amm.imperial

I'm curious if there are any other members going through the UMass in Worcester program. A lot of the problems and complications I have read on the other threads have all been explained before I decided whether to band or bypass. I wasn't aware of the Manometry test, which was just scheduled for me for the 14th of Feb. Is it annoying but no after affects, like they said?

How did it go yesterday, Larry? Did you stay overnight? You probably aren't home yet. :-)

Mary, I missed this huge event in your life. WAY TO GO!!!!!

Well, I started this thread ages ago, it's time I got back on board. I got my band 4/1/08 By Christmas '08 I was down over 50lbs. In March '09, I had my 12mth visit, with a fill and the dr. said I should be good for 6mths. During that time, I developed a cyst in my spine which was causing ciatic pain. It was Sept before I had it removed after spending 3 mths out of work on disability. Percocets were my best friends. :-( When the back was fixed, and I had no restrictions, and I was back to work and life as I had known it before, I was within 10 lbs of my starting weight. OMG, was I depressed!!!! I wallowed in that for a few weeks. I'm assuming we've all done that after many of the other weight loss programs we tried and failed at. One of my brothers had an arterial blockage which required 4 stents. A couple of months later, he had a major stroke. He's only 59, and they honestly didn't think he was going to make it thru the first couple of days. That was 3 weeks ago now, and he was able to tell his wife he loves her yesterday, and got the nurses to help him sit up. While wallowing, I worried I was heading for the same medical problems. Then I remembered the main reason I loved the UMass program in the first place. Post surgical follow-up!!! I have seen Dr. Perugini, who ordered up a barium swallow. That showed that everything is exactly where it should be and there is lots of room to tighten up the band. What a boost that did to my mood... just knowing it wasn't just my bad choices that put all this weight back on, but my restriction wasn't enough to keep me from overeating regardless of the choices I made. I also joined the post surgery exercise class, Keep It Moving, and was reminded that even the littlest bit of activity is more than I was doing sitting in my recliner feeling sorry for myself. The most important meeting is next week, with the behavioral person. I can't wait to go talk to her and try to figure out what goes on in my head and how I can handle it differently. I'm excited about sharing my experience, because UMass has turned out to be what I hoped it was going to be when I went rather nervously and skeptically to that first informational meeting so very long ago. (July of 07) So, I am still a very strong advocate for the UMass program and the time it takes to get a surgery date.

Thanks Cindy, what I found in Wikipedia and answers.com was enough to get me to ask my doctor about this. I have been tested for diabetes most of my adult life without being diagnosed, but I have all the symptoms on the list.

I was banded 4/1/08. I was filled and filled and filled on schedule, but I only felt minor restricition. Sometime during last summer I stopped losing weight. Over the winter I started to gain it back. Like many of you have said, not losing was triggering my ability to eat when I am not happy, which caused me to not lose, whick caused me to eat the wrong things, which made me decide that exercising was a waste of time.... blah, blah, blah. I think most of us know how that goes. In March 09, my dr. gave me a fill that, if his calculations are right, puts my band almost at the limit that this band can take. I am finally feeling restriction like I read about before surgery. Pain, have to stop eating, or it's going to come back, mostly breads and chicken and things like that. I'm not gaining anymore, but I'm still making less than perfect choices. I feel like the band is finally working the way I expected it to when I started out. I'm OK with it, because the slow fill process will be different for every person. It will be different depending on how your doctor proceeds. It will be different depending on your eating habits before surgery. I'm actually getting past the fear that I might fail at this, too. It's just a work in process, that will be what I want it to be. If I keep making bad choices, I will get bad results. As soon as I smarten up, and stay consistent, it will show. I won't have a choice, because my stomach can't handle that much. Thanks for listening.

Here I am! I've been missing in action on here for a longer time than I thought. My weight loss hasn't kicked back in, and I'm in need of figuring out what is making me tick. I had another fill, but I haven't lost another pound. I did pick up the Wii Fit, and that is fun and getting me working out more often. Miss you all, and hope to see you at the next meeting. Is it next week, or the week after?

Hi all, I have a conflict tomorrow and won't be at the monthly meeting after all. Look for each other, and let's keep chatting. How was your appointment Razz? How are you doing, Amanda? Mich, you still kicking around? Mary, I hope you are going tomorrow. I will miss you. I'm still at the same plateau, but I'm going for my 3rd fill today. We shall see. I did manage to buy a Wii last week, and that is getting me moving more often. It is really fun, if you can afford it.

I Amanda, and welcome! One year ago I attended the July meeting in much the same way. Hoofed it to the meeting all by myself, just two days before my oldest daughters wedding. I was banded in April, and haven't looked back. I was so impressed at the first meeting, it was wonderful. I've made friends with similar problems along the way. My family and friends are very supportive, but having the professional staff at your fingertips is the best. These two meetings are the best way to go about it. Ask questions, when you have them, and make sure you know the resources behind the person you are getting an answer from. My experience with the band has been a breeze, but I did some true soul searching before I committed to the band. This included an honest evaluation of what would make me happy in my journey to be more healthy. My opinion is, we all need to do that for ourselves, in order to be successful for the long term. It's not a magic bullet, but it is a wonderful tool.

I was thinking 6:30 too. I'll be there as early as I can get there, which will probably be before 5:30 even, I'll be knitting. Hope some of you will join us! My rut is finally passing, I'm eager to chat with you.

I just went back thru this thread to get re-acquainted with all I have read. Kathrynrose, how is the baby progress? How has surgery progress been lately? Are you going to next week's meeting? Look for us early birds. Mich, how are you holding up? That last couple of weeks were kind of unreal for me. Lucy, Can you still make next week's meeting? MaryAnn and I will be there by 6:30 so look for us, if you come. I'm getting excited to meet you all!

I hope so, too. I'm stuck in a rut, and making bad choices as a result. Just minor stuff now, but it's bothering me. I need to pinpoint what the distraction is, quick! See you next week.

Amy, you were banded on my birthday. :-) Congrats. I'm still able to drink whole ones, but I never put them in 16 oz bottles, 20 or higher. A lot of the time, I will refill the bottle with water when it gets about half full, then I enjoy it best. I haven't found a way to hang onto an open packet and I still can't waste anything.

I'm willing, but the meeting room is usually open an hour before the meeting. What if we just meet there? I usually haven't had supper before I've gone to the meeting and would rather not venture into the caf. Is there another place?

No wonder there were only two of us this month for lapband. And the other one had a bad experience and had the bypass afterwards. There weren't a lot of positive things said about the lapband, unless I said them. Hmmmm, there have been very successful banders in the past. I hope they come back. There is a meeting July 24th, I guess you can't make that one. I'm glad you stuck with UMASS, I like it a lot. The important thing is to feel comfortable. I'm hearing great things about the every other week post op meetings, too. I haven't looked into it yet, but I think I am going to request a majority of lapbanders in one, if possible. It is a very different experience.

Wow, I don't think any of us were there last night. Well, I mean, I went, but when AJ asked for a show of hands for the banders, I only saw one other hand go up. there were a lot of pre-surgery people asking questions last night. it was good. They moved us to the amphitheater on the 2nd floor because the informational meeting was so large they needed both rooms. I hate to think how long those people will have to wait. Hope you are all finding a way to cope with the summer cookouts. I'm just enjoying the fresh vegetables. :-)

I have on a pink, white and blue button down shirt and jeans. My hair is up. Who is going to be there tonight????? Let's try to hook up.

Congratulations on your new child. My daughter finally had her little girl on Father's Day. It was a long labor, but everyone is fine. As far as what you are called, I think whatever everyone is comfortable with, should work. My step-kid's bio mom is a pain for who spends how much time where, and when they can spend time at my family functions. It's such a nuisance. Mom is MOM, regardless of how she became mom. That is a bit of a stressfull situation for undergoing a life changing surgical process. I hope you can just concentrate on making good choices, and stop worrying about the scale. It will take care of itself, in time.

OH My KatherineRose!!! I have had weeks of sitting at the same weight. 260 seemed to be my own personal hell. I finally saw 258 on the scale last week, and now I'm staying there. I am glad I had so many classes that made me think about why I eat. I've had a couple of emotional eating days. I tried my best to spend some time with myself, thinking about why, what and what I could do to change that. It took more effort than I would have liked. It hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be. I'm still glad I did it. I'm looking forward to my next fill, but it is still weeks away. How many times did we hear, this isn't a magic bullet? We thought we knew what they meant, way back. It'll happen, slow and steady wins the race. Birth mother? Are you a midwife? My daughter is in labor right now.

Hi Lucy, Why are you having a hard time? I'm not real close to Dudley, but I'm pretty sure anyone can go to those meetings once a month in Worcester. They never ask where you had it done. It's at the university campus in Worcester on the 4 thursday of the month. The next one is on June 26th at 6 pm in the Lazare Auditorium. Surgical Information Meeting and Surgery Discussion Group Schedule that is the web address. Maybe we can help from online, my journey has been different than I expected, but I have had the tools to get thru. One of the reasons I like the UMASS program so much.

I thought it was next week, too. My husband got last minute tickets to the Red Sox game today, so I went there. We can try to hook up again in June.

There was some discussion about the wrong comments getting said in the office by the office staff at the last monthly meeting. One of the staffers at the meeting was quite concerned and wanted to know exactly which person said it. My impression is that it is being dealt with. I was never told 10% even; just a steady decline, and when I thought it was just a pound or two and was expecting them to tell me to keep trying, they were happy and sent me on to the next step. Don't anticipate, just take it as it comes. We will always get stupid comments, it's one of the tools we need to learn. Don't let the idiots get you down. Have you told many friends and family your plans? You'll get the strangest comments from the most unsuspecting people. So far, I've only been for my 2 week post-op and it was fine. My first fill is next week and that will be one month after surgery. This is also one of those things that will be based on the individual, I suspect. My only complaint about the staff and care is that most of my appointments run VERY late. One of them, I didn't get called in until more than an hour after my appointment time. A couple of them have been decent, so it must depend on the day. The support after the fact is the main reason I recommend UMASS. We can all do some drastic thing and take the weight off, it's the keeping it off that is the real issue. This program has a plan in place to help us with that already.

STICK WITH IT!!!! First, you should NOT be getting negative feedback from any of the front staff people. Please let your psych person know!!! Don't get discouraged. How easy was that for me to say? :-) It has taken you 20 yrs to come to terms with this battle. IF and only if, and not UNTIL you are told you need to lose a few more pounds should you worry about it!!!! I was never given a specific amount to lose. It is different for everyone. I expected to be told I needed to lose X amount before I could go on, and it never happened. A couple here, a couple there and they were satisfied that I was on the right track. WHEN, you are told to lose a few more, ask for tips, ideas etc. If you haven't had the nutrition classes yet, be patient. If you have, take out those materials again, and see if there is something you could change, that isn't torture, every little bit helps. PLEASE, tell someone about that comment. That is the one place we don't need the crap! That person probably thought they were being encouraging, but is clueless.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Are you home? That is awesome. That incision is where they poked all the stuff in, mine was the most sore, too. Hope to see you soon, I know I am going to the May meeting, not sure about June yet. I'll let you know.

Lots of people say I am fine, too. I am quick to tell them it isn't about how I look. I then I start listing off all the other medical reasons that have shown up most likely because of the weight. People I was friendly with last summer, I let them know exactly how heavy I was last summer. Once I let them know I was over 300, they stop. I've now got people who want to have it done because they are disgusted with how they look. I am quick to tell them to talk to their primary care, and that surgery (either one) isn't for everyone.