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Riley wow we have all come along way in just less than six months.............this support system has been my lifeline all the way through............. In some ways it has been a crazy long journey and in many other ways it has flown by......... I had no idea I would be banded by now. I was aiming for June or July at the earliest..... A year ago I was just thinking about banding. I was staring my last attempt at WW to see if I could get out of the weight trap on my own...........OMG what a difference a year makes!!

I have had two heavy periods in a three week period now.........I was told it was the estrogen and shock of surgery. Never been so regular in my life thought!! Not sure I am liking it...........LOL.

I like starbucks non fat hot chocolate. Keeps me full awhile.... Also I do the taco bell beans and cheese when I HAVE to do the fast food thing.........but of course you can have tostado shells and those are only 270 calories and the healthiest thing on the menu. I don't eat the shells anymore now with the band.............before the band I would east tostados when I was without my own stuff.........of course I am veggie too........... Good luck Candra you'll be fine.

Hey Pam how are you? Nice to see you back. I think different doctors do things different. Dr. Baggs has me for an appointment at 6 weeks, than I go back in a month and I assume I go back once a month for awhile now.........he gave me 2ccs on this visits, said 1cc at the next visit and than .5ccs at all the other visits. He told me he likes to "sneak up on the sweet spot" and that is why he does it that way. The group fills are for Kaiser convience. Robin was saying she could see 8 lap banders in one day or all 12 of us in 2-3 hours..........and with a group we can all answer each others questions or all hear her answers at once.......She said it was a new thing they were trying and that patients were saying they liked it better. I like it better since it is fun to visit with people and nice to get ideas about what is working for everyone........or not. I think the clothing is a good thing. Riley I could so use the 14/16s and I have a few 20's to give away........hmm with Robin I have no idea. Her and Dr. Baggs seem to have a system. She runs the group him and his nurse do the fills. He comes in and out of the nutrition class doing his thing and calling people out...... It all really does go pretty quick............and I was next to last and I say that!! :-)

Anyone with a fill wake up with it feeling/seeming tighter in the morning? Mornings are harder to eat but it seems to get easier in the afternoon.............my nature snacking time which doesn't help. Is it just me? Hope everyone has a great week!!

I am gonna try some new recipes from my new weight loss surgery book..........I will post anything that is good. Lots of really high protien, low fat stuff...........some of it looks good but some of it is just plain weird.

Cauliflower pizza crust..........hmmmmmmmmm can you tell it is cauliflower or does it really taste like crust??

STill have restiction..............:-) I really had to watch portions sizes. But I am strarting to know BEFOREHAND now when to say when..........I really can't eat much if I want to keep from PB'ing..............this band is so weird one week I can eat to much the next just barely on the edge of what I think is enough.............but never mind I should not ever be the judge of what is enough given where I am coming from!! Nite ladies........

Nicole I bruise all the time too. I have them on my arms and legs...............don't know where I get them all. I thought the heparin but it has been a long time..... Nicole I might bring my daughter to the appointment on the 25th but I would still love to carpool.............

Hey Nicole you are gorgeous and I hope you have a great time down there!! Girl you must be almost to goal now!! Another 10 pounds and I will be HALFWAY there!! :-P You won't slow me down Candra. I went to the gym yesterday and I am out of breath after 10 minutes. I really need cardio work!! Chris happy early birthday!! I emailed Dr. Baggs yesterday and let him know about the surgeon section and that his stats are empty.....also let him know he MIGHT have some positive comments posted on his surgeon section. He emailed me back today and said he had seen it and likes it and our groups enthusiasm.........again he likes that we all hang out!! Not sure why he is working on a Sunday!! We'll see if his stats get updated....... Off to the gym ladies.............I really hate going still. I am ok once I get there.........Candra I have biggest loser workout music on my IPOD......part 1, 2 and my fav 80's hits..........I got it on Itunes........Riley I am not addicted to exercise yet when does it kick in??

I was banded on April 13, 2009. I lost 25 pounds in the four months pre op on Kaisers diet. AFter surgery I went down 12 pounds the first two weeks. Than went up and down 3-4 pounds the last four weeks until my first fill. Very frustrating for sure. I got my first fill on 5/28/09 and I have lost three pounds already. I am not hungry and I can only eat 1/4 a cup........I know this now because I have had several episodes with PBin in the last few day!! :-) Now I know I am back to 1/4 cup...............and losing again. I also got discourage with the RNY group and the fast lost. I wanted that too without al lthe side effects!! LOL. But hold on it gets better

Best thing I have done for myself so far!! Not totally pain or hassle free but so worth it. I am only 6 weeks out and only 40 pounds down out of 110 I needed to lose but if this is the best it gets and nothing more than it was already worth it. Anything extra is a huge bonus. I have my life back in just the four months I have been working with the bariatric program.............

Riley do you know the fill schedule? Once every month for how long? Than how many times.....every three months, than every six? Hmm interesting but it makes sense..........

Well Riley we have all lived through........well I am not so sure I have lived through it yet............a 2cc fill. I just think to be fair to you you need to have your turn!! ;-P Honestly I didn't even try to eat again tonight but I am so thirsty and I am getting naseaus from water tonight. Sip, sip, sip........not big drinks. Pam didn't this happen to you at your last fill in January and you got used to it again? Wow this is not want Dr. Baggs said would happen. He said I would probably not feel this one. Ah so much for statistics I also have to be outside the norm..........LOL.

Ah Christine you are my weight loss idol!! I bet you will do it!! Girl you beat all the odds on weight loss, you amaze me. I want to be like you!! :-) I don't know how to rate Dr. Baggs. I tried that already. I think it is a brand new forum I just saw it today. So Dr. Baggs said to "tell your friends" cause I was wondering the other day what happens when he has so many bandsters that he is doing fills all the time and nothing else?? He was really back to back appointments the day I was there. I would be disappointted if he stopped doing the fills. He is to fun to joke around with.... Oh I did take a lap band book in to my fill appontment that had him as a recommended surgeon!! He had no idea he was in there but wrote down the name of the book!! I think he liked seing his name in print..........weird they recommended him but didn't tell him about the book.

Riley I bet next fill for you is 2cc fill!! ;-P

PB'ing is when eat to much and fill up your new stomach and also your espahaugus.............and your espahageous starts contracting and pushing it all back up...........but it is not exactly throwing up either it is a uniquely bandster thing............. Is is called Productive burping or PB'ing............I was so sure it would never happened to me. LOL. I have so much to learn Maybe I will come over to vallejo sometime we could have a girls day.........fitness related...........ah did I really say that!! Ok by than I will LOVE exercise and it will be ok!!

Hey Riley. I agree we might not need fills. Right now I DON'T want more of a fill!! I would love to get a protien shake or something but they are addictive to me so I will wait an hour and than out comes the vitamin water 10 my new addiction. I got stuck 2x yesterday and 2x today........I have to measure my foods now. I think I overestimate 1/4 a cup. This ia all good for me just makes me feel like I don't know what I am doing. Relearning it all.......... Sheena I think RNY can have the same problems but your really newly out of surgery and still on liquids.....I think you guys get the dumping and we get the PB'ing. Glad your feeling better. I was talking naps the whole first month............enjoy them!!

HEy all there is a new part of this forum for doctors. Dr. Baggs (Fisher, Parks and IM too) has a forum where you can rate him as a doctor and make comments on what you think of him as a surgeon!! Pretty cool. It is a new part of this forum. Of course I gave him a good review but thought everyone might like to go over there and make their own comments!! Go to home/main page........than NEW surgeon by state .......california.........Richmond and Dr. Baggs is first on the list I think...........

Riley how funny we are both in the same place. I am used to being able to get away with more like I was without the fill. I think your right head hunger is playing with me big time right now. I made a vegetarian tofu thing and veggies tonight......last week no problem. Tonight only half and I am not even sure this is 1/4 cup and I am sick instantly...... And you know that crazy thing.............my head still thinks that my stomach wants to eat the rest!! But I know my stomach can't handle it. It still looks yummy sitting on the plate!! I should NOT even want to touch it after getting stuck and sick!! ;-P So I am getting used to this fill but I feel like it is pretty tight fill right now..............lets hope I start dropping the weight since I know for sure I am barely eating right now. I think I went from no restriction to a pretty good amount overnight. No wonder I felt so tight that first night I should have paid more attention to that and maybe I would be in less trouble today!! No wonder they say protiens first after that there is not room for anything more!! Forget salads for awhile I guess. Hey Nicole and Christine how was your last fill? Are you guys getting full really quick and getting stuck too?? Hope everyone is having a great weekend out to the movies. Needless to say no snacks!! Hey Candra I will come walk that hill with you are you in Sacramento?? I really need a hill to walk!!

I have been PB'ing today everytime I eat. OMG I just threw up my whole dinner.............this restriction is no joke. When they say 1/4/ of a cup that is it period!! This is the first time I have every serious threw up with the band and hope it is the last. I worry about the band slipping but OMG that really, really hurts....................I had no choice!! I can see why people would resort to liquids if this happens for very long....... Gonna be careful as crazy as it sounds I would rather be here than where I was a week ago with no restriction at all............... Ah Riley at least I was home and not at a resterant!! It could have been worse. So serious I am at 1/4 cup not a bite more!! I am a bad girl I guess.........my eyes are bigger than my stomach right now!!

I had surgery with Dr. Baggs through Kaiser Richmond on April 13, 2009. I can't say enough good about him. Very professional, very capable doctor and his sense of humor and good bedside manner is a huge plus. Made me feel very comfortable in what could have been a stressful situation. He also is very quick to respond to questions and knows is very educated on all the answers. I totally trusted him as a surgeon and he rocks at fills for all you future bandsters out there!! I think all the surgeons at Kaiser Richmond are great but I would definetely recommend chosing him as a surgeon and give him a very high five star rating!! The Richmond kaiser program rocks and is very good about covering all aspects of bariatrics including the psychological aspects and nutrition which is important. All Richmond Kaiser/North Cal Kaiser patients that are looking for a support group do a search for Richmond Kaiser at the top of the page. We have a community social group and Richmond Kaiser forum where we all stay in touch and meet up. We also have a bariatrics support group at Kaiser West POint in Sacramento the 4th Saturday of the month that is awesome!!

I had surgery on April 13, 2009. I just got my first fill on May 28, 2009 and am loving my band!! Not regrets no going back. I have lost 40 pounds and have never felt better. My weight has also been lifelong as well. I had to do this for my health. I needed a drastic change and this was what it took. I did go through bandster hell and than my emotions about my band were all over the place but I knew to expect that we all go through that. I am losing weight again and have restriction now!

Reggie I think we all go through that stage. I lost 12 pounds in the first two weeks than nothing until this week after my first till...........I was so careful.........well the salads was my bad.........but how bad is that. I just got so stuck and so discouraged. Bandster hell. I will tell you that the fill has made a big difference for me. I really, really can't eat alot without feeling it......the last two days. I only eat a very little and if I take another bite I am hurting....................I am trying to figure out what amount works for me now.........so just hold on until you fill. I am sure I will be ready for my next fill but for now this band thing is working...........I have eaten very little the last two days but I have not been hungry. So hold on................ And Reggie yep I get an achy port when I eat. Weird I know. The last two days I can feel the band. Sorta in my chest and back when I eat............. So hang on everyone waiting for a fill!! It has made me love my band again...........

I had my first fill two days ago. 6 weeks post op and I was still swollen. But it did not hurt. I was numbed first. Seriously no problem. Just a weird sensation when they hit the port and I felt the Fluid go in the band wich was seriously weird.........I felt the band tight all afternoon and that night which was uncomfortable but not painful. I do have a nasty bruise above my port but it doesn't hurt. No big deal!!!