Chrissi

July 25, 2009 I am still at my office job and am now starting to feel comfortable wearing lower cut tops. It has taken me about 2 years to get to this point. I am not talking sleaze, just some cleavage. I am feeling better and am thinking I am actually "proud" I still have boobs after all this weight loss! I think I am finally getting that confidence I was lacking for so long! :smile: I know I am not that obese 243 lb person anymore. I am for sure not fantastic, but am satisfied if I never lose another pound I will feel fine. I get below 170 pounds some days, but can't STAY BELOW it. My upper body is VERY toned. I lift weights and am proud to say my arms and shoulders and back (not butt) look as nice as they looked 20 years ago. That is from exercising. I go to the gym 2-3 times a week for one hour and 15 minutes. I still need a tummy tuck and boob lift, but boob lift will not get done. Tummy tuck will though. Band news: I cannot have more than 1 cc in my band without having reflux. The conservative doc I go to will not adjust or do another fill until I am reflux-free. This is so hard! What I've done the past 2 years at least 5 days a week is wrote down everything I ate. That is how I keep track. It isn't pretty,:thumbup: but only I see it. It is like a diary of food. The people I work with have no idea about my band. They know I sometimes have stomach trouble and the problems I have with my stomach aren't on a consistent basis. That is all they need to know. Hang in there everyone, you can do this!

July 25, 2009 I am still at my office job and am now starting to feel comfortable wearing lower cut tops. It has taken me about 2 years to get to this point. I am not talking sleaze, just some cleavage. I am feeling better and am thinking I am actually "proud" I still have boobs after all this weight loss! I think I am finally getting that confidence I was lacking for so long! :thumbup: I know I am not that obese 243 lb person anymore. I am for sure not fantastic, but am satisfied if I never lose another pound I will feel fine. I get below 170 pounds some days, but can't STAY BELOW it. My upper body is VERY toned. I lift weights and am proud to say my arms and shoulders and back (not butt) look as nice as they looked 20 years ago. That is from exercising. I go to the gym 2-3 times a week for one hour and 15 minutes. I still need a tummy tuck and boob lift, but boob lift will not get done. Tummy tuck will though. Band news: I cannot have more than 1 cc in my band without having reflux. The conservative doc I go to will not adjust or do another fill until I am reflux-free. This is so hard! What I've done the past 2 years at least 5 days a week is wrote down everything I ate. That is how I keep track. It isn't pretty,:thumbup: but only I see it. It is like a diary of food. The people I work with have no idea about my band. They know I sometimes have stomach trouble and the problems I have with my stomach aren't on a consistent basis. That is all they need to know. Hang in there everyone, you can do this!

So, the conservative people at my work think I am way too conservative with my dress. I think, this coming from male and females, jeesh, am I a freak or what? I'm wondering what I can wear that doesn't make me look sleazy. I'd prefer people not to just look at my boobs, I have a mind too! Jeesh! Rant, I know. I do have some low cut tops, not work attire in my opinion. I'm really upset that I can't go to any support group meetings in my area. I am absolutely devastated. I now go to a doctor out of state instead of in-state. This is wrong that I must do this.. Everytime I get done there, at the new place, I throw up. I have to take a day off work every follow-up appointment. This is truly not fair. Because of this, I am still upset. I have zero closure and will never be ok with refusal of care. I pray noone ever gets refused care after their lap-band surgery. when I think about it I sob..... It is an absolute nightmare. I don't even want to think about this lap-band anymore. I'm really upset today. I can't stop crying.

Thank you. Some days are great lilith, others I just can't get over things!

So, the conservative people at my work think I am way too conservative with my dress. I think, this coming from male and females, jeesh, am I a freak or what? I'm wondering what I can wear that doesn't make me look sleazy. I'd prefer people not to just look at my boobs, I have a mind too! Jeesh! Rant, I know. I do have some low cut tops, not work attire in my opinion. I'm really upset that I can't go to any support group meetings in my area. I am absolutely devastated. I now go to a doctor out of state instead of in-state. This is wrong that I must do this.. Everytime I get done there, at the new place, I throw up. I have to take a day off work every follow-up appointment. This is truly not fair. Because of this, I am still upset. I have zero closure and will never be ok with refusal of care. I pray noone ever gets refused care after their lap-band surgery. when I think about it I sob..... It is an absolute nightmare. I don't even want to think about this lap-band anymore. I'm really upset today. I can't stop crying.

I can eat normally after an unfill and a fill. If I can't eat normally I eat soft foods for a day or so, that usually does it!

Have had a very rough winter. I'm trying to eat better and of course am better mood wise with the spring. I have not lost any weight in a year. I'm around 173, sometimes 5 pounds less. I have this "wonderful" office job that doesn't allow me exercise like I would like. Life has gotten in the way of my band. It is a priority, but I think it has lots of problems. I've forced myself to get out more. This is incredibly hard for me. I still feel obese. How do I get over that feeling???? I pray for strength many days. Some days I'm ok, other days I'm not. So, I think having this band is so difficult. Definitely a diet. I am eating around 1800 calories a day and not losing. So, if this is it, than so be it. I'm not starving to lose- only to gain it back. I'm a size 12 pants and still quite large with shirts. I can be thankful I still have breasts, I guess. I can't do high impact exercise with my boobs though! I need a tummy tuck. I'm wondering if I'll go down a size in pants if i get it. I'd like to feel good about myself for once, having excess skin doesn't do that. I plan on having lots of fun this summer. I can't believe how conservative I am. I wish I were normal some days. I'm trying to be more stylish with my dress, less conservative, but I feel so sleazy when i do that. Gotta get over that. My boobs are so huge everything looks obscene on me.

Have had a very rough winter. I'm trying to eat better and of course am better mood wise with the spring. I have not lost any weight in a year. I'm around 173, sometimes 5 pounds less. I have this "wonderful" office job that doesn't allow me exercise like I would like. Life has gotten in the way of my band. It is a priority, but I think it has lots of problems. I've forced myself to get out more. This is incredibly hard for me. I still feel obese. How do I get over that feeling???? I pray for strength many days. Some days I'm ok, other days I'm not. So, I think having this band is so difficult. Definitely a diet. I am eating around 1800 calories a day and not losing. So, if this is it, than so be it. I'm not starving to lose- only to gain it back. I'm a size 12 pants and still quite large with shirts. I can be thankful I still have breasts, I guess. I can't do high impact exercise with my boobs though! I need a tummy tuck. I'm wondering if I'll go down a size in pants if i get it. I'd like to feel good about myself for once, having excess skin doesn't do that. I plan on having lots of fun this summer. I can't believe how conservative I am. I wish I were normal some days. I'm trying to be more stylish with my dress, less conservative, but I feel so sleazy when i do that. Gotta get over that. My boobs are so huge everything looks obscene on me.

wELL, I got my slipped band repositioned a few months ago. I had severe reflux and difficulty more with water than food, before my repair. The recovery for the band slip was very easy. Now, I would like to lose some more weight, but since I now have no difficulty eating, like I did when my band was slipped, I'm having trouble staying away from food! I have to make better food choices. I have lost over 75 pounds. So, how can I not be grateful for this band. Even though it is costing a small fortune, I'd do it again. I'm doing some research for a tummy tuck or panniculectomy. I have this band and the tummy tuck would involve them sewing my port back in place, I think? I mean, they cut the muscle in the stomach, and my port is sewn to the muscle right now. Anyone have a tummy tuck and have port issues out there?

wELL, I got my slipped band repositioned a few months ago. I had severe reflux and difficulty more with water than food, before my repair. The recovery for the band slip was very easy. Now, I would like to lose some more weight, but since I now have no difficulty eating, like I did when my band was slipped, I'm having trouble staying away from food! I have to make better food choices. I have lost over 75 pounds. So, how can I not be grateful for this band. Even though it is costing a small fortune, I'd do it again. I'm doing some research for a tummy tuck or panniculectomy. I have this band and the tummy tuck would involve them sewing my port back in place, I think? I mean, they cut the muscle in the stomach, and my port is sewn to the muscle right now. Anyone have a tummy tuck and have port issues out there?

Georgia Peach, The band can likely be repositioned if the surgeon has the surgical skills to do it. Mine was slipped for at least 6 months before it was repaired. Do stress to him, you do NOT WANT to lose your band during this surgery, and know it can be saved, as others have had this surgery (me) and had my original band saved. I must say, the costs of saving my band, I'd consider Mexico, if I had to have it repositioned again.

Yup, I had my slip repaired in the hospital and stayed overnight. It was far easier than the first lap-band surgery. I took no pain meds, I was just sore. I didn't have to go on a liquid diet before either. When I got unfilled completely back in January, I could eat good nutritious foods for like two weeks, then I had pain and restriction with most foods. That is what told me also, that I had a major problem such as a slip. To have restriction when I was unfilled, when I had no restriction when I was right after surgery unfilled, alerted me. Convincing the surgeon to operate was another matter though. He found the slip when he operated on me.

I too have had a slip. I had severe reflux, could only eat 1 oz of solid or ground meat on one time. Reflux was the worst with Water. I was too tight without knowing what "tight" is not supposed to feel like. I have heard an unfill will help with a possible slip, but most of the things I've read that if you have a slip, surgery is really the only answer. There is no need to remove the band. My band was re-positioned and my original band was used, there was no need to take the band out.

Hi Rae, The surgeon fee was $2,000 and the all the hospital fees including anesthesiologist is $10,000. This doesn't even include another band, since they were able to keep my original band. My original surgery was $13,000 and that included the lap-band. That was in June 2007. I'm hoping to negotiate a lower fee with the hospital, since I find this fee overinflated and bordering on ridiculous in comparsion to the orginal surgery fee.

I don't know if GNC sells singles or not of these. But just have to put in my 2 cents, Isopure fruit punch and nectar peach, absolutely disgusting! Taste awful. Now that's just my opinion, and a few others since I tried to get rid of the containers to others. It just doesn't taste like anything good. I would not waste money on a container of it. Take it from me, I already did. Check out vitalady.com for samples of protein drinks.

I had the revision to fix my slipped band and had very slight discomfort afterward, nothing compared to the first time my band was placed. I feel 1000% better with this band now. No pain whatsoever. I sometimes have gas, but nothing major. I also have no restriction either. I get my first fill in July and it's like bandster hell all over again. But this time, I'm not sore like I was after the first surgery for 8 weeks. I'm a self-pay and the hospital said my hospital fee would be $8,900, the anesthesiologist $1500, the surgeon, $2,000. So, almost 13k for "repositioning my band" and removing the adhesions THAT WERE there ONLY BECAUSE my band slipped. I thought I "healed" that way, no, that wasn't the case, the scar tissue happened because my band slipped. AGRRR. ON another note, if you have health insurance you might be able to get it coded as something else other than lap-band respositioning, but to be quite honest, good luck. It sucks being a self- pay.

I had pain with Water daily. It was worse with water than food. I always had some reflux, some days were slightly more tolerable than others. My pain was in the stomach area. I could hear water gurgling. I kept on getting unfills, and that helped with the reflux a little. I got unfilled in January because I just couldn't tolerate any meat at all. For about two weeks after my unfill I was better, than the vomiting began. I vomited everything, daily. That went on for weeks off and on. I actually had to convince my surgeon who was well paid for this surgery, to operate on me. He didn't think it was a slipped band. Well, maybe he will listen if this ever happens again. I know my body pretty well, and what I experienced on a every other day basis, was not normal. And it wasn't behavioral. Good luck to ya. I doubt you have a slipped band unless it continues for weeks.

It sounds like you've been thru the wringer! I just had my band slip repaired/repositioned. I feel so much better. No reflux, no vomitting, no dietary restriction as per the docs. instructions. Only soreness after the band slip surgery. Was driving my day 3. I will say, this was the easiest surgery for me. I don't know if I got lucky or what, but I was able to walk, use the bathroom by myself, etc. right after surgery. It's like a night and day comparision between this slip repair and the original surgery. You'll get thru this. Don't let them take your band. Slips can be repaired. I know it's stressful to go thru this, but I swear to you, the surgery I had to fix it was comparable to doing about 50 sit-ups. Good luck!!

Hey ya'll, I just got my slipped band fixed/repositioned. The recovery was pain-free. I didn't have to take any pain meds. I feel so much better after the surgery to fix the slip. I have no pain when eating, and no reflux or vomittng! Water was a major problem before just to drink it, and that is not a problem anymore! I'm thrilled it could be fixed! My only problem is I am a self pay and am not looking forward to all the bills coming my way. But the band slip surgery to repair it was so easy, I was driving by day 3. Good luck to ya.

I also had a mild slip repaired. My problem was reflux and pain even when not eating. I vomitted quite often after the first three months of being banded, because I couldn't even tolerate 1/4 cup of meat. The slip repair was a piece of cake. Soreness only, no pain from the surgery. Not like the first time I had the band placed. This time I literally took no pain meds. I am a self-pay and I can imagine the bills coming are going to be QUITE painful. The surgeons fee alone was not pleasant to get!

Sherri Wow, that sucks! i don't want to have my band removed! Darn it! All this stuff sounds like me! Maybe replacing the band would be ok? I am kind of a stand still for the time being with my band. Unfilled, and the reflux is bad. As long as I don't gain, I am ok. I have to think on what I'm going to do. I'm a self pay.

My goodness, what you are describing with your tightness and not realizing the feeling sounds so much like me it is scary. I am unfilled now and awaiting a Drs. appt. with the surgeon to discuss my mal positioned band. I really don't have a lot of options since I can't tolerate a fill because of the reflux. I hope to lose some more weight, but don't know how that is going to work with this band, one day tight the next loose. The pain with the reflux some days is intolerable.

Well, that is fantastic you have lost weight! I hope your band didn't slip. I would think if insur. approved you to begin with it would approve a replacement if there is a problem with this one. ON another note, while we are on slips, etc... My Endoscopy showed that my band is twisted /torqued. No wonder I've had such horrible symptoms with no fill. This band is high MAINTENANCE!!!

Lizzy h I would think that a life threatening problem, insurance MIGHT cover, but I know my insurance didn't cover the band, it has an obesity exclusion. I would like to think if something LIFE threatening would happen insurance would cover it, but really I'm not counting on it.

Hopefully all of us get better. Dang this band has a lot of quirks and kinks to it! Constant maintenance! At least with a new car it is good for a few years! I have been told my band is not positioned in an optimal way due to some movement, my pouch is twice the size it should be and the dr. is not inclined to fix it. Why? He did not say why he isn't inclined to fix it, I'd say he isn't inclined to fix it because it hasn't threatened my life yet. So now I have to live with a pouch that is a lot bigger than what it was made to be and a band not in the proper position. Jeesh, if I would have known the care was so substandard I would have just went to Mexico to get my band placed.