DEBPROBST

Hi all..I am in sort of the same boat. I am on my third fill since being banded Sept 10/2012. At my first appt for a fill, found out my port had flipped. Most likely my own fault cause i felt well, so I acted like I was well. So actually had my first fill in Dec. Must have been too tight of I had something stuck cause I couldnt eat anything with out getting sick Had a little .5 decrease..and I wa able to eat my grandmother!! Go back in about March..have about 1.5 ccs added and I can feel it tight now. Can only eat little bits but I think its too tight. Nurse said that stress, allergies and other things can make the band act funny so I tried waiting it out. Some days I can eat about an ounce and not be sick..other days..a forkfull and im running. Thing is after getting sick..I can eat. I also have hunger pains I guess in my"old" tummy and when I try and eat..I fill up so fast and Im still having hunger pains...then the combo will make me sick. Im at my wits end cause I do not want to get a decrease. I have lost about 10 lbs in the last 3 months and I too am getting discourgaged. Any tips, suggestions?!?!?!

I found out that my port flipped when I went for a fill the end of Sept. Doc was hitting it with the needle and couldnt get it to go in. I think he made about 9 or 10 tried, each time bending the tip of the needle. Under the floroscope, he could see he was on it..but that it wouldnt go in...that is when we found out it was flipped. Mine too went a full 180.

Totally georgeous!! U deserve bragging rights!!

Hi all! It has been a while since I posted. had some issues after my Surgery on Sept 10th. Port flipped had to have a revision and just had my first fill Dec 3rd! So here goes....got questions out the wazoo!! I cant eat anything that isnt soft like mashed taters or soup. If I do I always get what I call slimers where I throw up almost a mucus substance then the food will come up. After that I can eat whatever i was eating. Carrots are a big trigger with me and I have to eat a baby carrot in like 4 or 5 sections!! At First I thought I was not chewing well enough or that I was eating too fast. I have been very mindful of that and made a special note to eat even slower and teeny tiny bites (Pencil eraser size). Still, ill get pain where my diaphram is and will end up throwing up after a bite or two. After that I can eat a LOT - like a childs plate of food. I also will get the pain going down my back (and im not sure if anyone else can relate), but it reminds me if you didnt chew a piece of a hard potato chip or something and swallowed a sharp or hard piece..kinda that dragging down your back thing. I dunno, maybe I am weird. Also, I find that if i stand up..I can eat a LITTLE better but sitting..Illstart burping on the first bite...and then on it goes. has anyone had any thing like this going on? I really thought that it was adjustment after the fill but after a month of this I am going to see the Surgeon in the AM to see what is going on. I just would kind of like to be a little informed if anyone has had this kind of experience before. I have a large band and he wasnt sure how much he put in during the second surgery, but then he added 2 cc on the 3rd and I thought I was swallowing ok then. Oh ya and my weight has been going up and down in like a 5 lbs range for weeks now, so no major loss. I would expect that I would lose since I am living on basically nothing. Oh ya and grapes suck now Thoughts, Suggestions, similar experiences?

Mike it is normal, but this time tomorrow you will be so glad that you did this! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and Just know we will be all here waiting for the updates!!

I was banded on the 10th and I feel the same today as i did the day before surgery - except for a little (and I mean Little) tenderness around where the port must be. The pain is manageable but I can understand your fear. The Sunday as I went for surgery Monday AM, I spent the day crying , Asking my husband what if something goes wrong or I dont wake up?!?!?!. As you can see, my fears were unfounded, but I WAS a first surgery virgin..lol Really, if you trust the Surgeon and he is fuly capable of this surgery, then dont stress it too much - you really will be fine. there are those who will have complications and if you have a low tolerance of pain, then yes you will find it worse than others. But on a scale of 1 to 10 ..my pain even right out of surgery never got above a 4, and I am a wimp!! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and just know we are all in the same boat. I dont think any of us went into this without batting an eyelash. When I look back to a week ago, I kinda smile thinking I was so scared for nothing. Good Luck and Speedy recoveries!! *Hugs* Deb

Woohoo the 20th is just around the corner!! I cant wait to see your after posts..lol You will feel so different just knowing what a fantastic tool you have been given. We are all so blessed that we have this chance to turn our lives around and become healthier and SEXIER!! (I say sexier cause we are all HOTTIES to begin with!! )

I know that when my mother had heart surgery, they said that depression was a side effect, that is what made me wonder about the emotional stuff. I bet it has something to do with the surgery or maybe just the realization that we have a new life now A few of our friends came over last night to see how I was doing and they were so suportive..I starting boohooing and told them how humbled I felt to have so much support. totally not me..I am the wise ass, smart mouthed one in the gang, they were in shock I think..lol. And yay!! we were banded on the same day!!

well all..Here I am sitting at my computer..which I am finding harder to do each day. Not that I am in pain or anything, I just wanna be up moving I still have gas although nothing that a few burps dont help!! I have read through so many posts this morning and here were are at the halfway mark in Sept already! I have a couple of questions though..I find the last few days I am terribly emotional. Either I am just over whelmed by the amount of support I am getting from friends and my hubby..or is this something that surgery triggers? Ive never had a surgery so Im just curious. The other thing is..how many of you are doing the liquid diet and are u shrinking incredibly fast??? I have gone from 453.8 at surgery to 433 since Monday - the 10th !!! I mean really? Just seems totally fast to lose that much weight when I did Protein shakes for MONTHS and didnt lose that much!! I am so glad to see our little group has so many successful banders already. I cant wait to see how the next week goes when I get to slowly introduce more foods. Have a fantastic day everyone...remember, baby steps! If anyone is close or in AR and wants a text buddy..or anywhere that is...Im available. Just PM me and Ill give u my text. having someone u can ask stupid stuff too immediatley is a great perk..hahaha btw has anyone done the marble jar? A friend told me for each mini goal she set..she filled a jar with marbles and weighed in once a week, took out a marble for each pound!! I think visuals are super cool... Might go to Walmart and get me some marbles. Gives losing your marbles a whole new meaning

Yea Mimi!! glasd to see that you are doing ok!! I was thinking about you and have been so busy just getting to posting now. I get the updates on my phohnes but Im blind as a bat and cant see most of what it written til I get to the old PC!! I am from newfie so you are one of my own..gotta keep a check on you Speedy recovery !!

I was banded on the 10th and am on a liquid diet for the first two weeks. They say that your tummy needs to heal and your body recover. I have lost almost 15 lbs since the surgery, but when u weigh 454 at surgery..that isnt really a big deal. take it slow, listen to your doctors and follow the plan to the "T". The band is a tool, but like so mnay other things in our lives...we can find ways arouind it. Dont forget vitamins during this crucial time and be sure that you are moving. Even around the house, in the driveway...as much as you can every day. Little bits add up to a LOT. Good Luck and stay Focused!! We are all going to succeed

Congrats..it gets better really fast!! Make sure to drink lots though...it really does help I was done Monday and am so thankful that i dont have the gas pain!! You will be up and around in no time!

Mimi..it will be fine. I ws done on Monday and I am extremely over weight. had some issues but here it is Wednesday and I almost feel 100%. A little stiffness but I showered myself. Made my Uncle some grilled cheese for his lunch and even dryed and fixed my hair..lol I understand the streee, but it really isnt as bad as you would think. My thoughts and prayers are with you!!

Morning All..i got my banded on Monday. had a few little gliches though. My veins are very tiny and deep so the anesthesiologist couldnt get a vein. Spent a couple of hours at that and at last count I counted 22 tries..lol Ended up having a central line inserted near my neck/shoulder so they kept me over night as a precaution. I finally got home yesterday afternoon and feel pretty good. Not a lot of gas pain and the liquids are going down well. Little sore in the shoulder where they put in the central line and a little stiff at the port site, but other than that I feel good!! So glad that it is done. Good luck to everyone else getting banded in the next coule of weeks. It really isnt that bad! For those of us who have had kids..it is a walk in the park

HI all....well today is my day. IM dressed and getting ready to walk out the door. Been stressing this Morning BIG TIME. Its hard when you have never had a surgery. Got my compressionn stocking on just to make sure I coudl get them on...lol Wish me luck all and please for those who pray..say a few prayers. Ill post when I am able and let ya know how Im feeling and how it went. Good luck to my fellow bandsters today Duhs9919 9/10 Kasper23 9/10 Kykhinkle 9/10 Twinskins 9/10

YOU CAN DO IT!!! Girl..I feel your pain except my shakes are great. I mean really. I got the ones from the surgeons office and they taste like real shakes. I totally love them!! Ill continue on after surgery too to make sure that I am getting all of my protein in. Im old, but not old enough to not care about losing my hair..lol Take it one hour, one day, one week at a time and you will get there!! I have had several friends now go through this and it isnt easy when you have eating/food issues. It didnt go on over nght..dont expect it to come off that way either! Come back and read this post in a year and tell me how much better your life is! We are the cheerleaders for each other here and every one of us WILL succeed!

Please add me too Sept 10th!

I am back and FINALLY am getting banded on Sept 10th! I am on the two week pre op diet now and find I want to eat way more than I am allowed. I have had soo many false starts to this surgery that I think I am not really convinced that it is really going to happen after all!!

I too am one of the heavier people on here. I was at 485 when I went for my consult this year. I started this process back in 2009 when I got tired of all the hassel with the insurance Company and then I got to the point where I was in April of this year..485 lbs ! My doctor told me in 2009 I was at 438 so he wanted me to lose 50 lbs in a month or two so that he would feel more confident doing my surgery. He also talked to me about the Fatty Liver disease and that scared me so Ive been working my Buttocks off to get the 50 lbs gone. Right now I sit at 448 and am soooo tired of Protein shakes which I have been doing 2 a day since April. I had been scheduled twice now for surgery, may the 23rd and then June 28th,l both have been postponed as I still havent got the 50 lbs gone, but I am sooo close! So when you think that you are alone out here..you are not. We are probably not the majority but we still exist. I wonder to myself how I got this big..and then I look back on my life and realize that from the time I was a small child..I was doomed. I was never fed good nutritious food and learned lots and lots of bad eating habits. I can remember that my brother would work until Midnight and then get home at about 1:30 ish and would bring home pizza to me and my mother. We would get up and eat two or three pieces and fall right back off to sleep and at that time of the night..pizza is not something that you need to be midnight snacking on!! Soda and chocolate bars became my snack of choice and even though I was very active and must have walked about 10 miles a day just in the normal course of being a kid..I think that was the only thing that kep me from hitting the 300 and 400 lb mark earlier in my life!! I dont blame others as I was the one putting the food in my mouth, but I sure wish that my whole family had been more educated back in those days. Fast forward, today 448 lbs and waiting to get in there and start day 1 of my new life We can do it..it will just take time and a whole lot of work on our behalf. My husband will take me to Wal mart and make me carry a 25 lbs bag of dog or cat food with me for a bit..lol He says that is what you carried everyday. When you think of it that way, kinda puts it in perpective doesnt it? I know that having gotten almost to 500 lbs..that by now I must have the strongest leg muscles in the whole USA..lol Keep on trucking and remember that it takes time, determination and committment. It is never easy, but anything worthwhile is. Since I am here...does anyone know where I can get TED anti embolism thigh high stocking for someone my size? I see some on line but they dont really seem to be big enough!! Any help or direction would help loads..We are shooting for the 15th..so keep your toes and fingers crossed for me!!

Hi all..I havent posted in a while but have been lurking. My surgery got postponed to June 28th and I am so disappointed.Its all I can do not to go on an Ice cream Binge!!I still have about 20 lbs that he wants me to lose because I have such a high BMI. I can understand it and am grateful that he is going to do my surgery at all. I hope that the next month will fly and ill be just like the rest of you..wondering how fast that it will seem normal again...LOL Congrats to everyone that has had their banding done. It seems like most of you all have had about as bad a time with it as I expected, which is a relief..sorta. Just hoping that I don't get all wimpy. I will continue to lurk here and also in the June forums. Again, congrats you all..you are all doing so well just keep it up!! We didn't gain all this weight over night so we cant expect it all go be gone over night!! You are all in my prayers!! Stay well my band buds.

Glad to see you back and posting! Glad that everything went well! Keep us posted and Get well soon!