crystal525

I had a reduction and lift pre-band--before I even considered banding. They have held up very well. I was very concerned with whether they would drop...they didn't. Good luck!

When you are at appropriate restriction, you will not be able to eat and drink at the same time.

The hospital provided me with a "surgical" bra--I was in it when I woke up. Once I could take that off, I had bought a sports bra that zipped in the front and I didn't have to try and lift my arms above my head. Just make sure it's snug enough.

They can do both. The reduction reduces your breast tissue and fat, the lift makes them point ahead! I had a reduction and a lift pre-band. It was very painful for about the first week (if I remember correctly). But they do warn about sensation issues. I had my nipples removed since I had an extensive reduction. But I do have full sensation--actually I am more sensitive now than I was. I think they were too huge to enjoy before--they just layed all over the place! I am happy that they have stayed "up" even with the weight loss. It was the best decision I ever made. Insurance does cover if medically necessary so remember to check. Mine was covered 100%. Good luck with your decision.

I had my reduction and lift a year and a half before the Band. It was the most painful thing I have ever experienced...but all worth it. I would do it again in a heart beat. Since I was a 42F and nearly 250 pounds, my doctor would only take me down to a D saying that if I lost weight she didn't want me coming back for implants! LOL. When surgery was over I was actually still a 40 DD. Now that I've lost 75 pounds I just had a measurement--still a 38D (I can actually wear 36Ds--they give me my cleavage). I actually think they feel small, but that's because they used to be so huge. Alot of people lose/gain in the boob area first. Not me--they are always the last thing to go. I'm glad to say I love my boobs now! They don't touch my stomach anymore (which I feared them dropping if I lost too much weight). My boob job is actually the reason I got the band. I realized my stomach was now seen alot more than when I had boobs! Ugh. But, thankfully, my lift appears to have held up. Your girls will settle down soon, and I'm sure they'll match right up with your smaller body as you lose the weight. Good luck! Crystal

I always had heartburn pre-band. Throughout the testing (including an upper GI) there was no diagnosis for a hernia. The morning of my surgery, my surgeon had me sign a consent "just in case" I needed a hernia repair. He said that alot of overweight people have a hiatal hernia they do not know about...he's seen it enough to know to get pre-approval to fix it. I did have one. After surgery, I didn't have heartburn at all --woohoo--until my band was overfilled over a year out. Hope this helps! Crystal

Sometimes once we get to our sweet spot we don't know how to eat. We MUST chew, chew, chew some more. Sometimes we are too full and must get an unfill (I've been there), and sometimes we are just not chewing well enough and eating too fast (I've been there too). You need to review how and what you eat and what you are throwing up. And adjust accordingly. Put your fork down between bites, etc. Follow the rules we were first taught that we've not been forced to follow until our restriction level is there. And, as always--talk to your doctor. They know best. We are good for advice, just follow the drs. orders! Good luck. ETA: Oh--and when my band was too full, I lost really quickly at first and then gained back 1/2 of what I lost waiting for my next appointment to get an unfill (this was during the blizzard here in the DC/MD/VA earlier this year). Crystal

I have always been a slow loser. I'm 19 months out now (my surgery was November 2008), and I'm down somewhere around 75 pounds (I've met my initial goal--I'm not sure of what my new goal is, but I'll know when I get there). I feel great, I look good:tongue:. My confidence is off the charts like never before in my life. I get compliments every day. And--my doctor has ALWAYS been happy with my progress. I usually lost anywhere from 2-4 pounds per month. I even gained some months. My doctor and I discussed each loss/gain as they came and I was often disappointed in my band, and myself in the beginning -- almost the whole first year (even if I lost a few pounds I didn't feel it was enough). My doctor always said it was normal--he's happy with ANY loss. But now I am extremely happy also. I've had to learn patience and to look at the positives...I wasn't gaining for once in my life! Or dieting!!! Also--If you lose too fast and you have a lot to lose, you are more likely to have loose skin. I am totally happy with where I am now. I was an 18-20 in the beginning and now I'm in 12's...soon to be moving to 10s. I also had to come to the conclusion that (even though I knew this going in) that this was not magic and that I would have to work it. I am one that has to exercise. I love the feeling though of not feeling like I am on diet. I eat whatever I want (and can--I've not been able to tolerate bread) in moderation. I've never been overly strict on myself which also contributes to my slower weight loss I'm sure. I don't limit myself by telling myself that I'm on a diet and I can't have xxx. That's why I chose the band. And I'm glad every day that I did. Give it time, and good luck.

Ouch...sorry to hear that. My doctor mentioned swapping my port out for a low profile (or as he likes to call it a "gucci" port) when I'm smaller and it becomes more noticeable...and when there's less fat to get thru I assume. LOL! Unfortunately, if it's been like that the first 2 times, I think it might not get better until you lose a little more weight. I hope you are close to your sweet spot and don't need another fill anytime soon! I've never had a flouro-fill, but my doc always pulls all the liquid that's in there out to make sure what's supposed to be in there is in there before putting it back. Then he adds the additional fill amount. I've been lucky with my doc hitting it the first try everytime. Good luck to you! Crystal

After a quick search I found these--just google bariatric and Virginia Beach. Bariatric Physicians Licensed in | VA Bariatric Surgery (Weight Loss) Doctors in Norfolk, Virginia I love my dr. -- he's in Northern VA. We're only a 3 hr drive away if you can't find one closer! Again...jump back on the bandwagon and start logging foods. Get to the doc as soon as you can.

It's 5 years later things are much more advanced. There are more places to go to get treatment and more doctors to see. You need to make a few calls and find a new doctor that is willing to see you--probably closeby. You cannot give up. You need to start completely over, but first you must get to the doctor to see exactly where you are. I am sorry about your separation, but stand up and fight for your band, for your health, and for your life. Once you take that first step, maybe everything else will fall into place. Much Luck, Crystal

My doctor says nothing heavy for several hours before a fill since it may make you appear "tighter" if your stomach is already full. I had eaten something about 2 hours before and happened to mention it on one of my first fill visits. I can understand, so I would say make sure your food has time to digest before going for your fill.

I'm just wondering why people make the comment that "you're losing too much weight." Are they just used to seeing us as very large, and now that we are becoming smaller, we look thinner than we actually are??? I am right around 180 pounds and in 12s and 14s. I know that I've never appeared to weigh as much as I do, but jeez, I'm still around 40 pounds over weight (although I feel just fine and I'm very happy with myself). People are just shocked when I say I want to lose another 20 pounds and be a size 10. Thought about this??? Crystal

I'm ALWAYS the last one eating. When I eat slow and talk, I take even longer than normal! I don't care. Most people I eat with know and they don't mind. It's for the socializing that I usually go out anyway and they know that I won't even eat half of what I order and will take the rest home! My favorite thing to do is to go out with my other bandster friend and we'll still be nibbling after an hour. We usually have to end up telling the server that we are fine and don't need anything else. They just look at us strange when we are still not done and then ask for a box! LOL. I love going out. I can get a side salad and a baked potato and be more than satisfied. Or we go to a Mexican restaurant and I get a cheese quesadilla for $2!!! Love my band. I'm now officially a cheap-date.

My appointment last Friday was postponed...and I'm sure will be cancelled again (this Friday). Only...I need an unfill of a small amount. Can't eat much of anything and having reflux at night! I'm here in Maryland and we are having one heck of a winter storm/blizzard...even pulled the plows off the roads earlier today. That said--my dr. made me wait more than 6 weeks to heal and then only did once a month after that. It'll take time, but you'll get there. Good luck!

I did this back in August and September. It really kicked up my weight loss! But--I still don't like running. Do it...it does wonders for your self esteem, especially if you are like me and never could run even for a minute! Good Luck.

The band is not a magic fix--its a tool. I felt the same way you do...until I gave myself a reality check. We didn't have the gastric bypass. Now--I'm 14 months out and 70 pounds down. I feel fabulous about where I am now. It took me 6 MONTHS to lose 30 pounds. And I didn't even have to do a pre-diet! You are doing great. Sometimes the boards help, but sometimes they will get you down on yourself when you find yourself comparing yourself to everyone else. I had to stay away for awhile! Remember the average is only 60 percent in the first 2 years. Give yourself a chance. It does work, you have to be patient and realize that why you chose this-- I'll have to find my post from a year ago when I felt this exact way... Good luck and keep your head up! Crystal

I would like to join. Start weight 199 (I keep fluctuating from right over 201 to 199...ugh, but I'll say 199). Since I'm a slow loser, my goal is 10 pounds. That's alot for me so maybe it'll make me run more often than I have been. Crystal

Thanks guys. This is exactly what I mean. I want to be able to see what everyone else sees. I have moments of clarity where I'm like wow...I really do look great. Then I see that skin on my upper thighs or the pooch-thingy at the top of my stomach (you would think one pooch is enough, right???) that I notice when I stand to the side (which has always been there, but it used to be alot bigger). Logically, I know all of this, but I guess this comes from years of body-image issues! It'll get better. I'm going to try the talking to myself thing! Thanks all! Crystal

Wow--you have done fabulous. Thanks for the words. I know we all have similar mentality issues ... if we didn't have food and weight issues, we'd be normal sizes right! Thanks again.

Friday the 13th was my one year anniversary. And...I finally broke down and went shopping for some new clothes. I had no non-work clothes at all to wear and wanted to wear something for a night out with friends. All of my work clothes are hand me downs from another friend of mine losing weight. I decided to skip trying on the size 16s. Even though I thought there was no way I was fitting in the 14s. they looked so small. I have been wearing 16's but they were all light weight "stretcy pants" --and we all know jeans are different! But even though they are all getting big, I was shocked to fit in a size 14. I fit in every pair I tried on and actually got to decide which pair I liked more, and which ones I didn't like...not only just buying the ones that my butt fit into. But--after all this. I don't feel like I'm a size 14. I don't feel like I look that much different, even though it's obvious to me in pictures and in other people's reactions. It's almost funny. When I started this journey I said I would be happy to just fit in a size 14...but now that I'm here, I'm not satisfied. I still feel like a fat chick with a cute face. Now, I've reassessed my goal --to a size 10. OMG.. it's actually a possibility. I'm one of the ones that took forever to start losing. Now that I'm at my sweet spot, 7.1 ccs in a 10 cc band (I only got small fills every couple months and had to wait 2 months before getting the first one), I finally feel the weight coming off. But my question is this...am I supposed to feel skinny now? How should a size 14 feel? I'm still struggling mentally with the loss. I have to realize that everyone's first reaction to me is not, damn she's fat. I have to realize that it's really happening for me this time. Maybe that's why I never bought new clothes...I thought I'd gain it back again??? And now that I'm a year out, maybe it's the realization that this time it's working?? How does everyone else feel after gettin down to a normal size? Sorry for the vent. My hubby just does not understand... Supportive yes, but everyone here really understands. Thanks for listening. Crystal

Oh--my gas pain was REALLY bad in my left shoulder. It's completely normal. I used gas-x strips. I think it was gone in about 4 days or so for me! And...I was 254 at surgery and I couldn't see my port at all before. Now that I'm 210, I can't really see it at all, but I can definitely feel it. My dr. said he would give me a "gucci" port if I got "all skinny". :biggrin:

Mine's on the right too. No specific reason. I think it's dr. preference.

Check out Inside the Mind of Suz... Suz's Couch to 5k Running Podcasts | Inside the Mind of Suz I just started week 2 yesterday...really enjoyed her podcasts so far.

I love it and I can eat it. I chop it all up completely before eating. It's actually an easy way for me to get my protein with the cheese, egg, and I use FF lunchmeat (which goes down easier than chicken) and veggies. The dressing lubes everything up real good too! Low fat when using fat free dressing. I personally think this is a great choice.