February 2006 bandsters unite!!

[Dancer 0]

Tammy - I think the Hair loss should stop after a while. I posted about this on the main support page and they (2 people!) are saying that their hair comes back good. Thank goodness!

[Jerseytammy 0]

But did they say now much you lose before the hair starts growing back? A round face and a bald head..hmmmmm not too pretty!

[nanster 0]

Hey Everyone!

Been MIA for awhile. Had to work lots so I could be off when my family came from FL. My sister, neice and GREAT-neice came to TX for 5 days. My little great neice is 11 months old and is ADORABLE! Of course, I'm biased, but I think she's gorgeous. So, to catch everyone up....

I went for my 2nd fill yesterday (Monday). Had only .4cc left in my band-the PA told me 95-99% of bandsters lose some of their first fill, probably just evaporation, seeping into the band material, etc. She put in 2cc and I was "closed" so she removed some twice...I think she said she ended with just 1 cc, but I don't know if that was PLUS the .4cc or if that was the "grand total". Anyhow, the fluoroscope showed it to be "trickling" through (that's the phrase the PA used). It's good to have such restriction, but I can't eat hardly ANYTHING. Even liquids make me almost slimey. I had 4 cheetos, 2 bites of chicken salad and I was PB'ing like crazy. Last night, I had 4 bites of a cheese omelet and I threw up twice at the restaurant. On the 20 min drive home, I had to stop to "spit" about 7 times. I was so embarrassed but I had to do it I was so miserable.

I asked about my port being more "evident"--the PA didn't have any comment or concern about it. Fairly often, I feel a little of a "raw" feeling, but it's slightly to the side of the port. I guess it's no biggie. But, sliming and PB'ing with almost ANY food is annoying. (Although, that's the whole point of the band, isn't it?)

I have "officially" lost 23 pounds total. Not great, but in listening to other bandsters in the surgery center, quite a few are either gaining or not losing at all, so I'll consider myself doing well. Several indicated a growing frustration with their band and/or their lack of loss. I have to admit that I was eating more and more just before my 2nd fill. The PA said most people keep their fills from the second time on...that first "fill loss" is a one-time phenomenon.

I need to increase exercise mainly. I have altered my food choices but haven't really gotten on board with exercise.

Dancer: My knee replacement went quite well. The first two weeks were somewhat painful as well. Once the post-op pain ends, there's a period that is not painful but is VERY frustrating and you go through that "this isn't any better than before surgery-why did I do this?" phase. But, several people told me it would take a YEAR before I'd REALLY be glad I did it and they were right. I am now 1.5 yrs out and I'm pretty much pain free and more mobile than pre-surgery. It still has some "crunchy" days or there's swelling when the weather changes, but I'm finally at the point of being HAPPY that I did it. (Of course, mine may not be typical, because I had broken my leg in a car wreck the year before (right at the knee), so my recovery may have been slower). But, tell her to hang in there and that everyone gets frustrated with it at times...it's just part of the process. (HMMMMM...kinda sounds like the band, huh? Frustration is just part of the process!!)

Anybody have suggestions on when to get a little "UN-fill?" Obviously if I PB on everything that's a sign, but what if it's not all the time...then should I just be happy with BIG restriction????

Talk to you all more soon. Gotta go back to work tomorrow....back to the real world. <<<SIGH>>>

Nanster

[Dancer 0]

Good morning everyone!

Tammy - Yeah, but at least we will be skinny! LOL! Just kidding!

Nanster - Good to hear from you! Thanks for the update on your knee! Mom is doing some better. She is three weeks out now and is up and around with a cane. She should start regular physical therapy next week. She is getting better and better at doing her exercises and even rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes yesterday! I was so proud of her! She is also past the bitchy, complaining, I hate everything part....Talk about nice! Thanks again for the update...it is nice to hear reassuring words!!! Also, I think you may still be too tight. Are you eating tiny bites and eating slow? If you are, then you may need to go ahead with a little unfill. I worry about you! What you are going through doesn't sound too good. Keep us posted!

How is everyone else doing? I hope well. The board has been so slow! Where is everyone? I know I have had a crappy week...I hope everyone elses is going better...check in and at least say hi!

Have a good day!

[pj robinson 0]

feb bandsters unite

banded: 2/7/06

wt loss as of 5/17/06: 38 lbs

first fill: 4/4/06 with 1.5 cc

[Jerseytammy 0]

Hello My Friends,

Update on the family- Aunt is at home now and seem to be doing well, uncle still in ICU unsure of what the next step will be for him. Mom is feeling a lot better now. I want to thank you all for the support and prayers.

Nanster- good to see ya back, we have missed ya. I am a bit jealous, I so want some of my family to come see me. I havent seen any of them since Christmas. I am with Michelle, it sounds like you may be a little too tight. Give your doctor a call, he may want to see ya, keep us posted!

Michelle- Geesh I had I know atleast 2 handfuls of hair come out this morning while blow drying my hair. I was suppose to see my band dr tomorrow and I just now called to confirm and they said he isnt going to be in the office tomorrow and they needed to reshedule. OMG!!! Now I am due for a fill next Friday and I wanted to talk to him about this Hair loss thing too. The lady on the phone said we would have to reschedule my fill and my appt. Ok I am usually a pretty easy going person but not this time. It took me nearly 2 weeks to get this appt and now they want to reschedule. After going over the next 3 days she said we would have to do it "sometime" in June!!! That is when I said " You have DR.GRITSUS call me today, I am his patience and I will not be treated this way. Can we say MOODY???? She ask me to hold on and then another woman came in the phone, "office manager". She was all full of " I am so sorry", lets see what we can work out. So I am seeing the dr today after I get off work, he is staying late. Ok how come I feel so guilty for demanding what is rightful mine. SIGH!!!

PJ- welcome to our group, sit down , tell us about yourself, and stay awhile. I was banded on Feb 8th. Great weight loss!:clap2:

Sunta- How is that second going?

Almost FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

[Tamyrn 0]

I need someone to calm my fears, 3 days ago I PB'd after each meal...since then, nothing...could I have stretched my pouch out or am I just ready for my next fill (I have it scheduled )...What do you think?

Wouldn't it be the worst to send this much money only to stretch the pouch!

[Tamyrn 0]

Oops, what I meant by "nothing" is I don't feel any restriction...I don't generally PD very often and I like it that way.

[nanster 0]

Tamryn:

I have found it VERY common to PB one day on just about everything and then be able to eat fine the next day. Are you PMS'ing? Many report feeling more restriction then.

I just had my second fill and the first two days was PB'ing on EVERYTHING. I'm starting to eat small bites of food now...but I fill up QUICK!!! But, the scale has restarted some minor movement downward, so I'm happy.

Several at the surgery center expressed real frustration...most were at the 2nd/3rd fill stage and were disappointed with their overall weight loss. So, I consider myself pretty lucky that I've had some losses and haven't felt particularly deprived. I've had some episodes of PB'ing and some episodes of being able to eat almost pre-banding...it has been an experience of ever-changing situations. I can't say I'm not slightly disappointed in the slowness of the loss, but I realize it took me a long time to put it on, so I expect it will take even longer to take it off. I'm generally pleased with things overall.

Does anyone else have "pain" in the port area?? I don't really consider it PAIN, but I feel a "raw-ness" in that area almost daily. Do I need to be concerned??? I mentioned it Monday at my fill and the PA said she'd look closely on fluoro at the port and band, but didn't indicate any problem during my swallow. When I bend over at the waist, I feel it almost every time. (I AM very short-waisted, so could that be it???) FYI--didn't have this feeling when I first got banded..after the initial post-op phase, that is!

Slow and steady it goes. No major hunger attacks. A few too many PB's. Not missing chocolate or coke much at all (what a BIG NSV!!!) and rarely eat rice, Pasta or potatoes. Never eat bread. Don't drink at meals. Saving money on eating out!!! Starting to lose again.

Life is pretty good for me these days! I am still undecided about getting an "UN-fill". I think if I hang in there, I'll be fine after another day or two. After all, the whole point of the band is to have restriction, right? WELL, I GOT WHAT I WANTED-and then some!!!!

Thanks for your support and valuable opinions Feb. bandsters!!

Nanster

[skbishop78 0]

Hello....I've been out a while...so its hard to keep up. I am glad to hear that your family is doing better Tammy. My children have been sick this whole week...so it has been a rough one!! I'll catch up later, just wanted to say hi!

[nanster 0]

Hey Feb Bandsters!

I had my 2nd fill last Monday. Ever since, I've PB'd pretty much every day if I eat "real" food. I've been living on coffee, yogurt, cheese-its, egg-drop Soup and omlets. I've even PB'd on omlets and soup. I'm losing again, which is great, but I'm afraid I'm not getting enough nutrition. I don't understand why, but cheez-it crackers and cheetos are the easiest things for me to eat! Yogurt and even a "large" drink of liquid sometimes make me slime...sometimes it's fine.

I've definitely been feeling discomfort in my port area...slightly to my left side of the largest port incision. The incision is totally healed and "clear". But, when I lean over, I feel it and sometimes it's just annoyingly evident...like it feels raw or rubbing or something like that. It doesn't do it if I push on the port site, so I'm wondering if it's the actual band site (i.e. stomach) instead of the port...maybe where they "cinched" it up tight?? I don't know, but I never had it bother me like this before.

Yesterday and today I've had a "lump" in my throat. I think that's just from PB'ing...don't you??? It's almost like my esophagus is irritated. I'll do liquids for another day or two before deciding on an unfill.

JanetC (and others)-I asked the PA at my last fill about the "spasms" that everyone mentioned. She said it was ESOPHAGEAL spasms, not stomach. She said there's nothing you can do about them, they just happen. I said I guess that's why I had acid reflux??? And she said yeah, I guess. SO....nothing sinister, just spasms. I don't know if I consider myself as still having GERD, but maybe that is contributing to my PB's, port pain and throat "lump".

I sound really whiney, huh?? I'm actually feeling pretty well and losing slowly again.

I don't understand...they tell us that they need to keep track of exactly how much is in our band, but then, when I "lost" .7cc, they said it was "normal" for your first fill and that from the 2nd on, you usually "keep" it. Is it just me or do they contradict themselves a lot? On the one hand, it's bad...on the other, it's no problem.

If anyone has any advice on the port/unfill, etc. I'd appreciate your feedback!!!

Nanster

[nanster 0]

Thought the post didn't go, so I re-did. Sorry to bore you!

[JanetC 2]

Sorry I've been MIA!! And now I'm off to catch up. Wow I missed a lot! This is going to be a long one!

Ahh Cozzie, I'm so with you on eating with other people! I worry constantly! And we eat out in groups a LOT & we haven't really told others we've had the surgery, so I'm very, very careful, heh.

Wow, 2 pounds a week is awesome!! (Still Cozzie.) Hope you can keep it up & get that 56 gone in no time! I've got **sigh** a bunch left to lose. We've been doing ok so far, about 1.5 pounds per week on average, but I know that it probably won't be this fast forever. I'm really trying to not focus on the weight. In fact, we just plain ol' don't weigh. I get to weigh when we see the doctor... and I keep forgetting what the weight was, lol. I have to have Mikey write it down for me so I can update my signature here, heh.

Hey Michelle! Congrats on your 2cc & restriction! That's awesome!! Sorry about the PB. For what it's worth, the first one is the worst. Not that I love 'em, but they don't terrify me now! And I'm glad the scale's moving, wow, so close to the 1's!! Go go go go go!!

Go Julie! Listening to your body & stopping before it hurts!! That's awesome!! How's the training in that area going? I'm still struggling with it, I really don't like stopping!

Yay Becky with 1cc fill! Ouch, another fill evaporated. We had a bunch of them just with us Febsters. Weird! 5 hours without hunger?? Awesome!! Is it still working that way? That's so cool! And 28 pounds lost, wonderful!

Oh my goodness, JerseyTammy!! With all that's going on in your life you still lost 3 pounds? That's awesome!! On your watery mouth episode, I've been finding that the band is turning fickle on me. Mornings are getting harder & harder to eat. And my period is changing things up BIG time. Some days super loose, some days super tight. I sorta have to play it by ear & hope I pick correctly! I'm praying for your family & you! Hope things turn around soon for those sick & in the hospital!

Tammy & Michelle, on the hair loss: Our nutritionist told us this week that the Hair loss from the anesthesia (sp) starts at about 3 months out, so it's right on time. Assuming you've been getting sufficient Protein & Biotin, it should stop soon & should grow back in. You might want to check your Multi-Vitamin for biotin, it's not always supplemented enough. And we don't really get it in our bandster diet, so we often need to take an extra supplement. Also Tammy, remember that you had a MONTH without eating... I'm afraid your hair loss may go on for a while. Sorry hon!! Really increase your protein or make sure you always get enough, supplement your biotin & maybe stop by GNC & ask if they have a hair & nails supplement or something? Maybe some gellatin caps? (I think my mom used to take those, lol.) Hang in there, it will come back! And remember that stress can cause hair loss, so try not to worry about it! With everything you've got going on, you need some sunshine in your life! Try to get yourself smiling & laughing at least 5 minutes every day & get outside as much as you can!

Wow Nanster, another evaporated fill! Glad you got your 2nd one! And that really explains the lack of restriction, huh! 23 pounds is awesome!! Celebrate every pound! And remember that we're in it for the long haul... give it time, you'll get there!

Really slow down with your new fill. Make sure you're stopping in between bites & giving yourself time with NOTHING in your mouth! That really made the difference for me. If you're still having problems getting anything down, try sipping warm tea just before eating... I'll see if I can find StrawartS list, it's my golden bandster rule!

I'm glad your mom's doing better, Michelle! Knees are the worst, heh. I need mine replaced, but I'm hoping that losing weight will change that, lol.

Welcome PJ Robinson!! We're glad you're here! Pull up a chair & tell us all about you! Jump in & start chatting!

Yayyyyy Tammy! I'm so glad your aunt's at home!! And that your mom's feeling better! That's great news!! We're still praying for your uncle, hopefully they'll find a great rehab hospital. Oh my word, how dare they reschedule your fill!! I don't think they understand how important & personal this is to us!! "Sometime" in June? Pft!!! I don't think so! I'm so glad you got in to see him! How did it go?

Ouch Tamyrn, sorry you PB'd! How've you been since then? Still no restriction? We're really, really close to surgery, so I doubt you've slipped... the sutures should still be really strong. Hopefully you get your fills with fluro, so you can be reassured the next time you see your surgeon! I'm sure you're fine... be gentle with yourself & try to listen to the soft stops & such.

Hey Nanster! I'm with you on the port "pain". Sometimes it aches, sometimes it pulls, sometimes it burns. It seems to "hurt" just after I eat, lol. It's part of my new "full" signal. My theory is that my stomach moves which makes the tubing move, which "pulls" the port. I can come up with an explanation for anything! Mine's starting to show more too... I hope it doesn't get too bad!

How's your restriction going now? Are you getting solid protein down yet? Hope so!!

Ouch on the sick kids, Stacey! How was the weekend? Hope they're feeling better!

And for Nanster... the "living with a tight fill" rules (this was a blog post I made a while back):

A few weeks ago I couldn't seem to eat without hurting. I golf-ball almost every meal, at least once... sometimes two or three times. StrawartS posted this list to help folks deal with "first bite blues" (also called "first bite syndrome", or "living with a tight fill"). I haven't done the hot tea part yet... I'm not really tight, lol. But if I follow the rest of it, I do well. I've taken to actually watching a second hand... and this is what I found:

• My normal bites are 0 seconds apart. My 2nd bite is in as SOON as I swallow.
  
• My "slow" bites are 3-5 seconds apart. LOL!! Sad, but true.
  
• 30-60 seconds is FOREVER!!!!

Dealing with first bite blues:

1. Drink HOT tea before your first bite.

2. Take a VERY small first bite.

3. Chew till the end of the earth.

4. Swallow.

5. Wait 1 minute WITH YOUR MOUTH EMPTY.

6. Drink more HOT tea to wash it down.

7. Repeat steps 2-6 for the next few bites.

8. Put your fork down for 30 seconds to 1 minute between ALL subsequent bites.

Happy eating!! For those of you getting fills soon, remember this list... review it, memorize it, internalize it, lol, LIVE it!

[Dancer 0]

Good morning everyone!

It was a BAD weekend for me...Saturday night I PB'd THREE times! Twice at a resturant...oh, that stinks in more ways than one!!!!

I am doing ok now and hoping to continue loosing this week.

Work is crazy busy right now, thank goodness it is a short week (taking Friday off) and a short week next week!

Please forgive my crummy post (since it was ALL about me) and I promise to be back and do better!

Hang in there everyone, you are doing great!

[JanetC 2]

Ouch, Michelle! Three times in one night... and in a restaurant to boot? That's awful! Glad you got through it! And hope it stays FAR away!! Hope your week is super duper short!

Happy Monday everyone!