momof4

The fills were included in my price for the first year with my doctor and two fills at the hospital if I needed fluoro were included for the hospital's part of the package. Everybody is different and I don't think that because one of his patients still feels restriction after 6 months that I should still feel restriction too. I hate the whole assessment part of his answer. What's there to assess? If I don't have restriction, then I don't have restriction!!!

Help!!! I was banded on June 9 with an Inamed and have had no fills since my surgery. After my swelling went down, what restriction I thought I had went away. I have only lost 1 lb. in the past 4 weeks and I keep going up and down a pound or two. I just called my doctor's office and asked if he would give me a fill at my appointment on Monday. I was asked if it was a "fill appointment". I told them it was my 7 week follow-up. They said that he probably wouldn't give me a fill and that he'll want to assess the situation before he gives me anything. I'm so angry because I had this surgery so I wouldn't have to starve myself or feel hungry all the time. My doctor thinks I should have restriction even without a fill. He told me that he has one patient who's just over 6 months with no fill and still has awesome restriction--well good for her, but I don't!!!! Can I demand a fill? And what do I do if he still won't give me one? Tricia H

Mandy - I apologize. I didn't realize that you hadn't been banded yet. I thought you were talking about the gurgling you get for the first two weeks after surgery!! I didn't have to do a liquid diet before surgery so I can't help you with the pre-op diet. Hopefully you'll get help from some of the others here. There's another thread that is similar to yours and DeLarla had some good advice to that person. The thread is under Support and titled Banded one week ago and I'm starving! It was dated 7-06-05. DeLarla really knows how to help people and she's so supportive!!!

CathyCat - When I felt like I was failing at this whole band thing, I decided to start journaling everything right away on a notebook and kept it in my kitchen. That way before I even ate anything, I already knew how many calories, fat grams, Protein, etc. I had eaten for that day. I also started marking down how many ounces of Water I had already drank and most of the time I was under what I should be drinking. Besides doing that, I got up had my coffee, then an hour to two hours later drank my Atkins Protein shake. At lunch I made myself a two egg omelet and put a slice of Kraft 2% cheddar cheese. I had a string cheese, applesauce (s/f), or a piece of fruit for a snack and then ate whatever I wanted for dinner, but made sure to track the calories I ate. I know that sounds like a pain in the butt, but it helped me get things under control. The key is to just stay ahead of the hunger.

First of all, the gurgling tummy probably isn't hunger. The key to the liquids phase is to continually be drinking something. When you're finished with one, start another!! You will be extremely tired for the first week or two after surgery. I know that the first week I had to go to the store or to the mall for graduation gifts and I would come home and sleep for 3 hours afterwards! By two weeks out, I was almost normal as far as energy. Matter of fact, I was eager to get started on my walking, etc. You can do this!! Just 8 more days. Remember, drink, drink, drink!!! Good luck, Tricia H

Jennifer My doctor's office did something similar to me after surgery. I was supposed to schedule a one week post-op appointment. When I called to schedule on Monday (didn't get released until Friday after office hours), they told me they were completely full and couldn't fit me in for 3 weeks!!! I explained that if he was soooo busy, then perhaps he should put a halt on performing more surgeries until he finished taking care of the patients who had already had surgeries (and paid him). Then, the office manager got on the phone and put me on a one hour standby. I had to sit by the phone and wait for them to call, then I had one hour to get there!!! Can you believe that sh*t?! I got the phone call and went to the office ready to tell him what I thought of his policies and learned that he performs surgeries on Thursdays and won't let his office staff schedule any appointments and will only see follow-up patients until he's out of surgery. Sometimes surgeries take longer than anticipated and he doesn't want his patients waiting in his office for hours!! Turns out, one of his surgeries on that day took two hours longer than expected so he saved me time by working this way. Boy did I feel like an @ss!!! The first office clerk I spoke to didn't know why she couldn't schedule me (she was new) and didn't know that little detail!! Tricia H

Colleen - Best wishes and prayers going your way. Tomorrow will be a new beginning for you!! Congratulations!!! Tricia H

Alex - I try to boost my Protein with either shakes or Protein Bars too, but it seems that most of the protein bars have a lot of carbs. How many carbs do the Atkins bars have and also, where do you buy yours? Tricia H

If you trust your doctor and think that he's worth the wait, then worst case, you just delay your surgery by a couple of weeks. I know the anticipation is nerve racking, but if you really believe in this guy, then it'll be worth the wait. It's kind of weird that it took us all years to put on the weight, but we are all impatient when it comes to having our surgeries and then how fast we lose the weight--at least I am!!! Good luck!! Tricia H

I don't think it's a sign that you shouldn't be getting the band, but maybe you just chose the wrong doctor. It can be frustrating with all the obstacles that can and will get in the way before surgery. Add that with the anxieties and fears you have and it leaves us all with doubts. I am 6 weeks post op and as of last week was down 14 lbs. It was the best decision I've ever made. Be prepared, you're going to go through ups and downs about whether the surgery was worth it, but in the end, you'll be glad you did it!!! Tricia

HotLikeHer- Thanks for the info. I cheated and said that my upper GI was to check for ulcers, my ekg was because of shortness of breath, and so on. My insurance paid their part, but was left with $100+ for each test ordered. thebestme - That was very helpful information! It was my understanding that mine was a packaged deal, like Dr. Pleatman's, so I'll definitely be calling my doctor's office! Thanks ladies!!!!

OK, now I feel cheated! The office manager told me that because I was self pay that she was giving me a really good deal. I paid $17,000 for mine, but now, I'm getting billed for all the pre-op tests, along with $200 for the psyche evaluation and $250 for the nutritionist (who didn't help at all), so I've probably paid close to $19 or $20,000!! Sad thing, I'd do it all over again! Tricia

I also was banded on June 9. Two weeks after my surgery I went bowling and I thought I pulled some stitches in my port. My doc didn't think so because he said that he stitched my port down in four different places. I was in severe pain (even cried all night) for about a week and a half. I just did as little as possible. For a whole week I didn't even walk. I didn't bend (I squatted), I didn't lift anything even remotely heavy and just took it easy. Now, I can't even tell I ever had any pain. They pretty much say that it's not a problem if your port turns and unless it's truly bothering you and the pain doesn't go away, then they won't do surgery to re-attach it. If you read the threads on "burning port" under general lap band discussion, there are some posts between Donali and myself. Donali actually had surgery to readjust hers, but my pain did finally go away. Good luck!!! Tricia

My doctor told me not to do any kind of crunches or ab exercises and no weight training for at least 3 months after surgery. They want to make sure the band is in tact and completely healed before you risk jarring your port loose or slipping your band. That's just what I was told though. Personally, I can't wait to be able to do ab exercises, but I would rather be safe than sorry!:cross-eye

Did my weigh in today and I'm down 1 lb. I'm at 189!!! Finally broke into the 80's and I can't wait until I'm in the 170's!!!:Bunny

It took me at least one week for most of the bloating and gas to go away and another week to be completely down. I was sooo happy after the two weeks and I didn't look pregnant anymore, but that's about the time that the restriction left too!!!

I weigh in on Thursdays because that's the day I had surgery and I chose to continue weighing in weekly on that day. I will weigh on the last Monday of the challenge. Hope it's okay!!! Tricia H

Ladies- There's something called "certain dry" that you put on your armpits at bedtime only. This stuff works good but only if you use it every night. If you miss one night, you'll sweat again the next day. The good thing is, it works the very first time you use it. The next morning, you shower and put regular deodorant on and no sweat!! I haven't been able to find it at a Wal Mart of KMart. I buy mine at an Albertson's grocery store and paid $11.99 for one bottle. Expensive, but worth it!! As for the bad breath, try gargling or swishing with listerine every morning and before bedtime. After a couple of days, you should notice a difference. Good Luck!!! Tricia H

Thanks Leatha and Karen!! I asked my doctor how many calories I should be consuming a day and told him what my journal said I was eating and he told me that was fine. I guess I get a little impatient sometimes. I am losing, just not as fast as some of the other June Bandsters. I will increase my calories to 1000 at least and maybe that will help jump start my metabolism. The support I have found here has been my lifesaver!!! Thanks again............. Tricia

Hi flower- I too was banded on June 9 and I have never felt restriction. I have a hard time ever feeling full (or just not hungry). I have to use a lot of discipline to stop myself from eating too much because I don't reach that point of satiation. My doc won't see me again until July 27 and even then I don't know if he'll give me a fill. I keep a journal on everything I eat (time of day, what I eat, and the calories I consume) and that's how I control myelf. I have been holding myself to around 700 - 900 calories, I walk about 3 miles in 50 minutes at least 5 times a week and I still have only lost 13 lbs. At least you are seeing results!!! I'm starting to feel like I wasted my money because I just can't imagine doing any better than I'm doing without starving myself completely!! Let me know how you feel after your first fill. Tricia

Donali - You have been so encouraging and supportive of everyone, I wish there was something I could do to help support you. I know it must be hard without the band, especially after having one--heck it's hard for me right now and I have my band (just not filled yet). I never have felt any restriction with my band and often wonder if my doc even put one in, but I do have the scars to prove it. Anyway, my point is, that becaue I have no restriction, I have to discipline myself to stop eating before I feel full or satiated. I do okay most of the time, but still fall back into wanting to eat when I'm not hungry and eating more than I need to. Hang in there for a little while longer. Maybe somebody will come up with a new surgery (one with no erosion) in the next few years!! Tricia

I lost 2 lbs. so I'm at 190 now. I actually weigh on Thursdays because that's when I had my surgery so I just continued my weekly weigh-ins on the same day. My 2 lbs. was as of last Thursday. I had a bad couple of days over the weekend so I am probably up 1 lb. right now.

Soonergirl, you are sooo funny!! I am 3 1/2 weeks post-op now (on pureed), but when I was on the Clear liquids and then the full liquids, I remember thinking, "Just give me something to chew on, I promise I'll split it out!!! LOL :laugh It is very hard, but I went through a lot of sugar free popsicles and during the full liquids stage, I made my own smoothies and put my Protein powder in them. YUMMY!! Homemade smoothies have more calories than the Protein drinks so you have to be careful as to how much you drink, but they were great! Tricia H

Donali, I think my doc is just so sure that it couldn't possibly be that I busted a stitch because he thinks that he was extra careful by stitching my port in four places, but I am 3 1/3 weeks post-op and since last Saturday, I am still in pain. It's different than the burning. It's certain ways you twist, reach, sit, stand up, lift up my left leg (lol) to get in my car, etc. I'll just continue to try and take it easy, but at this point, I'm frustrated because I just want to LIVE!!!! I can't believe that you lost your band. I feel for you--I can't imagine the anguish you feel, but you can continue because of the things you learned while you had the band. Go back to the basics--don't deny yourself anything, but keep it in moderation and remember portion control. You've been through so much already.:cry I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!! Tricia H

Donali, thanks so much for responding. It makes me feel a lot better because I do still have pain. Believe me, I know what pain you're talking about when trying to turn over in bed or even get up. I have to sleep on top of my comforter, sheets, etc. for that extra padding or else it still hurts. Like I said, I had nights where I cried the entire night wondering whether my weight loss would be worth it. I feel pain on the side where my port is and on up into my ribs--sometimes it's worse than others, but it is getting better. You have made me feel so much better, thank you. I got the feeling that my doc wasn't listening to what I did because he was insistent that he didn't think it was the port. I can't actually see the port sticking out, but I'm pretty sure I can feel it moving around, especially when lying down or trying to get up from a sitting position. You have helped me so much!! I'm so sorry to see that you had to have your port removed. I wish you luck on your continuing journey!!! Tricia H