luv2laugh

I'm going in for a "revision" surgery :huh2:on Nov 5th.. so does that make me a November Bandster? I originally had mine in Sept 07. Overall, happy with it, but bummed that my band slipped. I had a couple bouts of vomitting (really bad reflux @ night too), and I think that's how the band slipped. Doc said there is really no way to know how it happened. :thumbup:

OK - Good NEWS! :tongue_smilie: Under flouroscopy x-ray, Dr. S was able to get the needle in the port on the 2nd poke. It was simple and easy. He said the port appeared to have moved slightly. Now he enters right near my scar. The lump I feel is actually scar tissue, and that is to the right of my scar. He made a note in his records - so if I need another fill, he will be able to find it! Brenda

I was just searching to see if anyone was having trouble getting fills due to "scar tissue". I've had 4 or 5 so far that were amazingly easy - 1 needle, 1 prick in, and maybe a couple jabs and done - a matter of 1 minute! However, this last fill last week my doctor used FIVE needles... He finally gave up and said he didn't want to put me through it anymore. So tomorrow, I'm going to the hospital to have the fill put in under x-ray. (Plus he said he would do a flourscopy xray with the drink just to check out the pouch etc. since I'll be there anyway). I'm freakin out - I'm wondering if my port actually flipped? I can feel a huge lump - I thought that was my port... but my doctor said that what I feel is the actual scar tissue. UGH! So - has anyone else had to do this? Has anyone had to have surgery to remove the scar tissue? :frown: I'll post after the procedure and let you know what happened. Brenda

I'd like to join too! shooting for 20 lbs by labor day.:thumbs_up: Name..............Current.....Goal......Lost..... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........172.........155.......0....... Lunabeane..........221.........200.......0....... Luu2008............219.........189.......0....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......0....... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Renewedhope........179.........155.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......0....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......0....... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0.......

I just love this thread - great work everybody! My newest NSV's: Went to the local amusement park - and FIT on the pirate ship ride!! Last August (pre-band), when I went to go on the Starblaster, I couldn't buckle the restraint and had to get off :thumbs_up:... my daughter (who was 9 then) said, "don't worry mommy, next year you'll be able to fit". :biggrin: Needless to say, when the bar on the pirate ship closed I yelled out the biggest YAHOO!!! with my arms in the air... It was priceless - everyone was looking at the strange wierdo who was screaming like the ride had already started - and it hadn't moved yet... I was so happy I almost cried. Went down a band size on my bra. Had a yard sale and got rid of shirts that were 26/28, and pants that were 24's. Currently buying 18's in shirts/pants - even got a size 16 :tt1: pair of shorts!!!!!!!!! Neighbors are starting to notice as I am outside gardening - they haven't seen me all winter (live in the northeast) and they can't believe how much smaller I am since last summer. I'm starting to feel sexy again. :wub: I no longer feel like the "heaviest person in the room". No more blood pressure meds (for a few months now) and @ last visit, bp was 112/65~~~ :eek: My daughter is proud of me - Brenda

I love their frozen bag of roasted vegetables in a balsamic sauce. Also, for a treat, the chocolate covered edamame is delicious - and it's protein to boot! The apple/squash soup in the box is delicious. I live on these after a fill, or even for a snack. (the tomato/red pepper is delicious with some cheese sprinkled on it too). Brenda

I just figured out how to copy the list and add my name... Been at a plateau for a while :rolleyes2: :biggrin:

Since having the lapband and exercising more, I screwed up my feet. :thumbup: Doc says I have a bunion that needs to be operated on prior to Dec or it will end up being even more extensive surgery. I am at my wits end. First I had Archilles Heel Tendonitus, got heel lifts to help, and now my bunion is huge. He basically said it's usually genetic, but being obese puts lots of pressure on the feet, and that's why they are so bad. (He said I was a 6 or 7 out of 10 - 10 being the worst case scenario!) I am so scared if I stop exercising, I will stop losing weight. Actually, I've been losing/gaining the same 4 lbs for about a month since I cut back on exercising. I can't use the treadmill at all. I was doing the eliptical, but now that even hurts. I can do the bike - but it doesn't seem to get my cardio up there. I now just do 5 minutes on eliptical to loosen up, then do some weightlifting, then 10 minutes on the bike. (I use to do 45 minutes on the eliptical... :biggrin: - but can't anymore, or I limp for a couple days). I'm concerned because I've read you lose the most during the 1st year post-op. And once I have surgery in September (bunion), my doc said I won't be "normal" for a COUPLE months!! Just getting discouraged. Seems like I take one step forward, and 10 steps back. Dr. said to try swimming - but the only gym with a pool around here is the YMCA and it's really expensive. Anyone else have bunion surgery? Or getting injured the more they move? Brenda

I'm happy to see I'm not the only one freezing! :sneaky::leaving: I am "low in iron", and also have a vit D deficiency that showed in the results of my last bloodwork I had done. I'm currently taking a liquid power/shake Multivitamin from GNC (and like it), so I would think I'd be getting enough. (And I mix it in skim milk which also has vit d). I also read that it could be some type of adrenal dysfunction - but haven't had that tested... My doc says I should take pill supplements - but I'm hesitant because my LB Dr. says to not take pills (or cut them in half). Has anyone had a pill get "stuck"? :confused2: Brenda

Put me down for 68 pounds since 9/26/07... :smile2: I couldn't get the info to quote in my message? Not sure why- Brenda

I also drink before eating, then try to stop 5 minutes before. I do not drink during the meal, although on occassion I've had a teeny sip if needed. I definitely wait at least 1/2 hour to drink after a meal - usually an hour... Also - it's never carbonated.:smile2: So the lap-band is a built in way to keep you from having more than 1 drink when you go out (alcohol or regular), AND I never get coffee or dessert at the end of a meal either. There is just NO room. Once in a while - if meeting people for drinks/appetizers - I need to choose which I would like to do:Banane34: - and stick with it! Brenda

Hey Bloo, ((Hugs)) to you. Everyone has slipups - I LOVE that Nutella. I can't have it in my house or I would eat it with a spoon too. Something that is helping me with my "head hunger" is reading the Dr. Phil's book, 7 Steps to Weightloss... In the book there are questionaires to take and it really has you think about why people eat when they are not hungry. Keep the faith, and take it 1 day at a time. Brenda

"Last meal syndrome"... huh, there's a name for it.. Well, I gained 18 lbs :eek: during the Last SUMMER Meal Syndrome .. I was constantly thinking, this is my last July 4th party to eat everything in sight, My last birthday party/drinking party, last summer of camping (ice cream cones/campfire foods), last cruise I can enjoy, and boy did I pack it on. I didn't even realize how much I gained until I got my surgery date, and weighed myself! I think I purposely stayed away from the scale. . But, once I got the date, I ate better, and really did well on the 2 week liquid pre-op diet too... I'm none for the worse now.. and on the straight and narrow. So do whatever it takes, but listen to your doctor.... Brenda

Does anyone else's appendages freeze all the time - or is it me. :thumbup: This NEVER use to happen before I was banded... in fact, I was always sweating at the mere hint of heat. Is there a supplement I'm missing? Or is this caused by my metabolism issue? Or is it just that the less fat on your body, the colder you get? :eek: Brenda

WELL SAID Foofy!! I finally made it to the 50 lb mark and I am ecstatic:success1:.. however, the last 5 lbs took over a month to come off.. I was banded 9/26/07 and lost 15 pre-op. I definitely noticed some stalled weeks, even though my eating was the same, and I was exercising. However, I did notice the inches coming off... Went from a 24/26 jean to an 18/20! Woohoo.. a 3X shirt to 1X, and I even have a couple size 16 shirts. NSV definitely get you through the stalled scale syndrome.:eek: Everyone's body will loose weight/inches on a different timeline, and it's whatever works for you. Brenda

I finally made it to 50 lbs gone! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I may go by myself a piece of jewelry... (repeat ... "not rewarding myself with food...) 50 lbs in 5 months - I love my lapband!

Dr. Sandor @ Winchester Hospital. He and his staff are great. They have support meetings the last wednesday of every month from 7-9pm @ Winchester Homecare (in a boardroom) off Swanton St. First hour is dedicated to newbies, 2nd hour is support for people who specifically had lapband surgery. If you do a search on Commonwealth Surgical Associates, Stoneham MA and all his info/directions will come up.

:eek: I can't believe we lost to NY.. What a great game to the very last second.

I had Dr. Sandor - He uses Winchester Hospital. He and his assistant Kathy are wonderful. He has an orientation meeting TONITE - Wednesday, Jan 26, @ 6pm Check out his site: Commonwealth Surgical Associates His phone number is listed on there, along with directions on how to get to the meeting.

I help out someone @ a warehouse store 1x/week. (BJ's) We get to know all the ladies that do all the food demo's, and they come over on their breaks to talk to us while we are putting our Hallmark cards away. One of the ladies stopped by and asked my co-worker "when she got the NEW partner"!!! She said she didn't recognize me! :party: I was floored... but I think it was also because I had just had my hair cut/highlighted too. :frown: But I'll take any compliment I get...

My neighbor's son asked his mom if she was still going to the gym with me. She said, "yes, why?" He said, "How come I can tell she's going and you look the same?"""":eek: Needless to say, I was going to kiss him to death... :frown: She on the other hand was not a happy camper.

I went to a lapband meeting to see if I was interested. Dr. Sandor has one every month - the last wednesday of the month in Winchester (off Swanton St, near the Sons of Italy hall). There is one tomorrow (JAN 30TH)- from 6-8pm... 6-7pm is "new orientation" and from 7-8pm is a support group, but you're more than welcome to stay and ask questions. Dr. Ameri has one @ the Jenk's Center across from Winchester High the 2nd tuesday of every month. I would suggest going to both, and see if one of the surgeon's "clicks" with you. They are BOTH wonderful, experienced surgeons. feel free to email me for any more details. Brenda

Hi Suzanne, Hope you had a Merry Christmas! I actually had Dr. Sander (Commonwealth Surgical Associates in Stoneham) perform my lapband @ Winchester Hospital. I went to his meeting and absolutely loved him. His specialty is laporoscopic bariatric surgery and much prefers lapband over bypass. However, if he believes the patient is going to be noncompliant regarding diet, Dr. S. does try to talk the patient into Gastric Bypass. As you know, in lapband, it's just a tool, and you have to really choose the correct foods. It's VERY easy to eat around a lapband by eating soft foods, hi cal drinks, or grazing all day. With the gastric bypass, most patients will have a dumping syndrome (which Dr. Ameri calls a "blessing"!!) if they eat food high in sugar or fat. Most Lapband patients do NOT get this. Now back to Dr. Ameri - Yes, his support groups do seem more geared to Gastric Bypass - but a lot of what he speaks about - diet, supplements, motivation, etc. can be applied to lapband too. I do enjoy going to hear the success stories (regardless of what surgery they had) - it keeps me motivated to stay on the straight and narrow... Every other month he does meetings for "newbies" and then for post-surgery. Once in a while he'll gear the whole meeting primarily to lap-band. He is a very sweet man, and everyone I've talked to that has had him - absolutely loves him. If you're around and would like to meet for coffee - let me know! Brenda

I had mine @ Winchester Hospital this past September - They were EXCELLENT. In fact, they are considered a "Hospital of Excellence" by many insurances. If a hospital hasn't been designated with that award, that particular insurance (United Health being one of them) will NOT allow you to go there for surgery. I had Dr. Sandor who I absolutely love. He uses Winchester and Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford. (I did NOT want to go to LM - too many horror stories in other types of surgery that my cousin experienced). I also did not find the need to go into Boston (even though it's only a 20 minute drive away). Dr. Ameri practices out of Winchester also. He is really experienced and an overall nice guy. I do go to his support groups that he has the second Tuesday of every month (7-9pm) @ the Jenks Center in Winchester - they are very informative. So - do not hesitate to go to Winchester - even the nurses have had specific training on bariatric surgery. They were very attentive to me during my overnight (I had lapband). One even made me a pillow to hold on my tummy to help when I got up! Brenda Feel free to email me with any concerns.

Was just wondering if anyone is experiencing very cold hands, feet and nose? I was checking out the 'net and wondering if I'm anemic. (I had been in the past). Seeing as I have yet to eat a steak - it's probably the cause. I have an appt with my general practitioner next week, but wanted to see if anyone else shared this, and what did they end up having. I've also heard it could be related to thyroid (but I was tested numerous times pre-banding and I was fine). I think I ruled out Raynaud's syndrome, because it's not situational. I was banded 9/26/07, and I'm down 40 lbs. Pre-banding was still warm in the Northeast - we are in the dead of winter now and it's pretty cold here. Thanks guys! Brenda