kaohinani

Congratulations on being banded. I can only share from my personal experience, so what happened with me was that slowly and I noticed it maybe about 2 months after surgery that I would get lightheaded in the AM after taking my high blood pressure meds. I did get it checked once in a awhile then when i knew that it was going to be low (consistently) I am a nurse by the way. Then I went to my doctor who officially took me off the meds. Hope this helps a bit. Good Luck.

Hello ladies, well welcome to my world. So it seems that we are all in the same boat. I too have been yo-yo ing with the same 5 lbs for about a month or maybe more. I was at 188 lbs at my last check up with Dr. Fowler at the end of November, and I am still only at 181 lbs on a good day. I too am very frustrated, and so is Dave, he is stuck also. I dont know what else to do, we seem to be doing all the right things, still exercising, still watching what we eat. I mean we dont eat near the amount we used to yet. No big losses. HELP!!!!!!!! We will be going to the informational seminar in March, as kind of doing a testimony kind of thing for the group. Sounds like fun, then we will have our next appt. With Dr. Fowler the next day. The meeting is set for March 19th. Maybe we can meet up after that, I dont know how late it will be though. Our appt with him is first thing in the AM and I know you all work, but maybe later in the afternoon??? Miriam, we were planning on going to the Temple in Laie, maybe see you around there??? OK sorry so long..

Thanks, sounds like a good idea, good luck on your journey!!

Congratulations to all of you for beginning your journey, no matter what stage you are in. I started my journey in May of 2007, got approved for surgery in about 2 weeks, then had to do all the testing, then I chose to wait until August for my surgery. I am doing OK, I hit a plateau around the holidays, but am back on track, good luck to all of you. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

I had the same problem. After surgery lying on my side was a big no-no. I think it was about 3-4 weeks that I could lay on my side. Putting a pillow under my belly when laying on the side helped some. Take it slow. It will happen.

Well I guess we are all different. I had my first period about 3 weeks after surgery, and all went well. No problems or anything. I hope you feel better. Or call your doc if things dont get better.

Wow, good input everyone. I go to the gym first thing in the morning at 5 am, then go to work straight from there. I have holding off on my protein shake as a breakfast at about 9 am, just so that I stave off the hunger till lunch. Do you think that, that is messing up my metabolism? Thanks ahead of time for your help.

I was told that it was better to eat your protein, than to drink it, but if you need the extra, I use a protein shake that I get at costco, and it has 30 grams of protein, and very little in terms of carbs, or fat or calories. I use a shake in the morning, because I cannot eat anything in the AM, and I will use one sometimes in the afternoon as a snack, just to keep up on the protein, I used to use a protein powder and mix it with milk, cause the taste was horrible for me when I mixed it with water, and the calories was too much. Thus the protein shake from Costco. Good Luck

OH, I am sooooo jealous, I wish I was there with you guys, for the fun and fellowship. Think of me when you guys are out having fun.

Aloha gang, boy where have I been. You guys are all doing so well. Dolphina, sorry to hear of your disappointment. A few questions? Are you exercising?, are you limiting your "junk" food?, there shouldn't be a whole lot of snacking going on. Just from experience, I know that exercising REALLY helps with the weight loss. I sometimes found that without realizing it, I thought I was just taking a nibble of this and a nibble of that during the day, but when I actually added it up, WOW, it wasn't just a little of this and that. And actually if you eat about 1 cup of food, that is still a good amount. It isn't too much. Also, how about the inches loss? Maybe if you are exercising, you may be losing inches, but not pounds, cause muscle is heavier than fat???? Just some things to think about, let us know how it goes. Lisa, how are you girl????? How come you are paying for unfills, I thought that when we got a fill we had some time to get the adjustments without having to keep paying? I am sorry to hear about all that though, and I hope you and Dr. Fowler can figure it out, maybe smaller fills? It must be sooooo frustrating. Hi Miriam!!!!!! I hope all is well with your gang. Dave and I will be going to West Virginia in Feb. then see the Dr. Fowler hopefully in March and we will try to coordinate it for the March Informational Seminar. I think they thought that it would be nice if Dave and I went to "talk" a little. Maybe see you guys then?????? He has lost 100 lbs(yeah!!) and I have lost 59. slow and steady right???? OK, until next time, good luck everyone.

OK, so it kind of makes sense, I am a nurse, and I too could not figure out why the "stuckage". But I have found out that the term PB is not accurate. What happens to me is definately not a burp. But I guess we are all different.

same here for me, my pain medications were liquid, you should ask your surgeon. Good Luck, see you after the banding.

Congratulations on getting the Lap Band. Good For you, and for your sister???? well just forget her, sounds to me like she is jealous and is trying to sabotage your success. I know it is hard on the families and especially this time of the year, but just reassure them that all will be well and you know best on how to handle your diet "restrictions" at this point. I have to sisters, one is very slim, and the other "normal". They have not said it, well not to my face anyway, but I think that they are used to me being the fat sister, and now as I lose weight I think they are getting a little bit uncomfortable with me being thinner. Maybe not thinner than them at this point, but I sure hope I can be later. I know in their mind they think " I don't want to be the fat sister." Well, we all have challenges and you stick to your guns....(oooops) well not real guns, I wouldn't want to see your name in the news, but you know what I mean. Merry Christmas

I love it when people call me skinny, I know that they are just encouraging me. And its cause they love me. I know I am not "skinny", but I will be someday, but in comparison to what I was????? I'll take being called skinny. At least it means that I have lost enough weight for them to notice. I started at 243 lbs and a size 22, now I am at 184 lbs, and a size 16, much more to go, but I love the journey I am on. Merry Christmas to all.

I know how hard it is to follow our band rules, but before I got banded, I researched it all, and I knew that this was not going to be an easy fix. Especially now with the holidays, and all the goodies laying around, but you have to get into the mindset of this is your life now, the band is just a tool to "help" us, not to do all the work for us. We still need to watch what we eat, how much we eat, and then exercise too. But re-evaluate your lifestyle, keep the junk food out of the house. I tell my son that I will buy him some junk food like cookies, but he has to hide it in his room, or I will eat it. Works OK for now. Then pull up your boot straps and get back on the "band" wagon. And definately see your dietician and/or surgeon if it is needed. Good Luck. I know you have it in you to succeed in this.

Wow, that is a hard situation to be in. I hope and pray that you are able to recover from this soon. I am sure that your HMO will be able to find you a surgeon soon. The first thought I had was that you are so lucky that your stomach scarred over, rather than just leaking stomach contents into your abdomen. That would have been much worse. Please keep us posted. My hubby ( who also had the band ) and I will be praying for you.

Yes, girl, you are totally naked underneath. It is uncomfortable to lay around like that waiting, but my nerves were more of what I was concerned about, but how about this, when I lay in my hospital bed waiting for surgery, my feet were facing the nurses station, so if I were to move around I had to be REALLY careful. But its all good. Just dont worry about it.

Sounds like it may be a bit too tight, but some people would welcome the restriction. And yes I agree with Happy Camper, now you would have to follow the band rules, like chewing very well with very small bites. Good Luck

You guys are awesome, I am glad I have found friends who can relate to our woes of being "just obese" LOL. Keep up the good work all, see you all on the flip side. Aloha

Its OK, Miriam, just dont overdo it, I have slipped once or twice or three times, but whos counting, I just get back on the wagon and go on. If I get down on myself, it doesn't do any good, so I dont. Hi Natasha, I haven't seen you on here before. Welcome. My name is Bev and my Hubby is David, we live on Kauai, and he was banded on 7/11/07 and I was banded 8/29/07. Good Luck on your surgery.

There is a rule, although I cant remember what it is, but it does go my your BMI, I think in one set of numbers is obese, then another set of numbers it is morbidly obese and so on, and so on. Only we would understand the joy of being called obese. LOL

I has replied earlier that my DH and I have gone thru the airport many times with no problems, but...... today he left for a business trip and of all things, wouldn't you know it, his port set off the metal detector, the only thing that helped get him thru I guess was that the screener could feel the port thru the skin. My DH did offer to take his shirt off it it would help, but they said it was OK, go figure??????

Mahalo everyone, you guys are the most awesome positive supportive people I know. Thanks again. Keep up the good work everybody and we will all be there....

I have lost 55 lbs. and my wrist/feet/neck, everything got smaller, it is amazing when that happens. I do have some saggy skin and I know I will have more but I would gladly still get the band in exchange for a healthier me. I bet so would alot of others.

Here's a new one. And I know you all can relate. I just had my 3 month post surgery check with the doctor and what he had to tell me just made me feel good all over. He is that I am Obese. Wait, wait, I know some of you are thinking ,"What the heck?". But for me to be told that I am "just" obese and not morbidly obese, or super morbidly obese, is something to celebrate. I just absolutely love this band. No matter the scars, the inability to really embrace a full on holiday dinner, the "stuck" food on occasion. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I Love band land.