I love that title...Thanks Demmemoon!

March 2007 Bandsters! We have finally been banded!!!:confused:

We thought we'd never have this surgery behind us and here we are at the start of April and some of us are already at or close to the 1 month mark. Now, we are moving on to fills, real food, exercise, and watching those pounds melt away! I am looking forward to hearing about everyone's experiences. Keep posting!

Oh man, that stinks Tammy. Sorry to hear of the mix up and yeah, I'd be disappointed and a little peeved that they didn't catch it ahead of time too. :-( Better luck next time.

TammyJ - that's great. Let us know how your fill went. I had my band put in on 3/12 and I don't get my fill until May 22nd. I have the VG band which holds up to 11 cc's of saline. Which one do you have?

I have the VG Band as well and I'm glad. I know several people with the smaller band in my group meeting and they seem to be having the most problems out of all of us. A couple of them had to get unfilled because they were so sick and could not tolerate any fill. I think the larger band is not as harsh. Downside to the larger band is it may take awhile to get any restriction if your surgeon only puts in a little at a time. My surgeon does not ease up on restriction. Another patient was there for her first fill last night and was given 5cc. She was able to drink and felt fine while another girl was given 4cc. He fiils aggresively and then backs off until you are able to drink to his satisfaction.

I have my first fill scheduled for Friday. All of a sudden in the last couple of days I have gotten hungry and I don't get full near as fast as before.

I am on regular food now - chicken has never tasted so good.

TammyJ - I was wondering what the differences were. That's good to know. My dr doesn't want me to get a fill until May which would put me at about 10 weeks out from the surgery date on 3/12. So far I'm still losing weight and I haven't put any on. Thank God for that!

What a bummer that you had to waste your time going yesterday. I would be so mad! Oh well, keep us posted when you actually get the fill. I'll be curious to see how much saline he puts in and if you get any restriction.

my first fill is 5/8

Hi,

Sandy, My Dr. said I cant have my 1st fill until the 27th so thats a little over 6 weeks :confused: I dont think I have much restriction left cuz I can definately eat more and I feel hungry more often! I guess they call this bandster hell!

I really need to exercise... and watch my calories! Reading everyones posts help alot.

Hi,

Sandy, My Dr. said I cant have my 1st fill until the 27th so thats a little over 6 weeks :confused: I dont think I have much restriction left cuz I can definately eat more and I feel hungry more often! I guess they call this bandster hell!

I really need to exercise... and watch my calories! Reading everyones posts help alot.

I have yet to see my doctor since my surgery on 3/29... Although, I have spoken to her on the phone a number of times.

She told me that a fill will not be in my future unless I start to gain weight. So far, I have lost 31 lbs.... I am very happy with this. I am using my band. It really is a mind set thing. I know its there... I dont want to PB, so I measure my food, eat slow, and enjoy what im eating. When i am done, I dont even think "thats it?" I am satisfied. Knowing and feeling this is such a wonderful accomplishment!

I was talking with someone today, saying that I feel so much more in control of food now. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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I don't have restriction yet, no fills, but I don’t want to eat everything in sight. Heck, I don't always want to eat everything on my plate. (But there are monthly times that doesn't apply, but still common sense prevails.) <o:p></o:p>

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I heard it would be like this, but I never really believed it or that it would happen with out restriction. <o:p></o:p>

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Who knew? <o:p></o:p>

Juli<o:p></o:p>

Anyone else really tired? I just can't make it through the day without a nap! I just want to sleep all the time!

I'm drinking the Bariatric Advantage protien shakes and taking all the vitamins. I guess I am only 11 days out, but man I thought I would be good to go after a week. I've been off the pain meds for 6 days so that's not it.

Are you all feeling better???:bored

Anyone else really tired? I just can't make it through the day without a nap! I just want to sleep all the time!

I'm drinking the Bariatric Advantage protien shakes and taking all the Vitamins. I guess I am only 11 days out, but man I thought I would be good to go after a week. I've been off the pain meds for 6 days so that's not it.

Are you all feeling better???:bored

YES, Isabelle--I definitely am really tired. I'm three weeks post op and don't really think it's the surgery but wonder if it's my low calorie intake. I am eating between 1, 000 and 1,200 calories a day and averaging about 80 grams of Protein each day so I don't think it is that either. I've had a lot going on since the day after my surgery (my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer and my kids have been coming from all over the country to see him so I've had lots going on from both sides of my life--"sandwich generation" certainly makes sense to me!), so I think it's probably all of that plus stress and work and other responsibilities. It's been a whirlwind few weeks and such stressful times for me. I really think that is it but I've had lots of stress in my life before and really don't remember being this absolutely dog tired. I'll be anxious to hear what others say!

Good luck to you! Hope you get feeling better! karen

YESSSSSS, my first fill is today at 4:45pm!!! :omg: I hope everything goes well. I have to go back on liquids for a couple days so I went and bought more Protein powder and Soup at Hands. I don't have to fast before my fill. I just called my surgeon's office to make sure and they told me to eat normally. Just curious...Is anyone else told to eat normally before their fill or am I the only one? :confused:

I hope everyone is doing well! I will check back later to let you all know how my first fill went.

I could eat normal but he wanted me to be empty before hand so I couldn't eat 4 hours prior.

I am right now right in the middle of my 1st pb. OUCH/GROSS. Thank god for wide mouth Vitamin Water bottles. I'll post more in detail on my journal. It's been like 25 minutes now and doesn't seem like it will be over any time soon. This sucks.

T

hi marchies,

i wanted to check in.....

i finally am starting to feel like myself. i definitely pushing myself to walk, walk, walk...has helped me to regain stamina.

i am having a problem when i eat. my left arm starts to kill me. i know about referral pain and gas pains but this only happens when i eat something thats not "soupy". last night i was crying. so i'm eating mushy again...

i'm going to see my dr on thursday. i also have lots of questions about exercising, etc.

so anyway....i will let you know what he says....

I have the VG Band as well and I'm glad. I know several people with the smaller band in my group meeting and they seem to be having the most problems out of all of us. A couple of them had to get unfilled because they were so sick and could not tolerate any fill. I think the larger band is not as harsh. Downside to the larger band is it may take awhile to get any restriction if your surgeon only puts in a little at a time. My surgeon does not ease up on restriction. Another patient was there for her first fill last night and was given 5cc. She was able to drink and felt fine while another girl was given 4cc. He fiils aggresively and then backs off until you are able to drink to his satisfaction.

This explains why I'm still feeling so restricted. The surgeon said he put the smallest band in. This was after I woke up, so apparently I didn't have a choice. I thought it was strange that lots of people are describing no restriction, but this explains it.

I have a fill appt on the 18th (6 weeks post op), and I really don't want it. I haven't PB'd or anything, but I'm finding it still difficult to get 1000 cals in, and I never expected the weight to come off this quickly. It's going a little fast for me. I will probably refuse the fill, but think I should still meet with him because I haven't had a post op appointment yet.

Anyone else really tired? I just can't make it through the day without a nap! I just want to sleep all the time!

I'm drinking the Bariatric Advantage protien shakes and taking all the vitamins. I guess I am only 11 days out, but man I thought I would be good to go after a week. I've been off the pain meds for 6 days so that's not it.

Are you all feeling better???:bored

I was tired too at that point.

Even the third week I was needing to nap many nights after work.

It will get better, promise.

Juli in OH