melissa0915

i live in the city but can travel:)

Hi everyone! I have been away for a while but i have a few minutes so i wanted to see how everyone has been? Did everyone have a good thanksgiving? I can make lunch on the 8th if that is still the plan. Take care! Melissa

Hi everyone- I have been out a touch for a while! I did a lot of traveling in May and have been super busy at work so i wanted to say hi and see how everyone is doing. I would love to meet for lunch. How about 6/16 or 6/24? I haven't lost any weight in quite a while but i haven't gained. I guess that is still positive after 3 out of town trips. So...i started seattle sutton this week. So far so good. When i picked up the food, the lady told me i was going to be really hungry. I have only been doing it a few days but i really like. You can beat the convenience, esp when you are at work! Mandy-sorry to hear your daughter is having surgery. Wishing you guys well! Sonia-you are a walking maniac! That is awesome-you did a great job! Take care Melissa

Hi everyone- I have been out of the loop for a bit but i wanted to say hi and that i am bummed i missed lunch this past weekend! I will be OOT on 5/5 (going to europe for the first time!) so i will miss another lunch but i am in for June. Hope everyone is doing well! Melissa

sorry i didn't make it either! I know how lame right? I had a headache and generally didn't feel well. Sorry i didn't let you guys know! Glad to hear you had fun. Looking forward to the next lunch! Melissa

Are we still on for Sunday? I can meet up! Melissa

I have to work on the 10th but i could meet after 3. I can meet on sunday the 11th.

Hi, I have just been approved for Lap-Band surgery and I have been making all of my pre-op appointments. I live in the Fox-Valley area and I'm going to Dr. Batty to have it done. I do have some questions about things that I didn't see on this sight yet. How long does a person have the band in them? I think they are trying to say you can keep the band for life however my surgeon said the longest band in history is around 15 years old. Since it is still a relatively new surgery, i think you can't be for certain how long one band will last. If in 20 years i need another band put in, i would do it. Do you gain weight right back when it's taken out? Like previously mentioned, the band is a tool and i am sure from reading on this site you have heard that people gain weight and lose weight all the time with the band. The band doesn't fix any of your mental problems with eating...i didn't even know i had them until after the band:) I was hoping that I wouldn't be hungry but, it sounds like everyone is after the swelling goes down after surgery. You will always "get" hungry but your band will tell you when you have enough to eat. Also, what happens when you get a stomache virus and you vommit a lot? Fortunately i haven't had to deal with that but i just had a virus where i was coughing my head off. My family dr gave me codeine which really didn't do a lot. Is it dangerous? Does it hurt bad? Has anyone died from the shock of the drastic change in caloric intake or had a heart attack? i have heard of instances where people become malnourished...you can have a weight problem yet be malnourished. It doesn't happen for a while. Your body has an amazing capacity to adjust to the things you do to it. Getting dehydrated is the big thing to watch for...that could lead to an electrolyte imbalance leading to a heart attack. The possibilities are there for anything...you have to always watch what you are doign and take care of your body. Your body will tell you what it needs. As for shock of decreased calories...get enough protein and you'll be fine. I'm trying to get as much info as possible. I have 4 children and 2 of them as mental disabilities that will need care for the rest of their lives and I need to be around for a long time. Thanks very much! I can tell you after losing 40 pounds and working out 3 times a week, i feel so much better. I could only think that it will help you be around for a longer time. You just have to be diligent in taking care of yourself and realizing when to tell others no i am doing this for me. Best of luck! We are here for all your questions-feel free to join us for lunch to get more info!

Sonia-your chicken noodle soup post is cracking me up!!! I might need to try it if it is so great! Oakbrook sounds great! I think panera always offers a veggie soup and they have lots of salads...so i think that would work. Again, whatever the group wants. I can also meet before 3 if that helps Cassandra out...keep me posted! Melissa

Hi everyone- I am glad to see we are still planning on meeting this sunday. I live in the city so naperville is pretty far but that's ok with me too. Cracker Barrel probably wouldn't be my first choice and i bet it is packed on a sunday but i am flexible. I am really trying to watch what i eat so i would prefer a place to get a salad...maybe a panera? Again, i am sure i can find something at cracker barrel if that is where everyone wants to go. Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to lunch! Melissa

Hi all Sept bandsters! I am still here... I had my third fill yesterday. I have lost about 33 pounds since my 9/15 surgery. I told my surgeon how frustrated i am feeling. I have battled 3 pounds back and forth for almost 2 months now. So he made my band pretty tight. Last night it was a little tough eating dinner but this morning was something i have never felt. I was eating scrambled eggs and could feel burning and gurgling. Needless to say, i didn't eat much. I hear people say their band is tighter in the morning so i want to see what happens in the next day or two but does anyone think i am too tight? The last 2 fills i regretted not having a tighter fill. Before this last fill i felt i could eat a lot (not compared to what i use to eat) for instance i could eat scrambled eggs and 2 pieces of toast. I hear so many people say they can't even eat bread... i would appreciate any thoughts, advice, etc is it too late to join the st patty's challenge? Best wishes to all Melissa

Hi everyone- We had a great time at lunch. The 24th or 25th works for me. I am having my third adjustment on Tuesday...hope that helps! Lala-glad to hear your surgery went well. How are you feeling now? Melissa

Hi all- I would love to come to lunch tomorrow. Please count me in-sorry for the late notice! Melissa

anywhere is fine with me. I live in the city but can drive to the burbs. I can't remember where everyone lives?

Either the 13th of 14th works for me

hello all- happy new year! are we still planning a meeting?

Hello everyone- How are the holidays going? It is a lot harder than i thought it would be...cookies and bad stuff like that go down without a problem! I think the meet-in idea is a great one! Let me know if you need any help. Do we want to plan something for January? Melissa

Hi everyone- Brendab i totally feel your pain. I was banded on 9/15 and have lost around 32 pounds (which goes up and down 2 pounds daily). I've had 2 fills and everytime the surgeon has wanted to make it tighter and i ask him to take a little out. I have 8.5cc's filled in a 10cc band...i am worried about what happens where there is no where to go. I have been making some really bad choices this x-mas but definitely not eating what i ate last year. I also walk about 3-4 times a week. I am thinking about wanting a third fill but i am a little tight in the morning so that worries me that i could get too tight. I feel so much better and my clothes are getting too big but i want to lose weight! I have promised myself once it is 2007 i am taking the diet very seriously again! I hate hearing everyone's comments as well. Over t-giving my mom said "oh you can eat as much as i can." I ate a lot of mashed pot...which we know goes right thru the band. I hate explaining all of that to people. How is everyone else making it thur the holidays? Melissa

Hi everyone- It is so amazing to read all the posts and see that we all are really in the same place. I was banded on 9/15 and had my second fill today (now a total of 8.5ccs). I am feeling chest tightness today but so far water and crackers have been fine. The surgeon wanted to make it tighter but i had him take some out. I work at the hospital where i was banded so my surgeon is always pushing me to do more on the basis i can get an unfill quickly...i still stay conservative because who wants to go through that? For the last few weeks i have been battling the same 3-4 pounds. I lose them and gain them back. Before today i was feeling very little restriction. I did feel after my first fill that i had good restriction for about a few weeks and then within a month, i can eat whatever. I hope the second fill helps me. I would love to lose another 10 pounds before NYE! Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories! Melissa

We had a really nice lunch on Sunday-it is nice to talk to people who know what you are going through. I hope more people can come next time! I don't think i can make it if we meet on 12/30. I have friends coming in for NYE that weekend so i think it will be pretty hectic. If we can do something after the first of the year, I am in. I also think Starbucks or something like that is a great idea. I really enjoy going to restaurants but it is always an opportunity to make a bad choice:) Cassandra-congrats on your band! How are you feeling? The first few weeks are challenging but after that, it is all downhill and you will be so happy that you did it!!! Melissa

I can make it sunday

the 18th or 19th works for me.

I live in downtown Chicago and was banded on 9/15. I would love a get together so please keep me posted-i also don't mind traveling. I would be happy to help with the plans if you need anything. How about next weekend? Melissa

Hello fellow september bandsters- I was banded on 9/15 and have lost 25 pounds so far. I can relate to the feelings of the slow weight loss. The first 20 pounds just fell off and then for a week the scale would go up and down for a 22 pound loss (i flipped out when the scale went up). Then all of a sudden, i lost a few more pounds. I am getting back into old work clothes and feeling great (except my port hurts occasionally). Does anyone else have that problem? I am going for my first fill on 10/23. I am a little nervous :phanvan and hope that it doesn't hurt or that I have problems eating after that. So far eating has gone well for me, except i feel that i am always hungry or i eat and i am hungry shortly after. Yesterday i was suppose to transition to a "regular" diet but my dietician didn't email the papers to me so i feel a bit lost. I am going to continue doing soft foods. I eat tons of fish and occasionally have shredded chicken. Any words of advice for transitioning to regular food? thanks! Melissa

Hi everyone- This is my first post. I was banded on 9/15 with Dr Myers. Mskobe-I was so scared preop as well. I am a nurse so knowing everything that could go wrong made me a nervous wreck. Just know that your feelings are normal and you will be fine! I also work at Rush and i think it is a great hospital-they will take great care of you! It would be nice if someone could help you post op but i think you will be fine taking care of yourself-just take it slow getting up and down. I just moved to Chicago in January so i asked my mom to come from Ohio to help me. Well she and my father came for a few days. I was a bit scared when they left but i was fine. If you want any more details, just let me know. I could go on and on... I think it would be great if a group of us could get together. I know i could use all the support i can get! Melissa:)