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:mad:Don't feel bad. I do everything I am told. I exercise like crazy 6 days a week. I eat 1,000-1200 calories per day-protein first then veggies. I have only lost 5 lbs in the last 3 months. Frustrated? you can say that again!:tired

I was banded 8 weeks ago and tomorrow (8:00 a.m.) is my first scheduled fill in a large VG (10cc) band. (no saline was put in at time of banding) My doctor told me he would be putting in 3cc's. I'm not worried....to the contrary!!....I'm very excited!!! I just don't know what to expect. I realize all Dr.'s are different, but can anyone please tell me your experiences?? l. Should I eat even lighter today to prepare for the fill? 2. Do I eat Breakfast in the morning or would it be better if I didn't? 3. Were you put on a liquid or mushy diet for a day or two afterwards? 4. Does it hurt or is it just uncomfortable? 5. Any possible problems with "finding" the port? 6. What is the possibility of feeling some "restriction" with 1st. fill? So many questions! LOL To date I've lost 34 lbs. and I'm so happy with my band. I've had no problems at all. I have been living on "will power" the past few weeks, so I will be thrilled when I can actually "feel" the restriction again. Thanks to anyone sharing their experiences with me. I can't wait for the "fills" to begin!

it takes me so long to eat, my food is cold befor i get done. i guess thats a good thing. but since my first feel about a week ago i feel restriction. i got the realize band and i got a 3cc fill.

I had my first fill today after my Dec 18 surgery. I am sore at the stent area and some in my back, but not really bad. It was a painful but not unbearable experience. Good thing, as I will be doing this many more times in my life! Now back to liquids only for 48 hours. Doctor said I can eat any foods I want to now with of course the limitations that go along with the Band.I am about 3 weeks post surgery and have done fine with very small amounts of shrimp cocktail and grilled chicken chewed many many times.So far, so good. The doctor said I am doing well and I am about 20 pounds down from the first day of pre-op shakes.This is my first time responding to anything but I have been reading and benefitting from these forums for several weeks.

Thanks lizrbit I'm a vegetarian - so this rules lots of things out. I had not thought of veggie bullion DOH! The clear is for immediately post op until I can go onto mushy. Juices are good, its just others seem to be having lots of jello etc. So I've been on semi Optifast for the two weeks, it didn't need to be strict, so I've had opti 1 or 2 per day and a salad or veggies etc for the other meal. Thanks for the suggestions

Wow and I thought I was having some issues! I don't really have much advise but I am having some similar frustrations. Was banded 7/25 - Had no issues until October when had some swelling and leakage from the port site. I was told it was nothing to worry about by the covering doctor (regular was on vacation). When I saw my regular doctor he told me I was infected and it had to come out. So back to the hospital, port comes out. I get felt with huge whole in my stomach so it can heal on its own. On 1/9 I have port put back in. I go back to the doctor on 1/25 and have a huge hematoma - again nothing to worry about. A couple of weeks later I am in extreme pain - I go see the doctor and he is convinced that it is headed to infection. So I get put on antibiotics daily which requires a daily trip to the hospital which is 1.5 hours away every day. We are headed to the second week of this fun!!!! On the plus side I have lost about 100 pounds, put I would like to move on with my life already. I think that is what has me so pissed. Anyway - no words of wisdom, other then the Band does work and is well worth all the efforts. Just wanted you to know you are not alone.

Okay, I had this done on 7/10/06 so not that long ago. I didn't use any pain medicine. I didn't have any shoulder pain, but my port area was sore. I was up walking as soon as I got to my room and walked every hour. I had no nausea and they wrote me scripts for loritab and that phergran or however you spell it but hadn't had to use it. As I've said before, by day 4 I was doing everything I had ever done and day 10 we went riding 4 wheelers all day long with friends and when we ride we ride horrible trails that are steep and hilly and usually dangerous. My doctor gave me 2 valiums to take one day before surgery and one morning of surgery because I was nervous but If I had known then how easy and simple it was I would not have wasted my time being scared, so don't worry, everything will be fine. I lost about 30 pounds the first month or 6 weeks or so, and now I've lost real close to 40 pounds and it's been 2 months. My incisions healed up wonderfully and I just so far haven't had any problems. Good luck and we'll be praying for you and thinking about you as you have this done. Keep us informed on how your doing.

Yesterday was day 5 post op for me. I drove myself to walmart just to get out and pick up a few items. I did not have too much pain but in afternoon the "dreaded" gas pains in sholders and neck came along. My daughter and grandaughter (7 months old and light of my life!!) came over and we walked a 1/2 mile slowly. Walking definately with gas-x strips helped. I actually slept on my side last night!!!! I feel good today and am taking it really slow. I have this week off from work still. I am so glad I took 2 full weeks. My stomach bloating is going down thank God!!! I was a bit unclear what I would be wearing to work. I have an office job but I wore some regular capris yesteday with the button kind of undone and a shirt down over it. I could button them but did not want to bother my port area.

i do not have to do a liquid diet because of my bmi. my doctor's office only requires them if you bmi is 45 or above. mine is 41. i'm kind of glad, i get a couple of weeks to say goodbye to my foods and a little bit longer for will power. i'm also kind of sad because i would lose more weight if i did the liquid diet. i'm having my surgery here in arkansas, i am a self pay patient also, by the time i pay this off, i probably won't want to pay for any other surgery i considered Mexico but i decided to have it local.

Was that me who was mouthing off not a week ago about how she didnt need a fill, and wasnt going to have one, how she never thought about food and was still losing well? Hehehe, I'm eating my words now, not to mention wanting to eat everything else. Suddenly I'm hungry. I've only got to wait till the 19th, but we can hang out! Eat enough to satisfy yourself reasonable, the weight will come off faster again after the fill, just try not to go crazy.

I had Kelly.. my bmi was 33 when I scheduled surgery and I was told that I only had to follow a plan three days prior to surgery. I don't see why you would need to be on a preop for two weeks. I contacted Dr. Aceves when I was researching surgeons and I was told I didn't need to do any preop at all due to a lower bmi. I ended up going to Kelly, but the point is, with a lower bmi the preop wasn't really required. Maybe look into it

ok so the title says it all. today is my official one week post op and through out the whole week I have wanted nothing more than to have fruit. crazy isn't it. for my full liquids I bought all kinds of sugar free fruit juices but Its not helping i even bought pre packaged peaches that are in water and in their own juice but know that this is not the diet that i am supposed to be on at this stage. any ideas to conquer these cravings??

I had my sixth fill yesterday. It was hard earned...the doc always has a hard time finding my port and he had to poke me quite a bit to find it. Just when he was going to give up, he got it. He gave me .25cc's and then I drank the barrium...I love seeing on the tv what it feels like in my stomach. We both thought it looked good..but just for good measure I always drink some water. So, the water gurgled down nicely and I am so happy. This morning I had three bites of yogurt and I was full. It's such a great feeling. I ate a small piece of banana bread for a mid morning snack and that went down just fine...I feel like I just ate the whole loaf...that's why restriction is so awesome. Let's hope this restriction level stays for awhile and I don't need to get poked (with a needle, anyway..hee hee)again for a long time. The doc did say that he should move my port so it's not so hard to get to. Has anyone else gone through the surgery? Can you tell me your experience? Megan

Mine was 1 day liquids, 2 weeks puree, 2 weeks mushy.

Been a couple of days since I last posted on here. Been keeping up with my cardio and lifting. Problem was, I had my guys weekend with some guys from church this past weekend. While I didn't drink very much, I still had some and ate like crap. Been a little tired this week from as a consequence I think. Oh well, no sense beating myself up over it. So, Monday, Tues and today, I did 65 minutes of cardio each day on the elliptical machines at the gym. Interval training. Been burning almost 1100 calories each day. Monday and yesterday were my strength training nights. Upper and lower body respectively. I'll get back to a habit of posting more again.

Hello all July 2008 members! My name is Dawn and I got my date this morning for July 24, 2008 for my Lap Band surgery with Dr. Naim of Top Surgeons in Southern California. I am currently 222 lbs and my goal is a glorious 125...I have 97 lbs. to lose. My journey to this point has been long as my case was originally submitted to Aetna back in January and after two appeals I was approved last week. I hope to get to know all of you and we can help each other get through this.

Hi there, I just saw this video on the tube and wondered if one of you are the interviewee? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SZzXV85dyw]YouTube - Dr. Ortiz - Interview Canadian Patient 10 weeks after surger[/ame] Dr Ortiz has some excellent videos posted with testimonials and some generic information. I am six months post-op and heading back down to OCC for a fill in March. Hopefully, that will restart my weight loss that has stalled for a few months. cujo

Your rate of weight loss will slow at times, and even reach "plateaus" occasionally, where you can remain compliant with your diet and not see the scale move for a week or more. As long as you remain compliant with your surgeon's instructions, and continue with your exercise, the weight will come off. As I've often mentioned, this journey has taught me a life skill which eluded me for years, patience. Try to remember that you did not gain your weight in a short span of time, so it is not realistic to expect that you will loose it rapidly. Best wishes...

I had surgery in December, too, and am only down about 45 pounds. I have worked really hard to lose every ONE of those pounds and am not at all disappointed by that amount. Keep at it and don't beat yourself up. Do the best you can, day after day. The defeatist attitude is part of why we're here in the first place. My old WW leader told me that WW is filled with perfectionists...the moment they make a mistake, they scrap the day or the week and have to start over. Let today be your first day and start fresh. You'll get there, though not everyone has a detour free journey! Learn from it and keep at it. Good luck. I hope you are problem free from here on out. :tongue2:

I am on a 'regular' food diet now. And idk what to eat. Breakfast is so hard for me. I eat the same things all the time. What is everyone eating around this stage?

Hi all, I didn't start losing any hair until about the 4 month mark....since then I have been on a 6week stall and just this week it looks like my hair has pretty much stopped coming out....except I need to loose another 100lbs (my 2012 goal) and I have lost 105lbs so far this past year. So as I loose more over this next year will the hair loss start back up again or when it stops.....is it done????? I know that Biotin does not stop it but I did start taking it (7500mg) when the hair loss started so could it be helping too? Thanks, Tracy w.

I had my band take out and replaced last week and I am so sick of my stomach. Today is one week and still can not smell food. Medicine if i put in my mouth I trouw up but nothing comes out jus big gurgling. Is that normal? Please help me guys.

Crystal light has JUST come out with drops - got them last week at Walmart and they are YUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMY They have a few of the mock cocktails - but my favorite right now is the strawberry lemonade drops on the same note - walmart has a watermellon something sugarfree drink mix (and a grape -mmmmmmmmmmm-) and I’m totally addicted to them

During the first few weeks after surgery, you need to take the time to recover and to start adjusting to your new life with the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System. A big part of your long term weight loss success will be your motivation and commitment to a new lifestyle that includes a new diet and exercise plan, routine check ups with your surgeon, ongoing LAP-BAND® System adjustments, support group meetings, and more. However, be patient with yourself in the first weeks after surgery. You've already taken the biggest step - the first one. Now, it'll be a new life and lifestyle you create over time, not overnight. Your doctor will work with you to address your needs specifically. Below are some guidelines: Recovery Here are some key points for your recovery in the first few days and weeks. First Days You can expect some soreness, especially where the access port is, but it should subside (Please call your surgeon if the pain persists after a few days). To prevent infection, your surgeon may tell you not to shower for a day or so after surgery. Try to walk as much as you can comfortably, so that you'll regain strength and prevent blood clots, but take it slowly. [*]First Week(s) During the first week after surgery, allow yourself to recover and get plenty of rest. In about a week, you should be able to return to work, provided it's not physically demanding. For more physically active jobs, allow yourself two to three weeks to recover. Within four to six weeks, you should be able to resume all normal activity and start a new exercise program. Note: Before engaging in any physical activity or exercise program, first consult your surgeon. Many surgeons see their patients weekly or biweekly during the first month after surgery, so you will be sure your recovery is going well, and have any questions answered. Dietary Guidelines After surgery, you'll need a new nutrition plan. You'll learn about the positive changes you can and need to make in your diet and lifestyle from your surgeon and/or dietitian. It's very important to follow your new eating and drinking instructions beginning immediately after the surgery. In the first few weeks after your LAP-BAND® System surgery, you will be on a liquid diet since only thin liquids will be tolerated by your stomach at that time. As you heal, you will gradually progress to pureed foods (three to four weeks post-op) and then soft foods (five weeks post-op). Finally, after about six weeks, you will be able to eat solid foods. The First Few Days Post-Surgery It's extremely important to follow the eating and drinking instructions immediately after the surgery. This allows your new stomach pouch to heal completely and the LAP-BAND® System to stay in the right position. In the early weeks, it's crucial not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the LAP-BAND® System. Vomiting will do this, while also increasing the chance of stomach tissue slipping up through the band. Right after the surgery, you can take an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube. Don't take any more liquid than this, though. The day after the operation, you can take a little more Fluid but only a small amount at a time. Besides water, you should also choose Clear Liquids that have an adequate number of calories. To prevent nausea and vomiting, do not drink too much. [*]liquid diet (1-2 weeks post-surgery) Your goal during the first few weeks is to protect the small stomach pouch so that you can heal properly. It can only tolerate thin liquids at this time. It's also important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water (small amounts at a time). Other liquids recommended during this phase include: clear broth or Soup (with no vegetables or meat, and not creamy) skim milk fruit juice no-sugar-added popsicles [*]Pureed Foods (3-4 weeks post-surgery) Now, you can start adding slightly textured foods. Think of the consistency of baby foods. This stage will help you transition to more solid foods later. Protein is very important for maintaining muscle while you lose weight. So, you should eat protein-rich foods first, and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Foods in this stage may include: pureed skinless chicken or fish mashed potatoes peas low-fat yogurt or pudding [*]Please note: In the first few weeks you may be able to eat foods that might not be allowed in your diet later, because they may contain too many calories. [*]Remember, it's more important in the first few weeks to let your stomach adjust to the LAP-BAND® System than it is to lose weight. Also, your personal timing and progression into each dietary phase depends on your progress. In general, when it comes to your nutrition, you should follow the advice of your surgeon and/or dietitian. [*]Soft Foods (5 weeks post-surgery) Your meals can now include tender, cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Now that you can chew, make it a habit to chew foods well. If you have dentures, be sure to cut your food into small pieces and chew your food thoroughly. By not chewing properly, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You could also have stoma obstruction (obstruction of the stomach opening created by the LAP-BAND® System). Some products like bread, red meat, and rice may still cause you problems, so it is better to eat softer foods that are easier to digest. These might include foods such as moist white meat (chicken or pork) and fish. If solid foods cause any nausea and vomiting, go back to the liquid diet you had earlier. Then you can slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. Always ask your doctor or dietitian for advice that is specific to you. Again, remember that vomiting may increase the incidence of band slippage, stomach slippage, or stretching of the small stomach pouch above the LAP-BAND®.

Thanks to all those that I've met online, on the phone, or at the N. Van support groups. You made this a positive experience. Off to TJ on Wednesday and banded on Thursday. I, coincidentally, will be there with three Albertans. Scott:thumbup: