Lynn B

55 lbs down - 30 since surgery 10 weeks ago - Very Very Happy.

I had my first fill at 7 weeks - is it your doctors standard practice to do them this soon? I also hear at least 6 weeks to heal.

You can download the card from inameds site but I have never gotten it to print right. I got mine from my nutritionist (they come with every band in the packaging, you doctor should have some stashed about) http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94832C_LB_Patient_Card.pdf

I had my first fill at 7 weeks at my second post op check up with the doc. I was losing but was also hungry every two hours so he put 1.5 cc in my 4 cc band but he left it up to me. If I had told him that I was satisfied he wouldn't have done a fill - talk with your doctor and work out what is best for you. Good luck!

The IL one seems hard to use. I went to my state site plugged in my doctors name and up his info came. You can call his office and get his license number and try running that through the IL state on. There are also bunches of sites that will give you a whole profile...some of them start around $8. Good luck,

I stayed out of work for 4 days for my gallbladder but mine was not acting up when they removed it. If the gallbladder is really bad you may need a little extra time to recover. Any rapid weight loss can produce stones in the Gallbladder and people that have lost and gained a bunch tend to have issue. I had stones and didn't even know it but my doctor took out my gallbladder before installing my band to avoid any future problems. He said that we could leave it in but chances were that it would be infected within six months of being banded. Sorry you got sick on your vacation but don't worry about the surgery - IMO it was much much easier than the band. Good luck,

Every state has a medical board that you can look into - On the web you can find very general info. You may get more complete info by sending them a request. For your state try here https://www.idfpr.com/dpr/licenselookup/default.asp

Hi, This is for your pre-op liquids? Make sure you keep your protien up so that your body has enough to heal after surgery. Try Isopure - clear protien drinks if you are on clear liquids or a protien suppliment if you are on full liquids. The extra protien will really help your body during and after sugery. Good luck!

Sitting here eating it now - its the first time since being banded that I have had it and so far so good. I have a microwave popper that doesn't use oil so its just the corn, a lot of salt (oh well) and a few squirts of "I can't believe its not butter". Yum Yum

Thankfully I have not had the fun of BPing yet. I have gotten stuck once or twice. Chicken was the first one but I wasn't listening to my body. I was talking and it was my last little bite, should have known not to stick it in my mouth. 10 min of walking made it pass and I was fine. Second episode was Bumble Bee Tuna steaks (in the foil pouch) I am not sure if I didn't chew well enough or what but by the 5th bite I was in agony (not to the point of crying) but it felt like a tried to swallow a large pill and it stuck right in my chest. It took about 20 min to get over this one - a very airy burp finally gave me relief. I have lost 50 lbs (25 since surgery - I am 2 months out on 11/12/05) so to me a half hour of pain caused mainly by my inattention has been worth it. Good luck.

Welcome to the club - try a sippy cup (for toddlers) to slow down the Water. That and baby utesils when you start eating tend to keep your bites small enought. Good luck!

I weigh daily (some time a couple of times a day just to get a feeling for how I fluctuate) but I only pay attention to my Monday morning weigh in (that is the weight I use for the week) No shoes but I keep my PJ's on.

9/12/05-10:30am Arrived at BIDMC, waited about a half hour before being brought into pre-op, one of my anesthesiologist came and started my IV (BIDMC is a teaching hospital so although he got my IV in with no problems you could tell that he needed to practice more - he almost forgot to put on gloves - but he did a good job). 2pm still waiting to go into the OR - they were cleaning the room - must have been the cleanest one around when they were done. The anesthesiologist came and wheeled me into the OR - My main anesthesiologist is also my surgeons wife - Stephanie Jones, she was wonderful - she went out and talked with my Mom after surgery and told her that I wake up very well. 3:45ish Surgery went great - no problems, I lost 25lbs before so my doctor was able to fit me with the smaller band. Recovery - my first though "What in the hell have I done" I was in pain but that was quickly remedied. 5pm Into my room (my room mate had been taken to brain surgery and did not return until the next day) I rested comfortably - had a morphine pain button that I could dose myself with - Wonderful. Nothing by mouth until tomorrow but the mouth swabs are great for getting that dry feeling in your mouth and throat to go away. Vitals ever hour or so - I don't remember what time I got up for my first walk - it must have been around 8pm. One lap down the hallway and back - the nurse said that was enough for day one. 9pm-7am I don't sleep well away from home and this was no exception I was away every hour and the night crawled by but I wasn't in any pain. 9/13/05-9am my IV stopped flowing - I was getting back in bed from a walk and bent my arm and that was it - no more IV. A nurse tried to start one in my hand but couldn't get it - no fluids and no morphine - but still OK. 10:30am Transport came to take me down to have the barium swallow done - still no IV but my nurse got me a couple of Morphine injections - oww. Fluoroscopy was awesome (barium is not as bad as the clear stuff they make you drink first - gag) I got to see my port and all my plumbing - pretty cool! Back to my room - more walking - went to the solarium to read. Got to have my 1oz of water by mouth - it was sooo good. 12:30ish tolerated water well so I got to have 1oz strawberry CIB per hour. Not bad. Walking & resting. IV nurse came to start an IV - tried two additional locations with no luck - said that they should put a long line in my whole arm (I think not) - feeling like a human pin cushion. Got my catheter out - Yay. 1pm another IV nurse arrives - told her to go away that I was leaving in a few hours and she wasn't poking me anymore - she left. 3pm Peed - cleared to go home!!! 5pm Chocolate CIB for dinner - Yum. 6pm My surgeon stops by to check on me. Told me I could stay and leave tomorrow. I had to convince him I was good to go (I needed to get some sleep and it wasn't going to happen there). He reluctantly agreed (Dr. Jones is so over protective - I like that in a doctor) Home by 8pm exhausted, sore but happy. (all times are approximate as morphine has a way of making you a little fuzzy)

If you got a spirometer from the hospital (the breathing thingy with the ball that Lisa discribed) I would use it as much as possible - clears the lungs up and prevents pneumonia. If not take very deep breaths several times an hour - it really does help. If you doctor is local he may also be able to get you one. Good luck,

I went out with the girls friday after work and had one cranberry juice and parot bay rum. I enjoyed it and stopped at one. Drinking poses no problem for me other than the calories in the mixers. At home or at friends houses I do vodka with lemonade crystal light and have had no weight gain from it - but always in moderation. Good luck,

I have found that most chewable calcium is calcium carbonate. Calcium citrate is absorbed more easily and is recomended by my nutrionist for RNY patients because they mal-absorb. Band patients can take either one because we don't mal-absorb. We also need less calcium for that same reason. The nutritionish said 1100 for band and 1500 for RNY. I bought the GNC chewable in cherry flavor - very good! Hope this helps,

I got a 47 - right on track (but I have to agree with Lisa, Dr. Phil is an @$$, IMO) 41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

Hi, when you were released from the hospital were you tolerating liquids? If not they shouldn't have let you go. You don't need to worry about nurishment at this point but hydration is a must. If you can not keep Water down go to the ER now. Dry heaves at this point are detrimental to your band placement and must be stopped. I would call the doctors office every 15 min until they had someone that can help you get back to you. I hope you feel better soon! Good luck, <!--StartFragment -->

Hi, I lost 18 lbs between surgery and my first fill at 7 weeks. I was afraid to do damage to the new surgical site so I followed the doctors eating guide lines almost to perfection. I know that "dieting" is hard for most of us but I would recomend trying to stay with in your doctors guidlines during this time so that you don't do any damage to your new pouch or band. Now that I've said that - I did eat a couple of things that I shouldn't have but I made sure that I chewed well and kept the portions very very small. The first 6 weeks is for healing so don't be to concerned about loss during this time, just pamper your pouch and keep your foods soft. Good luck,

Hi all I have found that there is a lack of support groups in my area. It seems that Boston or Hyannis are the two big locations and they are both to far for me to travel on a regular basis. I am thinking of starting a support group that would meet some where in between. I just wanted to get a head count of anyone that would be interested. I will be getting some training and will need to secure a location so it won't be immediate (unless you would like to have an informal get together to meet everyone) Let me know

Congrats on the loss - that is awesome. I fall asleep the minute the plane leaves the runway - happens every time. I took a red eye from LAX to Logan in Boston and slept all 6 hours - except when they brought Snacks (of course). Bring some gum to chew during take off and landing - it will help your ears pop and equalize the pressure so it doesn't hurt (just don't swallow it). Also, I have never gotten motion sickness but a pop a dramamine every time just in case. Have fun!!

Hi, the meeting in Hyannis is at Cape Cod Hospital - to far for me. I registered for some training and will let everyone know how it goes.

Your still in the rough spot - at 6 weeks out I feel totally normal (have since about 4 1/2 weeks out). It may not feel like it now but things do get better - just tough through it and it will pay off in the end. Keep using the pain meds as long as you need to - your body heals better when you are not in pain. I went back to work on day 9 and came home every night for the first week and fell a sleep. Now I cant even tell that I had surgery except for the funky little port - If I put my hand on it when I walk I can feel it. Good luck!

You can find me on ebay at lab012189. If you like the Liquid silver style I would wait - the one on there is glass beads but I have some real liquid silver on order (as well as some Swarovski Crystal and some neat silver barreled beads) and it should be here soon.

I got my tag from diabeticdrugstore.com - for just the tag it was $16 with shipping. I have been making my own bracelets and also selling them on ebay. If you would like me to make some bracelets for you just email me and I will send you the link to my web site (still working out some of the bugs with the site)