dina anderson

Has anyone found any support groups in the Portland area? I am having a hard time. I'm getting banded in 11 days! I'm scared, nervous, apprehensive, and would love to get together with some people that have had this done. Any suggestions??

Ok, so why do they say not to drink Water after you eat? Is it because it washes the food out of the pouch or because it stretches the pouch (or neither)?? Can you tell if you've stretched your pouch? I ate a rather large meal (about 2 1/2 - 3 cups of food) last weekend and it didn't feel bad or anything, but could I have stretched my pouch? How would I know if I stetched it and what happens if you do?? I should mention, I haven't had a fill yet, I'm scheduled for my first fill this coming Friday. I'm still fairly new to this so I'm not sure about everything. Thanks for any help you can give me!! :help:

Thanks for the response! It took me about 30 minutes to eat that meal I think. I didn't feel stuffed at all and I chewed very well, maybe you're right, it may have started going through while I was still finishing. About the Water, I feel the same way, it doesn't make me hungrier or fuller or anything. I try to wait at least 30 minutes but not a whole hour usually.

Well I'm not losing a whole lot, I've lost 24 lbs, but that includes my pre-op diet before surgery. Since surgery it's been very slow. I think I've lost 9 lbs the past 4-5 weeks. But thanks! You made me feel a lot better!!

Wow, most of you guys are not eating much!! Here's my typical day: Breakfast - 2 to 3 ounces of chicken breast, 2/3 cup cooked veggies, 1/4 cup stuffing or mashed potatoes lunch - Lean Cuisine (the low carb kind) Snack - sugar free pudding dinner - 3/4 cup soup OR cottage cheese OR oatmeal I work nights so by the time I get home it's time for bed, so that's why I just have something small for dinner, since I'll be laying down shortly after eating (which I know I'm not supposed to do). I think I'm eating too much...? I haven't had a fill yet and I feel like I could eat a lot more. I'm scheduled for April 6th, I can't wait!!

My doctor said liquids for 2 weeks, then mushies, which could include finely minced chicken, any fish, very well cooked veggies mashed up, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc. But I'm able to eat almost anything with no problems. Last night I had chinese food, sweet and sour pork, sesame chicken, and garlic green beans, it all went down with no problems. Could this be damaging my band, or if I'm feeling no pain at all is it ok? I don't want to be doing any damage to it, but I'm having a very hard time sticking to mushy stuff. I'm trying to chew it all really well. Also, I'm eating Lean Cuisines a lot too, do you think that's ok?

So I had surgery on Feb 22nd, about 3 and a half weeks ago, and I'm already eating hamburger, chicken, pork, not ground up, but actual chunks. It's going down pretty easy and I feel like I could eat a lot more than I am eating. I'm trying to keep it under 1 cup of food per meal, but I feel like I could eat a lot more. I've had chinese food, enchiladas, chili, crab and shrimp, etc., all not blended. Should I not be eating these things? I haven't had any pain, and it all seems to go down really easy. Please let me know if this is really bad!! Thanks!!

Thanks so much for all the info. I hope I am successful, but it is pretty discouraging when I'm eating WAY less than before and I haven't dropped a pound in a while. I feel like I could be eating McDonalds every day and still staying the same too. It's frustrating. I will get my first fill in the middle of April so I guess I'll see what happens after that. Thanks again for all the info!! I really appreciate it.

Hi mary, I noticed that you've had your band for quite some time but your weight loss is 11 lbs..? Is that correct? I'm curious because I was banded on Feb 22nd and I'm not losing any weight hardly at all. I'm wondering if it doesn't work for some people? Also, why did you have to have the "unfills" a couple times? I haven't had a fill yet and am very curious about this whole process. I want to be successful but I'm very worried that I won't be. Can you tell me about your experience? Thanks so much, I appreciate any help you can give me!!

Does anyone know of any doctors in the Portland Oregon area that will do aftercare if you'd had surgery in Mexico? I'm going next month to Mexico and would like to get it set up ahead of time in case something happens, like some of the posts I've been reading. It seems some people have problems with the ports once in a while. I'd like to talk to a doctor before so they will be there if I need them. Also for fills. Thanks for your help!!

Well I'm finally back, went to Mexico and got banded by Dr. Rumbaut, it wasn't quite as easy as I thought it would be, but I'm glad I did it. I'm still on a liquid diet, getting ready to start soft (mushy) foods tomorrow! I can't wait!! I haven't heard anything about the Oregon doctors, I didn't even check any here since I had to self pay. I just went to Mexico since it was half the price of here. Wow, I can't believe there aren't more people in Oregon that come to this website. I really would love to go to a support group nearby. I'm going to call Dr. Hongs office and check that out, thanks!!

Ok, so I'm 5'4 and weigh 275 and when I flew to Mexico to get banded a couple weeks ago I needed an extension, definitely. The tray table would NOT come down and the seats were very tight and uncomfortable. My friend (who was also getting banded) and I realized on the flight home that we could put up the arm rests and be WAY more comfortable!! So if you're sitting with your hubby remember to put up the armrests and that will help the comfort level a lot. We asked for the extensions as we boarded also, like several other people were saying. It wasn't embarassing, but if my boyfriend would have been there I would have died!! Good luck!!

I'm fairly new to the site, not banded yet (Feb 22nd), and I keep seeing "PB's" everywhere and can't figure out what the heck it means. Can someone please explain it to me? From the way it sounds I don't want to have PB's, I'm assuming it's a bad thing.

I'm going to be banded on the 22nd of Feb, 11 days from now!!! It was great reading about your experience, I am so scared and apprehensive. I was wondering what most people eat during the first few weeks, that really helped. I live in Oregon and am going to Mexico for surgery. If I would have known about Dr. Tersigi I would have went there instead, it's about the same price that I'm paying. I would have avoided airline tickets. Do you know of any support groups in the Portland area?

Dr. Kelley Fitzpatrick www.gastricbands.com 503-235-6589 for Portland 541-344-9658 for Eugene $180.00 for the first fill, $165.00 for subsequent fills. No fluoro She has been doing fills since 2001. Please visit the website for more instructions.

What does PB mean? I'm new here and not banded yet (Feb 22nd) so I'm not familiar with your abbreviations. I've seem that so many times and wondering what the heck it means!!

I just went to their website and ordered a bunch of shake and soup powder, and the book too, Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies" I hope it's good!! I haven't had my surgery yet either but it's coming up this month!! Yikes!! I'm so excited!!

Where do you get Medifast and Optifast? I'm scheduled for lapband surgery on Feb 22nd and I was told to do a liquid diet for 7 days, but I'm thinking maybe I should do it for 14 days? I have a very high BMI (51) so it would probably be better the longer I did it. I don't want to have any complications with the surgery!! Are both of those programs expensive?

Where do you get that brand (unjury) of shakes?

Hi Kathy, Yes I would like Dr. Neal's number, Olympia is a bit of a drive but I could make a day trip out of it, that would be ok. I would like to have the the fluoro done just to be on the safe side. I've heard great things about Dr. Fitzpatrick too but I heard she has cancer, is she still practicing? Hi Ted, I'm going to Dr. Rumbaut in Monterrey Mexico, I had a friend at work that went to him and was really happy with him. I also talked with him on the phone, Mexico doctors seem so much more available to their patients than US doctors! Are you having to do a liquid diet before surgery? I have to do it for 7 days, that is going to be really hard!! Good luck with yours!! Let me know how it goes. :confused:

Wow, I've never heard that. I'm having surgery next month and I've stocked up on protein powders!! I have about 5 containers of the stuff!! I will have to ask my surgeon about that. A co-worker of mine has the lapband and she drank protein powders the first 2 weeks all day long every day. She still drinks it from time to time. I hope it's ok, they keep my blood sugar stabilized and keeps me from feeling hungry.

Hi all, I'm going to be banded on Feb 22nd and I love to party!!! Will I still be able to drink enough to get a buzz?? I know that sounds bad but I like to have fun and I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to get drunk again!!

Thanks so much for the food stages lists. It is VERY helpful. I'm having surgery on Feb 22nd and have been wondering what I was going to eat afterwards. THANKS!!!! :clap2:

I'm getting banded on Feb 22nd and all that I have read in this section is scaring me!!! I thought mashed potatoes would be the perfect food since it's so soft, but it seems like a lot of people have problems with it? Can you eat pretty much anything as long as you chew it up to mush, or are there certain things that you absolutely cannot have? I am very concerned about all this, and scared!! Help!!

I live in the Portland area, I'm going to Monterrey, Mexico to be banded on Feb 22nd. I have so many questions! I would like to go to a support group but haven't found any around here. I am surprised about some of the low prices I've see around here. If I would have known that I wouldn't have made these plans for Mexico, dang!! My BMI is 51 so I have to do a liquid diet for 7 days before the surgery, did anyone else have to do this?