moonbeam

I asked my surgeon about this as I was concerned because it's taken me a while to change my habits and I know I have over eaten a few times. He told me yes it's possible but that one really has to work on it. We would have to keep eating past full consistently for a period of time for this to occur.

I'm in the same boat. Although with me it's mostly head hunger. I have more time to crave, to sit still relax and think about eating. Duirng the day I have a lot less time to slow down to eat. It's been that way for me since I can rememeber. I'm trying to pick up new hobbies, go for walks, anything but eat. It's not easy changing a lifetime of habits.

I waited about 2 weeks. I had a hiatus hernia fixed as well and wanted to be pretty careful. My port site hurt for about 3 weeks. I'm at 5 weeks now and finally have no discomfort. I did lots of heavy lifting this weekend with no ill effect. Just have to be paitent. I told my daughter I couldn't pick her up for a couple of weeks. Then again...she's 6 and a bit heavier. lol

Hey, congrats on your weight loss! I've dabbled in the on line dating thing and it can be very frusterating. I have found that some of the guys on those sites are just as shy as we are. I don't think it would hurt to express interest in those that you find interesting. I've never tried match.com but is there a way to you wink or smile or something to show interest?

It's not so much the scars as it is the port lump. Mine is very noticable and it's definitly easy to feel if your hand is even placed on my stomach, you don't even have to press hard to feel it. I suppose that more than anything has me concerned.

Hey Tammar, Yes they gave me their pager numbers on the back of the post op hand out. I would definitly phone Jen and ask her for those numbers. I felt silly calling about my questions until I reminded myself I paid thousands of dollars for them to do do a couple of hours of work..they can afford to call us back and do so with no complain.

I love the idea of buying new clothes. I have been stopping myself from doing that as I keep thinking what a waste it will be if it doesn't fit in two months. BUT why not enjoy the journey! Isn't it fantastic and fun to try stuff on and realize it fits! For the biggies I like the idea of jewelry. I might buy myself something nice when I hit 50 pounds and then something really nice when I get to goal.

HI Tammar, Welcome to the Manitoba thread. :scared2: I didin't have issues with anything getting stuck. Everyone is different though. I DID have major issues with gas pain after I ate. Stabbing pain in my shoulder mostly. Could that be what's happening? I would use the pager numbers they gave you and call the docs'. I did it once, they called me right away and were helpful and polite.

I wonder if I am alone in my fears. My fear that even though I have spent thousands of dollars, put my body through the trauma of surgery, have a lump that feels like a baby's elbow poking out of my gut, have this amazing advantage over the average dieter..even with all this.. I still won't lose weight and keep it off. :tt2: I worry that I won't be able to follow the simple guidlines, or that I will be the freak that this doesn't work for. I suppose this is part of bandster hell. Other than my port lump and the lovely frankenstein like scars on my belly I feel like nothing has changed and that scares the heck out of me.

So here's a question for you all. For those of you that do have this large port lump.. what do you tell people who don't know you have had WLS it is? ie: for me it might be a new boyfriend down the line... I was thinking of saying it's scar tissue or somthing.

My port lump is very noticable. If you place your hand on my stomach you can feel it. You don't have to press, it's an obvious lump. It reminds me of being pregnant and haveing a foot or an elbow jabbing be. Is this normal? Will this go down? I had surgery just under a month ago. :tt2:

Raelita, Thanks for the encouraging words. I really like your idea about a the charmes! I think I might just do that too! I would love to keep in touch and share the joys of success and also the bad moments to cheer each other on. You are right, we can and we will do this!

Yay! great news for you both. I just squeeked in before they go on holidays for a fill. They are letting me get one at 5 weeks so I don't have to wait 8. Thank Goodness! I can't wait for the band to start "working"

Thanks Amy I'm trying. It's hard to change old habits of thinking and to convince myself that this time will be different, when that's what I've said to myself ever time I started a new diet. BUT this time WILL be different because now I have this great tool to use, and it's not a fad diet or a magic pill, it's going to help me change my behaviour and hopefully my head and thoughts will follow.

Berry that sucks! Are you getting fills? I know that's only part of it, but shouldn't that help a bit? HUGS to you.

Thanks everyone for letting me know your experiences, it's good to know I'm not alone, and that there is a solution like the port being movable. I didn't know that was possible. Guess I'll worry about that down the road when I've lost the weight I want to lose.

HUGS! Thanks Lingling! :tt2:

Since surgery I've only lost 5 pds. (15 total including pre op diet loss) It's been a large bump from day one, but I've been hopeing it would go down.. it hasn't. I started out at a BMI of 35 and am told that's less than average..maybe that's why?

I was banded here on the 14th of April. A good experience thus far.

This may sound like an obvious question, forgive me I'm a "new" bandster and have not had my first fill.. but wouldn't getting a fill help with that? If it was all about will power none of I would be here in the first place right?

BG, omg that's a crazy post op diet! I don't blame you for cheating! It's weird how different some Dr's are. Mine for instance had a strict pre op diet, but the post op had no guide lines for calories, just liquids, mushies and solids in that order. Within 3 weeks I'm eating regular food and having no problems with that. I can't image being on such a low cal diet. Hats off to you girl, you're doing a great job! Hang in there.

Hi Lilith, My post opp diet said liquids for the first few days, then when you feel up to it move on to mushies, and then if it doesn't hurt...go ahead and eat it. I was eating real food within 2 weeks. I double checked with my dietician and she confirmed I could eat what I wanted as long as there was no pain and vomiting. I am not just past 3 weeks and it's like I don't even have the band. I get full a bit faster but that's it.

I asked my doc about this for the very same reasons you have all mentioned. He told me I would have to work very hard to stretch it. As in keep eating after I feel full..and then some, and to do this more than a few times before the pouch becomes stretched. That and the fact that because the band hasn't been filled yet..there isn't much of a pouch to be stretched yet.

what is "normal" or the average for a fill?

That's the first I have heard about the surgeon taking out the gall bladder as a rule of thumb... mine didn't although they did fix a hiatus hernia. Is is normal to have the gall bladder removed? Do lots of people have this done?