foodstampchamp

I had my second fill today in SLC. It went weird. So far I have felt nearly zero restriction and it has been so frustrating, I feel like I am the one person this does not work on. I have let quite a bit of time lapse between fill visists because I am so freakin discouraged.

I went today and my Dr ( who is new to giving fills, at fill 1 I was patient #2, now he has done over 40 more since my first visit) anyway- I should have had almost 3cc's in my band and I had none.

He thinks maybe the needle slipped last time and he has since learned to really tell if he is in the port and he showed me all he learned and was using a different method and even syringe type and this time, I felt something different. When i drank Water, I felt my throat get tight and we took some out until it didn't feel like that.

I later had some of a thick milkshake ( I know, bad) and it actually felt tight. I have not felt that before. I felt full for hours today and feel my chest is alittle tight when I drink anything.

I am excited and have hope. All of this time I have not lost weight and felt like it was me. Some things would get stuck, but it was confusing, I couldn't eat 3 bites of a bagel, but I could eat a whole bag of baked Lays, no problem. I couldn't eat french toast, but I could eat 5 pancakes in one sitting. Now I feel like something is different.

If I do not feel tight after a few days then it means my lap band is faulty and the problem. But it kept the original .5 cc's Dr Huacuz put in it just fine for the month and a half it took me to schedule my first fill just fine, I am thinking my Dr. accidentally was not in the port when he fille dme the whole time. He was in there at first because I wtahced him remove the .5cc's and we think he must have pulled it out before putting in more saline.

So maybe I will finally start to lose weight and this will finally start happening for me. So far--- I am UP two pounds from my surgery---bleah. But something is different now and I am excited.

Hungry today, but excited.

who is doing your fills if I may ask?

the fact that someone tried to take a shot at the expense of others and the board was turned around and made light of was our own way of ranting and raving.

To each their own, right?

good point.

Sorry, you ever get revved up about something and think of something else you wanted to say but didn't???

anyways, why does it seem like the athiest posts I read talk more about "to each their own" and the only intolerance ie: hatred I seem to read is from "religious" people. Is that what they teach you in church? Again, if I have mis-read something or missed anything as I do not claim to have read EVERY single message on this board I do apologize. Keep in mind that I said "it seems like".

I'm just curious why we have to change the subject? This post was made in LBT rants and raves and clearly says off topic debate area. Why can't we start another thread about movie quotes in another area. That way people who want to debate this topic can as long as they follow the rules. And if people are offended by the topic they can just not come in here. I will probably get burned at the stake for saying that but I think this topic was posted in the appropriate place. Speaking of things I am pondering? Is the person that posted the original topic in this thread cowardly? Maybe they posted and I didn't read that and if so I apologize. man enough to say it, be man enough to own it.

Im a straight liberal atheist. I did however have a very long relationship with a woman in my teenage years. we even lived together for almost a year. She is a wonderful person and someone whom with I learned alot about life from. Never regret it for a moment. As far as that cartoon goes in the first post. looks like fun, maybe if I wasn't such a fatty I could get into that position. Hmmmmm, think I have just now changed my main goal to be in that position instead of getting healthy. Thanks, you really straightened me out -no pun intended. puh-lease what an idiot this first poster is.

wow, I will never complain that my doc would only give me fills every six weeks again. that seems too far in the other direction.

So this is my pics, First three taken last year. The two new ones taken a few minutes ago in my bathroom by my cell phone. I will hopefully get some better ones. But now you get the gist of it. These are my before and during.

Hi Amanda! Congrats on your band and your progress so far.

WELCOME! What I noticed when I first came here about a year ago is that anything I have gone through, so have many people on this site. I learned I am not alone but actually the opposite. You've come to the right place.

Welcome to LBT! If you dont mind me asking, what exactly is not going very well? If you post questions on here they do get answered. Maybe all you need is just a few suggestions from some lap band pros which you will meet a lot on here.

There is a great fill doctor in Salt Lake city Utah. His name is Doctor Derek Muse. He is on Highland Drive at the Highland Family Medical Center. I got in touch with him through FillCenters USA. I just went on to their website, got their 800 number and called and they set me up with him based on distance from my home and he is the best!

Do not feel discouraged if you have to get more fills. Happens to a lot of people. I for one was expecting to wake up from my lap band surgery and feel restriction (which I did have from the swelling but it went away after 1 week) Then I was expecting restriction after my first fill, nothing. I just knew my second fill was gonna be life changing. nothing. 3rd times the charm I thought. Nope, nadda, nothing. By the time my 4th fill came around I had lost all hope. As you can see. I got where I needed to be. Easy for me to say be patient. Much easier said then done. I hated when people would say that to me but I knew they meant well. But you know what? They were also saying it because they had been in the same boat as me and knew what they were talking about. My advice to you is to just work your band as best as you can whether you lose weight or gain weight and just keep on coming in for your fills till you get to your sweet spot. It will happen.

My first doc had me come in for my first fill at six weeks. Then you had to wait six weeks for another fill. I always found a way to weasel myself in at about every 4-5 weeks. They wouldn't give me much of a fill and then even though I had NEVER experienced any restriction, my nurse told me I had stretched my pouch at six months. I was DEVISTATED!!! I switched docs to get a second opinion and not only had I NOT stretched my pouch, but he gave me a 1 cc fill in my 4 cc band and I have been at restriction ever since with absolutely no problems. I'm not sure how long my new doc makes you wait between fills because I was filled by him on Jan. 9th and even though I went back to see him March 5th, he asked me if I wanted another fill and I said absolutely not. It's amazing how different docs can be from eachother.

JordanC...

Are you familiar with soft signs? For some their nose will run, that's a sign they have had enough food. Some will hiccup, some it is a long sigh. When you reach your soft spot STOP eating.

Wow, I had never heard of the soft sign thing before. That's pretty amazing. I actually have the hiccups. They always say listen to you body. I always thought maybe that was a load of crap. But it definately isn't. My body was speaking, I just probably wouldn't shut up long enough to hear it! :girl_hug: hahahaha

I so want you to keep the band if it is possible for you to fix the problem that you have got. You are 50% at goal weight and that is tremendous. I definately feel for you as far as how you got there. It sounds like a bitter sweet victory. Second opinion is not a bad thing. I used to feel guilty the first 6 months after I was banded because I wanted to switch docs because I didn't feel like I was getting the support I needed. ( I say switch docs, but I guess I meant switch nurses because the last time I ever saw my doctor was 30 minutes before my lap band surgery.) I'm not sure if you are feeling bad about getting a second opinion by a different doc but I know this, the only thing you might regret is not have done it sooner. By switching docs, my whole mind set and life has done a complete 180. Best wishes to you.

Trust me, fill troubles is all I have had. I was banded August 1st and took me until Jan 9th to get actual restriction. that doesn't mean it will be the same for you. I know people on here who lost tons of weight without one fill and others (like myself) who had to wait what seemed like a lifetime to get any restriction. But it was definately worth the wait. I know you don't feel like that now, but trust me you will. It just takes time. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. I wish we were all the same so we would know what to expect.

I too had not been losing much weight the first 5 months or so. Actually I had lost plenty, but I was struggling just like I had before I had surgery. I was really starting to think I had wasted my time and money (I am a self pay) when I switched to Dr. Derek Muse in Salt Lake City as my aftercare doc. Best thing that ever happened to me. I have been going to him since January 9th. Since Jan 9th, I have gone from 234 to 208. Still having to work my band, but not as hard. He is WONDERFUL, sympathetic, emphathetic, and wants you to do as good as you want to do yourself. The best bed side manner of any doc I have seen so far. We will all get there, the most important thing I have to keep telling myself is that I DO HAVE TO EXERCISE! If I do that, I do great.

I saw Dr. Muse last night in Salt Lake and I am VERY impressed!! He was so kind and thoughtful, he listened to all I had to say and seemed genuinely concerned. He tried 2 pokes and couldn't hit the port so we went and got Fluoro. I give him a thumbs up :confused:

I have been using Dr. Muse also as my aftercare doc. I switched to him after going to my surgeon's office in Reno, Nevada for 6 months with little to no help. I love Dr. Muse. I wish I would have switched to him sooner.

Perhaps it is time to investigate getting a new fill doctor, or insisting on the flouroscope for each fill. After all, it is your body and your money. No professional should take that insistence as an insult, and if they do, consider it a warning to you.

I agree here. I had been going to my surgeon's office since I had surgery August 1st, 2006. I kept getting these idiodic fills without flouro and was never getting restriction and the nurse who always did my fills (The last time I saw my doctor was 30 minutes before I had my lap-band surgery) seemed irritated with me that I didn't want to wait the six weeks in between fills and told me I had surely stretched my pouch and that is why I had no restriction. The only way I could change doctors was to change states altogether. On January 9th I went to a doctor in Salt Lake City, Utah that Fill Centers USA had recommended to me. Best decision I have ever made and only thing I regret is not changing doctors sooner.

He wants $14,500! He said he would have to replace the entire band. That just doesn't seem right! I can't afford that anyway, so if that is what I need, I am going to have to do this on my own! I am scared!

It looks like your current weight is 137 lbs. That is EXCELLENT! I don't know if I am reading that wrong. YOu have done great, What is your goal if you don't mind me asking.

It sounds like you are too tight and you need to have a little unfill.

I have an appt. to go see my doctor on March 5th. I dont' want an unfill but I definately don't want a fill. I'm happy where I'm at and getting in 80 oz. of Water in no problem.

I don't know why, but I like this idea.

Foodstampchamp, do you have an update for us?

I hope this can be resolved for you.

Yes I have a very good update. From the moment I started this thread I decided to really buckle down and measure EVERY meal I ate. My problem was, no matter how much I put on my plate or in my bowl I wanted to eat until I finished. If I had 6 oz. on my plate I would finish it and feel satisfied, if I put 2 cups on my plate I would finish it and feel satisfied (not in my head of course, I would be upset with letting myself eat so much even though I didn't need to). I went out, bought 20 bowls that only hold 6 oz, and no matter what I eat, no matter how good for me or bad for me, I am losing again and have regained the restriction I had when I first got my last fill almost two months ago. I'm not saying that will be the same for everyone, but it is working for me.

I am at 4.0 cc's in a 4.0 cc band with little restriction so far. I just got filled yesterday so I am hoping that something changes and the fill "kicks in" soon. I have been banded since 6/21/06.

In the very same boat as you almost. I have a 4cc band. Been banded since August 1, 2006. I didn't really get any restriction until my sixth fill which put me at 3.9 cc. That is the first time I got any restriction that was real noticable. I have been doing great since then. My first doctor said that it is possible to fill a 4cc band to 5 cc's but I have also heard that any band can be filled to almost double what they say they can hold. I have 64 lbs to go until goal so I am hoping that is true because as I lose weight, restriction is fading which is extremely common. I was just worried I didn't have anywhere else to go. Hang in there, I know we are gonna be just fine.

well, if research was done on the internet, then what is the problem. I mean, isn't everything we read on the internet 100% fact. come on guys, cut him some slack.

Your band will not stretch- its too tough for that, if anything stretches its you pouch, but that does not sound likely on the quantaties your are eating

I'm sorry, I meant my pouch not my band. I was in a tizzy typing so fast. hahaha