lizbuff

Baycity. I had some restriction for a few days only after 1st fill. A little more after the 2nd fill. But at times I can still eat a whole sandwich. Whick I think is too much. I'm due for another fill in about 3 weeks. With each fill the restriction is more and lasts longer. From what I've read it's not unusual to require several fills before you get to your "sweet spot". I am still averaging about 2 pounds a week loss, so I guess I should be pleased. If I got off my butt EVERY day and exercised it may be quicker. Right now I just do water aerobics in the pool about 2 x a week. Good luck!

Yep, guess it's to be expected. i'm just surprised it too so long to happen for the 1st time. 6:30 pm, just had a turkey brat and had absolutely no problem.

Well, guess I'll be staying away from leftovers. That makes sense about the rice becoming sticky after reheating. Fresh only from now on.

Last nite hubby and I had take out Chinese. Shrimp fried rice and some chicken. No problem, it was yummy. Today I heated up some leftovers for lunch. Whoa, big problem with the rice! I now know what stuck is and I know what sliming is. Gross!!! I haven't had problems with any foods since being banded 5/5/08 and I've lost over 33 pounds with 2 fills. Why in the world would the food go down OK one day and not the next? Is this normal? As I was standing over the kitchen sink sliming (I know TMI), my dogs were just looking at me wondering what I was doing. Don't think I'll be trying that again for awhile.:party:

Good grief! I live in this backas**d state!!! I have private insurance thankfully that does cover it. If you look around at a lot of the people here and what they put in their grocery carts, it seems a lot of Georgians believe this BS to be true!

I'm usually not a burper either. But after almost every sip, burp then it goes down. Really weird. I'm on liquids yesterday and today then back to regular. Funny, since weighing yesterday morning and this morning. Down 3 pounds from all the liquids. Of course I didn't get too much sleep last nite. I was up about 5 times having to tinkle out the liquid!

I too got my 1st fill today about 1 hour ago - 3 cc's. Now I'm sitting at work sipping a protein drink. It was not painful at all. Doc sprayed numbing agent on my stomach. I didn't watch but hubby said it looked like a gas he was spraying on. To me it felt cold and wet. He put the needle in, didn't feel a thing. Of course, again I didn't look - just studied the ceiling while we chatted. I did have to sit up with the needle still in my port and drink about 1/2 cup of water. Went down ok. Little sips, but I had to burp each time before it went down. He said that was normal. I'm on liquids today and tomorrow, then just take it slowly with normal food. I only lost 2 pounds in bandster hell. But he said that's not bad especially with a weeklong beach vacation in there. Next fill is scheduled for 6 weeks out.

When you go out to eat with your 5 year old grandaughter and she cleans her kids plate and you have a large doggie bag going home from your kids plate.

I picked up some stuffed flounder from the grocery and baked it at home with a side of green beans. It was wonderful. The flounder was stuffed with crab and tiny shrimp. The 1 piece actually made 2 meals for me.

I was banded 5/5/08 and everything has gone fantastic. Last Friday, 5/16 I was HUNGRY. I called my Dr. office and spoke with his assistant. She said I could go ahead and start on scrambled eggs, soft fish, etc. My 1st f/u after surgery is this Thursday 5/22. Feeling great! Have lost 12 pounds since surgery.

Not only am I going to have to save for new clothes, but new shoes too! I was at the mall this morning and had to avert my eyes in Macy's. Look away, look away!

Oh yeah, shoes are my weakness. About 10 years ago when I was at my ideal weight (size 8) I couldn't walk through a mall without a shoe purchase. I literally had a shoe closet. Easily a couple hundred pair of shoes. When I weighed less I could wear really cute, non-supportive shoes. Now it's mostly clarks, merrells, etc. Can't wait till I can go "cute" shoe shopping again!

Call, call, call Aetna. I called and got the answer right away. No waiting for mailing, faxing, etc. I didn't pester, just called the day that I knew my surgeon faxed the info and the next day. When I called the 1st day, Aetna cust service told me it should take no more than 24 hours. They were right. I don't know if different companies' plans are different or not. My insurance is through my husband's previous company, Dow Chemical. Good luck!

I have Aetna PPO in Georgia and was banded Monday 5/5/08. My surgeon's office was great in getting all the info to Aetna. Once Aetna got all the info, it took less than 24 hours to have approval. That said, I did have to have 3 years weight history, do 3 month supervised diet with my PC and nutritionist and have psych evaluation. The good thing is my surgeon didn't require liquid diet pre-op except Clear liquids the day before surgery. I had to do Atkins-type, high Protein, low carb diet for 2 weeks before surgery. I actually lost 13 pounds on it. As long as your docs are thorough and get everything to Aetna, it shouldn't be a long wait. Good Luck!!

My Dr. told me to drink up until I eat and wait 30 minutes after meals. Not too difficult.

I was banded Monday 5/5 and took a shower today. Dr. said keep my back to the water and just let it run over my incisions. Don't wash with soap, scrub, etc. I took off the bandages and just have the steri strips on now. Dr. said they would fall off on their own.

I can't imagine trying to chew one of those enough to get it to go down. i love swedish fish, gummy bears, etc. but I won't ever be eating them again.

Well, I was finally banded yesterday. I must say it was much easier than I thought. Of course I have gone through 7 other surgeries in the last 9 years so I kind of knew what to expect. I had to be at the hospital at 6:15 am. My personal RN was waiting in the lobby for hubby and I. Took us to pre-op, got everything going and I was back with my hubby in our hospital suite at 10:00 am sipping on Water. The nurses couldn't believe how well I was doing. I spent a lot of time walking up and down the halls. Every time I wanted to go, my nurse Susan, had to come in and unhook my booties, IV, and oxygen monitor. But our room was on a floor by itself with only 8 suites, so there was a lot of personal attention. By the way, this was not in Mexico. It was Floyd Medical Center in Rome, GA. I ate some SF Jello and drank some crystal light. The CL didn't agree with me, made me nausous. I think it was too early for something sweet. They sent me home about 6:30 with my liquid Loratab and Phenergan. This morning I woke up about 4:30 and took more pain meds, but other than being sore mainly at my port site. I've been up and about all morning. Had 1/2 cup of decaf with FF french vanilla creamer and later had 4 oz of chocolate Protein shake. My doc only had me do Clear liquids the day before surgery and the day of surgery. NOw I'm on blenderized to "fit through a straw" consistency. Hubby is telling me to go lay down for awhile since I've been up almost 5 hours and he doesn't want me to overdo it. Guess I"ll listen to my nurse. Just wanted to let some up and coming bandsters and it's not nearly as bad and I thought it would be.

It's fine as long as it's decaf. I was banded yesterday, 5/5 and came home last night about 7:00 pm. This morning when I got up I had about 1/2 cup of decaf with my fat free french vanilla creamer. Yummy! Didn't bother my stomach at all. But of course I only had a little so as not to push it.

I am also being banded on May 5th! My pre-op is day after tomorrow 5/1 and I am so excited. I am ready to go NOW! Good luck!

No, I don't think I had to put any of that down.

Good Luck! I am so excited about my surgery on May 5th too. I get such inspiration from this board and am excited for a slim, bright future!

I was also diagnosed with fibro about 2 years ago. I am scheduled to be banded 5/5/08. In talking with my surgeon and PCP, I know that losing the excess 100 pounds will take a great deal of pressure off my body. I have flares about every month or so lasting usually several days. It may not cure my fibro, but it's got to make me feel better. Good luck!

Flowerpurr. Good grief, I didn't have to do all that. Had Group class with nutritionist and individual consult. Then psych evaluation, 1 x a month with each nutritionist and my PCP. My PCP did do an EKG early on, but that's all for the testing. I don't have any co-morbities yet at 270 and 5'6" (thankfully).

I actually started the beginning of Feb doing the 3 month thing with my PC and the nutritionist. I had to meet with each one once a month for 3 months. The nutritionist had me track food and begin the eating Protein first, then veggies thing. Also get off caffiene, no diet sodas, no drinking with meals. No drinking with meals has been the hardest because I'm eating normal amounts of food now. Should be easier when I'm doing 2 - 4 oz. at a time. Also got me taking all my Vitamins, etc. Good luck. In case you don't have it, the line for pre-cert checking is 800-245-1206.