if I was a smoker I immediately responded NO!! Smoking is nasty, I'm very anti-smoking, etc...I later found out he was a smoker. Ha Ha.

That's great Michele. If you want this to be successful, you will need to say goodbye to anything labeled 'Supersize' that's for sure! The easiest way to look at it is either you hold on to the food, or you hold on to your health/happiness/life. Good luck with the pre-op diet!

I have an awesome mom who has actually taken up my jeans in the waist quite nicely so I can get some extra use out of them but now they are again getting too loose. Like the other said, I'm planning on hitting Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy for some cheap clothing, mostly pants and will have mom take them up in the waist as I continue to shrink. I've been wearing a lot of my old tops but they really are beginning to look ridiculous on me. A woman at work told me to never wear a shirt again b/c it looked like a tent on me.

First I just want to say this: It is NO ONE'S BUSINESS what you do with your life. Period, end of story! You owe your co-workers NO explanation!!! You don't have to justify why you are going to be off. When I had my surgery, I planned on telling none of my co-workers. Unfortunately I accidently cc: the other supervisor in my department, so she ended up finding out, which has turned out to be a blessing. She has been surprisingly very encouraging. The rest of my department do not know. The day before surgery when I left, I sent an email out to explain I was going to be out for a few days for personal reasons. I only sent the email because I am a supervisor and felt it would be responsible to at least notify them I would be absent (although they could see it for themselves on the calendar). This is your business, no one else's!! I work with a bunch of nosey, catty women too and I do not feed into that mentality. Let them speculate all they want...hell they're going to do it anyways! I'm about six weeks post surgery and the rumors are already starting and to be honest, it amuses me. One girl straight up asked the other supervisor if I had gastric bypass b/c of my weight loss so far. I had lost 50 lbs prior to the surgery too...so it's funny to hear all the scenarios they are tossing around. Don't let co-workers attitudes/speculation/nosiness at all affect this wonderful thing you are doing with your life! This is a gift and you should Celebrate the journey you are about to begin.