Through earlier conversations in a separate thread, it was suggested to have a specific thread for Spivak's patients to share experiences. Please feel free to join in.

Lynn, Terry and Deb hope to see your updates here.

Take care,

Kim

*To be banded Monday, February 5th

Hi, Flower Faery! I had the same problem with the band from my bra, and since I had rotator cuff repair last year, nearly all of my bras are front hook because my arm doesn't always want to bend "that way" any more. With a front hook (so you have that heavy stiff vertical strip of hooks) and large breasts, I nearly went nuts at first from the weight and pressure on my port and the port incision. And I couldn't decently go without a bra in public. Here's what I did and it took care of the problem all together until the incision was healed enough not to bother me. I got an old fashioned "sanitary napkin"--the really thick kind--and put it under my bra band, between the band and my skin. A thin pad didn't "pad" enough for comfort, but the thick one lifted my bra band off my ribs and put a pillow in there. No one could see it, and it helped take the weight of my breasts off the incision too. I used the old fashioned kind (like they still give you in the hospital, that are really long and do not have the self-stick strip. The peel and stick stuff will stick to you, and I didn't like that at all.

I hope this will give you some comfort until you are healed enough that it doesn't bother you any more.

I'm so glad to hear from you and equally glad it's all going good! I'm doing pretty darn good.....I don't plan to go back to work until Tues as Monday is a holiday for us....so, I guess I better try on a bra since I haven't since Friday!! : )

I'm Starving!!! How Am I Going To Make It To Next Friday?????????

Why are you starving? What are you eating?

ok...I'm better now...guess I was no where near the desired intake because i just felt so full....perhaps psychological...So now I'm having 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, orange roughy , sugar free jello for lunch. Orange roughy and one tablespoon of mashed potatos for dinner, then i actually bought babyfood vegatables.oh and 2 SF popsicles per day.Lots of water and crystal lite

I wanted to ask if anyone who posts on here is planning to attend the support group meeting tomorrow evening at Dr. Spivak's office?

I am going in tomorrow afternoon for a fill and am planning to stick around for the meeting. I was just wondering who else might be planning to attend . . .

Lynn

Before.....

(or at least current)

OH MY GOSH !!!!! Look at you . . . you look beautiful! :clap2:

Thanks! And my knees cross!

Betsy - How's things with the GERD ....did cutting out the sweeteners do it for you?

getting 1st fill oct.9 can someone tell me what to expect, was banded 9-11. i know i'm in good hands.

It's a non-issue, even though most people start to agonize before their first fill. You'll go in and one of the nurses (I assume you'll go to Spivak's office) will sit you in the chair and lean you back. She'll check to see where the port is sitting, and then she will give your tummy an alcohol wipe and insert a needle. Just a little sting initially, and then it goes into the port (that isn't something you feel). As it is your first fill, they may just put some in and not flouroscope you at the same time....or they might. If they do, they'll have you get up (she may tape the needle down or sometimes I just fest my arm against it for support) and walk across the hall to the flouro room. You'll stand in front of the machine (this is really cool to watch) and she'll give you a little dixie cup of barium (chalky liquid). You will swallow a little and you'll all watch the screen and see how quickly it shoots down the "pipe" and past the band. When you start to get restriction, you will see the barium hesitate slightly before going through the band area. That's what they ultimately want....they want it to stop for a "nano-second" and then go through. Then she'll have you drink water and ask you to gulp it down and see how that feels. You will get pretty good quickly as sensing when stuff goes through, hesitates, gets plugged, etc. Watching the screen, she will take the syringe and adjust in or out the amount of saline or omnipaque in your band until she is comfortable with the reaction as liquids go down. That's it. You're done. Eat mushies for about two days until you get the swing of what works and what doesn't and then off you go.

THANKS for the reply KACEE, brenda did it used saline . don't know if is leaking not feeling restricted ,like i did when it was done.the good side is lost 36# since 9-11.

I was filled on last Wednesday. I can barely get liquids down before 5:00pm. Should it loosen soon, or should I get an unfill. I really hate to get an unfill because I haven't had much restriction before. I'm just wondering if this is too much.

I had the same thing happen after one of my fills, and did go in for a slight unfill, which helped tremendously. Like you, I was having trouble even getting liquids down and that can lead to big problems that we don't need.

I say call Dr. Spivak's office and talk to either Brenda or Leslie and see what they say. My guess is that they'll have you come in.

Good Luck!