JosieK

hi help, i think legally he has to give you access to your charts which would have this info i never really asked for this info myself but i know alot of people want to have it....and you should be able to get it. i would call and tell them you are going to pick up a copy of your chart. or they can fax them to you or mail them. i think it is covered under the HEPA laws. it is one of the many forms they have use sign when we go for surgery. josie

hi kathy, this was one of the biggest issues i had after banding. i started using stool softeners like collase or senokot. it took awhile for my body to get used to not having so much salad or veggies. the good news is the body eventually adjusts. but i feel your pain good luck josie

hey alex, congrats on the milestone for LBT. by setting up this site, you've helped so many people. i found both my lapband and my plastic surgeon through this website...and i love them both thanks again josie

hi well it's 4 weeks today since my surgery. i am doing much better with my emotions. i also am less tired then i was last week. physically i feel great. i still take tylenol here and there when i get a little achey.....but it is so minimal. it's weird. my torso is a little numb still. i feel like i'm feeling someone else's body. i bought a bikini yesterday to take "after pics". While i wont wear it in public... I may wear it in my yard. it looks pretty good. i havent worn one since my 20's. i just wanted to update everyone. i am finally glad i did this. i am also glad i did everything i wanted to do in the one surgery as i dont think i would go back for a second one....i'm too much of a baby. the emotional roller coaster was toughest part. i'm satisfied now with how i look. i am going to take 6 more lbs off and then i'm done losing weight anyway.....i will post photo's as soon as i figure how to do it josie

hi choopie when i was losing i would end up in these plateaus and get discouraged. i ended up doing 2 things which was very helpful -i journalled my food. i used sparkpeople but there are many free sites that are available. i think fitday.com is another one. this showed me exactly what i was eating. i would sometimes disregard the "bites, licks and tastes" (this is a weight watcher saying). these "small" tastes added up calories for me -i stopped weighing myself to only 1X a month and measured my inches instead. especially since you work out....the inches fall off. when i exercised (which i did alot) i did need more food. on sparkpeople it factors in the exercise. anyway good luck.... josie

hi deb, sorry the band hasnt worked. have you looked into the sleeve? there is a forum on this website devoted to it and quite a few bandsters that switched over to it. to be honest...from what they are saying....i would consider the sleeve if my band started to fail me. while losing weight ...... i didnt mind all of the gyrations i went through with my band (ie. sliming, fills, unfills) but i am getting a little concerned about dealing with this for the rest of my life and could possibly switch over in the future. good luck in your next steps.... josie

hey trish, if you need any help while she's down here...dont hesitate to ask. i see you are from tobyhana. i think we used to go camping there when i was a kid. i'm trying to remember. but i remember going there. keep us posted on both yours and your daughter's progress. good luck with your band...best decision i've ever made. josie

hi trisha that's funny about dr loMonaco. i actually had scheduled my surgery with him and then found Dr Adam. if i didnt use Dr. Adam i definitely would have proceeded with dr LoMonaco. she is in great hands. he reminds me of an artist/sculptor and i think plastic surgeons need to be on the creative side. i also used spivak for my lapband...small world right? how long is she staying down here? hope your banding is going well...... josie

hi laura re: help. my 1st 3 days i definitely needed physical care. my sister-in-law is an RN and she stayed with me. the week following my cousin came down and stayed with me. i needed her more emotionally then physically. but i think everyone has different experiences so i think it is smart you are planning for more...just in case. if nothing else you will have company. i planned to be invalid 6-8 weeks ha!!!!! way overboard!!! ha! take care josie

hi shalee, thanks so much for sharing your experience re: the roller coaster. on tuesday i hit another lull. and when i feel like that i think "it will be forever" i feel better today.....wow...what we do for the sake of beauty ha!!! thanks again trisha, it seems like everyone recovers differently. there were 3 people on here including myself that had similar surgeries at similar times and we had 3 different experiences. if you read through some of the threads you can see what they are. physically my recovery has been pretty easy. i followed all the rules to the letter of the law. but i went into the operation pretty fit. before the operation i worked out about 4 times a week plus cycle. so my doctor said that has something to do with it. emotionally i didnt fair as well. i've had some "post-op" blues. is your daughter having surgery down here or just investigating doctors??? i'm actually from NYC and moved here 3 years ago. i have to say i used to think the doctors in NY were the best. since being in houston...the healthcare here is amazing. if that can afford you comfort.... good luck with your band.... josie

hi laura i just had a TT and breast lift on may 11th. i know how you feel being 6 weeks out from surgery but i have to tell you it went fast. comparatively speaking....i have to say my lapband surgery (35min operation) was harder to recover from then my PS (8hrs). i was up and walking 4 days after the PS...1/2 mile. it took weeks for me to feel well with lapband. i think the fact i had an extra 100 lbs on me may have been a big reason for this. everyone has different experiences as you can read on this forum. but people told me not to worry before the PS....i did worry more then i needed to. i did notice many people went back for 2nd surgeries and were thrilled afterwards. so i focused on that point since they were happy after their surgeries and all said it was well worth it. the things i couldnt live without were (this is a randomly organized list): 1. wedge for my bed (my dr. required i sleep in a recliner for first 5 days to help blood flow to the area) 2. toilet riser (i'm 5'8" so i needed this) 3. button front clothing for the beginning. this is think was because of my breast lift. i couldnt raise my arms. 4. i am still using knit bottoms. ie. shorts, pants and skirts. havent tried jeans yet 5. saltines, ginger ale, sprite for when i was nauseous anyway...yesterday someone i never met before commented and told me what a flat stomach i had. so that was my first "AHA" moment. you will definitely be happy afterwards..... good luck and we will be here to help you through this josie

hey sue found 'em disregard where i ask you where you posted your photo's... you look great!!!! it was all worth it wasnt it? josie

hey sue where did you post your pics? i took the before and can take after now.... i just dont know how to post them on this site. i'm so "technology challenged." i can post pics on facebook, etc....but i dont know how to do it properly on here. any suggestions? i'm numb too but it is getting less so i'm feeling some more pain. not bad at all....just different. i can finally start sleeping on my side but need a pillow. the area where my boobs were stitched hurt if i pull to hard. i'm like you...i like the binder. i definitely wear it in daytime but not at night. my doctor said walking is key....so you are following his orders ha!!! anyway let me know where your pics are. i will post mine as soon as i figure out how to size them correctly josie

hi in the beginning i was not eating enough and totally stopped losing weight. my body did go into starvation mode. i learned the hard way i needed to eat between 900-1100 cals a day to lose weight. plus in the beginning right after the surgery.....my body was acting weird from the surgery, change in diet, etc. i was watching the scale like a hawk. after the first 4 weeks it started to work more regularly. one thing that really helped me was when i stopped weighing myself. i allowed myself 1 time per month. i also measured myself and found there were times i was losing alot of inches and not weight. my exercise routine was changing my body from fat to muscle. good luck josie

Congratulations krystyn... re: being slow. i find when i work at something and it is hard/long.....i wont give it up as easily you are doing great.... josie

hi sue how is everything going for you? I've been thinking about you and wondering how you are. i'm doing fine except all of a sudden i am extremely tired. the doctor said i could backtrack a little and i have. nothing really to complain about.....just resting alot. anyway please let us know what you are up to. josie

hi tina, i have to say you look great but more importantly...you are truly a power of example for women. you have dealt with a difficult situation (with alot of class) and have come out the other side stronger then ever. while i'm not happy you had a difficult time, i love hearing success stories like yours. your honesty touches hearts and helps others to know if we put one foot in front of the other, trying to do the best we can, everything will work out i had my PS 1 month after you and physically i thought it was easier then the lapband surgery. i worried needlessly about the PS. but i have to admit this week all of a sudden i'm very tired. anyway thanks for sharing your journey with us. josie

hi elgrad, i think you are making some very important observations and asking some really good questions.... when i was researching the band i noticed there were 2 "camps" of bandsters (of course there are varying degrees but in my limited knowledge at the time it boiled down to these) the first camp were people that complained all the time "the band wasnt working". they talked alot about having taco bell, blizzards, etc. they had the band for awhile and hadnt lost much weight. they never talked about exercise, journalling, etc. this group scared me and i almost didnt get banded. the thought of getting an operation and not losing weight was too much to bear. then i saw another group. they had similar time to the first group. they talked about their struggles with food and their solutions. they asked for help when they needed it. they also exercised, journalled what they ate, and looked at the band as 1 of many tools they could use to finally lose weight. this group made sense to me so i proceeded to get my band. this was one of the best decisions i've ever made. dont get me wrong...it truly is a process. i "fell off the wagon" "fell on the wagon" etc. but i used the tools i learned from the second group. your questions/observations make me believe you are heading in the right direction should you decide to get banded. one other thing (from my experience)..... re: this website.... i use it and have gotten some GREAT information from it. but i find some members do not allow others to have differing opinions nor have i found alot of support here. this is just my experience and i footnote this as others' i'm sure have different feelings on this subject. good luck josie

thanks foofy for the insight. on top of this i am on estrogen and had to stop it for the surgery due to potential for blood to clot. i went back on estrogen last week and feel much better thanks again josie

hey steve, you caught the essence of this board.....you made me laugh so hard i hurt my stitches..... keep 'em comin' josie

hi pnw are you self pay or insurance paid? insurance companies have requirements that lengthen the process. i was self pay and even then found doctors to vary when i did my research to find a lapband doctor. i went to the doctor's meeting/presentation on wednesday night and had my band put in friday. my doctor didnt have pre-op diets. his feeling was i wasnt successful at dieting to date, so his approach was to get the band in and then offered great counseling to develop the skills. i'm glad i found him. the first doctor i went to started with the ekg's, psych, etc. i never pursued this one....luckily through this site i found my band doctor i ended up with. this has just been my experience.... josie

hi i ran out and bought a magic bullet when i was banded because everyone on this site talked about it. i never stopped using my basic hamilton blender. i gave the magic bullet to my niece and she loves it to make baby food for her baby so i think it's a good appliance.....one of many josie

hi neon this is very common and in fact if my doctor hadnt told me post-op that he found a big hernia and repaired it...i never would've known it not a big deal....at all josie

mrgrta: great results!!!!! josie

mrgrta: you really have helped me by sharing your journey.....you are also making me to think getting off my butt to exercise might be a good idea. at least starting my arms which really need toning thanks again for your help openag: thanks for your well wishes josie