Hello Junbies ......

I haven't seen a June Band Crew thread yet so thought I would start it .

I'll be banded on June 9th in Texas. I'm getting very excited about it. I know that the band is just a "tool" to aid in my weight loss journey and it will take a lot of hard work on my part to make it successful. I've been overweight my whole life with the earliest memories being around age 4. Although no one else in my family is overweight, I am extremely fortunate to have full family support in my decision. I know that there are many people who's family doesn't offer the support they need. I would love to meet other pre-bandsters being banded in June to walk with me to the banded side of life and offer each other support.

I wish you all the best.

Melissa Lea :hippie:

Pre-bandster 240 lbs

June 9, 2006

Spivak

self-pay

Hi all! I recieved an all in one printer/copier/scanner for Christmas and it is one of the best gifts I recieved. I found a before pictue of me taken on March 29th which was a few days, before my April 4th appoinment with the surgeon. April 4th was the first time I met him got the ball rolling on my new life!

Here it is Iam in he one in pink:

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Here Iam 6 months post -op with my family for our Christmas picture :

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Love and Hugs<

Lisa

Well, I went for my fill today. They ended up taking out .4 cc's. Said that I was really tight. My pouch is a little distended, but they said that will go back down. I asked why it was distended and they said that drinking water with that much restriction could stretch it, so I should not feel bad about it. Told me to never wait this long between fills, especially being that restricted.

I have lost 4 lbs since August. Guess that is something. I met with the patient councelor and she gave me a ton of advice. Mostly that the band is NOT suppose to hurt. We are meant to eat REAL meat. Not the stuff put thru the blender.

My instructions are to be on liquids today, mushies tomorrow, and SOLID foods the next day. Blenders are a no no for me, I need to get a filet mignon and try that in the pm (poor me), and if that hurts I may need to get more removed.

I have the medium band, which was tight in the first place. The counselor said I might have needed the big band, so the band itself is tight, and with a little fill I should be fine. Told me not to judge myself based on fill level, because everyone is different. She has been banded several years so she knows what I am going thru.

Fill level goal is to not hurt and to not let too much go thru. Eat solid foods (no more spoons) and don't drink during meals (which I haven't been doing anyway).

Going to post some of this in the fill section. Someone somewhere is going thru the same thing, and being overfilled is a pain in more ways than one.

Well, I'm back from being out of town for the holiday and trying to catch up.

Lisa --congrats on your weight loss and exceding your NP expectations.

Julie --Hang in there, your losing weight! It does not matter about the pace.

Poodles --sorry to hear that you are slightly descended. But I agree, you should be able to eat meat. I've been able to eat just about anything that I've wanted. I do think that scrambled eggs are starting to affect me. I've heard other bandsters have problems with them and I PB'd on them last week. Eggs cooked omlet style, no problem. Go figure!

I'm very happy to report I DID NOT gain weight this Holiday Season!!!! That is a huge victory for me. I also have to report I did not lose either. I'm happy being right where I am. I enjoyed all of my favorite foods, of course in smaller quantities. Since I am a closet bandster --no one even noticed a difference in my eating except smaller portions. When asked how I'm losing weight I said I'm eating smaller portions and exercise ....and that's the truth!!

Melissa Lea

Well it's been a long time since I've taken a minute to post here.

First, I want to thank everyone who sent their prayers and good thoughts for my husband. He spent three weeks in the cardiac units at Tomball Hospital and then in ICU at St. Lukes. I am so pleased to report that he was released yesterday and we spent our first night at home last night.

They have decided that he cannot withstand a heart transplant so we will live each day with medicines and defibulators. I am just so grateful to have him with me that I will do whatever is required just to keep him a few more days. The reality is, he is no worse than before all this hospital stuff, we just didn't know before that he was a walking time bomb. I have a brother that was sent home 6 years ago with pretty much the same prognosis (not good) and he has had 6 great years. I will remain positive and live each day to the fullest.

Now! On a brighter note..........I made my Christmas goal! I broke the 200 mark about a week before Christmas. I am currently at 195. YIPPEE!

Now, on not such a good note...........I need to get into SurgiCenter soon. I have known for some time that I was overfilled and in the last several days I've hardly been able to keep anything down. I thought it would relax but it seems worse each day. I am surviving on protein drinks and now that I can take a moment for myself I know I need to get an unfill. Poodles, thank you for your post. You've convinced me that I need to get something done. I pb with every attempt at solid foods. Ice cream has been my main substance for the last two weeks.

It sure is good to read all your posts. You feel like old friends and right now I need all the friends I can gather around me for support. Thank you again to all of you and Happy New Year!

Oh Barbara ***hugs***

I hope all goes well with everything. My dad was sent home with six months to live, and he showed them. Multiply that six by seven and you get the picture. Doctors just guess, you know. No one knows but the big man himself, and he ain't talkin'.

I feel so much better already with .4 cc's removed. My breakfast shake did not "pool" and then go down, so I was very happy with that. I have been on mushies today, still a little sore. Don't know if I will stay with mushies tomorrow or try some solids for breakfast. Will sip some coffee and see how that goes down first. Then cottage cheese here I come! Hope your unfill goes well too.

The new year will bring new hope for us all, I am sure.

Hi everybody, I just thought it would be good to get into this thread. I was banded on 6/16/06. I am down 62 lbs as of today. I have had 5 fills so far 1,1,.5,.2,.2 for a total of 2.9cc in a 4 cc band. I was sneaking up on my sweet spot as my drive to my surgeon is 4 hours one way. I had my surgery by Dr. Zubin Bhesania at the Lap-Band Center of Michigan in Port Huron. I chose this surgeon as he is the best in Michigan. He and his partner have done over 1300 bands and he is often teaching other docs to do it as well. I could have chosen to wait till August and had it done locally but I didnt want to be anyone's guinnea pig and I am so glad I went the way I did. The 2 people I have talked to that had their surgeries locally have had problems. Port problems mostly. One just went in for her first fill and the doc couldnt find her port and when they the the flouroscopy they could see it rolling around. That tells me that they didnt stitch it down good. My doc has never had to do a flouroscopy or had to stick me more than once.

Anyway I get to enjoy a day to myself once a month. That aint all bad.

I am 33 years old and have been married for nearly 13 years and we have 2 daughters 12 and 5.

I think I am finally as tight as I want to go. I have my next appointment Jan.8. I have thought I was there before but changed my mind closer to my appointment.

I am looking forward to getting to know everyone on the June list. Please drop a note and introduce yourself and I will try to go back and read and catch up.

Barbara12

We are so happy to have you back and especially happy you have your husband back home. Take care.

It's great to hear everyone survived Christmas without much gain!

Time to get back on track I guess.

I go tomorrow to docs to see about this nagging back and lower ab pain. Wish me luck. I need to get back to my old routine.

Welcome to our humble June thread Ladypitboss!

I am one of those 'port floaters'. Luckily my Doc here can find it with one poke so far.

Well, I made it through the holidays so far without gaining weight and made my Christmas Goal! I'm getting a little worried though because my doctor wants to remove a vein from my leg and wants me off my feet and off of work for a month! I really feel like I need to exercise for my weight loss to continue. I'm thinking of getting a fill during this time to help me with boredom eating. Any other suggestions? My surgery is on January 9th.

Congrats to everyone's 6 month bandiversary! In reviewing our posts from these months it is clear that we have all had an exciting, yet sometimes frustrating journey. Being a closet bander to most people, I'm glad I've had this thread to keep me company along the way. Here's to an even more exciting (and less frustrating) next 6 months!

Trisha, Is this a vericose vein? I am looking into having some newer procedure done. I think it is called Vnus laser or something like that. That is what I am doing when I make it to onederland. I figured there is no use getting it done before that. But with this procedure most people return to work the next day. My vericose veins in my right bulge so bad that you can see them with my pants on.

Lady,

Please let us know more about that one day recovery for v veins. I don't have problem to your extent, but I do have one that runs up the inside of my lower right leg and lots of spider and discoloration.

I'm also waiting until I've been at goal a while before I do any more surgery!

Anyone else having a little trouble getting back on track. Still a few treats floating around. Not much damage done, but I definitely can't get gong this way!

Here is a link to the technology. http://www.vnus.com/index.html I found this a few years ago when I was losing on Atkins. I never made it to onederland then. I have kept it in favorites all this time. Here is another one. http://www.veinclinics.us/id8.html I guess I need to do some more research.

But my friend (who is the posterchild for RYN) had her veins stripped a year and a half ago. She had like 48 staples in each leg and that doesnt interest me in the least. The biggest reason I chose lap-band is that I didnt want to be cut open and have my insides rearranged. I am chicken of any type of surgery. I doubt I will ever be able to have plastic surgery to have the loose skin removed.

Welcome to the thread Lady!

Well day 3 on Atkins, and day 3 with my unfill. I want sweets in the worst way, but have done my best to stay away. Have found sweet iced coffee (with splenda of course) helps.

Here is what I have had today. Please tell me if this is good/bad/ok. This is the first time in 4 months I have been able to tolerate solids, so I think I am enjoying it way too much.

Brunch: 6 swedish meatballs (3 oz total) (around 11 am)

Lupper: 3 oz pork tenderloin and 1/2 cup low carb pasta with sauce (around 3) YUMMY!!!

snack: Whey shake with English Toffee syrup, really craving sweets now

Dinner: 1/3 cup guacamole, 1 thick slice roast beef from deli counter (around 7)

Snack: Iced coffee

Now that I look at it, it does not look that bad. I am full, but really wanting something sweet. May have another coffee before bed, decaf of course. Tomorrow I should be home free on Atkins.

Just can't tell you how good it feels to not choke on a whey shake in the am. I could not believe that meatballs went down... and they were good!

pinky--yep, having issues getting it together again.

today is my official 6 month bandiversary. i have mixed emotions. i didn't make my christmas goal of 140. 7 pounds off. i know some think that is not bad, but i hate to fail- or fall shy of my goals. this month, i didn't exercise like i should and just had some issues staying on track. however, i did lose 41 pounds since 6/29 which is good because before the band, i couldn't lose a thing and was exercising 4 times a week, and doing tons of different diets. i feel more in control of my eating instead of feeling enslaved to food. i don't regret doing it. i am glad i did. more so disappointed in myself for not reaching my goal.

Lady - Thanks for the links!

Poodles I had no idea you were still struggling. Being too tight does slow weight loss. Your log looked great. Atkins is a great choice for dealing with an unfill.

Tribon I'd say relax and do the best you can. Gear up for proper healing so you can get back to exercise.

Junebies, I think Regina and Barbara12 may have been our only bandsters that met their Christmas challenge. Anyone else meet the Christmas Goal? It was fun to "hope".

Can we start another "challenge", but call it a "goal" for Valentine's Day? Posting stats didn't seem to be much of an incentive, but it was fun seeing everyone's progress towards their goal. There were days when I made better choices because of my Christmas goal.

I'm setting two goals. One reflects my average l/2 pound a week loss. The other is a dream and a hope.

Ok Pinkylee..........I've set some new goals. I think Valentines Day is a good time for our next landmark. I've also set a new goal for my bandiversary. I am feeling so confident about my loss so far I am setting a goal lower than I originally thought I could attain. Hopefully I'm not setting myself up for failure.

I went in yesterday for an "unfill". I was so stressed about the whole thing that I was fighting tears the whole time I was in the SurgiCenter. They couldn't understand why I wanted to unfill since I had lost 27 pounds in the last two months and the barium went through with no restriction. I can't explain why it looks good on the fluoro and feels so bad in my gut........but I knew I couldn't stand it one more day. I was really disappointed in the way they treated me. I thought this was all about getting healthy not just losing weight as quickly as possible. I know I am not getting the nutrients that I need. My skin, my hair and fingernails are all showing signs of stress. I don't know enough about nutrition to know what I am lacking but there is definitely something missing.

Even though I knew I was suppose to stay on liquids and mushies for a couple days, I left the SurgiCenter and went straight to a mexican restaurant. I had cheese enchilades and they were without a doubt the best meal of my entire life. No pain, no restriction.......just glorious yummy food. Now this morning I tried about three bites of a ham and cheese omelette and I felt that old golf ball start to form. I stopped eating immediately and it passed. So I'm sure I still have restriction but I am also confident that I can tolerate some solids and I will test things out slowly.

I know my weight loss will slow now but I still feel confident with the new goals I've set. When I was banded in June my jeans were size 22. This morning I put on a pair of 14s.

Life is good............2007 is going to be our year!

Happy New Year to all.