banded, banding, bands--verb--To assemble or unite in a group

[BobbieND 3]

Stacie,

((((((((((((( HUGS ))))))))))))))

[BobbieND 3]

Hello All !!

So, I had MY upper GI series, and Internal Med appts on Monday -

Bad news - I gained almost 10 pounds since my PA took out 1.5 cc a few weeks ago - No restriction what-so-ever. But confident I'll lose it again :blushing:

Good News - Hyatal Hernia no larger than it was at the time my band was placed; NO SLIPPAGE from all of the puking I've done over the past several months ( got damn lucky there! Can we say Dodged a Bullet???) Got my meds straightened out... WOOT!!!!

I'm at work, and reading and catching up on everyone's "Happening's" ...

I hope you all have a great day!! :w00t:

[Cangel76 1]

I think this is a great idea. I think we all need as much positive as we can get. It amazes me how everyone so quickly focuses on the negative. I am thrilled that I got this done, still no fill, super hungry, but I know that this is all just a miniscule moment in a long term future of health and longevity. Yes, I am thrilled, frustrated at times but thrilled.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Forgive me if I ramble a bit...

I think it's too soon to make a determination, but I may have maligned my band when I said it was doing nothing for me.

Yesterday morning, the first day without my fill, I woke up and I was *hungry*. I mean seriously hungry. I never stopped being hungry even immediately after a meal. I woke up in the middle of the night *hungry* and I'm still hungry now...and I've eaten Breakfast. So, while I was still dealing with hunger (maybe blood sugar related and I'm still working on that theory and resolving it), it was not this gnawing hunger I have now. Apparently Hilda *was* doing something.

Unfortunately, that knowledge does me little good since the pain in my shoulder prevents me from getting her filled.

I called my doctor this morning and told him that I do not want to move forward with the sleeve at this time. As far as I can tell, the biggest advantage to the sleeve is that you're losing weight right away because you're not messing around with fills...but otherwise they are pretty similar. The downside being that the sleeve is not adjustable, as is the band *and* you've just cut up your insides.

I'm not saying the sleeve is not a viable option...just that *for me* it may be jumping the gun....something I have a predisposition towards. :blushing:

So I think the least invasive, and more cautious approach, would be to have him do the exploratory lap and find out where my band is rubbing and see if he can fix it. Then get my fills back and go from there.

In the meantime, I am apparently going to go through at least Thanksgiving...but hopefully not Christmas... with this gnawing hunger because I *will not* feed it and gain back the weight I have lost.

I have to admit though that I'm still stumped as to why I'm not losing weight. I've gone back through the last several months of food records and even on my bad days, I'm still eating less calories than I supposedly need to maintain my current weight (and I'm using the 'very sedentary almost dead' activity level even though I'm more active than that). On the good days, I'm well below the calories needed to maintain my current weight (1200). Plus, I'm walking an hour a day and aerobics twice a week now. So I just no longer believe this calories in/calories out. There has to be more to it because I'm not losing!:w00t:

I'm not looking for y'all to pat me on the head and say it's ok and you're doing everything right. I truly would love to have *honest* advice and suggestions because I'm stumped.

Melody

[ElfiePoo 109]

Bobbie,

Does this mean they can put your fills back in?

Melody

[ElfiePoo 109]

I am thrilled that I got this done, still no fill, super hungry, but I know that this is all just a miniscule moment in a long term future of health and longevity. Yes, I am thrilled, frustrated at times but thrilled.

Agreed...this last year, despite no loss since surgery (lost it all before), has been a good learning experience and my relationship with food has changed drastically.

Melody

[Humming Bird 275]

Melody, I think you are right to let them try to resolve the shoulder pain issue with an exploratory look. Maybe the position of the band is wrong. I know how bad that shoulder pain can be and am so thankful mine is gone most of the time. Yours was too constant to live with. I think if the band is too high for you it could throw off the sweet spot thing too.

[BobbieND 3]

Melody -

Yes! Oh my Gosh - I forgot to add that part - during my Fluro ( GAG!! ) with the 1.5 gone, i had NO restriction what so ever, so hence , the weight gain. They put 1 back in, an i was totally blocked! lol so she put in .5, and all is well now - Very well

SOOOO glad to be back!!

[ElfiePoo 109]

Very cool, Bobbie! That weight will go right back down for you. Congratulations!

.

[chickadee81 0]

:blushing::party::w00t::party::party::sneaky: Ok...sorry but I am a little excited. Everything looks GOOD! The dilation is gone and no slippage and they put in 4cc's today and I was told we are going to take fills very slowly from now on. I was also told that since I still have heartburn even with the prilosec 2x a day that well I probably will just have heartburn. On a bad note, ever since the fill I have had chest pain/pressure. Called the Dr and waiting to see if I hear back today. liquids are going down just fine (that's all I am allowed for the next 2 days) and I am starving so I can't imagine that it is too big of a fill....Hoping it is just kind of a shock to my body, which has had no fill for 6 weeks now, and that it will go away. It has been about 4 hours though :wink2:. So Anthony will stay with me for now. Oh and I forgot to mention the best part....6 weeks of no fill = 0.1 lbs LOST!!! :tt2::w00t::w00t: The dr gave me a big hi-5 for that one. They said they were expecting at least a +5.

Bobbie-so happy that things are working out for you now!

Elfie-Only you know what is best for you, and if your insurance covers it then I definitly feel like it is a wise decision. I myself was and still is on the fence about the whole sleeve thing. I just love the band for it's option of quick easy removal and then the anatomy is right back to how it always was. I am glad that I can keep mine and try to work it again!

[LeighaMason 19]

YAY! Stacie!

Bobbie! Glad your back!

Shammah, Thinking of you.

Melody-- Good choice.

Cangel-- Welcome! Tell us about yourself.

Crystl-- How are you doing?

Anybody seen Betsy?

FYI-- Most things in my life suck right now so I am just going to pout and not post much but I am reading and happy for everyone. :blushing:

[ElfiePoo 109]

Stacie: You're going to be my inspiration for the next few weeks without a fill myself. No gain and an actual loss. Way to go!!

Leigha: I am so sorry that life is one big lemon right now. My mom used to tell me that when God shuts a door, he opens a window. I'll be praying that your window opens soon. :blushing:

.

[elcee 3,341]

Leigha - feeling really sorry for you. It seems so unfair that now when you should be able to Celebrate your achievements everything has turned sour.

Elfie - glad you are not rushing into the revision. Interesting that now you have the fill out you realise how much difference the band was making. Human memory is a strange thing - sometimes we remember things for ever and other things we forget really quickly.I think this happens to a lot of people that have bands. I know mine is working simply because I don't wake up starving and hit the biscuit(cookie) tin almost as soon as I wake up. I now get up, have a cuppa, get dressed, take son to the busstop and then eat breakfast.Hopefully they will discover that your tubing is a bit too long and rubbing on something that it shouldn't be because then it will be a nice simple fix. In the meantime I am impressed that you are trying so hard to stick with it.

Stacie WTG. VERY IMPRESSED.

Bobbie glad that everything seems to be fine and that you are back on your way.

OK so who did I miss? LOL.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Interesting that now you have the fill out you realise how much difference the band was making. Human memory is a strange thing - sometimes we remember things for ever and other things we forget really quickly.

So very true. My surgeon called me tonight (impressive, eh?) because he wasn't sure he understood the notes. I pretty much told him the same thing..."I guess I forgot what hunger really felt like because I haven't felt this type of hunger since my surgery." He laughed.

Looks like they're going to do the lap exploration the first or 2nd week of december to see if they can fix this pain problem. Then (and I swear there was a grin in his voice), he said until then if I decide the pain is preferable to the hunger, come in and get a fill. Pffft.

.

[chickadee81 0]

Well...the dr never called back. My chest is still hurting/tight. Like I said liquids are fine and I am starving, but man this sucks! It is supposed to be a good day lol. I am hoping it is just some swelling or irritation and goes away soon and I don't have to go right back for an unfill. It has at least gotten better...it's not gone, but it is better. Have any of you experienced tightness in the chest after a fill and if so did it go away?