the best me

The healing period post-banding and the required diet is meant to give your body time to heal without causing a bunch of commotion in your stomach that could rip stitches, or tear loose forming scar tissue. Follow the diet. No reason to push it. Let your body heal.

Wow, very similar to the "study" or whatever I had done at 7 days post-op in the ER when I went in for fluids. The "Nearly Normal" and "Too Tight" were close to what I was seeing on the live screen. Very interesting! Barium, however, is not food. I agree with you DeLarla. I want to see what food does! Hey, I have a friend who is a nurse who could look at my band with her Ultrasound. Think it would work? We could watch me eat something, see what happens? I wonder if I could see it if it's not barium? Whaddya think, nurses out there?

Congratulations! Yuk, baby food. chicken or Beef broth, hot tea, gatorade, Boost, Water, water, water, Egg Drop Soup (week 2), popsicles, warm Jello (sipped before it gels). The nausea may be from pain meds. If you can go without, it may help. Sip slowly. Take it easy and rest. Welcome to bandland!!

Hey Lisa! I'm in NC and have BC/BS and, as you can see, I was banded in Mexico by Dr Kuri. I went to BC/BS online and registered, put in my plan nuber and read the weight loss surgery coverage, which specifically excluded the Lap Band. I didn't even try to fight it. I just researched and went to Dr Kuri and paid cash. So, where in NC are you? I'm just outside of Charlotte. I see Dr Gonzales in Winston-Salem for fills, or at least I will in July. I haven't even met him yet! But I called before I scheduled in MX to be sure I could be seen by him and yes, he would follow up with me and do my fills. Welcome to LBT! I'm glad you found us, it's a great site and I couldn't possibly do this banded thing without it!

Wow, you made it!! Congratulations and welcome to bandland!

Heather, I though of something else. Here's another link... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7278 nygrl has a few other threads related to keeping her fill. She was tight and it got worse with PBing and eating too much solid too soon. She could keep down protien drinks though, and you can't do anythng but Water. hmmm, might be good reading for you though. Just click on her screen names and find all threads started by nygrl and you will be able to follow her short saga. Good luck! keep us posted.

Yep, please be careful with the jello. It will feel so good to sip it warm, very slowly. Hey! Congratulations!

Fifth graders are so smart! Be careful what you say, you never know how it's going to get translated to their parents...you'll be getting calls..."Timmy says you have terrible medical problems!!" haha. I hope all these tests turn in to a great Band day for you! Good luck!

Lu Ann, I think your friend Kim has given you great advice. As far as being a burden, I faced the same thing. Here I go spending 10K+ on band surgery (with airfare for 2 and expenses, etc) and I'm paying a measly $200 a month toward the home equity line of credit. So I have our family in debt and I'm a stay-at-home mom budgeting the grocery money with my band payments. I fight the guilt, believe me. However, I have lost 17 pounds so far (time for a fill) I feel better already, I'm happy, confident that I will get the rest off, our sex life has improved (wahoo!), my stamina is better in all areas, and now that it's done I feel as if I am moving forward, not stuck. So, the guilt is definately managable So you already have a great doc who has a reasonable self-pay price tag. Pray, seek God's will, and step forward until HE says stop. See what happens. Bless you!

Well done, Rae! Glad to hear you are recovering well! That's so funny about the trees. How could you not love trees?! And lots of them? I'm in NC though, so I'm used to a bit of lush green and Pine Trees, my word, the Pine Trees! I guess you'd hate it here, haha! Anyway, Congratulations!!

Another thought...it's not a matter of willpower, it's a matter of using the tool, and right now, your band is not working properly. PBing causes swelling, which causes more PBing and more swelling. If you aren't careful, you will have to get completely unfilled, and not have just a slight unfill. You are wasting your time, money, and risking your health if you don't get this fixed.

You are risking erosion being that tight. It's not worth it. Did you read these threads? http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7410 This one is about Nykee's fill that was too tight. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7414 and this thread is about a lady who had RNY surgery and can't drink anything but protien drinks and Water, basically. Read about what is happening to her poor body after over a year of that. You body needs food. Eat. Get an unfill.

Thanks Donali, I'll be praying for her complete recovery. Please keep us posted! You are a great reporter!

Yep, I'm in NC so I'm doing my fills here. If/when my sister comes out to see Kuri for HER surgery, I'll do a fill when I come out with her. That's down the road though. As for my 7 1/2 inches...here's the breakdown. I measured the morning of surgery in the hotel in TJ (threw the tape measure in the suitcase!) and I measured these spots and have lost this much as of 6/2... Arms -1/2 inch Bust -1 inch Bra Band -1 inch Waist -1 1/2 inches Abdomen -0 Hips -2 inches Thighs -1 inch Calves -1/2 inch You know what? I forgot to add in my other arm, thigh, and calf. That's another 2 inches, which makes it a total of 9 1/2 inches lost off this fat ole body. Notice that I lost NOTHING from the worst part of me, which is that flabby C-section belly part, ugh. Anyway, I'll take it! I'll even change my sig for that! Sarah and Esmerelda, you two could share Taxi/transportation fare and go together for your fills. Save money, AND meet a Band Buddy! Fun!

That's fun! I got to hold one at Dr Kuri's office, but i didn't really get to play with it. I suppose if I had asked...I'm so glad your geeky, Crystal! here's a question, since I am not geeky, at least in the technical sense, what else is an inflatable zip-tie used for?

Yay Rico! So glad it's good news. How's Chris doing with his Blood Sugar now? thanks for the update.

I'm SO jealous! I can't wait for my fill! July 6th can't come sooner!! Maybe I'll call and see if they have a cancellation list, and I can get in sooner...hmmm. Congrats!

I can eat bread. I am almost 9 weeks out from surgery with no fill (it's scheduled) and I can have a sandwich or whatever. I'm not a big bread eater, but I don't like a sandwich or burger without the bun. Toasted bread goes down better. I chew ALOT. I anticipate not being able to do the bun after the fill, which is fine of course, since my goal here is to lose weight and I certianly could do without it! Plus, just because I CAN doesn't meand I SHOULD. Maybe that's what your doc was saying. Don't panic about the bread. You'll adjust. When the weight starts dropping and you feel satisfied after eating a good bandster meal, bread doesn't matter so much.

Oh, that! See, when you talk regular I get it.

My doc, Dr Kuri, sends it to you when you send in your deposit for a scheduled surgery. It's great beginner info, and a good book to pass along to a family memeber or friend who is interested in reading up on what you are planning, or have done! Basic, solid, good info. The real nuts and bolts of being banded is on the message boards.

Welcome Shelley! My first fill is July 6th, too! I was banded April 8th. Good luck!

Quit that talk. You deserve it as much as anyone. That's what that backpay was for. So go forward, make the best of it, work around it and do your best. You can do it! Don't kick yourself in the butt or I will! ((((hugs))))

Egg Drop Soup...gotta recommend that stuff. Saved my life. You can do this. It will all be behind you before you know it.

Hey, wait a sec, what's "the hover feature when browsing topics". You doing something I don't know about? What am I missing?! Help!

I think that was me? thanks! You have quite a bandster resume, as suspected! It's so good to have you here. You get a banana! :banana