PianoPlayer

Hazelbunny and I were both banded by Dr. Spivak on the same day, and it looks like we have both had the same great success so far. I second her statement that I have no regrets and only wish I had done it sooner. Good luck with the approval process. I was a self-pay patient so I can't give you any advice about how to deal with the insurance companies, but I encourage you to persevere and get it done even if you have to pay for it yourself. The first few weeks after surgery are the most difficult (but not that difficult) as you relearn how to eat, exercise, and live with the band, but now 3 months later, it all seems second nature to me, and the results for me have been great.

TammyJ--Best wishes for a successful fill this week! My fill is still working 4 days later; however, I really need to start serving myself a slightly smaller portion than the recommended portion size. What I am finding is that when I am halfway through with eating the recommended portion I have served, I am satisfied, but I really have to think hard to tell myself, "Stop now! You don't need to finish eating what's on your plate." Does anyone else have this same problem? I am doing great with taking small bites and chewing well (have had no problems with chicken breast so far). I don't want to become complacent about it yet, but eating this way is starting to be second nature to me now, so you can teach an old dog new tricks after all. Fortunately I have had no PB episodes yet, but I know it will happen one day as I start to increase the variety of foods I am eating. Wishing continued success to all us Marchies . . .

I had my first fill today exactly one month after my surgery, and it appears to be working so far. I have the large band, and Dr. Spivak first put in 3 cc's to fill the tubing, then he put in an additional 3 cc's and had me take the barium drink, which didn't go through because I was fully restricted at that point. I could see the picture on the fluoroscope and I could see the barium drink sitting there in the pouch, not moving, and I could feel it also. He backed out 1.5 cc's and the fluid passed through. He removed the needle, put on a band-aid, and had me drink a bottle of water which went through just fine. My only problem was I got the runs an hour after the drink, and still seem to have them this evening. I'm sticking to liquids and soft food through tomorrow and then I will venture on to solids. Hopefully the runs will be over by then, and the restricted feeling will continue for a while. After reading so many posts from others who feel little or no restriction after the first fill, I realize my restriction may be short-lived, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will stick around for a while.

The problem you are having is not uncommon. Because you have so drastically reduced your calorie intake, your body has gone into a sort of self-preservation mode and is trying to store as much energy as possible to prevent what it thinks is starvation. This causes it to slow down your metabolism rate and as a result you see little or slower weight loss. It also can cause you to feel as though you have no energy. If you start back up your exercise routine, you will get the metabolism going and start seeing the weight loss again. One article that I was given by my doctor suggests that you need to do a daily uninterrupted 2-mile walk to keep the metabolism going. I am taking that to heart and carving out time to do so at least 5 days a week. Don't get discouraged. The weight will come off, and exercise will definitely help kick start it.

I purchased a pill crusher at Walgreen's and have been grinding my pills up, adding them to a little bit of sugar-free pudding and spooning them down that way. It has made taking the bitter pills much easier. When I tried mixing them with crystal light, they never seemed to dissolve.

Hazelbunny and I were both banded this past Monday by Dr. Spivak, and before I left the hospital they brought me a food tray that had a banana popsicle, chicken broth, and a cup of jello on it. The nurse told me I had to eat two of them before I was released. I had the popsicle and the jello without any problems, so I guess it must vary by doctor. Dr. Spivak's diet plan is very flexible.

I'm curious about the support meeting also. I felt good enough to go even though my surgery was only on Monday, but was afraid I might be the only man there. Did many (any) men attend? I'm afraid it'll be awhile before I'm ready for any belly dancing, but I'm game if you are.

Yes, I remember seeing you at the check-in station. I am glad you are doing well, too. I also use a CPAP machine. Today was my first experience taking my blood pressure / diabetic meds after having to grind them up. I mixed them with a little bit of sugar-free pudding and they went down fine. I also had a carnation instant breakfast and added some protein powder just a little while ago, and it went down just fine. As for the nurse, it was the anesthesia nurse who asked me that question. She told me that she had attended Dr. Spivak's seminar last Saturday and was looking into it for a relative of hers. I just assumed she was just trying to gather information about why we chose the lap-band over gastric bypass as part of her research. I am getting ready to go out for a very short walk (and burp) session.

Hi, Amy, Amy, and Hazel, I was banded by Dr. Spivak yesterday morning also. I think I was the first one in surgery yesterday. I am feeling great. I started burping as soon as I awoke in the recovery room, and did so all day long. Evidently that worked because I have not had any of the gas pains that so many on the site experience. All I have is a little stomach soreness which is easily treated with a little Liquid Tylenol. I slept well. I have had no problem eating, although I can't say that I have experienced any hunger yet. Dr. Spivak and all the staff at Park Plaza Hospital were great. I know there will be challenges ahead, but I feel ready to tackle them and look forward to learning from the experiences of others on this site.