LL67

Hi everyone, great to see your familiar faces! Seems like just yesterday we were all stressing and excited about our upcoming surgeries! I have not done as well so far as I had hoped, but still very happy I had the surgery. I started at 220, and am down to 188. 32 lbs. ALthough its not alot, I really don't think I would have done it on my own, as I had been holding that weight for 10 years. My blood pressure med has been cut in half so far, I'm hoping to get it gone all together. I must say the slow weight loss is my fault, not the band. I do not eat my Protein as I should, meat is def not my preference! I just started adding Greek yogurt into my diet... Also I have really not picked up my exercise routine. I am very sporadic. SO...all in all I have not USED my band properly. But the band is not going anywhere, and I will persevere! Will not give up. I am thankful I have the band in there and will use it better in my future. You have all done SO great, I'm so happy for all of you, CONGRATULATIONS! Lisa

Hi there! I know its frustrating with the slowness of weight loss, I have not lost weight in a few months, and am feeling very disappointed in myself. Like you said, its the end all for our weight loss, we do have to put the work in too! You have lost alot of sizes, you should feel really proud of that and I'm sure you look great too! I have gone from an 18 to a 14, but have only lost 30 lbs since August. I have to feel happy though because I don't think I could have lost that weight on my own without the band. Hopefully more is to come off! Hang in there. I am going for a fill Wed. for the first time in awhile...

Hi Abby! Nice to see you here. I was wondering how you were, you were so sweet and supportive before the surgery! I too have had very slow weight loss. I have lost about a total of 25 since Aug, and I too have not given it my best shot. I guess the thing that I was surprised at is that it actually takes effort! Something I have not been so good at in the past. I have not had good restriction because each time I have had a fill (I am up to 6 CCs in my 10 CC band) it feels TOO restricted and I can't even get down Water and they have to remove most of the fill. However, at this level I feel no restriction. Not sure how I will get to that spot, I will just keep trying. Hang in there, we just need to refocus! Lisa :thumbup:

Hi everyone - I too have not lost as much as I hoped to so far. Only 25 lbs since August. However I do fit in clothes I couldn't before, which is great! I have 5.5 in my 10CC band. Had to have 1cc removed after an overfill (NOT a nice feeling!) Going back next week for another fill, hoping that gets me to a better place. I can eat way too much now. I'm still glad I did it and I know the weight will start coming off again eventually! Hang in there everyone, it will come. We knew the band was a slower process than the bypass surgery. In the long run, we'll be great!

WOW Triplet Momma, you lost 86 lbs??????? That is fabulous, you have to feel GREAT!!! I have not gotten sick since I've been banded, thankfully. I think I've been more diligent with my vitamins and stuff, so maybe thats why. I hope you are feeling better though and that you get a full round of blood work.:bored:

Hi gang - I have had 2 fills - 1st fill had 4 ccs, 2nd fill had 2cc's for a total of 6cc's in my 10cc band. I feel some restriction, but definetely will need one more (at least). From this point on the nurse said they will only put in 1 cc at a time, because the point of too much restriction can come pretty easy at this point. I'm very happy with the band so far. Its not drastic, but I have lost a total of 23 lbs, with about 25 more to go.

I hate to admit this, but I am 3 weeks post op and eating too much! At 2 weeks I was able to pretty much eat would I could tolerate...now 3 weeks out I can eat anything and I am eating the wrong things and too much! I lost 15 lbs with my liquids but now that I can eat again, I'm so disappointed in myself. I"m hoping my fill next week will help out. Pretty much feel like I did before having surgery, think the fills will help? Had to admit that to someone:sad:

Hi everyone- I had my first fill two weeks ago, 4 cc's in my 10 cc band. I really still feel no restriction at all. I guess my capacity to eat has diminished somewhat, I can't pack in it like I used to. But I still can eat a good amount (too much). I go back in 2 weeks for another fill. My doctor said usually 7-8 cc's gets you where you want to be. I hope so! I've lost 20 lbs so far but nothing the last few weeks. :mad:

I'm so excited, I get my first fill tomorrow. I'm really hoping for a change in my restriction, right now I am operating off pure will power, which does not always work great. My weight loss has stopped since I started eating regular food, even though I know I am eating much less than before the surgery. Hopefully this will kick start me again. Has anyone had a fill yet? Wondering how the first one went....:blushing:

Hi everyone...well I had the fill yesterday. The doc had me do a little crunch while laying down, and she felt the port easily. However she quickly discovered I had a pocket of fluid around my port, which I guess develops sometimes after surgery (she had a name for it but I forget). So she had to drain that first, and then she was able to do the fill. It was not terribly painful, but strange and uncomfortable...but not terrible at all! She put 4 cc's in my 10 cc band. I was on liquids yesterday and soft foods today, and back to normal tomorrow. She said some people get good restriction with 4 cc's, some not. She said seems like the magic spot is around 7 for most people. So I can go back in another month for another fill. Haven't really eaten much yet so I can't tell how much restriction there is yet. We shall see! :thumbup:

thanks for the encouraging words Jacqui... I'm not stuffing myself or hurting myself, but...like you said eating more than I should for good weight loss. After the first couple of weeks where I guess the stomach is still swollen in there, and you really CAN"T eat... I was getting used to that quick weight loss, not so much now. But I will try to be patient and hope the fills help me out......

Just wanted to see how long you all are waiting until you can get your first fill, has your dr. let you know yet? I have an appointment for 4 weeks out (I am 2 weeks right now). Seems quick to me, but maybe not. He said we will determine when I am there if I need a fill (depending on weight loss, hunger, etc). I am kind of feeling hungry the last couple of days. I am on regular food now, and it does make it a little more difficult than when on liquids, because the choices were so limited then. I'm at work right now and just walked into the kitchen, where there was a huge chocolate sheet cake with whip cream sitting there cut up waiting to be eaten for someones birthday! That was the first time my brain was really tempting me....I passed it up however. Like the crack head passing a table full of free crack!:thumbup:

Hi Darce, How frightening for you, I'm so sorry. Did the doc say why it took so long for the infection to surface like that? Did you show any symptoms prior (swelling, redness?) I wish you full recovery and quick healing! Lisa:smile2:

I can't wait either, after 2 weeks post op of having no appetite, it has suddenly returned and I don't like it!

My doctor actually allows solids two weeks post op... nothing too drastic but they said its trial and error as far as what will go down easily and what won't. Things have been going pretty well and I've been taking it very slowly, but today my son was eating a Devil Dog (holy moly) and I didn't even think about it when he handed the remainder of it to throw out, my old instincts kicked in and I gobbled it and swalled it (about 1/4 of the thing). Talk about PAIN. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I won't eat again without thinking (hopefully). That was not fun.

Just wanted to see if anyone else has had or heard of anyone having this. While my doc was in there to do my band, he discovered a pretty large hiatal hernia that somehow did not show up on the BIRAGE of tests we had to do before surgery! He had to repair that first because my stomach was pushed up into my chest! Crazy. I have one incision that is about 2 inches long, and 4 others that are tiny. Pretty shocking, I had no symptoms.

Abby I feel the same way! I haven't had a protein shake for the last few days, sorry to say. Just can't get it down, the thought of it makes me shudder, ewwww....Also can't get down another cream soup. That leaves me with popsicles and yogurt! I'm sure you are in a similar boat... Food will come soon...its amazing how excited I am to eat tuna and egg salad at the end of the week "chopped finely" in my food processor... How times have changed!

Hi stajin! Glad you are ok...seems that alot of us have had the hernia thing discovered while in surgery...I had one too! Hope you recover quickly...

Last night i had to have something tasty, so I went to our local seafood restaurant and got a lobster bisque to go... I was so excited, thinking hey its creamy, no solids in it...Well I ate about 1/4 of it and then had excruciating pains in my stomach followed by an extended stay in the bathroom (sorry, gross). I was thinking, hey wait, they cook this stuff with sherry I believe, and I guess it was just too rich. Now I see why they say our little tummys need to learn to eat again normally...

When I press around my port site, I definetely feel something hard, which I don't like! I was hoping it would be more "internal", what are you guys feeling?

I am just hungry, but like you said can't get much down. I'm so sick of cream soup I can't even begin to think about it, and that was the one thing that was keeping me feel full and satisfied. The protein shakes are making me want to puke. I'm basically eating sugar free yogurt, ice pops and ummmm, hate to say it but thats about it! Starting tomorrow I can puree some foods....so...not sure what the heck would be good pureed! Thurs. I can eat "minced food" which is really something to look forward to! Pretty much anything, well you know, within reason, chopped up really small. Exciting! I am starving right now, I must say.

Seems like such huge differences in our eating plans from our doctors! My soft scrambled eggs are allowed 10 days post op...

Wow, that is amazing, I had no idea HH was that common. Guess being overweight contributes to it, like Abby said. Yes, thankfully we had the surgery and it was found! Its ALL good! Is anyone getting an appetite back? I suddenly am feeling hungry and of course am still on liquid diet....

Hi everyone...just wanted to check in and see how you're all doing. I'm 4 days post op, and can't eat much at all. I feel like I am getting an appetite back, like when my family eats it is starting to look appealing, but I can't even get 1/2 can of soup down, or 1/2 protein shake. My pain is substantially better,although I think I may be doing too much physically, with my kids. What kind of activity are you all doing at this point? Love to all....:thumbup:

I was banded 4 days ago and I already have so much improvement with my mobility and pain, I must say the first 2 days were pretty bad and I was thinking, what the hell did I do to myself??? But by day 3, things were MUCH better! I'm feeling pretty normal mentally and physically. Of course still a little slow moving around but today I went to Walmart and gave my 3 year old a bath....The surgery itself??? Once you're in there, its OVER! Just enjoy your hospital stay and morphine and it will start getting better before you know it!:thumbup: