TulipStar

Ashlee, Congratulations on being recently banded!! I have PCOS too...diagnosed 10 years ago, but had symptoms at puberty. I don't think there is anything you need to do different. I had taken metformin for 10 years and stopped after my surgery. With PCOS it is harder to lose weight because of the hormones. I noticed this at first and became frustrated that my weight loss was not faster. I had to kick up the exercise to get the weight loss going. You are going to do great!

Hi Helen, I am not too familiar with the NSH or socialized medicine in the UK. However, I know that they won't do IVF if you are over a certain BMI (govt paid). I always thought that brits were so lucky to have IVF paid for, but I guess I was under the wrong impresssion. I am right behind you on the IVF wagon. Being able to have a baby is my #1 reason for getting IVF. I hope to have it some time this year. My periods have come back and I wish it would just *happen*, but I know it probably won't. I have other factors besides PCOS the make it unlikely for me to get prego naturally. Good luck, let us know how you are doing!! This WILL work for you!

I am "almost" out of the plus size section. What a great feeling! I can actually find clothes in XL at the regular store that fit...it seems to all be happening so fast!!

Linds, 2nd fill is well on your way to success! It only gets better from here!

Teanne, That really stinks that you have to drive so far for your fill. I always know tht I might not get a fill when I go, but my location is only 30 minutes away. IMO, he should have given it to you (at least a tiny fill or something). Did you try to talk him into it? Is there some where in Austin where you could go for your fills instead? That is a heck of drive to only have to turn around for nothing.

Hi Snuffy, I am not a cop but have a friend who is and he is banded. He has no issue at all. In fact, he is in better shape than ever and joined the swat team. Most can't feel the port (he can't and it doesn't interfere with his job).

Redgirl, maybe you should go into your dr and talk about it? Sometimes I am not sure if I can get a fill and I go in anyway, to hear what they have to say. The dr will ask me questions about the patterns and portion sizes and look at my weight loss. Based on those, they either tell me not to get a fill or will give me a fill. I know what you mean about it being loose or too tight sporadically... I call the band a finicky bitch :party:

Cookie, Congrats on your new toy. Get ready to be "obsessed" with your bugg! At first I would always check it at night before going to bed and if I didn't hit my goal steps, I would do a few laps around my house :thumbup:

ladie, Congratulations ! You will soon join us in the land of the band :thumbup: Dr. Marsden is great-- love him!

I never realized this, but this is so true. I do this all the time.... My Dad gained back 100lbs after gastric bypass surgery by "eating around it". It is possible to do with any wls or diet. The band is just a tool...we have to work at it too!

I can, but only a bite, and have to really really chew.

In general, most people will seek out advice when they are having a negative experience, so sometimes it might seem like there are more complaints vs. good experiences. However, this is not true. Most do have success with the band and while there are people who are "slow losers" it often takes some extra effort to get those pounds started. I had a slow response intially, but decided that THIS was going to be IT. I started working out everyday and logging all of my food. This was what I needed to do to see results. Not everyone is the same. Some people lose it quickly, without exercise or food logging. When you see people saying they are not losing, they know inside what they might be doing wrong. You can work around the band by eating liquids/ice cream/chocolate and other things that are easy to go down. Stay true to yourself and it will be successful!

my fave area is definitely my decollatage. :thumbup: Least fave are my arms from the lose skin and batwings.

I didn't really notice it until my 4th fill.

Sweet pea, Yes, I had to go through something similar. I think I was 8 weeks out when I found out that I had to go back in for surgery. It will be a minor setback... once it's done you will be back on the fast track to losing. :thumbup: Good luck!

Hi Carla, I am sorry you are having such a bad time! Mother nature can be a beast and unfortunately it impacts us sometimes. I was in the same situation in 2004 when all the hurricanes hit FL. We were out of power and home on 3 separate occasions during hurricane season. So, I can relate from a stress eating standpoint...that's all I wanted to do was eat! You can make conscious choices to move, by walking outside, taking the stairs. Buy some resistance bands and use them for exercise (I always carry one in my suitcase). Also when eating out, just make better choices like salads, grilled things, etc. I know it's hard, but you can do it!

It gets better. I was totally horrified by my first fill and all the pushing and prodding. I was thinking "why the hell didn't I think about this as a consequence of surgery?!" But, bBy the time my 3rd fill came around, it was no big deal. Don't look at the needle. Look the other way! I can't even feel it now, really. :blushing:

My surgery for the flipped port went well. It was just a minor roadblock and I was back on my feet and losing in just a few weeks. I agree that this was the best decision of my life too! I was just thinking about how I walk differently now! I used to waddle too, but now I sashay I think we will start to try making babies soon, too. You are right about it the lb on the scale not being the last pound. Sometimes this scares me because I have never been in the 100's for weight (not since I was a child). IT's a whole new me, and that is scary. 40lbs is a great weight loss!! You also have much less to lose and you are halfway there! My dr tells me not to drink protein/smoothies too. Most days I only have coffee in the morning (just started drinking coffee post-surgery). Even if I tried to drink a Protein shake in the morning, it wouldn't go down, bc I can only tolerate warm liquids in the morning. Every one seems to be doing great!

It's different for everyone, but I will share my personal experience with this. The "PB" does not cause me any pain. The pain for me comes with the pressure in my chest when I realize that something is stuck. The only way to relieve the pain/pressure is to PB or wait it out, hoping it will go down. PB is easy for me to do if I have to. Basically, I just bend over from the waist and it just comes up. I don't have to force it...it's ready. For me the PB usually happens within 30 minutes of eating, but I have had 1 rare occurrence of it happening 1 hour after eating.

I always craved carbs -- like bread/pasta/potatoes and I NEVER craved sweets. Now I think that I crave both equally. The craving for bread/pasta/potatoes is defintely less. I only crave sweets every once in a while.

I have used mederma, but not for these scars. I am using cocoa butter w/ vitamin e. My scars are barely visible except for the port scar.

It's funny that this post has come to life again because just last week I was talking to this same co-worker. He was telling me what I should be eating because when he was 7 months post-op like me he had already lost 140lbs. I have only lost a little over half that. I reminded him that I am a woman...and that I am different than he is. It's working for me, but just at a different rate. He tried to tell me it's becauese I am exercising too much and my body doesn't want to lose weight. Then he told me that I should stop at McD's every morning, just like him and eat sausage,egg & coffee on the way to work. I tried to explain to him that I can't eat in the morning and I absolutely cannot tolerate eggs anymore. He looks at me like I am crazy...just bc he isn't experiencing it, I must not be either. He then told me that if I had went to his dr, then I wouldn't have those problems. WTF????

I saw an E! true hollywood story about her a couple years ago and she was talking about her lapband. She said she was going to have it removed because she needed to try psychotherapy to deal with the reasons she overate in the first place.

I think it depends on the individual and if they are mature and truly understand the ramifications of the new lifestyle. For me, those years of growing up obese can never be regained. I will never know what it would be like to be a "normal" weight in school and in my early 20's. So, would have loved to have the opportunity to have this and I probably would have, if it were available.

Fanny, if you drink with meals, it does wash the food through meaning that you can eat more of the meal. So, if you usually can only eat a small portion without drinking, when you take sips or drinks it flushes out the pouch so you can eat a much bigger portion (full size). A banded co-worker does this and he can eat a full dinner size plus dessert by this method.