To All my fellow Sept 2010 Bandsters -Welcome !

Since we had a pretty big Post in the Pre-Op section with over 23,000 views I thought since it is now October we should switchover here and continue our journey here.

WELCOME ! I hope to see all my fellow Sept. 2010 Bandsters like Cathy, Joanny, Cece, Debbie, Lyla, etc etc all here.

-Brian :smile2:

Wonderful news Laura! We all applaud you even if we're not there yet. Keep going and letting us know how you're doing.

Hi Everyone!

Tomorrow is my first fill and I am nervous!!! But I can’t wait to feel full. So far I have lost 29 since pre-op and 14 since banded on Sept 20th and couldn’t be happier!!!

I got a treadmill as a “banded” gift from my parents yesterday and am excited to start my workouts tonight.

I’ll let you guys know how it goes with the fill…

Keep up the good work!

Moni

Hi Monica.... looking forward to hearing about your first fill - mine is next week. You are doing soooo well and it's lovely hearing how supportive your folks are especially with the gift. :cursing: Love to hear how you felt the difference when you ate and what your portion size is. Wishing you a great week with the next step you've taken:thumbup:

Des/bunny

Ok I had my first fill yesterday. 8ml. I sure hope this gives me some restriction because I really didn't have any. Let me know your feedback. I have lost 15.5lbs but really wanting to move along. Thanks

Hi, all! I am new to this, so bear with me I started out at 210 lbs and after the 2 weeks of liquid diet, I got down to 194 the day of surgery. I was banded on 9/14/10 and although the first 3 days are still a blur, I was able to get the broth, popsicles, Vitamin Water, etc. down, but i do remember that the gas pains were almost unbearable! By day 4, I had started to get a little of my appetite and energy back, and by day 5, I was holding onto sheer will power to keep from eating the chicken fettucini alfredo, salad and garlic bread my family was dining on. My 1 week post op appt was pretty uneventful, just 5 minutes to check my incisions, give me diet instructions and make my first fill appt for 10/15/10. Since my fill, I am really having a hard time trying to find high Protein foods to eat that I like. My meal of choice has been cottage cheese basically because it is easy and I tolerate it well. My question is... since there will obviously be a lot of meal prep involved from here forward, has anyone found a good cookbook they can recommend? I am a working girl who only has the weekends to prep food for the rest of the week. Any advice is welcome. Also, am I the only one... or does the Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacement shake cause a lot of gas?

lisamac32

This is a cook book that my nutritionist recommend for me Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery Before and After By Susan Maria Leach. I was able to find the book on the, internet for I think about $3.50. I have not tried any recipes I'm still on pureed food. But the recipes to look good.

I hope this may help some.

Had my first adjustment yesterday. Went from 4.5ml to 5.5 ml. The Fluid was increased because I get hungry too soon later in the day. The PA says some of the hunger is probably due to how much exercise I'm getting. I'm eating 1.5 cup meals instead of 1 cup meals, she that is okay because they are lean and the amount of exercise. So far I am right on target on their progress chart for %EWL.

I have to admit that I get hungrier than I'd like, but considering I used to feel this hungry when eating 1800-2000 calories compared to now at 1000-1200 calories, this is a huge improvement.

WOW all kinds of entries since yesterday!

monicaleon18 Great gift and you are doing awesome.

vhayes You have made excellent progress! I know we want it to move faster- but my doctor says loisng slowly at 1-2 pounds a week will keep the weight from coming back and you won't be so hungry.

Desiree1972 Can you eat cottage cheese? What about pureed Soups? I found those quite tasty.

LisaA I haven't had a fill yet, but I think I have some restriction too. I had something get stuck several times, and drank a bit of Water. When I told the doctor's office they told me not to drink water as it would make me throw up. I only had a sip, and sat there for 10 mins till it went down. Glad I was not at work.

Rambunctious Yea the only person that knows is my GF that took me to the hospital. She had bypass and is doing great and runs 5K's all the time. What an inspiration.

Guys I have a question. Can you feel your port? I can even see it sticking out, and if I press on it, it hurts. (yea I know don't press on it:tongue_smilie:

Guys I have a question. Can you feel your port? I can even see it sticking out, and if I press on it, it hurts. (yea I know don't press on it:tongue_smilie:

I can definitely feel mine. It is just to the right of my belly button. It is still tender from the scar tissue developing and where the tube goes through the muscle wall...I asked about that in my appointment yesterday. I cannot see it, but I wonder if I eventually will. In a way I wish I do cuz that will mean I've lost a lot of excess fat:wink2:. But really, I don't want to see it.

Hi everyone!

Its been a while since i last posted. Hope everyone is doing good. I read most of the posts that I missed. Boy, a week or so missed... sooo much missed.

I had my first fill yesterday... from 0 to 2 CCs. The nurse thought I had .5 but turns out that I had none. The process felt really weird but not painful and it was really simple. Hopefully this will help me do better. They keep telling me Im doing great but of course, nothing is good enough for me! 16 lbs down since pre-op and... well.... Its really pretty good but I'd like more of course.

Anyhoo, I'll be around. Everyone keep up the great work and hang in there! :w00t:

i'm glad to see everyone doing so well after only a couple of weeks post-op. I'm doing great myself and i get my first fill next week and I'm also really looking forward to it. right now i have little to no restriction but i have been losing weight. i've been out everyday walking. i just want everybody to continue doing well and lets create a section for update pics.

lisamac32

This is a cook book that my nutritionist recommend for me Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery Before and After By Susan Maria Leach. I was able to find the book on the, internet for I think about $3.50. I have not tried any recipes I'm still on pureed food. But the recipes to look good.

I hope this may help some.

Thanks so much for the info! I just ordered the book online

My bariatric nutritionist recomended these:

Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery by Patt Levine and Michele Bontempo-Saray

Recipes for Life After Weight Loss Surgery by Maragret M. Furtado and Lynette Schultz

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday I got my first fill and the process was OK… thankfully they numbed my stomach before they started the process because they could not find my port!! They had to use the X-ray machine to find it. So I got another shot about 3 inches from the original one and then they got it.

I had 1.8cc in my band and they added .7cc for a total of 2.5cc to be honest I don’t feel the difference yet… we will see when I start the solid food stage (today is liquids, tomorrow “mushy” food… Saturday real food).

The doctor did say I am doing great on the weight loss and to make sure I exercise at least 3-4 times a week. I know I shouldn’t be I keep weighing myself every morning and today I was pleasantly surprised with 1.5 pound loss since yesterday… so now I am 31 pounds down from pre-op!!!!

I also have to share that I am in a size 18 pants!!!!!!!!!!! I was a size 22. I found a women’s charity that will pick up items/cloths every 2 months so I am happy to donate my size 22s tomorrow when they stop by.

Let’s keep up the great process we have so far… one day at a time.

I have to say that I appreciate all of you guys, it is so great to be able to share our experiences, concerns and wins with people who truly understand and can relate. I feel this journey would not be the same without our support group.

Thanks everyone for sharing this journey with me. :wink2:

Moni

Wow everyone, such great info and stories etc.

I have one thing to share with everyone that I really liked

it felt very inspirational to me.

I think I'm ok from my throwing up deal, on my first week of solids, feeling hungry of course LOL

So where to start

cnewstine - you are cracking my up, you must have hella insurance or hella cash, I can't imagine not telling the husband just cause what a huge cash decision it was for my family. really nice story about him showing up / supporting you. I love it. thanks for sharing.

lisamac 32---- here are some much loved recipe resources

theworldaccordingtoeggface

great recipes and resources from an experienced WLS person

Also I totally love the instinct diet by susan roberts- this is a new book this year that is loaded with 1200 cal meal plans, great recipes, and it covers meals if you want something fast, want soemthing homecooked, vegetarian or meat. Plus it has great emergency food, etc. and just all great food information cover to cover. It is not specific to bariatric, and maybe some altering will be necessary once restriction makes some food more difficult to eat. but I don't think it will take much altering.

I also use sparkpeople.com to enter a recipe, and get back a full breakdown of nutriens/ calories by serving size. Then I enter this into my fitday.com food journal.

Vhayes- wowie, 8 mil- and you are in ohio- please tell me your doctor and if the fill was flouro- I am in ohio by my surgeon is in Mexico so I'm looking for a good fill place- most places only put like 5 in at first at most. wow I'd love to imagine 8- I hear sometimes it takes a week to feel it- let me know if you feel restriction at all or the same.

Miss Joany- I think I feel it or mayb ejust scar tissue, it is a little tender but doesn't stick out. I do hear some - especially post op, have issues with it sticking out and sometimes have to get the port relocated, sometimes the rub on bones etc.

Rambunctious, wow, working out alot and 1000-1200 cals, that's intense. I've read somewhere that if you eat something solid with protein- not a shake- but like a hard boiled egg, or some tofu, or chicken, - after work out that it can help. or better yet work out right before a meal.

Well all great to read all the stuff, I'm down 26 with post op.

Lisa

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday I got my first fill and the process was OK… thankfully they numbed my stomach before they started the process because they could not find my port!! They had to use the X-ray machine to find it. So I got another shot about 3 inches from the original one and then they got it.

I had 1.8cc in my band and they added .7cc for a total of 2.5cc to be honest I don’t feel the difference yet… we will see when I start the solid food stage (today is liquids, tomorrow “mushy” food… Saturday real food).

The doctor did say I am doing great on the weight loss and to make sure I exercise at least 3-4 times a week. I know I shouldn’t be I keep weighing myself every morning and today I was pleasantly surprised with 1.5 pound loss since yesterday… so now I am 31 pounds down from pre-op!!!!

I also have to share that I am in a size 18 pants!!!!!!!!!!! I was a size 22. I found a women’s charity that will pick up items/cloths every 2 months so I am happy to donate my size 22s tomorrow when they stop by.

Let’s keep up the great process we have so far… one day at a time.

I have to say that I appreciate all of you guys, it is so great to be able to share our experiences, concerns and wins with people who truly understand and can relate. I feel this journey would not be the same without our support group.

Thanks everyone for sharing this journey with me. :biggrin:

Moni

Congratulatiions Moni - size 18 is a HUGE goal to reach. Happy throwing out! Glad the fill went so well and thanks for letting us all know. We look forward to hearing about the difference it's made which I suppose you'll notice in 3 days time!! We're all cheering you on! :wink2: Des

Hi everyone,

I will be going in for my first fill on Saturday. I am looking forward to it because I feel hungry more than I did. I have nothing in right now, but have lost 15 lbs since surgery. I have not lost any in the past 2 weeks though. I am hoping the fill will restrict me and allow me to see some weight loss. 6 weeks in and ready to get this thing really going. I want to look good for a cruise next year!

I do feel my port. It is too close to my ribs I think because I really feel it when I am sitting down, almost like my ribs are pushing on it. I don't want to go through the trouble of having it moved because I can remember the pain the frist time. The buring and the pulling were terrible. I was told that I experienced this because my Dr. sewed the port to the abd muscles. Other doctors told me the no longer do that, but use mesh to keep it in place because it it is less painful for the patient.

I do have a question....has anyone else experienced a numb belly? The surface of the lower right side of my stomach is very numb. I can't feel it. Been that way since surgery. Thought it would get better, but not yet. anyone else experience this?

Enough rambling on....I am proud of all the progress I see here, it gives me hope!

Edited October 21, 201015 yr by calsgal