marfar7

Have patience! Thats my biggest tip. I didn't feel any till my 3rd fill ( 4mths out) and didn't lose but maybe 2 lbs during that time. My first real meal after feeling restricition was wonderful. I ate like a toddler! I finally saw my band working (it was useless before). Just HAVE PATIENCE! It will work eventually! Marci

Yep, I drink right up till I eat and then I have to wait 30-45 minutes (I can actually feel when I'm ready to drink) afterwards. I vomit if I drink right after eating. It's easier to comply with that rule! Marci

Last year at my wedding, I was 144 lbs - about 9 lbs from my 135 goal. I still had to wear a shawl with my sleeveless dress cuz of my back fat. Ugly. Don't know what to do about it. I've lost about 100 lbs and have minimal saggy skin but still have the backfat. Wonder how much it costs fo lipo on just my back?? Marci

Luv, luv, luv asparagus. Never had a problem with it. in fact, just the other night, I bought some stuffed chicken breasts (stuffed with provolone cheese, and asparagus) from the deli. Yummo. Thats too bad you can't eat them. The only things I've found that I can't tolerate is: Thick pizza crust (I can eat thin), and pineapple chunks (my fav). There's one more thing but I can't think of it right now! Well, enjoy the veggies you can have! Marci

I think whenever you feel you can comfortably to so. I never sleep on my stomach beacuse i have such big boobs (D cup, used to be DD) that it's uncomfortable. So I have no clue when it would be comfortable. Mrci

I have no clue what you mean by a "pre fill"? Is this the time before getting a fill? What do you want to know about it? Marci

Even with some complications (a minor slip last year) I would absolutely do it again. I would still be 248 lbs (maybe even more) and miserable. The pain really wasn't that bad (it's been 3 1/2 yrs now, so I don't really remember the actual pain)> The hardest part for me was the 4 week liquid diet. I thought I read my post op instructions to say "clear liquid only + Protein shakes" for 4 weeks. After a week of literally starving, I added tomato Soup and thought I was cheating. Made me feel much better. Then, after about 6 mths, I found my instructions again and read them correctly. It said I could have full liquids, to include cream Soups, yogurt, pudding, and juices. That whole time I starved for nothing and thought I was cheating with the soup! Bummer! My tip to you: Have patience. You didn't gain the weight overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight. I see so many people on here like 1 month post op complaining cuz they're not losing. It takes restriction (unless you're actually dieting and counting calories, weighing and measureing everything - which I didn't do) to start losing and that doesn't happen (usually) until the 2nd - 4th fill. it was he 3rd for me. 4 mths post op. Thought I had failed yet another diet. You WILL get there, it's just gunna take time. Good luck with your surgery. And take advantage of the pain killers the hospital give you! I had to spend the night (insurance mandatory) so I got the good stuff for about 24 hrs after surgery. Most people don't spend the night however. Marci

The consensus seems to be that you will wash the food down quicker and won't get as full. I physically CAN'T drink while eating or I vomit. That makes it easier for me to coply with this rule! Marci

My number 1 advice to newbies is to have PATIENCE. The band takes a while to work correctly. For me it was 4 mths and 3 fills. Until then, I maybe lost 2 lbs. I was sure I had failed yet another diet. I was so discouraged. I could still eat the amount I was used to eating post op (no, I didn't weigh or measure anything like I was sposed to) and I felt like I had surgery for nothing. After my 3rd fill, however, the magic started happening. You WILL get there, I promise. Just be good to yourself (weigh/measure your portions, don't drink while eating, exercise, etc - you know the drill) until the magic starts! It will be worth it in the end... Marci

LOL! I used to go to Walmart and buy the 6 pack of Hanes Her Way undies. No more of those ugly granny panties. I now wear a 6 and I buy them seperately - mostly boy shorts. Makes me feel better! Good luck to you! Marci

Wow!

Yes, it's stitched to one side (think of a flag poe) to keep it from moving. My band started out a little crokked and it straightened out. I actually saw the xray. Hope that answers you! MArci

The only thing I've been told not to take by my Dr is aspirin and NASAID's. I began taking my regular meds the day after surgery 3 yrs ago and have never had a problem. And I take Benadryl (antihistamine) every single night to help me sleep. I don't think Nyquil (which I've also taken) would be a problem.... Marci

Have you had a recnt xray to determine if you have a slip? Severe reflux was my only symptom of a slipped band. No pain, vomiting, anything else. I just couldn't take the almost drowning in my stomach acid everynight anymore. And the pills were doing nothing. I'm good at 7cc, but if my dr adds just 1 more cc then I have the reflux again. I guess it must be safe to keep it slipped, cuz he told me as long as I have no symptoms, I can live this way. So, so, so glad it took care of my reflux. But, I'm dissapointed in my lack of restriction. So much so that I've actually thought about going back to the dr and having him add maybe .5cc just to see if that will help but also not bring back the reflux (or I can live with the reflux as long as I'm still losing). Silly, I know. I should just leave well enuf alone. I know how bad reflux feels and I feel for you. I can't tell you what to do just tell you that I'm thinking about you and hope things all work out well for you! Good luck! Marci

Does anyone else not understand this post? Maybe it's just me.... Marci

135 is my goal. I don't ever remember weighing less than 150. Got down to 144 last year (when I got married) but then in the last year I had complications with my band and gained 24 lbs. I recently lost 12 of those and my goal is still 135. I would Celebrate if I were you! I'm now at 156 (as of this morning) so I still have over 20 lbs to go but I'm hoping to lose those by May 6th (when we're going on an Alaskan cruise!). I'd like my size 8's to be too big! Right now, they barely button... Congrats to you. Mind me asking how tall you are? I'm asking cuz I'm 5' 5" and my drs goal for me was 150. Mine is 135. But I was 9 lbs from that goal last year and had to wear a shawl with my sleeveless dress cuz of my backfat. So I'm wondering if I need to drop my goal to maybe 130? Marci

Wow. Thats all I can say is WOW! Marci

I work out for 70 minutes (45 on the treadmill and25 on weights) 4x a week. I've managed to lose 104 lbs by eating very small portions. Thats was the reason I got the band in the first place - because I couldn't lose it on my own. I don't care what anyone says that the band isn't supposed to restrict your eating - it does mine. And thats why I luv it so much. You're right in that I haven't changed my relationship with food (I think about my next meal even when I'm stuffed from the previous meal), but the band is there to stop me from eating too much. And it's worked very well and it still somewhat works. I get lectures everytime I see my dr on the need to eat more Protein and less carbs. Why would anyone get WLS if they could do it on their own? If I could eat perfectly healthy and in correct portions I would've never needed it. I would never have had a weight problem to begin with. But thank you for your opinion. I appreciate the feedback. Marci

Unfortunately, Medicare covered my surgery so I had to go to a Center of Excellence, which is 3 hrs away. Now that I'm out of pocket, I inquired at the local center. They will accept me for $1100 + $300 for each fill/unfill. I pay $160 to my dr. can't afford the $1100 to transfer. Wish I could. And I really like my dr. He really is a good dr even tho he's very consertative when it comes to a slipped band. This is the reason why I haven't moved closer. Plus, if I do have to have a revision, Medicare will cover it and I'll have to go to my current dr anyway. Marci

Everything everyone said +: Buy a sleeve of medicine cups from a pharmacy (or Walmart). They are exactly 1oz. My dr told me to drink 1 oz of Protein shakes every hour and those came in handy! Good luck to you! Marci

WTG!! Congrats! Thats amazing! Keep it up! Marci

Thank God I had NO pre op diet whatsoever. My dr said just to have a light dinner the night before and nothing after midnight. So, my "light" dinner consisted of a slab of ribs, a baked potato, salad and cheesecake from Outback. I considered that light at the time. I barely made it on the 4 weeks liquid diet afterwards. If it weren't for tomato Soup I probly would've starved to death. Good luck to you. It WILL be over soon and you'll be on your way to a new you! I promise you it will be worth it! Marci

Just out of curiousity, befre they started refilling you, did they do a follow-up xray to make sure that your slip was fixed? This is EXACTLY what my dr did with a slip, took out 1/2 of my fill (instead of all of it like most do) and then gave me 4 weeks to rest. Then started filling me again without doing another xray. By the time we found out that I was still slipped was months later, 2 fills and my severe reflux back with a vengeance. It's now been almost a year and I still have a minor slip (not enuf for surgery, apparently). I can't trransfer drs, however, cuz the 1 I go to is a Center of Excellence and the only one that Medicare will pay for. I found out (I drive a 6 hr round trip to get to my drs) that the local dr will see me but they want $1100 just to transfer me + $300 each fill/unfill. My dr only charges me $160, so it's worth it to me to continue. Just wondering if you had a follow-up xray before they started filling u again before starting the fill process. Good luck! Marci

The very first time I slimed, I coughed and the jellyfish ended up on the front of my tee shirt. It was gross. Now, if I PB (very rarely) it always waits till I'm near a toilet and there's not so much "goo" it's mainly just food that comes up. Ah, the good ole days.... Marci

Do you ever watch The BIggest Loser? Luv that show! The first week, the contestants always lose 10-30 lbs. Then as they get smaller, the weight starts coming off slower and slower and slower. When the (especially women) are under 200, they start tapering off alot. It's so much harder to lose that last 20. The first 100 are easier! Except it's more daunting to say you have to lose more than 100 lbs! Last year I was within 9 lbs of my goal of 135 and had a slip, which I then gained 24 lbs in the past year. I'm starting to lose again (thru Atkins- which isn't really pleasant). I've lost 11 lbs in the past 3 weeks. So I'm still about 20 lbs from goal and I don't anticipate losing it really fast! And last year, when I was only 9 lbs from goal, I still felt really fat (had to wear a shawl with my sleeveless wedding dress cuz of my back fat!) so I may have to alter my goal when I get to 135. Just can't imagine gowing lower than that. I think I was BORN weighing more than that! You have to be patient. It WILL come off eventually! Marci