Bethanyblondie

Alrighty, just called Pam and she answered the phone and said she'll e mail them and get someone to call me. So I hope to have a fill appointment by the end of today. Thank goodness! I hope they will start to get the message that the office is not being run very efficiently now that we're all calling and complaining. Thanks again, Tiffany, for Pam's number!

Thanks for the number! And in terms of an emergency, Dr. Chae did give me his cell phone number when i had my very first consult with him, I think it's in my other purse, so I'll have to get back to you with that. Although I do think Susie on her voicemail greeting does leave a number for urgent calls, so I will check to see if they are the same number or not. Anyways, I will look for his cell for you. Congrats on your hard work, it's nice to see the pounds melt away, huh? I got so used to losing weight since I got surgery that the last two weeks of no loss (and as I said before, actually UP a little now...grrr) is making me anxious. So I will definitely call Pam first thing tomorrow to set up my first fill. Thanks for your help! Talk to you all soon!

hey everyone...I had my second post op with Dr. Chae on July 31st and he was really impressed with my weight loss. I am over thirty pounds down since surgery (I didn't lose any before surgery so this is all since May!). I think I am finally ready for my first fill, have actually gone up a few pounds in the last couple of weeks due to suddenly being able to eat more. And as usual, I have left a few voice mails with Susie and have received no return call. As I looked through the posts on here I was reminded to call Pam...I will look for her number on the website, but JTiffJones...if you have her number handy I'd appreciate it if you could send it to me! I want to get this fill before I back track anymore...I am still exercising several times a week, but I have still gained a little. Just a few pounds, nothing terrible, but I don't want to gain anymore! How are you all doing? How's the weight loss going?

It's funny because I was just ranting in an e mail to a fellow lap band buddy that I need to focus on the fact that I've come so far, and I'm letting this last week of not being so "good" really affect me. For some reason this last week I was just making poor choices and eating too much, and of course, even with my good exercise, I am up a few pounds. So I'm scheduling my first fill because I realized that could be the reason I suddenly can eat more and not think about it. We're all trying so hard and we can't be perfect every day (or in my case, every WEEK...). But I'm giving us all pats on the back for fighting the good fight and being supportive of each other! We can do this!:thumbup:

So literally a WEEK after I see my surgeon for post op appt. #2, and being praised to high heaven for having lost over 30 pounds so far and still having no fill, suddenly this last week I have been eating way more, getting hungry way faster, and have gained like FIVE pounds. WTF? Is it common for the need for a fill to come on so fast? And did any of you gain some weight before you got your first fill? Or your second or whatever fill your on? I have no issue with getting a fill, I want to use this device as it was intended...I'm just disappointed that I sort of felt suddenly out of control this week when I was doing SO good. I've been a faithful 3-4 time a week exerciser, so the fact that I could put on five pounds this week is really disappointing. I know I can lose it again, but I was feeling so "ahead of the game," you know? I will be calling first thing on Monday to make an appointment to get my first fill. Do you think I'm just experiencing a delayed bandster hell since I never experienced one yet? I don't know...just need some support I guess to make me feel better!:tongue::cool:

Glad this thread was started....I got banded on 5/18 and have not yet had a fill because I was getting and staying full so well, and have lost over 30 pounds since surgery. I even saw my surgeon last week for a check up and he still didn't suggest a fill. However, this week, seems like all of the sudden...I can eat more, more often, and even have put on a little weight (a couple of pounds!)! ARgh! Does the need for a fill really come on that quickly?? I didn't notice any of this before like I do this week! Guess I'll be making an appointment to get my first one! I do NOT want to start gaining!

How exciting! I am about ten pounds away...and I am so eager to get there! It's been a good eight years since I've been under 200...and all of us women want to be UNDER that icky number! Great job! You're inspiration for all of us!

I've been going to a boot camp style class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 5:30-6:30. It's SO hard, but I feel so good after I'm done!

You know what...I just read through Cigna's requirements on line and it looks they were just updated on June 15th of this year and it seems they did remove the 24 month proof of BMI requirement! You might be in luck!

That may or may not work...I always used Cigna's website to check the requirements and it did state that you must have proof of your BMI for 24 months. Hope an appeal does work in your case though! Good luck!

You still have to make good choices even with the band...you have to make the choice to eat better and not eat junk. I gave myself six weeks after surgery to heal before I decided to exercise. BUT - by that point I had dropped a lot of weight and actually FELT like exercising! Believe me, you'll feel motivated to do better things for yourself if you are motivated enough to go through all that required to get the surgery!

Mine is a little off to the left just under my bra line...it has never bothered me at all!

My breath was bad for several days after surgery...it eventually went away. It was particularly bad from drinking all the broth!

My surgeon gave me the go ahead a couple of weeks ago to exercise...but he said he is not a fan of "isometric" exercises (in response to me asking about doing abdominal work). He mainly encouraged me to do aerobic/cardio. However, I cannot imagine not doing weight training as well as cardio. I have so much flab on my stomach...I want to know how to tighten it up! Anyone else out there been told not to do ab work by their doctors? And if so...what are you doing instead? Thanks for any input!

Thanks for the info. That definitely makes sense...you aren't really going to see any stomach muscles with pounds of fat covering them! It's hard to get out of that old school thinking that sit ups and stuff are the key to a flatter stomach. Thanks for reminding me that it's having less fat on your stomach that makes the difference! Now I'll feel better doing my cardio knowing it's burning off that tummy! And I do think my surgeon was mostly referring to isometric stomach exercises...the more I think about it that's what we were discussing when he said he wasn't a fan of isometric exercise...I don't think her was referring to weight training in general.

You know you are a bandster when a six inch Subway sandwich now looks like a monster to eat! And I do not have a fill yet either! So far the band alone has helped me lose 23 pounds!:thumbup:

So I've had a couple of Slurpees since surgery...thinking, "Oh, I can get a small one and kind of get that soda flavor once in a while..." I just had one tonight and just decided to check the nutrition online...I had NO idea Slurpees are carbonated! I'm sure you all have discussed this before...but I didn't know! We were told no carbonation for two years after surgery...I drank these Slurpees with no issues...so I'm not worried I hurt my band or anything...but just in case you all didn't know...they ARE carbonated! I will not be getting one again because I don't want to go against what is best for my band health...so I've lived and learned! Say NO to Slurpees!:frown::smile2::thumbup:

That could be true...but on the slurpee.com site it calls a Slurpee a "frozen carbonated beverage" so I am not sure what to think! You're right...the calories alone should be bad enough to stay away...and I think I will. Will just have to find something else to be that "once in a while" treat!

Holy Cow can I relate to having a hard time ever getting through to Dr. Chae's office! I had my surgery on May 18th and have been doing great...but if I could change anything it would be that he would hire an extra person to help run the office! It took me like, TWO weeks to get through to Susie to schedule my surgery after I got approved...it also took forever to schedule my first initial consultation back in January. It usually wasn't until I left an upset e mail or phone message that I would get a response. Frustrating. BUT...I love Dr. Chae. I find him very comforting and easy going. I have lost about 22 pounds since surgery so far. I probably should try going to a support meeting...when is the next one?

I got scheduled for my May 18th surgery about a week and a half ago. I was expecting her to tell me when to start a pre-op diet, and she says "You don't have to do a pre-op diet or anything, until the night before." I was really surprised. It seems everyone on here had to do a pre-op diet. I'm trying to trust that my surgeon knows what he is doing...but I'm a little freaked out that something will go wrong if I don't do a pre-op diet at all....like that on May 15th at my pre-op appointment, he'll examine me and say I have to wait a couple of more weeks to shrink my liver down or something. I weigh about 245 and I DO carry most of my weight in my stomach...which seems to be the most likely candidate to do a pre-op diet. I don't know. I'm confused. Anyone else out there NOT have to do a pre-op diet?

I can still eat just about anything so far, and I'm only a month out from surgery. Although I'm still in the "soft" food stage...but hot sauce and salsa and chili powder and the like go on many of my meals!

Everyone's post op diets are different. I was on liquids for three days, pureed foods for four days, now am on soft foods till a month out from surgery. I too, Sarah, am amazed over how much less I can eat now. I had about two bites of a Breakfast burrito and was stuffed! I think the hardest part is not being able to drink while eating...I was always a "take a bite, take a sip" kind of gal, so this has been tough. But I'm still SO happy to have had this surgery and can't believe I'll eat even less when i get a fill!

I was told to have about 2 oz. every 15 minutes. I don't drink during meals, and wait about 40 minutes afterwards to start drinking again. Some days I feel full after a couple of bites and some days it seems I can eat more. I have no fill yet, but definitely am restricted by the band alone. Sarah - you had dumping syndrome? I thought that only happened in gastric bypass?