HeatherO

It is always great to look at the basics again. Helps to keep us on track. Thanks, bxlisa!

I followed my doctors orders probably 95% of the time, and those couple of times I didn't I communicated where I didn't. If I didn't follow, I got back on plan asap. I don't have any complications now, I don't want any complications in the future and I am taking the health of my band seriously. I don't know if I will have a problem in the future, but if I do, I want to be able to say to myself that I made a strong go of this and I put forth my best effort. I am really becoming disturbed by all the threads lately with the theme "I didn't follow doctors orders and don't intend to" or "I got off my diet plan, so please validate me by telling me everything is OK so I can continue not quite following doctors orders (but if you don't agree with me then you are against me and being opinionated)." However, threads with the theme "I got offtrack but really want to make this work, can you help me get back on the bus" are great threads for support and are helpful. noahsmomm, This response is not specifically to this thread, just a response on a number of similar threads that I have seen lately. Many people move through their liquids stages faster than the plan allotted but all I would suggest is to call your doctor and make sure it is supported. I am just worried that too many threads along this line may have a negative impact on newbies that are just learning the new lifestyle. How did I end up obese??? By making excuses to myself daily about why I can overeat. I am stressed because work was difficult . . . I had a bad day . . . I am so happy because this happened . . . time to Celebrate a good grade on my midterm . . . and the most important one of all (albeit frequently overused) . . . I am going to eat what I want today because I am starting my diet plan tomorrow (thank goodness I don't have a count for how many times I thought this, I am sure the number is enormous). So what is my point . . . no more excuses for me. I have to take responsibility for my actions. I can cheat every single day if i want to, but I don't because I put myself under the knife due to being sick and tired of being sick and tired. If someone writes, I had pizza and ice cream 3 days after surgery and my band and I survived it . . . does that give me an excuse to go out and have a Big Mac??? If you are reading this thread, you have probably gone under the knife as well. That is no small step and not an easy road to take. If you start your journey by disregarding the rules, then you set yourself up for the possibility of failure. If a few weeks of liquids and unpleasant foods can put you on the road to long term health and all of the benefits a more normal weight can provide . . . then you deserve to do the right thing for yourself. You can do this by taking personal responsibility for your actions and making no more excuses for not doing the right things.

I just read on a pregnancy weight gain thread in the pregnancy forum that someone there had a failure of the iud and ended up preggers. I wouldn't think that being banded would have anything to do with the failure but I am curious. My TOM is a lot worse since being banded, even with control measures that usually made my period almost non-existant. It used to be a minuscule nuisance to being a huugggee problem now.

You are so newly banded and are probably still on a specialized diet. I definitely would not quit now without doctors support. Three months is really not that long and you should at least wait to see how well your blood sugars are stabilizing when you move onto more solid foods. Ultimately your overall good health is the goal and it makes sense to take a little time adjusting your medications. You probaby did not develop diabetes overnight, so I would be careful assuming it would go away so quickly. Also keep in mind that not every diabetic is the same and what works for one person may not work the same for you. What were your average levels before banding and what are they now? Are you maintaining a healthy range? Have you already stopped taking meds or are you just contemplating it?

I can understand why you feel hurt. Perhaps your husband doesnt understand how hard it is to take it off. However, not all men know how to say things in the right way. My husband told me that he wants me to be healthy so we can spend a long happy life together. This is after I told him the same thing before we were married and he stopped smoking cigarettes on our wedding day. I know he loves me at any size and just wants me to be happy and healthy. So basically, our husbands said the same thing but just had different ways of saying it. Your husband might also have your health and happiness as the primary motivators for saying something. Try to focus on the positive, there are definitely many things to gain from living life at a more normal weight. The band is definitely one way to help you get there. I eat normal foods, only a lot less of them and I am more satisfied then ever before. It is a lifetime commitment for me and I make sure that I follow the rules to make my band last. My only regret is not doing it sooner.

I actually noticed in the shower the other day that as I pulled my hands through my hair after shampooing, they didn't come away empty. I did it a couple more times and found a few strands of hair in my hands each time . . . and there was no pulling whatsoever, it was like they werent even attached to begin with. So I think I will shed a little hair. I have really been great with Protein (low carbing it) and Vitamins and milk are a regular part of my daily consumption. Really I am not surprised because it happened when I was pregnant as well (so I figured I was already predisposed). I guess I'm off to the beauty supply store to stock up on some Biotin, or would the pharmacy be more likely???

I don't know anyone who has had this kind of band. However, you or your insurance paid for your band, it does not make sense that you can not have the card to adjust it if you are the owner of the band. It may be their policy to strongly suggest they maintain the card (perhaps there is a fear that a patient might lose the card). If you are definitely transferring to this other doctor, the other doctors office should be able to contact them and request that the card is sent directly to them.

My doctor said I can take pills (as long as they are not horse pills like Vitamins which are exceptionally huge and hard to get down even before banding). I was just told to make sure I drink a large glass of Water entirely after taking the pill. You can always give them a call as well.

My scars are hardly noticeable at 5 months out, and I have 5. The port scar is about 2 inches long and is pink in the middle but is already fading to nothing. The other ones are not really noticeable unless you are looking for them. I did not do anything special to protect my scars other than keep incisions clean and bandaged. I am also a person who scars easy (I have indents in my arms from donating blood over the years). Really they are nothing to worry about . . . but one thing to keep in mind, if my scars where ten times worse it would be worth it for my much flatter belly. I probably wont wear a bikini but I look really great in my clothes now.

I would check with your local pharmacies for Gas-X but I really don't know if they have it or something similar in the UK. You will get a prescription for pain killers most likely. Afterwards, usually they tell you to take tylenol. I was told that it was ok to take it in pill form but I must drink a full glass of water afterwards. You can also get liquid tylenol as well. Just make sure that whatever over the counter pain killer you get is on the list of approved pain killers per your doctor. Most are not approved because they have ingredients that can irritate your stomach which is bad for bandsters. A hot water bottle should work the same as a heating pad. I never used nor needed one post surgery. It wasn't necessary for me but everyone is different.

I love PB but I didn't know what to eat it on. I tried it today extra crunchy low fat on two reduced calorie triscuit crackers. Yummmmyyy. I like the thought of bananas. I used to have a little Peanut Butter on celery before banding but I dont think I can tolerate the celery any more. I have only had PB once since banding, and to be honest, it happened after I first read this thread. I think it is healthy in moderation.

For mushy ideas, I ate lots of homemade lentil Soup and refried Beans blended with chicken broth and a little melted cheese. It was high in Protein and very good. I have been banded going on six months at the end of this month. If I have learned anything it is that you need to stick to your doctors suggested diet and follow bandster rules to find weight loss success. Dont start eating solid food and skip stages. At one week out, eating solid food already and skipping stages, you are at risk of damage to your band down the road. It doesnt matter that you can do it without being too uncomfortable. It is a matter that your stomach needs to heal completely before you start making it work. Not everyone loses weight at this stage. The focus has to be healing right now, and believe me, the weight loss will come if you follow your bandster rules and doctors orders. Yes, you need to go back to mushies as prescribed. Please don't put your health at risk. It is not worth it when you only have a couple of weeks when you can start eating again with little risk. The band won't do you any good if you have a complication and lose it altogether down the road.

Some people have issues without a doubt. However, a lot of people that might be several years out, have had success and no complications may no longer be active on a forum like this. Banding is the same as anything, once the initial newness wears off and if everything is going well, life goes on and you get busy with other things. The internet can be a little one sided in this respect because not everyone is posting if you know what I mean. Slips, erosion other items do occur but they affect a minority of people. Sometimes situations occur where this is unavoidable, but it can also be caused if you do not follow the bandster rules well or keep the band too tight for too long.

I am so excited I can hardly believe it. :thumbup: I got on the scale this morning, the day before my birthday, and what did I see???????? The magic number - 169!!!!!! I can't believe it. I have officially left the BMI land of obesity and am only overweight. This is the best birthday present I have had in soooooo many years . . . . I am embarrassed to say. It has been a bit of a struggle to get here, but I am sooooo incredibly, wonderfully, ecstatically happy. :cool2::wub::tt2: :thumbup: lala la la la, I love my band, lala la la la :tt2::wub::wub:

I am a very deep sleeper. I remember being pregnant and having dreams about peeing. I went to bathroom after bathroom after bathroom. Continuous dreams of searching for a toilet. It never helped until I woke up and actually went to the real bathroom and took care of the problem :0)

It is easier because my constant hunger and tendency to overeat has gone away. This has really helped me to stop obsessing over food. It has also curbed cravings. I can eat one bite of cake on a special occasion and be done with it, move on, and not feel deprived at all. Eating used to be everything to me, now it is an afterthought on most occasions. If I eat too much, I am sick. I hate being sick, therefore I stop before I overeat. Even if my brain tells me to overeat, there is a hard stop in that my body will reject anything beyond a reasonable portion. However even with the band, I still have to make good decisions with food, avoid grazing between meals and get exercise. It is similar to dieting as before, but lack of hunger and inability to overeat make it a heck of a lot easier to deal with. I have lost this much weight before, but it takes twice as long and is usually accompanied with constant feelings of deprivaton and obsessing over food. The band was worth every penny and I have no regrets.

I had low grade nausea for about the first 1.5 months from time to time. I followed my doctors instructions, but I swear it was Water making me nauseous. Sometimes it is just like that, healing from surgery can make you nauseous. If it continues I would call your doc, but occasional issues arent uncommon since you are still so newly banded.

It goes away quickly, don't worry too much about it. However, you can speed it along and feel better if you can get some Water down. It is hard to just drink a cup of water directly after banding. It might help to always have a water bottle near and sip, sip, sip througout the day. Some people are sensitive to the temperature of the water soon after surgery too. You might want to try warm (maybe with some chamomile tea), room temperature (goes down easier for me), or ice cold.

I go to CVS and buy the adult Spectravite chewables. They taste kind of like the flintstones chewables and leave no bad aftertaste. Different Vitamins can give me a gross taste in my mouth after I take them. There are a million varieties of Protein shakes, and a few taste absolutely horrible. You should try to get some samples or post a thread asking about the best tasting, economical protein shakes for newbies. The shakes can be expensive and you dont want to buy a ton of something that makes you want to urk as soon as it hits your lips. I bought premixed Isopure 40 grams protein and zero carb premixed drinks at a Vitamin shop. They taste a little like gatorade but are not terrible. They are clear and you can have them immediately after surgery. Some people dont like the taste but I found them to be tolerable.

All you need to do is start clicking through thread links and you will see it. It doesnt happen every time but it seems to be happening at least 50% of the time for me. Go to some longer threads with multiple pages and click on a different page then you are currently on. Also, go to Forum and click a thread. Sometimes instead of the Forum, you go back to the Home page. When the problem happens, I am always redirected to the Home page. I am sure you will find it if you click around randomly. This issue is especially annoying because I keep losing my place and have to click around to find where I was. I am too easily lost.

Hang in there . . . this uncomfortable part will not last very long. 9 incisions seems like a lot. Most of us only have 5 or 6. It doesn't help to have extra places that itch. I found out that I am allergic to most bandages and tape after surgery. They were giving me itching and discomfort as well. I had to stop using traditional bandages and went to a liquid bandage for some (I think it was called new skin) and I also was able to find bandages with cloth on the inside and the tape portion looked like plastic wrap. I was not allergic to this other bandage but it still irritated my skin. I found the best thing for me was air. After a shower, I would let my incisions air dry while I read a book or watched tv in my bedroom. If your wounds are closed and there is no drainage, perhaps you just need to leave them a little open because of the rash. Do you have some undershirts or t-shirts you don't care about? If the wounds are closed, perhaps a clean, loose shirt that wont be hurt by any topical cream might be the most comfortable way to allow your rashes to go away.

Definitely don't take off the steri-strips, just let them fall off when they are ready. I had one come off earlier and my scar there is wider and pinker in that area. I was told not to swim until 4 weeks out. Best to call the doctor and ask. Also, if your wounds look like they could be open at all or if you have any drainage, don't go at all until they are closed. I started to use some liquid bandages (maybe it was called new skin or something similar) when I started spending more time in the Water. The water doesnt seem to affect it at all. It worked well for me.

That was perfectly stated :thumbup:, thanks MacMadame. I have dieted successfully and lost my weight (eventually regained). When I am dieting without an aid, I am constantly hungry and feeling deprived as I take the steps to losing the weight. :thumbup: I have been banded successfully and am again losing my weight. I am not hungry and not feeling constantly deprived as I take the steps to losing the weight. The work is the same in either case, but thank goodness my band is helping me to maintain my sanity while I do it. Thank you, thank you, thank you my faithful band. :cool2:

Making progress :thumbup: NAME ____________weight now____ goal___ lbs lost *****:cool2:********** **********:thumbup:******:tt2:***** aJoneen............230.........220.......3....... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... blesdbyonmzur......159.........148.......4....... BTTRFLI1432........221.........210.......0....... Bunkey1965.........210.........205.......2....... Chocolate_Snaps....260.........240.......0....... Darr5380...........170.........150.......0....... erikadawn.................199..............175............0.......... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........169.........155.......3....... KarenG.............166.........158.......0....... KathyStrick........305.........290.......0....... Leslie2Lose........224.........209.......0....... Lunabeane..........221.........200.......0....... Luu2008............219.........189.......7....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... mamato3............199.........184.......0....... mcgreen............189.........175.......0....... mdgarcia31665......225.........220.......0....... mominlv13..........317.........300.......0....... MSnika3............229.........204.......0....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......0....... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Redtulips..........194.........180.......0....... Renewedhope........176.........155.......3....... ronni_NC...........243.........220.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......0....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......5....... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0....... Sadie..............220.........199.......0.......

Because she said you didn't "work" for it, it sounded like the comment was deliberately belittling you and it became personal when it was done in front of someone else. I would talk to her about it, but that is just me. I don't think you need to really explain yourself or how it is or isn't work to be banded. It is more a matter of her making personal judgements about you at work in front of others and it isnt acceptable. It doesnt matter what she thinks about banding, only that it is unprofessional to discuss things in that matter. If there is anything I have learned over the years, some people are hurtful because many people don't say anything to defend themselves. If you never say a word about it, she may just say something else again in the future.