AZPete

I started running about three weeks out. It began with power walking on the treadmill only, followed by walking and running, then the heavy running started soon after. If I had the time I would and can run three miles easy. Its all about determination. Runners high is the best.

Best meal is the McDonald's southwest chicken salad. 420 calories with the dressing. So good. I eat alot of grilled chicken, salad, fish, veggies. No carbs from bread, zero bread Pasta rice potatoes etc. I make the best food choices I can. I eat what I want though. I only want food that will promote my success. No booze no coffee no ice cream, etc. I follow the rules to a tee, no Water with meals etc. And I exercise like a fiend.

Well its been about 2 1/2 months since surgery. All is well. I run 2 miles everyday, no longer drink alcohol, only Water, no coffee, etc. I feel great I have lost a total of 80lbs. and counting. I have only had one fill of 3cc's. I have found that eating with this restriction can and is difficult. I have spit up food on about 6 occasions. It seems to mee that I need to leave off that one last bite, before it throws me over the edge. Question, is that PBing. I am scheduled for another fill on the 15th of June, I do not think I will ask for anymore. I am loosing quit rapidly, and do not suffer from hunger. Either way I love this band, and most of all, I love how I feel. I am working out like I used to. No more excuses. I will say that the band is only 1/3 of what I am doing. It is only a tool. The rest is will power, exercise, and dedication. I have gone from a 52" waist to a 42". I will reach my goal weight in the next few months. Best thing I did was deciding to be proud of my decision. I have never lied or hidden what I have done.

By the way, I have not vomited or done anything to harm the band or its placement.

Ok I am almost two months out, and have been having no problems. Today while walking in the mall with my wife and child, I was caught off gaurd with sharp stabbing like pains on my port side 'left side'. I don't know if I should call my doctor or not. I don't think its gas, I don't eat anything that would cause it. I have been exercising daily annd losing alot of weight. I am due to get my first fill on May 2nd. Please let me know what you guys think. I don't want to call the doc or spend the weekend in the er.

AZPete, Linday.... it's been a few weeks since your bandings. How are you doing today?

Life is great. No fill yet, not until May 10th. I have taken total control of myself. I follow the 30/20/30 rule with every meal. Only eat the best foods, low carbs, nothing to drink other than Water. I haven't had a "drink" since the week before surgery. I run and yes I do mean run every day, one mile running and one mile walking. I love it. I have lost around 45lbs. since the day of the surgery. No preop diet. My self image has done a 360 and I started looking at myself in the mirror again. Best thing I have ever done. I paid cash for this, so I treat it like a serious investment, and work very hard at it. I feel like I finally eat to live, not live to eat.

Know that the surgery hurts like hell, and treat it like a bypass, meaning, give up the bad food for good and exercise. You need to be committed to what your about to do. From the start of it change your life. I did and am down 40lbs and feel great.

I got this Mt bike back in 2003. I had been riding a Gary Fisher for years that was a hard tail. I treated myself to this bike after taxes.

Due to my injury I have only ridin this bike about a dozen times, its like brand new. I am dying to get this thing out into the Arizona desert moutain trails to really break it in.

This picture is the reason for my weight gain. Five surgeries in two years, 9 consecutive months in a long arm cast and months of rehab. I had my wrist fused and my ulna shortened. All from bench pressing. Needless to say I was very depressed and food became my drug.

I don't think I'll ever be able to lift weights ever again like I used to. No more 405lb. bench for reps. But I am looking forward to having abs again, running 4 miles a day. Mt biking. I just love life again and it feels good to have the reigns again.

And 38 lbs. lighter. I have gone from a 52" waist to a 48". I haven't had anything to drink other than Water and feel much healthier without the alcohol. Not that I was an alcoholic, but I did drink too much. I feel as though my taste buds have been reborn. I only eat healthy food and make good food choices. I mourned the loss of carbs, ie pastas, breads pizzas, etc. I do not miss them. I have been riding my exercise bike and running yes running on the treadmill daily. This surgery has changed my life. My coworkers are noticing the change daily and say that my attitude has changed. I feel like I used to.

This is what I looked like back in 2003. I was 290 lbs. with only 12% of body fat. This pic does not show how ripped I actually was. I was just goofing around with my wife when she snapped this. I had a 36" waist in this pic. Unfortunately it was the only pic I had of myself inshape. But there will be others to come.

I "was" a body builder, and will once again be in great shape. This was the best tool I have ever added to my arsenal. I no longer feel like a slave to food. I hope everyone out there who is considering this life changing surgery knows that they are strong willed and in control, and can change their life.

Weighed myself this morning, 319lbs. I was 349lbs. date of surgery. I am loving life. Feeling great and loving life. I feel much more confident at work and my friends notice the loss. I am energized and not hungry and eating healthy. This is what I needed, a jump start. I used to be a body builder so I feel the need and urge now to do what is right. My shorts fall off while still buttoned. Anyways, this was the first day without major pain or discomfort, and with how I feel, life is good for now. I will reach goal weight before the end of the year.

I did no preop diet, but follow the rules religiously now. Its been one week and I went from 349 to 324. Loving it.

I hope so to. I'm a sales manager at a car dealership. It is always long hours, lots of walking, and some time behind a desk. Good mix and I guess its great exercise as well. But yeah its rough. Good luck.

I am not banded yet, but was told to expect a four hour time from beginning to end. I hope I can walk outta there.

Everyone's pain is different, but I doubt that. The surgery generally takes an hour, I was in recovery room for five hours before I was even able to be taken upstairs, due to pain. I left the next day in the afternoon, but could have stayed another day. I did walk out of the hospital, my surgeon had me walking laps around the wing every two hours till midnight. Prevents blood clots and promotes healing. Great when all you want to do is sleep.

Just remember that this is in fact major surgery and it is painfull. I went in expecting it to be a breeze and was blindsided.

Jason, I agree with you man. I have been dealing with chronic pain as well. Definitely port pain. And I am all out of pain killers. What sucks the most is that I have worked three twelve hour days starting on Monday. I really could have benefited from time off, had the surgery on Thursday, got home friday afternoon, back at work on Monday morning. This surgery definitely hurts more than I think most expect. I have had seven prior orthopedic surgeries, very painfull, and I was very suprised at this one. I rate this one as the worst one yet for me.

I went in at 9:00 am and went home at 2:00 the following day. I was in so much pain that I don't know how anyone goes home the same day within hours of the surgery. It took five hours in recovery for them to get me stable enough to move up to my room. I should have stayed a second night, but I wanted out of there, until I got home. But everyone is different.

Thank you. What makes me happy about the weight loss is that I did not really diet before the operation. Couldn't do it. And yes, car dealership.

My doctor wouldn't do the two at the same time, saying that it is improtant to keep the procedure sterile, and that removing the gallbladder and the "spilling" of the bile would be a problem. She always does the gb two weeks before the band. But yeah, most all insurances will cover the gb. Also, all the dr's I consulted felt the same way.

Hi from AZ, good luck with your surgery. I just had mine five days ago with Dr Robin Blackstone in Scottsdale. She was great. Expect it to hurt. I didn't and I was blindsided by the pain, and stayed in the hospital for a day and a half. If you have any questions let me know.

Painful but great journey so far. I have been back to work for two days, and its been hell but its nice to be out of the house. On the good side of things, I weighed in this morning and show a 21 lb. loss. Real deal. However the pain is still prevelant, but what can one expect, its only been five days and I work long shifts. I don't really battle hunger, I think for the most part I miss food, but now I am becoming addicted to losing. I wish I had taken time to recover from work, but I recently got a big promotion to sales manager at a large dealership, and don't want to dissapoint. Its ok, but how long till the major pain is gone?

the morning after my surgery I was up eight pounds< its due to the large quantities of iv"s< and the fact that urinating is hard>

I was also banded on the 8th. I can barely drink 32oz of Water, about half of what I should be. All I eat is broth, Jello doesn't go down at all. I am also full of gas and bloating, cannot wait until this goes away.

I tried to sleep in my bed last night, big mistake. At 5:00 am I woke my wife up with excessive moaning, and it took her help and alot of pain to get out of bed, to go sleep sitting upright on my couch. I would not recommend laying flat on your back after this surgery.

I stayed the night, and I am still on meds. Hurts to move, but I still walk. I am hoping to get better each day. I do have swelling over the port site.

Finally banded, and let me say that after reading these forums I thought I knew what to expect. I have had lots of surgery before, but this one hurt me more than any of them. I did not expect that kind of pain, and it still hurts badly today. Other than that the surgery went well, I have a VG band. Loving the broth and Jello. Also, glad that I spent the night at the hospital, I don't know how anyone goes home the same day.