hiddnstar

Hi everyone Im just posting a follow-up that the pain and discomfort I was having since being banded now seems to be resolved! I was banded in July of 2010 and have written about being able to feel the band, having a lot of discomfort under both ribs, having to lay down during my 3 breaks at work-- and right away after getting home from work. Just this past tuesday, I was talking with a friend and suddenly something inside me kind of squiggled and turned, some really odd sensation. But not enough to stop our conversation. The next morning I woke up feeling great! I have not had the discomfort or pain return. I can still feel a sensation of the band, but it is not unpleasant -- just a small pressure under my ribs when I am sitting. If I am standing I feel nothing!!!! Im in heaven! Just hope it continues. I happened to have a ascheduled appt with my surgeon the very next day and told him what had happened. His eyes got real big and he got his pen and pad out immediately to write an order for an Xray -- which I had the next evening. Dont have the results yet. Thank you for reading the posts and just being here for support! ~hiddn

Hi Has anyone had pain in their pouch or stomach? Im not sure I can tell the difference of where it is coming from. Can anyone describe what it feels like when you have stretched the pouch? or injured it? I also sometimes get what feels like a sudden cramp in the pouch or stomach area. This is new. I see my surgeon on Wed. for my 4th fill, but I'm having this pain and I'm not sure it's a good idea to get a fill. He does not take much time to talk, so I want to have my symptom description and questions clearly formed before I go in. I have been hungry a lot. I can eat anything I want. I am still losing weight, but it's because I pretend I can't eat much -- not because I can't. 10 days ago I went to breakfast with a friend and had a pancake, a serving of tofu, 3 slices of bacon, and decaf coffee. This is a large meal for me these days and I came to a point that no more food would fit. But I am now concerned I may have stretched the pouch and maybe that is why I have that pain. If this sounds familiar to you or you have a supportive comment, please respond Yesterday I woke up feeling fat and ugly. Today I sat down and crossed my legs for the first time in decades!! So sometimes this journey takes on a roller coaster feel to it. We all know about that! Thank you for your support here. ~hiddn

Hi I, too, was still hungry often after my first fill. I continued losing weight, though. My dr is very conservative with fills so he does not put much in. I have now had 3 and about to go back this next week for a 4th. Dont know that he will add more fill, but I hope so. Your doctor may be conservative on the fills, too. I appreciated it because it gave my body a chance to adjust to the band -- to fill it a little more each time. Hope this helps. ~hiddn

It's especially during this time to remember everyone responds a little differently to the surgery. Some people have horrible left shoulder pain from the leftover gasses and I was dreading that! But it never showed. I had an unrelenting pressure directly under both ribs for months, which no one else seemed to have. My point is I think there are sensations and symptoms that some people will have and others not. Perhaps your doctor will learn something new from you. My doctor keeps his ears open for any new comments, suggestions, symptoms he hears from his patients so that he can help others. One funny thing, my doctor is from another country and had never heard of hunger pangs! I brought up the subject of hunger pangs in the recovery room right after surgery, though I could not hold a conversation about it because I was all drugged up. He immediately wanted his nurse to tell him all about hunger pangs. "hunger pangs. What are hunger pangs???" It makes me laugh to remember his urgency about that. He said he needed to know so he could help his other patients as well. So,hang in there. You haven't mentioned anything I havent seen written here before I hope that helps. Just let yourself heal. I had a hard time motivating myself to get up and walk around. But try to do that if even for just a few minutes at a time. It really does help. Your body will appreciate it. And please, please, please don't compare your recovery to anyone else's! ~hiddn

Hang in there! I love your self control! I often simply pretend I cannot eat very much -- it is not the band that stops me. I agree with what others have said about giving the band some time, get a few fills, and be patient. Once you learn how to use the band -- what it can and can't do for you --- you'll be just fine. You'll find that sweet spot and the weight will come tumbling off! Your band is your new weight loss partner. Keep your eyes on the prize ~hiddn

I took as long as I could, which turned out to be 3 weeks. My doctor approved two weeks and I took 1 week vacation time. When I went back to work, though, I found I needed to leave mid-day for a week. I work in an office at a computer, 10 hours a day/4 days a week. When I went back to work full days, I took all my breaks in my car with the seat back and relaxed. I tend toward being tender with myself and do not feel I need to "tough things out". I think 4 weeks off would have been perfect for me, though not entirely necessary. I would suggest staying out at least until you have your staples removed and a post-op check before returning to work. I strongly believe in providing the best foundation possible to make this decision/procedure/life-style change work! So, whatever it takes to accomplish that ~hiddn

Im not doing well in this area. When I walk, it feels really, really good! I also have a stationary bike and when I ride that I feel like Ive accomplished something. But I am not a regular exerciser--don't follow my example!!! One thing I have found helpful is to get massages. Not only do they feel wonderful, but they help me actually feel where my body stops these days. I mention this because I also love feeling my new, smaller body sensations when I walk around the park (at an exercise-walk pace)--which goes back to the original question. The nurturing from massages is a sweet gift I give myself along the way. ~hiddn

Hello I was banded July 7, 2010 and have lost a little more than half the weight I plan to lose. I have had one short episode of sliming in the beginning. I have had 3 fills. The last fill I had the doctor thinks the port may have flipped. He had a hard time getting the needle in and had to poke around and grasp the port and turn it back. I find I do best with a protein drink for breakfast, but by mid-morning I can eat whatever I want. I eat a lot of chicken. I have not had a problem with any food, but I have been very selective of the food I eat. I also eat organic food now that I don't eat much (I can afford it!). A mistake I made was tasting cake batter while baking a birthday cake. This one small act got me right back into craving and eating sugar. It took a while, but I'm back to a mostly sugar-free diet. For a treat I like to have hot cocoa made with lactose free milk, unsweetened cocoa, and agave nectar for sweetness. For exercise, I walk and ride a stationary bike. I lost some hair about 3 months out, but not a whole lot. It was over a 2 week period of time for the most part. My favorite protein drink is the already mixed Muscle Milk. One difficulty I have is having any kind of pressure on my stomach area. I can only wear jeans for a couple of hours -- I wear dresses or sweats. My port does not hurt, though it is sensitive if bumped. I can feel the band as a tightness under and across both ribs. My favorite thing is that my thighs no longer rub together when I walk!!!!!! I respond to other bandsters in some of the other forum sections sometimes and have gotten a lot of good information on this site. I hope everyone coming here will find the support they are looking for and will be supportive to fellow bandsters as well. We all have something to give And remember there is no substitute for human interaction -- please reach out to those you feel closest to in your life and get the support you need to go all the way! ~hiddn

I am so glad to read these posts!! I, too, can eat just about anything I want. I've been pretending that I cannot eat very much but I've learned that a little bit of food lasts me a long time! I am happy with that. My doctor always asks me if I have "restriction". The first time I answered that the only difference I felt was that I no longer wake up in the morning hungry. He said that did not answer his question... I realized I had no idea what restriction actually is. But after reading these posts, I think we are on the right track. I do not want the kind of restriction where food barely makes it through or where I struggle to have a small meal. I know people who tell our doctor they have no restriction so he will give them a larger fill...and then they can only eat a tablespoon's worth of food. (but they don't tell the doctor that because he would not approve of that level of restriction ---they just want to lose weight fast). Thank you everyone for writing what restriction is for you!!! I can't tell yo how happy and relieved I am to hear this! ~hiddn

I had staples and they did not hurt to have them removed. I could feel the sensation, but it was not pain. And it was pretty fast! The scars are fading quickly. ~hiddn

Hi I do not feel the port unless I lean against something -- typically the sink, or try to rest something on my belly as I carry it (like groceries). I do, however, feel a pressure below both my ribs and my doctor says that is the band. That Im particularly sensitive to it. I can tell you, though, that this sensation is getting much better! I think paying attention to my posture and my breathing has helped a lot. I tended to bend forward a lot, perhaps kind of unconsciously protective of my gut area. I have not talked to anyone else who has this sensation -- so chances are you will not have it. Everyone I have talked to (and I've talked to a lot of people) has told me they cannot feel the band at all. Psychologically, it was important for me to accept the band as MINE, as ME, not as some kind of intrusion or foreign object. My friends would talk about it as a foreign object thinking they were being supportive to me, and sympathetic. But it was best for me to relate to the band very differently; total acceptance. At first I was afraid of it but now I am grateful to have it. Hope this answers your questions. I am half way to my weightloss goal and was banded last summer. Im so glad I did it even though I always have a sensation that reminds me the band is there. Id do it again for the health results even if I knew ahead of time Id have this sensation. ~hiddn

Hi I had a hernia discovered pre-surgery. My doctor fixed it during the surgery. I don't believe it impacted my recovery at all. I woke up from surgery with the pain under control, but definitely feeling I'd had surgery! I was pretty weak. Mine was outpatient but I stayed a few hours longer than my doctor expected. He was surprised to still see me in the recovery area. As it turned out, I was his first patient done as an out patient and the nurses in recovery were not familiar, yet, with lapband patients. (he is the only doctor here who does them). So the nurses were hesitant to send me home! So, in response to your question, repairing hernias are very common during lapband surgery. Ask your doctor what he will be doing different because of the hernia repair, what complications he will watch for, and if he expects any additional recovery time because of the hernia. Im glad he can repair that for you while he's in there!! ~hiddn

Hi I have complete sympathy. The two weeks post op were the hardest for me but I am very glad I stayed with the clear liquids. It seems there are lots of differing opinions from doctors about what types of foods you can have and when you can have them. My doctor said clear liquids only -- for two weeks post op. (the nutritionist, however, said clear liquids for 2 days, full liquids the rest of the week, then move on to mushies, etc). I did what the doctor said and was extremely hungry. Scary hungry. The hunger pangs seemed to course thru my whole body at times. I drank a lot of water. I thought of the time as a kind of purifying and cleaning out period. It was the worst time for me and luckily I was off work (I took 3 weeks). When I got to the full liquid stage, it was heavenly. Mixing unflavored protein powder into different foods was very helpful. I have heard some people mix a little bit of sugar free pudding mix into their protein drink to make it thicker -- though I have not tried that yet. The best I can say is hang in there. It is wise to stay with what your doctor ordered and anything else that gives you the best foundation to be successful with the band. Do everything you can to help your body to heal before adding or experimenting with different foods. I was miserable for two weeks after being banded, but have never regretted sticking to clear liquids during that time. I believe the new drink muscle milk makes, Protein H2O, would be considered a clear liquid. It has 10 grams of protein. It helps with hydration as well. Hang in there!!!! This too shall pass. ~hiddn

When this has happened with me, I commit to just one day of eating very strictly to plan. If I don't see a weight drop, I commit to another day of very strict eating practice. Usually I see a drop in weight which re-sets my motivation and commitment to lose all this weight once and for all. It may not be what works for everyone, but it works for me. I eat a lot of chicken and Im learning to mix up a nice dish using curry paste, fish sauce, and lite coconut milk. I cook small, bite-size pieces of chicken in the mix and pour it over a tiny bit of mashed potatoes. It is tasty, filling, and has that "comfort food" aura. Hope this helps you or someone else reading these posts! You'll get back on track --- and don't harp on the holiday stuff. It's not helpful to keep mulling over bad choices made in the past (if that is what you're doing); it's done and over with. Thank goodness, huh? Focus on today's choices. ~hiddn

Hi Swirl This is the first time Ive read one of your posts. I find it helpful to have all view points expressed on this site as it gives a more balanced view and more info -- kind of like reading reviews. I was banded in July of 2010. It has only been recently (within the last few weeks) that I have come to love my band. I'm sorry it has not worked for you and I hope you will find what does. Are you thinking of the other surgeries like the sleeve or will you go a different route? I hope you will not give up altogether on losing weight! I get frustrated with my doctor because I feel I have no restriction (at least not as it has been described to me)-- I can eat anything I want. He is very conservative with fills. I have also had discomfort in that i can feel the band physically and have not found anyone else who reports this. It is just now getting better -- and I believe this is because I am now seeing a physical therapist. The two weeks post-op when I could have only clear liquids was a real trial; very very hard for me. But I learned to not be afraid to be hungry. I guess I needed that lesson and now there are times I actually prefer to be hungry for a bit. Anyway, I mostly wanted to say I'm sorry the band is not working for you. I know the courage it takes to make the decision to have a band in the first place, the hoops jumped thru to get it, all the financial arrangements and time off work and the recovery period...plus learning how to work with it and for lots of us there is emotional upheaval as we give up our favorite and most treasured comfort. So for the band to not work for someone having gone thru all that -- I cannot even imagine the disillusion, perhaps even a feeling of betrayal. Im glad you are seeing your doctor and being straight forward about the band. I hope you will find what works for you. And I hope you will still post here. Your experience is a valuable lesson to people coming here for real information in their decision process. Thank you for being honest about it. And best of luck to you! ~hiddn

Nicely stated Posting here, just like emails, it is so easy to be mis-interpreted as no one can hear your voice, inflections, etc. and can only "hear" you thru their own state of mind at the time. It's a good idea for everyone to consider attending a lap band support group in person at least once to see if it is helpful for them. ~hiddn

hi How do you figure percentage of body fat? I'd love to do that. thanks! ~hiddn

Those are amazing answers!!!! Im blown away! Love, hiddn

HI In case anyone else was wondering what percentage of their original body weight they have lost, here is the formula: Divide number of pounds lost by the starting weight. Multiply the answer by 100 Example: 40 divided by 330 x 100 = 12.12% I've been watching old episodes of The Biggest Loser lately and was wondering what my own percentage of loss is. Today it is 22.5%! What is yours? ~hiddn

I never feel full and I miss that. Sometimes I drink a hot drink and enjoy the warmth in my tummy. I rely on my eyes to tell me when I'm full; having eaten the measured serving. It takes some getting used to. I even enjoy the emptiness now. And I definitely enjoy food! just in a much smaller package One huge benefit Ive found is that I can buy all organic food now that I don't eat much. It now fits in my budget! ~hiddn

hi I have no personal experience with what you are describing or slipped bands, but I have read that sometimes the port tubing can get twisted. Also there can be a pocket of fluid around the port that can cause pain. Maybe that whole area needs to be explored. i have also read they can put colored saline in the port and track where it is going that way. Maybe be able to see if it is messed up. I hope this is resolved quickly. Are you keeping food and liquids down? I have read not being able to do that is a sign of a slipped band. ~hiddn

Ive lost an elephant's penis --- didnt know I had one! and a rack of baby back ribs. During November and December and kept losing an average human brain over and over again, but back on track now. After a fill in late December, I lost a Chihuahua and feel so much better!! Altogether I need to lose the amount of trash you throw away in a month, but I would really like to lose an average adult woman. I could be satisfied with losing a baby giraffe. We'll just have to see. ~hiddn

Hi! Those of us who were banded last July have now come to our 6 month mark. How is everyone doing? I have lost half the weight my doctor wants me to lose and I'm excited about that. However, I have been reading posts here about how for lots of people the first 6 months is when the weight comes off the fastest. I guess we, as a group, will now see for ourselves. My weight was stalled for 3 weeks in Dec. until I got a fill. Then I lost a pound a day for 5 days. Now it is stable. Hopefully I will be losing 2 pounds a week again. My physical therapist told me it is important to do different kinds of physical activitity. So I have added riding an exercise bike to my walking. I really need to add some weight lifting for my arms... Is everyone staying motivated? Or maybe going in and out of being motivated to finish this journey?? I was thinking maybe if we all pull together, since we were banded around the same time, we can get each other thru the rough times. I would love to hear how much people have lost or how much closer to goal and what has been the most helpful to them. Anything at all!!! support, recipes, types of protein, favorite foods, jokes. I've been stuck on a craving for tapioca pudding! I never even knew I liked tapioca pudding...and now I can't seem to get enough of it. What the heck is tapioca, anyway? My doctor wants me to lose 120 pounds and I have lost 62 of those so far. My own goal is to lose 130 - 140 pounds. And I have lost 62 of those so far I am not a good cook, so I have found that buying food at organic restaurants is a way for me to get yummy, good quality food. I eat so little compared to before being banded, that one restaurant meal lasts several days. Luckily I'm not picky about eating the same thing over and over I also have a 20 oz washable glass water bottle at work. I drink 3 of those every day while at work. (I was told to drink at least 64oz of water a day). My problem is getting enough water on the weekends. That's all I have to share for now. I hope everyone is hanging in there no matter what. Never, never, never give up. Lets all get this show on the road for 2011!!!! Yahoooooooooooooo!!!! ~hiddn

Don't know if you are still here to read another response, but to answer your question yes my taste buds seem to be different. And my nose! food is more intense in flavor, seems to have too much salt, and there are days when everything stinks -- smells like fish. My beloved coffee, now decaf, tasted like poison for a while and occasionally still does. I don't drink, so cant comment on that specifically. I do hope the nurse told you a smaller amount of alcohol will have a bigger effect now that you are banded. But it sounds like you did ok, anyway. Typing here, just like emails, can be hard to put into words exactly what you mean to communicate--especially since no one can hear your tone, hesitation, or inflections. And can be interpreted and misunderstood so easily and hard feelings created when none of that is intended. I think this thread went downhill fast and Im sorry about that. I think most people who post here, including those who try to voice their concerns for fellow banders decisions, are trying their best to be supportive. And are actually very supportive and compassionate people when someone else reaches out. My advice for all banders is to give yourself the very best foundation for success possible right from your first consultation with the doctor. Ive had trouble letting my favorite old habits encroach on my new lifestyle and regretted allowing that to happen--for me it only took one time to roll right back into the very thing Ive gone to such extreme lengths to change! Im halfway to my goal, feeling really good about that, on a roll -- and just last week my doctor told me we have a long way to go. Im not letting that comment discourage me; he knows it gets tough after the honeymoon. I can only hope Im tougher So I hope you are able to get the support you want for the long haul and hang in there no matter what! ~hiddn

So glad you wrote about this! I too have not invested in new bras. Just today i got measured and I ordered 2 bras off amazon. Your deal at Ross and Marshalls cant be beat! ~hiddn