wiggygiggy

First and foremost - you are doing great! Stop beating yourself up already. You haven't had a fill yet - then you'll start to feel the restriction. Relax already

Hi everyone!

My name's Elizabeth and I was banded on April 25. I am a little bit different from most though, because I am barely 18 years old and did it as soon as I could. My mom got a sleeve a few years ago and lost 190 pounds and I watched how wonderful she felt and wanted it for myself. However, my progression has been atypical.

For the first three days, it sucked. I was down and couldn't eat anything except liquids in small amounts. Then, though, after about five days, everything changed. I was perfectly fine and started dabbling with thicker foods and handled them perfectly. I couldn't wait for the soft solid stage! I was so tired of Cream of chicken Soup. My mom called the nurse practitioner at my doctor's office and asked if I could move on because I am handling it so well and she told me to "move as tolerated." Well, it's been about two weeks and I can eat and handle anything fine, and that's a problem.

When I first started, I could BARELY hold half a cup in my band if I was lucky! Now the swelling has gone down, and I can handle SO MUCH more and I am legitimately hungry all the time. I have learned to recognize when I am legitimately hungry and when I am not. My food choices are still good, though. I'm not eating as MUCH as I would have had I not had the surgery, so don't worry. It's way less than that, but way more than I should be able to handle.

I healed really really fast, and now I'm frustrated. I ate my dinner last night and broke into tears in front of my mom and tearing up now. I lost about 17 pounds since the start of this whole thing about three weeks ago and gained a little back. I REALLY don't think it's because of my eating habits. The doctor said that weight loss is ridiculous and I may spring back a little because it was so fast. But I don't want to gain it back! I worked SO HARD and was SO diligent with my dieting and everything! It's just that I healed way faster than expected. My first fill date is May 26.

It's two weeks out and I feel as if nothing has been done at all. I can eat a decent sized meal. Is this normal? Does this change when the band is filled? Is this just because the band is not filled, is just sitting there, and the swelling has gone down?

Please help me. It's stressing me out and I don't want to have to struggle like this for the rest of my life with this band! It seems like it's not working!

I'm 5'7" so according to the charts I should lose another 45-50 pds. Doc says another 30, but I would be happy with 20. I weighed 170 about 10 yrs ago and felt & looked good.

Yes, you are probably hitting the nail on the head - I think my body is happy with where I am at, but I'm trying to convince it that it will be even happier -20-30 pds more!

I've been eating like a bandster for nearly 3 yrs. I just keep reminding myself what my surgeon told me prior to surgery and that is that lapband is a slow weightloss - it can take up to 5 yrs until we reach a place where we won't lose anymore. I have lost more than my surgeon anticipated that I would (she said 50 pds was the norm) so I'm elated to have proved her wrong. Slow and steady and I'll keep the weight off for life. I don't want to be one of those that loses all the weight quickly, but puts 1/2 of it back on! :eek:

Plateau's suck! I've been the same for almost 5 months now. I thought I needed more of a fill, but nope, that wasn't it. I need to just be patient and it will come off. Its my body fighting to hold on to every last ounce of fat I have left I guess. :mad2:

I was banded in May of 06 and am still getting filled. Its a lifelong commitment because the Fluid doesn't stay in there forever.

According to the Dr's, its different for everyone. So its very difficult to find that sweet spot for us. It takes time and alot of patience!

I was banded in May of 06, had my first fill at 4.5 cc's. Nothing, then 6.5 cc's. Nothing. Then I went in again to get alittle more and apparently the Dr. didn't remove all the liquid and over filled me! NOT FUN! I couldn't swallow my saliva without pbing. I lost 9 pds in 2 days. I went back in and they removed everything. Back to square one and this was over the holidays. Talk about depressing? So after 6 weeks of nothing I only gained back 4 pds so I wasn't too upset. Started back at 5. cc's, then 6.8, etc. I am currently at 8.6 and I feel restriction most of the time. Mostly in the mornings until mid-afternoon. Last month I went in for alittle more Fluid and the Dr. said as long as I was losing he wasn't going to put any more in right now.

I would take it easy today and make sure you chew thoroughly and take your time.

I know its not fun to pb and hate when that happens, but most of the time its because I didn't chew well enough and/or ate too fast. Another thing I can't do is lay down shortly after I have eaten anything! This weekend I had had a piece of licorice and then went to lay down to read. About 15 min. later I was pbing and ended up throwing up the licorice. That was awful. Ick!

Wow Ceredad that is exciting! Thanks for letting us know. Keep us posted.

I'm totally confused abiut this stuck thing. Does it happen in your stomach or in your throat? I keep having a hard time with a bad choking feeling like when you get something stuck in your throat and need a drink to wash it down. Is that stuck or is there a different feeling of stuck that I have been fortunate to not have experienced yet? I know your not supposed to drink with meals and I do very well not to but when this feeling happens it's almost impossible not to drink because it feels like I'm gonna choke to death. Has anyone else experienced this.

You might want to mention this to your Dr. My mom (who isn't banded) has experienced this too and she has a hiatial hernia and will

be getting treatment for that.

I get the papaya tablets at Walmart. They are good. They are sweet. You need to chew up about 6 of them though. it takes awhile to work, but they will slowly dissolve something that is stuck, unless it's a big huge piece of meat not chewed enough. I have gotten stuck on things I don't expect to get stuck on and have chewed well, and they worked great.

Thats good to know - thanks for the advice!

How much can you eat? I am surprised at how little I can eat now. I don't dare test it either or I'll be pbing. Mornings are tighter than evenings are for me though so I've just been doing a Protein Shake. I am just tickled to finally be having some restriction - things are finally working after 2+ years being banded!

How is everyone doing? I had higher hopes for myself, but I'm happy with losing 77 pds. They said it would be slow, but at least its steady and staying off.:wink2:

Yes, there is a way to find out if you've stretched it. Have them do a fill using Flora - that way they can see the pouch. Mine is slightly stretching, which the Dr. felt may mean I'm too tight. But I'm not filling any restriction either so go figure.

The good news is you can reverse it. Check out this website. Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test

I went in for my last fill 3 weeks ago. I"m at 8.4 now in my VG band. I am losing, but its SUPER slow and I'm getting so discouraged by it. I knew it would be a slow process but this is ridiculous! :wink2:

I need something to kick it into geer and start losing faster. Does anyone know of something that will do this for me? At my last fill the Doc was afraid that I would be too tight and didn't want to fill me, but he did because I hadn't had a fill in 6 months. He wants me back in a month to make sure my pouch isn't stretching. Well if it is I wouldn't feel it. I have no restriction. I have been very good, eating just a couple bites at each meal.

On a different note, if you ever have the opportunity to have your fills with flora, go for it. It is so cool to see your pouch, port, etc.

I have been walking 2 miles, 3 times a week sometimes more. I am happy with the weight I am at, but would LOVE to lose more and especially would love to get into ONEderland! Sooooo close!

Probably both! I am scheduled for another fill and a visit with the dietician on May 6th. I started exercising again last week - had to get out of those winter blahs!!

Congrats! I've been hovering at 207 for 5 months. I can't get it to move and its so frustrating!

There is a new support group starting in Mora, MN at the Allina Hospital. Meetings are every other Monday evening at 7:00 pm. Tonight it the first one. They will have a scale for us to weigh if we want. The scale will measure Water, muscle, bone, each arm and leg too if we want. They are also going to have a healthy snack available if we want. Tonight's topic is Getting back on Track. Hope to meet you there!:clap2:

sorry about that...how about this one

Minnesota Department of Transportation: Home Page

please let me know:)

Excellent - thanks!!

sure. try http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/news/20070802TrafficDetours.asp

let me knnow if that one works--from there-try those links

Nope, no luck.

The Star Tribune website has excellent maps (click on link) detailing alternate routes for travel. OH also has a listing of Bariatric Surgeons/Clinics that may be able to help locating an alternative fill doc.

Thank you - do you happen to have the links for those? TIA

Now that the bridge is out I will need to find another route to get to the Abbott for fills. Anyone familiar with the area and can give me a good suggestion? OR - is there another place to go for fills north of the cities? I hate city driving.

TIA

Yes, I had my surgery there in May of 06. They are very good there and I would highly recommend them.

I think that would be great! Count me in!!

I'm so glad to hear from all of you Maysters! My internet has been down for almost a week....something burnt out on the roof in our dish.....and I didn't get to read all your posts. It's kind of neat to be able to read them all at once.

Hooray for all of us! Even if you've "only" lost 50 lbs, that is a WHOLE LOT! Think about where you were a year ago and how much you've changed. Even if I lose no more, I'm such a happier and healthier person. So we all need to pat ourselves on the back.

Drew! I love the picture from the Ball. You are so cute! OU - you look amazing. It's great to see what a change you have made.

For some reason I've been getting a ton of people asking me about my surgery here lately. Of course, I gush when I talk about how my life has changed and how it's the best thing I've ever done. AND I tell them how it is different from bypass. Now....I'm not against bypass -- it was my first choice before I researched the Band -- but I think a person who is looking at WLS should know about the Band and it's benefits. So I've been a walking commercial for the Lap Band.

Have a great week and keep up the good work!

Thanks for the "pat on the back" Marci! I am one of those who have "only" lost 50 pds. I have been rather disappointed with myself at times, but then I think back to how I was a year ago and I'm SO glad I'm not there anymore! I don't even mind looking at myself in a mirror now. A year ago I was appauled to see myself in a mirror and didn't "know" who that person even was looking back at me.

I have a long way to go but am confident that I will get there. The lapband isn't the quick weightloss method - it works slowly over 5 yrs. My goal is to lose another 50 pds this next year!

I am going in for a fill today, hopefully I'll get put to 9cc's in my 10 cc band and really feel restriction. I also need to stop cheating myself and sneaking things that are no-no's. I am really going to buckle down now and get serious about losing weight.

Have a great week everyone and keep up the good work!

Marci - You have done great! I wish I could say I had lost 80 pds since my 1 yr band anniversary, but I am at this point just hoping to get to -50! I have been stuck in the -40s since Oct. Its so frustrating. What have you done that I may not be doing? I have gotten fills and am up to 8cc's, and am scheduled for another fill on the 15th.

If there is a new May Chat thread no one will probably even see this but I didn't see one when I looked.

It's been a while since I've posted.

I was band one year ago on May 1st. What a year it has been!!!

I am now down 117 pounds and I feel great. I still have between 30-40 more to go but I am soooo happy with what I have accomplished thus far. I am also so proud of all of the other May 2006 Bandsters. We have really worked hard and struggled through a lot together!

Wow LInda - you have done an awesome job! How did you do it? I too was banded in May of 06 and have only lost 49 pds. I have been stuck in the -40s since Oct of 06. I have gotten fills and am up to 8cc's in my 10cc band. I have an appt on the 15th for another fill. I am a bit disappointed, I had hoped to be in onederland by now. Any advice?