keri

Hello- I had my surgery at MIBC and my insurance (Aetna) paid -but only after appeals- My experience has been great- I have enjoyed the staff their- and my surgery went on without a hitch- I would recommend it to anyone- I LOVE MY BAND!!!! Best Luck to you all- keep on researching.

Hi- I had my surgery at MIBC with Dr. Horgan- I don't have a fill yet- but have heard from others that fills aren't so bad- everyone's experience is different. My surgery and experience there have been great- Best wishes to you.

Yummy food- Today I had my friend over for some lunch and scrap booking and made a Tuna Nicoise salad- Field Greens Fresh Tuna- seasoned with salt/pepper- grilled with a little olive oil and chopped Fresh green beans- steamed until bright green- plunged in cold h20- Hard boiled egg- chopped Roma Tomatoes- sliced Calamata olives- chopped Red Potatoes- lightly boild- cooled and quartered Bleu Cheese- a little sprinkle on top Paul Newman's Lighten Up Honey Mustard dressing- Light and great for a summer lunch- it's all I've had today and still full- Another great mushie/solid treat is The new Sugar free/fat free Lemon pudding mix- made with skim milk- layered in a parfait glass with fresh blueberries and crushed gingersnaps. I think I can handle this band- feeling good- only down a couple more lbs since I started mushies/solids- but walking, Water and Protein are my new friends- Well and of course all of you too!! Rock On Bandsters-

Help me! I was being such a good little bandster......and then came the holiday weekend-I'm not filled yet- and I haven't had any rejection from any type of food- but I was doing okay- hungry but okay- Then we had friends over this weekend on two occassions- while I cooked I snacked- then I realized what I was doing and sat down to eat my cottage cheese- instead of junk- then while I sat down to dinner with friends I realized I was drinking/eating at the same time! Yikes- I stopped- we all went out for cocktails and I had iced tea...I guess I won some battles- But- today I had my 1/2 veggie burger-- then some grilled chicken, avacodo and salad- doing good- came home and ate FRITOS!!!! Why can't I stop this junk food binge? Help- I'm worried I'm going to make my pouch stretch from this weekend- and I'm only 3 weeks out from surgery. any thoughts???

Thank you Vinesqueen and Jack- I just needed to stop beating myself up over some damn corn chips- it's a good thing that the days of "flogging" are over..... I did take a nice 2 mile walk last night- made some healthy chiken salad and renewed my faith in myself! I was overly concerned about the hardness of my port area- thinking I had somehow stretched my pouch- I think it's just scar tissue- Anyway- Cheers to you both- (with my Peach Propel in hand) Take care. Viva La Band!!

Hi Paula- What a great post! It's so easy to forget the simple things in life- I'm going to print this out and keep at my desk and on my refrigerator! Thanks for shring your postive thoughts! Take care.

I searched to see if anyone else had this concern or question- I can feel my port- which I know is normal- but after I eat the area surrounding my port- around incision and a little above (port incision is below my left breast) feels hard when I poke it- I know stop poking it! : ) But- seriously- it doesn't hurt- it isn't red or inflammed- I did cheat a little on Sunday- but I have been following the mushies- eating 2 hard boiled eggs in the a.m- lunch is usually a few ounces chix or tuna salad with 3 crackers and sometimes sf Jello or a popsicle for a snack and usually more tuna salad for dinner- Am I doing something wrong??? No fill yet. I've read you can get pouch dillalation from binging or over eating- I may have eaten too much on sunday- but otherwise- I've been cautious- What do you guys think? Has this happened to anyone else??? Signed- newly banded and a little scared!

Thanks Vinesqueen and Donali- I'm still a little freaked out- I searched to see if anyone else had this cooncern or question- I can feel my port- which I know is normal- but after I eat the area surrounding my port- around incision and a little above (port incision is below my left breast) feels hard when I poke it- I know stop poking it! : ) But- seriously- it doesn't hurt- it isn't red or inflammed- I did cheat a little on Sunday- but I have been following the mushies- eating 2 hard boiled eggs in the a.m- lunch is usually a few ounces chix or tuna salad with 3 crackers and sometimes sf Jello or a popsicle for a snack and usually more tuna salad for dinner- Am I doing something wrong??? No fill yet. I've read you can get pouch dillalation from binging or over eating- I may have eaten too much on sunday- but otherwise- I've been cautious- What do you guys think? Has this happened to anyone else??? Signed- newly banded and a little scared!

Lanie- Keep researching and reading this board- as you can see everyone is pretty open and we all share even persoanl issues/questions- I was a research-a-holic and the the more I read the better I felt about my surgery The folks on this board have been my little band of angels- DeLarla, Penni, Alex, Zoe, La Madam, Jack, Vinesqueen, Dylansmom, Vera, Kathy, Julie Dizz, Princess and Pea, Jamie, harleynana, chicagoboy, and too many to name (I can see their little wings flapping right now) I LOVE MY BAND!!!!

we are planning a Le Bad Cinema party- we have had a few- it's where we get together and watch terrible movies with a group of friends- I get to cook up a bunch of fun food- (boo-hoo- and not eat any of it) that's okay- I'm quite content with my mushies... Anyway- in the past we have enjoyed Russ Meyer movies, Ed Wood, Gigli, Redneck Zombies from hell, Motel hell, and way too many to mention.... We will probably catch fireworks afterwards! Happy fourth everyone- stay cool....and safe. DeLarla- you crack me up about the packing- I hate packing and also end up waiting until the last minute!! Have fun.

Yummy mushies!Yahoo I started on mushies this week- I'm in heaven! I have a great suggestion for mushies with a little flavor- Chicken(white meat) the high end canned variety from Trader Joe's with light mayo and a coupe drops of bbq sauce- it's a yummy bbg chix salad- I've never been so glad to have tuna and cottage cheese in my life- and I'l addicted to lemon and melon propel too. I'm down about 20 lbs. was a few more before i added mushies-but my doc said to expect that- no fill yet- I'm supposed to wait 4-6 weeks before fill- I've been logging food on fitday.com- I'm at 80g protein and about 1000-1100 calories- Any other ideas for lowfat, high protein mushie favorites?

Oh Kathy- I forgot to add- we used to have Melrose parties too!! The good ole days- wine and homemade pizza and the over the top drama of Billy, Amanda and Alison...

beisng a former chef muself- i am also addicted to Hell's kitchen....oh help me- I love bad reality t.v.- my poor girlfriend just groans everytime it's on and says it's the downfall of society...I Love It!!! Here are some of my favs: Meet the Barkers, Real World, Blow out, Nanny 911, trading spouses... Boy- it feels good to admit it and now I feel like I need to take a shower and read something intelligent!

You go Zoe! That's a fabulous NSV- I look foward to that day! You are inspirational.

Hey Soonergirl- Congrats-Welcome to bandland- you are doing great- I felt the pressure in my tummy too! My belly was sticking out! It does go down- walking is great and use a heating pad on your back when you lay down- it helps the dicomfort- the shoulder pain will go away- it takes a few days- be kind to yourself- drink as much h20 as you can --sip sip sip! Yeah for you!!

Old food thread- which I thought was hilarious..... My Dad's speciality when he had to cook dinner for us- well it was either pigs in a blanket(my favorite) or fried egg and Peanut Butter sandwiches on toast- It's sooooo dreamy- I kid you not- we were also big on grilled pb&j sandwiches- where the jelly would turn into molten lava and burn your tongue.

i have Aetna- but a PPO and was orignally denied but I appealed and was approved for coverage- I was banded on 6/15.

I work for Starbucks as a Regional Food Specialist- yep that's right Food!!! How ironic? I've been in the restaurant business for the past 10 years- went to Culinary school- worked as a chef, restaurant mgr, my own catering company and then onto Starbucks- Love my job- can't eat a damn thing- BUT- I'm onto mushies and have never ben so glad to have tuna with light mayo in my whole life. Love my band....waiting for a fill.....

Congrats on your band! you'll feel better every day! Use that heating pad on your back and cold pack on your tummy- and drink lots of H20 --it really helps- when you can start walking around more- it helps too. Best wishes to you.

I have to admit- after being banded on 6/15 I have had some hunger- so I have done laundry, given myself a manicure, talked on the phone, obsessively read this forum!!, gone out for a leisurely cup of broth with one of my buddies, and sometimes just gone to bed early! I keep reminding myself it's for me- there is no real reward food provides for me anymore- I'm down 19-20 since my band and I'm treating myself to a pedicure today. Also- when those emotions crop up (mad, sad, happy, etc) it's not food time anymore and that can be a challenge- I'm learning that- sometimes the hard way- snapping at my spouse.....not a good idea- I have to actually think about what's wrong and deal with it. Stay strong. You'll do great.

Batman Begins was fabulous! I loved it.

You'll be fine- I had my band done on 6-15 and I feel pretty much back to normal. did use a heating pad on my back while I slept the first week which helped alot- I also walked around alot to relieve the gas pains- but I haven't had the weird gas shoulder pain for at least 5 days. I was liberal with the pain meds- back at work the Monday after my Wed surgery- but I was also very kind to myself lots and lots of water- came home after work and stretched out to rest. Allow your self this time to heal and don't be too anxious about getting back to full reality- let yourself be pampered a little! I had my one week checkup on Wed and have lost 20 lbs. since I started liquids on 6/5. I get to have pureed foods on next Wed- I can't wait. Rock On June Bandsters- We are like June brides!!

Kathy- Try to find some of the new wrap stylr shirts- or the deep v-neck cotton shirts that look like a wrap shirt- I have big boobs and tummy- and I always get compliments when I wear wrap shirts- they have a low v neckline(accent the positive) and they make the waist area look smaller. I find them at Lane Bryant alot- aometimes Avenue- Can't wait till I can shop just about anywhere for cloths! Take care.

Melissa- I'm in Chicago area too- Who did your band? Was it MIBC? Just curious.

Hi- I'm on clear liquids for one week and starting on week 2 can add full liquids- week 3 is purreed foods but still liquidy- applesauce, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. I was told to get as many fluids as possible- need 64 oz per day after surgery- am constantly sipping- but I am feeling good- hungry but good- I five days post op and going to work today- Was anyone else feeling HUNGRY on weeks 1 & 2? I don't have any saline in my band- My dr. does a fill on weeks 4-6- so I wonder how everyone did on those weeks w/o a fill and felt hunger for actually food- not broth!!!! It is probably "head hunger"