marfar7

You can get a tube of Hydrocortisone cream or gel for about $1 at any store. I use it whenever my skin itches. I don't remember my incisions being all that itchy - of course, it was almost 3 yrs ago and my memory is foggy! Good luck! Marci

You sound exactly like me! In 3 yrs, I've never counted anything nor measured anything. I go by what my body tells me. Measuring and counting remind me of dieting - something I swore I'd never, ever do again after getting the band. I also don't write down everything I've eaten. Had to do it for a week for my previous trainer and it was a pain in the butt. Don't know how people do that all day. To me, I'm trying to get my focus OFF of eating, not to make it more of a focus. I'm trying to be like a normal, thin person. And normal, thin people don't write down everything they eat. I also eat carbs. My PA lectures me about my carb intake everytime I see him. Never wanted to diet again, and again, watching my carb intake is just like dieting. But I'm stuck at a certain number and the only way down from there is to start counting, I guess. I still remember how many calories are in EVERYTHING cuz I was such a proficient dieter in the past! I don't think I have a problem with how big my bites are - it's how fast I shove them in my mouth. Elcee, I think we have so much in common. Like the recent weight gains we've both had after almost reaching goal. Too bad you're on the other side of the world! Marci

I started my wls journey 3 yrs ago! I've now lost 100 lbs. I actually drive 6 hrs roundtrip to see my dr- and I have a clinic about 4 miles from home. Except.....that Medicare paid for my surgery and they only cover Centers of Excellence - and there's only 2 in Oregon (Coos Bay and Eugene. I go to Coos Bay). I wish my dr was only 100 miles away! Good luck! Marci

Speaking from experience, my band slipped because I never did master the art of eating slowly, making me vomit about 4-8 times a week. My band was good for the first 2 1/2yrs, then it had had it with the constant vomiting. Since being unfilled/filled/tweaked since my slip, I've only vomited twice (in 4 mths, I think thats pretty good). I've learned to slow down and eat more often to not let myself be so starving that I gulp my food. Good luck! Marci

I go to Dr Stephen Tersigni in Coos Bay, OR. I live in Medford, so it's about a 6 hrs round trip trip to him, but he's well worth it. Medicare would only pay for Centers of Excellence and there's only 2 in OR (at least 3 yrs ago there were). Him and 1 in Eugene. Altho Eugene probably be closer to you, huh? Good luck! Marci

Absolutely! I find myself getting jealous at people that can eat endless amounts of food. Also thankful tho that I can't anymore! Especially at Thanksgiving itself and at buffet. I'm a total waste of money at a buffet, but I still fill my plate - once. I eat a bite of most things and stare at the people (including my husband) who continue to go back for more. He's a low carber tho and only eats meat and veggies. Can't stand eating low carb. I still enjoy food and eating - even more now that I take the time to actually taste the food! And I'm really jealous at the people who stuff themselves and never gain a pound! I have a cousin who literally eats about 5,000 calories a day and has NEVER had a problem with her weight. Good luck! Marci

I'm wondering the same thing??? If it's foods that I can't tolerate, after 3 yrs, it's not much. I can eat pretty much everything - cept pizza crust and pineapple chunks (which is my fav food, but for some reason they make me vomit no matter how tiny of a bite I take and how slowly I eat them). If that's not what gauged food is, then sorry Marci

Thanks! I've been struggling with my band for about 6 mths now, having a slight slip and having to experiment with fills/unfills to stop the constant reflux. Nope, never counted or measured at all, anytime. Since I'm such a proficient dieter, tho, I can keep track in my head of approx calories and find myself adding them up occasionally! My "green zone" came at my 3rd fill. I didn't heed the advice of my dr (I'm a total rule breaker and don't advise this at all!) to stay on a liquid diet after my fill for 24 hrs. I stayed at a motel, since my dr is 3 hrs away. I went to the coffee shop and ordered a chicken breast meal. I ate exactly 3 bites of chicken, 3 bites of potato and 3 bites of green Beans. That chicken made me about 5 meals! I was uncomfortable. Couldn't have eaten another bite. Not the usual "full" feeling, but actual pain behind my breastbone. That first year after finding restriction was great! I ate a toddlers portion and was satisfied. Never "Thanksgiving full", but actually in pain if I ate beyond my capabilities. Now, 3 yrs later, I can eat more before that pain comes. I'm fighting the weight I've gained after having a slip. My advice: Avoid throwing up at all costs! Don't eat past that feeling of fullness. And eat REALLY slowly. I learned to eat fast in Army basic training - if you didn't eat in 5 minutes, you didn't eat. I still fight the urge to eat fast, and did it until my slip (caused by my frequent vomiting from eating too fast). Oh, and it took about 18 mths to lose the 100 lbs. I was a slow loser. I lost something every single week tho. I've been maintaining/gained a few lbs back for about 18 mths. Good luck! Marci

I agree. I started dating (after being widowed for 2 yrs) after losing about 75 lbs. No one ever said anything to me about how little I ate. No one will even notice, I promise. Besides, I'm very open with everyone about my surgery. I'm proud of what I've done and don't waste a second not telling others about it! I've never heard a disparaging remark. Good luck! Happy Jewish New Year! Marci

After the first 5 mths (I ha no restriction till my 3rd fill), I started losing 8-10 lbs a month. So, about 2-3 lbs a week I guess. I think it's perfectly normal. And after 3 yrs, I eat EVERYTHING. Including bread, rice, pasta, and an occasional soft serve from DQ! Luv their vanilla soft serve! I noticed your blog about Olive Garden and not eating breadsticks and pasta. Olive Garden is my FAV restaurant and I eat there about once a month. I usually get seafood alfredo (I know, a no-no in most bandsters diets) and chicken gnocci soup. I can eat about 1/3 of the soup, 1/2 of a breadstick and the alfredo makes about 4-5 meals for me. I get sick of it after a couple of days of eating it and toss the rest. And I can eat more now than I could, say, a year ago. You'll probably still be able to enjoy your fav foods, once you get the proper restriciton and you experiment a little. Just don't eat a food for the first time at a restaurant. Thats my advice! Otherwise you'll have to explain yourself to all the ladies in the ladies room who inquire if you're ok. Good luck! Marci

Just out of curiosity, why can't you eat salad? Marci

Awesome! Keep it up! Marci

I promise, your green zone is coming. I didn't find any restriction for 5 mths (3rd fill). After my 4 week liquid diet, I ate just as much as before being banded - thought I had failed another diet. My dr only does fills every 6 weeks, no sooner. I losy maybe 5 lbs during those first 5 mths. After getting that 3rd fill, I found myself losing slowly, but every single week, I lost something. I've never counted anything or measured anything. I go by what my body feels when I'm full. Counting and measuring remind me of being on another diet, which I swore I was done with getting banded. You can do it! Have a little faith in yourself and in your dr. Most people take 2-4 fills before they find the "zone" where they start losing. I think that most of the people who fail with the band give up before getting "there". Good luck! Marci

Me personally, I didn't lose but maybe 5 lbs the first 5 mths. After my 4 week liquid diet (which I lost maybe 3 lbs total), I had a free-for-all in the eating dept. I didn't find restriction till 5mths/3rd fill, then I started noticing a difference. Even my totally liquid diet didn't do anything for loss. I was bummed. Thought I had failed yet another diet. Till the magic of my 3rd fill came! Then the pounds started melting off. You'll probably be on a liquid diet still when it's your moms wedding. Can't say if you'll need alterations, but I'm guessing any lbs you'll lose in the next 3 weeks, won't be too great to affect your dress size. JMHO. Good luck with your surgery! Marci

I used 2 bottles of the liquid Vicodin they gave me the first week. After a couple of weeks, I felt normal tho. Although where my port was was still bruised and felt like I'd been hit for about a month. Everytime I get a fill (3 yrs later), it does the same thing - gets bruised and is sore for a few days. Good luck on your recovery! You'll be 100% before you know it! Marci

Congrats! Keep it up! Marci

Just thought I'd drop in and say hey! I'm originally from SLO! I live in OR now, but frequently visit SLO as my mom still lives there. Good luck finding a doc! Marci

Congrats! You've done an awesome job! Keep it up! Marci

Reflux was my ONLY symptom of my slip. I could keep anything down, no pain, no nausea - just severe reflux at night. I'm going thru almost the same thing right now. ABout 6 mths ago, my band slipped. My dr took out 1/2 of my 10cc fill and let it rest for 4 weeks. Without doing a followup xray to make sure it was fixed (now I wish I had insisted on it), they started the fill process when I told him I had no more reflux. The first 1cc fill was fine. No reflux - but also no restriction. The 2nd 1cc fill started my reflux again. Went back in for another xray. My band hadn't moved at all since the slip. So my dr just took out the 1cc he had previously given me that had sent me over the edge. Said he was treating my symptoms not the xray. The reflux went away, and I have a little restriciton, but at nite, it's like I don't have any at all. I still have occasional reflux (about 2x a week). In the past few months, I've gained about 10 lbs. I know exactly how you're feeling. Reflux sucks. So does having little to no restriciton. Especially after having for years and doing well. I originally had only 15 lbs to goal. Now I have 25. It sucks. I have no clue what to do either. If I should go back to the dr and demand that he fix my band, start all over again, all the while paying out of pocket for it and driving 6 hrs round trip, or just leaving it alone, thankful for the little restriciton I do have.... hmmmm. what to do.... Good luck! Marci

I know exactly how you feel. My first Thanksgiving after being banded, I was actually jealous of my family at the table. I ate a bite of everything while everyone else stuffed their faces. While I was happy to be satisfied with such a little amount, it still makes me jealous when I see people eat so much. My husband loves Hometown Buffet (he's a lo carber, so can get his fill of meat and veggies) and I'm a waste of money there. I still fill my plate (taking a bite of everything), but watching people fill their plates time and time again makes me a little jealous. And grossed out at the same time! Does that make sense? Marci

I'm with Mis73. No lotions or magic potions out there. Depends on 3 things: Your heridity, your age, and the amt you have to lose. I think it also matters how fast you lose it (if your skin doesn't have time to catch up with speedy weight loss - like from Gastric Bypass- then it'll sag big time). Your family history is also big time here. If you have family that lost a great amt of weight and had no saggy skin, that's good news. The trainer I had at the gym the first yr after being banded told me that no amount of exercise would get rid of saggy skin. You can tone muscle but not skin. Having lost 100 lbs, I have minimal saggy skin on my stomach. I got really lucky. While I'd luv to be able to afford a tummy tuck someday, there's only two people that ever see it - myself and my husband. And he thinks I'm beautiful. I'm sure he wouldn't mind it being a little tighter, but tummy tucks are over $8,000.00 so I don't see it happening anytime in the near future. Good luck! Marci

After almost 3 yrs, I find myself weighing every day. The first year or so, I was weighed once a week by my trainer at the gym - thats it. When I bought a scale a couple of yrs ago, I could stay off of it most of the week. But now that I'm closer to goal, I find myself weighing everyday. Helps keep me in check. If I gain more than a few lbs, I'm on top of it. I'd advise tho to weigh only once a week. Some people can weight themselves only at the dr's office - kudos to them. I couldn't do it. Marci

I would think that if you absolutely needed it for surgery, the hospital you're having your band placed in would supply it. They have respiratory depts that have every breathing machine known to man. If you're spending the nite (like I did), they can supply you with a CPAP machine for the night stay. Good luck! Marci

Regarding saving old clothes: I do advise everyone to save at least a couple of outfits from their biggest size. I saved NOTHING and now I can't compare to what I used to wear. I know I used to wear a 22 and now I wear an 8 - whcih is great, but I wish I had the tangible proof that I once wore that big of a size! Marci

A new clinic opened up in my town a couple of years ago. I had to go there for an emergency unfill once. My clinic is 3 hrs away. I made an inquiry of what it would take to transfer to this newer clinic. The new one wants $1,600 just to transfer and then $300 for very fill/visit after that. My dr is $160. It's worth it for me to drive 6 hrs round trip. Make sure you get the low down on the costs involved in transferring also. You can find referrals on this site. Just click on the "Lapband Surgeons and Hospitals" part on the forums. You can get a little info about each surgeon. I didn't have too many choices, as I was covered by Medicare and they only cover Centers of Excellence. There's only 2 in the whole state of Oregon. I'm very happy with mine tho. Even tho I have to drive so far to see him. Good luck! Marci