kiz

It's a 9cc band, but fluid can be in the tubing. I just happen to be somebody that needed more than what the stated max amount is to get restriction. If I had to guess how much is in my band, I think it's around 11cc. For my sanity, I stopped counting each fill, because I was so sure I was never going to get good restriction that had staying power.

Don't worry. There are plenty of people, most in fact, that reach good restriction before they reach 9cc in their band. However, if you don't get there right away, it will happen. My doctor kept telling me not to worry, and as it turns out, he was right. :thumbup:

A pressure fill is only offered to Realize Band patients by my doctor. I'm not sure if that's the case with all doctors. He did it in conjunction with fluoro so he could also see how quickly the barium went through. He had a gauge on a IV pole that he connected to the needle as he was checking my fill level. He said it was high (maybe in the low 40s, but I didn't ask what that meant exactly). He said he also had a few other patients didn't get good restriction until that level. I kept a careful list of all my fill amounts until I got over 9cc, and then I started freaking out a bit and stopped. I was convinced I had a leak or some other major issue, because not only did my restriction wane after each fill in just a few weeks, I could tolerate any kind of food, and I could easily eat up to and even more than a cup of food. (My doctor shoots for 1/2 cup meals). I know some fluid stays in the tubing, but that still doesn't account for why I need so much fill for restriction. I can now eat 1/2 cup meals and stay satisfied for four hours, and sometimes longer. I don't pb, slime or have reflux, and I can still eat most every food (even those that some call non-band friendly foods), so I just think I'm sort of an anomaly.

It wasn't until I had over 9cc in my Realize band to get to my sweet spot. My doctor gave me a pressure fill (to measure the pressure wasn't too high), and that was the fill the got me to my sweet spot. In fact, that last fill was only .5cc, but it made all the difference.

If I remember right, I got 4.5cc. That's probably on the upper side for a first fill, but it wasn't too much for me. It took me several more fills to reach a good level of restriction.

The band is higher than you might imagine, as is our stomach. Starting mushy foods in a week is a little quicker than most, but I'm sure it's not all that unusual. Since you obviously still have swelling, could you stand to go back on liquids for another week? You might feel better.

It also took me several fills to get to a level that I had "permanent" good restriction, rather than fleeting. Why so long between fills? Can you get yours moved up?

I always plan to attend, but sadly it doesn't always work out. Right now, it's on my calendar with no pending conflicts. I hope it works out, and we can meet in person.

I'm sorry you're having so much pain, Peggie. I hope it eases up very soon. I just wanted to tell you that although you have glue on your incisions, you probably have stitches that dissolve inside that you can't see. I didn't realize that I had them until one stitch popped out.

Have you told your doctor about your allergies? Maybe, at least for the pre-op diet, you could concentrate on getting in lowfat, lowcarb Protein from other sources rather than shakes. There are some Protein drinks that aren't milk or soy based. I drink Isopure, when I need a protein boost. It's more along the lines of a Gatorade type drink than a thick shake type. I'm sure there are others on the market too. (There was an ad on The Biggest Loser last night, for a powdered fruit flavored protein that they mixed with water). The store I go to carries Isopure, but the first link I found was to Isopure Plus. I don't know how they're different. The Isopure I drink has zero carbs, 40 grams protein, 160 cals per 20 oz. I'm only using it to supplement my diet on occasion, so I only drink half a bottle. I hope you find something that doesn't upset your stomach. Here's a link: What is Isopure Plus | Isopure Plus Ingredients

That's my gut feeling too. I also recovered quickly from surgery, and if this was a best friend's wedding, I'd be more comfortable saying it's a small risk that you won't be up to going to the wedding. But, this being your daughter's wedding, well, that's just too important of a day to leave up to chance for a surgery you can postpone for a few more weeks. I hate to say that, because I know I was very excited to get my surgery done once I decided to do it, and it's a relatively easy recovery for many if not most. Although I'm generally an optimist, I would hold off.

Dave, I know, for me, the first couple days on the pre-op diet pretty much sucked. I felt tired, and I was craving real food. Things really turned around on day three. I think my body started adjusting to the absence of carbs and fat. I hope you start to feeling better soon, and good luck with your surgery. It sounds like you're highly motivated to be successful.

Hi, gramma-0, and welcome to LBT. Your pre-op weight loss is fantastic. That's close to losing three 5 lb bags of flour! Sometimes, I imagine myself carrying the weight I've lost around in a backpack, and I can't imagine how I ever did it. Good luck on you're upcoming surgery, and I hope everything goes smoothly.

The biggest change I made pre-band was to wean myself from the diet coke habit. I don't miss it all now, and will have a small amount every now and then, but I never crave it like I thought I would. As far as not being able to eat the same, that's not always the case. If you're band is tight as a mouse's ear, then yeah, you're going to have to give up many different foods. I was prepared to give up steak, bread, pizza, etc but I can eat all of these foods. Smaller portions...for sure....but I can eat and enjoy them. Some people are just more sensitive to their band than others and maybe anatomy affects it. Also, unless you get restriction in you're first fill, you're trouble won't be *not* being able to eat normal foods. You'll need a bit of willpower for awhile to stick with the prescribed diet. Once you get close to you're sweet spot, it'll feel a lot less like dieting, and a lot more like the literature says. Your hunger should be satisfied with small portions of solid foods (my doctor goes for 1/2 cup portions while others are different).

If you're husband is generally supportive of you through past diets and in other areas of your life, expect him to be concerned that you're contemplating surgery but to be ready to listen to why you think this is the best option. This is not an overnight whim for either us or the people who love us, so he may need a little time to digest it all. If he's the kind of guy that brings home you're favorite brand of _________(whatever you crave most when you're dieting), be ready for him to tell you a 101 reasons why band surgery is a foolish decision and you're going to fail anyway. I hope you find that you're husband is fully supportive of your decision once he gets all the facts. Is there a reason who've not talked to him about it?

I had my surgery September '08. If you can go to the Monday night (2nd Mon of the month) lap band support group meetings, try to attend. They're so helpful, even before your surgery, and there's always people there early or who will stick around after the meeting to answer questions. Some are long time banders, so it's a great perspective. Usually one of the doctors from the two practices comes to the first part of the meeting to answer questions too. The coordinator of the support group is a NP and she is a great resource as well. It's a very informative and welcoming group. Dr. Brengman's two week pre-op diet isn't quite as strict as many doctors (or the other practice, unless things have changed). You do the Protein shakes for two meals, but you're allowed a meal of 4 oz of LF meat, two slices of LF high Fiber bread, and a variety of veggies, plus a fruit. (My memory is terrible, and it might be different now, but I think that's pretty close.) I really like Dr. Brengman because he always seemed to have all the time in the world to answer my questions and to put my mind at ease. I never felt rushed in his office. His NP, Erin, is great too. He has had years and 100s of bands of experience, so you'll be in great hands. Don't hesitate to ask, if you have any questions. I'll be happy to try to help.

tcb, first, check with your doctor to see if he says you shouldn't eat on the plane rather than going by what someone told you. He might have some tips on flight food for you too. I've personally had no problems with eating while flying, but if I were going to Thailand, I would be extra careful about what I eat just in case. You can by water after you pass through security. Buy a bunch. I always buy a few bottles. Bring powdered protein that mixes with water (I happened to catch a few minutes of Biggest Loser last night, and they were advertising a fruit flavored protein that mixes with water). Also, bring along some packets of Crystal Light or other sugar free drink mixes if you think you'll get tired of straight water.

I totally agree with Plain. I knew I had a great doctor after research (and he was recommended from other LBT members). I truly didn't appreciate the importance of not only a skilled surgeon, but the need for very qualified after care, until reading these boards. I've seen many people say they had a bad feeling about their surgeon, but didn't listen to their misgivings and now are sorry because it's often hard to change doctors after the fact. You'll never regret these few extra requirements and delay after spending more time on LBT.

Thanks Lisa! Getting started has always been 1/2 the battle for me. I'm so glad you're feeling a better about the timing of your surgery. My surgeon was Dr. Brengman at St. Mary's. If he is your surgeon, I can't recommend him enough (or his partner Dr. Shroeder). Their nurses and staff have been great too. I've received tons of support, and I've found that their advice, diet and fill regimen works and makes perfect sense.

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The first two days were my hardest, but after that, the cravings subsided. Then I got through the first weekend and realized I was over halfway through. The next weekend was a three day holiday weekend trip with extended family, but I knew my surgery was just a couple days after I got back home, so I made it through unscathed. Little victories made it doable for me. :bored:

Hi Debbie, and welcome to the board. It surprises me that you didn't get a more detailed list of foods you can have for pre-op, but it looks like your post-op diet covers it pretty well. Rarely do two different doctors follow the same pre-op diet regimen, so you should check with your doctor's office for more info, but from what you've written I think you have a good handle on what your doctor wants you do. Be very careful to check for sugar free, low carb and low fat products during the pre-op stage which helps shrink the liver.

Tami, Do you still have your gall bladder? I have to think your doctor would have tested you for this, but did you get tested for possible gallstones? During one of my pregnancies, I started having pain on my right side just below my ribcage that radiated around to my back. Once it doubled me over, but for some crazy reason I attributed to gas. About two weeks after my baby was born, I had an attack that almost knocked me out, and that was when I had a sonogram that showed that I had gallstones. Good luck, and I hope you get to the bottom of this soon.

The fact that you made yourself throw up is much more worrisome than the pre-op diet cheating. Jbg is right, if you have a history of this, you have to tell your doctor. You can seriously harm your band and more importantly, your health, if you have a history with bulimia that hasn't been addressed by you and your doctor. With the band, there's a lot of high calorie foods that are well tolerated. The band is only a tool to help you feel satiety after small meals. If, for instance, you're an emotional eater, it won't stop you from eating a pint of ice cream or a sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. Soft foods zip right through the band. You have to be on board emotionally and mentally for the band to do its job. With proper restriction, the band will help tame your hunger between meals and the urge to eat large portions. But, if you have the compulsion to make yourself throw up to eliminate unwanted food, please talk to your doctor before your surgery.

Hi Lisa, and welcome to LBT. I'm from the Richmond area too. That's a bummer about the scheduling, and I hope you end up getting a date that works for you.