beccab1980

I start a new job on Monday (which I am super excited about, but that is a different story). I had to turn in my name tag and a sheet signed off by a bunch of different departments to HR. They are on the first floor and I was told they could take my nametag. The girl (I say girl because she couldn't have been over 20) looked me up and down and said I needed to take it up to the 4th floor and since I would need the elevator she would escort me with the key. What the heck? I have lost over 80lbs and feel great. 4 flights of stairs doesn't even wind me anymore. I made it up and down without a hair out of place. She looked shocked. What a dork!

The pillow is a very good suggestion. In my experience there would have been no way for me to travel the first week after surgery. Definatly play it by ear.

I have had this issue from day one after surgery a year ago. At first it was because I drank too much coffee or water after my morning workout. Now that I am at my sweetspot I don't even bother eating breakfast until I have been awake at least an hour. All my other meals are fine...just breakfast sucks. Alot of the time I just drink a Cappachino Slimfast or mix a little protein shake with my morning coffee.

So glad that things worked out! I would have freaked out a little! I felt the same way about my band but hit my sweet spot in April this year. It is really worth it.

It has been a year since my surgery. Because of my weight loss, even with and IUD I get my period on the same day. Watch out ladies....my doctor told me your fertility goes up with weight loss too!

Can your doctor do your fills over time, like 1-2cc at a time instead of just going straight to 5? Like a few others have said 50lbs is not a little progress.... that is HUGE! You should be proud of yourself. BTW our surgery dates are only 4 days apart!

I didn't have this problem, but I didn't have any saline in my band after surgery. Do you? I would call your surgeons office ASAP.

Great advice on the recliner! I lived in mine the first week after surgery. The gas wasn't a problem for me at all. I guess what surprised me the most was that I expected my recovery and surgery to be just like when I had my galbladder out. After that surgery I was taking care of my 4 month old son on my own. After my lapband I wasn't able to do much for about 2 weeks. I should have had my husband arranged more time off to stay and take care of both of us. I had to call my neighbors and ask them to take my son (17 months old by that time) into and out of his crib. I had to teach him to climb onto his changing table! :thumbdown: So to get to my point.....take it easy for the first few weeks, pamper and take care of yourself.

I had the same problem about the same time out from surgery as you. My suggestion may sound a little weird but don't wash your hair as much. Try to go at least three days or longer without shampooing. My beautician gave me that suggestion. She said (and I actually saw Dr. Oz on Oprah say the exact same thing) that we wash our hair way too much and are stripping away the oils our hair needs to be healthy. Sometimes when I have used hairspray or something I will only use conditioner. If you think your hair looks bad use scarves, hats and ponytails. Hope you don't think I am crazy but it really has helped me with my weight loss- hair loss!

all the cool/strange/"normal" stuff you can do now since loosing weight with your band! :tongue2: I will start: I can shave the back of my legs! I have lost 8 inches on each theigh. Before I never wore anything but capris, pants and long skirts because I couldn't reach to shave back there. Sometimes I would have hubby rub some Nair so I could rinse it off in the shower. I can't tell you how good it feels to take a bath, lift my legs and shave! :biggrin: I can ride in a plane and not have to ask for a seat belt extender! :thumbup: You know those terrible people counters at parks and some stores? I can walk straight through them without having to turn sideways. Let's hear yours!

Hello! So glad to see you all on here! We moved to Germany in December. It took forever to get a referal to get my band adjusted here. My doc in the states was VERY conservative about my fills. I was only at 4ccs and no restriction at all when I left (had surgery Aug 08 in Arkansas). I had a really good experience with Prof Weiner. There were some major differences in a German hospital than I am used to. I have a second appointment with him in a few weeks. In April his assistant added 4 ccs and boy had the weight fallen off since then! Anyone want to get together sometime? We live a ways out from base (close to Waldfishbach) but Hubby is stationed at Ramstein and I am getting ready to start a new job at LRMC.

Since my last adjustment I hate making dinner for my family. I work with kids right now and by the time I get home from work I am exhausted. I don't always feel like eating. I guess I have this attitude that why slave over dinner just so I can eat 5 bites? Latley my husband has just been making MacNCheese or some other quick meal for himself and our 2 year old son. My husband is one of those people that can eat anything and not gain any weight but I worry that we are setting my son up for failure in the food department. He eats very well balanced meals at the CDC but I worry that we are failing. Any suggestions on getting rid of my bad attitude :biggrin: would be much appreciated. Also any easy family meal ideas?

I knew I hit mine when the scale dropped about 2-3 pounds a week and a meal took 30 minutes to an hour to eat. I had my last adjustment in the end of April and they added 4 ccs to bring me up to 8 cc! Since then I have gone from 255lbs to 214.

My favorite after surgery was mashed potatos! I used roasted garlic chicken broth, a little nonfat milk and potato flakes. Super yummy! With the roasted garlic chicken broth you don't even notice that there is no butter!

I know this sounds really simple and probably stupid but it was the only thing that helped me. I spent the first week after surgery in my recliner, half reclined with a small pillow held to my stomach. For some reason that halfway recline was very comfortable. I guess because I wasn't stretched out like lying down and not cruched up during sitting. I also held the pillow to my belly because it made me feel secure, kind of like I wasn't falling out. Call your doctor if the pain meds aren't working. Maybe you just need something else. I took meds for three weeks after surgery and did have to change them because my body got used to them. I am coming up on my one year anniversary in a couple of weeks and I have to agree with the previous posters. In a few months you will be thinking 'I was worried about that? The pain was that bad?'.

Even at my last fill up to 8 cc I couldn't tell any difference with the water at the doctor's office. I sipped it really slow. I could never tell until it was time to eat. I think that is so wonderful about our bands is that they are adjustable and we can make them work for us as things change.

I have Celiac Disease which means I can't eat gluten (wheat, barley, rye and oats). Just wondering if anyone else has any food allergies and meal suggestions for me? I am getting sick of the same old, same old.:cool2:

Hello! I was looking for a place to get some advice and share experiences. My one year anniversary is coming up soon. It has been an interesting year. I had my surgery in Little Rock Arkansas and a few months later my family and I moved to Germany. I was on filled to 4.5 ccs when I left the States and did not feel much restriction. I had lost 40lbs though. I got a referal to a German doctor a couple of months after I got here. The fill experience was very different as the put me in front of a Xray and doubled the amount! Talk about a huge difference! I look forward to getting to know you all!

No, Tricare didn't require it. Are you and/or your husband civilian? Is that why you are with Atena? It ended up being super easy with Tricare. The only snag I had was with my PCM but my husband and I were able to talk him into the referal request. Where do you work on Landstuhl?

It was through Tricare. My PCM put up a fight when I asked him to put in the request. He finally did and the consult was approved by Tricare the day it hit the system. You can check your referals online and I had been checking it everyday! Did the consult and the doctors office put in the request for my band. I watched the website like a hawk! I was blown away. I saw the request in pending status one night (at this point I was checking in the morning and evening) and the next morning it was changed to approved! They approved me within 24 hours. I was suprised because my PCM made it sound like they wouldn't approve me because I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure or heart problems. I have had trouble with my knees and breaking my ankles. I guess Tricare figures it is cheaper to pay for my band now than all that other stuff that was just around the corner. What time are you going to fax the letter so I can be praying?

I was told to wait 2 years after my surgery to get pregnant and my 1 year is coming up in a few weeks. Just wondering if anyone on this board has had a pregnancy with a band? How was it?

My doctor in the States did blind fills and the most he would ever put in at a time was 1 cc. My doctor here in Germany does it this way. They use a table and lower you to lying down when they fill it then stand it (you) up to do the fluroscopy. It was really cool (well, except for the Doctor, 2 Interns and Radiologist standing around talking about me and my band in German and me not understanding a thing)! I only had 4.5 cc when I finally got to my appointment in April, I had to wait for my insurance to approve another doctor and things just take time, and they filled me up to 8cc. I had to drink the barium 4 times, but they wanted to make sure it was just right. They said at 4.5cc I hardly had any restricition, which I knew and it was really cool to see. Only thing I didn't like is that at German hosptials they don't give you gowns or sheets to cover up with. The radiologist (and only female in the room) was so nice and tied up my Tshirt for me. They actually laughed at me because I wouldn't lay down without my shirt on, bra off at that point. I am so greatful she tied up my shirt, I can't imagine what the girls would have looked like flopping up and down as they raised and lowered the table! Just think of it as a really cool experience. You get to see your band and how it works!

I am so glad you brught this up. There are some days that work is totally crazy, I get home, take care of the kid, lay down in bed only to realize I hadn't eaten anything all day! Of course I drank alot of water. The next day I will remember to eat and force myself to take the time to. Then the next day I will be so hungry! I am all over the place. I really try to make sure I am taking care of myself.

I can be the same way. Morning suck for me though. I really can't eat anything. Been that way since the beginning though. I stick with a Slim Fast and/ or black coffee. I am more thisty in the morning anyways. If my family wants a big breakfast I can eat some eggs about 3 hours after I wake up.

I would take the first part of the week off then start back at half days. If it doesn't work take the rest of the week.