Any other Vermonters out there?

I was banded by Dr. Forgione at FAHC on 2/21/06 which was the first day of banding in the state.

I know that there have been many others since then and was hoping that some of you are online.

Julie

Hi Julie,

I'm so happy that I ran into you! By the way, I had a horrible fill experience on Monday. I was at 2.4cc, and told him I just wanted a small fill .3 to .5cc's. He actually put in .6cc's. I was fine at the hospital, but by the time I got back to my office, I could hardly keep down spit, and spit up the Water that I was drinking. I called right away, and had to sit in the waiting room like that for a couple of hours. Finally, he removed .3cc's and sent me off. I'm good now!! Eating mushies, how about you? Are you doing ok?

Michelle:hug:

Hi Michelle~

Glad you found me! I haven't been on the computer much this week so I hadn't checked in until now.

I also had to go back in for an unfill this time too- Dr. Forgione went to draw back the fill he had put in last time and there was nothing in my band. VERY Strange since he had put in 1 cc. I don't know if he missed or what happened but he put in 1.5 cc. Well, I drank too that day and was able to have some Cream of Mushroom Soup for dinner but by the time I woke up on Tuesday morning I could barely drink.

I waited until Thursday morning w/o eating anything and then ran into Deborah Wachtel outside of the hospital and told her what was going on. Dr. Forgione called me later that morning and I went in on Friday and he took out .3cc and now I feel much better.

I am eating mushies too and am happy to be eating again. It was no fun only sipping slowly for 5 days. Yuck.

The nurse told me that someone else had to be unfilled some on Wednesday so he must've been fill happy on Monday or something. LOL

Let's stay in touch- I could use the support.

Julie

Hi Julie,

I did reply to your email, check your private messages:) . Hope you are feeling better! It was good to know I wasn't the only one who had troubles, I'm getting frustrated!! Now, I feel like he took too much out:mad: . I am not enjoying the constant weight loss that I would like.

I have to try to have more "me" time for exercise. It's hard being a full time working mom!!! Not a lot of "Me" time. I have, however, lost 25-30 pounds and kept it off. My pants are getting too big, but I'm not ready to break down and buy more yet. Things I need to add to my vocabulary "no", "not now", and my favorite "go ask dad". :hug:

Hi Michelle~

Just got the PM-thanks for the heads up. I hadn't checked email for a couple of days because I was finishing my class at UVM. That's a bummer that you think he may have taken out too much. I think I am finally feeling some restriction but it's been hard for me. I still take portions that are too much and then have a hard time stopping. Today I feel like I am finally getting it a bit and had a much better day.

The weird thing is that I can't eat at all in the morning and then I start to be able to eat more as the day goes on. I guess I shouldn't still be up at 12:13am if that is the case.LOL

Hang in there. I'd love it if we could get everyone on here and have an online support group. It's too hard for me to make to the hospital at 5pm on Tuesdays unless I bring the kids.

Julie

Hi Julie,

How have you been doing with your latest fill. I'm not sure what's going on with mine. The most crazy, unpredictable fill I've ever had. All seemed fine, in fact it seemed like I didn't even get enough of a fill. All of the sudden 2 days ago, I had a hard time keeping down squash. This lasted through yesterday, now it seems normal again. I'm scared to eat anything too solid yet. Strange, strange, strange........Other than that I've not really lost any more weight lately, just kind of maintaining the 25-30 lbs that I've already lost.

I'm almost ready for Christmas. I've been so busy with Christmas shopping, my daughters basket ball schedule, working, and maintaining the normal household stuff. I have had a really difficult time getting enough exercise. That, I'm sure is a road block for me losing more weight. I need to try to get my "me" time in.

Happy Holidays, and keep up the hard work!!

Hi Michelle~

This has been a strange fill for me too. I can't eat at all in the morning, can only have a bit for lunch and then can eat too much in the evenings. This is hard b/c I'm really hungry by the end of the day and find that once I can eat b/c then all I want to do is EAT. I have maintained my weight since the fill too but I also haven't been exercising enough.

I have had my band tighten up before like that too but it's usually right before my period and then it goes away. I would go slowly with solid too- that last thing you want to do is throw up. Yuck, I hate when that happens.

I'm kind of muddling through my days right now just trying to get through Christmas. I have all of next week off and am going to use that time to try some new recipes etc so I don't always feel like I'm eating the same old thing.

Have a great Christmas and thanks for checking in.

Julie

Hi I'm Peaches

Dr. Forgione Did His Magic On Me Dec.20 Surgery Went Great.

Love That Morphine Drip! I Experienced No Pain. No Problems

Drinking. High Weight 225lbs. Weight Dec. 20, 200lbs Weight

Today 193lbs Total Weight Loss 32lbs. First Drs. Visit Next

Week.

Hi Peaches! Hi Julie!

I hope you are both enjoying the Holiday. I am enjoying the extra time off, but too much goodies around :mmph:. I had 2 people bring me fudge for the Holidays. What are they thinking......I love those calorie laden suger balls!!! I'm trying to stay away from them.

Peaches, great job with the weight loss!! I'm trying to maintain thru the Holidays, with a new energy planned on weight loss for the New Year!! You know, the old New Years resolution. I'm going to get on the tread mill and work harder to get the scale to move again....in the downward direction:).

Julie, still having a wierd thing going on with my fill this time. Really tight in the am. Sometimes, I can't even get liquid down first thing. But, as the day goes by, I'm better.

Lets keep in touch and help each other thru this experience!!

Hi Peaches~ Welcome to band land. Please feel free to ask any questions. I only check in here once in a while though so you can also PM me b/c it gives me a notification now in my email.

Michelle: My fill is the same way. I can barely eat in the AM and then can eat fine by the evening. I have been reading around these boards and I think that it's pretty common. I have started to get used to eating a yogurt slowly or very very thin oatmeal.

The hard part about it is that when I can eat more I do instead of trying harder to keep things in check. So, I have to be careful in the evenings to have a healthy and filling dinner to keep me from grazing like the pre-band days.

Hope you had a Happy New Year- I'm really going to try hard now to kick start things into action. I really want to be at 50 pounds by our bandiversary date so I have to get cracking!

Julie

I think that my PCP is referring me to Dr Forgione, I gave her a rather cool reception to the idea because I'm not sure if I want to be one of the first 50 that he does in VT ( she told me at a conference he said he had done 40 something in training and 12 in VT - but that was as of last fall) I did tell her I would check it out.

Anyway, what do you all think of the FAHC program and Dr Forgione? How have your follow ups been? My other worries is that while I don't deny sometimes binge eating and less than nutritious choice, I don't think that is why I am fat. I need to look at what I eat and why when I over eat, and fix that. Fix the brain telling me I am hungry when I am really not. Does banding help with that?

I also have concerns as I am a very private person and I work in health care. Hiding the fact I had surgery until I feel comfortable with the new me won't be easy and I don't want to lie and say i had hernia surgery because they will know.

Thanks for your insight

I am not sure about these message boards, what is the best way to reach you so forgive me if this message reaches you twice ( or more) as I look for the right way to find you!

HI QUIETLYBANDING

LAPBANDING IS THE BEST NEXT THING TO SLICED BREAD! THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS TOP NOTCH. DR. FORGIONE IN MY OPINION IS THE BEST. MY HIGH WEIGHT WAS 225. I WAS BANDED DEC. 20, 2006. MY WEIGHT IS NOW 175. I AM NOW EATING MUCH HEALTHIER. I ALSO NOW EXERCISE 1 HOUR EVERY DAY. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD DO THAT IN MY ENTIRE LIFETIME! I STICK TO THE PROGRAM. I NEVER GIVE UP EVEN EVEN IF I SLIP UP. I ALSO JOINED SPARKPEOPLE.COM IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL ALSO. I'VE HAD TO DO AWAY WITH MY CLOTHES, THEY HANG ON ME. MY GOAL IS 125LBS. THEY SAY IT TAKES ABOUT 2 YEARS TO GET TO GOAL WEIGHT. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS! I LOVE NEVER BEING HUNGRY. I HAVE NEVER GAINED A POUND SINCE I STARTED THE PROGRAM.

PS

I STILL HAVE SOME HEAD HUNGER BUT NOTHING LIKE BEFORE. EVERYTHING COMES SO MUCH EASIER SINCE SURGERY.

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANY TIME. E:mail peaches602005@yahoo.com

GOOD LUCK

PEACHES

Hello Fellow Vermonters!!

Hi Quietly Banding, Peaches, and Julie,

Great job Peaches!! Sounds like the band is working awesome for you and you are working the band too.

What I can say is that everyone has different experiences, and everyone's needs are different. I, myself have had good as well as bad experiences. I do not regret having the band for one second, but it has not been a "walk in the park" for me.

I have lost a firm 30 pounds, and have kept it off. I am working on losing more. I have had one fill that was TOO much, and left me throwing up everything for hours while I waited in the waiting room to have a re-adjustment to remove some of the fill. This has kept me from seeing the Doc for several months (my fault, I've just not made an appointment yet).

I found Dr. Forgeone to be hit or miss for me. Sometimes, I really like him. Other times, not so much. I think since I was one of the first two people banded, they still didn't have everything ironed out yet. My biggest gripes are bedside manor, long wait in the waiting room for appointments, and not listening to what I say about my body. I have not always received good, friendly service starting at the check in desk and thruought the visit. I have waited for 45 minutes to an hour for an appointment several times. The Doc hasn't always taken my input into consideration about my fills. He has made me wait for a fill when I told him I was ready, and another time, he filled me too much when I told him I just needed a little ( I asked for .3 to .5 cc's and he went ahead and gave me .7cc's). This is the time that I got sick.

I went with the band because my weight just kept sneaking up year after year. It has helped me to lose 30 lbs in a year and keep it off. I have never been able to do that. I do have much more to lose. But, I am happy with this success right now. I wouldn't have been able to do it without the band.

I just wanted to give you my experience so you could have another perspective. It does work well, but is not always easy- breezy. You need to work too. Follow the rules, eat healthy, and exercise too!!

I am glad I got banded, and I have more work to do !!!!

Best of luck to all of us,

Luv,

Michelle

Yes! Finally, I've found some other Vermonters! I, too, had Dr. Forgione. My surgery was June 18th--just 3 months ago. I just had my first fill and am on my third day of liquids...what's up with that? Everyone else has only 1-2 days of liquids. It had better be worth it! Anyway, glad to know you're out there. I live in Middlebury; where are you?