pennreporter

Congratulations on your decision to at least have one of the bands. I have the Realize band and my daughter has the Lap-Band. In the end, they all do the same thing and you still have to learn to live with it. We're both cheap dinner dates these days...give us an appetizer and we're good to go...lol Wishing you a speedy recovery and a new life!! Trisha

DanBar, talk about a banded home!! :thumbdown: I think, like, you, it probably does make a difference male vs. female also, plus just the fact that everyone loses differently. I know with last fill to 7cc it has made a huge difference and just learning now how to slow my roll down on the eating. I guess your food bill in the home has changed drastically, huh? :thumbup: Trisha

I'm at 7ccs in what I thought was an 11 cc, but now I'm not so sure. But I have to say, since this fill, I've been pretty tight. I went for about 3 days, no problem eating, everything is going hunky dory and my first thought is oh, my gawd, I've sprung a leak, I've slipped ...surely something is wrong..never did it cross my mind that I'm eating foods that I know are "safe," eating slow, not drinking with my food...nooo that never entered my mind. I was really kind of freaking out, that is until I got up yesterday and tried eating scrambled eggs...well, all is good in my band world. They promptly came back up. So I can breathe a sigh of relief. Trisha

Don't worry, Deann...if you read enough on here, both bands can have some negatives. I was banded 6/1/09 ...no problems so far. My daughter was banded 2/08 with Lap-Band...I really can't see any difference between the two of us...we both can PB just about as much...lol. The Realize band is larger of course than the smaller Lap-Band, so where my daughter is pretty tight at 6cc, mine is at 7cc. So don't let yourself get crazy over which one you should have done. In the end, they both do the same thing. And if you have confidence in your surgeon, and he didn't discourage either one, then that's all you can go on. There are people that are just going to be prone to problems, no matter which band they get. And truly you can make yourself crazy reading everything on this site. Hang in there, life will be great when you get to the right level of fill. Trisha

I think I probably PB more than I should and spit back up food more than I should, but I blame this on my learning curve, teaching my mind that even though I really do want that slice of pizza, I should know I can't eat it. As long as I eat what I know I can, and stop when I know I should, I don't have problems with PB. So I think to get to the sweet spot you have to go through some PB'ing. I would run, don't walk to get your next fill. I am now only at the point where my amount of food is down to 3/4 to a cup of food and it takes me at least half an hour. good luck and, yes, it's still work, still calorie counting and my biggest part I don't do is exercise. But I know what you mean when you don't watch it for a few days. I went up like four pounds over last weekend and I like had no clue what I had eaten. In hindsite it may have been the huge container (18 servings) of caramel corn that I ate over two days...lol Trisha

NYGuy, if you can still eat bread, you need a fill..:thumbup:. I have a Realize band. I'm at 7ccs, surgery was June 1, '09, and this was my third fill. I'm probably borderline too tight, but I'm bound to make it work, especially since I'm losing. I can't eat any bread at all. Stopped for a fish sandwich, kiddy size, two bites and I hacked the rest of the way home. But strange things go down without a prob, e.g. popcorn, but not chicken...go figure. If you're clothes size is going down, you're clearly losing inches. I know I don't exercise anywhere like I should . But hang in there for the next fill, it will make a huge difference. My daughter and I are both banded. We are real cheap dates these days..lol Trisha

Michelle, my daughter didn't really have to do a pre- or post-op diet. Her doctor who has done 4k bands, pretty just had her on soft foods for a few days and then told her she would know what she could eat and couldn't and wanted her to get onto as normal a diet as quickly as possible. He basically told her why would he put her on a liquid diet, clearly dieting had not been successful. The first two weeks after surgery I drank a lot of protein drinks...then after swelling went down, assuming your surgeon doesn't leave some fill in there from the surgery (some do, some don't, mine didn't), then I didn't have any restriction...so for the next couple of months it really was will power on my part. My doctor was very conservative. So I didn't get restriction until this past month with third fill. I didn't give up caffeine completely. But maybe cut it in half...I can still drink occasionally a carbonated soda...so I try to do diet ginger ale. I still drink tea, will do half-caff on coffee, but I'm only a one-cup-a-day person anyway. The Isopure drink I kind of drink on all day long, plus lots of water. You won't miss all the caffeine as much as you think. Ask you surgeon though if he leaves any fill in at the time of surgery. That will make a big difference after. It really does vary. Mine didn't, but you hear of people on here getting left with up to 3ccs. Good luck and you won't be sorry. Pain wise, it felt like I'd done about a thousand situps and only in shape for five...my surgeon has a procedure where he sucks out as much of the expansion gas as possible, so I had none of that type of pain at all. We'll be saving a place on the loser's bench for you.. Trisha

Congrats Mich on your decision and good luck nancy on your recent band. I was banded on June 1, 2009, and absolutely no regrets...even when I'm spitting up what I just ate...lol. I was just filled third time three weeks ago and I'm at 7ccs and it's taking some adjusting to get used to. But, in reality, I'm at the spot that I was told I would be at, only about 3/4 cup to a cup of food, 30-45 mins to eat, no liquids while eating...it is just taking me a while to get used to it...now I can eat all the popcorn in the world but can't get a piece of chicken down...go figure. So I really keep the Isopure protein down. Mich, I had to do the liquid diet for two weeks before. I feel for you. It's not the easiest thing, and I can't say I was perfect but I also didn't beat myself up because I had a small salad every once in a while. Now, it didn't help to have my daughter reminding me that her doctor didn't require any pre-op diet...thank you very much...:thumbup: I also had to do the same diet for a week afterwards and then gradually add soft foods over the next three weeks, but after is a whole lot easier. I didn't feel like eating then. But no regrets at all. Good luck to you both. Trisha

My only choice with my insurance company which is Geisinger (an HMO) was the Realize Band, unless of course I self-paid. Had my insurance not approved and I had to self pay, I probably would have done lap-band with my daughter's doctor, Dr. Spivak, in Houston...but in the end, my daughter and i both get stuck on the same things, both PB, both lose weight...and I guess you can have complications with any band if you're in the percentile that's going to have a problem. I'm only 4.5 months out, but so far I'm okay with the Realize. I have a friend that had the Lap-Band with the same insurance company (which I found out later there still some surgeons doing lap-band at another of their hospitals), but she has had more "issues" with hers, but I don't chalk that up to the band but the inexperience of our surgeons at performing any banding procedures. Her port was placed down by her waistline which causes her problems and problems with fills. I would also suggest if you have the confidence in your surgeon, along with your own research, also trusting your surgeons recommendation. My surgeon had only done five procedures period and I think I was his first Realize guinea pig (he's done lots of bypasses) but he's been absolutely wonderful and I think he really is very concerned and very on top of everything just because it is so new for him. But he calls me at home after a fill to see how I'm doing and before a new fill he calls a few days before to check to see if I still feel like I need it. Trisha

I had to gain 10 lbs and I really needed to do it because then as part of insurance I had to lose 10 percent and I don't know if I could have done the math as to how many quarters to remove as I went along the 6-month path...:tongue2: Math is not my strong forte...so I just ate and ate and ate and then you know how usually if you have a temporary weight gain, it's easy to lose...NOT this time. I really then had to struggle to get it back off. Had I been independently wealthy, I would have taken my 13k down to Houston to my daughter's doctor and not worried about the 6-month plan, but I also felt like I needed the follow-up care because of comorbidities..So, yes, it's a slippery slope the insurance companies have you on. Trisha

Isopure is a 20-ounce bottle, 40 grams of Protein, no carbs, low on sodium and because it's not a soy based drink, but a clearer liquid, to me it was just a lighter drink and I have to watch sodium and it's very low. I recently got the lemon tea flavored ones, and like it a lot...just don't pay attention to the floating stuff...lol...it's the whey protein. Good luck Trisha

Congratulations and welcome soon to the loser's bench. I had to do two weeks before on a liquid diet..(did fall off the wagon a couple of times) and then a week of liquid after, and then gradually soft foods... Be sure and take a pillow with you for the ride home and I would highly suggest, if they don't provide one, an elastic binder (should be able to find one at a local medical supply company) to wrap around your middle section. It helps so much with sleeping especially if you have a larger belly or a jiggly belly. It helped with sleeping on my side because it just kind of kept everything in place. My hospital provided it but I really think that was just because that's what they normally give to bypassers and they hadn't had many bandees stay overnight. Good luck! Trisha

Hey, Poconomom, we are almost neighbors. I'm in tobyhanna, just up the highway from you. I was banded June 1 at Geisinger Danville and after 3 fills I'm at 7ccs, which for me will do it for a while. At 5ccs had almost no restriction and could eat at any pace and any amount. The 7ccs has finally slowed my roll down. So think positive and the next fill may do the job for you. Trisha

Banded 6/1. My last (third fill) was to 7ccs. I can definitely feel for you being overfilled. I'm borderline close. Although I think this is the first fill where I've had any "real" restriction. And I'm really at the spot that I was told I should be on the amount of food and length of time to eat. 3/4 to a cup of food and 30 - 45 mins to eat. So my getting stuck has been eating too fast, not small enough bites and not really paying attention to my body when it's giving me signs that I better slow my roll down. I've had an awful lot of food come back up, lots of sliming. I had stopped drinking the Protein drinks but because my calories are down so low and I wasn't really losing, I've added back the Isopure drinks and lost three lbs in just a few days, plus adding the Protein Drinks back helped with my energy level. But I think 7ccs is gonna be my spot for a while, but I do have a friend that she got overfilled her last time and did the same thing...had to be back at the surgeon's office the same day to remove some. Good luck to you. And, yes, once getting close, best to go in baby steps because I know from my daughter's experience a half cc can make a huge difference. Trisha

Isopure Clear liquids, any flavor...love the tea flavored ones and EAS Edge Trisha

I was "realized' on 6/1/09. Had my third fill two weeks ago and this one is happily kicking mah butt... I hadn't had any restriction at all since surgery. I'm at 7ccs. And I really am at the 3/4 to a cup of food, at least a half hour to eat and just a lot of foods that I can't eat at all right now. Calorie count has been down very low, which you would think the pounds would be flying off...but I wasn't getting near the protein I needed. So went back to my Isopure protein drinks and have dropped three lbs in the last two days. But the "stuck" feeling is not a walk in the park. But now that I have restriction, almost no snacking between meals, have a SF pop at bedtime. But before I added the protein drink back in, because calorie count was so slow, I was also feeling extremely sluggish. Feeling much better. So all is good and don't think I'll be needing any more fills anytime soon..:tongue2:: Trisha

confused, thanks. I'm not going to get real concerned until I go next time and see if I lose fill again and then I'll have some questions. I haven't gained any but only lost 3.5 the past month but that was just plain ol' dieting and some exercise. I'm at 5ccs right now (Realize band, which is larger than the lap-band). So we'll see what happens next month and then go from there. My surgeon didn't seem to be too concerned either right now. Nice to know that if it has to be revised that at least it's an easier procedure...would sure hate to do the 2 weeks of liquid again...ugh :) Trisha

question on the leaking. If you have a leak is it most likely in the port or is it the band? I was just banded June 1, 2009. Had first fill last month of 3ccs. Went for second fill and there was only 1.5 cc. So he brought me up to 5ccs. Is it too soon to think there might be an issue? I know my daughter's doctor said that even without a leak some people just lose some of their fill and there is a thicker fill solution they can do. I'm not getting freaked over it at all yet because I know if there's a problem it can be fixed. If you had to have the port replaced and part of the tubing, I'm assuming the same surgical pre-op comes into play again? Sorry to ask questions but I knew when I could eat just about anything, something was going on. Second fill yesterday is okay so far but I will know within a week if things start to change because after first fill I was kind of okay for about a week. Thanks Trisha

Ddorman, my daughter's dr didn't numb her either, but seriously if you could see the needle you'd know why...lol. I swear I'm going to take a picture this next time. My daughter says I'm exaggerating but I'm not. so I'll take the number shot first. And I too believe experience is the huge difference. My doctor has done under 15 himself. The hospital has done quite a few but not my doctor. My daughter's surgeon who did the surgery has done 4k. Her doctor she follows up with has done a thousand. But if we all end up at the same place at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Although I may have to bully my doctor to get at least 2ccs this next tiime. They are uber conservative. Good luck that it worked this time. trisha

Ddorman, I went with my daughter last month while she got a fill just so I would know what to expect. Unfortunately I wish I hadn't. Her doctor was wham, bam, thank you ma'am and she was done in no time. My doctor who has not done hardly any bands (lots of bypasses), takes a tad bit longer than that. Plus, he uses a horse needle (not really but it could pass for one). Another patient who I chat with goes to the same clinic but different surgeon. Last week, she goes in for a fill and he lets an intern attempt to do it...notice I say attempt. Finally her surgeon, who is chief of surgery, had to do it and he even had a problem. The guy that normally does my daughter's fill (not the doctor), she says you don't even know he's done anything, that he's that good. Thanks god, my doctor does a numbing agent first. I got 3ccs on July 4 which has been no restriction at all. So I'm hoping for at least 2 ccs when I go next week. So the doctor not being able to do it I don't think is totally unheard of. My doctor said he only uses fluoroscopy when he's having a problem finding the port. So now you know which person to make your appts with!! :biggrin: Trisha (pennreporter)

i have only had one fill in my Realize C of 3ccs. I had restriction of about a minute. lol. I really liked the restriction right after surgery. So I'm hoping I can bully my surgeon into at least 2-3 ccs in two weeks. I'm basically just back to plain ol simple dieting and trying to convince myself to get on the exercise bike. With my metabolism and my sedentary job I really have to keep calories well below a thousand. If I go above I HAVE TO get on bike. Don't mind the dieting but with even a little restriction it would make it easier to stick with it. I have days ..oh, well, we all know those days. My daughter is in a Lap-Band at 6 ccs now for the next ten pounds and then will drops to maybe five for maintenance. I have a friend/acquaintance who goes to same facility, which is ultraconservation. She goes tomorrow for a her second fill also. So I'll have an idea what to expect and how much I need to either butter up or bully my surgeon to get at last 2ccs. May have to stop at Panera and buy them lots of fattening stuff and make nice lol Trisha

Luvmydogs, are you banded with Realize or Realize-C. The Realize C holds 12 ccs. I've only had my first fill, which of course has done absolutely nothing after the first few days. So I go again in two weeks for another fill and I'm gonna try to bully my doctor into doing at least another 2. My facility is ultra conservative since they don't do a lot of bands and would rather err on the side of caution. But I play the "I live 100 miles away, can't we just do more so I don't have to come back again" card. We'll see if it works. Still happy with decision but happier when there's restriction. My daughter was banded last year, Feb, had plastic surgery last month, but is still keeping her fill at 6cc (out of a 10 cc band) because she still has about ten lbs to go but she will always keep a fill in, likes have the reminder to slow the roll down a little on eating. Good luck Trisha

My daughter had her LBL, breast lift, yahoo lift and fat injections in her butt on June 4 by Dr. LoMonaco in Houston (from TV show Big Medicine). I have to say I am totally amazed at how quick her recovery has been. She had her surgery on a Thursday and exactly two weeks later she was on a plane flying back to NYC. She went back to work exactly two and a half weeks after surgery (granted it was four hours a day for the first week). I would have been down forever if it had been me. She only had one day of the crying spell of "what have I done." But that's it. Some suggestions for anyone contemplating a lower body lift: Rent one of the recliners that raise you up almost to a standing position. Also, Dr L had a massage therapist in his office that did a lymphatic massage at about a week and a half. She now goes to one in NYC once a week and then will switch to every couple of weeks. The massage helps your body release fluids from the swelling. Plus, she's showing her how to massage the incisions. She wasn't massaging hard enough. Her only complaint is one of the incisions at the breast may have to be tweaked. The incision along the front along the pubic hairline was the last for the scabs to come off. But the rest are amazingly looking great at barely just six weeks. She's not had any regrets at all, especially buying bikinis from Victoria Secret has made it all worth it. She still swells because she works on her feet (a hair colorist). So by the end of the day she's ready to take the compression garment off. She now only has one more procedure to do but not until next year and that's to remove the excess skin on her sides like underneath the armpit. I know all people are different on their pain levels. She was sent home with a pain drip that went directly to her midcore section. So she was discharged with five tubes. the dr. had her remove her tubes herself, the pain med one after 3-4 days when meds were done. Breast tubes once the discharge had dropped to almost nothing and then he removed the lower drains when she went in for first week follow-up. So all tubes were out in a week. And she was religious about taking her Vicodin every four hours around the clock whether she needed it or not for the first 10 days. So talking to her on the phone, if it wasn't within the first hour of taking meds was out of the question. She was big time loopy. So good luck to all are considering surgery but I know she has felt it was worthing every dollar of the thousands she spent..:wink2: Trisha

NH-Pam, boy, your dr is very aggressive. That's really a lot for just starting out. Are you feeling okay? I got 3ccs and asked my daughter what she started out with and hers ...she had 2 from surgery and then they added 2 and then she went six weeks later and went up the 6 and stayed there for about six months. I'm hoping to get another 2 when I go back in a month, but my dr is somewhat conservative. but I was glad to get the 3. Good luck Trisha (pennreporter)

NYGuy, I have the Realize C also and I also have a lump. And he still had me put a pillow in my low back and push out. But my surgeon can count on both hands how many bands he's placed. So I was perfectly fine with him numbing the area first, especially if I'm his test rat. I only got 3cc but was fine with that only because I was expecting him to be ultraconservative. I'm at least getting the "full" feeling back that I hadn't had in a couple of weeks. LBNDOC, I never thought of a horse needle. Now I really have to take a picture of it next time...lol No, no liquids but to be careful for a few days. But I had my first fruit today, sugar free canned peaches with cottage cheese. it sure doesn't take much to make me happy these days with food...:smile2: Trisha