AMYA

Way to go!! I was banded March 17 in West Palm Beach. Down about 48lbs.

I think it's a personal preference. I am 35 years old, 5"4' and was up to 222, but perfectly healthy. I am "big-boned" and hid my weight pretty well. My family has battled these issues and the yo-yo dieting all my life. I have watched it control their lives, and now the diseases have started for them. Like someone else said, diets only mean more weight gain in the long run. Every time I tried to lose, I would gain it back and then some. It was a battle every single day for me.......and I was just tired of fighting. I went through my closet yesterday and got rid of all of my size 14's. I was literally saying "buh-bye, I never have to see you again"!! And it's true, I no longer have to worry about getting back up anywhere near 200lbs. I will win the battle now.....$17,000 later, but worth every penny. And just think, in 6 years I will be done paying for it and still enjoying the rewards of it for years to come. I am so happy I made the decision to do this. It has changed my life tremendously. Now when I go to Dunkin Donuts FOR coffee, I don't even drool over the donuts, cuz they kill going down. That's a great thing, because my eating habits were becoming so unhealthy that I knew it would just snowball. Before having this surgery, had I walked into Dunkin Donuts hungry? I would have bought a dozen and ate most of them in my car and threw the box in a dumpster somewhere so no one would know. So really every circumstance is different. I think most people know whether the road they are on will eventually lead to destruction, and whether this is a solution to a very "LARGE" problem for them. So, to each their own. Whatever works!!!!!

Hey, has anyone had to have their port moved?? I was banded on 3/17/08. I have lost 45lbs. But even before I lost anything I had noticed that I could actually SEE my port from the outside. Now that I'm down half of my weight, it's becoming a real issue. It looks like a tumor sticking out of my skin. If I wear a one-peice bathing suit or tank top, you can actually see it. And when it rubs against something it's a real annoying feeling. I only mentioned it to my doctor once. He said it would probably have to be moved eventually. Well I've decided I definitely want it moved. I would like to know if anyone else encountered this. If so, wouldn't it would be the doctor's mistake? I am a self-pay and don't really want to add anymore cost to this already expensive surgery.:confused2:

I get really gassy with the Protein shakes. And they feel like empty calories that don't keep me full. I am trying my hardest to follow my doctor/nutrutionist's advice about the protein, but that seems to be the hardest thing to keep down. If I have really bad days, I do drink at least one Protein shake. And I do get all of my Water in with no trouble. And I am trying to take the chewable multi-vitamins, but they make me gag too. The weird thing is that sometimes I can eat certain things and the next time I try, I can't keep it down. I just wish there was a way to know what definitely works and what doesn't. It looks to me like everyone is different. But then also seems that there are good days and bad days, which make all the difference in the world. For now, I am going to keep pushing along and trying new things. If it stays this way with only very few GOOD meals staying down, I probably will ask him to take a little out. Thanks for your input. This is a great thing to have!! By the way, I am originally from New York (Westchester), but moved to Florida 4 years ago. Had my surgery here.

I'm in Martin County, Florida and got banded in West Palm Beach.

I am so glad you wrote this thread. It was 3 weeks ago today that I had my first fill. Yes, I am loving the scale moving so fast, but I can't keep anything down, especially the Protein that they say you have to eat. I have been vomitting most of the protein I eat and losing strength and energy. I almost had them take some of my Fluid out last week, because I felt sick all the time. What you wrote is EXACTLY how I was feeling last week. My doctor told me that he didn't want to take any fluid out because I did have one good day in between and he thought that my stomach (being a muscle) had gone into a spasm and that if I took it easy for a while I would be okay. He told me to come back in a month and he thinks I'll be asking for another fill then. I don't think I will. I still have a really hard time. The pain and nausea that I feel when I eat something that is just not going to go down is almost unbearable. I have no other choice but to throw it up. Today is a good day, but I am throwing up more and more often. I was relieved when my doctor told me he didn't want to unfill. I didn't really want to either because without fill I had almost no restriction. I know exactly how you feel, and BANDSTER HELL is a really good description. And the fact that in 3 weeks I am down a little over 15lbs. is all I need to keep me going. Keep on trudging on. I am hoping it gets better. Amy A.

I did, but my scars were healed up pretty good. And I really just dunked in to cool off. I'm not sure what the issue is.

I do try to stick to low carb, but I find the protein hard to get down. I do know people who eat anything they want in limited portions and have done great with it. I will try to keep the protein going as long as I can, but I'm not finding it really easy.

I am just about to cross 200 myself. I was 200.4 this morning. So I'm on my way to the gym and hopefully by tomorrow I will be 199. It's not easy, but it's coming off!!!

Hey, I am glad to see someone else was not really told what to expect between the time of surgery and 1st fill. I had my surgery March 17 and 1st fill April 22nd. Between that time I had lost an original 7 lbs the first week or so from just liquid diet. I was really getting worried, upset and downright depressed because I could still eat a great amount. I only maintained that 7 lb weight loss until getting filled. Since then (last Tuesday, so a little over a week) I am down 11 more pounds. I am starting my journey now. But the day of my 1st fill I told my team how upset I was and they said that there are some people who actually gain weight between surgery and 1st fill. So that should really be your start point. Don't get discouraged. When you get filled you don't feel as hungry. And the discomfort that comes with eating makes you even less likely to overeat. My biggest problem now is to get enough protein, because I CANNOT eat enough to meet my quota. Keep me posted on your progress. It does get better!!!

I had a hard time with scrambled eggs, even when soft and kind of runny. Pain and watery mouth. Haven't tried Egg Beaters yet.