cat lady

73 lb loss is a great success no matter how you achieved it. Having this surgery is not an easy thing to do. It is a difficult decision to make. You did the right thing for you and don't ever let anyone second guess your choice. It was the right thing for you and you don't need to explain why you chose this for yourself. You have accomplished what you set out to do and had a terrific result. I say keep them guessing and don't put any more on FB. CAT

Great job and good luck with your first fill. I am two weeks out and starting to feel deprived from only eating liquids. Can't wait for mushies. Friends were all going out to dinner tonight and I declined. Just figured it would be too hard to just have soup if they were all eating. My hunger has totally come back now so I really think I need a change to mushies at this point. Did you find it hard to lose when you started eating solid foods again? How many calories are you supposed to have at that point in the diet? Just thinking ahead. CAT

I havn't heard that your weight drops after a fill right away. Take all the credit for the loss.....you are doing really well. I'm losing slow but its been steady.....thats okay with me. Hope it continues. Starving now since I'm still doing liquids. Seeing Dr. G Monday bfore going to mushies. CAT

Take a deep breath and relax.....we all had the same feelings right before surgery. I can tell you that the surgery was very easy for me and I am 63 yrs old. I was afraid of complications but so far.....none. Being selfish to better your health is a good thing and we all finally got to the point where we needed to get selfish and think of ourselves! Good Luck & God Bless.......CAT

Amazing weight loss Cindy.......No wonder you can feel your port you dropped so much weight.....very inspirational ! CAT

Congratulations on your approval!!! I was also thrilled to be approved after being denied by my ins. Was banded 7/25 and very happy I did this. Good Luck on your journey......CAT

Don't beat yourself up like that. Life has its ups and downs. We all go thru periods of stress where we just eat whateve is in front of us. You know what you did wrong. You still had a great weight loss and even with the gain you are still down by about 50 lbs. That is amazing. Just get back on track and focus on yourself........you will drop the extra 20 lbs in no time. Good Luck CAT

Nine days out banded 7/25 lost 13 lbs to date.......Going to mushies next week.....cant wait! CAT

I am 10 days post op and also am sick of the sweetness of Protein Drinks. I have tried Carnation Istant BF and they are a bit milder in taste. Actually can tolerate them pretty well. I mix powder with 1 cup of FF milk and it totals 15 g. protein. Put ice in blender and tastes kind of like a milkshake....not too sweet. Hope this helps. CAT

I was very nervous also. Actually didn't tell anyone till right before in case I changed my mind. I think once I went for my pre op tests I really took hold of the situation and got more positive about it. No more reading the negatives.....only positives at this stage of the game. Went for my surgery on 7/25 and did really well. Not at all as bad as I thought. A little uncomfortable.....but nothing to dwell on. Pain medication helps for anything you might feel. Took just tylenol when I got home. The liquid diet is a challange but nothing you cant cope with. The liquid soups really help me. I usually have that for dinner. The protein shakes help throughout the day. Stay positive and once you make the choice to change your life stay confident that you can do this. If I can you can! Good Luck & God Bless you with your surgery. CAT

What wonderful news! Congratulations. God sure does work in strange ways. Losing weight is important but nothing compared to the miracle of birth. Enjoy your new journey. My friend just had twins after being banded and did just find. They unfilled her band for her pregnancy and she did fine. Now 6 months after giving birth....they gave her a fill. Notihing is impossible.....just keep the faith. CAT

Last night I had that pain in my breatbone......right above where the band was placed. I took liquid tylenol and that helped alot. Went to sleep and it was gone. Can you sleep on 3 pillows in bed.....kind of sitting up position. That is what I do and I'm pretty comfortable. Can't sleep much though.....getting about 6 hours.....then have to get up and move. CAT

Tennis lover: I am i week post op and still on liquid diet. Seeing doc on Monday....hope to go to mushies then. I did stay in hospital overnight. My doc requires this from everyone. It was good for me bcause I got the needed rest. Was walking the halls 6 hrs post surgery. Doing well now.....no real pain to mention. Liquid diet it rough. CAT

Sorry Amy: Just hang in there. The antibiotics will surely help clear it up. Stay positive as you have been. CAT

Agree totally Laurence: Had my surgery last Monday 7/25 and am so happy I did it. Was really hesitant b'cause of my age but I did really well so far. Surgery not bad at all. Looking forward to being healthier from the weight loss. CAT

Hi: Happy you made the decision to do this. I also was very hesitant to make a decision to get banded. Researched for too long! I was banded last Monday 7/25 and am so happy I did this. So far its been really easy for me. Surgery not bad at all. Liquid diet is kind of getting to me but I can deal with it. Agree that the driving 100 miles would be a problem down the road. Good Luck with journey and keep us posted.CAT

Hope you are feeling better. My doc said not to take off the steri strips on my own. Everyone is different though so listen to your doc. CAT

Hi Scott: Yes I do feel some sort of pain at the base of my sternum. It's about 2 inches above where the band was placed. (I can tell by the incision there) I took some gas X or tums and its seems to help. Also had some cream of wheat when I felt it and it seemed to pass. Hope this helps. CAT

Hi Scott: Yes I do feel some sort of pain at the base of my sternum. It's about 2 inches above where the band was placed. (I can tell by the incision there) I took some gas X or tums and its seems to help. Also had some cream of wheat when I felt it and it seemed to pass. Hope this helps. CAT

Totally agree. One week out and I am so tired of the liquid diet. Really getting hard to stick to this. Only consuming maybe 400 - 500 calories a day and really not losing too much. Getting discouraged......after all I am on this starvation diet!!!! What will happen when I start eating.CAT

Hi: I am 6 days post op and also feel the pain in my breastbone at times. I am quite hungry as the Protein drinks are not doing it for me now. Did your doc say its okay to do the tuna now?? Just wondering. I would love to try it but I'm scared it will hurt something if I start on mushies after only 1 week. CAT

I too cannot seems to get in all the liquids required. Get nausea after too many protein drinks. I had surgery Monday so I'm 5 days out. Cant wait for mushies.....seeing dr. on 8/8 and I think he will tell me then to move to mushie stage. If I can hold out!!!CAT

Hi Wintergreen: I am 63 yrs old and was banded on Monday. I too was concerned about the age. I researched this for a long time and finally decided to do it. I'm so glad i did it. The surgery was not bad at all. Minimal pain. Up and walking four hours after surgery. I at first was denied by insurance last summer......so I put it on the back burner. After the new year I appealed and got approved. Now I really had to decide since the ins. only gave me till August to do this. I made the right decision for me. Good Luck and if you have any questions pls contact me. CAT

Hi all: Well I did it!!! Was banded on Monday and really did well. Dr. said I was a classic case....whatever that means. Not too much pain at all....was walking by 1 pm and the surgery was done at 7 am. Went home the next day by noon. Only took Tylenol for a little discomfort the first night. This full liquid diet is hard....but I really cant say I am hungry. Guess I'm still swollen. To all those not banded yet....go for it. As everyone told me do this for yourself! Its our time to shine. Just asking -- does anyone take Tylenol PM or a sleep aid? I can't sleep without taking something so I'm wondering if this is okay to do with the band in place. God Bless all of us making this choice to improve our lives. CAT

After fighting for this with my ins I finally got approved--now I'm having second thoughts about doing this. Do you think those of us over 60 are being unrealistic about being banded. I need to lose about 60 lbs to be comfortable with myself (165 lbs). Have high blood pressure, knee pain, back pain, urinary incontinence. I am wondering if it is worth the risk of being banded. I am not too worried about the surgery itself since I have full confidence in my surgeon......but the long term complications I have read about are really scaring me. Sorry for being negative ... need to make my decision soon. I know if I don't do this now I will never have this opportunity again.