dena57

good morning! I have the bikini line prot placement. I don't even notice it is there. I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

would i know if my band slipped or if there was any changes to my pouch or to the band??? I am just curious... I feel like i want to make an appt just to see...

I wish that I could say that I am exercising.. but have yet to... I am working full time, going to college full time and have a 2 & 5 year old at home... I am lucky to get sleep! I do eat much, much better and much less! I have cut out the white flour items (no bread or rice) and of course choose low fat- sugar free items... I think my weakness is chips & salsa.. lol! Found that it is not too bad to eat that! I want a soda so bad though.. I am a stress eater and chew lots of gum! So if I am feeling stressed I try to drink water and chew gum... silly i know.. but it is that or find something that I can eat... I still have not mastered the chew-chew-chew method or the smaller bites so I get maybe 10% into my meal and it hurts so I stop... I am taking vitamins DAILY!!! I thing that just cutting the bread, rice and sodas has helped as well. If you cut those out without the lapband it would help! I need to exercise and have all of the stuff to do it on.. it is just a matter of doing it... I have changed my starbucks drink to non-fat, sf... it is the little stuff!!! I think that I have about 15 more to go as I don't want to look sick... I am only 5'1" with a small frame so if I loose too much I will not look good.. I think that i will know when I get there.. I hope...

Hey there! I was banded 4/6/07. Surgery went great! The pharmacy woud not fill the pain meds because they had to talk to the dr and it was a holiday weekend, other than that.. it went great! Weight is falling off at the rate of about 3 lbs a week... very greatful for that!! Looking forward to goal weight! Wishing everyone many pounds lost!!

Eileen~ hey there... I have to tell you that at 1st I was not so sure about it... it was swolen and there was a large lump but now, I don't even know it is there. i have had 3 children so i have a small "pooch" but even since the surgery I have gone from wearing a size 16/18 to a 6/8 and can not tell that it is there. only sign is a small scar. I have had 1 fill and will go next week for my second. It was difficult for them to find the top of the port but again. I don't have much left there. Once they found it, i had a new nurse as well, she did what she had to do and I went back to work. it was a little soar but I think that was only because they did so much digging and moving to try and get the port in the correct place. I did have to arch my back to push the port up to help them locate it.. but really.. it is an ideal spot. I don't really forsee losing soo much weight that it would stick out because my bones would then stick out as well... to want to look sickly... I am thinking that i have not had a great fill just yet because i really don't feel too different... the only "feeling" that I have had is that "stuck" feeling, either the food needs to go down or come up... but anyway... I will let you know how next week goes. keep me posted as well! Take care! Dena

thanks for the input... it is greatly appreciated to know that I am not alone!!!

just a quick note that I was also banded by Dr. Spivak in April 2007, my port is actually below my bikini line, almost to my c-section scar.... don't even know it is there... had he put it below my bra line, it would have shown immediately. I am sooo a "pear" shaped person!

thanks so much... i figured as much... I am going back in June for fill#2... I have not had the "full feeling" just yet. I usually stop when I get the restricted feeling... and you are probably 100% right... still learning!!! big change in lifestyle that is for sure!!

this is probably a dumb question but I just need some clarification... I had a fill on 5/8/07. 1st one... since then when i eat something that i did not chew well enough or something that I should NOT eat, I have a terrible, terrible, constricted feeling in my chest, like it will not go down but does not come up... is that restriction??? I am learning to take smaller bites, chew, chew, chew and not eat certain things... Just want to clarify that this is what it shoudl feel like.. thanks for any input!!!

hey there... I am filled & back @ work... according to their scales I have lost 15 lbs in a month... filled 1.5cc with saline and I will go back in 4 weeks for the "sticky" solution as she called it... Saw everything on the xray machine as well.. very cool... My port was a little bt harder to find and a little bit sore in that area but other than me getting lost downtown.. I was in & out of there... funny how different dr's can be though.. I am on liquids for today and mushies for 2 days... skinny days are ahead!

hey there... I am having my 1st fill today (5/8/07) as well... I am glad to see that there is someone else out there with the same "stats"... I felt really stupid going in with a BMI of only 31 but have struggled all my life with my weight. I was banded 4/6/07 and have lost about 18 pounds so far... I am sooo ready for my fill.. BRING IT ON!!! Just an extra edge... making the struggle just a little less painful! the end result will be sooo worth it!!!! Good luck to you both today! Dena Banded 4/6/07 166/148/GOAL ~ 115 Dr Spivak - Texas