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.

Hello to all!!! Great to see this thread! I am glad to hear that there is hope for me to loose weight!! I have a question though. I had a fill 3 weeks ago and have noticed that my bowels have changed- I know not a fun topic- should I call the doc- or is this one of those take a stool softner and you'll be fine. I know that it maybe a stupid question, but I have never been constipated before. Other than that I am refreshed and loving the energy that you all give off!!

Thanks

Susan

I am glad that someone cleared up the pannus thing- I was confused! BUT great tip on using deortarant there- I started 4 days ago and I feel AWESOME!! I have always been self concious of that- THANK YOU!!!

JUICE REPLACEMENT....I'm not sure about the aspertame...but check the healthyweightsupermarket they have some brand called poticcini???? I think???? they tasted good to me and come like powder in the bottom of a drink bottle--- just add water and shake!! I just tried pineapple orange yesturday and I was surprised how good it tasted (texture too)!

Thanks for that feedback- I am willing to try anything--

I'll let you know how it goes.

Hi all, Haven't posted in a while. Here is what has been going on...

2 weesk ago I made stuffed cabbage asian dumplings...they were so yummy...but one of the cabbage leaves got stuck , and I went into spasms...this was a wek after my first fill... My doc took out 1.5 cc and I felt better immediatly. It has been 2 weeks I was supposed to go for a fill last week but wasn't feeling well..that time of hte month thing. This week I am supposed to get a fill but my doc had to cancel. It is ok though because I am losing weight and I don't feel hungry. I prob can go for a fill next week.

So far I have made my Mini goal. I have lost 50 pounds by my birthday! I was 354 pounds prior to surgery and now I am 300.5 pounds. I was a size 32 now I am a size 26/28, and can fit into some 24's!

Ok so that is my news...

andrea

Banded on Jan 22 2007...

weight before surgery 354 or 350 depending on which docs scale...

current weight 300.5 3/28/07

1st mini goal of 50 pound loss met on 3/27/07

2nd mini goal 15 pound loss by May 17th...

current excercize routine...

30 min walk at lunch 2-3 days a week

30 mis personal training 30 mins 2 days week

30 min cardio 3-5 days a week

My name is Rhonda and I was banded on 1-11-07. My pre-op weight was 305lbs. My goal is 170lbs. By my scale at home, I have lost 30lbs. so far. By the scale at my surgeon's office I've only lost 21 lbs. UGH!!!

I have just had my second fill a few weeks ago, and I wonder if I am losing the way I should. I find myself scared to death to eat anything, out of fear. I've only gotten sick twice, mainly because of eating too fast, because I was so hungry. Thank God I have not ever vomitted. I walk in the mall after work, but I am recently depressed when I look in the mirror. The psychological effects of this surgery are like being on a roller coaster. Especially around this time of the month, if you ladies know what I mean. How can I, shake myself these feelings and not sabotage my weight loss? I realize that all this weight won't come off overnight, but, I just want to feel better and not so sad most of the time.

Thanks for listening,

rhonda

Hello everyone,

I started with a BMI of 51 and my highest weight was 265, I'm short at 5'1" tall. I was banded in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz on 3/16/07. To date I have lost 26lbs. I am struggling with the post op diet. I have cheated constantly. I am now eating solids which I am not supposed to do until 4/4/07. I do not feel like my band has slipped but I wonder about pouch dilitation. Does anyone have any feedback for me?

Thanks God for this web site!

Hello everyone,

I started with a BMI of 51 and my highest weight was 265, I'm short at 5'1" tall. I was banded in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz on 3/16/07. To date I have lost 26lbs. I am struggling with the post op diet. I have cheated constantly. I am now eating solids which I am not supposed to do until 4/4/07. I do not feel like my band has slipped but I wonder about pouch dilitation. Does anyone have any feedback for me?

Thanks God for this web site!

Wow…you’re having a really hard time, Kurn! You've lost as much in 2 weeks as I lost in 5 weeks, so that ought to make you feel good (I'm 5'2" & started with a BMI of 58.5). Hang in there!! My advice is to regroup & fall back to the basics!! Of course every clinic has its own post-op diet, but at your stage in the game, I was just being advanced from full liquids (soup, pudding, jell-o, and 2 Protein Shakes a day) to mushies (egg, chicken & tuna salads, refried beans-n-cheese). Take it one day at a time – and stop eating solids if that's not on your plan yet!!! You’ll only undermine the extraordinary task you’ve signed on for…and self-sabotage won’t help you reach your goals.

I guess one of the hard things about having surgery in a different country must be lack of local support. Maybe you can start there? My clinic offers a monthly support group, which is open to all Bandsters (even those banded elsewhere). Try calling a local doc to see if there are support groups in your area! If there is no local support group, perhaps the clinic can recommend a counselor familiar with WLS to help you through the difficulties you’re obviously having adjusting to life with the band.

And a trick I use when I’ve got a case of “mental hunger” is to log on here! I find myself motivated by the efforts everyone else is putting forth! Even if I have nothing to contribute, I’ll surf the forum until I shake the head-hunger! Perhaps that would help you, too.

Those first 2 weeks were my hardest, and you’ve just hit that mark. Time to regroup & recommit yourself to your Band. And that's the great thing about the Band -- it's a tool that's always handy. You can do this!!!

Hi all, Haven't posted in a while. Here is what has been going on...

2 weesk ago I made stuffed cabbage asian dumplings...they were so yummy...but one of the cabbage leaves got stuck , and I went into spasms...this was a wek after my first fill... My doc took out 1.5 cc and I felt better immediatly. It has been 2 weeks I was supposed to go for a fill last week but wasn't feeling well..that time of hte month thing. This week I am supposed to get a fill but my doc had to cancel. It is ok though because I am losing weight and I don't feel hungry. I prob can go for a fill next week.

So far I have made my Mini goal. I have lost 50 pounds by my birthday! I was 354 pounds prior to surgery and now I am 300.5 pounds. I was a size 32 now I am a size 26/28, and can fit into some 24's!

Ok so that is my news...

andrea

Happy Birthday, Andrea! :happybday:

And congrats on the 50 pounds, too!!! Wahoo! :cheer2:

I'm sorry about those cabbage leaves though! Yikes!

Isn't body composition funny... My starting BMI was 58.5, since I weighed 320 at 5'2". I also wore a size 32W. I've lost 30# in 6-weeks, but my clothing size hasn't changed at all!!! You've given me some hope that by 50#, I'll be fitting into my old jeans again! Though FIFTY POUNDS does seem a long way off...

so i got home and even though the scale says i should celebrate, the old clothes dont so much.

im workin out daily.

hey...have any of you had energy level problems too? RIGHT after i work out im exhausted and just want to sleep for three hours. My arms are weak too and i have trouble finishing long sentences (breath runs out)

any one else? is it just me?

Hi Everyone,

Just checking in. I was banded 2/21/07. I have lost 44lbs since I first started this journey, and 21 since the surgery.:girl_hug: I really don't have much restriction right now, 1st fill won't be until April 12th. I am doing pretty well with the post op diet, however I have to be really careful not to overeat at this point. As far as I can tell I can't eat soft bread, tortillas etc. they get stuck, even when I take small bites and chew chew chew. Just not worth it. That stuck feeling really sucks!!! I am slowy adding exercise, I am working out with resistance machines 3 tiimes a week and walking on the treadmill 3 times a week. I have to say I have so much more energy now. I have been clothes shopping in my closet! lol I have so many different sizes in there it is like going to the mall Anyway, just wanted to let you all know how it is going with me.

Jean

WTGGGGGGGGGGG freeskye!

Presurgery, I bought some weight scales at Wal-mart. The brand is Taylor and they are digitial. WELL,,,,,,,they dont weight me the same thing twice in a row. I dont mean different times of the day,,I mean,,5 mins apart,,and the difference can be ten pounds..arghhhhhhhhhhh

Anyone bought any GOOD scales that are accurate? My six week post op visit,,my home scales weighed me 6 punds lighter than the physician's,,talk about a BIG LET DOWN! Ohwell,,,it all evens out in the end.

Anyone have any sharp pains at their port site? I walked alot the past few days,,more activity than usual,,maybe thats it. The pains are thin and sharp and about a 4 on a pain scale of 0-10, 10 being horrific,,lol. I read somewhere about port flipping,,,my physician told me my port was below my largest incision, but now it feels more shallow and above the incision. Hmmm,,,maybe its my SKIN thats sagging,,lol.

WTGGGGGGGGGGG freeskye!

Presurgery, I bought some weight scales at Wal-mart. The brand is Taylor and they are digitial. WELL,,,,,,,they dont weight me the same thing twice in a row. I dont mean different times of the day,,I mean,,5 mins apart,,and the difference can be ten pounds..arghhhhhhhhhhh

Anyone bought any GOOD scales that are accurate? My six week post op visit,,my home scales weighed me 6 punds lighter than the physician's,,talk about a BIG LET DOWN! Ohwell,,,it all evens out in the end.

Anyone have any sharp pains at their port site? I walked alot the past few days,,more activity than usual,,maybe thats it. The pains are thin and sharp and about a 4 on a pain scale of 0-10, 10 being horrific,,lol. I read somewhere about port flipping,,,my physician told me my port was below my largest incision, but now it feels more shallow and above the incision. Hmmm,,,maybe its my SKIN thats sagging,,lol.

I'm looking for a good, but affordable digital scale, too! :help: I hate trying to peer over my belly to see the reading on my analog(?) scale. Now that I'm under 300 lbs :biggrin1:, I hope there's a reliable digital that'll fit my budget! And I hope my scale now is accurate -- I go in today for a dietician consult prior to my 1st fill on April 5th.

Port Pain!! I've got the same thing -- sharp twinges of pain when I over do even the smallest thing (bend, stretch, twist, DRIVE!). My doc said that some people don't get this, but those who do tend to have it for about 2 months post op. I'm 6-1/2 weeks out now, and it's happening far less often than before so I'm hoping it will end all together in the next 2 weeks!! My port incision is also "sinking in"...that’s the only of my 5 cuts with this phenomenon. (My kids (1 & 4yo) think it’s funny, like Momma’s tummy has a mouth.:kiss2:)

I have the Taylor scales too and they are horrible. Wgt seems fairly accurate but you have to wait about 45 seconds for it to show wt and then 3 out of 4 times, I get an error message and have to start over. It will finally tell the good or bad news after sometimes 3 or more trys. My next goal is to find some decent scales. I seem to weight the same on them without clothes as on the drs with clothes.

I have the Taylor scales too and they are horrible. :angry Wgt seems fairly accurate but you have to wait about 45 seconds for it to show wt and then 3 out of 4 times, I get an error message and have to start over. It will finally tell the good or bad news after sometimes 3 or more trys. My next goal is to find some decent scales. I seem to weight the same on them without clothes as on the drs with clothes.:clap2:

I am down 25 lbs since my first wgh in on Jan 25

Banded 2-21-07 down 13

12 lbs in last 6 wks

first fill March 27th. can tell no difference