Calling all April Bandsters!!!!

[seahawks 0]

Carol - That's such great news! Thanks for letting us know. I'm sooooo glad you found your new doctor. Good luck with the healing process. Just a few more days of liquids!

Brandy - Have an awesome day at the spa. I'm really happy for you surpassing your wedding day goal. Have a great time, takes lots of photos and come back with great stories!

Mom - Are you still on liquids? I am getting more and more excited as a near my goal. The old doubts are starting to surface their ugly heads. "Come on, we don't have to lose those last 6 pounds. We look great the way we are." Etc, etc. I'm trying to quiet them down and it seems to be working!

[Turler 6]

Thanks CC!

Don't let the voices in your head discourage you! I can't imagine how awesome you must feel being so close! I can hardly wait to be there myself.

How did you decide your goal? Mine is just a wish, but one doctor told me I'd never get there, another told me 160 # is reasonable. I want to be HOT, not just average. Although, I would take average if that's all I get!

So of course, my goal weights determine just how far I've come. If I am after 160 #, then I've only got 30 to go. If I make it to my dream goal, I've got 50 to go. Ugh...

[tamboclan 3]

Good morning...

I had surgery yesterday, and the doctor was able to put in a new band. I don't know which one I have, but he also moved my port for me. I really didn't think he could put me back together, but he did!

Gotta tell ya though...I've been on liquids for almost 2 weeks. It totally sucks and I'm starving. I wonder what his rules will be for diet progression? LOL

~C

Carol:

So glad your new doctor fixed you back up. You'll be back on track in no time. Liquids suck... but it will be worth it in the long run.

I hope everyone is doing well :bananalama: I am going to spend the day at the spa then I leave for Hawaii! I am so excited I had to tell someone... Why else would I be up at 430 am lol I can't sleep. I have so much to do and I only have until 4pm today.

I am so happy to made my goal of being under 190 when I go... even Onederland I would of taken so it's icing on the cake.

I wish everyone well and will see you after the 15th.

Brandy:

Can't wait to see all the beautiful wedding photos. I know you'll make a beautiful bride! Congratulations!

[seahawks 0]

Thanks CC!

Don't let the voices in your head discourage you! I can't imagine how awesome you must feel being so close! I can hardly wait to be there myself.

How did you decide your goal? Mine is just a wish, but one doctor told me I'd never get there, another told me 160 # is reasonable. I want to be HOT, not just average. Although, I would take average if that's all I get!

So of course, my goal weights determine just how far I've come. If I am after 160 #, then I've only got 30 to go. If I make it to my dream goal, I've got 50 to go. Ugh...

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not quite 5'1", so my goal weight gets me into the normal range for BMI with a little wiggle room in case I gain a few pounds and lose them again. (Christmas time, TOM, vacations, etc.)

How tall are you? I can't believe your doctor would dare say that to you. Does he(she) know you well? I think everybody has this type of surgery for different reasons.

#1 - I wanted to get healthy now, as I've watched my mom struggle with her weight my whole life.

#2 - my step-son is 17 and will graduate in 2010. I want to be hot (just like you said!) and feel comfortable being frisky with my husband once our son heads for the service.

#3 - I want to believe in myself in this one area of my life. I'm a very secure person, but have hid behind the facade of being okay with being overweight since middle school.

So, I think your reasons for this surgery in the first place will determine what your weight will be. One other thing - if I saw somebody about my height with a cute figure, I'd ask what size pants she wears. This helped me get some kind of number as a goal, then I adjusted it as I started losing and got closer to my goal. Most women are okay sharing that information when they weight 135, not so much at 200+!

I also consider making 125 my ultimate goal, but want to get to 135 first and savor that HUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE victory. Maybe I'll decide to stay there, maybe I'll decide to keep going. I'm really not sure yet.

[Turler 6]

CC, you sound just like me! I had to chuckle, because our reasons are similar.

I feel that I have missed out on things because of my weight. I wasn't always heavy, so going from normal to fat was a big adjustment. Now that I've been fat for over 5 years, I now need to readjust my head! I am always misjudging my clothing, chairs and stuff like that. I seem to be having trouble with winter coats this year...don't have one that fits, don't want to spend montey on one cuz it won't fit next year, blah blah blah. Well I still gotta have a coat, so I put my husbands on in a jam...and it fit!! I couldn't believe it! See what I mean? My head needs time to catch up.

I didn't know you were so little! I'm 5'5" (barely) and I remember looking pretty good at 155, but I thought I was fat then!! argh! I really would like to be 140. The doctor that told me that I wouldn't get there was my first band surgeon. He said if I wanted that, then I should get the RNY. No thanks.

I think I will get there. I am pretty determined and my fear of losing the band got the best of me for a bit. I'm not going to give up. Even if I had lost it, I would have kept trying.

And yes...asking someone their pant size is a good idea. I know some girls that wear a 12 and they are smokin' hot! Of course, they are a little taller than me, but still!

~C

[seahawks 0]

Happy Monday everybody! I hope everyone enjoyed a great weekend. I've been fighting for over two weeks with losing a pound then gaining it back. Finally started my TOM on Friday evening, so as of this morning the pound is officially gone! Only one pound to go to reach my Valentine's Day goal.

Carol - How is the recovery?

[seahawks 0]

Has anybody heard from Colorado Chick? I'm wondering how her daughter is doing after her surgery. And, if I remember correctly, I think her daughter was going to get married in January?

[Turler 6]

Hi everyone...

Recovery is slower than I'd expected. I am tired of the liquids and really don't care to eat anything anyway. Just feel like sleeping all the time. I thought I'd bounce right back, but apparently not. New port site is pretty painful (brings back memories of the first one).

I haven't been on the boards much, so I'm not really up on everyone. Hope all is well with everybody!

~C

[Kalipso2 25]

i've been struggling this entire time since my banding in april. i lost all my weight during the first 4 months and haven't lost a pound in 5 months. i had a lot of pb'ing during those first few months and it was determined that i had a bad case of acid reflux.

most people get to reduce their prescriptions once they lose weight... me, i got to add a prescription to take care of the reflux.

during my most recent visit, i went in for a fill because i've been extremely hungry. i was checked under floro because of my acid reflux and it seems that not only is the reflux worse, i'm too tight and have severly stretched my stoma to the point of my band is close to slipping.

i got a slight unfill and told to start the pouch test. i haven't started yet, but i plan to tomorrow. this is the first time that i actually regret being banded.

[Turler 6]

Kalipso,

Oh please take care of yourself! I just had surgery a week ago for a severe slip! I didn't know that I was having a problem until it was too late! Go on the liquids and be very careful. Trust me, it will be better to repair what you've got then to start all over like I just did!

Once you get things back on track, you should feel better and hopefully will be able to get restriction back. Your weight loss was stalled probably because your stoma was stretched allowing you to eat normally. I personally think checking the band under flouro is a good idea...obviously, you can catch a problem much faster if you're monitored that way.

PM me if you want to chat. I can fill you in on what's happened to me.

~C

[Kalipso2 25]

i decided to call the nurse who helped me on saturday because i was confused about the liquid diet. i thought i had to follow the original post-op diet but then i read here about the 5-day pouch diet.

good thing i did email her because here's her response:

"Your pouch is dilated not your stoma. Your stoma was too small thats why I unfilled you. Now food should pass through without building up too much pressure on your pouch thus letting your pouch have time to withdraw and get smaller again. Hope this makes sense. You need not be on liquids anymore. You can start eating regular food now. No more than ½ to 1 cup at a time. "

but now i'm confused... what does it mean to have the pouch dilated and not the stoma? will i ever be able to have more than 4.5cc in my 10cc band?

[Turler 6]

The stoma is the opening that the band creates. (I shouldn't have said stoma in my first reply, I meant pouch.) This changes size depending on how much saline is inside the balloon. The pouch is the area above the stoma. That is the part we fill up when we eat. This can stretch if we over-eat, or if food is unable to pass through the stoma. This creates pressure, makes us feel 'stuck' and for some, causes vomiting-which ultimately can lead to a slip.

Unfilling makes the opening of the stoma bigger and like her email said, lets the food pass through easier. It's great that you don't have to do liquids. I don't know that you can never have more than that amount in your band. It sounds like they just want it to rest for awhile. I'm glad your band didn't slip.

~C

[seahawks 0]

Carol - Is your recovery going well? How is your port site?

Kalipso - Has your body relaxed since the unfill? Are you able to eat solid foods?

[Kalipso2 25]

honestly, i've been nervous to eat solid food. i've been sticking to low carb slimfast as my main meals and supplementing with Protein Water.

yesterday for lunch i ate 1 chicken finger. i'm usually able to eat 2 or 3 but i felt full after 1. the only thing is... i felt stuck. i went into the bathroom and only slimmed. maybe i didn't chew enough?

i'm just scared to eat now...

[Turler 6]

Yes, I'm feeling better. I went back to work yesterday, and it was a little rough, but good for me. I needed to get out of the house and get moving again. My port site is still the one that gets me. I am pretty bruised up, but otherwise I am fine. Thank you for asking.

Kalipso--I know what you mean about being scared to eat! Just take it easy and go slow. Maybe eating softer foods for awhile might be good to let things heal. I am trying to do the same. For me, I'm just glad to be off liquids! I am suddenly addicted to the food Channel and I have found some great recipes and it also gives me something to look forward to!

How is everyone? It's been quiet around here!

I hope Brandy's wedding went perfectly! I can't wait to hear from her!

~C