Kalipso2

i take (2) 150mg effexor capsules every night before bed and they go down (and stay down) just fine... even right after surgery. i never took them apart. i just make sure i take them on an empty stomach.

i don't know if i want my band out but looking back, if i knew then what i know now i probably would not have had the surgery.

i had been PB'ing a lot since my last fill in June. i waited until the beginning of September to go in for a check-up. during my check-up the nurse decided to take a look at my band under flouro. she gave me a copy of my xray (which kinda looks like a baby sonogram) and it showed the stretched pouch as well as the band and the barium going thru the opening before my slight unfill and the barium after .5cc came out. i have to figure out how to get the picture transfered so i can upload it on here.

my band was too tight for too long and i did stretch my pouch a bit. i got a slight unfill and i can go back to get refilled in 2 months and hopefully i won't be stretched anymore!

my surgeon told me he was going to give me the Realize band but for some reason at the time of surgery he decided to give me the 10cc Lap band. he said he doesn't know which band he'll use until he can see the stomach.

i got so used to PB'ing that now that i don't do it... i almost miss it. doesn't sound healthy, does it? it IS nice being able to eat and not have to worry about where the next bathroom is though!! we're both extremely lucky that our bands haven't slipped but my pouch has stretched a little. i'm allowed to go back for another fill in 2 months to give my stomach a chance to repair itself. i don't know about you, but i still do have some restriction but i can't get used to my stomach growling again and the feeling of hunger. We'll get it right eventually!!

i have a 10cc band and was was up to 5.2cc and i was PB'ing up to 4 times a day. my doc took out .5cc leaving me with 4.7cc. i was really worried about gaining weight back because i wasn't as restricted but after 2 weeks i haven't gained anything back but i haven't lost any more either.

i'm assuming you haven't had a fill yet? until you have your first fill your band had no restriction. after you have your first or second fill, you'll be able to feel your stomach restricting and you'll know when to stop. what you can do in the meantime is weigh your food. only put 1 cup of food on your plate and don't eat more than that. your stomach should feel satisfied 20 minutes after you're done eating.

i wore too many clothes. i wish i would have taken my before pictures in a bathing suit or bra and panties. along with the front, side and back view.... take a close up of your face. to me, weight loss shows up first in the face.

well.... when i get food stuck and want it to come out quickly, i stand and bend over the toilet and the food comes right up so it sounds like you ARE throwing up the contents you just ate/drank. maybe you do need a very slight unfill?

i'm a slimfast drinker and get a lot of my protein that way. i just can't get used to the whey protein taste. i eat a lot of chicken, eggs and cheese too.

i spent the first night in the hospital and all i have to say is... ask for drugs as often as they'll allow. it hurt to stand up. it hurt to sit down. i was bloated for about 5 days or so after surgery. i looked bigger than i did before surgery. i was a little surprised at that. for me, i took my pain meds like clockwork and slept most of my recovery time away!

i live 4 hours away from my surgeon and was just going to take a cab back to the hotel afterwards but i was told "absolutely NOT". a family member or friend had to be present for me to leave. i ended up spending the night because it was included in my surgery price. i would NOT have been able to physically drive that first day after surgery. i could barely sit up straight yet alone be off the pain meds long enough for even a half hour!

i was banded in april 2008 and i was self pay. my surgeon was 4 hours away from home so i was able to get all my testing done in one day instead of multiple visits. i met with the surgeon and the nutritionist during my initial consultation and the blood test, EKG and mandatory 2 hour nutrition class a week later. i had my surgery within 30 days of my initial consultation! i did still have to follow the 2-week liquid diet prior to surgery but i didn't have to do a 6 month diet or show proof that i've tried other methods of weight loss.

hi jessica! welcome!! i live in mayfield heights but being self pay, St. Vincent was too expensive for me so I had my surgery done in Cincinnati April 2008. i have a problem with motivation too... there always seems to be a "reason" not to exercise, right? lol

i'm not really a LARGE portion eater but i am a binge eater. once the thought of a food is in my head i obsess over it until i eat it...all. dealing with this has been the most difficult part of my journey so far. i feel like my brain and stomach are constantly struggling against each other... every day. i try my hardest to listen to my stomach but then i'm left depressed for not fulfilling my "need". if i give in and listen to my brain, i end up PB'ing for hours. i'm not going to lie. this is the hardest thing i've ever had to do but i'm working really hard to overcome listening to my brain and be happy with the food i CAN eat. it's been 4.5 months since my surgery and i've lost half of the weight i would like. i'm happy with the results. i love all the compliments. i love knowing i've gone from a size 16 to a size 12 (almost a 10!). i love feeling healthy. i love not getting tired just walking to my car. i love not being embarassed about my body. there is just SO much more to love about this journey than there is to hate and i'm still glad i had the surgery even if i'm still learning how to live with the band!

what an AWESOME idea!! i wish i would have done something like that!

for me, everything happened so fast the day of my surgery that it never even crossed my mind that i would most likely be naked! i was supposed to be the second to last surgery of the day so i was just chilling in the pre-op room... they said i had about 2 hours before it was my turn so the nurse was taking her time getting my IV's set up. she was going to give me something for my nerves but before she could, my surgeon decided to move me up on the surgery schedule and the next thing i knew i was being wheeled into the OR... mask placed over my nose and next think i knew i was waking up in recovery! i do know that i had on the same exact gown that i went in with because it was about 10 times bigger than it was supposed to be but we were kinda rushed lol

i just had to lift my shirt up...and gave the 20 something year old kid access to "the goods" lol

i'm sure i'm going to get a lot of flack for saying this but.... i was banded in april and have lost over 40 pounds without any physical activity. you can lose weight without exercise but it IS a part of being healthy. for me, i wanted to wait until i lost a fair amount of weight and reached a plateau before i brough exercise into my routine. that's about where i am now. i went from losing 4 pounds a week down to 1 pound a week. i just signed up for a "beginner's running" course that lasts 8 weeks and should have me able to run a 5k by the end of the course. if your insurance covers the surgery you should have no problems getting approved. you have to remember though... this process isn't just all physical there are a LOT of mental obstacles too. you mentioned a diet of eating less than a rabbit and not being successful. well... after the surgery, you'll probably still be eating less than a rabbit. right now i can eat just under a 1/2 cup of food 3 times a day. i have found it EXTREMELY difficult to listen to my stomach and stop eating when my eyes, tastebuds and brain really, really want to keep eating. when i listen to the brain i end up PB'ing. when i listen to my stomach i end up depressed. i'm slowing learning to savor and appreciate the food i CAN eat instead of being upset about the amount of food i CAN'T eat. good luck on your journey!

i went thru the psych eval being honest.... to a certain point. i was honest about my depression and anxiety because i take medication to treat both of them. they just want to make sure you're not feeling suicidal. they also want to make sure you don't have an eating disorder such as bulimia (yes, even overweight people can have it) or binge and purging. this is where i didn't tell the whole truth. i was BIG on binging and purging using laxatives so i lied about that. i haven't purged in over a year though so i think i have it under control.

my port is right above the largest incision. i can feel my port just by running my hand over my stomach. i'm worried because if i can feel it now without any problems, what is going to happen when i lose the next 40 pounds? i'm worried it will be visible but my surgeon reassured me that it will not protrude. (i'm not sure i believe him). the way i see it, my scars froms surgery and even if the port is visible, i'm going to treat them as my "war wounds". i've had to fight to get this surgery and it's been a struggle losing the weight... i kind of like that there will be reminders of how difficult this journey is remind me that i was strong enough to follow my dream. does that sound cheesy?

i was banded on 04/21/08. i had my first fill in may and the second fill in june. after my fill in june i thought i had great restriction and maybe my "sweet spot". i did experience a lot of PB'ing but i thought it was from learning what foods i could no longer eat as well as eating too much, too quick. i was stupid and cancelled my july and august appointments but i was worried about my band slipping from so much PB'ing that i did keep my september appointment. we took a look at my band under flouro and the physician's assistant thought i was for sure too tight and wanted to take .5cc out. i tried to get her to only take .2cc's out but she insisted on the .5cc because my pouch was slightly dialated and wanted to give my swollen stoma a chance to relax for awhile. i now have 4.7cc's in my 10cc band. i thought i would test my new restriction by going out to lunch at the cracker barrell. i SO wanted the grilled chicken tenderloin sandwich with cheese, bacon and mayo but decided to order 1 scrambled egg, 2 slices of bacon and a biscuit off the kid's menu. i ate all the bacon, half the egg and the top of the biscuit. afterwards i felt full but not sick to my stomach like i usually do after i eat. anyway, my question is... will having .5cc's removed leave me with restriction or will i start gaining weight back?

my surgeon's office is 4 hours away and i get free fills for 2 years so i'll be making that trip for the 2 years but i think afterwards if i need a fill i'll just find someone closer to home. i don't know about you but my surgeon doesn't give the fills, a nurse does and since you're pretty close to goal i don't see the harm in finding someone closer. you could always go back to the 10 hr drive if you don't find someone you like!

i try to eat on a timeline. i always eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.... hungry or not. sometimes i'll feel the need for a snack so i'll eat a couple of almonds or a piece of cheese... always Protein Snacks though. i'm rarely hungry. last week my stomach just growled for the first time since my surgery 4 months ago. i have been able to eat around the band and i feel horrible afterwards.