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Hi Alana, let me know how it goes! Do you have a surgery date yet? And, Mia, how do you like Bagnato? After my year of fills is up with Jax, I will either go to Albany or Valdosta to get my fills...they're both about the same distance for me although I go to Valdosta more often.

My fault! I was away from my computer for awhile and didn't realize I had posted the other one...thought it got deleted. Sorry about the confusion!!

Hi and Good Luck! I was self pay, I did it in Jacksonville, FL...b/c I was kind of scared of going to another country to do it, but lots of people have had it done there with no problems. I'm about 2 1/2 hours north of Jax so it is a good drive everytime I have to go down there...which has made me wish I'd done it closer to home! There are places in Valdosta and Albany which are both an hour away and would have been much more convenient and saved gas! Keep that in mind when you are planning on costs! B/c when you self pay (or at least for me) my first year of fills was included in that total price so I have to have all my fills done (every 6 weeks) in Jax...and all the pre-meetings that I had to go to I feel like I've been to Jax 100 times since November!

I am almost 4 weeks post op and I've only got 4cc's, so I haven't had a tight fill yet. That will be March 6th. I'm finally on mostly regular food...just no bread or pasta. The only thing I haven't tried yet is salad. Did anyone have any problems with salad post op? I'm eating lunch at an italian restaurant and all they have at lunch is pasta, sandwiches, and salad. So, I am at a loss as to what to order! I haven't tried bread at all. That kind of scares me.

I'm in the big old town of Enigma, GA and wondered if there was anyone else on here from South Georgia.

Thanks! Enigma is about 20 miles East of Tifton, in Berrien County. It is a blink and you miss is town on Hwy 82!

Hello all, Enigma, GA here. South GA. Close to Tifton. I was banded on 1/31 in Jax. Thought I would join the GA bunch to see if there's anyone close to me!

I use Dr Whelchel in Jacksonville. He did the surgery at Memorial Hospital, but the office is North Florida Sugeons. His number is 904-399-5678 if you want to give him a call. He is off of University Blvd, close to the interstate.

I've also been drinking muscle milk and it really is good. The chocolate tastes like chocolate milk. You can get them at GNC, CVS Pharmacy, and Costco. I haven't tried the ones that you mix yourself...I only get the ones that are already mixed and in liquid form. I am a very picky eater and it doesn't take much to make me gag...I can barely eat veggies! But the muscle milk really is good and I don't have any problems with it.

My doctor had me on the Atkins diet for pre-op. I got tired of meat and cheated twice! So no worries!

I was banded on 1/31 also! I haven't had any problems with heartburn...even though I did before surgery. I am probably eating too much...and not the right stuff! But I have my first fill on March 6th. I'm nervous about that but hopefully I just won't be hungry after that! I'm having a hard time adjusting to chewing, chewing, chewing and slowing down, but I hope all that gets better after the fill!

I have a bulged disc in my back and I just finished up my vicodin several days ago. So, now I can feel my back again! My back doc gave me tramadol, but that was before the lapband. I know we can't take anti-inflammatory's or advil..anyone know if we can take Tramadol? Thanks!

Ok This Thursday I will be 3 weeks post op. I have a party to go to on Friday night and there will be alcohol served. My doctor says 6 months before having alcohol, but a few people that I know have the band started drinking pretty early on, at least sooner than 6 months out! I'm not worried about calories, I just want to know if anyone had alcohol as soon as 3 weeks post op? Thanks in advance!

Thank you for the reply! I figured I would stick with wine to stay away from carbonation.

I am having an attack of the allergies and sinuses. Has anyone taken Benadryl with the band? My pills are capsules but very small. Think I can one since it's small? I am 2 weeks post op and only have 4cc's. Also, can I take Benadryl with the liquid Hydrocodone since they both make me sleepy? Thanks!

Thanks guys! The headache got worse so I ended up taking a migraine pill. They melt in my mouth. Thanks!

I am 4 days post op and I am a little panicked and need some reassurance from those who've been banded for awile. I researched the band for a year before deciding to go ahead with it. I feel like it's the only way that I will ever lose the weight I want/need to lose. That said...even though I realize that it will eventually lead to a healthier, hopefully happier me...I can't see that far down the road yet. Basically I am feeling like, what the heck have I done!!! I feel like I won't ever have a normal life now. Does that feeling go away? Or did anyone else feel that way? I need some support!

I am 4 days post op and I am a little panicked and need some reassurance from those who've been banded for awile. I researched the band for a year before deciding to go ahead with it. I feel like it's the only way that I will ever lose the weight I want/need to lose. That said...even though I realize that it will eventually lead to a healthier, hopefully happier me...I can't see that far down the road yet. Basically I am feeling like, what the heck have I done!!! I feel like I won't ever have a normal life now. Does that feeling go away? Or did anyone else feel that way? I need some support!

I have another question! I am 5 days post op and I am really thirsty. Can I drink like I always did? My booklet says to sip, but I am pretty thirsty. Don't liquids pass on through the band? Especially since I don't have restriction yet? Thanks!

Hi! The worst pain that I experienced was the gas, which was in my chest. But it was etter every day. I am 5 days post op now and my chest is much better. My incisions were more sore than painful. They also gave me liquid loritab. Walking around helps the gas go away so even though you may not want to, you need to walk around as much as possible!

Thank you all so much for replying! You have no idea how much it helps to hear that you guys went through it and survived and are happy you did it! Thank you for taking the time to help!

Thank you so much for your responses! It helps to know that someone else felt that way but got over it!

I was banded on 1/31 and I'm still not very hungry...but I think the pain is making me not hungry, not necessarily my stomach. I wondered the same thing about liquids passing through. Can we drink virtually as much as we like (water, juice, etc?) Food smells good to me so I think that when the gas in my chest stops hurting, I will be hungry too.

I am 3 days post op and my book says that I can have sugar free jello, crystal light, chicken or beef broth, and sugar free popsicles for the first 4 days. Just rotate those around and it isn't so bad!