DebLPN

Well,,,,,i was banded Jan 29th, 2007 and have lost 51 pounds so far.

Just popped in and will be back to catch up soon. Thanks!

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/280/150

Today has not been good for me.

I was banded 1/29/07, have had one fill in March(he wouldnt tell me how much he put in cause he said i read too many websites and i should concern myself with what is right for ME)and so far i've lost 51 pounds. THe fill didnt make me feel any different. My desire to eat alot disapperared since surgery. If I try to swallow a gulp of anything liquid or dont chew something well,,i DO get a 'globby' feeling in my lower esophagus,,but that only occurs in the mornings. I rarely eat rice,,never Pasta, TINY amounts of any kind of breads. I exercise 2 times a week. I had a nursing job that kept me hopping. This past Tuesday,,,my beloved 13 yr old chihuahua, CHia was attacked by a neighbors dog and was in hospital for a week. SHe seemed tobe recovering, but then quickly took a turn for the worse. I held her in my arms as htey gave her the drugs and she quietly slipped away. I hd to go to work that evening,,,i rarely get to eat during my shift and have been so miserable since that i've not eatten much at all. Today,,i went out and bought crap like a bag of chokkie caramel cups, a tiny watermelon and some bbq porkskins. Needless to say,,i've had my first episode of bing eating and unfortunately no PBs. GOd knows i wish i could trhow it all up. Oh yeah,,i also bought some crabmeat-cheese won tons and general tsos chicken and refried rice. My emotions grabbed me hard and i've consum,ed alot of the avoe in the past 24 hours.

I think i'm over the emotional eating binge now,,,but needed to admit it in writing. Tomorrow, i'll got to the gym,,come home adn plant some flowers and stuff i bought today and try to get some fresh air and sunshine. Please pray/light a candle/ whatever it is you do for me. I'm divorced, my daughter is 24 and along way from home, I live alone and i need the support of each of you to help me not wallow in my grief and sabatoge my sucess sofar. Pity Party? Table for one? Time to move on,,,,,,,thanks for listening.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/280/150

one fill to date

I too am 5'2" and my highest weight was right at presurgery-331. I'm almost 53 years young. All I can say is that the lapband is a great tool for me. I was physically unable to enjoy life being so overweight. Since Jan 29th, 2007, I've lost 45 pounds and feel great. Just like anything else, learn all you can about teh proceudre and the lifestyle of post banding, read the posts of those who continue to have success in their journey and make your decision along with a supportive medical team. You will find honest truth here,,keep coming back!

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/286/150

one fill todate

Ditto what leatha g said!!!!!

"If nothing changes,,nothing changes" The band is a tool,,not a cure all. If you keep on doing the same things you used to do,,yoiu'll keep on getting the same results you always have. Personally,,I eat very little bread or rice and no Pasta. You can gain weight forever if you fill your pouch with high caloric foods. Empty calories might make you feel full,,but they aren't good for you and provide temporary satisfaction.

My physician is a hard ass when it comes to honesty and following rules. I appreciate that quality in him. He holds me accountable for my actions while encouraging me and guiding me through this change in lifestyle. THAT'S wht this is,,a change in lifestyle.

Stick to the hard Proteins FIRST. Trust the diet that your physican/dietician hopefully gave you and follow it closely. I bought a Backyard Burger today,,its big,,with lettuce, Tomato, cheese, onion and Condiments. I pinch off as much bread as possible and have it still stick together and I slowly ate half of it. I brought the rest home and saved it for lunch tomorrow. It satisfied me for the whole night. I had to learn the difference in NEEDING to eat and WANTING to eat. Keep reading the website and learn, as I have,,from those who have gone before us! Good luck!

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/286/150

one fill to date

oops,,didnt mean to post that link,,arghhhhhhhhhh,,sorry!

i drink too fast and too much and i know it. It seems i'm thirsty all the time and i rarely get the opportunity to eat or drink much of anything at work. When i finally get home,,its almost midnight and i cant get eunough to drink and i eat something small. I had my one and only so far fill last month,,,i dont notice any difference,,but i'm still losing weight. Every once in a while,,if i eat early in teh morning or take too big a bite or not chew well,,it feels like a big glob is stuck in my throat. I go back to my doctor on the 17th,,so i guess i'll find out more then.

banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

: http://tickers.tickerfactory.com/ezt/t/wsxelqf/weight.png (http://www.tickerfactory.com/weight-loss/wsxelqf/)

joteddi~

I chose the lapband for several reasons:

1)the lapband simply restricts, the RNY throws the body into a state of malabsorption,,i didnt want that

2)my lapband cost me $16.500 and the RNY would have cost $24.500 and i was a private pay, and

3) i hadnt reard of anyone dying from having a lapband but HAD heard of folks dying from complications from the RNY.

Each of us has to make that personal decision,,,I just felt the lapband was right for ME.

Good luck with your surgeon appt!!

banded 012907

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

(someone else does my tickerthingie for me and i havent sent her my new stats yet, but here is the old one,,lol)

I lost 30 pounds the first month, didnt start exercising, going off plan,,so I've only lost 5 more. I had my first fill April 12th and had lost a total of 35 pounds in all since surgery Jan 29th. AM i disappointed in my weight loss so far? NO,,only in myself for straying off my food plan and not exercising. I feel restriction after my fill and am back on track. One day at a time.

Deb

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

Good luck Margi!!!!!!!!!!

Try to get a good night's sleep,,,practice whatever kind of relaxation techniques, positve self talk,,whatever you do to get your mind in a 'good place'. This is the first step in a life long journey and you have lots of people walking along side you. Some are a step behind you,,some miles ahead,,but we are all taking one step at a time.

Deb

banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

From my first pre op visit with my GP, to the MRI I had to have due to a spot on my CXR, lab, etc,,I paid about $18,600 out of my pocket, as at the time, I had no insurance.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

OOPS,,i forgot to post my info:

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

first fill--April 12th

Julie~

Glad you're here! Congrats on your new band!

Pleaseeeeeeeeeee read the forums on Preop/Postop Lapband Q & A,,it has a wealth of info. When I first found this site,,I think I sat here for hours, reading every forum,,looking through tons of posts.I have found that people here are willing to help you in anyway they can.My experiences wont be the same as yours,,we are all different. My surgery had about 3 days of moderate pain then I was able to move about the house with only minimal discomfort. I strictly followed my surgeons detailed plan for dietary intake. I cant stress the word STRICTLY enough. Perhaps it was an added incentive that I had shelled out almost $20, 000 for this band,,anytime I thihnk about eating 'off plan', I remind myself that if I had spent that much for a car,,I wouldnt put sugar in the gastank or try to dirve it 200 miles per hour or drive it into a ditch, so why would i try to sabatoge my health. Not saying that I am perfect, by no means, but stopping to THINK rather than give in to emotions helps me refocus. The most powerful thing I fight is the 'head hunger',,not the physical hunger,,becuase I rarely feel truely hungry if I eat on plan. Those old tapes in our head have to be erased and replaced with healthy, positve things. LIfe is full of choices. If we keep on doing the same old things,,we'll keep on getting the same old results. If nothing changes,,nothing changes.

The more you read,,,the more you will understand how to avoid some of the pitfalls others have experienced. You'll find words of wisdom, comfort, tough love and humor. Glean from the site the things that YOU can use to help make YOUR journey a long lasting sucess!

Too bad dislexi was a 'drive by poster'. Perhaps if she had had the corage and courtesy to return to read the replies, she might have learned something. The world is full of information. As a mature adult, it is MY respondsibilty to learn all I can from informed sources before making my decisions. I come to this site,,as well as other sites,,to glean from it, using others experiences that might be helpful to me. My surgeon is the one I listen to when it comes to basics. I was given a package of detailed informatin about food, exercise and possible complications. THAT is what I follow. What I get here is moral support,,a place to vent frustratinos and share my experiences in my band journey to date. I believe that everyone who has had the band had it done in a sincere effort to help regain some control over their eating problems. Some people are willing to make changes in their lifestyles,,others are not. I can only 'walk the walk' MY surgeon has shown me is in MY best interest. Like any other support group,,,one tkaes with them what they can use,,and disregards teh rest. I look to the experienced folks who are being sucessful in their weight loss journies for support. I relate to the others who are struggling and try to encourage them and offer suggestions,,usually reminding them to do exactly what their own surgeon advised them to do in order to be sucessful.

If one takes everything one reads on the internet as 'gospel',to me, that reflects a misunderstanding of what the information highway is all about.

Best wishes to everyone here,,

Deb

banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

I had my first fill Thursday,,and I can tell by the reduced amount that I'm able to eat/drink. My MD got on me for not exercising,,told me to get my bum to the gym and just sit there and watch if I didnt do aything else. He said , eventually,,I'd get up and exercise. I admitted to him i had been eating erratically adn eatins sweets,,he reminded me(in a very honest and point blanc way)that if had chosen the roux-n-y,,,i wouldnt be able to do that without bad repurcusions,,but the band ,,,i had to made healthy food choices. I appreciate his candor,,he doesnt pull any punches and talks to me like a peer. SOOOOOOOO,,,,,YES,,i can feel a defo change in hte amounts that it takes to fill me up. OH,,he reminded me that I should be eatting solids more,,not Proteins shakes for brekkie,,solids stay with you longer,,satisfy you more. After my fill,,which was totally painless,,i drank a cup of Water ok,,i asked him if i needed to start out with liquids or mushies agin,,he said no,,eat my usual diet,,just chew, chew chew. I was a self pay and my package covers my fills for the first year.

Banded Jan 29th, 2007

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

OHHHHHHHHHHHHH LORD HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heck if I know what i'll be doing,,,i KNOW i'll give meds,and there are no tube feeders, everyone is ambulatory,,only treatments i'll do is if someone gets an abrasion or such. At least thats what they told me. Ruh Roh,,,,gullible is my middle name,,my stomach is rolling now,,,arghhhhhhhhhhhh

If i knew i wasnt gonna get randomly druyg tested i'd take a Xanax,,hahaha

You're freakin me out here Ms WASaBubble Butt!!!! I heard that nurses eat their own young,,,now i feel like i'm gonna be walkin into a lions den!

I better pack a string cheese stick and a pack of tuna, ,i think i might be in for a bumpy ride!

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ohmysidesssssss hahahhahhah

Welllllllll,,,,i'm working 3p-11p at a retirement village,,indep living apts/asstd living apts/nursing home,,and i'm in the assisted living area,,,SOOO,,maybe they will not bust my Buns too hard the first night. Will they?? sobs I'm feeling the need to eat now,,hahahhaha

hahahahahaha,,,ya'll are so funny!!!!! When I was doing clinicals, I didnt eat or drink, but would go to the bathroom only to sit there with my head in my hands,,having my daily meltdown! lolol

I think there is a breakroom with a microwave, fridge and the dreaded snack machines. I start my job tomorrow ,,woohoooooooooooooooooo

SO,,I'll let ya'll know how it goes. I think its in my best interest to avoid carbs in the form of any breads. My "ravenous tapeworm eating' of late seems to have started (as I look back on the past weeks) when I allowed myslef to have bread. Grilled chicken wrap from McDonald's. That led to a piece of cornbread another day,,then the snowball picked up speed and ran right into a boag of Chex Mix,,arghhhhhh. Crappy simple carbs are like heroin to my body. Rambling right along,,I'm trying to be positive,,new job,,,fill on the 12th,,,life is better than it was pre-banding.

Ditto what everyone else has said.

Being a self pay,,I started asking myself if it was really gonna be worth the $16,500,,,,it would be cheaper to make up my mind to lose it by myslef,,,RIGHTTTTTTTTTTTT,,,like THAT was gonna happen! That "fight or flight" panic is normal. The day before surgery,,I settled down and was very calm. It's been a little over 2 months since my surgery and I havent questioned my decision once.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150

no fill to date

Tracy~

I second what Julie said,,they give you strict guidlines for a reason,,dont let your emotions override your sensibilites. For some reason,,maybe 70's flashbacks,,lol,,I keep hearing this in my head:

"Nurture strength and spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all it's sham and drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~~ part of Desiderata

Good luck on your journey,,,keep posting,,you're among friends here.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150

no fills to date

My physician gave me Phenergan pills, whick i cut into 1/4ths and that zapped out my nausea. I was worried too,,about the band getting "displaced". I was wretching after surgery, during my overnight stay and nothing seemed to help. I saw a great video online that showed the procedure,,and they pull a bit of the stomach up and suture it to the stomach above the band,,to help prevent it from slipping. I specifically asked my MD if he did that too,,he said yes. I'm 2 months out and have lost 31 pounds(maybe a little more,,as I stopped weighing because my crappy scales always give me an error or read me 8 poiunds off after I just weighed an hour before that,,grrrrrrr. I'd rahter just not know than to be constantly aggravated.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150

no fill to date

I rarely weighed myself,,,Denial aint a river in EGYPT!!!! I kept telling myself,,I AM NOT GOING TO GET ANY BIGGER!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah,,right.

My alltime high was 331,,my weight the day of surgery. Here I am 2 months and a few days later,,,31 pounds lighter and my clothes are alot looser. It was sooooooo great to see the 200's again! The scales I bought are crap,,no one can vary 8 pounds in an hour,,I got frustrated with them and just stopped weighing myself. I go to see my MD on April 12th,,I'll do the best I can each day(which hasnt' been so hot lately)and weigh when I see him. If I do what I KNOW I should be doing,,,I know the weight will slowly slough off.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150

no fill to date

whew,,,I'm glad I'm not alone in 'falling off the wagon'. I was banded Jan 29th 2007 and havent had a fill yet. THese past 3 weeks have been sheer hell,,I've eatten things I KNOW I shouldn't,,eatten too much,,it's like an alien takes over my body and goes wild. Each morning, I wake up determied to get back on track,,some days it works,,some days it doesnt. I start my new job Monday,,my first as a nurse. Any suggestions on things to take to eat that are quick and easy? I'll be workng 3p-11p, so almost all my eatting will be over by the time I get to work, but I know I need to eat something during my shift.

I tend to beat myself up after going off my food plan,,thanks for all the great posts.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150

(my scales are crap, so I've stopped weighing til I go see my MD on 4/12/07)

I didnt want to put anything in my mouth for the first few days and had to FORCE myslef to drink liquids. And,,I dont care if i EVER taste chicken broth or beef broth again as long as i live,,hahahhahaha

Seriouslyyyyyyyyyyyy,,,i survived on Crystal Lite with Beneprotein in it Maybe try some defac coffee,,unswet ice tea,,sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles too. Those popsicles really hit the spot with me! All those things were on the list my physician/dietician gave me.

Good luck,,hang in there,,this too shall pass!!!!!!!!!!

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150 (i quit weighing til my next MD visit the 12th)

I"ve lost 33 pounds(as of last week, i've stopped weighing until i go in on the 12th for a doctors appt) and all I know is,,,I couldnt have lost it without my band,,,,I wont continue to lose if I dont do what I'm supposed to do,,and I have to remember that I didnt put on all this fat overnight so it's not going to come off overnight,,,this is a long journey and I want to make it the best trip of my life.

Banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/298/150