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I hoping my band date will be the end of April. Dr. wants me on 1st stage of South Beach until my next consult. I can't even do one day! I think I'm telling myself that every day is my last meal. Fortunately I'm not gaining, and exercising 3-4 days a week, but every day I start on track and by the time the kids come home from school, something sends me to the pantry. Have others gone through this in the weeks before banding? I would like to get a running start before surgery HELP!

Goldissa, listen to your body. If u start having pain by all means use your pain med. But I wouldn't suggest just taking it out of fear. When they took my pain pump away I was so afraid all the pain was gonna hit me at once. But since then except for some tylenol for my back ( hate sleeping on my back) I ve taken nothing for pain. Pain meds are very useful if u need them but also addicting. When I had my gallbladder out a few years ago I took vicodin every 4 hours but I think it stalled my healing procese. It made me sleepy and lazy lol. But just listen to your body everyone is different. Maybe try waiting 5 hours to see how your feeling. U may surprise yourself

Anyone else start out having no issue with fluids, like water and start having trouble down the road? I have been able to drink without issue since surgery but in the past week or so, fluids - especially water is very hard for me to get down. I feel nauseas immediately after drinking more than an ounce or two at a time. I was able to drink 64 oz a day easily before, now struggling to get in half that. I am not having much of a difference in what I can eat food wise, seems to just be relative to fluid. Just curious if anyone else experienced this....

I seriously feel like am doing something wrong! Hw 280 sw 269 cw 252 from the date of my surgery I have only lost 17 lbs? Am almost 5 weeks out! This is getting really depressing! I gets water and protein protein!!! I just don't get it!

Hi Cyndy, I used Dr Hadar Spivak, but my closest friend used Dr Wilson and LOVES him! She says he's super nice and the staff is great too. She goes every 6 weeks for fill/adjustment, I think perhaps it's played a large role in her success (she's lost 90 lbs since Nov 2005)... that and working out at Curves M-F. I'm attending the support group meeting tomorrow night at Memorial Hermann too! I think the seminar starts at 6:00, the "Bariatric Buddies" support group begins at 6:30 PM and it's for anyone interested who's had or considering bariatric surgery... there's always a mixture of band and bypass patients. I enjoy connecting with others and not feeling so alone. Last month a few people from the seminar same to sit in for a while. And, some of the people who've already had the surgery will go out to chat with seminar visitors. All the best, Karla

Hello' previously had banding (1986) the old un-adjustable type....it slipped and erroded over the years....I had it removed on 4-24-07....since then I have gained about 44 lbs..have GERD/w hiatal hernia....Podiatrist want to do surgery for heel spurs and because of this my knee has know gone lame... I sa the surgeon that removed my band last week and he has agreed to replace my band....so I am in the first phase to get approved.....my pcp is in agreement with me ( I thought that I would have a fight there) she referred me to a pulmanary dr. for a sleep test as I have been on sleep meds for over a year...nexium for more than a year....pain meds for foot over a year...steriod injections for foot twice...dr refuses to give more injections...with all this I'm still worried that the ins. co might not approve...btw my bmi is 41 I'm 4'11 1/2 ..215 lbs...:confused2:

Not on pain meds in almost a week but think I figured it out...... that dreaded out of town family member Aunt Flo's came to visit without calling! Not exactly sure why she showed up 2 weeks early but oh well better than being knocked up. That would so suck right about now. Bet you men out there are just loving reading that.....:biggrin1::biggrin1: Thanks for the input but the sweating has stopped. Anyone else sleepy? I'm usually rip roaring ready to go and I just keep dozing on and off.

Try these links to order different samples for the preop or post op diet Protein - Love these 30 flavors! Discount Code: MYM647 Nashua Nutrition - Huge variety of brands with fast shipping Vitalady – Another huge variety of samples & quick shipping.. Meal Replacements and they come in sturdy foil packets that travel well in your purse for a day out. powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury – The basic flavors plus chicken Soup - try something new. SmartForme - Starter Pack with various flavors for about $19 nectar Syntrax - You can sample all 11 flavors for about $11 bucks including shipping. Contact Rick Davis Medical Sales Manager Cookies & Cream, Cocoa Mochaccino, Tropical Sunrise, banana Cream, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. If emailing doesn't work, you can buy samples here: whey - you can request free samples by emailing them at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe if you have them local. They both let you try and RETURN if you don’t like it!! GNC will actually give a refund and Vitamin Shoppe normally gives you in-store credit which is really easy to spend since they have tons of stuff. Get a GNC Gold Card and get great discounts the first week of every month. NOTE: Vitamin Shoppe will also order items for you! I called last week to see if they carried Nectar Latte Cappuccino since they have the other Nectar flavors. They didn't have that one but offered to order it for me and call me when it got there. It arrived 3 days later! 2. Variation - Don't like a certain powder in shake form? Try mixing it in yogurt or sugar-free pudding -- I have a few flavors I love mixing in some regular or greek yogurt or some of the sugar free syrups.

Just wondering if anyone out there has extreme sugar cravings after fills. I'm guessing that my body knows that I've cut back on everything and sends a signal for something, anything..sugary! Generally, I'm not a sweets person (a more of a meat, potatoe, pasta girl) but for the last 2 weeks since I got my fill I am dying for any kind of sugar. Ideas?

Sugar Free Fat Free chocolate pudding has saved my life. Just a little melodrama to let you know you're not alone. I really haven't noticed an increased desire for sweets since my fill, but I admit that I have something sweet at least once a week. If I didn't, I'd jump off a cliff. More melodrama.

probably the drugs - I too had vivid dreams the first 2-3 weeks - part of it I attribute to being knocked out and part to losing a few pounds and being able to get a deeper sleep

I I want to know if I lose 3kg a week is that to little or enough.?

Thanks for all the advise, I am feeling a little better now. I still have some uncomfortableness at times. Leatha I was thinking that I might be a little too filled also but it is different all the time. I guess that is why they say this band is a fickle thing. I know that I am losing really good I can really feel it. I was just concered that I may have hurt something when I pb'd. Is it posible that my fill kicked in tighter after 4 weeks? Haven't heard of that but maybe someone else has. Marimu I feel the same way just trying to figure out how to deal with this gas, air burping all the time. Lisa everyone I work with knows that I am banded and I tell them before we even start to eat, thank god I can hold the lower end but burping no way can't hold back. It is just a automatic I eat, I burp. Any suggestions how how to help avoid this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again everyone, have a great Turkey Day!!!

I was doing okay but out of the blue this morning my port started to hurt quite bad. Sharp pain, pressure. Worse when I walk. A little hard to breathe. I'm only 3 weeks post op. Anyone experience anything similar?

I am only 4 months out so I am not sure if this will help you. I was eating around 800 and my weight loss slowed down to like 2 lb a week, for about 4 weeks. I started running 30 min 4-5 days a week(c25k) and it picked up a little. I track all my food, well last week I lost 6lb and realized I have been eating around 1000 calories a day. Sometimes I don't understand it at all. But I think (and want to say you can read about it in work out websites) that it's important to vary your calorie intake. Your body can adjust and maybe get compliant to any calories limit. I think that's why workout folks have cheat days.

Good morning, WHat do you mean by bandte hell. I had my surgery on May 14th, 2008. I am comming up on my 4 weeks next Wednesday for an appointment. I really do not feel any restriction. It I eat to fast I do feel like I have a lump in my chest. Thats a very hard habit to break. After the fill will I actually feel full or will I just feel that lump quicker. The nurse said I could schedule my fill the following tueday. Will the fill hurt? I have to swallow barium the first time. I think that was the worst part of the surgery going down to xray already filling throw uppy from surgery and having to drink that nasty stuff. Could you explain the filling after a fill? or after the right fill? Thanks for any info you can share. Thanks again Newme10 (Susie)

Hi everyone! May 8, 2008 lapband in SB, CA, Dr. Thoman. Wt 413, in/out same day of surgery, but unfortunately, developed Pulmonary Embolis (my 3rd hospitalization within 3 years. Lost 20 lb in the first two weeks, got dehydrated as well. The last two weeks, upon returning to work, incredible edema and no wt loss. I can tell my clothes are fitting looser, but discouraged about seeing no wt loss. Restriction is not as i expected, I am consuming up to a cup & a half. However, today experienced my first painful restrictive feeling. I ate 1/4c brocolli and 3oz fish pretty fast and the Protein bar i ate less than 2 hours, was still i am sure still around. So that made me encouraged, despite the pain! I am here to find support and hear other stories, my support system is not very high, i went off my anti depressants after surgery and i felt so inspired after reading posts yesterday, i feel more encouraged. I look forward to being a part of your community! Christina in Santa Maria:shades_smile:

Hi ladies, I was banded 3 and a half weeks ago. I have a Mirena IUD and had had very light, very minor periods until my surgery. I'm having a really heavy period now and was wondering if that's in any way related to the surgery, anesthesia, drugs....? Did anyone else go through this? thanks sara

Had revision surgery almost two weeks ago and I am completely amazed at how easy it has been. Have walked quite a bit, came back to my business one week after and am so thankful everything has gone so well. I have had some troubles with the Proteins so now am shaking Greek yogurt with every kind of cream Soup I can find and heating it up. I finally decided the Protein chemical taste was making me slightly nauseous since I previously cooked and ate mostly fresh, not processed, foods.

i am one month n like 2 weeks out n i love broccoli, green beans hmmm, mushrooms, creamed spinach, cauliflower, pretty much i can eat all veggies, as long as they r well steamed . i stay away from celery cus its like a hair ball to the sleeve.. n u dont want that.. i buy the veggie steamers from healthy choice, my local target has them on sale for 1.50 .. they r delicious! with grilled chicken or fish or shrimp hmmm...

Try a non-milk based product! Milk bothered me a lot early on. My friend was sleeved May 18th and milk bothered her until last week.

Kristi, You are not alone with your struggles with the band. We all have our own "little" things that make us depressed and drag us down. You can get through this. I, too, compare myself to other banders, but we have to try to stop doing that. Everyone is different and everyone's body is different. For example, just last week I saw a womans profile that was very similiar to mine. She currently weighs one more pound than me and she said that she wears a size 12 pants. How could that be, I thought. I weight one pound less and I'm in a 16/18. What in the world is going on? Then...after about a day or so...I realized that we all have different body types, different shapes, sizes, heights, etc. I cannot focus on her great accomplishments...I need to concentrate on myself. I have come a long way and I have a long way to go. We can do this!!! It's a journey that we signed up for when we went to the doctor and said that we wanted the lap band. Every ounce lost is an accomplishment. I can't imagine what my weight might be right now if I didn't get the band. It was a steady climb up and it never went down. food was running my life and for the first time in a very long time, I feel like I'm in control. I love the saying "Thin feels better than food tastes". Although I'm not thin (yet)...I am smaller than I was and I'm starting to feel good about myself. I notice that I hold my head up higher than before. I am actually enjoying shopping for clothes. All of these things I dreaded before. I didn't buy clothes because nothing would fit and I would settle for anything that I could get on, no matter how ugly it was. Now I have a variety...I feel like I have a choice in what I buy. I too have a bad back. I just had x-rays on Friday and I go back to my doctor this Friday to try to figure out what is wrong. It's painful, but I try to find exercises that aren't uncomfortable. It's difficult, but I manage. One thing that I found enjoyable that didn't hurt me was Water aerobics. Prior to going to my first class I thought that I just crawl into a hole because I had to put on a bathing suit. Much to my surprise, the class was filled with woman of all shapes, sizes and ages. I felt like I really fit in. Everyone was so nice and nobody judged. It was great. You should look into something like that. Kristi---pick your chin up...face the evil of food!!! I will be your buddy...I will help you in any way that I can. I'm no expert by any means, but I know how to be a friend and if that's what you need... I am here for you!!!

I know this is going to be a problem for me. Just getting my exercise ducks in a row for after surgery (almost a week away but too quick to begin a regimen) and when I get the okay.

I am going to see the surgeon for my fisrst visit next week. Over the phone I was told I would have to have my primary care Doc send me out for a bunch more test. Does anyone have any idea what those test are?

Please be careful of waiting too long. Last week I was overfilled...I knew it was tight straight away but thought it might loosen up. 12 hours later I was in the worst pain I have ever felt and couldn't even swallow my own saliva...I was getting tighter not looser...possibly from dehydration. When I finally had some out the next day it was INSTANT relief. That was the longest night of my life though I know now that I should have called the surgeon at home. I don't plan on there being a next time lol.