Wheetsin

We have similar stats. I was 382 when banded and I'm now around 235. Unfortunately although my thighs & stomach have definitely shrunk a lot, from my bellybutton to my knees is the most resistant area of my body (this is common). I have not shrunk proportionately. And my skin is not doing me any favors. Here is the last round of progress pics I posted. You can tell that I'm still larger in the hips and butt. The thighs don't show in that outfit, but they're still big too.

Not really, IMO. I try to break into percentages of 85% Protein, 10% carbs, 5% fat. To figure it out, just look at your nutrion values and look at the protein/carb/fat content of what you're eating. Different kinds of foods have different calorie amounts. 1 gm fat = 9 calories 1 gm protein = 4 calories 1 gm carb = 4 calories Get your desired caloric intake, and then just do the math to find the percentages based on the number of grams you've eaten. E.g. if you've eaten 80 gm protein, 90 gm carbs, 30 gm fat, you're at: 80*4 = 320 calories 90 * 4 = 360 calories 30 * 9 = 270 calories Total = 950 calories So then divide out by the total to get your percentages: 320/950 = 34% 360/950 = 38% 270/950 = 28%

Yay, you're obese!!! (That sounds so wrong, but it is definitely a reason to celebrate!)

People noticed fairly quickly, about 50 lbs in for me, which took about 2 mos to lose. The first area was definitely my upper body - face/shouders.

Maybe he thinks people will obsess about it? I've heard of surgeons not telling for this reason, but they can't keep that info from you. They're YOUR records. Tell him he can just tell you, or you will request a copy of your file (which they have to give you - it's your right by law) and read it for yourself, after his office has to do that much more work.

You will still want to binge until you mentally make that shift away from the behavior. A common expression is "We get our stomachs banded, not our heads" and it's so true! Where the band will help is with the quantity. When you're well-restricted, you pretty much can't binge. If you do, some nice aversion therapy will kick in, and you probably won't want to do it too many more times. Compulsive overeating/binging is something to bring up during your psych consult.

You can click their name and then "Send a private message to <name>." You can also go to your CP and under Private Messages click Send New message. See:

No, I don't. My last order with PensXpress was several months ago, so even if I did have something it would be expired. Try googling for the company name + "coupon". When companies send out coupon codes, lots of people will publish them to coupon databases.

First, I am afraid that I have always been my own worst enemy and I will sabotage myself, like I have so many times, into failure. Of course I dont want to fail, I am just fearful that I will. Sabotage with the band is very possible, which is why it's (IMO) so important to be mentally ready for the surgery. You will probably need to see a psychologist (if you'r insurance is paying) before your surgery, and this is the best time to bring this up. They're there to help you find solutions. Second, I am scared to DEATH of vomiting (or PB-ing as I have seen it here). This is a REAL phobia of mine. I would do anything not to vomit, and that is no lie. Stomach flu or no, I just dont do it... This is the #1 reason I wasn't banded sooner. I can't stand to vomit. I've vomitted twice in the last 20+ years, that's how much I can't stand it. So I'll tell you a few thing I'ev learned, that may help. 1. Vomitting is not the same as PBing. Vomitting is when the contents of the stomach are purged. You're bringing up acid, undigested food, etc. PBing, you're only bringing up things in th stoma or higher - no acid, no partially digested good. usually it's just saliva. Sometimes it's saliva and some bit of food that has gotten stuck, and/or anything you've swallowed after being stuck. There's a huge difference there. For example, when you vomit, you get that horrible taste and burn. When you PB, you don't. Vomitting can go on and on... I'm one of the one where when I'm vomitting, the fact that I'm vomitting makes me vomit more... ugh! With PBing, you're done as soon as you're unstuck. For me this usually takes two "yaks". When you vomit, you will have a LOT of stuff coming up, because again, you're down into the contents of the stomach. When you PB, it's probably going to be like a tablespoon. I'ts MUCH closer to a baby spitting up than it is someone vomitting. There are people who have never PBed. You probably won't be one of them (just because statistically... there are so few), but it's really not that bad. It's much less traumatic. The one thing I will say about it, that I didn't "get" pre-op, was that PBs hurt. Not the actual PB/bringing the stick up, but before then, when your body is trying to clear whatever is stuck... most people find this a painful time. Honestly, I will still take the pain over true nausea any day! And third, I am fearful of being alone on this journey. My husband and I live away from both our familes (whom we are extremely close to), and we dont have any friends in the area where we live. I am more out going, but my not so dear husband (lately) is not. Not to mention that my hubby, who should be my biggest support, is not. He hates the idea of WLS. Mind you, he is 6 foot 5 and has never had a weight issue in his life... Help educate your hubby. Mine was against my surgery at first because he was afraid for me. I took him with me to the seminar, and he had a chance to ask some questions. He went with me to the consultation and asked his own questions again, and heard answers to mine. And slowly he started turning around. He sort of lumped all WLS together, and knew there were dangers. Once he learned some of the statistics and specifics about the band, it went from "I really don't want you to do this" to "I want you to do this." He basically didn't "get it," and was able to really open his eyes. He's definitely become one of my greatest advocates. Have your hubby start an account here and voice his fears, questions, concerns, insecurities. We have several spouses here, and lots of bandsters who can emphatize with his situation. Also, many surgeons sponsor support groups. If this is important to you, have that be one of the criteria in your selection process. I'm not big on support groups, but by going I was able to meet a few ladies whom I've come to trust and rely on if I need something.

PensXpress has a few options in the .16 - .18 range. I've used them before and had good luck. I've not tried them, but MARCO has 2 options for .10. Just follow the link and it shoudl take you to their inventory sorted low price to high.

Hi Ailish, I'm not familiar with European surgeons. You may get more information if you post here, a forum we have dedicated to our UK friends. There, you will have the best chance of finding European bandsters who could share what they learned while trying to find a surgeon. You might also want to register on Welcome to LAP-BAND.com. Once you register, you will have access to a surgeon database. I'm not sure if they list European surgeons, but I would guess they do. Also, I have no idea if it's still there, but obesityhelp.com used to have a function where you could search for surgeons by region, and then read reviews people left for the surgeons. I know that US states were included in this, but I'm not sure if it extended to other countries or not.

I'm waiting for Equate or some other generic version of the liquid Tylenol. These guys know they've niched into a market and they're milking it for all it's worth. I buy 5 bottles at a time (it's often out of stock so I like to make sure I have some) and it costs me about $35. A bottle of the liquid gives you 8 oz, so you're right around 1 dollar per dose. So totally worth it when you need the pain relief, don't get me wrong, but the same thing in tablet form costs about 4 cents.

I use the liquid Tylenol (Rapid Blast), but NOT the PM one. There's a PM one in "warm vanilla" or some such nonsense that could eat paint off the walls. If I have a sinus headache, I will do the liquid Tylenol followed by 1/4 or 1/2 dose of liquid Benadryl. There are chewable Tylenol too, "Go Tabs" or something like that. They do work, but man - they're nasty. I only use them when I travel, so that I can pack them in my carry on and don't need to worry about the liquids issue. Oh, there are also dissolve strips Sudafed now. My sinuses are often an issue for me when I fly, but I can't really do pills... and it's a pain to crush something at the airport. I saw these the last time I was looking for some Dimetap or something liquid to help clear my congestion. They worked very well!

Do you have a graphics program like Photoshop or Paintshop Pro? You need an application that will let you adjust layer transparency. If you want to PM me your pictures, I can make it for you.

Oh, I should add- the surgeon, once praised for being so caring & compassionate - totally not that way anymore. I did return to this surgeon for a recent laparascopic procedure I needed. I felt better having a band-area surgery done by someone who knew my band was there. During my consultation for this second surgery, the surgeon said my weightloss was going well. I responded "Yeah, but I've been slacking lately. I need to get back to the gym." The surgeon's response was "Well I can't do that for you, that's not my fault. What do you expect me to do about that, take you there myself?" When I first got home from the hospital after having the second procedure done (about a month and a half ago), one of my incisions was bleeding out in a big way. Like - walking from the car to the door, I left a trail of blood (I didn't notice it until later), and standing in the bedroom just long enough to take my dress off left a blood puddle about the size of an apple. We got the bleeding to stop, but any time I would move, it would start back... and being that still is hard work when you're uncomfortable. My husband called about this and was told, "Well if it doesn't bleed when she's still, tell her not to move." I'm sorry, but since when is "pain when I breathe" fixed by not breathing?? Granted, he called the hospital and not the specific surgeon, but I used to rave about this hospital... I can't do that anymore. They didn't close one of my incisions. This incision hurt, like I was constantly being stung by a bee. When I called to ask them if it was OK that, 2 days after surgery the sheet/gauze covering this incision had come off & tje incision was still wide open, as in I could pull the skin back and see down inside me, I was told - and I quote - "Well yeah, if it came off, then it's probably OK for it to be off." When one of my wounds was sutured, suture was left sticking up out of it. Enough that it was snagging my shirts. THIS was the only reason I used my surgeon's aftercare - I wanted this taken care of. I showed it to the person doing the wound check - it didn't take much, it was VERY clearly visible - and was told I needed to be patient, it would dissolve. WEEKS later it had not dissolved. Then I'm told by no fewer than 3 others in the medical profession that it should have been clipped, and not doing so was unprofessional/lazy. *sigh*

It will slow down as you have less and less weight to lose. Be happy about a pound in 3 weeks. Seriously! I've lost a pound in... like the last 4 months. Trust me, the grass is greener where you're at.

Very cute. I would never advocate it for a long-term solution, but if you need to lose a good chunk of weight quickly, the induction phase (extended) of the Atkins diet can usually get you there. My BMI was over 50 (there's a thread here dedicated to us!) and all I can say is THANK GOODNESS my surgeon didn't erquire a BMI under 50. Man -- I feel for you there. You're doing great, keep up the super work and you'll be there in no time!

A lot of younger people here end every sentence (or just parts of a sentence) with "know what I mean?" only they kind of slur it out so it sounds more like "gnaw me?" No thanks!

The shelf life of the band is... the same as your life. It is designed to be a lifetime implant. Erosion isn't the band itself eroding, it's specific to breakdown of the organ's integrity. Erosion just kind of happens. One of the things thought to be a significant contributor is being too tight. This would make sense. Another is the surgeon's skill/know-how/preference -- HOW the band is placed. My own thoughts - it seems logical that the type of band you have would also have an impact, but that's just me thinking, nothing that's official or backed up with literature. You could erode 8 months into it, you could erode 20 years from now. It doesn't happen often, at all. But it can happen.

Aquarobics, Water running, resistance swimming... something in the water will be your best bet, because that's one of the only options where impact and pressure on the legs and lower joints is reduced rather than increased. I understand totally that being in a bathing suit isn't something to cheer about. However, there are VERY modest options out there. For example, Junonia (www.junonia.com) carries swim shorts & shirts:

1. Give it time. You've been banded less than a month, and lost almost 30 lbs. There's NOTHING in that to be upset or disgusted by. 2. Understand that fat normally comes off of the abdominal areas last. Most people see noticeable differences in the face, shoulders, arms, and even legs before they see a lick of difference in their stomach, butt, hips. You need to have patience. Know that fat is being lost, but perhaps just not in the one area you're waiting for -- yet. 3. Don't trust the mirror. When drastic change occurs over a period of days, you aren't going to see it every day. You need a way to see it "then and now" rather than "yesterday and today.: Take some pictures (I just posted re: taking pictures naked - it's the best thing you can do - IMO), or even trace your silhouette. Whatever you can do.

Erosion is when the band begins to erode through the organ. Think of a tight piece of string tied around a marshmallow. Over time, it may actually cut into or wear through the skin of the marhmallow. That's erosion.

This may be a good example of what I was trying to say in an earlier post. You don't need a defense, at all, because my intention wasn't to put you in a position where you would need to defend. You proposed a yes/no question, but then asked about two different things. All I meant to say was "my answer will be a little more complicated because there are multiple questions here," I did not mean to say "you need a defense because you posted something that is incorrect."

Seriously question any medical professional who mentions "starvation mode" to you. Never heard of stabbing throat pain. That's weird. Does it happen even when your fine/not getting stuck? IMO - there's no such thing as "the band has done all it can do." Don't get me wrong - I see why people think this. In my wallows of self pity I've thought it myself, but if you still have your band, it has not done all it can do. What it can do is continue to help maintain your portions and proper eating habits. Part of a good post-op program is to keep you motivated. This is why the ones that get my thumbs up do offer support groups (even though I think they're corny), ongoing access to a psychologist, nutritionist, etc.

<p>This is fitting since we're talking about motivation. I accidentally posted this to Before & After, but meant for it to go here.</p> <p> </p> <p>Seriously - if you don't already, and have any means to get it done, take naked pictures. Taking pictures in the same outfit over & over is well and good, but you aren't going to see the differences in your skin and shape.</p> <p> </p> <p>Every month I take pictures in 1) the same outfit from pre-op, 2) the closest I can get to skin tight current outfit, 3) completely naked.</p> <p> </p> <p>For the most part, I have DH take the naked pictures and write them to a VERY secure external & mostly detached hard drive. I can't stand looking at my naked pictures.</p> <p> </p> <p>Nearly 10 years ago, when I was on the upward swing of my extremely fast weight gain, I had hubby take some naked polaroids of me. (Yes kids, there was a day before every household had 15 digital cameras when you either had to take polariod, or risk every mallrat at the photo stand seeing your pictures). Not nearly as fun as it sounds, I promise. This was my way of motivating myself to do something about my increasing weight. Of course, all it really did was make me feel ashamed and disgusted.</p> <p> </p> <p>Tonight while cleaning out some old boxes o' stuff I found those named pictures. And you know what? I'm SOO glad I took them. When I looked at the clothed pictures, I can dismiss it away, always, to some extent. </p> <p> </p> <p>Naked, it is what it is.</p> <p> </p> <p>BTW, this before pic is WAY before. About 8.5 years before I was banded. It's also me about 50 lbs below my highest weight. Cropped for your viewing pleasure, of course. </p> <p> </p> <p></p>