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Had my first doctors appointment. All is well...moved on to mushy foods.

is done beating herself up over something so dumb as food ! tomorrow is another day and as long as the scale goes down not up im happy !

Hungryyyyyy =( I want food soooo bad

going to the mall today. starting to walk 30 minutes everyday to get my body in shape for my upcoming surgery. i just hope i stay away from the food court. lol. this time i ate lunch at home so i will not be tempted to eat there. i never did that before. other times i would not eat before and make plans to eat at nathans.

mine is VERY strict! Its liquids only!!! I can have sugar free jello and popsicles, I bought popsicles and they are only LOW sugar So I'll have to save them and eat them later or something, I can have 3 cups of yogurt a day, and can only drink crystal light/water. No real foods pretty much... Its really hard!! I go for my pre-op testing at the hospital tomorrow, I'm not even sure what they are gonna do... hmm, should be fun, keep me posted !!!

Deb - I travelled from out of state (I'm in Nome, Alaska) last year for the surgery. The experience was great...I also recovered quite well (WAY better than my gallbladder removal and about the same as my 3 c-sections-which I thought were great).

Now...fills. Everyone is different. Some people think it's cheaper to just fly to Denver and see Dr. K for fills...since that's not feasable to me I found a doctor in Anchorage (still have to fly there). I think you should at LEAST find some aftercare in your area...someone you could go to in an emergency at least. There might even be a support group locally that would really be beneficial (although we've all found that most support groups are for the bypass folks). Fills are very individual. Some people find that "sweet spot" very quickly (within a couple of fills). I've had 5 fills (I'm at 3.4cc in a 4cc band) and could actually use more, but it's one of those things where you kind of get used to the fill then need more. Needle size vary...mine uses a teeny tiny needle, most use something bigger. No one really complains of the stick so if you're needle-shy this should be the LEAST of your worries!

Fluro - some fills docs use fluro and some don't. Dr. K doesnt...he just has you drink some water and fills you 'till that gets stuck then takes just a wee bit out...to make a kinda funnel-affect. (This is what I've heard, I haven't been to him for a fill.) My doc fills me at a level I want, he's very cautious and requires me to stay in town for a few days to make sure that everything is good to go. He has some fluro people available if there seems to be a problem. Fluro, I've heard, makes it so you ge to the sweet spot earlier because they can actually observe the liquid funnelling...but then, like I said earlier, you get used to the fill and need more so....I would say don't pay extra for it unless you are pretty darn sure there's a problem.

Unfills - done the same as a fill. Someimes your stomach will swell when you get a fill (from the irritation). This has not happened to me, and I think rarely happens anyway. This can cause you to not even be able to swallow spit...then an unfill is needed. Now, my doc in Anchorage lets me "tweak" my fill for a week without an extra charge so if I feel too tight (which has never been the case) he'd take some out or if I feel like I could use a bit more (which HAS happened) then he adds more. My doc also doesn't require me to drink liquids the day of and day after a fill - some do. I think it's better not to so you can really see how the fill did for you.

I was on the fill thread for a bit, but it didn't give as much information as I'm giving you here.

The hardest part of aftercare is really that it's all up to you and how YOU feel. I, like LapDancer, am a food adict and am working on that - working on even accepting that. The band hasn't cured me of everything, but on bad days it does stop me from being super gluttonous! I'm at a state now that if I lose weight I now I won't gain it back.

Also...a friend of mine had the Band put in a few years ago. She reached goal in about 1 1/2 years and then got a complete unfill...she lost 10 more lbs. and has maintained that without filling up...just letting the band "sit there". Now, there's some hope for us!

I read you have had some hard times loosing. I am only 3 weeks post in the first 2 weeks I lost 10 but in the 3rd week I am eating solid foods and I have gained 2 back. I wanted to ask did you have problems like this or are your problems different? I hope after a fill I do better.

All that energy! I'm jealous Texas! I think it's terrific that you wont need any surgery. If I can just walk again and not be so self concious - I will be blessed. You should be proud of your progress - it is not an easy journey. I think I fear failure more than anything. The way I feel now is that I'll never be able to do it. I believe I use food as an emotional crutch - I need to get that out of the way, huh? Congrats on the marathon - I'm impressed - for real!

abby, i just read your blog about goodby to food, OMG I could have written it, I was banded 3/25 and it is an adjustment realizing what full really is, not bursting, realizing that I don't have to eat everything I want RIGHT now since there will be another meal in a few hours, realizing what head hunger is vs true hunger, the list goes on and on and on..... sometimes I open the fridge and just stare and think how much I want to eat (not that I would admit that to too many people) so just quick hello and know that you feel what others feel too, good luck with kaiser, if your denied keep pushing and appealing, sometimes if you push hard enough, they'll give you what you want just to shut you up but really who cares what the reason is as long as you get it right!!

BTW I love your avatar, my myspace is pink skull and crossbones so your's made me think of mine.

Tara

If you had a csect then you do not have to worry at all!! I had no discomfort at all post op, just the gas which is fixed by walking walking walking but I will say that pre op I did and do exercise etc and have pretty strong abs but I have read people say that it feels like they have just done 675 crunches, I did not take any pain meds the day of surg, then i did take some prior to flying home but otherwise that was it for me. It should not affect you taking care of your baby, I have to lift my old dog onto the bed since she cannot jump and that was not a problem, she weighs 50lbs, front legs first then back end up onto the bed. when is your surgery scheduled for? I would recomend having all your post op food stuffs pre bought, I did that and it made a huge difference just knowing that I did not have to leave my house for any reason if I was not up to it.

tara

Hi Shannon, I had the band done march 25th in mexico with dr. ortiz, very good experience, I finally got to start eating real food this week as he is pretty conservative and we stay on full liquids for 3 weeks post op, since starting my pre op diet, I have lost 25lbs but figure I will hover around here at my current weight till I get my fills, I had also lost some weight prior to the preop diet, so I am actually down 59 so far. The part I am finding the most difficult is not being able to drink with my meals.

Yeah, I did go to a meeting before the surgery. It seems that each doctor does it a differently. I know I don't eat as much as I did prior to the surgery but I have no problems digesting any foods consumed.

HI Redbone, how are you doing? I thought i would check out other 3/31 bandsters and see how its going. Are you back to work? How much have you lost? Are you eating normal food yet? I start mushies on monday. I am sooooo ready. LOL Newbeginnings

Dropped my plate of food this am, but I was cool,

Learning how to say no to things. It kills me how much food can take over my thoughts.

Saying Goodbye to Food - Huge Mistake... http://vvvgastricsleeveafterlife.blogspot.com/2014/07/saying-goodbye-to-food.html

I just started the puree stage. I love applesauce. Learning to make small protions, but have bought taster spoons and taster plates. This has helped so much with making small amounts of items so I eat small and take time to eat. Just found Powerade Zero Straberry as the doctor wants me to keep up my Electrolytes. YUM. I am enjoying a great day in Seattle and about to go to Magnus Park for a walk in the sun. Hope everyone is doing great.

Hello! So today is the 2nd day of my liquid diet! I am 8 days away from surgery, and I feel ok. I guess the worse apart is dealing with the liquid diet. I miss food already.

I hate being teased by food... I made my hubby baked chicken for lunch today and I just put a small tiny piece in my mouth and I'll never do that agan...:/

on to pureed food but idk when I'm full and when I eat I feel horribly sick >.

Since starting my pureed stage I haven't lost any weight, BUT my face is slimming out and my clothes are a bit looser.

oh Georgia why do you have to be so cruel with your delicious southern food!? But I have a way to deal with you... exercise every workout counts and I will not be defeated!

Three weeks out and onto Puree ... mmm Porridge but oh no the kids ate it all - bugger!

I have hope that I will be able to lose weight now. I have hope that I am and will continue to change my eating habits to a healthy lifestyle of healthy foods. I have hope that as my body cleans out, weight decreases and energy increases, that I will be strong enough to start exercising and get stronger. I have Hope. Thank God.