mrwindt

Congratulations. It's so nice to see such wonderful results! You look great and even more important - look so happy. Thanks for the update. And congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful new year!!! Mary

I had my surgery 1 week ago, on 8/26 and went for my follow-up visit this afternoon - 9/3. I'm so thrilled. In the 1st week since surgery, I lost 11 pounds. And totally in the past 3 weeks, which includes the 2 week pre-op diet I was on, I've lost a total of 25 pounds! I *know* this won't continue at this rate, but I feel really good about the beginning. And I can *wish* it would continue at this rate! Anyway, I'm onto the Phase II - "full liquid". Tonight's sugar free, fat free, lactose free chocolate pudding was like luxury! Wishing us all continued success. Mary

Congratulations! You look absolutely fabulous! Mary

Hi Alexandra I do hope it's not a slip, but.... if it is, it's not so bad. You and I have had a lot of similarities throughout this 2 year process. I was having lots of band slippage signs and was on a plateau for almost a year. Finally, in July, I went in for a band revision - I had a slightly slipped band and a slightly enlarged pouch. The surgey was really pretty simple, though it was like starting anew. I go for my first fill next week. Since the surgery, I've been totally unfilled and supposedly on the food regimen of starting all over (liquid, mush, soft, progressive soft, etc.) Unfortunately, I have felt NO restriction, and I just (yesterday) returned from a cruise. My doctor is going to kill me when I get on the scale next week. But I'm hoping that once I get the fill, I'll be able to get back on track. Since surgery however, all the problems with reflux and vomiting have disappeared. By the way, my insurance did pay for the revision (though I have a co-pay). So.... wishing you the best. I hope it's not a slip. But then again, if it is, it should be able to be revised and you'll be back on track. Mary

:laugh :rambo :kiss :lick :squareeye :pirate :ninja :ermm :huytsao :knockedou :sleep :paranoid :speechles :devious :devious What more can I say?!? You are a brave one and have done so well with the band. I'm sure once the pain and discomfort of the ps are over, you'll be truly thankful and someday even forget about all the pain you're in right now. Wishing you all the best. Mary :laugh :rambo :kiss :lick :squareeye :pirate :ninja :ermm :eek: :huytsao :knockedou :sleep :speechles :devious

Hi Babs Hang in there. You've done fantastic work so far (and yes, it's work) - I'm sure things will get better. I'm having many of the same issues you mention - though my ability to eat varies tremendously throughout the day. Sometimes, I can't eat more than a few bites, and other times I can eat an entire meal and then some. As you may recall, we started about the same time - and we seemed to be on a similar path - for the first year. Then.... I've been on a plateau for almost a year. I've had fills and unfils, I've struggled with not being able to eat much at all and lots of reflux and vomiting. But - the doctor wasn't sure what was going on - or if I maxed out my weight loss. I have plently more to lose. So... after several upper GIs - the doctor has decided I may have a slight slipped band - and my pouch seems larger than it's supposed to be - so I'm going in for new surgery July 19th to have the band repositioned and the pouch tightened. I really hope that's the answer. I'd enourage you to keep track of what you're eating or at least if there's a pattern of eating more or less, etc. And don't go the route of getting another fill and then ending up with reflux and vomiting. "Perhaps" you might have something similar to me - with the "start" of a slipped band, etc. By the way - the radiologist thought everything looked fine. It was my surgeon who thought that it wasnt' exactly right. On another topic - I missed your previous posts about plastic surgery - other than a brief comment that insurance is paying. Can you share how you got insurance to cover the plastic surgery? I'd really love to know. (and feel free to email me privately if you'd prefer.) Good luck. Mary

The new "New York Magazine" has an interesting article on bariatric surgery - entitled "Stomach Surgery to Get Thin, but Not Necessarily Happy". *This article can be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser. http://www.newyorkmagazine.com/nymetro/health/features/11958/index.html I found it very interesting - and I could relate to many (not all) of the comments. I thought I'd share the link. Mary

I can't eat bread - but oh, now I love matzah. I've been eating it all year. It's my new bread. And I have to be careful because it goes down VERY easily! In fact, we can't wait until passover is over so we can stock up on the after passover sales! It's the horseradish on the gefilte fish that has gotten to me. I think the horseradish just makes a paste and blocks me up. So... take it easy on all the wonderful pesach foods and you'll do fine! Mary

Babs CONGRATULATIONS!!!! That's quite an accomplishment to be proud of! Mary

WOW! He's gorgeous! You two look good too, but who could really notice with all eyes focused on Dr. Billy!

I haven't posted in quite a while and decided that as I start this year "anew", I needed to post again to signify my "new"/"renewed" start with my band journey. I was banded 8/03 and have basically done quite well. In fact, overall, I've lost 115 pounds. However, after having almost no problems for the first 10 months or so, I have been struggling for quite a while. I have been on a major (6-7 month) plateau. I then had problems with reflux and difficulty tolerating food; had tests for a possible slipped and/or eroded band (which so far shows that it has not slipped and there is no sign of erosion); got an unfill a few weeks ago (which eased the reflux); and as of today, got another fill and am starting "over". In the meantime, after a long plateau, while I had a 3 week period of an unfill and while I was away on a 10 day cruise (I just got back on Saturday night), I gained back 12 pounds! Although I am not happy about the weight gain, I know that it WILL come back off. I think I really needed a period of not feeling so restricted. (And, fortunately or unfortunately, I wasn't restricted at all while I was away!!!) One of the things that was certainly reinforced for me is how important the band is as a tool. Over the last 16 months, I have certainly worked with this tool - I basically followed the bandster "rules"; I made generally good food choices; I exercised regularly; and I went to support groups. However, it is clear to me these are NOT permanent changes. I worked "with" my band, but I certainly do need the band. Having little or no restriction showed me how easy it is to go right back to "old" ways. So... this critical little "tool" is still the essential ingredient for helping put it all together. As of today, January 10, 2005, I am using this post to publicly re-commit to a new start and to moving forward with my banding journey! I have worked too hard and have come too far to gain it all back! And I have experienced too many of the hard won "rewards" of weight loss to not keep going forward. I've come a long way - but I still have a long way to go. And now I am on my way. I'm attaching a new before and after photo update. The 1 month pre-surgery photo was taken on a cruise - at my "ATH" weight. The 1/05 photos were just taken on another cruise - showing a 115 pound weight-loss. Wishing myself - and all of us - a good journey in 2005! Mary

Thanks for starting the thread. It IS inspiriring to see everyone. Here's my current before/after. Mary

Thank you for posting. You both look fabulous. And you must feel fabulous! You're both an inspiration. Congratulations. Mary

What a tremendous accomplishment! I WISH I was "overweight", but no, not yet. I still have a long way to go. You should be thrilled. It's not just an arbitrary number. It's a great accomplishment. Congratulations. Mary :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

Alexandra I have only periodically been reading the boards lately - and was away on vacation for a few weeks, so I missed this post. You look fantastic! I did just recently respond to another post acknowledging your 100 pound loss. That's quite a great milestone! Congratulations. In looking back at some of the posts I missed, I also see that you and I continue to share so many similarities. Your posts about a possible slipped band and your doctor's reactions to a slightly enlarged pouch are exactly what happened to me. (After an upper GI and endoscopy, I had an unfill which relieved all my symptoms and just this week I had a new fill to start over). It's also interesting that both my brother and my best friend have birthdays on 11/22!!!! What a coincidence. Anyway - you look great and are doing great. Hope that 2005 goes smoothly and successfully for you - and for me. Mary

Hi Alexandra Don't make "light" of hitting -100 - no matter how long it took! That's a major milestone and you should feel pretty proud about it! I can certainly relate to being "stalled". As you know, I lost a lot of weight pretty fast, but have been really stalled for the last 5-6 months. I'm back on track again and can't wait to get to my next milestone. You may be looking forward to your next milestone, But in the meantime.... CONGRATULATIONS. A 100 pould loss is a tremendous achievement!!! Mary

Thank you all for such positive feedback. I feel good about publicly recommiting. And I do appreciate all your feedback! BTW - While I have not posted in quite a while, I haven't really "left". I do read the boards quite regularly. I guess I just wasn't motivated to do a lot of posting. It's been nice to see so many new people joining. There seemed to be a lot of us from August 2003 - many of whom are still around and posting. But I've enjoyed reading all the posts from those of you who joined since then. Kelly - Thanks for your comments. I will stay around and will post more often. Vera - yes, it was me who told the story about visiting my friends in NY. And yes, they now have a very different reaction and are very positive and supportive. What's funny is that I still get some people seeing me for the 1st time and still responding that they love my new hairstyle! At this point, I just think it's a riot, thank them nicely and laugh to myself. Day 2 of my new resolve - and I'm still feeling good! Thanks again for all your support. Mary

I think this is a head thing, though, too. We all have longstanding unhealthy relationships with food and every single diet in the past has been one that had ended at some point. This isn't a diet, we know that, and it isn't going to end. Eating around the band IS going to destroy what we have done, because it's not the band that is getting us there by itself and it can't keep us honest all by itself either. Alexandra - Oh, how right you are! I KNOW that the band has only been a "tool" - but a very necessary one. I have done as well as I have until now, because I worked WITH the tool. I chose the right foods (generally), followed the "bandster rules", and exercised. However, the band has also been there to remind me, very clearly, that I have this tool - for all those times when my head didn't always want to follow the rules. It is easy to eat around the band. And I sure don't want to do that. I worked very, very hard for the last year+ and don't want to throw away all that I have "gained"! But... that soft food thing, and the feeling of deprivation, and the head hunger thing - still lingers on. As for my physical stuff and the band... for the past month or so, I've really had a severe change in how I'm tolerating food. I really believe it's not all a head thing - or a soft food thing, etc. So, I've had several tests - an upper GI to check for problems and slippage, and an endoscopy to check for erosion. Erosion has been ruled out. My doctor thinks I'm beginning to show signs of the slippage, but there's nothing to do at the moment. I am going on a cruise on the 28th and my doctor feels whatever it is can wait until I come back. He said that if things are really bad (i.e. too much reflux or vomiting), then he would take out all the fill before my cruise. However, I realy don't want to do that. As much as I have good intentions, I KNOW that the band does work as a strong tool - at those times when my head is not ready to work with it! So. for now, I have to keep pushing to get my head back into a good place. And I really have to stop eating those things that always go down so easily! It's nice to "talk" to you! I do read the boards regularly, but haven't posted in quite a while. Good luck getting through the holidays! Mary

Wow Alexandra. I can't believe how similar things are for me right now. I've been having the most difficult time for the last several months - and have been pretty much on a plateau because of it. The daytime is generally OK (though the last week or so, with all the holiday Cookies around, has been extremely difficult), but by night, I'm feeling very deprived with not bbeing able to eat very much, and then I go for all the soft, comforting things. I've actually been having some real problems lately - checking out possible beginning of a slipped band. There are times when I have a bite or two and can't tolerate another thing... and then I get that very deprived feeling. Today was a pretty discouraging day. I couldn't tolerate much real food/protein, but I sure could tolerate those chocolate chip cookies! I have to keep looking in perspective. It's been 16 months. I've lost 125 pounds. And I just have to get over this plateau and move on! But it's hard! My thoughts are with you. Mary

Ice cream is my weakness too. And ice cream is a real danger since it goes down sooooooooooo easily. Only once (in the last year since banding) have I eaten a whole container! And I regretted it - and felt sick. However, I do still have ice cream. But I have to really watch how often and how much. Don't despair. We all do dumb things sometimes. But once is not the end of the world. Mary

sleep apnea is NOT always corrected with weight loss. Unfortunately, I'm one that proves it! Even after a 100+ pound weight loss, I still have sleep apnea and still have to use a CPAP machine. In fact, I'm going for another sleep test this week to have the pressures adjusted. The doctor told me that while sleep apnea is often connected to weight and many people do improve, it is not guaranteed - especially if you've had years of sleep apnea. I must say, I am very disappointed that I still have to use the machine, but maybe some day, with even more weight loss, it will go away! Mary

Congratulations on a truly successful and amaing year! Mary

Alexandra It's really amazing how similar you and I are. We both had our bands within a week of each other. And I think we both have the same general attitude(s) about the band, dieting, how the process has been, etc. I have to say, that as I approach my one year bandversary, I am having more trouble than I've had in 11 months. I lost weight pretty quickly and steadilly. But the past few months have been difficult - particularly the last 6 weeks since my last fill (and 2 unfils!). I am the most restricted I think I've been and I think that the more restricted I am, the more I want to eat - especially "bad choices". So, although I can't eat all that much good food, I am managing to eat ice cream and carmel corn, and other bad choices. I go the the doctor this Friday for my "unofficial" one year follow-up. During the last few weeks, I've actually gained a few pounds. So I'm going to try really hard this week to get those pounds off by Friday. But I have to say, it's really very difficult to deal with feeling "deprived" - whether it's because you put yourself on a "diet" or the band is just so tight you have to limit what you can eat! I have got to get back to that wonderful feeling I've had for most of the last 11 months, when the band helped with restriction and I just therefore made the right choices. And didn't feel deprived! Good luck on your one year bandversary. Me too! Mary

Donali Your post is terrific! It is so clear and so helpful to so many people. It's no wonder you are doing well "flyin solo" - you've really got the "band thing" - and "life" - down pat! Congratulations. Mary

Hi Alexandra You look great. Sure, I agree with everyone else - your kids are beautiful, your husband is cute, your face looks great.... But more importantly - YOU LOOK GREAT. Congratulations on the weight loss. And the "comfort" in having your photo taken and posted! Keep it up. Mary