Sedonagirl

I was banded in MX and am looking for someone to do fills. I'm going to be needing one soon. I know that Dr. Schwartz WILL be doing fills, but even his office does not know yet as to when that will begin. I tried to call Lorna Resiner FNP but the number I have for her is "no longer in service". That leaves Wendy Hall in Mesa, but I'm hoping to find someone closer. Anyone here know where to go for fills? Thanks, Lizzie

Oh... I found a place! I had my first fill done here about 3 months ago. It is the Rapid Care Clinic. The number is 885-4200, and the person who does the fills is Scott Lopez. It is located at 6612 E Tanque Verde. The first fill cost $225/$250 (can't remember which) and every remaining fill is like $125. I only found out about this place by word of mouth.

I was banded a year ago, and have lost 93 pounds. I've only ever had one fill because it is all I've needed. A couple of weeks ago, I suddenly developed acid reflux. I've never had trouble with acid before, except when I had an empty stomach and my digestive acids were trying to digest nothing. But, I suddenly found myself awakening in the middle of the night with vomit in my mouth, choking and aspirating the Fluid. I develped aspiration pneumonia and was put on Protonix. The protonix has really helped, but I am also really careful about the kind of foods I eat and when I eat. No more coffee, no more eating after 7-ish. In order to eat, I HAVE to drink hot tea first. Otherwise, getting anything down is a no-go. I have days when I can eat chunks of food, others when it is strictly Soup and liquids. For instance, last week I ate a salad with chicken chunks. Normally, I live on soup and mashed potatoes. I guess I'm thinking if I had a slip, then there wouldn't be days when I can eat solid foods, and others when I can't. However, I do have hiccoughs, burping, acid reflux and back pain when I have trouble getting food down. Does this sound slippy? I have an upper GI scheduled, but wanted to hear your opinions.

Of course you may... looking forward to hearing from you!

Hey Lori ~ I was banded 06/26/06... my beginning weight was 300. I am now down to 197... 50 to go, but it's going slowly. Anyway, I also live on the far northwest side... in Dove Mountain. Were you banded locally? It's great to have you here!

I've just arrived home from having my upper GI and... my band is too tight. Nothing more! No slip, no erosion, no pouch dilation, just too too tight. The radiologist was amazed that I've been getting anything down because none of the barium passed through my band. He says -.5cc should take care of it. I am soooo elated! I LOVE my band!

Hey Tina. No, I haven't received any responses, but I have my upper GI scheduled for tomorrow. I don't know when a doctor will look at it, and I'm not really sure what the tech will be able to tell me, but I will let you know what I find out. I really, REALLY don't want this to be a slip! I LOVE my band!!!! I hope everything turns out well for you.

Yeah Kimilicious, you're right about the porn. It was a bad example. The reason I used it is because Promise Keepers is a large Christian organization, and for a lot of Christians, porn is not acceptable. And yet, almost every man had viewed it. So I guess I was just trying to say that even though probably most of the men thought it was wrong, they couldn't withstand the temptation. Just another example that we're all human. Can I delete my freakin' posts??????

Y'know Lisa25, I understand what you mean. I know plenty of women who don't have a problem with that. I even know women who don't have a problem with their husbands viewing porn alone. I have friends who subscribe to Playboy for their husbands, or who know that their husbands are going to drop $500 at the local strip joint on Friday. To them, it isn't cheating, it isn't wrong. And thats fine for them. Just like with the gal in the alternative/open marriage. What most of us define as cheating, they define as a perfectly acceptable and even embraced way of life. And it works for them. I guess when I brought up the porn thing, I was thinking more about how "I" feel about it. I don't like it, my husband doesn't do it, and I have seen families torn apart because of it. Not because the husband and wife were enjoying it together, but because the husband would stay up all night viewing it while his wife slept. She felt cheated on. I think everyone would define cheating a little differently based on their own personal beliefs.

Okay, here is where I think I need some explaining as to the "whys" of the rules. I had my first fill on Saturday, I received 2 cc's in a 4 cc band. The fill was done under fluro and it looked like the barium was going through slower than would be normal. So, I thought I probably had good restriction. The doctor told me my "hole" was about the size of a nickel. Well, I can still eat a lot. Well, actually, I can eat a lot of Soup. I can't eat a lot of hard things like hotdogs or chicken. So my question is, I guess, should I stay away from Soups and softer foods? Like... mashed potatoes, creamy mac and cheese... yes, all carbs, but easy to eat. And, for that matter then, wouldn't soft foods be a way of sabotage? I don't know what I was expecting, but I guess I thought I wouldn't be able to eat much of anything. Now that I think about it, that isn't logical. Soft foods and liquids slip right through the band. But then, if you're chewing all of your foods to a pulpy mush, wouldn't it stand to reason that they would just slip right through as well? And if so, then how does anyone ever eat less? And another question to add to the confusion: When I don't chew something well enough, it hurts when it is trying to get passed the band. I feel it in my throat, and I am uncomfortable until it passes. So... if I'm not feeling that discomfort, then isn't my food slipping through the band just fine? And if so, then it isn't staying in my pouch as I was led to believe, but it is actually just slipping through into the bottom part of my stomach. So really, maybe the band doesn't actually work by keeping food in the pouch and allowing it to pass slowly, maybe it really works because we have to chew a lot, and eat small bites, with the result being that we eat less.

I know I'm a little late in the game, but I'm looking for a place to get fills in Tucson. The number I have for Lorna Reisner is no good, and I'm hoping not to have to travel to Phoenix... although I will if need be. Are Wendy Hall and Lorna Reisner it? Thanks for the info! Lizzie

I'm nudging this so it doesn't get lost before it gets answered.

I'm one week post op, but I notice that if I consume anything that is cold, it really hurts my esophogus. I notice that some people eat ice, but I could never. At least, not yet. Does this go away?

Wow guys, thank you all for the info packed replies! I was just talking to a friend of mine who says the "flu" isn't really going around. Regardless, both of my daughters now have fevers, but thankfully, no other symptoms. Fortunately, when I get sick, I NEVER vomit! I've tried to make myself just so I'll feel better but it never works. I could so not be a bulimic! I guess my greatest concern would be lowered immunity. So I'll be heading the advice and I'll try to find one of the immune builders listed above. Thanks again! Lizzie

DD has a fever of 103, the beginning, I believe, of the flu. My neighbors had it last week, then had their kids at my house on Sunday. Now my daughter is sick which means it will probably go around the house. I'm due to have my surgery in MX on Monday. I'm pretty sure if I'm sick the surgery won't happen, right? Has this happened to anyone here? What happens if I'm sick and have surgery? Is that really risky? I'm sure the doc wouldn't anyway... but... I don't want to wait! Thanks! Lizzie

Oh yes, you need to get a thick gel seatcover, or a gel seat. I have a BMX bike that I ride around, that has a very small, hard seat. It kills to ride without the gel. My husband went and bought me the biggest gel seat he could find and it has really done wonders for my comfort.

I do not like this at all! Sometime over the last few days the LBT display changed from linear to threaded. Threaded mode makes it much more difficult for me to read a thread. I discovered today that I could change the display back to linear, but everytime I click on something, it goes back to threaded mode. Does anyone know why? Or how to fix it permanently? Thanks! Lizzie

Wheetsin~ I just discovered a few weeks ago that first you search the forum using your keywords. When you click on a thread with your keyword, you can then "search this thread" which then pulls up all the postings with your keyword.

Is there anyone else here who leans toward natural medicine? Here's what I mean: After my mother almost died from stage IV cancer 2 years ago, then was cured using natural methods (because NOTHING could be done for her medically), the only doctor my family sees is a Naturopath. No more immunizations, no more antibiotics, no more x-rays... you get the point. But here I am, decidedly overweight, and scheduled to be banded in 2 weeks. The idea of swallowing Barium and having x-rays on a consistent basis is really bugging me. But I feel like I don't have any other choice. I need to be thin to be healthy, but I don't want to compromise my otherwise good health with all this crap. I'm hoping to hear from others who lean this way, but made the decision to be banded anyway. Thanks. Lizzie

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I'm feeling a lot better about the idea knowing that I will not be subjecting myself to x-ray and barium on a continual basis. I can justify doing it for surgery, and occasionally if things aren't going so well. Penni - It's interesting that you would recommend the band. I'm glad to know that. My mom says that there are remedies for food addiction, but I have not explored that avenue. I really believe that this is the way I need to go. Thanks again girls! Lizzie

Yeah, I was talking about fills being done under fluro. With Fluro, I *think* you swallow barium then have a continual x-ray done while being filled. I could be wrong, but I was just looking it up. So, you're saying that if the fill isn't done under fluro, then it does NOT involve x-ray? That would be great because I feel I can justify all of this for surgery, then rememdy any negative side effects, but I wouldn't want to do all of this on a continual basis, only if necessary. Thanks for your input! Lizzie

Wait, I want to amend something I said... "no more x-rays" means IF they can be avoided. Obviously if my kid breaks his foot, he'll have an x-ray to assess the damage...

Well Alysha, as you know, I'm to be banded the same day as you, but I'm struggling the same way! Although I'm not required to do a pre-op diet, I decided to start mine on Monday... yeah, I've eaten solids everyday since! What I want to know, is if I can't control myself now, how am I going to adhere to the liquid/mushy phases of the post-op diet? Regardless, I still think we're doing the right thing. If we had self control to begin with, we wouldn't need the band. And it's not like we totally lack self control. Like you said, you reach quotas and goals all the time. Everyone has their areas where they're weak, ours is food. But even Size 4 coworker has her weaknesses. They just might be well disguised. I hope you won't let anyone get you down, you're going to do great with the band. Sometimes I think others are a tad threatened by the idea of us, thin. Y'know? Like my neighbors love me because I'm not threatening to them. I'm not stealing their husbands or anything, but when I was skinny, I felt like there was more competition with them. And I haven't told many people about the band, but I'm definitely getting negative responses from every woman I've told. Anyway, after enough PB's, you'll learn not to like bread anymore! At least, that's what I hear. Good luck to you! Lizzie

Anyone else here who isn't required to do a pre-op diet? My doctor does not require one, and although I decided to do one anyway, I'm having a really hard time staying on it (probably because I know that I don't HAVE to do it). I'm trying to do a CIB liquid fast with added protein for the next 2 weeks, but I've failed both yesterday and today. What do you all think? Lizzie

Oh I totally agree! I HATE laundry! Particularly the ironing. My husband made me so mad on Sunday that I just hung ALL of his clothes totally wrinkled!!! (I'm still laughing about that!)