January Bandsters???

[Sula 0]

Hi all,

I had my first fill yesterday, 1 cc for a total of 3cc's in my VG band. No problem with the process and did feel some restriction. The thing that I found odd was, that about two weeks ago, I was not feeling much for restriction and creeping up on portion size. Then on Sunday or so, I was feeling restriction again. Not premenstral that I know of!! I just find it interesting that from day to day, it seems to change.

I agree that for the most part, we should be eating more solid Proteins and lay off the mushies. I do have a Protein Drink for Breakfast, which holds me till lunch time.

Sunshine, you validated a very important thing for all of us to keep in mind. This is work and it will take time. We should be patient but persistent. We probably need the time to relearn new habits and deal with our food issues. AND get more habituated to working out! Okay, I'm going for a walk..nuff said.

Shawn

[rms78645 0]

I have been eating some things I shouldnt like chocolate, but I think I am premenstual. I did lose 3 more pounds after not losing for over 2 weeks. So, I want to start exercising to facilitate the weight loss.

I got a fill 1 week ago. I think I feel a little restriction the last couple of days as long as it is a solid Protein. If it is a mushy I can have more so I need to make sure I am having more solid Proteins.< /p>

I am going to give it another week to kick in and them I am going to ask for another fill. He told me to wait 8 weeks, but see what happens.

Today I had coffee with soymilk for breakfast and feel unconfortably bloated. I am not sure why. I am going to get in my Water and see if I feel better so I can eat lunch. I had shrimp yesterday with potato for lunch and felt bloated like I do today and couldn't eat dinner. I am not sure if that is more restriction or what.

I have heard more restriction kicks in in about a week or two. But it just feels like a stomach ache.

You know, I think that is what I am feeling. It feels yucky but I bet its that I ate too much and its restriction. huh..... I had salad and its my 1st real food since my miniscule fill (.05cc). I better be more careful.

[emerald1773 0]

jeannette, I had some odd dreams when I was still on the pain meds. Could that be it?

[BabyGotBack 0]

You know, I think that is what I am feeling. It feels yucky but I bet its that I ate too much and its restriction. huh..... I had salad and its my 1st real food since my miniscule fill (.05cc). I better be more careful.

I am glad to know I am not alone! So maybe we do have some restriction.

[mfw1941 0]

OK, I had my first fill yesterday and was starving all day long. The worst hunger I have experienced since my surgery. Has anyone had that reaction? It was like the fill stimulated my stomach and it growled and rolled all afternoon. Didn't eat much because I was afraid it would get stuck or I would get overfull. It seems to be better this morning, I am getting ready to go get a Protein drink. Will see how today goes, just wondered if anyone else had the same reaction.

[rms78645 0]

I swear I am hungrier since my fill, than before my fill. Its probably all in my head! I only got .5 cc's. I have to wait 2-3 weeks for another. If after 1 week I still feel like this I am calling for another fill. What's the point of having the tool if its not working?

[jeanettej505 0]

jeannette, I had some odd dreams when I was still on the pain meds. Could that be it?

Not really in my case. I'm past a month post op and haven't been on any meds for the last 5 weeks. The time line fits that the dreams started when I got home from my surgery. It's not really a problem, but I just never really had so many vivid dreams that I remember before....remembering details, like conversations, and what a person is wearing. Who knows? Anyway, there's not really too much I can do about it...it's kinda cool.

[Louisianagirl 0]

Who had posted the meatloaf recipe and where can I find it again? I tried it and it was really good. I just can't find my recipe. Thanks!

[sherilynn 1]

I hear you about the tuna. I also tried the Bumble Bee tuna, Thai flavor and it was nasty. I also have a can of the Sundried Tomato and basil that I have not opened. I might give it to the cat, but she probably wouldn't eat it either. How can they sell that stuff?

I love dark choc. but so far have managed to stay away. I am afraid I just won't be able to stop if I start eating it.

I TRIED to give it to my cats - They wouldn't eat it!!!!! lololol:cat: :cat:

[BabyGotBack 0]

Not really in my case. I'm past a month post op and haven't been on any meds for the last 5 weeks. The time line fits that the dreams started when I got home from my surgery. It's not really a problem, but I just never really had so many vivid dreams that I remember before....remembering details, like conversations, and what a person is wearing. Who knows? Anyway, there's not really too much I can do about it...it's kinda cool.

I have been remembering my dreams too!

[BabyGotBack 0]

Got this from another site I belong to. The woman who wrote this is extremely knowledgable.

Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill

>

> The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will greatly

> increase your chances of getting a good fill.

>

> 1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your

fill

> appointment. That means at least 8-10 full glasses of liquid every

> day for at least several days before the fill.

> (You really need this amount at all times anyway).

>

> Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in,

> it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and

> drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are

> ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your Water

bottle,

> pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4-

oz

> cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless.

>

> (Hint - While you're on the plane, also take home a couple of those

> white barf bags –

> good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later,

> for "emergencies".)

>

> 2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before

> the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If

you're

> having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc)

> please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before.

> In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours.

> ANY food in the pouch will make it impossible to give a good fill,

or

> get a good fluoro

>

> 3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will

> shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading, and a poor fill.

> Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt

and

> hour before a fill,

> and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill

> time.

>

> 4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days

> before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining

> water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate, and the fill will

not

> be either.

>

> 5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a

> fill. Don't run right back home or to the plane. It takes the

normal

> swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop, and by that time you

> might be too tight and need to come right back.

>

> 6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the

> following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this

will

> allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very

> convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few

> days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane

fares!

> This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen,

> even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about

this

> overnight stay.

>

> 7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This

> allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then

> back to regular foods.

>

> 8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill.

> You'll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill

> levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs. As you

reach

> a higher fill level, you'll no longer be able to "get away" with

> things you might have before!

>

> 9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the

> current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing

> more than maybe once a week at the VERY most, not able to get

enough

> calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods

or

> fluids.

> More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse. Discuss all

> this carefully with your doc. You may even need an UNFILL, to keep

> your band and stomach safe.

>

> 10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as

> you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide

if

> you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much

can

> very easily get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind"

than

> if you had gone slower with fills.

>

> 11. Give a fill at least 2-3 weeks to test it. Some fills

> don't "settle in" for a week or two, and sometimes more. Your

weigth

> loss is what determines how a fill is - not any feeling of

> restriction, necessarily.

>

> 12. One of the most impt things in determining if a fill is good is

> choosing proper band foods. Soft foods, liquids, junk foods,

sweets,

> etc will NEVER be well-resticted, and will never tell a thing about

> having a good fill or not. Only solid foods give useful info.

> A good test meal is 2-4 oz of solid meat or chicken - be sure it's

> soft and moist - and about 1/2 cup veggies. You should be able to

eat

> about a cup of food (no less) and this should keep you satisfied

> (NOT "FULL", but simply "satisfied, not physically hungry". for

about

> 3-4 hrs.

>

> 13. Plan regular meals. A good fill will keep you satisfied for 3-4

> hrs, but no longer. If you are hungry 5 hrs after kunch, it is not

> becuase you have an inadequate fill! Reular meals aty planned times

> are important for a number of reasons, including avoiding snacking,

> maximizing calorie burn 9which = wt loss) and normalizing

metabolism,

> which is essential for wt maintanace later on.

>

> Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly-

> experienced docs and fill people. There are just too many

individual

> factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is

> only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons

> above.

>

> It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good

> level, and they can be safely given a month apart.

> Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the

> stomach rebels at big sudden fills. The goal of th first few fills

> is NOT to achieve a good resticrion, but to gradually get your

> stomach used to some pressure so you can tolerate a GOOD fill later.

>

> SLOW and GRADUAL is the key!

> Going slowly with fills can be frustrating, but is well worth the

> wait to avoid problems.

>

> Sandy R

> at goal x 3+ yrs

[bigdaddynomo 0]

Got this from another site I belong to. The woman who wrote this is extremely knowledgable.

Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill

>

> The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will greatly

> increase your chances of getting a good fill.

>

> 1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your

fill

> appointment. That means at least 8-10 full glasses of liquid every

> day for at least several days before the fill.

> (You really need this amount at all times anyway).

>

> Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in,

> it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and

> drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are

> ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your Water

bottle,

> pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4-

oz

> cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless.

>

> (Hint - While you're on the plane, also take home a couple of those

> white barf bags –

> good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later,

> for "emergencies".)

>

> 2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before

> the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If

you're

> having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc)

> please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before.

> In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours.

> ANY food in the pouch will make it impossible to give a good fill,

or

> get a good fluoro

>

> 3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will

> shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading, and a poor fill.

> Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt

and

> hour before a fill,

> and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill

> time.

>

> 4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days

> before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining

> water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate, and the fill will

not

> be either.

>

> 5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a

> fill. Don't run right back home or to the plane. It takes the

normal

> swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop, and by that time you

> might be too tight and need to come right back.

>

> 6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the

> following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this

will

> allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very

> convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few

> days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane

fares!

> This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen,

> even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about

this

> overnight stay.

>

> 7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This

> allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then

> back to regular foods.

>

> 8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill.

> You'll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill

> levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs. As you

reach

> a higher fill level, you'll no longer be able to "get away" with

> things you might have before!

>

> 9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the

> current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing

> more than maybe once a week at the VERY most, not able to get

enough

> calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods

or

> fluids.

> More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse. Discuss all

> this carefully with your doc. You may even need an UNFILL, to keep

> your band and stomach safe.

>

> 10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as

> you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide

if

> you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much

can

> very easily get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind"

than

> if you had gone slower with fills.

>

> 11. Give a fill at least 2-3 weeks to test it. Some fills

> don't "settle in" for a week or two, and sometimes more. Your

weigth

> loss is what determines how a fill is - not any feeling of

> restriction, necessarily.

>

> 12. One of the most impt things in determining if a fill is good is

> choosing proper band foods. Soft foods, liquids, junk foods,

sweets,

> etc will NEVER be well-resticted, and will never tell a thing about

> having a good fill or not. Only solid foods give useful info.

> A good test meal is 2-4 oz of solid meat or chicken - be sure it's

> soft and moist - and about 1/2 cup veggies. You should be able to

eat

> about a cup of food (no less) and this should keep you satisfied

> (NOT "FULL", but simply "satisfied, not physically hungry". for

about

> 3-4 hrs.

>

> 13. Plan regular meals. A good fill will keep you satisfied for 3-4

> hrs, but no longer. If you are hungry 5 hrs after kunch, it is not

> becuase you have an inadequate fill! Reular meals aty planned times

> are important for a number of reasons, including avoiding snacking,

> maximizing calorie burn 9which = wt loss) and normalizing

metabolism,

> which is essential for wt maintanace later on.

>

> Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly-

> experienced docs and fill people. There are just too many

individual

> factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is

> only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons

> above.

>

> It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good

> level, and they can be safely given a month apart.

> Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the

> stomach rebels at big sudden fills. The goal of th first few fills

> is NOT to achieve a good resticrion, but to gradually get your

> stomach used to some pressure so you can tolerate a GOOD fill later.

>

> SLOW and GRADUAL is the key!

> Going slowly with fills can be frustrating, but is well worth the

> wait to avoid problems.

>

> Sandy R

> at goal x 3+ yrs

This is good information to know.

[tonya66 13]

Thanks Babygotback - What supperb information! I go for my 1st fill next week (the 6th). Good to know that we should be well hydrated. I need to call the hospital back, I think they told me nothing to eat or drink. But they could have said just eating was a no-no. I need to call back and clarify.

[juno610 1]

Who had posted the meatloaf recipe and where can I find it again? I tried it and it was really good. I just can't find my recipe. Thanks!

It was me! They were from cookinglight.com. You can probably find it if you search for posts by me through my profile.

[juno610 1]

Wow -- awesome post about fills! I'm going to make sure I follow those hydration guidelines next time I go.