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Hey Candy I will forward you my phone number. Of course you can have it!! We all need each other as a support system.......... The milk of magnesium worked for me. To well!! I guess everyone is different. I had to be by a bathroom all day!! Funny thing is I was playing around on the internet last night and found the WLSchannel. I watched all that too. Also watched them talk about the differences between lap band and gastric and I thought they were very fair......I liked that websight and melting mama is very funny!! I bookmarked that website I liked it. Thanks Candy. I agree with Christine that being skinny is worth all the emotional ups and downs lately!! Just weird stuff going on in my head that I have been surprized about. I have been seeing overweight people and thinking you need to get banded. How arrogant of me but I can't help myself........I am seeing the world in terms of banded and not banded right now!! My mindset is very lap band oriented lately..........LOL Nicole your going in for a fill this week!! Please do update us I am so curious to know all about it!! Reggie girl!! Your next!! Ok well I am off to go walking............I hope to make it a mile before I crach and burn today................ Love ya all!!

Hey Christine I hear you about being kinda bitter about other people eating. I was at a salad place last night...........people where eating these huge plates of salad and I don't know why but I was getting a little irratated with everyone!!! I thought how rude of you to eat and eat and eat like that.....................than I started to think what is wrong with me thinking that way!! LOL My daughter got a salad and I added garbonzo and kidney beans, feta cheese and cucumbers, on it so I could pick things out of the salad. That way I felt like I "got to have a salad"............well you know I wanted that salad so bad I ate that "extra last bite" when I knew I was full............ah ouch, and I got to feel the PB'ing for a minute there..... I had to get up and walking around for awhile to work it out.........and you know I only got to eat about 1/4 of that stuff............the plate was full still of my "special stuff." I was sorta upset that I only got to taste eveything but not really enjoy it!! LOL. I used to be able to eat the whole salad by myself three weeks ago!! LOL. I thought I do have restriction for sure............I sure did see and feel it last night. I literally got to taste everything only. I also miss the things. For me I am missing my diet coke. I was a six pack a day until December and orientation when I went down to every other day!! But still that is a huge lose for me................I think I must have gained most of my weight on diet coke. Go figure. I drank more of that than I actually ate!! I am so glad I have everyone else here as well. You guys have totally been my support system. I think people try to understand but unless you have been through it you just don't get it!!

I was just given a pair of size 18 pants and thought they would not fit. Left them on the floor for a couple of days. Tried them on today and shockingly they fit...........OMG I didn't know I was down that much!!

I am only three weeks out but grieving food in a big way.........also noticing how much food is put on plates at resterants and how much I use to be able to eat!! Now I am only eat a 1/4 of that even though I want more. It is a good thing but also a hard thing to get used to..............everyone else can eat and I can't. You sorta feel like an outsider sometimes.............grieving process I guess!!

Candy I think what your going through is normal........this is a huge change. If you were'nt thinking about it and a bit worried........than you would be a crazy woman!! Girl your totally normal, just sit back and enjoy the ride. Happy, stressed, sad, excited it is all a part of the process!! Enjoy it all................... I hear ya I have also been sorta all over emotionally the last few days and I am 3 weeks post op. There have been a lot of changes for me in the last four months and I think everything going so fast and changing so much has been overwhelming at times. I am finally getting time off from work to just think and process everything. I am so glad I did this but I think all the changes have me a bit moody the last few days. Lots of new things but also lots of goodbyes the last few months. Still mourning my love affair with diet coke!!! LOL. So Candy girl I totally get you. We are normal not crazy. Big changes, great changes are in store..........but also lots of goodbyes. Normal to be emotional about everything!! Thinking of you and confident that all will go well on Monday!! You are almost a bandster now!! :-)

How do I sign up for this? I am 219 right now and I would like to be 199...............in otherwords under 200!! I think 195 would be a good safe weight and firmly under 200............

Hello all I was banded April 13, 2009. I had the gas for about a week.................walking helped and pulling my knees up to my chest helped too!! Gross I know but you all understand having been through the same thing. I would hear all the air in their moving around so weird..............I am three weeks out and no more gas. I can't remember when it finally left but probably about a week 1/2.................but now a distant memory!! also gasX strips helped take the edge off of the gas pain!! Didn't stop it but made it bearable. Congratulations to everyone.

Come on over the the Kaiser Richmond pre op thread.........that is where all the kaiser people post and we ahve a very supportive group of people in the sacramento area. We get together once a month. Join in!!

My pain meds post op and nasuea meds were all by IV too.....which is nice because they kick in really quick once they give them to you. When I got to recovery I was like a 7 on the pain scale. They gave me meds immediately and I went to 5 ............than when i said I was a five she gave me more meds...........probably why I was so sleepy!! But it was a good sleepy............relaxing. Candy be aware I was allergic to some of the medication which is why my breathing was so off when I woke up. I am exception. Most people don't have to deal with that. It didn't help that I panicked at first......I have no idea why obvious something did scare me. I am asking Dr. Baggs at the fill what exactly happened. I am afraid it could be embarrassing though!! LOL. I worry about what I could have said or done!! I just hope my gown was on if I was making some kind of a scene or argueing with them about the face mask!! Today I am feeling restriction. And I measured everything.....some of the 18's are snugger than I am used to.........I like the loose 20's..........so I am anxious to get down a bit more and have baggy 18's................I am still in shock the 18's fit my mind is telling me I wear a 20 so I didn't try 18's on until a few days ago. Like Nicole was saying sometimes it is hard to see the change in yourself, I still see myself in 20's...........................weird mind trips!! Nicole any word about the job yet??

I am 5'5 and I also noticed we started out about the same. See I only had to lose 12 pounds to get surgery and same with you.............I think there is some formula when your BMI is lower. I know alot of people had to lose 25-35 first. I felt extremely lucky but sometimes I think starting out lower is why I lose so slow. Ok I went to the Thrift store today and bought 5 pairs of size 18 pants for 25 dollars. Surprizing how nice they are...........I can't believe I am in an 18 again!! I am gonna wear the same big shirts for awhile but the size 20 pants were really getting to big. (bringing them to the next meeting).............I think until I get down to goal I am gonna just keep going back to the thrift store for every size down .............25 dollars is great and hopefully I will only wear them for 4-6 weeks than be down to a 16 by July or so................................. Have a great weekend all!!!

LOL Candy!! They kept thinking I was gastric bypass too...........I had to keep reminding them. I sorta thought you guys are trying to brainwash me into this whole gastric bypass thing!! LOL. 6:30 was my time as well. I got there but had to wait until 7:15 or so until they called my name. There were alot of elderly people there that morning and they went into pre op first. I kept asking everyone if they were nervous and was walking around talking to people. I think I scared one older lady because she told me "you should be nervous too!!" LOL. I told her I was and I talk alot when I get nervous. Needless to say they got everyone out of the waiting room before me.........I think so I could not keep talking and make everyone else nervous!! LOL. I got changed into this enormous gown that wrapped around me twice. A word of advise don't double knot anything!! LOL. Dr. Baggs could not undo the gown and told me he just felt like getting scissors when he saw all my double knots!! LOL. I had to double knot to keep it on me!! You also get this superman cape that is huge to go over your. Than you get to sit in a recliner. Quite nice I liked it. Than you get warm blankets, again very nice!! Than you swallow some very sour liquid, get your heparin shot (didn't hurt at all) than the IV. That didn't hurt but I was bruised when I got home. Than I got a bolus in my IV which is fluids I guess..............next thing I know they want me to go to the bathroom before surgery. Well the gown almost tripped me so I had to strip naked to use the bathroom than put it all back on again!! I had ICY as a nurse and was trying to ask her if she remembered Christine and Nicole...........she thought she might!! Within 15 minutes all this was done. Dr. Baggs came out and we talked a bit at 7:30 than the anthesialogist at 7:45............than both of them asking a million questions and joking around. They told me to relax and I figured hey I have 20 minutes and got out ITOUCH to play a game.........I never even got to turn it on because they were back telling me it was time to go. I went into surgery at 7:50. I was out before 8am. I could not take my glasses with me so I was blind as a bat in the OR. Probably better because Dr. Bags was cleaning something sharp in the corner.............I told him I was glad I could not see what he was doing without my glasses and he laughed.............again I talk alot when I am nervous!! The only weird thing was that as soon as you get in the OR they start to undo your gown and that was sorta weird. For me it took awhile because of my double knots.....but I must of looked at them weird because Dr. Baggs was trying to explain what he was doing. I told him good luck I knotted them good. He said I am just gonna have to get the scissor!! He said he was no good at double knots and when frustration kicked in he resorted to his scissors. I just told him as long as they were sterile I was ok with that. We all joked around about how I had watched the whole 45 minute surgery online the night before!! I asked Dr. Baggs if he was gonna tilt the talble upward (weird so your like half standing up during surgery) and he laughed and said "the things you see on youtube nowdays.......but he laughed and said yea we are gonna do that............I told him I thought I would fall off and he laughed and said that is why we are belting you onto the table.............I never noticed but they do secure you down. Sorta like your going on a ride somewhere.......... The nurse in OR was really cool. SHe was really gentle moved slow and was really concerned I was comfortable. I liked her................. After that I put on my IPOD and they were asking me if they were talking to loud for me to hear the music, joking around. I asked them to be a little quieter and laughed and that was all I remember.......... Next thing I remember I was in recover and trying to get that crazy mask off my face. I couldn't breath because there was chest pressure and I figured I had wandered into the jungle and had an elephant on my chest..........the anesthioligist was telling the nurse she was fine and than she got scared............I don't know what happened. Lucky for me I thought they were talking about the person next to me so I didn't worry to much. Just had to breathe really slowly and find my happy place!! If I thought to much about breathing it hurt more and was harder to breathe I also didn't know that I would be numb from the neck down for an hour or so............that scared me. So just a heads up it takes awhile for the medication to wear off!! Just sleep away.................. I got pain meds twice. The nurse let me have a nose mask and took off that face mask once the doctor left!! :-) She kept telling them to leave and when they did she told me I will change this for you. I could breath alot better after that!! She was great. She just kept telling me relax your fine, and was really cool. I liked her alot............I also was nasaeous and got anti nasaue medication twice than once before I left to drive home. I was awake by 10:45am. As soon as my eyes were open they got me in a wheelchair and away I went to radiation. My head was wobbling and I really slept most of the way down. Barium swallow was really not to bad. I slept through it all!! LOL. Tasted like cherry to me and really not to bad. They let my mom go with me to radiation. Than back to the recliner in the pre op room to wait for the doctor and discharge. I slept for 45 minutes until they came. HE was finishing up a bypass. They told me things were fine to come back in 6 weeks............gave me pain meds and my work release...............Dr. Baggs told me he talked to me mom about he surgery and she had my pictures.........yep you get pictures of your liver,gallbladder, and stomach with and without the band..............Dr Baggs kept teasing me becuase I could n't wake up.............he kept laughing because my eyes were closed but I told him my mind was working and "someone was home." But actually I didn't hear much of what he said...................just remember him laughing at my comments............The nurse had me get dressed. Which I started to do in the middle of the room. I was so tired I didn't care who was there but the she shut the curtains (so unlike me normally!! How embarrassing).....I almost fell over getting my underwear on!! LOL. I could n't bend right................but I made it. Almost knocked over the curtain trying to balance......I had to sorta hop into my pants. (wear baggy pants with an elastric waist and a baggy shirt) The only bad thing was the bypass patient behind me was sitting next to me and she asked me if I had the band and if I was ok.............I told her I feel like throwing up and I can't bend anything!! Her eyes got huge and she didn't make any more eye contact with me......didn't ask me another question. I am sure I made her feel better about her upcoming surgery;-) an advantage of being first!! Than wheeled out to my mom's car and was asleep before we pulled out. I slept al the way home. Got home at 3pm. Slept until about midnight and more pain meds.................slept for about three days only getting up for a couple of hours at a time to drink and get more pain meds. I was a wimp I know, I know.................but I love to sleep!! Second and third day were the worst. I thought I was stupid to to this to myself by choice. Also the pain meds made me a bit loopy which didn't help. It hurt and I didn't feel like eating or drinking anything.The gas pain was the worst part of the whole thing. I thought I would pop there for a couple of days!! By a week I was feeling like I would survive it and the pain meds were pretty much gone except for nighttime................. Ok yes I did weigh too. 5 pounds up the day of surgery!! OMG. Than the next day down 11 pounds. So I lost that 5 and another 6 right away................. Now almost three weeks out. Just the port hurts and not sharp pain but more of a tugging, tight feeling like it is healing .................... So Candy hope that helps walk you through it. Honestly it was not bad and having all the attention of all the medical staff was sorta nice. I am usually the caretaker so it was nice to be on the other side. Relax and enjoy it!! I soaked it all in and felt nice!! Best of Luck to Candy and than Reggie!!

Shia if you want the lap band than just be firm about that. I know what your saying because I felt pressured to go with gastric as well. But I know lap band is better for me. My surgeon is Dr. Baggs and I really like him. He gave me all the pros and cons and than let me decide. I started at 254 in December and has to get to 241 for surgery. I also had my psych and surgeon appointment on the same day due to a cancellation. That was January. In February I had my CM appoiintment and could have had surgery that month but waited until April so I could go to AFrica for a month:-) I have been baned for 3 weeks now. Still sore. I have lost 10 pounds in three weeks. I know the weight lose is slower and that I have to be constantly on a diet. I have also lost and gained several time over the year. The band is to help me stay at goal after I lose. I do notice that I get full much faster now. Hey Shia there are lots of us that went through Kaiser and have lap band. Many of them are your weight or above 300 and they are losing and doing well with the lap band. Seriously you have to get over the Kaiser Richmond thread because there are somy people over there that would talk you through it. We are all in Sacramento and get together a couple of times a month. You really need to start hanging out with us and asking your questions over there. We are a very supportive group and we can walk you through Kaiser Richmond including how to stand up to the gastric pressure at Richmond!! Go to search at the top of the forum page. Type in Kaiser Richmond....................than go into that thread. Also read the old post if you want to get educated on Kaiser. You seriously need to be part of our group. Most of us have Dr. BAGGS through Kaiser richmond!!

Who is your surgeon? What is your BMI? Lapband takes more work and motivation. There are pros and conswith both. I also felt that push towards gastric through kaiser bit I decided on the band knowing I would have to work harder at it!! My BMI was 40 and the band tends to work better with BMI of 42 of below according to my surgeon. Kaiser just wants you to be sure you know the stats and only you know how much work your willing to put in.........I have been banded only two weeks and have lost 10 pounds. But I lost 25 pre op........I was afraid with gastric bypass of the malabsorbtion and getting sick since I am vegetarian!! That was the deciding factor for me......

Nicole you have changed for sure.............last time I saw you was in February and there is a HUGE difference!! 65 pounds is a HUGE accomplishment!! Yea I like meeting with the group it makes me motivated to keep up with the program...........especially when I see everyone else doing well and or having the same struggles!! Donna I gotta tell you it did me good to see you eating a salad!!! Ah I strive to be JUST LIKE YOU............:-)

Kaiser is great Candy. You will be fine on MOnday!! Take it easy next week and take some GasX with you to the hospital. I had mine in my purse and used it on the way home...............and enjoy your month off!! I have been off for three weeks now and have enjoyed every single minute of it!! Thaniks for the compliment on my hair. My 14 year old daughter straightened and styled it for me today!! LOL. She wanted me to look "phat"............I would prefer not to look fat!! LOL. But I will have tell her I got a compliment. I decided when I got banded to grow my hair out and once I am under 200...............um, um soon I hope.........I want to get it highlight. A little motivator since I can't really buy alot of clothes the next few months...............LOL. So where are you all chatting? Lap band chat or another place. I will have to join in!! So after May we will have to transfer to post op and open a new chat room..........

Christine aren't you in the 230's now?? You gotta change your ticker!! LOL

We had a blast will have to do it again next month......... Nicole thanks for the clothes everything fits!! I guess I really am an 18 now..........probably still wear the 20's I can for awhile more than bag it all up and bring it next time we get together again or maybe at the next Kaiser meeting. I would love to add salads but I just can't right now. It is still to early. Not sure I will make it to 12 weeks but I bet I get close..............that shredded lettuce thing is a great idea though. That should help with not getting stuck!! LIking that idea.......... Christine I so, so hear you on the underwear thing!! LOL. I went and got some smaller ones today!! Baggy underwear is quite uncomfortable. Donna and Candy so nice to meet you guys!! Candy you will be in my thoughts and prayers on MOnday. I will be watching the clock like I did with Riley, Christine and Nicole. 8am-going into OR, 9-out of OR, 10:30-barium, 12 discharge and going home.................3pm home and resting!! LOL Let us know when you can how your doing!! So excited for you!! I will check the forum during the day to see how your doing!! Reggie you were missed. Girl we have to meet in person sometime;-) I am anxious to meet you. Momof3 so glad you were there today. It has been awhile since we have heard from you. Lets keep in touch more often. So great to see everyone!! We get smaller and smaller every time we meet.............

Nicole you are too funny!! I was also watching How to Lose a guy in 10 days.............. see you tomorrow I gotta get some sleep............

Nicole I will be there tomorrow. I have been having trouble sleeping since surgery!! LOL. Staying up late and sleeping in is getting to be a bad habit...........but at least my house is clean and the laundry is done. I am now gaining either so I am happy with that. ANd I am down 10 since surgery. As long as I don't gain....I just don't think the way I am eating is really healthy......not like pre op. I felt like I was on a better diet before.................this is for healing not for weight loss I am trying to remember that..............but I have to find a way to get rid of the carbs again and get the energy for excercise................I have the water down again!! from what I have read this is totally normal. Bandster hell they call it.............. Nicole maybe since your down 65 pounds your body is fighting it more............I know I was at 226 until the last three years when I went up to 260............I was 226 for over 10 years............I think my body is fighting going lower because this might be a set point for me. I have to get over the plateau....... see you tomorrow.........

Hello all Ok Nicole I get what your saying about the PCP. Mine didn't know why I was there!! LOL. I had to tell her that Dr. Baggs required a meeting with her within two weeks post op. She was really shocked that I was post op. We just talked about the bariatrics program and how fast I went through it. She had lots of questions for me actually about the program. I think she has referred other people since me............ She did talk to me about nutrition a bit but she obviously didn't know the rules I had to explain to her about being on liquids and mushies and than soft....................she was sorta in awe about the whole thing. My PCP didn't want to refer me to bariatrics though. She wanted me to go on a weight loss prescription.........She was very happy about the BP being down and that I was done 35 pounds. But the bariatrics thing was all my idea. I really think she felt I was not gonna follow through with the program. But I agree she didn't know what to do with me or the appointment really................I sorta directed her. Hey Nicole...........you know what you are so, so right. This is not like following the pre op diet. This is like all the foods we are not suppose to eat before are ok now............Ok, this just hit me...........this is harder to stay on track than pre op. At least for me. Pre op I got...........this diet I am still playing around with it trying to figure out how to lose weight.............pre op I know what I had to do to lose............. I figured the last couple of days I was only at 800 calories. I am eating less than I even though. Go figure I should be skin and bones by now............... But anyway my shape is changing and the weight has gotta start falling off soon.............. Christine your metabolism has gotta be amazing to keep losing like you do!! Mine is in starvation mode I think!! But again pre op carbs had to be cut out to lose..........I have struggled with that on liquids and mushies........once I get back to "real food" I know how to lose the weight........and the band should make it that much faster

It will be fun for you to be able to talk without Sophie but she sure is a cutie and will be missed!! See you all tomorrow.

Been sleepy today. My BP is to low today...........funny because before surgery it was to high. I am stopping the BP meds but have to do it slowly. I think the meds are making my BP to low and that makes me sleepy!! A couple more days and I will be totally off all that!!

Interesting stuff Riley. I did find alot on the internet about it..............liking the AP band!! Really fascinated how this all works........

Yea I agree with you Nicole. I would like to be able to eat less and have a bit more of an obvious restriction........ I can still feel my port no doubt there. But sometimes I feel the same as if I had no band. Reading through all the post it seems this is what they call bandster hell.......the time between surgery and finding your sweet spot!! Until than I think our pre op motivation and experience has to kick in. Oh Nicole do you realize you are more than halfway to your goal now?? OMG that is great!! 38 pounds is gonna be gone before you know it. I have 19 more pounds to be at my halfway goal and in onederland!! LOL.