Hi Rachel, Im over 2 1/2 yrs out and still am thrilled with my band! I've lost 116lbs give or take a few and am lovin life! Good Luck with your research! Bonnie

Carmen - Glad I could help! Congrats on your surgery date. Don't worry yourself to death, it's going to be fine! Also, don't borrow trouble by looking for horror stories - try to focus on the positive. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Take care, Teresa

Hi Bonnie. As I read these boards, I keep thinking back to my hysterectomy a couple years ago and what it was like in that first month or two afterward. (It was a HUMONGOUS procedure, partly due to everything I had growing in there--equivalent of two full six-month preganancies in weight and volume --and my various other illnesses.) In that acute healing phase, your body shunts all available effort to righting itself after a big invasion (and yes, even a LapBand placement is a big invasion; there aren't any "small" abdominal procedures in that regard) and is therefore going to conserve on everything else. I suppose that "famine response" thing might be an issue too. But I get the impression that the healing thing is probably a bigger player than the other stuff. All the research and doing everything we can in advance to arrange our mindsets for what comes postop is helpful.....but it doesn't prepare us for the reality once it's happening, not really. I remember reading oodles and oodles of stuff about the "hormone storm" that follows a total hysterectomy with no HRT and was spooked, but OMG it was nothing compared to experiencing it firsthand. So even the best possible preparation is still going to be woefully inadequate in terms of getting ready for the actual experience. Isn't it wonderful, though, to at least know you have somewhere to come and talk to others who've been there? I love the Internet, it opens up whole new worlds of support and friendship .

Hi Tanya. {{{hugs}}}} You're a month out of surgery, correct? This means that you're still in the acute healing phase. It's absolutely normal after ANY big surgical procedure to still be feeling scuzzy after a month. It's also totally normal to be feel very emotionally fragile and like your world is turned upside down. Your whole body-mind is responding to a major invasion, and this takes time to heal. I'm preop with the WLS so I can't comment on specifics. I'm worried, though, about your sense of kidneys being not okay. What's this based on? And the UTI and the antibiotic that you couldn't take....What have you done to follow up on this? What kind of lab work have you had done? Have you been checked for fluid retention? Although I usually see my edema in my extremities first, it is entirely possible to swell elsewhere and not in the extremities--especially after surgery or with an infection. There's a term for swelling in your trunk/abdomen that I can't think of at the moment. This sounds to me (and I'm not a medical professional, only a "professional patient" due to lots of illness stuff *g*) like you have great reason for concern and to be real aggressive in getting a good medical evaluation ASAP. Your body has been through a lot and you can't be careful enough. I remember when I had my hystie a couple years ago, there was a big saying on the support forums I used: "You only have one chance to heal right the first time." It's not only okay to be hypervigilant and super cautious, it's imperative, especially since you're noticing that you are not feeling anywhere near right yet. Blessings to you hon, take good care of YOU.

I just had to jump in with my 2 cents..........after extensive reseach........of the OCD kind i too decided on the DS for these reasons (if i live to finish my list) 1. I am diabetic and this procedure will give me the best chance for recovery. I have a much better chance of dying from diabetic complications then from malnatrician which can be controlled with nutritional suppliments 2. long term studies have deemed it the best WLS for keeping weight off. 3. I did not want a forign body in me for life............to much opportunity for it to cause problems down the road. 4. I wanted to be able to eat normally..........THAT IS A BIG ONE.......no little tiny bites followed by chew chew chew chew chew chew (am i boring you yet) chew, chew chew then swallow, then puke or end up in the ER with a restriction of my stoma.......ect.....ect.....ect..... With all that said...............it's a personal choice that I have made for numerous reasons, I also repect others for their personal choices............live and let live (if i live until my surgery) Marlene