HeatherO

That is awesome news, Steve. Congratulations!!!!

It really depends most on the hospital . . . but many will let you keep them. Not to mention if you show up with them on, they sure aren't going to come off very easily. Just give them a call and find out. That would be your safest bet.

I too was OBSESSED wıth food pre-banding. I would start thinking about what I would have for lunch and dinner at Breakfast time, lol. I was always very specific as far as what I wanted. I would even have dreams centered around food or cooking. Now it is not like that (although I do have pregnancy cravings). I am not obsessive. I could eat or not eat or eat late and still not think too much about it. I have not had a food dream in months. I used to think my obsession was only mental and not physical. Now I truly believe it was physical all along. That doesn't mean that I don't get head hunger (if I go to a dinner party where there is cheesecake . . . I still want it hungry or not), but I am not obsessed. A bite can sometimes be all I need and I don't feel deprived in the least.

I was 39.9 on the day of surgery - which is pretty much a 40 to me. Now I am 25 and am normal (but that is only my BMI, lol).

I am really sorry that you have struggled and this has not worked well for you. Banding isn't for everyone, people tolerate it differently. The band is fickle . . . somedays I can eat plenty, somedays a Protein shake could make me pb. For the most part I can get by as long as I know that days will be different and I work through them. I also know I have different restriction levels at different times of day. I can live with this and I still love my band. If you have moved hundreds of miles away from your surgeon . . . that leads me to think that you really don't have much support for fills. Aftercare is an all too important part of this lifestyle. Most of the people that have come to a similar decision to throw in the towel are in the same boat - they are out of touch with any support network either by their choice or by other circumstances. I am in the same boat as Jack . . . my worst day banded is still better than my best day unbanded. Banding suits me and I work it to get the results I want with the support I need from my physician, family and friends, and posting on this forum. I wish you the best of luck.

That makes perfect sense. If he documents that in your chart, that would be great. You should be well-covered then. Will you be staying on the medicine so that you could potentially continue to gain?

Why there is just something about combining velveeta and chocolate that might make it easier for me to have a half-way decent pie hole report, lol.

Definitely call your doctor. It is normal to feel this way and most of us do this far out. However, making sure that your band heals properly now is vital for you to have long term success with banding. Many doctors will progress their patients to the next stage on the food plan if they are overly hungry and feeling well. However, I would advise against doing this on your own without your doctors OK. Until you get the OK from your doctor, please for the health of your band, stick to your diet plan. What is a couple of weeks of hunger compared to a lifetime of being healthier and slimmer by following the plan???

I also think it could just be sore from throwing up. I would just give it a little time. You seem to be throwing up more than is normal if it is happening every couple of days. Try eating a little slower and chewing more to avoid it. Another thing I did is I would have something like plain yogurt, or a lowfat sauce or something along that line with some Proteins that I knew were harder to get down. If you continue to throw up regularly, you should get a very slight unfill. It is harmful to your band to continue this way.

I would make sure everything was documented well and submit it after the six months is up no matter what. You might be OK. Were you actively following the plan during those two months without cheating?

The foods you can't eat seem to include a lot of protein choices. Even though you don't feel full, it sounds like you may either be too tight . . . or maybe you need to eat a little slower and chew more to get them down. If you are eating a lot of carbs that are soft, they may go down easy enough that you don't feel full but may keep you from losing the weight. What are you eating throughout the day?

My doctor said no more protein drinks. They are only needed during the early days after surgery when you can't get the protein in . . . or if for some reason you have to go on liquids for a couple of days. All protein should come from natural food sources because you want something that is going to stick in your pouch and make you feel full for a while. Protein drinks just go through the band and you are not realizing the band benefits of feeling full and satisfied by drinking them.

This might sound crazy . . . but my pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, or feeling different, or sore breasts, or fatigue that would make you think "OMG, could I actually be pregnant???" always came to nothing. I think I just wanted it so much I was hyper sensitive. Finally when I really was pregnant . . . guess what symptoms I had???? No symptoms at all, lol. Other than lack of a period, even then I didn't believe it because my first 4-5 pregnancy tests were negative and I didn't get a positive until 6+ weeks after my last period. So, all those times with I think so, I think so, I think so = negative . . . it was the I really don't think so that = positive. It is strange how all that works, lol.

I am really sorry to hear that and I hope you are feeling better soon. It is no wonder you were feeling so bad when you had other issues going on. I didn't realize you had a history of blood clots as well. Were you able to get much walking or movement in after surgery? You have certainly suffered through this surgery . . . but once you are feeling a little better and are in good health again, you should be able to start really feeling the benefits. Taking off a lot of excess weight seems to help everyone to feel better and healthier. I am sorry you are suffering now and I can only hope that this is just the end of the old suffering and you will move on to much better and happier days to come. Good luck with everything.

Irritation can be caused by more than just him . . . you had to say goodbye to food as you know it, you went through surgery, rapid weightloss is flooding your system with extra hormones (none of us are at our cheeriest while having super PMS). This time is going to be a pain in your a** regardless of what is happening at home. Even if he was 110% supportive, you would probably find him annoying at best (I found my husband annoying at this stage and he was falling all over himself to give me a massage, and cook for me, lol). Just keep in mind that you are not your usual self right now. Also keep in mind that he may not be his usual self as well. He may not know how to be supportive right now . . . or he could be feeling the pangs of jealousy if you are going to lose the weight and he is not . . . there are so many things that could be going on. The best thing you can do is to talk with him about how your feeling and make sure he understands your needs and expectations while at the same time making sure you understand his as well. I had to do this with my husband because I was hurting his feelings and he couldn't understand what he was doing wrong . . . he wasnt doing anything wrong, I just needed to adjust. As far as the coffee and donuts thing . . . I am guilty as well. Before banding I would drink diet everything but I wasn't passing up on a donut if one was offerred. This had nothing to do with anyone but myself.

My calculations are 16 weeks and 4 days as of today. My son was born on his due date and weight 6 pounds, 11 ozs and was 20.75 inches long. He was a healthy size for a 40 week baby . . . but certainly not a big baby. Perhaps I am just prone to having smaller babies, no complaints there, lol.

What an interesting concept . . . dieting ourselves fat. I guess I would have to say I am guilty. I was a little overweight in my early 20's, until I decided to do something about it. That is what started the yoyo of deprivation to gluttony that got me to a 40 BMI. I would always lose a little, gain a little more, and repeat repeatedly. Those small increases definitely add up over the years.

Pie Hole Report: I have been terrible today . . .but it was an unusual day. I had a cup of shredded wheat with milk for breakfast. 1 cup of coffee Water, water and more water. Cheeseburger and fries for lunch (why would I do this? I had an 12:00 OB appointment and missed lunch . . . on the first floor they had a snack bar with almost no options and I got a whiff of cheeseburger and couldn't resist). I will try to be good for dinner . . . and tomorrow's another day, right???

I think it is wonderful that you were banded on the same day. It makes the whole "diet" part so much easier when you are eating the same things. You can't have better support than having someone go through the same thing at the same stage :0).

I think it is perfectly normal. Some people are constipated, some have diarrhea . . . and you are right in the middle and lucky at that. I would be more concerned if your wife is "inspecting" your unmentionables for signs of munching, lol.

I got it only after banding when I have more restriction. It goes away completely if I keep my band less filled. I never had a problem pre-banding.

My hair got a bit thinner at about 6 months out. The texture also seems a little different as well. It was nothing too serious.

Everyone is right . . . you need an unfill and you shouldn't wait to get one. Things should be easier for you going forward because now you know you need to be somewhere between 4 and 4.25 to find your sweet spot. Whenever Water can come back up that is always a sign that you are much too tight and need unfilled right away. After your unfill and when you are closer to your sweet spot, you may have to to "relearn" the bandster rules of eating slowly and chewing well to prevent pb'ing.

I agree with everyone else . . . research, research, research and when you think you are done, research some more. No one knows your body and your habits better than you and your doctors so you are definitely the best person to make that decision. I chose lapband because it was less invasive and less risky. At first I didn't like that I had to go in for fills and would have to pay for them . . . now I think that is the best part because I can choose along with my doctor the best restriction level that keeps my weight moving where I need it to be. I didn't like that many people have a lot of problems with Vitamin deficiencies and other health problems post R&Y. I take Vitamins as a bandster . . . but I know I have almost all of my needs met through my diet and feel that the vitamins just give me a boost rather than offsetting potentially severe deficiencies. Absorption of vitamins and healthy foods is better with banding. One big difference between R&Y and banding is the dumping syndrome. If you tend to be a milkshake fan or consume a lot of sweets . . . dumping syndrome is an easy reminder not to do that. The band will not prevent you from making these kinds of bad choices . . . you have to prevent bad food choices yourself. Junk food goes down all too easy with the band even with restriction. I feel that the band allows me to eat anything I want in limited quantities . . . and I make good food decisions because I want to be successful more so than the band forces me to be good. I also wanted a baby and I felt that I would be better off with banding nutritionally in that I could have it unfilled and eat normally when required. The band was the perfect choice for me . . . but had my circumstances been different, R&Y could have also been a viable choice as well. Good luck with your decision.

I have not finished through to delivery yet, but other than initial tightness and the need for a bit of an unfill . . . it is like i don't even have a band. There is no effect. If you have only had one fill then you probably won't even need an unfill if you have no restriction problems. I wouldn't worry about it.