ValleyGirl

I'm sorry you had to go through this. Unfortunately, if you are this sensitive to fills (I know I am) you may even have trouble with fills under fluoro in future. In December I went to OCC for a fill and it all looked fine but two weeks later I couldn't swallow my spit. A fill that is okay one day can still turn on you and tighten all of a sudden for no good reason. Just make sure you get very small fills, whether under fluoro or not. I'm just saying that there is no guarantee with fluoro- trust me. Sabrina:)

Who are you seeing for fills? I know Dr. Manchanda here always asks me how much I want, but I'm far enough in to this that I know what works and what doesn't. I would have had no idea how much to ask for at my first fill. Sorry to hear you went through this. He is a GP (a very good GP) but not a specialist by any means. He has never missed my port while the ladies at the "fill clinic" in Washington always seem to have problems finding it and have left me bruised. He puts the saline in and then withdraws it to make sure it actually went in. When I go back, he withdraws it again to make sure it is still all in there. As far the needle goes, I'm sure his needles are hubers but now I'm going to call and make sure! Sabrina:)

Mandy, I only have a 4 cc band...that's why!

It sounds like you have a caring doctor and I'm certain once he learns more about the procedure, he will be in your corner! I'm glad you found after care closeto home. That's what I recommend everyone does before going to Mexico. There is no reason to go there for all your fills. Best of luck. The surgery is a breeze. Sabrina:)

Just checking in since I haven't been posting much lately. I've been living with a very small fill and little restriction since I just kept getting too tight again and again. I've been trying to make really good choices and have to say, being banded all this time has really helped me change my relationship with food. Even though I CAN eat anything right now (and in pretty big portions) I choose not to and just don't care about food like I used to. I'm not perfect all the time, but I'm making the right choices MOST of the time and have even started to lose a little again! Good luck to all the new faces I see on here. Sabrina:)

Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you wore the bikini without the board shorts-you've worked so hard and should be proud and showing it off! Way to go and welcome back!!! Sabrina:)

I know you've been planning this for so long so I was thrilled to hear your good news! Sabrina:)

The first time I had an unfill I went on a bit of a bread binge but the second time (when I wentto Hawaii unfilled for three weeks) I tried to eat three "normal" meals per day but after eating only 500 cals a day for months and months, going to 1500 or 1800 cals per day didn't work for me. I recently posted on this very subject in the thread "fluctuating". I am prone to pack on the pounds at an ALARMING rate the second I deviate from eating lap-band style. I'm like a deflated balloon just waiting to be blown back up. Quite frankly, it sucks. Sabrina:)

I am wondering if anybody (particularly those at or near goal) find their weight fluctuates like crazy? I have almost no fill and have been white-knuckling it for weeks with little help from my band. Some days I do better than others, so what keeps happening is this. I will eat crap for a couple days and gain up to 5 pounds OVERNIGHT. Then I will eat well for a couple days and lose that same five. My skinny mom and friends can't believe how quickly I can pack on the pounds. They seem to be able to go a little overboard now and then (like holidys or weekends) and maybe gain a single pound but I have been known to gain almost 20 pounds in three weeks. I can then lose the same 20 in three weeks just by watching what I eat. Is this because I've been obese? I'm almost at goal and had hoped I could start living "normally" but no such luck so far. Sabrina:)

Carrie, did I just read right??? You are down 85 pounds now?! Wow!!! Good for you! Does that put you in the 170's? I remember how bad you wanted out of the 180's. Way to go! I can't get out of the 160's....I keep fluctuating from 164-169. Can't wait to kiss the 160's good-bye. Sabrina:)

I was just tehre for a consult in December and it is there!!! Sabrina:)

Whenever I have called, there is an automated message that includes a number you can pres for the doctor on call. It will forward to a doctor's cell and they have always answered right away and never seem put out that you are calling. Just press that option...that's what they are there for. Feel better soon! Sabrina:)

Even though my lap band journey hs been along a pretty bumpy road, I would still do it again. As far as the energy goes, I have WAY MORE energy eating less than when I over-ate. It amazes me how little food we really need to get by. Sabrina:)

You are so lucky they were able to get it out right away. I started having terrible gallbladder attacks in my first pregnancy. I was terrified tehre was something wrong with the baby and by the time they figured it out, I was in my second trimester and it was too late to operate so I suffered through numerous attacks until she was born, then they took it out when she was six weeks old. It really is worse than labour pains. Worst time of my life. I second what was sid about teh scars, six years later you can hardly see them! Sabrina:)

Yes, chips wil ALWAYS go down for some reason. Try some meat and then you will know if you are restricted or not. Hope this is the one! Sabrina:)

I am leaning towards him too. I REALLY like Dr. Campos in TJ but it's just that much farther from home and I think I'd feel better being closer to the border, "our" border! I know Lisa and Pammie love him. I'm going to set up my consult soon. Does he charge for them? Sabrina:)

As far as the fills go, my fill doctor always withdraws the saline first, checks the records to see if it's all still in there since last time, and then he re-fills. None of my saline has ever "dissapeared" although I know it's common....and I've never had (or heard of anybody else having) any blood in the syringe. I'd be calling OCC again just to be sure it's not a concern. Why was your port replaced? MIne drives me NUTS. It always has. I always feel like it is pulling and ripping the skin around it. If I ever get the courage (and the cash) for a tummy-tuck I will ask for it to be re-positioned. Stay in touch. Sabrina:)

What a great post! I just finished watching some recorded BIggest Loser episodes and was thinking how much I need to start exercizing to get that last bit of weight off....then I saw your post which seconded that. Thanks for sharing about therapy too. I think I need to get some. I still make bad choices too often and can't warp my head around why I sabotage myself so much. I'm also curious where you are getting your ps? Sabrina:)

Debbie, one more question. Did you ask Dr. Nyte what would happen if something went wrong and you needed to be hospitalized in The States? US hospitals are crazy-expensive. My insurance covers me for about a million when I travel to The US but I wonder if it would be waived if I knowingly went to another country for surgery? I guess I could ask my insurance provider. I SO want to do this too but it's way too expensive here in Vancouver. Sabrina:)

Welcome back!!! We missed you. Sabrina:)

Louise, I went to OCC In December for exactly those reasons. Even with a fill under fluoro, I got back in to trouble within two weeks of returning home. It all looked good that day and I left with what I though was perfect restriction....two weeks later, I couldn't even get my coffee down. That said, it's a good idea to go for a one-year check-up to make sure the band looks okay. Just don't count on it for finding your sweet spot. I'm also going the "wiggle room" route right now and it's bloody hard. 6am and I am already starving- when I have restriction I don't get hungry until noon. Again, this is better than the alternative. I just can't cope when my band tightens so much that I can't eat or drink for days. Sabrina:)

Carrie, As you can see from my signature below, I am in the same boat. Right now I only have 1.4 cc's in my 4 cc band and can eat too much. I would love another fill to help me with portion control but I'm afraid that I'll just end up back there for an unfill in a couple weeks `cause I always get too tight. SO frustrating! I'm just thankful I've come this far. Now I need to decide if I would rather live a "normal" life with a few extra pounds on me or be at goal but having problems eating all the time. I change my mind every other day,but today I'm leaning towards a healthy size 10 instead of an unhealthy size 6 or 8. Sabrina:)

What about the cost of the hospital/clinic stay and any meds you will need? How long do you need to stay in the area? It sounds like it would still be cheaper than having surgery in Canada...and now is a great time to do it with our dollar almost at par again. Sabrina:)