Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Welcome back PennyLane. I was beginning to think you had given up on LBT so it's really good to hear from you and to hear your band is at a good place. I've noticed quite a number of bandsters saying they stay away when they aren't losing because it's too discouraging. I think that's when you need this site the most, to keep you motivated and to vent.

What kinds of pain are you having? I thought my pain was because I was too tight and it turned out to be gallstones. I had my gallbladder taken out last week and get to start fills again on April 27th (I have been completely unfilled since Feb 4th).

I have pain in my upper left abdomen and around my belly button. My surgeon is convinced its scar tissue/adhesions and I think he's probably right. I've battled abdominal pain for many years due to endometriosis. I had to have my gall bladder and half of my pancreas removed due to endometrial tumors. I had so many adhesions from the previous surgery my banding took over 3 hours.

The frustrating thing is that my surgeon took such great care to free up these adhesions when I had my banding. It was the first time in years that I didn't have pain. Now its back again and it's just not getting better.

I have pain in my upper left abdomen and around my belly button. My surgeon is convinced its scar tissue/adhesions and I think he's probably right. I've battled abdominal pain for many years due to endometriosis. I had to have my gall bladder and half of my pancreas removed due to endometrial tumors. I had so many adhesions from the previous surgery my banding took over 3 hours.

The frustrating thing is that my surgeon took such great care to free up these adhesions when I had my banding. It was the first time in years that I didn't have pain. Now its back again and it's just not getting better.

You have my empathy. I suffer from adhesions too. Two of my colon surgeries were due to adhesions. Now they are growing over my port. I is the hazard of genetics and abdominal surgery. I wish someone would find a permanent cure to adhesions. I hope you don't have to have anymore surgeries.

lovegrapes, I hope you start feeling better soon. Is there anything they can do?

I had my complimentary workout with the trainer at the gym I just joined. At the end of the workout I almost threw up and thought I was going to pass out. Things started fading out to black. It took me nearly 15 minutes to recove enough to leave. I feel great now though.

Thank you girls your so sweet. I'm just frustrated that I cant control this. I have my next appointment on Thursday so I'll see where I go from there.

lovegrapes, I hope you start feeling better soon. Is there anything they can do?

I had my complimentary workout with the trainer at the gym I just joined. At the end of the workout I almost threw up and thought I was going to pass out. Things started fading out to black. It took me nearly 15 minutes to recove enough to leave. I feel great now though.

It's amazing how something so terrible can make us feel so good isn't it? well not that I would know about working out because I haven't been in so long.

Thank you girls your so sweet. I'm just frustrated that I cant control this. I have my next appointment on Thursday so I'll see where I go from there.

All prayers and wishes for a fantastic outcome are with you. :tt1:

Hey girls. Still no good news yet. It's hard to admit, but I'm having pain pretty much every day. I just don't want to lose my band. It's so frustrating because I can be feeling great for many hours and just feel sick in a blink of an eye.

Next step is to get an upper endoscopy to check for gastritis, ulcers and erosion. I pretty much gained 6lbs over a couple of days which is pretty disappointing. Without any saline in my band I'm going to have to start planning meals and journaling intake.

I do have good news though. I have a job interview on Tuesday. I like where I work now, but this would be a huge opportunity financially and professionally. Even better,I never realized how much I've changed clothing sizes as I wear scrubs to work. I actually had to buy new suit because all my old career wardrobe is way too big. This is the smallest size I've worn in nearly 15 years.

lovegrapes, sorry to hear you're in pain every day. That must be awful; I hope you get good results from the tests.

I wish you luck on your job interview. Sounds like a great opportunity. WTG on the the NSV. :tongue_smilie:

Lovesgrapes, I'll pray your endosopy goes in you favor. And don't worry about the job interview I'll bet you knock their socks off. Congrats on you clothes being to small, What a great feeling.

Lovesgrapes, keep us posted on the endoscopy.

Congratulations on the new suit! That must've felt amazing. Go and ace that interview!

Lovegrapes, the endoscopy may get the the problem. Maybe it is something they can fix with meds. Well, I think I found a help for my getting that stuck feeling. I started taking pepcid again and today I ate all day without feeling stuck. I think the acid in my stomach was causing me to feel stuck after a few bites. Anyway, I hope it works. I had taken pepcid for years and stopped a month after surgery. Maybe I just need it now.

I broke out in a nervous sweat doing it, but I posted some almost-before and during pics and the before and after thread. I don't have a true before. One was taken and it was on a jump drive that isn't working. The before is actually about 25 lbs lost and the during today is another 50 lbs gone and 3 more jean sizes down. Oh, my grandchild is one month old in the first pic and 7 months old today!:thumbup:

crzytchr, Awesome Pics! You look great!

Thank you Charlene!!!