Bandme08

Kimberly, I agree with Kerri- talk to the bariatric center- see what they can do- who knows- the new company may have even better coverage! Keep up the good work with the 6 month diet, and keep us informed! Is there any way for them to push your surgery up to be before 1/1/09? Maybe if they can schedule as soon as they have the psyc consult back- just keep asking- the squeeky wheel gets the grease! Keep us informed! Sarah

K pod i see you at the bottom of the screen

Hey Kerri- What am I doing wrong?? I am still going between 216-218 back and forth- no more loss- I have to wonder if the fill leaked out as the CT scan showed a bit of free fluid around my port. I have no restriction, but I do feel full about 10 minutes after I eat about 1 cup =/- of food. That is way too much to eat to loose- I am also having alot of trouble getting protein in. My jaw is better- just a muscle problem I guess. I'm not snacking or eating the wrong stuff- I am really getting sick of this plateau- I'm afraid of gaining wt before my next fill, seeing as the loss isnt' happening! I see the dietician on tuesday, so maybe she can give me some suggestions. I would have thought that simply changing the way I eat would have resulted in loss- but no... SOrry to ramble on like this, I am just really getting frusterated! I dont want to wait 8 weeks for a fill! I'm thinking that maybe if I tell them there was fluid around the port they will at least check my fill amount in the office, just to be sure it didn't leak- I certainly dont want to go 8 weeks unfilled!!! Man, sorry- it just sucks right now! How are you doing? another 2 lbs! you are only 40 from goal!! Yeh!! It seems like the last fill really did it for you, although I hope it isn't too tight! Take care- chat later... Sarah

K Pod- 8 lbs before the end of the summer- no prob! Especially since you just had a fill! I suspect you will be at goal by halloween, if not earlier! Glad the ricc and sauce went down ok- the first few swollen days suck! I feel very little restriction now- but I am back on fluids and really soft drinkable mushies- I injured my jaw when It was shut in the car door by accident on Saturday- my dr was not impressed to see me back in the office for another injury- I cannot open my mouth any more than enough to take a sip- and I cannot chew- they think I may have cracked my jaw just below my ear. Well, if I dont' drop some serious lbs this way, I dont know what i'll do! They want me to relax my jaw for 3 days- no chewing, to see if it's muscular or an acutal crack- if it's not better in 3 days- more x rays, and possibly more, that I dont' even want to think about! talk later- sarah

Kimberly- I believe the 2,000 you have to pay in regards to your insurance may be the deductible for your insurance plan, Many have it so you pay the first $2,000 out of pocket for any medical bills, then they take over a certain % of the remaining for the year. I would call your ins company and find out if that is the case! Congrats on getting an earlier psyc eval date! The 2.5 hrs consist of you sitting on a couch in front of the shrink and he asks you about your childhood, fears, he wants you to tell him about the surgery, and why you want it, making sure you know what is involved. Then you sit in a "closet" with a 300 question test- most questions are repeated. They ask you "how many in the past year have you ..." and questions like " how important is God to you", etc, I think they are looking to see if you are consistant in your thoughts, as they ask the same 20 questions just in a different way. They ask about how many suicide attempts you have made in the past, and how many times you have thown up food after eating it (well, when I had the flu...) just dont read too much into it and you will do fine. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. To top it all off, I now have to see a oral surgeon- my jaw has been killing me since my face was shut in the car door on Saturday- I may have a cracked jawbone. Man, the surgery was a piece of cake- but I'm falling apart every where else! Good luck with getting your date before the end of the year! Talk to them at the center- tell them the situation, that your insurance may be changing after 1/1/09, to see if they can push up the date- It's happened to some people on this site before, and it's worth a shot! Sarah hahahaha

Kerri- ok to finish what the stupid storm interrupted- ANYWAY- The wedding was fine- 5:00 in the morning at Pemaquid Lighthouse- sunrise wedding- I threateded to show up in my pj's and a robe- we had the wedding, and breakfast reception, and was back home, 20 minutes away by 9:00am. It made the rest of the day go by really slow-Anyway- I made a cheesecake filled coffee cake cake in strawberry and blueberry flavors- too dense for me to eat. I still find that I can eat almost everything I could eat before- it stinks. Dr McKee will be on vacation at my 6 week next fill appt time, so I have to wait for 8 weeks to get my next fill- I really hope that if I dont get really good restriction with that one they will let me get the next one at 5 weeks or even 4 weeks... I don't know- I just really want to get to onederland! SO, we have a tradition in my family that when we decorate the getaway car with "just married" paraphanalia, we always find out where the newlyweds are staying that night- and redecorate the car in the middle of the night- well, they didn't plan on going anywhere, just were going to drive up north and find something- they new what would happen if they told us where they were going- so, payback is a bit@h- my brother and I went up to their house, and decorated all 3 vehicles, and all the tires, and put tie wraps on all the axles of the cars and trucks so they make a racket going down the road. We also decorated the windows of the front porch with "just married" in 1'5" letters that you can see 1000 feet from the road. we decorated the mailbox, the inside windows, the outside garage windows, the tail light covers to the cars and trucks- you name it, i'ts been decorated. That'll teach em to try to pull a fast one on us!! Well, the kids are screaming for chinese food, so I guess I'll take em out tonight- maybe I can even eat some! Good luck with the fill- I hope you don't have to get unfilled! maybe the swelling just has to go down, and the squash might have made it swell even more- give it a reasonable amount of time- but don't get yourself in trouble waiting too long! Is at least water going down now? Maybe you could try something cold like popsicles- they will help any swelling go down, as well as hydrate you! Good luck, let me know! Sarah

Hi Kimberly, Thank you for your kind thoughts! The ER dr said the Dr Trieu told her that the only complication that could have caused alot of damage would have been if the fill needle penetrated the peritenium. It didn't. He said that if it had I would have had pretty much instant pain, my pain didn't begin until Monday. I still have alot of deep pain near the injection site, as well as where the adhesions are. The pain around the injection site is getting better day by day. I think I just need to accept that this is the way I will be for about a week post fill. Not alot of fun, but If I know it's coming, I can plan for it. I'm glad your journey is progressing! I have Dr Mckee, but Dr Trieu was more than helpfull as the Dr on call. He said that if it were soley a band related issue to ship me to Augusta via ambulance, and he would do whatever nessecary that night- Very accomodating. I just can't wait for the scales to start to drop again- I am getting discouraged as all out, and with discouragement comes eating. Something I have tried so hard to stop! Snacking is the kiss of death with the band. I also feel almost no restriction right now, so alot of regular food is going down- chewed to nothing of course! Well, I'm glad the weather has improved! Take care, and keep in touch- Sarah

Oh man, Kerri- that sucks! Maybe it's the sauce chunks that are getting stuck! Have you tried to strain the sauce and then heat it with the ricotta? Oh man, getting stuck is not good! The squash incident was really too soon, then, huh? I hope it goes down today! I do see that you are down another 2 lbs! I hope it's not due to dehydration! when I came home from the hospital the other day, I had gone back up to 218! I gained 4 lbs in fluids in the hospital! It takes 1.5 days for your body to rid itself of the wt of 1 bag, so I figure..sooner or later- gotta go- power is flickering= tsorms! Sarah

Kerri- The fever was caused by dehydration. I couldn't keep anything down or want to drink or eat since Monday. They gave me 4 bags of fluid, which packed on about 1-2 lbs. I am waiting a few days before I weigh myself. They made me drink CT contrast- 2 quarts of fluid in 1 hr- I got so sick trying to drink all of that through that restricted pouch! My hospital is revising it's policies for banded people- Im the first they had with the band that needed a CT scan. Anyway, I am feeling a little better, but there is a sharp pulling pain around the place they accessed the port. You mentioned that you had pain there too... I'm so sorry you slimed! Man, it dosent take much, does it! I guess that fill is working! Have a good night- baking wedding cake as I type- later Sarah

Hey Kerri- Sorry it's been a few days- Ive been in the hospital. I had my first fill on friday, and on Monday I had a fever, naseau, and did my best to prevent vomitting. Major right sided abdominal pain, too. I called the Ctr to see if it could be an infection from the fill, and they told me my Dr isnt' in until friday. That was Tuesday- i'm not waiting- I go to my PCP who wants to call an amulance to take me to the hospital and admit me for possible infection or appendicitis. on the CT scan they saw free fluid in an area right around my port. Unsure if it's the port leaking into the muscle or not. Also, this is tmi- but they didnt find appendicitis or ovarian cysts, but they did see that my (tmi) uterus is being pulled over to the right side of my body by adhesions- scar tissue- from my 2 c sections. So, I've been amped up on morphine every hour on the hour since Tuesday noon. nothing to eat or drink since Monday, as they wanted me NPO in case they suddenly had to operate. I left earlier than my dr wanted me to, he wanted me to stay for another day or 2, but I have nobody to watch the kids- the ex works fri, sat, sun, and Dad's wedding is Saturday, of which I am doing the cake. Enough is enough- my dr instantly blamed the band, as he has been against it all along, pretty much. The ER Dr, who I know anyway, was wonderful! She spoke with Dr Trieu for a bit on the phone, and was going to ship me to Augusta for a surgical consult with him, then ship me back to our hospital for a surgical consult with our regular surgeon. I said that if Dr Trieu was going to operate, he does more than just bariatrics, and everything could have been done at one place- so, short story long, no surgery- thank god, at least for now/ I go back to my dr and surgeon next week to see if the adhesions should be freed as not to pull my uterus out of place- uch! Glad to see you are doing well! Keep up the good work, and I might type something tomorrow that makes sence, as I am still high on morphine! Sarah

Ok my ticker factory thing wont' work! I cant change my ticker!!

KERRI, et all...Good luck on your fill on Thursday- may it bring you restriction and a smaller grocery bill! (I know mine hasn't budged a bit! I have 9 and 10 year old boys, who eat me out of house and home! ) As far as my first fill results thus far, Well, the liquid 24-48 hrs post fill sucked, but I got through it. I didn't have time ( big no-no) to eat breakfast that morning, and I had a huge(another big no-no) dinner the night before, so I was extra hungry! Dr Mckee gave me 3cc, which he said was very aggressive for him, but I was beginning to be able to eat alot of food at once, and he wanted to "nip it in the butt". It turns out that I didn't have even 1/4 of a cc in the band from surgery, which explains the being able to eat alot! Well, so far the fill has worked, as I am down 4 lbs since friday morning in the office! Yeh! I was hoping for onerland by dad's wedding this coming Saturday, 8/2/08, but, well, I think it would take a miracle to loose 14 lbs in 1 week! None of my relatives have seen me since 1 month before surgery, so It'll be nice if they notice (damn, they'd better!) I'v always been the largest woman in my entire family (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc) they have always been of average wt. Let's see if they notice the fact that I was in a 22/24 dress at my grandmothers funeral in May, and in a 14-16 dress at the wedding next week! I will try to post pics, but I am having a very difficult techinical time doing that! How do you post a pic? Anyway, I hope everyone is progressing on thier journeys nicely, and if it applies, regressing on the scale! Take care, Sarah

Puter- I was banded on 6/10/08, and today was my first fill- so, 6 weeks betwen fills. They will give you your first fill appt time and date at your post op appt with the Dr. I am supposed to go in 6 weeks for my 2nd fill, but Dr McKee will be on vacation for 2 weeks, so they put me off until 8 weeks...:thumbup: You may have the same issue seeing as your first fill will be on his vacation time. I found some mis-information in the binder they give you. FYI- when I went for my post op visit, 10 days post op, the binder says to start 2nd stage 7 days postop. At my 10 day appt, the Dr told me I could start that stage 14 days out. You may want to clarify that one with them... So, I was eating soft foods, not quite mushies, though, earlier than I should have- that can do damage to the band. The first 6 weeks is all about healing- not really loosing. Most people loose wt durring that time, because of the dietary shock to their systems. Dont worry about loosing right now- just push through liquids, and go through the stages at your own pace! It's not worth it to push it!! Good luck! WHere is Clinton, anyway??

Yes, welcome Puterlady! Dr McKee is very nice- very quiet, but very nice. I took my 10 yr old son with me for my first fill today (3cc in a 10cc band) , and he was joking around with him- kinda broke the Dr's office tension! The fill went well- didn't feel the lidocaine injection, or the fill needle at all- just alot of pressure from him pushing on the port to get the needle in- Congrats on getting banded! It's tough for the first few weeks, but then it gets much easier! Well, seeing as we have compiled a larger group of Maniacs here, maybe we should all make a point of getting together 1 or 2 times a year as a group! A Maine reunion of sorts..

Kerri- COOL!!! Way to go on the 46!! YOU ARE 1/2 way there! Just think, you possibly could be at goal by the holidays at this rate!! I have my first fill tomorow morning at 9:15! Man, It couldn't come at a better time! I am able to eat about 1 cup of food at each meal! not good. I hope Dr McKee is very aggressive with filling. I am really starting to get hungry more often, but won't let myself eat between meals!! NO NO NO!!!! Well, like you, off to work- Keep up the good work with induction! It really helps to boost your loss! Sarah

Kerri- Good luck with induction! I know that is the hardest part of the whole thing! Yeh, I keep some "pre" clothes on hand just for that reason... makes me feel like I have progressed if I can see it! Isn't it funny how we jump from getting excited about the band, to getting excited about plastics?? I am already looking into maybe a brachioplasty arm lift), but then I look, and see what a difference a whole body lift w/ Tummy tuck could do! I guess I will just have to wait and see how my body molds itself over the next few months. I think I would feel better about not getting plasics if I were married. Beign single, and worrying about you know what with someone new just makes me cringe (thinking that they will do the same thing!) Idunno- small town girl almost thinks plastics belong in LA or Miami, or something- and I don't mean Lewiston/Auburn! No body in Maine has a perfect body... I guess we just weren't meant to bare all! I'ts too damn cold, anyway! SO, if you want this board to be a confessional, go for it! We are all here to help eachother though this. We are the only ones that know what we are going through! There is another woman on this thread, Kimberly, who is interested in having Dr Trieu do her surgery- maybe you 2 can chat a bit together, and answer some of her questions about him~ Later- have "fun" at work, and keep up with induction! Oh crap, I just swallowed a cheese cube without really chewing it well- Thank god my fill isn't until friday! Sarah

Kimberly, Congrats on getting the info session out of the way! Unfourtunately, the person I was going to go with had an emergency, and couldn't go, so I wasnt there. You are absolutely right, you do learn way too much about people there! I can't see any reason why you cant have Dr Trieu instead on McKee! I hope Cigna takes your dr's notes in place of the 6 month dieting. If not, at least you have 6 months out of the way! Way to go! I'm sorry I haven't been on here much- it's been (pardon the expression) balls to the walls between work and kids... I"ll try to post more often! Kerri, another bandster on this thread had Dr Trieu. I'll bet she has some sound advice for you! That is the good part about having only dr's there- chances are, you can speak to very few people, and get a good picture of what you are in for. Did you find that they focused and pushed the gastic bypass at the seminar? I think it's because they get more $ for it... BUT, then they turn around and say that something like 40-60$ of bypassers ragain the wt! I dont' get it! All I can say is that I am very happy with my disicion with the band, and encourage you to do what is best for you! Good luck, and keep us posted with what is going on! Maybe you can do the nutrition appt and psyc eval durring the 6 months of dieting, if you need the diet for ins!! Take care, Sarah

Hey Kerri- No, my port dosn't hurt at all...I wonder if yours isn't seating well in the muscle for some reason? I don't even know it's there. I would tell them sooner than later! Why suffer any longer than you need to? Maybe they can do your fill earlier, too! SO, are you at restriction yet? For some reason I can eat more than I should be able to! I can put away about 1 cup of food at a meal, sometimes more. It seems to stay longer at night for some reason. I hope I haven't hurt the band at all, because when I eat, I'm not full, but 10 minutes later, I am uncomfortalbly stuffed... I dunno. About not being yourself- I hear you. I find myself losing my temper and being tired alot quicker the past week or so. Very irritable, almost like PMS'ing- but wrong time for that to be. I read here somewhere that estrogen is absorbed by fat cells- maybe losing the fat cells is making our hormones all wacked out. For me, the scale seemed to teeter between 218-223 last week, now it's between 217-219. Maybe i'm in for a plateau again, or maybe I just need to get off the scale every day and weigh once a week to see numbers go down all the time. It turns out that after teetering for 4 days, the lower number then ends up being the larger number, and a new lower number steps in...I have no Idea what I just typed- don't worry, I think I need a drink... Depressed- DBF is in PA with family for the week- my 16's are getting huge on me after I wear them for an hour, but the damn legs wont' fit into a 14 yet- really need to figure out how to loose alot of wt in the legs- I think I'll make another appt with Nate to see what he thinks I should do. I'd post pics, but I'm computer stupid... pant size 22/24 to a tight 14 loose 16 in a month makes me happy, as well as being able to comfortalbly wear a size large top from a 2x-3x at surgery. The twins are begining to resemble "chesticles" (breasts that look saggy like testicles), but with a good over the shouler boulder holder, look pretty perkey! Man, sorry to go on about nothing- talk to ya later- looks like we have a couple of newbies on here too! The more the merrier! Sarah

Puter- Congrats on your upcoming band date! Do you have Dr Trieu or Mckee? I was banded 6/10/08 by Dr Mckee- best decision I have ever made. Me Bariatrics is a wonderfull, small office. Just stay on plan, and you will do fine! I, too felt like I should have the last supper(s) before surgery. I did go out for Chinese, but nothing drastic. Not needing a pre op diet is nice... Good luck and keep us posted- Maine General has a thread here under regional us bansters- Maine General Bariatric Center. THere are about 4 or 5 users on there now- seems to grow by one or 2 a month! Good luck!

Hey Kerri! Good to hear from you! I figured you had alot going on lately. Stress can make you get off track! Just take it one day at a time. Doing the Atkins induction phase will really jump start your loss, and help you run from those extra carbs! I have to admit, I have been loosing and gaining the same 3 lbs for about 2 weeks now. I did, admittingly have chinese the other night- I just feel like I can eat anything, because everything is going down! I really can't wait until my fill next friday- it should scare me back to my goal- beacause it will hurt to eat what I am now- and to think I was scared to eat a few weeks ago... Glad to see your head is reattatched to the body. Don't consider it a pity party- that's what this is for! Question for you- you said you had your first fill at Me General under floroscope? They never mentioned anything of that nature to me. They just gave me my date for my first fill at my last appt. Do you think Dr's do it differently? Should I call first to be sure I shouldn't go to Me General for the first fill? What do you think? Great to hear from you again- no big trips planned for the summer- Later Gator- Sarah

Best of luck to all of the new Maine bandsters! I was banded June 10 08 in Augusta. Dr Mckee. It seems like such a long journey, but once you are banded, you will look forward, not back, at your new life. There are several ups and downs during the process, because we all want it NOW! Your patience will pay off, as in the process, you will learn to adapt to your new lifestyle. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I look forward to a happy and healthy future with my kids! Any questions, please ask!

My favorites are the pre mixed grape and alpine( fruit) punch. The orange is good too! They all taste like very watered down juice. I will warn you, though, they do leave an instant "coating" like feeling on your tounge. Kinda like dry mouth, Not enough to make me stop drinkin it. The powdered mix you mix with water is very cloudy and much thicker than the pre mixed clear kind. The mix settles into the bottom of your bottle- yuck! I'm not one for the chocolate or vanilla protein shakes either- too thick. Just my opinion- Good luck!

Allana, We have the same band date! I was banded 6/10/08 at Me General in Augusta! Sarah

Kerri- I am so sorry for the passing of your Nana. You gave her the greatest gift of being there in her final hours. Isn't it amazing how people can hold on to wait for someone to say goodby? It must have meant alot to your uncle Dale for that to happen. I'm glad that you could be there for everything. Families tend to rally in times of distress. At any rate, I'm glad you're back home, safe and sound. Don't worry about the 2 lbs, they will quickly melt away! Stress can do some funky things to the body--- I'll write more later- getting the kids ready for camp. Sarah

Kerri- How are things going? I haven't heard from you in a whyle on here. I know you have alot going on, and I just wanted to let you know I'm thinkin about ya! Hope all is ok- Sarah