HeatherO

I agree, the foodbank would help you easily and it is anonymous, none needs to know but you. It is worth a quick call. Also, if you are that close to the wire between paychecks right now, getting a little extra food will help you spread your remaining dollars a little further. I agree as well about splitting your payments up more, they may be accomodating. It is hard to be really short of cash with a daughter at Christmas time. Putting $400 back into your pocket will help your holidays go a little easier (plus January can be bolstered with tax returns as well as a working parent). You are right though about food needs changing. I must be saving a ton of money in lack of eating out/drive thru/impulse grocery buying, etc.

Well, what about you, Becky? Are you noticing a difference as well? You are pretty far along in your journey as well.

Acquaintances, friends and family treat me almost the same . . . afterall, my weight didn't define me as a person. However, they have noticed that I am a little more outgoing and self-confident than before. These are the people I care about so I would say, almost no difference. Strangers treat me more differently than before, especially men but even women are a little different. However, because they don't really impact my life it doesn't seem to really make a difference to me. People are now more likely to approach me now or even flirt. I must look more approachable than before for some reason.

You are never to young or old to reclaim your health. It is scary and intimidating before surgery. I know I was in a panic the night before and felt strange and out of sorts during the whole "last week." All I could think about is whether I was a failure, whether this would even work for me or am I just throwing more money down the drain, what if there is a complication . . . and on, and on, and on like a broken record. I bit the bullet, got the surgery and found out things were not so bad. liquid diet time and following the post-op diet was hard but I did it successfully. Now, I know without a doubt it is the best thing I ever did. I am 1 pound away from my goal and a normal BMI range which is very close to 100% loss of excess weight. It is one of those things where I wish I could go back now and talk to myself before and relieve all those anxieties. Good luck with your surgery, and hang in there. It will be done and you will be on the route to a healthier you before you know it.

I agree with everyone else, read as much as you possibly can. You should have all the facts before you embark on a decision this big. Some people are really unhappy with the band . . . but they did not go into this journey really understanding everything that was involved. I can tell you that chances are very good that if you have your band removed or fill removed so that it is open during the process, you will most likely regain the weight.

I had a choice, Realize was about $500 cheaper. I asked the surgeon and nurses and looked around a lot online (I was certainly willing to pay more for a better band) and I could not get one clear reason why one was better than the other. I chose Realize and it was a great decision.

I have felt this way if I am not drinking enough water or am getting too few calories. When I upped my daily water intake, I stopped having this problem.

The location doesn't make sense for a hiatal hernia. If you do have a hernia near the port site, it will be easily diagnosed by your physician. Another possibility could be that your port has flipped, which is a relatively simple repair. Definitely get in to see your doctor soon. Any strong pain is worth getting checked out quickly.

Myoplex is definitely cheaper in the grocery stores . . . so it might be worthwhile to get a small amount to taste it. It tastes OK, not great, not terrible but the amount of Protein is pretty good. It is best to drink it ice cold and I like strawberry better than the other flavors.

Do you have any restriction at all? What is your diet like currently? I think part of the issue might be in your follow-up care. If the doctor is non-responsive, you may want to see if you can find a different group to work with in your area.

Happy Bandiversary!!!! You are doing awesome. It is hard to believe a year passes so quickly when the first few weeks post banding are soooo slooowwww.

I found that giving blood affects me a lot stronger than it did pre-band. I am weaker, dizzier and I don't feel my best for a couple of days instead of an hour or so pre-band. I guess we are all different. I eat a healthy diet but definitely low calorie in general.

I agree, Benedrylnow in the strip will be helpful. I agree even more strongly with carrying the Epipen - if you allergies can put you in the hospital, you need something a little stronger just in case.

It does pass, but is no fun when you are mired in the middle of it. I had to find other things to keep my mind occupied, like walking or reading a book, I took a ton of bubble baths with different scents and candles, anything to think of something else. It is true, you make it through . . . and it is so worth it in the end. I think sticking with the liquid diet stage is one of the reasons I am at goal now in that I needed to struggle to get my mind focused so that I could make a real go of banded life. Even if it was not needed for healing, it would have been worth it.

One more comment . . . as far as will we ever learn . . . I have learned, I just occasionally ignore the signs. I think it is the little binge demon in my brain saying "just a little, just a little, just a little."

I still "test" my band every once in a while. By now, I know exactly when to stop, exactly when I know I will be uncomfortable but not PB, exactly when I will PB . . . but I still occasionally PB from a bad choice. For me it is almost like a reality check . . . it reminds me that without my band, I would be testing my limits (and waistline expansion possibilities) every day. Thank goodness I have a band.

I can see it as well . . . you should be proud of yourself. 50 pounds is no small accomplishment - and just imagine how big of a different your before and after shots will look by next summer.

My doctor also said they are OK in very short stints, like no more than two doses in a weeks time. She also said I should take liquid versions so they go through my system quickly. The few times I have taken it, I have taken liquid children's motrin (or an advil liqui-gel in a pinch) with a big glass of milk on an empty stomach. This helps with occasional very bad headaches. I don't do this more than once a month at most. Tylenol does nothing for me . . . Is anyone else like this? I am not sure why it is this way, but I don't even bother taking it anymore.

I have lost close to 100% of my excess weight now, and it is still a secret to almost everyone. I have gotten sick a couple of times near others and just claimed a stomach bug. It has not been difficult, but I did cut out a lot of eating out with others. Now that I am at the end of the road, I decided that if anyone is really struggling and could possibly be helped by knowing how I lost it, I would share the information.

She said it all. Not to mention, carrying around a lot of excess weight is quite a workout in itself. If you try to pick up 50, 75, 100 pounds and carry it around with you all day as you go about your life, it is not easy work. It is kind of amazing to think how much more me I used to have to haul out of bed, up and down the steps, etc. I certainly feel light on my feet now. It is definitely hard to lose close to goal. The last few pounds are taking months, lol. I feel your pain, but it is not such a bad place to be. I would take a few pounds from goal going slow any day over being obese and having it fall off quickly.

I agree with what every one has said. I think the key is to be vocal in a support group so that people understand what it takes to find success. Also, excuses about why something won't work for certain people is sometimes used as a crutch when people are making poor decisions. You have to work at it, age doesn't change that fact. There are lots of people at every age that find success . . . and failure. If age gave me an advantage, why did I spend my 20's being obese??? The best support groups are those that get to the root of what success means - back to the basics of exercise, healthy diet and mental conditioning/behavioral adjustments.

I felt almost nothing (maybe a weeks worth of slight restriction) at 6.3 cc's. However, by the time I got my next fill which put me to 7.8 cc's, the restriction was very strong and noticeable. Until you get close to your sweet spot, you really won't feel much of anything . . . but when you are close, small changes in Fluid levels make a huge impact.

It gets easier, there comes a time when you just follow the plan and it doesn't even require effort. You just have to find the fill level that is right for you. Did I have doubts in the early days post surgery where I was suffering and HUNGRRRYYYYY???? . . . absolutely, we all do. It is completely normal. However, now that I am a pound or two away from 100% loss of my excess weight,, I have no doubts this was the right decision for me. There were tough times in the beginning . . . but after a while you learn, your tastes change, food becomes an afterthought instead of your world and life goes on . . . for the better. Give it your all during these early days knowing that better days, and your eventual success, are right around the corner.

If you blow off the post-op diet, and don't follow the banding rules this early on . . . how can you be successful in the future? It is a tough decision to get banded, but those of us who lose the majority of the weight take it seriously in the beginning so that we can have success at the end. For me, I didn't want this to be one more diet plan where I fell off the wagon. It is best to give yourself these 4 weeks to heal properly and get your lives back in order. What is a few weeks when the results could be your ultimate success and a normal, healty fulfilling life at a closer to normal BMI. If you have fallen off of the plan, chalk it up to a mistake, try not to feel guilty, and make a decision that you will do what is best for you, starting this minute (not tomorrow or next Monday) and work it one day or even one meal at a time. It was the best thing I ever did and I have lost almost 100% of my excess weight. We can all be successful at this if we give it our best, no more excuses.

A shower is no problem. You just don't want to get the area overly soaked. So keep direct stream off the area, allow and water to rinse over it. Use a fresh towel and washcloth for every shower while you are healing and you should be good to go.