enndee

I realized the hard way to stick to clear hot liquids the first 2 days after a fill. Otherwise I gradually start throwing up more and more 'til even Water won't stay down and have to go for an unfill. I really babied the stoma the last time and it worked!! Then I added broths, and eased into mushies and now can eat most things if I chew them well. My doctor gives a shot of Lidocaine into the port area (just feels like a pinch), unfills the band to make sure there is no leakage, then refills with a little more than there was in there. NO pain at all, but I do feel a full feeling after he's done. I have to drink a glass of water before I can leave to make sure it will go down, but as I said before, even though Soup goes down ok shortly after the fill, I have learned NOT to eat anything for a few days, just stick to clear hot liquids. I guess everybody is different in how thier body reacts to a fill. Good luck!!

Absolutely NOT!! You are probably in need of a fill/band adjustment. My doctor didn't put any fill in when he put the band in. Then he had me come back in about a month to get my first fill and start the process!! You've only just begun!!

I am a giraffe collector. Have been for about 30 years and have quite a few. Big ones, small ones, pewter ones, stuffed ones, brass, glass, ceramic and teakwood. I even have a large giraffe rug attached to the front of my house that people can see from the street as they drive by. I have been known as "the giraffe lady" in some circles. Hey, stick your neck out and make a difference!!! enndee

I had my LapBand surgery with Dr. Fortier in Morris MN last Oct 11, 05. I have had one fill, then an unfill, then a fill again. I am sort of starting over due to some complications etc. Have lost about 50 lbs, 30 since banding. Have over a hundred to go. How are others doing in the area??

I had my first fill about a week ago and was so tight right after the fill that I threw the water back up, so he took some fill out. Now, 3 days later, I have lost my voice. Could these be related? Anyone else have this experience or am I getting some other illness?? I am able to eat more food than I really want to already, but am hoping that will improve with the next fill...???????...

I saw Dr Fortier in Morris for my banding. I had to have a referral by my regular physician, a referral from my Psychiatrist, a pre surgery physical exam which included basics plus a CBC and EKG and a chest xray. That was it.

Wow!! That went fast didn't it!! Yes, the timing will be perfect for the holidays!! Won't it be great to lose weight over the holidays?? I am so glad for you!!! Will you be banded in Morris?

I was banded 10-11-05 and lost 30 lbs b/4 surgery and 10 lbs the first week after surgery but none since. My doctor told me that by the end of this 5-6 week healing phase, that I wouldn't even feel like I have a band, and that is so true!! I have felt very frustrated at times, but then reading about others after surgery experiences on here, has helped to keep me from getting crazy. My doctor said he had put the larger band on me so I am guessing that without any fill yet, the opening is gradually getting larger and larger, therefore why I am hungry all of the time!! I am (im!)patiently waiting my first fill too!!! I am using the goal of "not gaining" as my current plan. It's less stressful!!

Hi: I was banded Oct 11th and was worried about the same thing, I have been coughing and sneezing due to hayfever,allergies etc. I asked my doctor if this would cause a problem with the band and he said "no". Take care!!

Hi: I think you will find that most people who have had the RNY will support that route, but most people who have had the Lap Band will think it's the best. For me, the less intrusive was my choice. Even my own personal doctor (who has never had ANY patients go through the Lap Band process yet, told me "of course the RNY is the BEST weight loss method--the data proves that!")--but of course me being me decided to investigate both and chose the one I felt was best for me. I decided that it's my body and my decision and she (my personal dr.) can have her opinion but in the end I will decide. Now she WILL know one patient who has done the Lap Band method and she will see how it goes. So far, my experience has been even better than I imagined and I am losing weight!! So, my point is, what ever you decide is best for you, go for it and IGNORE all of the judgments others have. Make it a great day!! Good luck!!!

HI: Glad to hear from you but sorry you have been feeling ill. I am doing great-saw Dr. Fortier today in Long Prairie and have lost 10 lbs since my surgery Oct 11th. I am starting to feel hungry now and he said at my next appointment in 3 weeks he will put some fill into my band so I can start feeling full again. Total healing is the first priority. The clinic, dietician, etc have billed my insurance company separately after each appointment. Then Dr. F wrote a letter to the insurance company to get approval for the actual surgery. It took about 2 weeks for a response to get back. Then Sherry called and we scheduled my surgery. Does that answer your question? Who is Bunny? I am anxious to hear what you learn after your appointment with Dr. Fortier. Keep me posted!!!l

Michelle: How are you doing? What's new?

Cloey: I am on the same band wagon as the 2 responders before me. I completely understand where you are coming from though. Without a date of surgery, it too was difficult for me to "get started"-after all, I had been eating the way I was for 10 years at least!! What I did was first of all, "pray to be willing to be willing". Then, I decided I would try eating as much as I wanted, but only of salads and veggies and etc that even if I ate all day long, I would still lose weight because of the calorie intake. It worked and I did finally take off 20 lbs.!! When my insurance finally approved the surgery, my doctor was ready to do the surgery because I had proved to him that I was serious about this. Now, post surgery by 3 weeks, I see the method to his madness. I breezed through my surgery day (surgery was at 11:15 and I was leaving the hospital at 4pm-went shopping the next day and back to work in 3 days) and the liquid diet that's required right after surgery was simple, because I had already been doing it for the past 10 days!! I have communicated with others who had NO pre surgery diet to follow and it took them 4-5 days to just recover from the surgery, and weren't able to go back to work for 2 weeks. Following the liquid diet was awful because they had had "one last big meal" the night before surgery and it was like going cold turkey from something, and feeling tough from the surgery on top of it!! Be glad you have some rules and guidelines to follow--they are for a reason--to make the whole process easier for YOU!! Good luck--we are all behind you!!!

Desertmom: What kind of complications are you having? I'm curious.

Hi: I really understand! I hadn't been able to lose any weight for about 10 years on my own. Then with Fen Phen, lost about a 100 lbs, only to gain it back plus some. I lost all hope after that. I went to the seminar about the Lap Band and met with the surgeon who wouldn't even consider setting a date for surgery for me without me losing some weight on my own. Somehow I managed to lose about 20 lbs. and then things started rolling. After I lost another 10 lbs. on the pre surgery liquid diet he required I too started thinking, well if I can do this on my own, why go through the surgery? But what I came to realize though was that the only reason I was able to lose ANY weight was because of the feeling of hope I now had because of the oncoming surgery, if that makes any sense!! Now, 2 weeks after having been banded, and feeling great, I have lost another 10 lbs. and continue with that feeling of "there's hope". I hear myself thinking about things I haven't thought about for years, like: "maybe should rent a cabin on a lake for a week next summer", or "maybe we should plan a trip to CanCun next winter" or "I think I'm going to go on a major cleaning spree", or "just sitting on this couch watching TV is boring-I need to get up and do something" or "maybe I should go for a walk". I am starting to have some excitement for life again!! I think knowing I have a tool to help me in this process is what has given me a new outlook on my life and I encourage you to go for it!! Take your time with the decision but know that it's normal to second guess yourself too. Good luck!!

Shelly: I think Dr F has been out of town at a medical conference this entire week so no one has seen him. Call Sherry and ask her when she thinks you can get in so you don't feel so frustrated!!! I am seeing him next week in Long Prairie--he goes to quite a few places, so maybe you can get in somewhere besides Morris. Check it out!!! Keep me posted!!

Hi Shelly: Dr F wanted me to be in a losing state--there was no certain number of pounds he required. He was watching my BMI and said it needed to go down--he said to make the surgery easier on me. It was kind of a gray area but after I had lost about 20 pounds he said "now I will write your insurance company a nice letter" and after that was sent out I think it was only a couple of weeks before the surgery was approved. After reading some of the post surgery stories from people who had no pre surgery diet or no weight loss expectations on their drs part, I see why it helps to have some rules to follow before your surgery day! My surgery day was better than I even expected, so I would follow the directions as best as you can--it does seem to make a difference!! Good luck!!

Hi: Did you know that Dr. Fortier told me that he has battled his weight his whole life, and that he feels he does understand. Sherry said and I agree that we often can initially lose the weight on our own, but can't keep it off--that's where the Band will really come in handy. I am one week post surgery now and feeling great. I had lost about 35 pounds prior to the surgery, first on a salad only diet then on the required 10 day liquid pre surgery diet. I have lost 5 pounds already the first week after surgery. I still feel full most of the time yet which is great--I used to be hungry all of the time!!! The post op liquid diet is so much easier when you have already been on it for 10 days before!! I am starting to add some cream Soups and etc and it is going well. I too agree that Dr. F has more rules than some of the doctors we read about on this forum, but so far, as "challenging" as the rules have been, I feel I am in very good, cautious hands by someone who cares deeply about what they are doing and wants success stories. He only gives lectures if you aren't following the program, otherwise it's praise all the way!! I am just grateful that there is a doctor in our area that decided to learn how to do the surgery--as far as I know, there isn't even anyone doing the surgery in Fargo yet!! Pray to be willing "to be willing"!--it works!!!! Best wishes, Nancy

Kimbo- I am curious--did you have to go on a pre surgery liquid diet? I did for 10 days and I haven't had any problems with diarrhea or gas after the surgery. I wonder if that helped? Everyone reacts differently I guess!

Hi Serenity: Glad to hear from you! I am 50-so close to you in age and just had the surgery last Tuesday in Morris MN. I was to be there by 9am, went through the usual pre surgery stuff like getting the gown and socks on, meeting with all of the medical professionals involved, getting the IV hooked up and etc. The surgery was at around 11:15. I went to sleep and woke up about 1:00 very thirsty but in no pain, got some ice chips to suck on from the nurse, laid around until about 3:00, sat on the edge of the bed for 10-15 minutes, started getting dressed and left the hospital for home around 3:30!! My surgeon had put Novacain in the incision areas so I didn't really feel much until 5-6pm, but never did take any of the oral pain meds they gave me, just didn't need them. I did take some liquid Tylenol a couple of times. The next couple of days I was pretty slow moving and getting up and down was a bit uncomfortable, but really not bad. Went back to work on Friday. I feel "stuffed" most of the time and eating isn't really all that interesting yet--I am assuming that's from the internal swelling from the surgery. Now today, 5 days later, I am moving around well, drinking lots of fluids comfortably, feeling less stuffed. Am trying to be a model patient and follow the directions correctly to avoid problems and it seems to be working. Praise the Lord!!! This was a real big deal to me since I had never had any surgery in my life before and I was scared!! I pray your experience is just as great as mine has been so far!! Happy sipping!! Nancy

I had been thinking about weight loss surgery for quite some time; I needed to lose at least 150 lbs. I had decided that when I turned 50, if I hadn't gotten going on my own, I would have to do something drastic. I spent 2 days in Park Rapids MN listening and learning about the gastric by pass surgery, and by the time I was done, I was scared to death!! Cutting, re-routing, malabsorption, B-12 pills, complications, hospital stays, NG tubes--for someone who had never had any type of surgery in their life, it was overwhelming. But, I needed to do something, and I wanted to keep living for another few years, so kept searching. I think if I was extremely unhealthy, I may have chosen that route though, because the initial weight loss can be so much faster, but because I am still fairly healthy, and had never had any surgery in my life, the Lap Band was much less threatening. I needed a tool to get started down the right road, and "just do it" wasn't working!!! It took awhile to find a Lap Band surgeon close enough to my town to even start checking into it, but the more I learned once I found Dr. Fortier in Morris, the more I became interested. I went to the original meeting in May of 2005 and went through all of the hoops and had the surgery Oct 11, 2005 (4 days ago). So far the experience has been great and I have had no complications. My surgery was at around 11:15am and I was getting dressed to go home at 3:30pm the same day!! Dr F. only does the Lap Band surgery, not the by pass at all. He has been a general surgeon for many years, which pleased me. He only wants success stories and dedicated patients, so gets to know you before agreeing to do the surgery, which I think is very wise on his part (some times a bit frustrating for the patient, but that's ok!). I would recommend him to anyone. If anyone has questions, feel free to let me know and I will try to help if I can. Best wishes!!! Enndee

I found a scale that goes higher than 350 at our Fleet Farm store. Just a small floor model and only about $25.00.

I was told to wait 24 hours before driving, which worked out just fine. I started out my first night mainly just wanting to sleep. Then the next day I felt so full even not having eaten anything, just a few sips of water. I assumed things are swollen in there so just paid attention and waited til I felt less like I had a too tight bra on and then tried some hot broth and that went much better. It's obviously an individual thing..............we have to learn to listen to what our body is saying, which is a new thing for me anyway!!!

Hi: Yesterday was my surgery and today I am home. I thought soon I will sit down and write how my experience has been so others can read. I like Dr. Fortier--we happened to be leaving the hospital yesterday at the same time and he gave me a hug before we parted! He seems to be on the cautious side, which I think is good. What is your opinion? More later..thanks for the note.........enndee

Hi": I see you are a Minnesota gal too! I am having my surgery next Tuesday like you, so will also be reading the responses you get about advice. My surgery is in Morris MN. I plan to go out and buy some chewable GasX beforehand. Are you on a special diet now? enndee