Phranp

I, like BetsyB, have severe back problems. I had back surgery in 2004 (running is NOT an option for me) and have since been diagnosed with spinal stenosis (arthritis of the spine). My doc says that it is so widespread that surgery is not an option. But, I have had the epidural injections and BetsyB is right, they can help. It's been a while since my last injecttion and I lately suffer from spasms in my legs and pain in my back. The spasms (with the accompanying leg cramps) can come during the day or wake me at night. BUT, and this is a big but (no pun intended, lol), I walk as often as possible because I know that it will help my weight loss AND the less I weigh the better my back feels. Also, the less you weigh the more successful the epidural injections are apt to be. Please know that I understand that the pain you (and I) experience from our back problems can be crippling, but we have to make every effort to keep our bodies moving. My ortho used to tell me that walking was good for my back pain, that it would help it get better. I thought he was crazy because in my mind I couldn't imagine standing when in such pain let alone walking! But, I've decided that if I don't try something different I am going to get the same results -- slow weight loss and still in pain. So, I took an extremely long walk last week and while I did have some pain the next day, and I have had spasms since, I was thrilled to be able to make the walk! And, yeah, I had trouble this week with leg pain and spasms but I have been walking it off. Please know that I would not begin to tell you that I know how much pain you are experiencing. I only know that we have similar ills and want to share some of the ways that I get past my pain. Talk to your ortho about the injections and that Water walking is pretty cool too. I tried it and liked it. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of using the water weights which awoke my spinal stenosis and left me in excruciating shoulder/arm pain :thumbup:, BUT the walking in the water part was a success :thumbup:. I guess what I'm really saying is that I know that it's sometimes difficult to consider doing something that we know is going to cause us pain and discomfort, but we have to continue to look for answers that will help us succeed on our journey to lose the weight. Research your condition beyond what your ortho has told you (if you haven't already), the internet (including this forum) can be a wellspring of information. When we have "special" problems that keep you from doing what everyone else can do, we have to learn to think outside the box. Don't give up, we can do this! All the best to you.

I am sorry to hear that so many of you lived post op nightmares in the days after their surgeries. I hope you all feel better soon. I have been banded well over a year and the only pain I remember is the gas pain that was in my left shoulder. It was awful and no amount of pain meds would make it go away. The heating pad they gave me at the hospital helped best. I did not know it was gas (and the nurse didn't mention that it was gas pain either) until I read about it on this forum. I have a bad back (surgery in 2004) and spinal stenosis so I thought the docs had left me on my side at some point during surgery and that was the source of my pain. Alas, it was just gas. Anyway I did not suffer much after surgery -- I took my pain meds religiously ... LOL That may be why I didn't feel miserable or depressed or anything like that. Now, as for the scars, many of you will see your scars fade over time -- mine will never fade. They protrude and will always protrude because I keloid (overgrowth of granulation tissue). My scars are dark and one is about an 1 1/4 inch -- not pretty. But, I am okay with that because last week when I dropped my car off at the dealership for a detailing I WALKED 2 miles to the beach, sat for a little bit admiring the beautiful day and the incredibly blue ocean and then walked back to the dealership. Before this surgery and weight loss that would have been IMPOSSIBLE for me. With the weight I was carrying my back would have never allowed my legs to carry me on such a journey. So, I will live with the scars forever, I don't mind. Your scars will likely fade with time and I am so happy for you. Be kind to yourself and take your meds -- they should take the edge off ... LOL Barring any complications, it is going to get so much better. As many others have said this particular pain will be a distant memory in the not-to-distant future. Hang in there and please know that the lapband comes with challenges, we have all been there and the people on this forum will help you get through them all. This is a great place for information and understanding. All the best to you on your journey.

So glad to hear that things are going well for you Cathy. After reading the posts here I would not have been surprised if you were afraid to take even a bite of food. LOL Good to know all is well. This is the first time I've seen your post or I would have responded sooner. My doc is very liberal with fills. I had my post op one week after surgery and started getting fills every two weeks after that. My fills were not as big as yours, he started with 1 cc, then 1.5, then another 1.5, etc. I have a 10 cc band. At one point I thought I was at my sweet spot so when I went in for my next fill I asked for less than he intended. It worked out okay. It took a while before I hit my sweet spot, but I have been there a while. I was supposed to go back to the doc about 3 months ago, but ... I really don't need a fill, so I didn't go. My doc was liberal with my fills and I have had no problems with slippage or any other problems with the placement of my band. The one thing I will say is that being so tight so soon you probably should heed what others have said and pay close attention when you are eating. Be sure to chew your food well. I say this because, whether you get to restriction fast or slow, you still have to adjust to new habits with the way we eat food. I wish you continued success on your journey.

True, I hear that walking is the best thing for the gas pains. I, didn't realize it was gas pain until I read about it on this forum, so I suffered for days after surgery. I am sure that your headache makes you want to just cover you head and stay in bed. Are you able to take something for the headache? Are you hydrated? You are early in the healing process so be kind to yourself. Make sure you are getting the nourishment/water you need to help you heal quickly. One day in the not-too-distant future this will be but memory ... and you will have a new body and your only worry will be how to get the bags of new clothes into the house without your husband seeing! LOL! Hope you feel better soon.

It will get better! :thumbup: In the interim, are you getting enough Protein? I found that protein helped me get through my toughest days. Also stay hydrated. Seems kind of early for "Bandster Hell" but apparently you are there. Don't give up, make sure you take your Vitamins, drink plenty of Water and protein. You are so fortunate to have a husband that will be going through this with you. You will have a support group right in your house! I can hardly wait until I read your future post saying that you have lost 50+ lbs! All the best to you on your journey!

I am lactose intolerant and cannot get food down in the morning (even eggs :drool:). I buy the Muscle Milk (Chocolate) powdered protein, 26 grams per scoop. I use 8 oz water and 8 oz Silk soy milk. Initially I used all soy milk, but when I wanted to cut calories I started mixing with water. Holds me till lunch when I can tolerate food. I love the taste too.

When I woke up from anesthesia, I was hungry, I didn't feel sick I wasnt sure if that was normal... You are soooo lucky. When I woke up from surgery all I could think about was the stabbing gas pain in my left shoulder. You got off easy! LOL I am having a hard time differentiating between head hunger and real stomach hunger. I am trying to sit with the feeling but when a person has eaten to "complete fullness" it is hard. All of us bandsters know how hard it is to make the changes necessary to reach our goal. Some are better at overcoming our old habits than others. I would suggest that you keep trying and pay attention to what works for you. Don't compare yourself to others and don't sabotage yourself by beating yourself up when you don't "measure up." Remember that each of us is on our own personal journey. You will lose as fast - or as slow - as you are willing or able to. It does require sacrifice and perseverance. "Bandster Hell" is just down the road for you. Read up on it on this forum so you know what it is when it happens and understand that it is a "temporary state". You will get better with the "head hunger" and "stomach hunger" the closer you get to your sweet spot. Please know that getting there can take several months and many fills. (But that is not written in stone - it depends on the person and how liberal their doc is with fills. You just might be one of the lucky ones.) I am bombarded with sights when I go to the store, tv ads about food everything seems amplified!!! How about you fight fire with fire and start doing some reading about changing your diet, achieving better health, exercise and overcoming emotional eating. If you can be effected by the sights you see at the store and tv ads, why can't you be effected by things that will make your lapband journey successful? YOU have the power to change what you see most often. Bet there are no ads for Cookies and cakes in an exercise video. Did you know that if you travel around the outer rim of a grocery store you will find that, that's where the vegetables and grains and dairy and Proteins are? Take a look. The cookies and sweet cereals and stuff like that are almost always together. You don't HAVE to go down that aisle at all. YOU ARE IN CONTROL - accept it. This band is a "tool" that can change your life IF you are willing to do your part. I have never realized how much my life revolves around food! I cant keep my mind off it. I bought a small note book to log what I eat. I am still recovering but I feel like I am "when can I eat again?" Look at you! You are learning already. YAY! That feeling of "when can I eat again" will subside when you are thinking about food differently. That will take time but you can get there. While you are logging what you eat try writing what you are feeling as well. After some time has passed go back and read how you were feeling when you ate a particular food and see if you still feel that way. Make note of the changes you are seeing in yourself. Take a risk every now and again and don't give in to the urge to eat something that you KNOW won't get you to your goal. Write about how you are feeling. And, most important, when you don't give in to the urge for something unhealthy, give yourself credit for changing and recognize that YOU have the power to change yourself. You can do this! And the band can be a great tool to get you there. And finally, three things: 1. Remember, the lapband is a "tool" not a miracle worker. You get out of it what you are willing to put in. 2. Don't beat yourself up. When you falter, start again. As you get restriction you will have fewer slips. 3. Read this forum, it is full of useful information and great people. Use this forum to your advantage. Take what you can use and leave the rest behind. (That includes my post too! LOL) All the best to you on your journey. Keep the faith!

4them, I read about your complications here in a previous post, and I have to say you are AMAZING. After all you've been through you don't sound the least bit bitter or angry AND you are still optimstic about losing the weight when you are completely healed! KUDOS to you. You have all my good wishes for a speedy and complete recovery. I'll bet you will have an terrific journey once your band is working properly. All the best to you on your journey.

The most important thing I have learned about the band (mostly by reading it here on this forum again and again and again) is that the lapband is a TOOL. It does not work miracles and it only works if you work it. So, should you decide to get the band, help your family understand that it is a TOOL and that it works in conjunction with behavior changes that are separate and apart from the band. I am not only a compulsive eater, but I am also a sweet eater. THE BAND STILL WORKS FOR ME. It works because I know that being a compulsive eater isn't like being 5'8" tall -- that's something that I cannot change. Being a compulsive eater IS something that I can and have changed. I see a therapist that specializes in eating/food disorders. She has helped tremendously. I have learned to make CHOICES. And, any compulsive eater that can wait 2 hours to act compulsively isn't compulsive. LOL Initially, you do diet and exercise because you have to in order to lose the weight. Eventually it becomes a lifestyle change. You change the way you have always done things because you learn that by doing so you get the desired effect. I never feel like I am dieting when I eat. But I eat sooooo much less than I ever did in my life ... AND I AM SATISFIED. That's how this TOOL works. It helps you to get to where you want to be and stay there. Best thing I ever did for myself; wish I had done it sooner! Read, read, read this forum. You will get every possible opinion and experience, then DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU. All the best to you on your journey. ~F

BetsyB, in one post you say "Fiber One" in another you say "Fiber Sure". I only find the General Mills Fiber One ... should I be looking for "Fiber Sure" instead? I need some fiber ... really. lol Thanks much.

FANTASTIC! Been there, done that -- LOVED IT!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!

We can't change anyone else, but the minute we change ourselves, our behaviors, our attitude, etc. -- LOOKOUT cuz everything around us starts changing! People expect us to stay in the little box they have put us in. Often, when we are overweight, there are people in our lives that feel secure because they feel our weight makes them superior, or at the very least equal. Problem is, that's THEIR issue, we have nothing to do with it. So when we change our lives and get healthy, lose weight - all their insecurities come to the surface. Oh well, so be it. Your true friends will always be there; and, this friend that you're having the problem with may actually come to her senses and realize that it's not about you, it's about her. She may apologize to you. Time will tell. As for your husband, I am so sorry to hear that this is happening. I hope that, if it is your desire to repair your marriage, you and your husband can get whatever help you need to get it done. I wish you well, whatever you decide to do. All the best to you on your journey.

I don't know if you noticed (this site has sooo much stuff), but there's a forum for people in Canada. They might have more info. Also, if you type in "Calgary" in the "Search LapBandTalk.com" search engine (which is actually google) it brings up people talking about doctors in Calgary (as well as other info). I hope this helps a bit. ~Fran

Froggie, please tell me what kind of problems you were having with your cpap. I thought that after losing weight I could stop using my cpap but my sis told me that I stopped breathing while sleep one night. I started using my machine again but started having big problems with bad congestion in my chest. So I cleaned it every night instead of every 2-3 nights. And I lowered my humidifier. I continued to have problems and just felt sick in general when I used it. I couldn't sleep and would take it off during the night. What is a titrating machine? Did you have to go back to the sleep doc or to your GP? Currently my cpap is on the shelf in my room because I absolutely cannot sleep with it on. I also have asthma.

YAY Brian! Welcome to the wonderful world of lapband! My advice is this: remember this is a journey ... you will not arrive at your goal weight tomorrow. Let your body heal as your doctor instructs. AND, read this forum. The people here are great, yeah some are naysayers, but you need to hear that too because given the proper restriction they change into YAYsayers ...lol (corny, I know). Anyway, just about everything you will go through or can think of will be mentioned on this forum. Use it in good health. All the best to you! Fran

Hi Tracy, I just read yo post. It's 9:30 p.m. her in L.A. so I set my DVR to tape it. I'd be interested in know what you thought of the show. I will probably watch tomorrow when I get home from work. Hope you post you thoughts about the show, whether it's worth watching, etc. Fran

I am so sorry to hear you had to have a second sugery. I wish you well and hope you have a speedy recovery.

Have you tried a hot liquid, maybe that will help.

Oh, duhhh me... I can tell you that when I stopped weighing several months ago, I had lost about 55 lbs. Also, the clothes that are too big for me now are not the clothes I was wearing before surgery; they are clothes that are 3 sizes smaller that a friend gave me BEFORE my surgery that I hadn't been able to get into. Now that are getting too big, YAY!

Kellyodoran, I have no idea what my current weight is because I was obsessing about my weight and weighing every morning and getting mad when I didn't like the numbers. So, one day I stepped on the scale and it said "Lo" as in the "battery is lo". I decided that this was a good time to stop making myself crazy and I stopped weighing. I only know that I need new clothes but, because I don't feel I have lost enough in the stomach area I refuse to buy new. So I wear the same clothes every week. It's getting very boring. The legs and hip area of my pants are starting to look a little ridiculous, but I'm just not ready to give in ... but I may have to soon. LOL Most of my tops are too big too. My stomach is the last place I lose, so I want to give it another month to see what happens.

Without "proper restriction" (i.e., the sweet spot) it is no easy task to stay on the wagon or even get in the wagon. There are those who will tell you that you must eat according to the diet your doctor gave you, or that you must eat healthier etc, etc, etc. They are all correct! But, you and I both know that if we were so good at that we wouldn't have gotten the band. Some of us can manage to eat "right" without the sweet spot and some of us can't. That being said, I used to have the hardest time just like you. I could follow my food plan during the day with ease, but when the sun went down I turned into a ravenous munching monster -- and never the good munching stuff either. I tried EVERYTHING. But, you may do better than I. I will suggest the 100 calorie snack packs and if you can stop at one pack, GREAT! Also, if you get enough Protein at dinner you might make it through the evening. If your hunger is actually "head hunger" and not a lack of nutrition, you may need to journal, or talk to a therapist or a good friend -- someone that understands where you're coming from. One thing I tried that may work for you: I would make sure I ate a lower number of calories during the day so that in the evening if I went a little crazy I would still be within the number of calories that I wanted to eat for the day. May work for you, may not, just a suggestion. Eventually you will eat as well at night as you do during the day. I am at my sweet spot and I no longer munch all night. In part because I can't keep down more than a cup or so and in part because I have been working so hard lately that I am too exhausted to overeat ... all I want to do is sleep. LOL Ultimately, you will have to decide whether you want to reach your goal quickly, whether you want to go leisurely or ... if you want to go kicking and screaming (for a while I chose the latter, I'm much better now, thank you very much ). It's a journey and sometimes we struggle, but this forum is full of great information and support. If my suggestions don't work for you, there will many others here and maybe one (or more) will have a suggestion that will be just right. I wish you the best on your journey.

3 weeks for first fill. 2 weeks for fills after that. But I am at my sweet spot now so I haven't needed a fill for a while.

My doc says drink up to 5 mins before eating and nothing for an hour after. Amazing how docs can be so different. I do find that if I drink just before I eat I am unable to eat much and therefore will not get enough nutrition. So, even though I can drink up to 5 mins., I don't because it is not the best thing for me. I usually give it at least 30 mins.

While I didn't have problems after surgery ... just the gas that caused awful pain in my shoulder, only I didn't know it was gas, I thought they had laid me on my side during surgery and that was the reason. Alas, after a week (or two) the gas pain got better. Didn't have nausea and had very little pain when I went home the next day. BUT, and here's the rub ... I am a slow loser. I read this wonderful forum and there are people losing weight in leaps and bounds over me and, initially, I got a little down on myself. Eventually, with the help of my therapist, who is an obesity specialist, I realized that if I was going to have continued success with this band I could not compare myself to others. I tell you this because at this point you don't know how fast/slow you are going to lose weight, and you should get the REAL right up front. You are unique and like no one else on this earth. You will make up in your own mind how you will use your "tool" and how much you are willing to do to get to your goal. Don't beat yourself up when you falter, just remember that you can do this! This forum has a wealth of information and some very wonderful, supportive people. Take what you can use, and leave the rest behind. I hope that you feel better really soon and that the (anesthesia) blues go away quickly. I am soooo happy I got the lapband and I hope you will be too!

For me, the fact that the band is the least invasive and has the shortest recovery time cinched it for me. I have had two major surgeries (one being back surgery) and I was not interested in going under the knife like that AGAIN. Whew! Recovery from those surgeries was tough! The band can be removed or, at the very least all the Fluid can be easily taken out. I don't predict that I will do either, but if I had to I'm glad that I have the option. Also, I know a number of people that had gastric bypass years ago and are back up to or passed their original weight. With proper restriction it would require a particular brand of self torture to regain your weight once you lose it all. Even if you eat sliders, you'd have to eat day and night to regain -- not that some people could not accomplish this, if it were truly their goal. But, because the band is a "tool", you must "work" with the band in order to lose weight. The work you do changes your relationship with food and that's something that no amount of organ removal can give you. Because, in the end, it's our heads -- not our stomachs -- that make us overeat. I have had food issues my entire life, my sister, on the other hand, has always been thin. It would NEVER occur to her to eat when she is sad, tired, lonely, happy, etc. She eats when she is hungry, and sometimes not even then if she is busy doing something. My band is priceless to me -- no matter how long it takes me to reach goal weight -- because everyday I learn something new about myself and how I use food in an abnormal way (i.e., for comfort, cure boredom, etc.). The thing is that with my band I cannot overeat, so I have time to think and sit with my feelings. I have learned that it is not the end of the world not to put something in my mouth when I am angry/sad/lonely. That I can face whatever comes without food to sedate me. For me, without a doubt, the band is the answer. For you ... well, that is for you to decide. All the best to you in your search.