determination

Pammie, Thank you for the info on being banded after a length of time. I have also wondered about not being able to get a fill later on after losing all of the weight.

Before getting banded one of my sisters who disapproved of what I was doing said "I don't know why you think this will work when nothing else has". Well I have lost a lot of weight, up and down, etc. Last week I was really in the binge mode, I gained 2lbs. I have been able to get back on track these last two days.

Maybe I need another fill?

I would appreciate all the info and input that you can give me.

I was banded Dec. 15th, 2008 and to date have lost 66lbs. But it has definitely been a lot of discipline, is that maybe why I am having these week moments?

Thanks, Anne

PS. I know my tracker says I set out to lose 102lbs., but I really need to lose a total of aprox. 120lbs.

How exciting for you! You have some special years ahead to enjoy the new you! Way to go.

I am glad that you now have peace of mind. I understand though with what you are saying about your port. My port area hurts still when I lean to the left or reach for something to my left, having to bend down.

I guess we are all going through a lot of the same things at different times. It sure helps when others post their issues so that we can be assured that we are not the only ones having fears.

Way to go with your weight loss.

Hi K

I hope I didn't jinx you.LOL

I'm still on liquids but I feel 100 times better, Hopefully I can get .2 back in a few weeks.

I have to go to the OCC from now on as they have the Flouro. Luckily prices have come down.

GOODLUCK.

Nicole, If you don't mind me asking, how much did the prices go down. Does anyone know if the surgery prices have gone down. I would love to be able to help my daughter have this surgery. Thank you for any in put you may have.

Louise,

I am glad that you have been to get through this time. After all of this with your studies and infection you have pulled through.

I know that my weight loss looks good, but believe me when I say that I have really been struggling this last month. I sometimes think that my fill isn't where it should be but then if I eat like I should I can hardly get the meat down. I have really struggled with the sweets and desserts. They all go down so fine. So I have lapsed back to my old habits and need to make a change. My will power is weak and I need to get it back.

This is such a journey and right now it is hard. You have been through the hard part and are now focussed on the positive. Keep it up.

Anne

Thank you very much for the feed back. I appreciate all of you. By the way JHawk you look wonderful!

5-day pouch diet

I keep forgetting to check the forum for an answer to a question. This time I decided to use it as a topic so that it won't get lost in the other subjects.

I have heard it mentioned twice this last week. Please let me know if you would.

Thanks, Anne

You are so beautiful. Way to go and many blessings on your future with the band.

Hey Jazzy,

What is the 5 day pouch diet? I was so tight after my 3rd fill. I PB'd alot for about a week and had a horrible night cough. I saw on the chart that OCC sent on facebook that those were signs of being too tight. Everything is back to normal this week thank goodness. But I think that if I could I would like to shrink that little fickle pouch if I could.

Anne

I live in Oregon, I am also a passport agent. Right now the turn around is aprox. 4 weeks. But as summer gets closer the waiting time gets longer. We are now being told to tell those applying 4-6 weeks. Just for the passport it is 100.00. To expedite (rush) it costs an additional $60.00, and to express mail, you include 14.85 in with the price of everything else on the check. Then 17.50 in a separate check to rush it there. With all of this they say 2-3 weeks. This is our latest update as of April 2009.

I work at a Courthouse. And like Cleo says you do get your birth certificate back.

I have wondered why my chest would hurt when food gets stuck or takes a long time going down. Isn't our little pouch lower than our chest?

I am also very pleased with this topic. I had a fill last Friday. On Friday I could eat. I asked the nurse practioner about having liquids after the fill and she said that she didn't see any reason why I should (she has a band also). So I ate, everything was fine. That night I PB'd for the first time. I have PB'd several time since and I have also had a hard time taking my medication which I take twice a day.

I honestly can not eat anything without it hurting. So I stop. I am also having difficulty getting liquids down. It has only been 6 days since my fill so I am trying to give it a little time.

Before this I had been eating really healthy, but I am having a problem with hair loss.

Yesterday I was driving to my hairdresser's and had a PB'ing eppisode while driving. Has anyone else experienced this. It comes on so fast.

Thank you for any input.

Hi, I flew down for my surgery alone and did stay at the hotel the first night. OCC did come and pick me up the next morning and took several of us to the clinic. I did stay at the clinic that night. I did not see any sense in going back to the Hotel since I was alone.

I also flew down for my 1st fill alone. I got on the airplane at 6:30am went to TJ and arrived back home at 8:00pm. (I was a bit crazy, I had a four hour drive to and from the airport.)

I understand the nervousness part, but once you get down there you will be totally relieved by how coordinated everything is and how it just all flows smoothly. Good Luck

I paid 4300 for a lift AND silicone implants. I am guessing a lift would be fairly inexpensive. I am 4 weeks out now and very happy. My left nipple is kind of off, but that is so typical, they are never perfect. I really liked Dr. Quiroz there, he personally called me like 5 times the first week to see how I was doing. Call and ask. They told me you have to stay 3 days before flying home with the breast surgery. They also said to have someone with you if you are staying in a hotel (as opposed to at a nursing place where they take care of you). I feel that I would have been fine alone though. Good luck! The swelling and tightness is awful for about 9 days and then I got better very quickly.

Karen

Did you stay down there for 3 days? Also curious, what did you do about the stitches and/or were there any?

Angela, I swear the same thing will happen to me..... I will plateau, plateau and then BAM loose a bunch of weight. I sometimes think it is just our bodies trying to catch up. Sounds like you are doing a great job!!! Keep it up!

Thank you for giving me the info on Joan. I really enjoy her. Going to her for my second time for my third fill. :-h

I also thank you for the post. I can relate with all of your questions. Jude, when you talk about protein snacks, would you give us an example of what you are eating? Lately I have been so hungry. I am scheduled to get my third fill this Friday. I am hoping this works. At night if I eat chicken, hamburger, etc., I have a hard time getting them down. But if I snack on dry cereal or have a protein bar they go down fine. That is why it is so hard for me to know if I need another fill. I guess that I am not even sure that I am hungry (or think that I am hungry). Is it boredom, old habits or what?

Feeling very confused??? Then again maybe this is normal to have these little or big valleys on this journey.

Congrats!!!!! It sounds like you are doing great.

Did you have all of that done at one time?

I too had a message on my facebook from this bogus name. Unfortunately I opened it. It was an immediate delete for me.

Thank you for the encouragement. I am almost 4 months out and am facing my first battle with wanting to binge. I guess I need a fill. I don't think I have lost since my second fill, one month ago. I know I am eating too much by lapband standards and sometimes eating the wrong stuff. Thanks again.

Just curious, When did you have surgery?

What an exciting day it is going to be for you. Not only are you entering into a marriage and feeling total joy tomorrow, but you will be looking beautiful and feeling so good. I am very happy for you.

Here it is - this is his latest:

“1200 calorie diet;

40-50 grams of protein. Higher end of the range if regular strenuous exercise.

30-40 grams of fat.

The goal would be to avoid a fatty acid or a protein deficiency—getting even the minimal above should do the trick. Some people need to take a fatty acid supplement—Evening Primrose Oil, Omega 3 oils for example. “

Best,

Lisa

Thank you for posting this again. I think I will post this in my kitchen just as a reminder.

I am so very happy, happy, happy for you! You are such a beautiful person inside and out. I truly enjoyed meeting you when we were getting our fills. I finally had my second fill on the 12th of March. I only have 15lbs. till onederland. It is so exciting how this band is working. I find it amazing that I can say only (15lbs.). It is such a different mental attitude than I have had in the past. Have a great weekend. Anne

Just curious, Are you doing maintenance? How long have you had it? Sorry for being nosy.