EmmaWang

I just had my second fill this morning. The PA only gave me 0.5 cc, which really disappointed me. She said that she didn't want to hurt me by giving me too much. The port access also went deepter than last time. It took her 4 shots to find the port access. After my first fill, I was able to keep everything down and I was eating larger and larger portion at each meal (7 OZ of meat plus 3 OZ of vege). I felt I could eat more than before the fill. So I was really expecting this fill to be somewhere likes 2.5 cc to 3 cc. Even with 0.5 cc, I am still put on a liquid diet for two days. I could tell right now that there is not that much difference in restriction. I am scheduled to going back again after two weeks. I am going to beg her to give me more next time.

Hi All,

Thanks for sharing your stories and offering advice, I am soooo grateful to know that it's not just me! I had a second fill today of 1cc to make my total 5ccs in a 10cc band. I've been having some difficulty swallowing and hope that once the feeling goes away (tomorrow???) it will lead to better restriction that I can still handle.

Miriam,

How are you feeling today? Are you still having difficulty swallowing? Do you have great restriction now?

wintobethin, I think your surgeon does very small fills if you are only at 1.5 cc with 2 fills. I think you definitely need to get a third fill and this time you could ask your surgeon to give you a bigger fill. I only had one fill, but the PA gave me 4.4cc, yet I also don't have any restriction. I am eating large portion meals. I too gained 1 lb back last week. I heard once we reach sweet spot, the weight will come off like Water. Let's hope we reach the spot as soon as possible.

Annie, there is a theory out there that you should get another fill. Because you have some restriction but not enough restriction, the food got stuck in your esophagus instead of passing down to your stomach or stay in your pouch so you feel full for a good amount of time. The theory is that you should get another fill so the restriction is enough for the food to stay in your pouch for a good amount of time instead of getting stuck in the esophagus. I don't know if this theory is right or not, but you should talk to your doctor about it.

Hi, I am 32, no kids, live in Maryland. I lost 16 lbs on the two weeks pre-op liquid diet. I was banded on 03/09 and got my first fill on 04/09/09. Even though I had a fill (4.4 cc), I only felt some restriction in the begging 3 days. I lost 5 lbs in that 3 days. Then I haven't been able to feel any restriction at all. I could keep everything down and I do eat a lot each meal (probably 6 OZ meat, 2 Oz of tofu and 1 Oz of vege). I gained 1 lb back last week. I am also frustrated that I am not losing weight as I wish I could lose a steady 2-3 lbs each week.

footballmom, one time slip is okay. We all probably do it once per a while. Don't feel guilty about it but stopping slipping into eating comfort food now. I heard from several other people in the forum that once we reach our sweet spot, we will have restriction and the weight will come off.

Dnna, you are supposed to have a fill today, aren't you? How did it go? Do you feel restriction now?

Hi, thanks for sharing your story with us. I am going through some difficult time lossing weight after my first fill. I don't feel restriction at all. On top of that I feel could eat more than before the fill. I am still making healthy food choices, but I am definitley eating probably more than 2 cups of food at lunch and dinner.< /p>

I am in the same boat with you two. I also had my first fill last week, but only felt restriction the first two or three days. Starting this week, I've been able to eat more and more, even though I still make healthy food choices. I eat less than before the surgery, but the difference is I am staying away from the rice and bread as well as the sweets. I am not losing weight, I definitely need Portion Control.< /p>

Hi married, how are you doing with the fourth fill? Does the 6 small meals keep you full? Are you losing weight now?

dmbrn, have you had your second fill yet? Do you have restriction now?

I got my first fill last week - 4.4 cc. I felt somewhat restricted on the two days liquid diet following the fill. However, after I started on the regular food. I felt no restriction at all. I could keep everything down and I don't have sip Water at all. I feel like I could eat more than before the fill. I could eat 6 OZ of meat and 3 Oz of vege at dinner and feel hungry again in 3 hours. I lost a few pounds on the two days liquid diet. After at, the scale stands on a standstill point. My doctor also allows up to do a fill every two weeks. So I am going to to get another fill next Friday. Hopefully this time I would feel the right restriction.

I've also got my first fill last week - 4.4 cc. I felt somewhat restriction on the two days liquid diet following the fill. However, after I started on regular food. I felt no restriction at all. I could keep everything down and I don't have sip Water at all. I feel like I could eat more than before the fill. I could eat 6 OZ of meat and 3 Oz of vege at dinner and feel hungry again in 3 hours. I lost a few pounds on the two days liquid diet. After at, the scale stands on a standstill point. My doctor also allows up to do a fill every two weeks. So I am going to to get another fill next Friday. Hopefully this time I would feel the right restriction.

Just banded, thanks for the advice. You are right, I forgot about the morning sickness and nausea at the pregnancy. Good luck on losing another 20 lbs. Hope you succeed soon.

WOW, you guys have been doing such a good job in losing weight. Congratulations to you all. Diane, you lost almost 100 lbs in just 7 months. Awesome! I am still far from hearing people telling me "you look fine now. You don't have to go on anymore". Instead people always pat me on my should and say "keep up with the good work and don't let me catch you sneaking upon sweets". LOL. In another perspective, those who have told you that you had lost enough are kind of reminding you how successful you have been. Forget about what they are saying to you. Enjoy your great success with weight loss.

Thank you very much, Stacy. I've moved my second fill from 4/29 up to 4/24 since there was a cancelation at my doctor's office. Luckily my doctor's office allows us to come in for a fill every two weeks until we reach the sweet spot. I don't know how many fills are going to take me to reaching my sweet spot. Hopefully it will come soon. By the way, how's your exercise routine? Do you exercise 5-7 days per week?

Hi, I too before banding could eat all the things you listed in your example and some more sweets (cakes, candies, pastries etc) throughout the day. I also plan to get pregnant next year after I drop the majority of my excess weight. I am thinking just to get it the band half-unfilled at the time. By letting the band half-unfilled, it wouldn't be very tight so we could eat more for the baby. On the other hand, the band wouldn't be completely loosen up that we end up losing control over the food intake again. Is this not the right way to do it? Do we have to unfill all the Fluid in our band for the pregnancy?

Dan, I am with you there. The majority of my weight loss was also from my pre-op diet. I've had my first fill on 04/09/09. But I don't feel any restriction at all. Somehow I feel I am able to eat a bit more than before the fill. I lost a few pounds on the two days liquid diet after the fill, then everything stalls. I am not losing anymore weight. Sometimes I wonder if I need to go back to liquid diet to get the scale moving again. I am also waiting desperately for my fill to reaching the sweet spot. Hopefully and really hopefully, like everyone else, once we reach the sweet spot, weight will come off of us really smoothly and steadily.

Stacy, Congratulations on your 36 lbs weight loss. That was an amazing number. I am just wondering were you able to lose any weight after the first, 2nd and third fill? I just had my fist fill on 04/09/09. I don't think I have restriction at all. I could eat 5-6 OZ meat and 3 OZ of vege at a meal then feel hungry again 3 hours later. I was only able to lose 3 lbs on the liquid diet after the fill. From later last week to this week, I haven't been able to lose one ounce. This is pretty frustrating. So I am wondering if the same thing also happened to you before you had the fourth fill.

Well my doctor also wants me to eat daily 70 gram of Protein and 30 grams of carb. However, I've only had fill and there is little restriction. Therefore I do eat maybe 2 cups of food at lunch and dinner (combination of meat, tofu and vege). However, the carb from the eggs, non-starchy vege and tofu add up to 65 gram per day. Sometimes I wonder if I am eating way to much tofu and vege.

I had firt fill, 4CC on Friday, could eat what I wanted on friday night and since have little restriction. Will go back next thursday for another fill.

I had my first fill 4.4 cc on 04/09/09. I have no problem getting everything down as well. I also have little restriction, but I won't be able to go back until 04/29/09. I am not losing weight this week, are you?

Sometimes I would feel some lower back pain, it comes and goes, not always the same spot, it moves. I think it is gas pain though. I also felt lower abdomen pain after dinner. After I took the Gas-X. It got much better.

And how about the first time you could cross your legs comfortably?

I wear scrubs for work and buy them at a clothing outlet nearby. I used to take size 2X, but as I lost weight I had to buy some new, first in large, and next (I thought) in medium. I usually pick out tops and pants and try them on at home. Well, the tops were okay, but the scrub pants still looked baggy. I couldn't possibly be a small! I packed up the pants and went back to the store. This time I picked out one pair of small and tried them on before exchanging all the mediums. Well, people, the small fit! Gosh, darn I haven't been a small since I think age 12 maybe, if ever! What a rush!

I am in the same boat as you were still wearing size 2X. It must be such a wonderful feeling to be able to fit into a size small pants. Congratulations! I am so looking forward to the day when I could fit into a size "small" pant or size 6 pant. I haven't been able to wear size 6 since high school.

La38, sometime we have to change how much we eat and what we eat to boost the metabolism up. I had two weeks pre-op liquid diet and on it I lost 16 lbs. Then I am supposed to stay on liquid for another two weeks after the surgery. I only lost 6 lbs on the first week, and 1 lb on the 2nd week. You see, even if we are doing liquid diet, after a while, when your body got used to the same amount of liquid as well as thinking we are in starvation mode, it will stop losing. So yes up your calories intake. Regarding the first fill, your doctor will ask you how much you are able to eat now and what is your weight loss progress is like. Just tell him the truth and he will decide if it is time for you to get a fill. You could also alternate your exercise routine. Change around your exercise time and see if the scale will start moving again. I am also struggling to lose weight too. My first fill only gave a little restriction that I am still able to eat 8 OZ of food each meal and 2.5 - 3 hours later, I feel hungry again.

Well I also have blue cross blue shield. My doctor was in the network last year, however he left the network this year. I do have out of network benefit, which means I am responsible for 20% and the insurance is responsible for 80%. My surgeon billed the insurance for $9,000 (I know this is crazy, but they always try to bill for a huge amount as insurance always cuts it down). In the beginning the insurance allowed around $2,000. Then all of sudden, I got the EOB that the insurance said that because they have not received the medical records (not sure what exactly they are), they are not allowing any amount to be paid. For now, I am responsible for all $9K. This is absolutely absurd. I called them twice before the surgery to make sure that they cover it. They said that it is okay to proceed and I don't need a pre-authorization since it is an out-patient surgery. This is also the answer that the surgeon's office got. The office has also submitted all the necessary documents and medical records to them. Now the insurance said that they don't have any record of that. Anyway, I am going to call my surgeon's office again and ask them to submit whatever medical records the insurance required from them. I just hope this issue gets resolved soon.

Finally my scale moved down. I just pray that I won't ever gain them back.

Name___________StartWeight___CurrentWeight______Goal_________ToGo

****************:tongue:*************:tt2:************ ********* :smile:***

AmethystJade.......231.8..........212.........150.......62.0

Babe...............308............278.6.......199.......79.6

Bellaperdente......196............177.........150.......27

Bklyn1984..........317............253.........165.......88

Bostongurl.........190............186.........133.......53

Brandy.............198............181.........166.......15

Cappy..............240............227.5.......130.......97.5

Chocolate_Snaps....244............224.........175.......49

CubsGirl17.........147............135.........130.......5

Clarebear08........192............176.5.......160.......16.5

Donna113...........183............172.5.......126.......46.5

Ebonie.............307............307.........200.......107

EmmaWang...........241............210.........140.......70

FalloutGirl........282............278.........165.......112

FeliciaLevy75......200............194.........140.......54

FlordiaPete........413............380.........300.......80

GratefulHeart......226............199.........135.......64

GuyMontag..........325............295.........200.......95

health4life........279............239.........150.......89

inri09.............287............254.........185.......69

janesays...........225............199.........160.......39

kimaly.............194............183.........160.......23

Lindar172..........246............222.2.......150.......72.2

Linksmom...........234............234.........145.......89

LocomotiveEngineer.311............311.........220.......91

Long2BThin.........216............188.5.......169.......19.5

lotzasunshine......270............257.5.......180.......77.5

Loveislovely.......216............194.........175.......19

ltgordon...........284.8..........250.5.......185.......65.5

lucyavery..........205............205.........140.......65

Mair...............231............222.........140.......83

Mamanmidwife.......264............260.........200.......60

mdgarcia31665......220............220.........165.......55

MissNilsa..........180............180.........132.......48

nicolerose.........365............288.........258.......30

Rhea2d.............283............233.........185.......58

Sandra267..........220............220.........165.......55

Tabithan...........240............240.........200.......40

Tuger..............192............187.5.......130.......57.5

Under200...........242............199.........155.......44

vzghj3.............202............202.........150.......52

Wendy_Wo...........242............218.........142.......76

WOWOX7.............173............157.........125.......32

Thanks, after the walking, the soreness does go away. Sounds like I should keep up with the good tradition in our office and continue to walk with them for 50 minutes a day.

La38,

I think the problem is you are hardly eating at all. Your body thinks you are starving to death so it automatically slows down the metabolism. How many calories are you eating per day? If you are eating below 700-800 calories per day, you should try to bring the calories back up to 800 calories per day and see if the scale will move again.

If you are not able to eat a cup of food at each meal, my suggestion is not to get a fill. But do give your doctor a call and hear what he has to say.

My co-workers have organized a power walk everyday around 1:00 PM. They would walk about 45 minutes - around 1.5 miles. I joined them today. I tried to catch up with them as they walked faster than I did (they are all taller and slimmer than I am). In the course of walking, I felt the area to the left of my incision / port (my port is located right above the big incision) sore. It was bearable soreness. I am just wondering if it is okay to continue walking with them even though I might feel a little soreness around my port area.