I would like to hear from some Texarkana Bandsters about their experiences. re: doctors, pre and post surgery, and how things are going for them now. I am considering the lap band.

SO can anyone explain to me in easier words what "restriction" is? I hear it mentioned around and want to make sure I understand what it is correctly. Thanks.

~M~

Chuckles, I'm cold. Not cold natured. Normally, I'm hot natured. The doc explained the other day why. I have lost my layer of insulation and my body has not acclimated to it. I just have to get used to not having the huge layer of fat that I used to have. lol Nothing major, just cold.

Restriction depends on how much saline (not silicone) that is placed in the band via the port. If you have too much saline, the band does not permit food to go past it. The stoma (opening the band creates to the stomach) is very small. If you are too tight, you can't get enough nutrition. It can cause erosion. On the other hand, not having enough restriction is a lot like not having a band at all. You are able to eat larger quantities of food. It can be hard sometimes to get to your "sweet spot" in the restriction game, but it can be done. Log on to the lapband.com web site and do some research. It will answer some of these questions better than I can.

Teresa..... sometimes I am way too tight, but I think it's because of TOM. The week before and the week during...... don't ask me to eat much, cause it ain't gonna happen. I'm just too tight. When I get stressed out, I get really tight too. He seems to think I may have a little too much in my band. I haven't had a fill in several months, but that's ok with me. I don't need one. I can tell from the first bite if I am going to be able to eat or not. Sometimes I can just tell if it's going to be a waste of time. lol But, I try to eat something even if it takes longer than usual. You know, if you hurt when you swallow the first bite that it's not going to be enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. You just know whether or not you will be able to eat much.

I have rambled enough.... Yall have a good day! Stay in that thing.....what's it called? Box!

Hey everyone else!!!!! You too SUSAN!!!!

lisa

Haven't had a chance to get on here in a couple of days. See a couple of new people. WELCOME!! We are just one big family on here. It is a great place to come for support. The pre-op diet is certainly not a fun thing. Lisa will tell you I was a weenie about it. But people on here encouraged me every day of it. It did get a little easier as the days past. Guess I just got used to the idea. It was pretty tough until you get to mushies on the post-op diet. Then you are home free. Stick to the plan and it will pay off. I have been a slow loser but things are getting better. My band was apparently looser around the opening of my stomach, therefore it took more fills to reach some point of restriction. Our anatomies are different. Like Lo2us, she has been restricted from the get-go, some don't realize restriction for 2-3 fills, and like me, more. Take care and hang in there.

Teresa I missed you at the meeting. I looked for you but I guess I didn't realize you came in later. Punch me next time.

I looked for New Julie too but missed her too. There were a lot at the meeting.

You are welcome at the meeting even if you are not banded. Some like to come and ask questions and meet people who have had the experience.

Lisa, Where is Vlynn? I miss her.

Oh, for those that are new, you may also go to noscales.com Dr. Hekier posts there sometimes and there is usually a new article that has something to do with nutritian, lapband ect. every month.

Chuckles i would say babysteps are the way to go! I haven't had my surgery yet, but i am taking babysteps towards the 23rd. The closer i get the scarier i get. I will have my pre-op testing done this Friday and my weigh-in and EKG done friday too and I am getting scared...yeah tomorrow is a big day for me...your be fine...I'll be fine and I am mind-set that i am in it to win it and nothing else matters...I know for a fact, I am losing weight even as i type this message and it feels good.

lisa... thanks. I am trying to be sure that i am not TOO tight, dont want complications from that. I got sick last night trying to eat, scared me to death! I swelled up on my right side of my neck under my ear.... parotid gland i guess. It got to the size of a golf ball. I was freaking... was in a hotel in sherman texas all by myself ! Called a friend who has had the band for 3 years, she never heard of it. But.... it went away and I was okay. I was about to call 911. LOL I am not sure what happened,I have been able to eat more todaythan the whole last week. , just very very slow and small amounts. I guess a 1/2 cup is not much, i havent been measuring my food anymore. I can drink warm drinks Gonna be careful though, it does seem to have settled a bit now. Dont let this scare you newbies... it isnt a common thing to happen. I could have got a salivary gland clogged... When i talked to an er nurse friend, he said it is common for people to come to ER with this !! LOL.. Could have been a food allergy too. . Just wanted all to know if this happens and it goes away, you arent the first!

Way to go Dawn. That is the attitude to have. You have to be determined to make this work for you. It's a tool, not a miracle cure. There is one piece of advice that I think all of us that are banded will agree on. After your surgery (that you will breeze thru, by the way) get up and walk as soon as possible and as often as possible. Don't forget that. It's important. The sooner you start walking around the sooner you will be dismissed and it will start moving the gas out. Moving is as important as drinking your Water.

How do yall like the new site? Cool huh?

Yall have a good nite, talk to yall tomorrow!

lisa

Good morning everyone,

Welcome Dawn and Chuckles (I like the name, lol).

Hope evryone had a nice Christmas. Lisa, I think I read that we are having a mtg next Monday in MP, will you be there?

Have a blessed day all, and stay in the box or at least near it.

Hello everyone! Man, I can't believe I let the 14th slip by. I forgot all about the meeting, and I really wanted to go. I had gained 3lbs over the holidays, and I didn't even eat hardly any junk or sweets.

I got my 2nd fill Dec.31st, and I can tell there is some restriction now. I still have a hard time with sweets and not drinking enough water, but I'm working on it.

I won't get on the scales anymore. I'm feeling more energetic everyday now and my clothes are fitting much better.

My daughter said she couldn't tell if I was losing or not because my clothes were always so baggy. I took that as a compliment!!

hey glo

lou told me you were still alive and kicking we haven't heard from you in a while!!!! Lou's looking great and she said so were you!!! i won't get the the meeting for the next couple of months because i am taking my dog to obedience class on monday nites starting next week!!! i gained at christmas but am loosing again now.

new julie if the clothes are looser than you must be loosing inches and that is as good as pounds imo!!

hey sugb sounds like you are doing good since your last fill

hope everyone else is gooding goood.

last but not least lisa stay in that@#@@# box!!

Hi 2bmeagain. What kind of dog is that?! What kind of cage did he chew through? Whew! I couldn't afford that dog! How long have you been banded? I must have missed your post.

New Julie we missed you at the meeting. It is always the second Mo. of the month. Better hang the next date in your car on the mirror. lol Take care.

Gee thanks, Susan. I know I'm not all that important, but last? Now my lip is stuck out. lol NOT!!!!

Hey Glo.... how are you? Haven't seen you post in a while. Yes the meeting is Monday nite. I hope to go, but you can never tell around here what's going to happen. lol

Sugarbear, did you have a good trip?

Teresa, talk to lo2us about being too tight. She knows. I have often wondered if I am, but I guess I'm not. It's just two weeks out of the month. I know I'm strange. I think if a person is too tight, it would be all the time. Sometimes when I get stuck, I think back to what I ate. Was it too large a bite? Am I eating too fast? Each time it is one or the other. I know when I am rushed to eat, I will do both and regret it very soon. I have found a new food that I can't eat. Fish. I love fish, but lately, it don't like me. Tuna is ok, but catfish, nope. Even baked. I guess it's the consistancy. I don't know, but it sure don't go down very well.

Do yall ever crave stuff you used to eat? I want just a regular old hamburger. Bread and all. Whataburger sounds really good. mmmmmmm I know if I eat that, I would be very sorry. I guess I could take it apart, but it just would not be the same. I hope this passes soon.

Well, yall be good today and behave yourselves. Go read the box rules that are on your fridge and remember them today. lol You too Susan!

lisa

no lisa a randy's burger is what i NEED!!!

Lisa, I don't go til the 12th of Feb. Yes, I was looking at a person just the other night with a big ole juicy hamburger, he opened his mouth wide and took a huge bite and then had to hear him talk about it being the best burger he had had in months! I just ate my chicken tortilla soup, turned the other way and secretely fretted. lol I have soup a lot when we eat out, but I love it. Guess I need to venture out, what do you eat when you go out? Sometimes just order veggies, not a big meat eater.

Here's how to do know if you're too tight (according to Dr. K), this is what I was told when I got that pill stuck in my band last month:

Have you been sick 3 days in a row (even once day?)

Are sick or sliming more than once a week?

Does the food hurt when it goes through the band at times?

Are you SURE it's not chewing to little, eating too fast...because there's absolutely no way you can eat too much because you're sick or uncomfortable after a few bites?

Remember, if you're not getting enough to eat, that weight loss (which has been really fast) will slow down because you're not burning enough calories to get the metablolism up. I'm going through having to jump start my metabolism again because my body has gotten use to very little food because it took me so long to realize I've been too tight. I went to gym last week 4 times...ran/trotted a total of 9 miles, plus body sculpting, and yoga and have lost nothing. It's starting to get frustraiting! DOn't get yourself here because you think you can go one more week like that!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to check in here and say hi and ask a few questions.

1.) Where in Wadley hospital is the meeting being held on this coming Monday night? And from what time to what time? Like is it from 7-8 p.m.? Do I need to bring anything (like a notebook)?

2.) Have any of you who've been banded by Dr. H and/or Dr. K had a hiatal hernia which was taken care at the same time you were banded? Just curious as to what the doctors do if this were to happen? Is there a way to know if you have this before hand or do the doctors just find out while they have you opened up? Anyone have this experience?

3.) Does anyone know of a good chiropractor here in Texarkana?

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing okay. Would love to hear from anyone! Everyone is in my prayers! Take care!

~M :biggrin: