lauragshsu

I've found being in the state I am that it's hard. When we lived overseas and were actually farther than family and friends, it was almost easier! Our military friends would all gather together and celebrate t-giving and Christmas along with b-days because it was too expensive for most of us to go back stateside more than once a year. When we were finally stationed back stateside, I thought I would have the benefit of military friends like we had overseas and the ability to go home to family more often. What I've found is since we are stateside, most military friends drive home or have family come up, and that we can't afford to go home to family more than twice a year. I've also found that this state is difficult to make friends in unless you're part of the majority religion here (LDS), which I'm not. It can be very lonely.

Have you had a fill done (or had the band looked at) under fluouroscopy? I was havig similar issues 3 months ago. I would eat very little and sometimes vomit, but then there wouold be days where I was constantly starving. It took a fluro to show that my band was actually too tight, and the constant feeling of being starving was because I wasn't able to eat enough. They took more out, and I've lost 22lbs since then.

I am so sorry this happened to you. I didn't think they were even allowed to let you walk out after surgery. I've had three lap-band related surgeries (the intial and two port-related ones) and they never let me walk out. I could have walked (heck, probably could have skipped/jumped) out with the second one, but they still insisted I leave with a nurse being pushed in a wheel chair until we got to my car.

I would again, in a heartbeat. Only I wouldn't get single incision through the bellybutton. I would rather have 6-8 small scars than still be dealing with a single incision that won't close (almost 9 months post op).

I normally eat leftovers from the night before. If not, I do have WW and lean cuisines meals. I also have small tupperware containers because I often can't finish even those smaller serving frozen meals. sometimes it's just lunch meat rolled around a string cheese. I'm weird, I know

For the love of all that is holy, take a laxative while on percocet. I found out the hard way that percocet commonly gives you constipation. I seriously think I broke my bum last night.

I've had two fills and five unfills (including a complete unfill after my first fill). At 8.5 months post op, I only have 2.25 CC in a 10CC band, and am doing pretty well. I do find I can eat a lot sometimes, but am not vomiting like I used to (which was almost once a day).

I hit my 1o0lbs lot on Saturday (1002.2 to be exact). Even though I still have 45lbs or so to go to hit the top end of my goal, I am sooooo happy. I'm including some pictures of me taken the day of my surgery (march 15 in blue pajama pants and pink tshirt ) and this past Saturday (Nov 20, in jeans and long sleeved shirt).

It's been eight months for us March-ers. How is everyone doing? I had my third surgery on Tuesday to replace the earlier removed port. This surgery hurt almost as much as the intial one. The dr went back through my belly button, removed some of the "leaking" tissues and sewed it back up. He then cut a new incision about 4.5" up and to the left of my belly button to put the new port in. This new incision site is what is causing all the pain! I also hit my 100lbs gone last weekend! YAY!!!

I was banded 3/15 and had my first fill a month later at my checkup. They gave me 3.5cc, and two days later I had to have a complete unfill because I couldn't even swallow my saliva. 6 weeks later I went back in and had a second fill of 3 cc, which felt perfect and gave me restriction without having problems. Two months later, though, my band suddenly got too tight, and they took some out (leaving me at 2.8cc), which made me feel great. I went back in two months later to get a slight fill and the dr thought I might actually be overfilled (since I was vomiting), and took out some more, leaving me at 2.5cc. She said if I vomitied anymore, to get a fluoroscopy done, which I did 3 weeks after that, and they took more out, leaving me at 2.25cc. So yeah, 8 months, two fills, five unfills, only at 2.25cc. I'm one of those "lucky" people who are incredibly sensitive to even the slightest fill.

I have had to have revisionary band surgery (two actually). They weren't worse than the intial surgery and I'm still alive. I haven't "strictly" followed the diet plan. I am an emotional eater, but the band keeps me from emotionally overeating. I have emotional problems (childhood of abuse) that caused my weight gain as well as medical problems (PCOS) that made it all but impossible to lose on my own. 8 months out, I've lost 102lbs. I bet you could find a ton of other successful people. One question: why all the band hate?

We are a month out from finishing this challenge- just wondering how everyone is doing. I know this week was awful for me- I had my third surgery on Tuesday (to replace the port they removed during the last surgery) and haven't been active at all because of the pain. Coupled with the over-abundance of food from Thanksgiving, I know I've put on a few pounds.

Seeing as how Christmas is six months from tomorrow, this would be a longish challenge. It would be for 26 weeks (26 weekly weigh ins). Anyone interested?

I completely feel your pain- I've been dealing with an incision issue for 8 months. I had a single incision lapband done, which my surgeon only glued shut. It never healed, and was always leaking fluids. 7 months after the initial surgery, they did a second surgery to find out what the problem was. Turns out the open incision had led to a port infection, which meant they had to remove the port. I just had a thir surgery on Tuesday for them to replace the port. They cut open the single incision again (which still hadn't healed), cleaned out the leaking tissues and then opened up a whole new incision site to put the new port in. At this point, I know I can fit into a size 16, but I'm so swollen, bruised and hurting I'm wearing 18-20's. I hope this last attempt works, everything heals up and nothing ends up leaking. I'm tired of bandages.

No matter how big you are preop, friends and family (most likely) won't say "yeah, you are a tub-o-lard, go get surgery". I was 319 (and 5'9") when I had surgery, and still had people sayig I didn't look "that heavy". Now, 100lbs down, I always have people telling me how great I look and what a great desicion it was.

I don't agree with the LDS religion. I had my surgery by an LDS surgeon at an LDS hospital a few blocks from the main LDS temple in the state. A good surgeon is a good surgeon.

My husband has been incredible, too. He originally didn;t want me to have the band, mainly because he was afraid I'd die during the procedure. As soon as I made up my mind, though, he's been completely supportive. He even has a "new wardrobe" fund going, so I can get a whole new wardrobe when I hit goal. He constantly puts his arms around me to show me how he can actually wrap both arms around, and shows me in other ways how much I've lost (ways even I don't realize). Throughout my three procedures (the initial band, infected port removal and my recent new port insertion), he's been incredible and supportive. Thanks for starting this thread- it makes me realize how lucky I am

This was also my first Thanksgiving with the band. I think that I got caught up in the "pile your plate" syndrom the others had. Even though I only took small bits of what was there, and still only had half a full plate, I ate less than half of what was on my plate. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Then again, being less than 48hrs post op (for a port revision) and on pain meds might have made a difference.,. )

It can seem pretty intimidating at first. I can tell you Bandster hell is normally the time after being banded but before you have adequate restriction. Some people go through it, some don't. Dumping is not something normally associated with the band- that's more of a bypass thing. PBing (or productive burping) is when you burp and involuntarily bring up food. There is a lot to learn. I would NOT start off reading the lapband problems page- that can scare anyone. I can tell you that even though I had to have three surgeries (the initial banding, a surgery to remove an infected port and a surgery just yesterday to put in a new port), it was the best desicion I have ever made. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Thank you for your story. My husband and I had tried for two years to get pregnant. I was told, by five different doctors, these things: I was making it up (only having a preiod every 90-100 days), I was "too fat" to have kids, I needed to get off my fat @$$, put down the bonbons, and go to the gym (despite having 18 months of food journals showing I was following weight watchers strictly), I may or may not be diabetic (after doing some tests...and they weren't going to test me anymore, and the final one saying "You probably DO have a fertility problem, but we have so many women already pregnant we're not going to help you. After these two years, we were stationed back in the US (we were in England, and only dealt with military doctors). Within 6 weeks of being here, I got an appointment with one of the best fertility doctors in the state. I went in and she told me I had PCOS...and that I was already 5.5 weeks pregnant. I had mylapband in March, and am waiting until this coming some to start TTC. It gives me hope to know that you've had PCOS and have been able to convceive quickly after lapband. I have no idea if my cycles are normal or not- I have a Mirena put it. Again, thanks for sharing your story and good luck with your little one!!

I had a single incision surgery through my bellybutton, and it never closed. After seven months, the surgeon decided to do a "wound exploration surgery ", and found that there was an infection in the port area (which was only about an inch above the incision). He removed the port to let me heal. I'm currently waiting on insurance approval to have port replacement surgery (hoping for next week).

The thing with military cutbacks is that when they try and cutback military spending, they hardly ever cutback on the stupid things that they are wasting money on. The first thing they cut back on instead is military pay and benefits.

What are your thoughts on it? Should it be illegal? I'm only curious because right now the big story (in Utah) is the TLC show "Sister Wives" facing polygamy charges. 'Sister Wives' TLC Reality Show Stars Kody Brown's Family Speak Out on Possible Bigamy Charges - ABC News

Currently in the trash, I'm assuming. I'm waiting to get a port replacement. It was right above my bellybutton (only like an inch above it).

Not a single regret, and I've had some complications. I had single incision (through my belly button), and the incision never closed. After 7 months of waiting post op and trying different things (and different surgeons recommendations), I saw my surgeon (specifically for the incision) and he decided to do a second surgery, to "explore the reason". Come to find out my port had an infection and needed to be removed. I'm hoping to have a third surgery next week (still waiting for the insurance ok) to have port replacement. I am also highly sensitive to fills, and have had only two fills, and six unfills. At nine months post op, I only have 2.2CC in a 10CC band. Given all that, I've also lost almost 100lbs and kept it off, a feat I've tried many times on my own.