HeatherO

My doctor would never approve and early fill before 6 weeks at the absolute earliest, but 8 weeks was recommended. This time frame has nothing to do with restriction, it is all about healing. You will also find that waiting 3 weeks is not so bad, the time does pass, albeit a tad unpleasantly :0)

My fill doctor has no restrictions. They said I just need to be careful as I adjust to the new fill level and test the waters regarding restriction with the band. I asked about the logic behind it because so many people do go on liquids . . . they said some people are tighter right away, and some take a few days/weeks for their fill to kick in, as long as we are cautious it shouldn't make a big difference. However, I do recommend following your doctors plan, whatever it happens to be.

Oranges are easy for me, even with tight restriction.

There is no hard and fast limit across all surgeons, but some will not want to do riskier surgeries at higher BMI's and may require weight loss first. It is also very dependent on other medical conditions present. It also seems as though people with the highest BMI's are pushed more towards the R&Y route instead of the lapband. However, there are people who have had success with banding at relatively high BMI's.

Kat, I am so happy that Manda has her own room as well. It is hard enough to recover without sharing space with someone you don't know. I have my diabetes test this AM for the 24th week of pregnancy. I had to drink a drink this morning that is basically pure sugar . . . and now the baby is doing backfips and somersaults, lol. I can already tell that sugar will make this little girl bounce off of the walls once she is here.

The true banding adventure begins now after your first fill. You are doing great. Congratulations and happy melting!!!

25 pounds down is awesome . . . congratulations!!!

I also had referred shoulder pain from the diaphragm which was a sharp pain and just awful. It did not really diminish until about 6 weeks out. The odd thing in your case is for you to experience it 5 weeks out but not before. Definitely bring it up with your surgeon.

You will always find people saying negative things and positive things about every last doctor. Do your research and make sure that the doctor is experienced and has good results. Be careful about anecdotal evidence, while helpful to an extent, it can be skewed. You will also find people that will bash anyone who even considers going to Mexico. I had my surgery in Mexico over a year ago with Dr Corvala at Hospital Angeles . . . and as you can see from my ticker, I am doing just great. It was a wonderful experience and I couldn't be more satisfied. I wish you the best of luck.

We all have these blues along the way . . . it is perfectly normal. The incredible thing is, you can lose a lot of weight in the beginning but still look very overweight . . . but when you get closer to goal, a difference of 10 pounds can make a big difference. Just remember that this is a journey and you should be proud of what you have accomplished so far, but also know that this is only the start and you have a lot more celebrating to do down the road as well.

What he said :tongue2:

That was great, thanks for sharing.

I understand this 100%. Eating becomes a cycle of behavioral habits that can be negative or positive. I think overeating makes you tired, causing you to take shortcuts with meals that are not nutritionally sound . . . and then it repeats repeatedly. I am no less busy, but healthy eating is now a priority instead of an afterthought and I now have the energy to follow through with it.

I was fat because I was hungry . . . and relied on fast food too much due to a busy lifestyle. Hunger and impulsive eating ruled my existence before, but now I feel like I have my life back.

I think you are doing great. Banding is not easy at all unless you have restriction . . . and you have not had restriction for very long. I agree, a loss is a loss, and without banding you may have had a gain or at least maintained. You definitely deserve a pat on the back.

This one is tolerable . . . but I still find myself struggling to drink it by the halfway point. It is still a little difficult for me.

I totally agree . . . only a few of them score a little lower or higher on the yuck factor than others. I feel the same way about politics from time to time . . . I vote for who scores a little lower on the yuck factor as well, lol. :rose:

LOL, you are right!!! My perception of website advertisements must be on auto-ignore. :rose::tongue2:

I think there are a few pitfalls that can can cause you to start gaining again. Becoming complacent . . . such as having slider foods on a regular basis. You need to decide what is acceptable in what frequency and stick to it. A special treat a couple of times a month might not harm you, but a couple times a week or day will definitely start moving your weight in the wrong direction. Not weighing yourself on a regular basis. Out of sight is out of mind. If you can stay in the mindset that you have to regroup on your eating plan and go back to basic when ever you move more than 2-5 pounds beyond where you need to be, then you will be OK. Keeping support structures in place. Most of us became obese due to behavioral, psychological reasons . . . we need to stay aggressive in making sure that these are addressed through behavior and reinforced through support structures. Exercise is important for keeping your metabolism revved up. You should make it a part of your lifestyle, not just something you do in weight loss mode or while dieting.

I agree with not wanting my personal weight loss trials and tribulations on TV. They have to wear those ridiculous outfits showing all the bulges, wrinkles, cellulite for weigh-ins. I would feel silly wearing them now even after losing weight.

I think you are too tight without a doubt. Banding is not meant to be an exercise in misery and that is no way to live. It is also common for people to stop losing when they are overly tight because they have to make adjustments in what they can eat so that things can at least go down. I would suggest a tiny unfill, keep eating your Proteins but get in much more veggies. Cut back on the fruit juices or go towards lower calorie or sugar free versions. Up the Water and exercise if you can and it should help you to get back to losing.

I am over a year post-op and unfilled right now. Breakfast - scrambled eggs with a little cheese. lunch - slice of french toast and a banana with a glass of orange juice. About 3 or 4 home fries (very small but just enough to get a taste of them). dinner - Homemade beef stew with potato, eggplant, onions, garlic, beef and a little olive oil. 1 slice of italian bread. A very tiny slice of valentine's day cake that I cooked for my family.

I did it too. I stuck religiously to the approved foods on the post-op diet, but I definitely did overeat on occasion. Everything was fine afterwards and I went on to have success with the band. It is really hard in the beginning to make that psychological adjustment, but it does happen if you keep working on the behaviors. All of us struggle during those early days, just know that it does get better if you keep trying to do the right thing. I wish you the best of luck over the coming weeks. A little restriction will make all the difference in the world.

I had soreness or a burning sensation after surgery as well and I think it was part of the healing process for me. Mine was definitely not a problem. Definitely give your doctor a call just in case. You also want to keep your eyes open for signs of infection. This could be extra redness around the incision, a feeling of warmth around the incision site, swelling, puss or discharge.

Many people are tight in the morning and open all the way at night. I am one of them. I would usually have a shake for breakfast but could essentially eat anything around dinner time. I also noticed that if I took a nap during the day, I would be tighter when I woke up. I think that it is just a normal part of banding for some of us. Port pain can be caused by a variety of different reasons. If the pain is strong or if you are really worried, I would call your doctor again to see if they can get you in. The most common cause of port pain in my case was a change in my exercise routine.