Patty G

Hey -- have a question for you......I am getting ready to move back to Oregon in about 3 weeks - yeah!! -- and am trying to locate some docs who work with lap bands. I was banded 3-1-04, and have had 2 fills, now at 2.75. I'm at a 60 pound weight loss, with about 30 lbs to go - yeah again!! I am moving to Medford - southern Oregon - but haven't found much info on the Internet to help me locate a fill doc. Any thoughts? I figure I can drive to a doc as long as it's not all the way to Portland - hopefully. I was raised in Oregon, have been gone only 3 years, living in Wisconsin now. Can't wait to get home!! Patty G banded: 3/1/04 298/238/210ish?

Hey - I am also in Medford, OR, looking for a fill doc. I was referred to Dr Emma Patterson in Portland by my surgeon in Wisconsin for my follow-up. I was banded in March 2004 in Wisconsin, and am finding there aren't a lot of docs with enough experience in fills in Oregon. The doc in Bend hasn't been at it for long, I actually used to be his transcriptionist a few years back and probably wouldn't feel comfortable as his patient. I am attempting to get scheduled with Dr Patterson because she has gone exclusively to banding per other bariatric docs I've spoken to -- Dr Flanagan in Eugene retired in November and his office is also referring patients to Dr Patterson. I work for Asante healthcare, they are getting a bariatrics program going but not for banding, not yet anyway. Good luck! Let me know if YOU learn about other docs - "band" together! Patty G

Thanks! I got the name of Dr Flaherty in the Eugene area from the Bariatrics Society, have you heard of him? I wish I could bring Dr Chiang with me, he's an awesome doc here in Milwaukee that did my surgery. Cost isn't an issue as much as finding a good doc that will take me post-op from another doc.....some docs don't like doing that. I just had a fill a week ago, so I'm good to go for a while, but will need to have a doc there so that when I get into the maintenance phase I can have the adjustments done. Thank! Maybe we can "do lunch" sometime, never know! Patty G

It's pretty amazing......day to day I don't feel like I'm on a diet.......day to day I eat whatever will give me optimum Protein and goes down easily..........day to day I feel like I never had surgery, then I realize how little I eat and how full I feel.......day to day I try not to think that I am not on a "diet", I concentrate on lifestyle change.........day to day my job keeps my mind quite occupied so that there's little time to fret over what to eat, feel bad about something I shouldn't have eaten, or wonder what I am going to have for dinner.........all of these days have added up to 22 weeks post-op, and at yesterday's weigh-in at the docs office I cried and cried when I realized that I had all of a sudden hit my first goal - to lose 50 pounds by the end of the summer - a whole month early! My doc uses the old scale that has the slide bars, not the digital scales, and when he moved the big block, I swear all the blood ran out of my face, and the tears hit hard - I never expected such results in such a short time! Interestingly, I have had only 1 fill, and I am still at 2.5 cc's. Having the surgery March 1st of this year is the single-most important thing I have ever done for myself - I am so proud of myself for taking this challenge and making it a success! To anyone that feels they are too focused on the day, you probably are - my first couple of months were very stressful, I hit plateaus, I made bad food choices, I PB'd a lot (my friends say I used to puke in the best bathrooms in town) and I beat myself up constantly - one day I was whinning to my boss about all of it, and she said to me "Patty, it's a lifestyle change, that will take time to relearn everything you know about food". She has no idea how well that stuck with me, and it seems that her simple statement just clicked.......I quite focusing on everything that went into my mouth, got back into the groove of being a supervisor of coders in healthcare, kept logging everything I ate during the day, and relaxed. I can honestly say that I am at ease with my new lifestyle of eating. I have learned how to eat at any restaurant that my family goes to, and not leave hungry AND not have to PB while at the restaurant - huge success right there!! Long story short - I made it work for me, instead of me being a slave to it - the band I mean - it's my little secret now -- people ask me if I am on Atkins when I decline bread choices, sometimes I agree, sometimes I just smile!! Good Luck to everyone!! Patty G 298/248/200? who knows where this ends!! :banana :Bunny :banana :Bunny

Ok, so I'm at 12-weeks postop (surgery 3/1/04), and it seems every day is an experiment in food choices. I mean, I have my staples now -- yogurt, cheese sticks, V8 (5.5 oz can), cottage cheese and oatmeal, but it seems that after eating the same stuff morning and noon, by dinner I want something tasty. Bread is always a problem, any kind it seems, but toast does work as long as I keep it dry and not put anything on it. Pasta works ok, as does a cooked tortilla (no raw ones however - painful!). So, I guess I am still on the road of a very long learning curve. I have had one fill, what a change that caused in my food choices! One thing I have to remind myself of daily is that this was my choice, and it was the right choice for me - and whatever challenges I run into related to food choices are a victory waiting to be discovered! At 12 weeks, I've lost 34 pounds - WOW! Hang in there and enjoy the ride. Sometimes it hurts, but pain or no pain, the band is working! Patty G 298/264/???

I had my first fill this past week (2.5 cc), and I can hardly eat anything without getting severe, painful, hiccups. I haven't been able to keep much down and the hiccups have me gun shy about trying to eat anything real. My doctor (Dr. Chiang in Milwaukee WI) told me to try anything I felt I could handle, no limitations as I needed to learn what my body would accept. I have tried grilled chicken breast, yogurt (blended no fruit), instant oatmean (real soupy), cheese sticks, some lettuce (the worst!), V8 juice, chicken cup of Soup, all caused hiccups. I haven't been able to keep things down either, so I know I am not getting my daily Protein intake this week. I am really getting worried that something is wrong, or I am too tight. Not sure if I am just eating too fast or making bad choices. What has anyone else found to work as far as food choices, when/if you are this tight? Any help or thoughts are appreciated! Patty G Banded 03/01/04 298/269/?

Thanks for the responses! I have been working very hard to pay attention to what is giving me hiccups the worse and what works ok. Chicken is a staple for me, it goes down fine as long as I chew it to death - and it is one thing I can now handle without hiccuping during the rest of my meal time. When the hiccups hit, I can't eat anything until they stop. I am trying to get more liquid things into my diet, and that seems to have helped somewhat. I don't eat enough fruit according to my nutritionist, so I am experimenting with some canned fruits. Fresh fruits are definitely something that doesn't work! Thanks again for the posts - I look forward to logging into this site and see how others are doing! Patty G 298/268/?

My first fill is coming up in a little over a week, not sure what to expect! Since my surgery on 3/1 I have lost 29 pounds, with no fill. By reading many of the posts in different areas of this web site the way I feel when I eat certain foods (bread for example) now is how I should feel after I have a fill.....so I am a little concerned how restrictive things will be after that fill is done! I am consistantly losing 3 to 4 pounds a week already. Not a bad thing I guess, and maybe this is just working better than I had imagined, but I am a little curious and a lot nervous about getting the fill. It is nice to hear people say "Wow, it really shows on you". I just think to myself, you aint seen nothin' yet!

I was banded on 3/1 this year, and for the first week or so I kept telling my sister, who lives with me, that I felt like I had to learn how to burp again because it just wouldn't come up. I understand that for some people the gas goes up, others it goes down, mine ultimately went down, which was a little disgusting at times, but sure felt better when it had passed. So, from my own experience, it's normal to feel this way right after surgery. I found that by sleeping in my recliner at night the gas wasn't as bad, not sure why, but it helped me a lot. Lying on my back or side just wasn't comfortable. Felt like I had a big bubble just rolling around inside, nowhere to go. Interesting what life brings us as a challenge, hey?

Ok, I moved to Wisconsin in June of 2002, so I guess I am officially a Wisconsinite now - from Oregon originally. I live in Thiensville, north of Milwaukee. My doctor is Dr. Chiang, wonderful doc! I was banded on 3/1 and am down 29 pounds now and no fill yet - WOW!! Thanks for making a home for us Wisconsin peoples!

I asked my nutritionist and my doctor about this last week, as I am getting my first fill on 4/21 and was concerned also -- they both said that for the lap band patients small sips were ok, just enough to wet your mouth and throat. They suggested to start a meal with a small sip, then end with a small sip, try not to drink during eating though. Right now, pre-fill, I drink with my meals but am working to cut back on the amount so it won't be so hard after I get that first fill. Hope that helps!

Glad to hear you had your band placed! I was banded on 3/1, 6-weeks postop tomorrow, and it took me probably about 4 weeks before I wasn't sore at all. My pain was also on my left side, right above the waist, Dr. Chiang said that's where they inserted the port, though my port is right above my belly button he said. I kept bandages on those two sites for an extra couple weeks just to make sure things were ok. At 6-weeks out I am down 29 pounds! I just started wearing jeans again last week, and now they don't fit - time to go shopping! Good Luck, and keep us informed of how you are doing!

Not that I have been banded long, but I wanted to encourage you to hang in there - my doc says to be patient with myself, I have a life-time of bad eating habits to get over, and once in a while those will pop up and I'll blow it - but the difference now is that I will know it when I do blow it!! I was banded on March 1st, so I have not had a fill as yet - that will be on April 19th. Like I said, I can't speak from experience of a banded and filled perspective, but I can speak to patience with yourself!! By the way - my doc is Dr. Chiang, he works with Dr. Burhop in Milwaukee -- Cool! Patty G

Ok, I'm back to update anyone who reads this, especially those who are getting ready to have the procedure done. My banding was on March 1st, and I am down 23 pounds already -- WOW! The surgery went well, first time I ever had surgery so I was concerned, but I have a great doc who really helped me mentally prepare for this procedure! My food intake is getting better, haven't had any bad episodes yet, so I would say I am successfully getting through the postop! I am so glad I decided to have this done! My surgical wounds are healing up now, and I feel just a little bit better every day. I go back to work Monday (3/15) and am excited to do so. Thanks to everyone who offered support before my surgery - I appreciate it!! Patty G

Denise - Yup, one full week of liquid prior to surgery, was pretty tough but I made it! I totally pigged out for the two weeks prior to that liquid diet week, so I know what you mean - so, tell me......have you eaten foods since surgery that you thought you never would be able to eat again? How'd it go? PattyG

Nikki - I am scheduled for the 1st, we are newbies together!! I am so excited, just can't wait!! I consider this my birthday present to myself, by B-day is 3/23, hope to be back on my feet and feeling good by then!! My insurance covered mine at 100% (I work in healthcare, my employer paid for this). I plan to keep an eye on this forum, there is so much great info here, and the people who have posts are very supportive -- I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!! My doc has me on that tasty liquid diet this past week, I am so proud of myself for sticking to it, wasn't sure if I could do this, but I did it! Thanks to everyone for helping us newbies!!

Hello everyone - glad to find this forum! I am scheduled for my lap band surgery on March 1st, can't wait!! I am on the liquid diet this week, starving to death right about now :cry But it'll be worth it! Wish me Luck!!