SanDiegoPhotog

This is very strange for me because I've been cruising along with my lap-band for 2 years now with zero complications. Now, all of a sudden, in the past 4 weeks or so, I've developed weird, nauseated like symptoms. I actually thought I might be pregnant, because it feels like morning sickness ... sporadic waves of nausea throughout the day. It doesn't matter if I eat or don't eat. And, no, I'm not pregnant. I've looked at the symptoms for band slippage and they don't seem to be me: I don't have reflux OR vomiting. Just weird waves of nausea. My weight loss has slowed ... but a lot of that is me ... I haven't been exercsing as much as I used to and I don't have very much left to lose. I actually felt mauseated like this before I had my band, but after I had my gall bladder removed. But, I hadn't felt like this in years. I'm bummed. I want to feel better. :smile2: Thoughts?

Well, I feel like it has taken me forever to get here, when in reality it's really only been a year and a half! It was a lot easier in the beginning because the weight came off faster. Now that I'm closer to goal, I'm less motivated to lose it because I'm so comfortable in my skin (for a change), and because the weight loss is slower. BUT ... I woke up this morning to a happy surprise on the scale! I'm now down 102 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!!!! I have 11 more to my real goal and 21 to my dream goal. I should probably take and post some pics! Thanks for the inspiration, Ladies and Gentlemen. I feel honored to post in this thread amongst you hard-working and awe-inspiring folks. I've wanted to join this club for as long as I can remember and it feels GREAT to be here! HUGS AND KISSES AND PROTEIN SHAKES ALL AROUND! CHEERS!

For me, the hair loss was/is the worst. It doesn't matter how much or how little Protein I get, my hair just still falls out. But, I had a LOT of hair to begin with, so it's actually kind of nice to not have to blow dry for 15 hours.

The first few months after surgery are the worst. The liquids, the recovery time (I couldn't lift my twin babies for almost 11 weeks!!!!), the desire to be thin and everyone telling me to be patient. IT SUCKED!!!!!!! Over a year later, I can honestly tell you that I had nothing to worry about and neither do you. You don't even know what restriction feels like yet. Get your fills, listen to your body, do your exercise, watch what you eat, and listen to your doctor and nutritionist and the weight WILL come off. Maybe not on YOUR timeline, but it will come off. Patience ..... a year goes by SO fast.

I swear my band tightens and loosens on me with the weather! That TOM, stress, illness, whatever ... I have to pay really close attention to my daily/weekly restriction. It's really super tight right now, but I do have days where it feels really loose. It's bizarre.

I found that when I posted a question at night, if I went to bed, I woke up in the morning to several answers to my question. So, my suggestion is to sleep on it before freaking out! :sad:

I actually burp more without the straw. I've been banded for 1 year and I've been using a straw for about 9 months now. Same thing happened to me as happened to another poster: I was using one all day one day without even thinking about it and had no ill-effects, so I just kept on using it. My doctor never forbade me from using straws, though. The first surgeon I went to said no straws, but the surgeon I ended up going to didn't mention it.

The pain really wasn't a problem for me either, but my doctor STRICTLY forbid me from lifting my babies for a MONTH --- and really more like 6 weeks when all was said and done. He's very, very cautious and he puts lifting restrictions on all of his patients, regardless of their parental status. The twins were 17 months when I had my surgery. I even managed to travel to visit in-laws right after my surgery (3 weeks post-op), but my in-laws, sister-in-law, and my husband did ALL of the lifting for me. I held my babies while seated, but did not lift them. His major reason for such strict lifting policies is that the stitches that hold your band in place need time to heal. Stitches on the outside can heal in 2-3 weeks because they are exposed to air, but stitches on the inside need more like 4-6 weeks to heal because they are in a wet/dark environment. He is also very strict about a post-op liquid diet. I notice it is much longer than most doctor's post-op liquid diet. I'm glad I followed his rules, though. I healed wonderfully and I don't have ANY problems with my band.

I have a 6 year old girl and 2-year-old fraternal twin girls. I'm almost at goal and my stomach is a train wreck. It won't ever be the same. I have a lot of wrinkly saggy skin now. Insurance covered my band, and DH has promised me a tummy tuck in the near future -- so now I just have to find the $$$$$.

I no longer have the insurance I had when I was banded. My fills aren't covered -- I pay for them with cash.

There are quite a few weight loss surgery billboards in San Diego. The television commercials are on the rise as well. It's a money-making industry just as much as (if not more than) any other.

I think I was on liquids FOREVER, shawnalynn. At least, at the time, it felt like it. Good for you for sticking to your doctor's protocol. It IS hard and you WILL get through it. I lost a lot of weight on the post-op liquid diet and the weight loss inspired me to keep going through the rough times. Now, it seems like so long ago that I barely remember it. This too shall pass!

I don't know. I don't see the big deal. Looks like a guy who can't control himself and the ad is suggesting that yes, since dieting DOES suck, perhaps he should get the band to help him control himself? I mean . . . I must admit . . . I DID used to eat like that. There's nothing in the ad to suggest that he has a band. There's nothing in the ad to suggest that banders eat that way. They didn't even make the guy look obese . . . and let's face it, if we have the band, we ARE or WERE obese! LOL! I guess I just see it differently from you guys. And, yes . . . I HAVE a band. [i also joke to my dog all the time as she scarfs down all of my scraps that she needs a lapband. LOL]. I guarantee the people who go to this doctor are still going through all of the same education as the rest of us and have to attend all the same seminars and go to the same nutritionist for making healthy changes in our diet. But then . . . I don't offend easily. Maybe deep down inside I'm European. THEY have some great potentially offensive advertising campaigns.