kab1278

Hello zeniada and all family members! I am feeling a little better today, and I thank everyone for their responses. I guess what upsets me is the stop in weight loss because I haven't been doing what I know I need to. I haven't lost anything since the beginning of January. Being ill with Bipolar or any mental illness just is no fun. But I am getting myself psyched up and hope to get that changed! Exercise, exercise, exercise! That is what I need to remember! :Dancing_hmm: (This is me exercising...grimace and all. LOL) And zeniada, I'll be your sister any day if we get each other's back when we fall of the wagon!!! Take care everyone!!! Kelley

I have so much trouble reaching my water goals each day when I try to drink plain water. I cannot have lemon, lime, etc. with my water. However, I do love and drink lots of decaf tea. Does it count towards my water goals? Thanks for the advice!

Hi Jerseygirl581 and everyone else!!! I talked to my friend today and found out, as has been pointed out since my post last night, that Intracranial Hypertension and pseudotumor cerebri are one and the same. And being that it is still considered a "Rare Disorder", I can't believe how many people are coming out to say they suffer from it. Wow! My friend is taking Topomax and Diamox...and maybe something else I am forgetting. Her pressure is greatly affected by the weather and stress. Her vision is really only affected by flashes of light in her peripheral. Her meds don't seem to be working as well as hoped, so she may have to move on to other treatments as I explained last night. But I told her about you and asked if she could recommend any good websites for information. She really likes http://www.ihrfoundation.org/. They have a lot of great information. Also, she asked me to tell you about the IH registry. It is a registry of people suffering from IH, which is used for research purposes and the more people registered, the more grant money organizations can get for IH research. One of the goals is to get enough people registered to get IH to not be considered rare because obviously (and unfortunately) no one wants to study anything that doesn't affect tons of people. To learn more about the registry, you can sign up at http://www.ihrfoundation.org/intracranial/hypertension/info/C36. There are also a couple of good FaceBook groups to join. And finding a doctor who knows a lot about IH seems to be a difficulty in the IH world. But there are doctors at the Cleveland Clinic who specialize in it! The doctor she is seeing isn't on the CC website but if you call, they make appts. with him. His name is Stuart Tupper (I believe), and he is the only neurologist they have who specializes in IH. They also have an neuro-ophthalmology surgeon. His name is Gregory Kosmorsky, D.O. Well, I hoped I helped! If you have any questions, I'll patch you through to my friend. She has done a ton of research and loves helping people. Good luck everyone and here is to a low-pressure day!!! Kelley

This is so sad. I am only 30lbs pounds down and so many of you are near your goals. I am really happy for you, I just want to be with you. I did really well from banding until Thanksgiving and then went into a depressive episode (I am Bipolar) through mid January. That completely threw me off. While my eating has been pretty good, I haven't exercised much, and I know that is what is wrong. I just wish I could get what I know to kick me in the butt! Hopefully the warming weather and extra hour of daylight will help my modd and energy levels. And a few posts from people encouraging me...please? :smilewinkgrin: Thanks everyone and good luck!!! Kelley

Hi agdunkle! Congratulations and welcome to the family! I can't say how long the stomach can stay swollen. I looked on lapband.com for you but nothing that I can find is specific. However, I do know it can be weeks (if not longer) because your stomach not only has a new band to get used to, but stitches were placed above and below the band to help keep it in place (cool videos on lapband.com show a virtual surgery...stiches and all!). And since we can't just let our stomachs sit dormant and heal, it takes longer for it to heal. Be careful to follow the time frame for advancing your eating because while it may not hurt at that moment, it can cause damage to your healing stitches. I was actually eating ahead of schedule (my oops!) because I read my papers from my surgeon incorrectly. Luckily, it was only things like Cream of Wheat and yogurt, so I didn't mess up my expensive new belly! I was so grateful I didn't hurt myself. I do hope you are one of the lucky people who manages to lose weight without fills...they are out there! And I am jealous! But just know, fills themselves aren't too bad. The actual, physical fill has taken me no longer than 5 or 6 seconds from needle in skin to pulling it out. Don't be afraid to ask for more anesthetic in the injection site if you need it and stick to liquids and mushies for a day or two after fills as fills usually irritate the stomach and can make it swell a little. My doctor forgot to tell me that! Yikes! But my #1 advice is always ask your doctor first about pains or things you know are just "wrong". I have seen people come here to ask questions before calling their doctors about pain and even bleeding! It scares me for them. I paid my doctor too much not to put him to work! Okay...now that I have bored you to death (LOL), I leave wishing you all the luck in the world! There are a lot of really nice people here to help, so ask anything! Be blessed!!! Kelley P.S. I hope it ok that I talked about things other than you asked. No pushiness intended!

I started taking Doxycycline for acne a few months ago. My dermatologist originally suggested I take it with food and in doing so, I had no trouble with taking it. However, as time went by, my stomach and esophagus started burning, even with food...kinda like I had swallowed...oh, what is that minty stuff you rub on sore muscles?...Icy Hot or Biofreeze. The burn only happened when I took the Doxycycline originally. Now, the burning happens sometimes when I eat, no matter the food. What I believe has happened is that the Doxycycline very slowly irritated my stomach until, even with food, the dose caused the burning. Last week, the burning was so bad that I even considered the ER! I have an appointment with my surgeon next week (wish it were sooner) and my guess is that I'll end up with an Endoscopy. I also have an appointment with my dermatologist, so I hope we can get this figured out. So, long story short...anyone else had this kind of problem??? Thanks everyone! Kelley

Yes!!! The courteous, supportive people are banding together! I love it!!! No pun intended.

Hi Britt! Welcome to the family! I am 32 and was banded 8/24/10. I am still learning a lot of new things from this website myself, but anything I can help you with would be my pleasure. I know how unnerving it is to sometimes ask questions of your doctor or on this website...because I still get unnerved. But ask anything and everything here! There are a lot of really nice people here who will go to a lot of trouble to answer questions and share their experiences. The main advice I have as a LapBand patient is...if something really hurts or just seems "wrong", call your doctor. Your doctor is your #1 expert. I have seen people say they haven't contacted their doctor but have come here instead to ask for advice about extreme pains or even blood or oozing incisions, and that scares me for them. So, while we are your #1 supporters, your doctor is the expert! Good luck!!! And private message me anytime! Kelley

Wow! This sounds a lot like Intracranial Hypertension. My friend developed it after having Meningitis. She has too much spinal Fluid in her head which causes extreme headaches, vision problems and more. She has had too many spinal taps to count and will probably soon be having a Continuous Spinal Tap where she is tapped for 24 hours straight. The results from that test will tell the neurologists and neurosurgeons if she will have to have a shunt placed from her head to her stomach, allowing excess fluid to drain into her digestive system. I wonder what the difference is between the two Dxs. Well, in any instance, I hope health for everyone!!! Kelley

Goodness! Why didn't I look here first?! Soooo dits4golf...who "checked their facts" and who are we going to go with? The people who we trusted to make the thing we now have around our stomachs or a generalized website with no affiliation to the LapBand? Hmmm...hard decision. See www.lapband.com/en/resourcecenter/detail/284 for information below. (Clicking the link won't work. Don't know why. Search Resource Center for "Drink to Your Health" @ www.lapband.com) First three days after surgery: Sip Clear Liquids "I recommend sugar-free drinks like Crystal Light, which comes in lots of different flavors," Dilks says. "Propel Fitness Water and Fruit2O are also good choices." Three days to two weeks after surgery: Enjoy Full Liquids "At this stage, you can drink beverages such as skim or 1 percent milk, protein shakes, strained low-fat cream soups, tomato soup, vegetable juice, and low-fat, low-sugar yogurt without fruit, seeds, or chunks," says Dilks. Post-recovery: Keep It Going After the first two weeks or so, you can continue to drink many of the same beverages you've been enjoyingwater, black coffee, unsweetened tea, Crystal Light, and low-calorie flavored waters. The key is to try to stick to zero-calorie drinks as much as you can. You want your calories to come from healthy, satisfying foods, not a cup of sugary drink. So avoid high-calorie beverages like juice and flavored coffee drinks.

Shirley, I do the same thing! Measuring and keeping track of my liquid intake was such a bother! So I took a 64oz. apple juice container after my husband drank his sugary drink , and I now fill it up with Brita water each night. No measuring or keeping track! And about the water vs. tea thing...if I were asking about Hawaiian Punch or Kool Aid, I'd say I wasn't taking losing weight too seriously. However, steeping a tea bag in water doesn't exactly change the water too much. Thanks to everyone who came out to give me a supportive opinion...as in nice and positive. I do not mind opinions that aren't what I want to hear because I have learned a lot that way. However, tact and kindness is always appreciated! Thanks for your supportive reply, Shirley!!! Kelley

Boy dits4golf, aren't you the expert doctor and mind reader. I am glad you were here to inform me and others that we are cutting corners and not taking the loss of weight seriously. What would we do without your encouraging insight?! Hahaha!

Great news! I don't know where I got the idea otherwise! Thanks everyone!!!

Thanks Lemonchick!

My doctor didn't tell me about the liquids/smushies recommendation after fills either. I luckily didn't have problems after my first 2 fills, but now, at 3, I have to be very careful afterwards. There are a lot of questions I never knew to ask until after surgery, so I ended up here a lot. Good luck!!!

Oh my! I have so many things to say, but I can't keep track and Multi-Quote isn't working! My Mom's entire experience with her aneurysm has to start all over...other than the CT scans, I suppose. Her insurance company called to say the Cleveland Clinic isn't in her PPO. When we initially checked on that, we were told the CC was indeed a PPO of Coventry (her insurance company) but found out it isn't a PPO for Coventry's subsidiary, Carelink. I am so glad I worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield and that my brother still does because we can get things figured out. So she'll be going to a hospital closer to home with her "initial" consultation on Monday. Lord knows medical issues happen for everyone, but I think the worst part of this experience for her so far is the waiting. She just wants to get everything done and over with. I am so glad to hear that the daughter with cancer had good news about her cancer no spreading. I am sorry to be drawing a blank on your name. Cheri, I believe? I just hope she gets some positive thinker behind her to keep her built up. I truly believe where you are mentally is half the battle. Now if I could just fix my own Bipolar.... Do I have it right...Michelle/Melissa...I completely know where you are in this struggle. Lately, I am working very hard to keep myself convinced that I made the right decision in getting it because I am having such a hard time managing my food. I just keep saying tomorrow is another day to start over (not that I always convince myself) and get it right. I have a question...I have been taking an antibiotic for acne, and it is tearing up my stomach. I took my dose with food today, but apparently it wasn't enough. As Mom and I got to the restaurant where we were having lunch today, I almost thought I was going to have to go home. I ordered milk when we sat down and sipped it through lunch. (It was a super creamy whole milk...but I was in PAIN). Between the milk and chicken, my stomach felt 95% better. But as the day went on, the burn came back to the point I couldn't keep cottage cheese and peaches down. Have you ever heard of antibiotics being a threat to a band? I have been told ibuprophen could erode the band, but never warned about anything else. I know my stomach must be irritated and swollen, but I have no idea what to eat/drink. I am afraid to even drink a Protein shake. Oh...and I can't take antacids or the such. I am going to call my doc Monday but thought you may have some suggestions until then. And I can't find an acronym list for this site. Every link I have found doesn't work and I have no idea what things are sometimes. I hope everyone has a great weekend and health and happiness finds us all...including our loved ones. Be blessed! Kelley

We have a lot in common! I was a normal, healthy weight until I began taking Effexor XR for depression right after high school. After a few years, I had gained 100lbs. Once I was diagnosed Bipolar (not just depression), I went off of Effexor XR and my weight stabalized. Last year, I participated in a medical trial at the National Institute of Mental Health, which lasted 4 months. In the last month and a half, I started the treatment phase and was put on 2 new medications whose first side effects were weight gain. I had no choice but to take the medicine because if my Bipolar isn't controlled, how can I ever hope to control my weight? In that month and a half, I gained 25lbs. In the 3 previous months in the trial, I gained 3lbs. So, quite obviously, it was the meds. It is so awful how we have to manage so many problems. But I think getting you Bipolar stabilized, as much as possible, and then working on your weight would be an excellent idea. Afterall, the better you feel and look, the less your Bipolar has to grab a hold of and "use" against you. KWIM? Good luck and contact me anytime. So few people understand our predicament, so sticking together is great! Be Blessed, Kelley

I had a cath which was inserted when I was asleep and taken out before I woke up. If you are worried about when and if they give you one, I would just ask the doctor and your operating room nurses to make sure you are asleep when giving the cath and removing the cath. I was happy to get one because I didn't wake up in desperate need to pee after being pumped full of fluids. Oh...and my Mom has had a number of surgeries and has always asked for a pediatric catheter as they are super small. That is a great option to keep irritation away. Good luck!!! And never be afraid to ask questions or make requests of your doctor. It is your money paying for the operation so feel free to be "the boss". Kelley

I just emailed you. I thought I'd post it here too. I don't know your real name to address you properly! =) I am so sorry about that. Thank you so much for replying to my post. I have had so much anxiety about my food because all I received from my nutritionist was a list of suggested foods (canned tuna, eggs, yogurt...) and suggested measurements. When I found out I couldn't tolerate much meat other than ground turkey, ground beef, and chicken, I about died. A girl can only manage so many ground meat recipes! Fruits give me a lot of trouble but veggies go down pretty nicely. The problemis finding decent veggies this time of year. I have been eating canned/frozed green beans, cauliflower and broccoli...but can't wait for fresh summer veggies...and the grill!

I meant to ask a question...can anyone recommend a good cookbook for band food? I bought "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery", but the recipes aren't "everyday" recipes IMO. I don't have the money to eat sea scallops every day... who keeps saffron in their cupboard ... and I have never seen both Asian chili paste and Asian chili paste with garlic hanging around anyone's kitchen. Oh...and I can't eat any fermented soy (soy & teriyaki sauce, tofu), no cheese except skim mozzarella, American & Parm from the can and some other things I had never heard of before, so they really aren't a problem. I take an MAOI...you know the warning you read on the back of cold medicine that says "Do not take if you are on a MAOI" and you wonder "What the heck is an MAOI?" Well, it is a category of drugs for depression that I take for my Bipolar Disorder. ---and many recipes in this book call for these ingredients I cannot eat. I am really struggling with finding foods to eat that are regular meals. I can't live on yogurt, grilled chicken and chili forever! Ok..got some frustration out. I feel better. Names of books or great web sites are appreciated. Thanks everyone! Be blessed! Kelley

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 You and your daughter are in my prayers. Kelley

Oh no! I am so sorry your port has been leaking, but at least you can deal with the problem. Bless your heart! Good luck!!!

Hi ladies! The first thing I have to ask is does anyone live in a place where they can see grass as some point during the winter?! The part of WV I am originally from experiences wildly large amounts of snow during the winter, but where I live now, the area shuts down if we get 3". I cannot help but to laugh at people who are afraid of 3" of snow! I haven't posted in a week or so because it has been a long, drama filled week. Mom has had constant sinus infections lately, so I bugged her to go to the doctor. Her doc sent her for a CT scan this past Monday at 9 am. By 2 in the afternoon, her doctor called, apologizing for giving her information over the phone but wanted to for the purpose of speed, and told Mom she had a Cerebral aneurysm. The doc said Mom was scheduled for another CT test the following morning (Tuesday) that would provide definitive results. The second CT confirmed an aneurysm, and Mom's doc said she would need to have surgery in a week. Mom was just stunned. She never imagined finding an aneurysm when only her sinuses were bothering her. So we decided as a family the Cleveland Clinic was the best place to go and received a call at 2pm Wednesday that she had a 7:30am the next day (Thursday). So four hours later, we were on the road to Cleveland. We met with her Cleveland doc on Thursday and to sum it up, he said he would error on the side of caution and have the surgery, but that if she chose to wait to monitor the aneurysm, he wouldn't have a problem with it because she wasn't in imminent danger. She decided to have the surgery, so we'll be heading back up to Cleveland for a March 8th surgery. She'll be in the hospital about 5 or 6 days. So...that's about it. She was really worried about work because it is a private company with no disability benefits but they have given her whatever time she needed, with pay, so between work and knowing she doesn't need to particularly worry about the aneurysm causing trouble before her surgery, she has felt a lot of relief. I may not have names down yet, but I am keeping everyone in my prayers. It seems we have too much illness and drama in our lives and have so little time to take care of ourselves. But God is keeping us…even when we forget! I was wondering if someone could enlighten me about the "5 Day Pouch Test". I have looked at a few websites, but they seem a little unprofessional with little information and that sends up red flags. Please keep my family and my Mom in your prayers! You'll be in mine! Kelley

Good evening everybody! We've enjoyed another beautiful day in WV. We have had temperatures in the high 60's and low 70's the last few days, so hearing that we are to have snow and sleet next week is crazy! I am trying to remember names from the thread page so I can address people on my reply, but I am having an awful time as a medicine I am on kills my memory. So I apologize for not addressing people directly while I am learning and adapting. Laura...what you did for your patient was fantastic! You rarely, if ever, have or hear of people caring so much. We'd live in a much better world if we all cared and put forth half as much effort and care as you did. I have already forgotten the name of the two people who addressed my post. I am so sorry. But THANK YOU! I feel so lost right now...like no matter how much I read and how much information I take in, I just can't get a handle on feeling comfortable that I am doing anything right. But knowing there are people who understand where I am helps so much. Feeling alone in this has been a hurdle in and of itself. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Take care and Be Blessed! Kelley

Hi everybody!!! I am back after being gone a week! I lost the thread and had the worse time finding it. Luckily, I remembered that someone had "IndigoGirl" in their name, so I searched, and alas! Here I am. I really like reading through this thread because I find great information that seems real and down to Earth. And at this point, that is just what I need. The last time I posted, I was asked if I journaled. I will be honest...I am in a place where I am basically starting over. I haven't been keeping up with things because of my depression, but since it started lifting last week, I am focused on re-energizing my efforts. Today, I started journaling my Water intake because I don't think since I was banded that I met my intake goals. I am using a sheet I had to use while in the hospital to keep track. Exercise has been hit and miss for me even though I know the Band can't do it's full job without it. I completely understand that but haven't been putting it in my life as a priority. So, yesterday, my brother and I took his dog walking trails in the park. It was great! I am planning to restart my food journaling tomorrow...so with getting my walking back on track and journaling my water, I think I might get things together. I do have a question to ask if you wouldn't mind giving me some suggestions. I am having an awful time with meeting my Protein requirements. I cannot eat pork (even when roasted all day in liquid) and the difficulty I have with beef that isn't ground... it just isn't worth eating. My main meat sources are chicken and ground turkey. I love yogurt, nuts and edamame. I drink a soy Protein shake from time to time and white fish like cod is great. The problem is that I eat the same thing every day. I can't come up with different recipes. I did buy "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery", but the recipes are expensive to make. I have bought things for a few of the recipes, but I just can't afford it on a regular basis. Any ideas on how to overcome this? I am looking forward to getting "to know" everyone and hope to manage keeping names straight! Have a great night! Kelley