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I just had my first fill yesterday. It sounds like I must also have the same size band, because I was filled 1 cc out of a total of 4 cc. My experience didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. It finally did work out okay, but it made me really nervous. For some reason, he had a really hard time getting into the port. He started by putting novacaine on my stomach and then giving me a couple shots to numb me. Because it took several tries, I ended up having to get the numbing shots over and over. I don't do well with shots - especially when they are in my stomach and burn. (Last night I counted 8 or 9 holes in that area from all the shots.) I began to wonder if my port had turned over or something else was wrong. When I was in the hospital the major pain I felt (besides the gas in the shoulder) had been from the port - the muscle would spasm so bad. I started wondering if it spasmed so bad that it ripped out the stitches and turned itself over. Anyway, I don't know what the problem was - my surgeon mentioned that it was really deep? I can push down and feel it myself, but I don't know where the opening is or anything. Maybe the fat above that area is just really thick on me? My BMI was only a 36 when I started, so I wasn't as heavy as most of his patients, but I know we are all made so differently! He didn't do the XRay at all - maybe that would have been better. Honestly, he seemed surprised to be having this trouble. I have a feeling he is really good at doing this and has it down to a science and I, of course, just have to be difficult. He just had me sit up and drink a glass of Water to make sure it would go down okay and then had me stay on liquids only for the rest of the day. I'm doing great today and just so looking forward to feeling that satisfied feeling with smaller amounts of food! I'm 5 weeks out today and I've lost 21 pounds so far. During that "honeymoon" phase after the mushies and before the 1st fill I was definitely able to eat more than I should have been, but I would make myself stop. I just didn't really feel any restriction, so I'm excited now to be onto the next phase of this journey and able to get down to business on losing this weight! Has anyone else had this kind of experience with their fills? I'm hoping this fill will last a long time because I'm not in any real hurry to do it again. Does anyone have an explanation for it? Maybe it won't be this way next time?

Thank you all for your wisdom!

I was banded 2 1/2 weeks ago (July 13th). I have finally graduated to mushies!!! Right now, it's a small taste of heaven to me after a week of clear liquids, then a week of full liquids. I don't get a fill for another 2 1/2 weeks and I can definitely eat more than I should be. I have been trying to be such a "good girl" and follow my nutritionist's diet exactly, which is only 3 meals a day. He only wants me eating about 4 oz. at a time, but I can eat between 6 - 8 oz. (3 oz. chicken, 3 oz. mashed potatoes, 2 oz. peas for example) and still be hungry. I stop eating, but I am definitely still hungry. I read that this is supposed to be a time for healing and adjusting to my band rather than concentrating on "dieting", so I'm not sure the best way to handle things. Is it better to eat until I'm actually full and only have the 3 meals or is it better to eat the 4 oz. at a time and eat more often? I'm not having anything to drink for an hour or more after I eat, so it's hard enough to time that. I'm trying to do things right - what advice do you guys have?

I got to have Protein!!! I feel like a new woman tonight! I have no idea why the first week of my diet was set up like this - it makes absolutely no sense to me to so limit my intake and especially not to have any protein the first week I am healing from surgery. I saw my doctor this afternoon and told him I felt that I had to have some protein or I wasn't going to make it. He went ahead and okayed me to move on to phase 2 - full liquids. I stopped at GNC for the Isopure drink and have been sipping on it ever since. I also had a little bit of tomato soup for dinner and I seriously feel like a new person tonight! I can't believe what a difference it has made already. Even if I don't wake up tomorrow feeling as good as I do right now, I am so thankful for this moment of feeling like myself again. Thank you all for your encouragement and for pushing the protein on me! By the way, my doctor was excited that I lost 10 lbs. I told him that's what happens when you don't eat for a week. I'll be more excited about it later I'm sure and I know it's just the beginning of much more to come!!!

Thank you all for the advice. I went to see my Doctor today to find out if I could move on to the thicker liquids and add protein. I totally agree that having the protein makes more sense. It was my first venture out alone. I started off the morning so tired and not feeling very well. I barely made it there and then found out my surgeon got called out to help another surgeon try to save someone, so he wouldn't be back until later this afternoon. I was devastated. I rested in the waiting room and drank some cold water there before making the journey back home. It's like 112 here today and really humid (which is not normal in Vegas), so that didn't help anything. Anyway, I'll be going back this afternoon now. The nurses in the office think he will okay me to move onto to the next phase so I won't be so hungry and so I can get some protein - oh God, I hope so! The pain has finally gotten better, other than the occasional hurting. I didn't need any pain medicine yesterday or today at all. The gas seems a bit better also. Believe me, any time I think there's a chance of letting it out, I am not holding back - how gross! I so don't care right now and I've told everyone around me so there won't be any surprises when I let out a belch in front of everyone. My kids now just reply, "Nice one, Mom." Anyway, thanks again for the support and hopefully, I'll have better news this afternoon.

I was just banded in Las Vegas last Thursday, July 13th by Dr. Francis Teng. I was so excited about this and couldn't get it to happen fast enough, but now I am going crazy! I have read this site from time to time over the last few months while in the process and it has been a huge help to me, so I thought I'd turn to you guys for help now. I am SO HUNGRY and miserable right now that yesterday I was so wishing I could just undo this band I fought so hard to get. I am on clear liquids still - 3 x a day I am having 2 oz of broth & 2 oz. of sugar free jello, liquid vitamins and calcium, and sipping water, crystal lite, etc. I guess I wasn't prepared to be starving like this - I mean literally, my stomach growls so much it hurts. I also have unbelievable amounts of gas that don't seem to want to come out even with mylanta - and the bubbles seem to love to be in my shoulder and behind my port. I am so drained and just feel like a limp rag. I just didn't expect to be like this still. I thought I'd hang out with my kids (4 & 7 years old) and relax a bit, and it would be a mini-vacation for me. I am so tired of laying around and I have no energy to do anything. I also feel terrible for feeling this way after I wanted so much to have this surgery. I know it will be worth it later, but I am really struggling right now. I am usually so "tough" and able to deal with things so well, but I am a mess! What can I do to make the hunger, gas, uncomfortableness, lethargy, etc. go away or at least be more bearable? Does it get better when I switch to the thicker liquids? Is there anything else that I'm not prepared for to come? Please help this wimp out!!! Thanks!:help:

I've been banded! My surgery was on Thursday, July 13th, 2006 at 11:00am. I left the hospital the next day at around 7:00 pm. I've now been home almost 2 days. Jon goes back to work tomorrow so it will be my first day "on my own". The pain in my left side is worse than I thought it would be, but not unbearable. The worst part is the gas bubbles that keep rumbling up and down my body that don't seem to ever come out. I started feeling hunger pains tonight. Jon has been so good at getting all my broth, jello, drinks and vitamins all together, labeled and organized in the fridge. He's been a great support to me. My mom stayed at the hospital with me for a long time and then her and my dad, Brittany and Noah came and visited yesterday. Sean, Yvonne and Travis came to see me today. It's nice to have some "fellowship" that's safe and comfortable. I am so blessed with such a wonderful family. I am very excited for the future and a little nervous at times. I realized today that I will probably never again eat a big juicy bite of a Red Robin Burger or anything quite like that again. It will be okay. Whatever I do eat, I will take the time to enjoy and be thankful for it, but it is a little overwhelming at times. I can't wait to be myself again, or I guess it's more the "new me" now.

I've been banded! My surgery was on Thursday, July 13th, 2006 at 11:00am. I left the hospital the next day at around 7:00 pm. I've now been home almost 2 days. Jon goes back to work tomorrow so it will be my first day "on my own". The pain in my left side is worse than I thought it would be, but not unbearable. The worst part is the gas bubbles that keep rumbling up and down my body that don't seem to ever come out. I started feeling hunger pains tonight. Jon has been so good at getting all my broth, jello, drinks and vitamins all together, labeled and organized in the fridge. He's been a great support to me. My mom stayed at the hospital with me for a long time and then her and my dad, Brittany and Noah came and visited yesterday. Sean, Yvonne and Travis came to see me today. It's nice to have some "fellowship" that's safe and comfortable. I am so blessed with such a wonderful family. I am very excited for the future and a little nervous at times. I realized today that I will probably never again eat a big juicy bite of a Red Robin Burger or anything quite like that again. It will be okay. Whatever I do eat, I will take the time to enjoy and be thankful for it, but it is a little overwhelming at times. I can't wait to be myself again, or I guess it's more the "new me" now.