khunt719

surgery was 9-28-09. Got to the hospital about 6 am and checked in. Husband went with so I would have support there. Talked to the annie and he explained how he would put me to sleep for the procedure. Doctor came in and all was a go, so I was ready to do this. Had surgery about 8ish and was back to my room about 10ish. It was like nothing happened. The only pain I had was on the left side of my neck, it was a sharp piercing pain so bad that I cried until they gave me some percocet. I stayed until I drank a little bit of Protein Shake and ate some s/f Jello about 1 oz. Then the doctor came in and checked on me and said if I kept the food and liquids down he would let me go home that afternoon. The night was good, no pain except for my neck. Slept without any difficulties and was back at work in 2 days. All was good. I thought I was prepared for this because my mother had her band done in Mexico, came back and lost 140 lbs in a year and 1/2. So that is what I was expecting to do. Little did I know what an uphill battle this was going to be for me. I should have researched and read every weight loss surgery book out there. Knowing what I know now I would have had the gastric bypass done. I don't regret any of it because now finally the band is working for me and I am losing slowly. But having that big loss up front right after surgery would have been nice. Good Luck to all on their surgery day.

sounds like you are doing so good. Congratulations on the losing, sometimes it feels good to be a loser lol

I had surgery 9-28-09, I have gotten filled every month since. I was supposed to be at 9 cc's in a 10 cc band. I went a few days ago for my final fill. I told the doctor that I don't have the gurgling or feeling the Water pass through the stoma like I read on here from other bandsters. I don't think it was working to it's full potential. So I had him take out all the saline to make sure I didn't have a leak, he pulls out 7 cc's. So he decided to put 8 cc's back in. While he is filling my band, the needle breaks and saline goes all over my arm. So I don't know how many cc's I have right now but I am getting hungry about 3 hours after eating and before it was about every 5-6 hours. So I know I don't have as much as before. I have to wait another month to go back in for a fill but I don't know if I can wait that long. I've lost 15 lbs in the last 2 months so losing isn't a problem but if I'm eating more than before I know this will slow down. Has anyone else had this happen to them? How did you deal with it?

So I was supposed to be at 9 cc's in a 10 cc band. I go yesterday to the doctor's for a fill and have him pull all the saline out to make sure I don't have a leak since I have no restriction yet. He pulls out 7 cc's. So he puts in 8 cc's and when he is pulling out the needle saline goes all over my arm so I don't really know how many cc's I have right now. I just hope that not too much came gushing out. I go back in a month and hope this mishap doesn't cost me so I don't over eat and it takes 2-3 hours in between my hunger pains. Fills are getting expensive and I have been going every month since Oct. Why can't I feel the gurgling and movement of the liquids or food going down my stoma like I read about. Where is my "sweet spot"? So that is my story for today and I'm sticking to it. :w00t:

I was 6 months out before I felt any kind of restriction. In that 6 months, I felt like I could eat a whole hamburger so I would eat half and still be hungry so I would finish it. I would have shakes after my fills because they are soft and easy to get down. I just made a lot of terrible choices I hope you don't make. Just eat your 3-4 oz of food and wait about an hour and then if you are hungry eat another 2 oz's. Pick something good for you like Protein. It will stay with you longer. But don't do what I did and take advantage of the band because it will bite you in the butt. I gained 4 lbs in the first 6 months and since have lost 16 but it took me 7 fills to get here. Just don't be so hard on yourself. Some people can follow the diet very easily and I had a hard time with it. Good luck and don't think you will automatically fill something right away when you have your first fill because it took me to get 9cc in a 10cc band to fill restriction. Find a weight loss surgery book from like Barnes and Noble and read it...that is where I found so much information. :thumbup:

I went to my family doctor every month to weigh in for 6 months. Only to find out that those visits didn't count and I was denied. I then went to a nut that specialized in weight loss surgery, she had me keep journals of my feelings, my food, my exercise...anything that had to deal with my struggle of being over weight. I did this for 6 months. After finishing with her and she submitted the paperwork to the insurance, I had to appeal the first denial and was approved in a month and had surgery within 2 weeks there after. So I suggest going to a nut that is familiar with weight loss surgery. good luck to you

My mother went to Mexico and had the lap band surgery done about 6 years ago. She lost 140 lbs and everything was fine until it slipped and had to be taken out. She gained 50 lbs in a year and went back to Mexico and had the sleeve done. She is doing fine, has lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks and would go back in a heartbeat. She has nothing bad to say about going there and would do it again.

I'm at 9cc's in a 10 cc band and still don't feel like I have the restriction I should have by now. I haven't found that "sweet spot" everyone talks about. I go for my last fill this coming Tuesday and hope that helps. I try to keep my food down to a cup or 4 oz's. I don't drink before, during, or for an hour after I eat. I keep up with my Protein, watch my calories, exercise and have only lost 16 lbs since Sept when I had surgery. So I don't know what is going on. I feel like I could eat a steak dinner and still have room for dessert sometimes and it gets so frustrating. I feel like the band is never going to work like it should. My mom lost 140 lbs in a year and a half with the band and I'm struggling to just lose 10. Something isn't right here. I feel like I got screwed.

I got my band 9-28-09, I'm at 9cc's in a 10 cc band. It took forever for me to feel any restriction. I've only lost 16 lbs and that has been a challenge. It was like I gained 10 lbs the first few months being on real food. I wasn't watching my Protein or calorie intake. I was just thinking the band was going to work without my participation...boy was I wrong. So now I am measuring, counting calories, exercising, and still I only lose about 1-2 lbs a week and from what I understand that is normal. I am going for my last fill this coming Tuesday and hope that this is what gets me to my "sweet spot". Don't give up, it only gets better.

you are doing great. I was banded 9-28-09, had my first fill 1 month out and have had fills every month since. I am at 9 cc's in a 10 cc band and still haven't hit that "sweet spot" everyone talks about. I've lost 16 lbs so far so you are doing much better than I am at your weight loss. It is slow and from researching you should lose 1-2 lbs a week so I think you are on track. I just didn't take my band seriously and thought that the weight would just start falling off like it does with gastric bypass patients but it doesn't. Just hang in there and if you are getting hungry soon after you eat, you need a fill. I go about 3-4 hours in between meals. I eat 3 meals a day with 1 extra Protein Shake as a snack. Good luck to you.

Robertsgal68@yahoo.com

It seems like my scale changes everyday up 2 lbs down 3 lbs. It just depends on what I eat the night before. My scale is off 3 lbs from what the doctors scale says but when I weigh there I have clothes and shoes on so I know there will be a difference. Purchasing a good scale is so worth it.

Robertsgal68@yahoo.com