ItsGottaGo!

My band did not work either and I am having it removed in the next 3 weeks. Because of the band I ended up with 2 hernias which I am having repaired at the same time. I had my band unfilled completely in May, while in the ER for a small bowel obstruction. It was so nice to be able to eat without choking and having to run to the bathroom. My port portrudes too along with the hernias which are on the same side. I look like I am 9 months pregnant. I've had the band for 3 years and initially lost weight then because of it being too tight I turned to junk which of course went down without a problem, unlike real food. I love eating real, healthy food again and cannot wait to lose this weight the old fashioned way, excercise. As soon as this surgery is over with, weight training here I come. Live and learn.

Ditto, ditto, ditto! I could have written this myself. I'm not blaming the band, and perhaps I am too tight, I'm not sure, but I too have all of the same issues/problems you are. The band is so fickle, sometimes I'm afraid to eat. What's fine one day, chokes me the next. My weight still goes up and down like a yo yo and now I am probably looking at an umbilical hernia repair. If they have to unfill the band, maybe it's for the best, I can start over again when the surgery is all healed. I am also to blame, I don't excersise. But I am tired of choking on the good stuff and then resorting to something soft to comfort myself and squash the hunger. It's definitely not easy, takes a lot of work, but that's just like anything else in life. I do blame myself though, as I suffer from depressiona and anxiety and that get in the way of my success as well. Anyway, I just thought I would chime in here.

This may seem like a no brainer, but I really don't know and am wondering if I need to get my band unfilled before I can have an umbilical hernia repaired? I go to see the dr. on Monday. I am almost positive I have an umbilical hernia and am really PO'd about it an upset. I don't want to have any more surgery:phanvan:think:omg:

Geez, what else! I hope this isn't directly related to the lap band, maybe my band is too tight causing pressure. I pressed on the lump before and it moved to the left and disappeared. Now it's back again. Comes and goes all day. I guess I should stop pressing on it. I have an appt. with my dr. on June 4th.

I'm bumping this old post up because I think I may have this. I have a lump that moves near my belly button. I have been thinking it was gas, but now I think it may be a hernia. Sometimes when I press on it, it disappears and hurts a little bit. It comes and goes. I have it right now. I'm afraid to press on it for fear of rupturing something.

Thanks. I don't think it's my port. I can feel my port too, it is up higher and to the left more. This lump comes and goes and I believe it is definitely gas, but it sure is strange how I can feel the lump from the outside with my hand. I can also pop it or move it if I press hard enough.

I'm the only one who can feel a gas lump from the outside of my stomach? This concerns me if no one else has experienced this. Anyone?

Kity, where on earth did you find a cleaning lady for $50 a week! I would definitely be in for that, but there is not a maid in town for that price. I have the same size house as you, and the last time I had it cleaned the going rate was $33 per hour!! Any chance you live in Southwest Florida?? I would love the name of your cleaning lady.

Jachut, I'm exactly like you re: both of your posts. Glad to know I'm not alone!

Can anyone else press right above their belly button and actually feel a lump of painful lump of gas. There have been times when I feel it actually move. It's very strange and annoying. Anyone?

My problem is SWEETS! I also do not exercise. Two big problems. I am almost 7 months banded and have gone up and down for the past 3 months. I am FINALLY on board here and the scale is moving downward. Need to stay away from sweets, I started taking my Chromium again and it seems to keep the cravings away. Also, I think it has taken me this long to finally accept and get used to this wonderful tool that I have. I guess I was fighting it a little too.

I could have written you post myself. I have been eating badly since the holidays. I am sure I have gained about 5lbs but am terrified to get on the scale. My mother's stupid friend saw me today (haven't seen her since Christmas) and says "tell me how much weight have you lost total", I said "nothing", meaning none since the last time I saw her. The she says "you know that's not normal". I wanted to haul off and punch her. She continues, "that not normal, your fu**ing up, aren't you?" Then she tries to be supportive, "I know you can do it". I was like, "look, this is a two-year plan" and ended it there. Meanwhile, she's larger than life and struggled her whole life with her weight, so I don't see where she gets the balls to question me. I know she just cares, but shit, I'm so sick of people looking and watching me to see what's happening, it just makes me feel like an even bigger failure. I can't stand it! Anyway, I'm so glad you are back on track. I need to get off my big butt and exercise, but have been feeling very depressed lately and have no desire to do so. I started back on my prozac today, I stopped taking it about 2 months ago, I thought I could do without it, but apparently, I cannot. Hang in there, I am.

Yes, Wheetsin, it is so strange. Before I had good restriction I would feel the golfball down lower and in the middle of my back too. Now it's just a painful pressure that is high up and goes straight to my head.

I took a fioricet that I have for migraines, tension headaches. I am prone to them. The pressure from the golfball causes a tension headache in me.

I just worry that all this pressure going to the head is going to cause a vein to pop or a stroke or something. I'm just overly paranoid, I know, it's just that the pressure I get in my head from the golfball really hurts. The golfball itself really hurts, it's very painful. UGH!

Does anyone else get a pounding headache after being stuck (golfball) for a long period of time? I wonder it is because of the pressure it puts on my chest and, therefore, possibly, makes my blood pressure rise? Anyone have any insight. I was wide open last week and this week I can't seem to eat any solid protein, but I can eat cereal, crackers, boca type burgers. So strange and fickle this band is. :help:

I have great restriction and luckily I am able to eat salads. I get stuck on some things often, but salad, thankfully, goes down just fine. I add garbanzo beans for some protein or some cheese. The only thing is, I still make giant salads forgetting that there is no way I will be able to eat the whole thiing. I still am learning how to downsize what I put in my plate.

It's so hard to know, that one of the drawbacks with this band I think. My last fill was very very tight for two weeks. I had lots of golfballs and PB's, but I refused to get an unfill, so I stuck it out and now, two weeks later, I really really feel like I am at my sweet spot. My surgeon is also a 1-1/2 hour drive away from me, so that too is what prevented me from running in for an unfill. It's just so dang hard to know when it's right and stick it out or to unfill for fear of hurting ourselves. Hang in there and if you feel you need maybe a drop more, go for it.

I have Fiibromyalgia. The surgery went fine and so did the recovery. I just still find my self in pain from the Fibro which prevents me from exercising. I am hoping once I lose more weight, the pain will lessen. Good luck!

GREAT JOB!! Thanks for telling us your story, it gives me such encouragement! Congratulations and Happy Bandiversary!

I don't know if he will, but you can call his office and ask. Are you near Weston, Florida? I guess if you have to travel to Mexico for a fill, though, you can travel anywhere. Alot of dr.'s won't do other dr.'s fills. The office number is 954-659-5239. You can ask one of the nurses. Ask for Marisol, she is very nice.

I have the VG band also. My first fill was 5.5 cc's and my second fill brought me up to just under 8cc's. I have very good restriction now. My dr. did not tell me up front how aggressive he would be with the fills. He goes by what I tell him when I come in for one and how much I can eat, how hungry I am, etc. He has been very aggressive with my fills and I appreciate it. They all do things differently. My fills are not covered by my insurance and I informed him of this. I asked him to be aggressive. I hope you have luck with your 3rd fill, or maybe you can try and find a dr. who will fill you nearby.

I wish I didn't tell 4 of the 6 people I told. Me and my big mouth! I guess I was just so excited about it. One day recently I had jeans on and heard a comment from one of them "oh, jeans, wow", she did say "you look good", though, but I didn't realize people noticed what I was and was not wearing before. I know, me personally, someone could be wearing the same thing every time I saw them and I wouldn't even notice. I also hate hate hate how everyone looks me up and down and then says nothing!

I don't know, but I had a friend who had a gastric bypass over a year ago and she said she chose the bypass over the lap band because she didn't want an "OPEN PORT". HUH?? The person who told me she said this, I had to explain to that the port was under the skin and you cannot see it. Meanwhile, not one person has noticed that I lost ANY weight at all. I swear one person looks like she is smirking every time she sees me, maybe she isn't and I'm just paranoid, but....Yesterday I ran into her and she says, "well, your makeup looks good." In other words, your makeup looks good but your body is still fat!" The operative word in that compliment was that she started off with "WELL". If she just would have said, Your makeup looks good" the compliment would have had a entirely different tone/meaning. I just wanted to scream "Eat Sh&T, I'll get there". Thanks, but not.

The misconception that drives me crazy the most is that people think this surgery is just like RNY and that I should be skinny already!! I am tired of explaining over and over again how this works and that I have to work it or it doesn't. It's not a guaranteed 60lb loss in 3 months, so stop staring at me already! ::grrrrr:: Also, most people seem to think that it is removed once I lose all the weight. Um, no, it's mine for life.