vintagehound

I got banded in July of this year. I keep thinking that I could have done the same dieting before the band and lost this weight. I could have.... But then I think about how I could not have kept it off without it. Unlike any other diet, this time every pound that comes off I know is gone for good! It feels different. Good luck! zoe -35 lbs

This is a great thread for a difficult topic. I am an open book, I can't help it. My mouth just starts going sometimes and doesn't seem to stop. I do dislike the "food police" and the "why aren't you loosing faster" questions...... However, I like people to know what I have gone through and how hard I am working to make changes. I do make the announcement like a speech. I always start by saying, "have you heard of the weight loss surgery called RxY where they re-route your insides and you loose weight drastically fast?" Most of the time they have heard of it or know someone that has had it... Then I say, "well I did not have that surgery, but I did have a different kind of WLS called lapband.. the procedure I had is less invasive, removable and adjustable, and with a lot of work I will loose weight slowly but surely." Of course they usually want to drill with questions and I am happy to give the juicy details. This approach has worked great, and those that I have told don't expect unrealistic results. I try to focus my answers on the fact that is is a tool, not a solution. A hottie that works at UPS, where I go twice a week for pick up, knows that I did this surgery and last week he said " Zoe you look great and I can really see your weight loss". That made me feel so good! He may not have felt comfortable saying anything to me about loosing weight if I had not been so honest before about what I did. I feel like I have opened doors of communication with random people by sharing my story and made them feel comfortable talking to me about my success later. Zoe surgery 7-21-06 -35 lbs!

Hi so sorry you are uncomfortable! Try starting your day with some hot tea or such and stay on mushies and liquid for a few days, it will get better! To make sure you still get a lot of protein, I would reccommend cottage cheese, lentle soup, and Kefir (probiotic yogurt). Good luck, and try to enjoy some of the softer foods for thankgiving today..... Zoe

call your doctor! I agree, Have blood tests done checking for blood sugar. Dehydration could cause it but how often do you drink water? Let us all know what have you been eating and how often? If it turns out to be a blood sugar thing, then don't be afraid of the good carbs, like apples and bannanas....... keep us poted, good luck Zoe

Raynie you haven't failed yet girl! I don't see any harm in chew and spit, of course it is kind of ironic that we are feeling like doing a anorexic/bolemic behavior! I have done it with steak! I thought I was going to die on clear liquids, but I made it ok! I think of it a lot, because I survived the hell of clear liquids I have more faith in myself and I feel like I can resist so many things now! You can do it! Zoe

I agree with Jacqui, fruit and vegies...I can't imagine a world without them! I love to shop at Trader Joes, they make some great products Nitrate free meats, low carb spinach Frittata, exotic fruits....whole grain and nut breads that are all good carbs....organic milk, etc.. I love my fiber, and believe my body is digesting and processing what I eat better the more I have. I have 2cc in my band, I was afraid of salad, but it turns out it is very easy for me to chew and swollow well. Even though sometimes I feel like I haven't lost weight fast enough, I have been paying so much attention to what is going in and it's balance, I feel so much better! It is slow, but steadily going down....... zoe

When I was in Mexico having the band put on, Dr Kuri told me I had a cyst. It was too low for him to take care of. He said it was the size of a orange. When I got home i recovered for a month and went for a ultrasound about the cyst. At that time they said it was huge 23cm! Like a 5 month pregnancy. So I scheduled surgery. I have no insurance and got denied for emergency medical so I had to use my doctor for the surgery and had to wait a month longer. I had surgery Tues of last week, a full Laparotomy, It was so big they could not do it laproscopically. These details are gross, sorry: They cut from my belly button to the crease line above my, ya know. The cyst was so big, it took up the entire right side of my abdomen all the way to my ribs! They removed 4 liters of Fluid, that is 2 giant 2 liter sodas!!!!!!!!!! My ovary was twisted three times, I lost it. Luckily, the doc says my other one looks good cause I hope to use it one day! She said that the sac that formed was so strong and full of blood vessels. When I was recovering form lapband surgery, my body probably focused energy to this growing alien! I am 8 lbs less now, thankfully! Who else can say they gave birth to a 8 lb baby alien watermellon!!!! Needless to say, I am so glad it is gone, even though I had to do another surgery so soon after lapband. The good news is that I am now 32 lbs lighter than my heaviest! Why am I telling you all this? I know it is common for those of us with a weight problem to have cysts and PCOS, we are not alone! Apparently, surgery or other body trauma can cause existing cysts to grow. If you know of a cyst or have a "functional" cyst beware of not getting rid of it before surgery. I looked pregnant, and now it is gone and I can finally see the weight loss I have been working so hard to loose! Zoe

When I first began researching this surgery a year ago, nobody ever heard of it! I had two people call me yesterday to say they saw a commercial for lapband surgery on TV! At the end of the add, they show a diagram of it. One was on CNN, the other on Oxygen. I can't believe it has already made it to TV advertising. It won't be long, and those before us will have been the pioneers, Thanks for being brave! Zoe

hi I have had losses and plateaus since surgery in July. I think the most important thing to look at when choosing your diet is to keep your carbs low. Weight watchers and Protein shakes are often low cal and low fat, but not always low carb. When I am strict about the low carb thing, I loose, when I am not, I plateau. I have a degree in health and can tell you in my opinion, that 40 carbs or under a day is great!!!!! Also, I have concerns about you getting a fill before eating solids, how do you know if you need one if you don't know how much solids you can eat? I am a coffee drinker, and I have one yummy cup a day. I give up 5 of my carbs (out of 40 a day) to add my favorite creamer. The jury is out on this topic still......................there are other successful banded coffee drinkers out there that I have talked to......... Good luck! Zoe

So sorry about the headache! I get them too. I get a eye attack (auras) about 30minutes before the migraine hits. It is sickening. I take my pill fast and hope it stops the nausia that will happen when it hits. It hasn't happened since banding, yet. I am worried the pill is too big. I used to have them all the time, and then I was able to figure out some food allergies I was having that triggered them. The biggest one is Sodium Nitrate. It is a preservative in any processed meat, lunchmeat, ham, sausage, pepperoni, etc. Apparently I am not othe only one with this severe allergy, it is a very common trigger. Luckily, I have found some items with no SN in them. If you think you may have a food trigger, email me I have lots mor info about more bad ones. Good Luck! Zoe

I was never a burper before surgery, now (9weeks after surgery) I burp every time I eat. I think it is like drinking from a water bottle and you have to let the air in for the water to come out. Because there is a non expandable hole now, the air has to come up for the food to go down. That is what it seems like on the fluoroscope, the liquid lifts up, then slides through.....just my theory.

4 days after my fill we went to a sushi bar and I was so happy to discover that the fish (with no rice) went down great. I was so happy, I got kind of creative. I think it is because it is kind of oily. I have to make some of the foods I eat saucy or greasy sometimes...

I had surgery in Mexico July 21st 2006 with Dr. Kuri. The hospital was new and very, very nice! I am going back this week for my first fill, under fluoroscope by my doc. It is a $7.00 cab ride from the border to the hospital. My surgery was $9000.00 and included the hotel. I researched a lot about the lap band and the surgeons doing the surgery before I had it done. The thing is, it was not approved in the US till 2001, so the doctors that are experienced at it in other countries are the same ones training the US docs how to do it. The number of surgeries done by the docs in Mexico seemed to me to be more than the numbers done to date by many US surgeons. Dr. Kuri has done more than 2500 lap band surgeries, that is a lot. Other docs in Mexico have done that many or more! One Doc, Ortiz I think, wrote a book about lap band surgery. I have not read it, but heard it is great. For me, it was a surreal and overall great experience to go to Mexico. Good luck to all future bandsters! Zoe down 10 lbs since surgery day 1st fill this week

I have always been a ruthless rider! A couple of years ago, I went to 6 flags and I was going to ride their new roller coaster that hangs you suspended. I saw the sign at the line entrance said this ride can not accomodate larger sizes. I worried the whole hour in line and sure enough my skinny legs fit great in the saddle, my tummy was too big to close the harness! I had to get off the ride and walk the walk of shame past everyone in line! It was mortifying. I have never gone back because it felt terrible even though I fit on all the other rides..... You will not have that problem sooner than later!!!! Zoe

I thought it would be interesting to start a thread for bandsters that got their surgery done in Mexico to share their experiences as many people are curious. I was banded on the 21st, 5 days ago. If you write about your experiences, don't forget to let us know who your doc was...... Dr. Pedro Kuri - Tiajuana July 21st 2006 34 years old Want to loose 100lbs My experience: First of all, I was kept informed and received information from a facilitator here in Cali. on behalf of the office. All of the arrangements were totally smooth. It was all done online. I had an appointment within 3 weeks of deciding to do it. It all happened very fast. My facilitator sent me all the information I needed for diets, payments, all medical info.... The pre-op diet information could have been more specific. The day before surgery, we were picked up at the border parking lot promptly at the arranged time by the driver Miguel. I heard about his driving, but honestly I have been way more afraid in cabs in NY! It wasn't so bad. Very fast to the hospital from the border. Dr. Kuri's office is in the building right next to the hospital, it was very convenient. The Kuri staff was very nice and spoke great english. It was kind of assembly line. One doc took the EKG and did a small physical, at the hospital I gave blood (never got any results back...), Then we had a brief rundown and were sent away for our last meal. Several of my fellow banders and their companions and my husband and I went out to eat. We had to be back at the hospital by 6:30 to check in, no more food....... The hospital was really nice, marble floors, the rooms were very clean and lovely. Nobody in the hospital spoke a word of english. I had to use sign language the whole time. There was a bad smell on the main floor. That evening, a bit later than scheduled, we had a group meeting with Dr. Kuri. It was not very long. I got to touch the band and inspect it. This was the first time any of us met him. There were 6 of us getting banded the next day. He does 8 a day sometimes! That day he said he did 20 fills. All the customers I saw in his waiting area and getting banded were american. That night, they gave us a sleeping pill. Too bad my husband didn't get one, his bed was........ Very early the next morning all of us bandsters were woke up early and told to shower. I was last to be banded, I did not go in until 12pm. I was taken to a room with a couple of other waiting banders, and given a "happy Pill" the nurse said. It went under my tounge and tasted horrid! I turned to the lady next to me and commented on how rank it was, and I remember nothing else. When I got to my room I felt terrible! I was in pain and out of it, and I had a catheter eeewwwwwww. As soon as I could, I signed to the nurse to get it out and went to pee. They gave us nothing but ice the whole surgery day and night. I would have liked some tea maybe..... That night of surgery, late, Dr. Kuri and his team came to each of our rooms and let us know how we did. I unfortunately got some bad news that while he was inside me with the camera, he saw a cyst on my tube or ovary the size of a small orange. He said he would have taken care of it but it was too far down, and would have required more incisions. I am glad he was paying attention. I will have to deal with that next...... The next day we got our first meal, Jello & apple juice, both of which I hate. I suffered a few bites and I was starving! Before we were discharged, we had to do a barium swallow in the floroscope. It was great! You stand in front of a wall and watch your swallow go down your esophagus through the band and into your lower stomach, on a TV screen. We were later given copies of it on XRAy to take home. This made sure the band was on right. We were picked up by the hotel and driven there with a fellow bandster and stayed for 2 days at Tiajuana's version of a 5 star hotel. The fee of $9000.00 I paid for surgery included the hotel for both nights. They had the best buffet I ever saw with every tropical fruit known to man, and all I could eat was broth and jello. It sucked! I hear mixed reports about how some people feel hungry after surgery, and some don't. I never stopped feeling ravenous. I stuck to the gross diet though, for the sake of healing correctly. I was very sore for the next two days, and used all my pain pills. I tried to walk as much as I could per instructions. I am so glad I had a bandster friend there with me to share with. Go Denise!!!! I had terrible dreams and nightmares too. I woke up the night after surgery and had a wierd anxiety attack of shaking. My husband had to calm me down. I think I was starving to death, or maybe a little in shock. The next day We were promptly picked up by the driver again and taken back to our car at the border parking lot. 12 hours later, we were home! MY BED!!!!!!!!! I haven't had a good nights sleep yet, anywhere, cause it is so hard to find a comfy position. I went to work last night for about 7 hours and did what I could to revamp my retail store. I am sore today cause of it. I am in high spirits, so far I would do it again, I feel great except sore at my port site. The pain in my port area is attached to a pain in my abdomen somehow....anyone else..... I think I have a lot of energy. I graduated to pure'ed food yesterday, thankyou!!! I can only eat about 1/4 cup at a time, but it moves through quickly and I eat another 1/4 cup about 10 minutes later. I am suprised how fast I get full!! I am trying to eat mostly organic, I have pure'ed several Amy's Soups. I don't know if I have lost weight since surgery, I have no scale. I am going to buy one on Friday and only use it once a week.....I sure hope I have, it was a trying week! So far, I am so glad to be a bandster and I am very excited!!!! I look foward to hearing all your stories.... Zoe

Thanks everyone! I am shaped like several of you with it all in the middle and great legs, no hips. I am only 5'2, 245#. I have the worst time with pants too 'cause I look like I am wearing a tent on the bottom just to get the waist to fit. So, I thought I would share 2 funniest predicaments of being this shape: I had a skirt once that was loose in the waist, so I wore a pair of spandex shorts under it to create some friction....this was no ordinary skirt, it was so cool, I had to try to sport it more than once. Well, the shorts worked to keep the skirt up, but I couldn't feel the skirt through the shorts-so when the skirt fell down one day, in the middle of the Bigo O Tires parking lot, I didn't even feel it going down. There is was at my ankles, with no butt or hips to catch it.....I thought I played it off and pulled it up so fast that nobody noticed, and then my husband yells from at least 2 cars away, "Your skirt fell down!" Thanks dear. Another time, I ran out my front door excited about something, right behind my freind, the screen door shut on my big full skirt and I ran right out of it! Needless to say we were laughing on the ground forever! Just thought I would share some apple catastrophies with you....... zoe

This is kind of a silly question. Are there any other apples out there? I am so jealous of the pears with their thin faces. I would like to know if any of you banded beauties are an apple and had a double chin that you lost? I am getting banded in a week, I need hope I will lose my double chin..... Did any of you have or want chin surgery? Extra skin? thanks, zoe

Hi all! This is a great thread, had fun reading it. I am 5'2", getting banded next week. I would like to get to 130#, I would be happy at 140. Wow there are a lot of tall women here! I sure hope I don't get shorter...... Zoe

hey Carl! I am getting my band on July 21 in Mexico! Nervous and excited. I think you will enjoy the thread on the main board at this site, that is titled before and after pics. It is so inspiring! There are so many posts on that thread it took me hours to look at them all and I found so many cases and sizes I could relate to! I have seen a lot of men on all the sites, you can do it! It is common for men to loose faster than women anyways..... Zoe

I posted to another july banders thread.... I also posted a hello on the introduction page if you want to read it...Getting banded JUly 21 in Mexico by Dr. Kuri. Getting very excited! Write me anytime! Zoe

Hi all! This is my first post here on this site. I am very excited to be going to Mexico for my band on the 21st of July as a self pay. Dr Kuri is my doctor there, any Kuri patients out there? I am a little nervous and very excited. I am 34, no kids, married (forever), and ready to get in shape and stay that way! I am thrilled to find such a great support system online, and I appreciate all of you out there that share your stories and journey! Ironically, I have a BS degree in health education and have a adversion to exersize, don't figure. I am going to start at curves as soon as I have recovered. I have done a good job of maintaining my weight for a long time, I am ready to lose it! I want to loose 100lbs! These are some of the reasons I am having surgery: My overall health, I want to be hot for my hubby(even though he says he thinks I look good), I want to do some extensive traveling and have concerns doing it heavy, I stand a lot at work and my feet hurt, but one of my big motivations is that I own a big trendy clothing store and I can't represent in my own clothes! I am tired of all my employees looking hotter than me! I am tired of going to trade shows and feeling like the only fat one there......I have pictures of all my employees and models on the walls of my store and none of myself....I could go on and on but this is just supposed to be an intro. I look foward to chatting with all of you! Zoe