- Username: CElizabeth
- Location: Slightly north of Harrisburg, PA, USA
- Member Since: 5/15/2007
- BMI: 28.7
- Post Op
- Surgery Type: Lap Band (06/06/07)
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See my story at the bottom of this page....
My lap band surgery date was June 6,2007.
Slipped band Repositioned date: May 29, 2008
I'm 5'4 and my starting weight was 243 pounds. Day of Surgery BMI 41.7
Weight Lost: 70+ pounds
Current weight is fluctuating around...170..
Size 10/12W-14 dress pants, shirts size 14.
NO Weight loss, but a few problems... 1 day ago
Oct.12, 2008
I'm getting in more exercise, but not near the exercise I did when I was working only part-time. I like working part-time much better, but now this new job calls for full-time, so now I must work full-time....that's how the cookie crumbles!
I have the acid reflux again and am taking medicine for it. I'm not getting a fill, because I have adequate restriction 50% of the time and I'm not risking another slip of my band. 
Under a tad bit of stress and I have a little bit of a problem with solid food those days when I'm under stress. I have some major problems with liquid AGAIN! i CAN'T drink hot coffee unless it is watered down in a protein shake with 1/4 c of milk.... I throw it up otherwise.  I've thrown up some solid food when I'm under stress at work. It's mainly with liquids that I have the trouble. I'm working in a field that is under some pressure at this time in our economy.
Anyway, I'm not losing anything. The reason I feel this is is because of my lack of exercise, or basically going from 6 hours of exercise per week to 2 hours per week AND a job that is not very active.
I still take that bentyl for my stomach problems and have to get a refill of it. I can't take it all the time, because I deal with so many #'s each day I need to really concentrate.
I think my job makes my stomach hurt. Gotta work though. They know absolutely nothing about my band. I'm keeping it that way too. My co-workers told me I have the patience of a saint and they hope I stay. They like my cheerful attitude.... The thing is, I can't stand doing work that is unrewarding, emotionally. When I get done with my day I don't feel very good. I know my stomach hurts from that job...The job depresses me, but I'm stuck there for a while..
I feel like... on September 29, 2008 3:13 pm
Everyday at my job, I feel like I'm losing my spirit each day. I really hate my job. It's not training others at all, they "mislead" me at the interview. Well, what can I do now, I've got to stay. My eating-it's not good. I'm trying, but it's so hard. I never thought I could die a little each day at this job, but I feel it.
I'm trying to be cheerful and remember that a positive attitude is best...But everyday I go in I just pray to get thru another day. I know that sounds horrible. I'm trying, I really am. Noone will understand this unless they've been at one of those jobs that each day it sucks the lifeblood out of you.
P.S. I just found out the last two people who did my job left for "medical reasons."
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All work and no play! on September 26, 2008 5:21 pm
September 26, 2008
Wow, what a boring life I lead. I swear I am such a boring person. Anyway, I'm not getting my exercise in, why? Because I'm working and gone for 13 hours per day. I am thinking maybe I can walk around my building where I work during my lunch for like 15 minutes. Other than that, I am so tired by the time I get home, it takes all of me to feed my cats, scoop their litter and do a load of wash. By the time that's done, I hope for sleep to come because I know I need the sleep in order to function. When I'm sleep deprived, I am a very grouchy woman!
What sucks is I HAD restriction, but since no exercise I am not losing weight...and gulp...even fluctuating up a few pounds! I guess in order for me to lose weight and not exercise I'd have to eat about ONLY 800 calories per day! AGRR. That irritates me! I don't know, I am going to try and do better this next week with the exercise. I don't have that restriction as MUCH as I had two weeks ago.
I am contemplating an adjustment to my lap-band. As in a fill. So, maybe .25cc. I had to re-schedule my appt. because of my work. Not that they will even notice.
I'm so frustrated, some days I wonder why I even bothered to get this band. It only works when I'm under stress. Some days I really do wonder if I made the right choice.
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I'm not sure if I should be concerned... on September 10, 2008 4:52 pm
September 10, 2008
Well, I started my new job.. Guess what.....I've got a "fullness" feeling...But, I'm thinking it's from the stress of starting a new job. I start getting what I call "restriction" feeling about two days before my job starts. I think, maybe it's a fluke...I mean, how can restriction happen to me 3 months after being filled???
Ok, so I go to my job, I cannot eat solid food that first day. I didn't throw up at all (yet) but I can feel everything go down and if I don't chew well-I'm in trouble. Yes, I think this is restriction, but guess what?? I have the reflux too. Yes, I hear my throat and esophagus make the noises and feel the water swoosh around as I swallow it. I must now be very careful a lot of the time.
So, I am thinking is it possible I had restriction all along and my "nerves" caused this to be exaggerated? I will talk about this "restriction" I now have with Dr. Wieger, the lap-band fill doctor, when I see him in about 3ish weeks. I hope nothing is wrong with my stomach and band.
I must be very careful with this band. I just cannot have another slip. I think if I feel some restriction now, I should just deal the best I can with it and not get any more fill. After all, I think being too tight last time might have contributed to the slip. Not placing blame, just a comment.
I must have one of the quirkiest stomachs. I swear, ya know how they say the stomach is the "second brain?" Well....mine is. Because any stress I have in my life, I feel it in my stomach.
Now, one other thing, I'm not eating a lot of food, but could be making some better food choices. Plus, I am not home much, so I don't do the exercising I used to. That means on my days off, I'll have to do at least one hour each day to make up for the during the week, very little activity.
I haven't lost anything lately. I know this new job doesn't allow me to do the activity I used to. My clothes are now a little tight. Everyone at my work, eat fattening foods at every opportunity they get.. It's like, hello, how do you NOT look like me pre-band?? Some people, have fast metabolisms.
So, no weight gain, but I must be losing some muscle for clothes to be a little snug.. I've got some awesome clothes, so that alone, makes me want to lose some to look good in them.
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Still not feeling this band... on September 3, 2008 11:18 am
September 3, 2008
Agrrr, can you believe my former job took one month to "release" me from them... I start my nice (I hope) office job Monday. A tad bit nervous, but I know it's a better opportunity and with this new job I'll be training others. Not a morning person, but will have to start to become one.
Wondering how this new schedule will affect my eating... Hopefully it'll deter my eating. I'm thinking since I take my thyroid medicine and am not supposed to eat with that, I'll have to have a protein coffee shake in the morning for breakfast. I'll definitely have to exercise more now since I'll be more sedentary with this job.
No adjustment/fill for me at this time. Not feeling that nice signal of fullness that I'm supposed to feel. How frustrating! I hope to get get an adjustment in a month. I seriously don't know if I'd recommend this band...Some days I think well yes, I would, other days I shudder at the thought!
I'm trying to be appreciative of the great technology that this band is..
Well, I'd like to lose some more weight. I am satisfied with my weight loss so far, and if I don't lose another pound I'll feel fine about myself... I can't help society expects woman to be a size 3, in order to look good....Ok, I'm rambling a bit...But, it's REALLY HARD for me to maintain my weight of 170 even, so I don't know about any future weight loss.
I'm really glad I'm not having any kids and don't have any! When I think of my friends and them eating the things off their kids plates to "finish" their food for them, I think, yeah, I'd be like that...Plus, the weight gain with pregnancy, I mean, how the heck is someone supposed to avoid that?! Oh well, I don't want to dwell on that, but just thinking about the Moms out there, that's all.
Just an update... August 25... on August 25, 2008 5:03 pm
Currently I'm around 170 ish, and really having a hard time. I don't feel satiety 99% OF THE TIME. i WONDER if there is something wrong with me, seriously, this concerns me.
I don't have any throwing up episodes at all. Sometimes I think I have acid reflux, but I think it is all depending on the day...I think this way harder than it should be. I am starting to get negative again, thinking why did I even bother to get this band??/..I'm just really getting disgusted again.
I know I should be positive but some days I'm not feeling it. I am not sure how people stay so cheerful about this band....maybe it's the people that only had a thousand dollar co-pay or something....I'm just really sick of the prices going up on the damn fills. If I would have known it was going up 400% in a year, I would have considered somewhere else. I almost feel like that is total greed on the clinic I go to.
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I need a fill.... on August 17, 2008 4:16 pm
August 17, 2008
Hello my Lap-band friends....
STATS: Weight around 170lbs, 1.5 cc in my band.
Well, I'm still very excited about my new job coming up...But....Lap-Band news.......I can eat like 8 oz of steak at one time, no problem, same with chicken. So to me, that means I'm not eating the "soft" foods that wouldn't tell me if I need a fill.. So, 8oz of solid protein is what it takes for me to feel satiety. That's too much food, so I need to get a fill when I am able.
What sucks is I am not going to be able to get a fill since they are now $200 each, for this next appointment... So, if I can just maintain and not gain(much) for the next 3 months, I'll be able to get the next fill. It kind of hurts me that they increased the price like this.
I am exercising around 5 times a week for one hour. I eat modestly and am overall not consuming a large amount of calories at one time even though I really feel virtually NO RESTRICTION. GOD HELP ME, this is so hard!
I complain, but ya know, there is always someone worse off then me with a lap-band or gastric bypass or whatever. I am appreciative of this band, just not the "surprise" costs associated with it. I have my health, and that is more than I can say for some people. So I really do appreciate that.
I am going to my new job and I'm not telling them ANYTHING ABOUT MY BAND. I've had SO MANY problems with it, I don't want people to know I have it. They will think I will be constantly taking off and stuff that people think, when they think complications. I tell people I have reflux and I don't eat bread, partly because of the carbs. It's none of their business on the specifics and if they happen to find out somehow, by this website, or whatever, then so be it, but I'm no poster child for it.
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Archive
My Story
 I wish someone would have told me about this website when I first began this lap band journey...so I'm posting it here so anyone reading this might benefit from it... It is great for samples to try protein powders and they even sell a single protein bar at a time, one is called Power crunch, Cinnamon bun in particular, is very light tasting and delicious. www.vitalady.com Anyone who knows of any other websites that have good prices and offer samples, just message me. I believe bariatric eating is one too.
My story... well it is constantly changing as life goes forward...I've never been what one would call "thin." I've been overweight all my life and got this surgery because I am tired of being tired. i just didn't feel healthy anymore. I thought well, this surgery is going to be done for my health. I thought this surgery and the wt. loss from it would give me more energy. P.S. It has!
I have a thyroid problem and a weight problem. I also have polycystic ovary syndrome... With thyroid probs. wt. loss is hard, with pcos weight loss is a lot harder. I am hoping for the best with this.
I found out I had a thyroid problem after I gained about 70 pounds. But, I was overweight before I found that out anyway. So, it is not just my thyroid.
Being obese causes a lot of pain...and sometimes it is really hard to just smile thru it all...
Fast forward 7 months....
When I first got this band I thought blogging would help me and others understand the whole process of weight loss and the things one can go through with the lap-band. Now, I just think it is nice to chat with others who are going thru the same weight problems as me no matter what surgery they've had.
I wanted to add that with saline in my band = some restriction= severe acid reflux for me. That is a major problem for me. I have the worst difficulty with water/crystal light/virtually any liquid. So, it comes up and I wish I knew why! I wish it would stop! AGRRRR.
For those wanting surgery and reading this... I've read that if you are a grazer the band may not be for you. If you are a volume eater and eat large volumes of food at once and need assistance with that, consider the band. If you can lose weight by dieting and have difficulty keeping it off, then the band may be just the ticket!
There is one wish I have for everyone no matter what surgery they have had, success at weight loss and more important than anything, good health.
March 2008
My new goal weight is 170 lbs. If I get down lower, good. I will consider this a reasonable weight, when I compare it to the 243 pounds I started with.
I am so appreciative of this website. I feel sorry for people who never know it exists. It has been a great support to me and I will always be appreciative of its existence. The OH peeps/friends are fantastic and I simply adore them. I wish I could bottle up every single one of them and have them live right next door to me!
I think if I am able to keep the weight off with this surgery it will be a good investment in my health. I know many have insurance that covers the surgery but unfortunately I did not. So, I think of it like a prevention of any future heart attack is my losing weight! LOL.
April 2008
I think this lap-band is quirky for many people. It is for me.
I'm in the 170's now and when I stepped on the scale I squealed with delight! I can't tell you how happy that makes me to be at the weight I felt so good at so many years ago. It's so indescribable. I am so happy that I am at this weight, I just want to sob sometimes. I'm still plump, and have a rather large waist line, but to me, I feel that is secondary to my overall feeling of good health. If I never lose another pound I will still never forget this feeling.
May 29, 2008
Repair of my adjustable lap-band by repositioning it because it slipped. Removal of adhesions related to my lap-band.
June 4, 2008
My first lap-band bill comes. Joy. I'm a self-pay so I guess my nightmare with this band is just beginning. I guess I'll be in debt for the rest of my life because I made a choice to get this lap-band and now have complications because of the choice I made.
jULY 2008
Ok, I go in for my first fill after my lap-band slip repair. I find out after the first fill, the future fills will now be $200. Nice to have this sprung on me now. That's $200 for a few minutes of an adjustment in the office.
Dr. Wieger, did nothing but tell me I am eating badly, treating me condenscendingly, he said I shouldn't even be getting a fill and if I don't like their prices I should go somewhere else. WOW, what a compassionate Doctor he is! ..... I was extremely hurt. 
Total Fills/adjustments so far: 8
First fill July 2007 +1.5cc. Second fill August 2.2ccs total in band.
Unfill on September 27 -.5 cc. Total in band 1.7cc.
Third fill October 25, 2007 +.3cc, around 2cc/2.1cc in band.
November 7, Unfill -.3 ccs, December 14, 2007 Unfill- .5cc
January 3,2008 Complete unfill of all saline in band..REFLUX.
July 8, 2008 +1.5 cc (total) in band
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