Charlif761

Ok...I am lying..It isn't day one. It's really more like WEEK ONE...... I have had in my head for weeks my trip to the US back in April. I had not seen my best friend in a year and a half. We were talking about my weight ( a topic sandwiched somewhere between upcoming Jazz Fests and world politics) and she said, "You know, they do weight loss surgery laproscopically these days and it's not very risky." Now, had this come from any of the other billions of people inhabiting this planet, I would have smiled, walked away very annoyed, muttering foul names under my breath and never spoken to them again. But, we share a rare sort of honesty we know is always tempered with the most amazing love, loyalty and respect...a once in a lifetime friendship. Instead of doing what I MIGHT have done, I walked away feeling sad that my friend was so obviously disturbed and worried about my weight........ So, I went and had a nice Mexican meal...most probably washed down with a pitcher of margaritas.....Didn't help my weight, but sure was yummy! After returning home, I tried to forget the whole thing....Then a week ago, I had a dream about having "stomach stapling". That morning, completely unsolicited, my next door neighbor told me about our former neighbor who got "banded." Well, hey...God doesn't need to hit me in the head with a brick. I could see the signs...Thanks God! I began my internet search and found myself here...among fellow wannabes and brave already banded LAPers! Now, less than a week into this thought process, I am having epiphanies all over the place and imagining unleashing this thin girl I have inside me. My husband started out with a typical man response...Why don't you just work out more...They DO like to have all the answers, don't they? Now, I have him calling the insurance company for me (we are in the Netherlands, and although I can speak in Dutch, I am afraid I will end up in an Austrian hospital with a vasectomy if I try to discuss the ins and outs in Dutch.) He has also offered to go with me anywhere I need to go for appointments. And, he said if I want it, I have to do it....Pretty good progress for a few days. maybe after I am banded, he can eat all the goodies I am missing and I can live vicariously through him! :-) Anyway, I am wrapping my mind around the whole idea of a foreign object inside me. (As if it is the FIRST thing foreign inside me...but that was when I was single...hahahahahaha :heh: ) Ok...enough about my sexlife..... WAIT...NO! Back to my sexlife...I am also imagining me in my old corsets and things......waaaaaaaaaay back when I actually looked sexy in them! And, it would be nice to make love and not lie there in terror that my stomach was going to be touched at some point..... Anyone relating...Yeah, I bet!! Man would I love to hit forty looking HOT!!!!!! Forty and Fabulous sounds like a goal I can live with!!! Better get started..I only have three years...... Heading off now to get some beauty sleep...Wouldn't it be nice if sleep made you thin too??? I think I would have to be Sleeping Beauty...........Rip Van Winkle......you get the drift.....

I would be curious to hear if there is anyone with some experience in the Netherlands??? Ik ben een Amerikaanse vrouw en Ik ben getrouwed met een Nederlander. Ik zoek een beetje informatie over artsen wie met the "LAP band" werken. Informatie??? Ik zal heel blij zijn als je scrijven. Ik spreek (en scrijf) in Nederlandse taal alleen een beetje, maar ik zal altijd proberen!!! Groetjes, Charlotte :clap2:

OK so I was banded in March and have been losing weight much more slowly than I wanted. But, what I HAVE been losing is my darned ENERGY and SLEEP!!! I also have found myself hazy and distracted..more than the usual stuff I can attribute to being a blonde! :-) Anyway, a friend started giving me some supplements. I have been taking Winrgy, and food for Thought for mental clarity and endurance during the day (something I need with a 50-60 hour work week!) and Sleep-Tite to help me stay asleep. Many am I going like crazy during the day and sleeping like the dickens at night!! I highly recommend that you try these products if you are having these problems. Next I am going to try to use the sport products..They are approved for use by Olympic athletes and all the supplements are in the PDR (Physicians Desk Reference), so they have to be safe and effective. The link to the site where I order is under my signature. Shipping is free and they have a 30 day money back guarantee. I figure anything that makes me feel better while I am on this LONG journey to SDkinnyville is worth it, so I thought I would share. If you use this link, click on SHOP in the upper right hand corner to read about allthe products and order. I also love, love, love the skincare!!

Princess- YOU LOOK AWSOME!!!!!

OK. I admit it..this question has been asked in other ways, and I have read through all the posts, but I am still confused.... I have had 2 fills in my 14cc band, and am not sure if I need another..But I think I do. I have experienced PBing 2-3 times...MY FAULT entirely. Too big a bite of food!!! But, for the most part, I can eat whwtever I want, whenever I want, and I don;t feel full most of the time. Ocassionally, I DO feel full, and can't eat much, but it seems- according to what I have read here- that there are times when you might feel more restriction than usual. Should I go and have anothre fill so I can experience restriction all the time? I am losing really slow- 16-18 pounds in three months. This whole idea of a sweet spot and understanding how it feels is a lot like that question... "How do you know when you are really in love'?" My answer to that NOW is simple...you JUST KNOW! But, easy to answer when you have found it! Is the whole sweet spot thing the same thing..Do you "just know"when you have found it? I am going crazy trying to figure out what I should do next.... HELP!!!! :help:

This is the second time today you have posted right behind me...are you following me? :eyebrows: haha THanks for the words of advise. I am NOT sticking to a certain calorie diet or living off any particular foods. I try to mix it up as I always have....But, have stopped eacting certain foods completely and others in moderation. My surgeon said he would like to have seen me lose more weight up to this point, which makes me think I am not going along as I should... I do feel better and I see results in my clothes. I just feel like maybe I haven't yet reached restriction. Somehow I think eating should be a little more "difficult"than it is now. I really need to use fitday. I wantt o start doing that. But, to be totally honest, I have such a busy job that I often forget to even go to the bathroom until my bladder is about to rupture! I said I was going to put me first after surgery, and I guess I have lied to myself. I need to reorganize my prioritites!! Thanks for giving me some things to think about. I still would like to know what it feels like to hit the sweet spot.... Maybe I need to settle for knowing what it feels like to find real love. lol! Char

Thank God I am not alone! I have been feeling likea big fat (no pun intended) failure! I was banded on March 16, and I am fluctuating between 16-18 pound lost and don't seem to be budging! This cannot be normal! I would love to have the support of some of you guys!!! Anyone else here banded about the same time? Char:help:

Hi. I got my lap band in March...in Europe (Belgium.) I had the AP14 "installed". The port size is the same no matter which band you choose, as far as I know. I looked at about 4-5 different band sizes and never saw any difference in the size of the port. But, don't worry about it. It REALLY isn't an issue. You will feel compelled to feel around for it for a few weeks, and may have som twinges as it settle. Ten, for the most part, you will forget all about it! GOOD LUCK!!!

Hi guys..I weighed this morning and am down FOUR KILOS...that is about 9 pounds in a week. How CAN that be? I am drinking like crazy, so it isn't Water weight..... I also had the waterproof bandages removed and am only left with the "ductape" holding my incisions closed... I can see the edge of the port scar, and if it is ANY indicator, this surgeon has magic hands... It looks smooth and FLAT! And, I keloid!!!

AYYY CARUMBA!!!! To heck with the bravery of posting your pics! After that kind of surgery, I imagine ANYTHING is a walk in the park. Hats off for being able to look at these pics and step outside yourself. I am panicked at the thought of having my steri strips removed and seeing the little incisions from my Lap Band!! I guess I am a wussy!!! lol Congrats on your new and improved bod!! A speedy recovery to you!! Charlotte

OK, I am five days post op, in Band It Land, and I am freaking out over those photos! I am now going to spend months wondering if every pang is the start of slippage..... It's like a really bad car accident you pass on the highway...somehow you feel DRAWN to look..then after you see the head lying ten feet from the rest of it's former owner, you wish you had just kept driving... Can you calm these fears, Dr. C? DO most of us have the possibility of having gruesome "post slippage" photos appearing on a website in the future? I spent 8 months researching this option, and never once second guessed my decision...Maybe t's the pain... :-) HELP!

My dietician told me that bread was a no-no, but I could probably eat it if toasted well. The reason is simple...."raw" bread turns into balls that won't pass through your stoma. The toasted bread can be chewed into fin crumbs and swalloed easily. Anyone know if this is true? My hubby just bought me a toaster as a post surgery gift.... :-) Char

Hey all. I amsupposed to be on the liquid stage for the next three weeks. Believe me, it does NOT have to be boring. Tonight, I made potato soup: 1 Tbs butter melted ina saucepan. 1 1/2 tbs flour blended in to make a roux 2 cups of skim milk salt and pepper to taste Onion powder 2 small potatos diceld finely. I added all of the above to the "roux" and let it cook until the potatos were tender. stir frequently adn cook on lowest heat or the bottom will burn. After it's done, put in a blender of bullet and blend till smooth. Delicious and filling. You can even add protein powder if you wish. Just be careful not to blend when the liquid is too hot. Tomorrow, I am going to cook some spinich, paprika (red bell peppers) and tomatoes in broth, with some seasonings and whir that in a blender. i might even add some coconut milk and lemongrass for something a little Thai. You are only limited by your imagination!! I hope you guys will share some of your unique recipes. I am not hungry at all. I am just finding that I am bored and wanting to eat because that is what I have always done. But, I won't. At about 9, an hour before bed, I will mix a bit of skim milk, strawberries and protein pwder for a SMALL bedtime snack, and then have nothing but water till tomorrow. Night all!

Hey BIKER...glad I could give you a yummy recipe. i am drinking tons of soup today, mainly because it makes me feel better to have something warm inside. I had my hubby by sour cream and cottage cheese, and i am blending this into every kind of soup I eat. It just gives me a bit of a reprieve from plain 'ol soup. Hubby went shopping today and brought me a toaster home!!! Awwww. I tol dhim I couldn't wait to have toast with a little jam or a tiny bit of butter. So, he has the toaster all ready and waiting. I had my lortab at 8:30 am and nothing since...is now 5pm. I am still not sore, just a little uncomfortable, so I think I will take another painkiller. I am still VERY bloated. We are sup[osed to go on a beach walk with our Boxer club tomorrow. But, I think I am opting out...even the thought of seeing 30-40 Boxers tromping up and down the sea coast and playing in the water isn't enough to make me go out yet. I did vacuum one floor of my house and mop, but I think I overdid it because I was feeling good. Three days post-op is probably too soon to be acting "normal'!! TAMMY- Welcome to Bandland. I hope you recover as quickly as I seem to be!! Char

Hi all: three days post surgery, and i am feeling much better already. I even think I might blowdry my hair after washing AND put on makeup!!! I am sur emy DH will be very happy to see me looking like his wife again!! So far, the worst is trying sleep. I tried to lie on my side, but don't feel like that is a good position, asi am afraid I am pulling at my stitches. So, I have to sleep on my back, and after about 6-7 hours, my back is aching like heck. I have tried the recliner, and that doesn't help. But, being up and moving is better for me anyway. I am taking my Lortab, mostly for discomfort, and not for pain. This morning, I had my first non water based drink... Yummy Fatfree milk, 4 big strawberries, vanilla protein powder, and a drop of vanilla flavoring...blended in my bullet. Delicious!! I would just as soon eat this as ice cream!! I am not having ny major problems, and still no pain in my shoulders...the gas still seems to be around my midsectio. I am curious if I can wear ANY clothes, because I am so bloated. RowdyReptile..Yes, peeing take awhile.... :-) Char

Hi Silly Willy.. I too had a not so positive first experience when I began posting here....but, as you can see, it isn't because there are bad people here..just lots of posts and sometimes we get missed. Congrats on finding out that your heart issue wasn't so serious (I have mitral valve prolapse, which was discovered many years ago.) I just had surgery 3 days ago and everything was great. You can and WILL do this. Good luck to you!!

Hi Tracy... You do indeed have this point. You arem't looking for a vein...the tendons are in the midline (center) of the underside of your arm. Bend your palm toward your face and the tenson will slacken so you can feel it better. It feels like two threads or strings running under the skin. You don;t have to push hard...just 10-15 secs on either side a few times...you will feel your nausea go away....promise. :-) FUR ELLIE: I have ben mixing my Lortab in a litle water adn crystallight then stirring till it dissolves. The Crystal light helps mask the taste if you put enough in!! MS JEN: DO not get discouraged. Your time will come!!!!! Hi Brandi!: My banding sister. I also was banded on the 14th. My absomen is so bloated I feel pregnant! I think all the gas stayed here instead of traveling upward. I also remember nothing except some of the recovery room!! Hope you are soon feeling better. I am on a clear liquid diet, but "cheated". I added an egg to my chicken broth and swished around for eggdrop soup. I just HAD to have some protein. My hair is already falling out!! How is everyone else out there??

Hey guys: Two things that might help you; If you are experiencing gas...I am..LOTS!! Try the GasX strips. the cinnamon ones seem almost decadent..and work really well!! I ordered them from the States adn wish I had gotten more of them!!! Second, I am a licensed acupuncturist, and have found nausea not to be a proble, when utilizing pressure points... here's a help for you guys: Take your middle three fingers (pointer, middle and ring), Lay the ring finger on the crease of your wrist (palm side up). where the pointer finger ends on the inside of your wrist, note... then feel for the tendon there...you will feel two separate "threads"...place your finger in between the tendon at the level you previously noted and press. Do the same thing on the other wrist. This point is known as P6 or Pericardium 6. It is "magic" for ending that queasy feeling. Hope this helps.... By the way, I am now a full two days and a few hours past surgery. Mostly I am not hungry, but I am recognizing that pain, boredom and frustration are definitely food triggers for me!!! But, I am holding strong and sticking to the rules. I hope everyone else that was recently banded is doing ok. char

Hi guys: Two days post op..almost 48 hours to the hour. I am not experiencing any of the gas pains in my shoulder, which so many talked about. I do feel very bloated around my middle however. I have all my incisions pretty well covered, but can only see bruising around my port incision. So, I guess Dr. LaFullarde took good care of me and was gentle. I have a tendency to bruise like a banana!!! I was not allowed ANYTHING the day or night after surgery...except two ice cubes (small ones) about 6 hours apart. Yesterday I was only allowed Water, water and more water. Today, I was allowed my first cup of coffee (YAY!!), tea, and clear broths...also tomorrow. As of Sunday, I can add milk, and THIN yoghurt and other very thin liquids. I cannot eat mushies till Day 14. But, to be fair, I am scared to eat!! I haven't gotten used to the idea of the band and narrowed opening and am afraid that when I eat I will hurt myself. Has anyone else experienced this?? I am drinking lots of water with Crystal Light (thank God I brought this from the US, as they don't have anything like it here in the Netherlands.) I am also taking Lortab about every 4-6 hours to be comfortable. Unfortunately, my doctor in the US forgot to prescribe liquid, and I didn't realize it until it was brought over here by my friend. So, I am having to dissolve the capsules in water and drink the nasty bitter liquid in small sips. YUCK! But, ok, I don't hurt, and I would be very unhappy wihtout anything.....And in Belgium, I got nothing except a shot for the ride home. :-( All in all, I am ok, and happy with the way everthing went. before Wed. of next week, I will go and get my steri strips removed. Then I will share photos of my incisions for anyone who is curious. Congrats to the banders today and in the coming days. I wish you as much success as I have had and a speedy recovery.

:sick Hi all. i joined theland of the banded on Wednesday...banded by Dr. LaFullarde in Geel, Blegium. I had never met him prior to surgery, but was hoping he was as good of a surgeon as he was good looking!! lol Then I remembered he would see me mostly naked! haha. Anyway, he sits on a medical ethics board with dr. Dillemans, for the Royal Society of Belgian Surgeons or something like that. I went in Thursday morning, was supposed to be in a room with 4 bes, but they had no free beds..So I was put in a room with two beds...and nobody to share it with!! YAY! I had my blood tests done and an EKG. After that, I took a valium to help calm me down. I was then wheeled into surgery and remember NOTHING past the initial burning pain of the IV. i woke up in recovery and remember asking for pain meds, but dont remember the pain. I spent the entire rest of the day and night sleeping. This morning, I got out of bed to pee twice and finally to get a sponge bat (I knew I was feeling rough when I stood naked in front of a stranger!!) my hubby drove me home the 2 hour drive, and I have been trying to find a comfortable position ever since. I am not so much experiencing pain, as it is severe discomfort and ithing on my belly. Getting up off a chair, couch or bed is ROUGH!!! I am drinking loads of Water and cannot have anything else until tomorrow...followed by 3 days of specific liquids. I dont care.. I am not hungry. No gas pains in my shoulders yet.... So, welcome fellow newbies adn good luck to the rest being banded this week. I am signing out. I have reached the limits of my energy... Charlotte

thanks Tracy!!!!!

Hi guys! OK..I am coming out of hiding..... I am sitting outside Antwerp in my hotel and I am counting down the HOURS instead of the months, weeks and days until I have my surgery!! I have a 10 A.M. appointment with Dr. LaFullarde and am waiting for the anxiety to start in! I imagine about the time I see the hospital, I will start wringing my hands!! My husband has been awesome! We have gone out to 5 star restaurants nearly every night this week to have one "last meal" after another!!! Tonight, I was punished...we ordered a fixed menu and it had DUCK as a main course! ACK!! Then, I got caught trying to hide it under the veggies on my plate, and was asked if something was "wrong" with my meal. lol to save me, my hubby ate my duck for me...even though he also HATES it! Is that love or what??? Now I am all full of chocolate crepe and a wonderful Waldorf salad....God love my surgeon for not making me do a liquid diet BEFORE my surgery. (Sorry to those who ARE on one!!) I actually think I have food out of my system for awhile, thanks to too many rich meals! Anyway, I am wondering how it will all go and hoping to NOT have a catheter!!! I am a bit worried about being intubated (tube down the throat), and naturally curious about how painful it will be. But, I am so proud to be joining the ranks of those of you who are already "WITH THE BAND", and looking forward to welcome the banders who come after me to the "team"!!! I am finding great inspiration in some of you guys....lurking quietly in the shadows reading about your successes. But, I will soon be seeking support among you all, and hope I can soon be an inspiration for others. Thanks to everyone here, just for BEING HERE. You guys have made this journey alot easier just by sharing your hearts her eon these boards. My prayers go out to everyone sharing my "rebirth day" (banding day) and all those coming in the days after. I will come back and report all the (gory/not so gory) details when I can get online!!! Hugs to all of you out there! Charlotte

Lucky ducks you guys are! We don't have Propel or Special K protein water.. We have to make do wiht th ebasis. We don't even have the great array of soups that the US has.The problem with living in a country with a population only twice that of NYC!! (16 million) We have to make do. So, when you guys are on liquid diets and feeling bad, think of me..I have about a third of the stuff available to me, that you have. :myscared: lol Great idea about the sippy cup!! How much pain did ou have following surgery?? On a scale of 1-10? My US doctor sent me a prescritopn for pain medicine, but I can't get it filled here because i has codeine in it. GRRR!

Well, it is done..Today, I made the entire payment for my new friend, including two years of aftercare...dietician, psychologist etc. I only have to pay for fills, which are 50 euros. I am being banded by Dr. LaFullarde in Geel, Belgium. So far, I haven't found any English or Americans who have used him, but I think he might only speak Dutch...Not a problem, as I speak Dutch myself. :-) A perk of having a Dutch husband. Geel is just outside Antwerp, and Dr. LaFullarde has an excellent reputation on the Dutch Lapband boards. He is part of the Medico Legal Committe in the The Belgian Group for Endoscopic Surgery is now the official "surgical endoscopy" branch of the Belgian Royal Society of Surgery, together with Dr. Dillemans. So, I guess I shouldn't worry. My surgery is 5,850 euros, including the aftercare, so it was the best deal I found. I am just trying hard not to think about having someone cut into me. I am almost 40, and have never been inside an operating room, or had a visit to a hospital for longer than a few hours. Terrifying for me, let me tell you!!! I am trying to focus on reading everyone's success stories and making sure I carry everything with me that I will need to make the journey home comfy. We are staying in a 5 star hotel the night before surgery, and my husband will stay there while I am in the hospital overnight. I wanted us to have a nice couple of days. We are even taking our two Boxers, so I can have them there to keep me focused on something other than surgery. I figure they will keep me calmer both before and after surgery. So, I have the following...please tell me if I am missing anything... Cold pack heating pad dissolvable aspirin dissolvable vitamins mint tea bags (for upset tummy) individual packets of mix for broth nice squishy feather pillow for the trip home comfy pants, no waistband loose shirt so I can go braless flat slides so I dont have to bend to put on shoes socks blanket for the car chewable pepto bismal Ho hum...count down to March 14th......Any words of encouragement out there? I am starting to fear I will do this and still be fat forever...... Charlotte

Yes, well, it is also nice for everyone to know that in a country where we practice "socialized medicine" and there is supposed to be equal opportuniy for all to receive care, insurance companies play the same stupid games. :faint: Ironically, I have lived here for five years and paid compulsory monthly insurance payments. In that time, I have NEVER been to a doctor or hospital. Yet, they won;t pay a lousy 5000 euros to make sure I STAY healthy. Fun, huh? OK, I will hit them up for plastics AFTER I am skiiny again!!! :heh: You are right, Tammy. And, doing myself gets it done FASTER!!!! WOOOOO HOO!!! I am gonna be skinny again one day!!! :clap2: