Rhondasue

Hey Sabrina,

No headaches are usually a great side effect of Botox that is injected anywhere in the temple or forehead eyebrow region. Maybe that it why you are feeling so good!!

Hey I'm still hoping to get the capri's back. )

Rhonda

Hi Sabrina,

What great news!!

I have been thinking of you ( your face too) and wondering how eveything is.....

I bet you are soooo relieved.

Rhonda

Wow! great info here....in these posts!

How do I save the info to my member page??

Help!

Rhonda

Hello Jude,

It has been a long time since I posted to you! I couldn't resist giving you a big CONGRATULATIONS! on your fabulous work so far with your band.

Wow! you are doing amazing and all so healthfully and following the rules and being such an inspiration!!

Keep up the good work and yes! please get those photos up soon.

I am plugging away and loosing very slowly, but am due for a good fill, and hoping it will get me going in the weight loss again. I am really exercising now and that should also get things moving.

Thanks for posting your diet and food ideas......it is always helpful to see what is working for others.

It must feel Great! to be on the downhill run to goal......you go girl!

Hugs!

Rhonda

Yes, Barb, that is the one.

Infrared and specifically for heating core temp and helping with weight loss.

The gym is brand new and has state of the art everything.....very motivating!

All my best,

Rhonda

Angie,

I have been following this thread with interest as i was one of those that chose to tell NO ONE. I do not recommend it to anyone!. There are so many times that you just need to talk things out and I know i am not doing as well as I could probably have been doing had I had the guts and trust to tell my family.

My brother is a gasteroenterologist and when I inquired about the surgerywith him a couple of years ago he really did not have anything good to say in his experience with all the disaster patients he was having to deal with post operatively. He is associated with the Northwest surgical site in Olympia,Washington and I guess they are just recently getting really good results with their surgeries.......he would have had a heart attack if I told him i was going to Mexico....in the end I think i chose the very best place......with the most skilled surgeons.

I feel very alone sometimes with all of this......i have one lapband friend in the area and that is good, but really not enough. Telling family now somehow seems weird......i am still struggling with this and am just trying to do my best.....alone. I am very grateful for the forum and all the info here. Lots of great people and very caring.

Rhonda

Hi,

I go in one about once a week at the gym and it feels great and sweats off the toxins. I can't imagine how it would

effect the band at all. I drink water while I am in there.

Rhonda

Hi Sabrina,

Glad to see you are "on the mend" from bronchitis ( YuK!) I remember this original post of yours and somedays really

wish I had let my family know what i have done.

I am so proud of your weight loss, but YES! you should really consider the gym......I am waaaaay behind you in weight loss, but have the skin loose too......the gym is REALLY helping and people ARE noticing more I think because of this......I think we look better when we tone as we go.

Keep up the great! work......and see you at the gym......hint hint......

Rhonda

Hello Faith,

I too was very frustrated with this site immediately post op, as I had the "everything that could go wrong seemed to" situation with my band too. I was banded over the Christmas Holidays with a few other women that just sailed through everything and I was in extreme pain. I too am a health care professional and am very familiar with wound healing and surgical experiences. I was really not prepared for what I went though, because as you say, most don't have a negative experience and report "how easy it all is"

The one truth that you can take to the bank, is that, if in fact everything has gone as normal with your surgery and you aren't having some weird rejection reaction, then you WILL start to feel better with time.......how long is hard to predict......and how completely normal you feel again will be the other unknown.

I was stuck in California for a week before returning home to Canada, thinking I would vacation with friends and relatives over the holidays, I was so convinced by everything I heard on this site that I would be "just fine" .......wow! I was desperate for stronger pain meds and had no way of getting any and of course did not buy any before leaving Mexico, thinking I would be ok in a few days. Dr. Martinez even ordered a Floro to check the band before I left, I was having so much pain and discomfort.......the said everything looked normal, but it took weeks! for me to start feeling better. I guess like you say, some of us are just more sensitive and the way we heal is different.

I am hoping and praying that by the third week ( which is when things started to turn around for me) that you will start experiencing less pain and be able to cope better. Please call the doctors and make sure they are aware of your issues.......just the assurance that everything looks good will hopefully help. I didn't like the sound of the "heartbeat" type pain that you mentioned your are having.....that can sometimes indicate infection......keep us posted of your progress, and hang in there

Rhonda

Dianna,

I am soooo happy for you.....I also started my lap band journey at 246 and I also have three kids by c-section although two were delivered at the same time )

I am wondering if I will have the same slow loss as you .....so far that is my experience. It is very good to here your story of sticking with it! I need to know that however long it takes I can do it and just need to stick with it and keep trying!

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Rhonda

Hi Lisa,

I too would love to know what "program" you are doing, or are you just making it up as you go?

It sounds like you are following something as you mention getting certain foods back in 30days.

Please fill us in and let us know how you progress. I am very interested in doing this a healthfully as possible. Why not start now while I am in the loosing mode.

Rhonda

Thanks soooo much for the awsome response to this question. I am so glad that a few of the "experts" put in their words of wisdom. I agree that this is really going to take some time to get used to.

I don't think I am too tight, I think that I just want to "eat like before" I DO have to continually remind myself to slow down. small bites and chew, chew, chew!

If I keep it slow and choose wisely from the food groups I can usually get in a "decent size meal" I am learning everyday, what works and what doesn't......I guess that is something everyone has to go through individually.

I can really relate to not wanting to waste food......this is my problem....totally!! I prepare something and end up having to throw away most of it.....a real killer for me.......I need to figure out how to be ok with this kind of thing.

I will have to get more proteine shakes and YOPs for the tight days. By the way I have heard that if you PB you are not suppossed to try to keep eating. I have to admit if I get something stuck after only a couple of bites and I PB it, I then try to complete a little more eating so that I don't worry about not getting enough down......is that wrong??

Thanks again for the encouragement and the great feedback!

Rhonda

Hello Everyone,

I have posted very infrequently and only check the forum once in a while. I got through my surgery but had way more pain and discomfort than most. It was truly hell trying to stay on liquids, but I survived with only a few little cheats.

I now am all the way to getting through my first fill, which also did not go smoothly and they had to go in three times with three needle pokes and a lot of mucking around on the port to finally get in!! I ended up with a large hematoma ( bruise) and actually bled through my bandaid later. NW fills assured me that all was fine and that I must have had a lot of scar tissue over my port. I can feel my port right on the surface and it is easy to find so I was so surprised to have had such a painful time.

Anyways that is just a little update......my real problem/question is in how to handle eating so little and mentally trusting that it will be "enough" to carry me through my work day. That probably didn't make sense so let me word it a different way......How is everyone adjusting to being mentally "satisfied" with eating so little. I can see why they say get your protein in first. I have a little something and the next thing I know I am feeling pressure/almost stuck and then my nose will run and I will get that backed up feeling like I cannot eat another bite and mentally I think wow! I just started eating??!! WTF!

I have to eat well at mealtime, as my work does not allow for much snacking.....I am always worried that I didn't get enough to carry me through, but now that I have had the fill......I definitely can last longer ( usually three hours). I just want some practical advise on how to approach the smaller meals and how much is too little? I am tempted to eat more soft food and liquid stuff as I can get more in and somehow "feel fuller" but yet I am pretty sure that it is all mental.....I am full just with a few bites at least my band signals me and seems to be backing things up into my throat if I try to eat more. I hope I am making sense.

Maybe I am eating inccorectly and need to be eating smaller bites or something or maybe my food choices are not good.....it just seems like I barely get started and I am finished!!

I guess this will be a good thing if I can figure it out. I currently have 1.4cc saline in a 4cc band. But I do have a narrow throat and was getting things stuck even without a fill. I am trying to eat everything as I think that is healthier. I love my veggies and beans and fruits and such.....I really could not tolerate only being able to eat soft foods, I want to eat "normal" just less of it, like the drs. say.

I am down only 21lbs total at 8.5 weeks post op. I want to start dropping the wt. but I just don't think I will survive (mentally anyway) with this weird eating pattern. Any insights are most welcome!

By the way Congrats to all the awsome success people are having since I joined this site! (Dec 08)

Rhonda

OK WHO WERE THE GALS UP THERE THIS AFTERNOON? I'M NOT GOOD WITH NAMES BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE MEETING YOU

Hi Pam,

One of them was me, Rhonda ( I was talking to you while Sabrina ( Valleygirl) was still in talking to Robin). It was really nice to meet my first "longer term" bandster and see how beautifu you look in person and soooo fashionable ( I loved the pumpkin colored coat!!)

Did you check things out under Floro or just get a top up on the fill?

Hope you get back to where you want to be.

Rhonda

Hi there,

I was banded in April 2001. I lost 85 lbs and hit my goal. Until last year, I had only required one fill. Then we decided to try IVF to have a second child. All was well until about a month into the meds, when all of a sudden I couldn't swallow water. So after a series of unfills, I finally had to be completely unfilled. I got pregnant, all was well, then at four months along, tragically lost the baby. We tried one additional time, I got pregnant again, but unfortunately again, miscarried. It took several months for my body to finally rid itself of the IVF meds before I could start the process to refill my band to the right level. Unfortunately during my unfill stage, my cravings for all things carbs returned, and I'm now up approx 25 lbs. We've slowly been increasing the amount in my band, and I'm almost back up to what I was for those 6 1/2 years that I was perfectly filled. The carb cravings are still tough, and I'm learning all over again how to eat while banded. It's funny, I think I fooled myself into thinking I'd conquered this weight thing, when obviously I hadn't. We're set to leave for Maui on 1/30 and at 175 lbs, I'm not exactly excited. And to top it all off, my FAVORITE soap opera couple of all time broke up, so I'm pissed about that too, so it's been a tough month Anyway, wanted to introduce myself, and let you know that I'm now back on the wagon. No matter how long I'll be banded, I know that it's an ongoing process, one that I can never again take for granted.

Hi Lucy,

Welcome to the site......it is wonderful to have some veterans on here, especially with so many years of experience. Please feel free to write more about

your experience, for us newly banded ones.

Where did you have your surgery and what did you do to have this long term success and keeping your band healthy and working for you.

Rhonda

As a dentist I can tell you that this treatment is not cheap. The implant components are very expensive for the dentist to buy from the best manufacturers. My brother who is also a dentist specializes and teaches implant placement to other dentists. He has been on the "reasonable" side of costs as he invites patients to be his surgical teaching patients. Just Cost on some of the better implant systems can be upwards of $1000 to 1500, then you will pay the additional for the surgical placement and the diagnostic stents and the temporary stage. On top of that will go the permanent crown.

In Canada for everything the fees are anyhwhere from $2800 - 3500 per tooth. If you get it for under $2000 in ANY country I cannot imagine what type of components you would be getting. The titanium components are the only kind that are really biocompatible with our bones......it wouldn't be worth it to me to save money on cheap components now just to have the bone reject and not ossteoinntegrate properly and the implant loosens and is lost. I know that some third world countries use sub grade metals ( usually from Pakistan) and the success rate is very low.

Just my two cents......in some things you really do get what you pay for. Like I said anything over the $1500 mark is what you are paying for surgical expertise and dentist profit. A lot less of the total fee is profit than you think in this area of dentistry.....it really is expensive for the proper materiels.

Rhonda

Hey Girls,

Thanks for the replies! Yes just having the encouragement is so nice! I am doing it alone and feeling sorry for myself.....I didn't realize how much I like it when people know I am suffering:)) Usually everyone would know I am on a diet and try to help me by not putting all the crap in front of me, but now it is just the opposite....everyone sees this as a time to PARTY!!

I have told my staff that I am "really trying to cut down" this Christmas season as I am starting a new strict food plan in the New Year....they really don't believe me ( heard that before) so I just have to be strong with out a lot of help.

Thanks so much for reminding me that I am actually in detox this two weeks from all the carbs and sugars ect. Keeping this in the fore front will help me to resist as I really do not want to have a hell time in post op.

You are all the BEST! band family I could want.....thanks for the tips and reminders......go Metamucil!!

Rhonda

Hello Bandsters,

Well it is exactly one week to surgery and I have had only a 2lb loss for pre-op. So many parties and Christmas stuff going on. So hard to keep saying no.

I knew going into this is would be hard, but oh my! This is the only time I can make it happen (surgery date), but it's the hardest work to diet this time of year, especially with trying to loose quickly for surgery.

I have this last week and I have cancelled two Christmas parties/lunches this weekend as I just cannot be in that environment. I find with drinking shakes only that I am sooo hungry at night and the salad and lean cuisine still leave me empty. I think I will have to go to bed or something to not be tempted to eat more.

HELP!! What did everyone do to keep going on pre-op....I know it is so important for a good surgical outcome to loose weight.....

Thanks for the support.....I haven't told anyone what I am doing, so it is even harder when people don't understand the importance of me NOT eating at this time. Everyone else is just enjoying the holiday feasting and I am being the scrooge with food.....not a happy camper right now....uugghhh!

Rhonda

Name: Rhonda

Location: Langley, B.C. Canada

Age: 48

Band date: December 26th, 2008 ( ugg, but a great gift to myself)

Married: separated (but working on it)

Children, furry and human: 3 boys 17,12,12, and three American Eskimos, Mommy( Angel) daddy(Alfie) and baby(Ally)

Hobbies: singing (for a southern gospel group), movies, BMX racing mom.

Work: Dentist

What was my deciding factor: Just tried the last weight loss scheme meant for those that don't want surgery, lost 50 lbs and then gained it all back within a year. Now that is depressing.....hoping that this will be the answer.

Interesting factoid: Pulled the last tooth on a 100 year old woman up in the mountains for Taiwan, that hadn't seen a white woman before.

Wow! Kim you look great in your new photo....you have such thin legs! I wish I had that problem....a tum tuck and you will be just perfect....it doesn't look like you need to loose more. How happy that must make you.....just maintenance.

Congrats on the final leg of the journey.

Rhonda

Hi Everyone,

Well I still haven't seen anyone posting a Dec 26th surgery date! That's my day and I don't want to be all alone ( Boo hoo)

I have already used this site so much and appreciate all the good info.

Please if anyone going the same time as me is still lurking, please speak up!

I would also love to hear from anyone that had Dr. Martinez as their surgeon as I haven't heard much of him. I'm sure he is great and I have heard that he is as gorgeous as Dr. O although I guess that is beside the point ( ha!)

Thanks again for all the great support!

Rhonda

Hello Rhonda!

It sounds like you live a structured/active life, you're always on the go. When the band gets tighter due to stress, it all depends on your tolerance and how you let things affect you. For instance, someone can become stressful over spilling coffee on themselves, whereas I could laugh it off. See what I mean?

Right now, I am getting over a flu, and also have a 2nd interview with a company and just told my VP of my department about it. To me, that is stress! I can't eat much especially when the old me wants some comfort food. Hehe.

With TOM, you automatically know that you are going to be tight, so it's planned.

But with the tightness, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to be PBing a lot. It is trial and error in the beginning, but once you can listen to your band (and body) and know when to stop, you will have better control over it.

When food gets stuck, a PB is not projectile. Rather, you have time to excuse yourself and casually walk to a bathroom so I wouldn't worry with patients so much.

As far as working out the kinks, it depends on when you start practicing. Before your pre-op diet starts, you can begin using a salad plate versus a dinner plate, eating your proteins, veggies, and carbs in that order, and eating tiny peices, not drinking during eating and noticing the first sign of fullness, for example, a sigh. Once you're banded and are allowed solid foods, you should do the same even before your first fill.

Hope this answers some of your questions, and I am sure others will add to it.

Thanks so much for this info.....especially the part about no worries with projectile upchucking.....I really didn't know what people meant by the....PBing thing.....is it just small amounts of vomit in your mouth as it comes back up? I am good at following directions usually as long as they can fit into a busy life:))

I loved your suggestion about practicing before hand......I hadn't thought of this....great idea....start slowing down and eating less. I start the pre-op diet on the 12th Dec, but I could start eating my normal food now in a different way and see what happens. I was just going to go from eating to protein shakes , but I like the idea of a gradual slow down. Thanks again for the clarification and suggestions.

Rhonda

Hello All,

As I read through the posts I see a lot mentioned about the how the band can seem tighter even though there has been no fill, how the band tightness changes with body and hormone changes and even due to stress.

Is this totally random and unexpected or can it be predicted and planned for in regards to food choices.

I lead a terribly structured life due to my work and family commitments....( single mom of three boys) and I want to understand how much "upredictability" I am in for. I work over patients all day ( I'm dentist) and I cannot afford to be sick/pbing/sliming or whatever all those other things are that happen when something doesn't go right with the food choices.

Is this all just random and trial and error experience? How long does it take to work out the kinks in how to

work with your diet/band?

Thanks for your help!

Rhonda

When I hear all the horror stories of the pain and reflux and vomitting I wonder if I will really be sorry for doing something so drastic.

These horror stories sound more like they are for gastric bypass. There really aren't many for lap band???? I don't have pain and didn't have any after the surgery either. Never took a single pain pill. Vomitting is extremely rare unless you are talking about the pb'ing and that can be avoided by simply following the rules. I don't think I have ever heard a single person say they were sorry for being banded, nor would I call it a drastic solution. I would however, call gastric bypass drastic, andpainful and very serious with lots of complaints and problems.

Read this site as much as you can, and your fears will quickly be put to rest.

Thanks for the reassurance Ramona, I have been trying to glean as much info as I can from the posts. It is nice that most people do go into great detail about their experience. It is sooooo useful to us that haven't started yet. I guess I have been getting a little negative reaction from the few people I have shared this with....as in the comments in reagard to "why surgery?" I am glad to hear that you don't feel that this is too dangerous or drastic in any way. I do understand what will be done and it does seem simple, so I am not anticipating any horror stories for myself even though there are plenty of them if you go off this site into the cyber world in general. Thanks again for the positive feedback.

R

Rhondasue,

I made the call to OCC in July. I weighed 365. I was banded on Aug. 14 and weighed about 330. This morning I weighed 273 and I don't feel like I have really been hungry. Yes, there have been times when I wanted to eat what I wasn't supposed to, but that wasn't hunger, just the old habits creeping back up on me. I haven't been sick at all, no gas pains, pb's, throwing up or anything. I realize that I have been very fortunate, but many have had the same experiences just as many have had bad experiences. I really feel that this is working great for me, but there has to be some lifesyle modifications with the band. It does not keep me from eating too much, it doesn't make me put less on my plate, but reminds me that it is time to stop. I feel like if you go into this with the right attitude, you will get the right results. With the wrong attitude and it is probably miserable.

Yunno, I read about you great success and weight loss so far.....it truly is amazing how well this does work for some. I am very positive each time I go into a new weight loss attempt and everything does work "for a time" I guess the key here is that you cannot really go all the way back to the old eating life as the band is there to stop you is that right? I'm in the medical world and do understand what is going to take place very well, I am healthy and should not have any complications......I just want it sooooo bad......thanks for great humor and the encouragement.....and by the way congrats on you own wonderful success with the band.

R