janieb

I read the posts here today and feel so much better about my weightloss journey. I've felt like a failure, after having lost 45 lbs. and now have come to a screeching halt on the scales. I haven't lost anything in 8 weeks and wasn't going to call the doctor to schedule an appointment because I thought he'd be mad that it looks like I haven't been trying hard enough. The thing is, it's actually a miracle that I haven't gained in 8 weeks. That never happened before. So, now I'll be seeing my doctor in mid January and I'll get back on track.

You're starting the process? Hang in there. I was on the edge of becoming diabetic and in as little as one month after surgery my blood tests showed that my numbers were excellent. I was absolutely shocked that it took so little time to get good results.

Michaele, We all send you positive thoughts and we understand what you're going through right now, concerning worrying about the tube thing. I was more afraid of that than of anything else, practically. BUT...everyone's right, you won't remember a thing. Not when they put it in (you'll be "out") and not when they take it out. Seriously. Stay brave and you will have wonderful results and will feel great as the pounds go off. And, they will go off. That's the great part of the lap-band. I'm not so hungry as I used to be so that in the past it was so hard to stay on a "diet." Now, I can't eat the amounts I used to, and I'm not wanting to anyway. All the best wishes to you. Let everyone know how it goes, K? Jane

Wow! Penny, you did it! And you were on the computer the next day? LOL Wasn't the pre-op fast the hardest part? And how about all those tests we all had to go through before surgery. For everyone who's just about ready for surgery, it really isn't bad, it's just the waiting and worrying about the unknown. Best of luck to everyone and enjoy the results. (Some lose faster than others...yeah, like me, for example...I quit looking at how much weight others have lost who were banded around the same time as I was because I was driving myself nuts. I'm losing slowly, and it's taking time, but I've lost around 45 lbs. so far, in 5 1/2 months. I used to be able to lose faster on WW, but then I always gained it back and was totally hungry most of the time. So, now I get filled up and am satisfied with a much smaller amount of food and all I have to do is be patient and the weight will come off.) All the best to all of you who are "waiting."

Susanna! Ooops, I hadn't read all the posts when I thought you were to have your surgery THIS Wednesday. But, you already had it done, last Wednesday? I'm so happy that it all went well and that you're back home. Now, for the rest of your journey...it only gets better.

Oh, Susanna...we Baby Boomers will never submit to being the age it says on our drivers licenses. LOL :-) We still rule! Age is only a mindset, as we all know. Check out Bette Midler, Cher, Meryl Streep. You will feel and look mahhhvelous, dahling! Just be kind and gentle with yourself before and after surgery. Soon, I can assure you, you will be feeling great...take baby steps, though. It may feel like a struggle with the fluids only part of the journey, but that won't last that long. Really. Just do it and you will be so happy! All the best of wishes to you on Wednesday.

Hey Sades! How's it going so far? From what I understand, your doctor put in another band? You were wondering if you would have to just get your original one out and that would be it. But, he re-did it? You sound up-beat and I just wanted to say hi and send my best wishes! Jane

Pat, you will not regret it if you decide to go ahead with this surgery. Honestly, all the hard work you've done in the past, successfully losing weight and then (we all can identify) gaining it back, it won't be like that for you after you have the lapband put in. Best of all, I was pre-diabetic before surgery and within a month after having surgery my numbers went down drastically. I had changed doctors and my new one was (what I thought) very hard on me concerning my weight. I couldn't believe how seriously he spoke to me about the dangers of being overweight and to my amazement I burst into tears. (Crying in front of people is not something I do, normally!) Any other doctor I've ever had would say, try harder to lose weight...I would always leave the office and say, THIS time I'm going to succeed. I'd go to WW and sit through the same old same old. But, now things are different for me since I had the surgery. I'm not "tortured" by food anymore. It doesn't take center stage in my life. I've lost 45 lbs. without starving. Normal quantities of food fill me up. What a relief! I hope all goes well for you and your decision about the surgery. I really think you'll be pleased, even though the months leading up to getting ready seem a little difficult, it will all be worth it!

Four days to go! You'll never regret your decision to have this surgery. For me, all the stuff you have to go through before having your procedure is the hardest part. Just like you, I slipped up and didn't do everything perfectly. The liquid diet leading up to surgery was torture. If you ever want the corn and rice soup again, just strain it. I was allowed to drink Instant Breakfast before and after surgery. That didn't taste as yucky as the Protein powder. (There's flavorless Protein Powder you can get, called unjury.) Here's the best part. Your band will help you with your appetite. Now I know that before banding, I was hungry allllll the time. And, the quantity I could eat...tsk. I used to be able to eat a LOT of pizza. Now, I eat a reasonable amount of food and feel satisfied. Diets used to be torture for me because it felt like I was holding my breath and starving. Like everyone else, I could loose weight, couldn't keep it off. Now I'm at peace with food. I feel like a "normal" person dealing with food. Anyway, we all wish you and everyone else who is scheduled for lapbanding all the very best of luck and good wishes.

Sades...I was looking on this site to see if you were home from your surgery and what happened. How are you feeling? You said you got re-banded. Last I read you had not known what was going to happen. All the best to everyone tonight! Jane

Yay! That's great news. I'm not surprised because the main incision hurt like heck for me for awhile...a lot longer than the other incisions. As Sades says, it's normal. Keep an eye on it and you'll be fine. I saw my Dr. today and, since I had been on vacation I only lost 2.5 lbs. He did a fill today and now I'm on fluids for 2 days and soft foods for a day. I'm supposed to ramp up my exercise, though. Whaaa. :-( I knew that, but.... Okay, I'll do it. Sades, how're things going for you? Hope all is well. Jane

About the incision, the largest one, and the one that gave me trouble, is located about 5 inches up and to the left (my left as I look down at it). I've had 2 fills since my surgery 5 months ago. The actual port site where the saline goes is several inches below the main incision and to the right. I've got other one inch incisions here and there. The other site that gave me a bit of trouble was where they put the camera in. That's all settled down too.

This is going to sound strange, but if you suspect a surgical site infection, take a pen and draw a circle around the outer-most part of the redness. I've had two such infections in my life and both doctors drew a line around where the redness was in order to see if the circumference changed, (grew beyond the pen line). You mentioned your other incisions seem to be healing, but that this one larger (?) incision is still red. That may be normal, but you are right to contact your doctor. Mention the word infection and the doctor's office will take you seriously. My doctor started me on Augmenten (sp?) and eventually the redness subsided and all is well, thank goodness. So, call your doctor and you will be fine and you'll be happily on your way to losing weight and feeling much, much better. But, it does take some time to heal and to get stronger from the surgery. All the best of luck to you! p.s. It was Sades who helped me through the fears I had when I was in your situation! Thank you Sades, I'm doing much better now. (Not exactly losing fast, though. tsk.)

:cool2:Hi Everyone! The Weather Channel is talking about big storms going through the mid-section of the US. I hope all of you are safe and doing fine. I am interested in learning about fills. I've had two fills in 4 months. I'm losing weight slowly, but feel overly concerned with noting how much everybody on the whole site is losing. I scroll down and do mental math constantly, noting who has lost a lot of weight and then comparing my weight loss with others. I've gotta stop this. I never knew this about myself, but seems like I must be really competative, or something. Does everyone else dred the needle for the fill? My doctor has a hard time locating my band and he pushes hard on my stomach, makes me do a partial sit-up and keep that position for 10 years, it seems. This hurts. Maybe it's because my stomach has lots of muscle because I've been doing sit-ups for years to help keep my back strong. (I used to have lots of back problems until I started doing strengthening exercises.) I dred the needle and so I turned down a third fill about 2 weeks ago. Now I'm sorry I was a chicken. My next appointment is July 8. I'll accept the fill then. Until then my eating is just slightly ...sort of ...not too good. I'm not as bad as my "old self" when I didn't seem to have a stopping point when eating. Anyway, does anyone else not like getting a fill? Am I a big baby? Maybe? Also, I don't know how to put in photos and icons and stuff like that. How do I do that?