mcw12985

I've never heard that you can harm your band by drinking too much/too fast. I think if it was a real problem, it would be posted all over the boards. LLSibley gave the reasons you are not supposed to eat while drinking. For most people it washes the food from the pouch and you don't feel full long enough. I don't know if it is like this for a lot of other people, but I personally am UNABLE to drink while I eat. If I do, I almost always spit up. So no drinks with meals for me, which I guess is a good thing.

I've been reading the posts where several people are not losing the month or two after surgery, even some that have had fills. I too have not lost/gained in the past few weeks, but SOMETHING is happening. Before surgery, I was size 18 pants. One month ago I bought size 16 dress pants. The size 16 I can now slip on/off without undoing them. Sunday I went to Kohl's for a (yes) machine-washable suit, and I fit great into a size 14. I got home, and I was able to squeeeeeze into some of my size 12 pants as well. Soooooo.... we're not losing pounds, but how are the inches still dropping? I go for my third fill Oct 31 -- yay. They kind of griped at me last time for not much weightloss, but at least this time I can tell them I have gone down a couple of dress sizes!

I had restriction for only one week post-op, only from the swelling. I know the feeling of wanting the weight to come off quicker. :/ My husband will be graduating from bootcamp Nov 10th and I wanted to be about 30 lbs down as well. I'm walking at night, which seems to help a little bit. Don't worry. I have heard many people say that the first couple of months after getting banded, you don't lose very quickly, and then after that it just starts to fall off with ease!!

I don't think many doctors do a fill at the time of surgery... I could be wrong. I was banded Sept 5 and had my first fill three weeks later, and I just had my second one Tuesday, 10/10. I can TOTALLY relate about the burpage. It sounds so weird now, and it's like you can't even stifle it. lol

Sherilynn, My neurologist also would not write a letter of referral. She said it was because she can only write referrals for neurosurgery. Go Figure. The only note I had was from my PCP, and I also wrote an essay on why the band would be good for me, what research I had done, etc etc, and it worked for me. Your insurance could be a totally different situation. YOu are right, every little bit helps... perhaps you can ask one more time?

Hey Guys, I got my second fill Tuesday, and I can feel a difference this time. Today I had about five bites of lunch and that was all I could do. The nurse said I should be losing faster and more than I am, only 18 down, and I guess my problem is the carbs. I took heed of her advice after a scolding and went to the store to buy more protein products. What fun. Hopefully I will only need one more fill after this one and then I should be good to go!! Mallorie

Hey All, Haven't been on in a few... my husband left for bootcamp on Tuesday, so I'm kind of bummed out. Haven't had too much of an appetite, so I guess that's a good thing. I'm not losing as quickly as I would like, but a little is better than nothing. Pretty much eating what I want to at this point, very slowly and a lot less. I can't choke down protein drinks anymore, so I'm really into the Zone Perfect protein bars. They're not chewy like most, they kind of taste like a rice krispy treat. There's 16g of protein in one bar, so I am going for three a day. I don't think I'm getting 60g a day yet, but I'm working my way towards that. I hope everyone is doing well. Congrats to everyone recently banded, and I hope everyone else banded earlier in the month is doing good as well. Mallorie

Hi Stephanie, I'm pretty sure I have the 4cc band. I guess that would have been a great question to ask when I was at the doctor's yesterday, but I was a little sidetracked with the syringe sticking out of my stomach. ha. And again, sidetracked, but I'm 99 percent sure he said 1.6 when he pulled the needle out. I ate just a little bit today, don't really feel that much restriction. I'm already ready to go back in three weeks for my second fill! I can definitely relate about being able to eat what you want to at this point. I was banded one day after you and I've pretty much been eating anything I want. :hungry: I had a major guilt trip after anything I would eat though because I was afraid I was stretching my pouch. I don't think anything happened though. I can eat what I want, but it's in moderation. Everything's okay. Good luck to everyone tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap2:

Hey All, Just got back from Nashville for my first post-op appointment. He did go ahead and give me the fill. He asked me if I was able to chug water, I said I was able to drink as much and as fast as I wanted, and so he said it was time to do a fill. It was scary. Laid down and he got the "bee sting" shot out to numb the area around my port. It hurt only for a second, actually doesn't hurt as much as the one they give you before an IV. Then he got the BIG needle out and I felt somewhat woozy. I wouldn't look, but it felt like he was jabbing around looking for the port. Luckily he found it. He injected a little, and then he had me sit up with the syringe still in the port and drink 9oz of water. It went down fine. Guess he did that so he wouldn't have to restick me if it was too tight. All in all went really well. Have to go back in three weeks to do another adjustment. I had been really hungry up until the time I got there because they told me I could eat breakfast but liquids after that. My tummy was growling when I was in the room, but then when he did the fill and I drank the water, I wasn't hungry anymore. Two days of liquids, then I can go on to oatmeal, mashed potatoes etc.

Well, I go to my first post-op appointment tomorrow, and I'm hoping he will give me a fill because my swelling restriction is GONE. It's only been a little over two weeks, but the nurse said she thinks he will go ahead and do the fill because I live so far away (Knoxville to Nashville) and also because I don't have restriction. In fact, I think my restriction was gone after about three days. A few days after that I was eating Wendy's chili with no problem, and now I can pretty much eat whatever I want to. Not good. Kinda nervous about the first fill. Do I have to strip? My port is in my sternum area right under my boobs, ugh. I hope it doesn't hurt. I don't think I will like needles in my stomach area. Never had it done, but I'm just assuming I won't like it at all. I'll let y'all know how it goes tomorrow. Congrats to everyone who was banded today, and g'luck to those this week!! Mallorie

You two need to chill. Don't fan the flames when they were about to go out.

I was under the impression that our dispute had come to an end and that everyone could move on. I certainly don't want any part to do with you leaving the boards; I don't think there's any reason for it. I don't agree with ongoing drama, I just wanted to make my point, you wanted to make your point; our points are made, it's done. No need to frolic away. I apologize for any harsh remarks I may have made. It's out of character for me. I had something to say but could have said it nicer. I am sorry.

I, by no means, intend for this to be an ongoing continuance of differing opinions. I felt I needed to stick up for her, make a point, and I think I did. If her feelings were hurt, they were hurt, and somebody needs to validate that. I know I don't get butt hurt for no reason, it's usually provoked, unless I just want to be mad at my husband. I'm done now. My Queen remark was directed at a wide range of people, not you. And yes, I am queen and master of my domain.

Furthermore, perhaps even a better decision would have been to talk to Bettina privately, instead of making her feel like an "idiot," as she put, on the public board.

BJ, I don't name names, but as far as who I was "jumping on," those people who feel threatened by my statements usually respond first. If people feel that Bettina was taking it upon herself to be an "expert authority" and possibly jeopardizing a reader's knowledge, sure, maybe they feel it's in the best interest of the group to address that. However, learning HOW to address such issues is a great life lesson. I stick up for the underdog. When I see people take on a demeaning, condescending, holier-than-thou attitude, I'll say something. Call it an "attack" if you must; seems to me some people don't like to be confronted about their attitudes.