crzytchr

Dionna, if you notice most of the July butterflies have more weight to lose than you do. I would trade places with you if I could.:wub: You are doing fine, and just look... you don't have too much more to go!!!!

It doesn't sound like a damaged band, but it does sound like you may be a little too tight.:wub:

My PA poked on my stomach to find the exact placement, but she only had to sick me the one time to put the fill in and then again to pull a little out. Neither time hurt, but pulling the band aid off did!

You said you eat around the band to avoid the stuck feeling. Do you get stuck often, or only on foods that are normally problematic anyway, like bread, Pasta, rice etc? If you get stuck, even though to chew well, on foods that should be ok, maybe you are too tight. If you are too tight, of course you are going to choose foods that feel better going down. Unfortunately, these normally aren't good for us. My friend is going through that right now and is scheduled for a slight unfill. I would probably try to go back to a modified post op diet. Maybe full liquids for 2-3 days, then mushies just to see how much food it actually takes for you to get satisfied. I normally eat about a cup 3 or 4 times per day. Log all food into a journal (fitday or something like that) to make sure you are getting enough, but not too many calories each day. Give it one more try. Call your dr's office and see what they suggest.

I would've gladly done the endoscopy instead of the upper GI....I looked for my previous post about my upper GI to reply here. It took me longer than most, because I kept trying to throw the barium back up. I kept gagging. They told me not to burp the "fizzies". Jeez, that is hard. The staff were so wonderful and patient. Fortunately, I made it through it. It probably took around 30 min. It was also a lot of rolling around. I found that a little awkward. Roll on your left side, lie on your stomach, roll back to your left side, roll onto your back... repeat this a bazillion times! Well, it actually was probably only about 4 times. Then the dr came in to watch me swallow MORE of the junk. It was kinda cool to see it, but not to drink it. I REALLY hated it, but I think most people don't mind it as much as I did. My friend didn't love it, but she certainly wasn't the baby about it that I was.:crying:

Congratulations!!!:crying:

Ice cream is my weakness and if it is in the house I will eat it until it is gone. Many years ago, probably 10, I told my husband we just couldn't keep ice cream in the house any more. He was ok with it for a while and one day said, "I should be able to keep ice cream in my house if I want to." I replied, "You're right, you should, and you can, but you won't be living in a house with me." He never said another word about it. We are still married, going on 18 years.:crying: He, thankfully, is really supportive now. Years ago he would sabotage my weight loss efforts, but now it isn't just about looking better (he loves me anyway), it is about my health.

Whether you have the sensation of fullness or not, when you first start mushies/food, eat no more than the amount that they tell you. I found that if I ate that amount, for me 1/4-1/2 cup and chewed, even though it was mushy, I was satisfied for around 3 hours. After about 4 weeks you will probably be ready for your first fill if you aren't full on the amount of food you are supposed to eat.

I use fitday.com. Some people use dailyplate.com or mycaloriecounter.com

I had the opposite problem for the first week after surgery. I just thought it was because I was only consuming fluids. Now, I go about every other day. :crying:

If nausea is keeping you from consuming what you need, call and see if they will prescribe some meds for it. I went home with a prescription for nausea and if I felt sick, I took it. It worked, I only had to take it 3 times and I didn't get sick at all. Good Luck!

If you had a couple of more visits to the doctor after the prescribed medication earlier this year that documented your weight, that may work. Get that information together and check with the insurance company.

I really wouldn't. My doctor has one of the most lenient post op eating schedules I know of, and he wouldn't allow that yet, either. Contact you doctor, but it really sounds like a bad idea.

I didn't sleep on my side for 2 weeks. I did, however sleep in my bed every night following surgery, but I had to have help to get out of bed for at least 4 or 5 days. I didn't bounce back as well as many do, but I am doing great now.

Congratulations Heather!!! *******NAME**********START WGHT****CURRENT WGHT*******GOAL********LBS. LOST *****:cursing:***********:smile:*************:cursing:*********************:cursing:* 1dayatime..........263............261............243............2 2BHealthE!.........194............179............194............0 ahsem2bme..........244............244............225............0 aJoneen............223............218............213............5 Aphrodite1984......208............208............190............0 Ariel..............199............196.4..........180..........2.6 ArmyWife4life......209.5..........209.5..........190............0 Barb12590..........228............218............213...........10 Bea1128............210.5..........205.5..........188............5 blueriley..........206............206............190............0 Brandymom1234......227............151.9..........135..........4.1 Caramia71..........208............202............195............6 cQQlgirl...........194............192............180............2 Crzytchr...........281............272............265............9 DebinFl............181............181............168............0 georgiagirl........245............229............220...........16 HarleyGirl.........188............187............175............1 HeatherA...........210.5..........206............200..........4.5 HeatherO...........155............147............140............8 Ivyrose325.........212............212............199............0 Jazzyywan..........255............255............190............0 Jodi_620...........196............184............177...........12 KikiVal315.........237.5..........230.5..........220............7 Lana24.............208............195............185............0 laurigee...........180............176............160............4 Leslie2Lose........220............214............205............6 lindar172 .........274.2..........266.2..........256............8 LisaB..............205.5..........196............180..........10.5 livn4thm...........235............233............210............2 Long2bthin.........248............235............230...........13 Luu2008............203............199.5..........183..........3.5 Mamanmidwife.......299............286............280...........13 mamato3............186............186............170............0 MarinaBleu.........226.5..........226.5..........216............0 memom..............210............210............170............0 Minxz..............299............286............280............9 mominlv13..........299.8..........290.2..........280..........9.6 Momof5.............192.5..........187.5..........175..........5.0 nip50..............175............170............160............5 NukeChik...........218............218............208............0 NurseNiki..........258............255............239............3 odamay.............242............242............225............0 paige65............252............247............232............5 Peaches11..........205............205............194............0 pj_txlady..........220............220............200............0 Redtulips3.........180............171............167............9 Renee74............214............213............199............7 Renewedhope........171............169............150............2 reif78.............294............195............185............0 savimama...........216............216............200............0 shaversd...........230.5..........225............210..........5.5 SpecialK...........294............288............280............6 Sunshine2..........177............171............167............6 Tess...............304............300.5..........280..........3.5 thatDEgirl.........211............205.2..........195..........5.8 tp78...............201............192............180............9 Turler.............225............219............210............6 wendyw.............192............188............172............4 wowox7.............195............185............170............10 WyominGirl.........327............321............312............6

I think most of it depends on how well you qualify and what kind of hoops your insurance requires. Look at my stats below and you will see just how quickly it went for me. I called the surgeons office after filling out online forms (2 hours worth)and two days later had approval. Preop tests were all done in one day at a hospital and surgery was 11 days later. I had insurance that paid as long as you qualified. I was 100 lbs + overweight had GERD and family history of heart disease.

Getting in more fluids is the only reason I can think of that would justify them saying 3 meals a day. I normally only eat 3 times a day, but I eat a cup of food each time. I also drink a venti caramel mocha almost every day, made with skim milk and only 2 pumps of mocha instead of 5 and sf caramel (total 220 calories 17g protein that are well worth it). So, with the drink I get in more fluids and the calories and protein as well. When I don't drink one, I do eat an extra meal.

Happy Band-day!:biggrin:

I also haven't had any problems with foods that I have tried. BUT, I fix my serving, sit down, eat it, and that is it. I don't go back. I even count out 1 serving of tortilla chips.I realize after 10 min. or so that I am satisfied. I am more disciplined now than I have ever been in my life. I think my $2500 copay may have something to do with it.:tongue: Oh, and the amounts we eat and not realize it... Only now can I even BEGIN to imagine the calories I was consuming prior to surgery. My 1 cup meals add up to normally 1200 calories per day. Can you imagine what pre surgery was?!!!!!

I only have 1cc in my 11cc band. I didn't want more restriction than that. I asked for 1/2 of what they normally do (3-4). PA put in 2ccs and it was too tight, so she took 1cc out, leaving me with 1cc. I am not too tight, so I can eat the cup of food each meal, I am satisfied and I haven't been sick yet, thankfully. No sliming, pb, etc. Honestly, you may NOT be eating enough. I stay between 1000-1400 calories per day. Normally around 1200. I go to 1400 at least 2 days per week to keep my metabolism up. There isn't anyway to get in enough calories eating 1/2 cup per meal. At least not that I know of. I do, however, during school hours not consume enough. I only eat a Campbells "Soup on hand" at lunch, 100 calories( it is all I have time for). Then I eat the Protein added chewy pb choc chip granola bars (100 calories) at recess. But, at the end of the day I still am over 1000, even if I have to drink skim milk to do it. Log your food intake on fitday.com or dailyplate.com to check your calorie and protein intake and see if it is sufficient.

Good Luck again! Yeah, don't let him talk you into a surgery you are certain you don't want. I was fortunate to have a great case manager at my surgeon's office. Everything was in and approved in less than a week.

Honestly, since I've been banded I just eat the amount that I serve myself. I don't go back for seconds, and I realize about 10 min after I finish that I am full. I stay satisfied for normally 4 hours. There are times I WANT more food, but it isn't because I am hungry. I don't really know how to explain it. I went through surgery and decided I wanted to change my eating habits, so I am determined to eat better and take advantage of the tool I have. I think a lot of this has to do with us changing the way we think about food. It is not easy. They don't have a band for our brains. I eat about a cup of food each meal. I am still losing about 2 lbs a week, so I guess I am doing okay.

Check with your surgeon, because I think most cover the fills for up to the first year with the cost of the surgery.

You can't burp and I can't stop burping. I sound like a man drinking beer! I am sorry for the answer your doctor gives. If the answer that you were given is accurate, then my band must be placed differently than yours. I thought most people actually burped more after banding. Not sure now.

It is frustrating when you have to wait for something you really want. Have you checked into your insurance requirements? Will they cover it and do they have any special requirements? Start documenting EVERYTHING. You will probably need your weight history, because they want to know about past weight losses you have experienced and how long they last. My history from that alone was probably enough. It showed I could lose weight but never kept it off for very long. Good Luck!