marfar7

I have to agree. You probably wont feel much restriction after your first fill. It also took me 33 fills (about 5 mths) before I felt restriction. I lost maybe 4 lbs during that time. I didn't measure my food or count calories and I ate just as much as before my band. The 3rd one did the trick for me tho. The lbs startingmelting off.. Good luck Marci

I WISH I would have lost my boobs first! I've lost over 100 lbs and only lost 1 cup size (started at 248 and a 44$DD. Down to 146 and 40DK). Im still top heavy. I wear an 7/8 on the bottom and an XL on top. I wish Id lose more of these boulders! Marci

U se Torani all the time. Right now I have sf coconut. The only place I've found this particular flavor is at food 4every Less. The stats r: Serving sz: 2 TB Calories: 0 Fat: 0 Sodium: 5mg Carbs: 0 Sugarts: 0 Protein: 0 Really its like adding splenda to ur coffee. I luv the syrups! Especially sf coconut and sf caramel Marci

It also took me 3 fills to feel any differrence. Good luck! Marci

About the port visibility: At first, when I weighed 250, you couldn't see my port. I could just feel it on the left side of my stomach. As I started losing weight, however, the port stuck out more and more. Now that I weigh about 150, the port sticks out - you can even see it through clothing. It doesn't bother me a bit. My husband calls it my "contraption". Unless you're looking for it tho, you can't really notice it. Good luck to you! Marci

I started having severe nightime reflux at Christmastime. I let it go for 5 mths before seeing my dr cuz I was afraid he'd take it out and I'd gain all my weight back! In May, I went in a they found a minor slip (instead of resting on it's side, mine was flattened out). They took out 1/2 of my fill and let me rest for 4 weeks. The reflux went away. In June, he put in 1cc without doing another xray. 2 weeks later, upon my complaint that I didn't have enuf restrcition, he put another 1cc in. I then went out of the state on vacation. About 3 nites later, I started the severe reflux again. I just saw my dr again yesterday and they found it the same as May on the xray. He took the 1cc that he gave me last time out. And I'm fine now. I guess that 1cc just brought me to where I had symptoms. He treats the symptoms, not the xray. I hope your band is fine. What are your symptoms? Marci

I'm hoping mine rectifies itself without further intervention. He took 1/2 of my fill out in May, hoping it would go back in place. Then started slowly refilling it a month later, without a followup xray. After my 2nd fill (making it 8cc), I started having really bad reflux again. Thus the appt yesterday, when looking at my xray, my band hadn't corrected itself. But I've always been able to eat and drink fine. I go back in a month to check it again, unless my reflux hasn't gone away, then I'm to call right away. I actually brought my suitcase with me, just in case they decided to do surgery, I live 3 hrs away. I was glad when he decided to not do surgery. Can't imagine being on the 4 week liquid diet again. And this time, I'm married, not alone. I'd have to watch him eat while I drank my meals! I hope I don't lose my band too. Thanks! Marci

Hey everyone, Well, had my appt yesterday for the slip I STILL HAVE from May. It never changed. Even with the unfill and refill. I had 8cc in my 14cc band and since I'm able to keep down food and liquid, he didn't see a reason to empty my entire band. He said he's treating my symtoms, not my xray. So he took out the last 1cc fill I got about 5 weeks ago - the one that took me back to the horrible nightly reflux. Anyone else with a slight slip who's dr just unfilled a little, hoping it'll go back into place? Last nite, I was able to eat ALOT of dinner, thinking I'd lost all my restriction. But today at lunch, my restriciton was back. Thank God. And I slept like a baby last nite. But I just don't see how it's gunna move back into place by itself. It hasn't moved at all since my May xray. I'm a little paranoid, but feeling so blessed that I'm not losing my band. Anyone out there with a dr like mine? Who doesn't really freak out at slips (unless they're bad ones that cause me to not be able to keep anything down)? He seems to think it'll pop back into place on it's own. Marci

I think your insurance also looks at your co-morbititiys when accounting for the payment for the lapband. Even tho arthritis isn't listed as one, per se - I'm sure your arthritis gets better at a lower weight. My insurance said "a bmi of >40, or >35 with at least 1 co-morbitity. I have a spinal problem that requires me to take a few different meds everyday. Some of those meds are notorious for making you gain weight. But I think they mean like a lb or 2 - not 100. I don't seem to have any problems anymore with these same meds. I've even cut down on my antidepressants - to 1 a day instead of 3 of them. Cut down on my blood pressure meds too. Thank God! Just wanted to tell you that I think you have a chance at getting the lapband paid for even with a BMI of <40. Make sure your dr puts in your record how your arthritis would benefit you at a lower weight. Good luck! Marci

Actually, to be honest, Im sometimes jealous of the amount of food other people can eat. Especially on holidays. Its not like Im drolling over watching people eat, cuz I seriously have no more interest in eating. I just sometimes wish I would drool a litte. Does that make sense? It doesn't really to me!. But, no, normally it doesn't bother me to sit and watch others eat. Usually by the time Im done eating, my husband and friends are waiting on me to finish so I don't usually watch others eat. Good luck! Marci

For me, the green zone is where I eat about 10 bites of any given food (never measure or weigh anything) and I'm full. By full I mean I can't eat another bite. I was at the green zone after my 3rd fill unti about 8 mths ago, when I lost 100 lbs and had to have another fill. It's been so so ever since. I'm really seeking that same "zone" again, as I still need to lose about 15 lbs. Good luck! Marci

"Found a hospital with a barbaric surgeon on staff, but of course by the time I was admitted, he was gone for the night." Sorry, no advice. I just had to laugh at the typo, I think! Is it sposed to be "bariatric surgeon" or did you actually mean "barbaric surgeon"? Thanks for the LOL! Marci

I couldn't wait for mashed potatoes. I just bouught the ones from the deli, already made. Just needed to heat them up. I savored every bite. Especially having been on liquids for 4 wks. I think u can also have scrambled eggs, egg salad, tuns salad, cottage cheese, etc, can't u? I could on the soft diet. I've never heard of making mashed potatoes with cream cheese. Sounds good, actually Enjoy ur food. Glad to hear ur progressing Marci

I have hypothyroidism and have been banded almost 3 years. The loss of over 100 lbs hasn't affected my dosage of Synthroid, however. They do blood tests for my TSH every 6 mths or so and find it perfect, no reason to change my dosage. I've heard alot of people say that their dosage goes down with weight loss tho. So yes, I have it and have been successful! Good luck to you! Oh, I've had it for over 8 yrs now. Marci

Yes, you're in "Bandster Hell". It's the time after surgery but before you find your "sweet spot" of restriction. It'll happen. You have to be PATIENT. I know how hard that is. You had wls, you want the pounds off now. Unfortunately, it doesn't work this way. I hate to tell you, but you probably won't have restriction after this 1st fill either. Maybe, but probably not. It took 3 fills and 5 mths for me to get restriction. I lost maybe 4 pounds during that 5 months. If you follow the rules, measure out your portions, exercise, act like you actually have restriciton, you'll have more success. Or you can just do what I did - wait till I actually have restriction before losing. Good luck with the patience! Marci

I agree. It took me almost 3 yrs of regular vomiting to slip my band (not telling you to do so, however). I doubt if it'll slip on your first vomiting episode. That said, I definitely don't recommend vomiting regularly. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Sometimes it happens. Marci

It's been almost 3 yrs since my surgery. I still remember that starving feeling of liquids only all too well. I must've misread my post-op instructions, however. I thought I was sposed to be on Clear Liquids + Protein shakes for 4 weeks. I was STARVING. Literally. I added tomato Soup at about day #10. Thought I was cheating until a few months ago when I glanced at my post-op instructions again. I was to be on FULL liquid for 4 weeks! I could've had yogurt, pudding, and any cream Soups I wanted. I could've kicked myself in the butt for starving needlessly. And everytime I would go to Albertsons to stock up on my tomato soup cans, I would smell the deli fried chicken and almost die. Promised myself that would be my first "real" food. It wasn't. I'm glad that you can eat more foods now. The hardest part is over (besides bandster hell of finding your sweet spot, of course!) and you can relax a little. Good going - keep up the good work! Marci

To be honest, only the last fill I've gotten (after almost 3 yrs) was the only one I followed the liquids rule of 24 hrs. My 3rd fill (the one that brought me to my "sweet spot" I was staying in a motel (drs office is 3 hrs away from home). I went to the hotel coffee shop for dinner. I ordered a chicke breast, baked potato, and green Beans (+ a dinner roll). I ate about 8 bites of the entire thing - I was totally full. It made about 5 different meals for me. After having complications with my band recently, I decided to start following the rules. They're there for a reason. Taco Bell is not my friend 2 hrs after fill! I still have a few lbs to lose, but I'm sure I'll make it if I continue to follow the rules! I'm sure they recommend liquids for 24 hrs because of the changes made to your stomach. It's not to punish you! Good luck! Marci

Last year I ordered pancake syrup from Waldon Farms. 2 flavors. Both nasty. Also ordered Carbquick (too expensive). Its a no carb Bisquick5ype baking mix. Made pancakes with it. Worst pancakes I've ever had. I've tried their salad dressing and its good. I think their syrup is gross tho Marci

These look yummy. That would ave me time in making my own veggie chips (slice carrots, zucchini, and snap peas into the dehydrator for 24 hrs). Can't believe walmart sells them! That's usually something u can only find at Trader Joes Marci

Actually, my PA told me that your stomach isn't completely round. There's folds in it, making it like wrapping a piece of paper around a ball. So, it may not hold the exact amount of Fluid that it's sposed to. I have a 14cc band and I was maxed out at 10.5cc. When he put in the needle, the syringe pushed back against him, meaning there was too much pressure in it. I'm sure that as I lose more weight, those folds will even out a little and it'll take more. For the time being, however, I'm maxed out at 10.5 (which had to be emptied cuz of a slip anyway!) I always thought they would hold what they say they are to hold also. I was wrong. Marci

Isn't that funny? I always get stuck on yogurt. I can manage to eat 1/2 container of yogurt over a period of about 30 minutes. If I take 1 more bite, I get stuck. Ice cream does the same thing. And milkshakes. Thought these were sliders? Marci

Yes, it definitely changed for me also. I used to keep my ac at 60 during the summer. Now that's too cold. I've lost 100+ lbs. Funny, one of the side effects of hypothyroidism is being cold all the time. That was exactly opposite for me. Had every other side effect (weight gain, sleepiness), but was always hot. It'll probably change for you too! Marci

My dr also does it by feel. Never had a fleuro. In Jan, however, during a fill. He has a hard time finding my port. He stuck me about 12 times. I was bruised and sore for about a week. He alwyas uses lidocaine also. Marci

Don't u just love automatic spell check? Puts words in that I didn't actually type into my phone. Hope u can understand the above post... Marci