princesstuiaki

My friends and I are going in Feb and we are going with Dr Ortiz and a different company. We are nervous. Does he give a leak test after surgery? Can you tell me how it went for you?
Me too! I'm not on the wet side of the state, but I can't take the heat. My surgeon was Dr Ortiz with a different company in Tijuana.

I went shopping but I tired out really fast. It was about 90 degrees that day and far to warm for me. I also was in no mood to deal with the aggressive vendors. Dios Mio! I went to the bus early and waited for the others to come back. Our driver gave me a Gatorade while I waited and I enjoyed the scenery.

@@PuraVida37 I guess it is a good thing to enjoy every stage of pregnancy. I have had terrible pregnancies with really high sugars in the past and so my doctor was hesitant about me getting unfilled. Since I have been pregnant I have not had to have ridiculous amounts of insulin injections everyday and he is actually surprised that I havent gone up on my insulin since I started 25 weeks ago (im only insulin dependent when Im prego). So, I guess it all depends on the situation. Ive actually lost weight since I started. I started at 245 and weighed in at 243 when I went to get unfilled. My surgeon/doc told me that he will just take out 1 cc so that I dont have to start from the beginning when I want to start filling my band again. I got the 1cc out yesterday and already feel a world of difference with my eating, so I have to be careful not to go crazy with it. I have about 9 more weeks to go so I will just monitor what I eat and try to make better choices. My port is higher up on my abdomen, towards the left. It gave me problems/pain in the beginning of my pregnancy but not anymore. Only thing now is that its starting be get pushed out and so I can feel it more. Hope it doesnt protrude out of my belly. LOL. Good luck to you. Hope all goes well with your pregnancy. This is still a fun event so just enjoy it and dont worry about the weight gain too much. That's what my hubby tries to remind me. LOL...and besides, were growing humans in us, so we can gain a little weight

I'm 15 weeks now, and going stir crazy waiting on genetic testing results. After my many losses, I just want to get to a point where I'll stop worrying and having nightmares.
I wish I hadn't gotten unfilled so quickly. My doc insisted on it right when I told him I was pg, only about 4 weeks pg. I've gained ten lbs and have been eating a bunch of junk--things I never would have eaten before like Bagels and sub sandwiches. I hope I'm not stretching things out, but I can eat just about everything now. And yes, I know, just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.
I've been craving salads, which is funny to me because it's something I couldn't eat when I was filled. I am SO hungry all the time. I miss running. I miss having loose pants. I miss not feeling hungry. ...but I'll be back there after July!!!
Where is your port? Mine is around my belly button and at first I did feel some real pressure around it. But now it's better.
Thanks for asking about me, @@princesstuiaki !!

I am up 10 lbs since the start of my pregnancy, and now that the doc unfilled me I can eat anything and I'm SO hungry. And I hate seeing my belly get bigger again. But I guess it's all for a good cause!!

I went through my whole pregnancy and never had to have an unfill. I was able to have only small weight gain. I have just struggled to get back on track after baby. My biggest complaint was the baby kicking my port when I got further along. It's not necessarily painful...Just uncomfortable! And those people that always run up and rub your belly always mistaked my port for the baby's foot! LOL....My port started to show a little bit at the end. Overall you should be fine. I think the band helps us form not gaining a ton of pregnancy weight! No telling how much I would've gained without the band! Just listen to your body. You will know if you need to unfill. Some doctors recommend totally un-filling during pregnancy...I highly discourage that! Congrats on the baby!

PuraVida37 and Chasingadream, I am soooooo envious of you and your progress. That is so awesome for you two, congrats. I feel like some of the other ladies here. Such slow and hard process.
Interlish, you seem like you are doing well as well. 72 pounds is awesome and fitting on the plane is such a great feeling
Arch002 and NewMeDebbie, I feel some of your pain. I started out a year ago at 285 pounds and am at 245 now, give or take a few pounds. I did not think I would only be 40 pounds. I was actually planning a summer beach, bikini bod for this past summer but that did not happen. I too know that it is all up to me and that this tool is to HELP me try to help myself. Although, I sometimes wish I just had the sleeve where it would so much more easier to lose weight. Then again, the grass is never greener on the other side So I struggle a lot with what I eat and with exercise. I was doing so good with exercise then just as you all know, life gets in the way. I am a full time student, work full time, a full time wife (sometimes I wish I could be a part time wife *rolls eyes* )and a full time mommy of 4. Then to add to the plate, as if it wasn't full enough, I just found out that I am pregnant. I didn't want to be pregnant again until after I was at goal weight and done with school but nothing that I can do about it now.
So with the poor food choices and me struggling with exercise, I am way disappointed with myself. I hardly feel "full", just stuck and that frustrates me a lot as well and is another reason why I wish I just got the sleeve. With the pregnancy, I am trying to be more conscious of my food choices because I don't want to get unfilled. I would like to just stay with whats in my band now and try to go the whole pregnancy with out taking out any saline. Ofcourse if the doc suggests, I will take it out. He said he will keep an eye on me and will let me know if he wants me to get unfilled or not but for now he thinks its fine. I am just terrified of gaining so much weight that I am trying to be grateful for the 40 pound loss and trying to maintain this weight, or even lose a few pounds, during this pregnancy.
I wish you all luck. We can totally get to where we need to be.

PuraVida37 - congratulations on all of your accomplishments you have a lot to be proud of!!!
I wish I could say the same, I have really struggled the last 6 months, sometimes think I made the wrong choice to not have the sleeve. No where near where I wanted to be, but I have lost and not gained it back, just need to find a way off the plateau. I miss this group tons!!!

Hi there I celebrated the year by geeting on a plane to dublin to go home and see family. Haven't been the best behaved so far but heck I fitted on the plane :-)

Hi there and congrats! I think I am a YouTube junkie but this was one of the vlogs I watched. She made it all the way through her pregnancy and she is banded. https://www.youtube.com/user/xxxandieapplesxxx/videos

Hey everyone. I'm glad that everyone is doing well. It seems that we are all experiencing the same struggles. I don't respond much but I have been keeping up with all the updates. I feel that I have the exact same story as some of you.
I have been eating terrible lately because it seems the bad unhealthy foods go down a lot smoother then the good foods that we need to eat. I have been struggling with chips and Cookies and slider foods and so reading that I am not the only one struggling with this makes me feel better. I am afraid to get another fill because I am already struggling with stuck episodes when I eat. I have a hard time taking smaller bites and slowing down when I eat :/ that is another struggle of mine but I am slowly learning. I have been stuck in the 250's for about 3 months now which is really depressing. 2 weeks ago I finally broke it and am in the 240's now. It has been a slower, longer and harder process then I expected. Sometimes I wish I got the sleeve or gastric but remind myself that the struggle will help teach me and also make me appreciate the weight loss a lot more.
Keep trekking everyone. Slow and steady wins the race. I'm rooting for each and every one of you. Your updates give me hope and make me happy.

Thanks for the advice Debbie...I guess I am just so used to snacking because even with all my other fills I have always just snacked but I am seeing what you mean about not needing it. Today is my first day on real foods after the fill because my doc put me on liquids for 48 hours after my fill and so I had my first meal today at 1pm (work late and woke up late hence the late breakfast/lunch) and I had a cup of food and was full and now I am here at work and pulled out some almonds to snack on and after like 6 I felt the restriction...so yeah. I will for sure have train my body not to snack Thanks.

I never come on but I love getting notifications in my email with all your updates. I am not doing well as far as eating and being faithful at the gym and so my weight loss has not been doing well either. I have to keep having these pep talks with myself that I can do it and every morning I recommit to doing better at making better food choices. I had another cc put in to my band on Tuesday and the restriction is unbelievable. I seriously have about a cup of food and I am done. I have never had that feeling before. I love to chug Water but have noticed that I cannot chug like I did just a week ago, I can take a couple big gulps and then stop and just sip through out the day. So that is 3.5 cc in my 10cc band. I am hoping that this last fill will really help me with my portions and eating habits. I am a snacker, for sure, and so I am making sure that I only have healthy Snacks around me at all times. Slowly but surely. I started at 285 and am at 255 now and so I have lost a total of 30lbs and am hoping to lose some more weight with this last fill and the restrictions. Hoping to find my green zone soon. All your journeys inspire me. Thanks Lets keep it melting!!!

Thanks for the advice Debbie...I guess I am just so used to snacking because even with all my other fills I have always just snacked but I am seeing what you mean about not needing it. Today is my first day on real foods after the fill because my doc put me on liquids for 48 hours after my fill and so I had my first meal today at 1pm (work late and woke up late hence the late breakfast/lunch) and I had a cup of food and was full and now I am here at work and pulled out some almonds to snack on and after like 6 I felt the restriction...so yeah. I will for sure have train my body not to snack Thanks.

You are losing! Just remember every pound lost is gone forever! This is not a sprint but a lifetime marathon to being healthier! You will get there.
Reminder: try to cut out the Snacks as much as possible. You will find this easier as you get closer to your "Green Zone". Go back to the basics if you have to - 3 small meals a day and 1 snack. 64 oz of Water
I have to remind myself every day to get enough water. Usually when I feel like snacking, water does the trick to curb the snack attack. A Protein Bar in the afternoon is my only snack now and it does a great job of curbing hunger until dinner. Sometimes I have it as an early 11am snack and have a later lunch if I feel like snacking...that also works.
Good luck with your journey!

I never come on but I love getting notifications in my email with all your updates. I am not doing well as far as eating and being faithful at the gym and so my weight loss has not been doing well either. I have to keep having these pep talks with myself that I can do it and every morning I recommit to doing better at making better food choices. I had another cc put in to my band on Tuesday and the restriction is unbelievable. I seriously have about a cup of food and I am done. I have never had that feeling before. I love to chug Water but have noticed that I cannot chug like I did just a week ago, I can take a couple big gulps and then stop and just sip through out the day. So that is 3.5 cc in my 10cc band. I am hoping that this last fill will really help me with my portions and eating habits. I am a snacker, for sure, and so I am making sure that I only have healthy Snacks around me at all times. Slowly but surely. I started at 285 and am at 255 now and so I have lost a total of 30lbs and am hoping to lose some more weight with this last fill and the restrictions. Hoping to find my green zone soon. All your journeys inspire me. Thanks Lets keep it melting!!!

I hate to be nosey y'all but how much have you all lost since you were banded. I was banded September 26th and I'm down approx 30 to 33 lbs (it varies daily). I'm just curious. I'm going to be honest, I am not really exercising although I am a nurse and work my butt off at work and mom to a busy 2 year old. So that keeps me pretty mobile. I don't eat tons of Protein like I should, I'm not drinking as much Water as I should and I'm not making the best food choices in the world. That being said, I'm not eating as much as I was obviously and I'm not eating fast food everyday, etc etc. anyway I still have lots of work to do. Just wanting to know how everyone is progressing...

i ate alot less then what i did before my surgery but i still ate quite a bit of food, more then the cup. i actually went on vacation the third week after my surgery and ate till i was full.
it is a huge adjustment that you need to learn slowly. my first fill was a month after surgery and i was like BAM!!!!, down to eating nothing like i was. it just takes time, it did for me.

Also softer foods slip down easy. I can eat alot more quantity of softer things.
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The above ladies are so right from my experience. I was hungry post op before my fill. I made a huge effort to only eat the suggested amounts. I haven't felt full as I knew it once since surgery.. I am satisfied physically at least. I have green restriction now and my portions are small.. Its a bit of a shock. Its best to build up to it slowly. Its tough. (I still fill my side plate) don't eat a third of it.
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agree with my poker friend sharp.....alot of food (so early after post op) my dr advised 1 cup of food (sometimes its 1 1/2)....just because we can eat more than we are suppose to, doesnt mean we should...and i do not have any fills and i know for a fact i would do some major damage on food but i choose not to....and the dr is the only one who could tell you if you have a slip..eat to lose weight, not eat to live.....congrats on your surgery...you can do this..its a journey, no time limit to get to the destination

that is a lot of food .. you should only be eating a cup of food each meal.. You should be careful not to stretch your pouch... at 1 cup you should feel satisfied.. not necessarily full as you know it.. I still have a satisfied feeling not actually full.. but with the band you don't want to feel full...if that makes sense...

That is why I was glad that I dieted before my surgery! I started eating off a salad size plate and never tried to overeat! I agree, you were able to eat earlier than most. But YOU need to control your intake! best wishes.