smilin_apple

Well I am back! It has been almost 7 months since the last time I posted on here. I knew that would happen as a matter of fact if you look at my first post I even put on there that I wasn't very good at doing something continuously. Oh well all that matters is that I have come back to post again. Well like I said it has been about 7 months since I have been on this blog, and about 5 months since my surgery. I am down about 36 lbs since surgery and a total of 68 lbs since the beginning. I have had my ups and downs with my friend (the band) throughout these last 5 months but definitely more ups than downs. I am just now really getting back into my excercise on a more regular basis but I am still have really bad days when it comes to the pain in my back. Which at times really hinders me from working out as much as I would like to. I am really hoping that one day I will be able to relieve at least half of the pain I feel on a daily basis. I pray about it and just have been trying to leave that one in God's hands. I have also been very involved with my church more lately. My daughter and both are and we are enjoying it very much so. I need to get back to work now so I will come back later to write more.

I wish I could help you...I had mine done through Kaiser. I do know of a site I belong to on yahoo groups called Sacramento Valley Bandsters. It is a group that consists of other Bandters here in Sacramento that have had their surgeries as long as 5 years ago and as soon as last week... here is the link... Sacramento_Valley_Bandsters : Sacramento Valley Bandsters They're all wonderful; some of them used Sutter, and some used another doctor or two here in Sacramento. Log on to this site when you get a chance; they are ALWAYS willing to answer questions. Hopefully they will be able to point you in the right direction. Goodluck getting the information you need!

This is why I love being on this site...not only do I get to vent when I really need and I don't feel like anyone is putting me down to build themselves up; but I ALWAYS feel uplifted! Even when I don't post anything and just read along it really helps me to see that so many others out there feel like I do, and I have no reason to feel isolated. I wanted to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone on here for helping me to feel better today!!!

Oh ok...well I probably will see you then. I come a little early since I am driving from so far; depending on traffic sometimes I get there 30 minutes early and sometimes right on time. How has the drive been for you? How often do you go? I have gone every month since November, and I am finding it to be extremely tiring! I hope I don't need too much of fill next time especially if he is conservative; because I don't want to have to argue with him over it.

Welcome Sanks!!! That's right Candy!!! I just realized that recently and it still manages to slip my mind sometimes. The Lord is in control of all and it will happen in his time not ours!

Sorry to hear that Dianne...but I do know what you are going through I have had one unfill myself. But he only took out .6 cc's which helped. From what I hear it might have been the fact that you were stressed as to why the 1 cc he took out wasn't enough to let the water go down. I know that sounds weird; it did to me the first time I heard it but the band is on a muscle and when you are stressed or tired; I know for me it has made it extremely tighter than normal. I hope you are doing much better soon! I will say a prayer for you! Hang in there!

Thank you and that is the right attitude to have Rose! Keep it up!

As for me I have lost about 35lbs since surgery. I have had 4 fills and 1 un-fill. I started with about 2.8 cc's in my 10 cc band @ surgery time. In January I had my first fill and was brought up to about 4.5 cc's. In February I had about 1.7 cc's put in which brought me to about 6.2 cc's. I thought at this point I was pretty good..for the first 1-2 weeks I could barely eat anything! Then it relaxed enough that I was getting hungry only 2 hours after eating. So my surgeon decided to put just a little bit in and he put .3 cc's; the grand total at this point (March) was 6.5 cc's. Well after one week of barley being able to even drink water I went in for my an un-fill. Becuase of any possible swelling he removed .6 cc's of fluid which brought me back down to 5.9. Well after only 1 day I was able to eat almost anything and I felt like I was ravagin looking for food!!! I was felt like I was starving all the time. So this time he brought me back up to around 6.4 or 6.5 cc's again and it feels PERFECT for now! I say for now because I think after a week or so I might be hungry again; but I certainly hope not. I really do hope this is my last one for a while. Sorry to ramble on but it has been a while since my last post on this thread. I noticed all the other November bandsters haven't posted in a while either. I hope everyone is doing well!

Hey I have May 6th @ 10:30...this time with Dr.Le...Typically I see my surgeon Dr.Alami, but things have been crazy busy with him and he doesn't have anything left in May open for fills. So for the first time I have to see a different surgeon. I am kind of nervous about it. WHo does your fills???

Just a quick correction....actually it is always on the 4th Saturday of the month at Point West Kaiser. This month it will be the last Saturday but I wanted to clear that up for future months. Some months have 5 Saturday's and in that case it will be the 4th Saturday. As a matter of fact I am going to this one! I haven't been to the support group meeting since January and I really need to go. By the way; how are you doing Vicki? Congrats!!! It looks like you are getting extremely close to your goal, I am so happy for you!

I had mine done in San Francisco but it was through Kaiser in South San Francisco. They covered it 100%. I only had to pay my normal co-pay's ($15; that I pay anytime I see a doctor) when I saw my surgeon, psychiatrist, nutritionist, and head of bariatrics, but all the classes were co-pay free and so was the surgery.

I'm hanging in there... Dr. Alami is great but my band has been a little testy sometimes. I have had 3 fills so far. I started with about 2.5 cc's in my band at surgery. In Jan he gave a me a good sized fill which brought me to 5.0 cc's or so. Then Feb he put about 1.2 cc's which brought me to a total of 6.2 cc's. I was doing good after the first 2 weeks. I was losing about 2 lbs a week, but I was still getting hungry sooner than I would have liked. So in March he put in .3 cc's to bring me to 6.5 cc's. Well I was PB'ing, slimming and throwing up all week long. So I called him on Saturday after my fill and he had me drive down there and do an unfill. Well he took out .6 cc's which brings me back to 5.9 cc's ( he sid it ws to account for any swelling I have from the last fill. Well now I am wayyy too loose. I get hungry 1 hour after eating and I eat about 2.5 cups of food at each meal. I go back in one week from Monday on Apr 7th and I hope I didn't gain any weight!?!? I am confused on how much I should fill this time though. I was thinking only .4 which will take me to 6.3 tighter than 2 months ago but less than the highest fill. I hope it will be enough though.... I feel like I am starving ALL THE TIME! My stomach literally growls at me every 1.5 - 2 hours after eating. :confused2::tongue_smilie:

VickiJ, How are you doing? Haven't talked to you in a while on here...hope all is well with you.

I am so excited today!!! I finally recieved the official paperwork in the mail from the courthouse today about my divorce. Even though we seperated over 6 years ago we have been dealing with the legal stuff for over 4 years now, but I finally got it DONE..... The Judgement says it was signed by the Judge with a Dissolution date of March 25, 2008!!!!

CONGRATS Neveragain!!! I wish you both the best! Denise, Do you have a lot of restrictions on your Eharmony? When I first did my free profile I had only listed 3 preferences... State they lived in, Race, Height.... and I was only received 3 matches in 1 year. Then I re-adjusted the prefernces and I now get about 3-4 a month. I haven't become a paid member yet. Only use it when they have those free communication weekends. But that will be my next goal. Also a little side note...LISTEN TO YOUR GUT!!! I have been in and out of the internet dating sceen for over 6 years and I have realized that in the long run our gut feelings are always right! Goodluck!

Hi all!!! I am sad to say I was wayyy too tight that week after my last fill. I actually had to go in on Saturday (the 9th of March) after the fill and had an unfill done of .6 cc's. He only put in .3 cc's on monday the 3rd of March; but he said that he had to take out more to compensate for any swelling. I was having a hard time eating ANYTHING for that week. I was barely even getting down 16 ounces of water too. I am too loose now. I still can get things stuck if I don't chew good enough but I am getting hungry about 1.5-2 hours after eating. I go in again on Apr. 7th so I think I am going to ask for .4 cc's. Because before my last fill I was at 6.2 cc's and he filled me to 6.5 cc's and that is when I was too tight. I am now at 5.9 cc's ao I think 6.3 will be good for me. We will see what he does. On another note I just got back from Hawaii yesterday and it was a blast!!! I think I even lost weight on vacation which is very exciting for me... I will find out for sure when I go see my doctor on the 7th.

I actually went in on Saturday after the fill and had an unfill done of .6 cc's. He only put in .3 cc's but he said that he had to take out more to compensate for the swelling. I was wayyy too tight for that week. I was having a hard time eating ANYTHING for that week. I was barely even getting down 16 ounces of water too. I am too loose now. I still can get things stuck if I don't chew good enough but I am getting hungry about 1.5-2 hours after eating. I go in again on Apr. 7th so I think I am going to ask for .4 cc's. Because before my last fill I was at 6.2 cc's and he filled me to 6.5 cc's and that is when I was too tight. I am now at 5.9 cc's ao I think 6.3 will be good for me. We will see what he does. On another note I just got back from Hawaii yesterday and it was a blast!!! I think I even lost weight on vacation which is very exciting for me... I will find out for sure when I go see my doctor on the 7th.

Do any of the ones that just started posting on this thread use Kaiser in Northern CA?

I did get a small fill on Monday of .3 cc's.... I am at a total of 6.5 cc's now. I have been taking everyone's advice on this website and am really slowing it down. Even when I drink Water I have to "SIP" I leave next week for Hawaii....so I hope all is better by then.

Thanks for the warning... I did get a small fill on Monday of .3 cc's.... I am at a total of 6.5 cc's now. I have been taking everyone's advice on this website and am really slowing it down. Even when I drink water I have to "SIP" I leave next week....so if I am still too tight right before I go I might go get an unfil of .10 or so. I do...I notice it is MUCH worse if I don't get enough sleep or I am stressed. Which makes me nervous...because my whole day is messed up if I don't sleep. I have a problem with chicken most of the time, but steak (med-rare) and fish work best for me when I am eating solid proteins.

Well I got a fill... I got .3 cc's I am now at 6.5 cc's total. I am feeling ok...but not eating much... I was able to get down about 4 ounces of watery cream Soup yesterday over about 1 1/2 hours or so. But I only drank about 16 oz of Water throughout the day. I know that was bad for me but I was having a hard time getting it down. I think I am getting the hang of it now. With the continued prayers and God's help I know I will have it down in no time.

Thank you so much for all the information! I really really appreciated it. I did get a little fill...he put in .3 cc's and I am now at a total of 6.5 cc's. I am back to liquids again, I didn't think it would be this bad again but it was. I am really having to think even when I drink water. I can only sip, yesterday I took too big of a sip/gulp and it hurt like CRAZY...I ended up slimming and the water came back up. I managed to get down about 4 ounces of supper watery cream soup that took me an hour and a half to drink. But I was concerned yesterday because I only managed to get down about 16 ounces of fluid. The part that sucks the worst is when I have to take my back pain medicine...I even tried breaking the pills into ity bity pieces but it still gets stuck....last night part of it came back up because it hurt so bad. I will take your advice to heart and I am going to look into getting baby utensils and placeware, like bowl and plate....maybe that will help me. By the way how long have you been banded? I noticed you are around half way to your goal! That is awesome....CONGRATS!

Yeah my Doc said it is different for everyone. I have heard of people who have been at their "Sweet spot" and their band was only 1/3 full. I know for the first two weeks it was bad like twhat you are dealing with Imonmyway. I couldn't even get a whole glass of water down without having to drink it over about 30 minutes. I just finished eating and it was a Swedish Meatball Lean Cuisine. I was barely able to get the whole thing down. The last few bites got stuck for about 20 minutes...boy did that hurt like crazy!!! I just don't know if that is the amount I am suppossed to be eating or less. Does anyone know what the approx calorie intake should be? Like I said before I am right around 1300 a day right now is that too much? I guess I will find out how much I lost this month on Monday. By the way I was extremely tempted to go in to have an unfill after a week of throwing up everything and only being able to eat at night. I was thinking at my fill on Monday to ask for only about .5 cc's instead of the 1 cc I got last time. Any suggestions or comments???

Thank you so much!

I'm in Sacramento, I have pretty much lived here my whole life except for the couple of years my dad was stationed in England when he was still in the Air Force; when I was a baby.