happytobemefinally

My lap band procedure happened 2 years ago. It was slow at first but it picked up and the next thing I know I went from undesired to 50+responses a day on single sites. You would assume I'm happy but there's always been one thing I've left out from date 1-3....THE LAPBAND...and thats the reason I'm here... Before you even comment I should mention I know there's a guy just "waiting for me" if I am honest and open but truth is the world is a scary place and those that have been 300+ understand that. Those that have been overweght since childhood and have dealt with life long rejection and self esteem issues understand where I am coming from even more. Spanx is my partner in crime...without them I would be nothing more than a flabby mess trying to be accepted by society. I guess it's just easier to put on my Spanx and pretend I'm a firm size 12 that gets the attention I've been missing for 30+ years. Being heavy and bullied and unwanted has made me quite the cynic. I'm not sure exactly how or when to address the lap band issue when dating and haven't found many people on here that have had this problem. Overall this is just a bump in my happily ever after. I understand everyone wants a mate but if given the choice between 130+lbs of excess weight and a boyfriend/husband I would and will always choose the lap band. And that I am happy for!!!

I guess I'm deceiving. Never in my life have I had the attention I do now and Spanx happens to be my partner in crime. I'm at a loss though...I have plenty of first and second dates then dismiss them because I know that what they see isn't ever going to be what they get. It took me forever, and hundreds of pounds lost on my own to finally get this surgery....I have issues woth people (as well as myself) thinking I'm simply out of control. I know something needs to change but for now I'm ok with just being wanted for the first time ever. We'll see how long that lasts!

Thanks for all the advice! I've decided to get fitted tomorrow and order 2 sizes smaller, if by September I am even smaller hopefully they can take it in if not at least I tried. I to think 5 months is excessive but my family seems to be blaming this on me and the fact that I'm "high maintenance" so instead of attempting to postpone the fitting I will do as they say and if they end up with a skinny girl in a fat dress oh well...just as long as I'm skinnier

My brothers wedding is mid September and I'm standing up. Today his fiance called and said I must be fitted for the dress this weekend. I'm losing weight continuously and I know for a FACT I will not be this size come mid September so what do I do???? I believe alterations can only take a dress in by two dress sizes which I still don't believe will be enough considering I have a HUGE fear of wearing anything strapless and have been working out like CRAZY!!! HELP!!! What would you do????

I am down 70lbs. and embarrassingly enough, without exercise. The first six fills I lost nothing but finally got my band in the place it needs to be. I'm surprised everyone seems to be dealing with the same issues as myself. Usually the first half of the week I feel like my band may have broke because I could eat tons then the latter half I'm basically on liquids. Funny thing is my friend asked what exactly it was that I ate to feel the band was broke and I told her I could eat half a chicken breast and almost a full piece of pizza...the realization is when I assume I'm "pigging out" it's still not that much food. The only tricky part is understanding when I can eat and I can't. If my band is super tight for 4 days I know I could have a serving of ice cream or a small slurpee and be ok but when I actually am eating I have to check myself and be like "marisa why are you at 7-11 getting a slurpee when you actually ate a full meal today". So far I've caught myself and ate accordingly. Since Thanksgiving I feel like this band is truly working and I'm working with it. Couldn't be happier. Side note: I had dinner with a man that was banded 10 years earlier, he said his band no longer works. As he proceeded to tell me his issues I sat there and watched him take and entire rack of ribs and cut them into little pieces and pour an obscene amount of ketchup to make a Soup like meal. At that moment I couldn't have been happier...after 10 years it wasn't his band that gave up....it was him!!!

What a roller coaster ride this has been! After having surgery on March 31, 2010 I had about six fills and felt nothing! The only thing worse than facing the facts and having major surgery for my weight issues was the feeling I got month after month facing my doctor at the same weight. I honestly thought I was meant to be fat, congratulations Marisa, you have conquered the lap-band!!! It was BEYOND depressing. I hid from my family, that was probably the worst part, people that knew I got it done looked at me like aren't you supposed to be losing weight by now??? It was embarrassing. In my opinion, the only thing worse than being fat was telling people you got a lap-band and STILL being fat!!! I know I wasn't doing much to help i.e. exercise but still I thought maybe just maybe this band could fulfill it's part of the bargain and help me feel full. FINALLY my last fill in late September did the trick. What a RELIEF!!!! It sucks to feel that my fat had superpowers and could withstand surgery! Since that fill I have lost 10-15lbs a month and finally got the self esteem to work with my lap band. PHEW! When I got the fill I was a little taken aback. At that point I had completely ignored all the training they give you like small bites, little sips, chew chew chew and eat slowly. I laughed those directions away after the first couple of fills. It took several bouts with the toilet to figure out how to eat properly but I did it!!! Now my main challenge is drinking. I've NEVER been able to get through a meal without drinking, I seriously feel like I've been walking in a desert with out Water for days after only two bites. I still drink too much and have to immediately go to the bathroom to release the liquid but I think I'm getting better. Even without food I still get a little carried away when I drink, I guess I was a gulper all my life and it's a hard habit to break. I'm not complaining though, finally So here's my advice to all of those that have passed those few fills that were supposed to enact the band but failed...Hang in there!!! Don't get depressed or hide from the doctors, don't read all of these successful posts and get down...wait....and then wait some more..and a little more...and soon you can be posting in this forum with a success story like all the others. Whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE UP!!!

Maybe you need a fill. Food has been my everything, I really did enjoy every minute of it...after I hit that "sweet spot" it was more of a chore than a luxury. Don't get me wrong, I've shed quite a few tears looking at my plate 3/4 full and no longer being able to down it (thanksgiving is just not the same) but at the end of the day it doesn't compare to tossing my sweat pant out and wearing jeans and...wait for it....HEALS!!! I finally FEEL what skinny people are feeling when they say "if you're fat why not just stop eating as much?"...what they meant to say is that eating is not a habit for them so they don't get why it's yours...some even say that while smoking...lol..ignorance is has no weight limit!

Not that I want to relive this but the worst thing ever said/done to me was in middle school, go figure! I was coming back from lunch and saw a "Save the Whales" flyer posted on two different walls, in parentheses was my name. Just when I thought things could not possibly get any worse I saw that my fellow students actually signed it. I guess that's what I got for trying to fit in regardless of my weight issues. Of course I went on, without crying or even acknowledging what went down but I went home and cried my little heart out. I wish there was a time machine that could take me back to that girl to comfort her. I think that was a life changing point for me, ever since then I've had little expectations from people in general and have built a shell that I'm pretty sure cannot be penetrated by humans. I still care for others, I'm still a giver, I still have close relationships but to be honest there is pretty much nothing anyone can say to me that will ever hurt me again. Worst part, I'm pretty sure the guy that was behind it was fat himself. Best part, never again was anyone bullied in front of me. I may not have stood up for myself but I made sure that I would never let that happen to someone else in my presence. Which in turn made me look tough and the kids new I was a force to reckon with. Funny thing about kids is they don't know the difference between a bark and a bite, THANK GOD!

I had the exact same pain last night while sleeping! I honestly thought someone stabbed me! It was exactly 6 days too! If I didn't read this post I would have definitely called my doctor! The bad part was I finally was feeling free of gas and then this! I babysat yesterday and think moving aroun with an 18 month could have been the issue. I haven't felt it yet today. *fingers crossed*

What kind of pain meds? Did you ask for a refill on your prescription? Mine (lortab) is almost gone & I'm afraid to ask for a refill for fear of sounding like a drug addict lol. Does anything OTC work?

For the first couple of days I didn't have shoulder pains but for the last two my left shoulder/collarbone has been killing me!!! When I took a nap today I used a heating pad and it made the pain go away for awhile. I'm very frustrated because sometimes I feel like the worst is behind me and I can stop taking the lortab then several hours later my pain is as bad as it was on day 1!!! I do agree that the pain meds don't do much for the gas. Right now I'm in pain and can't believe I did this to myself!!! Luckily another great side effect is my constant mood swings!!! I'm sure in a couple of hours I'll be fine. Hang in there everyone this thread is pretty much the only thing that stops me from feel sorry for myself!

I am sooo glad to hear I'm not the only going through this, well kind of, I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone, but it's nice to know I'm not alone!

My dr told me my main source of protein for the first two weeks should be skim milk and Greek yogurt (because it's high in protein). They never mentioned protein shakes. I can barely keep those down (I'm on day 4 post op). I guess every dr is different!

I just posted this same thing on another thread! My gas pains are excruciating and my calves were cramped too! The gas still hasn't gone away (I'm on day 3 post op) but the pain in my calves has. My gas was so bad after post op that they did a catscan which was fine. The pain meds help a bit but the heating pad helps more. I have yet been happy about my decision to have this surgery! So I just sit here in pain in a recliner (the only comfortable position) and listen to the loud gas swish around my body :thumbup: I guess there's nothing to do except wait it out.

I just had my surgery on tuesday and from the 1st minute out until now the I am extremely uncomfortable. The very 1st thing I said in recovery was that my heart hurt. It was really hard to breathe. The dr ran a cat scan and said I should stay but as far as they could tell it was gas pains from the co2 they inflated in me for surgery. The first two days I couldn't even lay down. Its getting better now and if I sit in a recliner I can literally hear the gases rushing through my body. Apprently there is no fix for this other than the pain meds and they weren't much help either! A heating pad on my back has helped some as well as using a recliner or sitting up but never laying down. Sorry I have no answer for you but know you aren't alone!

Hi Everyone, My surgery is scheduled for March 30th. I went to the initial seminar in February, saw my PCP the very next day, had my psych exam a couple days later and met with the surgeon March 4th. As you can imagine, it’s been a pretty intense month! I have researched weightloss surgeries about three times in the past and decided against it due to the fact that I overanalyze way too much! As a matter of fact I am still overanalyzing but this time is a little different because I have this forum. I still have tons of concerns like why was 25% of my class filled with those who have to have the surgery again due to slippage? Did they cheat or eat wrong or is it just wear & tear? I’m also scared of the surgery itself, I’ve never had surgery before and it’s a little overwhelming! Another HUGE concern is the pre-op diet I’ve heard a lot of in the discussions, my surgeon is only making me drink liquids 24hrs before. I see the pre-op is to reduce the size of your liver, I’m no doctor but I’d guess mine is pretty big. Should I go on a liquid diet to reduce the risk even though it isn’t required??? So many questions…so little time! I guess that’s probably a good thing for someone like me…it seems the more I know the more nervous I get!!! I wish everyone the best of luck!!!

YAY for all of us!!! My surgery is scheduled for 3/30! I'm pretty much experiencing every emotion imaginable! Hopefully when this is all over my only regret will be not having done it sooner!

I'm pretty terrified myself. The blood clot thing worries me enough to run a marathon after surgery just to assure I won't get one. I get the car accident theory but it happens to someone and I hope to God it's not me!!! I couldn't fathom being less than a size 14 but I can see the need for highlights to look better in my casket:ohmy: What's wrong with me!!!! I only hope this is me being terrified of my very first surgery...but just in case can I get a prayer or two:thumbup: