rebmommj

Have lost 50 since 04/22/10...50 more to go. But, I'll admit it's been real slow losing for me. On medical scooter...so can't exercise much. Since my 3rd fill...have .5cc in 10cc band, have had terrible reflux. Been sleeping upright position in my recliner every night...which doesn't rest your body & back as well as my bed. I'm also diabetic (on 2 insulines) but have cut doses in half...and off half my maintenance meds was on before. I like my band most days...I feel & look alot better....but it's been a huge learning curve for me. What's bothering me so bad right now is the GERD. On Nexium & have tried Prilosec, Pepcid AC & Rantidine. I have gastroparesis (nerve damage in stomach) due to 25+ yrs diabetes...so that slows down the food digestion alot. Nurse thinks I should get an unfill...but soooo afraid of gaining weight back...since it's come off so slow anyway. What do ya'll think? :sneaky: I see the doc again in 2 weeks.

Same here...mine waits min. of 6 weeks...had to beg them to let me fill @ 5 weeks since was going out of town for vac...so glad I moved it up & got the adjustment amount right before leaving town...or would not be able to enjoy Myrtle Beach at all. 1st vac. since sx....wish me well. Gonna concentrate on fresh seafood...not fried & leave the side dishes alone!!! Hope this plan works.

The nurse in my surgeon's office keeps talking about how a fill can "evaporate" but sounds like she is trying to describe the changing size of the fat band...is that the flap of muscle/skin/whatever that attaches the band to your stomach? If I understand that correctly. Went thru a MISERABLE 2nd fill this past Tues, couldn't even keep down my own saliva...only had 5cc in a 10cc LapBand. After 24 hrs of praying to die...and getting dehydrated & blood sugars gone crazy :smile2:...he took 1/2cc out...and got instant relief and could keep water down. This time they tested it in his office before I left...may insist on that extra precaution for future fills. So, evidently 4.5cc is a goood place for me to stay for a little while. Good luck to all...and Wendell...post when you can.

TELL the Dr. ASAP. Don't do like I did a few days ago & end up dehydrated & in ER. I was instantly better when Dr. got out of surgery & UNfilled me just 1/2 cc. Doesn't sound like it makes that much difference...but in me, it did. Spent a most miserable 24 hrs, not wanting to bother the Dr. Not supposed to be uncomfortable...and in this heat wave we're in...can get dehydrated very quickly. Good Luck to U...and let us know what you end up doing. Dr. said it's called "pooling in your esophogus"...and will only get worse without intervention from him.

Absolutely gorgeous photos....you are very lucky to live there!

No, surgeon had told me upon release from hospital I would get 1st fill on 5/11....but NP said I would not get it until next appt., 6/8. Let me know how yours goes...can't wait to get my 1st one!!!

Saw the NP today. Asked her why some people feel restriction w/o a fill & others don't? She said some are lucky enough to get their band placed right on top of the V_ _ _ _ nerve...can't remember the name, something like vagus? nerve...and that's the nerve that gives us the full sensation. Thought I was one of the lucky ones....but apparently the restriction I was feeling was just swollen tissue...because now I feel hungry in 2 - 2.5 hrs....whereas last week could go 4 or 5 hrs before wanting to eat again. Just gotta tough out this phase...we can & MUST do it!

Been rough here, too....definitely in the Bandster Hell phase now! :crying: Had to only do 3 days Clear liquids, then 2 more days liquids not clear. I had hubby pick me up some broth type Soups from restaurants & strained out the chunky parts...and that was a real treat for me. I drink alot Crystal Light & SoBe Lifewater, 3 20 oz. bottles a day. I also LUV Jello sugar-free rice pudding Creme Brulee...put crushed almonds on the top & that's my sweet thing when I need a treat. I'm insulin dependent Diabetic so have to watch the sugars very closely. I drink 1 or 2 Protein shakes a day & 3 small meals. Saw surgeon today (3 weeks post-op) but no fill! Kinda disappointed since my hunger came back with a venegance last Thursday! I thought I had restriction w/o any saline in my band...but apparently that feeling was just from the internal swelling. I still eat alot less than I did pre-band...but weight loss has slowed down alot. I can begin exercising now so that should help. Note: I can only do Water aerobics due to nerve damage in both feet. Not released to get back into water until today. Looking forward to June 8th...and my 1st fill!!! NP told me to keep calories below 1200 daily (figure mine's been closer to 850-1000), no more than 35 grams Carbs, and take in minimum of 70 grams Proteins a day...and I'd be fine! Let's hope! We just gotta hang tough...and this too shall pass!!! Saw my

My approval should have only taken 2 weeks...but some paperwork got put on the wrong desk...so it took almost a month...but once the Dr. office called & got the verbal approval....went fast....banded within 2 weeks! I became a bandster on 4/22/10. Good Luck!

My Recovery...Been waiting to post this... permalink ...didn't want to scare off anyone still waiting for the surgeries...but just have to ask this?! Sorry, here goes... Did anyone else experience OVERALL muscle soreness & lots of pain (NOT in abdomen area...I expected that)...within 1st 24 hours of surgery completion??? My surgery didn't take place til 3pm so spent the night in hospital. Got home around noon next day. Unpacked & hubby & I both decided we needed an hour's nap...when woke up from nap, literally felt like I had been in a bad car wreck & the car had flipped & landed on top of me. Was so sore in odd places...like upper & lower arms, legs, buttocks....plus the expected tenderness in abdomen area. I was really shocked as I:ohmy: had recv'd 3 other lap surgeries...all in abdomen area...and bounced right back. I felt like something was bad wrong...just didn't feel good at all. I'm known in my family for bouncing back...have gone shopping the day after surgery before...so this was totally unexpected for me. Didn't want to bug Dr. since we were into the weekend by then...retrospect, should have called him then...as not calling caused me a very miserable weekend & post-op recovery experience . I kept asking myself & everyone "what the heck happened"??? and why am I this sore?!?! I'm a strong southern gal (a tough old broad or a steel magnolia as I'm nicknamed)...who's had lots of health issues & always met them head-on without much whining/complaining. But this was something weird! My surgeon allows no NSAIDS, so took my liquid hydrocodone & took to bed on the 2nd day. So glad it was the weekend & my hubby & ex-football son were @ home with me. I was so pitiful, could not have managed to care for myself alone. They literally had to lift me out of bed or off recliner for me to potty...felt like a 2 yr old! I'm fat, I know...and not the specimen of perfect health...but had been daily doing Water aerobics @ home & @ the gym & a chair aerobics class 3x a week...so had strong core muscles & arms/legs. Also, due to diabetic nerve damage in both feet...am on a medical scooter...but can still get up & walk around a little. I had the normal gas pains, tender tummy, tight/swollen feeling around band & port...plus all the other soreness to boot! It was much more than I had bargained for...and I did ? to myself only "what have I done?" I'm only saying this now to try & prepare another newbie for what "could" happen to them...but praying it won't! Well, to shorten this a little...13 days out today....still sore & achy in weird places...and finally got an explanation that makes a little sense to me from surgeon. Rarely, patients have this all-over muscle soreness & extreme fatique as an odd side effect from the paralytic (sp?) portion of the anesthia given. When I mentioned had never had this happen before...nurse said it can happen once out of 100 surgeries...and may never happen to me again (we can hope & pray it doesn't!!) :thumbup:). Due to my discomfort, he will allow me to take two 200mg ibuprofren for a short while IF I take Pepcid, Nexium, Prilosec, etc...beforehand...and space them out 30 mins. apart. Did this several hours ago...and getting a small amount of relief. The codeine in liquid pain meds came home from hospital with sometimes wires me up instead of makes me sleepy...so try to only take it as a last resort. Life is about lessons learned...this is mine. SPEAK UP & don't be embarrassed if your recovery/pain/whatever seems out of the ordinary from everyone else. I could have rested more comfortably & had a better post-op experience if I'd "bugged" the Dr. sooner. I really had begun to think anesthiologist had gotten me asleep during surgery but not relaxed/comfortable...and I had fought or resisted the entire surgery...or that's what my body seemed to be telling me. Sorry so long...hoping no one else experiences this...but soooo glad that 1st week is behind me. I still may have to be enduring the mushies & lots of soup/liquids...but at least it doesn't hurt to breathe & move around so much this week. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE OR ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF REACTION TO ANESTHESIA???. God Bless all April 2010 Bandsters! So much more to learn about this new journey we're all on....mj __________________ aka rebmommj, Grammy, mj, marilyn j. See that precious 6 yr old grandson in my photo...that's my main motivation for getting healthier & living longer!!! :thumbup:

Kristina...we got banded on the same date...let's hear it for the 04/22's...woohoo! I have 0cc in band from surgery...but have still felt some restriction. Too scared to try & find out how much my pouch will hold...don't want to stretch it & being diabetic trying to keep my blood sugars down...shooting only 1/3 amount of insulin as I was before SX. My surgeon will put some in...not sure how much yet....@ 3 week c.u. on 5/ll. Will post how that goes on here... I did see my diabetic doc today & his scales show me 25.5 lbs. down & 2" lost in waist...but I'm still pretty swollen in that area from port placement. My A1C (90 day averages) has dropped 30 points...which is a small miracle for my former out-of-control self! I'm also off approx. 8 maintenance meds...and will be weaned off the last 4 as the scale drops. I'm gonna claim every little "success" I can to keep me motivated all the way to the entire 120 lbs. I want to lose!!! Prayers & good thoughts are sent to all April Bunny Bandsters!!! :thumbup:

That's a FANTASTIC weight loss! I'll be so happy if I have the same result @ 3 week follow-up. I feel some restriction w/0cc in band...but guessing it must be from muscle/tissue swelling? or maybe different surgeons place the band in different places? Don't know the answer but glad I'm feeling it when I really shouldn't be. I see my endocrinologist tomorrow...his scales are exactly the same as bariatric doc's...so will have a better idea of how much I've lost since the 22nd. My scales show 6.8 down from surgery day...but found out my hubby "adjusted" them without me knowing. Thx alot! I had them set @ -6 lbs. to compensate for them being 6 lbs. lighter than the dr.'s scales...so now I don't have an accurate pic of what's really going on...but I see the loss in my face & neck...and feel it in my clothes....so I know I'm headed in the right direction!!!:thumbdown:. You are eating more meat & a variety of veggies...more than my doc wants me to try right now...still on soft mushy foods...which is getting old. Did try some of hubby's chili yesterday with most of the meat strained off it. That was a good chance of pace. Have a great day...TTYL. mj

...didn't want to scare off anyone still waiting for the surgeries...but just have to ask this?! Sorry, here goes... Did anyone else experience OVERALL muscle soreness & lots of pain (NOT in abdomen area...I expected that)...within 1st 24 hours of surgery completion??? My surgery didn't take place til 3pm so spent the night in hospital. Got home around noon next day. Unpacked & hubby & I both decided we needed an hour's nap...when woke up from nap, literally felt like I had been in a bad car wreck & the car had flipped & landed on top of me. Was so sore in odd places...like upper & lower arms, legs, buttocks....plus the expected tenderness in abdomen area. I was really shocked as I:ohmy: had recv'd 3 other lap surgeries...all in abdomen area...and bounced right back. I felt like something was bad wrong...just didn't feel good at all. I'm known in my family for bouncing back...have gone shopping the day after surgery before...so this was totally unexpected for me. Didn't want to bug Dr. since we were into the weekend by then...retrospect, should have called him then...as not calling caused me a very miserable weekend & post-op recovery experience . I kept asking myself & everyone "what the heck happened"??? and why am I this sore?!?! I'm a strong southern gal (a tough old broad or a steel magnolia as I'm nicknamed)...who's had lots of health issues & always met them headon without much whining/complaining. But this was something weird! My surgeon allows no NSAIDS, so took my liquid hydrocodone & took to bed on the 2nd day. So glad it was the weekend & my hubby & ex-football son were @ home with me. I was so pitiful, could not have managed to care for myself alone. They literally had to lift me out of bed or off recliner for me to potty...felt like a 2 yr old! I'm fat, I know...and not the specimen of perfect health...but had been daily doing water aerobics @ home & @ the gym & a chair aerobics class 3x a week...so had strong core muscles & arms/legs. Also, due to diabetic nerve damage in both feet...am on a medical scooter...but can still get up & walk around a little. I had the normal gas pains, tender tummy, tight/swollen feeling around band & port...plus all the other soreness to boot! It was much more than I had bargained for...and I did ? to myself only "what have I done?" I'm only saying this now to try & prepare another newbie for what "could" happen to them...but praying it won't! Well, to shorten this a little...7 days out today....still sore & achy in weird places...and just this a.m. got an explanation that makes a little sense to me from surgeon. Rarely, patients have this all-over muscle soreness & extreme fatique as an odd side effect from the paraletic (sp?) portion of the anesthia given. When I mentioned had never had this happen before...nurse said it can happen once out of 100 surgeries...and may never happen to me again (we can hope & pray it doesn't!!) :redface:). Due to my discomfort, he will allow me to take 2 200mg ibuprofren for a short while IF I take Pepcid, Nexium, Prilosec, etc...beforehand...and space them out 30 mins. apart. Did this several hours ago...and getting a small amount of relief. The codeine in liquid pain meds came home from hospital with sometimes wires me up instead of makes me sleepy...so try to only take it as a last resort. Life is about lessons learned...this is mine. SPEAK UP & don't be embarrassed if your recovery/pain/whatever seems out of the ordinary from everyone else. I could have rested more comfortably & had a better post-op experience if I'd "bugged" the Dr. sooner. I really had begun to think anesthiologist had gotten me asleep during surgery but not relaxed/comfortable...and I had fought or resisted the entire surgery...or that's what my body seemed to be telling me. Sorry so long...hoping no one else experiences this...but soooo glad that 1st week is behind me. I still may have to be enduring the mushies & lots of soup/liquids...but at least it doesn't hurt to breathe & move around so much this week. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE OR ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF REACTION TO ANESTHESIA???:thumbup:. God Bless all April 2010 Bandsters! So much more to learn about this new journey we're all on....mj

CONGRATS on having the courage to begin this journey with us. Soooo glad my 1st week is over today...7 days ago still in pre-op waiting for my sx. I know you've read it on here...but be patient with yourself. Push the protein & especially the water....LUV Crystal Light & they have some cool new flavors! Take your Gax-X...I found the melting thin strips...and rest your body! All the other stuff to try will come in the second week! Good job on weight loss so far & welcome to the losers bench!:redface:

Yeah, I see we have about the same # lbs to lose...although you are already alot smaller than me, also. What are you eating/drinking this week? I got stuck yesterday on a piece of boiled egg & slimed for 1st time...talk about GROSS...so sore now & doing mostly liquids again. My scales haven't moved much since surgery date (4/22) but I have 0cc in my band...surgeon doesn't do a fill until 5/11...so as I understand this forum....I'm in what's referred to as "bandster hell"...til then. I can relate!:thumbup:. Just trying to heal, get over massive soreness (long story but anesthiologist did NOT get me relaxed & comfortable on OR table!), keep in water & protein w/o getting sick again. God Bless us both!

sorry...my pics not showing up...gotta work on that. Any ideas anyone? It's listed in my Bandster Profile.???:thumbup:

Yeah, I had to do it for 2 weeks pre-op, mostly liquid protein, but could add in a few (3-4 oz) lean protein w/a few pre-approved steamed veggies. I'll be honest....thought I would STARVE the 1st few days...but just came off Easter carb-eating...you know that "final last meal syndrome?...day 4...it got better...but 1st 3 days were terrible w/sugar headaches. I'm diabetic so my diet was even more strict. 2 days pre-op went to clear liquids only...and same 3 days post-op. GOOD news is I lost 21 lbs. as of surgery day. Whoopee! Got banded on 4/22...last Thursday. Looking back...glad my Dr. required it since I would have hated to go thru post-op soreness w/carb withdrawal all @ the same time. Guess my Doc does know what he's talking about after all, huh?!:thumbup:

We have the same date....4/22 was my surgery date as well. Have had several laproscopic (sp?) surgeries...so expected that abdominal discomfort...but VERY surprised @ the muscle pain & soreness I've had in both upper arms & upper legs. Unless I was belted down too tight on OR table??? not sure what else could be causing this. Dehydration maybe...but I'm drinking water like crazy. No nausea or vomiting yet...thank goodness...dreaded that part.

I got just got banded Thu., 4/22...day before yesterday so I'm definitely interested in this Bandster Bunnies group! 10 days after my 56th b'day (pre-op liquid diet on b'day was a REAL challenge for me). I've read tons of blogs, FAQs, etc...but like this website the best. Have learned alot in past few months...but still so much more to learn. Glad to be a bandster...have been considering & praying about this for over 6 yrs. Sore, but excited!!! mj:thumbup: