Pattypoo1

My Dr also asks all of those questions. However, Since I am his first APS bandster, he always goes and gets his notes and follows Inamed's suggestions for fill amounts. He even showed it to me, because the first fill he wanted to bring me up to a total of 4 and I wanted 5. I got 4 and also have NO restriction. I am eating more now than ever. My second fill is 1/14 so I think that's when the suggestion is 5...

My Dr has you lay flat on the table. He finds the port, does the fill, holds the needle in while he moves the table so you are in a sitting position. You then drink half of a big cup of water. He then puts the table flat, and then keeps going so your feet are higher than your head. He asks about reflux. Then he flattens out the bed and if you still have no reflux, he removes the needle. He has his hand on it the whole time.

I don't care what people say...I did this for me. After being called Fatty Patty all thru childhood, I just laugh at whatever comments people have. I have a hardened shell. I will have the last laugh eventually. When I went to my 10 year high school reunion back in the 80's, I felt like I had the last laugh because all those people who made fun of me had nothing to show for their lives as far as accomplishments. I was far more successful than any of them. Don't let comments get you down, let them say what they wish. Focus all that energy on yourself, you deserve it.

You can also take some claritin

I was told that drinking cold liquids the first 3 weeks can cause spasms. I could only drink room temp liquids. I had some MAJOR pain like that, way high up, under left breast last week and narrowed it down to the tomatoes in my salad. I think it was the skin clumping up at the stoma. Will peel all veggies from now on. It would be very scary for spasms to happen out of the blue like that. Maybe they can give you some dicyclomine for that. (bentyl) until it passes.

Oh yeah, I tried Redux also...

The breathing diet??? You mean there's a diet out there that I haven't tried? I remember in college doing some diet (Scarsdale maybe?) where you had to eat fruit for 3 days, and then move on to something else. Well I didn't make it past day 3. I Passed out... Calories in/out doesn't work for me. When I consume less than 600 cals/day I don't lose. Has to be 800-1200/day to lose for me. So why does Atkins work for me??? It always did. My cholesterol dropped 40 points on it. I ate lean meats...not a lot of really greasy stuff as my stomach couldn't take it. But I ate constantly, many many calories and still lost. The minute I added a green salad, I stood still for days. I think there are so many myths out there. That thing you put around your waist and hook up with batteries and it is supposed to burn calories for you! That's in the garbage. Another myth, anyone try ZetaCaps!. The gastic bypass pill. After 2 days of Shi**ing my brains out, I read the label. SENNA. No wonder. Then there was husband #2..."Why don't you just quit eating so damn much?" Gee, why didn't I think of that 30 years ago, I think you are on to something. The only real truth out there for me is to divorce chocolate. (It worked for husband #2) If I get rid of everything chocolate out there life is good. Anyway, the portion contol thing works well, hence the band for me. When I finally get some restriction, the portionn sizes will be controlled, and there you have it. I think every fad diet is a myth. There's something to this thing called sensible eating and sensible portion control. Thank GOD the band will help me do that.

Took mine about a month to go away. When DR saw it, he said, OMG, did I do that??? They were really bad.

OH Tracy...I have been stuck at 200.8 for DAYS. I wanted Onederland for Christmas, didn't get it. I thought for sure by New year's, but I had a run in with some chocolate. DAMN, I am afraid to get on scale. I think I'll wait till New Years morning. The damn choc will ruin it. Christ, I've got to get away from that.

I was walking around a lot for a couple hours after surgery...up and down the halls of the hospital. Felt OK after I got home. It was day 2 that was bad. I want to say seclude yourself, but you will need to be out walking around, especially if you have some gas pains. You won't feel too much like caring for the children...take the help.

You have to have proof that your surgery was your treatment for a specific disease. Below is an excerpt from the IRS code: Weight-Loss Program You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). Since the word OBESITY is in their code, they recognize that as a disease, so I am covered. I had no other problens, HBP, Diabetes, etc... Looks like the proof for obesity would be easily obtained from the surgeon, as someone stated already...

Mine was $15,500 in Tampa. That includes one year of fills and all visits for one year.

Peanut Butter is not a liquid. Therefore, your stomach, or pouch, has to move around to try and digest it. You are not yet healed from surgery, so think about what is going on down there. The band hasn't "settled in" yet. You need to stay on liquids so that the settling in can happen. Then afterwards, when it moves around during digestion, it's scarred into place. I know the liquids are hard. You have to change your mindset. This time is for healing. Let the pouch heal. I don't mean to be critical, I have been there. We all have. Just think about the reason for the liquids, in the long run it will help to prevents slips and erosions....It's weel worth another couple of weeks. BTW, I did 3 weeks Optifast pre-banding, then 2 weeks Clear Liquids, and 2 weeks full liquids post-banding. SEVEN weeks of liquids...Looking back, yeah it was hard, but I am so grateful I stuck it out.... Good Luck!

I had to do clear liquids for 2weeks and full liquids for another 2 weeks. Keep sipping constantly, and the popsicles work as a liquid. I

OMG, I can't believe this. I used to drink 2 diet ginger ale's every night. Now I can't and oh I miss it soooo much. It was the only thing that would quench my thirst.....I am salivating just thinking about it...

Of course asking the Pharmacist is always a better idea, as we know more about drugs than the Doctors do. If it is the Metformin XR or ER, absolutely do not crush it. If it is the plain metformin (no letters after it) they can be crushed and taken with water. I think I would put it in applesauce or something sweet(kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it) I know it probably tastes horrible. If you take it and do not breathe, chase it with any liquid, you won't taste it all that much. It is when you finally breathe that you will taste it.

I don't have a myspace

I am 8 weeks out and have noticed the last few days a mild pain right underneath the left breast. It's like a stitch you get when running. It is constant, but gets worse if eating or drinking anything. I have had one fill (12/10) and have 4cc in an APS band. I thought maybe I was eating too much or too fast, but since it happens when I drink, I don't think that's the case...very strange. Is this something to be concerned about?

Down 15.5 since banding

Hi, the pain is really high up -it's at least 6 inches higher and to the left of the port. Kind of where the stomach is located, but off center. I took a gas-X today, and then another before I ate and I think it's better. I have been burping so much, that I think it might be referred pain from trapped gas. It does seem to be better...

I am dented too. I'd rather see a dent than fat...it doesn't bother me....

I have psoriatic arthritis. I stopped the plaquenil about a month before surgery, and haven't taken it since. I have tried to leave off the mobic, but I just can't. My right pinkie DIP joint is so swollen and the rheumatologist said it is totally deformed and will always be. I think this is from stopping the mobic. It's a tough decision, ruin the stomach, or have enormous joints...I figured the fingers would be likt this eventually, so be it. My back pain is nearly gone, and foot pain is not too bad. I have had no immune problems with having a foreign object in the body. Dr says they implant these in people with autoimmune diseases all the time. It's tough to put the NSAID's into the stomach though as you know it isn't a good thing. I guess it's a tradeoff that has to be done...

I had mine 11/1...It wasn't that bad at all. I took tylenol with codeine for 2 days, then I stopped, didn't need it. Port site was never sore like everyone else. Just a little weak for a couple days, but that passed when I got some calories. I had shoulder pain for a couple hours, that passed too. No gas pains at all after that. I was very lucky.

Wow, we are all dealing with this issue. I am a sweetaholic. Here is my take on all this. I have embarked on an eating plan for life. I am not dieting. I am changing my eating habits. My new eating habits must contain some sweets. I have had my sweets for the last week or so. I have put on 3 pounds or so I don't know exactly how many. That's fine, my weight wil be up and down forever. I don't feel badly about that at all. I've done it, now I will move on. I will make better choices, and I will move on. I am in no hurry to lose, it will come eventually. My main focus is my eating plan, and if I want a week's worth of sweets at Christmas, then that's what I'll have. So What? My clothes still fit. I am now over that eating frenzy, I have bought some precooked chicken hunks, lettuce, and tomatoes. I will be perfectly happy with salads for a while. Don't worry about the "slip up". I am allowing sweets if I want them. You have to think long term...Do you panic when a stock in your retirement plan loses value? Same thing. Don't panic. Stay calm. Let the cravings pass. We are all dealing with the same issues, however thanks to LEXAPRO, I can deal better this time around! Now, think of my situation...I am SOOOO close to 199, I wanted to be there for Christmas. That's not going to happen due to the eating frenzy this week. I will get there in a couple of weeks, and that will be "sweet". LOL.

I HATE needles. He used the lidocaine on me, which really was a little teeny pain, and I didn't even feel the burning. After that I felt NOTHING, I mean Nothing at all. The whole process was virtually painless. After the lido wore off, about 2 hours later it was a little sore that night, but I really didn't let it bother me. All that worrying for nothing.