jenn90808

Ditto that! I really miss salads and many of the vegetables that seem to get stuck. Be careful the first time.

60 pounds in less than a month! That is startling. Your Dr. is right though, most likely still swollen. As long as you are able to drink fluids and stay hydrated I wouldn't be terribly concerned. Hang in the for a couple more weeks. What did the Dr. have to say about your weight loss?

This same thing happened to my neighbor..she did not get the checks but was sent statements from her insurance which showed charges of 1oo's of thousands of dollars. My insurance is through the fire dept and it isprivately funded. I would feel horribly if those type of $ were taken on my behalf especially if the cash price is under 10k these day.

I posted on this a couple weeks ago and most people who responded were at above 8 ccs. I had no fill at surgery and have done 4, 3, 2, 2ccs during the last 8 weeks bringing me to 11ccs. I have only been able to eat soft foods the last 2 days and I'm thrilled about it. It may be a little tight but I'm willing to wait it out for another 2 weeks and see where I'm at.

From what I understand it is very difficult to slip your band. Keep in mind too that your stomach is swollen from the surgery and the tightness in your chest may be related to that as well as the air still trapped in your cavity from surgery. The first few weeks I was very aware that something foreign was in me, and eventually the feeling you describe went away. If you are able to swallow 1/2 a pill your are probably doing just fine. Of it were stuck you would probably regurgitating the soy milk and pill.

Thanks for the responses. Each was very helpful. I just returned from the Dr.s appt and he gave me 4 ccs based on how much I've been able to eat and also based on my desire for restriction. He said his patients seem to range from 6.5 ccs to 12. After this he is only able to add 1cc per visit but I'm hoping that I won't need it. There were 2 other patients there with similar circumstances and I was able to be the positve one by sharing all of your posts with them. On a lighter note, I like to close my eyes so I don't see the needle buttmy 9 yr old son was at my appt with me and gave me a play by play..."Mom, that needle is gigantic, oh my gosh it's in your stomach!"

Can those of you with 14 cc bands please tell me how many cc's you needed to find your sweet spot? I was banded October 12th and was due for my first fill after Thanksgiving. I had 3 cc's the first week of December and had no restriction following. I asked to see the Dr a week later and and he was hesitant to give me another fill before within 2 weeks of the last. He gave me another 2 but I still have no restriction. I have a fill tomorrow and I am going to ask for 3 or 4 and see where that gets me. In the past few weeks with out restriction I have not eaten well. I think in part because I was relieved to be able to eat with out discomfort. My portions have definitely been bigger and I feel like I'm playing that familiar game of "I'll do better tomorrow" with out really doing better tomorrow. I really hope tomorrow's fill takes me where I need to be.

Think of the complications you will be avoiding instead. MRSA is a nasty little bug that would've been quite happy to nestle up in you incisions and cause you terrible pain, it could've infected your band as well and then were would you be?

FDA panel urges expansion of lap band surgery to patients with a BMI as low as 30! This is an interesting article, just thought I'd share it. A panel of federal health experts has recommended expanding approval of a stomach-shrinking band to help patients who are obese but lighter than patients currently recommended to receive the implant. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40498098/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/from/toolbar

Generalized anxiety is VERY common. If you feel it has gotten to the level where it is affecting your daily functioning then you should talk with your Dr. about it. Anxiety in one area can snowball in to others. Not trying to freak you out but this is an area of specialty for me. As for the dining out situation, you may just have to start doing a ittle research before you go somewhere. Check out the menu on line or call the restuarant ahead and inquire. This might help you with some of the uncertainty and ease some of your fears. As might a glass of wine :-) I am acutally a little bit afraid of food these days...which is different than what you are describing. I have had several instances where things haven't agreed with me and I'm afraid to eat things that I haven't tested yet for fear that my stomach won't handle it well. I am seriously sticking to a handful of tried and true meals that don't upset me and the 2 times I've gone out to eat since my surgery I've stuck to grilled fish (very soft) and a small potatoe.

I was approved on a friday and scheduled for surgery on the following Tuesday. There was no liquid diet for me. I was just told to really cut back. Which is why you shouldn't beat yourself up if you haven't been perfect. Just do the best you can..maybe shakes for B & L with a small meal at dinner?

My husband is a firefighter and he is working tomorrow so we will be joining all of the other families at his station for a huge potluck. One of the hotels is catering the main meal and we are all supplementing with other dishes. I just finished baking 2 upside down apple pies myself. I'm not too worried about what I'm going to eat because even though I'm suppossed to be on solids (week 6) I still cannot tolerate them. I'll be sticking to soft foods. The company is what is most important for me tomorrow and the thing that I will focus on instead of the food. Cheers!

I remember chatting with my consultant at the Dr.s office about the psych eval. She said that it was necessary to determine whether a patient's motivations and expectations were realistic and healthy. If a patient answered that the reason they wanted to lose weight was for someone else it was a red flag. Or if someone thought their lives would be perfect once they were skinny that was a red flag too. A history of substance or alchohol abuse also resulted in a denial.

Met with my Dr. today and even though I have only lost one f**&ing pound in the last 2 weeks we decided against a fill because when I eat I get full easily and it usually holds me over for 2-3 hours. He asked me to come back in 2 weeks with a food diary that includes everything I eat and drink. I don't have a problem with that. Have you done one? Were you surprised by what you were actually eating?

What an amazing transformation! Congrats to you. I am seeing my Dr. today (4 weeks post op) and was considering asking him just to take the thing out. Seeing your success makes me want to give it some more time.