Chris S. - L.I.

Tracy, Where are you getting you band done? My best friend lives in Wilmington and she came up here to Long Island to have her band placed by my doc. She said they do mostly RNY in DE. because most of the insurance companies won't approve it.

Ditto what Blossom said. I'm 17 months out and have lost (See....I didn't say only!) 60 pounds.

Thanks Shelly. I am printing out your post and next time I go to the doc will show it to him. They don't do fills under flouro but they do remove all the saline first before refilling so they make sure it was all in there. I'm wondering if I stretched my pouch by eating more then I should. I guess they could give me a barium swallow to see what's going on. I did have one back in August and then an Endoscopy in Sept. to check for erosion since I was up to 3 cc's and didn't really feel restriction. All was fine except for some mild gastritis. Again thanks.

I have the Inamed 4 cc band......and yes, I've had 9 fills. I think I once heard of someone being filled to almost 4 cc's.

Lisa, I just want to wish you the best outcome and tell you I admire you for being so brave after all you've been through.

YOu should not drink at the same time as eating because it just washes the food through the stoma. You will not feel full.

I'm also experiencing alot of hair falling out all over the place. I heard of people using the vitamin Biotin. I am going to do some research on it. BTW I'm 15 months out. I know the fall is a time for a lot of people to lose hair (it's kinda like the animal shedding season for humans.)

Sometimes if you get your PCP to write a letter on your behalf stating any weight loss attempts you have made while under his care it might help. I would try to see if your PCP would help in this way. Don't give up!!!!

That's great news Leatha! I hope this one does the trick. I think I need to get another fill. I had a whole BLT for lunch. Do you think that's normal?

This is not unusual. I think most insurance companies require the diet history some in fact for 6 months. The psch eval I think is pretty standard. I even had to meet with a nutritionist. I was willing to go through whatever they wanted (within reason) to get my band.

Leatha, I totally agree with you!!!! I was so paranoid about following my doctors instructions. I am so surprised that pizza is allowed so soon after surgery. I know docs have different dietary instructions after surgery but this is so far out in left field. Chris

I'm just curious. You said you are eating regular foods already? And your surgery was Oct. 5th? What kind of instructions did your surgeon give you post op? Usually people are on liquids for 2 weeks and then on to mushie foods for at least the next 2 weeks. Your stomach is healing for the first 6 to 8 weeks. I know everyone's doctor gives them different instructions to follow but I'm really surprised you are on regular foods.

Did your doc give you a post op diet to be on? At this point I was just on mushy foods after being on liquids for 2 weeks. I know everyone has different diets from different docs but you are still in the healing stage.

I was just told today by my doc that I should have an endoscopy since I went for a check up after having a fill 2 weeks ago and being filled to 3 cc's. I told him I don't really feel any different since the last fill and I told him I was able to eat a whole tomato sandwich in about 15 min. He said I shouldn't be able to do that. He said it would be as a precaution just to make sure there was no erosion and that if everything was OK, then I would get another fill. Naturally I'm going crazy, especally after what Donali went through. Can anyone tell me what sort of prep I will need to do for this test. The doc said it only takes about 15 min. Thanks

Everything is fine...there is no erosion. I do have a bit of gastritis and he did a biopsy and mentioned I should take Zantac 75 or Pepcid complete. I saw Dr. Geiss, my surgeon, and he said if I wanted to I could make another appointment for a bit of a fill but I said I would wait because I did start to lose weight again. Thanks for all your good wishes.

For those of you who have had this procedure after banding, did you get an unfill before it was done? The GI doc that is doing it says I don't need to be unfilled. Also did it irritate your stoma and did you have to be on liquids for a few days? I know my surgeon will be on hand for this procedure but I was just wondering . I'm having it done tomorrow at around 10AM.

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm having the Endoscopy on Monday at around 10AM. I had the consult with the GI doc yesterday at 2 and he said he will tell me what's going on as soon as I wake up. (I'm hoping I get completely knocked out!) He asked me why I was having it done and when I told him, he kinda said that it would be unusual to have erosion since I don't really have any symptoms. I asked him if he ever saw a case and he said only one. Now I'm getting myself all crazy about where that scope has been before it gets to me and how they clean it. Yikes!!!! I will be pretty groggy when I get home but I will post the outcome. Thanks for all your good wishes.

Penni: 4/6/04 -- 47 lbs Lisa: 5/5/04 -- 51 lbs Becky 6/03/04 - 53 lbs Denice: 8/12/04 -- 20 lbs Leatha 05/29/03 - 67 lbs Michelle 4/6/04 -- 49.75 lbs Marie 5/26/04 -- 39 lbs Donali 1/23/03 -- 102 lbs Kathy 5/21/04 -- 41 lbs Cindy 7/22/04 -- 40 lbs Teresa 5/8/04 -- 63 lbs Kelly 8/20/03 -- 65 lbs Kyleigh 9/23/03 -- 60 lbs Bright 10/28/03 -- 70 lbs Michelle 6/14/04 - 20 lbs Babs 6/23/03 -- 136 lbs Nancy 8/27/03 -- 55 lbs michelle - shellyj 8-18-03 - 130 pounds Vera 8/14/03 -- 64 lbs Jacky 4/5/04 - 40 lbs Chris S. 9/02/03 - 54 lbs Total ----- 1266.75

Penni, I definitely will have it done although I'm not happy about it. My doctor doesn't have you get an Endo as part of a yearly checkup. He only has you do it if sonething doesn;t seem right or if you are having problems. The main reason he wants me to have it done is because I am filled to 3 cc's in a 4 cc band and that I don't feel any different with this fill I had from the 2.75 one previously. I don't think many of his patients are filled this high.

Hi Gail, Just wanted to say "Hi" since I am one of Dr. Geiss' patients too. Don't cha just love him? Were you at the meeting this Tuesday? Kinda interesting watching the operation. As far as the secret, I told and still tell everyone I had the surgery. Most people who know me know that my weight has been a problem for quite a long time. I'm actually proud that I made the decision to have the surgery and not fool myself any longer that I could try another diet. But I can understand other people want privacy.

Am I reading your post right? Have you lost 20 pounds in a month? I think that is fabulous!!!!

Well, today is the day. I'm down 53 pounds so I did reach my personal goal of 52 pounds by the end of the first year. I thought that was a resonable goal (one pound a week average). My size has gone down from a 22-24 to an 18 in jeans and it is very exciting not to have to shop in the Plus Sizes anymore. In tops I can fit into XL and even some L. (Feels kinda weird though after shopping plus sizes for so long.) I feel different too. I can wash my car without getting winded, I can cross my legs comfortably, I can sit on the floor to play with my grand niece and I am starting to feel I look different. I had another fill on Tuesday and I am filled to 3 cc's. I can hear all of you gasp. I had a video esophagram first so this wasn't done blindly. I've been doing liquids since except for last night when I had the insides of a calzone. So far so good. This is the best thing I ever did. I guess it would have been more exciting if I lost more then 53 but I know it's my fault as I haven't been the best Bander. I'm trying to start all over following the rules and trying not to go around them (which I am very good at) and drink more Water and will be starting back at the gym probably tomorrow. Chris S. 261/208/160

I'm just curious. When you have surgery done in Mexico, do you have any pre surgical testing to get done? I had to have a lot of tests before my surgery, cardio strees test and echo, sleep apnea testing (but I already knew I had sleep apnea), upper GI, abdominal sonogram and a pscyh consult.

I was just filled on Tuesday to 3 cc's in my 4 cc Inamed band and I just had pizza. Granted it was just the crusty part and the cheese but I can still eat it. Go figure!

Mary, I think you are expecting too much of yourself. I'm not sure you read my post "One Year Ago Today". I made my goal to lose at least 52 pounds within the first year and I think that was very reasonable after all, averaged out that is one pound a week. We didn't have gastric bypass. You have lost more then me in a shorter amount of time so you should be very proud. Also, I have found that even though you may feel like you are at a plateau, your body is probably changing and you may be losing inches although not pounds. You have done a wonderful job in a short amount of time. Don't forget your body needs time to get used to this weight loss.