Magikelly

I was banded March 28th with a 10cc band which is now half full. I've lost 64 pounds thus far and my doctor wouldn't give me another fill as per scheduled last month. He said I was doing too well. But now it's been near 4 weeks and I don't feel much restriction nor have I lost any weight despite upping my work out routine (prolly gaining muscle) So I begged for my third fill and have an appt in 6 days for it. YAY!!! My scars are fading, my back doesn't hurt anymore, my blood sugar is almost always normal, I am sleeping much better and have twice as much energy. All of that is just making me want to get the rest of the weight off (still have 160 more to go) Every day I am happier that I got this procedure done. It get's easier and easier everyday as old habits fall by the wayside replaced by new found patience, good new habits and success. Never give up.

I've been wanting a fill since the third week after surgery and Thursday I finally got it. It was so quick and virtually painless. It felt really funny as I swore I could feel things going on inside of me. I was actually giggling although that may have been from the joy of finally getting the fill. My surgeon was wondering why I was so happy about all of this and I explained to him that I had been able to eat whatever I wanted in quantities I wanted since week three and although I had kept myself in check and stuck with all the right foods (I lost 33 pounds!) I was now very ready for the additional support of restriction. He did tell me that it might take a few fills to get me into the "green zone" (also known as the sweet spot) but pyschologically it has made me refocus on what I put into my mouth and what I want out of this surgery. I am willing wait to get the perfect fill but in the meantime I refuse not to lose weight :thumbup: So be patient and keep going everyone! You (and me) will get there!

Hi Erik, Our situation seems to be almost identical!! I was banded March 28th after months and months of waiting and testing etc. I was stuck in ICU afterwards due to low oxygen levels but was release after 3 days and off pain killers by day 5. At first I followed all the rules very strictly for fear of getting sick or reoperation. But by the time I got to "pureed" foods I realized I was able to eat a bit more than the 1/4 to 1/2 cup they suggested without a problem. I had lost 23 pounds by then so I stuck to the food choices but my portion size was once again an issue. It's now end of week 4 and somehow I've lost 29 pounds despite all of this but I am struggling to not run out an get my much craved Applebees cheesburger. I laughed with tears in my eyes when I read Now with no real restriction and all the swelling down it's like a 10 lane freeway saying "hey food - come on down!". It's EXACTLY how it is!! I did investigate though and found out that my band is not tight *duh* I should have known but I was never told this upon leaving the hospital. For awhile I thought the band had slipped or failed, I even thought maybe the band was never placed in there (in my more desperate paranoid moments) Like you I cannot wait for my first fill and I pray that the first one will be perfectly tight enough. I hope the same for you. I bet in a month we will laugh about this as we are losing all the weight we are supposed to lose with help from our new friend!! Much luck. Write me anytime. Denise

You are quite welcome Anne. I figure whatever we can do to help each other is a good thing. Plus it helps me personally to write my thoughts and ideas out. We should stay in touch since we were banded so close together! Same with you Jencys. It seems we are experiencing a lot of the same things. This forum is invaluable to me. I don't know anyone in my family or circle of friends that have done this so there is no one to turn to. This is a huge thing in my life and I want more than anything to succeed!!

Things I have learned thus far.... 1. Get that liver shrunk!!!It will make your surgery that much easier. 2. Accept any and all support...fellow bandsters, group meetings, friends, family, counselors... 3. Counseling can help you find out why you are overweight/obese. That is key to keeping it off. 4. Patience!!! pre-op and post-op (easier said than done, today in the U.S it's all about instant gratification)5. Hide the scale-get on once a week. (not easy-just do it) 6. Get your Water any way you can. Do not skip the Protein, Vitamins and Calcium or risk losing your hair!!..noooooooo!!!! 7. Incisions will itch like crazy. The better care you take with them the less scaring (from my experience) 8. You could get hives for a few days post op from the added histamines (keep benadryl or claritin on hand but check with your doctor first) 9. Preparing food in advance will keep you from straying. Make a special food section in the fridge. 10. Coughing may hurt post surgery but pneumonia has GOT to be worse. 11. It's only food. It'll be there when you can have more of it. The industry will not shut down just because you are on liquids for a few weeks. 12. Try everything and anything to get you through:make it a game, set up a reward chart, hang skinny pictures on the fridge, buy a bikini/bathing suit in the size you want to be and hang it where you can see it everyday, experiment with spices to keep things exciting, use your fast food money to start a new hobby,go to the movies, buy books, go on weekend jaunts, have extra sex etc 13. Make a trigger list and then work on avoiding them. The first thing I learned on the clear liquid phase was what my triggers are. Nights and weekends are still hard for me because I made them a time for enjoyment for me and my kids and enjoyment always equaled food (read: overeating/unheathy eating). I've asked my kids to eat the unhealthy stuff in their rooms if they need to have it and now I see they actually eat a lot less of it. 14. Be proud of your lap band decision when you go out to eat and explain to your server any special needs. Most places will happily accomodate you to keep your business. Ask for boxes at the beginning of your meal and pack up at least half of it. Just think you can enjoy your meal twice!! Ask for your beverage "to go" Unless you explain things you will keep being asked if you are sure you don't want a beverage. 15. Better to go thru a battery of tests beforehand than to suffer complications afterwards. My surgeon gave me a long checklist including support group meetings, nutrition counseling, a pyschiatric session, sleep apnea testing,x-rays, ultrasounds etc. It was exhausting but now I have the added bonus of knowing that despite my weight problem the rest of me is in good shape (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys....) more to come..... feel free to add or make your own list!!

I find it truly amazing how we all have gotten pretty much the same procedure but our stories are all unique. I was banded on March 28th and after a few days I was losing 3-4 pounds a day. Now I am on "full liquids" and have lost nothing, in fact I have regained 4 pounds. I got my tape measure out and saw that I've lost 8 inches total so I am not freaking out as much as I was before. I wish I had followed my surgeon's pre-op advice to lose weight before surgery. He did not tell me it would shrink my liver. If he had I would have done it for sure. As it was I was in surgery an extra hour because my liver was very hard to work around. I read in this forum that my band is not filled at all. I thought it would be. I wish they had told me that before. I haven't been feeling any restriction(nor even close to "full") at all and I have been tempted to eat more because of it. But I haven't. The fear of slippage and/or reoperation is enough to scare me to not cheat. Why go through all of planning and testing and waiting and pain just to test things to see what happens. My calorie intake is well under a 1,000 though and tomorrow I get moved up to the pureed stage. I am both looking forward to it and not. So my questions today are: If I am not losing any weight at all on full liquids what will happen on pureed? Is it really true that I shouldn't even expect ANY weight loss until my first fill? How will I know what's normal if everyone is different? Will the meds I am on still make it more difficult to lose weight despite the band? I will keep searching for answers to these questions in here and through my support group meetings. BTW I love "Shrinking Shamrocks" being a little Irish and wanting that extra luck!! *hehehehe*

Hello all! Denise from Millville, NJ here and this is my story. I decided to have the surgery August of last year while sitting in a hospital bed. I was admitted for an SVT attack (so scary) and it was discovered that I was also dangerously anemic. Add that to my Type II diabetes, cellulitis and horrible back pain it was obvious I was in need of a huge change or face certain disability or death in a few years. I started the ball rolling once I was discharged and after 4 months of my surgeon's office working to get me approved I was ready to go (Yay for Dr.Iqbal's office in Bridgeton!!) Next came 2 months of pre-op testing, a reschedule (to get clearance from my cardiologist) and many emotional ups and downs. My surgeon suggested I get the gastric bypass instead of the band because of the high amount of weight I needed to lose but I saw what my sister in law went through and knew it was too drastic for me. Finally, after forever I was cleared for a March 28th surgery. I can say now it was well worth the wait. And I know that all of the testing and the delay was only to keep me safe and healthy. I can't say enough great things about Dr. Attia. His care and attention has been wonderful. My surgery went well outside of my oxygen levels. I was kept for observation in the ICU for 2 days but I felt pretty good. I was up and walking the day after. I wasn't hungry. And I was only in a small bit of pain at the incisions site. At home I didn't need much help at all and was off all pain meds by the Tuesday following. In the next 10 days I lost 23 pounds and at Day 11 my doctor gave me the all clear to advance to stage 2, to drive and to exercise. Stage 1 (clear liquids) was not easy but the 3-4 pound weight loss a day made it VERY tolerable. I have stuck to "the plan" to the letter and feel quite in control of my body at last. The weight loss has slowed down considerably but I haven't had my first fill yet. My biggest tip to date is to be sure to get your Water (crystal light white grape makes it that much more fun to drink). Just when I think that all of my questions have been asked and answered I come up with another one. That is what has led me here and I am beyond thrilled to have found a place outside my surgeon's office to meet and chat with others in the same boat. Anyone please feel free to respond, email or IM me!! Together we can achieve our mutual goal!!!:biggrin::thumbup::biggrin: