Nickel

I am in bandster hell too... Surgery was 11/17 (no cc's in the band at all), the first fill was in early January - he wouldn't put anything in until then, really?. Then he started at 3 cc's, which is fairly common I guess. I just went in for my second fill last week and he upped it to 4cc's. I have another appt scheduled in a month to revisit. I have had 0, nada, zilch in terms of restriction or feeling fuller. I am down only a total of 33 pounds (including all that I lost pre-op). I am eating better and exercising but only losing 1-2 per week max. And I am starving... I just want some help. I can't do this alone or I would have done it years ago so I know exactly where you are coming from. I am giving it time, but it is a LONG road. I know I'll make it through but I can't believe I am 3 months post op and the band has yet to do anything to support my efforts. Just keep your eyes on the prize and keep pushing. Thinking about you

I took 1 day off - had the surgery on a Weds. at 6pm and worked on Friday with no trouble. I was a little tired and sore but since I have primarily a desk job I was fine.

I found this thread the same way. I am also not pregnant and the exact same thing is happening to me! I am only 10 days post op but have lost 25 pounds since 11/3. The weight loss has been rapid but I don't know what to do to stop the oiliness. I only used a 'stripping' type of shampoo today and plan to keep using just that with no conditioner but I don't know what else to do. Is this a nutrition deficiency I can help resolve? Do I just have to wait it out? I hate this

I'm hanging in there too. every day I have less gas floating around and less soreness. I was banded on 11/17 and was back to work on 11/19 - so not much down time. I have been losing about a pound a day (from pre op through now) and I hope that stays until I move to mushies. I have a full 2 week liquid diet so I have almost another week to go. I also have my first post op appt on 12/2 (my bday ) For Thanksgiving I had exactly 2 bites of mashed potatoes, 1 bite of pumpkin pie, 2 bites of applesauce and half of a deviled egg. That was pretty much my first attempt to have mushy foods. It did just go down and sit there like a rock. Like I am not ready so I am glad I didn't overdo it. I can't believe how quickly I am dropping weight... I haven't incorporated my normal gym routine yet (just not enough energy) but I hope I can keep up a steady loss even when moving on to foods. Happy black Friday!

Way to go! What a meaningful milestone.

I'm right there with you! Banded on 11/17 (so day 6 post op for me). I had a full 2 week liver reduction diet, and now I have a full 2 week liquid diet. I am starving, I mean double dog starving and the gas pains are still incredible (both from in my abdomen and in my tummy). I am dropping almost a pound a day but it is really hard to keep this up. I also have little to no energy so I can't start any real exercise (even low impact yet). I go on mushies after one more week, thank goodness. Whew, all that said, we will make it through and this should kickstart the whole process and weightloss. I sure hope some of the hunger pangs go away.

Way to go! You should be celebrating, you have done a great job

Had the surgery on Wednesday... I ended up in pre-op for 5 hours because there was an emergency surgery that came up between the first scheduled band and mine. That was a looooong afternoon - hot, uncomfortable, etc. I ended up in surgery around 5pm and out at 6:30pm. I was in PACU until about 8pm and then woke up in my room. My friend was there and staying a few until I dozed off. The night was uncomfortable but not terrible. I had a PCA? for pain and got up in the middle of the night for the restroom and a quick walk. I was discharged at 9am or so the next morning and headed home. A little pain but not too bad. I slept most of the afternoon too. I had a hard time getting much liquid down, but that is a little better today. I am just struggling with a pretty bad headache and worrying about getting enough Protein and liquid in me since I can't get much down at this point. When does the gassy feeling go away? When does it get a little easier to get down liquid so I can get some protein? What about the pain and swelling? TIA!

I'm still on clear liquids and protein shakes for now, but trying to get enough liquid and protein in since everything is still so swollen and sore.

It will be here before you know it!!! I am scheduled for 11/17 so I definitely know the feeling :thumbup:

Wow, you could be my twin. I am 5'8", highest weight and starting weight of 271, self pay, in my 30's, work a LOT, etc. I absolutely need to have long term tools/assistance with keeping my hunger under control. I can also lose weight like you described - 50-60 pounds a few different times and when I do that I feel great. Then just when I am ready to take the next step (maintenance or more for looks instead of health), I gain it back (and quickly). Often it has been a major event in my life that triggers it, but sometimes it is just me and the food. I look at the lap-band as a major key to my success in the future. It can be done. It is not a quick fix. It is a tool in my toolkit (not the solution). I have known for years that I have to make changes for my health, my future and my self esteem. And I decided this was the time.

I am so amazed at how varied the different pre-op diets are... Mine was so structured: low card slim fast for bfast and lunch. Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice for dinner. No Snacks unless you are ready to binge, then you can have an 80 calorie cup of yogurt. The target is between 600-800 calories per day.

I had my pre-op appointments this week and started my 2 week diet Wednesday. I don't know if I am excited, nervous, calm, crazy or what. The diet is tough but now that I have a couple of days under my belt I know I can do it. I lost 4 pounds in those first few days, so that is some motivation in and of itself. I have all the pre-op instructions to review and my shopping for this diet as well as most of what I need for the first week or 2 is done. I ordered an elliptical machine (to supplement my gym membership) and it arrived today so I can start getting in more cardio on the busy days where I just can't get to the gym. So, 11/17 is the day! The next step in my journey is so close and I just can't wait to get started. :eek:

Down 10 pounds as of this morning - day 7 of my pre-op diet! I guess the hunger is worth it :thumbup:

I have just over 1 week to go now... 11/17. 1 week of the liver reduction diet is done and I have lost some weight. Amazing how the butterflies will just hit all of a sudden when I realize how close I am.

I had a very similar experience and was shocked that it went the way it did. A lot of comments about not having dealt with my emotional eating and that it will be even more challenging because of that. He was hung up on semantics of what I was saying instead of listening to the whole story. I felt like I was being interrogated. It ended with him saying that he guessed he would clear me but would prefer that I not proceed. I was in awe of the whole situation.

The first few were awful! Then the rest of that first week was a lot easier. I am on day 8 today and the reason I am on the boards today is because the hunger pains are back in full force. I am wondering if it is because I worked out this morning early (normally I work out in the evenings). Either way, it will be worth it in the end. I found that spacing it out as long as I could helped, and making a cup of broth tides me over if I am really hurting. For me the isolation didn't help, getting out and staying busy did though. Just another perspective.

One week done in my liver reduction diet. I am starving but I haven't cheated! I checked the scale and I have lost 6 pounds give or take. One week to go!!!!!!!!!!!

After months of waiting for a consult, today is the day! I did my seminar a few months ago and have been saving up since I am self pay and they don't have a set rate ($25k is the average). Today is my consult with the surgeon and my psych eval has been scheduled for next week. My hope is to walk out with my remaining questions answered and a surgery date for late October. I have butterflies in my stomach! Wish me luck.

The nurse said I will definitely be a November bandster but the date is still to be set. I am hoping for earlier in November, but we'll see!!!

Within a few hundred miles this is my only option. The docs are top notch but the hospital network is a not for profit center of excellence so they don't do any 'package' or 'pre-payment' deals. It will likely end up being lower since they have already walked me through the surgery prep items and I have to do only 3 of like 15. I think they present the number as a worst case scenario and I also know that I will get a 20% discount if I pay in full within 30 days (or maybe 45). So it might not be so terrible. I really feel strongly about having the surgery locally and having my resources here just in case.

So exciting, here's wishing you the best on your weight loss journey!

Me too! I have my initial consult this afternoon and am probably going to have surgery in October (eek!) I have been weaning off the diet coke since early last week. I am down to 1 12 oz can or so each day. It has been so hard, but I know it will be worth it. Cold turkey would have killed me, I think.

Way to go! It sounds like you are well on your way. :drool: This forum has been a great wealth of information and support to many (including me).

I can totally relate to so many of these stories. This thread has brought me to tears a few times today. Here are some from my childhood that stick with me to this day. In 7th grade I had 3 terrible events… 1) One of my best friends was really large and when we were in health class there was a strange noise coming from the floor above us in the school. Then some rude boys said it must be XXX in the bathroom (referring to my friend). I couldn’t believe they said that. 2) Also, that was the year my father started referring to my friend as 2-Ton Tony instead of her name. And to think that now I am bigger than she ever was. 3) Then there was the cute boy I had a crush on who sent a boy to bring me a note before school started one morning. I was cautiously hopeful that it actually said something nice. But instead, he had drawn a picture of a whale and put my name underneath it. I kept that note for YEARS in my wallet as a reminder of how worthless I must really be. Wearing a size 14 in junior high (just barely) and this was before there were a lot more plus sized options. My freshman year in high school they weighed us in FRONT of the rest of our gym class (boys too) on one of those scales with the sliding weights. I was the only girl who had to have the weight slid over to 150 just to start. I was probably about 165 then and god what I wouldn’t give to weigh that now. My mother told me when I was in high school that if I lost enough weight she would buy me a whole new wardrobe. She wasn’t trying to be mean, but it was so hurtful for your own (petite) mother to say that. I also remember being teased so much in elementary school that I would come home crying and telling my mother that I just wanted to die. No little kid should ever have to go through that or think such an awful thing. I used to get hungry when I was young even after dinner was over and sometimes I would sneak food. One of my favorites was to eat from the block of Velveeta in the fridge. When I was afraid someone would walk in I wouldn’t even cut it off but actually bite it. My mother confronted me one day when she saw the ‘teeth’ marks in the cheese. Gosh, it is so sad to think about all the trauma and self consciousness associated to my weight over the years. I want to be strong and healthy. I want to shop anywhere I darn well please. I want to be judged by something more than my weight for ONCE in my life.