Hi!! Just starting the process. Thrilled with all I have learned!! Excited to get this process rolling. I look forward to hearing from anyone. I am going to OHSU. How about you?

Hi there! I am in SW Portland. I had my surgery March 20th, at Legacy Good Sam Weight Management Institute. Have you already gone to a seminar?

Hi! So great to hear from you!! How was surgery? If you don't mind I would love to ask you some questions. I have gone to the seminar, seen my family doctor and talked to my insurance co ( they cover 80% with an unlimited amount). How are you feeling?

surgery went extremely well for me. I was outpatient so ended up leaving a couple hours after surgery when I could show I could drink enough liquids and walk around.

I bounced back quickly from surgery, which I was told was probably due to age (24) and activity level (I run a restaurant and am always on my feet moving).

today, I could not be happier with my decision and would do it again in a heartbeat. I've gone down three pants sizes and am a lot more active. I found restriction after my second fill and will probably need 1cc more before I am in my green zone. I want to be able to eat almost anything and not cut out certain groups of foods, but I really need help with smaller portion sizes.

feel free to ask any other questions

Hi!! Encouraging to hear that your surgery went so well!! I am 30 and I stay pretty busy. Baby and bought a new house. Perhaps I should check out Good Sam, because my doctot suggested them (or oshu) and it sounds like you had a good experience!

Portions can be hard. Does your band allow you to eat big portions? How are you doing with foods that expand in your stomach like the white bread and pastas?

I have a fear of vomitting and have done so in years. Have you experienced vomitting with your band?

Did you have gas after surgery?

On your first day him did you rest or were you able to function pretty normally?

Anything I can do to help with your goals?

FYI- I have a reading disability which often presents in my written thought. If something doesn't make sense I am not offended if you ask. I try to reread.

Enjoy the day!! I will check back soon!

:-)

I went ahead and quoted your post so I did not forget to answer any of your questions I also have a Lapband facebook if you'd like to add me https://www.facebook.com/thebandedblogger.

Hi!! Encouraging to hear that your surgery went so well!! I am 30 and I stay pretty busy. Baby and bought a new house. Perhaps I should check out Good Sam, because my doctot suggested them (or oshu) and it sounds like you had a good experience! I was required to go to Good Sam because of my insurance coverage requiring a Center of Excellence. The staff is really nice, although the surgeon can seem a little standoffish but it's nothing personal. I was actually originally looking into Oregon Weight Loss Surgery (which is literally in the same building, on the same floor as the Weight Mngmt Institute) but they did not show on my insurance coverage. I would actually really recommend Good Sam, I've nothing bad to say about them.

Portions can be hard. Does your band allow you to eat big portions? I am now able to eat smaller portions, and haven't really tested a pre-band meal because I am satisfied after only a little. Not to say there aren't times when my head/eye hunger don't push me to eat more and more, but I am usually able to resist and if I don't, I can probably only get a few more bites before I feel the pressure in my throat that is telling me I'm done.

How are you doing with foods that expand in your stomach like the white bread and pastas? Usually I can eat breads, but I make sure to chew, chew, chew. I have not tried pastas yet and haven't had anything like Wonder Bread type texture. I did find that I am unable to chew fried bread (pizza pocket) well enough, so that type of breaded product is off my menu.

I have a fear of vomitting and have done so in years. Have you experienced vomitting with your band? No vomitting on my part. From what I've read, you only vomit (and even then it's not the same type of vomit that a sick person would have) when you've eaten incorrectly or if you've eaten too much. I have soft signals that tell me when I'm getting full so I don't push it.

Did you have gas after surgery? I had delayed gas pains about four days after surgery that lasted for 5 or 6 days. Most of my gas issues were in the shoulder, although in the first month I did fart a lot (sorry if too much info). I drank peppermint tea for the first two or three days post op and should probably have continued drinking it but I got burnt out. I had read that peppermint tea can ease gas pains as well as GasX, although that did not work for me.

On your first day him did you rest or were you able to function pretty normally? I was actually very, very sleepy from the anesthesia the first day, so I slept a lot. When I was awake, I was able to get up and move around, although I did use a mini Pillow Pet to hold against my stomach because it helped to lessen the pulling of the incisions and the port. After the first day, I was up and about, albeit slower than normal. I actually recovered very fast, but people vary so much that I would recommend you prepare for the worst, just in case

Anything I can do to help with your goals? I have really been focused on me and what I need throughout this process. Not to say I've been only about me, but for the first time in my life I've made my own goals a priority. I think being able to really think out the whole plan and what you want from surgery and how you're going to get there is super important.

FYI- I have a reading disability which often presents in my written thought. If something doesn't make sense I am not offended if you ask. I try to reread. Didn't find anything I didn't understand

Enjoy the day!! I will check back soon!

Hi!!!

Thank you for all the answers!! It is nice to talk with someone who has walked down the road! I don't have Facebook, but I may sign up and check out your page. Maybe I can sign into my husbands and see it?

Do you or have you ever been to any of the support groups or conventions? If so, was it helpful?

Until then,

Sarah

I have been to the support group offered by Legacy, but have not been there for the last few times due to scheduling conflicts. I found them interesting, as one of the staff members from the practice oversees them and there is usually a specifc thing to talk about or focus on. They are also band only groups, which is nice because I have read of people going to a combined group with RNY and sleeve patients and getting bashed.

I would also love to go to the conventions, but alas the money well is too dry

I think my profile on FB is set as private, so you would have to friend me if you wanted to see what is on there. It's really not much, just some photos of progress and a lot of other banded folks.