untfluter

Thanks Sluggo.. and you made me laugh w/your responses... LOL as for my response to that guy... I have done a lot of internet dating.. and I am on SEVERAL dating websites that cater to BBW and the men who like us... I have had guys who stopped talking to me once I told them about the surgery.. and I don't regret telling them because it helps weed out the guys who are just looking to f**k a fat chick... I want someone who wants to be w/me for ME... not because I am a fat chick... if you happen to like me bigger but can handle that I am not going to be big the rest of my life and want to know me for ME.... then by all means, let's keep talking and getting to know each other because I am the same person fat or thin.. that will NEVER change....

I was banded on May 19th... I had a guy that I went out w/like two times who then disappeared, he emails me out of the blue.. I can't remember if I had already had the surgery or had my surgery date... anyway, so I tell him that I'm having/had the surgery and his response was I don't think you should do it... I've heard that it doesn't work/is a bad thing and whatever happened to doing it the natural way.... I was like WTF!! Who the HELL are you to say that to me??? You don't even KNOW me enough to have an opinion like that... I ripped him a new one and I never heard from him again... good riddance to bad rubbish... but I didn't hide this from anyone.. hell, I was ALL over facebook w/this both before and after my surgery... the way I look at it.. I have nothing to be ashamed about in having this surgery...I think I should be proud that I took this step to become healthy... that I admitted that I needed the help to take this weight off once and for all and keep it off.... Good luck and don't EVER feel ashamed for taking this journey....

I too was a self pay.. I stayed one night in the hospital, that is what my cost included. I had my morphine pump.. YEAH! LOL I wasn't brought up to my room until about 5:45pm and I was released about 2pm the next day and I was just fine... good luck!!

First of all, congrats on starting your journey.. I started my journey on May 19, 2009. I had my first fill approx 3 1/2 wks after my surgery... in regards to does it hurt at all?? they are sticking a needle in to you.. for me.. it didn't hurt that bad.. I looked at it as a necessary evil... but everyone is different, their threshold for pain is different.. to me, it didn't hurt anymore then getting blood taken... as for how do they know where your port is?? The surgeon will be able to feel it... at first my surgeon thought he would have to do my fills under fluro because I have so much fat over the port, but when I went for my first post op visit, he was like, there's your port.. I was like WOOHOO!! and he was able to stick me the first time, no problem... as for liquids for 24 hrs after, again, every surgeon is different... I know I do liquids or mushies for the first 24 hrs after because I am usually REALLY restricted the day after my fill... as for how many CC's did they put in for my first fill, they put in 2 CC's... I have a 10 CC band and I am just now at 3.5 CC's... and I have some really good restriction right now... every surgeon is different.. mine is a bit conservative w/the fills, but he also calibrates you when he fills you... so your surgeon may put more, he may put less.. just depends on him and you... good luck w/your first fill!! let us know how it goes...

I am a perfect example that everyone is different.. I was banded on May 19, 2009 and I had my 3rd fill last week. I have 3.5 CC's in a 10CC band and right now, I have a LOT of restriction... I had 2.5 CC's in before last week and I really had NO restriction.. I know of people who have more in their band then me and don't feel much restriction... and I started this journey I was over 350 lbs... so everyone is different... good luck!!

I actually had my first fill at just UNDER 4 wks... closer to 3 wks... it all depends on your surgeon... they are all different in how often they will do a fill, when they do the first fill, the post-op diet (liquids-mushy-solids) and how much they put in w/each fill... my surgeon... he is a little conservative w/the fills... 2CC's my first fill, 1 CC my second (but went back and had 1/2 CC taken out) and then yesterday I had my 3rd fill, 1 CC and I have the AP Standard band which holds 10CC's....

It could be simply that you aren't getting enough Protein... are you still drinking the Protein shakes? I was banded on May 19th.. I was on liquids for 2 wks... my surgeon has us do Carnation Instant Breakfast 3 times a day... which has a decent amount of protein, in addition to soup, etc... but when I moved to the mushy stage, they still had us have the CIB twice a day... remember to focus on your protein first when you do eat... and use the protein shakes in between meals to supplement and to make sure you are getting enough protein.. the last thing you want to do once you have gotten to the mushy phase is to drink all your protein, but nothing wrong w/supplementing... I am a little over 3 months post op and I STILL supplement w/protein shakes/bars and I focus on my protein before anything else...

It's interesting that they JUST took you off your diuretic HBP meds... they took me off mine BEFORE my surgery and didn't put me back on because they wanted me to be taking in fluids and not taking something that will take the fluids away... keep up the good work!!

Lana, you hit the nail on the head... I too have found that one of the biggest victories has been what the band has done for my head.... you are so very right!! I think for me, knowing that the band is there to help me, to be a tool... has made all the difference in the world mentally for me....

Glad to hear that everything worked out so well. Good luck and keep us updated....

As I understand it... you take the number of grams of carbs and subtract the number of grams of fiber and that gives you the Net carbs....

One of my first big one was taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator to my 2nd floor office... I traveled last month and I was only about 2 inches away from being able to buckle the seat belt w/out the extender.. that was HUGE for me because it's been so long, but now I know next time, I will be able to close the seatbelt w/out the extender I joined Curves last week and worked out for the 2nd time, including the night I joined, and I did the full 3 circuits last night when I only could manage 2 the night I joined...

Thank you SpideyMom... God.. EVERYONE on here is so nice.... I am glad that I have found this site....

Thanks Restless... yes, that DID help.. LOL and I have bookmarked it.. LOL

ok.. I keep seeing this term and I have NO idea what it means... PBing... what is PB'ing??? Thanks!!

I was banded on May 19th. First pic was taken the night before and 2nd pic was taken on Aug 20th. http://www.facebook.com/untfluter?ref=profile#/photo.php?pid=30403624&id=1412254575 http://www.facebook.com/untfluter?ref=profile#/photo.php?pid=30620499&id=1412254575 sorry, I couldn't figure out how to actually add the pic to my response..

I just found the May bandsters... so I'll start w/my weight the day of surgery was 346.6 but my pre-op weight 2 wks prior to surgery was 358.5. I was banded on May 19, 2009. I had my first fill on 6/12 with 2CC's... I was down to 334.5 by that point. I went for my 2nd fill on 7/22, 1 CC and I was down to 313.5. I had to go back the next week, I was too tight, they took out 1/2CC leaving me with a total 2.5 CC's in my band. I go for my 3rd fill on Sept 9th. By my scale two days ago I was down to 308.4, so I hit my total since surgery is 38.2 but a grand total of 50.1. I am THRILLED!!

Erica, you hit the nail on the head.. she enjoys being the skinny one... she enjoys being the one who gets the attention because she is the skinny pretty one and you are the fat pretty one.. and now she is afraid that YOU will be the skinny pretty one and take the attention away from her... I TRULY believe that.... My best friend, who was skinny when we met but has gained weight over the years and is/was close to 250lbs has been SOOO supportive of me.. she lives in Houston but calls me all the time and tells me all the time how proud she is of me...THAT'S what a true friend does...

sometimes it takes a few days for the restriction to be felt and sometimes you will be more restricted a day or two later and then it lets up a little... give it a few more days and if it still happening call your dr. I had the same problem after my 2nd fill and wound up getting 1/2 CC taken out a week after my fill. I got for my 3rd fill on Sept 9th.

you are only a few days post op. They use gas to lift up your organs, so the belching is normal because your body needs to expel it.. it is also normal for it to hurt a little. I am 3 months post op and I found that Gas-x helped. The pills are VERY small and easy to swallow.... but I do still belch quite a bit even though I am 3 months post op... it's embarrasing sometimes.. LOL

Meechbethy, since there are no support group meetings w/in 100miles of where you live, check out bariatriceating.com this is actually the website for a store here in the Ft. Lauderdale area but they do an online support group meeting weekly, that might be an good option for you.

wow... she's one of those that think that they don't need to change their way of eating, they will just eat less.. that doesn't work.. this band is a tool to me... and like an alcoholic in AA, I have to work this program EVERY day of my life for the rest of my life.. I hope she get's her act together for the sake of her and her children.

I had an issue after my 2nd fill. I have a 10CC band (I believe) and they put in 2 CC on my first fill and 1 CC on my second fill. I ate something the day after my fill and didn't feel great, I felt ok, but not great, that was a Thurs night/Fri. On Saturday, I couldn't eat more then 3 bites of solid food w/out having pain and then throwing up. I spoke w/my surgeon's nurse on Monday and she agreed w/me that my band was too tight... So I went in and he took out 1/2 CC, and I was fine.. it's not an exact science... so that could be the problem. I go for my 3rd fill on Sept 9th. Wish me luck!

I agree w/Unforgetable. During the week I also eat Greek yogurt for breakfast... I do drink protein shakes but I use them to suplement my protein intake, I drink them in between meals. I have 2 a day, at least during the week. I use the Pure Protein brand and in my opinion don't have any funny smell to them. I stick w/the chocolate flavors and I get a big jug in Target for like $18 and it lasts me a few weeks. I usually eat 1-2 hard boiled eggs a day, that also gives me a lot of protein... and I also eat Morningstar brand Veggie Patties, which have like 14 grams of soy protein and I also eat a lot of chicken breast (deli style) because it is protein. I take in on average 75-100 grams of protein a day...

Lizabeth, you are right.. anything that gets you moving is great.. I enjoy walking but I live in S. FL and it is hot as hades MOST of the time and is just too hot to get out and walk.. LOL and the gym at my complex is only open M-F 9-5, lot of good that does... LOL so that's why I enjoy working out in the pool, plus I find I am more likely to work out in the pool because I enjoy it, so I don't make excuses to NOT excercise... LOL