maria_reyes80

I was banded march 2012. I am down almost 90 lbs. I had a fill in January that put me in the red zone. They removed the fill. I was ok at my February appointment and didn't need or want a fill. Last month, I felt I needed an adjustment (since ice been on a plateau since January). They gave me .2, I can't tolerate anything more than that. Anything more takes me right in the red. Anyways,,,, I've always been tight in the morning, coffee is my morning beverage of choice always. I have trouble with tiny tiny sips for about the first 2 hours in awake. About 4 hours after I'm awake, I can comfortable eat oatmeal and nothing else. Breakfast is usually about 10 am. lunch comes at noon and usually I can eat my lunchtime meal. After lunch my band is really open and I'm totally in the yellow zone and constantly hungry till about 6 pm. About that time, I'm in that wonderful green zone. I tighten up almost immediately as soon as I lay down. My first and second meal have to stay on schedule... If I don't have my lunch on time, it's Soup the rest of the day or I have to start over with oatmeal. If I go more than a few hours without eating... I close up. I've never had symptoms of being too tight. Besides the over restricted, nothing is getting through this baby bandster hell. No night cough, reflux, weight gain... Nothing. At my last appointment last week, they did a swallow, due to my appointment, I skipped my noon meal and of course I was over restricted. The barium was sitting right on top of my band. I had a tiny bit of dilation but not enough to warrant a complete unfill or even a partial unfill which shocked me. She put me on the 2/2 as if I had a fill and said to come back if I had anymore problems. Before being banded, I had really bad reflux. Once I was banded it completely disappeared. There was NO hiatal hernia repair either. There are times I feel burning around my band, but nothing like the reflux I experienced post-banding. I'm finally losing again, being 4 lbs the last month! Not much, but so glad I'm on the losers bench again. Has anyone ever experienced this kind of fluctuation between zones? What have your experiences been? Mine are: No more than .2 at a fill 2-4 weeks before I'm adjusted to the fill Extreme morning restriction If I lay down more than 5 minutes, I'm super tight. After 30 minutes... It's as if I'm at my morning tightness. I have to eat on schedule Any recommendations? It's really hard to keep a newborn eating schedule and I live in constant fear of eating! As long as I stick to my schedule, the PBing is maybe 4-6 times a week. Thanks for any input!

try drinking it with a spoon, I had the same trouble after surgery as well and had to train myself to take smaller sips and the spoon really helped.

I've had a few fills so far. I was banded march 15th and my restriction comes the first week after a fill. Then I lose restriction, I'm hoping I hit the green zone with my fill next week.....

Hahahaha, my husband and I had and almost identical conversation about this the other day. Contrary to popular myth, while it does contain protein it is onle a mere 150mg or 0.15grams, not near enough to make it actually worth it! lol, but good luck having fun in the process! lmao

Hang in there, it will get easier. At one week post op I was so frustrated and in tears because I was starving and not able to really eat anything besides liquids. Im at 7 weeks now, Im still having issues at times, but in the end it will all be worth it. I have to keep telling myself that. When that scale starts moving and you see the pounds falling off, it will motivate you. Take what your able to take with the shakes, small sips, try using a spoon, it will control how much you take in. I used a spoon to train myself to take small sips. It really helped. All liquids were painful going down. Try and find what works for you. The issue I have now is learning to listen to that signal that Im full and stop eating. Good luck to you! Maria

I had my first fill last week. I have a total of 4cc in my band. In the morning, i seem to get my breakfast down ok with no problems. For the past several nights, I have been unable to eat dinner. It just comes right back up and the same thing with lunch the last 2 days. I have no other symptoms, so not real sure what is going on. When I do successfully eat a meal, Im hungry a couple hours later. I am chewing my food to complete mush (at LEAST 30 seconds) and waiting between each bite. Any suggestions? Thx, Maria

I was self pay, no financing, straight cash, well cashiers check. My total was 9,988.00. That included everything and my first year of follow up. Maybe it just dpends where you live. I used trueresults and as far as i know their price is the same coast to coast for self pay. Im in the medical field, so after my first year, i plan to have someone trained to do my fills for me.

My doc told me one week! So wow, different docs, different suggestions!

I have a health o meter that I bought at walmart. You can program it for up to 3 users and since it stores information, it shows/tracks weight gain/loss and really lets you know. I think I paid like 25 bucks for it. Good luck on your search!

be careful with heat near the incision, since you are still just a few days post op, the heat may cause the incisions to drain more. When I had the trouble, my surgeon recommened icepack in 15 minutes intervals. I hope you get to feeling better soon!

Sorry for the really late reply, but I live in Garland and would love to join the support group! add my email please maria_reyes80@yahoo.com

I had my surgery on 03/12/12 and I too was ina great deal of pain after. I found that if i laid in bed, i would lay on baout 4 pillows, a couple under my knees to sorta prop them up and I supported my stomach with pillows as well. I found that helped me get in a comfortable enough position so that I wasnt in pain. About 10 days post op, I pulled the facia muscle right where my port is which threw me into some excrutiating pain. Take your pain meds, play around with positioning, try pillows to support the areas you feel the pain. I hope you get to feeling better soon!

I am 15 days post op and on Tuesday, I started to feel pain at my port site. It has been steadily increasing. The pain is now excrutiating. No matter what direction I move or position im in. I called my surgeon yesterday and was advised to ice it down and take tylenol/ibuprofen. This has not helped at all. I was barely able to get out of bed this morning. I have not had my first fill and my follow up with my surgeon isnt till May 2nd. Any suggestions? Is this common? I have a really high tolerance for pain and this pain just has me in tears its so bad. I wasnt in this much pain after surgery!

I went to TR in Richardson, I think there is a support group, just not real sure. Have you talked to Amanda bancroft, the patient advocate? She is awesome! I had my surgery on 03/15/12. I would love to join the support group if one exists!