outside*looking*in

I noticed that it was SOOOOO much easier to shave my legs in the tub! Also that there ARE bones in my butt that hurt now when I sit on a wooden chair. My wedding rings and clothes no longer fit. My legs hurt a little when I lay on my side at night because there is not as much padding to protect the bones from hitting each other:lol:!

Oh yes!!! The last meal.......to be honest, now I can't even remember what it was. I kept getting a low grade fever(due to sinuses allergies weeks before) and went off my pre-op diet because I thought they would not do my surgery. :ohmy:I then got another letter from my PCP saying I was fine. So I was back to the pre-op diet. Although, there were no amount of pounds that I was required to lose. You have a great attitude. I am sure you will be fine and reach your goal. :blushing:

Has anyone who has been banded a bit know if your bra has caused your port area to hurt??? Mine has been hurting mildly for two days and it seems to jump all around my port area (not in one particular spot). I have tried repositioning the way I am sitting, where I am sitting and so on. I finally took off my bra and now I notice there is not a single pain! It could be a coincidence and I am still going to bring it up to the doc, but anybody have this happen?????

okay here I go 1. Participating at my daughters school events without fear of being ridiculed by the kids or worse, her being ridiculed because of me. 2. Renting a Kayak and going down the salt marshes. 3. Maybe be my youngest daughters softball coach (she has a few years yet) 4. Finally being noticed for something other than being the biggest woman in the room. (Not that I want to give someone else that title) 5. Maybe one day I could actually LIKE exercising:blink:

Hi Cheryl, my starting BMI was about 50. I was banded in Feb of this year and I am down about 65lbs from my surgery date but a total of 108lbs from my highest. Congrats on you 11lbs. :thumbup:This is a great place to come and see progress, concerns and have some guidance. Good luck on this journey and take it one day at a time.

I have been able to pin point through tracking my food, weight and cycle that there is a day or two in the month where I feel like I could eat anything and everything! It usually happens mid-cycle for me. Now, I really try to recognize that time of the month and learn to stop myself. Just like when I start craving chocolate a week before my cycle. Once you pin point these problems and can recognize a pattern, it is much easier to deal with. Of course, it may be just me.:wink2:

Just an update in case anyone does a search on this subject in the future. I had an endoscopy yesterday after going to my surgeons twice and they were unable to help me. I went to my PCP and he referred me to a GI doc. She did an endoscopy and guess what?, I HAVE BILE REFLUX! This is different than ACID REFLUX, although it can have some of the same symptoms. I did not have heartburn or acid coming up my throat. I had a horrible burning sensation in my stomach, lots of gurgling and just felt bad. It came on slowly happening once in a while and then progressed to the point of it never going away. The first time it started it was 3 weeks after I had my Gall Bladder removed. For the last 3 weeks I basically could not eat anything because that would trigger bile to release and then the burning would start. I am now on Carafate Liquid 4x a day to help get rid of the extra bile. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it works. Hope no one has to go through this and I am happy that it had nothing to do with my band.

You need to call your ins company or go to Aetna.com and log in to look at your benefits. I have Aetna and the surgery was not covered, however, it was written in as an exclusion by the company my husband works for, not Aetna. It all depends on what is in your policy.

I have not read through all of the replies to this post but thought I would throw this out there. I recently have had to see a Gastro Doc for what turned out to be bile issues. While on my first consultation visit she and I were discussing my Gastric band and she said to me, "I am so glad you got the band and not the other surgery like the RNy, I see so many complications with those surgeries." Now, to be fair, she probably only see pt's when they have a problem and not all of the ones that do not. If you have the chance to speak to other doctors like a Gastroenterologist, see what kind of complications they come across that maybe you have not been informed of. On the other hand, when I went for an endoscopy yesterday, the pre-op nurse said to me, "You know, EVERYONE with the lap-band gets reflux." Um.....I do not have acid reflux associated with the band. It turns out I have Bile Reflux associated with having my Gall Bladder removed. In the end you have to go with what YOU think YOU can handle.

thanks BetsyB...I am hoping that is it and I will ask him about it when I go back in. I am always in the same position for fills/unfills so that will not be the difference. Thanks

Quick question.......I had to have all the fluid removed from my band today to have an endoscopy. I just looked at my little band aid (hours later) that the doc put over the injection site and it is FAR BELOW where he normally gives me fills????? I know this because he ALWAYS goes above my port scar and this time it is below??? He managed to get out 7cc when I should have 8cc but he said it does not always come out. Could he have gone into the tubing instead?? I am going to call tomorrow but I am wondering if, as we lose weight, the port can situate itself lower? Anybody know???

My doc said to me "if you would just get up at 5am and jog everyday you could lose the weight". I felt like telling him to get up and jog with two 60lb sacks strapped on his back and front and see how long he keeps up the jogging. The good news is I went through with it anyways and I am down almost 70lbs since FEB. Of course, now he is all okay with my weight loss. You have to do what you think is right for you.

Hi - I am just wanting to hear from people who have developed an ulcer AFTER being banded. I have been put on dexilant by my PCP and he is sending me to a Gastro but he suspects it is an ulcer. I DID go to my surgeon's BEFORE my PCP, twice, they told me to take pepcid and come back in a month if it is still bothersome. Well, I could not take it, as the pepcid did nothing to ease the burning. It was bad enough that I considered going to the ER and probably would have if I had someone to come and sit with the kiddo's. So - would anyone care to share your ulcer experience. Symptoms, Discovery, Treatment, how well treatment worked, ect? Thanks.

To be boo'd is when a bag of candy and note mysteriously shows up at your front door (dropped off by a neighbor kid who sneaks up, knocks and then run away like their pants are on fire before you get to the door). Along with the bag of candy is a note explaining that you have been "boo'd" and you need to in turn "boo" three other friends. There is also a picture of a ghost to hang on your door to let other kids know that you have already been "boo'd". :smile2:

Welcome both and congrats! It may suck but stick to your doc's eating plan for you. Give your body and band time to heal.:smile2: Before you know it you'll be saying, "I remember when I went through that." Best of luck.

Wouldn't you know my kids just got "boo'd" so now there is candy in the house plus I have to go buy candy so she can boo three other kids:mellow:

pookie - I have never heard about not laying down after eating. I will have to keep that in mind but I usually don't do it. Also, I have to wait 60min after eating to drink but I was told that drinking while eating just makes the food empty your pouch quicker. They never said anything to me about it stretching your pouch??? News to know....:smile2:

I am with you all! I can't bring it into the house. I found some of those plastic spider rings that come 50 to a bag and that is what I plan on giving out. My 12y/o said we are gonna get egg'd! So I will buy some candy that I hate the day before to add to it. It is not just the candy - it is the parties with cupcakes and goodies that are for everyone. I LOVE LOVe LOVE cupcakes. I will have one........but I will prepare for it.:smile2:

I have 8cc in my 9cc band and I am not at that elusive sweet spot. Although, I have never been able to eat the same amount of food as I did pre-band since day one. For me it seems that my quantity of food stays the same (5oz at a meal) but the time it takes to get hungry in between meals is slowly changing.

I am not sure if I understand you correctly. Are you thinking that you can not have those things while you are restricted? But if you empty the band the passage will be big enough to tolerate those foods? Everyone is different in what they can tolerate. I can tolerate breads, pasta and rice with 8cc in a 9cc band. I don't have them often since my doc wants us to eat in a certain order (protein, vegetable,fruit - then you should be "full") I do know that I have a more difficult time with potatoes and thick foods like hummus. I would say the only problem you would have is weight gain:sad: Best of luck.

Well - this morning I weighed on my home scale as I do every morning. Wrote down my weight in my log book and went on with my day. A few hours later, while folding clothes, I realized that I am 100lbs down from my highest weight ever recorded! I lost 30 of that on my own and stayed for a while then started going up and back down those same 30lbs. I lost about 10lbs pre-op. I am 8 :thumbup:months out and with the help of the band I have lost another 60lbs. I am hoping to be in "onederland" by Christmas.

I am 8 months out so this is not related to the pain just after surgery. All though I did try gas-x. I constantly feel as though I have an upset stomach. All of my problems are located below the band. It actually feels like as soon as food passes through my pouch into my lower stomach, all of the problems begin. Like something is just sitting in there stewing and percolating. I will have to go to my primary anyhow to try to see if I can get a referral out of him for the endo (I am self pay). I just want to feel normal again. :biggrin: On a good note, today I feel a wee-bit better. I am nibbling saltine crackers and they seem to be helping (knock on wood!)

I have been having issues with digestion or something to the point I am afraid to eat. I have been to the band doctors twice in a week. The first one gave me a script for Pepcid but said it does not sound like the band is the problem. Come back in two weeks if it does not help they will plan an endoscopy. I asked him if I should see my primary care doc about it and he said, no - anything to do with gastro problems I should come to them. Well, I could not wait 2wks as the pepcid was not helping so I went back yesterday thinking they might unfill me a bit to see if that helps. Nope, that doc (the head of the practice)said it did not sound like the band and told me to take 2 pepcid and if it does not get better in a MONTH they would schedule a endoscopy. I can not go through a MONTH of this. So, I am wondering if I should just see my primary doc about it? I figure it can't hurt since the lap-band docs can not come up with a solution. :thumbup:

IMHO.....it should be like finding out the sex of your baby. Up to you to want to know. It is YOUR body after all. Still, I can understand the doc not wanting pt's to focus on the number. Best of luck.

Way to hand in there. It reminds me of a PA(with my PCP) that asked me if I eat off of my daughters plate when she is done. That mad me so mad! Besides, have you ever seen the end result of a 2y/o eating. I barely want to touch HER let alone anything on her plate! Maybe next time you go the PA will have been trained to be "fat friendly". Good job on your weight loss and continued hard work!