annieM

Amen to that!

Wow, six years! How are you doing? Did you reach your goal? Any complications? You must have been one of the first ones to be banded in this country. Do tell all!

Welcome! Start jumping through those hoops and you'll be banded before you know it. You've make a good choice and can look forward to better health in the future. Good luck!

You've lost quite a bit of weight (congrats!!!) and it's been a while since your fill, you probably need another fill. Go in to see your doc and share your concerns. They will probably reassure you that you have healed more and lost more and that has allowed you to eat more. If they feel they need to look at what's going on they can always do a quick flouroscope to check on your pouch size. I had a major complication (pouch dilation which needed a band removal and replacement) and I can tell you the band troubles don't whisper, they shout and they don't shut up. You are doing great, keep up the good work!

One more day until you add protein, yea. Isn't it going fast? Do they allow you cold things? If so, those go-gurt yogurts in a sleeve, frozen are a nice treat. They may consider that a mushie though. Did I tell you about my favorite protein drink? It's french vanilla by myoplex (eas product). it's not too bad. I haven't been able to tolerate many of the others. They can be rather vile. That's neat that you will go to Mexico for your six week checkup. It sounds so glam. Great to have them do your first fill too. All you have to do between now and then is heal. Take care!

It's great to hear from you; I'm so glad everything went well! Whew! The weight will be flying off before you know it. You know, I'm sure, from previous diets, that the start is the fastest weight loss and then after the first 50 it slows a bit, then the second 50 it slows a bit more.. . Well, enjoy the fast start! Come up with a (non-food) reward system for your efforts. Since I'm near the end of my weight loss, each pound is hanging on for dear life. For each pound I lose (and I only started this about 7 lbs ago) I get a bead for my charm bracelet. If I gain that lb back, I'm not allowed to wear it. It's been three weeks since I've been able to "buy a bead" and I'm trying to be patient. I'll just enjoy hearing about you dropping those big numbers! Hang in there on those liquids, it will be worth it!

My husband has the gastric bypass. He has to wake up a few hours early every day so that the stinky diarrhea will be eliminated by the time he goes to work. He has had quite a bit of weight regained but remains "cured" of his diabetes. He did lose a lot very quickly, but he is very careful to take buckets of vitamins every day and still is deficient in some vitamins. He has lost quite a bit of hair. He also has had three broken bones because of osteopenia. It's a surgery that is inducing a disease state on your body and you will have to "treat" that disease for the rest of your life or suffer severe consequences. I'm not a fan but he refuses to change his habits so that was the surgery for him. The lap-band only controls your hunger so you eat less. If you normally shovel massive amounts of food in at meal times and don't graze much, this surgery will really help without messing with any of the vitamin absorbing structures of the gut as the other two surgeries do (RNY patients tend to be anemic because they lose a portion of their stomach which absorbs the iron). Nothing is easy. Don't ever confuse success with ease. But there is a lot to be said for safe and healthful.

I think I had to make a lot of little shifts to my routine as I lost weight. At first it was easy and the weight seemed to fall off. After the first thirty pounds, it was more of a struggle and I had to count calories and stay around 1200 cal/day to lose 1-2 lbs per week. After losing about 65lbs the loss seemed to slow to a crawl and I had to stay around 1000 cal to lose 1lb/week. Now at 80lbs lost and 10lbs from goal I have not lost any weight in weeks and am getting a bit annoyed. Everyone is different and because of some arthritis my exercise is limited so my metabolism is extra slow. One thing that was very helpful for me was to cut out the liquid calories, like Starbucks. I don't really miss it now, I have a cup of herbal tea instead, and it has saved me a ton of calories. I also don't even attempt breakfast anymore, my band is just too tight in the mornings. Lunch is cottage cheese with a bit of fruit or a cup of light yogurt. Dinner is whatever the family is having but I start with the meat, then the veggies and rarely touch anything else. I never eat bread or bread-like foods. I will snack on almonds or pistachios (tiny amounts) I hope this has been helpful. Take one day (one hour if need be) at a time and the weight will come off!

Are you home? How did it go? How do you feel? Was the great Dr. Ortiz all you thought he would be? You're probably "enjoying" the liquid phase of healing. I like the french vanilla flavor of myoplex for my protein shake. It's not too vile. Keep your simple sugars down though (as in no milkshakes or other sugary snacks) it will make you too moody. You don't need that. (nor will your family :smile2: ) Take care and pamper yourself a bit!

That's great that the doc is on the trail of what is wrong and he doesn't think it's your band. Big relief. Good that he is taking a conservative approach. Soon you will be feeling better (and didn't it add to your pain not knowing, I'd bet you feel better already :thumbup:) Take care,

Wow, what a roller-coaster you've been on! What possessed the doc to take all the fluid out when you hit goal?? Did he think you were cured? Can you find another doc? sheesh. Well, what's done is done, and once you figure out why you are not achieving restriction (I'm guessing you just need more fill) and fix the situation, you'll be losing again. You did it once, you can do it again. Must be kind of hard on the wardrobe though, gosh. Best of luck to you,

I've had the tightening trouble because of flying as well, but it has only been one or two days worth of tightness. Not that they feed you anything worth having on an airplane anyway! lol I've been on cruises with my band and other vacations and have never had an un-fill before hand either. It's just to hard to reach the sweet spot and if you lose a pound or two on va-kay, what a perk! It's a life style change that includes vacations, birthdays, holidays, weddings, etc.

Sorry, everyone is different and you just need to keep getting fills until you feel you are at the sweet spot. I have a 14cc band and it's nearly filled to capacity. It can be a long frustrating road to get restriction, but it will come, don't worry. Just hang in there and be patient. good luck,

Welcome and good luck on your journey!

Amen Betsy! Keep going for your fills and keep them small so you don't suffer the overfill pain, but follow Betsy's advice. This isn't the "easy" way out remember, it's just a tool toward helping you control your hunger so you don't overeat. Much of the work is still left up to you. The band isn't a solo worker, it's a team player. Exercise will help control your hunger too... good luck,

It doesn't sound like the usual sort of band trouble. If you are experiencing such discomfort call the doc. You might have an ulcer or a complication of your gb surgery, who knows? It sounds like you need a bit of testing though to get to the bottom of what is going on. Don't sit on it and let what ever it is get worse! good luck and let us know what happens,

Wow, is he one of those guys that prefers fat women? That is the only thing I could think of that would make him be against you being banded. Or is he a fatty himself and fears losing an eating buddy? Sheesh What a control freak. You need this for your health. I am assuming that you may want a child or two also and your health is so important in achieving that goal. By all means go to pre-marital counceling to work this issue out. Don't let it fester.

I agree, maybe they were just a bit over cooked. I can usually keep shrimp down (and I'm really tight right now). Give it another try sometime.

I've been thinking about you! Don't be nervous, I'm sure everything will turn out fine! Those food commercials are the pits aren't they? I'm married to a foodie who watches the food channel almost constantly, it can get very annoying when you're hungry! Thanks to the band, that's not often...as you will soon see! Best of luck to you and keep us posted!

Welcome Chrissy! I'm glad your surgery went well. It's OK to take it easy for a day or two after surgery! Good luck on your lap band journey.

That's great! You can look forward to a new, healthier lifestyle for you and your family. It's great that you're doing this when your family is young so they will learn good eating habits and not suffer as you have. Best of luck on your journey!

You go girl! They always say you lose the inches before the pounds...and there is your proof! Great going, keep up the good work, you'll be at goal before you know it!

Terrific job! Good luck on the next 30, you can do it!!!

I chose the weight I was on my wedding day as my goal weight. (142) I'm about 6 lbs away now and I'm thinking it might not be enough, but it takes me so long to lose I may have to settle for it. My surgeon didn't chose a weight for me and I kindof wish he had given me input.

Maybe you need a more accurate scale? I weigh every day and I don't take offense if the scale goes up a pound or two. I know water weight can make your weight a bit unstable. It does keep me on track though since I know I'll be stepping on it every day and keeping track of its number. Everyone is different and weighing daily works for me and I wouldn't let some doc bully me out of it.