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So sad I added it on my facebook page Cheri.

I think if you give your new meds time to start working. You will feel a lot a better about 4 - 6 weeks. Does not mean you have to take them forever but right now from what you said I do think you have some depression. It is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are so depressed, much less worry about food, calories, water, working out and not eat something that might get suck. But do keep or start working out more it will helps with your depression. Always willing to talk. I think if you went to see Dr to get med you have already made a big step in the right direction. Like someone posted above baby steps. Cheri

How are you supose to decide when the medical field can't agree. I always thought how can they buld a space shuttle and send it off to the moon and then bring it back but they can't figure out and agree how to lose weight and eat healthy when they do not even know what they consider healthy. Cheri

I have lost 84 lbs in 2 years and am having more trouble with my cholesterol since being banded. Not blaming it on band, I am 50 years old and 169 lbs want to lose another 15 or 20lbs more, but I read everyone is getting OFF their medications and I just keep getting MORE, blood pressure is down so I did get to lower that dose but he will not take me off. My thryroid is low so I must now take meds for that. 2 cholesterol meds one I have been on since about 3 month post op. Now this week he added another cholesterol med called Zetia. Has or is any one taking this? Did it help you? Did it make you sick? If so did the sickness ago way in a week or so? Oh my gosh today is the first day I took it and I would rather be dead then go through the nausea and headache, extreme stomach pain and back pain no vomiting and I can live with the diarrhea. Also chills and extreme muscle pain, Anyone else go through this? Plus I am selfpay so my new med cost me $144.84/a month. There is no generic unless I order online from Canada, Anyone get their meds online? Is so where? I hope I am still here tomorrow to read any answers so sick. Can' t see or talk to Dr until Monday Thanks Cheri

Just the thought of opening the cabinet and seeing 200 white packages with no photo on them and then drinking or eating the samething time after time for months at at time. Cheri

Will it has been 6 days on the Crestor and now I am only having a headache and some muscle pains about 2 hours after taking it. Everything else seems to be okay. Still not sure that I want to be taking this, just do not like all the problems and possible side effects. Trust me when I go back for bloodwork in 3 months my Dr and I are going to talk about this and make some decisions. I want him to believe me when I say I will make the changes in diet and exercise. But when I go back this time the Creastor will get all the credit if there is any. I trust him but come on give me a chance. A couple of nurse friends I know said they know people don't really do the diet and exercise so thats why they (Dr) put people on these drugs. But I want a chance! Cheri

I did Medifast for about 3 months years before the band. I did it and it was not too bad but I did not like a lot of things so I would just order the things I liked, as everything is the same calories and everything. I ate the banana pudding and drank the hot chocolate for the last 2 months 5 times a day one or the other. After 3 months my skin smelled like soy. I later switch to the "New Lifesyle Diet" same thing but they were cheaper and it was a little bit better tasting. They have a website too. If you are doing low carb they have some good Snacks and the bars are good too but they said to only eat one bar a day. After getting the band you could not pay me to do it again and I still want to lose 5 or 20 lbs. Hope that Helps. Cheri

I was self pay and brought all my current medical records to seminar on Saturday had an appointment right after seminar and he said everything look good, had surgery 1½ days later Monday morning. I have not had any problems during, or after the surgery. He is a very respected Dr. and I miss him as do many of his patients. So if you see a Dr. on regulars basis for bloodwork and general health and are selfpay you can move along without much or any test. good or bad thats how it works. Insurance requires all the tests Cheri

I am out by Galveston, had my surgery 2 years ago in Houston with a Dr. that moved and now I am seeing the Drs at TLC. Dr. Terry Scarborough is very nice and they seem like the have a great before and after care and the staff is really nice. Cheri

Sounds like you might try a few months of counseling and maybe some meds to help you right now. I only say that as I have been through 3 years of counseling and need my meds to keep me from being locked away in my bed or house for days at a time. Most of the time there is a reason behind our eating patterns. Not everybody . . . some people just enjoy eating. I knew a girl who was raped while she was overseas serving our county and she put on weight to make herself less appealing (her words not mine). She is now banded and looking great but she needed some special help. Maybe you need some help in this area to help you with the weightloss. Nothing to be ashamed of, trust me we could all benefit from some counseling. You seem too down on yourself and being so tired you want to hide in the bed. That is me. But I have been learning to deal with it and so can you. I could be totally wrong but you remind me of me before the band and before the counseling. You might check it out could be just what you need. You have to believe in yourself and sometimes we just can't so we need some help. Okay before anyone thinks I am being mean, just remember I said this is me . . . may not be her . . .but could be. Just adding my opinion. Cheri

I have been following you those 2 years as I was banded just a couple of months before you. You had such a hard time at first, well about your first 6 months or so I think. I have seen your photos and you are a beautiful young lady. Keep motovated and you will do great. Sometimes I think you are too hard on yourself (as per your post) You were really young when you were banded and trying to finish up high school. At that age I do not think I could have done this. I needed to but do not think I could. I have had quite a few start-overs to try to produce new weightloss and it usually works. So put all you got into it and do it. You will be looking beautiful in your outfit come December, just don't let Thanksgiving throw you off as you know it is hard to get back on track when we slip. Cheri

I am 2+ years out and I still vomit, I have since the very beginning. Thats the first thing people think is your too tight, but not true for everyone. I have been too tight before and lived with it for about 2 months and then listen to a friend and had a small unfill. Most of the time when I vomit it is because I am not chewing enough. I always get stuck if I eat when my Grandbabies are with me because they ask a million questions and you can't talk with food in your mouth and I tend to swallow. I have seen some of the food I have vomited and the pieces are not chewed enough. (I know it is gross but hey you can't help but see it) I have never had a slip or any problem with my band just have always vomited. Pretty sure it is my fault all the time. But I have had many fluros and the band is always good. I think it should be our goal not to vomit so we never have to worry about slippage because of it. But I have been eating a certain way for years and I guess I am a slow learner or a rule breaker. I have two banded friends who have never vomited 2+ years but one slimes really bad and I do not slime. I have also read that people with dentures or certain dental work may not chew as well as others? So if you only vomit once a week I say GREAT! Sometimes my pouch just does an auto deject for some reason not the right texture or just giving it's opinion. Cheri

You have to give it time. Step up your exercise it always helps. Once it starts to come off it should be steady. Give it time stress will only make it worse! Cheri

So sorry I had no idea I had wriiten that much . . . sorry! Cheri

November is the month of my birthday. I have been banded for over 2 years down 84 lbs. I love my LapBand and will always be happy I to decided to do this. I thought I might give you all some advice even though you did not ask for it and I am not a November Bandster but its something I wish I had known when when I got banded. The surgery is not bad, and the recovery time for most is very short. I think you need to go into this already knowing you will be hungry for about a month afterwards. You will not die if you feel some hunger pains. But if you go into it with the mindset that it is only one month out of your life. You can spend this time getting ready to really lose weight. The first 6 months to a year is when most people lose the most weight. You are getting banded right before the holidays it is a hard time since people make everything about food during the holidays. I tell you it is a must that you do not give in to temptation, be strong and see food as what it is just food. It does not mean you can not enjoy the holidays just because you can not have "All you can Eat" on all the food. I do not know about all of you but I can not just have a little of a food that I should not be eating so stay away from it one bite and it can start you on a roll. Be as strict as you can during that first year eat only what your are suppose to and work your butt off once you get an okay, but remember you do not need an okay to walk. You will see the weight drops pretty steady the first year and then it slows and for some people it really stops. I wish I would have worked out more during that time period. I did workout but and extra 30 minutes could have pushed me along faster. But if you are not careful the holidays can really hamper your losing from Thanksgiving to New Years Eve. that is 2½ months of peak losing you time could miss out. There will be plenty of years of holidays to come, by next year you will be ready to face the holidays and know how the whole band thing works. Also something seemed to happen to me and a couple of my banded friends about the 6 month post op, we had drop a lot of weight and we kinda dropped the ball on our diet. It was like we rewarded ourselves with food for being so good the first 6 months (What were we thinking.) Some of us gained some weight and that really upset the ones who gained. Also it is not always easy to get back on track when you give in to the bad eating habits. I need to lose another 15 lbs and I have been playing with that for a good six months. I know that if I would just step up my exercise it would take just a couple of months. I have made a promise to myself that this holiday season is not gonna be about food. Yeah, we have to eat, but not pie, cake, rolls, Cookies, etc. figure out another way to not make food be the center of the Holidays you will be so happy when it is New Years Day and everyone is wanting to lose you will be so far ahead. Since most who post here will be getting banded in November (unless some other crazy like me invades your thread) you should make at least one contact and exchange e-mails or phone numbers and get that add touch of support. I met a lady on these boards and she was banded 2 days after me and we met for coffee alot and we talked on the phone everyday or text each other. Then you are with someone in the same stage you are. Do not compare yourself with each other on pounds lost or fill amount as everyone is different, just support each other because nobody will understand you like someone who is going through the same thing. Also stay on these boards for support too and find a support group you can attend in person. I always hated when the support group meeting is over. Also I would find you a couple of books that deal with the LapBand as when you really need some support or understanding you can read them. (amazon has some great ones I have about 5 )One last point always listen to your surgeon over what you read or someone says on these boards. Sometime you have to decide what is best for you, but always follow your Doctors rules. You trusted he/her to cut you open and mess with your inside listen to them. If you think at some point you surgeon is wacko find a new one. We all have to remember food is food it is NOT our friend, or a shoulder to cry on and getting something you know you should not when you are sad, upset. That is when you should workout. Oh and how can I not tell you all what you have heard or been told "The band is just a tool" it does not control what you stick in your mouth, drink all your Water and just my opinion never touch Ice cream in your peak losing time as it takes only one bite to get you hooked as it goes down smooth and taste so good and will become a habit just because of those reasons Also chew, chew and chew some more. This time next year you will be wearing your pretty, smaller clothes looking good and feeling great. I believe in prayer and before I sign my name to this I am going to pray for all of the Novermber Bandsters to have and great surgery, short recovery time, courage during the holdays and a great band experience. YOU CAN DO IT. starting picking your buddy now, buy your books and go for it! Cheri

Today I started taking the Crestor. I does make me feel bad but kinda like a mild touch of the flu, much better than the deathbed I was on last weekend on the Zeta. I only bought 5 pills at $21.50 so I can see if I can take it without going to the ER. I am trying to decide if I want to even take this. Elcee really made me think about how I need to do what I think is best for my body not just what my Doctor says I should do. I like my Doctor and respect him and his opinions but this seems like a really strong drug when my numbers are not off by much. I have been overweight most of my life and I am 50 so after I had surgery and lost weight isn't it normal for it to take some time for your numbers to come down? Mine have come down a lot but they are not perfect and I think that is what he is looking for. Plus I think he should have said you really need to watch what you eat and step up your exercise. He knows I have the Band and pretty much have a diet style way of eating and I already work out but I think he should have given me a choice to step it up and change my diet even more or take the super statins=Crestor. My Doctor requires complete blood tests every 6 months as he goes by your numbers more than what you say. Also I do not know if I only have to take this for a while to get my numbers down or have to keep taking it to keep the numbers down. Any one know this? I started this drug today as when Monday comes it is back to work and grandma duties so I wanted to see what it would do to while my husband would be home and I did not have the grandbabies to watch. I am spending a lot of time researching this drug and the effects on my body taking it vs not taking it. I will keep you updated. But if anyone is taking Crestor could you enlighten me on how this all works. Also thank you Elcee for your input it has opened my eyes and got me researching. Cheri

Thanks for all the GOOD information believe me I am reading it all of it. Talked on the phone to my Doctor's nurse whom i love. He is so kind and always trying to help me in anyway he can the Doctor not the nurse. Well his nurse told me he would really like me to stick it out on the Crestor. What?? Continue to eat stuff that makes me want to die? I just so do not understand but surely he thinks the side effect won't lost but a day or too. I might could do that on a weekend With some of my antidepressants I had to go through a litte bit of hell the first 2 weeks but I knew it would get better soon so I could do it. If you want to know what real HELL is try to withdraw from anti-depressants. it the worse pain I have every had to go through in my entire life. in 10 years I have had to do it 3 times, it last between 3 - 6 month. My brain does all kinds of crazy things and my body hates me. My husband begged me to go back on them. But once i was off them for 6 months and could not face the world. I cried and cried I could not function. MY husband had to carry me in the ER. My DR. and Counselor and I want to try to ever y couple of years I do not want to be on all these meds. But the DR told me last time that I need to take them no choice and i know what happens when you stop so I told him put me on a low dose of one that will work and he did. But this stuff is so very different It does dammage to the Liver maybe and Kidneys sometimse. i am pretty scared but will try one and see, but will not take meds that will make me sick. My numbers are not too bad at all. But zetia and creastor is supponse to make dramtic change. I would think about changing my diet first. He know I have the band but would be willing to try and stick to any diet he wanted me to follow but no . . . . . I will update you. At least this one is only $75/month Cheri

I only took one pill and paid for it all day Saturday through Sunday night, took off of work today. Needless to say I will not be taking another pill. My Doctor now put me on Crestor, but I will not be picking it up till Friday as I have to work and watch my Grandbabies and can not afford to be sick. I am only going to buy one and God help me I am going to take it and see what happens. The bad thing is I looked at the website and the side effects are the same. But my Dr really wants me to take this he says it works fast. I will buy the one pill on Friday night when my husband is here and can keep an eye on me. I know I must be stupid but I will try one, but I have already spent $144.00 for the 30 days and know I can not take these. So that is why I am only going to buy one, the thought of that is scary. Anyone take Crestor? Any side effect for you? If so a couple of days or always? Thank you to everyone for your input I am really new to all these meds. I know he is a great Doctor and does do blood workout every visit. But noway will I take anything that is gonna make make me so sick. Cheri

Welcome! You sound excited.The people here are for the most part very friendly and supportive, once in a while you run into a bad apple. But almost everyone is is great Cheri

I was wishing a real pro at this with more than I think 5 years would answer this and she DID!! Thank you Jachut! You have the best advice and knowledge on this subject. I always look forward to reading your post! Cheri

I took a pair of PJs because after surgery I did not want to put my jeans on so I took my PJs and some socks and put them on for the ride home. I also took some foundation (makeup) because I could not have any make up on during surgery. (that is just me I like at least some powder or foundation on) I could not have fingernail or toenail polish on either so you might check if you have to take any off before you go. The most important thing is that pillow for the ride home, not to lay your head on but to hold against your tummy in case of bumps, rail road tracks, I used it for several days when walking outside. Also take your meds that you normally take before surgery as they will not give you these at hospital. You might want to check with you Doctor about this as yours may say something different. I took my anxiety, antidepressant and blood pressure and Thyroid meds in the morning before I left home as per my surgeon. I would also talk to your regular Dr about a prescription of antibiotics for bladder infection. I got hit with a very bad bladder infection just a couple of days later due to things put up inside you during surgery. Then you do not have to go to Dr while you are recovering. My Surgeon said it is very common to leave with some type of infection sad to say. @ of my friends with different Doctors and different hospitals experience the same. Also some people like to take a camera to document the experience. The person that took me brought out a camera and said well when do start taking pictures as to which i told her to had over the camera and I would give it back to her when she took me home, no pictures. but that is just me you may like to do that. Cheri

I have been banded 2 years too and I still need to lose 15 lbs to really be happy with my weight. But I picked up a flyer at the clinic the other day offering weight loss plan, I am always looking for a way to get the last 15 off, but I know the answer, watch my food better and work out a little longer and harder. But that “easy way out” never leaves my mind. I think I have lived with it too long. But I love my Band, it really has been my lifesaver I knew I could lose it if I had just a little help which the Band provided. I would like to hope one day I could change my way of thinking. How about some input from some who are Banded 4 and 5 years and longer. Cheri

I totally agree with Elcee. Feel free to e-mail me or private message me anytime you want to talk. My e-mail is on my profile. We all need support this is an neverending battle, a new lifestyle. Cheri

I had a bruise the size of a baseball and right under that was my port. If you are bruised it should be under the biggest bruise. Hope that helps. I agree it hurts and very uncomfortable for a good week but so worth it so hang in there! Cheri