Fordgal88

Hope all went well today April, let me know if you need anything. I had a great weekend. My friend and I flew to Detroit to see New Kids On The Block!! LOL!! It was the first time I have flown since I had surgery. It was so nice to fit comfortably in an airplane seat. The pics are on my myspace if you want to see. I wasnt a huge fan when I was a kid, but the concert has to be in my top 3 for fun! Jason sounds like you are at a sweetspot. Lisa told me that I should be able to eat a little less than the size of my palm in a chicken breast. Good job!! =) Shawna

Wow just catching up on all the posts. I am sorry that your first fill was so rough, Jason. Lisa has always done mine. I must have just missed you at the Dr.s office. I got there about 2:10 and was in the waiting room with about a 1000 other people and they called me right back and Lisa came in and saw that I had lost 20lbs since my last fill and decided that we would not do a fill. I have another appt for December. I was glad, cuz I would hate to be too tight. Hope your nutrition class goes well April. I was going to tell you if you wanted to go to support group with me you could meet me at my house and we could ride together - that will save you some on gas. Just let me know! T-shirts sound cool. Hope everyone else is well!! =) Shawna

Meeting was great today. Lots of great questions. Of course my favorite was the "sex" question. It was good meeting you Jason! And yep I got up and gave my story. As for your first fill... Dont worry. I did not lose any weight between my first and second fill. Then all of the sudden... BOOM the weight started coming off. It really took my about 4 months post op before it really started kicking in. I think the support groups are great and really help you stay motivated. Hope everyone is doing well!! =) Shawna

Glad to see everyone doing so good!! Wendy dont get discouraged. You know when I went back for my 2nd fill I actually gained a pound!! That fill was the one that got me started losing. I am now down 51lbs!! And I am really starting to know myself. Food is not running my life anymore. I have learned when to stop eating. I am really learning my band and it is sooo cool! People are starting to notice and that is neat. This is the lowest I have been in 8 years. I am planning on attending support group on Saturday. Anyone else? =) Shawna

Congrats on your approval. I was banded by Dr. Miles on May 6, 2008. It has been a great experience so far with few issues. Dr. Miles is a great surgeon and you will be in great hands. This site is a great place for questions and inspiration. Look forward to seeing your progress! =) Shawna

I will dig them out for ya. They are very useful and make you feel a whole lot more comfortable shooting with a DSLR. My next appt is on the 20th too. What time is yours? Im at 3:30. =)

Hope everything went well nmy!! Things only get better! Jason, did your camera come with the dvd's that show you about it. If not let me know and I will burn a copy of mine (after I find them) and bring them to the next support group meeting. Hope everyone is great! Things are just peachy here!! =) Shawna

You will love your D40x - That is what I use for my business (along with a D60). Great camera and you will so love the pictures it takes!! We had a busy weekend. My youngest son turned 8 on Saturday and we went to the movies and to dinner (He wanted applebees cuz they sing to you). I decided to try some steak. I got a 9oz sirloin and ate about 1/4 of it with about 2 tbsp of potatoes and 1/2 of the steamed veggies. So I got to have it yesterday too. I have really learn to love my leftovers. Yesterday we went to the zoo. It is so nice not to hide behind the camera so much. I actually got my husband to take a picture of me and my son. It is sad because there are not many pictures of me and my family because I was so embarrassed by my appearance. Not any more!! Hope everyone else is doing well. =)

I agree with Di. I am doing great!! The bumps were in the beginning before I got restriction and learned my band. But now I am averaging 1-2lbs a week! You really dont need anything for the nutrition class. They give you a workbook and you can write notes in it. I used it alot in the beginning. I am starting to notice my loss now. My scrubs are sooo baggy. I just hate to buy new ones. And of course my husband has noticed my woman parts are shrinkin...LOL Hope everyone has a great weekend and doing well!! Roll Tide! Shawna

Anytime you are going to be under for an extended period of time they will intubate you. If you are concerned, then talk to your surgeon or someone with Anesthesia. They will give you some anesthesia through your IV and then they will intubate you and normally they will remove the tube before you are awake. I work in surgery and they take all precautions necessary to prevent any kinds of complications. You are in good hands! HTH Shawna

LOL Di!! I didnt get to make it Saturday. I had sooo much going on with the wedding. Thank goodness that is all overwith! So was there any interesting topics? April congrats on getting a date! It will be here before you know it! Things are going good here. I still think I am at my "sweet spot". I did have some issues with reflux last week, but I think it was my biotin capsule getting stuck when I went to bed. I stopped taking it at night and the reflux stopped. I was scared I was too tight. But I think its better now. The weather is getting nice out. I am going to start walking this week. Maybe walk 3 days and 2 days of Wii Fit. I am hoping that will make for a fun exercise routine. Hope all is well with everyone! =) Shawna

I think those tests are dependant on your health situation. I only had to have the sleep study and bloodwork done by my pcp. I had my seminar in August 2007, first appt with Dr. Miles on October 4, 2007 and had my surgery on May 6, 2008. So appr 9 months from start to finish. =) Still hoping to be able to attend the meeting tomorrow. But I have sooo much to do for the wedding tomorrow afternoon, it is still iffy. Hope everyone is doing well! =) Shawna

Welcome back Di!! I was wondering where you were! I am going to try my hardest to be at the meeting on Saturday. I have a wedding to photograph at 1pm. So as long as I can get to Pelham in time, there should be no problem. I hope you can make it Wendy! It will be great seeing you again!! Looking forward to seeing all of yall!!

Its Great to see both of you AA and CG doing so well!! The next few weeks are the hardest. But you will get through it in no time at all. CG we will have to get together soon and start walking. Wendy it is great hearing from you!! How have you been? I hope everyone has a good weekend!! Roll Tide!!

Just thought I would post a link for this great food journal I have used over the years. Site - www.doithome.com It is downloadable so it is much quicker than journaling online. You can download it for free but if you pay for it (I think it is 39.99) you can customize it to the amount of weight you would like to lose and for different diet plans. It has a great food list, but you can add to it if what you are not looking for is not in there. Just thought I would share for those who journal. =) Shawna

Great to see everyone still kicking. I will be thinking about you today aprilapple!! Jason - you are kickin booty!! Be careful with the pickles they are sooo high in sodium and it might cause you to retain some the Fluid you are taking in. I love them too!! All is still decent with this fill (my 3rd). I have had a few days where I had to fight the head hunger demons, but I am starting to learn my band. I am still wondering about portions though. Does anyone know the optimal portion size for a band patient? I am hoping to be at the next support group meeting. My nephew is getting married that day, but I think I will have time to make the meeting too. How come the bypass patients get more than 1 day a month for support group? I wish we had a choice of another day besided Saturday. I have so much going on Saturdays. It would be easier to do go on a weekday night. Great to see everyone doing well! Let us know how everything went aprilapple! =) Shawna

First of all! You are Rockin Jason!! Keep up the great work! April I had my surgery on a Tuesday and was back at work on Monday. It wasnt bad. Just be sure and rest as much as possible! As for the nutrition class. You are in a class room with others (probably anywhere from 15 - 25 people). You will meet the infamous Veronica and she will share her story and then go through what to expect. It is very informative. Then the nutritionist will come in and explain what to look for in the foods you eat. It was a great class and you dont weigh in. As for your pre-op, first you will register and pay your copay. Then you will go back for testing. They will weigh you, draw blood, run an ekg and tell you anything you might need to know for the day of surgery. It is pretty quick and the nurses are very friendly. It is not intimidating at all. You should be fine. =)

Wow Jason, sounds like you are doing great!! Well I had my first stomach virus post banding Wednesday night/Thursday Morning! Not a pretty site. I had taken some pics of a baby on Monday who had came down with it on Tuesday. Whew that stuff travels fast! I was so scared I was going to do something to my band, I took the anti-nausea meds and they didnt help. I threw up for about 12 hours! But I did drink some fluids about noon yesterday and I kept them down and then had dinner and kept it down so I guess all is well with my band. I will pay close attention to it the next few days to be sure. But it was rough. I am more sore today than I was after the surgery....LOL! I hope everyone else is doing well!!

I am so glad everything went well Jason!! Welcome to the other side! The staff is very good! You might receive a survey in the mail in a couple of weeks, be sure an fill it out and send it back in with your honest answers. That is how we get our bonuses/raises. =) Hope you had a good night! =) Shawna

Yes, its normal. Sometimes the gas gets trapped up there, it should ease up some in the next week. Also you might want to try some gas-x strips. My shoulders hurt now when I start to get full. I have read that its one of those nerve things from the band being close to my diaphram. I hope everything else is going well!! =) Shawna

Thank you Southrn and Di! So far I have not had any problems with constipation, thank goodess! I do try to make sure I get in as much fiber as I can. Di did you see our group pic on the banders4life website? LOL we are famous!!:wink2: I think so far so good. I think I know the full feeling we are all looking for. Yesterday, I had oatmeal for bfast and soup for lunch and decided to eat "normal stuff" for dinner. So I made weinies and kraut (chopped kraut), blackeye peas and mac & cheese. I fixed my portions at maybe 2 TBSP each and I was satisfied. It was weird. Its like the food just sort of sticks with you. I really hope it stays. =)

Had fill #3 yesterday. I had some pretty descent restriction, but felt like I could use a little more. So I got another 1/2cc, so now I have 6cc's in my band. I told Lisa that I hope that this is the "sweet spot" she told me to make my next fill appt for 6 weeks and if I feel okay then put it off for 2 weeks. I was so worried that I would be too tight and have to go back. But so far so good. I had soup for dinner and oatmeal for breakfast and more soup for lunch and a piece of banana. I have some great restriction so far so I am keeping my fingers crossed it stays. Looks like things are coming along for yall. Im so happy to see all the progress everyone is making!! =) Shawna

It was great meeting you on Saturday Di! You know what James was talking about - about the insurance paying the hospital but not paying Dr. Miles? Well my claim finally went through and it paid for the hernia repair but not the band part of the surgery!! So it claims I owe $2900 to Dr. Miles.... Ugh!! I am thankful I heard about this Saturday, so I was not shocked into a heart attack... I will call the insurance today to see what is up and what I need to do!! Hope everyone else is doing well!! =) Shawna

Jason R - Just a tip - Broth was ALOT nastier than I had ever anticipated. Just smelling it cook made me gag - What I did was strain chicken noodle Soup and it was ALOT easier. Your preadmission testing will consist of an EKG and drawing some blood and to fill you in what you need to do the morning of surgery - no big deal. =) Shawna

Good luck with your CPap April! Mine was such a nightmare. Just be sure you do it for at least 6-7 hours a night. I suggest taking some sleeping meds until you get used to it. I hated mine. Now it just sits in my bedroom in its case collecting dust. I am so glad to have that overwith. Glad to see youre still kickin Wendy!! I will try and get to SVE by 9:30 in the am. I am so looking forward to it, plus it is my first meeting since being banded! WooHoo!! Hope everyone has a nice Friday evening. =)