Calling all April Bandsters!!!!

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

I still have a week until my revision (that is if my insurance will get off their butt and authorize my surgery). I went to weigh yesterday and was down 6 pounds. My eyes about popped out of my head, I did a little happy dance and hugged everyone in the room.

Hey Karly - I wondered what had happened to you. I hope you are doing okay. I'm hungry too - waiting for that first fill.

KJL - I'm glad to hear your first fill went great! Hopefully you'll have some restriction with it.

Turler - How are you doing with your fill? Can you tell a difference? I hope you don't have the same problem as the first. I looked for you the last couple of nights, but I haven't been online a lot lately. DH has been hogging the computer at night - LOL

[Turler 6]

6 pounds!!!!! What are you doing???????

How in the world do you lose so much weight so fast??? I am better as far as the fill part goes. Definitely feel some difference. Must eat slow!!! But I sure haven't lost any weight. Geez girl. I'm jealous! Send me your diet!!!

~C

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Turler - I really think it is the exercise. I started walking last week 2-3 miles a day. Before that I did zilch! I had gained weight on mushies/soft foods a few weeks ago - so I'm actually up about 3 pounds after that gain...The last two weeks I've see-sawed - up 3 pounds one day, down 2 the next and so forth. I was driving myself crazy! I went out of town this past weekend to the beach and didn't weight for three days - when I came back I had dropped 6 pounds.

Maybe we should just avoid the scales for a few days?? I've been getting in my Protein first, I have a least a cup of milk a night - gotta have my milk (I LOVE MILK) and quit grazing like I was before. I was also taking little "sips" at my meals - I quit doing that too. I have to completely dump whatever I'm drinkin 30 minutes before meals. If I have it in front of me it is like it calls my name. I also started journaling my food and "feelings" again. I've never been one for diaries, but have been using the one on thedailyplate and it really helps me with my head hunger.

It'll come off girl! Change things up a bit. You are going to log-on one day and tell me you've lost 8 pounds or something...then I'll be jealous one. It'll be my luck I won't lose anything for another month!

[Turler 6]

Leslie: I am so happy for you! You should be proud of yourself. I am proud of you! Isn't it amazing how a little weight loss can boost our spirits enough to motivate us to do things we couldn't or wouldn't before? I think it's incredible how our brains react to positive changes like that. Even your post radiates joy! I just think the human body is so freakin' cool! Can you tell I'm a medical professional? LOL

Anyway, you are right. One of these days the scale will do that for me too! I'm hanging in there. I'm noticing that I'm not as hungry these last few days. That is improvement and a step forward if you ask me!

~C

[Karly1 0]

Hey girls!

Got my first fill yesterday...... 3cc's. The stick stung for quite a while following. Felt the pressure right away.

Started eating soft foods today at lunch...... was a little disappointed that I could eat a fair amt before satisfied. Called the nurse and she talked me through it. So..... off and running..we'll see. I like you Leslie had to just get rid of the drink so I wouldn't be tempted for those "little sips to wet my mouth as I ate". I think they added up far more than I realized. I'm ready for the scale to MOVE! I haven't seen it move in 4weeks! at least! I'm so proud for you Leslie, 6 Lbs is huge! Woohoo!

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Thanks Karly1! I'm happy that you got your fill...<<green with jealously>>...I can't wait to get this surgery over with and move on with this journey!!! It'll start moving for ya - Hang in there - Have you any restriction with your fill that you can tell yet since yesterday? Did you have any Fluid left in your band from surgery?

Where in Alabama are you? I have a lot of family in Houston County (my grandmother, as hers, and hers before were born there) and grew up 30 minutes from the Alabama/Florida border - on the FL side.

[mklady63 0]

I was banded on 4/23 and am down 15lbs, but the scale hasn't moved in weeks. I received my first fill yesterday of 1cc and am scheduled for another in 4 weeks. So far I do not feel any different but I do understand it could take a few days. I am just so ready to kick jump this journey.

[Blund 0]

I get my first fill tomorrow and am looking forward to it. Not looking forward to being on liquids the day after, but oh well. After all these weeks, today I had bad hunger pangs. I guess I'm lucky to feel some restriction right after surgery. Could be psychological?? Which is fine by me! Also, I think some of us get luckier when they stitch the band to the stomach, and hit that "hunger nerve" and confuse it. Or maybe he stiched it with my hiatal hernia. Who knows, I'm just glad to be losing FINALLY! I'll up-date you on my fill tomorrow.

[tamboclan 3]

Wow!! 30 pounds already. That's wonderful. I am down 20 including the preop diet and have already had one fill, but haven't budged since my fill. I go back again next Tuesday. I want to see some movement!

[Lizalee 1]

Hey, I wish they would have stitched MY hunger nerve! LOL!

Can't wait till my 2nd fill on Friday...I need it!

We have a party on Sunday, have to make lots of food - this way I won't be tempted to eat much!

[Karly1 0]

Hi all...

Leslie,

I had no fill at surgery. What restriction I had was just from swelling and the band itself. After my fill, I had it at 10:30, and had not eaten since the evening before, but immediately when I stood up I had that tight pressure feeling. I really wasn't hungry at all until about 8:00 that night, of course, being the liquid and passing right through, it didn't help too much so I gave up and went to bed. I wanted food. The next day at 11:00, I had my first real food ..... I had the soft veggies out of vegetable Soup and a small amount of sugarfree pineapple pudding. I could have ate more than what I did (which was about a cup).... but made myself stop because I was supposed to be getting a full on a small amount right? When I didn't get full, I panicked and called the Dr.'s office.... she reminded me that what I had eaten wasn't really of substance and probably passed right on through (I felt so dumb).. She said not to focus on the amount as in worrying over wanting more than a few tablespoons, but to focus on feeling satisfied. She also said that it sometimes takes a few fills to build up to a good restriction. That night, I ate tuna casserole, still could eat about 3/4 of a cup or so, but once I got to the satisfied feeling, I remained satisfied the rest of the night (YES). I'm glad about that, before fill I was feeling like I wanted to graze all the time because I was staying hungry. Now my battle is head hunger.... why must my brain think that because it's good I must have more? I think that once the scale starts to move again it will help me with that part. I know I am not at good restriction yet, but I am closer and will take advantage of what I can til I get there. I had my fill under flouro, it did sting, and stung for a while afterwards. I have a small bruise to the side of my port scar now and its tender don't really know why, but its not so bad that I can't stand it for the future fills.

Anxiously waiting to be a loser again, .

Edited June 4, 2008 by Karly1

[Blund 0]

OK, I must qualify my 30 lb loss. Some of it was on the pre-op diet. Maybe 10 lbs or so? Its been so long since I've LOST weight, that I'm counting every pound!!!

[Turler 6]

It's so good to hear that everyone is doing so well! It's hard to believe that we are all at the 'fill stage'. It will be cool to see how everyone starts losing after they get filled!

I am still not losing after my fill. I saw the dietician yesterday and she wants me journaling everything again. I think I am drinking too many Protein Shakes. I find myself thirsty and hungry at the same time, so I choose the shake...accomplishes both. That frustrates me since I am still watching my calories, and I don't drink them all the time. I have one for Breakfast most days, but only once in a while in the evening. Anyway, I'll start journaling again, and we'll see if I can find the problem. Maybe it's something else all together.

I am going for another fill on Friday. I hope to feel some good restriction and hopefully that 'not hungry' thing. I can tell this time that something is different (restriction), but I am still able to eat more than the desired amount.

Talk to you soon!

~Carol

[Blund 0]

My fill went fine yesterday. It hurt a little, even though he numbed it first. (?) He put 2cc into my 10cc band, which already had about 1.5cc in it from surgery. I guess they put a little in at surgery just so it isn't all flat and deflated? They were all impressed as to how well I'm doing. The Dr said that he has noticed that patients who have had a hiatal hernia repaired at banding (like I did), seem to feel more restriction right after surgery. So I can't take all the credit I guess!

I go back in a month.

Turler, I do the same thing with my Protein Shakes. They really seem to fill me up when I'm hungry. I've got to start journaling again!

Take care all!

Barb

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Well today was to be the day they fixed my port...but, nope! The insurance carrier still hasn't approved nor denied anything, so I'm waiting. I have this band and I can't use it! I am tentatively scheduled for 6/13 for the surgery, IF and that is a big IF BCBS will make a decision.