Bensmum1109

I just posted on your other thread :-)

I am a LAPSF patient and was banded by Dr. Feng. He definitely DID TRY to talk me out of having the band surgery, and tried to convince me that I was better off with a Vertical Gastrectomy, which is his favorite procedure. I stuck with the band because I did not want my weight loss to look drastic and I intend to have one more child eventually and feel more comfortable with a reversible procedure because of that factor. Dr Feng is really sweet and a GREAT surgeon!! My procedure was done at the hospital (which is connected to their office building), but I did not need to stay overnight. I personally did not experience any issues with anyone being noisy, and I was not in a room, but more of a "bay" with a curtain. I may have preferred a private room if I was going to stay overnight. Dr Cirangle did my first fill. He does not have Dr. Feng's bedside manner (read: Dr. Feng is nicer), but he was more willing to give me a Lidocaine shot than Dr Feng was because I am a huge chicken with big needles. I had 1CC and I am pretty restricted most of the time, and still losing, so I will wait a while for another fill. The only complaint I have about LAPSF is that their aftercare instructions regarding diet and exercise are completely unrealistic. They want you to exercise 5 times a week and keep your diet to about 700 calories a day with no carbs, fat or sugar. If I could ahere to that I wouldn't have needed any surgery to begin with. After being on this board for four months I have a much more realistic vision of what I need to do without starving or depriving myself too much, and I am very happy with my results so far. That being said, I do recommend LAPSF for your surgery, and LapBandTalk for your support and advice resource!! P.S. Karen (Giveyouthemoon) was banded by Cirangle so hopefully she will hop on this thread as well. Good Luck!!

My first fill was 1CC (I have a 4CC band), and it was two weeks before I felt restriction. But I am pretty restricted most of the time now.

I have only had one fill so far but it was a breeze, and I worried myself sick over it beforehand. The weird thing about it was that I did not feel restriction for TWO WEEKS after I had my fill. I don't think this is typical but be patient in case you don't feel restriction right away. My restriction is still intermittent, and doesn't seem to correspond to time of day, my period, or any of the other factors that affect most people. But I am afraid to get another fill because when I am restricted I am very tight.

Bumping with a new one :-)

I must have missed that. But my girlfriend does Pilates and she says it's really tough. I'll stick to walking and yoga, thanks!

You may need AOL to view this. If anyone has difficulty let me know and I will copy and paste. http://diets.aol.com/newsandtrends/obesitysurgery

Penni, I am so sorry that you are struggling, and I wish you the best of luck. Maybe after you submit your application for "The Biggest Loser" Your fellow bandsters could start a "Choose Penni" e-mail campaign to NBC???

Congrats, Jessie!! Great list!

Way to go Margo!!! And your weight loss is inspirational!

Rica, I am so sorry you had to deal with someone so insensitive at the doctors office. Infertility is a horrible thing to go through. I went through it for many years (10 with Hubby #1 and 3 with my current husband), until FINALLY (at the age of 38!) I got my little Ben. He is a Clomid baby. Hang in there. You really are lucky to have good insurance coverage and even with both of your issues it is totally possible to get pregnant. And if you really want to get pregnant, I highly recommend adoption, because everyone I know who has adopted has gotten pregnant during or after the adoption process (I know it's weird but true!). Currently, one of my employees adopted a beautiful newborn December 1 after he and his wife tried to get pregnant for four years, and she is now expecting twin girls in June!! Next Christmas he will have three baby daughters.

Try Nioxin shampoo and scalp therapy and search my thread on it. I have just started to use it because my hair is falling out too.

Way to go!!!

My feet have shrunk from 8.5W to 7.5 or 8 depending on the shoe. Zappo's is really great. I have never gotten anything from there but my husband shops with them all the time and he loves their shoes and service.

Hey Lisa- My husband and I WILL be dancing in our living room in our pajamas. With my brother and sister in law. I will definitely toast you at midnight. You just have a different path to success now. You are still going to do it and we are all here for you!!

Juicy Couture is a line of velour sweat suits, tube dresses, etc. that is really high end (and cute!). Most of their sweat suits have "juicy" appliqued across the butt of the pants. Since the line was created for the Jennifer Anistons and Paris Hiltons of the world, their sizes run very small, and even an extra large wouldn't fit me (xl is their largest size and about the equivalent of a 12). I can get into the xl now and have ordered 2 sets in chocolate and navy.

You should definitely have an unfill. The band is not intended to put you on a liquid diet once you are healed. Your weight loss is inspirational, though!! Great job! Don't worry, you will continue to lose when you can eat solid food, it just may slow down a little.

I can totally feel my port and it does stick out a little bit. My take on it, though, is that it will be easier for the doctor find it when I get my fills. He had no problem locating it the first time.

I got 1CC in my 4CC band, and it took two weeks to feel the restrction, but I am VERY restricted!

Good for you, Michelle!! I am not at all surprised that you haven't gained weight back. It was obvious to me even before you had your erosion that you had worked out the "head" issues that cause obesity. Best of luck to you! Bet you will continue to lose once you start training.

Tums have lots of calcium too. I take at least two a day for the stomach acid and calcium.

Totally normal!! Walk as much as you can, but don't stray to far from a place where you can lie back down if you need to. The first two days after my surgery I could only walk to the bathroom and back. I did it hourly whether I had to pee or not. You will feel better in a few days!

OF COURSE YOU ARE SCARED!!! You wouldn't be human not to be scared. This is a very safe procedure and the complications do tend to be minimal for the large majority of people. You will have to learn to have better food choices, to eat slower, take smaller bites, and chew well. You have to take Vitamin supplements and extra Protein FOREVER. The band will teach you much of this naturally, as the discomfort you get from not following the chewing and eating slowly rules is like aversion therapy. Once you have a few "golf balls" or PBs you will start to follow the rules to avoid these problems. 3 1/2 months after surgery, I have discovered that most of my head hunger has disappeared. It makes it easier for me to eat the right things. And if I am occasionally going to eat the wrong thing, my band prevents me from eating too much of it. I think the best way to make a decision about this procedure is to think about the quality of life you have now, and whether or nor that is enjoyable for you. Probably not, or you wouldn't care whether or not you lost weight. And what do you think your chances are of dying or becoming permanently disabled from a disease either caused by, or exacerbated by your obesity? VERSUS- the chances of dying or becoming disabled by having a LapBand. I wil bet all my chips on the band. I know with my band I am getting healthier every day, and have reduced my health risks of diabetes, heart disease, etc. Good luck to you in your decision.

I do the same thing, sometimes. I have no physical explanation for it, but mentally I really do find myself thinking about everything I put in my mouth, even Water. So I always hesitate a little before I chew OR swallow. Sally, as for the pill problem, I take a sip of water, hold it in my mouth and drop the pill into the water in my mouth, then swallow. Try it, it works really well.

I so enjoy reading everyone's list of NSVs, but it has taken a little while to compile my own. I have learned SO MUCH from the wonderful people on this board, and not just about my band! I don't know what I would do without you guys-my surgeons haven't given me nearly as much information and assistance as all of you have. So here goes: 1. Last night I went on a fabulous FREE shopping spree- in my own closet. I didn't realize how many clothes were hanging in there that had not fit me in a year or two. 2. Last night I also cleared my closet of a garbage bag full of 16s-they don't fit me anymore. They are going to the local women's shelter. 3. I have a new reason for not undressing in front of my husband. The old reason was that I hated my body. The new reason is that every time I start to undress in front of him, he tries to jump my bones. I have a full-time job and a toddler, so sometimes it's just not appropriate:devious (for the record, my husband has never complained about my body- it was my perception of it) 4. My family has been telling me I look younger now that I have lost some weight. Yesterday, I got CARDED at Safeway while trying to buy a bottle of liquor. I will be 40 in April. 5. I can pick up my 26 pound toddler and waltz with him for as long as he wants without my knees hurting or getting winded. And that kid could dance forever with his Mommy. 6. I can zip my leather knee high boots all the way up, and my shoe size has gone down from 8.5W to a regular 7.5 or 8. 7. When I was showering yesterday and grooming my "you know where" with my razor, I could actually see what I was doing! 8. I took my family to Disneyland for three days and had only mild discomfort in my feet at the end of the THIRD DAY. And NO KNEE PAIN. 9. I can officially wear Juicy Couture (their XL is the equivalent of about a size 12, but their sweats stretch a little) 10. Our weekly grocery bill has gone down about 30%. 11. I had our monthly employee meeting (I manage a bunch of salespeople who do not work in the office, so we don't see each other all the time) on Tuesday, and one of my guys told me he didn't recognize me when I had my back to him. I will take that as "my butt is smaller" :nervous 12. I had a doctors appt this afternoon, and I weighed the same on her scale with my clothes on as I did on my scale yesterday-NAKED!! That's all for now, but I will edit whenever I can think of something!! Have a wonderful 2006, everyone!