alice150

Ellen, Indiogirl(Janet) is our inspiration around here. She keeps us going with encouraging words and some tough love at the same time. Good luck on your surgery. I really can't advise you on which band to pick. I'm not sure what the difference is. I have a 10cc LapBand and feel fine. I had my surgery on April 8 and my weight loss has been slower than some of the girls here, but I'm getting there. You will be in my prayers. Check in with us and let us know how you feel. Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/236.5/150

Hi Everyone, I really appreciate everyone who weighed in on my situation with changing doctors while I'm living away from home for a year. I really just panicked when I realized how different this doctor handled things and should have discussed it with him a little more. I have been losing, slowly but surely, but I do also feel the need for more restriction. I will probably consider going back to him if my own doctor sticks to his 5 lb or more loss a month rule. He will not consider an adjustment of the band if you lose 5 lbs or more in a month. Thanks for all the input. Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/236.5/150

Janet, I haven't posted in awhile, but I did see that you have some stuff going on that I'm sure has you a little nervous. I am keeping you in my prayers. Hugs, Alice

Hi All, I haven't posted in awhile here but I feel like I connect to all of you the most. Some of you already know that I live in S. Florida and recently had to relocate to the St. Pete area because of my office closing. I made the move so that I could make my 20 years with the company which will be next year and 20 years brings better benefits at retirement. I am living apart from my husband and adult son, who is high functioning autistic. I am committed to making this year a positive experience for everyone, me, my husband, my son (who could learn to live with a little less mothering at 24) and feel that being by myself most of the time, my weight loss journey will be easier. I am still planning on seeing my surgeon in S. Florida, since I am here on long weekends on a monthly basis. I was a bit upset at my last appointment because I felt that I should have a fill. I had one on May 19 and just felt that I could eat too much. I lost 10 lbs between May 19 and June 24, my next appointment. The doctor said he would not fill me. He is very conservative and will not adjust if things are going well. I feel very mild restriction and feel that I can eat past it, around it, whatever, but I had no choice but to wait and see what happens in the next month. When I made the physical move to St. Pete, I was doing lots of lifting and was in severe pain for several days right after the move in my port area. I found a local Lap Band surgeon and went to see him yesterday. My husband wanted me to have a doctor in the area, just in case of an emergency. When I saw this doctor, I could not believe the difference in thinking. My doctor says keep track of calories 1200 - 1400 a day, exercise daily and use the band for the tool that it is. This new doctor says 800 - 1000 calories a day and he was willing to do a fill yesterday even though I have lost 8 more lbs since June 24! In fact, he said, "We will make it real tight". As I was waiting to be called into the fill room, I got scared. I didn't want to be "real tight". I would like a little more restriction, but at the same time, I don't want to go through the pbing and sliming from a band that is too tight. I decided to tell him that I was not staying for the fill today and that I really just wanted the port checked out because of the pain that I had the week previous. I left and said I would call for an appointment. I don't think I will call for an appointment, though. I think this doctor is too aggressive, while my own doctor isn't aggressive enough. Whether I am losing weight because of the band or in spite of it, I am going to keep doing what I am doing and talk to my doctor on August 5, when I see him again. I just wanted to share and see what you all think of this. Thanks. Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/236.5/150

Name - Alice Date you were banded - April 8, 2008 Weight Lost to date - 30 lbs How are you feeling? - Good - Not much restriction, but I have been able to stick to healthy diet and I have been exercising!

Lundy Lane, I am just like you. I was banded on April 8, I have had 1 fill on May 19 and I have never really experienced pb'ing or sliming. I am losing weight too. At 6 weeks the doctor gave me a fill because I lost most of the weight in the first 3 weeks. I went back 5 weeks later on June 24 and I had lost 10 more lbs. I wanted a fill because I felt that I was eating too much and I didn't think I was getting any message from the band. He wouldn't do it. He will not give fills if you've lost more than 5 lbs in a month. I am watching what I eat, keeping track of calories most days and exercising. I feel like I am losing weight in spite of the band. If having this surgery is what helped me make these choices, I am fine with that. I am going to keep going like I have and if I don't need a fill for a couple of more months, so be it. I started out on the day of surgery with 4cc's in a 10cc band and then had 1cc added on May 19. I want to take my time with this because my band is already 50% filled. My doctor feels the same way. He's very conservative, but until I am not losing weight, I won't complain. Good luck. Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/242/150

Thanks for the input. I'm going to try it like I said, very thin spread on toasted bread, but I will also ask the doctor what he thinks. Alice

Is peanut butter and jelly ok? I would spread it very thin on toasted whole wheat bread or on thin tortilla. Sometimes you just have to have a taste of the comfort food! Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/242/150

NOPBJ, I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with the anesthesia. I also had a very bad reaction to the anesthesia. I had dry heaves for two days and when I woke up I was incredibly dizzy. My heart rate dropped too low and then my blood pressure went up. They had a very difficult time stabilizing me. All in all, the surgery itself was not so bad. I do feel the outpatient surgery centers are a joke, though. Definitely an assembly line atmosphere. Once you are out of surgery, their job is to get you out the door as fast as they can to get your space ready for the next outpatient procedure coming to recovery. I was sent home much too early and still having dry heaves and very dizzy. My insurance would have covered inpatient for this, and my recommendation to anyone who can get the coverage for inpatient is to stay the night, if they can. Good luck on your journey. I think you will find it getting better and better every day. Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/242/150

Hi Janet and all you other LBT'ers, I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Well I haven't posted in awhile because I have been making some major changes in my life (for the coming year anyway). I moved 300 miles away from my husband and 24 year old son who is high functioning autistc and still lives at home. My office in S. Florida is in the process of closing due to centralizing operations and I will be living in the St. Pete area for the next year. I've been with the company for 19 years and I really couldn't take the severance package with the closing because 20 years of service brings lots of benefit perks for early retirees. I'm not at that point yet and will not be for several years, but I would have to wait to collect my pension until I am 65, if I did not make 20 years. This way I will get my 20 years in next year and be able to collect on my retirement anytime after I turn 55 (two years from now). I feel very weird. Very out of place by myself. I moved into my one bedroom apartment on Wednesday and my husband and son left to go back to S. Florida today. With the price of gas, we decided it would be best to travel home for the weekend once every three weeks. I'm a little anxious, but I realize this is an opportunity for me as well. This coming year is about me! My food shopping was geared only to me today and I will only have food in the house on my food plan, no one else's. I also hope to meet a fellow LBTer in the area soon. Anyway, I just wanted to check in. I hope everyone is doing well and feeling good about their new lives. Hugs to all! Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/242/150

Janet, Congratulations! You are truly an inspiration to us all, especially this 53 year old grandmother of one! I will have to take some pictures, so I have some before pictures to post 8 months from now. Thanks. Alice Banded 4/8/08 271/243/150

Hi everyone, It sounds like Janet is really giving out the kudos to everyone. Everyone is working very hard. It is a complicated journey and even though we were banded to help, its more work than I think most of us realized. I saw my doctor today and I told him that I was fine but I did not think the band was communicating with me. I thought I was able to eat more than I should be. He looked at my weight loss since the last visit on May 19 - 10 lbs. He said - no adjustment today. His rule - if weight loss is 5 lbs or more in a month, no adjustment. I was a little disappointed and told him that I didn't feel anything. He said, if you feel something, its too tight. He said that I am working the system the way it is supposed to be worked and I would not have lost 28 lbs in 11 weeks before this. He's right. He also asked me if I could eat a Big Mac. I really don't know because I haven't tried, but with how I have been eating for the most part, I'm not really sure I can. I tried a filet of fish sandwich a few weeks ago and it didn't go down very easily. I didn't finish it. He used that to show me that the band is doing its job. I guess my band is talking to me, just not shouting at me :sad_smile: So, I am going to keep working at it everyday - healthy food choices, exercise, Water and lots of positive self-talk. Good Luck everyone. Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/243/150

Well, I am back from my appointment. No Fill. My doctor's guidelines are weight loss of less than 5 lbs in one month before he will consider any further adjusting. I've lost 10 lbs in the last 5 weeks. I explained that I did not think that the band talks to me and he laughed. He said I am obviously working the system the way it should be worked and if I want to feel food in my band, I am looking for it to be too tight! I'm only 2.5 months out and have 5cc's in a 10cc band. He is afraid that I will max out if I look to have a fill too soon. Thanks for the feedback but I will follow the doctor's orders and whether it is because of the band or in spite of it, I don't plan on losing less than 5 lbs a month! Alice Banded April 8, 2008 271/243/150