Corrigan

I have the one a day capsules from Costco and seem to be able to swallow them whole. I certainly won't open them, they're nasty tasting. If I ever have any fills, I guess I'll have to figure something else out.

I fully intend to go to my reward with my band just where it is now. Mine was installed at a Center of Excellence, which I consider the very best of the weight loss centers and an guarantee of success. They screen and educate their patients to assure you the very best of experiences. The CoEs are not the only game in town, but they make a person's decision a lot easier. I went to Cedars-Sinai in LA and had hardly a moments discomfort there or after. So if I'm asked, I don't think you could go wrong with a Center of Excellence. As far as band longevity, today's bands have been improved to a point where I think they'll be trouble free, installed properly, for a very long time. You need to do as much reading, from responsible sources, as you can and talk to patients of any surgeons you might consider. The surgery is easy, done correctly so good luck and I hope you do well.

We were all a little nervous going into this, but the surgery is the easy part. The six weeks after is the hard part. You've probably been or will be on a liquid diet so you have an idea of what you'll be going through. There will be a lot of temptations and urges to cheat 'just a little bit', but if you're going to be successful with this ordeal, you'll need to be strong. There was a government report that said that the 50% of band patients who did well had the qualities of 'education and determination". If you've picked a good hospital and surgeon you should have an easy time, just don't forget your slippers and PJs. Good luck

If you've eaten something too large to pass through your stoma, it will probably have to be removed manually. You should contact your surgeon and get some real medical advice. In the meantime, a visit to your local ER would probably be in order. Some folks recommend meat tenderizer, but I don't know if I'd wait. Best of luck to you, and let us know how you make out.

For some of us, fat filled out our wrinkles. Most young people have enough elasticity in their skin to take up the slack that weight loss creates, but for the rest of us, we'll just have to be satisfied that we may have prevented (cured) diabetes, heart problems etc. People (and us) will get used to the new us. I still look twice at the skinny guy looking back at me in the mirror. It could be worse (and was!).

Slow down, girl. You haven't even healed yet, give yourself a chance. You're probably going through a little post op depression, which is natural. If you lose anything during this period, it shouldn't be much. Right now you need nutrition to heal your body, then you can start losing weight. You need to lose about 11/2 to 2 lbs a week, but take it slowly. Follow your doctor's instructions and eat the way you were told to, take care of yourself and the weight loss will follow. You have every thing you need, now just be patient and good luck

I've been lucky with this band, since Sept. I've lost over 60lbs without a fill and am still losing 2-3lbs a week. There doesn't seem to be anything I can't eat in almost any quantity, but I'm just not very hungry. On my last visit to the doctor, he said I was losing fast enough and didn't need a fill. I won't have a problem with fills if and when I need one, but for now, I'm good.

Try a hot pack on your shoulder, it seems to help most folks. Some people seem to get some relief from 'windmilling' their arms (when no one is looking). I hope this helps and your pain eases. The most helpful thing will just be time.

I'm not aware of anyone here, contracting esophageal cancer from band surgery. You can read all manner of complications from any form of WLS, but statistically, band surgery is the safest form of it. The bands have undergone a number of revisions in the past few years, and band complications have become relatively few. I think the dangers of being overweight are far greater than those from any form of WLS. Most of your questions would be better answered by your surgeon and if you don't trust him, maybe you should see someone else. My band surgery has been completely trouble free, as far as I'm concerned, been a complete success. I've lost about 20lbs a month with no fills or complications of any type. I think you're having last minute jitters, which is perfectly normal, we've all had them, but this will be an easy surgery for you, just don't forget your slippers and PJs. Good luck.

When i had my surgery, I went into the prep room, waited my turn, then was wheeled into the operating room, said hello, and woke up in recovery. It couldn't have been easier. The nurse gave me ice chips to chew on and I walked up and down the hallway for an hour or two, and went home the next day. The overnight stay was a good idea, just in case. The diet and getting used to being hungry is a lot harder than the surgery. Don't forget your slippers and PJs, and good luck.

Dear "Fluffy", I don't know why you think I was referring to you, you're not the original poster. Please don't tell me not to 'dare' express my opinion on any subject. I don't see moderator in your title.

I think you should go to an ER right away. They have to treat you, whether you're able to pay or not. If nothing is really going down, you'll soon become dehydrated and maybe become hypoglycemic. Don't wait, do something right away, and good luck

I think from this thread and many others on this site, that there are, clearly many people who should never been 'sold' the band. It takes a lot of self sacrifice and hard work and those not willing to change their life styles will never be successful with it, although any form of WLS can be defeated, the band takes more work. There are those who will install the band on anyone, no matter whether appropriate or not. I feel sorry for those who expect the band to take weight off with no contribution on their part, those whose medical providers furnished them with inadequate counselling and education. I'm very pro band. It's controlled my diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and Lord knows what else, and I wish those, for whom the band hasn't worked, could, somehow find that success.

You'll go through a couple of weeks that you'll have to behave as far as diet, but it's nothing you can't handle. The surgery itself is the easy part, just don't forget your slippers and PJs. Lots of luck.

I think many of us have that problem, this holiday season. I have an article on stalls that may help explain your problem if it's not like mine (too much food). Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy so it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. I hope this helps.

I'm sure your band worked just fine, but you won't have any restriction until you've had a few fills. The band isn't for sissies. You're going to have to bite the bullet and work like hell. This is like a diet, that you know all about, only you'll have the band to help you from gaining again. It's a lot of work, but you have to ask why you began this trip to begin with, and are you willing to do what it takes to look like you want to. Grit your teeth and good luck, you can do it.

The protien bars are OK, but you have to buy the right ones. Costco and Walmart have them that have 110 calories and 10g protein for $2.00 a box of six. they're as good as the high calorie bars and are actually good for you.

Yeah, it's perfectly normal. Try some hot packs for your shoulders, it seems to help most people. Watch the pain meds, they cause constipation. Try some warm prune juice before you need it. Milk of Magnesia helps a lot, but don't take too much. Time will be your best friend, just stick it out and it'll be over before you know it. When no one is looking, try windmilling your arms around. It sounds silly, but many folks say it helps with the gas. You'll probably have this for a few days, but then you'll have the hunger to deal with. This banding is not for sissies, You'll need a good attitude and some fortitude, but next year, it will all have been worth it. Best of luck.

Hello and Happy New Year. You've picked a good surgeon and good facility so you should have had an easy time of it. I assume you've gone through a series of classes and know what to expect and what to do to make your trip a little easier. I was banded in early Sept. and am in a bit of a stall right now because of the holidays. I'll get serious the day after tomorrow, It was time for a break, anyway. How are you doing with Christmas and all? I was going to tough it out, but with all our kids and grandkids here, I gave in. I didn't overdo it, but still enjoyed myself and everyone else. I hope it all goes well for you, enjoy your kids while you can, one day you'll look up and they'll all be grown and gone, While I probably couldn't keep up with them, now, I do miss them when they go. I hope you have a pleasant new year, and good luck with your weight loss. Come back and see us.

I'm a little less than 4 months out and am rebuilding our kitchen (new cabinets, tile, etc.), I cut about 1/2 chord of firewood yesterday. With my newfound energy, I'm doing things I've put off for years. Except for diet, I don't even know the band is there. I can feel my port, but it's certainly no problem. If someday, you decide to have your band removed for some reason (I can't imagine why), you can have that done. I had a lot of questions, too, but I had my surgery done in a Center of Excellence and I think that made a great deal of difference. You'll need to do a lot of research, this is a life changing decision. Read all the reliable information you can find, there's a lot of garbage out there, you'll have to separate the viable info from the trash. Good luck, whatever you decide.

I don't think you've done any damage to your band, You're probably like most of the rest of us. I think if you go back to the diet you're supposed to be on, you'll be just fine. Why not go to a calorie counter and start regulating your diet to start losing 1 or 2lbs a week. This will probably be a very difficult time for you, but the hunger eases with a little time. I can eat anything and almost any quantity, but I've learned to control my appitite (most of the time), it takes a lot of patience and a bit of will power. You probably won't take the weight off much faster than you put it on, but with the band to help, it should stay off. The most important thing is to stay with it and work at it, it'll come off. Try not to worry too much about weight loss just yet, with fills you'll lose more and more.

Your weight loss is great, right now you need to be concentrating on healing. You've got another couple weeks before doing any heavy exercising. You should be averaging about 11/2-2 lbs a week. the band is a slow, steady way of weight loss. In a year or two we'll lose just about as much as other forms of WLS. There are people here that have lost 200lbs with the band, it just depends on our dedication and will power. You seem to have both.

I'd guess until your flu symptoms are gone, then take it easy for a few days..

After you heal completely (about 6 weeks) then you can start worrying about your weight. You should be losing about 1 to 3Lbs a week, average. Some weeks more, some less. Follow your caloric intake on websites like 'Myfitnesspal', they help keep you in line. Your weight loss is just about what it should be at this stage. From here on, follow your dietitian's instructions, and try to keep your food intake to about 900-1000 calories or whatever was recommended for you. Weight loss will come. Try not to be too impatient.

Don't forget your slippers, PJs and chapstick, and walk, walk, and walk some more.