Valerie617

A good scale is one that tells you that you weigh less than you really do! .... ok, so that's my pre-band thinking - sorry! I have a digital scale which is easy to read - I check it against my doctor's scale and it's a consistent one pound difference. I like it because it doesn't take up a lot of room.

My doctor told me that carbonated drinks can stretch out your pouch. At first it was difficult to give up my diet pepsi, but now I don't miss it.

I lost a little hair around the forth month - noticed more hair in the drain when I took a shower. It lasted about two months, then it started to get thicker - it's now in better condition than ever. I think it's because I eat a healthier diet and enough protein now.

I take the Centrum Orange Flavored Chewable Vitamins and Oscal Calcium with Vitamin D - Chewable, lemon chiffon flavored - gluten and sugar free and B-12 sublingual. You can buy them at Target or Wal-Mart - I didn't like taking vitamins before either - these are easy to take.

Sherilynn - congratulations on your 5 pound loss! I see that you have 10.2ccs in your band now -- are you completely filled? I have a 10cc band and didn't feel much restriction until I was completely filled. Some doctors don't have a great bedside manner, and it's a shame he couldn't have used positive reinforcement. It's nice to compare the before, during and after BMI and see the progress we're making. I had a wake up call the other day. A friend told me she had a really good picture she took of me at a party we went to. When she gave it to me, I was shocked -- I still looked soooooo fat! In my mind, although I still have a lot to lose, I thought I looked at lot better - that photo got me back on track, realizing that I still have a long way to go!

Sometimes a person will think banding is the easy way out because they have no idea of the work and sacrifices required to lose weight with the band. Before I had surgery, I researched different kinds of surgery - pros and cons. I wanted to make sure I wasn't just "taking the easy way out". I tried one last diet, then another, and we all know how that is. If we could have lost the weight with diet and exercise, we would have done it! I have a friend that said her cousin took the easy way out, and if she had the money, she could take the easy way out too! Needless to say, I did not tell this friend that I was banded. Other times, if your friends are overweight too, they don't like that they're going to be the heaviest one. I've only told my husband, kids and sister about my surgery and it's made life so much easier. And when I hear remarks about how easy weight loss surgery is when I'm around those that don't know I've had surgery, I just ignore it - not worth the stress and energy to get upset about it.

Brandy - I don't feel food going through my band. My 10cc band was completely filled and then my doctor put in an extra .2 (for pressure he said). I was fine for about 6 weeks ... it was great because I finally felt the restriction that everyone was talking about .... then, I don't know why, but all of a sudden I couldn't keep any food down and had to have an unfill - my doctor took out 1.2 ccs and I gained back 5 pounds in two months. Yesterday he put a little fill back and I'm hoping the same thing doesn't happen again. You're probably already doing this, but for the tightness in your throat, maybe you have to eat a lot less at each sitting, but eat more often to make sure you get enough nutrition. My doctor told me that if you eat too much volume, it sits in your esophagus. Don't know if that's the case with you, but just thought I'd mention it as a possibility. I hope everything works out well for you.

When I asked my PCP for advise about the lap band, she gave me the usual pre-printed diet and told me to diet and exercise. Another time she told me to do South Beach. She made a disapproving face and told me to do the work - diet and exercise. But we all tried that - over and over through the years and it didn't work for us. Then I mentioned it to my OBGNY -- she had several patients who had weight loss surgery and had great results. After checking with one of her patients, she gave me her phone # and I was able to actually talk in person to someone who had the procedure done and who recommend a doctor. I had my surgery done at a hospital that has the "Center of Excellence" for bariatric surgery. Maybe you could search for a hospital that has that designation near you - they always have seminars and you could attend to get more information and speak to other people who have already had the surgery done. Good luck to you and even though it's uncomfortable for you, don't let one doctor's negativity discourage you!

I'm happy that I only told my husband, kids and sister. For me, I felt that I needed a while to adjust to my new way of eating. Before my fill was right, even my husband would look at what I was eating and say "are you allowed to eat that - aren't you eating too much". Now I eat less with a good fill. I went to support group meetings and used the forums online for positive feedback.

I just had my 6th fill and finally feel like I have the restriction I'm supposed to have - and this time it took about 3 weeks for the full effects of the fill to be felt. This didn't happen on my first five fills. With my first five fills it was still a struggle to limit the quantity of food I was eating - I was still physically able to eat a large amount if I wanted to. Now, I physically cannot eat that much.

julie - it's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who didn't feel restricted until my 5th fill -- my fill appointments are SIX weeks apart. For a while I wasn't losing anything - then after my 5th fill, I started losing only one pound a week. At that time, my doctor told me I was completely filled - then I went for an appointment a couple of days ago, and he say he was putting "a little more" in (sixth fill). I really didn't understand that, but he explained that it would add a little "pressure" and compared it to inflating a tire. I still don't understand it - I thought once you reach a certain fill level that's it -- Anyway, I'm on my second day of liquids after this latest fill and if I could lose 2 pounds a week, that would be amazing! Now my next appointment is in 11 1/2 weeks - seems long to me.

Nancy - I've had six fills - Driver describes the sensation well -- it's a slight pressure. As for bruising, that happened to me once after my 5th fill - the size of a quarter - like ibshell76.

I didn't start to feel restriction until my 5th fill and that was very discouraging for me. I didn't really understand what a restriction felt like until my fifth fill.

My doctor also has me lie down during a fill. Afterwards, I go to Radiology and they have me drink a solution and watch it go down under floroscope. It's interesting to hear that some of the above posters actually have Fluid removed and reinjected with additional liquid. I don't like to watch the needle, so I'm not sure if my doctor does that, but I'm going to ask.