Band_Groupie

Hang in there sunny. From what I know if you can still eat as much as you want, then there's NO way you have enough restriction yet. I think this period (between getting the band and getting to the elusive 'sweet spot') is going to be so frustrating. You've finally got your band, but it's not really helping you yet (many people here gain weight during this period, so you're not a failure). I'm sure another fill or two will help! Just take this time to keep practicing all those good habits so you're ready when true restriction is there. I'm getting banded by early May and I don't expect true restriction until the holidays (but I'm sure I'll be impatient too...I can hear my 'whinefest' now, just remind me of this then). -BG

So sorry fit & peach, I forgot to come back here (PM me if you have more questions). The LB low profile is not out yet. (wish you could subscribe to individual posts on blogs) TMI, but in case you're interested: The new Realize band is in trials now but won't be widespread for awhile (port is the same). They fixed the problems with the shape by making it precurved like the LB and the increased the volume (9 to 11cc) so it's like the LB- a bigger range so they can tweak your sweet spot more accurately. But they kept the single balloon (I like the multiple ones the LB offers). I chose the LB (my doc offers both LB/Realize) and the doc will decide which size of LB when he does the surgery (APS or APL). I did a lot of research and prefer the LB. He also let me pick the placement of the port (he said it can go almost anywhere as long as it's not too far from the band. I chose a little L of center between my ribs and belly button line, his default is on the right). -BG

Chriss- this is my biggest worry also...the dreaded head hunger, but in reading your blog it confirms that the band is a great tool because it really forces you to face this dragon. I may need a lobotomy...wonder if insurance covers that LOL. Oh, and thanks for the gum tip, I'm not a chewer now so I wouldn't have thought of that! -BG ...and I get the 'watching/waiting' thing as I've been thin several times...we have enough 'watching/waiting' before the surgery, time to get out there and build the life you've wanted...this is a great time to start making small changes to your personal life as well...I may have to find more hobbies to fill my hands when they're not holding my constant companions anymore (fork/spoon).

Welcome krey and happy blogging! Here's the tutorial for the ticker (below)...it looks like you did it except you need to copy and paste it under 'Edit your signature'. -BG http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker...ictures-41782/

Good lord:rolleyes:…a school holiday Monday, another snow day today and they’ve already called a 2 hr. delay for tomorrow (good thing I had a day to myself yesterday…yeah, remember that naked running thing?). It sleeted on top of all the snow and the trees are all bending with ½” or more of ice coating. It’s rather pretty actually…DS2 said our Dawn Redwood tree looks like a giant crystal (no needles this time of year). You know,:thumbup: it does! I called DH because he was so late getting home that I was getting worried. He was stuck at the bottom of our street (long street with two steep hills and we’re at the top) and was on his third attempt to try and get up it…let’s just say there was a few choice curse words at this point.:blushing: It had taken him 2 hours to get this far and it’s normally about a 20 min. ride. He decided to give up and park at the local grocery store for the night…that’ll never do…he’s got an early flight out tomorrow morning and has to be up at 3am…what if the car gets towed, or is covered in ice, or won’t start?...:glare:hmmm…not sure what he was planning to do, walk the mile back to our house through the sleet and ice?:eek: I suggested we put some weight or people in his car and try again, so I grabbed my 18 year old and a couple of snow shovels and took my minivan carefully down the hills, sliding every now and then. We met at the grocery store and after transferring DS1 to his car we inched back to our street. Voila! They were at a crawl near the top, sliding sideways:eek: and with the tires spinning wildly, but they made it up…barely (my van fared a little better, but not much). Now I’m left wondering how he’s going to make it to the airport so early (usually a 45 min. drive…what will that be…4 hours? Here's wishing the flight is cancelled). I’m making him take my van…we really do need at least one four-wheel drive car now that we’re living in hilly, snowy Pittsburgh...ya think?! I need a vacation somewhere warm!:thumbup:

Good lord:rolleyes:…a school holiday Monday, another snow day today and they’ve already called a 2 hr. delay for tomorrow (good thing I had a day to myself yesterday…yeah, remember that naked running thing?). It sleeted on top of all the snow and the trees are all bending with ½” or more of ice coating. It’s rather pretty actually…DS2 said our Dawn Redwood tree looks like a giant crystal (no needles this time of year). You know,:cheatfree: it does! I called DH because he was so late getting home that I was getting worried. He was stuck at the bottom of our street (long street with two steep hills and we’re at the top) and was on his third attempt to try and get up it…let’s just say there was a few choice curse words at this point.:cheatfree: It had taken him 2 hours to get this far and it’s normally about a 20 min. ride. He decided to give up and park at the local grocery store for the night…that’ll never do…he’s got an early flight out tomorrow morning and has to be up at 3am…what if the car gets towed, or is covered in ice, or won’t start?...:glare:hmmm…not sure what he was planning to do, walk the mile back to our house through the sleet and ice?:Banane37: I suggested we put some weight or people in his car and try again, so I grabbed my 18 year old and a couple of snow shovels and took my minivan carefully down the hills, sliding every now and then. We met at the grocery store and after transferring DS1 to his car we inched back to our street. Voila! They were at a crawl near the top, sliding sideways:eek: and with the tires spinning wildly, but they made it up…barely (my van fared a little better, but not much). Now I’m left wondering how he’s going to make it to the airport so early (usually a 45 min. drive…what will that be…4 hours? Here's wishing the flight is cancelled). I’m making him take my van…we really do need at least one four-wheel drive car now that we’re living in hilly, snowy Pittsburgh...ya think?! I need a vacation somewhere warm!:Banane37:

Congratulations!!! Hope you feel better soon...sip, sip, sip!

Wow! I've taken more from your story than any other I've read...HOPE! I too have been thin and fat many times, most recently down 90# from where I am now 8 years ago and 60# 4 years ago and 40# just last year...and yes, I've been doing this yo-you and more for about 30 years, and was never a fat kid. I just barely made the minimum 35 BMI (READ if you need a laugh) and I'm at my heaviest now. Although it gets harder and harder to lose the weight the real thing I'm looking forward to is being able to KEEP it off and get my health back (I'm looking forward to those pics at my kids weddings someday too--my oldest-DD is 21)!! I sooo look forward to getting off this roller coaster and having food/dieting play a normal role in my life. I know not everyone gets this as they think 'You've lost it before, why can't you do that again instead of something as extreme as WLS?' Thank you for your post as it was very personal for me!

Wow, you poor thing! I haven't noticed anyone here having it replaced twice in less than a year!!! Does your surgeon's office have other surgeon's in it that you could see (I'm assuming not)? I'm sure everyone here will want to know who your surgeon is as this sounds like his fault to me! Maybe you could contact your insurance to see if they will approve a "fix"...then you could approach other Drs. with pre-approval. I know my docs take on all the hard cases/revisions in Pittsburgh (and they're the best) that none of the other hospitals will touch; be aware that can make their 'stats' a little worse which is why most won't want you, but I'm sure even if you have to drive farther you'll be able to find someone. Good luck!

Just want to say that I've seen many here who had to work through the initial problems (I know many say their port site hurt for more than a month) and eventually ended up loving their band. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I also wonder about the doc "taking everything out"...did you have your first fill sometime during this? I'm wondering how much was in your band initially/with the fill as normally you shouldn't have any restriction at this point even with a small first fill? Hang in there, it's got to get better soon!

It's for the best, as you know. I'll be doing my NUT and Pulmonary pre-ops that day...so I'm jealous of you! Get better soon!

Compliments are hard to get used to about your appearance when you're used to the other kind of attention. I know how you feel as I've been thinner a few times now. Now, aren't you glad you chose not tell about the LB...more opinions/attention!

Good luck and keep us posted...nice that you have a friend to go through this with!

Check with your surgeon, but I'm pretty sure he's talking about the larger Lap Band. It holds 14, but 2 of those are in the tubing/port (I've seen others here say the same). The Lap Band is put in with several cc's in it already (usually 2cc's- none of this is in the band, it's in the tubing, so that's probably why he's saying 12). Just ask if he's talking about the Lap Band APL (L=large, 14 cc ttl) or APS (S=standard/small 10 cc ttl). The old Lap Band had 4cc's (no longer in use, but you'll see some here mention it as they had surgery when it was available). The new Realize C only goes up to 11cc (only being tested by a few surgeons now, trial stage), and the old Realize one which is still being used everywhere is 9cc ttl. It is put in empty.

Yeah, I'm pre-band and I'm already trying to mentally prepare for both "bander hell" (post op liquids) and maybe even worse...that period you're going through where you don't have restriction yet and many start gaining again...hang in there; the elusive sweet spot is coming your way! Get lots of protein as it will help with the hunger.

It’s almost 10am and I’m sitting here in my jammies. I just realized I have nothing I HAVE to do today…no appointments, no kids at home (yes, another school holiday yesterday)…I’m alone with nothing that HAS to be done! How often does that happen?:ohmy: I don’t think I’ve been in this position since before the holidays! Now, what to do? And before you say “Must be nice!” it’s not that I have nothing to do, it’s that I have nothing I HAVE to do. Sure the laundry is calling me, my kitchen floor needs mopping, I’ve got piles of papers sitting in the hobby room that I started filing that are now spread out on the floor, but what to do? Well now that my computer is back from it’s ‘vacation’ after a month, I need to start tracking my food and exercise again (I’ve been catching up on everyone/websites this morning), and I do have phone calls that need to be made…I need to make my appointments with physical therapy (back osteoarthritis), the treadmill, but what to do? No one’s here…maybe I’ll go streaking through the house naked on my way to a bubble bath in the jacuzzi…oh, yeah…I'm still a 'Before'...and there’s that full glass front door I had to have…:thumbup:

It’s almost 10am and I’m sitting here in my jammies. I just realized I have nothing I HAVE to do today…no appointments, no kids at home (yes, another school holiday yesterday):cheatfree:…I’m alone with nothing that HAS to be done! How often does that happen?:cheatfree: I don’t think I’ve been in this position since before the holidays! Now, what to do? And before you say “Must be nice!” it’s not that I have nothing to do, it’s that I have nothing I HAVE to do. Sure the laundry is calling me, my kitchen floor needs mopping, I’ve got piles of papers sitting in the hobby room that I started filing that are now spread out on the floor, but what to do? Well now that my computer is back from it’s ‘vacation’ after a month, I need to start tracking my food and exercise again (I’ve been catching up on everyone/websites this morning), and I do have phone calls that need to be made…I need to make my appointments with physical therapy (back osteoarthritis), the treadmill, but what to do? No one’s here…maybe I’ll go streaking through the house naked on my way to a bubble bath in the jacuzzi…oh, yeah…I'm still a 'Before'...and there’s that full glass front door I had to have…:Banane37:

I'm a very open with everything in my life, but made the decision not to tell anyone but DH. By far, the hardest part of this process for me has been putting myself first...or at least on the list. I've managed to do that, but I'm hanging on the top of the list by my toes...I don't need any opinions, drama, guilt to knock me down.

Take it one change at a time. Commit to doing something different each week. Now that you're on liquids, maybe start training yourself to only have 3 meals per day; no snacking-drink lots between meals. Add exercise a little at a time. Know that the band won't be able to help you much until you've probably had several fills, so it's up to you for awhile...one step at a time. You're young, the weight can come off faster if you work at it.

So this morning was my pre-op Cardiac MRI. I was downtown at AGH (hospital) early and after muddling through registration I finally navigated my way through the halls to the right elevator. The hospital must have had a million additions to it over the years…it’s like being a rat in a maze..you know, lab rat…fitting. I finally found myself in the bowels of the earth with no one else around and found the two solid doors that read ‘Cardiac MRI’ waiting room...my luck, they were locked…just about the time I was questioning if I'd made a mistake and came the wrong day I found another door down the hall. Apparently I was the first appointment of the day and the receptionist thought she’d unlocked the door – so apologetic! The people there couldn’t have been nicer. I got changed, hooked up to the equipment and then onto the MRI bed…ready to start. Let me tell you, I had a brain MRI done this fall at a different place as a clearance for putting me on medicine for my migraines (which have mostly disappeared…fabulous!). It was quite the adventure…they had me lay on a bed, then WHAT”S THIS? Without a word they snapped a plastic mask over my face (I felt like Hannibal)…no instructions, no panic button…just “Hold still. This should take about 10 min.” Out they went. That’s it! Suddenly the noises start and the bed moves…WTFlip?:ohmy: Why am I moving? Just when I got used to one noise it would stop…ok…WHIRL, CLUNK, WHIZ…bed moving!:clap: Yea…lay still?? Are you kidding me? How can you lay still when this cacophony of sounds keeps startling me…and couldn’t you warn a girl that the bed will keep moving?!! Thank God there wasn’t a panic button, and only my head and chest went into the machine, and that it only lasted 10 minutes! Geez…give people some warning!:Dancing_wub: So I went this morning with some trepidation. They asked me if my blood pressure is ‘always that high?’ (yea, and I’m on meds). The Tech was so sweet and started telling me about everything that would happen (this is new), but I panicked a little when she said it would take about 45 min. I could hardly handle 10 min. how was I going to make it through 45??!! Now this is different…“pick a radio station and here are your headphones to drown out those awful noises”…smart!...and “I’ll be talking to you and telling you when to breath and when to hold your breath and you’ll hear me through the headphones.”…and the best part “Here’s a ball to squeeze if you need to come out.”…YAY…‘a PANIC BUTTON!’...oh, whoops I just said that out loud!:wink2: The Tech laughed and said, “Well, yes, but we don’t like to call it that as it gives the wrong connotation and might scare people!” OK, lay down, eyes closed…I’m thinking “Go to your Happy Place, go to your Happy Place” and into the tunnel the bed goes. Now, I’ve got to say my hips and my arms were squished a bit against the walls of the tunnel the whole time…and I’m big, but I’m not enormous…I can now see why some here say they had to do this with their arms above their heads (I feel for you!). The music is playing and the Tech starts giving me my breathing instructions with her most soothing voice “In, Out, In, Out, Hold, Breath.” She warned me when the bed would move and the music drowned out a lot of the noise. After awhile I calmed down,:thumbup: just in time for Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” to start playing on the headphones:lol:…it was so fitting that I almost started laughing…almost.:frown: P.S. Got my computer back tonight…all better!

So this morning was my pre-op Cardiac MRI. I was downtown at AGH (hospital) early and after muddling through registration I finally navigated my way through the halls to the right elevator. The hospital must have had a million additions to it over the years…it’s like being a rat in a maze..you know, lab rat…fitting.:cheatfree: I finally found myself in the bowels of the earth with no one else around and found the two solid doors that read ‘Cardiac MRI’ waiting room...my luck, they were locked…just about the time I was questioning if I'd made a mistake and came the wrong day I found another door down the hall. Apparently I was the first appointment of the day and the receptionist thought she’d unlocked the door – so apologetic! The people there couldn’t have been nicer. I got changed, hooked up to the equipment and then onto the MRI bed…ready to start. Let me tell you, I had a brain MRI done this fall at a different place as a clearance for putting me on medicine for my migraines (which have mostly disappeared…fabulous!). It was quite the adventure…they had me lay on a bed, then WHAT”S THIS? Without a word they snapped a plastic mask over my face (I felt like Hannibal)…no instructions, no panic button…just “Hold still. This should take about 10 min.” Out they went. That’s it! Suddenly the noises start and the bed moves…WTFlip?:cheatfree: Why am I moving? Just when I got used to one noise it would stop…ok…WHIRL, CLUNK, WHIZ…bed moving!:eek: Yea…lay still?? Are you kidding me? How can you lay still when this cacophony of sounds keeps startling me…and couldn’t you warn a girl that the bed will keep moving?!! Thank God there wasn’t a panic button, and only my head and chest went into the machine, and that it only lasted 10 minutes! Geez…give people some warning! So I went this morning with some trepidation. They asked me if my blood pressure is ‘always that high?’ (yea, and I’m on meds). The Tech was so sweet and started telling me about everything that would happen (this is new), but I panicked a little when she said it would take about 45 min. I could hardly handle 10 min. how was I going to make it through 45??!! Now this is different…“pick a radio station and here are your headphones to drown out those awful noises”…smart!...and “I’ll be talking to you and telling you when to breath and when to hold your breath and you’ll hear me through the headphones.”…and the best part “Here’s a ball to squeeze if you need to come out.”…YAY…‘a PANIC BUTTON!’...oh, whoops I just said that out loud!:Banane37: The Tech laughed and said, “Well, yes, but we don’t like to call it that as it gives the wrong connotation and might scare people!” OK, lay down, eyes closed…I’m thinking “Go to your Happy Place, go to your Happy Place” and into the tunnel the bed goes. Now, I’ve got to say my hips and my arms were squished a bit against the walls of the tunnel the whole time…and I’m big, but I’m not enormous…I can now see why some here say they had to do this with their arms above their heads (I feel for you!). The music is playing and the Tech starts giving me my breathing instructions with her most soothing voice “In, Out, In, Out, Hold, Breath.” She warned me when the bed would move and the music drowned out a lot of the noise. After awhile I calmed down,:Banane37: just in time for Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” to start playing on the headphones:lol:…it was so fitting that I almost started laughing…almost.:iagree: P.S. Got my computer back tonight…all better!

I'm about to start month 4 of my 6 mo. and am currently 4 pounds above the 35 BMI minimum. I just went to my surgeon's consult and was told I can't go below the 35 BMI at ANY time during my 6 mo., even after the surgeon consult. I have BCBS - Highmark PPO Blue (Western PA). The insurance company can look at the whole period of time since I have weight written on my monthly weigh-in forms (they can look at it all).

Yep, ditto above. Just had my surgeon's consult and I got to select between the Realize or the Lap Band (but not all docs offer both. I chose the LB and he will decide which of the two sizes to use when he sees my innards (not always a correlation to your 'outards'/weight).

Thanks JA, I love getting new recipes for post-op! Thanks! -BG

Welcome to LBT...we've all been 'out of control' or we wouldn't be here...journey on! -BG