I hope its ok that I started this thread over on the post-op side! Just wanted to check in to see how those who have been banded are doing?

Im 5 days post op and Im HUNGRY. This all liquid business is really getting annoying. I think Im dehydrated too but Im going in to see my doctor today just to make sure everything is ok. I was feeling nauseous and still running a low grade fever. I talked with the doc last night and she said she didn't seem too worried about it but wanted me to come in today just to followup. Im going to ask her about starting some applesauce, pudding or thinned out cream of wheat. I need something more solid in my stomach.

To top everything else off- Im having female issues and bathroom issues. I started my period a week early 3 days before surgery even though Im on the pill and technically not supposed to start until this week. And I have a yeast infection from the antibiotics I got in the hospital. And then with nothing but liquids coming out I have a hemorrhoid. SHOOT ME NOW.

And the worst was last night when I was taking care of some lady business and was trying to be real gentle with my insicions so I didnt stretch too much and hurt them- well I got the MOTHER of all cramps in my lower abdomen (down below my belly button) that would not go away. I was in EXCRUCIATING pain and it hurt so bad that I really thought I was going to black out from the pain. After what seemed like 10 years (but really only 30 secs) things started getting better. But I called my husband upstairs and had him lay down iwth me just to make sure I wasnt going to pass out.

Anyways, after last night Im glad Im going in to see the doctor. I think I need to get some gatorade to drink because im probably dehydrated but just want to check with her to make sure its ok. And hopeing she will clear me to eat a little something. Im tired of feeling so weak and tired all the time.

Went to see my surgeon who once again could not get into my port. He tells me i am special because i am the only patient who's he has never been able to access their port. I told him it is nice to be special but not for that reason. So off i go to have a fill under xray again - he has requested 9mls again. They put 9 in last time then did a barium swallow and took 1.5 out again but he says he is sure i will tolerate 9 this time. 7.5ml was good for about 3-4 weeks, but i tend to agree with the radiologist that i probably have a slow leak because i never have as much in my band as they put in the time before and now it is 2 months since my last fill and i am hungry and able to eat what ever i want. I have only lost 1 kilo in the last 4 weeks, but at least it is a loss. I want to loose at least another 10kg by Christmas but at this rate i wont make it.

I was also talking to another girl who sees my surgeon and she has a referral to a plastic surgeon as she is almost at goal after 9 months and has never had a fill, but anyway she said that some of the cost of tummy tuck ect. due to weight loss is covered if done within 2 years of surgery. Now i am panicking incase i don't loose enough weight in 2 years to have my tummy done because i will need it and cant afford it with out the discount. I need to get my skates on... Maybe 9 will be my magic number. Fingers crossed.

Those of you with thyroid diseases- If you have hypothyroid have your meds been increased or decreased with your weight loss?

MY PCP seems to think my meds should decrease-I'm not sure why because I only weighed 115 pounds when my thyroid initially swelled up and slowed down. I think of the thyroid issue as not really weight related. Anyway, my surgeon says he does bariatric and thyroid surgeries. He says my meds should increase as my weight goes down.

Any thoughts?

Hi Everyone! Looks like everyone is doing great. I've hit a plateau and I'm trying hard to stay positive and optimistic. After the port replacement & gallbladder surgery, I am slowly still working in my fills. I am up to 4cc's in my 10cc band and still do not feel much restriction at all. I go in on April 29th for my next fill and I'm hoping she gives me 1cc so I can be to the 1/2 way mark. Having those two surgeries really pushed my goals down big time. I want to lose another 30lbs and I am really trying to stay positive that I can do that before our 1 year bandanniversary!

How is everyone else feeling overall?

I understand about the surgeries. Feel like I'm at a standstill right now with mine, and just as soon as I heal from the gallbladder, I get to have a hysterectomy. At times I just want to throw my hands up and quit, but alas, I will keep plugging along. I really miss my work outs too. I never thought I would see the day that I would write that. I'm hoping to get an okay on Thursday or at least a time frame I can start working out again.

I also had my primary tell me that she thought I might be at a standstill on my weight loss due to hormone levels being off, and she is hoping that after I have my hysterectomy that they might level off.

Those of you with thyroid diseases- If you have hypothyroid have your meds been increased or decreased with your weight loss?

MY PCP seems to think my meds should decrease-I'm not sure why because I only weighed 115 pounds when my thyroid initially swelled up and slowed down. I think of the thyroid issue as not really weight related. Anyway, my surgeon says he does bariatric and thyroid surgeries. He says my meds should increase as my weight goes down.

Any thoughts?

Yes, my decreased! I was taking 125mcg at surgery time. After I hit my 40lb weight loss mark, my dosage decreased to 112mcg. I've had 2 blood workups since then and my levels have stayed where they should be.

Happy Easter to all! Michelle good to hear about that healthy baby! To the others I am so hoping that you all are doing ok with your surgery outcomes. JanB I had hoped that your band did not have a leak in it. Keep us updated. Just finally broke through with my weight staying the same for about 5 weeks...mixed up my exercising and dietary habits...finally lost some this week. Take care all!

hi all, i am new to this forum but not to the band

i had my band put in 2/07 and i've lost 127 which is more than my goal wt.

its a battle at times but the fills are the secret

it takes persistance (sp?) but if you keep up with fills it begins to take care of itself after a time

sometimes the american docs are hesitant to give an agressive fill, i was lucky to have a fill doc who would be as aggressive as i wished, but he's going into a different field

since i had my band in tijuana with dr. ortiz (WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE) the docs here in st louis want my car and house to do a fill (around 2-3K) to get me "into their practice"

right now i just want a little of my restriction released b/c i can't stop losing and i'm ready to (never thought i'd say that)

my last fill was >2 yrs ago

any missouri or chicago docs anyone can suggest? iowa, memphis, aransas would be ok as well, or milwaukee

thanks and good luck to all

keep on!

roxanne

hello, hello! Its so good to see familiar faces checking back in! I had my 2nd fill with my new doctor 1.5 weeks ago and things are going well. He put in .6 cc's in for a total of 9.1 cc's and I can DEFINITELY tell a huge difference. I might be a tad on the too tight side because I definitely can't eat all that much but I can still drink Water and have no reflux issues so Im keeping it as is. I used to think that everyone was full of crap when they said you wont be able to eat more than 1/2 c at a time because I have always been able to eat way more than that but now with my last fill I understand what they are saying. Im hoping that Im at my sweet spot this time around. I do have an appt scheduled for May 14th but Im hoping I wont need it. And the good news is that Im down 10 lbs in 6 weeks! Im so encouraged right now! Now the next thing for me to do is gett off my butt and start exercising. I don't know why I have such a hard time forcing myself to do that.

Zenaida- congrats on hitting 40 lbs! Thats awesome!

Jamelyn- Its so good to see you! Your weightloss is awesome! Sorry about your surgeries but hopefully you are on the right track and will start losing again!

michelle- CONGRATS on your baby boy!

I can't wait to start getting fills again. I haven't had one since October, and I've just been waiting to get surgeries out of the way. I should hear from my GYN this week with my last surgery date, and as soon as I can after that surgery, I'm going in for a fill. I can't wait to get the all clear to exercise again.

I was disgusted when I did my weekly weigh in on Monday. I had gained 7.5 pounds from the week before. I'm that person that doesn't eat for 3 days, and I gain weight. The gallbladder surgery, I know my body is healing from it, has really thrown my body off. I wanted to cry.

AmberK - You have given me hope that as soon as I can start fills again, that I will have proper restriction. I certainly don't have it right now.

((HUGS)) Monica. I had a hysterectomy in September and it was the best thing I've ever had done aside from my Lap Band. I had mine done vaginally though. I was back to normal within 2 days.

I'm glad to see some are still checking in.

I must confess I'm not doing well.

I have not even weighed myself because I am not doing well.

I don't think that I've gained because I'm wearing clothes that I have not worn since I lost a good amount of weight the last time. I'm into sz 14-16's now. I was up to 20-22 depending on how the clothes were cut.

I have pretty good restriction with my band at 5.5cc but I'm not working with it. I am picking up all my old habits I had before banding such as eating and drinking together and I am sipping a bit to push food through so I can eat more. Also not exercising like I should despite joining a gym.

I also picked up another bad habit of having a Skinny girl margarita every night. Even though they are lo cal it's not a good habit and I'm cutting that out as of tonight.

I cancelled my appt for my fill this month but I got in touch with my Dr's office today . I won't be able to get in for a fill until 5/27 but I'm gonna push to be down and close to Onederland by then . That will be my goal for this Summer.

I'm still holding out hope to be close to goal by My 1 year surgiversary and to be at goal by November when I go on a cruise.

Just wanted to come clean.

roxsl38, there are several lapband docs in the greater KC area but I can't tell you more than that.

I'm glad to see some are still checking in.

I must confess I'm not doing well.

I have not even weighed myself because I am not doing well.

I don't think that I've gained because I'm wearing clothes that I have not worn since I lost a good amount of weight the last time. I'm into sz 14-16's now. I was up to 20-22 depending on how the clothes were cut.

I have pretty good restriction with my band at 5.5cc but I'm not working with it. I am picking up all my old habits I had before banding such as eating and drinking together and I am sipping a bit to push food through so I can eat more. Also not exercising like I should despite joining a gym.

I also picked up another bad habit of having a Skinny girl margarita every night. Even though they are lo cal it's not a good habit and I'm cutting that out as of tonight.

I cancelled my appt for my fill this month but I got in touch with my Dr's office today . I won't be able to get in for a fill until 5/27 but I'm gonna push to be down and close to Onederland by then . That will be my goal for this Summer.

I'm still holding out hope to be close to goal by My 1 year surgiversary and to be at goal by November when I go on a cruise.

Just wanted to come clean.

I wouldn't worry soo much about the skinny girl, as I would the sippy girl.....you really shouldn't drink to push your food down so you can eat more....self-sabotage (and we all I am sure at one point or another in life have done to ourselfs) Think about that cruise the next time you want to push the food down...I know you can do it!

Oh thank you Kelly. Yes, I knew exactly what I was doing but I'm getting out of that mindset.

Surprisingly, I bit the bullet and got on the scale this morning and surprisingly I was down 5 lbs from my last weigh in about 2 wks ago.

That gave me the incentive to keep pushing because now I'm in the teens and I can see onederland down the road. I think if I stay the course I will definitely be there by the time I go for my next fill at the end of May.

That also showed me the Skinny girls were not hurting me. Every other time I had a regular drink on the wkend I would stall for at least a week . I'm not saying I'm gonna make it a habit but at least I have a good lo cal alternative. I wonder if any other bandsters have tried it.

Dee

Just checking to see if my new avatar uploaded!