raising3monkeys

Way back in the early 00's, I was diagnosed with esophageal scarring from years of undiagnosed/untreated GERD. I was getting food stuck several times each meal. The common name for this is "Steakhouse Syndrome". Food would lodge going down, and although I'd be able to breathe, it felt like a mini heart attack. Painful, scary (even if you know what it is, your body goes into "I'm choking" mode - creating loads of saliva). Larger, drier foods were the worst - meats (hence the word steak) - especially pork. But really anything could get stuck. To make it pass, I'd need to wash it down with fluid - usually something like water or milk. As the problem got worse, I could no longer wash the food down - the water would back up on top of the food, blocking breathing, and I'd feel like I was drowning. I'd need to run to the sink and put my head upside-down to let gravity bring up the water. When it got to this point, I went to see a gastroenterologist. He put me under in "twilight", and dialated my esophagus. It worked. No more choking for several years. At the time, they saw a nodule in my stomach that they wanted to check back on in year or so (which was fine / didn't grow), and while they had me under, they re-dialated my esophagus a bit more the following year. I've had no issues since then - in the last 8 years or so. I get food stuck temporarily maybe 5 times a year. Nothing serious enough to be truly scary, or even to alert the people around me that I'm having an issue. In Nov. of 2017, I got banded. Immediately following the banding - even when I was still on almost liquid foods - I started getting food stuck again. This was BEFORE I even had any fluid put into the band. I didn't feel my lap band was limiting my food intake much, so I kept asking for more fluid in it. It still didn't seem to limit my intake much, but it did make food get stuck even more. Like..... with almost every bit of ANYthing. It was BAD. My current husband had never really seen this before, and it had been years since my now teenagers had. It scared the crap out of them. I was trying to follow the lap band instructions (no drinking while eating), but I couldn't - I NEEDED to drink before and after a bite in order to get food down. Which washes the food down past the pouch, essentially negating the band's purpose. I went back to my gastric surgeon and told him all of this. He didn't like it, but didn't seem to think that it was my old problem. So I visited my gastro again, and he did another dialation. He made it bigger than ever before. Didn't help. I went back to see him again, and he suggested it was likely the band. This was NOT was my bariatric surgeon thought. But the gastro said it would be easy to find out - let all the fluid out of the band and see if the problem improved. I was scheduled for a knee replacement the following week when I had this conversation with my gastroenterologist, so I figured I'd deal with the issue after I was up and running again. I had my knee replacement surgery (I'd had the other knee replaced 5 years earlier, so I knew what to expect), and things started to go badly for my stomach the night of the surgery. I got nauseated and vomited - that was the first time I'd actually vomited since my Lap-Band surgery. I wound up not eating again until breakfast the next morning. Lunch didn't seem like something I had any interest in, by my hubby forced me to eat anyway - to keep my strength up. I was supposed to stay an additional day in the hospital, but I was doing really well with pain and mobility, so they gave me the option of going home early, which I took. By the time I got home it was dinner time, and not only wasn't I hungry, but I was constantly belching (I normally don't burp at ALL), and it smelled and tasted like rotten eggs. By late evening, my oral pain meds weren't working. I.was.miserable. I contacted my knee surgeon at midnight, and he told me he thought this was related to my Lap-Band. So I called my bariatric surgeon and he confirmed it was my band. That my stomach had stopped digesting food, which is why my pain meds weren't working - they weren't digesting, but rather just sitting in my stomach. He told me to drink plenty of water but not to eat until after I could see him the next day to get fluid taken out of the band. And to crush up my pain meds and flush them through that way. It worked. I was able to sleep, thank God. Back to the hospital the next day to meet my bariatric surgeon. He put a needle into my port and let all the fluid out of my band. Things returned to normal immediately. I was able to eat, digest, and 90% of the food-getting-stuck issue stopped. That was all 3 months ago now, and I haven't been back to get re-filled. What would be the point? I'll just make all my food get stuck again, and since I need to wash it down, it negates the purpose of the Lap-Band totally. Even without any fluid in my band, I'm STILL getting food stuck 10% of the time. My husband and kids hate watching me go through this. They want the band removed because it scares them so badly to watch an episode of food getting stuck. They think it's dangerous for me. I disagree, but I can see why it would scare them so much. It would scare me for them it if was happening to them instead of me. I have no idea where this leaves me. I don't know if they'll suggest a sleeve or a bypass, or if they'll just want to go remove the band. I'm disappointed that I spent so much time and effort jumping through all the hoops to get this surgery, only to have it not work well for me. And my insurance has changed - even going in to just remove the Lap-Band will likely cost me a few thousand dollars this time around with my new insurance. I don't know if a sleeve / bypass is going to cause the same issues with swallowing - that that'll be permanent. Of course the drinking fluids with my meals wouldn't negate the point of the surgery, though. I know I can talk to my bariatric surgeon about all of this. But considering that he wasn't willing to admit that my band could even potentially be the cause of the issue in the first place, how do I trust what he says about the problem potentially continuing if I have one of the other surgeries?

I have that husband, too. He met me when I was around 275-ish and 40, and chased my tail every day since. I made it up to 323 and he never acted like I was anything less that a freaking supermodel. He's never said anything about my weight except "I think you're perfect the way you are, but if YOU want to lose weight, I'll help you in any way that I can." And he does. When I went on my pre-band diet for a week, he went on it with me - because "it's hard to do alone". He's still on a very low-carb diet with me now, because he wants to support me and go through what I'm going through. And because he feels that he could stand to lose weight anyway - why not try to keep up with my wife? Lol. I would tell a man I was dating eventually - but no, not right off the bat. I'd tell him because in a real relationship, you want to know everything about each other - and this is a big part of your life and what you've gone through. If he really likes you, he'll be like, "Oh,... cool. Good for you!" It's amazing to me how little men care about how you go to be who you are today. If they like you now, they're thankful for anything that got you to be this person. They couldn't care less about what you do for a job, or why you have that scar there. If they like you, they like you. I hope that you can see yourself as someone who attacked a problem when you didn't like something about yourself. You didn't just get surgery to fix it; you got surgery and then did the necessary work to take the weight off. The food you're eating now is different in quantity and type than what you were eating before - YOU did the work. You were willing to do the work so much so that you took drastic measures to make sure the issue was solved. And as a result of your tenacity and hard work, you're healthier and likely more beautiful (inside and out). You are to be applauded, and I bet he'll agree. If he doesn't, then he's not the right man for you.

I don't agree with their stance, either. The study they base this on was skewed; it was a very small group that was all from one area, and the devices are from so long ago that major improvements have been made in the materials used. On top of that, the surgeries they followed are from the very beginning of the lap-band approval time period, meaning that any doctor putting them in wouldn't have had a lot of experience. The need for removal can be from the surgeon placing the device improperly alone - so studying patients only from one area ups that chance. In the end, lap-band patients are safer overall from major complications than sleeve or bypass patients. And over a 5-year span, their loss of excess weight is about the same. Sleeve and bypass patients lose faster than lap-band patients, but I don't see that as a bad thing. Slow and steady is a good thing - especially for your skin and bouncing back. Also for lifestyle change. One of the things my doctor said to me was that if this doesn't work, then we look at other more drastic options later. If you go in with a splinter, they don't consider amputating the finger - they look at the smallest fix first. If the finger becomes infected beyond control, then you look at the larger, more drastic options. You don't jump ahead to something more dangerous and more permanent when you could do something safer and easier and get the same long-term results. That's my end game - permanent, long-term change. I'm willing to do it a bit at a time. I certainly didn't put all the weigh ton overnight. It seems foolish to try to take it off that way. I don't begrudge anyone taking a chance on the more serious sleeve or bypass - to each his own. I just felt like stomach amputation was a bit extreme as a first step. I wanted something that could be a great tool - not something that I couldn't make choices with. I'm happy so far with my decision.

Hi guys! I'm so happy to see you all here since yes, this place seems sluggish for banders. I tried over at Bandedliving.com, but it seems sluggish overall, too. I was able to follow them on FB, and that just doesn't seem like the right forum for it, either. Ah well. I got banded on 11/10/17. No real issues here except that my band doesn't seem like it's restricting my eating any. I've managed to lose weight anyway - mostly on decreasing my intake and better food choices (low carb). But I want to have the band tightened to where it's an actual, useful tool. Otherwise what was the point of getting it, ya know? I was on liquids for 6 days following surgery, then straight back onto solids. I haven't had even one incident of nausea or vomiting. I do occasionally get food stuck, which is painful and scary. But it's always okay in the end. I'm in Chicagoland in Illinois, in the U.S. I'm married, have 4 kids (all teens and young adults), and work full time. I've followed you all so that hopefully we can get more action and support. I go by Kel, by the way.

Yes, it doesn't seem like my doctor's fill technique is like anything I've ever heard of before. That doesn't make it bad - just..... uncommon. Maybe he's a pioneer - who knows. I know he's been doing bands forever now, and has done thousands. So he has much more experience than me, that's for sure. He says, "You'll leave here every time with your band properly adjusted." I do have the "stuck" feeling a lot, actually. But it's in my throat, I think. I used to have this feeling when I had a ton of scar tissue built up in my throat from untreated acid reflux for years. They did a procedure where they "popped" that open and I've been fine since. Most times I do that loud hiccupping thing, which I also did all the time before that procedure. Sometimes it's stuck enough that I panic and start trying to wash it down. I know it's from the lap-band though; it all started again after the surgery, so that's no coincidence. We shall see. I know I need the band adjusted again (which is scheduled for tomorrow). I can eat way too much. I shouldn't be able to get down an entire pork chop and two sides. I'm still losing, but it's more from portion control and food choices at this point. I want the tool available to me, too. It's why I HAD the surgery, after all.

I'm two days away from being 4 week post-op on my band. My doc put me from liquids straight back to solids after 6 days. I haven't had one bit of problems with that - nothing seems to bother me or be uncomfortable. Well, I lie - I've had one incident where I was eating a hard-boiled egg and it felt like it got stuck. It was super painful, but quickly rectified with water. Otherwise though, no nausea, no vomiting, no pain, etc. I've been good on my diet, as prescribed by my surgeon. No liquid calorie intake (only solids), only eating when hungry, no carbs (no rice, pasta, bread or potatoes), and trying really hard not to drink while eating or immediately afterward. I am steadily losing. My problem is that I don't feel like my band has offered me ANY benefit whatsoever so far - it's as though everything goes right through and I'm hungry again right away. I've been eating MUCH smaller meals than I used to - close to what I'm supposed to be with the band. But I don't get full - not a full sensation at all - I just stop because I should. I haven't had a fill yet - I'm not scheduled for a fill until Dec. 19th. That's about a month after my post-up check-up 6 days after surgery. The doc says that he doesn't tighten until a month after that first check-up; the stomach has too much healing to do still do throw that into the mix. I get that. But I'M STARVING!!! It's very difficult to make this large of a lifestyle change when the thing you did the surgery for (alleviating hunger) hasn't kicked in as a tool yet. I realize that the tightening is right around the corner, and I'll have to just persevere until then. But it's very difficult!!! I just want to not be hungry! Anyone else been in this position? Did it get massively better after the first tightening? Please give me hope that this tool is going to offer some benefit.

Yes, it doesn't seem like my doctor's fill technique is like anything I've ever heard of before. That doesn't make it bad - just..... uncommon. Maybe he's a pioneer - who knows. I know he's been doing bands forever now, and has done thousands. So he has much more experience than me, that's for sure. He says, "You'll leave here every time with your band properly adjusted." I do have the "stuck" feeling a lot, actually. But it's in my throat, I think. I used to have this feeling when I had a ton of scar tissue built up in my throat from untreated acid reflux for years. They did a procedure where they "popped" that open and I've been fine since. Most times I do that loud hiccupping thing, which I also did all the time before that procedure. Sometimes it's stuck enough that I panic and start trying to wash it down. I know it's from the lap-band though; it all started again after the surgery, so that's no coincidence. We shall see. I know I need the band adjusted again (which is scheduled for tomorrow). I can eat way too much. I shouldn't be able to get down an entire pork chop and two sides. I'm still losing, but it's more from portion control and food choices at this point. I want the tool available to me, too. It's why I HAD

If you're like me, you play these little games with yourself - where when you're doing well on losing weight, you tell yourself that you can "afford" something that's not supposed to be on your plan. Maybe it's a piece of chocolate - something in-control that seems worth it. For me though, it's not those little tiny things. It's stuff like deciding to have my morning coffee - which is laden with real sugar and flavored (sugared) creamer. God I love that stuff. Yes, I have tried artificial sweetener, but it's not worth it to me - I'd rather just not have the coffee. So when it's a choice between coffee I'm not into or no coffee at all, I'll choose no coffee. But when it's a choice between "do I want to do the coffee thing today?" and no coffee, then of course I'll choose yes to the coffee. It's a really bad way for me start out my day - with all that failure right off the bat. I did that yesterday. And then I did a few french fries with dinner (maybe 6?) as I poked at the serving dish out there for everyone else. Otherwise I did well. I wanted to do an evening tea before bed, but as I'm sure you can guess, it too is laden with sugar. I was actually thirsty, so I opted for water instead. Not nearly as satisfying, but I was able to do it. Today I got up and wanted to do coffee again. MY way. Except that yesterday was the first time that I actually started to feel some of my weight loss - I kept needing to yank my pants up all day. What the heck, this is actually WORKING? So today I said no to the coffee. Instead, I started with water. And actually made breakfast instead of it being something that I did later when I was hungry hours after the coffee. A 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese, a 1/2 cup of mango pieces, and a hard-boiled egg. That was hours ago, and I'm just now starting to think about having lunch. It worked! So I'm off to a great start today. I also tackled my shower tile, which needed a bunch of scrubbing - specifically because why not burn the calories now - today? Later I plan to take the dog for a walk if I can tolerate the cold. 20 minutes of yoga is also on the docket. I'm going to be doing some vacuuming this afternoon, too. Today feels..... in control. I'm going to try to have a day like I'm supposed to, and see how that feels. Because I want to see how getting rid of all of this fat feels, too!

I'm so confused when I hear about band patients being on liquids and purees for this long. My doctor had me off of liquids and directly back onto solids within 6 days. I asked him about it that last time I was in - why do some doctors have their lap band patients on liquids and purees for weeks? He said it's not necessary - they do it because their patients come in looking to lose weight, and being on a liquid diet will do that for you. So they jump start their patients so they feel the surgery is a massive success, when it's really them eating the liquids that's doing a large portion of it. Meanwhile, their patients are hungry, bored and frustrated. He did acknowledge that with a bypass in particular, they must do liquids for much longer until their sutures heal or it could break their stomach open if they transition too soon. But that there is no such danger with the band. Now,.... I'm not saying I agree or disagree with him - I'm no doctor and I've only had this one procedure. So I have nothing to compare it to. But I'm able to eat normally except for being on a low carb diet, and sometimes have swallowing issues where it feels stuck until I can get it to pass. That seems to be becoming less and less as time goes on. I'm only a month past my surgery, though. He never had me on any protein shakes, either. Nothing except real food. I now take no liquid calories - it doesn't fill me up, doc says. Only foods, and don't overchew or it all just winds up sliding through the band and you're hungry again. It should take about 6 minutes of regularly-paced eating for me to get full. I've never timed it, and I'm eating slower because of the food getting stuck occasionally. But yeah - I stop eating long before my family does now. I'm a bit floored by how different all of our experiences are. Make you wonder who's right, and why they all do things so differently.

My fill was different than anything I expected. I'd read here about people whose surgeons would only put in 5 cc of saline at a time. Or who had to eat liquids for a few days following a fill. I went in, we talked for a few minutes, then he laid me down on the exam table, found my port, and stuck the needle in. He pushed some saline into it, and then had me sit up (with his assistance). I still had the syringe sticking out of the port. He goes over, runs some water into a cup, and hands it to and says, "Chug". I chug about four sips. He asks me where the water's at now. I point to a spot that I'd say is my upper stomach. He says, "Okay, let me know when it goes down", and sucks a bit of the saline from the band back into the syringe. I think I feel something, so I say, "there". But I don't really know if I felt anything. Every time will be like this. I still don't feel like I truly have less that I can put in. I'm controlling it, but the band itself thus far has worked as more of a shotgun start than a tool. I'M managing my foods. I'm getting pretty good at it, but at the same time, sometimes I cheat and have sugar in something instead of artificial sweetener. Or I taste something sweet, or a few sips of wine. Still - I'm MUCH more controlled than I was. But again, I think it's all willpower. It's hard to tell. I'm supposed to get another fill on this upcoming Friday. I'm going to tell him this time that last time, I wasn't sure what I was trying to feel. And I'm not sure I felt anything. So we need to be more sure this time. I think what he wants is to close the band ALL the way off so water won't even go down, and then pull back a bit so he knows things will pass, but it will be restrictive. That's what I want - I want to be satisfied after a few bites - not have to stop because I think it's enough. That will come over time. I want to be able to use this tool. I didn't have surgery to not use it. I'll have more to say after I visit again.

I'm in that in-between place that can be frustrating - my food intake is drastically different (in both size, frequency and food choices), and I feel like I'm getting nowhere fast. My last weigh in at 3 weeks post surgery was EXACTLY the same as the one 6 days post op. How frustrating! My doctor seemed to brush it off. I voiced that when you're giving up a lot, you want to see progress! He assured me that even though I was down only 5 lbs. from the morning of surgery, and 12 lbs. from the week prior to surgery (due to the low-carb liver diet), I was 17 lbs. down from when I weighed in in July when I came in to discuss surgery. Well, that's something. But still - three weeks out and only 5 lbs. down? And no further loss in the two weeks since the last weigh in? Not exactly exciting. But..... I'm keeping on. Because I'm doing a ton right (even if I'm not always perfect), and that's got to result in something - even if it's a slow something. I'm hoping that this next time I weigh in on 12/15, I'll be under 300. My last weigh-in was 306.6. I'd really like some loss to start showing by Christmas. My husband swears he notices, but he's crazy. Yesterday my pants seemed a bit roomier in the butt, but if I pulled them up they were the same. Today I was driving one of my kids to school and felt momentarily as though my belly wasn't protruding as much. But as I sit here and grab a handful of gut, that seems to be my imagination. Who knows! Soon. Soon I will see it. I should have measured myself, dang-it! Ah well. No time like the present, I guess. Next month I'll thank myself, I'm sure. Kel

I'm almost a month post-surgery on the Lap-Band. I've been eating solids since six days post op. Before that it was all liquids. I've never done a protein shake - my surgeon sees no need for that. Here are my "rules" from the surgeon: NO liquid calories. It doesn't fill my pouch, so it doesn't satisfy hunger. Only chunky foods go in. I can have drinks, but they need to have zero calories - even if that's from artificial sweetener. Only eat when hungry. My intake should be about the size of the palm of my hand. I'm to eat at a normal pace - don't overchew or the food becomes pulp that passes through my band. Stop eating when I've had that portion. Stop, assess whether I'm still hungry or not. If so, eat a bit more but call for a band fill. Low carb / low fat, high protein. Eat non-processed meats, fish, low fat cheeses, nuts (but only in the shell, where cracking slows you down - otherwise it's easy to overeat nuts), eggs, non-starchy veggies. Occasionally a 1/2 piece of fruit. NO bread, rice, potatoes or pasta. These things are not only high in carbs, but also often cause problems when eaten. No drinking anything during eating or within an hour afterwards. It pushes the food down, or turns it into mush that can easily pass, leaving me hungry again. I HAVE to have a drink if something gets stuck. Otherwise, I try hard to refrain. It's NOT easy. A typical day looks a lot like yesterday: Breakfast: coffee, 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese and an apple Lunch: chicken shishkebobs, mixed salad (all veggies), light dressing Snack: Handful of almonds Dinner: cheeseburger wrapped in lettuce leaf with onions and tomato slices. Steamed carrots, fresh cooked spinich. Snack: Cup of tea with artificial sweetener Actually, yesterday was a really good day food-wise, actually. And I got in a lot of steps due to a busy day at work. We had a catered lunch brought in, and to my dismay, there was still a lot of the food that I couldn't eat. It was Medeterranian, and I couldn't eat the pita chips or the rice or the potato wedges. Only took a skewer of chicken and another of beef. Tried the beef and it was too try to get down. Didn't even try - spit it out. At a few pieces of the chicken and then the salad. It was not enough, but I wasn't hungry afterward. Until my evening commute, when I was so hungry I wanted to start gnawing on my freaking sleeve. Lol I've lost 17 lbs. so far. Kel

Today is 3 weeks post-op since my Lap-Band. It's four weeks since my pre-op visit when I started a no carb/no veggie diet in prep for surgery. I am the same weight today as I was 6 days after surgery - that's dissappointing! I do realize that a lot of that weight loss may have been from being on a liquid diet, for 6 days, too. So I'm still 12 lbs. down from my visit one week pre-surgery. I should just be happy. But I've been working VERY hard, and doing pretty well, and I want to see more results. I don't see anything yet except on the scale, which will have to suffice for now. He told me to stop obsessing - I'm down 17 lbs. from my heaviest - which I think was back in July when I visited him to kick this off again. So,... that's promising! I kept reading about fills here and on Bandedliving.com where people talked about how many cc's of saline their doctor added. Lots said that their doctor will only do 5 cc's at a time. My surgeon had previously stated that I will leave there after every fill at the perfect point, and I'll come back when I notice that I'm able to eat more than I used to be - for another fill. Huh. Today I asked him how many cc's he starts with. He was like, "WHERE did you hear that nonsense? STOP listening to anyone but me!" (Jeez - I wasn't "listening" so much as hearing! I'm following no one's recommendations but his. I tell him that - that I can't believe how he only had me on liquids for 6 days following the surgery, when I see elsewhere in print or online that people have up to 6 weeks on liquids and purees. He says, "There's no reason for that - it's just that some doctors don't treat any of their weight loss surgeries any differently. They do the same thing for band, sleeve or bypass. And their patients are suffering needlessly if they're band patients. Of COURSE they lose weight - they're on a liquid diet! He says that it's not the end of the world, and it usually doesn't hurt anything. But it's really unnecessary. He says that he'd love to do an experiment where people who want WL surgery are told, "You're having WL surgery", but not told afterward which one they had. Then treat them all the same as if they'd had the bypass, and you'd find out that they all have the same results. He's convinced of it. Lol. Says that of course bypass patients are on liquids and purees longer than band patients - because they NEED to be - their stomach can rip if they don't do things slowly enough. But doing that to a band patient is just scaring them when there's no need. Interesting. Anyway, he lays me down on the exam table, he asks me where my port is. I point. He wipes it off with alcohol wipes. He says, "Little pinch", and I feel the needle puncture my skin (such a little thing). He pushes in some saline. Then he sits me up so my legs are dangling over the table. The syringe is still in my stomach. He hands me a glass of water, and says, "chug". I do, and he makes me stop after about 4 gulps. Says, "Okay, where's the water now?" I point to my stomach. Says, "Okay, tell me when it goes down past the band". He withdraws a bit of the saline back out, and I think I feel a change. So I say, "There". And he says, "Okay, then we're good", and pulls the syringe out and puts a band-aid over the port. I tell him that I'm not sure of what it feels like for something to go down past the band - I've never had that sensation. He says, "That's okay - you go home and try this. If it's not enough, you just come back and we'll work on it more next time." Ummm, okay? I asked him a few questions today. I said, "Your information packet says that the point of the band is to keep the food above the band for a time, alleviating hunger. But elsewhere, I see that it says, "wait for the food to pass your band before you take another bite." He says, "Dang - NO ONE has asked me that in all the years we've had that packet. Now I'm gonna need to fire my nutritionist, who put that in there." (he's obviously joking). I say, "So which is it?" He goes into a long explanation with me about how the band is designed to make a pouch at the top that food holds in for a few hours. If food is passing the band as you're eating, then the band isn't tight enough - and it's virtually pointless. K, got it. Next I ask him about why the band needs to be tightened/filled over time - does the saline seep out? No - it's because of a few factors - one being that your stomach below the band is thinner than above it - just like once you get a ring past the plumpest part of your finger, it slides off from there on down. So you need it tightened occasionally. Also, it can slip down a bit and need to be tightened more for that spot. This is not the "bad" slippage - this is more incremental migration. I also asked the doctor what makes the food in the pouch above the band move down past the band eventually? Is it just a log-jam effect that takes time? Nope - it's that the stomach acid starts eating at the food in the bottom of the pouch, which makes it break down and fall through the band. Ah - got it. I'm going back in a few weeks for a pre-holiday check. I'm hoping to get down past 300 in HIS office (vs. my home) this time!

I'm crossing my fingers for you, girl! Maybe it'll be your Christmas present! I was approved by BCBSIL *** just days after the submittal. I did, however, have the 6 months of NUT visits.

ProfessorSlim brings up a great point - you don't have to be decided on WL surgery (and especially not which kind) in order to start researching, and to start the process of jumping through the required hurdles to get the surgery. That's what I did; I wasn't sure about the surgery, but I figured if I busied myself with getting through all the requirements, I could always quit or decide I didn't want the surgery. I'm in an ***, so there were PLENTY of requirements. I'm still not sure which ones were my insurance's requirements vs. my surgeon's, but in the end, it didn't matter - I just kept going to appointments. Below is an example of what I had to satisfy in order to qualify: Initial visit with my primary care surgeon Initial visit with bariatric surgeon Six months of hospital nutritionist visits (once per month) Pulmonary clearance (which consisted of an initial visit with a pulmonologist, and a visit just to test my lung capacity). I had a recent sleep study since I was already on a CPAP machine. Otherwise I'd likely have had to have a sleep study done, too. Cardiac clearance - visit with cardiologist and an in-office EKG. All in one visit Blood tests Another visit with the bariactric surgeon - to discuss which procedure to choose, talk over any questions, etc. Psychiatrist clearance Surgical clearance from my primary care physician Upper GI - this was done in the hospital's radiology (X-ray) department I swear I'm missing a few things - because the grand total came out to about 20 separate appointments/visits. By the time I was nearing the end of all of the visits, I'd learned that I was in great health overall, AND that YES, I DID want the WL surgery. I'm not sure exactly when I made up mind, but it happened. And by the time I was at my last appointment, my surgeon had already submitted all the information to my insurance, and they cleared me within days. I scheduled my surgery for 10 days later. It took SO long in the beginning, and then it was a whirlwind in the end.

Ah, I see. Thanks for that info. I had a physical this past summer, and all my levels were fine. Three years ago we discovered (also during a routine physical) that my vitamin D levels were dangerously low (normal range is from 30-80; mine was at THREE). So I started taking a weekly dosage of that, which was prescribed. Then they upped it again when the next tests showed that it wasn't going up quick enough. Now I'm in the normal range. But I know my vitamin B range is fine.

Yes, today is my first fill. I've seen people say that they've taken several fills to get to what's known as the "green zone" - that perfect zen place where you can only eat the small amount you SHOULD be eating and not being hungry between meals, and it not being too small to get the food down (vomiting, feeling stuck, etc.). I asked my doctor about that before my surgery - "How may fills does it typically take to get to that sweet spot?" He said that I will always leave his office at that spot. But that over time, I'll notice that I'm getting hungry more often or that I'm able to eat more food. And that I should then come in for another fill. He said a fill tends to last longer over time; in the very beginning, I might need another fill after only a week or 2 or 3. But as time goes on, fills should last me several months. I'm very unclear on WHY that is. Is it because the stomach shrinks a bit? Is it because there is some stomach swelling after a fill, and it feels tighter then and then looser later? I see that some doctors only fill a small amount at a time - like 5 cc. Others don't seem to be that limited. But I'm sure I'll understand more later today, after a visit and having questions answered. My diet has been good since the week prior to surgery, when they put me on an extreme no-carb, not-even-veggies diet to shrink the liver prior to surgery. Then it was 6 days of liquids, then it was straight back onto solids. My diet now is more just a few rules than it is complicated. 1) Only eat when hungry, 2) STOP eating when I feel satiated, 3) Low carb, low fat - NO breads, rice, pasta, grains or potatoes, 4) No liquid calories - everything must have mass, and 5) no drinking during or immediately following surgery. I have been eating largely that way since I started back on solids. Some days I've folded and had a granola bar when hungry, or have had a morning coffee or evening tea with sugar. But other than that, I've been really good overall. What I expect out of this fill is to be able to be less limited on meal consumption size, and to not be as hungry in-between meals.

So this past week has been tough, if you've seen any of my earlier blog posts. I've been hungry, food has consumed my thoughts, and some days I haven't done as well as I felt I should have. Still though - I did WAY better than a typical day prior to my pre-surgical consumption. So I SHOULD be seeing some loss, even if it's slow. I had lost 12 lbs. in the first 12 days since my no-carb diet started 7 days prior to surgery. That was my last visit to my surgeon's office. I have a scale in my bathroom too - one that I rarely used prior to beginning this. I've tried to weigh in just once or twice a week, but this week has been every day. Because I feel like I'm mentally a bit out of control, but I wanted validation that I was still doing well enough to be making forward momentum. A week ago on Thursday, I'd lost another 3 lbs., according to my home scale. That was a total of 15. I was really encouraged by that. But these past few days the scale has gone back up - frustrating. And it didn't seem to matter if I had a near perfect day, the scale was telling me otherwise. I communicated all this to my husband last night, saying that I was afraid that when I went to weigh in today at my doctor's appointment, the scale might show that I'd gained a few of the original 12 lbs. back. He told me that the scale is a whacky one - that it never gives an accurate reading unless it's perfectly flat. And that our tile floor certainly wasn't that. For a moment, I had hope. Then I realized that even if it's off by a few lbs., I should STILL see it going down. Today I have my first fill scheduled. So I figured I'd get on the scale just because I wanted to see how close my doctor's scale is to mine (I realize this is pointless since I'll have weighed myself at home buck naked, prior to any food or liquids being consumed. And by contrast, I'll weigh in the afternoon at my doctor's office, fully clothed after having had both breakfast and lunch. But still.) I made sure to put it on tiles vs. any of the in-between sections between the tiles. I was expecting it to say what it had in the past few days - which was around 308 (I'd started out at 318). To my great surprise, it said 299.6! WHAT?!?!? I got off and got back on. The same. I got back on after moving the scale slightly, and it said 300.00. F THAT noise! I'm 299! Lol. Then I moved it a lot, very haphazardly, and it was 303 or so. BUT THAT's STILL GOOD! I'm now very excited to keep going. This was just the boost I needed. If my scale is accurate, I'm BACK in the 200's after several years above 300, and it would mean that I've lost 19 lbs. since Nov. 3rd. - which is 2 days shy of one month. I lost 25 lbs. in about 4 months a good 10 years ago now (when I went from 250 to 225), and it was LIFE CHANGING. I never thought I'd do this so fast. I won't be surprised if my doctor's scale says I'm still above 300 later today. I'm expecting that. But still - I'm on the right track. I just wish I could start to see the difference in my clothing or body/face overall. I figure a few more lbs. and that'll be inevitable.

Unfamiliar with how B1 helps. Can you elaborate? Kel

Hi there - I started out at exactly the same weight as you 318 (I'm closer to 5'9", though)That was just under a month ago, when I started my diet one week prior to surgery, which I had just three weeks ago today. I had a Lap-Band. I.feel.great. It was kind of like a non-surgery to me. My shoulders ached a bit for several days due to the air migrating up there from them my abdominal laproscopic surgery (look that up if you're unfamiliar - it's typical with any obdominal surgery nowadays - even getting your gall bladder out). THAT was the worst of my pain - and that felt more like I had flu-like pain in those muscles. Plus I felt bloated for a good week after surgery. Also not pain - just discomfort. By one week prior, I felt like myself again. I was only on paid meds for 2 days - the day of surgery and the following day. So far I've lost 19 lbs. in less than a month. I'll be honest - a lot of that is just from the lifestyle change of eating differently. Today I get my first "fill" on the lap band, and I think that'll help immensely with eating smaller meals - which is where the bulk of the weight loss comes in. I'm already glad that I did this. I'm very body positive. But I'd gotten to the point where I hated that I get winded after one flight of stairs. And that some seats were uncomfortable to sit in. It was difficult for me to keep up with a crowd when walking. That's in part because I have bad knees, too (have had one replaced and the other needs to be done in the next few years). Years ago I weighed 250 and went down to 225 in about 4 months, and I noticed a HUGE difference in my knee pain. Weighing less not only helps alleviate the pain you experience on a daily basis, but it also slows down the degradation. You might be afraid that deciding to change your eating habits contradicts your insistence on body positivity. But body positivity is really about being grateful for what you have, and accepting that you don't need to change to be acceptable to society. That doesn't mean that there's not room for you to assess your life and decide where you want to make changes and embark on a path to get to your new goals. We do it all the time - we desire a larger house or a newer car, and we think it'll improve our life. It doesn't mean that we aren't grateful for the car we already drive, or that we don't love it and what it's given us. It means we want something more reliable, safe and/or convenient. Flashier is just the bonus plan. Body positivity is about YOU choosing where you're going to be happiest (for whatever reasons), and insisting that people respect that by not portraying dissatisfaction in yourself. You CAN be body-positive and a proponent for less pain and a more healthy body. That's me to a tee.

WOW, Fluffy - you're going to need to change your name soon! "Fluffy" won't be appropriate any more! Good going, girl! And you got this far alllll on your own? How inspiring! Kel

They may be jealous, and therefore trying to tell you covertly that they still consider you a big girl. Or, they might just feel like coming from where they still are, you're in that club permanently - because surely you can understand their mindset. Or maybe they're not thinking - that the whole group contains larger women except for you, so the "group" is larger women. Regardless, you're not in that club anymore. You still do understand the mindset somewhat, I'm sure. So I'd choose to look at it as a compliment - because maybe they're just saying that in their hearts, you're still one of them - one of the people who knows this challenge and its difficulties. And that's true - you do. And always will. I think there IS room for you to say something - as long as it's not confrontational in any way. Next time they say, "because we're bigger", I might say something like, "I've worked really hard to get to where I am." There is NO refuting that - or that you've arrived at a different place. They are then forced to show their true hand. They'll likely say something like, "Oh, I know, girl! I was just saying US (pointing to the rest of the group)." Then you've made them aware that yes, you DO hear them, and it's insensitive because at the very least, it doesn't validate your work or current status. Maybe they'll just not say it the next time they want to. OR, they might be all, "Oh, so you go and lose a few pounds and now you're above us?" To which I'd reply, "I haven't lost a "few" pounds - I've lost X lbs. And I'm proud of myself." Then let that just sit there. They should respond by saying that they're proud of you, too. Or, they'll make it known that they don't consider weight loss surgery "true" weight loss. Which would be your opportunity to talk about the fact that you jumped through months of hoops just to GET the surgery. Then you went through the pain and suffering, the time off work, the weeks of eating liquids and pureed foods, and then a complete lifestyle change. Let that sink in for them. If they still voice their dissent, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate your friendships, and whether they currently serve you in the way that you need now. Sometimes we outgrow others.

I've lost a Bald Eagle! They're endangered, and here I am, eliminating another one! Ha HA!!! I can't WAIT until Iiiii get to newborn calf! Congrats!

I.tell.EVERYONE. I'm happy that it's available to me, I'm proud of all the hoops I've jumped through to get this far, and in general, I'm a blabbermouth about my life. It's served me well. I've had people come and ask me about prior procedures I've had done, because they know I'm open to questions and helping. I've had several surgeries in my lifetime, including a bladder sling, tubal coiling, a complete knee replacement and a tummy tuck/breast redux/lipo years ago. I welcome the questions about pain, satisfaction, tips on how to get through it easier, etc. And honestly, I couldn't care if people think this is the 'cheater's" way out. F that noise. Nobody thinks insulin shots are the cheaters way out of diabetes. Or that knee replacement is the cheater's way out of hobbling. And as my sister told me once, 100 pennies is still a dollar. If you have the body you want at the end of the day, that's what matters. I'm not a physical trainer - I have no reason to need to brag that I did it all by exercise. I DID.IT (well, I'm starting to - I just got my surgery 3 weeks ago.) If me talking about WL surgery can take some of the stigma out of it, and others can get to a place of happiness because I was there to normalize this for them, then that would make me really happy. Overjoyed, actually. And no, this isn't the same as telling others you had surgery on an infected toenail - EVERYONE is going to see these results. And I'm going to be honest about what it took to achieve the results - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Yesterday I blogged about how I didn't feel that my band was offering me much in the way of hunger reduction, and how I am very eager to get my first fill on Dec. 19th, but that I was losing steam with eating right due to all the hunger. So I reached out to my doctor, and told him what I'm dealing with - and how well I'm doing otherwise. He said he saw no reason to continue waiting, and to come in tomorrow for a fill! Yesssss! So tomorrow afternoon I'll have my first fill, and hopefully I'll be eating less and feeling less hungry, too. It's why I had the surgery, after all. Very excited!