CynthiaMcC

Hi there - Has anyone investigated or used Zerona? It is laser fat removal procedure. Thanks. Cynthia

I am so very sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my thoughts.

I was banded by Dr. Wagner about a year ago and did 16 days of a pre op all clear diet and then a week of clears post op ... no protein and it was hard, there is no way around that. I have a pretty mentally demanding job and was traveling up until the day before surgery, there were some low energy moments, but it was no different than feeling weak when you are sick. Now, that said, I was so incredibly excited when I got to eat cream soups ... but now, a year and two weeks later, it is a distant memory and banding was the best thing I could have done. Good luck to you.

Hi everyone - I wonder if any of you have had problems fainting? I'm done about a 100 pounds and have fainted a few times in the last two weeks. The first three times were about a week and half ago,I had been sick, plus too tight and could not keep food or Fluid down. I went to the ER, had an unfill, some IV solution and was fine. Until today. I was fine all day, eating normally, drinking lots of Water and fainted at work. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow, but wanted to see if anyone has any thoughts or experiences? Thanks. Cynthia

I remember that feeling ... especially a few days before surgery. I certainly binged the weeks before I started my pre-op diet. I think it is normal, you are making a major life change ... not unlike pregnant friends who as they get closer to their due date begin to get scared about how radically their life will change. All that said, I had surgery just over a year ago and have not really missed anything. I've struggled a bit with finding the right fill level so there have been times that have been tough and I have wanted to eat something but refrained, but for the most part, I am perfectly happy with my food choices. I think the only things I have not eaten in the last year are movie popcorn and gum. My food choices have certainly changed, I am eating a lot less beef, particularly steak, less Pasta, less bread ... well, less everything. But I do not feel like I am suffering and the 100 pounds that are gone are reward enough. Good luck to you.

Well, it got worse and I ended up in the ER for dehydration and an emergency unfill on Sunday. I talked to the doctor on Friday and they thought I could wait until Monday ... that turned out not be accurate. :tongue:

Hang in there. Tomorrow is a new day and you can make a fresh start. This is a journey and every trip has some rough spots, but you will get there in the end.

Great idea. Today is my anniversary, I had been thinking about all kinds of great ways to Celebrate (a massage, a hike, etc.), instead and somewhat ironically, I spent it in the ER of the hospital I had the surgery in getting an emergency unfill. After a few days of misery, fainting from dehydration, I got 1 cc removed and feel human again. That said, today several of the nurses taking care of me were asking about the surgery because they were considering it and I said over and over again "It was the best thing I did." As I look back at this year, I am amazed. I down about a 100 pounds (it was 106 this morning, but now that I am hydrated again I am sure it is not quite as much). But more importantly, I feel healthy, and I am not always thinking about my weight ...I don't worry if I sit in a chair will it hold me, or avoid mirrors. I feel like this is/was really the first step in a larger journey toward health. For this next year, I want to find an exercise I like ... was somewhat derailed this year by an ankle injury, so when I am looking back next Feb I hope to have found an activitiy that I truly like, not just something that I tolerate. Interestingly, the surgery and resulting changes have also helped me realize the lack of balance in my life ... I have always been work, work, work, and while sucessful, I am now more committed to making sure work is balanced with personal time. It will be a tough battle, but I think that what I learned from this experience is why put off for tomorrow what you can do today? I had wanted to address my weight for a long, long time, and now that I have, I wish I would have done it years ago. I guess I am looking at other things in my life the same way ... who knows maybe I'll even try online dating. Look forward to reading others stories. Cynthia

Hi there - I have a struggled with inconsistent tightness for a while and have discussed it with my doctor who just shrugged. However, the last few days it seems to have increased a bit. I am now burping, not little burps, but loud, deep ones, hiccuping, and having a hard time keeping things down. It seems to start around lunchtime and lasts through about midnight. Today, all I had was some juice and a Protein drink for Breakfast, liquids all morning, and then at lunch I ate a piece of laughing cow cheese, one bite of sliced turkey and one bite of cracker. It started with pressure and pain, then got to the point that I had to leave a meeting to PB. It has been continuing. I tried some pineapple juice ... no luck. Any thoughts? Thanks. Cynthia

Great questions. I wondered the same thing. What I have found is this ... 1). I generally ate healthy food pre-band, but way too much, now even if I want to eat a lot, I can't. Strangely some of the items I miss eating are things like raw vegetables, I do not tolerate them very well. 2). I felt like I hit bottom when I got surgery, I was at my highest weight and had failed at every other weight loss method, when I made this decision I knew it was my final chance. That gives you a sense of purpose. 3). Even when I eat bad things, the amount is limited, for example I've had one milkshake in the past year, I did not even finish it. 4). As someone mentioned earlier, once you start losing you get some momentum. About 4 months after surgery, I fell down the stairs and was on crutches. The recovery put me behind on the exercise, but in the past, I likely would have gained everything. Even w/o exercise I continued to lose so when I was able to exercise again, I was motivated. Good luck to you.

I love my band, but sometimes have the same feelings. At times I think about the geese that have bands put on to fatten their liver ... a horrible analogy, I know. All said, it was the right decision for me and I would do it again.

You have a good list. I never used the sippy cup, but was not a big "gulper" to begin with ... I would add chapstick, for some reason I was really in need of it for the first few days. Also, be careful of over buying, I bought so much chicken broth, gas x, etc., I still have it now, 11 months later. I think it was just nerves, but boy, did I stock up! I went back to work on Monday afternoon after having surgery on Friday, I work in a professional setting so I was wearing suits everyday. No problems until they removed my stitches on Wednesday, around noon, I went back to the office and doctor had not put any dressings on the incisions and the big one was exactly at my waist band. The rubbing of the waist band against the fresh incision was unbelievably painful! I went home early. The next day I put a big guaze pad on it and all was well, so you may want to have a few of those on hand. Good luck!

You are not shallow. I've found that people can be very reticient about discussing weight loss. I am not sure how much you lost, but I found that many people, including close friends and family, did not comment until I hit 50 pounds. Even now, when I have lost 6 sizes, I have been surprised by how many people have not mentioned it ... and by some, like clients, who have mentioned it. Hang in there, you are making great progress.

Great idea and great attitude ... this is a journey and every step counts. My goal is to be down a 100 pounds by my anniversary. That will be a stretch, but is doable.