rodriguezequal

I also live in Washington State. I had my surgery at Northwest Weightloss Surgery. I got comfy being the old me too I haven't been a bandster for too long, but so far I am so so happy with my band!!! Good luck I hope that all goes well for you!!!

Have you tried taking anything for it? I had gas so I started taking Gas X Stips...they dissolve on your tongue and they really worked for me...

My mom told me that if I didn't want to tell people, but they asked me why I was so sore or anything like that that I could tell them I had my gallbladder removed for medical reasons. She said the recovery time is about the same and that it's an in and out surgery...just an idea incase Good luck.

I added A LOT of ice to mine and blended it so I felt like I was eating more than I really was!!! It sucked so bad though, but so worth it in the end :teeth_smile:. You're definatly not alone...It'll be done before you know it Try picking up a hobby for when you're hungry...I started crocheting and painting whenever my brain felt hungry lol...

I thought I would have time to think things through again too...lol. I went to my consultation and my surgery was scheduled that day for a week later :teeth_smile: Good luck and congrats

The lapband isn't going to stop you from eating KFC or halloween cupcakes. Just because you can eat somthing doen't mean you should. I know it's hard because I used to eat everything in sight until I went to the seminar...then I really started trying to pay attention to what I was consuming, even starting writing down what I was eating...The lapband is a tool and it's a life time comitment...Good luck

I'm 22 (not a drinker, though) and I was told that they really don't want you drinking, but if you really want to to try to find something with low calories since when you drink it goes right through the band so you can just drink and drink and drink which is just calories that aren't filling you up. I would say that if you're going to drink try something low in calories and drink as always in moderation . Good luck and I hope this helps

I had a kind of pulling sensation in my port area around the second week or so. It was sore...kind of like pulling a muscle or something...it was sore, but it did go away... I hope this helps

CareCredit is a credit card for healthcare. It can be used from plastic surgery to vet bills. It can be reused as long as you have money on it to use. You get a line of credit based on your needs and the amount of the surgery and you credit. My parents cosigned for me because my credit wasn't good.

I was told by my surgeon that I could have sex as soon as I was ready and comfortable...I made it about a week maybe a week and a half, it was a little uncomfortable in the area where my port is, but that's solved easily by a position change...lol (tmi I know). Just take it slow and comunicate Also the sqeeky wheel gets the grease....call call call...bug the crap out of them until you get the answers you want...make an appointment with the surgeon to talk to him/her...

This site is for anyone whether you have a band, are thinking about getting one, or maybe have a friend that has one...everyone is welcome . Hey I'm from Washington state too...lol Congrats on your new band and good luck everyone.

I think that everyone is different. I did Jenny Craig, Weightwatchers, LA Weightloss, pills, Atkins...on some of them I lost weight...on Jenny Craig I lost 57 pounds...as soon as I stopped eatting their food all of it and then some came back! So far I love my band. Maybe your cousins friend didn't eat right with it or maybe she thought it would do all of the work...everyone is different. In the end it is your life and your health. Only you can make the decision to make this change...It's not easy, but really nothing in life worth having comes easy!!! Good luck and I hope that all goes well for you.

I think you mistyped this...I believe you meant to type you will be thrilled WHEN you get down to 200 lol...we've got this. Take care.

OMG this is the worst advice I've seen on here. I have talked to a few people who attempted this and they day of their surgery they woke up to a surgeon telling them that they were unable to do the surgery because they had a fatty liver and now they have to try the diet all over again!!! Please try your best to stick with it. I know it's hard, but it is so worth it in the end!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!! lol Good luck...take care

You should stop eating BEFORE you feel that pressure or like vomiting...You should stop eating as soon as you fill satisfied. It is possible to stretch your pouch so becareful...talk to your surgeon if you have any concerns...that is what they're there for :thumbup: Good luck

I picked up a few hobbies to occupy my mind when my mind thought "Hey...hey you....pick up something yummy!!!" lol. I started going to Bingo every Sunday (I'm always the youngest one there lol), I crochet when I feel like I could use something sweet, I picked up a good book, I copied recipes out of magazines into a spiral note book...anything that I could do that I liked so much it was hard to stop to take a break to eat...stick with the diet...What I did to curbe my head hunger was add a lot of ice to my Ease AdvantEDGE shakes and blend them to make my head think I was getting more than I was....drink lots and lots of water!!! I know it sucks but it is so so worth it!!! Good luck

Have you tried just going down to his office and talking to them and saying hey I went to a seminar I am ready to get this moving. Let's sit down and make me an appointment to come in. Tell them about the messages that you have left and ask them why they were not returned...Personally I would just march my chunky (refering to myself :thumbup:) butt over to his office and make myself an appointment...lol Good luck.

Get the dissolving Gas X stripes! They come in cinnamon and they really do help. I got fudgesicles, pudding, jello, crystal light, carnation instant breakfast, I also used the little broth packets out of Ramen noodles! Basically anything that will turn to liquid in your mouth. I didn't get any suck candies because they added a lot of gas making pain...everyone is different though :thumbup: Congrats and good luck!!!

The surgey centers here in WA will not accept my insuarance. My surgery was a littl over $16,000. I applied for CareCredit so that I could make payments instead of having to wait until I had saved that much money...I am glad that I got my band and I don't mind the payments :thumbup:

Here's mine: When I was 9 my mom was raped and left for dead. She then decided she no longer wanted to live. She was in a mental hospital for a few months. Then when I was 13 I was raped and beaten by a family friend. After that I was in abusive relationships from 15-18. I was sent to a mental hospital more than once for self mutilation. I hated my body and figured that the physical pain of cutting was better than the emotional pain I felt everyday. After a stay in the mental hospital (I think my second one) I was done self mutilating, but unfortunately found a new best friend, a new drug, food. Food never hit me, never yelled at me, was always there for me. Food never judged me...Food became my escape from my pain. The I got pregnant. I had really high blood pressure during my pregnancy and ended up going into labor at 32 weeks. I was bleeding and in pain. They rushed me to the hospital. My placenta had abrupted and my uterus had torn, but worst of all, my son had no heart beat. They got him out via emergency c-section. They gave him an hour to live once they had revived him. He was born 2 pounds 4 ounces, 15 inches long. He lived and was in the NICU and the PICU for over 6 months. He is missing muscles, has Arnold Chiari (brain malformation), he cannot swallow and he is developmentally behind. Two weeks after he was born my husband was deployed to Iraq for 15 months. I again turned to food, this time more than ever. I ballooned. This had to stop. I was fat because of me...I chose to eat to comfort myself...After my husband got home I went to a seminar. About 2-3 weeks later I had my surgery. about 3-4 days after my surgery I started having very bad abdominal pain...now I have 5 ovarian cysts. For now I can't even workout because the pain is so bad, but as soon as I feel better it's on...I'm not failing this time around!!! Oh yeah...I'm only 22. Soon I know things will get better, but until then I will be my new friend... :thumbup:

I researched the band for about a year or two before I even went to a seminar. I have a lot of health problems that don't have anything to do with my weight so I wanted to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. Most of the people working at the surgery center that I go to have the band so I have a lot of people to ask and to talk to. Every surgeon has different rules as far as post op and pre op goes. I was on liquids for a week then mushies for a week and then I was allowed to slowly add in solids. Losing weight is hard work. I was depressed before I got my band for so many reasons and have been on meds for it since I was 10...Sometimes just talking to someone can help...I am here if anyone ever needs a shoulder to cry on or someone to vent to. Feel free to message me anytime and I will be there to listen and to hold your hand....to just be there for you. Take care and good luck everyone.

I have only had one fill so far (5ccs total) and I am not tight at all! Everyone is different and we are all going to have a different "sweet spot". I have no restrictions on eating before or after my fills. I have to wait to get my next fill until I am better, but hopefully I'll have some kind of restriction then Good luck everyone.

Everyones "sweet spot" is different. I have 5ccs in my band right now and I could go a little tighter, but I have to wait until I am feeling better. Some have restriction right away and others it may take 4 fills. There's really no way to know until you get there. You are going to be hungry now because you've healed and the swelling is going down. Also for those of you who find it really hard to not drink with your meal, try destroying whatever it is that you have infront of you to drink. I pour salt into whatever I was drinking and then I can't drink it because it would be gross...give it a try it might work for you too Drink lots of water when you feel hungry. Sometimes (for me) right after I got banded I thought I was hungry, but really my mind was just hungry. If you are still really hungry, turn to something healthy. Fruit, vegetables, a piece of lowfat cheese...just make it a healthy choice. Good luck. I hope everything goes well for you all!!!

Be careful taking 2 Flinstone Vitamins. The dose for ages 2-3 is 1/2 a Vitamin and the adult dose is just one...Just incase you didn't know :eek: Good luck all!!!

I have no choice, but to wear underwire bras (I have Hs here...lol) and I haven't had any problems so far, but my port is a little lower...