RestlessMonkey

Then either you are not chewing things well...(It's a learning curve), or you're still swollen, or your doc is wrong. Mine usually nails it because he can tell by the resistance he feels when he instills the saline. I say just enjoy it while it lasts! :crying:

When was your fill? If it was within the last day or two odds are you're swollen. Otherwise, ???

Why will your insurance deny you?

But you stuck it out! You'll be ready for the post op diet too (It too is hard, but it is limited. It will pass) I love carbs too but with the band have found I tend to more dense foods now. Once I finally hit what my doc calls "the green zone" and what on here is called "the sweet spot" I've found dense protein can keep me full for up to 6 hours, where as more processed carb foods don't do that; I get hungry MUCH faster. Since there is such a direct link...cause and effect is VERY obvious...it's easier for me to pick healthier things. :crying: You'll do well!

I think you should probably call your doc and ask for his advice.

If you followed your preop diet, I'm sure you'll be fine. Surgery not performed because of a large liver does happen, but it's rare. AND I think it only happens when you, like I did, decide to do your "own" preop diet instead of the one the surgeon gives you! You'll be banded tomorrow!

I think you should call your surgeon and ask.

I think that just because a surgeon sticks to a fill schedule doesn't mean s/he is unsympathetic. Let's get real here. We are healing, they are they pros. My surgeon very patiently explained to me why he believed in smaller fills spaced at least 4 weeks, preferably 6, apart. In fact, my insurance will only pay for fills 12 weeks apart, but my surgeon did them at 6 anyway with only my copay. There are pros and cons to aggressive fills; I've read a lot of negative science about esophageal spasms and other issues. I think this falls under the "trust your surgeon" umbrella. I DID ask mine why he felt as he did, and he did explain it. I have to say I figured he knows what he's talking about. And now here I am almost 1 year out. I feel MARVELOUS. I am losing great. Since 5/7 I've lost just at 44 pounds. I can eat ANYTHING, in small amounts. I don't have GERD. I don't PB. It is as if I don't even have a band, I just eat less. I think he, in large part, gave me that because of his fill schedule. Don't toss away a happy future because you are suffering a little post op...that's my take on it.

Call and ask your surgeon if there are food restrictions for pre-filling....they all have their own spin on it As to the fill...I'm really big, and my doc doesn't use x-ray, and it was a snap. To be honest, my doc is a miracle worker; he has a great "touch"....but miserable painful fills are the exception, not the rule. I was so anxious to get going!

Careful about the gum...you may want to check with your surgeon. Some (not all!) say not to chew it because you swallow air (more "gas") and also, once you're restricted, because it can get stuck if you accidentally swallow it. Get the all clear from your doc before you indulge. :crying:

VQ do you feel any better today?

I was going to say "Tanita" but I think I may have been the one who said it was great in the other post! :crying: Just fyi when I bought it I was a frequent poster on the WW chat board for super obese people so used that resource to scan old posts about bath scales, plus asked on several forums for people's favorites, and Tanita won hands down for durability and functionality and accuracy. Plus I read reviews on Amazon about it. So I selected the one that worked best for me. You may not need a scale that will weigh up to 440 and if you don't, any Tanita branded scale is likely to be a good piece of equipment. :thumbup:

Approval depends mostly on your insurance company's requirements. You need to know what THEY want, and then try to fill those requirements. Good luck!

[quote=Libbyjane1976;1283706 Restless Monkey I'm right there with you as far as food goes. Except the only thing I am having a hard time with is rotisserie chicken and my doctor said that would be the easiest thing. huh! crazy how our bands work. for me the dryer my chicken is the better. Isn't that weird? My steak has to be really well done. Good for me I like it that way but if it's even just medium well it's hard for me to swallow it! :crying: Good thing I don't like tripe! :thumbup: It's a real trip!

Call and ask your surgeon if you still have saline in there. Unless he told you he was removing ALL of it...you said he removed 1cc, then 1cc. How do you know there isn't more in there? Depending on your band size you MAY still have a good amt of saline in there. Call your doc.

I lost 42 pounds pre- and post-op (1st 2 weeks post op) then SLOOOWLY started gaining back. I had gained back 13.5 of the 42 pounds when I FINALLY found great restriction 5/7 of this year (yes almost 9 months later) Since then I've lost another 40+ pounds putting me down 68 or so. I did NOT diet during the interim. Many who lose before they hit their sweet spot DO diet. It's a personal choice.

when was your surgery? Are you diabetic? Have you had your eyes checked recently?

Check with your surgeon. S/He will have some advice on when you're cleared for what type of exercise.

Yes I agree...it's acid reflux. You need to see your surgeon. Do it quickly because...a small unfill now may save you bigger headaches down the road. Don't wait! Call on Monday, get it fixed pronto. You need to go to the doc. If you don't treat this the acid can erode your esophagus (you might have seen the ads on tv) If you don't want tests just get a small unfill. But this is part of being a responsible bandster...you need to take care of yourself and shouldn't let this go on. You'll pay more, eventually, if you ignore it now. Sorry!

They were both really easy for me. However the gallbladder was "easier" in that, while my surgeon did have a post op diet, it wasn't as severe as my post band diet. With the gallbladder recovery, I did what my doc said but wasn't hungry. WIth the band, I was starved! (worth it, but just wanted to tell you the major diff for me)

It happened to me. However my doc said I was the first that he was unable to band. I didn't follow his diet perfectly and lost 15 pounds anyway! BUT not the right 15. You should discuss your worries with your surgeon. How much have you lost? and you said you followed it "nearly to a T"...what did you do to cheat? That would be something to discuss with him. :thumbup:

how much is in your band? I am so glad my surgeon does not fill during surgery.

It's different for everyone but I have 7 cc's in my 14 cc band. I was good at 6.5 but better at 7. for example at 6.5 I could eat an entire hot dog and bun...but at 7 can only eat about 2/3 of one. Small difference but it adds up! :thumbup:

Are you scared of something specific, or just generally petrified? Being generally worried isn't uncommon, especially for people who don't know anyone who's had bariatric surgery, never had surgery, etc. If you have specific worries we can maybe help answer, or you can call your surgeon on Monday and tell him you're panicked. Normal worry is one thing. A deep fear is something else.

I don't have a kiddo but fixing a meal for a 2-year old can't be that involved (of course I may be full of it to think that! LOL) And the husband ... what about tv dinners? Or leftovers? Can he cook? I was usually the "meal" person in our fam and my husband is so happy to have a thinner healthier me around that he cheerfully has frozen tv dinners, sandwiches, whatever for dinner. He knows he can stop and pick himself up something too. He doesn't care. So I say chat with your husband, come up with something. How you "relate" to food is changing and I'm sure he wants to encourage you to be healthy. Maybe you two could trade out meal duty.