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My doctor had forewarned me that many people who are overweight also have hernias, and that he'd make the repairs while he was "in there" during the lapband procedure. Sure enough, I had one that I didn't even know about. He repaired it, and since I didn't know I had one to start with, I don't know if it made any difference in my recovery or not.. but I sure feel fine now, 4 months later.

Glad you decided to wait! I also wasn't told to avoid exercise like that, and started using my ab-roller 6 weeks after surgery. Within a day or two, my port site was swollen and everytime I moved, like turning over in bed or getting up from a chair, it caused a "stinging" feeling, which was VERY uncomfortable. When I went for my first fill, I asked about it and was told to wait a few more weeks. ( I couldn't sit up on the table without help getting up!) My port had shifted slightly. Not enough to cause any real problems, but enough to become uncomfortable. Well, it's been 4 months now and I tried using the ab-roller again about a week ago, with almost the same results- no stinging, but a slight swelling around the port site. So.......WAIT. Give your body time to heal. I'm going to wait another month or two before trying it again. It's important to me to strengthen those mid-section muscles, becaused I had gall-bladder surgery years ago, the HARD way, not laproscopically- and those muscles tend to be very weak from the long incision. Good luck!

I have just the opposite problem, and I know I've got to stop doing this!! When I can't finish what's on my plate (eyes still bigger than pouch) I encourage whomever I'm with to finish it for me. Everyone at the office accuses me of not losing weight- just making everyone else gain it! *LOL*

Good morning guys! How is everyone doing today? Cynthia, thanks for the "slap on the wrist" about not attending the meeting. At the risk of sounding like an excuse, it's really difficult to work all day, and then drive home :confused_smile: (a 45 min. commute) and then drive to Plano- the opposite direction and also about an hour from where I live. Besides.. I can't see to drive very well at night. So there's my excuse.. and I'm sticking to it! :tt1: What we *really* need is local area support groups! Or is there one already established in the Rockwall/Heath area? Stephanie, I know that no matter what anyone says, that fear of the anesthetic will persist, but hang in there. Everytime I've had to have surgery and was put to sleep, one of the last things that crosses my mind too, is "What if I don't wake up? What if this is the last time I'll see my family?" That's a very rational, and I think probably everyone feels that way. Yes, it's a scary feeling. And those things DO happen, but just have faith that everything will be fine and we'll be here waiting to hear all about your experience.

Girl, I'm SOOO proud of you!!! You're doing wonderful- and I'm envious!! My loss has been so slow that it's depressing. I'm still having problems eating and was thinking about an unfill also, but you've given me hope that I'll adjust to it. I sure know I can't eat even 1/2 as much as I was before this fill. Tonight I think I figured out what part of my problem is and now I have to find a solution for it. My S/O travels ALL the time (he's been home maybe 3 nights this month) so I spend most of my nights alone, bored, and find myself wandering around the kitchen, looking for snacks, thinking "this is low fat- it won't hurt", but after eating 3 or 4 of the *low fat* things, they aren't low fat anymore. I know I've got to stop this behavior or my band won't work for me. It's almost like a battle with the band to see who'll win. It's like "I wonder if I can eat THIS" so I try just to see if I can. At the same time I can also see that my habits ARE slowly changing. I don't even think about some of the foods I used to live for. Bread is one example. It's taken me a long time to accept the fact that I just can't eat it, even after reading about others having problems with it. So now.. I don't even attempt to eat anything soft & doughy. Hey that's progress for me, because I absolutely *LOVE* bread- all kinds of bread! This is truly a journey, and it's hard to see the light at the end right now, but I know it's there! I've read about so many others on here who've made it to their goal and that's what keeps me coming back here to keep motivated. I hope someday I can motivate others who are just starting out on this road to a healthy life again!!

I think I was the most nervous just waiting in the prep area before the actual surgery. Luckily, they gave me the stuff to "relax" me, and I don't even remember the ride to the operating room or anything else until I woke up about "5 minutes later" *LOL* At least that's how it seemed. Be sure & take a small pillow to brace against your tummy for the ride home. Now here's some realistic info that you may or may not know.. I might suggest (if you don't already have it) that you get some liquid tylenol. I had the liquid hydrocodone, but unless you're in a LOT of pain, that stuff does more harm than good. I did a lot better when I stopped taking that! Each person is effected differently, but it's still surgery, and you'll still feel the effects, no matter what anyone tells you about how "easy" and "non-invasive" it is. I wasn't prepared for how bad I felt because I was led to believe it was going to be a walk in the park. You'll be fine!! Those may not be the words of encouragement you were looking for, but I wish I had been forewarned about what to expect AFTER the surgery, and I expected to wake up feeling fine and ready to go back to work in just a couple of days. I hope it happens like that for you! Just remember we're here for encouragement and advice (even if it's not what you want to hear! *lol*) anytime!! Good luck, and we're waiting to hear from you!

Hi Shannon- How are you doing, girl? I know you must be getting nervous- your big day is only 2 days away!!! The last few days of waiting were the hardest for me. Be sure to check in and let us know how it goes, and remember we're here for you! Dianne... Stacey.....and the rest of the TLC Gang... where are you guys?

Hey Cowboy! Congrats on outgrowing those wranglers! You're gonna have to post a pic of those buns in a pair of tight-fitting Levi's soon! <grin> Isn't it a great feeling to put on something and discover it's too BIG??? Woohooooo!! Wow, Baggio.. I didn't think anyone was using the 14cc band anymore. I also wonder why he's waiting that long to do a fill. I'm sure he must have his reasons, but.. you'll get thru the bandster hell period. And yes, the port pain DOES get better. From what I've read, most people have more problems with THAT than anything else. I did. In just the last couple of weeks mine has finally gotten comfortable to the point where it doesn't bother me, no matter what kind of exercise I do. So you'll get there. Just try to be patient! (Now I just wish the ugly scars would go away. *sigh* No string bikini's for ME this summer.. *lol*)

Welcome aboard, Stephanie! Have you got a surgery date scheduled yet? You won't regret it! Update: Just had my 3rd fill on Friday, the 16th. I'm *definitely* feeling restriction now, with 6cc total. Not sure if this is "it"- that sweet spot everyone talks about, but I know that last night was the first time I was able to eat anything solid, and it was still a bit of a struggle. I just had oatmeal for breakfast and it went down ok, but wow... what a difference! I'm determined to make this work! Now if only the scale would cooperate!! How is everyone doing? Haven't seen any of our "regulars" post in a while! Come on, guys! We need each other for support and encouragement! :thumbup:

Well, it isn't a license to "cheat", but I was allowed one regular meal a day as long as it was a low-cal low-fat meal, but that was because I could not tolerate the Optifast and was losing too fast on the pre-op diet (mainly because it was going straight thru me and I was dehyrated!). I dropped 10 lbs in a week, and felt awful. I have a feeling you won't be punished if you eat one bite of chicken! *lol* Hang in there, and it most certainly will be worth it! Yea.. I'm so excited to be going for a 3rd fill on Friday! Maybe that will give me the restriction I need to get that scale moving again.

I'm going through a similar experience with my best friend/sister-in-law. We've known each other since we were teenagers. Our lives have parallelled each others for over 30 years. When we were young, we were both teased unmercifully about how skinny we were... we both married, had kids, got divorced, got fat, and supported each other through it all. Now that I've made the choice to lose the weight and get healthy again, it's caused a great deal of stress on our friendship. She told me shortly after I had the surgery that she felt like she'd lost her best friend. She can't afford the surgery and won't accept my offer to help out with it. I'm walking a tight rope to keep from doing or saying things that will make her feel even worse. It's so hard for ME to not be able to brag about losing a few pounds when I know she's struggling to just maintain the weight she's at now. When I come in wearing something new because my old stuff wouldn't fit, it makes me feel guilty. I hope we never lose our closeness, but it certainly is being put to the test. I think Jack is right, also. As our life canges, our friends always seem to change as well. If we're able to keep even a few good friends through all of these changes, we should feel very fortunate. I'm so sorry your friend said those things to you, but it could be that she just didn't know how to express what she was *really* feeling- scared, threatened, insecure? I hope for your sake that she wasn't just being cruel. No one needs friends who would intentionally do that!

Welcome, Shannon! You've made a good choice with Prestonwood! Good luck- you'll be on the "band wagon" in another week! How are you doing on the pre-op liquids? We'll all be here if you need us!

Hi Stacey, I could have written that, but couldn't have said it better- it's exactly what's been going on with me. Now you've given me hope that I'll do better after this next fill. It really sucks that George isn't available at Prestonwood more than just a few days a month. I hate the fact that I don't have more willpower. I eat stuff, knowing I'm not supposed to... then regret it and wish I hadn't. I paid good money for this surgery, and I don't want to fail but it seems like I self-destruct in the evenings. *sigh* I'm not giving up, though! It's just so hard to understand why I'm not losing faster, because I *KNOW* I'm not eating even 1/3 as much as I used to. Wouldn't it make sense that, even if you ate the exact same things you used to, except a whole lot less of it, that you'd lose weight??? (This is just my frustration venting.) I'm really looking forward to my next fill on the 16th.

Baggie, thanks for your encouragement! I actually *know* all of that- it's just easy to forget sometimes when you're frustrated and feeling a bit down. Thank you for reminding me. Now I know how Dianne felt when her scale stopped moving for a while. I had to laugh about your comment-"I would love some chicken breast." Afer a few weeks you'll want to SCREAM when you see another chicken breast on your plate. *LOL* I think I've certainly reduced the chicken population by quite a bit!! But I know right now it sounds wonderful to you, and the first few will taste wonderful too. Just remember to take TINY bites, and chew, chew, chew.. and chew some more. Also, make sure it's not too dry- that makes it very hard to get down!

Uhmm.... Haven't you had a fill by now? Surely you'd know where the port is- that's where they put the needle for a fill! If not, it's usually under your left breast, a few inches above your waistline. It just feels like a small hard place, maybe 1" in diameter or less.

Hi Gang, Well, I haven't been to any of the other facilities, but have no complaints with Prestonwood. It's new, of course, so it *should* be clean, anyway. I've been feeling so down lately because I just can't seem to get a handle on things. I'm not losing like I should, and yet it seems nearly all of the stuff I'm *supposed* to eat gets stuck. The bad-for-me stuff goes down easily. It's frustrating! I don't get full on the bad stuff, so I eat too much.. and the cycle repeats itself. I finally made an appointment today to go see George again next Friday, the 16th, for my 3rd fill. I'm hoping this works for me. Stacey, you're doing good, girl! I'm envious!! How's the rest of you all doing?

I, too, have fallen lin love with those New Whey Protein bullets!! They're so easy! I just add one to a 16oz bottle of water (have to drink a litte out of the bottle, or pour it out), add the liquid (comes in 4 flavors- orange, fruit punch, grape, and blue raspberry), and it's wonderful! You get both your water and your protein all at once. I use the 42 gram bullets so I don't have to worry about getting in my protein for the day. Some mix it with crystal light, but I just mix mine with the water. If you want it sweet, add one packet of the pink stuff or equal or some other sweetner. I've been buying it at Vitamin Shoppe but GNC also has them.

That sure doesn't sound good. I've only used the TLCEdge in Plano, and it's a new facility that just opened up in early January. Who did your fill? Was it George? I know he moves around to the other locations. I think Dianne uses the one in Duncanville, but I think that's a long way from HEB. What are they doing to treat your staph infection?

I used Dr. Veninga, who practices at TLCEdge as well as Trinity Mills. He's great! He'll spend as much time as you need to make sure you understand the procedure as well as what to expect before and after. He went through a video of the actual surgery with me, explaining it in complete detail. TLCEdge is in Plano at the Prestonwood Surgery Center. Wonderful staff there!! Good luck! (See the TLCEdge thread below, and come join us!)

Welcome back, Baggio! Wow.. I stayed home a full week AFTER my surgery. You're doing well to already be back at work. I had a lot of port pain as well- it DOES get better each day. Just be careful for a while straining (like I was doing with my Ab-roller. I thought "exercise" meant just about anything. Found out "no situps!") It caused it to shift a bit and was very painful- stinging pain- when I turned over in bed or bent over to pick up something. It's ok now, thank goodness! I was on liquids for 10 days, I think, then mushies. Cream soups were HEAVEN after all that liquid stuff! Dr. Veninga didn't really give me any guidelines- all I had was from TLC, so.. not sure who's instructions you should follow in this case. You might try mushies after a week, and see how you do with that. If you have trouble, wait a few days and try again. Good luck- you'll make it!! We all did!

Has anyone heard from Baggio since her surgery? So, Ty- you're a biker babe, huh? *lol* Lose that weight and you'll look HOT in all that leather!! <grin>

Hey everyone! Just got back from a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng 5 days in Las Vegas, and it's so good to be back home, where things make SENSE! It's getting crazier out there by the day. One thing is for sure.. I got my walking in! Eating was a real "pain", literally, though. But I still managed to not lose much. *sigh* I really think I need to go back for a fill as soon as I can get in. I'm like you, Stacey- I'm always starving by the time I get home from work, and tend to snack in the evenings too.. a big no-no, according to the Lap Band rules. Hey Stacey.. good to hear from you- we were all concerned. Belated Happy Birthday!!!!!!!! It sounds like you had a wonderful time celebrating. We won't hold it against you if you've gained back a pound or two. :biggrin: Welcome to our special place, learb123. We're certainly not "seasoned banders" - YET, but we've all been there recently enough to still remember how it was in the beginning, so feel free to join right in- we'll all help any way we can. Dianne- how are things at home, and how's hubby doing?

Claramae , do you know if Lonestar Lapband does fills if you didn't have your surgery done through them? I live in Rockwall, and used TLCEdge over at Prestonwood. It's so far away to go for fills. They give free fills for 6 months, but I'm halfway through that period, and will be looking for someplace closer to me for fills. Thanks for any info you can help with!

STACEY.........where have you been, girl? Hope you're doing ok!!

Good morning! I'd like to know too how things work after the 6 months. I have NO idea what the fills will cost. If anyone knows, can you let us all know? There's a place over near me in Rowlett, Lone Star Lap-Band, that I' going to check into and see if they do fills. Anyone know anything about that place? It's so hard to drive all the way to North Plano from where I am! Dianne, my last fill was the same way- There's some things that I just can't eat at all now, but others give me no trouble- and I can eat way too much of those. It's weird. I guess that's when our "will power" has to come into play- we can't expect the band to do ALL the work for us, unfortunately. :tt2: Hmm.. maybe that's why the scale is being stubborn. It's very frustrating, because I KNOW that I'm eating a lot less than I was before surgery, yet the weight just isn't coming off as fast as I thought it would. I was told that people with lower BMI's lose slower. Maybe that's what's going on? Hope everyone has a good day.