MiriamE

So today was my 2nd fill, feeling good. Not at the green zone yet, but working on it. I'm frustrated becasue I haven't lost but I haven't gained either. I'm upping my walking and starting to count my calorie intake. That's been the problem, I have been eating to much starchy food and fruit that converts to sugar that just LLLOOOVVEEESSSS to hang around my fat cells. So cutting that out. I did ask her about not feeling the choking/gagging effect that i have read, she stated that not all people exprience it and that I should not be looking for that exprience what I am doing with chewing my food and waiting the minute is the right way to go. I have a 14cc and have 7 cc's, I go back in two weeks to see if I need more or not.
What a journey!!
Keep up the good work, keep motivated!
Live Long & Prosper
Miriam

My husband was a bit hesitant about it, but I also had a heart to heart with him about me and my feelings. I told him that I wanted to do this mainly for me because I was tired of being tired, sick, everything hurting. I was tired that he had to wait for me everytime we went anywhere walking, I was tired of him dropping me off at the front door and picking me up. I think what also made up his mind about supporting me was that I told him I wanted to be healthier for me and for him and our marriage.
If you decide on doing this, remember you are doing it for you and your health and remind him you feeling more confident and healther would be a big BONUS for him!
Good luck with your decision!

Whew! I thought there was something wrong, good to know that it's normal. I've started to us a salad plate instead of a normal plate and only eat that. I did cheat a bit today and had 1/2 a glass of coke and guess what after 4 weeks of not having it, it tasted wierd, didn't like it all. So that's a good thing..no more coke for me!

Thanks so much! I'm looking forward to the journey! :-)

Thanks so much! I'm looking forward to the journey! :-)

You're Rocking it Miriam!!!
I agree, baby food, not so much! Most babies don't even like it.

well done miriam...YOU go girl. in my opinion, baby food is for babies......eat adult food (my vitamixer was a life saver)...tuna/chicken/chunky soups/refried Beans........
love the positive attitude and your profile picture Gorgeous

OMG!!!! I am very happy to say that I have lost 25 lbs since I started with the pre-op diet and now banded!!! And I am healing well from the incisions, etc... I'm in the mushy stage right now and I'm looking forward to it! So what do you all suggest on foods? I had a friend suggest to try baby food, i'm lik umm no that doesn't sound appetizing. Also, have any of you tried the Speacial K shakes? I'm trying to find some that I will like, I do need to make a trip to GNC and check out the ones that were suggested to me on a prior post.
Thanks
Miriam

OMG!!!! I am very happy to say that I have lost 25 lbs since I started with the pre-op diet and now banded!!! And I am healing well from the incisions, etc... I'm in the mushy stage right now and I'm looking forward to it! So what do you all suggest on foods? I had a friend suggest to try baby food, i'm lik umm no that doesn't sound appetizing. Also, have any of you tried the Speacial K shakes? I'm trying to find some that I will like, I do need to make a trip to GNC and check out the ones that were suggested to me on a prior post.
Thanks
Miriam

August 23rd was the magic day!

August 23rd was the magic day!

I made it to the other side. Thanks for all the well wishes. Good luck to all our August banders! I found out I was down 20 pounds just from the Pre-op diet. What a great start!!!

Why wait till the wedding? Then there's the holidays and the New Year? Procrastinating won't get you where you need to be. It's good you realize you need WLS but it sounds like you're not ready to give up the good food? By your own account you've found numerous reasons to procrastinate. There will always be good food everywhere you turn. Don't wait! Having the band doesn't mean you can't eat anymore. It just means you can't eat as much. And isn't that what we all want? jmo
tmf

Just joined the forum today, although I've been a lurker for awhile..
I had lap band with plication almost exactly a year ago. I've lost 85 lbs and it truly has been one of the best decisions I've made. Life changing. I have had 4 fills, starting about 6 months out, I don't know exactly what my fill level is as my nurse never tells me and I never really ask. She says people get so caught up in the amount of fill they have. I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't maybe ask, now that I don't think I'll be requesting any more fills, just in case I ever need to be able to tell someone in an emergency what "should" be in there.. I did ask once in the beginning, and it was around 5cc but I've had 2 fills since then. Apparently, he put 4cc in it already at surgery to "prime" it (seemed like a lot to me?) I feel I am definitely at the green zone after this last fill, which is a nice added benefit although if I'm completely honest, I have always felt satisfied with the smaller portions we are supposed to have and I attribute this to the plication and the small stomach capacity it gave me. I followed my doctors post-op instructions to the T, started on regular food around week 4, and I am able to eat my regular diet with no problems. I watch my calories, I try to stay SEMI-low carb but in no way am I perfect in my diet, but my portions are always usually spot on, so I get a little bit of everything I like to eat and have never once felt deprived.
Up until this very last fill, I had never experienced any PB or anything, but about a week after the last fill, I did have a small problem with romaine lettuce that I'd like to forget. I attribute it to me being a little bit too hungry and not paying attention to how well I chewed it. But it hasn't happened since.
I also feel that because of the plication, I never experienced what I have read about as far as "bandster hell" goes. Unless I go WAY too long in between meals, I must say I have not really felt very "hungry" since I had the surgery. Of course we all deal with the temptation of good food, i.e. "head hunger" but overall, I am very satisfied with how well I feel my surgery makes me...satisfied. If that makes any sense. I exercise 5-6 days a week, doing cross fit and various other cardio exercises. I truly have become the athlete I was 20 years ago and this makes me very happy.
I had originally planned on going with just the lap band, never considered any other options. My surgeon was/is part of the very first patient trials and felt I'd be a good candidate. He still does them and seems very pleased with the results. I recently had a procedure where he put a tube down my nose, throat, etc and checked everything out. Everything looks as it should, no esophageal dilatation, no signs of band erosion, it's exactly where he put it and my stomach looks fine inside.
I should add that I also had my gallbladder removed the same time as the plication and lap band as well as a fairly large hiatal hernia repaired. I spent 1 night, 2 days in the hospital.
Just thought I'd make my first post a post about something I'm actually familiar with. I read a lot and have gleaned a lot of good information from the site.

My doctor no longer includes the plication with the lapband. He told me the latest studies have shown you don't lose any more weight and KEEP it off with the plication. Also, my insurance company only pays for lapband, not plication. My insurance paid in full for everything and also pays for fills. Now, let's wait and see what ObamaCare does if he gets re-elected which I pray he does not.

Performed through a laparoscope, Gastric Plication is minimally invasive. The stomach is folded into itself, limiting the capacity of the stomach from about 50 ounces to 4 to 8 ounces. No cutting or stapling is performed so the risk of complications are obviously much smaller than traditional gastric bypass operations. Lap-band surgery is unique in that it requires implantation of the gastric band around the top of the stomach. The fill port is also implanted and attached to the Lap-band by a tube. Some patients have very low tolerance to these implants and the band must be removed when rejected by their body. A very few patients don't deal well with the fill procedure. To adjust the Lap-band saline solution is injected through the skin into the fill port. The Lap-band fill procedure is easily tolerated by most patients. But every once in while a patient has problems with the injection. Gastric plication only requires simple sutures (stitches) that are typically never rejected by the human body. It requires no maintenance (such as fills).
The advantages of Gastric Plication over Lap-band and bypass surgeries:

No foreign devices are implanted (the Lap-band is implanted along with its fill port and tubing).
No adjustments are required (the Lap-band requires the injection or removal of saline solution to adjust it).
food is far less likely to become stuck (food can more easily become stuck with the Lap-band).
Gastric plication offers more restriction than Lap-band surgery. Reports on Gastric Plication surgery show 60-65% excess body weight loss in one year vs. 45-55% for Lap- band surgery (although individual results will vary, this is the average).
No cutting of the stomach or the intestine (all gastric bypass surgeries include radical surgical reduction of the stomach and small intestine).
Gastric Plication causes no nutritional deficiencies. Bypass surgery patients can suffer anemia, osteoporosis, Vitamin deficiency and Protein deficiency because the small intestine is radically shortened.
Few food restrictions compared to Gastric Bypass or Lap-band surgeries. Patients can eat most anything, because even though the stomach is drastically reduced in size, it is not surgically altered and functions normally.
Gastric Plication can be reversed more easily than any other surgery.

hope this helps

I have heard about it but don't know what that is and what it is for. Can someone let me know!
Thanks
Miriam

YAY!!! I went through with it..I was nervous when I was on the operating room table, I was like this is it..this is real and then I took a couple deep breathes and next thing you know I'm in recovery waking up! I was bit out of it and a bit sore but feeling ok. Took the x-ray (whatever they give you to drink sucks)! Then went back to the room, the nurse was great, they brought me some Jello, tea, leamonade, a sf popsicle and a shake! I had the shake, some Jello and 1/2 the popsicle and that satisfied me. I was felt like i had something on the top of my stomach. I walked with the nurse for about 10 minutes and then off I went home. The wheelchair drive seemed like I was on a rollercoaster and well the car itself felt like that to. So when I got home, I told my mom who is staying this week to take care of me that I felt nauses and was going to take the prescribed anit-nauses medication. I took 1/2 a teaspoon and told her it tasted wierd. Then to her and my husbands suprise I threw up. Pure liquid, I did not stop until all the liquid was out of me, and boy did I feel better. I was able to walk around and then finally went to bed. I was expecting to have a pain in my left shoulder but as of today, I still do not (whew)..I am sore from the incisision and a bit inbetween my left breast. That's where the air is trapped. I finally was able to start burping and excuse my language but farting (alot) last night! I was so excited that I yelled to my husband...VICTORY IS MINE!!!! Haven't been feeling hungry at all, I had some Water and 1 1/2 glass of shakes yesterday, I'm suppose to have 8 glasses of Water and two shakes, I don't know how I am going to do that! But I am trying. So overall, sore but feeling good!!! My post op appt. is August 30th, can't wait till then!
Miriam

YAY!!! I went through with it..I was nervous when I was on the operating room table, I was like this is it..this is real and then I took a couple deep breathes and next thing you know I'm in recovery waking up! I was bit out of it and a bit sore but feeling ok. Took the x-ray (whatever they give you to drink sucks)! Then went back to the room, the nurse was great, they brought me some Jello, tea, leamonade, a sf popsicle and a shake! I had the shake, some Jello and 1/2 the popsicle and that satisfied me. I was felt like i had something on the top of my stomach. I walked with the nurse for about 10 minutes and then off I went home. The wheelchair drive seemed like I was on a rollercoaster and well the car itself felt like that to. So when I got home, I told my mom who is staying this week to take care of me that I felt nauses and was going to take the prescribed anit-nauses medication. I took 1/2 a teaspoon and told her it tasted wierd. Then to her and my husbands suprise I threw up. Pure liquid, I did not stop until all the liquid was out of me, and boy did I feel better. I was able to walk around and then finally went to bed. I was expecting to have a pain in my left shoulder but as of today, I still do not (whew)..I am sore from the incisision and a bit inbetween my left breast. That's where the air is trapped. I finally was able to start burping and excuse my language but farting (alot) last night! I was so excited that I yelled to my husband...VICTORY IS MINE!!!! Haven't been feeling hungry at all, I had some Water and 1 1/2 glass of shakes yesterday, I'm suppose to have 8 glasses of Water and two shakes, I don't know how I am going to do that! But I am trying. So overall, sore but feeling good!!! My post op appt. is August 30th, can't wait till then!
Miriam

YAY!!! I went through with it..I was nervous when I was on the operating room table, I was like this is it..this is real and then I took a couple deep breathes and next thing you know I'm in recovery waking up! I was bit out of it and a bit sore but feeling ok. Took the x-ray (whatever they give you to drink sucks)! Then went back to the room, the nurse was great, they brought me some Jello, tea, leamonade, a sf popsicle and a shake! I had the shake, some Jello and 1/2 the popsicle and that satisfied me. I was felt like i had something on the top of my stomach. I walked with the nurse for about 10 minutes and then off I went home. The wheelchair drive seemed like I was on a rollercoaster and well the car itself felt like that to. So when I got home, I told my mom who is staying this week to take care of me that I felt nauses and was going to take the prescribed anit-nauses medication. I took 1/2 a teaspoon and told her it tasted wierd. Then to her and my husbands suprise I threw up. Pure liquid, I did not stop until all the liquid was out of me, and boy did I feel better. I was able to walk around and then finally went to bed. I was expecting to have a pain in my left shoulder but as of today, I still do not (whew)..I am sore from the incisision and a bit inbetween my left breast. That's where the air is trapped. I finally was able to start burping and excuse my language but farting (alot) last night! I was so excited that I yelled to my husband...VICTORY IS MINE!!!! Haven't been feeling hungry at all, I had some Water and 1 1/2 glass of shakes yesterday, I'm suppose to have 8 glasses of Water and two shakes, I don't know how I am going to do that! But I am trying. So overall, sore but feeling good!!! My post op appt. is August 30th, can't wait till then!
Miriam

Awesome! Wish you lots of luck on your journey!

YAY!!! I went through with it..I was nervous when I was on the operating room table, I was like this is it..this is real and then I took a couple deep breathes and next thing you know I'm in recovery waking up! I was bit out of it and a bit sore but feeling ok. Took the x-ray (whatever they give you to drink sucks)! Then went back to the room, the nurse was great, they brought me some Jello, tea, leamonade, a sf popsicle and a shake! I had the shake, some Jello and 1/2 the popsicle and that satisfied me. I was felt like i had something on the top of my stomach. I walked with the nurse for about 10 minutes and then off I went home. The wheelchair drive seemed like I was on a rollercoaster and well the car itself felt like that to. So when I got home, I told my mom who is staying this week to take care of me that I felt nauses and was going to take the prescribed anit-nauses medication. I took 1/2 a teaspoon and told her it tasted wierd. Then to her and my husbands suprise I threw up. Pure liquid, I did not stop until all the liquid was out of me, and boy did I feel better. I was able to walk around and then finally went to bed. I was expecting to have a pain in my left shoulder but as of today, I still do not (whew)..I am sore from the incisision and a bit inbetween my left breast. That's where the air is trapped. I finally was able to start burping and excuse my language but farting (alot) last night! I was so excited that I yelled to my husband...VICTORY IS MINE!!!! Haven't been feeling hungry at all, I had some Water and 1 1/2 glass of shakes yesterday, I'm suppose to have 8 glasses of Water and two shakes, I don't know how I am going to do that! But I am trying. So overall, sore but feeling good!!! My post op appt. is August 30th, can't wait till then!
Miriam

Hello!
Tomorrow is the day I get banded! Can't wait, I've been working on this for the past 6 months, never thought the day would get here. I am excited, anxious and a wee bit nervous. I think I got everything I need for the post-op: Gax X Strips , prescriped Nausea Medication and prescriped Pain Killer oh and I do have an electric blanky warmer so I think I'm set. I hope I don't have to use all of them, but I like to be prepared.
I will post once I'm home and awake!
Miriam

Hello!
Tomorrow is the day I get banded! Can't wait, I've been working on this for the past 6 months, never thought the day would get here. I am excited, anxious and a wee bit nervous. I think I got everything I need for the post-op: Gax X Strips , prescriped Nausea Medication and prescriped Pain Killer oh and I do have an electric blanky warmer so I think I'm set. I hope I don't have to use all of them, but I like to be prepared.
I will post once I'm home and awake!
Miriam