Congratulations to all bandsters! May we all have continued success this 2008.:tongue:

It is a happy new year for me... I am down 100 pounds! There are many of us who have met this mark, and we continue on our journey.

Cheers- here's to us, and the many "losers" that came before us, and to those who shall follow. :wink:

IF YOU ARE EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING A BAND, GO GET INFO NOW NOT LATER..

My Mom was scheduled to get her band Dec.19th 2007- she instead had a triple bypass heart surgery, followed by many complications, blood clots, bad reactions to meds, etc.. and results are that the triple/bypass needs to be completely redone when/if she gains enough strength back to make it through such an ordeal -again.

I will continue to count my blessing, I have had the opportunity to lose 100 pounds... before her story, became mine.

Keeping you all in my thoughts daily, Kimberly

smilin - that sounds very scary - I have no clue. I hope you have talked to your surgeon about it?

Hi All just read through this thread and how encouraging to see your lows turn into highs. I started this journey in January, and tomorrow go for my Upper GI, with surgery on the 27th.

O how I want it all to go easy! I´ve been walking a mile everyday at a local park for about a month now. My dogs are the best walking partners in the world. All I have to do is say the word "walk" and their heads snap to attention! Hoping that the walking will help in my recovery, in addition to being healthier for me.

Thanks for your stories, inspiration and hopefully support!

Hi Gang, My name is John & I was banded on April 23rd By Dr. De La Torre in St. Louis Mo. At 3 & 1/2 weeks out I'm down 29 lbs., All healed up & feeling great. I go in for my 1st fill on June 5. My staring BMI was 51 although I had no Pre-op diet. Well good luck to everyone & I'll keep in touch.

Well I went to Kaiser yesterday and I told my surgeon about what I was

feeling. He asked me some routine questions, I showed him where the

burning was, and he did some feeling around to see if I was hurting or

tender anywhere unusal in my abdomen.

He didn't seem too concerned at this point , he checked my band to see

if there was any fluid left because when the other surgeon said he took

all the fluid out he was about 1cc short, which made me nervous too.

Well my surgeon found it, it was still there; so I had 1 cc left after

all.

He went ahead and added another 4 cc's for a total of 5 which is

close to where I was before I was too tight. I am now feeling some

restriction on the amount of food I can eat but nothing is getting

stuck, YEAH!!!

And oh yeah as for the burning sensation and pain in my chest and back, it is gone now??? Maybe my esophegus was just so irritated from being too tight last week and now it is better, not sure what else it could have been but I am sure glad no more pain.

My surgeon is so AWESOME!!!! I will never see a different surgeon again!

Thank you all for your prayers and support!

By the way WELCOME to all the newbies, it is so wonderful to see how this group is growing so fast. I love that we have people in all different stages of their life change and we can share our experiences and support eachother!!

Have a blessed day EVERYONE!!!

Glad you're feeling better! :thumbdown:

Glad you're feeling better! :thumbdown:

Froggi- Let us know when you are finally scheduled I will be praying for you that it will be soon, Take care!

Froggi- Let us know when you are finally scheduled I will be praying for you that it will be soon, Take care!

Well it will be in oct or november. Unless when I call the insurance on wednesday they tell me they found out something to make it shorter.Either way it will be eventually :thumbdown: Thanks for the conern.:smile:

Hi everyone, I will also be banded on May 27th with my husband and my parents both are following on the 29th! We are going to Dr. Kuri in TJ Mexico and can't wait... we leave to San Diego next Saturday! My starting BMI is 52.... I have been on the liver shrinking diet for 1 week now... 1 week left... although it has been a piece of cake and I feel SO MUCH better than I did when I was "last suppering". I really think I am ready! I am just a little worried about my first fill with such a high BMI.... hope they don't have trouble finding the port since I am on the larger side.... others in my support group say it won't be an issue.... the place where I will get my fills is excellent so I have heard. Any last minute advice?

Kammi in Everett, WA

Hi everyone, I will also be banded on May 27th with my husband and my parents both are following on the 29th! We are going to Dr. Kuri in TJ Mexico and can't wait... we leave to San Diego next Saturday! My starting BMI is 52.... I have been on the liver shrinking diet for 1 week now... 1 week left... although it has been a piece of cake and I feel SO MUCH better than I did when I was "last suppering". I really think I am ready! I am just a little worried about my first fill with such a high BMI.... hope they don't have trouble finding the port since I am on the larger side.... others in my support group say it won't be an issue.... the place where I will get my fills is excellent so I have heard. Any last minute advice?

Kammi in Everett, WA

Don't worry Kammi!

I too have a high BMI at my first fill I was around 60 BMI. My surgeon was able to get it on the first try! And I didn't even need a numbing shot...the area was still kinda numb from the incisions that the surgery left. As a matter of fact it is still numb 6 months later!

I don't know how your surgeon will place the port but mine sewed it to the muscle below the skin so it doesn't move around or flip over.

All I have to do when I go in for the fill is lay on my back and do a mini sit-up where I am tightening my stomach muscles and he is able to get it right away.

You will be fine and I wish you and your family all the luck with your surgeries, I will say a prayer for you too!

Take care

Thanks so much Apple.... you look like you are doing fantastic on your goals... nice job! I am relieved to hear that about the port.... I think I might have heard that about my surgeon and placement of port too.... excellent! Keep up the good work!

Kammi in Everett, WA

Wow I am glad to hear your ok now. I get gas bubbles every time I have a fill. but not pain. well kinda pain but nothing like you were talking about.

I havent been to the gym in 5 days I am going today. My house got broken into so I have been nervious about being away from my house for any length of time. I bought a security system today. So I hope I will soon be able to get my life under control again and be able to get back to the gym with out too much stress.

Hi all,

It has been a while since I posted.

First Smilin... I am so glad you are alright. I also appreciate your sharing your experience so others can benefit.

I have had some amazing progress over the last few months.

About two weeks ago I reached another goal and my trainer took measurements. I am happy to say that my body fat % is 34.4 (just within normal) and an amazing thing has happened. My upper arms have lost 4.75 inches since I began. My granny arms are going away.

Today I hit a major milestone. I have rid myself of 120 lbs of excess weight. I am so excited. I was hoping for 120 by my band anniversary (July 23), so I am happy to exceed that goal. I have to credit working with a trainer for my excellent progress. I do the work, but I don't have to think about what to do, he says run, I say how far? I also realigned my original goal weight. Originally, I just wanted to get below 200, but now I believe that 180 is a reasonable and attainable goal.

Thanks for reading and to those newbies, just stick with it. I am living proof that it does happen.

Cheers,

Mary

Congrats Mary! That is so awsome!

I have found that I crave sweats during times of stress!.

Bad Cerrin. But Now I have ONE piece of chocolate instead of the whole bag. Good Cerrin lol

I went back to the gym last night and worked up a sweat.

I recently had the unfill and a re-fill to 5 cc's in my 10 cc band and I am not feel a ton of restriciton. I can pretty much eat anything and I am falling back in to my old habits of not chewing too well because for some reason I am not finding that I have to. I chew a little and swallow and I am fine nothing gets stuck at all!!!I am hoping that is not a bad sign that I am not going to be able to get good restriciton any time soon, or worse yet that there is something wrong like a slipped band?!?

Anyone else had a large unfill and then a re-fill and not get restriction, or food stuck like you used to when your band is half full???

:biggrin:HI!

I am new here. And can't remember my starting BMI, but pretty sure it nearly at 60..maybe 59.something. Still recouperating from the surgery to place the band and have a had a very good first week post-op! Look forward to chatting with you all. Lots of questions coming up, I know!