AllieKat

I haven't lost any more this week :biggrin: I am such a slow loser. I just had another fill today, so I am hoping it will boost me along!

OOOOOO! I love this! I am a slow loser, and my body is changing, but the scale is sure slow to move. I was banded on 3-31-10, am down 25lbs, but have so many NSV's!

1. I can take most of my pants off without undoing the button!

2. I have to safety pin most of my pants/capri's.

3. My rings are almost too loose to wear.

4. My bra is too big!

5. I have just a pinch more stamina that I had before.

6. I am not aching as much, able to cut down on 1 RX.

7. People are starting to notice (makes me a little uncomfortable, have always hidden behind my fat).

8. Was able to buy a smaller swimsuit this week.

9. Hoping I won't need a seat belt extender in a few days when I go to Hawaii!

10. For the most part, I am making better choices with food. Baby steps!

Thanks so much for this post. It helps us all to remember that this is a HUGE lifestyle change, and it does NOT hinge on a number, or at least it shouldn't.

FINALLY the scale MOVES! I dropped 4 pounds wooo hooo! How sweet/bittersweet when you are losing inches, but the cale don't move but every couple of weeks or so.

Listen, you are where we all begin- Bandster Hell. I am right there with you. Try not to stress and panic right now. Allow self the time you need to heal, and learn a new way of life. Excersize must be a large part of your life, and making healthy food choices. There is all kinds of threads on this board about this very subject. I highly suggest going back and looking at some of the older posts, I found them very helpful about this subject. If you would like to talk, feel free to PM me. Stay positive, it will work, it's just not a "magic bullet".:smile2:

Hi everyone! Glad to have been invited to this thread (Thanks Cynthia)! I have had 1 fill, and while I have a teensy bit of restriction, I know it isn't enough, and the weight loss is so very slow. Bandster hell is right, although my experience thus far has been a pleasant one over all. Still learning to make the right choices, and learning to make excersize important. Whew! Lot's of work, but worth it!

Hello to all March Mauraders! I was banded on 3/31, and looking for some extra support, and to offer whatever support I can. I have had 1 fill so far, excersizing, feeling better than I have in awhile, but the weight is coming off kinda slowly, or is it just my perception? I know I don't have enough restriction yet, I am just able to eat too much food. Suggestions? My next appt. for a fill is on June 3rd.

I'm in for 20....I totally stopped losing when I joined in for the Mother's day Challenge, so it would be great to lose 20 lbs by my birthday....July 4th! I am losing so slowly, but I just had my first fill, and my body has always lost slowly....here's hoping for a pickup!:confused:

Thanks for this post, and thankfully I was prepared for Bandster hell by Dr. Vincent Lusco and the supportive staff at St. Mary's and Elizabeth's hospital (Debbie and Kim, and Lana) in Ky. Love these guys!

:thumbdown:

Got my first fill today! 3 cc's in a 10 cc band....we will see how it goes once I get off liquids (doc wants me on liquids for 2 days, then soft-solids, then solids). Wish me luck! I am excited, things are really gonna get interesting now! Plus I am taking up kick-boxing and swimming for excersize....am already down 1 pant size (yea!)

Oh yes. I am showing 3 lbs up overnight, and it is not letting go. I know I did not eat 3 lbs worth of food in one night. The body is a funny thing. I refuse to believe it, am trying to relax, do the next right thing and stay positive. The number will drop.

Stressing ourselves out and being afraid can also cause weight loss to stall. We have to be gentle with our bodies and minds, we have abused them our entire lives! Who knows what other people are thinking, but we have to say, who cares! We were brave enough to lay on a table and risk living to lose weight. I think we have made the ultimate sacrifice to try to be healthier. We do have to go to some extra lengths to get the weight off, the band is only a tool, but it will be worth it.:thumbup:

Hi there. I was banded 3/31, My surgery was at 9a, and I was home by 2p. I did need some help on the first day, but after that, I was fine. Actually, I was up walking around the house the same day to help disperse the surgical gas, because it is painful! I began an excersize program on day 7.:thumbup:

Hi there! I was banded on 3/31, and on 4/14 my doc let me move up to meatloaf and salad. He said to avoid really "dry" or tough meats right now, but that was about the only restriction he gave me. Also trying to learn to not drink with meals. That is key. My appetite has returned with a vengance! I am trying so hard to stick to lean meats and salads (no carby foods), but I hate the volume that it takes to make me feel full! I loved it right after surgery when not much would go down, now it feels like there is nothing in there but my big 'ol stomach! I have a follow up on 4/29, but I think my doc as practice makes everyone wait until their 6th week for a fill. I am in hell:scared2:. It will be worth it all. I am concentrating on building an excersize routine, and trying to keep off the 20 lbs I have lost so far. It feels wonderful to have loose clothes!:smile:

I am down 2 pounds! 8 to go!

Love it...that is so funny!!! i don't usually wear undies but boy if i did i would sure love to look forward to this...so i could get a good laugh...progress in the flesh!!! Love it!!!!

LOL! I don't wear undies either, but boy wouldn't this experience be funny? Thanks for sharing it, I can just picture it! It's funny what you notice when losing some weight, not just the #'s on the scale, but like now I can reach around and wash my backside in the shower without having to strain to do it, I know you know what I mean! Also, before, the pants I wore were so tight, they were short on me, but now, I am stepping on them when I walk! :thumbup:

I am in Lou, Ky as well, and also had my surgery done at St. Mary's (Dr. Lusco is great!), and had hernia repair. I was VERY sleepy, and sore. Couldn't drink but a little at a time because of stomach swelling, but the worst part of it all was the gas pain. I did not need any pain meds except for Aleve. They do put a patch behind your ear that you are supposed to wear until the next afternoon when you shower. It will make you sleepy, kind of like Phenergan. Other than that, I would say, have a driver, and plan to walk around a bit, you should be able to do it.

This website is the best! So many helpful people. Good luck tomorrow, purplelover.

I will not lie to you, it is NOT easy. However, it IS worth it. I see now that the Pre-OP diet really helped kick-start my weight loss, and prepared me for the stair-step back to regular food Post-OP. Every time I wanted to cheat, I reminded myself of all the things I wanted to do but could not because of the weight- like climb stairs without pain! I would also sometimes eat a SF fudgesicle (allowed on my preop diet). I had FANTASTIC support from my partner which helped in a BIG way. Just keep leaning on the people on this board, whatever support you have at home, and positive self-talk. Don't be suprised at headaches, bodyaches, all that stuff. It will get easier around day 3 or 4. Good luck, and welcome to your journey!:thumbup:

I don't want to scare you, but my doc told me if I develop a night time cough, or have issues such as this at any point to immediately call and come in, it could be slippage or band erosion, or a simple unfil for a time. Please don't take chances with your health.

Hi there. I am 1 week post-op. Here is what to expect;

1. Seminar

2. Surgeon appointment (to see if they will accept you)

3. Filing with insurance to see what they will cover.

4. Fulfilling insurance requirements, if any.

5. Pre-op testing. (Chest x-ray, blood work, barium swallow)

6. Pre-op diet (if surgeone requires one, can be hellacious, but worth it!)

7. Surgery!

This is a summary, and every surgeon is different, with different requirements. I think it was worth every step!:thumbdown:

I am new to this, and not on solid food yet, but it sounds like you are filled too tightly.....

I would, just to discuss it with the professionals, and maybe talk about why/how it happened.

I was banded on 3/31, and had the same problem. The doc suggested I take Aleve (2) 2x per day to help with that. It took me almost an hour to get the shakes in each time, but I got them in. The rest of the time, I drank Water or Crystal Light- you have to stay hydrated.

It is getting easier to drink and get thicker liquids down, give it a day or two, you will see a difference. Good luck!

All I can say is everyone is right..... it will get better!