BlueMoon~T

Hi There!
I had a whole response written up and I accidentally erased it. Must be too early in the morning for me to think clearly! I just finished writing a blog about how I've been feel with the band. I've lost around 40 lbs and I'm 3 months out from my surgery. This site is perfect for reading what's up with people and how the band is working or has worked for them. You will even read people talk about their negative experiences with the band. I think it's good to get both sides of the coin so people who are trying to decide what to do can get all the information they need to make their decision. For me, the band was the best thing I've done for myself. Don't misunderstand the band requires hard work and dedication. The band requires lots of follow-up and communication with your surgeon and his team to make sure you are where you need to be. When you first get the band it requires a lot of will power to stay on track because the band isn't really helping you yet.
I've had two fills and I'm calling today to see if I can come in early to get my third. I can tell my band is still not in the green. Make sure you find good Protein shakes that you like and Soups that you like because when you do your pre op diet and after fills you will need things that you think are yummy. I use powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury and also the cheap stuff from Wal-Mart called Body Fortress. There are better ones that have no sugar and low or no carbs if that's what you are into. I just like mine with a little no sugar added frozen fruit, soy milk and vanilla Body Fortress. There are tons of sites you can find for recipes for bariatric patients that have very creative recipes for shakes and regular food.
Exercise is important to help you as you move along to lose faster, and to help with plateaus. I have back injuries that are making exercise very difficult but I'm keeping my chin up and I'm still losing so I'm happy. I have over 100 lbs. to go but I'm determined and there are plenty of people on this site to prove it can be done. Read and listen to there advice they know what they are talking about. Ask questions, but remember if it doesn't jive with what you believe or with what your surgeon has told you remember that your SURGEON is always right! LOL!! I wish you the best of luck in your journey and look forward to hearing what you decide to do!
Best Wishes!

When I see you guys come together I realize that I can lose 100 lbs. regardless of what BS the Nah-Sayers are spouting. Since the big merger (puke) I've noticed a lot of if you have more than 100 lbs. to lose the band will never get you there. I say BullS**t!
You all should start a club called the BIG LOSERS.
Lately, I've been feeling like the little kid who wants to hang out with the older, wiser kids to be cool. I just like the energy you guys put off and the positive reinforcement you share with each other.

I'm not peeved. Cheryl is right, it’s not always easy for people to express their intent or feelings in writing on a forum such as this. Sometimes people are in a rush, or ill-tempered at something and most of the time the writing is subjective to that end. We read the writing as subjective putting ourselves in the line of fire even if we are not the intended target.
Most people I believe are here to get support and to give support to others. We are all here to share our journey with people of like mind. Even those that jump from forum to forum now with the new site have something to share and something to learn. We have all been overweight at one point and we are all trying to lose weight and get healthy and so many more things as we go about our lives day to day together.
I have never been one to flock to sites like this for any reason, but from this site I have learned a lot and tried to share what I have learned in return that works for me.. Everything I post IS subjective because it's coming from my experience in my own life. It might resonate with you or someone else, or maybe it's way off base and someone might tell me hey lady if you lift your head by a millimeter your whole perspective will change, and maybe I need to hit the brick wall first before I can make that change. It’s been known to happen to me J That is why I am here, and why I am still here.
Yet you are right there are some people out there that believe they sit above the rest, and that is their issue not yours or mine. We let humpty dumpty sit on the wall and that’s his prerogative, and it’s well known that we can’t put him back together again when he falls.
So let them sit there, prattle on about this and that, and I just ignore it. On occasion they have something interesting to contribute and most of the time they are good for a laugh and that’s healthy and healing too. Don’t worry…band together with us and your gonna be A OK.

So nice to hear that. And I have to agree. We are all about education and support. Occasionally there's a blip in our communication (but that just ends up being good entertainment and comic relief ahhah). Anyway, 100 lbs is more than doable on the band. There are way too many factors that influence one's success (in any of the surgeries) but for some reason our failure rates are always blamed on the band and never noncompliance. I'm thrilled to pieces that I and MANY others from the lapbandtalk site are here to share their 100+ lb losses and success stories w/ the band.

When I see you guys come together I realize that I can lose 100 lbs. regardless of what BS the Nah-Sayers are spouting. Since the big merger (puke) I've noticed a lot of if you have more than 100 lbs. to lose the band will never get you there. I say BullS**t!
You all should start a club called the BIG LOSERS.
Lately, I've been feeling like the little kid who wants to hang out with the older, wiser kids to be cool. I just like the energy you guys put off and the positive reinforcement you share with each other.

When I see you guys come together I realize that I can lose 100 lbs. regardless of what BS the Nah-Sayers are spouting. Since the big merger (puke) I've noticed a lot of if you have more than 100 lbs. to lose the band will never get you there. I say BullS**t!
You all should start a club called the BIG LOSERS.
Lately, I've been feeling like the little kid who wants to hang out with the older, wiser kids to be cool. I just like the energy you guys put off and the positive reinforcement you share with each other.

When I see you guys come together I realize that I can lose 100 lbs. regardless of what BS the Nah-Sayers are spouting. Since the big merger (puke) I've noticed a lot of if you have more than 100 lbs. to lose the band will never get you there. I say BullS**t!
You all should start a club called the BIG LOSERS.
Lately, I've been feeling like the little kid who wants to hang out with the older, wiser kids to be cool. I just like the energy you guys put off and the positive reinforcement you share with each other.

When I see you guys come together I realize that I can lose 100 lbs. regardless of what BS the Nah-Sayers are spouting. Since the big merger (puke) I've noticed a lot of if you have more than 100 lbs. to lose the band will never get you there. I say BullS**t!
You all should start a club called the BIG LOSERS.
Lately, I've been feeling like the little kid who wants to hang out with the older, wiser kids to be cool. I just like the energy you guys put off and the positive reinforcement you share with each other.

Man... This was not a band defect, but sounds like operator error; however, this story definitely shows the ugly type of story I was talking about when I said newbies can find the good, the bad and the ugly on this site!
Would definitely not recommend the surgeon who performed your procedure. YIKES!
I'm so glad you're doing better and best of luck with your band.

I'm glad you said that. I hear certain things against each surgery all the time. The same things.
Against the sleeve it's ....."I don't like the idea of having 85% of my healthy stomach cut out."
Against the band it's.... "I don't like the idea of having a foreign object in me."
Against bypass it's .... "I don't like the idea of having my digestive track rerouted."
There are others, to be sure. And to all those I could say. "That's why they work damnit."
I think using such reasons to have or not have a particular surgery may not be the best way to decide. The best way, IMHO is to look at the protocol for each surgery and decide which one you'll be able to follow FOR LIFE. Each protocol is different and following them will make or break your success regardless of which surgery you choose.
And btw....my sleeve had no staples. Dissolvable stitches.

Butterbean, my wife is in the medical industry and has seen many patients come in who had bypass surgery. Several died due partially because they couldn't absorb medications and food via tubes. This option is clearly a radical step but may also be a necessary one for those who choose it. I don't make judgments for those who choose this option as I'm sure they and their surgeons have looked at all options.
When I first started my research the sleeve wasn't popular and was not widely recommended locally here. I did very little research on the sleeve and looking back with what I know now I still would have gone with the band simply because I still had the option to remove the band and go with the sleeve if I failed to be compliant with my band or the band was rejected by my body for some reason.
The advantage, unless there was a catastrophic failure with my stomach and band, I could always return to my old 36 BMI or look at other surgeries. That was not the case with the other options. I also believed I had researched WLS as much as possible but looking back I knew very little compared to what I know now.

Hello Hayley and congrats on your decision to pursue WLS.
I've been banded for 4 years, lost over 100 lbs and am now at goal/maintaining.
To undergo surgery is a serious decision and sometimes our reasons to choose one procedure over another can be arbitrary. Examples include: Are you insured? If so, what does your provider cover? What kind of lifestyle can you most relate to, comply with and see yourself living? Do you thinking monthly checkups for the first 6 months than annually is asking too much? Which potential risks are present and what is the back up plan if those risks arise? etc. It really comes down to personal preference and which surgery you think will best suit your circumstances and goals.
I chose the band because it was the least invasive. It's a laproscopic procedure so the recovery is quicker. Working full-time and having children made this appealing. The rules were not too burdening and there's only a few of them. I had a healthy fear of bypass because my friend's daughter passed away from bypass complications, she was in her 30's. The only thought I had was what was the backup plan- there isn't one sometimes. I wanted options and the more steps it took to get to that point was ideal. It felt safer to me.
I am not here to push on surgery over the other. But please recognize a few things while you do your research: 1) Most wls patients are not on these forums sharing their stories so you will only get a small insight into what 'most' patients have experienced on this forum, 2) for every good story, you can find a bad one (in all 3 types of surgery). I want to emphasize listening to personal stories of success/failure and not someone's opinion based on things they heard- it's simply inappropriate, 3) Also understand that complications can arise spontaneously, but many of them arise due to patient noncompliance. Those stats shouldn't reflect on a procedure's capabilities. Recognize that if you are noncompliant you can sabotage your wl efforts no matter what procedure you undertake.
Living with the band, for me, has been easy. I adopted the rules readily, I have learned to adopt a mentality of eating in moderation and am maintaining without deprivation, I am very vigilent with keeping my band at it's optimal restriction and respect the band so that it remains a safe tool. I don't regret my decision at all and fully endorse the band for those who feel it's right for them.
Best of luck with your decision and your wl journey.

Again, such a personal decision and it is all about how you feel about yourself. I have a lot of loose skin and I do catch myself looking in the mirror and groan but then I look at the alternative. Weight nearly 500lbs and not able to walk more then 10 minutes at a time. Even my Wife would prefer the loose skin over me not being happy and not able to physically do anything. Perhaps if I ever hit 199 I will look into plastic surgery.
Not to down play losing 18lbs but is 18lbs one way or another going to play that much of a factor in regards to loose skin?

I say do what makes you feel best. If you feel great where you are and don't want to lose more? Then don't. You can always change your mind and lose the 18 pounds later if you change your mind.
Do what is best for YOU and makes you happy.

Congrats Bandista! You've made it to the other side and it sounds like you did it with flying colors. Keep us posted on your recovery.
Best Wishes!

Hi there, reporting in from Band Land! Everything went beautifully and I am recovering well. Just did a long walk with my IV pole up and down the halls for a while and some boullion is cooling as I write this. Let's see, 8AM registration then gown donning in short stay unit with nursing intake, anasthesiologist, hello from surgeon, etc. They put on an oxygen mask on me and the drugs into my IV then I woke up in recovery without ever knowing I was wheeled out of there. My surgery time was 9AM -- don't know what time it ended or how long I was in recovery -- an hour or teo? They let my husband sit with me and that was good as it was a bustling place and I felt some of that shoulder gas pain many people mention and mild anxiety. He did quite a bit of neck massage for me. It is still stiff in that area but I would describe it as discomfort rather than pain. I was coming off of the anasthesia with in and out napping until about 5PM. Very thirsty! Drinking lots of Water I brought from home -- we have beautiful Water in our well and here in the city it is chlorinated.
I am not taking the Dilaudid offered. Nurses concur better to stay away from that world of side effects if possible. Really hoping for narcotic-free experience. I think that pain medication can cause a kind of hyper-focusing on pain that makes it duller but more apparent if that makes any sense. There is ibuprofen in my drip. Have been doing yoga breathing -- have my sleep mask (CPAP) and I go home tomorrow following barium swallow. I have pain prescription filled should I need it as well as liquid Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Will keep you posted.
Oh, I had a hernia. How many times have we heard that here but still I didn't think it would be me. Now I need to do hernia research as I don't really know what that is -- but it doesn't matter, all taken care of now. This actually allowed my husband to "out" my surgery to my parents in a way that keeps my lapband private as I am one of those who don't want many people to know.
Nurses and aides all fantastic. Extremely quiet and near-empty by chance -- very nice for me to have my own room. I will go walking again soon, not to walk off any pain but more as a preventative thing and because I feel a little antsy. Planning to watch old episodes of all the Masterpiece Theater stuff my husband has suffered through once already.
Hope our other Recent Bandits are doing well and every one else. Many many thanks to all of you who helped me get ready for this day. You are wonderful!

AJ is giving you some very good advice. Although, waiting is very hard and the unknown is very hard on your psyche too. If you're anything like me you worry and think the worst possible scenario is what is going to happen. Try to meditate on the positive and think on what you are going to do once you have your surgery.
Like AJ says do some research online. Look at what people are saying about the surgery and how they are doing and what they are doing to be successful. It really will help. The lady that helped me with my paperwork at my surgical center gave me a list of things to practice so I would be prepared for when I had the actual surgery. It really helps get you in the right state of mind, and once you have the surgery it will all make sense.
If you can, start walking. That's what I did. I wasn't ready for a full on exercise program because of my back issues. So, I started walking, and little by little I could walk longer and longer and I started doing yoga. Low impact stuff is what was working for me. I know its to each their own when it comes to exercise, but it does help with weight loss.
Also, if your insurance requires you to do the supervised diet just jump on here and talk with people. You will find a ton of support and you might even make some good friends. I love this site. There's just so much support.
I too want to say congratulations on making the choice to begin your journey! I wish you the best of luck and go digging through the forums. You will find all kinds of info... the good... the bad...and the ugly! LOL
Best Wishes!

My main response is... it's your body! Make sure whatever WLS you decide on it's YOUR choice. You're the one who is going to have to live with the decision you make. Each WLS has its pros and cons. Check them out and make sure you are completely comfortable with what YOU decide. Don't let you Dr. pressure you into getting a surgery you don't want.
Stay strong and do your research!
Best Wishes!

I'll say a prayer for you and you will be in my thoughts. Congratulations on making a choice to begin your journey to lose weight. You will find a lot of support on this site. If you look around in the forums you will find a lot of the answers to questions you might have and if you don't find it there, ask away. People are always willing to help another WLS buddy out. Let us know what you find out.

Best Wishes!

I am proud to say that I was able to put a sports bra on, a size small shirt (just testing to see if I would need a totally new size wardrobe) and my jeans on for the first time (although they are my larger ones adn I cant button them fully because of tummy swelling). Went to the corner store to get out of the house (literally 5 min drive), walked around and bought a few essentials and returned home. I almost felt human again lol.
Recap on healing:
Breasts- Funnily enough, my breast lift and implants are the least of my worries. There is a stiffness from the implants stretching the muscles but the most significant thing I am focusing on is how unusual they look. I got 550cc impants which are pretty huge (lol). They are very high on my pecs and will take months to settle in and look normal. But after putting my shirt on today, at least I didn't feel/look dysmorphic the way I was preparing for. I'm eager to see what everything looks like in 1 & 2 months but so far so good.
Tummy Tuck/Lipo- ok so this reminds me of my previous 3 c-sections. Same kind of pain/restriction. The doc does complimentary Lipo on the flanks but told me he really didn't need to do much. This area (lipo area) hurts the most and is the most bruised. So when standing or laying down, I feel pain here before anywhere else. But I've been up and walking since day 1 and it's getting less and less painful each day.
Arm Lift- I can't say it enough. I am already 100% pleased w/ my arm lift. Although it is tight, I really can't appreciate the swelling. My arms looks exactly the way I want them as an end result. Disregard the scars which are wrapped in tegarderm and have blood from day 1 so I have no clue what they look like yet). I feel the most pain right at the elbow and the armpit where the incision starts and ends when I try to gently push up when standing up. Other than that I'm not aware of the arms.
HooHaa- Ok had to add this. I asked the doc if it was possible to lift the pubis area and he said he would. I just want to say I love my new hooha. Enough said ahha
From day one I took pain meds on schedule, but am now taking it no more than twice a day, but always once before going to bed for a better nights rest. I also take colace and a muscle relaxant. I do have nausea meds but only took it once the day after surgery. I no longer feel nauseous. I take the mus. relaxant to just help the pecs relax so the implants can fall into place. I don't actually feel muscle tension and/or spasms. I am surprised how mobile I am. I am nto in as much pain as I thought I would be having so much surgery done in one procedure. I thougth w/ the arm lift I would not be able to use my arms to assist, but that's not the case. Naturally I limit their use, but I can still do small things on my own.
I get lots of rest, but make sure to walk periodically. I am walking straighter each day. Naturallly I check up on my LBT friends and want to share the process with those considering cosm. surgery.
Although I will post pics, it will be awhile. Day 1 pics will not inspire anyone to get CS. So I will wait a month and share ALL my progress pics as to not scare anyone away lol.
Hope everyone is well

Hey everybody! I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to post with being back in school working on my Ph.D and taking care of my mom who was recently diagnosed with cancer. But all in all God is good and she's going to pull through this...
I have been steady in the gym even when I don't eat that good, but I stay true and faithful to my Fitness Pal. I have so many successes . Here they are:
I have gone from a size 26 to a size 16. I actually bought a 14/16 jacket ! I almost fainted when I looked in the mirror. A pair of size 18 skinny jeans are just falling down now. I bought them just last week.
To some it may be small, but I was able to lay on the floor with my honey and he wrapped his arms alllllll the way around me and I was so comfortable . He's 6'4 and like 225 and I felt so small. It was a cute feeling. He still can't believe I am so dedicated. One of the most supportive things is that my honey comes to the gym with me after he gets off work at 5 am. I think that is so super sweet. He would just come in his uniform and even work out with me sometime.
I work out 5 days a week at 5 am for 45 - 60 mins . I do strength training and ab workout too ! But more than the weight loss, my energy level is thru the roof. I feel so good abt myself and confident again. I feel sexy, cool, vibrant and all that other good stuff. When I look at pics now I still can't believe it. Although I have a way to go, I have come a long way as well.
I'm in the process of planning my wedding in June 2014 and I want to wow everybody! I mean I want especially my Husband's mouth to drop. I want them to tie that corset until I can't breath, well enough to walk down the aisle at least. Lol But even more than that I want my mom to be in good health to see me. She's always been supportive in my weight loss and just wanted me happy. She loved on me at my biggest and told me how beautiful I was .
I thank God for the support on here and have made some great friends. The journey continues! Stay motivated and if you mess up just get back at it. Don't beat yourself up.. Consistency wins all the time !
Sorry so long ...
Stats:
Highest 2013: 331.0 lbs
Pre Op: 319.0 lbs
Day of Surgery- July 5, 2013: 306.0 lbs
Current: 266.0 lbs
Goal Dec. 2013: 246.0 lbs
1 Yr Bandiversary Goal - July 2014: 206.0 lbs

I left a response via my phone but I guess it didn't post. I hope your fill went well today. I got 3ccs and they do it with the fluoroscope, it was strange being poked and then having to stand up and do the swallow test. It was cool to be able to see everything though. I feel a slight difference in my restriction but not a huge difference. My next fill is scheduled for November 6th. I haven't been very hungry lately so I guess that's a big change from the weeks prior to my fill. Hope everyone is doing well!!

Cute play on words, Mr. Junkie! So far, in my short experience with weight loss and the band I have to agree with Bliss. It has improved the va..va...voom factor in my house. I think losing weight gives us more confidence and makes us happy so we really NEED the "pinnacle moments" more than ever.

Don't get obsessed with the numbers. Everyone is different. Ask yourself, are you eating no more than a cup of food per meal, able to go 3-4 hours without feeling hungry and most important are you loosing weight? If all these answers are yes then great, you do not need any more Fluid in your band.
Everyone is different regarding the amount of Fluid in their band. Look an CarolinaGirl lost 140 pounds and has never had a fill.... some patients feel restriction right out of the box, others need their band almost to max. Go with what feels and works right for you.
It sounds like you are doing great, just keep it up. As you loose you may need a fill to help you along, just don't be in a rush to get there. This is for life. Good luck to you.

Weight loss comes down to math- when you burn more than you consume, you lose weight. The simplest way to assure that happens is to track your calories so you can be sure you're not accidentally eating too much.
If I were you, I'd start tracking calories.
Best wishes.