Kelliebelly

Have been really busy with wedding preps the last month or so. I have pretty much got everything finalised. I found my dream wedding dress and I am realllllly happy with it.

I have healed well from the TT, BL and lipo...they say at 3 mths swell hell hits you again, well it has and it sux. The only discomfort I feel now is in the hips from where I had the Lipo, but I am getting there.

As for weight loss, I havent really lost any in the last couple of months, I have had to take it easy with exercising etc and have just slowly started easing myself back into volleyball. I had an incident about 6 week post op where I went for a bike ride and split a tiny bit of my incision open again, it has slwoly closed back up so that was a bit of a pain too.

All in all I am in a happy place right now, the best I have been in my life, I think I can honestly say that.

Hugs to all.

30 yrs old here with 4 children. A 13yo girl, 8 yo boy/girl twins and a 2 yo girl. I am finally getting married for the first time in September. I am doing a Bach in Associated Social Science and have 3 yrs to go. I was banded 14 mths ago and have lost in the vicinity of 85 lbs. Could have been more if I had been better behaved, but I am really happy with where I am going. I recently had a Tummy Tuck and breast lift and life has been awesome!!!

I am also an Aussie as well, living about 1.5hrs from Sydney.

I also have a few spare rolls of loo paper and am off to the 2 something thread to play up

Good grief. Do you think I might really make it to the end this time AND get some things resolved along the way? Could it be possible? What a dream come true. To be "normal" again, both inside AND out!

Susan, I was actually thinking the same thing.

Hugs

This thread has me thinking about things I have never thought about before. I am so grateful.

Things coming into my head right now are - Why am I fat, why did I allow myself to get this way? I was an average size child till I was about 9 and then an old man took away my innocence - not fully, but enough to do damage. It was then I started taking money from wherever I could find it, generally Mums purse. I would then go up to the corner shop and buy chocolates, lollies etc. I remember buying a whole caramel tart and eating all to myself in my bedroom. My weight escalated from there and I have been fat ever since. A light has gone off in my head. That is why I am fat, it has to be, I wasnt fat before it and food was never an issue. All of a sudden it was and I got fat.

Thank you so much for this thread, it got me thinking, although my entire life since it has happened whenever it came into my head I would block it, ignore it and push it away. I didnt want to think about it, I still dont but at least now I know why some things have turned out the way they have.

Big Hugs to everyone

Amy

A friend of mine had the apron removed at the time of her banding. He did not do a belly button for her because she was going back to have a full TT after she lost her weight. The muscle repair is the most painful part of a TT. Skin removal only would be a breeze...well compared hehe. Honestly with my TT the only pain I felt was in the MR, not really anything in the incision or around. Life without the hanging skin is unbelieveable. I cant even begin to tell you how much your life changes in just the littlest ways. The other night I was over the moon because I shaved my bikini line myself without DH having to hold my belly up.

Good Luck with it.

It took me 7 fills or so to get good restriction and start losing weight, that was about 7.5mls. This is lasted a good 6 months before it started dwindling to practically no restriction again. I waited a bit and had my Tummy Tuck etc done and after that it just got worse so I went for a fill a couple of weeks ago. I have the VG10ml band and I have 10.1mls in. My Dr isnt worried and said it can hold alot more safely.

Jacqui,

Where did you have it done, was it somewhere that is Australia wide?

Where did you get it done Jacqui, I need something like that for my wedding.

And it is one of the reasons I havent been around lately myself.

And it is one of the reasons I havent been around lately myself.

VQ...There really isnt anything left to say that hasnt been said. If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed with everything...take a break from everything. Regroup and refocus, it might be just what you need.

Please make sure you dont go for too long though, there are so many of us from everywhere...oceans away that really appreciate your advice and thoughts.

Big Hugs

:nervous :clap2: Hugs you clever little duckie you :Banane13: :clap2:

I had a fill today and am up to 10.1mls in my VG band. I was a little worried about it but my Dr said not to worry as they can be filled alot more safely.

Just wondering is anyone else filled to capacity or close to it and what did your Dr tell you?

Hugs

I went back to my Drs today and told him I went off my reflux tablets and the reflux has all but gone. He weighed me and I am up another kg since last week...he decided I needed a fill based on me being able to eat bread and I couldnt before...wierd I know.

Anyway he put in half a mil and I now have 10.1 mls in a 10 ml band...scary thought. I really hope I get the rest of my weight off with this fill. My fills usually take a week or so to kick in so I will have to wait and see. Thanks for all the advice and suggestions in my previous post.

VQ, I am so sorry to hear about this...at least you may be getting closer to an answer though. Big Hugs to get you through this.

As for your Mum, say and do everything you can think of so if/when she goes you will have no regrets...thats the main thing...NO REGRETS!

I wish there wasnt an ocean between us so I could reach out and give you big bear hugs.

(((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))

I had my TT 8 weeks ago with a very experienced Dr. He had done heaps of lap banded patients and is still very wary when he does TTs on them. He cant stretch the skin as far down because it puts tension on the port and he couldnt Lipo certain areas on my belly because of the port meaning he couldnt do it the other side either because it wouldnt match. If I could do it all again I would have had my port replaced with a low profile during my TT because he then could of done all the stuff when the old port wa removed. I dont have a flat tummy because I have the port and my surgeon told me that. I wasnt looking for perfection anyway just improvement but to do it again I would have went the low profile route. Be very careful having Drs do lipo on your abs with the port.

I asked this same question leading up to my 9th fill. I didnt know whether I was restricted properly or not. After my 9th fill I kinda stopped revolving everything around food. I could eat a nice bandster size meal and be satisfied until my next meal. Being properly restricted doesnt revolve around PBs or golfball feelings. I think sometimes that might mean you are too tight or not chewing properly...maybe eating foods that dont agree with you anymore.

Summing it up ... to me good restriction is getting a decent bandster amount of good food in without PBing(maybe occasionally from accidentals) and that food getting you through to the next meal without feeling hungry.

I woke up one day a couple of weeks ago and boom no restriction, well hardly any. I have had perfect restriction for mths or so. My Dr was worried and did more checks today. I dont have a leak or a slip so he put it down to one of those things. He finally gave me .5ml today because I have put on 4 kgs in the last few weeks and I was really starting to panic about the weight gain thing.

I know one day I can eat something and the next day I cant, but I am used to that now, this lack of restriction lasted like I said 2 or 3 weeks, so I know it was pretty much gone.

Everytime you throw up it irritates your esophagus, it would be a vicious circle if you have been doing it daily for a week. You need to give it rest and time to heal so I would suggest doing liquids or mushies for a day or so. I really cant help you in the eating at night thing because I am the same. I find I am really munchy at night and eat for the hell of eating.

All I can say is chew better, dont drink to get rid of a blockage it makes it worse, and dont let the circle keep happening, get it under control before you do some damage, like slip your band.

Supportive hugs for you though because I so know what you are going through.

I am right there with you. I am going through the exact same thing right now. Go to the Dr and get some meds for it or at least get it checked out. From what I have been told so far untreated reflux can be BAD BAD BAD fr our band. I am on losec and I dont feel the reflux now, but my Dr wont give me a fill even though I dont have any restriction because I have the reflux.

Its amazing how putting on a few kgs can affect your whole attitude. Each day I weigh myself the scales have gone up, even if it is only a little bit. 2 weeks and 4 kgs is ALOT. I havent been eating any differently to what I was, only more because the restriction has gone to nearly zilch.

My mood is back to that depressive state. I feel fat...so fat. The new clothes I have bought are tight and snug fitting now. I feel yucky and I feel sh*t. Its been 6 months and its never been a problem to him before, why now? Its controlled and I dont even know I have it if I take my meds.

For me my prior post is weight gain inevitable...welll right now....yes it is. I cant stop it. The difference in eating little amounts and now eating more normal ppl amounts is making me put weight on in itself. No one here (in real life) understands so please excuse my whining and if you think I need a kick in the butt and told to wake up then please do it. Tell me something...anything just dont tell me that this is the way it has to be...not with a few months left to my dream wedding.

Thanks everyone, I know this is a life long thing but it is so important to me to be at goal or at least close to it for my wedding. It was the major goal I set for myself when I was first banded. I am getting married in September. At this point if I dont lose any more weight I will be happy for my wedding, but if I put it on ... ewwwww...

Anyways Paula, that is what I cant understand. My reflux hasnt bothered me since I went on medication. I dont even know I have it until I go off the tablets. I know it may sound like a stupid question but why cant I just keep my fill and stay on the tablets...Would it still be damaging me if the reflux was under control with the tablets? I have never had the wake up coughing in the night thing just reflux which starts when I first eat in the morning and lasts for a cople of hours then same after each meal...which I dont have now because of the meds....*sigh* how confusing.

I posted the other night about whether or not I should get a fill as my restriction has just about gone. I never even considered he would say No or tell me the things he said.

I have had reflux since about my 5 th fill I think. I have had 9 fills. He gave me medication(losec) for the reflux and it has been fine....now he is saying I have 6 weeks to get rid of the reflux or he is taking all my fill out, if that still doesnt fix it he will take my BAND!!!!

I was like OMG WTF!!!!!!!!! How did a friendly visit for a bit of a top up turn into this. This is my worst nightmare, remember my weight gain is inevitable post???? Well was that a coincidence or what. Someone please tell me this is crazy...pleaseeeee. If you cant tell me that can someone let me rest my head on their shoulder and cry while they stroke my head and tell me I am not going to end up a big fat porker again.

:think :think :think

I was always a tummy sleeper, I am 13 months post op and still cant. It gives me a pain in the port area...I have now become a side and back sleeper.