Hello everyone!

I am new to this forum and was hoping to gain some valuable information about the lap band. I am being banded either the end of February or the beginning of March. I should know by the end of next week. I am very excited about this new journey in my life, but also very scared. I am really worried about feeling horrible and getting depressed for the next few months after surgery. IF you have any comments or words of encouragement, please send them my way! Thanks

Amanda

Let me know if and when you guys want to do this - I think it would be great to meet for lunch on a weekend. (look at me trying to bring food into this! geez!)

I know I could really use the support from others that are and will be going through the same thing!

I have no life! LOL!! I really need to break away from my comfort zone anyway. All week it's work & kids, then the weekends come and it's shopping for the next week, cleaning house and laundry. It's like the song that never ends!

Hi Y'All, this is the week for my Kaiser WLS seminar. Really looking forward to Wednesday, will let you know how it goes.

I'm sure it will go well. Maybe take a list of questions with you if needed.

I go in on Wednesday for my second fill. I really hope I feel some restriction with this one. I've been struggling this month!

Talk to you later...

Hi Y'All, this is the week for my Kaiser WLS seminar. Really looking forward to Wednesday, will let you know how it goes.

How exciting! :purplebananna:

I'm sure it will go well. Maybe take a list of questions with you if needed.

I go in on Wednesday for my second fill. I really hope I feel some restriction with this one. I've been struggling this month!

Talk to you later...

Hang in there! It's so hard when you don't have restriction! I go in on the 27th for another fill. I'm hungry again! I'm hoping I don't gain too much between now and then!

Take care!

Well, I went for my second fill today and I had only lost 3 lbs since the last time he had seen me. He didn't seem too concerned, but did give me a hard time about exercising. I had been doing so well, but I stopped once it started getting hot. I gotta get back on the right track!

Jenny - let us know how tonight goes for you!

Michelle - I hope your next fill works for you. How many cc's do you have and what size band? I now have 7.5cc's in a 14cc band.

Take care ladies!

You ladies are going to love this; no more 20 week class required, they offer an optional 10 week class only. THe seminar tonight is mandatory and I just need to get my PCP to refer me for surgery and the surgery dept handles the rest. There is no waiting list for surgery. She said she has some folks getting surgery before they even finish the 10 week optional class. You know I will be emailing my PCP tonight to get that referral. NO weight tonight, she said they will use my weight from my last dr visit or if I take the optional class she weighs there and it gets documented as starting weight. I dont' want to wait till class starts July 2nd to get weighed, think I will make a apt w/PCP to get a current weight, I have gained since my visit w/her in April. She said they are revamping the WLS procedures, I like the changes. I guess things are definetly looking positive for me. I really appreciate all your encouragement, look forward to keeping in touch as the ride continues. Hope the fills help, take care ladies

OMG you are so lucky! I'm in the So. Calif. Kaiser Options program and they still require the 24 weeks of classes. I'm only on week 4 and it is very discouraging that I have to wait so long. And we've been told the waiting period AFTER the program is up to 3 months before surgery gets scheduled.

I suppose I can hope for a revamp like yours is doing, but it doesn't look likely..good luck with your PCP!

Jenny - that is such great news! Do they still require a percentage of weight loss before they do the surgery?

mb20mom - the time will fly by and is well worth the wait! Just keep yourself busy!

I emailed my PCP at 9pm last night and she emailed me at 1pm today that she sent to referral to surgery and gave me thier phone # to call if I don't hear from them soon. I love my dr !! I checked my weight at my last visit and it was over 40 BMI, will just go with that weight, a few more pounds won't make that much difference. YES we still have to loose, Peggy said it was case by case and the surgeon would let us know how much. I am feeling great, just waiting to hear from the surgery dept. Have a great Memorial Day weekend ladies and I will be in touch:thumbup:

And now it begins!

I'm so looking forward to this 3 day weekend! I'm going to enjoy every moment!

You do the same

I called the surgery dept; they have my referral and said expect 3-6 WEEKS to hear from them. OK hurry up and wait, wonder if I should start losing weight while I wait? They have my documented weight from April that is over 40 BMI. DOnt' want to make a wrong move...will have to give this some thought.

SILLYGOOSE, how is the last fill doing? any change this week?

Wow! Big changes!

And Jenny, what a week for you! How exciting!

mb20mom, hang in there. SG is right, it'll go faster than you think! There will be times that it seems to be a snail's pace but when you look back at it, after surgery, time will have flown!

Got a fill today. Moved it up from next Wed. I've got too much going on next week with DD's b-day and party and didn't want to take a chance with PB's or anything. I also like to baby my stomach for a couple of days after a fill and that won't be able to happen next week. Here's hoping this fill helps!

Oh and I'm now back up to 5.75cc in a 10cc band. Had to have an emergency unfill at Easter due to a stuck pill! Dumb, dumb, dumb!! So basically had to start over again. Very frustrating. I was thinking that I had finally hit my sweet spot right before that stick.

Have a beautiful and SAFE weekend everyone!!

Hi Jenny - I think it would be ok to start losing the weight if you want too. If it were me, I'd probably not try too hard to lose, but make sure I didn't gain at all until I met with the surgeon. You may want to think about going to the weight loss class. It does give you a lot of good information and a chance to ask a lot of questions.

I definitely have more restriction with this last fill. I'm finding that I must pay close attention to my eating habits - slow down and chew well! I've had this stuck feeling in my chest a couple times and have had to pb. No big deal, but I am learning from it. It's nice to finally feel like I have a band though!

Michelle - I'm so sorry to hear about your unfill. What an awful experience that must have been! At least you have a decent fill level again. Have a great weekend too and happy birthday to your daughter!

OK ladies, what is PB?

Michelle, after LB, do you have to cut your Vitamins in half or what??? THat sounds very uncomfortable. Hope the bday was nice.

Michelle - I'm so sorry to hear about your unfill. What an awful experience that must have been! At least you have a decent fill level again. Have a great weekend too and happy birthday to your daughter!

Yep, it sucked! Don't want to do THAT again! LOL!

The party was great! We had a lot of fun but it wiped me out! I'm still exhausted! LOL!

OK ladies, what is PB?

Michelle, after LB, do you have to cut your Vitamins in half or what??? THat sounds very uncomfortable. Hope the bday was nice.

Jenny, a PB is "puke back" or "productive burp." Yes, it's gross.

After surgery you should be on all chewables and liquids for all of your supplements. My BP pill, I can't do that with. I'm supposed to crush it but I usually just cut it in to 4 pieces. It gets pretty small that way. It's not a large pill to begin with. THAT is the pill that I got stuck on.

I was in a hurry and trying to rush. I was also eating, well, was going to be eating about 2 hours earlier than normal. Band was too tight that early in the AM and stuck I got. I then proceeded to throw up for the next 36 hrs every time I tried to get a little Fluid in me. I got to the point that I couldn't even swallow my own spit. Had to see Dr. B Monday evening after he'd been in surgery all day, for an unfill. It was bad and I don't wish that on anyone. Learned my lesson! I now make sure I cut that pill up every single time I'm going to take it!

Now. I don't want that episode to scare you! Things like that shouldn't happen if you are following the rules and doing what you're supposed too! What happened to me was completely my fault and would never have happened if I was doing what I should have been.

There will be times when you get stuck and have to PB or wait for something to pass but for the most part it's a pretty mild episode. Just go on liquids for the rest of the day to help the swelling and you should be fine.

Have a great week, Ladies!!