greatlyblessmom

Thank you so much for your advice and encouragement. You have helped me believe that this really can work for me, and I will have much inspiration not to give up along the journey.

Thank you so much for your advice and encouragement. You have helped me believe that this really can work for me, and I will have much inspiration not to give up along the journey.

Congrats and welcome to the other side. So glad you had a good experience, and support from the hubby!

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!

Best wishes and prayers are with you tomorrow. I am 10 days out, and yes I will say it hurt some, but not nearly as much as I expected. I pretty much slept for the first 2 days, but I did not have to use the pain meds very often. Just be very good to yourself and don't expect too much too soon. Everyone is different. Hope you have the best possible experience.

Great article. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. It helps to visualize what is happening with each bite so I can remember to slow down. Don't want to be a year down the road and find out I have damaged all the work the band is helping me do.

getting off of any medication is a plus.. since being banded in January I have been taken off of my diabetes meds, high blood pressure and cholesterol.... You keep going and you will be so healthy you can't stand it...

I had appointments with my Dr. and my surgeon Thursday One scale said 246 and one said 247. Either way i am one happy girl. After being stuck between 255 and 258 for 2 months I am thrilled. I am a firm believer in what my Dr. told me before I had surgery. She said "when you hit a plateau and you will hit them, you gotta move your butt." I am spending 40+ on gas to go to the Y 3 times a week. Is it worth it? I say hell yes!!!! She also cut my blood pressure pill in half and just called to say all labs came back good. That is 79 pounds since surgery and 99 all together.

My reasons aren't so secret,,
To feel good,
To live good,
To spend quality and quantity time with family and friends, instead of being that person always on the sidelines or on the couch while everyone is away having fun.
Yes to show that ex if you had just been supportive and stuck by me, while I found myself, this is the person you would be with. Instead of telling me who is going to want someone your size? Well honey let me tell you, I found someone one (and he has been with me through thick and thin) and all the sizes in between. and getting smaller.

There are several reasons I want to get banded and lose weight. Mainly it's so I can feel better and not be in pain anymore. But I finally admitted to my husband a secret reason I want to lose weight. It's silly and I felt dumb telling him but he laughed and encouraged me. I love that man!!
My secret reason:
I want to be able to dress up as a solid gold dancer for Halloween next year!!
Anyone else want to share!?!

Hi, I too, had my surgery last Wednesday. The worst was the gas pains in my shoulders, the right one subsided a couple of days ago, and today is the first day that I haven`t felt anything. I have not really had much pain from my stomach, just a slight "tugging" sensation. I drove into town on Sunday, but shopping just tired me out, and I had to have a good rest the next day, but on Tuesday I was fine again, and went back to complete my shopping! I have been following my diet sheet to a T - and in a week I have now lost 6lbs I look at my meals and think "how will that fill me up!?" but eating slowly and small spoonfuls, I surprised myself at how full I did feel, and sometimes didn`t even want the mid-meal Snacks I`m allowed. I hope that this keeps up, as reading some stories on here can be quite scary, and hopefully my experience will show some pre-ops that it`s not all that bad, and that everyone has different experiences...Also I was not scared of going to sleep, and even walked to the theatre.

I was looking through pictures today and found some from 10 days after surgery. Then took some today. I never really look at my pictures but wow!!!!
The pics in the black shirt are from june 28th 2013 (10 days after surgery)
The pics in the blue shirt is from today.
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Better to be blabby than flabby....
Me? I'm crabby. Five days til surgery.
Yikes! Now I think I have PMS.
Husband driving me crazy, and my mother, and the dogs, and my work. Oh dear. I don't want my period next week.

As I approached my one year mark 10/30 since having the surgery I have had time to think about how my life has changed!!
I have been off caffeine for over a year stopped back on October 8, 2012. It was a lot easier then I thought. I went cold turkey after realizing that I was drinking 3-4 large mc Donald's cokes a day, which I still have no idea how much caffeine is in that let alone sugar.
I started on oct 30, 2012 weighing 242.5lbs at only 21. I am now 22 and weigh 193.4lbs I am 1.65lbs away from being half way to my goal weight. I couldn't be happier!
My mom got her weight loss surgery (bypass) in March 2013 and has hit her half way mark last week! It has been amazing going through this experience with her and I can't wait until we get to do the boulder bolder 10K next year together and for her and my dad to be around for many many more year and get to see my children grow up and be able to play with them (once I have kids)
I jogged in the Memorial Day boulder bolder 10K and finished in less then 2 hrs which was better then I ever expected and such an amazing high. I have been hiking a ton and really found a passion for the outdoors! I also did the color run 5K this summer with friends and really enjoyed myself.
Before I had the surgery I was busting out of my work uniform and with in two weeks after the surgery I had to go get new pants because mine were to big! I noticed recently that my pants now are starting to get really loose but I plan to wait to get new ones until later so I don't have to make the hour drive to the main office to get more in a month. I have went from wearing a very tight size 18 to a loose size 16 and have had to get several new shirts!
The most amazing thing that has happened to me since this surgery is..... My PCOS is clearing up and I will be able to have kids now!! . I was told when I was 16 (shortly after I found out my best friend was pregnant) that I had PCOS and the effects may have caused me to never be able to have kids due to scarring. I was devastated as I have always wanted kids and have been around kids my entire life thanks to my moms daycare. My periods were so irregular that I would go 6-8 months without one and then get really sick due to blood poisoning and have to be hospitalized for 4 weeks. I have no side effects such as scarring and I am off all medicine for PCOS! Even though I don't plan to have children for a few more years I am so excited that it will be 80% easier to have them without treatments or adoption!
Unfortunately over the past couple of days I have had a serious issue with waking up choking and coughing. It has gotten increasingly worse since I first noticed it and I have begun to get worried that I have a slip. I see my dr tomorrow. They seemed worried that with my sleep apnea (that has gotten better but not fully) combined with a slip could cause me not to wake up and cough but instead possibly choke in my sleep! I'm thankful that my mom will be staying with me tonight and keeping an eye on me until the dr can see me tomorrow.
I can't wait to see what the next year and years after that bring for me! I hope to be closer to my goal weight by June for my college graduation!
Nykol Jefferson (One happy banded person)

2 weeks post op and finally feeling better. Port area is still sore as expected. Went to the park today and walked 1.8 miles. This week I can have fish & ground beef but no chicken yet. I will be focusing on my Protein and veggies and fruit. Just ate almonds and they went down ok. Still get gassy from time to time but it passes very easily. So far the only thing I can't tolerate is any type of red drinks. No more fruit punch Crystal Light or red Powerade.< /p>

this is excellent


you did it by george



and that tells me you so got this



i will be your cheer leader GF

I am on mushies right now. I can't have any meats yet, but I can have scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, cream Soups, lowfat cottage cheese, oatmeal, bananas. I was on a 4 week preop diet, so after 5 weeks, this stuff tastes heavenly - especially the eggs!

I read this earlier today, and it has been in my head all day long. I wanted to feel sorry for myself because my surgery sites are still healing, I am still on mushies, and I go back to work tomorrow. I started down that path, and your words came into my head. So - I got up and did something, not going to the gym or walking, but just moving, doing some housework (actually broke a sweat). It felt great and sent the self-pity packing! Thanks for the kick in the pants - I needed that!!!!!

I read this earlier today, and it has been in my head all day long. I wanted to feel sorry for myself because my surgery sites are still healing, I am still on mushies, and I go back to work tomorrow. I started down that path, and your words came into my head. So - I got up and did something, not going to the gym or walking, but just moving, doing some housework (actually broke a sweat). It felt great and sent the self-pity packing! Thanks for the kick in the pants - I needed that!!!!!

I read this earlier today, and it has been in my head all day long. I wanted to feel sorry for myself because my surgery sites are still healing, I am still on mushies, and I go back to work tomorrow. I started down that path, and your words came into my head. So - I got up and did something, not going to the gym or walking, but just moving, doing some housework (actually broke a sweat). It felt great and sent the self-pity packing! Thanks for the kick in the pants - I needed that!!!!!

who supports YOU?

i am blessed to have a hub who is a support system for me...at home....but the support comes from me to myself...

i actually am supporting myself...to do better...eat better, exercise and believe in myself enough to give a crap..

i do not make excuses..i own it..

when i first started the forum, i was soooo worried people would not like me...and that was up until recently also..and now its like who cares.....

who i am is who i am..i am direct..i am up front and i dont like to read BS.....either do it....do it right or shut up already..

dont eat a entire pizza and then post did i hurt the band and did i do wrong?? YOU know as well as i do, what is (better food choices) for you..

do not go off the doctor advised path and be surprised later when (shock/horror) sits in if the scale goes back up or an issue arises...

i believe we are all given directions/suggestions on how to use the band properly....i was giving hand outs...i read alot on line.....this is major surgery after all...and i was scared to f**king death...

the dr i had pulled no punches.....he said WLS would help me......but unless i started to exercise...eat better it would not work in the long run...he stressed patient compliance is a huge part of the program.

i can sit here and list who in my past, what has hurt me and i can go on and on and on and then so on but right here/right now, it is me making that choice to make myself well...

overeating in private (so no one would see) still got me super morbid obese...i stopped supporting myself..i stopped caring....i had to get to that point where enough was enough.....are you there yet?

this is a process....i read post after post of those who stop trying after surgery because they had wls and bam, its gonna fix it all......and then they are saddened and writing what am i doing wrong.....how about ask yourself what are you doing right?

support begins with the person looking back at yourself in the mirror....support YOURSELF

that is truly all you need.


although other people's support helps/matters

Thank you for this! You have been a great mentor and support. Lately, I have woken up everyday and say in the mirror. "Look at how far you have come! Be happy about that today."

I can totally relate. I'm often shocked at how angry I feel when someone says they're considering WLS to lose 20 or 30 lbs. As a person whose weighed over 400lbs and been obese since childhood that amount of weight seems trivial to me.
Mentally I know that isn't fair of me but that doesn't stop the emotional trigger from tripping.

i am in the mindset of being a larger person who started with a high bmi and labeled super morbid obese, i sometimes still think, will i ever get there?
i have had several people ask me (what number/weight) i want to get to...i honestly have no idea. i will know when i get there and that is true. sure i have a number i'd love to get to, but right now the number i see is 199. i want to get to that number...once there, i will figure out where i want to go next.
i started this last june and wanted to get to 299. anything to get me out of the 300's...what a great day that was to see that happen.
my mindset is different than alot of people on this forum. i do consider myself outside the norm if you will. my mindset is different. i do it totally (my way). i dont weigh daily...i am not a slave to the cal tracking nor do i do fitpal etc....heck i dont even Facebook. so i just do what works for me pretty much.
i admit its hard seeing people who weigh what i do now, just starting and i am like man, if you know how hard i worked to get to this number (they despise) they'd see me differently i think. i am happy to be at my number...considering what it was..
so my mindset is this
do what they told me to do as best i can (slip ups happen and that is life) but def get into the positive thinking aspect and def NOT over think it to where you are second guessing constantly. i see and read that alot.
just let the band work.
let it help you. and let us (me) help it.
my mindset is see the first 100 off.....who knows, maybe another 50 or 60 to go...but i will get there eventually. there is no deadline. no time limit before my band explodes like the old mission impossible tv show......i will get there by going one day at a time.
with a mindset of yes i can.

You are really positive, and that makes all the difference.
I know exactly what you mean, I feel so much more energetic, and have a spring in my step. I actually look forward to doing exercise now! who would have thought it!
Good Luck on your journey to a new healthier you