Kristi Twisti

Congrats!! That's awesome!!

Oh man, the cravings are so hard! Especially at first! They don't really go away but they get much easier. Especially once you feel restriction then things really get better. Congrats on the weight loss so far!!

Just wanted to say a quick hello to you both! I'm on my phone but will be in touch tomorrow evening. Glad to hear from you both!

Okay I could have written this myself! I am right there with you. I stayed regular until my first fill in the beginning of May. Since then, I have been constipated like nothing I have ever experienced. After the first week, I was able to get things moving with some Ex-Lax and lost 7 pounds; then another week of nothing, took dulcolax and lost 9 pounds. At this point it's now been nearly 2 weeks of no movement at all. I have tried Milk of Magnesia, both those laxatives, benefiber, metamucil, salads daily, stool softeners, you name it. I finally called my nurse hotline Tuesday night who told me to head up for x-rays in case I was impacted. So I went to the hospital Tuesday night, they told me they didn't see an impaction, only that I was definitely constipated. They gave me a drink of Magnesium Citrate and told me to take 1/2 when I got home and that I'd be cleaned out within 30 minutes. They said if I needed anything more, which they doubted I could take the other half 12 hours later. So after drinking this, I went to bed with no progress made. Yesterday I had a visit with my surgeon, explained everything to him and he said to stop taking everything. He told me I need to drink a gallon of water a day for the next 3 days and if things haven't progressed to call him back. So far today, I have made a small amount of progress but I'll admit I have not been able to consume but half the amount he requested. Tomorrow I am going to try harder and be more dilligent with my water drinking. I think that water is seriously the key to this so despite being completely FOS (as my surgeons office put it lol) I am going to try the natural way and just drink like a fish and hope for the best. Good luck to everyone else who is also dealing with this!!

Welcome to the forums! Congrats on your surgery!!

Hi Deli! So glad things are going well with your weight loss. Your port site will be sore for awhile. It took me awhile to figure out how to use the ticker also. You have to turn it on public and then it will confirm your password before allowing any changes. I hope that helps.

Just wanted to say Welcome to the forums! thanks for sharing your story! This is a great place for sharing and questions!

Wow! 12 months is quite a long supervised diet. Congrats to you for making it to the goal! Good Luck with finishing this last month and getting a quick surgery date! Welcome to the forums also!

Hi Heather!! I began at 393 and my surgeon never had a concern about me losing over 100 pounds with the band. Actually my surgeon is banded and I believe he lost about 100 pounds all though I could never ask. I'd think so from the pictures though. Anyhow, it's all up to you and what you do with the band. I know I was pretty bad at first, especially after I healed from surgery and wanted to eat everything I could get my hands on. I felt like I had to work hard at not eating terribly until I could get my first fill. I did get my first fill in May and it has helped so much with only 3cc in my band. I get my second fill next Wednesday and I'm so looking forward to it. The pain sucks but it's very quick and I'll be honest, the band rocks! It's made such a difference in my life, I've begone eating healthier and it feels natural. I seriously used to be ridiculous with my eating. I'd go to Wendy's or some other fast food daily for lunch and hide the fact. Now I naturally go to the cafeteria and grab a salad or bring something healthy for lunch. I know everyone's different but the band is just wonderful. Congratulations on getting your surgery date and joining us some as a bandster!

Hi Justin! I have not hit the 100 lb mark but I am nearing my 50 lb mark and will say it's been relatively easy. June 09th will mark 3 months of "dieting" for me, including my 2 week pre-op diet. I am hoping to be at about 55 pounds lost by then. I have close to 200 pounds to lose and my surgeon thought the band was a great choice for me. I think there are many success stories of 100 lb + losses in the general forum or one of those. If you look around you'll find it. Personally one of the biggest motivating factors for me was the mortality statistics. According to the seminars I've been to, which were for both the bypass and the band, iIt's about 1 in 300 gastric bypass patients die where lapband is closer to 1 in 8500. Also the band is fully adjustable. The intital weight loss of the bypass may be greater but after a few years it evens out with the band. Also, there were multiple previous bypass patients in the seminars who were very large and were now looking to get banded as they gained their weight back. I think if someone had bypass and it works well, that's what they will promote, and if someone gets banded and it works well, it's what they will promote. Really it's your decision but the seminar's will probably be a big help with that.

Hi Appleband! If you click on my ticker (or anyone's lol) it should ask if you want to make your own. It gives directions from there and gives you plenty of choices for designs. They are pretty nice and do track your weight over time so it's super helpful. Good Luck on your journey!

I think you handled it well. If I'm at restaurants or around others I always have a glass of water in front of me but I just leave it be. Since you are engaged, you could always use the exscuse of trying to lose weight for the wedding. It may be more understandable and guys don't want to get into wedding talk so it could work well. lol

Welcome Appleband! :seeya:

Have you contacted your doctor? I don't think it's normal to be in that much pain 5 days out. By day 2 I only took my tylenol with codeine once and just children's tylenol for a few days after that. I really think you should consult your doctors office and get checked out. I hope it works out for you!

I'm sorry to hear about this. I can't imagine how frustrating that would be. Have you tried your local lapband support group? My surgeons office has 1 a month and they are really encouraging. Also there is Overeaters Anonymous and Taking Off Pounds Sensibly. Not sure if this is something you'd be interested in but I think a big help is getting support and being around others that are going through this as well. I hope you are able to get back to your sweet spot and start losing again.

I purchased a Mini Cycle this weekend. Sears had a no frills one for $20 last weekend. It's just like a bike except you have no wheels and use your own chair. I guess really it's just a pair of pedals! Anyhow, I love it. Not sure if anyone else has tried this or taken one to work but it's great. Being able to pedal away some stress during the day is great and for the times I just need a second to myself, I can pedal then too. Not sure that it's burning many calories but I can really feel the muscles in my legs, thighs and even my butt. It must be doing something! It's also really quiet so I'm not bothering anyone with it. I do have the privacy of my own little cubicle so it may not be the best thing if you share one. Just an idea for those of us who are bored easily at work and can use a bit of exercize too!

Hi there! I'm looking for a buddy or buddies in Florida. I live in Brooksville, which is 30 miles North of Tampa, but do travel to Tampa daily for work. I also have season passes to Disney so travel to Orlando a few times a year. I haven't met many other bansters in the area. There are a few nice ladies that go to my surgeons monthly support group but thats about all the face time I get with other bandsters. I would love to be in touch with some locals who are going through this as well.

Hi there I take Lexapro and haven't had any issues. My surgeon asked if they were in pill or capsule form and mine are in pill. I did have to crush it up right after surgery and take it that way for 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks I got the go ahead to go back to normal. Crushing the pills really does suck, :smellie: the taste is awful, but other than that, no problems. I hope that helps!

I am absolutely dealing with this also. I don't tend to be a very emotional person so I'm not used to it! I have broken out a bit, I'm craving chocolate which I never do and just generally not feeling like myself. It's actualy worked to my advantage twice now. I tend to be very nice and a beat around the bush kind of person but not so much lately. I emailed my boss asking for a raise a week ago and this weekend, I saw a ring I liked at Sears and told my hubby he was buying it for me. This is not normal behavior for me, but I am kind of liking it. lol

Hey Asherscrashers, I'm hate to admit this, but your crying over the pretzel made me actually laugh out loud. During my 2 week liquid diet, I threatened my husbands life one night, followed by pouting and crying when he denied me going to Chinese buffet. I think all bandsters go through it. Maybe it's worse for some of us though? lol

@ Rachel412 Thanks for the info on the book! @ Jenn1214 Good luck! It's so weird. I have to figure out these emotions, they're driving me nuts!

Thanks for replying! I had heard something about the release of estrogen also but have had trouble finding info about this. I have a support group meeting next Saturday at my surgeons office and will ask about this then. I may also ask my ob-gyn when I can get in to see her.

I was banded on 03/24/11 and have had my first fill and am feeling better overall so far. However, the last week I noticed I was feeling overly emotional which is rare for me and I've begone breaking out. I have PCOS which often comes with acne but I've never really dealt with this. I haven't broken out since I was in my early teens and I'm now 27. Anyone else deal with this shortly after surgery or at any other time? It's really strange and my google search was no help! :confused:

Hi There! I saw you live in Florida too. I'm up in Hernando though. Which surgeon did you go with? I went to Palms of Pasadena and watched 2 different seminars but I ended up going with Florida Obesity Surgical in Zephyrhills as it was much closer and more cost efficient for me. I was also a self pay. It is so great you and your hubby are doing this together!! I really wish mine would have too but he is a bit tentative when it comes to everything doctor related. He is however going through 6 months now of dieting so we can try to use our insurance for him. It will be really nice for you both to have a buddy to share this experience with. I was just thinking today, it would be so great knowing someone that I could call up and be like "okay what's up with this?" SO i called my nurse at the surgeons office. Their office is so great though. I don't know if your surgeon requires it, but I went to a support group prior to surgery and since as well. I've only been to 2 now since I'm only 5 weeks post op but I really enjoyed going to the group. Everyone was so happy for me with getting the surgery. Plus I think it really helped my hubby to feel more confident with getting his journey started also. Anyways, I wish you both the best of luck!! The pre op diet really is the worst part. If you can survive it, the surgery is a cinch!

Oh yes!!! I work at a small office and all though everyone seems to be on a diet, nearly every desk has a candy bowl (not mine of course). I will literally get offers all day for candy and some co-workers will even bring me a peice and try to give it to me! Other times at work I get offers for bites. I know everyone just wants to be friendly, but turning down a fun size candy bar or Reese's is semi difficult for me, but also annoying when it's just placed on my desk. I'm glad you at least are turning it down from being full. Now that I got a fill I am enjoying a bit of restriction and it's easier to decline but up until the end of last week, I was really having trouble declining the food in my face!