Clynn

Emphasis on the generally speaking. I pb'd at least once before my first fill.

Odd. Heartburn is usually a burning sensation, and what you're describing is not ringing a bell for me. You may want to give the clinic a quick call.

If you are feeling tighter it is because your stomach is swelling for some reason. Have you been doing anything that could cause irritation or been PB'ing alot? You may want to try going on liquids for three days to give everything a chance to rest and go back to normal.

You'll notice a definite change in your portion sizes. I live alone and sometime I think I just stuff myself at meals. Then I got out with un-banded friends and realize that I'm eating at most 1/4 of what they're eating. The band has changed my perspective of how much is enough.

Try carrying some Metamucil or other fiber caplets around and taking one or two when your stomach starts to complain. It will give your stomach something to do. Good luck

This may be stuff you already know but here it goes anyway . . . First take a deep breath and try to stop being so hard on yourself. I find that when I'm frustrated, angry, or stressed I'm most likely to make poor food choices. You can't do much about yesterday, but tomorrow morning you can wake up with a clean slate. Try to stay away from anything with high fructose corn syrup or sugars since they will stimulate your appetite and make it much harder to eat properly. Keeping your blood sugar stable will go a long ways. Eat plenty of meats, fruits, and vegetables and count your chews to 30 for each bite so everything is thoroughly mushy. Also, try to up your exercise routine so you can burn more calories. Hopefully I was able to give you some new advice, or at least reaffirm what you already know. Also, you've lost 83 pounds in 10 months! Remember to be proud of this amazing thing you've accomplished.

What do I eat in a day is quite the loaded question. Depends on what day you are asking me as sometimes it changes drastically even in a short period of time. Right now my band is very loose from being ill recently and I crave so many things. It's like something inside of me was sleeping but now it is awake and making a terrible ruckus. I'm working hard to keep bad food out of my house but it is nearing Easter and those chocolate bunnies look so cute and sooo delicious and there's still some Valentine's day candy on clearance. On the other hand it is nice to have less restriction in that I don't have to obsess about every little thing going into my mouth (just what is not in my mouth). But I digress. . . . When I have proper restriction breakfast usually starts with some high fiber cereal or a glucerna meal bar. Lunch is usually something like a Lean Cuisine and then dinner can also be a Lean Cuisine or some other equivalent portion of food. I find that when I have the proper amount of restriction, just the effort going into preparing food is enough to make me not want anything. I usually enjoy a cup of sugar free hot chocolate made with milk in the evening before I go to bed during the winter. I don't really have a set eating schedule at all and can't get much more specific than that. I just watch my portions and try to eat slowly and carefully.

The best advice I can give you is walk walk walk. It'll get your digestive system moving to work out the gas and get your blood and lungs moving to expedite healing. I'm not saying you have to walk miles and miles but try to get at least 10 minutes in a couple times a day. Also, work hard on getting enough protein so your body gets enough energy. Isn't it funny how things have changed? We used to think bed rest was the best cure for illness. I have a friend who had breathing problems as a child and she told me how her mother propped mattresses against her bedroom windows to keep the unhealthy outside air outside, and the healthy inside air inside. Now we realize that was probably one of the worst things they could have done for her.

Wow. Just, wow. You guys are awesome.

Here's a slideshow I put together via Photobucket. http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s61/cly...nt=d5f61f19.pbw I'm going to a sci-fi convention and then on vacation next week and hopefully will get it updated shortly thereafter.

Try going on a dose of Prilosec OTC. Your stomach may be irritated which is causing the heartburn which is causing more irritation. . . etc etc.

People just don't understand the process involved or what it takes to succeed. The worst offenders here are those who have never had a weight problem and don't understand what it even means to be fat. I am amazed at the number of people who think fat people are just too stupid to realize that what goes in our mouths has an effect on our bodies. I'll never forget when I told a friend of mine how my parents had been doing Atkins religiously for a couple of years and still couldn't drop their extra weight and his jaw just DROPPED in disbelief. I might as well have told him my neighbor had a purple polka dotted elephant named Napoleon for a pet. Anyways, when I decided to get banded it never occurred to me to keep it a secret. I've told everyone I know, told them all about my weight struggles, and answered all their questions. Only two people tried to give me the "why don't you just go on a diet" line. Ironically one of them has been trying to lose 10 pounds since I've known her. Further debate and conversation got them to respect my decision and now I have a wonderful group of friends and co-workers who have cheered for me every step of the way. I figure who better than someone like me to tell everyone what life is really like being severely obese for so so long and then finally being given the proper tool to deal with it. It's not like anything on TV is going to paint an accurate picture.

I had the same problem. One quick unfill took care of it.

WAGal is correct in her posting. Your body has just gone through a major crash diet, and now is holding onto every calorie it can. Also, since your band doesn't have any saline in it, it's just not doing anything yet. Once you get a fill or two behind you, it'll start to do some work. Until then, just eat healthy and chill. magpel, your husband is right. By skipping breakfast you are putting your body into starvation mode. Once again, it holds onto every calorie it can once you start eating. Back in the days when food was less plentiful for human beings, this was a survival thing. Now, like many survival tactics in our bodies and minds, it is working against what is best for us. This is also a reason why being too tight is a bad thing as it will achieve the same end. You don't need a big meal in the morning, just a little bit of something that will let your body know that food is available and more is on the way. Good luck ladies. It sounds like you're all doing great.

The weight loss is not a straight line for many many many ... many reasons. If you're going to get upset over gaining one pound you are in for a miserable road ahead.

Doctors vary on the post-op diet they give. The diet above may be from one doctor, but it is important to follow the guidelines given by your specific doctor. OCC is clear liquids the first week, full liquids weeks 2 - 4. After that it's on to solids. You'll be given a packed containing a detailed post-operative diet when you speak with Dr Miranda.

My last two fills have been with the ladies in Arlington. Every couple of months they come down to Port Orchard. The VG band is a larger band which requires more fills. As for the number of fills I've had, check out my signature.

It's pretty much up to you when and if you get a fill. If you're losing and you're happy with it that's that. Some people never need one, but that is not the norm especially if you have a great deal of weight to lose. If you're getting your fill under floro, you're less likely to have any problems. I've had my last two fills blind and it was on the second one of those that I had problems. I knew the risks though and have fairly easy access to getting unfilled. Also, if you're heading back to TJ for your first fill, you may want to consider going since they will also have a look at your band and make sure everything has healed up properly. Once again, it's up to you and what you're comfortable with. You can always head in at 10 weeks instead of 6-8 if you lose your restriction.

No, the incisions are above the waistband, below the bra-straps. That's exactly the type of thing the doctors want to avoid when choosing where to cut.

If you can still get enough liquids down it is not an emergency situation. Give it a few days and the swelling should go down. If not, then it's time to call Dr Ortiz and get his advice. Your doctor may be able to find out if it slipped through an x-ray, but if lap-band isn't his specialty he may not know what to look for. For future reference, you can have your primary care physician write you a prescription for anti-nausea medicine which will keep this from happening the next time you get the flu. I keep a box on hand just in case, and it costs the lowest level of co-pay ($10) under my insurance. How long ago were you banded and how long have you been over the flu?

Tightness so soon after surgery is to be expected as you're pretty swollen in there. Not to mention the five wounds on your belly. You did just had surgery after all. Keep walking as much as possible and as long as you can get liquids down ok you're fine. For about two weeks after surgery I found it helpful to sleep sitting up which kept pressure of my stomach. It also discouraged my cats from jumping on my stomach while I was fast asleep . . .

Not strange at all - I named my band Selene after the ancient Greek moon diety because it lights my path in the dark. Ok, maybe a little strange.

I brought jeans with me and did not have any problems or notice them being any tighter on the way home.

Absolutely shop around then. I pay $150 for my fills without floro. . . and that's when they make the 2 hour drive to my town. If I were to drive to them it'd be $125. Try getting in touch with some lap-band support groups in your area, they'll know the best places to go for a fill.

$1500 a year?!? Yikes, that's $500 per fill if you get three your first year. Course if you get 4 or more fills the first year it starts sounding more reasonable, but unless you have the VG band 4 fills the first year is kinda pushing it. Is that with floro? The too many problems statement may be just an excuse for "we don't want the liability" which is a common reason for not taking Mexican patients. If you're concerned about being on the receiving end of a malpractice suit, warranted or not, one problem may be too many.