kganous

Hi everyone I've been out on a week long conference back in the states (San Antonio) nothing like international flights and a week in a hotel to complicate the plan. I did pretty well and managed to not gain weight. I still have not had a fill after two attempts three weeks a part under flouroscopy my surgeon feels I've had my port flip. He is calling it port failure and until he goes back in he won't know if it is the port itself or me that made it turn. So I've decided to have the revision surgery the last week in June so I don't have potential complications before our family vacation the first three weeks in June.. So I am still behind everyone and just trying to stay on plan with little to no constriction. I now need to increase my exercise.

Just got back from my first fill attempt. I am very discouraged right now. Under fluoroscopy everything looked good but my surgeon wasn't able to access the port. He used four different needles did a lot of digging, I could feel him hitting the port but it kept giving way under the pressure of the needle. He is now afraid I have a port that has not scared down to the fascia correctly and is loose. He gave me the options of waiting a few weeks and attempting to access the port again or surgery to revise the port. I have elected to wait and try port access again on May 7th. This has taken the wind right out of my sails. Trying not to cry!

Hi everyone, Since joining last week I've only been lurking. I feel like I'm way behind you all with the weight loss. I go next Monday for my first fill. My surgeon makes you wait three months for your first fill. So I have no restriction and my weight loss has been totally dieting. I was doing well then Easter kind of derailed me this weekend and I'm back up 2 pounds. I'm back on track and hoping it will come on off before my Monday appointment. The dietician I see thru my doctor is all about the protein and not so much worrying about the calories and I find if I get between 60 and 80 grams of protein I'm not hungry (except for head hungar) and I can keep my calories between 1000 and 1500. Every morning I'm eating a boiled egg followed by ice coffee made with 8 oz skim milk, 1 scoop Nectar cappachino protein powder, Benifiber and strong coffee. So early in the day I already have 32+ grams of protein and the benifiber makes life more pleasant. If I skip my coffe drink I have a hard time getting my protein in for the day. I am thankful for this group since the only local support group here in in German and I don't speak it well enough to be a member. Kim

Hi I need to join this group. I didn't start looking for an online support group until yesterday so now I'm trying to play check up. I had my gastric banding on 1/26/2012 in Mannheim Germany. I was inpatient for 5 long hospital days. Standard for Germany. My surgeon is extremely conservative and I haven't had a fill yet. My appointment is April 16th and he told me it won't be much of a fill the first time. My weight has been slow to come off because I can basically eat anything because of little constriction. Looking forward to hearing from others in the same place I am. Kim

I know it's the bread that got me in trouble here. It is cheaper than in the states. TriCare picked up most of the cost for me. Total bill with preop procedures and 5 nights in the hospital was $18,000. I think that is remarkable cheaper than in the states. Mannheim is part of the Heidelberg University system and I was put on the floor (unit) that gets their international patients and all the nurses spoke excellent english. The only problem I had as I'm a nurse was asking for pain medication. I wanted something mild. We had a little trouble communicating on medications. What I was use to in the states (ie. acetaminophen) is not available in Germany and what they were offering I didn't know. Then when I asked for ibuprofen (Motrin) the nurse didn't know it.....she came back later laughing that they had figuered out I was asking for "e"buprofen.....just the difference it how we pronouce a letter. Over all not a bad experience I just was ready to be discharged a lot sooner than my suergeon would discharge me. What was funny was they offered me one more night if I felt I needed it.

Hi I am an American stationed in Landstuhl Germany. I had my surgery in Mannheim by Dr. Til Hasenberg on Jan 26, 2012. I would love to communicate with other Americans in the LRMC area who had gastric band surgery or who are planning on having it. In Germany the whole procedure is different than in the states. I stayed in patient for total of 5 nights (one night preop). Thanks, Kim

Hi, I just joined this forum. I live outside Kaiserslautern and had gastric banding on 1/26/2012 in Mannheim with Dr. Til Hasenberg. I would love to join any support groups in the K-town area. I work at LRMC. Kim

My surgeon is very conservative. I haven't received my first fill yet. He usually makes you wait three months. My appoint for the first fill will be on 16 April one week shy of 3 months. Then every 4 to 6 weeks until it's in the right place.

I mix the cappuccino one with skim milk and coffee over ice in the morning and it's yummy!