April

Ruthie, Hey sweetie, there is hope, hang in there. My band slipped back in January, and the Doc unfilled my band, I went on liquids, was supposed to go back in 3 weeks but because of scheduling problems didn't go back for 6 weeks. But at 6 weeks my band was back in place. Doc gave me a small fill and I'm starting over (a lot slower than before). The Doc told me it's a 50/50 chance of it going back on it's own. Just stay positive, and believe it IS fixed. I truly believe in the power of positive thinking (and the grace of God). Through the whole 6 weeks I visualized it going back in place and I tried to stay positive and sometimes it was hard. I don't want to discourage you, but the next few weeks are gonna be difficult in the hunger department. I was so totally shocked at the difference the fills made, I didn't realize how dependent on my band I had become. I don't know what else to say, but I hope my rambling has helped. Take care, It WILL be OK. Need to talk I'll be here.

Nope! Just go to phenforum.com and make one. It's easier than ticker factory (for me anyway). Good luck, and by the way, when you get to the end to copy & paste just copy the ticker part or else you'll get a bunch of phen forum advertisement crap.

Hey BJean, How you been? Sure, I'd tell my story a million times if I can help prevent anyone from slipping their band. MY SYMPTOMS FROM BAND SLIPPAGE :sick HEARTBURN (really bad all the time) :sick EXCESSIVE BURPING :sick EXCESSIVE GURGLING :sick PAIN WHEN EATING (my pain was under my breast bone and a sharp pain in the side as if someone kicked me) :sick COULD ONLY EAT A COUPLE OF BITES BUT WAS STILL HUNGRY :sick PRODUCTIVE BURP or PB (I only PB'd 2 times) of course there are other symptoms that I did not experience, so you know everyone is different. BJean I hope this helps. I believe I slipped my band because I had too much saline in my band. And I (totally my fault so please don't think I'm passing the blame) I was ill-informed. The symptoms and signs that I was looking for were not the symptoms that I had. I believe I did not PB until after my band slipped, I think I PB'd because my band slipped. I was unaware of the pain being a warning sign, I thought it was something stuck and it will pass soon. I thought the burping and gurgling came with the band. I thought the only being able to eat a few bites was the "sweet spot". And as for the heartburn, I had it regularly before the band so I thought it normal to experience a bit of it. I think if you just went out-of-town and ate irregularly and have a bit of pain it's probably normal so don't freak out thinking your band slipped. But I would go on liquids or mushies for a couple of days to see if you feel better. And if you still feel funny or have concerns, call your Doc. to have them do a barium swallow. From my experience I tend to err on the side of caution these days.

I told my Husband, Brother, Sister, Mother-in-Law (only 'cause she suggested it), and one friend. I did not tell my Mom, Son (he's only 4), Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends, Co-workers, etc... My Mother-in-Law told every one she saw:angry I finally had to politely tell her I'd appreciate it it she would allow me to choose who I told about MY band. I chose not to tell certain people because I know the reaction would not be approving or supportive. I also chose not to tell certain groups of people because this is tough enough without being scrutinized all day long. Bottom line is, it is your body and your decision. Tell people you know will be supportive. And always remember you can choose to tell them after-the-fact, but once you tell someone you can never un-tell them. Good luck with your surgery and your decision.:gluck:

HELL YES I'D DO IT AGAIN!!! I've had a pretty rocky road, but I'm so happy I did it. I feel so much better physically and emotionally. I HAVE self-esteem! Never had that before. I can go to restaurants and not worry about fitting in the booth. I can sit in a chair with arm rests and not worry about getting out. I can put on shoes with out holding my breath. I can sit in the floor and play with my son and the dogs, and I can get back up. All this wonderful stuff I can do and I'm only down 60lbs. Just think of the things I will be able to do when I reach my goal!!! I am a recovering Sweet-a-holic. I used to eat sweets from sun up to sun down. I still crave it all day, but now that I have control, I allow myself one sugary-sweet a day. Not a bag of candy... A piece of hard candy, or A small piece of chocolate. The band does not change our heads (though I wish it did 'cause I have my fare share of demons in there) but it does give us power over our hunger. I know I'd loose the weight faster if I totally gave up sugar but that's not for me 'cause I've tried. I end up obsessing over it and eating crap I really shouldn't have and in quantities that are shameful...chocolate slips right through. So I don't think it's not for the weak-in-sweets, you just have to do your own soul searching and come to a truce with your demon.

Hey Lapitup! :welcomeB: ! I also had to do the Opti-fast diet for four weeks. I called it my "Liquid Boot Camp":usa2: . If you've not purchased it yet, may I suggest all liquids i.e... drinks & Soup, I couldn't stand the bars. They were just too vile for me. It's hard for the first 3-4 days, but as long as you do not cheat it gets really easy after that 'cause you body goes into Ketosis (?spelling?) which is basically Protein shock where your body sends out chemicals that says you are not hungry even though you are. I found it all quite fascinating. Well good luck with your liquids :spit: and your surgery. If you need someone to commiserate with, I'm here!:hug:

Thank you Valgal, It's nice to be back!

Hello everyone in MI! Haven't been by to check in lately, so I figured I'd see how you all are doing. Things are finally going well here, I'll have my 2nd-3rd fill tomorrow. My son has a stomach bug right now and that makes me VERY nervous, but hopefully he keeps it to himself this time. Well, take care!

Hey everyone, I've missed you. Remember me? The first September bandster to slip my band?!??!? Well, I'm back and on track. I see all of you are doing great! OMG!!! Some of you are in spitting range of your goal! It took longer than expected (6 weeks not 3) to find out that my band fixed itself. The un-fill did the trick! But I've been kinda down in the dumps since it slipped. I'm just now getting back on track, I have another fill scheduled for Thursday. I'm taking it slow, kinda because I'm scared to slip it again, and because I did a lot of soul searching in the 6 weeks I was waiting to see if I was gonna loose my band, and I came to the conclusion that this is my band, it will be mine for life and I don't need to hurry. I'd like to hurry, but that's how I got into trouble in the first place. So slow and steady is my new speed. I hope you all will welcome me back with open arms. It looks like I've missed a lot. I don't even recognize this place anymore. Well, hope all is well with you guys. Take care.

Hi All, I'm still hangin' in here. I missed last week's weigh in but nothin' to report. Last week was a -0 and this week is a -0. I guess it's good I didn't gain. This is really hard work. I didn't realize how MUCH the band was working on my hunger until I didn't have the restriction anymore. And I started exercising. I'm taking an "Aquacise" class! Kinda fun, kinda cold (Michigan in January need I say more?) kinda kick butt (didn't expect that). So that's Tuesday & Thursday for 1 hour each day. That's it for my exercise unless you guys let me count shoveling snow as exercise.

Wonderful! I'm so glad to hear you're Ok.

Hi All, I'm hangin' in there. I feel a little better (emotionally) today. I'm still sore but it's not painful. BJean & MimIn - I only PB'd the slimy foam spit stuff, I didn't even throw up. I think I was all balls to the wall crazy for fills since my insurance ran out in December and I ended up getting too tight too fast and hurt myself. I should have listened to my body and my band not my pocketbook. Now I'm in a terrible fix if I do have to get another surgery, I'll never be able to pay for it. I don't even know how much the visit on Tuesday's gonna cost me. But whatever it is I guess I put it on my credit cards. I don't know how severe the slip is 'cause all I heard is "it slipped" and I started crying, I felt like my best friend died. Doc stopped the exam and hugged me. If you guys can take anything from my experience PLEASE do what your band says, do not get a fill if you don't need it, and if you get one and all of a sudden feel like you can't eat or its painful when you eat, you girggle, hiccup, and burp EXCESSIVELY, get heartburn like you've never had before, get a slight unfill ASAP! Please guys let me be the only September bandster that slips. I was naive and hardheaded. A bad combo.

Get an unfill ASAP. you described what I was going through after my last fill too a T. Now I slipped my band. Don't wait, if it hurts you are too tight. I tried to stick it out and look where it landed me!

It only takes A ONE PB to slip your band! I'm living proof I slipped my band and I only PB'd 2 times. I've only had the band for 4 months, so it CAN happen at anytime. I worry about those of you who do it on purpose. I don't want anyone to go through what I'm having to go through. PLEASE STOP for the love of God and your Band STOP PBing! If you have pain when you eat that means something is stuck and you can slip your band from that alone even if you don't PB. If you have pain when you eat you NEED a slight unfill. If you keep going down this path you will also slip YOUR band before YOUR scars heal!

I couldn't eat anything. It hurt, and I had heart burn. If you notice I have only had the band for 4 months, I guess I was disillusioned that it wouldn't happen so soon. My advice, do what ever you can not to PB. I only PB'd 2 times. And don't get too many fills too quickly. I don't know if that's why it slipped but all I know is I had nothing but trouble after my last fill. If you get a fill and have pain when you eat or get to where you're hungry but can't eat call you Dr. ASAP and get the fill removed!

Hi All, Thanks for the kind words and thoughts...but really bad news...I slipped my band. I guess one of us September bandsters had to be it, so here I am. I feel horrible, I've been crying since yesterday. Doc unfilled my band and we're waiting 3 weeks to see if my stomach will go back to where it's supposed to be and my band will move back up into place. I have a 50/50 change it will correct itself. But that also means a 50/50 chance of surgery to revise or remove my band. I feel desolate...like no matter what I do, I'm destined to be a fat & unhealthy. I know thats not the right attitude, and I really am trying to be positive. It's just so hard, I never expected for this to happen so soon. I just can't understand how some people PB all the time and I only did it 2 times and mine slipped. I'm in a little pain but I feel much better without restriction. But I'm also back to being ravenously hungry. I'm sticking to the challenge and trying to live each day as if there is nothing wrong. What else can I do for 3 weeks? I'm not gonna worry myself into a tizzy. I'm working on a mantra here... I am OK. I trust in God to bless me and fix my band. I am not giving up. This has made me wiser and stronger. I am NOT defeated. I AM OK! I'll see you guys next Monday with my weigh-in. Please everyone stay positive for me and keep me in your thoughts & prayers.

It goes by quickly! Dr. Deol and Rebecca are wonderful. She does require a few pre-op appts like psych exam, nutritionist, possibly a stress test, etc... but it's worth it I think. Also the 4 week liquid boot-camp, oh I mean diet. But it's really not that bad, it's only hard for the first 3 days, and it gets you ready for post-op! Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

Hi, I used to live on Oahu:rainbow: , in Kaneohe and in Kailua but now I live in Michigan. Had my band here too so sorry I can't help. I guess I just stopped by 'cause I'm homesick. I hope you find a good Dr, and support group in your area. Feel free to talk story with me anytime!

Hey! Just checking in. Down 5 Lbs this week. Yea! But I had a major PB attack last night and today. Called my Doc, she thinks somethings stuck in there. I have to go to the Hospital tomorrow morning so she can get a good look-see. I'm scared as hell that I messed up something, I hope, no, I PRAY that I didn't slip my band. Any of you all ever had a really bad PB to where it hurts all over in side? How did it turn out for you? Well wish me luck tomorrow. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Exercise, also forgot to do it. Maybe this week.

I'm at 10 & Hayes, but I grew up at 13 & Greater Mack.

Thanks Bill! I hope you do well. Joyce0424, I had a lot of pain at my port site, it didn't go away for over a month. It was just so tender, and it's in the right spot to rub on my pants, get pushed on by the counter when I put the dishes away, etc... I know what you're going through. It will heal. I don't even notice it anymore, not even when I put the dishes away! As long as it's not some funny color, has a strange drainage, or is hot to the touch, you are OK. You would know if it gets infected. But keep us posted on your progress. Good luck.

Hi! Welcome Shannon77, I'm from Mi too! Congrats on the great job! Juno610 Hey its good to see you again. I'm happy to see you're scheduled, hope the liquid thing is going well. Maybe I'll see you sometime at Dr. Deol's support groups. Shirley, we're almost neighbors! I'm in Eastpointe!

I had a C-Section with my son in 2002, I thought that was a lot easier than I expected, but it was still very painful and took a long time to recover from. I had my Lap-Band last September. I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was definitely NOT the same or NO where near WORSE than a C-Section! Those people who are telling you that must have completely been overcome with joy (or pain meds) from having their child. I had about 4 rough days where I was hurting, but it wasn't unbearable. I had some shoulder pain from gas, but that wasn't bad either. I was sore at the incision sites for a while, especially the port site. I would do it again in a heart beat. Don't let the fear of the unknown get to you. Everyone deals with surgery and pain in different ways. You won't know until you go through it. What you need are supportive people around you now. They may not know how their comments are undermining your confidence. It is OK to stop them and politely tell them that you are nervous enough and would appreciate it if they would keep the negative remarks to themselves. I was a nervous reck before my surgery. You can look back at the history of all my threads to see that! I found someone on LBT that had her surgery scheduled the same day as me, she got so freaked out she called and cancelled her surgery within a week of having it. It's not worth letting others put your fears into a negative reaction. Stay positive, stay focused, we all have our reasons for doing this so keep your mind on your reasons, not on someone else's fears.

Hi all, I've been out of the loop since before Christmas, but the Holidays are over and I'm ready to get serious! (I kinda dropped the Xmas challenge ball) So is it MimIn running this challenge? Count me in! (a week or two late, sorry) I'm starting at 241 for the week of 1-8-07. Thanks to MoM for the Christmas Challenge!

Hi MOM, I'm sorry I didn't post for last week. For Dec 4th I was down 3#s. For this week I'm down another 1#. Good Job Sandranoelle on the 40# mark! I'm right there with ya!