Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

sharona, there are several sites to journal. I am now using Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate and it also alloows you to journal how you are feeling if you want. I just think this is great because it allows you to search by brand name if you want.

ypu can also log in your exercise time and type and it will calculate calories used

Hi gang, I've been out of pocket for a little while. I had my follow up last week and I have graduated to real food. I'm still swollen and pretty tender at the port site, but the rest have pretty much healed, they just look like a couple of scratch marks so when the red goes away I don't think you'll even see them at all.

I was told to stay away from beef, bread, rice, and some of the more stringy veggies for now. I've had fish of various types this past week and chicken a couple of times.

The only problem I have, is not drinking before and after the meal. Sometimes there are things I've just had to wash out of my mouth and in a public sitting it just isn't cool to spit it out. Anybody have any tips on how to do this?

T

Texas- don't worry about the occasional sip of water. It's really drinking and washing the food out of your pouch that is bad. Relax

Hey all! I am SOOO happy to have found this group! I was banded 3/19/08 in Denver, so I think that makes me a Shrinking Shamrock! I'd love to chat and see the stories of others, especially because I'm entering my 4th week out and having some "shrinking pains" (i.e.- Diet Cheating, Hunger, Anxiety over upcoming 1st fill, etc)

1. Where do I get the fun Shrinking Shamrock logo to add to my profile?

2. Where is our homepage I've heard referred to?

Ok! Looking forward to this! Hugs!

:tt1:EJMDIVA

Welcome EJMDIVA!

I was banded on March 19 as well:) I *think* this is how to get the "Shrinking Shamrock" logo: right click the one you want, save it in your computer, then upload it on a site like tinypic.com or photobucket.com, then save the code you get from that site in your signature.. Be sure to et the code that says "message boards". Have I lost you yet?? lol.. I'm not great with instructions:biggrin:.

As for the home page?? Just scroll up to the top of the screen, and on the left you'll see "home".

Hope that helps!

:)Kerri

I had a bad day Saturday. It involved a donut and spaghetti. Granted it wasn't 4 donuts and 2 plates of spaghetti like it would have been pre-band, but it was definitely not good choices. Anyway, the scales showes I gained 3 lbs!!! I'm very disappointed and frustrated with myself but I've got a fill scheduled today and hope the 3 days of liquids will put me back on track.

Texgirl, don't beat yourself up over your slip up this past weekend, today is a new day, just make better choices today!! Remember this is a lifestyle change and we will have "slip up's" once in a while.

Hello fellow March bandsters, my friend and I just got banded on March 31st. I have already started walking again and am feeling pretty good. How are you all doing??? I hope everyone is losing and feeling better everyday... Later

Ann

Had my 1st fill last Tues & had to go back on Wed to have some removed...woke up very tight & couldn't hold anything down! Am progressing to thicker liquids and some creamy soups. My energy level isn't as wonderful as I'd like, but I'm making it! Scheduled for a 2nd fill on 4/29-don't think I'll even need it at the rate I'm going, but am going to keep the appointment just in case!:rolleyes2:

I guess we've moved from banding stories to fill stories.

I just had my second fill this morning. I had no restriction with my first fill so hopefully this one will make a difference. I'm now at 1.8 in my 4cc band.

And I don't like the new lady at the top of the screen. I miss the apple lady.

I just had my second fill this morning. I had no restriction with my first fill so hopefully this one will make a difference. I'm now at 1.8 in my 4cc band.

Wow! I also have a 4cc band. My initial fill was 1.4 & on Wednesday I had .4cc's removed. It's amazing the difference in 3 same size bands. A co-worker of mine also has a 4 & received 1.4 her initial fill. She says she had no restriction. Think she's scheduled soon for a 2nd fill.

I wonder how he judges how much to put in. He said he was going to give me up to 2 this time but then only gave me up to 1.8. This time I kind of felt him hit the port too. It didn't hurt, but felt a little funny.

as ajoneen noted, it's really amazing to see the folks on this thread progress from "i'm about to get banded" stories to "fill" stories. time sure does fly.

i had my second fill last thursday. once again, it wasn't exactly pain free experience. the pa had a hard to locating my port, again. then my surgeon had probs; it took him 4 pokes. ouch. i'm now sporting a black and blue patch that's about the size of a matchbook on my belly. there was also some miscommunication between my surgeon and my pa about re: how much of a fill i was supposed to get. it's a long story, but because of the mix-up i ended up get 8ccs inadvertently put in my band when i was supposed to get a total of 5. at 8, i couldn't get thru a cup of Water, had foaming issues and felt awful. left the waiting room and went back into the offices for a 1cc unfill. mind you, i still hadn't figured out that there was a glitch between my doc and the pa. again, i couldn't drink and i started foaming. damn, that was gross. by that point, both my doc and i were really confused and tried to figure out what the hell was going on. now i have 5cc in my 14cc band.

sadly, i feel no restriction. i feel like i'm largely relying on will power to eat less. ugh. i don't want to ever be overfilled like was for that confusing 45 minutes last thursday, but i also would like more of an assist from my band.

i decided over the weekend to be a squeaky wheel. i called the office today and am scheduled for a fill on thursday. i'm going to ask for another .5 or 1 cc. last week's experience reminded me that we --the patients-- have to be our own advocates. we might not be medical experts, but we shouldn't be afraid to question our doctors and their staffs.

And I don't like the new lady at the top of the screen. I miss the apple lady.

It's "Boo Boo Kitty", she's a bandster here that has been EXTREMELY successful.....I was delighted to see her at the top!!!