Well, today was a huge experience for me...

First of all I DROVE into Toronto all by myself and I am SO happy that I was able to do it. I took a leisurley route and did just great.. Got to the clinic 2 hours early but that's o.k. I had lots of time to relax.

The seminar was very informative...( we sure were a questioning bunch) but took longer than I had thought..

I was 2nd to last in getting my fill ( then I had to sit there and "sip" my Water bottle.

That first "SIP" is really the hardest.. can't even begin to discribe the queer feeling that you get when you think 'water' will not even go down.

BUT, it did I just took REALLY small sips (teaspoon) and then it got progressively better and easier...

My drive home went well and I just finished 1/2 cup of beef consumme... it was WARmed so it went down easily too.

Whew, glad that today is done.

Grateful

Well, today was a huge experience for me...

First of all I DROVE into Toronto all by myself and I am SO happy that I was able to do it. I took a leisurley route and did just great.. Got to the clinic 2 hours early but that's o.k. I had lots of time to relax.

The seminar was very informative...( we sure were a questioning bunch) but took longer than I had thought..

I was 2nd to last in getting my fill ( then I had to sit there and "sip" my Water bottle.

That first "SIP" is really the hardest.. can't even begin to discribe the queer feeling that you get when you think 'water' will not even go down.

BUT, it did I just took REALLY small sips (teaspoon) and then it got progressively better and easier...

My drive home went well and I just finished 1/2 cup of beef consumme... it was WARmed so it went down easily too.

Whew, glad that today is done.

Grateful

I am going in for my first fill at TLBC in September. I am very nervous about it because I can't take time off work to be travelling to Toronto frequently in the event they get it wrong (I also have to drive in and that is probably more stressful for me than the fill itself - I live 3 hours away). Is 5 cc's the standard first fill, not that I really know what 5 ccs is?!? Do you go back in two weeks to have it checked? Are you finding you can eat enough not to be hungry? I am really worried about being over restricted, to the point that I can't eat at all and get ill....how is it going for you?

Hi Kero

It seems that 5 ccs is the usual first fill amount. I personally only took 3 because two people ahead of me had to have some of their 5 ccs taken out and I didn't want to get poked twice. You have to stay there for awhile and sip some Water to make sure you can swallow it. If you are nervous you can get less than 5 ccs and gradually increase. Better to have less than be too restricted. Good Luck, you'll be fine

Hi Kero

Don't be nervous. It wasn't as stressful as the 'idea' of driving into T.O. for me anyways.

The nurse has you lay back on a bed/couch/examining table, very comfortable. You raise your arms over your head to stretch out your tummy skin as much as possible and then she swabs with alchohol and I didn't even feel the needle. REALLY!!!!

It was so fast I couldn't beleive it.!! I think the needle is so fine that it was painless. She had to tell me that "its done, you can go now"..

If you got the MIDBAND French band like I did then it holds 9.5 cc's in total.

I got 5 cc, which is what most folks start with and then they adj. up from there on subsequent visits. IF YOU NEED IT. Some people have enough restriction after one visit. But I don't think that is average. 2 to 3 fills is average and some people need 4 or 5...

You will just never know and have to play it by ear.. everyone is an individual, you have to remember that and be flexable.

There were 7 or 8 of us getting filled yest. and one gentleman couldn't tolerate the 5 cc. He was sipping his Water, slowly,, but it wouldn't go down .... it trickled down his 'opening'... after a couple of minutes he said to me " I am getting this thick saliva bubbling up"....

He was "slimming" that's a body's signal that you are "stuck".... I told him to see the nurse right away ( I was scheduled to fill next but gave hilm my spot) and get a little taken out..

It took seconds for this adj. they took out 1/2 to 1 cc...

I am going in for my first fill at TLBC in September. I am very nervous about it because I can't take time off work to be travelling to Toronto frequently in the event they get it wrong (I also have to drive in and that is probably more stressful for me than the fill itself - I live 3 hours away). Is 5 cc's the standard first fill, not that I really know what 5 ccs is?!? Do you go back in two weeks to have it checked? Are you finding you can eat enough not to be hungry? I am really worried about being over restricted, to the point that I can't eat at all and get ill....how is it going for you?

Hi Kero

Don't be nervous. It wasn't as stressful as the 'idea' of driving into T.O. for me anyways.

The nurse has you lay back on a bed/couch/examining table, very comfortable. You raise your arms over your head to stretch out your tummy skin as much as possible and then she swabs with alchohol and I didn't even feel the needle. REALLY!!!!

It was so fast I couldn't beleive it.!! I think the needle is so fine that it was painless. She had to tell me that "its done, you can go now"..

If you got the MIDBAND French band like I did then it holds 9.5 cc's in total.

I got 5 cc, which is what most folks start with and then they adj. up from there on subsequent visits. IF YOU NEED IT. Some people have enough restriction after one visit. But I don't think that is average. 2 to 3 fills is average and some people need 4 or 5...

You will just never know and have to play it by ear.. everyone is an individual, you have to remember that and be flexable.

There were 7 or 8 of us getting filled yest. and one gentleman couldn't tolerate the 5 cc. He was sipping his Water, slowly,, but it wouldn't go down .... it trickled down his 'opening'... after a couple of minutes he said to me " I am getting this thick saliva bubbling up"....

He was "slimming" that's a body's signal that you are "stuck".... I told him to see the nurse right away ( I was scheduled to fill next but gave hilm my spot) and get a little taken out..

It took seconds for this adj. they took out 1/2 to 1 cc... and then he was fine again...

KERO;

Sorry, got trigger happy there LOL

I forgot you asked about eating. I havn't tried yet... you only get liquids for teh rest of the day (FILL DAY) and I havn't had breaky yet, just got up... sipping on my first bottle of Water for the day as I type.

But I am looking forward to scrambled eggs.

I go back to TBLC in Sept11th for my next fill.

About taking time off work to go back for each fill.... that's something you'll have to decide... one lady I met yest got a CD for her Physician. Her family Dr. agreed to do her subsequent fills in HIS office in her home town.. its an option.

Personnally, I want to go back to the clinic - they are the experts as far as I am concerned and I want their follow up... I paid for it!!!

Now that I have made the drive and know my "route" it'll be a snap next time. I can't begin to tell yu the confidence driving there yesterday gave me....

Take care, and try not to worry...

We are all here for one another to answer questions and offer support

Hi Peaches9,

We met yesterday, I also got my first fill but I had to go back in to have 1cc removed, so I have only 4cc's. I told you that I would give you the names of some of the recipe groups on Yahoo for bariatric eaters....

one is BariatricRecipes : Weight Loss Surgery recipes

and the other is:BandsterRecipes : BandsterRecipes

Glad your trip home was uneventful.

Carla

Hi there, I said I'd post later when I'd actually eaten something.

I had 1/2 of a scrambled XL egg this a.m. with a titch of ketchup - ate very slowly... and it WAS good.

right now I am eating 1/3 cup Choc SSFF pudding with my antidepressant sprinkled on it(creative huh?) plus I added some Protein powder to my pudding mix... just to boost it up a bit.

Pudding is going down fine.

I've had about 3 glasses of Water

Later babes

Peaches i wish i could get the confidence to drive to T.o too. Good for you.

How does that feel? Next week I am getting a fill of 4 cc's. I don't know how it will feel? Or what I will experience?

How are you feeling now Sweet? You must be doing well if you are ready for a fill next week. I am tolerating full fluids well, and seem to be healing well.

C.

I am doing really good....I have graduated to solids now and am ready to get my fill...I can't wait...I have my appetite back somewhat...and don't want to stray. I am back to work tomorrow so that should keep me focused. How are you going?

Sweet4life;

Dosn't it just SUCK the way our appetite comes back after we've been on solids!! (Pre fill)

I'm doing o.k. now 2 days after 1st fill... Ate o.k. yesterday tuna, puddings, mushy veggies and chicken breast, yogurt... plus my Water and some decaf coffee.

This a.m. I had Large Flake oatmeal with 1/2 Apple chopped up in it while it was cooking, skim milk on top. About a cup of hot Cereal... it was good... I "wanted" to eat more, but stopped when I got that "soft full" feeling.

No burping or PB'ing or slimming.. doing just great

Good luck!

Sounds like you had a great first experience. It gets easier and you'll know if you're too restricted - like the gentleman who started to slim. Congrats on the next step of your journey!

Hi: I have an Inamed 10 cc band. My first fill was 3 cc, but I was belching and sliming, and had to get 1cc taken back out. Pretty good on this and get my next fill this coming Thursday. Have had some chest pain and sliming and pb'ing, especially the first week after my first fill, but I now feel really ready for another fill, as I seem to be able to eat more than I want to be eating.

Gee Peaches that's sound scary. I'm going for my first on the 24th and hope I handle well.