I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread where we could discuss the different challenges/issues we face as being single and banded.

I'll start with introducing myself. My name is Chris, I am 32 and live in a suburb of Boston. About a year ago I got out of a 5 year relationship and have just casually dated (online dating) since then. I have decided to take a break from dating for a bit, so I can focus on myself and adjust to living life as a bandster. (I was just banded on 10/2). One of my biggest concerns when I start dating again is if/when to tell that I am banded. It's not that I don't want to tell people, it's just that my idea of great dinner conversation does not include discussing my weight. Overall I would say that I have a great life. I have a good job, a very supportive family, and lots of friends. I am happy to be taking control over my weight and issues with food, and am excited at the prospect of my future as a not-so-fat woman.

I look forward to meeting more single bandsters and hope this thread takes off!

Chris :cocktail:

Bumping this topic because I had to search, like, 20 minutes to find it today.

Sorry, Leona, no ideas here. But I think I would just go without the spanx or whatever it is you're wearing. If you're gettin' it on, he's gonna see you in all of your glory anyway, right?

Leona, How much weight have you lost?

I am so happy for you! You sound really happy. I hope this is the relationship you're been waiting for!

Hi everyone, sorry I've been away so long. I was just released from the hospital. I went in late Monday early Tuesday something like that. I had a slip with a twist which is potentially fatal. Apparently it is similar to having a tourniquette around your stomach and it could cause your stomach to die and quickly become necropic. Not fun. I am feeling fine now however I am still weak. Just wanted log on and say Hi.

JC

Oh JC, I am so glad to hear you're okay. Did they have to unfill you? How scary! Tell us what happened. Did you just start puking or something?

Hey Denise, I think it started with a kidney stone. I then started puking which caused my band to slip. After the slip I started wretching which twisted my stomach. About four in the morning it progressed to puking bile then blood.

I live alone so I drove myself two hours to St. Pete and was unfilled at my fill center location, then transferred to Tampa General. Kathy G. has a working relationship with the bariatric unit at Tampa Gen. She arranged to have me fast tracked into the system.

My sister works at Tampa Gen as well so she was onsite to help out. When I called her she freaked because she said that she knew I must have been half dead for me to call for help.

I can tell you I knew it was serious but had no idea that a twist was possible and possibly fatal. Live and learn if you have a slip do not hesitate to get it looked at, if I had waited to see if it would straighten out there is no telling what would have happened.

JC

JC, I am so sorry to hear that. I know you struggled last time you were unfilled. I hope so much that you're feeling better. That whole ordeal had to be extremely hard on you. I hope you're feeling well enough to get outside and do the things you've learned to love.

I don't know if you've ever watched that TV show "Big Medicine" There are two doctors, who are father and son.They do bands and gastric bypass. Well their daughter/sister is banded and she had to fly all the way to Texas because she sat in the ER in her state for hours and nobody knew how to unfill her. Her brother unfilled her and in a matter of seconds, she was better.

Hospitals across the US better get used to people needing doctors knowing how to take care of us. I can't even imagine what would happen in this

hick town if my dr. was out of town, and I was having problems.

Ohmigosh, JC...that's so scary. I'm glad you're okay!!

Denise, I saw that episode and it freaked me out a little bit.

Denise, DerbyGirl, Thanks for the well wishes. I'm not out if the woods yet. I have to do a follow-up in a few days. The Surgeon who saw me wants to evaluate the next step either removal, revision, or no changes. The best thing we can do is to encourage or fill doctors to start a relationship with the nearest bariatric surgeon in the area. Lucky for me the staff at Tampa General have in their mission statement a commitment to the success of lapband treatment for obesity. A friend of mine is always saying I'd rather be lucky than smart, in this case I could not agree with him more.

I appologize if some of this doesn't make sense, I am still feeling the morphine demerol and whatever else effects.

Hey Chrispy, you can breathe easy for at least a month, I don't think I'll be passing you up. :-) Also congrats on the dating thing, if I read it right your doing good.

JC

I sure hope you don't have to have your band removed, JC. You've worked way too hard. I am sure they can fix it by letting it rest. I sure hope so!

Thanks, I sure hope they can leave it in there.

JC

Oh JC I am SO SORRY to hear about what happened! What an ordeal! How are you doing? Both physically and emotionally. A scare like that has got to rattle you a bit. Thank goodness you had friends and family who were able to help. I am praying that everything is ok with your band, but am also happy that they are taking this seriously and you just do whatever you need to do to get it fixed. Your health is #1 priority. And I take back whatever I said about not wanting you to get below my weight. Have at it. :confused: I wish I was nearer to you so I could give you a big hug! xoxoxo

Leona congrats on your new man. I don't wear the girdly type things either, so not much advice here. I'm with derbygirl though - I say just work what your momma gave ya. He obviously likes you and once you do get intimate, he'll be seeing it all anyway.

So things are progressing great for me and Mike. We went out last night and had a great time, and have plans to go out tomorrow night as well. He actually just called a few minutes ago and said he was going to swing by in a little bit so we can go for ice cream. Very sweet, especially when you consider he was supposed to be going to a bachelor party tonight and instead he wants to come see me. Good sign, huh? lol But I haven't told Mike about the band yet either. It's not that I don't want to tell him, I just haven't wanted to artificially bring it up. He, ahem, saw my scars last night but never said anything about them. lol. I'm assuming he'll bring it up sooner or later. If not, I'll probably find a way to tell him since TOM is coming next week and I get super-restricted that week. Kind of hard to hide that. lol

Well off to get ready for ice cream. JC feel better soon!!!

Thanks Chrispy and everyone. I am locking my emotions down into hard core mode. Which means fix the thing whatever it takes, be smart enough to slow down and heal, come up with a game plan and when the time is right either amp up the excercise or something. I will have more info after my follow-up August 9. Until then I am going to rest a little bit and pray alot.

I do want to say congratulations Chrispy you give the rest of us hope. Also you better be dropping the pounds because after the 9th I will be losing weight banded or not. :-)

I am looking into a couple of things

1. The Underground Railroad Bike Trail Adventure Cycling Association

2. The Bike Catrike Performance Trikes

3. Sleeping Accomodations Hennessy Hammock: Explorer Deluxe Asym

I have 2 and 3 I haven't ordered the maps yet.

JC

JC, that all sounds very cool. Will you have to drive to a destination to begin the route? I'm confused--was the surgery to fix the slip or to remove the kidney stone? Or did you pass the stone? I hope it's not still in there--those are so painful. I can't imagine having both problems at once.

I really hate to hear that they might remove the band. Seems like since you've made it past this episode, they'd let you continue with it. Keep us posted.

Chrispy, sounds like things are going really well with Mike. He might just think you had your gall bladder removed or something. You're going to tell him you're banded when he asks, right?

Oh yeah, if he asks what the scar is for I'm going to tell him. I'll probably find some way to tell him soon I suppose. I'm not looking to hide it, I just didn't want to make it a big deal if that makes any sense. I'm not worried about him accepting it or not - I'm sure he will. And if he doesn't, there's the door buddy. lol.

JC, you are a rock star! I love it!

DerbyGirl, I will have to drive to Mobile Bay. It does look cool I don't know how much time off or how much of the trail I will try yet, but I have some down time to try to figure it out.

 

The surgery was to find out what was happening in my stomach. What they did was run a scope down my throat to look at my stomach. I woke up in the middle of the process. I heard one of the surgery team members say "that doesn't look right" what they did next was blow some air into my stomach and it straightened out. I think I passed the stone at least my back feels better. I have no idea if the stone made me sick enough to start wretching, just not sure.

 

Chrispy, you're too nice!

 

JC