NWgirl

I have read that some have port discomfort up to a month out of surgery. Mine went away after week one, but don't be discouraged if yours lingers awhile.

I had the worries about not being able to eat certain foods, but really I think I blew it out of proportion. I have had two fills and feel pretty good at my restriction level and am still able to eat most everything (the only thing that I won't eat now is cheap white breads, doughy breads). Don't get too worried about it I'd much rather be healthy than eating bread...

If you have a Upper GI before, I would recommend not eating for a while before. When I went in for my first fill, I had to do an upper GI first and no one had told me no food. Luckily I had eaten about 4 hours before and the food was cleared from the pouch.

I love my Fitbit! I actually owned a Bodybugg prior, and cross used them for a couple weeks to see which I wanted to keep and which was going. The only thing that is different is that my Fitbit showed I was burning 400 less calories than my Bodybugg... If it said 400 more, I would have been skeptical. I really think the Fitbit is an extremely motivating tool. I love that i can look at it throughout the day and push myself to do more activity if my numbers are low. I actually also bought their new Wifi scale because I wanted one that was completely integrated. If they had not come out with one, I was going to buy a Withings. One last thing- their customer service is the best! I purchased one fitbit in March 2011 and five months later something went funny. They sent me the new Ultra model asap. About two months ago, my Ultra developed some charging issues and I contacted them again. Once again, they sent me out another brand new Ultra, no charge! I did find that it's best to use the included clip (I had been clipping directly to my sports bras, which was slowly causing the plastic to widen and mess with the charging) and not clip directly to clothing.

I went ahead and quoted your post so I did not forget to answer any of your questions I also have a Lapband facebook if you'd like to add me https://www.facebook.com/thebandedblogger. Hi!! Encouraging to hear that your surgery went so well!! I am 30 and I stay pretty busy. Baby and bought a new house. Perhaps I should check out Good Sam, because my doctot suggested them (or oshu) and it sounds like you had a good experience! I was required to go to Good Sam because of my insurance coverage requiring a Center of Excellence. The staff is really nice, although the surgeon can seem a little standoffish but it's nothing personal. I was actually originally looking into Oregon Weight Loss Surgery (which is literally in the same building, on the same floor as the Weight Mngmt Institute) but they did not show on my insurance coverage. I would actually really recommend Good Sam, I've nothing bad to say about them. Portions can be hard. Does your band allow you to eat big portions? I am now able to eat smaller portions, and haven't really tested a pre-band meal because I am satisfied after only a little. Not to say there aren't times when my head/eye hunger don't push me to eat more and more, but I am usually able to resist and if I don't, I can probably only get a few more bites before I feel the pressure in my throat that is telling me I'm done. How are you doing with foods that expand in your stomach like the white bread and pastas? Usually I can eat breads, but I make sure to chew, chew, chew. I have not tried pastas yet and haven't had anything like Wonder Bread type texture. I did find that I am unable to chew fried bread (pizza pocket) well enough, so that type of breaded product is off my menu. I have a fear of vomitting and have done so in years. Have you experienced vomitting with your band? No vomitting on my part. From what I've read, you only vomit (and even then it's not the same type of vomit that a sick person would have) when you've eaten incorrectly or if you've eaten too much. I have soft signals that tell me when I'm getting full so I don't push it. Did you have gas after surgery? I had delayed gas pains about four days after surgery that lasted for 5 or 6 days. Most of my gas issues were in the shoulder, although in the first month I did fart a lot (sorry if too much info). I drank peppermint tea for the first two or three days post op and should probably have continued drinking it but I got burnt out. I had read that peppermint tea can ease gas pains as well as GasX, although that did not work for me. On your first day him did you rest or were you able to function pretty normally? I was actually very, very sleepy from the anesthesia the first day, so I slept a lot. When I was awake, I was able to get up and move around, although I did use a mini Pillow Pet to hold against my stomach because it helped to lessen the pulling of the incisions and the port. After the first day, I was up and about, albeit slower than normal. I actually recovered very fast, but people vary so much that I would recommend you prepare for the worst, just in case Anything I can do to help with your goals? I have really been focused on me and what I need throughout this process. Not to say I've been only about me, but for the first time in my life I've made my own goals a priority. I think being able to really think out the whole plan and what you want from surgery and how you're going to get there is super important. FYI- I have a reading disability which often presents in my written thought. If something doesn't make sense I am not offended if you ask. I try to reread. Didn't find anything I didn't understand Enjoy the day!! I will check back soon!

I can't see my port, but I can definitely feel it. Depending on how much stomach fat you have, some people's ports show more than others.

Three tiny ones, one large (1.25") where my port is and one .75".

There are more expensive ones- Bodybugg, Bodymedia, etc. These are larger and visible to anyone though. As for cheaper, not that I'm aware.

If your Dr is already so unsupportive, then I would consider finding a new one. Be aware that if you have insurance, you may be limited to who you can see. As for the fills, some Dr's do wait 6-8 weeks to do the first fill, so it's not uncommon. I would be more concerned that they pointed the finger at you- 18 pounds is great!

My surgeon says not to drink 5 minutes before meals and not til 30 minutes after. I would specifically ask your surgeon, as they vary so much. If you are having to stand to get food down, you should evaluate what your eating (texture) and how well you are chewing.

surgery went extremely well for me. I was outpatient so ended up leaving a couple hours after surgery when I could show I could drink enough liquids and walk around. I bounced back quickly from surgery, which I was told was probably due to age (24) and activity level (I run a restaurant and am always on my feet moving). today, I could not be happier with my decision and would do it again in a heartbeat. I've gone down three pants sizes and am a lot more active. I found restriction after my second fill and will probably need 1cc more before I am in my green zone. I want to be able to eat almost anything and not cut out certain groups of foods, but I really need help with smaller portion sizes. feel free to ask any other questions

Depending on what you're eating, the band may not be of help to stop overconsumption. Keep going for your fills and get in to see the nutritionist.

The warning points is only something you can see, I noticed the same thing under my info. I would love the join date back as well!

- I also love my 700 watt Ninja pulse- I bought it at Target for $79 and it comes with three travel cups and one regular blender bowl. Walmart sells the 500 watt model with two cups for the Target price. - 1 cup reusable containers with screw on lids.

good luck, try to get some sleep tonight

It sucks that you weren't made aware of the bands limitations and what was expected of you before banding. I love my band and am 100% sure of it. Have you found a new Dr?

http://thebandedblogger.blogspot.com/p/comparison-photos.html For some reason I cannot load my photos on the site I put my link in if anyone was interested...

Hi there! I am in SW Portland. I had my surgery March 20th, at Legacy Good Sam Weight Management Institute. Have you already gone to a seminar?

Stuck incidents are user error either caused by eating too large of bites, not chewing well enough, or by eating a food that will have a hard time passing through (such as dry meats- think chicken). They can be painful, but they usually pass fairly quickly. I think everyone probably experiences a couple before they figure out how to properly consume a meal. If you get REALLY stuck, you will probably PB (productive burp), which is where the body starts creating excess saliva to try and push the blockage through the band. Sometimes it will go through, other times you will cough up whatever was stuck. PB's are not vomitting, as they do not come from below the stomach.

You need to follow whatever food plan your doctor gave to you.

Definitely take photos and go to your primary care Dr every time it happens so it is documented in full.

As everyone has posted before me, you are not alone. I am an emotional eater as well, and have done fairly well so far (or so I like to think ). I approached this as a lifestyle change, not a diet. I had been on/failed so many diets through the years, I did not want to have those limitations. To make this the lifestyle change I needed it to be, I do not have any foods that are off limits. If I want ice cream, I eat it. If I want chips, I eat them. Honestly I can say this approach keeps me satisfed and doesn't make me feel so deprived. I now enjoy these occasional treats and don't beat myself up about them. They do not go through my daily rotation and I've found myself choosing healthy Snacks because I want them and not because I feel obligated by diet. For me, I knew that I wasn't going to "fail" about two weeks ago a few days after my second fill when I actually felt restriction and knew I couldn't eat endlessly. The thing that really drove home my new life was on Saturday when I tried on a pair of size 16 jeans and they FIT! I started in a size 22 and couldn't fathom getting my butt in smaller jeans. Please don't be afraid. Think of the things you will be able in the future that you can't do now. It is so worth it!

My surgeon's practice said that the there was going to be a two week delay between when I got approval and when I could get surgery. When the time came, they had over a month delay and I was only able to get the surgery at one month post-approval because they let me schedule on a day my surgeon does not do bands.

I waited for two weeks after submission to call and check. The next day, I got a call back saying I was approved. I believe the insurance companies have 30 days to respond to a pre-authorization...

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