Are there any other VA band-newbies like me? Anybody in Williamsburg, or Hampton Roads? How’s everybody doing? I'm new to the Virginia forum & just wanted to introduce myself... :wave:

I was banded on Feb 15th at Sentara Careplex in Hampton, VA by Dr. Terracina from Weight Loss Surgery Center of Hampton Roads. In the 1st 3 weeks, I lost a pound a day on average. I’ll weigh-in again on my 1-month Bandiversary before the local LapBand Support Group. Aside from some occasional port pain & a real lack of energy, I feel great! I wish I was loosing faster like so many other Bandsters seem to be doing, but A POUND A DAY sure has a nice ring to it! :eek:

I'm still on the mushies diet & I’ve tried eggs, tuna salad, chicken salad, pintos-n-cheese (both Taco Bell & homemade), and mashed potatoes. (Last night I had just a little ice cream at a birthday party.) While on 2 weeks of liquids, I stuck to Protein shakes, the broth of creamed Soups, and sugar-free pudding for the most part. I'm actually nervous to start solids like salmon...:nervous

My 1st fill is supposed to be March 29th, but at this point I can’t imagine a fill at all! I eat 1/4-1/2 cup of food at a sitting & am totally contented – not overly full and not still hungry, but actually satisfied. It’s frickin’ amazing! If I still feel like this come the 29th, they’ll postpone my 1st fill. I eat when I’m hungry & stop when I’m satiated. Wahooo!!

I've got a heck of a long way to go, but I'm really starting to think this might work… :clap2:

Gina, Zannie thank you for your support. They would not do the surgery together for exactly what one of you said, it is to dangerous due to the risk of infection. The nurse called me to tell me I had a polyp on my gallbladder and it was her opinion the doctor would want to take out the gb first, however a few minutes later she called me back and said the doctor assessed the ultrasound and wants to go forward with the band and monitor the gb in the future! I was happy and worried at the same time! The lead band nurse who I have seen already was out yesterday, I plan to call her on Monday to get some reassurance. I trust the doc if this is his choice. I have had NO problems with the GB so far, so maybe it is not a big issue at this time. I AM EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!

That is so cool that you both saw each other in the docs office, next time you both should have a "small" snack together after your fill! Gina, wow, I am so like you about needles. When I heard I had to have a blood gas, I thought I would have stroke. In my past after a tech stabbed me for 30 min and I had to lay down from passing out, I told him, NO MORE. I did not care if the test was incomplete. But this tech was OUTSTANDING! I did not even know she did it. But my facial expressions to them is FEAR and I don't look!

I am so happy your fill is in! I can't wait to hear more. Keep me posted, and Zannie, wow, I bet you are at that "spot".

Have a great weekend! 5 more days and I will join the Band team!

Janine -- That is good news - hope they stay this course of action.

Keep us posted!

Gina

Gina, the nurse emailed me today and said that the doctor will schedule another ultrasound in 6 months. If I had the gallbladder removed first, I would need to wait another 6-8 weeks for the band. I have come to long of a way to give up my date. Since I have no problamatic symptoms they feel the surgery is ok.

3 more days! I am a little nervous about the anestesia since when I had my tubes tied there was a challenge getting the tube down my airway. I will just try and pray and relax!

talk to you soon.

Janine -- That is good news -- I know you have been waiting for this day to come... I also know that I was having cold feet and wondering if what I was doing was the right thing -- so if you are -- it is totally normal.

"challenge getting the tube down my airway"

I think you should try to NOT worry about this == because you will be out but also -- if you are tense with worry - I think that would not help things.

I see only positive things in your surgery and you coming out like a champ with no complication! I believe!!! :welldoneclap: :success1: :)

My thoughts and prayers will be with you today forward... take DEEP breaths and breath deep.

Hugs!

Gina

Gina,

thanks for the encouragment. I agree about the tube, they know what they are doing! I will just dream of a thin future!

How are you doing with your eating and your fill? when you go back in July will have another fill? How many did your doctor say you would have? I will go back 6 weeks from my first week out after surgery. I think this will be at the end of July. I am going on vacation the end of August, so by then, hopefully I will have some of the eating techniques down.

Hope you are doing good.

Very well! I lost 6 lbs from fill (5/31) to 6/4. My doctors goal for the next 6 weeks is 12 lbs. I have been sticking to Protein shakes, bars and the IDS protein bullets. I have been able to eat solids -when I choose. Trying to minimize this -- that was when I stopped losing last time.

My July appt is for a fill -- but I guess if i have lost excessive weight loss(over the 12 lbs goal) or if I am not feeling hunger - he won't give it.

He will do as many as needed for as long as needed -- to get the sweet spot!

The eating rules -- you get use to them quick - especially if your body REMINDS you!

Have a good night -- keep in touch!

Gina,

Thanks for your insite. I am feeling a little nervous but mostly excitement. It is harder to get my husband to understand, still, with only one day away. I keep telling him it will be ok. he is making me nervous. I really don't know what else to tell him. I told him not to say anything and to talk to someone else if he needed to vent. Does that sound bad? I just want to concentrate on the positive. Once I am out of surgery, I think he will be releaved. I read about others who have overweight husbands who do the band together, they can at least relate to the weight drama. But my husband is thin and eats all the time. Has no sense of it.

I am sorry I vented. I just needed to get it out.

I will be in touch.

ONE MORE DAY!!!!!!!!:clap2:

Gina,

Just wanted to tell you I am in bandland! Not sure I am clapping my hands today, but I will be optimistic on my pain and healing.

talk soon

Janine -- congratulations on your surgery! :clap2: I found the 1st 2 weeks to be the hardest, mostly because of the blasted Protein shakes & knowing I couldn't deviate from liquids. I wasn't really hungry so much as I wanted to CHEW something! I bought VitaBalls (gumball viatamns)at Farm Fresh just to have SOMETHING to CHEW -- 2 a day even! :biggrin1: Everything after those 1st 2 weeks has been down hill! Stay on top of your pain meds, so that it doesn't catch up with you once you're really feeling much better. They give you an Rx for a reason! Walk, walk, walk!! And especially if you were given a tool to do so, breathe, breathe, breathe! You can do this!!!

My DH was thin when we met (in Jr. High) and only put on weight with my 1st pregnancy (14 years later). We dieted together -- he lost apx. 55 lbs, which was about 5 short of his goal; I lost 30 in the same time-frame, roughly 150 short of my goal! :phanvan So I'm there with you in having a partner who just doesn't get that "exercise more" ain't cuttin' it!!! But what's done is done now. His opinion doesn't mater when it comes to what's right for YOUR health, correct? I know -- hard to not consider it, but really, if his way of seeing things isn't helping you, then you've got to ignore it for now, becasue it's only going to hurt you. He's got no choice but to come around eventually! :target::biggrin1: AND he's gonna see that you ARE exercising -- that's a vital aspect to this working, after all. The band only controls your portion size. We've still got to get off our own butts. They go hand in hand, which is something NOT emphasized in the media coverage about WLS.

The easy way out - phaa! :girl_hug: I've never had to work so hard at sticking to a diet & exercise program as I've had to with this!! But that's the whole point -- nothing else could I NOT quit when I hit a plateau, or got sick, or was under stress, or was PMSing, etc!!! We've not only got to be aware of every single morsel we eat (not for fat or calories, but because we have to chew deliberately), and exercise (like I've never exercised before), but we also have to reevaluate & retrain our reactions to the things that used to send us straight for comfort food!!!

You can do this, girl! :high5: And everyone at LBT is with & behind you in your efforts!!! So when DH is being a pain, come here! When dinner (or in my case breakfast) looks too good to resist, come here while he/they eat! When you just don't feel like exercising, come here & find an exercise thread to get inspired! It's a long road ahead, but think of the journey we're on!!! I say YEA US for making such a huge commitment to our heath -- for putting ourselves first for a change -- and for doing it!!!!! And YEA YOU -- you're in BANDLAND now!

Suzanne, thanks for the upbeat message. I think my husband is coming along, it is like you said, they won't understand but he can learn. I think he will be forced to see that I have to make choices and he might like the results. I think that now the surgery is over he feels better, he did not want anything bad to happen to me. So, now the real work starts.

I am feeling better today, still pushing those drinks down. They are so thick and my appetite is saying no. but I know I must. Do you use any protein powders? I thought maybe I could do that for one meal in a soup and would not know? One step at a time..

I use to enjoy exercise, even belonged to a gym, but that was in a motivated cycle, 80lbs lighter, but then I go the other way, gain it all back and stop execising. this is my main goal for the band.

My son just asked to order pizza! I said, sure, but I won't be eating any. it will take them all time to understand. But once I get to the eating stage, I can eat pizza, just not 4 or 5 slices!

Have a great day, how is you fill going? Has it made a big change?

Janine! Fantastic news. How are you doing today -- getting better each and every day? Zannie covered ALL the great tips, tricks, reminders --- KUDOZ Suzanne!

Just so you know - my husband was similiar (although he is overweight) in that he thought that if I exercised and stuck to a diet that I didn't need the surgery. But I have to tell you immediately following surgery he became fully in support of my decision -- he saw my dedication to the pre-op and I think alot of it is being scared of losing someone in surgery or from complications. He has been tremendous - my rock every since. As they see you feeling better - energy return - you returning to the person you were when you first fell in love -- they come around -- and understand the benefits and it is the right decision for YOU and him! (Hugs!!!)

The absolutely most important thing I remind him is that I did this to be healthier and live longer and be able to spend as much time as I can with him!

We went to my SIL's yesterday for birthday celebration for my DH -- it was so funny -- I always hang out with the boys watching baseball-Nascaar- and such. Well I got called into the room with the girls -- and was shot questions about the surgery - how I feeling - fill - what I have been eating - what does it feel like - and you can imagine the rest of the Q's.... I felt like I was being interigated. whew --- I made it out of their alive!!!!!!!!!!! lol.

Talk more soon!

Hugs!

Gina

Thanks Gina, I see that change in my DH already! He has been by my side helping me. He still can't recall what I looked like when we were married, funny what love does to you. I guess this is a good thing!

Wow, about the party inquiries, this is what I dread from some folks at work. I tried to keep this to a minimum, however I know it slipped out which means more than one. My office probably knew before I did LOL! Hopefully this won't be to hard! You are a good sport!

Have a great day!

How are we doing ladies?

I'm just off the treadmill, and about to have a bowl of splenda-sweetened, low-fat mint-chip ice cream! :hungry:

I was sure I'd gotten to good restriction after that 3rd fill (7.2 in a 10cc band). I haven't been hungry between meals, a string cheese stick fills me up for lunch...things have been going great. Until tonight. dinner (a South Beach Diet TV dinner - as recommend by Becky, the dietitian at WLSC) didn't do it -- I could totally have kept eating had there been more food prepared. That's a first since Fill #3, so I guess I'm not done yet.

I'm disappointed that I'll be needing another fill, but...well, that's okay. I'm still loosing (down 5 more #), still exercising (though I have to force myself), and still watching what I eat (avoiding sugar & liquid calories). My 4-month bandiversary is on Friday & I'm down 45#... I have never had this kind of success with any diet before, and I've never stuck -really stuck - to a diet this strictly for this long! I'm so glad I did this insane thing to my insides! :biggrin1:

Suzanne, wow, treadmill! That sounds great! I hope to exersice more soon. I was wondering too about how many fills you would need. Maybe it was just that dinner? Did they say it could feel different at different times? I won't have my first fill until Mid July! Which is after my son's wedding, so I am happy, I will be able to eat at it!

you would not all beleive this, my DH's back went out on Monday, or something. He could hardly walk, could not sit or lay with out severe pain. So, here I go, taking him to the doctor's and hospital, etc. they gave him the same pain meds I have...lol. I told him it happens to us old folks in pairs, but he is only 44! He stayed home yesterday and went to work today. He hasn't heard yet from the doctor on his tests. Woman never get to be the one ill, or pampered!!! He wanted me to pick up a case of Water yesterday when I was at walmart, but I told him I could not lift it, well, neither can he!!! it is pitiful.

Gina how are you this week? how is your exercise?

Ticker issues!!!! I have a question for both of you...I have been having problems. I can't edit my ticker. I have been given info from other banders, when you put the mouse pointer over the ticker it is suppose to change to a hand so you can click on it and edit there. I noticed that for Gina, this works, but for Suzanne it does not??? It won't do it for me either!!! Suzanne you are the only other person I have tested that doesn't. Are you having problems updating?? I can't even delete the current ticker on signature edit and start over. I am so frustrated. I think it has to do with the lower part of the set up, the Url or the bb code thing? If any of you or your DH have any hints let me know. I have emailed the web master for lapband. help!!!!

Suzanne -- wow you are doing wonderful -- I wish I was doing that good.

Janine thanks for asking about exercise -- now I feel real guilty -- I haven't got into any type of routine yet. I need too -- :boink:

I did read that some have more restriction early and during the day than in the evening. I even found that right before my TOM I was eating and munching on everything -- couldn't get satisfied. So hormones can be a part of it - I believe.

I have restriction now -- but I only lose when I go to liquids only -- this is frustrating. Since my 5/31 fill to 6/4 I lost 6 lbs -- and today nothing more. That's 20lbs since 4/9 surgery. :smellie:

Ticker thing -- I have no idea -- I have read others having the same exact problem -- let me know what the resolution is when you find out.

Have a great evening! :cheer2: