JanetC

lapbander -- what size band do you have & how much fill? It's sounding like you may need the same advice as Charlotte if it's really full. If it's not that full, then more fills are in order. Remember that everyone varies! Seriously, call your doctor & tell him how much you can eat. Something isn't right!

I was motivated by health, mostly, though looks of course played a part. I have bad knees, so getting weight off will help me walk better. (I dream of running some day!) I also have high blood pressure & high cholesterol... I'm hoping losing weight will help with both of those. And I want to get pregnant, and losing weight helps with that too, or so my doctor tells me, hehe. All health issues aside, I want to feel GOOD about myself for a change!

Hiya Sparkling! Unless you have complications, there's no need for the band to ever come out. If you really wanted to, you could have an unfill when you're done, but that would sort of defeat the purpose. Once you're at goal, the band will keep you from overeating, so you don't gain it back. If for some reason you keep losing past your goal, then they would do a slight unfill so that you can eat more calories & quit losing.

Hi Candice! Welcome to LBT! Ask as many questions as you can, as often as you need!

Thinking of both of you this morning... it's about that time (depending on your time zone, hehe). Hang in there, take the pain meds (don't be a stoic!), and walk, walk, walk!! Baby yourself as much as you can! (( Hugs!! ))

Julie -- I still feel tired all the time & find myself taking naps at odd times. I work at home, so luckily I can! Becky & Dena -- Here's hoping those ugly gas pains leave FAST!! Nanster -- I'm with you on the kinks. I really feel it in my shoulder... if I get too hungry OR too full. Undocumented feature of the band, I suppose, lol. I'm still having gas pain, but it's SOOO much better then it was. I only take Tylenol PM every now & then. And the pain really does seem to denote that I'm hungry -- or over ate. I do feel my port, though Mikey's sticks out more. I get pain in/around it sometimes. I'm assuming it's still muscles healing, since the top incision has similar pains as well. I know that those 2 were the deepest cuts (per my surgeon). I have more restriction then Mikey, but am still able to eat WAY too much, I just have to be sure it's well chewed. We got our appointment for our first fill yesterday (3-week check-up). The weight loss has stalled, so we cannot wait until March 21st!! Mikey & I are half-way through the "6 week healing" period. When you consider how major the surgery is, we're doing awesome. Can't wait to be looking back at it from 6 weeks out!

There's quite a few guys on here, I know my husband already says he would do it again. (If you want to hear from the men, lol, change your title to say: "Confused! Help wanted from the men out there!" From watching my hubby, they pick & choose their threads a lot, lol.) I think it's harder for guys because you're expected to "be strong" & admitting you need help is the opposite of that. And for your wife (assuming she's the cook), it means a new way of life... it can be scary for the spouse! I'm SOOOO glad Mikey & I did this together... we never would have succeeded alone!

Congrats Audra!! Let us know how it goes!

Thank goodness you see the doc in 12 hours! I cannot imagine the fear & pain you must be feeling! Hope someone reads this who's had this!

Welcome to LBT Eficka! Your list of pre-op appointments sounds similar to ours. I'm glad your insurance is paying!! I don't have any insight into the plane question, but I'm sure someone on here will. Keep us updated, good luck, and welcome!

Congrats Carmen!! Keep us posted!

Wow! Congrats Jess! That rocks!

Oh my goodness, Sam!! ((( HUG!!! ))) That's terrifying!! I'm new to this world, but that sounds like a possible slippage to me. In which case the prognosis is good. They'll unfill you & allow it to slip back. I would think that for a tear in the esophagus they'd do the same thing... unfill so you can heal. Hang in there... and see if they can't get your appointment moved up. They've got to have some slots open for emergency! If blood in the vomit doesn't count, lol, what does? Good luck & keep us posted!

I personally chose the band because of forced relearning. With RNY the weight "falls" off because of the re-routing (malapsorbtion). But because of that, you don't HAVE to learn to eat correctly. Fast-forward to 2 years out: RNY folks have been at goal since 18 months (more or less). They're feeling good & probably aren't monitoring themselves as closely. They're eating worse & starting to stretch the pouch. Band folks are just getting to goal. They've learned to eat small gradually. As they learn one amount & lose to that point, they get a fill to decrease the amount they eat. They know that they can eat around the band, but that will effect their success. They've HAD to work hard to lose it all... the band was just a tool that helped them be successful at it. Of course there's more to it then that, but that was my basic thought process. I'm lazy... and won't change if I don't have to! Good luck on your decision!

Wow, I love that list!! Thanks! Learn something new every day!

From ready here, it seems that most surgeons require a period of only Clear liquids... so for that part only the Isopure Zero Carb Ready-to-drink ones work. But after a few days (it varies by surgeon), you can go to "cloudy" liquids... at that point you can have milk (and all the rest of the Protein drinks).

It depends on your surgeon (you can ask yours before the surgery). Ours glued our incisions & then used steri-strips. They're looking great!

Wow! Didn't even know that was a possibility. Glad you pushed for answers & that you're feeling better now! Thanks for sharing this!! Hopefully it can help someone else!

Welcome to all the new Febsters! Becky & Tammy -- SOOO glad to hear you're both doing better!! My period snuck up on me during mushies. I handled it by doing a LOT of Protein shakes. They're chocolate & not technically cheating. Oh ick, forgot you can't do them. Just increase your protein & chew chew chew. Go easy on yourself... it's your first period since surgery & you're still in healing phase. :eek: It will get better later (I'm counting on it). Once we get fills & feel restricted we won't be ABLE to overeat like this month, thank goodness! (( Hugs to everyone!! ))

Hi Rosa & welcome to LBT!! Good luck on getting through the banding process! Be patient & ask questions!!! :eek: For me, the hardest band rule to follow is the slowing down & chewing. My jaw hurts! :eek: I am learning that smaller bites help.

http://store.bariatriceating.com/proteinpowders.html (expensive, but good stuff -- I LOVE the AchivOne lattes, they're sorta like Starbucks Frapacinos) Nature's Best (Isopure) -- I get 'em at Vitamin Shoppe, my GNC doesn't carry them :eek:: http://www.naturesbest.com/index.html?section=Shopping&catsec=208&-session=thisSession:66E77B3BDD1AD9D09A6A6584CEA7A0E2 But for my standard, every day shakes, I use Six Star Whey Protein from Walmart (~$15 for 2 pounds). They're near the pharmacy, with the Slim-Fast. You have to mix 'em, but they taste great & are 20g protein per scoop. I always have some of the Isopure 0 Carb & the AchievOne Lattes on hand, just in case, though. That way when I'm running late I grab one of them (instead of a milk shake, lol).

Welcome Ryan & congrats! (( hug )) for the gas pain, hope yours is mild!

Hi Marie! I know what you mean about the depression / fear / hope cycle, lol. I bounce between the 3 depending on the time of day, lol. Welcome to LBT!!

Nah, hehe, just passive aggressive. I was secretly heaping coals on his head & plotting revenge.

At 28, my life guard certification expired, and I missed the recert class at my nice, safe YMCA (with all my fat life guard friends), so I signed up for the renewal class at a different location. I was in with all high school teenagers... you know the type, the jocks that are planning on getting tan while they work. **sigh** We were practicing saving people, when the teacher said, "Some of those that will be swimming in your pools will be fat & you still have to be able to save them. So let's all practice on Janet." They proceeded to attempt to pull me out of the pool one-by-one. They used me as the fat-person example over & over again during that class, but that one was the worst... it was the first time... and they bruised me terribly, lol. Literally. All up & down my arms & legs, lol.