greytz

I am glad to see you are already here and finding this forum supportive. Good Luck and will be thinking about you. There is a thread on here for surgery stories where you can post your surgery info or you can start a new thread and post it if you want to.

RM is absoluely right. You had a great time and be sure and remember it as that. You crossed a right of passage and it is a big deal so don't deny yourself the fun of that. It sounds by your second thread like you got back on track. Yeah for you! Just keep at it. It is gonna be worth it! Good Luck!

Good Job! Keep posting and letting us know how you are doing. Wow! Triplets and a toddler. You get an award just for that. Good Luck!

I am so proud of you. What a major accomplishment. I think it is probably difficult to attend something like that and still be able to have fun and maintain your same healthy weight. I am from the Cincy area so I am a long time Reds friend. Glad you posted this. We are all talking about the accomplishments being first banded but your story is a true inspiration to me and lets me know I will be able to enjoy things and still maintain. Thanks.

I agree with that. You would probably be stuck. That small amount probably didn't hurt you but I am sure a continuation of that might would cause you a problem. Since your sister has been banded for awhile she would be a great means of support for you. I have been banded since 06-17-09. I know how tempting it is to want to eat something you shouldn't. I am currently in what they refer to as "bandster hell" and will get my first fill on 08-04-09. Can't wait. Anyway, stick to it and you will do fine. I already had a little restriction which has helped me immensely and I can now get on the treadmill and that really takes my mind off of eating. I'll say a prayer for you. Good Luck!

You go girl! What a threshold to beat! Congratulations!

Ok. You were doing so well at least by the looks of your ticker. You are still ok and have a chance to get out of this rut but please, please go see your doctor and tell him what is going on. Be honest so he/she can help you! Now! Before you gain the weight back. Don't destroy what you have already worked so hard to accomplish and don't take a chance on making your band problem any worse. You are such a beautiful girl. Go get help. LOL

Amazing! You have made it! Way to go! You look wonderful!

Hi Cathy, welcome to the site. You are doing great! Keep up the good work!

It is so very important to ensure you follow the instructions you are given. Why did you go through surgery and expense just to turn around and defeat the very thing you want to help you? It might be time to find a support group and get some help. You have a ways to go.

Congrats! That is for some one of the great benefits of the band!

katwmn63, did they give you a breathing machine at the hospital? I know it sounds crazy because you are in pain, but if you use the breating machine, it will help you.

That is so Great! Hopefully it is just the beginning of more memories to come.

That is why they call it "bandster Hell". That time in between before you get that first fill. It is hard to stick with it but so very, very important to follow the guidelines you have been given. They don't just make them up for no reason. There is a method and a reason for everything you are told to do. Even though not all surgeons are the same and some may vary in their instructions, they have their own reasons for it in the way they care for you.

I also brought a soft cup bra. I usually wear underwire and the largest incision you will have sits just under your bra line. A soft cup or loose elastic bra will help a lot. Not sure why they gave you soap and shampoo. I was an overnight patient and wasn't allowed to wash anything other than my face and brush my teeth. Good Luck!

I had to want it bad enough. I had been researching the band for quite some time and attended numerous seminars. Then, in May came a defining moment when I was so embarassed at a family function that I said enough is enough. It isn't easy and you MUST be prepared to stick to the plan as instructed. You have to want it bad and find things to motivate yourself enough to follow through. Read some of the threads on this site and you will get an idea of how hard it is and what we have all done to help ease the journey. Good Luck!

I was banded on 06-19-09 and still experience some left shoulder pain. My surgeon explained to me that it takes different amounts of time to go away as none of us are made up the same. When I was first banded, it was really terrible and I used the pain elixer at night to help me sleep better. Right now, I use aspirin and my heating (rice bag) bag and it seems to do the trick but it is much much better than it was. Hang in there.

I totally agree with Big Momma is Shrinking and tessieKay. You were not at the gym for his opinion and it is usually a waste of time to educate someone like that. Forget it girl and move on. You are obviously doing great and working hard for your weight loss success. It seems there is always someone out there trying to derail anyone who is trying to better themselves in some way. Don't worry about the nay sayers. They don't have a clue.

One more thing I didn't see on hear is a soft cup bra. I usually wear underwires and there is an incision that is usually right in that area just under the front of your bra. The soft cup really, helped for awhile until the incision healed. I use a rice bag for heat. A trick my mother-in-law taught me and I still use it all the time. Take an old pillow case and cut it the length and size you want. I have several different sizes and lengths and use them for different areas of my body. Sew it together leaving a small entry hole and fill the hole with uncooked rice. Leave some room in there so the bag is flexible. Place the bag in the microwave for about 2 minutes and you are ready to use it. I like it because I can use it in bed and not worry about the cord. They are great. Also, the bullet is fantastic as Aivey said. It saves the day in the mushy stage.

Bless your heart. You have been through so much you may want to consider giving your body a rest. I had cancer many years ago and chemo has come a long way since then, but I have had several family members who have had to have chemo. I am no expert but based on their experiences I am aware that there are certain kinds of chemo that put weight on and bloat you out. My uncle was a very small person and gained a lot of weight while on chemo. It is very hard to lose. I was on oral steroids for 2 yrs for a skin condition and had to wait a time before they would even talk to me about the band. I currently have hypothyroidism and I have to keep it checked regularly or it will defeat my weight loss with the band. I was banded on 06-19-19 and have lost 20 lbs so far. Gotta change my ticker. I know you are probably tire easily right now but exercise may also be a big help to you. Good Luck and Hang in there.

I think you can find horror stories about anything you choose to do. Your probably have since you have done so much research. As with anything too much information is sometimes confusing when you are trying to make a decision about something. I did research the band about a year ago when a lot of people I know were having gastric bypass and I even went so far as to sign up for a seminar and backed out at the last minute. I wasn't ready at the time and completed research off and on throughout the year. I then had that defining moment based on something that happened in May and that was it. I made the decision and went on and did it and I am so glad I did! I am on my way down the scales instead of up them. I have lost 20 lbs so far. Gotta change my ticker. You are the only person that can say for certain what is right for you. Now that you are armed with information all you have left to do is make the choice and go through with it. Good Luck!

It sounds like since you are feeling stuck that the stress is getting to you. That is a rough place to be. Maybe your surgeon can tell you if he/she thinks you need a fill based on what you are saying.

It also has to do with what your insurance company requires. Some require a period of self-diet before they approve. Also, you will have to have pre-op testing and some insurance companies also require a sleep study. I have good insurance and was approved and in surgery in less than a month but I really stayed on top of it and pushed them. Insurance companies and plans are so different it is hard to say how long but just keep at it. It also depends on your surgeon's schedule.

I am typo crazy tonight. That was supposed to be www.tickerfactory.com and then the rest as above.

Go to www.tickerfactory.comand follow the instructions. Then save it to your desktop and copy and paste into your signature box.