kima

Hi FurEllie I did not ask. At the end of my 7-10 day post surgery checkup on Feb 10th (banded 1/30/07) the doctor handed the chart to his assistant and said, "I want to see her in 4 weeks for a fill." Hence...March 9th was my 5 week first fill. No convincing necessary. Wish I could give you the magic words, but it seems each doctor has a pretty set pattern. It doesn't hurt to ask. Maybe he's negotiable. About the not telling your travel companions.... Just say that you are incorporating new eating habits into your life (not a lie) and that you are taking much smaller bites, chewing for a long time, and following the widely publisized philosophy that it takes 20 minutes for the brain to know when you are full. This should work. Even if you have to wait six weeks for a fill you'll get used to it pretty quickly. You'll be fine. Hope you have a great trip. Good luck! Kim :kiss2:

That Girl WOW. So happy to see your post. I was wondering how you were doing. Congrats on such great progress. We were banded one day apart- I was on the 30th and had my first fill on Friday. 5 weeks. It was not painful at all! I was so worried and such a baby. Hang in there...just one week to go. I was feeling almost no resriction for 2 weeks before the fill and getting nervous- finding it tough to stay low calories- hungry a lot. Now I am 2 days out from the fill and am feeling the same kind of restriction I did after surgery. I hope it stays... it makes the whole process of reducing intake manageable. Regardless, we will get there eventually with hard work and dedication. Hugs! Kim :kiss2: 223/217/204/135 pre-op/surg day/today/goal first fill 03/09/07- 1.cc

Sure wish I found this string before my first fill on Friday. I was so nervous and quite hesitant about what to expect. I was a bit of a wreck. So here's how it went: No numbing agent, my doc says it adds to the swelling of the area. He had a great touch. It took about 20-30 seconds to find the port. No pain, just pressure of the needle pushing onto and against the port. After he found it, another 60 seconds to unfill, check it, and fill back up. He had me drink a dixie cup of Water, after he was done, and then I was on my way. Actually, the palpating of the port area with his hands before the procedure was more difficult for me than the needle with no numbing. It hurt less than a vaccination in the arm or taking blood. I was such a wuss... and then it was over. Now I know! And I am not worried at all about my next fill in 4 weeks! I also had little tickles as the Fluid was going back into port. Kim :kiss2: 223/217/205/135 pre-op/surg day/today/goal banded 1/30/07 first fill 3/9/07 1.o cc

Welcome Stephanie! Congrats! We've all felt that excitement. It's thrilling to feel you can take your future into your hands!... And you will want to keep that feeling in hand as you go through the process of the tests. You need to comandeer your path. The hardest test to get scheduled was the sleep apnea test. My first appointment was 6 weeks out- that was the best they could do for me. I was devestated. I called the next day and asked for a cancellation, and got an appointment two weeks out. I called again on the third day and got one for the following afternoon! I was never pushy just determined. (call early, 9:00 ish when they first open and are getting cancellations!) I was able to get all 8 of my tests within one and a half weeks of my first consultation when the doctor approved me for surgery. (I was self pay) And I was able to get the surgery date 4 weeks later! Good luck. Just ask if you have questions as you proceed. Hope it all goes great! Kim :kiss2: banded 1/30/07 223/217/205/135 pre-op/surg day/ today/goal first fill 3/9/07 1 cc.

Sunshine 2 Thanks for your reply. I was so nervous about the pain, and what to expect. Knowledge really helps to take away the fear. I guess every doctor and patient truly is different... Here's how the first fill went for me. They gave me no numbing medicine at all. The doctor palpated my belly at the port site and was pretty confident, as he had previously told me post surgery, that he would be able to do the fill in his office without a fluoroscope. He inserted a thin needle, it hardly hurt at all- much less than a shot in the arm for a vaccine or taking blood. For about 20-30 seconds he was tryng to find the entry and I could feel the pressure of the needle pushing agains the side and then top of the port. No pain, just pressure. Then he found it, and was complete with the procedure in another 40-60 seconds. I only had to drink up a dixie cup of water, and I was on my way. I guess because I was a lower BMI he was pretty sure it would go this way. He made no promises, and said if he couldn't get it, we would have to go the other route, with the fluoroscope, swallow, etc. I am happy it all worked out so well, and I am not dreading my next fill in 4 weeks. I have clears for 2, mushies for 2, then back to small bites and chew chew chew. I sure hope I can get back the restriction I had for the 3 weeks following the surgery. So far...so good. I have some tenderness in my belly from the fill, but no other problems. Everyone has been so terrific on this sight for me... I hope this helps others gathering info. Kim :kiss2: 223/217/204/135 pre-op/surg day/today/goal banded 1/30/07 first fill 1.0 cc 3/9/07

On the sublect of fills- I am finally having my first today! Any pain? I 'm nervous. What can I expect? Do they do something to numb the area first? I have had no restriction for the last 2 1/2 weeks! I look forward to being satisfied again with smaller portions and less calories. I have found it very hard to not give back any of the 12 pounds I have lost. Do most of you find you get back good restriction after the first fill? Would love to hear. Kim :kiss2: 223/217/205/135 pre-op/surg day/today/goal Banded Jan 30,2007

Denise My Doc said that if you have sleep apnea, you can die on the table in recovery. He has everyone tested. He says it's simple... if you have apnea, when you wake up you will have a c-pap mask and machine on. Apnea is stopping breathing. When you do it at home, you usually adjust and start again, but with anesthesia you are sleeping "heavier" than at home. The sleep tech told me that more than half of the people that come to be tested have some form of apnea! And 99% of those did not know. So you could definately have it and not know. You're doctor sounds as serious as mine about avoiding any complications- this is a good thing. Good luck! Kim banded 1/30/07 223/217/205/130 pre-op/surg day/today/goal

I want to re-affirm my vows with my husband and children somewhere warm on a beach in a beautiful white gown... hated the first time around- white has never been a good color for me! I want to have a family portrait taken... have avoided photos for years. I want to swim with my children... haven't worn a swimsuit in public for a very long time. I want to buy a designer gown for the next social event I need to attend... tired of looking at the matronly ones so that I can cover my arms. I want to put on clothes in the morning without feeling like I am doing battle with my closet. I want to take dance lessons with my husband and have fun doing it! I think of these goals often! I am sure I will get there. Good Luck to all with your goals. Thanks for the chance to remind us why we need to stay focused. Kim:kiss2: 223/217/205/130 pre-op/surg day/current/goal banded 1/30/07

Hang in there. Think success. March 7th is right around the corner. My surgery was 1/30 and my first fill is March 9th. I am in the last few days feeling less restriction. I think maybe the swelling is finally subsided from the surgery. I am feeling some hunger, which I did not in the past 3 weeks. I was easily satisfied with the clears and mushies. So for the next few days I am not willing to lose the 13 pounds I have lost since surgery. YOU CAN DO THIS! Good advice from previous post to take a walk and feel better if you did have a "slip". Protein is another good recomendation. We are all a work in progress. Take joy in where we are going. Let us know how you are doing. WE CAN MAKE IT through this. Regardless of the restrictions we need to adjust to a lifetime of making better choices- might as well start now. Good luck, KIM 223/217/205 pre-op/surg day/today

I want to thank all of you for our advice, enthusiasm and honesty. I have been watching for some time while I decided....and waited....went through pre-op testing... and waited. Now, I am one week away from making the change that I hope will give me the tool to control this demon I have fought since I was ten years old. I am 44, and a mother of 2 with my own business. It is time to take care of me now. I have a bmi of 38 and am 220. I spend every waking minute trying to win this battle through deprivation, exercise and sheer will. I have 2 grandmothers 280+ and the curse of a certified slow metabolism. I look forward to happier times. It is this forum where I have been most inspired and informed. I hope that I will be able to inspire with my successes,too. HOPE... it feels good. thank you. Would love to find other 1/30's to keep in touch with.

I had a really informative sleep study- any questions I asked were answered, and then some. A real chatty Kathy... he was propabably just lonely because everyone goes to sleep on him. Anyway- he told me that more than 50% of the people he sees have some form of apnea, and very few knew that they did. Apparantly there is a "universal standard" for what is aceptable and my surgeon subscribes to that- i think it is 5 or less episodes per hour for adults, and none for children. I would speak with your surgeon's office and find out the results as he/she interprets them. Better to know than to keep wondering. If you do have apnea, they put you on a cpap machine after surgery so that you do not have any episode after the surgery when you're recovering. The muscles are so relaxed because of the anesthesia that this could be critical. He also said that as patients lose weight, and come back for a reval, many no longer have apnea. Comandeer your process, by asking questions and moving the process along. Delays tend to get magnified. Best of luck and let us know how it goes. Kim 222/217/215/125 pre-op/surg/4 days out(today)/goal

So glad to see so many voice concern over an expected quick recovery. I was banded, like Sherilynn and Gigi, on 1/30, and was expecting to go home that evening. I could not have been more wrong. I needed to stay for pain and anti-nausea meds overnight. Day 2 at home was very painful and an effort to just get fluids in...still nauseous and a bunch of gas (up and down- the down is a relief, the up hurts) Getting in and out of bed was painful and i needed help just to roll over. Day 3 more of the same in the a.m, but started to feel better by late afternoon. A little easier to get in fluids and move around. Day 4, today, I feel much better, but would definitely not want to be back at work. I imagine I will go in for a few hours on Monday- that is 6 days. I am lucky though, that I own the business. I can not imagine having to stay all day. I think it is really important to be honest- this was tougher than I thought it would be, and I am very glad to have it behind me.... and very happy to be on the upswing. I am not complaining and have NO second thoughts. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to better my health and my life. I was surprised, though, by how much it took out of me. Lucky to those who didn't need 4 or more days to recover, that's really terrific. I just would not count on it. Good luck to all bandsters, and those who are thinking about it. Can't wait to be an "AFTER" Kim 223/217/215/125 pre-op/surg/today/goal

ANyone heard from Thatgirl? Hope you are o.k. I was banded 1/30...spent the first night in the hospital so that I could get pain and nausea meds. Wednesday at home was still really tough- hard to get in and out of bed, tough to get all the liquids in, gas-going up worse than down. Didn't have need for any more painkillers on Wednesday or Thursday. Gone cold turkey on them b/c they made nauseous Today, Thursday, I have finally turned the corner. All the walking and hydrating was worth it. Laying on my left side has been really helpful to rid gas. Every few hours I have measurable improvements! I can see that in a few days I will be almost back to normal. I hope everyone is getting through this o.k, too. Remember, 30's, we just had surgery 48 hours ago! Hugs to all! Kim 223/217/130 pre-op/surgery day/goal

Sounds perfetly nomal, a similar experience to mine. Sore throat getting better. (Banded 1/30 yesterday) My nurses offered me a popsicle (sugar free) and Dr. agreed. So long as the chicken broth is "clear" not pureed, that is fine as well. Not a lot of gas for me, the nurse recommended sleeping on the left side- the "straightest path" to release the pent up gas. I haven't had much yet, maybe there is something to it. A few lttle burps- they hurt. The pillow idea seems to work. Good luck all. Kim 223/217/130 pre-op/ surg date/goal

Yesterday was my day, too. I also had them pricking me three different times and places because they had a hard time getting the IV set. The anesthesia Doc, ( recommended by Dr. friend of mine that runs the department, who I didn't want there considering the tale of the paper panties), took over from the nurse anesthetist and finally got it done with a "pediatric" catheter. He told me that it can be difficult sometimes, because they have us fast before surgery, which causes the veins to collapse. Note to anyone going in- stay really well hydrated before surgery so that the "no food/drink after midnight"won't contribute as much to collapsing the veins. I was planning to go home last night, but needed the IV painkillers. I also had lots of nausea- never did lose it, just felt like was going to. They had a good anti-nausea med put into the IV that really helped. Walked 5 times during the night stay- hospitals are not really a good place if you are looking for a lot of sleep. Got better with every jaunt round the hosital floor. Came home this morning- having a hard time getting all my liquids in, afraid to get nauseous. I'll keep trying, I know how important it is. I am beginning to feel a bit better this afternoon. Was in pain until this a.m. and very sore to touch. Tough to get in and out of bed. Another tip- the nurse last night told me to try to sleep on my left side, beause it is the best position for gas elimination. Gigi, Ladyleo868, Sherilynn and all other 30's hope you are doing o.k.and getting through it. Kim 223/217/130 pre-op/surgery day/goal

Sunshine Please add me to your January list- January 30th. Tomorrow is my big day. To all- Thanks again to all for the information- this site is just terrific. Truly invaluable information, support, insight, inspiration and ideas! Could not be as prepared as I am without you. Good luck to all my other 30's Gigi8, LadyLeo868, Thatgirl and others! Kim

Gigi- I'm so nerovus for tomorrow. I am to be there at 7:00 a.m. I can't believe it is finally here. Every day since I found out my date a few weeks ago has felt so very long! I am sure that all will go great for both of us- I'll get in touch with you tomorrow night. HUGS GIGI! Kim PS we are 16 years in April! Uncanny isn't it? Ladyleo and Thatgirl- Hope it goes well for you both, as well. Feels good to be going through this with you all. Keep our eyes on the prize! Kim

Trishd- good luck on the 29th. Let us 30's know how you are as soon as you are able. We will all be anxious to hear how you are doing "on the other side". Know this is our first step. Thatgirl, LadyLeo868 and Gigi8- Jauary 30th is the first day of the rest of our lives. The first day of the BEST of our lives! Stay in touch... and best wishes for getting through Monday and pre-op gracefully. I am so confident that we can do it! I have started a list of the things I can't wait to do when I get closer (goal). 1. I want to swim with my children- have been to embarassed to wear a swimsuit in public. 2. I want to renew my vows with my fabulous and supportive husband who never in 17 years has ever said "boo" about my weight. In a SLEEVELESS white gown on a beach somewhere. Hid most of the pictures from my trip down the aisle- white is not a slimming color! Inspire each other with your to do list! Hugs and best wishes for a successful BAND DAY! Kim

Gigi Guess what- my date is actually the 30th. We're band sisters now. Can you believe that? We'll probaly be on the table at the same time! just a few miles apart. Who would have guessed. Sorry to hear the kids are sick. Stay healthy! Don't want to get under the weather now! Gigi, you are a terrific mom, beautiful woman and a shining, generous personality-(Always thought your husband married up! ) I pray that this brings us both the peace on this issue we have both struggled with for so long. Luv ya, Kim

Susan Terrific news about getting your final approval. This is such a process of ups and downs as we wait, but that is the Biggest! WOW! you're on your way now. Here's to our countdown... 5 days for me, 6 for you... and 5 for Gigi, who happens to be a friend from RI. Go Gigi! We all have such similar stories and pain that we anxiously look forward to hurdling over! Let's stay in touch. I am sure it will be helpful to pull each other along. I will be thinking about you- kind of nerve wracking getting through this weekend until Tuesday- BAND DAY. I feel like I've been waiting for 30 years to find something to help. I hope the next few days fly by, and that your band day is managable. Talk to you on the other side! kim p.s. Worried about gurgling? we have kids, a little rumbling can't scare us!

Goddess Sounds like you are getting great advise regarding the test, cpap, and apnea... just a thought about trying to navigate the one thing we can try to control- your frustration about the length of time and the waits! Try calling the Dr.s office, and put your name in for cancellations. Ask them what time in the morning they know if they have any cancels- usually an hour after the ofice opens. I was able to schedule all of my 9 apts. for tests, evals and sleep appointments within 2 weeks by politely calling and making myself available for an opening! My first sleep test was scheduled 7 weeks out, then a cancellation pulled me to four weeks out, and a third call on the third morning got me an appointment in 3 days! It really can help speed up this part of the process. Good luck to you...I know how it feels to wait and how eager you get. I'm banding in 6 days! Can' wait. Hope this helps. Kim

Add me to your Janury list! Banding on 1/30 in Providence with Dr. Roye. Starting to get nervous, but really ready! Kim

You replied to me after my first posting earlier this week. I'm Kima. Being banded 1/30.... lower bmi 38ish, 2 kids, work crazy hours, same goal weight...you suggested we should keep in touch. I agree. Another commonality- I ha,d a hysterectomy at 40. Good luck, I am counting down, getting nervous, but also really really excited, and hopeful! I know I can make this work. Sounds like you are in the same place. Just can't wait to be on the other side of band day! Good luck with the next few days. I'll be sendng good karma your way! Kim