ljuht115

3.6 in a 4.0 band but they said I have a 5cc band limit. I am just starting to feel restriction for the first time where I can't eat bread, etc. I have had no problems with any foods until now since my surgery.

Talk to your doctor in before you go in for surgery so that when you are in pre-op and you ask for something for nerves (usually they give you valium) they are prepared. I suffer from anxiety as well and had them do that for me. Good luck

HELP - I did a ton of searches on the forum and found what I could, but here is my story - I started exercising about 3 weeks ago (heavily, weight lifting and aerobic excercise). I was at 2.8 in my 4 cc band. My last fill was 4 weeks ago. Two weeks ago I started to feel ever so slightly acid reflux. Didn't think much about it until I went in for another fill this morning (went from 2.8 to 3.2) Acid Reflux is more prominent all day today. I am also due for my TOM, not sure if that has anything to do with it. I have been sticking to 900-1200 calories a day so I am not overeating that I can tell (my trainer wishes I ate even more). My question/concern for everyone is - is there such a thing as a senstitive fill? Could I be overfilled? could I have damaged my band doing sit ups and bench presses, etc? I had a small hiatal hernia that was not fixed at surgery, could this have gotten worse with strenuous exercise? The story I get is that acid reflux/hearburn is just BAD period, but has anyome experienced it where it is not bad, just irritating (I have never had a problem with it before). I do not PB, rarely does food get stuck, I can eat tenderloin and chicken, etc no problem... I get full farily quickly, i don't overeat or drink decaf coffee. I have not lost a ton of weight recenly due to working out but have lost inches and body fat. Please someone share their experiences withe me - I suppose I will call the doctor, but maybe I am overreacting (which I can do) and don't want to make a big deal out of nothing. HELP!!!! Scared in Seattle:help:

Hi...There is a surgeon in PR: Dr. Rafael A. Iglesias in Guaynabo, PR. You can do a search in the American Society for Bariatric Surgery: www.asbs.org and you will find 3 surgeon in PR but only Dr. Iglesias does Lap Band. I'm considering doing my Lap Band in Mexico because my insurance won't cover it but Dr. Iglesias doesn't work with outside patients...Don't know what to do...In Mexico is less expensive there is also a Dr. in Dominican Republic. You can contact me at acuariojrg@hotmail.com found it through google...

Hi Jocelyn... Fellow Puertorican here, but in Seattle, WA... Good question.. I just wanted to say hi and give you my support. I was banded about 3 months ago and it was the best decision I ever made. Was just down there for a family matter 2 weeks ago. I will do some searching as well and see if I find anything as well. I highly reccomend you find someone and check them out before your surgery... GOOD luck and keep in touch. Nice to find a fellow Page Ranking bandmate... :ranger:

That is actually not true - I am a lap band patient and my doctor does have me on vitaming B-12 shots every other week.... He also has me on Vitamin D every 3...

Hi everyone... I haven't checked in since before my first fill. I will try and make this short... I got my first fill a few hours before I left on vacation on the 29th. It worked really well the first week and a half or so. Dr. Srikanth put 1.8 cc in my 4cc band (seems like Dr Oh does the same thing). I felt good restriction, got full quickly and it would last for hours. (no PBing or Sliming). Later last week I started to get really REALLY HUNGRY!! Worse than before I started with my pre-op... Well - my follow up appt wasn't until July 30th. I called on this last Monday and pulled it in to today (We can't get another filled for 3-4 weeks after each fill) so I made mine exactly 3 weeks and 1 day.. I saw Terry this morning for my fill. The Dr actually puts in a tintsy bit of liquid at surgery (to test the band for leaks) as Terry pulled out almost 2 cc's of saline before putting it back and also adding another .4 cc, so now I am up to 2.4 cc's in my band and back to liquids and Soups for 48 hours. I plateaued as well and have only lost 1.8 lbs in 3 weeks. It is hard not to have the things you want when you are so hungry and I have to see how this fill affects me. I made another appt for 4 weeks out as a follow up, but hope this get's rid of the hunger... I sure would love to hook up with some of you sometime. I live in north renton and work in Bellevue so making the meetings for me at st francis are a longshot. Maybe we could do some sort of gathering once a month. Still love m band but can't wait till I hit my sweet spot! Sue11 - SO Sorry to hear about your pup. I am a dog person as well and went through this last year. Take Care!!! :rain:

Sue11 - Are you feeling restriction now after your fill. I do fine in the am and lunch time, but come dinner, the past two nights I have strayed (with soft food chewed well) but still more goes down easier than even last week. I thought I would be one of the lucky ones and feel restriction until my first fill (I still do somewhat in the am) but no more.. =-(... I feel horrible like I am letting everything go down the drain. it is hard for me to remember the fills is what is supposed to get me to my goal weight, not before - ARRRRGGGHHHHHH..

Hi Sue - Wow - I thought Dr Srikanth was strick - at week 4 we were able to move to puree'd food. You had surgery the day after me. Week 4-5 is purreed' - then mushy kinda stuff week 6-7... Have you tried pureed foods yet? I get my first fill the 29th.

WOW - My instructions state nothing more than 5 lbs for 8 weeks...

Hi there - a few things that helped me a lot - heating PAD - helps with the gas and the pain Don't move around too much other than the walking to help alleviate gas Pain MED/Tylenol - whichever you have that you are using - it is harder to control pain if you let it go on too long. I use Champion whey chocolate Protein powder and like it quite a bit. I now mix it half and half with Water and sugar free soy milk! Tastes just like a chocolate shake.. I hope that helsp - it does get better!!!!! You are probably still very swolen from surgery as well... GOOD LUCK

Hello - I initially was going to take 1 week but found I needed more time - I had surg on a Wed and didn't return to work 1 1/2 weeks basically. Everyone heals at their own pace - some much quicker than others - so it is hard to really say. Maybe prepare your boss for the worst case scenario and then if you feel better soomer, go back. I was low on energy the first week.

I LOVE this post. I seriously had to think about beer and realized, I didn't drink that many, a few times a month and will miss it, but the feeling of being banded, it doesn't even sound good to me anymore (right now anyhow at 4 weeks post op. Of course being a good driker I did find a few things I will allow myself when the time comes (I am still not drinking yet as I am still in the healing stage): If you like Japanese food, sake has NO sugar and is 37 cal per oz. plus no hangover Wine (I LOVE wine but still can't bring myself to smell it yet) Vodka with any s/f mix (i.e. the have s/f cranberry juice, crystal light, etc...) I will not go back to sugar, they kill me on the hangover anyhow more than any liquor...

Thank you so much - this is what I needed. For it to be okay not to be perfect. My major concern was band slippage but I think I am far enough into this that it should be okay. I don't know what I would do without this link. I ususally stick to my thread of may bandsters but was so scared that I did something wrong (which I kinda did). I will stick back to my doctor's regime as best I can but 12 weeks total without real food reallu got me.. I will keep the PM in mind Kim - thank you for the kind words and support. This is why I am here.

I am in trouble - I was pretty good with my diet all weekend and blew it with two small slices of pizza. I feel full - I don't feel nauseus - I KNOW I shouldn't have done it. At the same time I also want to see what I will and won't be able to handle... i know I shouldn't be doing this. My Dr. has the most strict rules than any I have seen to date (except for those that went to my dr.). I fully intend to follow his instructions for the next 5 weeks (as I don't really get to move to hard foods for 10 weeks post of which is why I feel bad about the pizza. Does anyone think think I have seriously hurt my band? Has anyone done something close? There is so much that I know but I felt like if I had to have one more Protein shake I was gonna scream as that is all I have really had since May 10th! I dunno - feeling confused, embarrased, scared.... HELP..

debbie1k when did you have surgery... are you walking around and using the heating pad to loosen things up?

debbie1k when did you have surgery... are you walking around and using the heating pad to loosen things up?

out there for us nw bandsters.. I am doing pretty well, still feel back pain under my diaphram on my port side if I sit or stand too long. This post has been really quiet. Is everyone okay - Newly banded people out there? I am coming close (next Wednesday) I purreed food to my diet in 1 oz increments, I havent quite hit bandster hell yet, but food is smelling really good. I only want one little slice of pizza, not four pieces!... I get my first fill on the 29th before i go on vacation and am very excited about this. I am mourning some over my vacation because we always drink, eat like kings, play in the garden (I go to lopez island every year) etc... Do you think I could sneak a drink of wine in or something while I am on vacation??? I know some dr. say it is okay, but mine is very conservative and I truly respect all he has asked his patients to do as post surgery requirements.. has anyone tried to have a glass of anything yet here or there? ALSO Crab.... If I mush it up, would that be considered a puree/mushie? has anyone tried that at 6-8 wks post op yet as well??? I am on a loosing streak again and loosing quite a bit this week. I attribute a lot of it to working as i am slammed and running around the office feeling like i have just ran a marathon. Still doing Terrible on exercise though. BUT - I did buy Dance Dance Revolution which I can hook up to my hubby's xbox 360. You put the pad on the floor and it has an excercise section to get a work out. Sounds funny but I think it will be more fun for me than walking - te he... Anyhow - All you northwesterners take care and please don't fade away. All your support has been invaluable to me!

Congrats on your weight loss - I was banded on the 23rd of May.. There is a thread just for people who were banded in May 2007 under the general discussion boards - go check that out and introduce yourself.... I have lost 23.2 lbs total, about 12 post op so far..

I did too. I went to every favorite restaurant that I had for lunches and dinner before my pre op - Do I regret it, not really, I am happy with my weight loss and my style of eating is going to change for the rest of my life so I gave myself the last supper syndrome and enjoyed while I could.

SIDE NOTE: You will be swollen for a few weeks (for me it is taking almost 3) and bruised - this is very normal.........

Good morning - You are doing all the right things. Don't worry. The first 6 weeks is for healing, not necesarilly weight loss. Everybody is different but just stick to your daily routine (keep the sodium down in the broths as much as possible), and kee0p walking. Ususally people gain weight after their surgery post op for a few days from all the IV liquids, etc... I don't know much about gatorade and propel, but my dr says to keep any meal under 6 grams of sugar (including liquids, they need to be watered dowm accordingly). Do those have hidden sugars or salt in them that could be result in water retention? Just a question. I stuck to water and crystal light (and still do) for my liquids... Good luck and let me know how it goes...

Well - I now have my magic bullet and LOVE it! It should make the last two weeks of just my protein drinks (NOW WITH FRUITS =-) go by fairly quickly. Did my business tour with my customer yesterday and boy was I pooped. Our warehouse tour was 2 hours alone in a 400,000 sq foot building. I would say I got my exercise. I was truly exhausted yesterday. I am kinda on a plateau - I have been bouncing between 1-2 lbs and hope to get off that plateau this weekend. Sue - I agree - I think we are on the same healing path. A co-worker told me her friend was banded and bounced back quickly. Sure is something that everyone is different, but my port paid keeps getting better each day. I hope everyone is well and good luck this weekend. My hubby and I have the same Bday which is today. Normally we go out for a real nice dinner, wine and cocktails. Instead we went and saw a movie =-) What a sport! Peace out!

Hello everyone - I have been off the forum for a few days - went back to work and it is draining me of all my energy out there. I just wrote a huge post on the may band post, poor people that have to read it but i felt I needed to get a lot out, dunno why. I still have another two weeks on my liquid diet but can now have yogurt, fruit etc blended in with my protein shakes. This has made them much tastier!!! I heard about this think called a magic bullet blender I am getting for my protein shakes, I guess they work really well. My port still hurts (more at night when I am tired) and I am tired tonite. Have to fly to reno for the day to tour so I will be walking ALL day. I am concerned I won't make it through the day but am bringing a bunch of protein mix to jelp me to get through the day. Anyway I just wanted to say hi to everyone since this forum is the only place everyone understands the why's and how come's I did what I did. I am exhausted.. take care everone amd I will be im touch!!!

Good luck with your pre-op - It sounds really hard but once you put your mind to it, it will really go fast and give you a healthy jump start to your weight loss. I personally felt really good with my preop diet (the no sugar, liquor/wine, and adding vitamins and protein) really gave me a energy boost which I used as a mental positive for me. hopefully that doesn't sound too corny. I saw dr srikanth as well - (CALL THEM the day before the surgery, they do a great job but, see if you can find out where you are in the surgery cycle. ( I had to spend the night because I was postponed to the next morning). It all worked out as it should have but at least you can be prepared and bring a laptop to watch movies etc. They have wireless so you can even bring your laptop into pre-op where you might be for a while. These are things that helped me get through the day. Dr Srikanth is a great dr and my surgery went great. Good luck and keep on the posts - they helped me through some really difficult times and had so many wonderful pieces of advise (even if it wasn't for me personally) Oh - sidenote - (I finally went and got my nails put back on since they don't allow you to have them for surgery and my typing speed is finally back to normal!!!! Hopefully someday we can find some people on the eastside by renton to gather for walking and food ideas maybe once a month or so. I can't walk my dogs right now cause they are too big and miss it. Hope all is well ---