happy2lose

I am very happy to hear this and hope I have as good of results.

No pain at all either time I was filled. Didn't they numb you first?

This is crazy! My insurance didn't require comorbidities with a BMI over 45. They just flat out refused to do lap band. I went to a great surgeon in Mexico and self-paid $7,000 which included the hotel stay, pre-op testing and lifetime fills. I believe due to the poor economy that my surgeon has since dropped his price. Best of luck to you and don't give up! Donna

Make sure you get all your water in (64oz). Otherwise, your stomach can swell and make it more difficult to eat. The thing I struggle with the most is eating too fast. If I slow down and take my time chewing I can get through a meal without a stuck episode. Slider foods are those that have little or no nutritional value but are easy to eat such as chips, cookies, popcorn, lettuce, etc. I will tell you that I cannot eat eggs no matter how they are cooked and I cannot eat any kind of bread without getting stuck. But like I said, everyone is different. I've actually found that a small sip of water when stuck will make me pb sooner and rid myself of the discomfort of being stuck sooner. It does seem to be impossible to wash something down when stuck. Everyone is different and needs to find what works for them. To get a ticker you can go to Graphical Tickers and Trackers: Weight Loss, Trying To Conceive, Pregnancy... and follow the instructions. Best of luck to you on your WL journey. Donna

I have absolutely no clue as to the answers to your questions. It is impossible to predict. Good luck though!

Perhaps you can talk to your parents and explain just how important this surgery is to you and ask your dad to back out of his race. My kids are ALWAYS my first priority.

I too encountered unsupportive people but my husband did finally come around after I scheduled my surgery. I realized after encountering unsupportive family that I was better off not telling them beforehand because I did not want to hear their negative opinions when they had not researched the band and had no clue what they were talking about. After it was all said and done I did tell all my relatives and got nothing but support from them. I feel it is best for your spouse to attend the consult appointment with you. After talking with my surgeon, my husband felt much better about my decision and gave me all his support. I hope everything turns out great for you. Donna

I have the older generation 10cc Allergen band that holds 4cc saline. At first I was concerned that it may not work as well as the new generation bands but so far so good for me. I am at 2.28cc and have quite a bit of restriction. My last fill was in early July and I am still losing steadily. My fills are done under fluoroscopy. This means I swallow barium while the doctor views me on xray. During this time the doctor can tell if my band is still placed properly and that my pouch looks okay as well as watch the Fluid pass through the band while I drink. You may want to find a fill doctor who does it this way for your own peace of mind. I wouldn't feel very confident if my doctor was unsure if the fill hit the port. I would be looking for somebody who had answers. To answer your question though, no the saline will not hurt you.

Hi Dana and congratulations! I'm sure you will have great success with your band. Donna

I've been on antidepressants for 14 years now. I am currently taking 40mg Celexa and have been for the past 5 years. Although I am losing weight, I work my butt off for the results that I have. I sometimes wonder if the meds. are causing me to lose slower then most people. I hear of bandsters that do very well and don't exercise at all so this is why I wonder.

Welcome Heather!

Do some weight and resistance training at least 3 times each week. My starting weight was 330 and I have done really well at maintaining and gaining more muscle as I lose weight. I work out at Curves 4-5 times each week and also bicycle regularly and love it. Best of luck to you.

I actually purchased some before getting my band but haven't used it. I'm afraid to try to swallow the capsules now that I have restriction.

I'm so sorry for your difficulties. Walking is a great way to keep your lost weight from coming back on and will also help you with the depression issue. Why are you not allowed to raise your heart rate?

A prime example of different rules from a different surgeon. I was able to swallow my pills after 1 week. Only had to crush them for the first week. It is always best to follow your own surgeon's instructions. Oh, and I never did congratulate you on taking control of your health. Have a great day!:thumbup:

Keep in mind that different surgeon's have different post-op instructions. It is NEVER a good idea to start eating too soon. I was on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks before I was able to move on to full liquids for the next week. I wasn't allowed yogurt, mashed potatoes or anything with any consistency until week 3. It isn't easy but we all go through it. You will survive!

What you are feeling is completely.......NORMAL for this stage. Hang in there, once you can start eating mushies you will feel better. Everything you described is typical. Yes, you can take pills. You probably don't have any restriction yet and wont until you start getting fills. Be sure to cut your larger pills in half before taking them just to avoid any stuck issues. It is very important that you follow your surgeon's post-op instructions. Eating solids too soon can cause you problems later. I recommend you find a good therapist that specializes in eating disorders to help you along the way. Take care, Donna

I agree! I used Muscle Milk on my pre-op diet also and it worked out great. It also tastes good.

If you are at your sweet spot and are getting stuck regularly then you have a behavioral issue to address. Modifying my eating behaviors has been really hard for me. I tend to eat too fast trying to keep up with my family at the table. I don't usually realize this until I start to feel stuck. I find that after eating a few bites I get stuck because I have eaten too fast. This is called "first bite syndrome". It happens when you are really hungry and tend to rush your eating. Slow down and rest between bites. Set your fork down if and wait a few minutes before the next bite.

You need to walk more to get rid of the gas.

Are you certain you have 9cc? It seems a little strange to me that you have only had one fill and are already at 9cc. There are many bandsters on this board who have had their bands for much longer and still haven't reached the 9cc fill level. I have the older style 10cc band with 2.28cc fill and I cannot eat bread at all. I would be more inclined to think maybe you have .9cc fill.

Most likely what you are feeling is your port under the skin. It is where the largest incision is located. I'm not sure why you haven't noticed it sooner unless it was swollen and you were not able to feel it until now.

Hi all, I'm Donna and I'm also a 2009 Bunny Bandster. This is my first time posting on this thread because I never really took the time to notice it before. It looks like you all are doing really well with your weight loss.

Congrats on your weight loss. That's awesome! I haven't had UTI's but I have already had 3 yeast infections in the past six months. Having never had this problem in the past, I think it is from all the exercise and activity causing moisture to accumulate.

I agree with Jachut. I too experience this first bite syndrome often.