julia19642

I had stomach surgery, not carpal tunnel surgery :redface: He was fine until i could either "do my thang" on top.....or until his huge belly didn't slap my incisions. Be creative. Do what doesn't hurt. I guess i wasn't given any instructions from the doc on that one, so we just played it by ear. (and no....no pun intended)

Congrats on moving forward with some exercise. A year ago, i was nearly bedridden with sciatic pain. I started going to the beach and "power walking" in waist high water (at the recommendation of a friend who also had sciatic pain). I'm a complete believer in water walking. Cured what ailed me. During winter, and even with alot of people at the indoor pool....just walk around them. Nothing says that you have to walk in a straight line. Kids splash and power swimmer swim around you, but GO FOR IT. Water exercise has done a world of good for me. I hope it works for you too.....don't let others that are there for fun, or die-hard swimmers get in your way. You have every right to be there, just as they do.

Ok....i SAID i was going to bed, but had to read back through what people had posted....AWESOME RESPONSES !!!! I hope you read back through all the great advice given....mine isn't the greatest, but alot of people have given opinions from all sides of life. Well done gang.

I haven't read all the posts, because i only have a few minutes before it's bedtime. I just read your post. My sister has my dad's genes....she's tall and skinny. Before she went into rehab, (right after she found out i had the lapband)....she punched me in the stomach. She was in rehab the next day and is still in there. She has only written one letter to my dad and she signed it...."your daughter, the pretty, skinny one". Honestly....when they have "issues" with your choice of a healthier life, then it's THEIR problem. If you're semi-close with your sister, then things will work out eventually.....I was very close to my sister, but she "got some 'splaining to do, Lucy". I feel that your sister might harbor some jealousy that maybe you can do something that she can't or isn't able to do (insurance, co-pay, balls, etc). When I sent my most recent pictures to my family, from my birthday party......one of them wrote back and said "who's the skinny, pretty one now???". Take your journey, accept that they have issues....if you're close to her, then i'm sure it will all work out, but only if they get their own issues worked out first. Family.....ya just gotta keep loving them in spite of their issues. Be well, my friend.....

I've turned into a chipmunk. My satisfaction is good healthy food, but having my mouth stuffed with food has been a huge mental loss for me. So now, i make my healthy, tasty food, but stuff my cheeks full. That DOESN'T mean that I don't eat small bites. I can take 10 minutes to finish a mouthful of food. But i take 15 bites of food in one mouthful, then relish the fullness of my mouth and swallow little bits at a time. Now THAT'S weird....but it works for me and takes care of the "mental mouthful" that i crave. For some reason, i haven't missed food. I've cut out the bad stuff and am really enjoying healthy tasty food with lots of fresh herbs, etc. It's the "mouthful" thing that makes ME look like a freak. But hey, we all gotta do what we gotta do to make this band work for us.

You sound like you're so near your sweet spot. I was amazed that i was hard headed for a month, went on liquids, etc, then after a few days of liquids....the first bite of real food came back up. It wasn't an "annoyed band". It was simply that i needed 1/4 of a cc taken out. I'm back to normal eating, no puking and might...MIGHT just be at the right spot. If you're following your "user manual" and eating properly, and it doesn't stay down.....get an EVER SO SLIGHT unfill. Don't be hard headed like me and think that i can play around with making it work.....i lost a whole month of losing weight because i didn't want an "unfill". Blamed it on stress, user error, whatever....i blamed it on everything except needing an unfill. Unfill was yesterday....today has been GLORIOUS....i'm eating like i should be eating. Don't wait...don't play around with mind games with yourself....if you're following all your MD's rules and it doesn't stay down.....get some out !! I think he took out 1/4 cc and it made all the difference in the world. It takes some "tweaking" to get to the sweet spot when you're real close to begin with. Listen to your body, follow the eating rules......get it unfilled if you need it.

I came home from running errands today (and getting a slight UN-fill) and the dog had dragged out 4 leashes and left them in the hallway right as i walked in. That was a reality check....lol. I got him so addicted to "power walking"/occasional sprinting that this past week, i've been a touch slack. Forgive yourself and move on. Make the proper choices in healthy eating....those scales will start moving the right direction again. My scales went up a few lbs in the past few weeks, but only because i was too tight, and too stubborn to get an un-fill. Eating too many things that went down wayyyyyyy too easily. Forgive and move on. That's what I'm doing too. :thumbup:

My mom would have screaming nightmares if she thought i was doing those teenage years over again. :scared2: Been through the haircut thing myself, no recent piercings though, but plan on one once i can locate my belly button. The haircut thing for me is due to hair loss that 'supposedly' just happens after surgeries. I've had 9 surgeries, some pretty drastic, but never experienced hair loss before. I'm thinking it's the weight loss, surgery, and diet change all in one. Your ticker looks GREAT !! Congats on the surgery and weight loss. :thumbup:

I had very very little pain after my LB surgery. But as a veteran of 8 abdominal surgeries, I've had some that were real "doozies". Walk walk walk. It really helps the healing and pains. He can even hold a pillow over his belly as he walks and moves around. I noticed that the more I sat in one position, the more it hurt to then move. Just use a pillow from bed and hold it tight against the belly when walking...or even turning over in bed. I just remember being very sleepy post-op with lapband....and I felt that I was too sleepy to even walk, but my darling friend and my darling husband forced me to walk (per MD instructions). My advice....hold that pillow tight on the belly when walking around...it really does help. Best wishes.....

Simple answers to your questions: 1. scars. Mine are quite small, the largest being 1 inch at the most and are settling into a nice color. Judging from my appendix scars from a year ago, they'll be a nice white, not noticable colour by summer. (which is coming up soon in Australia). Here's a link to members that have been brave/kind enough to photograph their scars at different stages: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/scar-stages-share-yours-6117/ 2. QOL: I puke occasionally, and sometimes my head says that i want to eat more than my pouch can handle. Quality of life....hmmmmmmm. compared to that fact that i couldn't go up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing, and was isolating myself from people because i didn't want them to see me fat. I can sure put up with a few "user errors" in return for being able to finally move around and be happy with what i see in the mirror. My best friend was afraid that she'd lose an "eating buddy". When we go out, i just get an appetizer and push it around my plate for an hour....she barely even notices that i don't eat much....she's more interested in the company. Don't sweat that part too much. Good luck and enjoy the ride !!! :seeya:

Welcome fellow Aussie !! I seriously HATED the pre-op diet....especially since my best friend was visiting from the US. She's a gourmet chef. Talk about "pre-band hell". You'll survive this AND the post-op stuff, it's just a bit difficult at times, coz our head can still tell us what it THINKS it wants. I was a bit lethargic on the pre-op liquid crap for a few days, but that passes and i'm soooooooo glad that my head hunger and bad eating habits no longer rule my life. Now my only worries are my newly arrived wrinkles from losing weight. :scared2: What a great worry to have though. Much better worry than not seeing my boys grow up coz my fat and co-morbidities were killing me. Hang in there girlfriend !!!! it's well worth the ride

Hey from Melbourne !! Congrats on the weight loss pre-surgery....and a HUGE congrats on decreasing the insulin levels. Glad to hear that your surgery went well and recovery is progressing nicely. Welcome to LBT....a wealth of information and sometimes a world of conflicting advice :thumbdown:

I flew from Melbourne Aus. to Dayton OH, USA then back again. The whole trip is 30 hours from my front door to my parent's front door. It was 2 months after surgery. I followed proper eating and drinking habits without a single problem. I didn't notice any changes in the band. I guess everyone is different though. :wink:

Your sister is lucky to have a patient advocate such as you....someone to help her research the major life change that she is deciding upon. *thumbs up to you and your sis* I've been banded since April and can honestly say that when i follow the rules of eating....i can eat anything i want. Nuts, bread, Pasta, rice, steak.... It's the nutritional changes and portions that have caused my weight loss. It's LISTENING to your body... For some reason, i no longer crave sweets or fats. I have no idea how big/small my band is, or how much Fluid is filled. I want to go completely on how i FEEL. I'm blessed to have a doctor that listens to me and my questions/concerns. The ONLY time i vomit is when is have "user error"....either i eat too fast or too big a bite without chewing properly. As i said...i still eat exactly what i want (lovely savory food), but the portions are much much smaller. I'm not losing weight too quickly or too slowly in my opinion. Banding was the best thing i've ever done for ME !!! And i can still out-burp all of my brothers which i have done since childhood. (the first few weeks after surgery, it's hard to burp, but heck...after that, i still RULE !! ) When you direct your sis to this website, please keep in mind that each person is different in their needs, weight loss percentages.... and each surgeon is different in their requirements. This website is a wealth of information, but a world of conflicting opinions. If she goes ahead with it....she's going to have to weed out the useless information. Her nutritionist sounds like an alarmist to me....someone who gives the worst case scenerio. Gather information wisely and ask questions....there's a wealth of information to digest. The band is NOT an easy way out....it takes time, patience, exercise, dedication and best of all....good doctors/support group. Good luck on your sister's weight loss journey

I was banded on 4/14/09 or somewhere near that....i don't remember....i was in a "liquid diet freaky state". I recall my darling doctor telling me that i must never take my Protein in a liquid state again. chew chew chew. We're not big on the "massive protein" thing over here in Oz, but more into a balanced diet and chewing REAL food. I haven't done liquid diet stuff, protein slop in almost 5 months now.....and praise be to God.....i haven't needed it. Sick of it? Uh, yeah, that's an understatement. 5 months later, i'm still sick of it !!!! :w00t: (even though it was only pre-diet, it was pure hell). Hang in there GF.....and this too shall pass (not literally, as that gets very infrequent as the liquid diet goes on and on and on). The results are soooooooooo worth it !!!!

Just writing to reassure you that just because the first fill was difficult doesn't mean that the rest will be. My first fill was a nightmare and left me in tears. The doctor didn't realize that he had blunted the needle on the rim of the port and each time he tried to reinsert it into the port, it was like a fish hook tearing inside me. Bless his heart, he was so comforting when my tears started flowing....lol. Each of the next 5 fills (he's conservative and just does a little at a time) has been a breeze. But like you, i was literally shaking when i went in for the second one. I almost needed a "chill pill" just to get me into the office. Sending you some nice relaxing thoughts that your next fill will go as easy as #2-5 did for me.......try not to worry too much......

Hi Belikita, Congrats on your banding. Your picture on your "about me" page is great. I wish I had thought of taking a 'before' picture of myself, but most pictures i have are of me hiding behind someone...just face shots. I wonder if you could get an answer quicker if you also posted your question in the forum "fill doctors"....(or something like that...it's about halfway down the home page of lapbandtalk. Good luck....and again...congrats !! :thumbup:

Hi there...the other two have explained their own experiences, plus Restless monkey gave the "all options" approach to the healing process. (listen to RM, she's good...she's kept me from dehyrating myself many times...thanks mom....lol) I'll just let you know what i had: 1. Hurt?? Much less then my previous 8 abdominal surgeries (appendix, hysterectomy, 2 tubal pregnancy, pcos cleaning twice) and 2 were just exploratory. My deciding factor on pain was if i could lift myself out of bed or not...or need my legs lifted into bed. All in all....the surgery was a breeze for me...no lifting in and out of bed...able to walk the next day for 15 minutes outside. 2. I stopped taking pain meds when i left the hospital. I tried liquid tylenol (panadol here in Aus) when i got home, but didn't notice a difference. I'm intolerant of high powered drugs like morphine or even codeine...they constipate me worse than any surgical pain. Nothing really needed FOR ME post-op, but everyone is different on their pain levels. (do you have help at home, as 3 year olds like to be picked up....would she/he be happy just having someone put the child on your lap to sit and snuggle??) Your homecare help is a needed thing with a toddler. 3. My MD gave me the option of going home or staying...it was all the same cost-wise. I opted to get one night without the kids or anyone snoring in my ear (drooling sometimes). Best night's sleep i've had in a few years. 4. Everyone's recovery is different...i think i was textbook or faerieland. Other than wanting to sleep alot (being a slug in a previous life)...i FELT i was ready to do more than my post-op instructions allowed, yet i still followed the instructions to a T. My walk, the day after surgery was only slightly painful and noisy, as all the neighbors figured either a car backfired, or i was having gas as i walked. (it was the latter of the two) If you have the luxury of taking a week off work, then pamper yourself and do it. If forced, i could have gone back to work 2 days later, but i would have wanted to be in bed or walking around farting the gas out. (just being honest here). 5. I have no idea about CIGNA, but spent most of my life in the US. I hate insurance companies in the US. I'm sure that if you look under the different topics/threads/forums, there is one that says "insurance questions" or something like that. You'd probably get some good responses there. I live in Australia now, and believe it or not, there's no way i'd qualify for coverage in the states...my BMI was too low, but i talked to my surgeon here and he said that with my co-morbidities, he'd give the OK. I had HBP, high cholesterol, 2 parents with diabetes, sleep apnea, etc....if he said i needed it, than it was a done deal. Insurance companies in Australia do not call the shots. But that doesn't help you with CIGNA. Ask this question in the insurance forum and i'm sure someone can help you. Good luck with your endeavor....best thing i've ever done for ME. Research your options thoroughly. I have found that there are other options that work better for some people. I personally wouldn't change one single thing about my weight loss journey. I love my band, my doctor, and my new life.... hugs, julia

Oh, one more thing....peppermint tea helps calm the nausea sometimes for me. :w00t:

Don't be too quick to blame it on the band. If the phlegm/sinus drip is causing your nausea, you're going to get nauseated with or without the band. You're doing so well with your weight loss, try to hang in there. I use antihistamines and decongestants for times that i get alot of that crap in my nose/throat area that trickles down into my stomach.....but being the paranoid person that I am, i always clear new medications with my MD....and that's probably what you should do also. I've been dealing with alot of nausea lately too.....primary reason is the nasal crap. But when i started getting dizziness, i went to the doctor. I thought maybe i wasn't eating enough, etc. But come to find out, he recommended getting my eyes checked and they found 2 blockages behind my right eye. i'm not saying you need to get your eyes checked...that's definitely not what i'm saying. I'm just saying don't be too quick to blame everything on the band. I want to see you succeed with this and get on with the normal life that you deserve. Talk to your doctors, that's what they're there for. Keep a diary each day of how you feel and what you feel, when you eat, etc....it helps the doctors pin-point what the problem could be. Good luck, Erin

My post-op instructions were not to lift anything for the first 2 weeks after surgery, then i could resume normal lifting. Since you were 3.5 weeks out of surgery, there's probably nothing to worry about, but I'd still call the MD again to mention that the swelling got a bit larger.

Hi erin, When i get phlegm in my throat, it's usually because of my sinuses draining and getting clogged in my throat when i sleep. Post-nasal drip (sinuses draining) can DEFINITELY cause me some nausea. But that's just me....i get nauseated so easily over things...not just since i've been banded, but practically my whole life. Good luck dear..... Julia

My MD gave me the option of staying the night or going home. Not a tough decision for me. I stayed, had a private room, tanked up on 'happy juice'....and had the best night's sleep i've had in years. I was actually trying to think of a way to stay 2 nights, but i felt too good to justify that one. :thumbup: Plus my boys would have stressed out if they thought i had to stay because something was wrong.

Oh, and to give Restless Monkey credit.....it wasn't until her constant reminders to KEEP HYDRATED did i really start feeling better. I'm drinking more water than ever since i started reading all her posts and constant reminders.....even my skin looks better.

Just to reassure you, weight loss does slow down once you start eating real food (at least, it did with me). Are you able to vary your exercise routine? Maybe do some aerobic videos every other day when you're not on the treadmill? Each one of my fills has been a God-send.....I'm due for one on Sept 8 and i can't wait !! My stomach talks to me all the time. I find that i can fill my times between meals with liquid and it quiets the voices within. I personally do better with weight loss when i have fewer carbs. I'm not an advocate of all Protein diets, but i seem to do better when i'm focusing more on protein and veggies. My favourite dish that i made recently was baking about 10 chicken parts (breasts, thighs, legs, etc). Then i pulled it all off the bones and put it in a big pot with about 3 cans of diced tomatoes. Added a ton of garlic, onion, green pepper, carrot, cauliflower, zucchini, and any other veggie that was about to expire in my fridge. Used a decent amount of dried oregano and basil and some salt/pepper (i put in some hot chili flakes too). This made a big batch of delicious protein/veggie topping. I froze it in small portions in freezer baggies....took the air out of the baggies and sealed them. That way they lie flat in the freezer and not take up as much space. That's how i have ready-made lowfat/high protein meals. Makes it easier when i'm having to cook for the DH who refuses to eat low-fat. Most of the time, i'll just defrost my "slop" and put it on a small (very small) bed of brown rice. I'm not a big fan of brown rice, but with something so tasty on top, you don't even notice it. (*note: not everyone can eat rice, so be careful if it's your first time*) I hope others see your thread and give some tips for you too. But do try to mix things up a bit with the exercise....and hang in there until Sept 3 for your fill....You've done well so far with 13lbs lost. :thumbup: Just be patient....like my DH tells me...."honey, you didn't gain it overnight, you're not going to lose it overnight". :crying: