AngieB

I'd suspect that your body is going to be at a slower loss rate due to your other previous WLS. This may not be the case, but I've heard others who have had a second WLS say things about loosing more slowly. Also the lapband is way different than GB in the speed of WL. GB you dump a good portion of your weight in the 1st 6 months.

Congrats on getting banded, hunger is a normal feeling at the end of the liquids phase. Once you can start solid foods, you will feel more satisfied. Until then, I suggest taking some fiber chew tablets that will help with the hunger. Takes the edge off. Are you drinking protein shakes and eating creamy soups? Welcome to band land and hope these last days go by quickly. Angie

Welcome to solid foods! Way to go on completeing the three weeks of liquids! It is doubtful that you have slipped your band. I have a few suggestions to give you. First of all CALL the OCC, and let them know what you are going through. They are really super good at helping and should be aware you are having a ruff start. If you have been having episodes of productive burping, you would be wise to baby the band, you are new and your healing is still taking place. This may mean switching from solids to some mushier foods. Easy to go down aka slidder foods. With each productive burp you may have swelling to go along with it. If it where me, I would take some malox and do mushies for a few days. After a few days of mushies, go back to solids. At this point you would be wise to use a baby spoon and fork to eat. This cuts down your bite sizes. Each bite should be chewed to smitherinze. Count and see how many times you are chewing.....it should be a min of 30. To test your chewing skills, try chewing up a bite to the point of swallowing. Instead of swallowing, spit it out and take a lookie lou. How does it look? Any chunks....is it paste? Cut your food in to small bites....take a normal cut, and make it 1/3 that size. Most importantly, CALL THE OCC! To me, it sounds like you have reastriction built in. You will not be needing a fill until you can A. Either learn to chew better and better, or B. till your restriction lessens. It is not the best to have productive burbs or lodged food with the band. This is a learning curve and it sounds as if your learning curve has begun quicker than mosts. HTH, Angie

Shelby! Way to GO! I can only imagine how freaking awesome that was to see yourself in a size 6!

Sherri - Yahoo on getting ready to leave! I had anxiety over packing....kinda weird but as soon as I was packed I was so ready and had not reservations or fears. ONWARD! What I would pack..... GAS-X strips. I also took liquid Beano with me. I used both, and had NO GAS pains what-so-ever. Here is what I did. As I was leaving the hotel, I squirted beano under my tounge. I had gas-x strips that I took to take. I didn't take them due to gas pains, I took them as a preventative measure. Did this work, I have no idea as I had no gas, so I can not say....or maybe I had no gas because I did these things....really I don't know, but I would do it all over again if I have surgery again. I took comfee cloths, with room in them. I had a comfee pair of jams and a laptop that was awesome to have! I took liquid tylenol with me, for just in case. I took it before we went on our 5 hr shopping tourist extravaganza the day after surgery. PACK LIGHT! You really don't need to weigh yourself down with "stuff." I took crystal light packets, and special k protein packs too. Which are easy peazy and light. The OCC will take good care of you, I hope this will be your best surgery experience yet! (with no nausa or gas pains.) Take Care! Angie

Andrea ~ Here is my update. I have been at a stand still in WL for months. I went in and spoke to the nurse, and talked to her about a defill of a small amount of saline. She advised me against it. Given that I am not having the "normal" problems that would trigger a defill. She asked me to hang in there and try to get my behaviors under wraps. What I am finding is the amount I can eat is very small. Which is what we all strive for. Only thing is, I go rogue on eating when I get home from work. I snack and graze. The nurse asked me to add snacks to see if that would help. It has not. I feel worse about it, cuz it feels like I am eating all day.....Anyway, I am working the snacks bak out. It is funny how fast your body gets use to having something. I am no longer night eating! Victory! I love not waking up to eat. That was a bad habit that I desperately needed to STOP! I have started walking over my lunch hour. I have 4 other co-workers who have started to walk with me!!! So any given day at work, I have walking partners. We do a 2.5 mile walk daily. Some days more. Which is awesome. I have noticed that my body is toning and loosing inches. Yahoo! So that is a huge positive in my life. So as always, I am a work in progress. It's like I am an onion, I peel a layer to find another layer to work on. My progress has been something I am pleased about. Not always what I have had expectations of, but I am thankful for every accomplisment and value my band. Oh, and I gave her a name too! LOL I decided on Hope, cuz she gives me hope. Hope for my future health, hope for so many goals. Right now, the meals I am eating are healthy, but my snacks are semi healthy to down right junk....so that is an area I need to pay attention to and give myself some love in. Sorry for you troubles Andrea, but it sounds like you have done fantastic on maintaining with your fluid out, which is a HUGE SUCCESS!! It sure is good to see you back. I have missed you and your candid posts. Welcome back.. ((HUGS)) Angie

Andrea! I was thinking of you yesterday......funny how that happens. You have been missed, welcome back!!!

Do I personally have kick butt aftercare where I live so I stick close to home. I like the assurance of having local care in case of an emergency.....I would hate to be spitting my spit in a cup for a days worth of travel if my band slammed shut on me for any reason. Now that I said that, if I had an emergency that called for surgery of any kind, I would get my tooshie on a plain to the OCC. Better believe it! For me local fit my life and I was blessed to have a great team of surgeons here that took me on even though I was a Mexican banded patient. Do what is best for you.

Ha ha! Well by the next swat training you may be running circles around your co-workers! Ha! I love the fact you had to resize your vest and gun belt! Damn I bet that felt good! I love non scale victories! They are what keeps me going! Way to go!

Oh Crap....I completely forgot to post anything about your wreck. I am so sorry and hope you and the hubby feel better soon. Did either of you get more than soreness as an injury? I hope you are okay and get the soreness worked out ASAP. Sorry to hear about your car too! ((BIG HUGS)) Angie

Kristi - I am so proud to be your friend and most of all proud of your success! I can not tell you how amazing you are. I enjoy your posts so much. You are so supportive, honest and kind. Your hard work and firm decision to turn your life around have really paid off. You are super hot and healthy! HUGS to you my friend! It has been a pleasure watching you transform! Angie

K - you are doing fantastic! I am so impressed! Keep it up and like D said, you will be on your decent to skinny minnie in no time at all! Keep rocking your band!

Hi - I think as a general guidline "they" can say your second fill at 2-3 months. EVERYONE is so different. I aggressively chased my sweet spot. You can see in my signature the times and dates I went in for fills. It was monthly for a while. There are people who don't need fills, who hold off for as long as they can and others like me....who get to there sweet spot quickly. What is most important is to do what is best for you. Even being new to the band, you can judge if you need a fill or not by how you feel and by your desired portions. HTH Angie

LMBO - I was thinking the same thing in my head! ha!

((HUGS)) thank for the warm tummy ideas! Brought some coco with me today!

Great idea....if I could stand chicken broth...I would jump on that idea.....maybe I will do a sugar free hot cocoa.....has calories but is lower than something else.... Thanks for the tip!

Rolled taco....hmm what the heck is a rolled taco. Gonna have to google it I guess. (us midwest folk are not skooled in rolled tacos.) We are all so different, I can eat cereal....it is a slider for me. Once in the middle of a mental melt down I ate cereal. I didn't get full cuz the milk was letting it flow right through to my lower stomach. Guess what, I took advantage of that opprotunity and ate more......so much so that I actually got my stomach feeling full!!! WOW! Still WAY LESS than I would have been able to eat pre band, but since being banded, that lower stomach has not felt full till then. It was a real eye opener. It was a sad comfort in a way to feel the old full.....pouch full is not the same....not at all..... Disclaimer I am not the model bandster.....I have emotional eating issues. I am being honest here. Thank you for not judging me. (of if you do....please keep it to yourself.) ((HUGS))

Ha! I think I had them after I gave birth. Very handy! They remind me of puppy pads....kinda....

Hey there. I am a rare gal I suppose. I don't have a fear of needles. I will say that the needle is long. So be prepaired for that. The tummy is a good place to get a stick. I've not had one that has hurt for a fill. Even had a time where the gal doing the fill went through 2 needles! Ha! Bent the suckers right up. She kept hitting the plastic edge on the port. You will feel the pressure of the needle going into the port. Sorta weird, but kinda cool too. It is a really neat experience. I suggest you let the doctor know you are freaked out over needles. Don't watch if they make you squirm. Keep your eyes on the screen and watch the coolness of the fill under floro. You will not be thinking of the needle once you see the screen. It is pretty neat. As soon as you get a fill under your belt, you will know what you are feeling nervous about. Knowing takes the fear away. To me a needle stick is a small price to pay for helping me fight against obesity. Hang in there hun, it is not nearly as bad as your head thinks it will be! ((HUGS)) Angie