Dani-X

Congrats mermaid I know each appointment along the way gets more exciting. Fielding did my band almost 6 years ago... you made an excellent choice.

I had my baby 3.5 months ago and I really thought the baby weight would be coming off so much quicker than it has. I gained 40 pounds with my pregnancy and still have another 32 to lose. My band is *finally* starting to get to my sweet spot after 3 adjustments. I'm scheduled for another one in 3 weeks and hopefully, that will put me at my sweet spot. Can anyone share their anything that worked for you post-baby? Did you notice that your metabolism changed? Or, it is slowing from lack of sleep? The first time I lost my weight, I had all the time in the world to get to the gym and am on a much tighter schedule this time (obviously!). Between working full time, 4-6 hours of sleep a night, taking care of the little man, seeing my husband - I have to find some time to take care of me. Thanks in advance, ladies!!!

Bump. I know I *cannot* be the only one in this situation. You moms with success stories, please share!

My band has always been sensitive to my hormones (super tight when I have my period) so I got a small unfill at about 10 weeks. I went from 8cc in a 10cc band to 7cc. I pretty much stayed there until 20 weeks when I needed to back down to 6.5cc. At 40 weeks I could barely keep Water down so they unfilled me to 3.5 cc. Baby came at 41 weeks and I started getting filled again at 8 weeks post-partum. I put on 40 lbs which is about 10 more than I was hoping for. If at all possible, I would recommend NOT getting your band unfilled all the way. I had been at my goal weight for over 2 years and thought I'd never put any weight back on. Trust me, it's easier than you would imagine. Just know and listen to your body. If you don't want your band unfilled all the way, tell your doctor. This is about YOU, not him.

I just delivered in March and can TOTALLY relate. Screw the morning sickness, the port pain was probably the worst part of my pregnancy. It was intermittent up until 30 weeks... then it got worse from 30-36 and the last 4 (well, 5 weeks for me!) it was intermittent again. My doc told me to take some Tylenol and that help a bit. Unfortunately, nothing made it completely it go away so hang in there! FYI - my doc had a difficult time finding my port after the baby... with all the moving around in there and that extra "mummy tummy" things change. It's *slowly* getting back to normal and they found my port on the first stick on my 3 adjustment post baby. All the fun stuff you have to look forward to :smile2:

For those of you who have delivered, did your band have any impact on your contractions? I've had crazy port pain throughout my pregnancy and am wondering if it will continue through my labor? Does the epidural help as far "north" as our port? thanks!

Rain: Everyone's weight gain is totally different. I have friends who gained 30 lbs in the first trimester and then leveled off at a total of 35 lbs for the whole pregnancy. I have another friend who didn't put on anything until almost 24 weeks! I'm due on Sunday and to date, I've gained 35 lbs... today is the first day I haven't worked and I'm a little nervous about gaining a few pounds between now and my delivery date since I'm not as active as I am when working and boredom can contribute to eating when not hungry! Karen, losing half of a 60 lb weight gain after delivery is unrealistic so don't beat yourself up about it. During delivery, you should lose the weight of the baby (7-8 lbs), the placenta (1-2 lbs) , the amniotic Fluid (2 lbs), and perhaps some blood and Water (3-5 lbs). That's a maximum of about 15 pounds... delivering the baby doesn't make us lose the extra fat stores we put on over the course of the pregnancy. I'm in a similar situation to you as I've lost over 110 lbs and was at goal for years before I got pregnant. I had a *very* hard time with seeing myself grow larger with the pregnancy. I maintained my 3-4x/week workouts up until week 33 but since then, I've just relied on the 2 mile walks I'd get from commuting to NYC. The good thing for all of us is that we've got the tools and the drive and we already know how to get the weight off again. Here's to HEALTHY babies and happy moms who keep our kids active :frown:

My doctor prescribed me "Select-OB." I absolutely LOVE them. No nausea, no heartburn... just a pleasantly blueberry flavored chewable. Just a side note, my doctor told me to take my regular DHA/Omega 3 supplements as this particular prenatal didn't include them. As a side note, plenty of my friends had great luck with Flinstones gummies too!

I ended up getting pregnant on the first try. I read all the reviews on the Clearblue easy electronic ovulation predictor kit and I ended up getting it. I was glad I did! The first time we used it, it worked! I also lent it to my friend and she got pregnant the first time too. She said she probably wouldn't have on her own that month as it said her peak day of fertility was on day 18--she was expecting 14 or 15! It was worth the $150 for the unit and the sticks on Amazon and my flex spending covered it. Good luck!

Hormonal changes in my body seem to cause fluctuations in my band... so when I found out I was pregnant, I ended up needing a slight unfill as I suddenly became tight. I ended up having a second unfill but still have some pretty good restriction when I need it so I'm at a good place. Yes, you can have all of the saline taken out but you only need another 300 calories/day for the baby in the second and third trimesters so if you can manage without a complete unfill, I would go for it. The hardest thing for me has been the body change. I was at my goal weight for nearly a year and a half and then to see me get fat again was devastating. I wasn't ready for it... and no, nobody else would ever call me fat but it's just how I feel. I'm not 155 lbs anymore :bored: Anyway, keeping your fill (if you can) will just make it that much easier to take the weight off post-baby. Our bands are all so different so I don't really think there is a universally correct answer. Just do what feels right for you. Your band will be there to help you get back on track post-baby.

Hi there, I just had my port replaced on Friday morning. I was losing my fill very quickly (9.5 to 3cc's in under a week) and was putting on some weight. I'm getting married in 3 months so I wanted to get this done ASAP as I had just hired a trainer 2 weeks before this to get me buff for the big day. I was so nervous because I didn't tolerate the anesthia and morphine well after getting my band placed (nausea and some vomiting for 14 hours - ugh!). I talked to them about the anesthia and they used a local and a sedative... they call it "twilight." It's basically the same thing they give you if you've ever had a colonoscopy. The surgery took 15 minutes and I was out of the hospital within 3 hours of me hopping up on the table. AND, I got a low profile port out of the deal. Pretty sweet for me as you could see my regular port poke through my skin even with my clothes on. The healing hasn't been too terrible either. The first night was tough as turning over in bed can be painful. I took a few percocets and by Sunday, I was just on Tylenol and back at work on Monday. The incision looks to be about the same size as my original port incision. I'm still not sure exactly what happened that I needed it replaced. My doctor had several surgeries and I could have waiting an hour to see him but I just chose to ask him at the follow up appointment and head home. I'm not sure if they pumped me with gas or not but I was so swollen that I looked like I was 4 months pregnant. I called the office to see if it was normal and they said it could be the result of not having a BM yet in addition to the surgery. So the swelling has gone down somewhat and I'm seeing them on Thursday for a post-op visit. I can't wait to get back to the gym. I think the hardest part for me has been psychologically. I always said to myself that I'd never let myself get fat again. Since the leak I had gained 15 pounds. Ugh... I was totally disgusted with myself. I really thought I had it all under control - that even if I lost my band, I'd be ok on my own. What a reality check that turned out to be. The comfort though is having my band back. I asked him to fill me a bit while he was in there so it's nice to feel a little restriction again! If you have the option - definitely go with the low profile port :thumbdown: I love that I can barely feel it!

Hi there, I just had a port replacement on Friday morning and my belly is a bit swollen. I'm not in any more pain than one would expect and actually feel pretty good. The only thing that I'm a little curious about is that my belly is swollen. Having lost most of my excess weight, my stomach was pretty flat so imagine my surprise when I see a pooch again! Just wondering if this is normal. I plan on giving my doctor a call tomorrow (today's Sunday) but wanted to see what symptoms some of you guys have had. Thanks in advance!

I still remember my first lunch outing post-surgery. My team went to an Indian restaurant and I had Soup and a fabulous glass of wine. You should be mindful of where you get your calories but for most of us, wine is not going to be the reason that our progress has slowed. I drink a glass almost every day... exercise and smart food choices allow me to have it when I want it. I love my band!!!

I totally second Rainer's suggestion about thinking what you'll order before you get the the restaurant. You'll be less tempted by the other "goodies" on the menu. When I go out I normally eat sashimi, Soup, or salads. I try to make the right choices most of the time but if I want chicken fingers, I get them. I can't eat more than one and I try to get my Protein in first so that also limits me to maybe 3 or 4 french fries. Salads are always a pleasure to eat for me. There are so many different flavors and textures and they are just a party in your mouth! I still order my dressing on the side and dip my fork prongs into the dressing before spearing my lettuce. Trust me, I do not want my calories coming from salad dressing! Fish is always a good choice for me too as it's light and flaky and I can not worry about getting stuck. One of my favorite meals is filet mignon. As tight as I am, I can eat a few bites of fliet - especially if it has a delicious bernaise sauce on it. Also, every Sunday I make a pot of soup for the week. I eat the soup for lunch and dinner on various days. It's healthy and I know everything that's in it! Some favorites are white bean and spinach and my chicken tortilla soup. So, your choices are out there... life is so much better with my band! I have pizza maybe once every 3 months or so - just no interest at all. As for Chinese food, well - I prefer Japanese now - but if it's Chinese, I usually do garlic eggplant (nice and mushy!) or get this, Pork Lo Mein. It takes a lot of trial and error but you'll find what works for you... and you'll probably be surprised by how much variety you'll be able to have. Good luck to you!

I agree with the others... I wouldn't put a drink on top of some stuck food. Especially anything cold! Fortunately, I've never had to PB in front of people. I've always known that I needed to step away and have had plenty of time to reach a restroom. If I feel something is stuck, I try to stand up and walk around a little. Putting the arms over the head does help - along with a few deep breaths to try and relax yourself. If I know it won't go down, I do a downward dog pose and it usually comes right up.

L&D, It sounds like you're getting reflux which may be causing you to aspirate in the middle of the night... it's happened to me too--no fun! Call your doctor ASAP and tell him what's going on. A tiny unfill could fix the problem. In the meantime, try not to eat for at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Hi Dacer, I don't have any problem with salad - in fact, it's one of the easiest things for me to eat. Have you always had a tough time eating it since being banded or has it been since a recent fill? As for rice, I usually don't eat it at all - it's just never been one of my favorite things. Although, I can't eat sushi rolls anymore - I just do the sashimi which is better for me anyway. However, I can do a rice pilaf or something with a "non-sticky" rice. I'm filled really tight too!

Hi there, I take GNC's Nitro Explosion before my workouts. It's a powder that you mix with 4-6 oz of Water and it's great. I asked my doctor about the ingredients and he took a look at them and said it was fine. The bonus is that it's only about 40 calories so he was pleased with that too!

Hi there, It's been a while since I posted on here but I figured I'd see if anybody else has had this problem. For my own reasons, I came off my birth control a little over a month ago and about 2 weeks ago, my band got SUPER tight. Normally, it's very tight then first 2-3 days of my period and then I'm back to normal. Well, this time I got tight the week before my period (I'm normally very open then) and it's been that way since. I saw my doctor yesterday for my annual, asked for a small unfill and he said everything looked great. He said I'm very tight but he thinks it's totally hormonal and just told me to stay on liquids for a week. Not a problem but I'm wondering if this has happened to anybody else? Any suggestions would be welcome! Thanks SO much.

I eat what I want... but that doesn't include the things I used to crave. After being banded I have no desire for fast food, pizza, chips, etc. I'm diligent about getting to the gym and I feel like a "normal" person. If I want something, I have it - although I had to swear off the evil halloween candy except for one day a week. I swear, it's EVERYWHERE! As for my meals, I try to eat my protein first but damnit - sometimes I want the potato, or the salad. I'm eating the right foods but know that I still need to get my protein intake up. I'm kind of in a weird place right now because my band is too tight during this time of the month (sory, boys) so it's nearly impossible for me to eat what I normally do and am existing on soup. I think one of the biggest things for me has been the change in my lifestyle. I don't eat if I'm not hungry and just plain old don't care about food anymore.

Hey guys! It's definitely been a while and it seems like there is some more activity now that our anniversaries are here! Wow - is it just me or does *everybody* have Halloween candy on their desk? God, I never thought I would be here. Honestly, I'd love to lose the last 20-25 pounds (and get some tightening!) but if this is as far as I can get... I'm proud of myself and happy. Only thing now is that I took myself off my BCP because I hate the way it makes me feel and I'm all out of whack. Normally I'm SUPER tight for about 3 days a month when Aunt Flo is in town but this time it's been a week... I can do soup, and unfortunately, things I usually don't eat during the rest of the year: cookies, halloween candy, etc. I've decided that if I haven't loosened up by Tuesday I'm going for an unfill. I normally eat so healthy and stay away from the crappy food but considering I'm too tight to eat any good food - I turn to what I can have. Ick.

Hey Andee, When does this feeling coming on? Do you always have it or does it happen after eating something? I ended up with some acid reflux that I never had before. It can manifest itself in different ways... it made me so nauseous my doc thought I might be pregnant! Some people aspirate, some people get the feeling you describe. I adjusted my eating habits and had liquids for two days and I was ok. During certain times of the month, I need protonix to help me with it as my band gets so damned tight with all the female stuff that goes on. I'd talk to your doctor about it... they would much rather you call them than not!

I really don't know what I think when it comes to the tortoise/hare issue. I know the problem that I have that seems to be pretty common is that we should be doing more. My boyfriend wants to kick my butt sometimes! I usually eat very healthy and sometimes, my band is more open than other times and I can eat more than I normally would (especially w/ salad). I beat myself up for eating a "right" bandster portion rather than what I feel I should have. I got so caught up in my own success that the end result was all that matters. I exercised for about 9-11 hours a week and when I plateaued, I beat myself up. I run, I lift, I'm strong, and I'm physically fit... I sustained overuse injuries and had to cut my workouts back to 5-7 hours a week. I'll be honest - I never thought I would say this but I can see how someone could develop an eating disorder...

I was told to walk as as much as possible. I live on a 3rd floor walk up so I walked back and forth the hallways of my apartment building the day after surgery. By day 3, I was walking on the street in the beautiful October weather. As I saw the weight coming off, I wanted to head to the gym but the doc said nothing more than walking for the first 6 weeks. I think I waited an extra two due to Christmas and I remember my port area was still a little tender from the motions... again, your doctor is the best person to ask about this but it seems most of us are 4-6 weeks. PS I love your enthusiasm!

Refried Beans with a little taco sauce are EXCELLENT for the mushie stages. Start training your body with low fat and high Protein. A lot of people also do cottage cheese. Personally, I can't stand the stuff so we all need to adapt to what we can handle. Tuna fish mashed up super well with some lemon juice was great for me during my mushie stage... I also stuck with the Protein shakes and added the 42g protein vials to my Water. Good luck and *follow your post-op*