SanDiegoPhotog

Can I answer if I've been banded 5 months?

Thanks for all of your kind words! vkcse: Good for you! I thought I was totally at my sweet spot, and then 8 weeks later I started getting hungrier and hungrier. I guess my sweet spot didn't last long! LOL! But I just got .5ccs yesterday, so I'm hoping that helps. And I'm able to start exercising again. yay!

I am very excited that I am halfway to goal today! It's been 5 months since my surgery, and my weight loss really slowed this past month because I haven't been able to exercise as much due to an injured foot. But I'm still inspired and still excited. I had a feeling that I was going to be down again today because my "wedding" clothes (the standard black pants and blouse I wear to photograph weddings) were really big on me yesterday. Sure enough, when I stepped on the scale, I was halfway there! Woo hoo! Next stop: ONEderland! :cool2:

Congratulations! That is awesome!

It has been over a month since my second fill and it seems that I can still eat bread, but chicken, turkey, and scrambled eggs give me problems. Unfortunately, I'd MUCH rather have it the other way around! Have you had a problem like that? Did it resolve? I really want another fill because my weight loss has stalled this month, but I don't think I should because of my white meat restrictions. Oddly, red meat seems to be just fine. Thoughts?

I have absolutely no regrets at all. I LOVE my band.

I think you will find that if you start going in for fills regularly (every 4 weeks), you will soon find your sweet spot. I was banded June 4, and my doc put 2 ccs in my 10cc band at the time of surgery. My first fill was 3 ccs, and my second fill was 1 cc. After my second fill, I thought I was going to DIE I was so tight . . . but once the swelling went down, it eased up (a matter of days). With 6ccs in a 10 cc band, I think I am at my sweet spot. I will probably get another fill before the holidays, though, because I tend to loosen up a lot the more I lose. Maybe only .5ccs this time, though. Good luck! You WILL get there.

When I had my gallbladder removed, there was a woman in the hospital bed next to me who had her gallbladder removed 10 years ago and had to go back in because she had stones in her bile duct (seriously, 10 years later). Go get it checked out!

I chose the band because of the fewer complications, shorter hospital stay, etc. For me, the band was the only option because I wasn't willing to take the risks that bypass has.

I was banded June 4, 2008. I lost some pre-op, but most of my weight loss has been post-op. For me, it has been sticking to a 1200 calorie diet that consists mostly of protein -- regardless of where I am at with my fills (meaning, when I wasn't at my sweet spot, I worked through the hunger so as not to go over 1200 calories), and I workout a LOT. a lot, a lot. But, my husband says that I have no patience, so I do what I do to make myself happier. I didn't want to be frustrated with slow weight loss. I knew what I had to do to speed it up. It's been super easy, too, now that I got my 2nd fill. I have 6 ccs in a 10cc band. I am pretty tight. I've always been one to workout anyways . . . but now with the band, I don't go home and scarf down food because I worked out so hard. haha! I totally used to negate my calories burned with post-workout food. Now, I get the benefits of burning the calories and not replacing them. I love my band!

This is exactly what my policy is through UHC. Much to my doctor's surprise, they submitted the ppwk and I was approved within 24 hours. UHC has a variety of different policies . . . I just happened to be on the Countrywide EPO at the time that I was going through the process and it is EXCELLENT coverage for bariatric surgery. My doctor's office had dealt with other UHC patients, just not ones on the Countrywide EPO, so they were expecting a much bigger application/approval process. Fortunately, it was just as UHC said it was and I loved calling my doctor with my approval number (I stayed on top of everything).

Not ALL doctors . . . which is why I suggested the second opinion. Weight loss surgery is a business like any other business. And while it is nice to think that all doctors became doctors because it is one of the "helping" professions, the reality of the situation is that *some* doctors became doctors because they can make money. There is no harm in getting a second opinion. Or third. Or fourth.

Congratulations on your weight loss! You look great!

The easy answer to all of this, of course, is for your MIL to go get a second opinion. It seems like most people around here with hernias are having them repaired at the same time as the lap-band, so that part doesn't really make sense -- it wouldn't necessarily HAVE to be two separate operations. The thing is, though, the lap-band really only works for people who WANT to make it work. If your MIL's surgeon is suggesting she lose weight, then she either needs to follow her doctor's orders and research ALL of her weight loss options and decide which, if any, weight loss surgery is right for HER. But, in the meantime, she should get a second opinion on the hernia thing. As far as disturbing reports . . . you won't find a disturbing report from me or from the overwhelming majority of the people on this board. LOL! I think most of us LOVE our bands!

Wow . . . that is incredible weight loss! Good for you! I do feel better knowing that you are male because I lost 50 pounds in 4 months (3 of them banded), and I couldn't imagine having done it any faster. Don't get me wrong, I would have LOVED to . . . haha . . .but as it is I workout like crazy, have 6 ccs in a 10cc band, consume very small portions of mostly Protein, and never go over 1200 calories. This just seems to be the rate at which I lose. Oh well! But again, congratulations on your success!

CONGRATULATIONS! That is so awesome!

Didn't have one . . .thank goodness. Barium makes me gag!!!

I am so excited that I have lost 50 pounds, I can hardly stand it. Except for the part where I am starting to get shy about telling people how much I've lost (as the number climbs and climbs), I couldn't be happier. I just have to say that I NEVER in a million years would have been able to do this without my band!!! I started off at 263 in May. With pre-approval diets and pre-op liquids, got to 247 for the day of surgery (June 4, 2008). Just 3 months later, I am down to 213. With the exception of the pre-op and post-op liquid phases of the program, I have never once felt deprived with my lapband. Which is funny considering that I'm the person who was irritable and cranky and felt deprived the night BEFORE I was about to start a program like Weight Watchers or something because I KNEW the feelings of hunger and my so-called "starvation" that were awaiting me. I remember the headaches, the grumpiness. NOT THIS TIME! I currently have 6 ccs in a 10cc band and I have very good restriction. I am pretty tight most of the day, but get a little bit hungrier at night. I do occasionally eat things that aren't protein-filled or nutritious, but just tiny bites of them. I am trying to work the band like a "normal" person would eat . . . to get away from my strict Atkins mentality that always doomed me to failure at about Day 19. haha. And I workout like my salvation depends on it. haha! But I'm loving it. It feels great and I'm finally starting to look decent in workout clothes. Aside from marrying the love of my life and having children, this is the best darn thing I've ever done for myself. Thank you for all of your love and support . . . I still have a ways to go, but this is so exciting and fun to see a new me!!!!!

I remember feeling port pain and having stitches and wondering if I'd ever be back to normal. Jachut is right . . . once you get the all-clear, you can do anything.

I felt that way after my second fill. DH was getting worried, but I was enjoying the weight loss kick! I found that going back on liquids for 2-3 days helped with the irritation. Then, I started to drink hot tea before I ate anything -- and if something got stuck, I'd have a tiny little bit more of the tea. I dropped a few pounds and then now I am starting to feel like I'm not too tight and have good restriction, so I'm happy. I told myself that if it kept up too much, I'd go back for a slight unfill. Just be careful to get enough nutrition in, esp. Protein, and be sure to be getting your fluids so you don't get dehydrated. When in doubt, call your surgeon.

Jeni, I have to tell you this . . . having been the "strong" one in the family myself for far too many years and dealing with family members and their addictions, you are letting your family have far too much control over your life. I would suggest some counseling and preferably with someone who is greatly experienced in the realm of counseling the family members of alcoholics and other addicts. It can be a tremendous burden if we don't face our own fears, stop taking care of others so we can take care of ourselves, and start putting ourselves first. Best wishes.

Mine looks atrocious. But non-dehydrating body wraps DO help.

You know, I don't have PCOS, but I have mood swings. And the stress of selecting a doctor, going through the tests, and waiting for my date was a lot. I was definitely emotional. THEN, I had just mellowed out and was SUPER happy about my band and then I got all crazy again with the mood swings. I have always had severe PMS or PMDD, but it was made soooo much worse with the rapid weight loss. So, if once you get the band and your weight starts to drop like crazy, just be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. The increase of estrogen can cause moodiness. And, I hear ya on the guy thing . . . my husband thinks about losing weight and he does! It sucks sometimes when I'm working my ass off and he does nothing and can lose weight!

To be honest . . . eating out is just so different now. I'm 3 months post-op today and I'm not really sure I even enjoy eating out anymore.

I don't use my lapband card, either. I HATE drawing attention to myself, I don't want any unnecessary questions. I've also never found too many healthy things to eat off of the appetizer list or the kids menus for that matter. I guess the places I go just serve nuggets and weird frozen pizzas (hello, Dennys). I just order Soup and salad or eat some of DH's food or order my own meal and take it home. If I know I'm not going straight home, I try to eat some of DH's food and get myself salad or something small. I would LOVE to order off the senior menu because the offerings seem healthier and more varied, with slightly better portion sizes. But I wouldn't tell any random stranger I had a lapband just for the privilege. But that's just me.