echazottes

I am ONE year and 3 months out from my surgery and i also suffer from hypothyroid issue! I started at 236.5 and I am currently at 172 pounds...it took me a long time to lose 65 pounds and my journey is far from over but you guys can do it!!!...it just takes time and really try not to get discouraged...it took me until about the 8 month mark to start really losing weight....and I attribute that to not being properly filled until then and because i didn't start exerising right away... I know if may take me another year or even two to lose the remaining 35 pounds but thats ok with me because like everyone on here says I sure as hell didn't get fat over night so getting rid this excess weight is going to take time

it took me 8 fills to get to restriction...be patient

This is perfectly normal....i know a lot of people post on here about what a wonderful recovery they had but I did NOT have that experience. I was in a lot of pain and consistently took my pain meds for at least 2 weeks out....i also had a lot of trouble taking a deep breath and liquids did not go down comfortably...all i can say is it is going to be OK...give it time...take your gas x strips and try to make yourself drink, drink, drink! and don't forget to walk around a bit...I promise its worth it in the end! I may be the slowest loser but i still don't regret getting the lapband...55 pounds down in one year...hope to get the other 45 off within the next year! so just an fyi if you don't lose tons! of weight like it seems everyone else on here does don't worry about it...just take it slow and follow the band instructions and you will be successful in your own time. Congrats!

I had the single incision surgery almost a year ago to date and I had more pain then people on here usually report...i went to GBMC too! Dr. Moe did mine....it takes time to recover...so take it easy and relax! I couldn't sit up on my own for almost 3 weeks...and i had the shortness of breath thing too.....it all passed and I am perfectly fine with no pain and no scars a year out

Dr Peter Liao, with GBMC bariatric center. Awesome surgeon and i wouldnt have traded him for the world! But the pain used to be severe and sharp.. It started abt 6 days after surgery (when i started feeling better from the whole surgery in general). I ended up in the er due to the pain (pain was abt two inches up and two inches to the left of my navel) so everytime i inhaled my diaphragm hurt as well so i experienced shortness of breath. I had blood tests, x-rays... Cat scan with contrast and everything came back normal. So they ruled it nerve damage. From what i understand it often occurs with any surgery. A couple of days ago i finally started feeling a bit better as the days passed. I just feel kind of down because most of the surgery stories on here are so positive... In about a 4-8 days people are already back to work. Its been over two weeks and i still havent gone outside. Although tomorrow i may try because i can tolerate sitting upright alot better now.

It is a relief to know that some of you had longer healing times... I believe my incision on one side may be healing slower... Most of the skin in my navel is smooth and soft but the left side is a bit harder and still a bit painful... Maybe it will just take more time for that to heal up as well...

Thank you all for the feedback... I appreciate it.

I am almost a year out and have lost 50 pounds started at 236 now 186 and i hope to lose another 5 pounds by Feb 16th which is my one year anniverseray of having the band! I think we are doing awesome!! Not everyone loses 3 pounds a week....a steady 1-1.5 pounds is great! keep up the good work! and just think about how awesome you feel now when compared to how you felt before the band. This is teaching us to eat right and watch our portions!

YES! I am always tight the week before and during....i just try to be extra careful with what I eat...but I usually end up getting stuck regardless...

Keep ya head up I was banded on Aug 27th and I am down 71 pounds (counting the 2 week pre op liquid diet ) and I feel like I am can eat more than a cup but not as much as I could before surgery. I believe the gym is a big part of the whole process and the gym has set my metabolism on fire. Ive been to the doc 3 times no fill and my key is to work hard and make healthy choices of your meals good luck.

I was banded Feb 14th and have lost 44 pounds so you are doing awesome! I personally didn't have restriction until last month! and that was my 7th fill and now I have 9.5cc in my 14cc band...everyone is different and apparently I require a lot of fill to get to that restriction...not to mention I am finally going to the gym...it took me 6 months after being banded to realize that working out is an important part of this process...everyone is different and and I'm finally starting to lose 2 pounds a week which is a lot for me!

6 Months and 9 CC!!! very frustrating but glad to finally have it....

I am hypo and was banded in feb 2010 and have lost only 26 pounds....its super frustrating because I work out and eat right for the most part and have decent restriction...i take 100 mcg of synthroid and just recently had my levels checked and they are fine...

So I have never been stuck for more then maybe 10 minutes but tonight I took one tiny bite of chicken and now its been over and hour and I am still stuck! I have thrown up several times...like 5! and the offending item doesn't seem to want to come out! I am just throwing up a lot of saliva! is this normal? I didn't realize we could get stuck for so long....I am terrified that this vomiting is going to make my band slip...anyone out there have a similar experience...i have tried everything from walking to jumping to drinking Water to get this out and nothing is working....:biggrin:

wow I really need to hear this today! I have been banded since feb and lost only 17 pounds....was starting to feel really down! but this gives me hope!

its hard to not get discouraged when i had surgery the same time you did and have lost 16 pounds...:w00t:

i can TOTALLY RELATE!!! I had my surgery Feb 16th and have lost maybe 6 pounds since surgery....i had my first fill 3 weeks ago and i can't even tell...i try to eat right but its hard...if i could do it on my own i wouldn't have needed WLS...i just hope everyone is right and that the weight will start to come off soon..i go for my second fill April 29th...

Yes my belly button looks totally normal!! the port is to the right of my belly button and i just had my first fill yesterday and he didn't have a problem finding it. My surgery took 3 hours...but i there was a slight complication and i had some bleeding. My surgeron said that not everyone is a candidate for this type of surgery...but he suggested it for me because i am young and dont carry a ton of my weight in my stomach to begin with. Once i get home today i wouldn't mind taking a picture and showing you what it looks like...because it really looks like a normal belly button with a very minor scar on the sides of it. Let me know and good luck!

I can totally relate!!! I was also banded on Feb 16th and just went in for my first fill yesterday (March 29th).

I have had really slow weight loss (only 2 pounds! since weigh in on surgery day:cursing:) and was able to eat significantly more then 4 oz in one sitting. I hope this fill does the trick! but to be honest i don't really feel any significant change in restriction today....i just ate a cheese stick and nothing...i guess we will see how lunch goes today. He filled me pretty aggressivly (i think?) 4.5 cc and I will be sad if I continue to not lose weight and be hungry...super frustrating! and even kinda of embarassing since everyone i know knows that i had this surgery and i haven't had any signficant weight loss....

Is that the single incision surgery you are talking about where they make the incision by the belly button? If so I had it done in Feb and its great...I have no scars! I know my surgery took a little bit longer then expected and I was REALLY sore compared to what other people usually describe but other then that I would do it all over again.

everyone is different but I had my surgery on 2/16 tuesday and just returned to work today 2/22 Monday and I was fine...just a little sore..and also have a job where I am on my feet a lot...but my doctor def told me I could not lift anything heavier then 10lbs for one month...just fyi...i know every surgeon is different.

oh good glad to hear i am not the only one!! and I totally agree with you! I feel like the pain was pretty serious compared to what most people report on here! but it does get better every day....now that it doesn't hurt so much i am happy to be scar free :tongue_smilie:

Ok so it appears i am the only one one the forum that has had this type of surgery....fun...:frown:

I recently got banded on 2/16 and was wondering if anyone else on here had the surgery through just the belly button? My surgeon only went through my belly button so i don't have any scars...he said is was fairly new and that not everyone is a candidate for this type of laproscopic surgery. Just curious!

I have had diarrhea for the past 4 days...i realize I am not eating anything solid so this could be a contributing factor but seriously this is getting on my nerves! I don't want to end up dehydrated...i go probably 4 times a day...not sure if this is normal since i did just have surgery on my stomach and I am only drinking full liquids and i already tend to have a sensitive stomach and i have been taking Tylenol Extra Strength liquid around the clock to stay ahead of any pain or soreness. Any advice would be great!

I am only 4 days post op but I do not have the same pain that you are describing. Maybe you should call your doctor just to be safe! Especially if it hurts you to drink you could end up dehydrated quickly.

I don't normally do this but ANY advice before I get banded tomorrow morning? Im also nervous....i hope this is the right decision for me...