Elisabethsew

Follow the advice of your MD. For me, the rules are fluids for the day of the fill, soft on the following day, and back to a normal diet after that.

Trust me, at 5' 2" with a small bone structure, fat is fat. Short or tall those extra pounds show. I have a girlfriend who says women become invisible to men as a love interest once they cross over the 200 pound mark. As for bumper stickers, I don't have any on my vehicle and don't always agree with what some say but it's America and I respect their right to freedom of expression... even if the sticker is hurtful.

"never have to diet again" You better clarify that one. LOL. There are physical, emotional, genetic, etc. factors that all play a role in obesity and, like any disease, lifelong changes have to be implemented and adhered to. I suppose it's correct to say that if you follow the banded rules, dieting will become a natural way of life. Am I correct in guessing that you have never had a weight problem? Thanks again for your help with questions and answers.

I agree with Molly, it took forever for me to get restriction but I learned to speak up. There is a difference when you lose weight BECAUSE you're seriously dieting and when you lose weight because you are seriously dieting AND have the band working with you to optimize weight loss. Until my January fill, the weight I lost was NOT related to the band. Babygrl, feel free to ask any questions and we'll do our best to help you out. Do you have the 10 cc band? I second wanting Spring to arrive. Long Island is like an ice sculpture and I hate the cold. I can't wait to be outside again planting flowers and enjoying the sun and warm temps.

Welcome Babygrl. It's nice to see we'll have a bigger group (and support) for this challenge. The goal is to LOSE pounds and GAIN a tax refund. LOL.

I only got 0.2 cc's on the last fill. It seems they have rules for only giving such an such an amount based on how much you already have. I think 0.5 would have been more appropriate but this one might "kick-in" in a few days. There's some nut on this board who fills his own port. When I go and only get a small fill that does little to nothing, I can relate to how he feels. The funny thing is, I am an RN certified in accessing inamed ports but would be scared to death to do my own. Make sure you can handle solid protein and stay hydrated, Molly. As for a nap, having just finished a 12 hour shift at work, that is exactly what I am going to do. LOL. Welcome to the challenge, Carol!

Congratulations on a GREAT achievement!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

You've made remarkable progress and should be very proud of all the hard work you did to get to your present weight. An average of 4 pounds a week is a lot but there are many people on the board who are quick losers and getting to 199 is a GREAT accomplishment. I think JulieNYC will soon be departing for onederland and several others (including you) will be following her travel plan real soon. I just got shots of cortisone into both knees (PAIN!) just a few days ago and need two total knee replacements. Therefore, I can't do the types of exercises others can but do what I am able to and try and increase the number of minutes I exercise each week. For that reason, I went with two pounds a week and tossed in an extra 2 as an added incentive. When I get to 199, I'm scheduling my knee surgery. It's not as glamorous as plastic surgery but it will give me my life back and allow me to do a lot of things I can't do now. Good luck to us all!

Wait 2 weeks and see if you notice any change with this fill. If not, call and schedule an appointment for another one.

I'm in too. It's a little over 8 weeks until 4/15/07 so I went with 2 pounds a week + 2 more. Best of luck to us all. Tax Day Challenge! (April 15th) Week Zero of Eight Name.............................Starting……..Current……..Goal……..To Go Juliegeraci.......................238............. ...... 238.................228.............10 Lapbandit.......................231............... .....231………….199.............32 Waterlily.........................300............. .......300.................264.............39 Roiansmom.....................299................. ...299.................270.............29 Libra...............................248........... .........248.................228.............20 JulieNYC........................212............... .....212.................185.............27 Elisabethsew....................282.....................282.................264.............18

As many of you know, and are living through, we had a very major snow and ice storm in the Northeast yesterday and today. Thankfully, it hasn't been a bad winter (precipitation wise) on Long Island so I was spared the task of shoveling snow... until today! This time last year, I was recovering from bilateral pulmonary emboli (blood clots in my lungs) and minimal movement resulted in shortness of breath. Today, I was outside in 20 degree temps with the wind whipping at 30 MPH shoveling heavy snow, slush, and ice and I was not at all short of breath. I would not classify this as a non-scale victory because I know if I still weighed the same as I did last winter, I would be huffing and puffing and taking frequent breaks in the shoveling. So, has anyone else noticed that things that were a "chore" months ago are now "routine" and less intensive to perform?

I think the new challenge begins today or tomorrow. Julie, you've done SO great with your weight loss and I'm sure you'll plastic surgery will produce great results.

WOW! I had no idea that the band could hold 3 times more than what I thought. I knew the band could be "overfilled" but thought it was only by a few cc's. I had a fill yesterday also but they told me on the last fill that once a patient gets to 8 cc's they don't give large fills. So, I only got a small fill of 0.2 cc's and hope that will bring me back to the level of restriction I had in early January.

Congratulations on your approval.

What I would have liked to seen addressed more fully pre-op is the frustration of getting to a proper level of restriction. Gastric bypass patients begin losing right away whereas lapband patients have to go through a healing process and get a first fill 4-8 weeks post-op. Because I have the largest band and because my surgeon tends to prefer 6 weeks inbetween fills, it took me until now to get proper restriction. Patience is definitely called for when you opt for the band but I don't regret opting for it over gastric bypass. Do your research and ask LOTS of questions.

Questions: 1. Once a person gets to "proper" restriction, what is the average time before he/she will need another fill. 2. Do you advise yearly esophagrams as a precautionary measure? 3. How many cc's of saline does the tubing hold and why does some of the saline seem to dissipate over time? Thank you!

I have no problem swallowing any medications or getting down liquid medication. Once you're healed (6 weeks) you should be able to "swill" your cold medicine. Good luck and feel better!

By giving your friend money, you're feeding her addiction. Call the bank and see if there is enough money in her account to cover it. If there is, cash it! Since you believe your friendship will suffer but are worried about her committing suicide, supply her with the names and number of people and places where she can get help. Perhaps the former gambler that you mentioned would be willing to speak with her. Once you've offered her a way to recover, the rest is up to her.

I'm going in for another fill on Tuesday and can relate to what you're experiencing. Because of the high volume of patients, I wait 6-8 weeks for a fill appointment. This time, the restriction was perfect for a few weeks and then slacked off. Regardless of what my level of restriction is, I stay on a healthy diet and don't allow myself to "pig out" or go crazy. For me, that sets off a chain reaction that can last days. Try joining one of the challenges to help stay motivated on on tract when you're waiting for a fill. Also, try taking up a hobby. If you're doing something with your hands, they can't pick up food! :-)

Before thinking we are "spoiled" here in the United States, you should know that, for the majority of us, health care is NOT free. I am a registered nurse and pay a hefty amount out of my paycheck every two weeks for my health insurance. Because most people can't get social security and medicare until they are 65+, a lot of people are forced to continue to work for the sole purpose of being able to afford medical care and their medications. Trust me, they don't consider themselves as "spoiled." I am glad you have achieved restriction and that you're losing weight. Hopefully, you won't suffer any complications from the use of a possibly contaminated needle.

Thank you! I am VERY happy. Now, to get into the 70's! :-)

Valentine's Challenge Check In Name....................Current Weight......Valentine's Goal......To Go Juliegeraci................237.................... .10................Done! 5lbs Bonus Lapbandit.................231..................... 20..........................4 Libra....................... 251......................20....................... ...6 Indianlight................ 268......................20....................... ...9 JulieNYC.................. 215.....................215...................... ....0 Elisabethsew............ 282 (-12)..............282..........................0 The scale FINALLY moved this AM and, for the first time, I made my goal in a challenge! Maybe I can lose one more before 2/14.

I am not pregnant and I'm sure others will reply but I wanted to congratulate you on your pregnancy.

A small hiatal hernia is very common in overweight/obese people and usually produces no symptoms. You should not have to worry about moving your surgery date up. If you have symptoms, you can do the following: 1. Don't lie down for 2-3 hours after eating. 2. Talk to your MD about being placed on an H2 blocker (nexium, previcid) 3. Elevate the head of your bed on wood blocks. 4. Sleep on 2 pillows. Good luck. Sorry the band did not work for you.