Any banders from Va?? (Close to Richmond??)

Well, I got my first fill today. I learned that they "prime" the lapband during surgery by putting in saline and then taking out most of it. I have a 14cc high pressure band with 0.2 cc in it from surgery and an additional 4 cc today. The worst part was the PA telling me when the numbing shot was going in, that it would burn a little, etc. Next time I'll ask her to just do it without describing it. There was no pain whatsoever with the fill needle and the barest pinprick with the numbing medication. I'm on liquids for 24 hours, then mushies for my first non-liquid meal, then be careful to see if I have any restriction. They said I lost 3 pounds since my last visit but I think that's a clothing difference. I've been having a hard time following the program lately but I'm going to jump back in with, hopefully, some restriction again.

I'm from the Harrisonburg area. I was banded in Oct 2011. I have a very sensitive band and stomach and was not able to tolerate my PA's initial fill of 3cc's. She ended up taking 1cc out before I left the office because Water got stuck. At this point, she only gives me fills in small increments (.2-.5cc's). Some days, I have a hard time sticking to the plan, but overall, I have remained on the bandwagon and feel like I have succeeded in this journey.

I'm currently in the green zone and 1 cup of food keeps me full for 3-4 hours. I focus on Protein meals/snacks. My biggest points are avoiding caloric bevarages, sweets, potatoes, and fried foods. My staple foods are chicken, lean beef and pork, cheese, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, Protein Bars, eggs, nuts, and milk.

I wish everyone the best of luck and remember that it's a marathon, not a sprint. Like others, I've dealt with small gains here and there, but as long as my overall number is a downward trend, I don't let it worry me.