We need a place where we can support each other through our "more than most" journey. Just as turtles don't get much out of hearing us talking about fast we're losing, maybe it would give us a nice break from "I'm getting banded because I need to lose 60 lbs".

I think we have our own unique challenges, expectations, baggage, etc. -- and we need our own little niche to support eachother. We all have a very long journey ahead of us, and need to band together.

Hi,

Today I got my 2nd fill. It would seem my port has tried to bury itself far beneath my skin. They had to use the xray to locate. It was a bit painful, but not unbearable and as soon as the needle was out, no more pain. I am on liquids for two day, soft two days and then work up to harder foods. I have been so hungry this evening. I don't remember being this hungry after the first fill. I do have a sense of more restriction just in my drinking. I have much more burping (just air) when I drink and I am having to finally take smaller sips. Am I close to restriction or is it just my band playing with me again?

Any advice on how restriction feels would be much appreciated. :help:I am getting anxious to find my "sweet spot".

Happy banding,

MMT

Hi Mandi,

Yes I cheated on my pre-op diet. The night before surgery I had a small Dairy Queen ice cream cone. I found that my cheating in the pre-op stage was with bites and smalls - I just wanted to taste. I did do a farewell to food tour before I got to the pre-op diet stage...about two weeks of total indulgence and by the end of it I was tired of my favorite foods. I did stick mostly to protein and complex carbs (more than what was recommened) during the pre-op diet. I knew I was doing well with the initial loss so I did not worry and my surgery went just fine.

My doctor did say he would stop the surgery if my liver could not be held by the tool that keeps it out of the way so he can work in there. Just a reminder that it is a risk, one I was appearantly willing to take.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Happy banding,

MMT

MMT-Was your diet a liquid diet or did it allow for food as well?

I am so happy to have found this thread. I was recently banded 9/10 with a starting weight of 333 at 5'5". My surgeon really wanted to bypass me, but I'm so happy I chose the band instead. So far I'm down 23 pounds and couldn'tbe happier.

Recovery has been much more difficult than I expected it to be. The first week was the worst. I ended up with a reaction to protien shakes and 24 hours of diahreah every 20 minutes. (5 pounds were lost that day alone.)

I'm still pretty sore, but can walk upright now, get in and out of a chair without help and thank God wipe my own butt.

Why don't we get our own space on the forum instead of just a thread? Something like over 100-150 to loose?

-Leena

Hey that a good idea Leena!

I have alot of weight to loose and i have to remember its not a race. I just want to wake up and be thin..hahaha...

Had my first fill yesterday...2cc in my VG band. Then i actualy had a little trouble getting water down after so i must have a good restriction already. Didnt eat. This morning i made my usual 1/2cup egg beaters for breakie at work and i could only eat half of it and i feel like i just had thanksgiving dinner... I know it will ease off over the next couple of days but it sure is nice for now.

MMT-Was your diet a liquid diet or did it allow for food as well?

Please don't takt this the wrong way, but you are soooo lucky, your pre-op diet includes FOOD. Mine was total liquids, stuff you HAD to buy from their office. Wasn't awful tasting or anything, and wasn't that expensive, but it was all liquid. I had two weeks of liquids post-op, too.

Remember, after surgery when you get back to "solids" there is no reason you can't eat what you want, it will just be in MUCH smaller portions. You're not having a farewell to food, I didn't and couldn't think of it that way, or I would have binged like crazy!

It's a measly 6 or 8 weeks total out of your life (here's the tough love), I'm thinking you have been fat for a lot longer than 6 or 8 weeks. You can do this, it's setting yourself up to change your LIFE.

Hi Mandi,

Mine was basically protein shake (my choice) for breakfast & lunch and hard protein and veggie for dinner for two weeks. I don't think I would have done well with the liquid pre-op diet. Each surgeon seems to have a different pre op diet.

faithmd, thank you for sharing with Mandi. Each bandster seems to have differnt experiences. It is wonderful to benefit from all the different experiences.

Thanks all and happy banding!

MMT

Hi Leena,

I battled with the decision as well and I just could not see taking the risks involved with the bypass. Also I have friends that have had the bypass and around year 5, some of the weight comes back...then what do you do now that you have changed the way your body works. I fully support your decision. Way to stand up for yourself!

Happy banding,

MMT

I agree all...on the Banding vs. Bypass. I don't want them rearranging my insides at all. When I first made the decision to have weight loss surgery and found out that my insurance covers it I was so excited but at the time all I knew about was the Bypass surgery and all they offered at my hospital was Bypass. But call it luck, ate or God's work (I like to believe it was the latter of the 3) when I went in for my orientation group appointment; for the second time, you see I was referred for Bypass in March 2004 and I only went to the orientation and backed out of the program. So this time at the orientation in November 2006, there was another patient that was asking if he was in the right place for LapBand too?!? Boy was I confused... so at the end of the class I brought up the question about the LapBand and what was it. The Dr. who was heading the class said that it is a newer procedure that Kaiser would be starting in January 2007 and wow did that peak my interest.

So I decided to do some research on it on my own and when I went to see my surgeon in March 2007 I told him that is what I want. I just had my follow up with him this month and he did double check with me and asked me if I would like the Bypass instead and I stood firm on my decision and I am very happy so far...now granted I haven't had the surgery yet but I have every faith in myself that I will succeed with my new Band, especially with all the wonderful support I have found on this site over the last 2 months. You ALL are a real pick me up when I start to doubt myself in the slightest bit. I finally feel like I will make it and not fail this time!

cheating on diet - yes unfortunately I did and if my surgeon wasn't so good, I may have ended up without the band. He said my liver was still very large. I am not talking huge cheats, but I did have some solid food every once in awhile. My pre-op was all liquid - 4 protein drinks a day and all the SF fluids I wanted along with broth. I would encourage you to do the best you can.

I am no longer Super Obese! My BMI is now 49.5, so I am morbidly obese. Which I think sounds much worse, but I will take it!

Faith-Thanks, you are right. For some reason it's so much harder for me at night. I do fine pretty much all day until early evening. (I am sticking to my diet, I just mean it's more of a struggle at night). I guess I'm just so hungry by then. I do realize how lucky I am that I do get food and not just liquids.

I am on Day 2 of my 3 week pre-op. It's low fat, low calorie (1000 cal) and I feel like crap. I have been sticking to it but crashing my calories like that feels real bad. It is not easy. I do plan to have a dinner out with my husband for our 1st anniversary but other than that, I hope to stick to it. I can feel myself already wanting stuff though, I need to completely avoid the grocery store.

I am sad.....I called the surgeons office this morning and the nurse said that the surgeons have only been scheduling 12 surgeries a month. There are 3 surgeons and they only do surgeries 3 days a weeks (one day for each surgeon a week). And only 3 surgeries each of those days. Then she informaed me that I am 19th in line on the list, which looks like I will not be getting in until December now unles 6 other people cannot go in November...I am trying with all of my strength to not go overboard and eat out of emotional need. I just thought it was going to finally happen soon but now I have to wait an additional month more than I expected. :car:

Hi April,

I wish I had a magic wand to make it all better:moony:. I hope that my story will help. I initially decided to try for the band in January of 2006. I found out from CIGNA that they did cover it and what the requirements were. One of which was to see the Dr. monthly for the purpose of weight loss. I did as requested and pulled all the other pieces together (with my caseworkers help) and completed my six months. About 45 days after the insurance submission, I was denied (because two of my Dr visits were to see the Dr for illness as well as the weight loss). Then when I found out why I was mad,:car: disappointed, upset:faint: and cried:cry. I thought that the fates were against me and I was not meant to ever be fit and healthy. After a meltdown or two I thought about it and decided this is something I wanted and insurance was going to pay for it. I got involved with a AIGB. I began my six month journey again, this time with folks that had the expertise to work within the insurance rules and had an excellent rate of success on approvals. The six months went by. We resubmitted and in about 30 days I was denied again for the same reason. The insurance company didn't even bother to review the new data in the paperwork. My case worker got involved and I was approved within three days.

Here is the thing about my experience. When the first submission happened I was not emotionally ready for the band. I still had a lot of headwork to do. I had to deal with some of my past issues with the "why" of my being fat. I had to face a lot of fears and let them come to the surface. I had to learn to love myself. I am not saying that I would not have been successful, but for me it was not the right time and it was not until the final approval that I realized that all things worked for my good in the end. Of course I did not see it that way when I had to go anohter six months and through another denial, but eventually I saw the pollyanna of it all.

I am very thankful that I did finally get the band. It has catapulted many changes in my life all for the good.

Hang in there April, you can make it. :huggie:It seems so close and so far, but it will soooo be worth it!

You can do it,

MMT

Thanks MMT,

I really needed to hear your story it did make me feel better. It reminded me a little bit about my journey about not being ready when you think you are. I hope I don't offend you or anyone else when I say this but ... I am a Christian and I truely do believe that God lets everything happen for a specific reason. And now that I think of it there has to be a great reason why I am having to wait. Thanks for bringing me back to reality!!! This is why I love this site so much, because of people like you!

:car:

Take care,

April