Kime-lou

Everyone loses and gains in different areas first. If you keep on keeping on your belly and bottom will shrink and firm. Congrats on the loss thus far.

I thought I could do it alone, but I hit 247 at my highest and that was enough. My biggest problems were getting hungry between meals and eating to large of portion sizes at meals. The band helps me with both of these- it helps me stay satisfied longer (3.5-4 hours) on less food. My weight loss is slow but steady. It all depends on what you want to do. Going to a seminar isn't a commitment to have surgery. If you are interested go, listen, ask questions- if you decide it's for you great if not at least you have the facts.

Weather changes wreak havoc with all of me. The weather in NC has been up and down (from the 70's to the 40's) this last week. My sinus pressure is intense and the drainage seems to be messing with my band. Not feeling much like eating anything, just drinking alot.

If you had a good doctor the scars will fade in time. My lapband scars are going away nicely at 6 months post op. However, my gallbladder scars are very obvious (had my gallbladder removed in Aug. 2010). My lapband doctor even commented on my scars from that and explained how he closes and that his way wouldn't create scars like that.

You are not eating much these days and your body is healing. It takes a great deal of energy for your body to heal. If you feel exhausted take a nap, rest this will aid in the healing process and get you to feeling better quicker than if you super woman it and don't rest. Hope you get to feeling better soon.

Totally depends on where it is. In a leg where they are common there would be swelling, heat, redness and pain. In an organ (ie lungs called a pulmonary embolism) you would know quickly- this can be deadly. You are very short of breath, chest hurts, ect. If you feel like you could have a blood clot do not play around with it- go to the doctor if they are open if not get to the ER. Blood clots can be deadly and is a common cause of death post-op. Don't mean to scare, but they are serious.

It takes a month at least for all the swelling and pressure to disapate. You may want to try raising the head of your bed or sleeping with multiple pillows to keep the fluid from pooling in this area.

If you can't afford to pay out of pocket try and do things like banders do. Eat less at meals, move more, drink lots of water. It can't hurt.

There are so many shakes out there and many taste different. My hubs loves the Myoplex EAS I don't. I love the Slim Fast High Protein, he says it's just ok. It's all about your taste buds.

Ok you fell off the wagan, not good, but pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go forward. Many of us lead busy hectic lives and we all must find a balance. You must find a balance to your life. As far as meals go I choose to cook each night and one night a week the hubs and I eat out or order out, but I choose healthy opitons when we do. Some people find it easy to crockpot meals- put everything in let it cook while you are at work and when you get home - vola dinner is done. (great recipes online) Some opt to cook meals on the weekend and place them in indiviual containers and take them out each night and heat. Some great times savers I have found are steam fresh veggies in the freezer section- yummy and quick - add a little canned chicken or tuna you have a meal. Tuna is a great time saver- great Protein source and they even have the little packs that you can take with you and mix your own tuna salad. In a pinch WW Smart One Meals - just watch sodium levels and calories. Greek yogurt- add a little flax seed or granola for bulk and a few frozen berries and you have a yummy Breakfast or lunch. There are ways to lead a busy life and eat clean, just think about ways you can fit it in and make a plan a head of time. Having plan makes it easier than flying by the seat of your pants.

Success is realtive. I am 6 months out and have lost 50 lbs, there are others who are 6 months out and have lost 80, yet I still feel successful. My goal is to eat and excercise in a way that I can continue through out life. Excercise routine is- Elliptical or walk 4-5 time a week for 30 min to 1 hour, total gym weight training 2 - 3 days a week. Food- Breakfast: Slim Fast High Protien shake or greek yougurt with blueberries and flax seed or weight control oatmeal with berries and cinnamon added or an egg with 1 slice of whole grain toast or special K Cereal with 2% milk (I can't do the same thing each day) Lunch: WW Smart Ones meal, left over dinner (see dinner), taco from Moe's Southwest Grill, Small Chili from Wendy's Dinner: Homemade chicken potpie (lots of veggies), Veggie Fritata, spagetti and meat balls (use spagetti squash and turkey meatballs), baked chicken with veggies This is just a cross section of what I do, I am not one of those people who can eat the same thing day after day I have to switch it up.

I hope things getting better. I know as we age things change and move in there, hopefully after some rest you will be able to move forward without problems. At the least maybe they can give you something like prilosec or zantac to help with it.

You are swollen in there hon and that is why the doctor says liquids. The pain of being stuck can be horrible, but we can prevent that by following the doctors orders. You will be out of this time and back on normal foods before you know so try and hang in there and stick to your guidelines.

My instructions were the same as Missy's. I questions also about working out and I was told ofcourse no weight lifting for 4 weeks, no ab excercise for 4-6 weeks. I was told I could get back on the treadmill or elliptical as soon as I felt up to it. Your body will tell you a lot of what is and isn't okay post op. But, honestly my lapband purcedure was a lot less painful and difficult than my gallbladder surgery.

I will admit a big part of why I did this surgery is so I could buy smaller clothes and look better. I was tired of looking in the mirror and seeing a whale. Then another part of me was concern of heading down a path of bad health. I was 31 y/o when I had surgery and my blood pressure was creeping up as were my A1c levels (surgar) and my cholesterol levels were inching up as well. My father being diabetic, my 44 y/o brother having a heart attack and stroke worried me. I didn't want to be in those shoes. So I decided to do something about it- lapband. I came into this honestly, thinking it would be easier. Easy it is not, worth it absolutely. I can't just eat whatever, I have to make a choice to eat healthy foods and to eat less at a sitting. My band helps me feel satisfied longer with less so that part does make the process easier. However, I still must control what goes in me. I use to hear eat healthy and you will feel better and I thought, gee I feel fine I must be okay. I had no idea how I could feel. I have been over weight or obese since childhood so I never really knew how I could feel inside. I have now cut out most all processed foods, except for the occasional WW Smart One at lunch. I eat a lot more veggies and fruit. I eat less carbs, I choose not to cut them out because I didn't feel that I could keep to that longer term and I want to eat in a way I can maintain; but I do eat fewer than I use to and good carbs. Instead of drinking soda all the time I drink water. I have started making and eating things I never thought I would - fritta's, couscous, flax seed, from stratch pot pies, turkey bacon and the list goes on. I have now started an exercise routine that I like and feel I can keep up with. I love the show The Doctors but I work when it's on. I DVR the show and when I get home I hop on my elliptical and watch the show while I sweat. The time flies by. Amazing I am now feel what people talked about- I feel good inside. My "inerd" feel healthy. It's almost like I can feel my body saying thank you. I breath easier, my gut feels better - it's hard to explain, but it's just a feeling of health. I sleep better at night and feel more rested when I get up. I am able to concentrate more at work and home. With the feeling better on the inside it is sipping out to the outside. Sure after losing 50 lbs I look better. But, now my skin and hair look healthy and good. My hair is shiny with out the addition of product. I smile bigger because I feel better. My eyes twinkle because I feel better. I move easier when I walk and it shows in my gate. All in all it's a great feeling to be getting healthier and I am begining to understand why people become "health nuts". While my weight isn't coming off fast it is coming off. Each month at the doctor's office my weight is down a little more, anywhere from 2 lbs to 7 lbs. So I feel I am doing pretty good and my body is happy. I hope that all of you can experence this feeling of health as you transform you body.

I am right there with you Jim. My hubs and I have no problems getting pregnant, but I can't seem to carry past the 10-12 weeks. I have had 3 miscarriages. Each one broke our heart a little more. I decided to have lapband before we try again. We are suppose to try again this summer but I am so freaked the same thing will happen. People are always asking us about having kids, some times I get so feed up with it. One time I blurted out and said well after losing 3 babies I guess I will have one when my uterus cooperates any more questions. We have had lots of test done, but nothing has given us any answers as to why. So when I tell people my story they always reply with do worry it will happen when the times right- I want to scream at that one to. How the hell do they know my uterus will play nice next time. People have no tact what so ever. I wish I could make you feel better, but I know I can't. Just know you are not alone in your feelings.

Yes, and you should be fine. Most of the of the time when you have lapband they give you a shot of blood thinner in your belly to thin the blood to prevent a clot. For you, you won't need it. I had a friend who had gastic with this disorder and did fine. As long as the doctors are aware they will be able to deal. I have the opposite disorder I clot to much so I need extra thinner.

Refried Beans thined down- cheap, Protein, and tasty. 0% greek yogurt- not the cheapest, but not horrible either Couscous- not sure if I spelled that right, but it's a grain with low to no carbs and lots of protein and it's tiny so it will be easy on the band. My nutritionist said that this could be counted in softs. tuna salad Weight loss oatmeal thined with Water

Wish my band was more like that. Mine is all me, I have to make the decision to eat something or not. As long as I chew well I can eat anything, but that doesn't mean I should. I have had 6 fills and have about 6.5 cc's in my 10 cc band. I can last the 4-5 hours on a cup, but it's not my band saying no it's me doing it.

Welcome my friend to banster hell, it's a terrible place. During this phase in banding it's the toughest to stay on the game, but try, try, try!! Water will help, drink all the time. If you get sick of plain water add things like crystal light or lemon to it to give it a punch. During this time try to keep away from the processed and surgery foods, the more you eat of them the more you will want. It's like giving a smoker one puff and then throwing the box of cigs away. Try to stick to good clean foods- protein, veggies and fruits. If you have a sweet tooth try a SF popcicle or SF pudding. FF Greek yogurt is awesome. Good luck, you will get through this just hang on.

You hear and see a lot on this site " just because you can eat more doesn't mean you should". Frankly this is the case if you have the band or not. We all got here because we could and did and we "just this onced" more than once. Most of us have doctors who gave us very specific orders as to how much we are to eat at a time. My doctor said a cup. Have I ever eaten more than that at a meal- yes, alot more- no, should I have - no. I got use to eating a lot at one sitting pre-band. I was never much of a snacker / crap eater, but I was a big eater at meal time. I could eat with the big boys, which was why I became a big girl. In my obese mind food was good and more was better. Now that I have the band food still taste good, really good, but I know that I MUST stop at a cup. Why must I stop, 1- My band has made my stomach about the size of a golf ball (that ain't big) 2- I DO NOT want to stretch it or damage my band 3- I really do want to loose weight. So while I could likely eat a lot even now post-banded I do not "want" to. (There is that word again- WANT) There are times, especially at family events, that I find myself helping my plate like I use to eat and I have to go whoa- not gonna happen. It's hard to lose the mantality of being a big eater at times. There are some banders on here who say there band reminds them or prevents them from eating "bad" foods or to much. Well, my band doesn't. What does my band do? It helps me eat slower and stay satisfied longer with less. I do get stuck on occassion, but that is normally because I tried to eat to fast or didn't chew well enough. My job as the band user is to listen to my body and if I am not hungry DON'T EAT. When I do eat, eat things that are good for me (protein, veggies, fruits) and keep my portion sizes down. I do not need to eat a gallons worth of food, my body only needs a cup. It isn't always easy to do our part, the band is there willing and able to help, but we (I) must do my part. Each time I eat when I'm not hungry, eat more than I should, or eat "crap" foods I imagine my band sitting there hanging in shame. The band will not, can not help me if I choose to go against it. So next time I think well just a little more or just this once I will remind myself that those thoughts is what got me to the place where I needed the band.

I have many friend who did the gastric bypass. While most all have been very successful, they all have had some form of issues (nutrient loss, become lactose intollerant, ect). While gastric prevents you from absorbing fat calories, at the same time it prevents you from absorbing vital nutrients from your food. I did not want that. Another reason was recovery time. I hate being down and out, even though I am a recovering obese person, I've never been lazy. I like to go, I like to garden, I like to work on my house, basically I can't sit still. If the sun is up I gotta be movin'. Plus I couldn't afford to take 6 weeks off work. Another reason is I am chicken. I don't like surgery, I want the help WLS would give me, but I didn't want a lot of playing around with my inerds. With the band it's there it will help me help myself and if there is a problem it can be removed with the other WLS it is the way it is after surgery. Each person has to make the decision that best fits themself and their family situation. Then what ever you decide you have to commit to it in order to be successful.

For the first little while it can be hell, which is called lapband hell for a reason. You have to portion out food and becareful what you take in. Some of the hunger is head hunger, so is real. What I did what if I thought I was hungry I would drink 8-10 oz of Water, after 5 min if I was still hungry I would eat a small healthy snack. It's a work in progress and each min isn't easy, but it does get easier as you go. Hang in there!

I had the same problem with my O2 levels. I had to lay in the bed until I was good and awake and tell myself breath in, breath out. In through mouth out through nose. It was rough waking up for me that was almost the worst part. Hopefully, they gave you some antinausea meds, if not call the doctor you may need them. If you are having pain mid line area, nauseated especially if you sit or stand go to the doctor. Those are two signs of dehydrations, which is not something you want to play with. Try and at least drink as much Water with flavor, Protein shake, even juice right now. Ginger tea may help, as the ginger is a natural anti nausea aid. Also, peppermint tends to help ease nause so get some mints or SF peppermint. Hope you feel better soon!

I used my fitness pal for a long time, but now I use the program with my fitbit. My hubs and I went fitbit crazy- we both got fitbits and got the aria scale and are tracking everything. Very interesting.