ArmyWives

So, finding out at my fill, that I have a 14cc band, I ws told that it could take about three fills to really start to feel the restriction, because its such a large band. Well, since the fill, I havent felt anymore restriction and I have another apointment in two weeks where will be asking for more fluids in my band.... Just my update! Best of Luck and prayers to all...

Im in California, and the 1800lapband people is who i used for the surgery and who i still use.

:tongue2:Okay so on Saturday September 18, 2010 @ 9am, I had my very first fill. Now before I get started with the really short story, let first tell you I waited in the lobby for 15 minutes before my appointment. Okay so I was called back, weighted (total of 43.9lbs. in 6 weeks) I laid flat on the bed, then my doctor came in, (I got to keep all of my own clothes on!) He explained to me that he was going to give me a shot of litocaine (mind you it was in a diabedic needle) and I didnt even feel him give me the shot. He explained that he was going to put the other needle that was attached to the 3cc of saline solution in... before I got alright out of my mouth, he said, "Im in!" I didnt feel it either! He push the plumger of the neddle in and all I could feel was this,weird squiggly feeling..! I would imagine its what a mother feels when she feels her baby move inside of her. Just like that, I was done and out of there. In a matter of 5 minutes, my band was full and I was back in the car and leaving right at my actual appoiontment time! So, really there is nothing to be scared of and its completely PAINLESS!!!! Best of luck and prayer to all!:thumbup:

Thank you everyone for all the prayers and condolences. Im really happy with all the progress that Ive made thus far, and I cant wait to continue it! Next week I promise to report back with a FULL and DETAILED report of my first fill... I am a little nervous, but Ive dont my research and seen several video on how the process works, so I feel very informed.. Im also so glad to hear that my blogs have helped so many of you... That why I choose to be very open and detailed about the process... I promise to get some new full body photos up again very soon, so you can all see the progress... Its very amazing, even to me! Thanks again everyone.. Best of luck and prayers to all...

I have to be honest, it does work, but you have to help it work. You have to decided to make the right food choices, and excersize. If you work with it, it WILL work for you! Best of luck and please keep us posted!

Sorry its been so long since I posted... Life has just gotten a little over whelming lately. As of right now, Im down 35lbs in 5 weeks! Alot of people are starting to notice and it feels really good. I recently had to buy a new outfit for my Dad's funeral (he passed away two weeks ago) and Im already down two pant sizes, two sizes around and one cup size in my bra, and one size smaller in my shirts!!! Im very pleased with all the progress. I have every intention of getting back into my gym routine now that everything has calmed down and im finally home again. Best of Luck and prayers to all!:wink:

Since I was banded, and Im LOVING IT! Over the last week, Ive experienced what it's like to NEVER be hungry! Never in my life have I had to remind myself to eat something. I have noticed that if I forget to eat something small (around late afternoon) I start to feel shaky and sick stomached. Occasionally a headache will follow. Im learning the importance of reading food labels and taking my time in the grocery store, which I have found to be a challenge in its own! There have been moments though, when I have to be really strict with myself, and tell myself NO... I wont be hungry or anything and I want to go to the frig and just munch... Thats when I put on my pretty new nikes' and go for a walk, or leave the house and walk around mall or department store or somewhere.... m sure that with time things like this will get easier and less and less or something that I have to think about or tell myself no for. Well all, thats the latest and greatest on this week! Just waiting and looking forward to the 18th of September, for my first fill!!!!!! Cant hardly wait to feel some serious restriction! Best of luck and Prayers to all!:wub:

Dadkins- Im 12 days past surgery! I completely understand that rumbling stomach! However I have noticed that it only takes about four or five bits of something to get ride of it, and im good all day long! nbrett- I am! Im so loving this!

In Saturday Aug. 21st I had my second post op check up appointment, and it went very well. I was given a 100% and allowed to go back to normal activities, just cant go back to the gym for two more weeks:sad:....other than that, Im off to give this journey a kick start!:w00t: I was also given my appointment for my first fill!!! Im really excited about it, I really ready to feel some restriction! So On September 18 @ 9am Im getting my gas tank filled up!!! Best of luck and prayers to all!:biggrin:

Hey guys, got a question, I know that the goal with the protein shakes is to get the max protein intake, however with so many out there, Im confused... On the paper work from my surgeon, they give you examples such as boost, ensure and slim fast... after reading the labels on them, i was taken back by how much sugar and carbs are in those brands, and choose to go with EAS because it has 17g of Protein, 2g of sugar, and 1g of carb.... Im starting to wonder however if the purpose of the high sugar drinks were to help supplement for what we are not getting from food... Any thoughts?

Thanks for that... I was banded on the 11 of Aug. and I was kinda wondering how the fill process works... Thanks for easing those thoughts and worries!

Girl we have all been there, so dont be to hard on yourself... and CONGRATS on being HONEST WITH YOURSELF.... I use Curves, its 30 mins a day they suggest 3-4 times a week and its quick, easy, all woman, and its fun! I would suggest that you either wake up and hour earlier than you normally do, and do or on your way home from work make it your "on the way home stop" You owe it to yourself to do this, you've already given yourself a great gift by getting banded, now get where you want to be and help the tool help you! Best of luck and prayers.... Keep us updated!:smile2:

I dont know much about how insurance works, or doctors in Texas, but I do know that here in California, my starting BMI was 46 and that qualified me without needing any other medicial issues. However, I do know that if your BMI is 30-35 you do need to have I believe it is three or more of the diseases you listed. I wasnt made to do the six month diet, but I have heard that some people have had to (mostly kiaser patients), however there is a life style change and diet that you must adhere to one month and two weeks before the surgery. I currently have a friend how has Kiaser and the hoops were just ridiculous, and she and her parents are going to finances the surgery (just shy of 12,000). Its the BEST investment that you can make in yourself. Its just as good if not better than investing in your education. Ive only been banded now for one week, but ive been waiting four years for my insurance to start excepting this surgery, and I dont regret one minute of the whole process. Best of luck and prayers, keep us all update!

Thank you everyone, and as you all know, I try not to let my blogs fail in detail and humor! Talk to you all soon!

Im 7 days post op, and Im noticing the same thing... as with the other ladies, you just have to wait it out and the swell and soreness will dissipate... hang in there!

Its been one, emotional, fun, scary, over whelming yet AMAZING start to this never journey! Its been so much fun to loose my initial 25lbs!!!, and I have a doctors appointment on Saturday (just for a check up), but Im hoping that they will give me my fill date...!!! As for now Im going to cut my blog back to once a week unless something happens and its worth sharing the experience... I just wanted to say thanks to all that tune in every day to hear about my latest... EVERYTHING! What an amazing group of people we all are! Best of luck and prayers to all....:thumbup:

They are, but you've got to watch your carb intake, and it really depends (in the begining) what you can actually eat once your able to eat... For me, I couldnt do Jell-o it literally hurt going down... I think that for everyone its different, its a lot of trial and error, and keep a food log so you can see what your putting in your body and make notes on what different food made you feel like....

Thanks for sharing this with us all... im sure Ill use some of these ideas in the near future...

smiley8- the only reason they've got me eat small amounts of mushy is because of a pain medication that they have me on that makes me vomit on an empty stomach and they dont want me vomiting... Tab- Your welcome, Im so happy that the insurance thing worked out, you had me scared this afternoon... WE ARE DOING THIS!!!! The raviolis are super mushy and easy cause they come in those throw it in the micro wave cups with their own lid so you can just throw it back in the frig when your done with it and re heat later or the next day or whenever...

I FEEL AMAZING... I feel that Im about 98% I had a very physically active day yesterday and today, and I was able to get threw them with little to no discomfort.... Today I did get a little discomfort when walking across campus.. It was right next to my belly button, Where my port is, and I think that it was just the walking pressure on my lose skin that made it discomforting.... Well, today I was able to add "full liquids" to my diet, and this morning when I woke up, I was able to get BFast-1/2 of an EAS Strawberry Protein shake in Lunch-1/2 of an EAS Strawberry Protein Shake, & two mashed up Chef boyardee mini raviolis. Dinner- TBD All day long Im constantly drinking my water, as much as I can.... I dont want to get dehydrated! Best of Luck and Prayers to all....

Thanks everyone! I walked by butt off today, running errands and getting around campus! @smiley8- The only reason that my doc is having me start on puree foods tomorrow is because the pain meds they gave me for the chest pain can cause vomiting on an empty stomach, and where the fluids just run threw us they dont want me vomiting... Im not really hungry, every now and then I have a hunger growl or something that mimics hunger, but when I drink my water or shake, it goes away! @marig1104- Thats to funny, I was beginning to think that same thing! And, all the walking in the world wasnt helping... but, with the gas x strips and heating pad, Ive been able to get most of my gases out!

Well its been five days since I was banded, and today I feel like in about 80% which excites me, since at 25yrs old, I decided to go back to college and today is the first day of school! Yesterday, the chest pain that been radiating, that Ive been telling y'all about, was really strong last night, and I was starting to get worried that maybe I was missing the warning signs of something else, and my husband was starting to get worried as well, and convinced me to go to the ER for a check... After getting and IV starting me on fluids, they gave me a pain killer to make me comfortable, and anti-biotic just in case, and blood for blood work. While we were waiting on blood panel, and I taken for a chest X-Ray and a at scan with contrast... After waiting for a few hours we got my results, and my blood work showed some elevated levels of (I cant remember... sorry) I was nothing overly serious, and I was able to stay for a few more hours while I was given a two more IV bags of fluids, and another does of pain medication, before I was discharged with a script for pain killers and an order to follow up with my Docs. in two days to re-evaluate. The good news was I didnt have a blood clot in the lungs, which was the main concern, the ER Doc seems to think that I may have had my diaphragm pulled on a little to tightly during my banding procedure and that, that is whats causing so much of the discomfort and pain in the chest and upper left side. He was glad that I took the pain seriously, because apparently it mimics the same symptoms of a heart attack... So I glad that I went and found out that Im just an over reactor and dont like pain and discomfort! Well, thats enough of that! As for today, I feel really good, I would say that Im about 80% of the way healed and just the same old lingering chest issue, but other than that GREAT!!! Im getting a little excited about being about to start mushy foods tomorrow! Im Farting like crazy this morning without having to run to the bathroom, or push really hard to get them out! This excites me greatly! Well Im off, today is the first day of College for me and Im going to get ready! Best of luck and prayers to all!

@lap2fab- Yes, i am still on the liquid diet... I would love to be on mushy, but im not complaining, the weight is coming off and I dont want to do anything besides what my doc says, i dont want to interfere with the process... I totally understand the pain from gas, its day 4 and im just starting to get the gas relief, HANG IN THERE, I know its pain full, but it to will pass.. (literally!) @inhardemon- Im so glad to hear that I have a blog reader! That excites me! Im glad that you get a laugh as well, cause if we cant find humor in the process, and arent able to laugh at ourselves and what we are putting ourselves threw, whats the point! Best of luck and prayers to all!