ItsGottaGo!

You are right, SweetSue!

I wondered the same thing before I was banded. I have NO problem with drinking water, as much as I want as fast as I want. I just make sure it is about 1 hour after a meal. Good luck!

You know, I always was proud of myself for never becoming addicted to smoking, drinking or drugs. I always said I just didn't have that "addictive personality", never realizing that my addiction was FOOD! And it's funny too, (well not really funny) that the only time I would be able to stop eating out of control and lose weight was when I would decide to smoke cigarettes in place of eating something. I mean, I would smoke cigarettes for dinner instead of food but I was always able to quit after that. I never became addicted to the cigarettes, but the food was another story. Strange huh?

Even Phentermine didn't kill my appetite.

Binge eater here!!! It's terrible feeling so out of control. I never knew what a portion was. When I heard about the band, I knew it was for me. With the fill I just received last Monday, it is impossible for me to overeat. Hoping it continues this way. Good luck to you.

Gurgler here too! I was filled last Monday and have been gurgling ever since! I am definitely restricted too.

Me too, TrueBlue. Had my first sliming episode today, was stuck and PB'd, but instead of coughing "it" out, it went back down. Thank goodness it only lasted for about 10 minutes, but it hurt! I have restriction with my first fill which was on Monday. I will never make that mistake again, eating too fast, too big bites and not chewing enough. OUCH!

I went for my first fill on Monday. I have a VG 10cc band. I was shocked that my surgeon and two other doctors were there to do the fill themselves. It was done under Fluroscope. First he put in 4.5 cc's and I drank the barium then he added another 1 cc, which brings me to 5.5 cc's for my first fill. I feel like I have a good amount of restriction with no problems so far. My insurance only covered the first fill, so I asked him to make it a good one. I have full confidence in him and I don't think he would have put the 5.5 cc's in if he thought it would harm me.

That commercial is how I first learned about the lapband back in May! I saw it and said, that's exactly what I need! I had been seriously considering gastric bypass until I found out there was a band!

Christine, WOW you lost 58lbs without a fill, that is awesome!! If you have the VG Band, I believe it holds about 11cc's.

Hi. I just posted this on the September Bandsters thread so I copied it to paste here... I went for my first fill this morning!!! First I was shocked to see that I had not gained any weight like I thought I did in the past month. I stayed the same. SHOCKING! Second, I love my surgeon. He defintiely rocks! The fill was totally uneventful, a little pinch to numb the area and then the fill needle went in and I felt nothing. They did it under fluroscope so that helped with finding the port and not having to poke around. First he gave me 4.5 cc's in my VG Band (which holds 11cc). Then he made me drink the barium to see how everything was going through and then he gave me another 1cc, so I am at 5.5cc and am thrilled that he was a little more aggressive than others. I asked him to be since this was the only fill that my insurance will cover and he said he will make it a good one. I'm just drinking my protein shake now and I had 3 sips and can feel a total difference. I definitely have to start sipping. Anyway, I am very happy and excited to have this fill done and with the amount he gave me and will keep everyone posted on the progress. Must be on liquids for today and tomorrow then progress slowly.

I usually get that if I overeat, otherwise I don't feel the bump.

Ditto and WORD! I have that happening to me and I am only 6 weeks out. Give me a break here people! I'm tired of explaining how this is not like Gastic Bypass. Me and my big mouth!

I'm glad you had a great time! I'm sure most of it is just bloating from foods you aren't used to eating and lack of sleep, not to mention the alcohol. Drinks lots of water and eat right for the next week, I bet you see those 5lbs drop off. Don't feel bad, enjoy your cruise memories!

Jess, I don't know if it was the carbs that made it go away. I was on soft proteins only when this happened and I was eating alot of salmon, lox with cream cheese and canned salmon, so I think that might have been it, but there were days when I didn't eat the salmon that the urine was strong. It did go away when I added carbs, but I wasn't really having ANY at the time, so I don't really know if that was the 'cure' or not. Good luck!

Oh my gosh! My underarms smell like onions, even after just getting out of the shower! WHat is this?? Hormones? Fat burning? Also, I did notice that my urine was smelling much stronger, not to be gross, but almost like salmon! I apologize for being so graphic, but it did. I added some carbs the past couple of days and it is gone.

My golfball is on my left. Too bad no more pretzels for us .

A snack package of what? I get the golfball feeling in my back, I guess right behind my band. Does anyone else get a pain in there back instead of the stomach. Maybe my stomach is more towards my back-LOL. Who knows. I have never had the hiccups until tonight since being banded. I knew I shouldn't have eaten those pretzels, but I guess I was testing the band. Now I know. The hiccups are gone now, so it didn't last too long, but I still have the golfball feeling in my back, like near my ribs.

I have been wondering if my band was there at all. I'm waiting on my first fill. Tonight I ate pretzels for the first time. I wasn't supposed to, but I did. Now I have the hiccups. I have heard the hiccups are a common occurrence with the band, so I guess I really am banded, huh! What causes the hiccups and why would pretzels bring them on? Is it the pretzels trying to pass through the stoma? Maybe I do have some type of restriction afterall. Thanks!

Sharon probably had it done overseas in the UK in 1999.

I have Medicare and I didn't have to wait for my surgery. I had my surgery done less than 2 months after my initial consultation with the surgeon. I had it done by Dr. Szomstein at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Fl. I guess I was one of the lucky ones, now waiting to see if they pay. I don't see why they wouldn't, my BMI was well over 40. Good luck to you. The only thing I heard though is that Medicare only covers 1 fill after surgery, the rest you have to pay for yourself, which my dr. charges about $600!

Wow! I had no clue Sharon had a gastric band. I do hope there was no link to that band and her colon cancer. That scares me. Am I the only one?

I felt the same way too when I first started my two week pre-op liquid diet. Just take one day at a time and keep thinking to yourself that this is not forever! It will go by really fast, I promise. I didn't think I was going to make it either, but I did and I didn't cheat once. It was all worth it. I had to do 2 weeks liquid post-op as well, so it was 1 full month on clear liquids only and protein shakes. Now it is all just a memory. You can do it too! Hang in there. It's worth it.

That is so great! Congratulations!!

I am just practicing chewing my food too, I am now on soft proteins only, and I agree, it loses it's flavor after the first 5 to 7 chews. Maybe now I'll learn to eat to live instead of living to eat.