Kalipso2

i just went shopping at kohl's last weekend because i needed some new work pants. i tried on a size 6 and they fit so i bought one pair of each color. i wore a pair this week and by the end of the day they seemed loose (you know how pants stretch after being worn). i'm a bit freaked out about exchanging them for a size 4. i never, Never, NEVER thought i'd fit into a size 4! even in high school i wore a size 6 and that was 20+ years ago!

i've been a slow loser so i've had to work for every single pound that i've lost... i'll take one pound lost over one pound gained any day!!

congratulations on your journey! don't be afraid to ask questions either... that's what we're here for!!

Did you have pain right when you woke up and/or later? i felt no pain in the recovery room. i don't even remember being transferred to my room. (i chose to stay overnight since i live 4 hours away from my surgeon). getting up from the bed and laying back down after being up were the most painful moments because you're using your stomach muscles. you learn to roll off the bed and fall back on to the bed.

How bad was the pain? all i can say is, take your medication as prescribed! i called the nurse every 4 hours for the pain meds. when i went to leave the hospital, i tried to hold off on my last dose until right before i was going to leave because i had a 4 hour drive back home (with my parents driving). i waited too long and i was in enough pain to make me cry... which made my mom cry and yell at me for waiting too long lol. my advice, don't let the medication wear off. take as directed... that's why they give it to you!

Did you feel nausous and/or did you throw up the day of the surgery and/or the next few days following the surgery? i did not feel nauseous at all and i had no gas pains either (knock on wood).

What did you do the first few days after the surgery? i stayed with my parents for 2 days after my surgery and slept most of the time. i couldn't stand my mom hovering so i didn't take my pain meds so i could drive myself home. once home, i just relaxed, watched movies and slept. i had surgery on a monday and i didn't go back to work until that following tuesday.

Could you walk around your apartment? yes, i could walk around just fine. maybe not as straight and tall as usual but by 2 days after surgery you're able to get around okay. it will still hurt when trying to stand or sit but it eases up after awhile.

Did you just rest and watch tv? yep... thats basically it since you won't be eating ; )

i understand your frustration. at work, thursday is donut day. i try really, really hard to avoid the kitchen on that day.

yesterday was thursday and i had a HORRIBLE day at work... i made a major mistake and i was really upset with myself. i walked into the kitchen, having forgotten it was thursday, only to have myself stop dead in my tracks and stare at the 4 boxes of donuts sitting on the counter.

i was stressed, upset, depressed and had a choice to make. eat the donut (or 2) and get even more angry and upset with myself or walk away.

i walked away.

was it easy? NO! but whenever you're tempted, stop for a minute and THINK about what you're about to do.

my friend had the sleeve done at the same time i got the lapband. she had 200+ pounds to lose and i had 70+ pounds to lose.

she lost 160 pounds very quickly. it took me 3 years to lose 69 pounds.

almost 3 years post op, she has started gaining her weight back. i have continuously lost weight and am still losing.

in the beginning of our journey, my friend used to tell me i'd be sorry that i didn't get the sleeve because she was losing quickly and could eat anything she wanted. i was very limited in what i could eat and how much i could eat. i had a difficult time with not over eating. in the beginning i threw up a lot while trying to find foods i could eat but had to learn about the foods i could no longer eat.

what it comes down to is what YOU feel comfortable with. it can't hurt to do research on both procedures but the lapband isn't permanent. i haven't gained any weight back. so i'm happy with my choice!

i'm 39 and have lost 69 pounds... i'd still like to lose another 5 pounds... i'm almost 3 years post-op.

i don't have much sagging skin except for my arms... and its not bad enough for me to do anything about it (right now at least)!

i'm 3 years post-op and i still occasionally get depressed because i miss using food as a reason to feel better.

today, i made a HUGE mistake at work... a $3,000 mistake... and my first thought was to go find something to eat. holding back from doing that was SO hard but... 6 hours later... i'm glad i didn't binge!

ugh... i remember the pureed stage. that usually means baby food consistancy which usually means using a blender.

the thought of eating pureed chicken or beef or veggies made me want to gag so i chose to extend my full liquids a week and skipped the pureed foods all together.

i did 1 week Clear Liquids, 2 weeks full liquids, 1 week mushies... then had my first fill so had to go back to 1 day Clear Liquids, 1 day full liquids, 1 day mushy and FINALLY real food!

it was a rough month but something i highly encourage everyone to follow right after surgery.

cheat all you want before surgery but always follow the post-op instructions from your surgeon!!

hmmm that IS strange! all my unfills have been clear. usually they take all the fill out and refill with the increased amount to make sure there is no leakage.

did your doc think that the color was the only thing strange and not that you were missing .3cc?

i guess if your doctor isn't worried you shouldn't be either but i think i'd go back in and have it checked in a month or so.. if you don't have to pay for fills.

i LOVE what ElfiePoo said, "A failure is someone who gives up completely and stops trying. You were just taking a vacation."

this journey isn't easy for some of us. it took me 3 years to lose 70 pounds. if you break that down, that's 23 pounds a year for 3 years.

you're NOT a failure!

i hope you receive good news from your doctor!!

i had a starting bmi of 36.6 and i was self pay. my surgeon never questioned my need for surgery because according to the bmi chart i WAS obese! being self pay helps a lot too... be prepared for things to move pretty fast once you decide for sure to have the surgery. i had my surgery within 5 weeks of my initial consultation since i was self pay.

having a lower bmi could mean a slower weight loss so be prepared for that.

everyone tells me i'm getting "too skinny"... it's something i can't really wrap my mind around. i know it's possible but the thought of ME being skinny is very strange.

having my sister calling to ask if i have a dress she can borrow because we're now the same size is unbelievable. we haven't been the same size in over 20 years!

so... enjoy being the "skinny bitch"!!!

welcome... and congratulations!

i had a friend that had the sleeve done the same time i got banded (3 years ago). it was hard not to compare how fast she was losing to how slow i was losing.... BUT 3 years later, i'm still losing and she has started to gain weight.

just remember, slow and steady is the best way to lose weight! so... be patient! it WILL happen!

you've lost 37 pounds and that's awesome!

when i'm in a funk i try to do something nice for myself. i'm single with no kids so it's probably easier for me but take some time out for you. get a manicure or pedicure. have your hubby watch the kids and go see a movie by yourself or with friends. buy yourself something pretty, even if it's just a pair of flip flops.

YOU need to feel good about YOURSELF for this process to work.

everyone is different when it comes to the types of food their band won't allow. i eat chicken, Pasta, pineapple, lettuce... just fine. the only foods i can't tolerate are breads (unless VERY toasted) and ground meat... so no pizza or hamburgers for me. everything else is okay. while i can't eat a piece of pizza, i can eat the crust off 1 piece and the toppings off 2 pieces... which is the best part anyway.

you WILL learn to adjust to what you can and can't tolerate. don't put too much into what your band won't tolerate.

ahhh it gets tricky at this point.... do you not get a fill and not lose weight or run the risk of being over-filled?

if i were in your shoes, and i have been because my surgeon is 4 hours away, i'd go to the appointment and let your doctor decide.

you know, i have thought about going to an OA meeting. i went as far as finding a meeting close to home but now i'm at my goal weight and i don't want to offend anyone by attending. i don't want to be judged by them thinking... what's this skinny girl doing here? and then to admit that i had surgery... i just don't know.

oh maddy, my heart aches for you! i have a 13 year old niece and while she's a normal weight, i can see how poor her eating habits are. but i'm afraid to say too much because it's a delicate age and i don't want to worry about her beginning an eating disorder. kids your age can be SO cruel to each other. the thought of those girls bullying you makes me angry!

if your parents are in agreement, schedule a consultation with a surgeon or attend a free seminar. "we" have nothing to really say if you're old enough or not... only a doctor can do that. you're doing research and asking questions which is GREAT!

you know if you choose the lapband, everything about eating will change drastically and coming from someone who is older and has been banded for 3 years, i still struggle with food. i have lost a lot of weight and i feel good about myself and that's exactly why i had the surgery.

good luck and let us know what you decide!

i hope for you it gets easier... for me, my family is constantly telling me i'm getting "too skinny". when i ask if they think i'm GETTING skinny or am i TOO skinny they always say i'm getting skinny.

my mom watches every single bite i put in my mouth. am i eating too fast? did i take too big of a bite? should i be eating that?

yes... i'm extremely tight for about 3 days where i can't eat so i survive on shakes!

as soon as i read the title of your post i thought "acid reflux". my acid reflux acts up when i'm stressed... sometimes even worse than when i eat the wrong type of food! i'd go back to taking the nexium (but consult your doctor too)

i'm curious... can you see the port where you have it? the skin seems much thinner up there than it would be on the belly. when you lose all your weight, will it be noticable?

congratulations!!! that's awesome that you've lost all that weight without a fill!! my doctor is 4 hours away so i know its a hassle going back and forth but it sounds like you're doing great! keep up the good work!

i agree... you should not have surgery until they find out why you're having seizures! or at least discuss with your surgeon. that is definately something he should know before operating!!

April 2008 my BMI was 36.6 - OBESE

March 2011 my BMI is 24.9 - NORMAL