LeighaMason

OK I have always been someone who refuses to tell pregnancy horror stories to pregnant women so I was going to keep this to myself cause I don't want to freak out the newbies but I am scared something happened to my band on Monday at my fill. When I got to the hospital my regular girl wasn't there but another lady was, who said she has been doing fills for a year. So I laid down under the floro machine and she deadened my skin and got ready to do the fill. Well my port is covered with scar tissue, (I knew this would happen because I had Norplant implants and they could barely get them out because they had been so encapsulated in scar tissue) its no big deal but they just have to press extra hard to get the needle to go in (it doesn't hurt because of the numbing shot). So she pushed on the syringe and then I felt a thud and she pulled it out and looked at the assistant with wide eyes and the assistant was looking back with the same expression, then she told the assistant, "Go ahead and turn the xray on." And started palpating my stomach and asking me if I felt anything sticking me, I looked at the syringe and realized the needle was only about half as long as it had been. Then the assistant told her to look, that the needle had pushed back into the syringe, so it wasn't inside me. Whew! That was a relief, they both said they have never even heard of this happening. She then got a new needle gave me .4 into my band, made sure it was going through, I drank a Water and left. Now the scary part. I am wondering if she poked a hole in my port. I don't have any restriction, my liquids seem to go right through. I was starving last night so I ate chili for dinner, no restriction but it can be considered a slider so that really wasn't a good example. Today is mushie day, what should I eat that will let me know if I have restriction or not? I obviously don't want to get stuck and inflame my stomach but if I have a problem with my port I want to bring it to the hospitals attention. Which brings up my next concern, if they poked a hole in my port are they responsible to fix it? (I was self pay and don't want to have to pay again) Sorry but my OCDness is on full alert and patience is not one of my virtue's when I get like this. Anybody have any suggestions?

I'm glad you like it, but I really cant take credit for it, I got it off this site from Jachut. I have been drinking it in the morning as well. You seem to be feeling better. :smile:

Of course it is working, its a paid for ad campaign just like the ad campaigns for Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, Camels and every other company that convinces the American public to buy products (or ideas) that are against their own best interests.

Please don't take my statement as criticizing your opinion, everyone should do what works for them, that is just what works for me. This journey is very personal and you should be true to yourself. :ohmy:

Maybe I am just fooling myself but I think my problem with eating was physical. When I first went to see the Dr. he did a barium swallow and said "WOW! You have a really big stomach! I am surprised you don't weigh more than you do." Then I got the band and I am comfortable eating a small amount of food, in the past I could diet but I was in physical pain from hunger. That is why I think the band works for me, I now have a small stomach that gets full on a small amount of food. I get up from the table because I am no longer hungry.

I tell everyone. I don't think its fair to let others think you are losing weight by just eating less and exercising, it gives them the impression that they are not trying hard enough.

I'm glad to hear y'all are getting back on the band wagon, but I would like to point something out. Lora--Do you think you would weigh 200 if you didn't have the band? After a huge personal tragedy? 3 years later? I consider that a success. Sassy--I know its been a year but you are down 30 pounds! Would you be disappointed if that happened every year? Maybe it will take you longer but you are doing it! I hope y'all are able to Celebrate the successes that you have had and just build on those. Good luck!

I used Dr Kim in Colleyville, tomorrow is my 6 mo bandiversary! I was self pay, it was $10,200 with 6 months of fills under floro included.

Bree--Way to go on 50!:sad: Betsy--Glad your back, we missed you. Denise--One of my biggest regrets is not sitting still and letting my great grandmother teach me how to crochet and knit. :sad: Karen--I say, if the regular scales keep lying just keep weighing on the fat reduction scales! Christie--I am with you on the short weekends. Whew that was fast....:thumbup: OK My cheapness won out, I went for a fill today .4, so I am at 5.7. I am going to be extremely careful with 2 days of liquids and 2 days of mushies. I had lost 6 pounds since 3/22 so my average is still good, even though sometimes it seems like I am at a standstill. I lost more in Mar 22-April 19 than I did from Feb 18-Mar 22 which is strange because I tried harder in Feb and early March. My 6 month bandiversary is tomorrow, and I am down 48 pounds, which kind of irritates me because I really like round numbers and I know I could have tried 2 pounds harder. But like I always tell my son "Be grateful for what you have" so I am going to be grateful for my 48!

Well no loss this week, however, looking back at my eating I was over budget on 4 of 7 days, ranging from 50 - 185 over but I know that I have to be under by at least a 1000 for the week to lose, and I was only under 176 for the week. So I pledge to do better this week. :thumbup:

I think the lap band is best if you are a hungry person. Before I was banded I was always hungry. I could eat a whole plate of food and still be hungry. I kept my weight down with good food choices but I could only diet for so long before the physical pain of being hungry sent me back to eating. I only ate 3 (large) meals a day, no grazing, no binging. I rarely ate anything with sugar. But I ate large portions. If portion control is your issue, the band is probably your best bet. If you eat continuously all day, the band probably wont help. If you eat sugar laden food, the band wont help. Look very closely at what type eater you are, then find people on the forum who are like you and see how they are doing and that might better reflect your chance of success. Keep in mind we all go through periods where we think we are not doing well, and the next week our posts are like they are coming from another person. Good luck and keep studying !

Jacki, That is so cool. I wish I were as motivated as you are! Congratulations.

I do not want my band so tight that I cant eat meat. I want to eat real quality food in the right quantities. But I haven't been able to eat anything made with white flour in a while. I don't like to eat soups because they seem to go through the band quickly and leave me hungry.

You have to click on the check box that is in their picture, I think its on the top left side? And then the picture will be darker and you click the accept box

My 6 mo anniversary is next Tuesday, I have lost 48 pounds. It would be really cool to lose another 2 by Tuesday but I am not going to get my hopes up. I seem to be on a lose 2-3 pounds at once, wait 10 days cycle and I lost 3 pounds last weekend so... I am going to be happy with my 48 or whatever it turns out to be.

Denise--6 pounds to go! Your going to be the first in our group to reach goal! I am so excited for you. Anne--Don't put too much stress on yourself, just work on good habits, the rest will follow. I guess I am going to get a small fill, its done under floro so I don't think she will get me too tight, I think the too tight episode that I had was my fault, Rob pointed out to me afterward that I didn't ease back into food after that fill, that I started eating regular food the next day, so once again operator error. Well it is raining this morning so I am using that as an excuse to lay around in my robe and do nothing. I found a new fat pic yesterday, it was taken at a training class, I would have never let my family take a picture of me at this size, but I didn't want to make a scene, so here it is. Have a good day everyone!

You are going to have to find a Dr who will listen to you. Unfortunately some Dr's hear your problems as criticism of their surgery techniques. Find someone who will do a barium swallow and check your band placement. I'm sure from your description that you are not eating enough calories to lose weight or because you are not getting your protein. You have to be able to eat real food for the band to work. Don't give up, find someone to help you. Good luck.

Not one single constructive idea on how to fix anything that he is "tired" of, just a list of complaints.

Thanks for thinking I am wonderful! Since you are on a fruit and veggie diet, I thought you might could use this, Jachut posted a green smoothie that she uses (I added the protein powder part). I made one this morning and I didn't even think of food for 3 hours. Put 1 cup of mixed ice and water in the blender, add 1/2 of a banana, turn it on, then add half of an apple, 3 or 4 strawberries, 1 scoop of unflavored protein powder (I use unjury), and 1 cup of spinach. I know it sounds weird but you really cant taste the spinach and it is really good for you. 22.2 g protein, 33.7 carbs, cholesterol 0, sodium 60.9, with only 210 calories, 58% of your vitamin A, 30% of vitamin C, Glycemic load 8.

See, she cant even deny that she is Anti-American.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Your anti-American post is very offensive to me.

I plan any food that I am going to eat that is not on my regularly scheduled program, I tell myself, I have been good all week, I did my exercises, I ate good quality foods in proper proportions so on Sunday I am going to go to the frozen custard place and get 1 small frozen custard and I am going to savor every bite. Then I get the enjoyment of looking forward to it, I don't have any guilt for eating it, and I make sure it is the best thing I can think of. I didn't get fat by having 1 treat on Sunday night, I got fat by having a half gallon tub of ice cream (that really didn't taste that good) in the freezer and just getting some randomly. So my advice, make a treat, a treat and limit it to a particular time and enjoy it.

Yes and no. I could always lose weight before I got the band, but I couldn't stay on the diet forever because I was always hungry. I mean HUNGRY!. So when I dieted I was in pain so eventually after a few months I would eat again, because I couldn't stand the pain of being hungry. Not just wanting food but hungry. Before the band I could eat a full plate of food and still be physically hungry. Now I eat a small portion and I am not hungry. I wouldn't call it full but not hungry is good enough for me. Then a couple of hours later I get a "need to eat" feeling, if I don't eat within an hour or so then the HUNGRY comes back. I don't really emotionally eat, sometimes when I am really enjoying something and I get full, I am sad that I cant eat more, but that only happens 2 or 3 times a month. I understand your anger, I think that what the band actually does is glossed over by people who are to sell it. But since you have it now, are you interested in trying to change your eating to work with it? I would be happy to try and help you if you want.

Isn't it funny how some people only want to discredit other peoples WLS choices without ever offering up themselves for inspection?

I think your expectations were too high. It seems like you expected to get the band in and "that will be that". (I am not trying to be mean, please don't take my comments the wrong way) Maybe you should revise how you think of your band. Instead of wanting it to "make you feel full", maybe you should look at its purpose as "makes you not hungry". I only eat a measuring cup of food at a sitting. When I am finished I am not full, but I am not hungry anymore. Your not suppose to be full, full makes stretched pouches. The band journey is a diet at first, if you want to lose weight you have to diet, measure your food, count your calories, and exercise. After you reach the weight where you are comfortable you can relax the diet and eat more. I hope my advice helps you to look at your band in a different manner. Maybe if you use your tool in a different way it will work better for you. Hugs.