BigBandFan

Hey Kristi - I was exactly where you are earlier in the week. But first I need to tell you something. My tracker is my TOTAL weight lost. Out of the total lost, only about 25 have been lost since banding. I was on jenny craig for a while until I decided on the band. I have NOT lost 60-something pounds since April. Since banding, I'm fighting this battle one pound at a time. I may go to the scale and see a 5 pound drop, then the battle with myself begins. I spend the next week or two or three gaining and losing those 5 pounds. Ultimately, I win and then I see another drop. It's like the weight is battling me for control, I start beating myself up/going back to old habits...then somehow - usually something I've read here - jars me back to reality. The band is a tool and let's just say i'm not a master carpenter. I have the tool. I've read the manuals on how to use the tool. But, I'm stubborn and don't follow directions well. I'd rather learn by doing. So if i'm trying to build, say, a birdhouse mine may lopsided and have a few bent nails, but hopefully I'll complete it and some visually disabled birds will enjoy it. So, I'm not like one of my co-workers who has lost 65lbs and was banded after me. I'm hoping that with each battle I have, I'm learning a piece of the big picture to keep the weight off. My last fill put me at 8ccs in a 10cc band. did the liquid for a while, then mushies, then solids. like you I started having PBs with almost every meals. Then I read something on LBT where someone mentioned that when they were too tight they noticed that they ate only junk. Mostly because their favorite junk went down easier and maybe for self-soothing. That was me! I had pudding then some ice cream and finally my son gave me one of his peanut M&Ms. that was the easiet thing to eat 'cause it completely crumbled into tiny pieces when chewed. Plus it had peanuts which were Protein - right? But reading that post snapped me back out of the game playing with myself. I was wanting to keep the band too tight figuring that between not wanting to eat much and the PBs i'd lose weight...not following directions..sounds like me!! Anyway, I've had 2 ccs removed and am able to eat better. still having some PBs, but I think i got used to eating too fast again with my junk food. I'm going to see if things improve in the next week before i see about getting a little more taken out. OMG - had no idea i talked that long...let me know how things are going with you. i'm going to work on my grocery list to get the house stocked with the good stuff again. take care, Amy

Okay....so it's 2:45 in the morning and I can't sleep, so I decide to log on and come to LBT to pass the time. Ten pages of posts later and I'm logging off to go wake up DH in my best "whore" outfit ......... Thanks for the thread Froggi!!!

Sorry for the delay in responding...Doc said that what i was feeling was the from the stitches from the band. I showed her where I was talking about, b/c i didn't think the band would be overto the left where I was feeling the pains. She said it was very normal and most people find that the pains stop between the 4th and 6th weeks post-op. gotta run..I hear the sound of my angels fighting....

Hey WalkByFaith - Your mind reading ability is amazing!! I could have written your thread! I was banded on 4/4 also and have been experiencing the same stitch that you described. I don't believe that it is gas pains. I had severe gas pains in the hospital...felt like a heart attack!! Then later at home it was just a very uncomfortable feeling like your gut was bloated as far as it would go and belching or walking were the only things that made it feel better. I go tomorrow for my 4 wk checkup so I will ask about it. I really think it is just a referred pain from the port site. I go for my 1st fill on May 8th. I'm a little nervous b/c with gaining my 6 lbs back, I got discouraged and began to test the limits of my eating. I have absolutely no restriction since my swelling went down. I could eat a 12 oz steak if I wanted to...but of course I don't...that would be WAY past pushing the limits! I have read all about 'bandster hell' and know that we are smack dab in the middle of it, but that doesn't make it any easier....especially when i would normally turn to food when i got this discouraged. It's one thing to read about it and try to prepare, but it is entirely different when you are going through it and all the old thoughts continue to rush through your head!! Well, all we can do is just push forward and keep the faith!! Take care and i'll let you know what I find out about our 'stitch'!! Amy

I was the exact, same way. It's definitely swelling. All of the sudden, around day 6, I was able to drink a whole shake. I started feeling better then. Just hang on a little longer and remember you can always call your doc if you think something's wrong or you are worried. Hang in there!!

Name.................Current.......Goal.......Lost..Still to Lose BigBandFan..............296..........270.........0...........26 KarenG..................174..........160.........0...........14 (by 7/4) kathystrick.............318..........288.........0...........30 Leslie2Lose.............233..........208.........0...........25 (by 7/4) LessNLess...............151..........140.........0...........11 Luu2008.................215..........185.........0...........30 (by 7/4) luvinke.................217..........190.........0...........27 Marissa's Mom...........388..........358.........0...........30 (by 7/4) Nettie..................193..........170........42...........65 Newhope4me..............177..........160.........0...........17 nurse7263...............244..........150.........0...........24 (by 7/4) Sunshine2...............179..........160.........0...........19 (by 6/29/08) TexasFire67.............170..........145.........0...........25 Hastings................253..........228.........0...........25 nancy52.................197..........170.........0...........27 I'm 3 weeks out from surgery and need something to inspire me until I get some restriction. Hopefully this will give me some motivation. I've read all about 'bandster hell', but reading about it and living it are 2 different things! Good luck everyone! Amy

I just received mine in the mail today. I got it from Fashionable Medical Identification Jewelry And Medical ID Jewelry For Children From Lauren's Hope. You can get a medic alert id and then buy different bracelets or watches that attach to it. The id is on the bottom of your wrist and from the top it just looks like a bracelet or watch. You can switch them out whenever you want. Some of them are pricey, but it's great to have the variety. Also, I don't know if this is true or not, but one thing I read said to wear it on your left wrist as that is where most medical personel check the pulse and would be likely to see it. If there are any emt's on the site, i'd love to know if that's true!! Shop away, Amy

Hi Babette - I had arthroscopic on my right knee a few months ago, then received Synvisc injections in the same knee. I was still having issues with it before banding. I was banded on 4/4 and between the pre-op diet, losing post banding and the toradal they gave me in the hospital, my knee pain has been greatly reduced. Walking is not even an issue right now. Don't get me wrong, i still have a few issues with the knees and i don't plan on jogging soon, but for now the walking is great. i've got some ankle weights to add if it gets a little too easy. good luck! Amy

hey gang!! I thought i posted saturday when i got home, but it must have just been the pain meds!! I have done pretty well with the surgery and after care. Walking was the only thing that made me feel better. I did have a little more trouble than some of you because dr schroder had to repair a hiatal hernia that he found. that's been the only source of pain besides the gas pains. had to switch to lactose free milk which was kind of a surprise, but other than that fine. i, too am ready for mushies. anything but cib!! haven't been on a scale yet. still feel kinda bloated. Kris, I'm very jealous that you can lay on your stomach!! to the new one from ladysmith...i'm in hanover. let me know if you decide to look into st mary's and richmond surgical. can't say enough about them. grew up in F'burg so i've got lots of love for MWH, too! this hiatal hernia kinda burns so i'm off to chew a pepcid. chec back later Amy

my surgeon's office called today and moved my surgery to friday. i've been so mentally prepared for thursday, but at least it's only 1 extra day. i'm glad i don't have to wait over the weekend or longer!! can i still be an honorary april 3rd member?:biggrin2: got alot to do tomorrow night, so i'm not sure if i'll be able to log on. good luck to everybody on thursday and i hope the Mexico travelers have a safe trip. hope to be back on when i get home on saturday. take care, Amy

luckily i have a great surgeon here in richmond, so i don't have to travel. just curious as to when those going to Mexico are leaving and returning. want to be sure to wish you luck and say 'vaya con dios' - never took spanish so that's the only phrase i know besides 'la bamba'! :thumbup: Amy

I had a much better day today. I've decided that I'm not going to stray too far from just a few threads - the positive ones. I've been researching this since 2000 and I'm fully armed with the knowledge of what can go wrong as well as how it can be fixed. I called and talked with the nurse today and got my doc's official stats - 1900 bands in the last 2 years- 1 experienced erosion and 4 experienced band slippage. Not too shabby odds! She answered all my questions and put me at ease. Then I went by the office to weigh myself there compared to home. While I was in the waiting room, 3 ladies pulled me into their conversation and said it was the best thing they had done for themselves. When I was leaving, one lady gave me her phone number and insisted that I call her this weekend. When I got on the scale it was 298...still waaaaaaaaay off from where I want to be, but this is the first time I've been under 300 since my daughter was born in 2000!!! My BMI is 49.6!! Under 50!! Okay so it's only .4 under 50 but it's still under!! Then I get home and read your posts. Kris I've printed yours and have put it in my notebook to pull out if i start freaking out again. And Alicia, I think you hit the nail on the head with me. When the kids come into your life there's so much more emotion and meaning to everything. I think that's what pushed me over the edge. Thanks again for your words!! I'm back on track with everybody behind me! Come on April 3rd! Amy

I let my 7yr old dd play games on my computer and next thing i know, it's dead!! glad to be back in the threads! I have gotten extremely nervous. crying...starting to worry that I'll screw this up. my dh is so supportive. I just read a few of the bad experiences and started thinking...what the heck am i doing? I know deep down that this is what i need to help myself, but I'm more nervous about this surgery than any others. I had 2 laparoscopies for endometriosis in order to have my kids. then I've had ankle, hand and knee surgery to repair my graceful sports injuries of the past. This is the first time i keep thinking about mortality and keep getting freaked out. I found a counselor, but i'm halfway scared to say anything b/c i'm scared she'll tell me to postpone until i'm more comfortable. I've been looking into this since i first read about it in 2000. maybe it's normal to freak out before surgery, but y'all don't seem to be having the nerves that i am. i know this is right for me...it's just the closer the date gets, half of me gets really excited and the other half freaks! Sorry if this was a downer...just had to vent.

Hi Kris - I grew up in Fredericksburg! Well, actually Stafford County, but we were just 2 miles from downtown F'burg. I had my last big dinner before the pre-op at the Outback at Central Park! And, btw, I'm Amy. I'll hit the Vitamen Shoppe tomorrow. I got really down today, because I'm having a hard time with how awful the shakes are. I did Optifast for 12 weeks before and that was no picnic, but there's got to be something out there that I like. I guess I just need to get the shakes down and get my taste "thrills" from Crystal Light!

I'm being banded on April 3rd, too! I'm in Richmond, VA and will be banded at St. Mary's by Dr Greg Schroder of Richmond Surgical Group. I started my pre-op diet on the same day I came down with a horrible allergy/sinus infection. Doing better, but now I can taste the Protein shakes...YUK! I'm going to order the unjury chocolate and unflavored, but in the meantime, I've got to try something else! If anyone else is in this area, where are you finding different stuff to try other than Slimfast and Atkins? Thanks!!

What's a "protein bullet"?

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I was not able to find the cake batter Protein mix at GNC today. The store I went to is not very big, but they said they could get it if I knew more specifics about it. I'm going to check another GNC in the area tomorrow, but any details will help. Thanks! BTW - Tomorrow is my last day before I start my pre-op diet! I'm trying to decide between good and greasy KFC, a big porterhouse steak or something Italian!! --Kissing my bad nutrition goodbye!!!

I've been looking into lap band for a long time and finally decided to do it. It's all been a great idea theoretically, but now..it's going to happen!!! What am I doing?? I've had 2 laparoscopies for endometriosis, so the surgery part doesn't scare me. I was on Optifast for twelve weeks, so the liquid diet doesn't scare me. BUT, what if I can't fix the mental part fo me that can't figure out how to eat right? What if I can't fix the behaviors that got me here is the first place? Obviously, I couldn't fix them before or I wouldn't be logged on here now. I'm hoping it's normal to freak out like this a little. My pre-op visit is 3/19 and my surgery date is 4/3 with Dr.Greg Schroder in Richmond, VA. Let me know if you have any hints on how to fix my thinking!

I start my 2week LS diet on Wednesday. My surgery is 4/3/08. I'll head to GNC tomorrow to check out the cake batter, cookies&cream and chocolate. Maybe if I get it cold enough, I can pretend to be eating ColdStone Cake Batter ice cream!! Thanks!