Valerie617

pinktweety - my doctor did my fill today the way you described yours. In the Radiology Dept. Same thing - inserted the needle and tilted the table. I then drank the barium Fluid while the needle was still in. This way takes a little longer, but I like it better because I want my doctor looking at the screen and actually SEE how restricted I am. On my previous visit I had an unfill and now I'm starting out again with 4cc in a 10cc band.

Well, it took me a while, but I went for an unfill today. Over the past month, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep food down. I tried to work with the tightness of my band because I thought temporarily, it might jumpstart my weightloss (stupid, I know). So I thought, I'll just drink Protein shakes, soups, soft food for a couple of weeks - things just got worse and I could only sip a little bit of a shake and then wait 15 minutes or more before I could take another sip. Today my doctor removed 1/2 of my fill. So far today I've been able to drink a whole Protein Shake and Soup. He told me to stay on liquids two days, then mushies for two days. I go back in 6 weeks for a floro so he can take a look at how my stomach is doing. I hope I'm OK and that my band hasn't slipped. I appreciate everyone's input on this forum. At least I'll be well-informed. Thanks everyone.

I told only my husband, kids and sister. I'm losing slower than I thought I would, so I'm really glad I didn't tell anyone else. When asked how I lost the weight, I tell my friends that I'm eating a lot smaller portions, eating more protein than carbs, and exercising a LOT - all true. When I lose more weight, I might tell my friends, but right now I'm more comfortable not having people watch what I eat!

Suzanne - I remember that I was hungry and could eat a lot before my first fill. If you're worried about stretching your pouch, try eating less at eat sitting, but eat more often and make healthy choices. Good luck with your fill.

Is the ambulatory care center "attached" to the hospital? My concern would be in an emergency, how quickly you could get to the hospital - but I'm a very nervous person. LapBand surgery has become more common now, but I'd worry about if there was some unexpected kind of complication.

I think you might be right Karen. I'm going to try to drink more water. I'll let you know how I do - thank you.

Lori - Thanks for the suggestion. I do normally drink a lot of water, but now that I think of it, since my band has been tight, I've been drinking less.

I don't know if this is a coincidence, but everytime I use my ab lounger for a few days, my band seems to get too tight. My doctor says that sit ups would not cause this to happen. Anyway, I went from being able to eat a lot to hardly being able to eat anything. I have to be so careful of the amount and what I eat, or I vomit. Right now I feel like I'm not eating enough. I'm waiting it out this week because I'm hesitating to have an unfill, since it's been such a long time since I've had a good restriction - I'm hoping that my band will loosen just a little (never thought I'd say that). The last time this happened to me, and I had an unfill, I didn't have enough restriction. Has anyone had the experience of their band getting tight on its own and then loosening up?

beachbum - OMG, I'm so sorry for what happened to you. I would be so hesitant to go with the same surgeon. I know it might be tempting for you, only in the respect that you'd be able to get the surgery done soon, and you'd probably have to wait longer to have it done by another surgeon. In the long run, even if you have to wait longer, you want to have a safe surgery, and I agree with the poster who said to have it done at a "bariatric center of excellence". Hospitals who have this designation have to meet certain criteria. Best of luck to you whatever you decide to do.

oh debbie - please don't feel like a failure - you've only had one fill. I understand your frustration, because the same thing happened to me. In my case, it took me 5 fills to feel restriction. When talking to the nurse in my doctor's office, although I had 5 fills at the time, the doctor was putting such a little amount of fill in each time. On some people, if you're filled too much at one time, your stomach gets swollen and the opening is so small that it's difficult for ANYTHING to get through and you have to get an unfill. It is frustrating though, and some doctors just fill a little at a time - others are more aggressive. I felt that I should have been filled just a little bit more each time. Right now, you have to work a little harder than you expected, but your band will work better for you as you start to get more fills - just be careful now, have good eating habits - you'll get there!

About the "sweet spot" - another bandster told me that even after you reach your "sweet spot", as you lose more weight, you also lose fat around your stomach, so the band won't be as tight, so you'll need another fill. Don't know if that's true, but it seems to make sense.

restrict2008 - I've been through a lot of stages with my band, and sometimes I can eat more than others. Hang in there with the mushy stage (I'm thinking that you must be recently banded). Right after you're banded, you're healing and still have some swelling so your band is probably tight enough. Right after the mushy stage, when I was able to start solid foods, I found that I could eat a lot - but that was because I hadn't had a fill yet. Just hang in there - you'll feel much better about eating out as you continue your weight loss journey. You'll find that you'll be able to eat more of a variety of food when you eat out, and will have leftovers to bring home. Best of luck to you.

Coo - you should be able to take Water on your flight if you purchase it AFTER you've gone through all of the security checkpoints. I have done this when I've flown internationally. You know how there are usually little stores close to the boarding gates (like the stores that sell newpapers/magazines) - they sell water. I've also flown several times since I've had my band and haven't had a problem. I always pack portein powder and instant oatmeal in my check in luggage, just in case I do have a problem while on vacation. My band generally is tighter in the morning. It strange though, without having a fill or unfill, sometimes it's tight, sometimes it's not -- don't know why. When I'm on vacation and am going out for Breakfast, I'll either have scrambled eggs or yogurt. Hope this helps - enjoy your trip.

I have a 10cc band and was filled to 11cc - it was OK at first, but then I was having a problem swallowing, so had to have an unfill -- then I wasn't restricted enough -- can't seem to get the right restriction.

When you guys get filled "under floro", does that mean you can actually watch the screen when your doctor is inserting the needle, doing the fill? My doctor does my fills, without floro, then sends me to the radiology department to drink something under floro to make sure the liquid is going through. Does anyone else do this?

Megan - I asked my doctor the same question and he told me not to gain weight - the more weight you lose before surgery, the better shape you'll be in for surgery - I lost 15 pounds before surgery. I don't think my doctor had to submit my lower weight.

I like the Centrum Orange Flavored Chewables. I take the chewable Oscal Calcium + D - they are flavored Lemon Chiffon - taste good. I also take a sub-lingual B-12 and Iron.

Fill question - when your doctor does your fill, are you actually under the floroscope while he's doing it? My doctor does a fill, and then I have to go to another office in the building and drink fluid under the floroscope to see if the liquid goes through OK.

Good advice from TulipStar. I would also bring a notebook and write down all of your questions. Sometimes your questions will be asked by other people attending or the doctor will answer the questions even before they are asked. Most of us are so interested in the surgery and losing weight, we don't even think about the aftercare. You might want to asked if the doctor himself does the fills, are they done under floro, or is the floro done afterwards just to see if liquid goes throgh the stoma. How often does the doctor do your fills. What is the cost per fill and per floro and is the first year included in the cost of your surgery. After the first year of surgery, what is the cost of fills and floro. Are there only certain days that fills are done? Does the doctor have early or late hours so you can come before or after work?

I wasn't hungry for the first two weeks after surgery, then it was almost as if I was pre-band and was hungry again. I was so disappointed - I thought my band wasn't working! My doctor does fills very slowly and told me it's important to heal well so that you don't vomit and have your band slip. So enjoy this time and when you can eat more, make sure you make good choices until your first fill.

My doctor told me to plan on staying overnight, but that I might not have to.

A good scale is one that tells you that you weigh less than you really do! .... ok, so that's my pre-band thinking - sorry! I have a digital scale which is easy to read - I check it against my doctor's scale and it's a consistent one pound difference. I like it because it doesn't take up a lot of room.

My doctor told me that carbonated drinks can stretch out your pouch. At first it was difficult to give up my diet pepsi, but now I don't miss it.

I lost a little hair around the forth month - noticed more hair in the drain when I took a shower. It lasted about two months, then it started to get thicker - it's now in better condition than ever. I think it's because I eat a healthier diet and enough protein now.

I take the Centrum Orange Flavored Chewable Vitamins and Oscal Calcium with Vitamin D - Chewable, lemon chiffon flavored - gluten and sugar free and B-12 sublingual. You can buy them at Target or Wal-Mart - I didn't like taking vitamins before either - these are easy to take.