Dani257969

My name is Danielle and I have five children, including 4 year old triplets. I was banded 2 years ago and have lost 100 lbs with about 100 more to go. I have had a lot of problems with my band and was scheduled to be revised to a bypass in November. I just found out I am pregnant with #6. I'm totally shocked. I haven't ovulated on my own in almost a decade. I got the letter yesterday telling me the date of my surgery and just cried. I know I will eventually be really happy about this baby, but I'm just do disappointed that I have to wait even longer to get the rest of this weight off.

Well I got a surgery date for Nov. 3 and just found out I'm pregnant with my 6th child. I guess the Lapband gave me my fertility back :-) I have very mixed emotions about it. One weird thing is that the pregnancy seems to have cured my stomach problems. Oh well. I guess I will just have to put everything in God's hands and go with the flow. Danielle

Update: Having to put my surgery on hold because I just found out I am pregnant with my 6th child. I guess the weight loss from the band got rid of my infertility problems. Maybe this is God's way of telling me that this isn't the path I'm supposed to take right now. Hopefully in a year or so I will be getting ready for my revision. Danielle

I had 200 lbs to lose when I got my band 2 1/2 years ago. I wish I had gotten the bypass then, but I was too afraid. I have lost and maintained 100 lbs with the band but I have had problems with the band for almost 2 years. I also realized that I was never going to get to my goal unless I had a malabsorptive aspect because I love to eat and you can get around the restrictiveness of the band with ice creams and chips and other junk foods. I got to the points were I couldn't eat any rice, pasta, bread, meat, fruit or veggies without it getting stuck and causing me severe pain and vomiting. I feel like when I get the bypass I will be able to eat a better variety of food to keep myself healthy. Danielle

My name is Danielle. I'm 37 and the mother of 5 kids, including 4 year old triplets.I've battled obesity since I was a child and finally made the decision to get the lap-band 3 years ago after developing high blood pressure and sleep apnea and topping the scales at 374. I lost 100 lbs in less than a year which was a plus. But about 6 months after being banded I began having abdominal and chest pain and having food back up into my esophagus forcing me to vomit for hours. This would usually last about 12 hours and resulted in several ER visits. I got into a vicious cycle where my band would slowly get tightened every month and then I would have an episode and they would have to deflate it some. I even had my gallbladder out last year because they thought the pain was gallstones but turned out to be esophageal spasms. This spring they completely deflated my band and I was pain-free for about 2 months. Then the episodes started again. I had an EGD, an esophageal mannometry and an upper GI series and the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with my stomach or esophagus. The only thing they can recommend is to revise to a bypass. So insurance approved me and I am just waiting for the date. I hope this surgery helps and doesn't make my situation worse. I look forward to taking this journey with all of you. Danielle

I really recommend Unjury protein powder. I prefer the unflavored and add it to my coffee and my smoothies. It dissolves quickly and doesn't have an aftertaste. The flavored ones are pretty good as well but I don't ususally use those unless my band is acting up and I have to be on a liquid diet. Danielle

My name is Danielle and I was banded a little over 2 years ago. I have lost and maintained a 100lb weight loss but still have about 100 more to lose. I started having problems with my band after about 6 months. I have had pretty frequent abdominal and chest pain and vomiting. Food backs up into my esophagus and I have to throw it up. I have had multiple ER visits and tons of test and procedures and they can't find anything wrong with me other than that I am having esophageal spasms for some reason. They deflated my band this spring and I have continued to have the problems. I am hoping that revising to a bypass will help. I am just waiting for the scheduler to call me and let me know when it's going to happen.

After 2 frustrating years, I am having my band removed and revising to a bypass. I've lost and maintained a 100 lb weight loss but I still have 100 more to go. For the last year and a half I have had constant problems with abdominal pain and food backing up into my esophagus. I have had so many ER visits and tests and procedures. They deflated my band in the spring and I have continued to have these problems. I never know what is going to cause an episode. One time it was oatmeal. Another time it was one dorito. I am hoping that the bypass will help with this and get my weight loss moving again. Thanks for all the good advice over the years. Danielle

I am about 60 lbs away from my goal and I am thinking about plastic surgeries. After losing 115 lbs and carrying a full-term triplet pregnancy at my highest weight, I need some serious work done. I need to get my arms, legs, torso and breasts done. I am just wondering how many separate surgeries it will take and what the cost will be. Thanks for any info. Danielle

Idid have one stone in my gallbladder but we realized that it wasn't the problem the day after surgery when I had my first solids and spent the next 8 hours in agony. After about $40,000 in medical bills I found out that muscle spasms in your stomach and esophagus from band tightness is the same pain you can get from gallstones. The problem now is that I am able to eat just about anything now at 6cc but when I had good restriction at 8 and 9 cc's I would have these attacks every couple of days. I asked my doc about revision and he said he won't even consider it until I am 2 years post-op. Hopefully I can make the band work still with less restriction. Luckily, I didn't have a slipped band or any dilitation. Just beware letting your band stay too tight. Danielle

I am having a really hard time with my band. In the last month I had my gallbladder out unneccesarily (my band was too tight), an $8000 ER visit, 2 unfills and an upper GI with a refill. I keep getting spasms of my stomach and esophagus that cause vomiting and abdominal, chest and back pain. The only way to keep it from happening is to get an unfill but then I don't have good restriction and I gain weight. I'm just really frustrated. Danielle

I had my gallbladder out on Friday and everything was going smoothly until I had my first solids on Saturday and all of the pain returned. I was in agony for 8 hours and even the IV pain meds didn't make it go away. I had horrible back and chest pain that radiated up my neck to my jaw. It felt like I was having a heart attack. I stayed on liquids until I saw my LAP-BAND® surgeon on Monday and it turns out my band was too tight. I don't know how it got that way, maybe dehydration. They said when it it too tight it causes the pouch to spasm and cause the pain I described. They took 1cc out and it has made a world of difference. I actually ate some eggs this morning! I haven't been able to do that in so long! I am just hoping I don't start to gain weight now that I have less restriction but I am sooo glad to be pain-free!

As of this morning I have joined you in the 100lb club!! I will post pics soon. I still have a ways to go but it feels great to meet this goal!

I finally went to the doctor about the backpain I was having after eating. Turns out I have developed gallstones from the rapid weight loss and have to have my gallbladder out. This really sucks but at least I know what the problem is now. On a happier note, I have passed my halfway point in my weight loss!

This band just keeps you guessing all the time! I had my last fill in November and have lost about 30 lbs. Instead of my band getting looser, it seems to be getting tighter. I would say at least half the time I have a lot of trouble with solids. I recently started getting upper back pain and pressure when I eat solids like chicken. It only lasts for about 10-15 minutes but it's very uncomfortable. I am chewing my food up like a champ. With chicken it's about 60 chews per piece. I'm having more stuck and PB episodes. I also went from being able to drink 12 oz water at a time to only being able to drink about 1 oz at a time. I'm not getting good fluid intake and constipation is really starting to be a problem. Any ideas?

Yeah!!! You look awesome. I am so close to 100 lbs that I can taste it but I have hit some sort of plateau. I can't wait to join you in the 100 lb club!

I'm interested in what people have to say about this. Since I got restriction I have had a ton of gas. I hope this isn't permanent.

I think it is ridiculous that your surgeon wants you to try to lose weight without the band restriction. Obviously, if we were any good at that we wouldn't have the band. I know how frustrated I was before I had restriction. I felt like the band didn't work. My last fill put 9cc in a 14 cc band and it is like night and day. I am so restricted now that if I get all my protein in I don't get much of anything else. For example, yesterdays meals: Breakfast-Chike shake Lunch-4oz chicken Snack-high protein fruit smoothie Dinner-4oz pork Snack-2oz cheese with 3 crackers It is dinnertime now and so far today I have had about 4oz pork and a handful of nuts. If your doctor isn't willing to work with you on getting you to good restriction ASAP, I would find another doc. There are people that got banded when we did that are almost to goal already! I hope that you get this resolved soon.

I'm cold a lot, especially in the evenings. I even started sleeping with an electric blanket. When I go to my parents house, who keep the temp around 68, I have to wear double layers. It's very strange, because I still have another 120 lbs left to lose so I have plenty of insulation.

I have 9cc in a 14 cc band and I feel like I got pretty good restriction from my last fill, 6 weeks ago. I have lost 22lbs since then. And I just chugged 12 oz of water. I can eat about 1/2 -1 cup of solid food per meal. My docs actually tell banders they want you to be able to eat 1-1 1/2 cup of food at each meal. So as little as I am eating and the fact that I am losing more than 2lbs per week, I don't think they would give me a fill. I wouldn't want my band so tight that I couldn't drink a glass of water. Crackers, chips and crackers go down just fine but there isn't a whole lot I can eat anymore. No scrambled eggs, sausage or meatball consistency meats, barbecue, broccoli, apples. There are a lot of things I am afraid to try. But salads go down fine, so I eat a lot of those. Between my salads and low-cal strawberry smoothies I get at work, that is about all the fruits and veggies I get. It will be interesting to see what my doctors tell me at my next appointment.

Yeah!! John - 114 Donny-117 Danielle-80

Well I have finally said good-bye to the 300's for the first time in 8 years (since before my first child was born). I am so thankful for this surgery, even though I can't eat many of the foods I enjoy. I am so glad that I finally have restriction! Here's to a wonderful 2010 and many more weight loss goals!!

I was at my doctors office and they were selling a new high protein meal replacement powder called Chike. It is absolutely delicious. I couldn't find it anywhere except online at chikenutrition.com. You can get a sample of all 6 flavors and just pay for shipping. Also if you want to order something, use the coupon code "GIFT" and get 30% off. I love the chocolate and banana. Now that my band is super tight I am having to rely a lot more on this to get my protein in. Hope you guys like it.

Last month I was supposed to go from 8cc-9cc in my band. There were problems and I went home with only 6cc in my band. I had a fill on Tuesday and I convinced them to put me up to 9cc. When I drink fluids, I feel them sit in my pouch and then go down after few seconds. I also feel little bubbles in my puch as the liquid goes down. I'm kind of worried about moving on to solids. I haven't been impressed with my band, so far. I am only 20 lbs down since surgery and have been gaining and losing the same 5 lbs. I also can't believe the difference between 8cc and 9cc in my band. You wouldn't think 1 cc would make that much difference. I am just so desperate to get to my sweet spot and get this band working. Danielle

I am very frustrated with my band right now. I was banded the beginning of May this year and I am only down 25 lbs. I have been gaining and losing the same 5 lbs for the last 3 months. I had 8cc in a 14cc band until my most recent fill this week. This fill was the most horrible experience ever! My port is facing up towards my head so it's not easy for them to access. It took the PA, RN and surgeon almost 2 hours to access it. I got stuck with a needle 15 times. My stomach looks like someone hit me with a sledge hammer. And to make it worse, instead of me going from 8 to 9cc in my band, they were only able to put 7 cc in because my stomach was having spasms. Now don't get me wrong, I am happy to have maintained my weight over these last couple of months instead of gaining. And I have lost a total of 65lbs this year so far. I just wish I could get to my sweet spot so I would start losing again and stop having to go through the torturous fills. Part of me is really wishing I had gotten the bypass. Danielle