Turler

Thanks Brandy!

Thanks for the info on the shoulder pain thing. Very strange and I intend to ask my doctor about it at my follow up appointment. I think I remember being told that Lap Bander's can expect to lose approximately 60-70% of their excess weight. Excess is the key word. Just remember that statistics like that are just guidelines and averages. Not everyone will do the average. I think what happens is that we lose our motivation. It is a slow loss and can be frustrating. Essentially like a perpetual "diet". Gets old, and I can see how some give up and stop going for fills and stuff. Once they start looking and feeling good, they may not feel compelled to push on. I am too motivated for that! Just like Brandy, I have lost more than my 50% and I don't feel done yet. I got re-banded because I wasn't finished. I think we have control, not really the band, you know? Oh, and this morning I lost 1 pound! I hope it's the start of something good. I've had no weight loss for 6 weeks! ~C

GDF- Good to have you back! Don't despair! We are all in this together and are here for you. I've never heard of the left shoulder pain when hungry thing. What is this about? Please explain. I just got rebanded, and my left shoulder is killing me! Couldn't figure it out, no rhyme or reason I thought. I thought maybe poor positioning during surgery. I was gonna talk to my doctor about it. Tell me more. Brandy- WOW! First of all...congratulations on everything! Your weight loss is stellar as usual. I'm happy for you about your wedding, though sorry your dress was too big! Sorry about your job and congratulations about your job! Whew...you've got a lot going on. Glad your back. I've been frustrated with my weight loss too. I have not gained anything...thank GOD! But, I'm not losing either. Ridiculous. How can you be on liquids for 3 weeks and all these mushies and not lose even one stinking pound???? I don't know, but I'm gonna cave to a fill cuz I don't like being hungry. I'm starting to give in to ice cream cuz I'm bored with my mushie diet. It's time to move on so I can start losing again. UGH!

Welcome back Brandy!!!!! Glad to hear you had a great time! Cub- No I have no fluid in the band. Recovery is going well however. I feel better since they let me start introducing real food back into my diet. I am starting to really notice hunger though---welcome back to Bandster Hell, right? LOL Bea? Mom? L2L? Where are you?????? ~C

Hi Nurse7263! Welcome! Welcome! I'm glad you got a new surgeon. I am amazed at how many go so long without proper follow up care. Especially the fills, or should I say lack-there-of. It sounds like you are on your way now! Stick around and get to know some people. It's a pretty great group and we are here for each other! ~Carol

Welcome Carole! .....and Kalipso too!!!! I think this place is wonderful! We are able to bounce ideas off each other, share our experiences and encourage each other to keep going. I have found that I do better when I stay in touch. Sometimes I'm more active on here than others, but I'm always at least reading up on what's happening. You are all doing so well on your weight loss! ~Carol

Yes, I'm feeling better. I went back to work yesterday, and it was a little rough, but good for me. I needed to get out of the house and get moving again. My port site is still the one that gets me. I am pretty bruised up, but otherwise I am fine. Thank you for asking. Kalipso--I know what you mean about being scared to eat! Just take it easy and go slow. Maybe eating softer foods for awhile might be good to let things heal. I am trying to do the same. For me, I'm just glad to be off liquids! I am suddenly addicted to the Food Channel and I have found some great recipes and it also gives me something to look forward to! How is everyone? It's been quiet around here! I hope Brandy's wedding went perfectly! I can't wait to hear from her! ~C

Congratulations! Take good care of yourself and your new baby! ~C

The stoma is the opening that the band creates. (I shouldn't have said stoma in my first reply, I meant pouch.) This changes size depending on how much saline is inside the balloon. The pouch is the area above the stoma. That is the part we fill up when we eat. This can stretch if we over-eat, or if food is unable to pass through the stoma. This creates pressure, makes us feel 'stuck' and for some, causes vomiting-which ultimately can lead to a slip. Unfilling makes the opening of the stoma bigger and like her email said, lets the food pass through easier. It's great that you don't have to do liquids. I don't know that you can never have more than that amount in your band. It sounds like they just want it to rest for awhile. I'm glad your band didn't slip. ~C

Kalipso, Oh please take care of yourself! I just had surgery a week ago for a severe slip! I didn't know that I was having a problem until it was too late! Go on the liquids and be very careful. Trust me, it will be better to repair what you've got then to start all over like I just did! Once you get things back on track, you should feel better and hopefully will be able to get restriction back. Your weight loss was stalled probably because your stoma was stretched allowing you to eat normally. I personally think checking the band under flouro is a good idea...obviously, you can catch a problem much faster if you're monitored that way. PM me if you want to chat. I can fill you in on what's happened to me. ~C

Hi everyone... Recovery is slower than I'd expected. I am tired of the liquids and really don't care to eat anything anyway. Just feel like sleeping all the time. I thought I'd bounce right back, but apparently not. New port site is pretty painful (brings back memories of the first one). I haven't been on the boards much, so I'm not really up on everyone. Hope all is well with everybody! ~C

CC, you sound just like me! I had to chuckle, because our reasons are similar. I feel that I have missed out on things because of my weight. I wasn't always heavy, so going from normal to fat was a big adjustment. Now that I've been fat for over 5 years, I now need to readjust my head! I am always misjudging my clothing, chairs and stuff like that. I seem to be having trouble with winter coats this year...don't have one that fits, don't want to spend montey on one cuz it won't fit next year, blah blah blah. Well I still gotta have a coat, so I put my husbands on in a jam...and it fit!! I couldn't believe it! See what I mean? My head needs time to catch up. I didn't know you were so little! I'm 5'5" (barely) and I remember looking pretty good at 155, but I thought I was fat then!! argh! I really would like to be 140. The doctor that told me that I wouldn't get there was my first band surgeon. He said if I wanted that, then I should get the RNY. No thanks. I think I will get there. I am pretty determined and my fear of losing the band got the best of me for a bit. I'm not going to give up. Even if I had lost it, I would have kept trying. And yes...asking someone their pant size is a good idea. I know some girls that wear a 12 and they are smokin' hot! Of course, they are a little taller than me, but still! ~C

Thanks CC! Don't let the voices in your head discourage you! I can't imagine how awesome you must feel being so close! I can hardly wait to be there myself. How did you decide your goal? Mine is just a wish, but one doctor told me I'd never get there, another told me 160 # is reasonable. I want to be HOT, not just average. Although, I would take average if that's all I get! So of course, my goal weights determine just how far I've come. If I am after 160 #, then I've only got 30 to go. If I make it to my dream goal, I've got 50 to go. Ugh...

Good morning... I had surgery yesterday, and the doctor was able to put in a new band. I don't know which one I have, but he also moved my port for me. I really didn't think he could put me back together, but he did! Gotta tell ya though...I've been on liquids for almost 2 weeks. It totally sucks and I'm starving. I wonder what his rules will be for diet progression? LOL ~C

Thanks everyone. I love you all so much! I will let you know how things go as soon as I can. I am a little nervous and really would like only one surgery for a resolution. What do you all think about the sleeve? ~C

Oh...and CubsGirl, You are right. This doesn't have to be the end of my weight loss journey. I just have to approach it from a different angle. It's very likely that I will not get to keep my band. I may not want to have it replaced in a few months. Who knows? I don't know that I want to go through all of this again. I love what my band did for me, and I wouldn't change ever getting it, but I am a little nervous now about how easy this slip happened. In a way I'm glad I have a few days to think about it. ~C

Hi everyone...here is an update: I was just beside myself Thursday night, so I called a friend who was able to get me touch with a different doctor on Friday. He was concerned and saw me right a way (and didn't even have office hours yesterday!!!). They wanted to know why no one had unfilled me. No kidding! I kept asking for that, but the other doctor said it wouldn't make a difference. Turns out, many slips can be corrected when unfilled!!!!!!!! After they unfilled me, they walked me personally down to radiology, did a live flouro Upper GI series again to see if unfilling made a difference. IT DID!!!! It helped a lot, but unfortunately, the slip is so bad, that I still have to have surgery. This doctor says it should be able to be fixed, either by tacking this one back up, or putting a different one in. He said worst case scenario, I would lose this one for a month or two and then would be able to get another one after I heal. He also talked about the Gastric Sleeve as an option for me. At this time, we are focused on getting me well, and surgery is Wednesday. I am feeling much better about things, and this doctor was so wonderful! He really eased my fears and said that I am "remarkably successful with the band"! That made me feel good. He couldn't believe I'd only had it for 9-10 months. So for now, I have to stay on liquids and wait until Wednesday for surgery. At least I slept better last night, and I don't feel as much pressure in my stomach. He said the slip probably happened from being too tight for too long. You know, that is tough to know. How are we really supposed to know? I thought I was doing just fine. Anyway, the other doctor that couldn't be bothered to see me won't be getting my money and I certainly will discourage anyone I know from seeing him. I'm glad I kept looking! Thank you all so much for all your support. I can't tell you how much it means to me. I don't know yet what I will come out of surgery with--band or no band, but at least I will be taken care of. ~C

Hi Jmone, Haven't seen this thread alive in a while. Yes, MALT Lymphoma is relatively rare. It is most often associated with H. pylori although that is not always the case. I did not have H. pylori, but they treated me for it anyway. I also had to go through chemo. I was caught in the very early stages, so I did not have to have radiation. I really hope everything goes very well for you. Better to postpone and be healthy, than to rush anything. I know the wait is hard, it's the worst. I waited a very long time for my band, and now I'm facing losing mine. Not at all cancer related, but I've slipped and it's most likely coming out. Good luck, and I'll be happy to answer any questions I can for you if you need! ~C

Update: New doctor has decided I'm not an 'emergency' so I can wait to see him in his office on Tuesday afternoon!!!!!!! I am so upset. This is what you get for not going to the ER. I did everything the right way, and now look what happened. It sounds like my band will be removed. Not much chance for repair. So apparently this is the end of my weight loss journey.

Thank you everyone for your support. I'm feeling anxious about all this. Today I had the Upper GI series and it's basically 'live flouro'. I got to see what is happening. It looks like a mushroom is sitting on top of my band. I have definitely slipped. It looks awful. I just can't believe this is happening. I am waiting for word about what the next step is. I will keep you all posted as I hear. ~C

Well I haven't even met him yet!! I was scheduled to have an appointment with him on Friday to meet him. Came highly recommended. Besides, apparently this is considered an 'emergency'. I won't have time to doctor shop. I will most certainly discuss my fears with him the moment I meet him though. I am nervous enough to leave my own hospital, and to see someone I don't know is worse! ~C

Thanks... I'm so depressed over this. I have learned that the doctor that has agreed to take me on isn't pro-Band. I hope that he will fix it and let me continue. I am worried about losing it and of course I wouldn't qualify for a new one at this point. I'm not ready to be out on my own, ya know? ~C

Update: Band has slipped for sure. Will have an Upper GI series tomorrow morning. Apparently this will give the doctors a clearer picture of the specific direction of the slip. It should be flat, so if a circle is seen, it will have to be surgically repaired. My doctor called a surgeon in another town close by. This doctor said my choices are: 1) MOVE band back into position 2) REMOVE band This sucks. Will let you know when I can what will happen next. They are letting me attempt to rehydrate myself at home as long as I can keep the fluids down, otherwise I have to be admitted for hydration tonight. I don't wanna lose my band!!!!

***heavy sigh*** So I've had the wierdest day. A few victories I'd like to share: 1) Hit my 75 pounds lost this morning (woo hoo!) 2) Found out I weigh less than DH (woo hoo!) 3) Went to hospital and they put the "normal" gown on me (woo hoo!) 4) At same hospital, they used "normal" BP cuff (woo hoo!) So WHY? did you need to go to the hospital you ask? Well let me tell you: Friday night go to bed...wake up shortly after midnight with abdominal pain/chest pain/back pain. Stayed up all night moaning, trying to relieve pain. No eating or drinking due to pain. Any attempts ends up in the toilet. Pain came/went in waves, didn't go to ER thought maybe a virus? Sunday, same thing. Can't keep anything down. Not sleeping. Monday, same thing...every attempt to eat ends with pain and ultimately vomiting. DH complains of stomach cramps, so I become convinced it's viral. Tuesday, same thing. Am miserable, tired and very hungry and thirsty. Everyone at school tells me how bad I look, what's wrong, etc. Call doctor friend at home and explain situation last night (keep in mind, my Bariatric surgeon left town--I'm an abandoned patient). He says...come in AM, get EGD and we'll go from there (I just had one a few days before Christmas and everything looked great!). So this am, I find out there is damage to my pouch. Stretch? Slip? Not sure, but definitely something is wrong with a real big esophageal ulcer to top it off. GREAT. Ended up in CT scan. Waiting for word as to what to do next. Probably an unfill, potentially surgery. I still don't have a bariatric surgeon, so my general surgeon is doing some leg work for me to figure out what to do next. I'm so bummed. I follow all the rules. I honestly don't know what happened. I live on soup!!!! How did this happen? I'm so darn hungry and thirsty...haven't had a darn thing since Friday at dinner. Sorry it's so long. Trying to highlight the good parts of my day! ~C

Leslie One of the best things you can do for yourself is to stay on here with us! It helps so much and provides a gentle motivation. I know that I can't stay away long. I'm always reading, lurking and post when I can. We are here for you no matter what! You can get back in it...hang in there!