lawismylife

Easy: get a fill. I get .1 cc when my tightness wears off.

Not to scare you, but I am under the impression that you shouldn't be having gerd at all post surgery - the band effectively separates the stomach from the bile so unless the band is misplaced you should not have those issues. I have had reflux only when I go to sleep too soon after eating and lie down. Did your surgeon do the test where you drink something and they check that everything is placed right?

I am a caffeine fiend and immediately after the surgery when I was healing I didn't have caffeinated, but I moved on pretty quickly back. I don't see any harm in it, you just have to stay hydrated. Also, when you are tight you need a hot liquid to loosen up, particularly in the morning. I always have a big coffee in the morning.

Hi, I had IVF and my babies before the band, but from my perspective, you should get banded and wait one year and then try IVF. First, my understanding is that the science is advanced but the hormones they pump into you are all affected by how much you weigh, so the numbers and calculations can be off with someone significantly overweight. If you lose a modest 50-70 lbs or so beforehand, you increase the chance of IVF being successful. My doctor made me lose 20 lbs before IVF when I was at 210. Also, if you are pregnant at 250 and gain 40 lbs with the pregnancy, which is not abnormal, you are at high risk for diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and other issues. As someone who was on bed rest for 12 weeks, trust me it isnt pleasant and you can lose your mind. You have a higher risk of multiples with IVF and that is also riskier with additional weight on you. Not to mention a likely c-section. (I had twins) On a selfish level, if you get to 275 with a baby, your stomach is going to be crazy stretched out. If you get banded first, you will have less stretching and ultimately reduce damage that may have to be corrected only by surgery. Wishing you the best of luck. I know right now you just want that little bundle of joy NOW but a healthy mommy is very very important. Not to mention that it's very hard to NOT pick up your 12 mo old for 6 weeks after banding (what I did) because they weigh too much! Sending love from someone who did the other option...

Hi I am not sure how much you have to lose ... I am 5'5 and was 250 lbs. I am now down to 179 and still have a stomach - have about 25 lbs more to go. I feel awesome! I am turning 32 tomorrow. I am working out 2x per week doing Zumba. I notice in my tummy some elasticity isn't bouncing back but overall a big improvement. If you exercise the result is much better. Also depends on genetics, how you are shaped. But the gross nasty skin you see from shows like biggest loser isn't really typical since we lose weight much slower. I tended to lose like 2-4 lbs per month after the initial honeymoon period. Drinking Water helps too. Bottom line is - would you rather be fat and unhealthy or have some loose skin?

A guest made a salad with a vinaigrette and shelled edamame (from freezer bag), orange pepper diced, small diced red onion, craisins, toasted pine nuts. Had Splenda in it too. Delicious!

For me, personally, I avoid spicy foods now. Salty foods. A salad with chicken shouldn't make you thirsty.

It's a habit for me by now so I don't even think about drinking And eating, but a suggestion at a restaurant is to ask for Water with lots of lemon wedges. Put the wedges on the rim of the glass so that you can't help but have them in the way to remind you not to drink. Personally I don't think a few sips the whole meal will affect you at all. I have a pill i take with a teeny sip of water afterward and I don't feel this has affected me at all.

My doc has "freeze spray" and I never feel it when done right. Sometimes if you have a hard to find port it can get pokey but it's nothing but poking. Don't look. You'll be fine.

Oddly enough I can get a salad down with croutons. Alone it's tough!

At a restaurant you can always try asking if they will do an appetizer portion of the main dishes for you. That was a weight watchers trick I learned. See, WW wasnt a complete waste of money lol

If anyone is interested in a trade, I have a bunch of costume jewelry to trade for size 12 items. I will pay to ship the clothing to me Via PayPal, and you can send me shipping for the jewelry.

I have size 8 and 10 pants that I bought as part of a huge lot and don't think I'll get there... I am a size 14 now and would like to collect size 12. I am in NJ and can trade in NYC or NJ.

There is an active PCOS thread elsewhere on lapbandtalk that is very informative. I have the band 1.5 years and have lost 70 lbs. I would like to lose 25 lbs more to be 155 at 5 6 but am very happy with my progress to date. It has been slow and relatively easy to lose the weight until 190 lbs without exercise, but I realize to get to goal I really have to incorporate the exercise. I am on 1500 mg metformin and it really helps the weight loss. I am also on BC pills. I must admit I am not that strict on limiting carb and sugar. I try to eat a well balanced diet but I do like a treat every day. If you prefer to lose fast and lazy, gastric and its cousin the sleeve is better. The band you will have to work for success. But definitely not as hard as trying to lose without the band, which I couldn't ever do. I would try and try for nothing. I am very happy with my decision, particularly since my father in law had gastric and had crazy complications and looks "deflated." band people lose more gradually and look more normal to me. Good luck! .

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycystic_ovary_syndrome

I actually got sick with a bad phlegm type cold last winter and I had to get an unfill because I was so congested. They wouldn't tell me how much they took out - they just said to come back the next week to out it back in. After the cold went away, I was shocked how much I was able to plow through food wise. It was scary. When I went back I asked them how much they took out and they said .3 cc's. CRAZY! I would have thought it was 3 whole cc's. When you are perfectly right it's amazing how big a difference .1 makes. I only fill in .1 increments now.

Never thought this would happen, but since I lost weight and am close to goal, my face has changed very drastically. I always has a "thin" face even when I was at 40 BMI, but now at 30 BMI it's very different from I ever remember looking. Even when I weighed this same weight before. I feel in a way I am reluctant to lose more because I don't like my face as much... Anyone feel the same way?

I suggest drinking a hot liquid like a tea or having some hot consommé prior to your meal. You might be experiencing swelling from after the fill, and this "opens up" your esophagus to help you eat. It could be that you need that prior to eating. The person above who said that they have 5-6 bites, slime, then can eat a cup or more might need to "open" te esophagus prior to eating.

When you cut out parts of your anatomy, there is some of the work being done "for you." the band will help you lose 50% to 60% of the excess weight without doing anything other than limiting position sizes. to get to goal you need to exercise and make good food choices. It's a tool. So the band will get you there if you work at it, and will prevent you from regaining he weight by over-eating. A family member of mine had gastric bypass and lost 130 lbs in 6 months, felt like crap, looks worse, is weak, and has deadly gas all day. Not fun.

So, I think there are people out there who just see someone overweight and whether they are 200 lbs or 300 lbs they will not notice a weight difference. So long as you are not thin. It would be easy for me to just say she's a b£€<<~, which could be true because she's missing a sensitivity chip, but there are some people like her out there and you have to learn how to deal with the fact that they are just ridiculous in that they can't see a difference. My husband lost 100 lbs + with the band, but he still needs to lose a good 80+ pounds and has all his weight in his stomach so he still has that portly appearance. He gets down about the fact that some people don't say anything or complement him after not seeing him a while. But the fact is some people just generalize "fat" in their head and won't notice a difference until you're at goal. It's just the way some people are. The same way some people are. Ad about judging spaces and what furniture will fit where, just by looking at it. You have to stop getting your reinforcement from those morons around you, and focus on the positive comments and your own noticing a change. In myself, I really just started to really feel amazing, and I went from a size 22 pants to a 14. It takes a while but all the pounds add up and before you know it you're a very different person. PS I would kill to lose 12 lbs in a month - I have lost 70 lbs in 1.5 years and it has been slow and steady. You'll get there!! You look great! And a smile works wonders

In the beginning I was really able to eat anything and I lost (with metformin) very slowly but down 70 lbs in 1.5 years. I wasn't exercising. I have about 30 lbs to go, and I am finding I really need to exercise and watch the carbs now or I won't lose. All in all, the exercise is really key.

You look beautiful. Thanks for sharing! Great job!

My c section recovery was far worse than lapband. I was back at work in under a week for the lapband. If you are nervous about pain, you should find a doctor who uses the on-Q pain management system for after the surgery. I had that and felt NO Pain and didn't even have to use my pain pill prescription. it is amazing!

If anyone is interested in my bras, I have a bunch of expensive minimizers that are too big now pickup in manhattan or northern NJ. Message me if interested. You can also Paypal me the cost of shipping and I will mail to you.

Glad to see people are tuning in. A match has been made, thanks for your interest.